Winter Store Hours:
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.
Don't
forget to get your FRAA Banquet tickets,
we sell them here at UpCountry. This is their big fundraiser, so you
are supporting a great cause. It's a superb banquet with fantastic
prizes and great food. Date is Saturday, March 1st.
Pictured
up top is Jim DeCesare with yet another 20” class brown. This one
was on a jigged streamer fished slow & deep. The man is
hardcore.
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.
We had to move Derrick's
Euro Nymphing 101 class from 2/9 to Sunday 2/23. It was full
but several people cannot do the new date, so we
have a few spots open. It runs from 9am-3pm, and the
cost is $125, call 860-379-1952 to sign up.
Monday morning
2/17/25 River Report:
We
received our first preseason orders from Simms, Fishpond & St.
Croix (both spin & fly) recently. Joey & I are working on some fly
tying material orders currently (Hareline, Nature's Spirit, Wapsi).
Look for us to be heavily stocked in tying material in the very near
future when these orders arrive and go up on the walls.
Extra
deep discount: Diamondback
Ideal Nymph rods in stock are on now on sale for $330
(normally $525-550) until we
run out of stock,
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.
Some more nice used reels
in the case, including a couple of Hatch 3 Plus, check ‘em
out.
Further down in this report I’ve mentioned the new
almost indestructible MT Fly Company
Trina’s Squirmy Material,
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 new nymphs and streamers from local tyer Keegan
Nelson.
We survived the messy, sloppy weather over the
weekend, probably receiving 4-5” of snow in total, along with a
good slug of rain. It’s sunny & cold as I write this report
Monday morning at 9am. Looks like the snow will stick around this
week as the highs will stay below freezing until Saturday, and then
temps crack 40 every day after that. Look for a good flow bump from
the tributaries when the snow melts. They are still doing a low
release out of the dam in Riverton due to mostly dry weather since
July, and due to that the reservoir never refilled all the way up
(down 45 feet last I knew). Due to the conditions, fishing remains
tough, but those hardcore anglers getting out there are working hard
to put fish in the net, and the ones they are getting have been big,
typically 18” and up. Just expect to work hard for every fish, and
it you get one or two, you did well.
While there is still
a good amount of shelf ice on the river, it peeled back quite a bit
recently. Riverton has remained 100% fishable, albeit low. Below that
there are quite a few sections that opened up if you look around.
Small Black Stoneflies are out now, these have been averaging about
#16-18, and can do all the way down to a #24. Pretty sure the ones
currently hatching are Capnia (Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies), and
when they are out if helps get the fish feeding. Stoneflies are
active in the afternoons, and hatch best on milder, sunny days. These
bugs are skinny & black, so if you are imitating them make sure
to use slim bodied patterns. Joey put a new small black Stonefly in
the bin to imitate these, tied on a nice Fulling Mill wide gap hook
to increase your hook-ups and landing ratio.
Flows
remains below average and the USGS gauge at the Riverton Rt 20 bridge
is reading 85cfs, normal would be 185cfs for today’s date. The
Still River USGS flow gauge has been frozen up for weeks, and after
the snow & rain this weekend it bumped up, by I have no idea how
much. Although the gauge that gives you CFS is frozen, the other
reading they give you is gauge height: it went from about 2 feet to
3.3 feet, and it’s sitting around 2.8 feet and dropping. I don’t
know what CFS correlates with gauge height, so all I know is the
Still River came up somewhat and is dropping. The water out back
doesn’t look much higher that it did a day or two ago though. Water
temp at the gauge is 33.5 degrees at 8am and dropping at the moment,
it reached 35+ degrees yesterday afternoon. Sunny afternoons see the
highest water temps, which also gives you an idea of when you
should be on the water. The slightly warmer water coming out of the
dam in Riverton keeps the section above the Still River, (about 2
miles) 100% fishable. The pools up there never freeze up, and it
stays slush-free.
I would rate the fishing overall as
slow, but the average size trout landed has been large. Having said
that, with small winter Stoneflies (Capnia) starting to hatch, it
seems to be improving things. 18” has been a pretty common size
lately, and some 20-22’” browns are occasionally getting landed
by skilled/persistent anglers, along with some giant FRAA rainbows
that can push 20-24”, with some are even bigger than that. The
‘bows went in April of 2024, and held over way beyond our
expectations.
Make sure to focus on 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. Slightly
warmer water coming out of the bottom of the reservoir keeps it ice &
slush free all winter up in Riverton, but below the Still River it
remains a crap shoot. The Still River is freestone and runs ice cold
in the winter, and low & warm in the summer. 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 chance to melt.
Nights in the teens and single digits can create morning slush (below
the Still) that typically clears out by late morning.
Diamondback
Ideal Nymph rods are now $330, normally $525-550. As I write
this, we still have several lengths & line weights in stock, but
limited numbers. They are going fast now.
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. This is the same water type that trout spend
most of the winter in.
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 extra drifts in the high percentage spots.
Takes are often very subtle, so set the hook on anything- 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 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 last
weekend, and anglers worked hard for their fish. But, the average
fish landed was good sized, with some in the 20” class.
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), Midges in the
afternoons, and we are starting to see some smaller Black Winter
Stoneflies #16-18 and even smaller (slightly bigger ones coming in
March). 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. Mono rig lets you hold line off the water and also helps
prevent your guides from icing up as fast, but fly line lets you fish
further away and you can also roll cast it (unlike 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 9 months. Also the FRAA put in 18 large Golden Rainbows
last April, and amazingly some are still around. They are 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
-Small/Micro Black Winter Stoneflies #16-24: afternoons,
just starting up
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, 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,
especially in the winter.
Streamers:
Don’t
neglect streamers! - top 3 winter colors are normally olive, tan,
and white. Try black 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