Our hours change starting Monday, May 12th, moving to 6pm on weekdays, but staying at 5pm on weekends. We are also now closing on Wednesdays, at least for a while.
Store
ours currently are 8am-6pm Monday & Tuesday, closed on
Wednesdays, 8am-6pm Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on
Saturday & Sunday.
We have a lot of used reels at the
moment. As such, we are doing a 20% off sale on the used reels in
that specific case. Get ‘em while they last! This is an
in-store promotion only, no mail order on these.
Pictured
up top is a very nice brown landed by customer Will F. and his buddy
Chris while floating during the high flows on Saturday. Big yellow
articulated streamers got it done for them all day long. Flows have
come way down and cleared up, but right after a good rain when the
water is still up and off-color, big yellow 4-6” streamers can be
just the ticket for larger trout.
We have tons of books
at the moment- we received a bunch of used books as
well as a big order of new books that arrived recently.
Also, more used rods & reels
came in, we have a BIG inventory of used stuff.
We are
once again carrying the very popular Frabill
Landing Nets. They are very reasonably priced ($35-45),
lightweight, and capable of netting large trout. Rubber coated mesh
nets with flat bottoms make it easy to handle the trout once you net
them. Hard to beat for the money.
Diamondback
Generation IV Euro nymphing rods are now available. I know
many of you have been eagerly anticipating them, and now we have the
full line-up, minus the 10' 7" #4 (not available yet, probably
in early/mid fall). The models we have include 10' and 10' 7"
lengths in #1, #2, #3, and 10' 7" in #6 & #7. These rods are
very nice and have been selling well.
After walking
through the woods, check yourself for ticks-
they are extremely active now. I’m picking 1 or more off the dog on
a daily basis, and finding them on me when I walk in the
woods.
Monday afternoon 5/12/25 Flow Update:
So almost no flow adjustment for today, MDC went from a 145cfs release to a 150cfs release, and the Still River drops more every day. Otis Reservoir (in MA, above Colebrook) started a gated release of 90cfs, but that won't be added in to the dam release until next Monday 5/19. Colebrook Reservoir is over 100% now (710.75' elevation, "full" is 708'), so at some point soon the Army Corps of Engineers will have to release additional water to get the level at or below 708'. Don't be surprised to see a flow bump at some point later this week, maybe Wednesday or Thursday when the lower river recedes more. FYI Unionville USGS gauge is reading 1,540cfs this afternoon, and dropping steadily.
Monday
morning 5/12/25
River Report:
The total flow on the river
below the Still River and in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release
(C&R) is 598cfs
and still steadily dropping at a good clip, the historical median
flow for today is 331cfs- I would classify this morning’s flow as a
upper end medium, and clarity is very good. Riverton is 189cfs
(medium level) between the dam and the Rt. 20 bridge/Riverton Self
Storage (historical median flow for today is 148cfs). The Still
River is adding in 598cfs and dropping fast,
historical median flow is 183cfs. Riverton water temp is 45.5 degrees
this morning (it was down into the 30’s for air temps last night!),
it reached 52 degrees yesterday afternoon. Downstream water temps are
higher, averaging mid 50’s to low 60’s of late. Peak water temps
are normally mid to late afternoon, with warm sunny days seeing the
biggest temp increases. Unionville USGS gauge is reading 1,590cfs and
receding fast, historical median flow for today is 538cfs- wait for
flows down there to get back under 1,000cfs and preferably lower than
that. Lake McDonough is currently full to the brim and spilling water
over the dam and into the East Branch, I’d guesstimate about
200cfs. The East Branch comes in about 3/8 of a mile below UpCountry,
a few hundred yards downstream from Michael Angelo’s
Restaurant.
The wildcard with flows is the dam in
Riverton. As of 9am we’re in good shape at a bit under 600cfs total
flow in the Permanent TMA/C&R and dropping at a good clip. Monday
is the day they make any necessary adjustments to the dam release.
They have been releasing 133ccfs the past 2 weeks, but they are going
to need to raise it to at least 250cfs and possibly higher. They are
required to maintain a minimum of a 50 to 150cfs release depending
upon the average inflow to Colebrook Reservoir for the preceding
week. Also, if they are releasing water from Otis Reservoir (which
come in about 5 miles above Colebrook), they also have to add that to
the planned release. So that gives us at least a 250cfs release (a
117cfs increase). Colebrook Reservoir is finally about full after a
seemingly endless drought, and that’s a very good thing or we could
have been in trouble this summer. If it goes over 708’ elevation
though (just below parking lot level at the boat launch), the Army
Corps of Engineers will dump additional water until they get it back
at or below that height. I don’t know the exact height of the
reservoir, so I don’t know if they will bump the release to more
than 250cfs as yet. I should know by lunchtime and I’ll update this
report then, so please check back for the most accurate flow
info.
In case you missed it up top, we are going to 6pm
closing time on weekdays starting this Monday, 5/12. Also, at
least for a while, we will be CLOSED on Wednesdays, so
please plan accordingly.
Quite a few anglers with boats
floated the river and tossed streamers during the higher flows this
past weekend, and some large trout were both moved & landed.
Looks like the heavy rain is behind us now, just some small shots in
the long range, which is exactly what you want. River has come way
down and has nice clarity, sitting just under 600cfs as I write this
Monday morning (this could change depending on what they do with the
dam today, I’ll update this report as necessary in the afternoon).
Caddis are the dominant hatch on most of the river, and the last of
the Hendrickson hatch is up in Riverton (Caddis are up there too).
You may continue to see some Hendrickson spinner falls downstream
from that into the upper half of the Permanent TMA/C&R. Caddis
are the main hatch overall though, more than one species, with the
most common being an olive/green bodied one in #16-18. FYI, all
Caddis look tan while flying in the air, you have to get one in hand
and flip them over to determine the true body color. Pupa color
should match the adult BODY color. Olive/green & tan are the two
most common body colors, and small black Caddis are common all year
long. We aren’t seeing the tan Caddis yet, but we should in another
week or two. While there is some dry fly fishing, at the moment the
subsurface nymphing with Caddis pupa and other nymphs is by far the
most consistent & predictable fishing under the current
conditions. I’m still catching a lot of trout on Junk Flies though,
so make sure to have some Mops, Eggs, Worms & Weenies. Junk
typically either works great, or not at all. Pair them up with a more
natural, imitative nymph. Caddis are a great bug to fish with wet
flies/soft-hackles too, and that’s a fun method. You will find the
best Caddis action where the water is broken and has some current. If
you have fish breaking on the surface during a Caddis emergence, a
Dry-Dropper rig works well. Run a pupa 12-18” under a buoyant
Caddis dry.
Kudos to CT DEEP for their wise
management of the water in Colebrook Reservoir since they took that
over around June of 2024. They were dealt a crappy hand in terms
of weather (and by that I mean an incredibly dry 10 months in a row),
but they did the right thing and ran the dam release low so they
could fill the reservoir back up, instead of running the flow
according to historical norms that are no longer relevant due to
changing weather/climate. Not sure of the exact height of Colebrook
today, but after the recent rains we are finally full. This means we
don’t have to worry about running out of water in July &
August. It also appears that Otis Reservoir in MA is finally full
again, as of 5/3 they are spilling 100cfs into the section of the
Farmington River above Colebrook River Lake- by law this has to be
added to the dam release in Riverton.
We will probably
see Vitreus mayflies start up in the next week or so. Vitreus
often get labeled as a bigger Sulfur (#12-16, averaging a 14), but
they are close cousins to the Quill Gordon (same Epeorus family of
bugs) with 2 tails, hatching in faster water, and the winged dun
emerges from the nymph on the stream bottom and then swims/rises to
the surface. The eggs inside the females give a distinctly
pinkish-orange cast to their abdomen, and some people call them a
Pink Lady or Pink Cahill. Pale Evening Dun is another common name for
them.
In the mornings, trout are munching subsurface on
nymphs that look Caddis-y, things like olive/green larva, pupa,
Walt’s Worms, Sexy Waltz, etc. Before the bugs get active, Junk
Flies (Eggs & Mops) can do the trick. By mid morning typically
the trout are eating bugs subsurface. Prior to the recent heavy rain,
many anglers were getting their fish on dries. If you have a good
eye, you can pick out the big trout rise forms and focus on
them.
Don’t be afraid to explore and fish new water to
get away from the crowds, there are literally fish EVERYWHERE. The
further you go downstream, in general the less anglers you will see-
especially if you walk 5-10 minutes away from the easy access points.
Most anglers also focus on the famous named pools, and skip the water
in between. The water outside of the Permanent Catch &
Release/TMA gets less pressure for the most part. FYI, during
Hendrickson time many anglers don’t start until noon or 1pm, and
then they leave at 4-5pm when the afternoon hatch is done.
Various
nymphs averaging #14-20 have been working well on recent stockers,
holdovers & wilds. Try #12-18 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies, #12-14
Hendrickson nymphs, #16-20 BWO nymphs, #14-18, olive Caddis pupa,
Walt’s Worms/Sexy Waltz, Mops, and flies with pink beads
(Walt’s/PT’s/Hare’s Ears). Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Worms,
Weenies) can be particularly effective on the recently stocked fish
before they figure out what real food looks like, sometimes vastly
outproducing traditional nymphs. And some days the wild browns like
to eat the Junk too. They are very much a hot or cold fly, not much
in between. If one of your nymphs is a Junk Fly, pair it up with
something smaller, drabber & more natural (Pheasant Tail, Walt’s
Worm, Hare’s Ear, etc.). Streamers are also a good choice, a great
way to cover a lot of water in a hurry, and also be able to fish the
water that you cannot nymph. Make sure to cover lots of water, play
with streamer color/patterns, and vary your retrieves. Try tan,
olive, white, and black.
Fishing reports have varied
widely, depending on the angler, river section fished, time of day,
and methods/flies used. Overall we are getting a LOT of good reports
from smiling anglers. Dry fly fishermen have come into their time
now, with Caddis & Hendricksons (Riverton now) are bringing trout
to the surface. Nymphs & streamers have been producing most of
the fish you see in this report. Expect to work for the high quality
bigger holdover & wild fish. If you get into a pod of recently
stocked fish, you can do some big numbers with subsurface flies. It
pays to move around and cover water currently. It one section is not
producing, don’t beat it to death, move to a new area. The big wild
browns are the hardest to fool, you need to do everything correctly.
They’ve seen it all, and they spook easily. They are also very
tuned into real bugs & minnows.
The Permanent TMA/C&R
was stocked recently with a lot of brown trout of various sizes. Most
sections outside that have been stocked three times now, with more to
come in the very near future. FYI, 20% of the trout they stock
throughout the state are over one foot, with some much larger. The
Permanent TMA/C&R gets 1,000 fat Two Year Old Browns that average
14-18”, and some are bigger than
that.
****************************************************************
Dries:
-Caddis
#16-20 (green/olive, black): main hatch on most of the river now,
very active in the mornings, nymphing with pupa is currently the most
productive tactic for them. They often egg-lay later in the day in
low light, in the faster water, and they can be active in the
afternoons too.
-Hendrickson #12-14: mid/late afternoon hatch,
near the end. Riverton above the Still River is where you want to be
now, but you will see spinner falls downstream of that as far as the
mid to upper Permanent TMA/C&R for a bit.
-Rusty Spinner
#12-14: imitates Hendrickson spinners. Evenings/dusk is the classic
time, but they can also fall mid/late morning, and even during the
afternoon hatch. They need mild air temps, minimal wind, and no rain.
They drop over faster, riffly water.
-Vitreus #12-14: not yet
but soon, typically starts up around mid May, late afternoon to
evening hatch in faster water
-Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24:
hatch is typically early to mid morning, all year long. Trout focus
on the pupa first, and then as the morning progresses they normally
switch to the winged, egg-laying adults.
-Midges #20-28:
afternoons/eves, sunny/milder days are best
Nymphs:
-Assorted
Caddis Pupa #14-20 in various colors (olive/green, tan). Use specific
pupa, Walt’s Worms, and Sexy Waltz.
-Hendrickson
#12-14 (Riverton): medium to dark brown mayfly, can use specific
imitations like a BMAR pattern or generic stuff like a Pheasant Tail.
Fairly blocky abdomen, not a skinny nymph
-BMAR Hendrickson
Nymph #14 (Riverton)
-Blue Winged (Baetis) Olive Nymphs #16-20:
all year long
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16: lots of
these in the river (most others too), imitates the common
Hydrospyche, good all year but especially in early spring
-Pheasant
Tails/Frenchies #12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including
Blue Winged Olives, Hendricksons, small Stoneflies, and more
-Cased
Caddis #10-16: good this time of year, especially during & after
flow bumps
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18 (yellow)- also
imitates Black Caddis larva & some Midge larva
-Junk Flies
(Mops/Micro Mops, Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Eggs, Green Weenie): eggs
are deadly in the fall/winter/early spring, and the others are good
change-up flies when the usual imitative flies aren’t producing,
during non-hatch times, cold water, on recently stocked trout, or
during higher/off-color water.
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as
Sexy Waltz, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink
Bead Walt’s Worm/Pheasant Tails/Hare’s Ear, etc. Often work
better than drabber, more imitative flies.
-Midges #18-22
(black, olive, red): Zebra Midge, Flash Midge, Red Iris Midge.
Streamers:
*We
have a lot of new streamer patterns from MT Fly Co in the bins.
***Don’t
neglect streamers! - top colors have been olive, tan, white, and
black. Black is good on recently stocked trout (of which there are
lots right now), during low light (first & last light), and
high/dirty water.
-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.
-Ice Picks (tan, gray, white, yellow): tied by Rich
Strolis, a very nice single hook baitfish pattern
-Woolly 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 fall fly! Also standard Matuka in olive,
brown
-Zuddler #4-8: one of our favorites, in olive, white,
brown, black, yellow
-Complex & Mini Twist Bugger #2-6:
assorted colors, very effective