8am-5pm
Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday. These will
be the store hours through March.
Don’t
forget to get a 2025 CT fishing license! They are
available online, in our store, and at some town halls.
Pictured
up top is Jiggin’ Johnny Stratton with an impressive brown
from the weekend. If I know him, it was likely caught on a jigged
streamer dead-drifted under a strike indicator on a mono rig. He
consistently puts 18”+ browns in the net all winter long with that
tactic. You have to be patient and fish thoroughly though. Big browns
are extra lazy in the cold water of winter, and they like their meals
easy to catch. Top 3 winter streamer colors are white, olive, and
tan. Color can make a big difference, so experiment. Tan is a great
color on the Farmington.
As of 9/1/24, the entire upper
21 miles of river from the dam in Riverton to the Rt 20 bridge in
Unionville is Catch & Release until the second
Saturday in April 2025.
Monday morning
1/27/25 River Report:
Extra
deep discount: Diamondback
Ideal Nymph rods in stock are on sale for $330
(normally $525-550),
they are re-doing this series of rods with the latest
technology & new tapers (Generation IV will be available sometime
in February). Sale applies to in stock rods only, and I expect
remaining inventory to go fast. We currently have most of the
different lengths/line weights from #1 to #4 in stock, but not the
10’ 10” #2. Some we only have one of though, and the popular
models will sell out fast.
Further
down in this report I’ve mentioned the new almost indestructible MT
Fly Company Trina’s
Squirmy Material that
we have back in stock, and Joey just put flies in the bins tied out
of this in both pink & red
colors, and he is doing 2 slightly different versions of each. Check
‘em out. We also have some brand new Fulling Mill nymph &
streamer patterns in the bins, as well as a half dozen new nymphs and
streamers from local tyer extraordinaire Keegan Nelson.
It’s
definitely still winter, but highs this week through the weekend will
be low 30’s to mid 40’s, so not bad at all after 2 weeks of
brutal cold. A decent number of anglers ventured out this past
weekend. Some skunked, but a few quality big browns were landed by
some diehards. As I’ve mentioned before, the super cold nights over
the past 2 weeks, combined with a lower than average dam release, has
the majority of the river below Riverton mostly frozen and locked up.
Milder temps this past weekend started to melt some of this a bit,
and if you look around there are some open water areas that are
fishable. Make sure to fish the slower deeper water, not the fast
water areas that don’t[ freeze over but also don’t hold trout
when water temps are in the 30’s. With most days above freezing
this week combined with sunshine, it should slowly melt some more.
Riverton above the Still River remains 100% fishable in every pool-
slightly warmer water coming out of the bottom of the reservoir keeps
it ice & slush free all winter. Below the Still River it is a
crap shoot. Don’t start early, let the sun warm the water for a
couple of hours before you head out, and if floating slush forms
overnight that gives it a change to melt. Nights in the teens and
single digits will create morning slush that typically clears out by
late morning.
USGS gauge at the Rt 20 Riverton bridge is
reading 115cfs (low), the Still River gauge is iced up, I would guess
it at 20-25cfs, that puts the total flow below that at approximately
135-140cfs, also a low flow. This historical median/normal total flow
for today’s date would be 373cfs (medium). Water temps at the
Riverton USGS gauge have dropped recently, and have been averaging in
the low/mid 30’s. Riverton gauge is 33 degrees at 8am this
morning, and it reached 36 yesterday afternoon. Last I knew the
East Branch was releasing 0cfs, it comes in about ½
mile downstream of UpCountry, just below the condo’s/sewage
plant.
Diamondback Ideal Nymph rods are now
$330, normally $525-550. As I write this, we have most
lengths & line weights in stock, but limited numbers. These will
go fast.
Quite a few new flies (mostly nymphs, some
streamers) in the bins. Joey just whipped up a batch of flashy #18
Red Iris Midges
with 2.5 tungsten beads, they look amazing. Small flashy red
midges can be quite effective in the winter, red midge larva are a
common trout food this time of year. The red is from the hemoglobin,
which allows them to live in slower silty water that has lower oxygen
content.
Slightly warmer water coming out the bottom of
this deep reservoir system is always a few degrees above freezing,
which keeps the upper 2 miles or so free of slush and shelf ice
(mostly). Once the Still River dumps in about ¼ mile below the Rt 20
Riverton bridge by Hitchcock/Riverton Self Storage, during cold snaps
it is dumping in slush and freezing cold water and can lock the
river up with ice and make it unfishable.
In general,
don’t bother starting before 10am- let the sun come out and warm
things up a bit. Even a tiny increase in water temps can be enough to
create a feeding window. It’s also a more pleasant &
comfortable time of day to be outside. Target the slow to medium-slow
water with some depth to it, and fish nymph, streamers, and Junk
Flies slow & deep. Don’t expect to catch a lot of fish and
expect to work hard for every single bite. Be patient, and fish the
prime water thoroughly. Trout won’t move far to eat your fly in the
winter, so make plenty of drifts in the high percentage spots. Takes
are often very subtle, so set the hook on anything- remember, hook
sets are free. Many, many strikes go undetected in the winter. Be
aware that trout often pod up in cold water, so where you find one
there could be a bunch more. While I don’t expect to do numbers in
the winter, occasionally you can catch a really good bite window and
if you find a big pod of fish, sometimes you can really rack them up.
But this is the exception. I’ve had zero fish days here in the
winter, and I’ve had 50+ on an exceptional day. Overall fishing was
slow over the past weekend, and anglers worked hard for their
fish.
The water coming out of the bottom of the dam in
Riverton actually moderates water temps- cooler in the summer, and a
little warmer in the winter. Water temps will vary depending how far
below the dam you are, and also depending upon the weather. During
colder weather, as you move downstream away from the dam the
Farmington behaves more like a freestone river- water temps get lower
and can freeze up/slush during cold snaps once you go below
Riverton. Sunny days will see the biggest water temp increases,
and on all but the coldest days will normally melt the slush by late
morning or noonish.
Safety Advice:
People
have been standing on the edge of shelf ice in some of the slow deep
pools lately. This is a risky proposition if there is some real depth
to the water and the ice gives way, you could drown, and at the very
least it’s a day ender. Use your common sense and don’t risk your
life or hypothermia just to catch a trout. Don't wade aggressively in
the winter, and try not to wade past knee depth if possible, you will
stay warmer with less of your body in icy water.
The
further you go downriver away from the dam, the more the Farmington
River behaves like a freestone river. During colder nights (teens &
below), morning slush is likely so don’t start too early. Most days
if AM slush is present, it normally clears out by late morning on all
but the coldest days. If you must start super early on cold/slushy
mornings, go up to Riverton where the water is slightly warmer &
slush-free, and then move downstream come late morning as water temps
rise. Sunshine is your friend in the winter, it pushes water temps
up, melts slush, and gets both the trout & bugs more active.
Winter is the time of year with the least bug activity, so for the
most part don’t expect major hatches. Milder/sunny days see the
most bugs, typically in the afternoons when water temps are at their
highest.
An increase in water temps, even as little as 1
degree, can be enough to turn the fish on and get them to bite. Focus
on the medium-slow to slow water with some depth, that’s where
trout spend most of their time in the winter. Having said that, you
may see them move into moderate riffle water to feed when water temps
bump up a little and you see a few bugs. There are bite windows when
the fish decide to feed and things turn on. There are also periods
that can last hours when then fish just aren’t feeding, so be
patient. The only insect activity right now is Winter/Summer Caddis
in the early to mid mornings (I know, this breaks the “rule” that
afternoon is when you get bugs in the Winter), and Midges in the
afternoons. You might see a few Micro Black Winter Stoneflies #18 and
smaller, but February is more so when the smaller Stones hatch.
Nymphs & streamers fished slow and deep will be the ticket most
of the time. Strikes in cold water (30’s) tend to be very gentle
and subtle, so pay close attention and strike on anything suspicious-
hook sets are free! We all get eats that we never detect or set the
hook on. The best anglers set their hooks often on the slightest
deviations in their drifts. Small nymphs (#18 and smaller), Junk
Flies (Mops, Eggs, Worms) and jigged streamers (white, tan, olive)
are your high percentage patterns. With the current lower flows, try
a Micro Mop instead of a standard full size Mop. Also try bigger
stonefly nymphs #8-10, sometimes trout cannot resist a big meal after
passing up the small stuff. Remember, in the cold water of winter, a
trout’s metabolism is low and they don’t have to eat much. There
is also a lot less to eat in the winter.
Winter
Fishing Tip:
After you nymph a fishy section of water,
before you leave make one more pass with either a “Junk Fly”
(Mop, Egg, Squirmy Worm) or a jigged streamer. It will often result
in one or more fish. My personal go to clean-up flies are cream mops
& jigged streamers (olive, tan, white). Although 98% of a trout’s
winter diet is small bugs, sometimes it takes a bigger piece of food
to entice them to eat. Their metabolism is very slow when water temps
are in the 30’s and they don’t have to eat much, but a big meal
can be too enticing to resist. Plus they will move further to eat a
bigger fly. Sometimes you have to almost hit them on the nose with a
small nymph to get them to eat in the winter, and those subtle eats
can be very hard to detect. If you are playing with jig streamers,
make sure to try different colors, some days it makes a BIG
difference. Top 3 winter streamer colors are normally olive, tan, and
white. Other colors can have their moments, but usually one of those
three colors will get it done. Also experiment with different
presentations: dead-drift, occasional twitches, actively jigged,
swung, and stripped in with different retrieves. Sometimes they will
eat it on the dangle when it’s hanging straight downstream of you,
wafting around enticingly in the current until the trout cannot stand
it any longer.
Don’t forget to get a 2025 CT fishing
license, they can be purchased online, in our store, or at some
town halls.
There is a new squirmy worm
material from MT Fly Co, it’s called “Trina’s
Squirm Material”, and
it’s the next evolution in San Juan/Squirmy worms. We just got in a
second batch of this material, and this time I ordered a lot more and
added some colors (the first batch sold out in one week). Unlike
normal squirmy material, it’s almost indestructible. Doesn’t
break, it won’t disintegrate if you leave it in your car on a
hot/sunny day, your tying thread won’t cut it, the tail won’t get
ripped off by small trout, and solvents like head cement & super
glue won’t melt it. It has more movement than ultra chenille, but
not as much as traditional squirmy material. I recommend tying it
with all the material trailing behind the hook in a long
“tail” (2.5-3”) for maximum movement. If you tie it with
just a short length sticking out both ends it won’t have much
wiggle to it.
The ‘bows and small to medium size
wild & stocked browns have been eating insect imitations, but
many of the better 18”+ browns have been getting caught on jigged
streamers (tan, olive, or white- experiment with colors) when a bite
window opens up for streamers. Joey put some new Zonker strip jig
streamers in the bin, check ‘em out. Good browns have also been on
bugs (nymphs) in the mid to late mornings when bugs are drifting,
especially on sunny mornings.
There are definite
bite windows when the fish decide to actively feed, and it can go
from zero to 100 when the fish turn on. This is very true of winter
fishing, so be patient! Hours of very slow fishing can suddenly get
good when they go on the bite. And conversely, it can just shut off
and go dead suddenly. These windows typically last 1-3 hours. Also,
with far less bug activity this time of year, Junk Flies (Mops,
Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Eggs, Green Weenies), attractor nymphs &
big stones are always worth trying. While most winter food available
to the trout is small (#18-28 and sometimes smaller), if small bugs
aren’t working try bigger flies, gaudier flies, Junk Flies, or a
streamer. Trout are moving into wintering lies: slower, deeper water.
As water temps rise during the afternoons and bugs get active
(especially on sunny days), some trout may push up into the riffles
to feed. This can also happen in mid to late mornings when it’s
sunny and you get some behavioral drift of nymphs. The morning Winter
Caddis and the afternoon Midges are the 2 winter hatches. Sunny days
will raise water temps more than milder air temps will on a cloudy
day.
If you are nymphing slower/deeper water
(typical in the winter), fishing far away, fishing below you, or
fishing in the wind, using a strike indicator is generally better
than Euro nymphing. FYI you can fish an indy with either fly line or
a mono rig. Make sure to play with the depth you have the indy set
at, it can make a big difference. Generally you want your flies just
above bottom, but sometimes a bit higher if fish suspend in slower
water. Trout like to feed at their level or a bit above, but not so
much ON the bottom or below them.
Now that we are
fully in winter mode, there is no need to start super early unless
you want to hit the early to mid morning Winter Caddis hatch. Other
than that I’d focus on mid morning through mid/late afternoon when
water temps rise and both the bugs and the trout get more active.
After colder nights, start later in the morning, and if it’s a
milder night, you can start earlier. It’s all about water temps,
and whether they are moving up or down. Rising water temps is what
you want, and dropping water temps (like when there is snowmelt or
doing a cold snap) can turn trout off, even on a mild & sunny
day. Look for Midge hatches in the afternoons, and you may find trout
rising to them in the slower water in bigger, wider pools. Overall
though it’s winter, so expect to mainly fish subsurface, slow &
deep with nymphs and streamers. Small nymphs (#18-22) remain
consistent producers, egg flies (and other “Junk” flies) are
worth trying, and there have been windows of a good streamer bite.
Post spawn trout are hungry! Make sure to cover plenty of water and
play with color & retrieves when streamer fishing. In
general with dropping/cold water temps, that means you want to fish
your streamers both slower and deeper. A jigged streamer fished on a
Euro rig can be quite effective, it puts your fly right in the fishes
face and makes it easy for them to eat it. You can also try
dead-drifting streamers under an indicator. Give the indicator an
occasional twitch.
The browns have spawned, and many have
lost weight and are skinny due to the rigors of spawning. It is
tough/stressful for trout, it really beats them up, and a
small percentage of them actually die as a result of it. Play fish
quickly, minimize handling, and keep their head & gills in the
water as much as possible- "Keep 'Em Wet". Especially on
colder days below freezing, try not to take fish out of the water or
you can freeze their eyes & gills. After spawning, trout focus
more on eating and trying to pack some weight back on. As such, to a
post-spawn brown trout streamers look like a nice big meal with lots
of calories. Eggs also represent a big chunk of calories and an easy
meal. Unlike insects, eggs cannot swim away, and are calorie
dense.
Generally the best fishing is mid/late morning
through mid afternoon when water temps are highest and there is
increased bug activity (exception: early to mid morning Winter
Caddis hatch). This is especially true after colder nights. If
you do start early in the morning, use flies that are
independent of hatching: egg flies, streamers, and Junk Flies
(Mops/Micro Mops, Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Green Weenies). Streamers
are normally at their best during low light conditions, and after
flow increases or discolored water conditions. Jig streamers, fished
slow & deep on a Euro rig, can be very effective in cold water
almost anytime, often outfishing standard streamer presentations. Egg
flies can be a good choice, and if you are nymphing, other than egg
patterns think mostly small, as in #18-22. Try also olive Caddis
larva/Walt’s Worms in #14-16. Otter Eggs work can well on extra
picky fish that have seen too many egg flies. Lighter tippet (6x)
& longer leaders (12’ plus) match up well with
smaller flies when nymphing.
Please don’t
step on or just below redds (the light
colored oval areas in shallow pea gravel where trout
deposited their eggs this past fall in pool tailouts, riffles, side
braids, etc.). Don’t walk on the redds or the first 10-15
feet below them or you will crush the eggs. The eggs won't
hatch out until February or early March.
Egg flies,
particularly in small sizes, are a good option for the remainder of
the Winter. A 4-6mm size single egg fished at the end of the
leader will often be effective. While all egg patterns work, the
Otter Egg is particularly effective on picky trout as it features a
realistic translucent rubber egg at its center with a milky veil over
the top.
Many FRAA trophy rainbows are still around after
the April 2024 stocking (120 went in) and they are getting caught on
a regular basis. They run anywhere from 20-27”, and are all colored
up now after being in the river for about 8 months. Also the FRAA put
in 18 large Golden Rainbows last April, and amazingly enough some are
still around. 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, so they get educated quickly and never get a
break from anglers.
The 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.
****************************************************************
Hatches/Dries:
-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, sunny/milder days are best
Nymphs
& Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Small Nymphs #18-22:
frequently size & profile are 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.
-Midges #18-22
(black, olive, red): Zebra Midge, Flash Midge, Red Iris Midge. A
staple winter bug, fish mainly in slower water in the afternoons when
the pupa are active & hatching. Larva can be fished in mid/late
mornings.
-Egg Flies #12-20: Otter Eggs, Eggstasy, Glo-Bugs,
Slush Eggs, Sucker Spawn, etc. Mid fall through early spring is a
great time for eggs! Shades of yellow, orange, pink, or a mix of
those. Try Otter Eggs on extra picky fish.
-Caddis Larva (olive
to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river (most others too),
imitates the common Hydrospyche, good winter fly
-Winter/Summer
Caddis Larva #18 (yellow): can also imitate Midge larva & Black
Caddis larva, good winter nymph
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies
#12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Blue Winged
Olives, Sulfurs, small Stoneflies, Isonychia, and more
-Blue
Winged Olive Nymphs #18-22, good all year, a common item in the
drift
-Stonefly #8-12: Worth fishing all year long, big stones
are on a 2-3 year life cycle. Often produces bigger trout. In the
winter, some days trout will eat bigger Stones when they won’t move
for small flies or Junk Flies. Golden/yellow, brown, black.
-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, or
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, especially in the
winter.
Streamers:
Don’t neglect
streamers! - top 3 winter colors are normally olive, tan, and
white.
-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