8am-5pm Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday. These will be our hours through March.
Pictured up top is customer Alexis with an impressive holdover male brown she recently caught this week.
As of 9/1, the entire upper 21 miles of river from the dam in Riverton to the Rt 20 bridge in Unionville is catch & release until next spring.
We scored 4 boxes of unusually good used books in August, and we picked up a few dozen more books recently. Definitely some classics, collectibles, and autographed copies too. Come check it out, if you’re into books on fly fishing for trout, you should be able to find at least a book or two you like.
Friday 10/11 morning Report:
It really feels like fall now, with cooler days and MUCH cooler nights- 37 degrees here at 8am this morning! This is accelerating the foliage color, it should be quite pretty here this weekend. Typically peak color is about October 15-20, and it stays colorful even for several weeks after that. Flow is still quite low but fishable. Finally have some rain in the forecast for Sunday through Monday, about ¾” total, we could use it. Brown trout are heavily prespawn and aggressive on streamers, hint hint.
The early spawning could begin as soon as later next week, so start keeping an eye out for redds (the oval shaped lighter areas in shallow pea gravell riffles where the trout deposit their eggs) and LEAVE SPAWNING TROUT ALONE, it’s unsporting to target them and only adds to spawning stress, let them do their thing unmolested. What you want to do is target the often unseen fish downstream from them that are eating loose eggs in the drift, usually in the first darker/deeper water below the redd. Make sure not to walk through the redds, or the first 15 feet or so of water below them (many if not the majority of the eggs the trout deposit drift 5-15 feet below the actual redd). If you walk on the eggs you are killing future generations of wild trout.
115cfs total flow (low) in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release (C&R) as I write this Friday morning- Riverton is 106cfs from the dam down to the Rt 20 bridge (Riverton Self Storage/Hitchcock), and the Still River is adding in 9cfs a little below that. Riverton water temp is 61.5 degrees at 8am, yesterday afternoon it peaked there at 65.5. Water temps are dropping, although water continues to come out of the dam at about 65 degrees and will do so until the reservoirs flip, probably in late October. As you go downstream water temps are actually cooler, due to the cold nights & cooler days.
Cooler nights and days will see some morning hatches push more in to the afternoons. Anglers are working for their fish lately, but streamer fishing is starting to pick up. Streamers are getting to be a good choice now that the brown trout are pre-spawn and getting more aggressive. Best time to streamer fish is in the morning, the earlier the better, and again at the end of the day when the sun gets off the water. Make sure to play with streamer colors, size, pattern type, and retrieves to see what is working better at any given moment.
Eventually, later this month, they will have to lower Otis Reservoir (in MA, upstream from Colebrook), and also Highland Lake (drains into the Still River). Whatever they let out of Otis, by law has to be added to the release at Hogback/Goodwin Dam in Riverton. And when they lower Highland, that bumps flows up on the Still River (which dumps into the Farmington River a little below the Rt 20 bridge/Riverton Self Storage/Hitchcock).
Caddis are the main bug, averaging about #16-20 in tan to light brown. Hatching in the mornings & afternoons, and coming back later in the day in low light to egg lay. Nymphing the pupa is effective when they aren’t rising.
Flows remain low and about 60% of the median/typical flow, but certainly fishable as long as you are stealthy in your approach and match your rigging & flies to the conditions. The minimal water release is due to a lack of rainfall and a low level in the reservoir. The upside of low water is easier wading & access, easier to figure out where the trout are because you can eliminate a lot of the water, and lower flows encourage the trout to feed on the surface when there is a hatch. The downside is spookier fish, some spots become too shallow & slow to hold fish, water temps heat up faster on warm/sunny afternoons, and it’s easier for predators like birds & water snakes to catch the trout. Dress in drab colors, use longer leaders (at least 12’), longer/lighter tippets (3-6’), stay low, stay a little further away, cast sidearm, and wade carefully so as not to send ripples into the pools. Also, in lower water on average you want to fish smaller flies, with some exceptions(morning Stoneflies, and Isonychia later in the day).
Antoine Bissieux (the “French Flyfisher”) is bringing world champion French flyfisher Bertrand Jacquemin to do 9 clinics focusing on Sight Fishing & Dry/Dropper. He is literally one of the best trout fisherman in the world, and he retired with 11 medals in competitive fly fishing (4 of them gold). The French team is the best in the world at fly fishing for trout, and this is a unique opportunity to spend a day learning from one of the world’s best, without having to spend $5,000 dollars to visit him in France. Europeans use some deadly flies, rigging & techniques that often vary from what Americans see and use. Clinics range from $300 to $450 dollars, and the dates are 10/16 to 10/26. Contact Antoine directly at 860-759-4464 to sign up, clinics are filling up fast.
Local guide Mark Swenson is doing a Beginner Fly Tying class on November 17th, contact him directly at 203-586-8007 to sign up. Cost is $150 person, with a maximum class size of 6P. I would expect this class to fill up quickly.
Remember that the upper 21 miles of river from the dam in Riverton down to the Rt 177 bridge in Unionville is now catch & release as of 9/1 until the second Saturday in April.
The USGS temperature gauge at the Rt 20 bridge in Riverton only tells part of the story. Water temps coming out of the dam usually creep into the mid 60’s at the end of the summer/early fall, and depending upon the weather and time of day it can rise or fall as you move downstream. Right around October the Still River, which is a warming influence in the peak of summer, begins to drop down in temp and becomes a cooling influence, as do the other tributaries. So as things cool off, the farther downstream you get from the dam in the mornings, the cooler the water gets due to chilling at night and colder tributaries- the exact opposite of how things work in July/August, when the coldest water is up by the dam, the tribs run warm, and the lower river heats up. Bear in mind that a hot, sunny day will still drive afternoon water temps up to some degree, but with shorter days and the sun at a lower angle it has less effect than it did in the summer.
Mornings typically means Summer/Winter Caddis, or nymphing the fast water with big Stonefly nymphs, smaller Caddis pupa, and small Mayfly-type nymphs. Afternoons can be tougher, and typically mean nymphing the faster water with small nymphs. Some of the best dry fly fishing occurs between mid/late afternoon and dusk, with the likely bugs being Isonychia #12-14 (in fast water), Caddis #16-20, Hebe/Yellow Quills #16-18 (a few), and Blue Winged Olives #22-26. If you’re nymphing in the afternoons, think mostly small flies size 18 or smaller- an exception is Isonychia in #12-14 from about mid afternoon through dusk. Nymph the fast water, that’s where the Isonychia and many other bugs live.
As of 9/1, the entire Farmington River from the dam in Riverton, downstream 21 miles to the Rt 177 bridge in Unionville became Catch & Release (C&R) until the second Saturday in April. Below the 177 bridge it remains 5 trout, 9” or bigger through February.
Large Golden Stoneflies still crawling out on the rocks to emerge between first light and mid/late mornings, they run from about a #4 down to a #12, and this should continue at least through the end of October. FYI big Stoneflies are on a 2-4 year life cycle, so they are always present and a possible food source (immature ones will be smaller though). Imitate them with #8-12 nymphs in the fast water, big trout key in on them. They are active & emerging from June through October. Look for their empty shucks on protruding rocks in fast water, you’ll also see a bunch on concrete bridge abutments. Fishing these big nymphs will net you some bigger fish, especially if you fish the fast water from first light until about 10am. You can beef your tippet up when fishing bigger bugs like this for bigger trout- 4x to 5x is not to heavy, and if you have a really big trout located, 3x may be appropriate.
Caddis typically hatch in the mid to late mornings, and come back later in the day to egg-lay in the riffles areas where they dump into the pools, and they typically hatch in the morning. Trout normally feed on the pupa during the hatch, not so much the adults- this can mean anything from nymphing pupa near the bottom, to swinging pupa/wet flies/soft-hackles mid column, or dead-drifting pupa in the surface film. Dry/dropper with a Caddis dry and a pupa fished 6-12” below it can be effective during the hatch. You get more of the classic dry fly fishing with Caddis dries during the evening egg-laying events.
FRAA trophy rainbows are still getting caught & released (mostly). They have been averaging about 5-7 pounds, and some are even bigger. A good amount of trout are holding in faster water: riffles, faster runs, and pocket water. Also the FRAA put in 18 large Golden Rainbows, and you will see them here & there, along with the leftover ones in the upper river from the Riverton Derby in early April. They are always a challenge to catch because they stick out like a sore thumb (they are a bright yellow/orange color) and everybody targets them.
Be prepared to go subsurface with Caddis pupa, small Mayfly patterns, big Stoneflies, Isonychia nymphs #12-14 (can also use big Pheasant Tails & Prince Nymphs to imitate them), Yellow Sally Stoneflies #14-18, wet flies/soft hackles, and streamers. Also try BWO nymphs #18-22, #12-20 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and other assorted nymphs. Small nymphs #18-22 are often the ticket this time of year, with the fly size being more important than the exact pattern. Mops (cream, chartreuse) & Squirmy Worms (pink, red) are always worth a try, especially as a clean up fly after you nymph a run, or if trout are not responding to your usual more imitative patterns. They can also be good during non-hatch periods. Don’t neglect attractor nymphs that have flash, fluorescent colors, UV, or gaudy colors- metallic pink beaded nymphs are very effective.
The new Thomas & Thomas Avantt II fly rods arrived in March, and they have really impressed us. Slightly more flex in the tip, but still plenty of power in the mid & lower sections, with fantastic crisp recovery and a low swing weight.
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Hatches/Dries:
-Isonychia #12-14: typically a mid/late afternoon through dusk hatch in fast water. This bug brings some large trout to the surface in fast water later in the day. You can also blind fish it in likely looking water or use it in a Dry/Dropper rig.
-Assorted Caddis #14-24: main hatch now, averaging smaller (#16-20), hatching mid/late mornings, and come back in the eves to egg-lay
-Yellow Sally #16 (a few)
-Hebe/Yellow Quill #16-18: a few, typically late afternoons to eves, look like Sulfurs and are imitated with standard Sulfur patterns, hatch is near the end.
-Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24: hatching in early to mid morning, all year long
-Blue Wing Olive #22-26: cloudy afternoons, evenings too. In the eves fish small rusty spinners #22-26.
-Ants & Beetles #12-18: effective, especially midday when you have sporadic risers without any major hatch occuring
Nymphs & Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Small Nymphs #18-22: frequently size is more important than the exact pattern, especially this time of year when most of the bugs are smaller. Generic bugs like Pheasant Tails/Frenchies, Hare’s Ears, Walt’s Worms, etc. all are good choices.
-Caddis Pupa #16-18 (tan)
-Isonychia Nymph #12-14: fish in fast water, mid afternoon through dusk. Try dead-drifting, swinging, and even stripping them in.
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Isonychia, Blue Winged Olives, Sulfurs, and more
-Stonefly #8-12: excellent in early to mid mornings when they crawl out in low light onto the rocks to emerge in fast water. They emerge from June through October on the Farmington River, and can produce some big fish.
-BMAR Isonychia Nymph #10-12: fish in fast water, mid afternoon through dusk
-Yellow Sally #14-18: active & hatching in August/September in fast water
-Wet Flies & Soft Hackles #12-16: assorted colors/patterns, try to imitate the main hatches, but also use flashy attractor patterns
-Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Squirmy Worms, Green Weenie)
-Blue Winged Olive Nymphs #16-22, good all year, common item in the drift
-Zebra Midge #18-22: black, olive, red
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18 (yellow): can also imitate Midge larva
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river
-Cased Caddis #12-14: underfished pattern, abundant in the Farmington. Especially effective after flow bumps and during high water.
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink Bead Walt’s Worm, Pink Bead Pheasant Tails, etc. Often work better than drabber, more imitative flies.
Streamers:
Fall is PRIME TIME for streamers!
-Jigged Streamers #8-12: various patterns/colors, deadly fished on a tight-line/Euro rig, often sorts out bigger fish. Great to use as a clean-up fly after you nymph a run. Olive, tan, white are effective colors here.
-Ice Picks (tan, gray, white, yellow): tied by Rich Strolis, a very nice single hook baitfish pattern
-Wooly Bugger #4-12: assorted colors, try also Don's Peach Bugger
-Zonker #4-6: a classic fish catcher! In white, natural
-BMAR Yellow Matuka #6: deadly fly! Also standard Matuka in olive, brown
-Zuddler #4-8: one of our favorites, in olive, white, brown, black
-Complex & Mini Twist Bugger #2-6: assorted colors, very effective