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,
that is this upcoming
weekend.
Pictured up top is Zach’s client David with a
thick brownie from Saturday.
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
2/24/25 River Report:
Joey &
I have been working on some fly tying material orders recently.
Hareline & Nature's Spirit orders are placed (last week), Wapsi
order is going in this week, and I’m working on Fulling Mill now
(fly tying stuff, flies, fly boxes). 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 the 10’ #1 (only
one left), 10’ #3, and 10’ 10” #4.
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 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 new Fulling Mill nymph & streamer
patterns in the bins, as well as new nymphs and streamers from local
tyer Keegan Nelson.
Nice to get a break in the winter weather
finally, a February Thaw. All but one day in the 15 Day Forecast are
above freezing, with 10 days 40 degrees or higher, and 2 days in the
low 50’s this week. This should take out the snow & ice and put
some water back in the rivers this week, as well as take out any
shelf ice covering the pools. After 5 years or previous mild winters,
this one has been a doozy in terms of cold weather. In our area,
January was the coldest since 1914! This week is going to feel more
like late March, with Tuesday & Thursday hitting 50 degrees or
more, and nights above freezing.
Milder temps like this
means you can start earlier, although I wouldn’t bother getting
here at first light, wait until mid morning or so. Water temp bumps
turn the trout on, and you are most likely to see bug activity in the
afternoons (morning Winter Caddis excepted). We are seeing small
Black Stoneflies averaging about #18, give or take. Anglers are still
working hard for their fish, with nymphs & jigged streamers being
the main players. Think slow & deep on your presentations. Trout
are holding in medium-slow to slow water with some depth to it, but
you may see them move into riffles to feed in the afternoons.
The
mild weather will definitely open up a lot more spots and increase
the flow. The Still River gauge has been frozen, and not reading for
all of 2025, making it hard to tell you what the water level is. The
Unionville USGS gauge is not frozen, but over the past week reading
have been all over the place, probably due to the very cold weather
last week causing erroneous reading. So it’s hard to tell you the
exact flow. Riverton USGS is 76cfs this morning, normal would be low
300cfs range, so it’s pretty low. The Still River is adding in some
water below Riverton, but it’s hard to say how much. The flow on
the Still should noticeably increase this week as the snow melts with
nights above freezing and some days in the mid 40’s to low 50’s.
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 a month ago). When
all this snow melts, we should see a good bump up in flow, and
hopefully a significant increase in the water in Colebrook River
Lake.
Guys (and girls) are still working hard to catch
fish, but when you get one, the average size has been big. Definitely
a quality over quantity situation. Riverton has remained 100%
fishable all winter, but low. Below that there are quite a few
sections that opened up if you look around, but there is still a good
amount of shelf ice in some areas. Small Black Stoneflies are out
now, these have been averaging about #16-18, and can go all the way
down to a #24. Pretty sure the ones currently hatching are Capnia
(Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies), and when they are out it 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.
Water temp at the USGS Riverton gauge was 35
degrees at 8am this morning, it reached about 39 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 all
winter, even during the coldest weather. The pools up there never
freeze up, and it stays slush-free.
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.
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.
The further you go
downriver away from the dam, the more the Farmington River behaves
like a freestone river. 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 smaller Black Winter Stoneflies #16-18 and even
smaller (slightly bigger ones coming in March, about a #14). 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.
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 in
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. 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.
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. Drop down to 6x tippet when nymphing for
picky trout.
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 10 months. Also
the FRAA put in 18 large Golden Rainbows last April, and amazingly a
few 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:
-Small/Micro
Black Winter Stoneflies #16-24: afternoons, averaging about #16-18
currently, started up recently
-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.
-Black Stonefly
#16-18: afternoons, imitates what is currently hatching
-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