Our closing hours change starting Monday, May 12th, moving to 6pm on weekdays, but staying at 5pm on weekends. We will also be closing on Wednesdays for a while, starting immediately.
8am-6pm
Monday & Tuesday, closed on Wednesdays, 8am-6pm
Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday. These
will be the store hours until the fall.
Pictured up top is
a perfect brown trout from the weekend, caught by Ben Canino’s
client during a very successful outing.
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,
lightweight, and capable of netting large trout. 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 right now.
Monday morning
5/5/25
River Report:
The total flow on the river
below the Still River and in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release
(C&R) is 734cfs
& rising steadily, the historical median flow for today is
416cfs- I would classify this morning’s flow as a moderately high
water level, and it is steadily increasing with more rain on the way. Riverton is 198cfs (medium level)
between the dam and the Rt. 20 bridge/Riverton Self Storage
(historical median flow for today is 244cfs). The Still River is
adding in 536cfs and going up a little below that
due to rain yesterday & overnight, historical median flow is
172cfs. Riverton water temp is 47 degrees this morning, it reached
49.5 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 902cfs &
rising from rain, historical median flow for today is 694cfs.
Looks like an interesting week with the rain we already received, plus another slug forecasted for later today & Tuesday, and some more likely for later this week. Makes it hard to predict things, other than we are going to be dealing with some high water. Make sure to check our River Conditions page on our website before you make the trip here as conditions can change rapidly from day to day when the weather is like this. On the up side, we drop & clear fast once the major rain subsides. As I write this Monday morning we are definitely still fishable, but steadily rising from what we already received and will keep going up with the rain yet to come tonight & tomorrow. Riverton above the Still River should stay very fishable (it’s medium to medium-low as I write this) due to the buffering effect of the controlled dam flow and being upstream from the Still River (which is the first major tributary below the dam). They are still trying to fill up Colebrook River Lake (the main Reservoir, it was 17+ feet below full a few weeks ago), so I doubt you will see them release more water from the dam, unless Otis Reservoir (In MA) fills up and they have to spill water. If they release from Otis, they have to add it to the dam release in Riverton. Typically they adjust the dam release on Mondays if necessary, but during heavy rain events it can happen on other days. For those of you who like to throw BIG articulated streamers out of a boat, this could be your week! High water often brings the bigger browns out of hiding to feed.
During high water, trout typcially move to softer water near the banks, out of the heavy main current. Don’t automatically wade knee deep and then start to fish, you will spook a lot of catchable fish if you do that. Fish the water right by the banks before you wade in. Bigger and/or gaudier flies can be the ticket, with subsurface nymphs & streamers usually being the ticket. Junk Flies (Mops, Squirmy Worms, Eggs, Green Weenies) come into their own when flows are high & off color. Bigger nymphs such as Stoneflies and Princes are a good choice, and dark colors like black or peacock bodies show up the best of all if the water is off-color. Try also nymphs with fluorescent hot-spots. Streamers are a classic choice in high water. Bigger, bulkier patterns are easier for the trout to locate. Fish streamers slower if the water is dirty, otherwise the trout may have a hard time finding them. If it’s high with decent clarity, then you can strip them fast. Big trout often get easier to catch when flows bump up high, they come out and feed aggressively, and with reduced visibility they are less spooky and more apt to make a mistake and eat something with a hook in it.
So how will this rain and high water affect the Hendrickson hatch? It will likely be a fishable hatch in Riverton, above the Still River where the dam controls the flow, but downstream of that I’d say it will probably be too high this week. When the river comes down, we will prob see some Hendrickson spinner falls (rusty spinners/egg sack spinners) downstream of Riverton in the Permanent TMA/C&R, with Caddis taking over as the main hatch. I’m already seeing a lot of assorted Caddis in the mornings in New Hartford, and Caddis should be all the way up into the Permanent TMA over the next week (green/olive bodied #16/18, black #18). FYI virtually all Caddis look tan when they are flying in the air, and the wings are often colored differently than the body. It’s important to match the BODY color. We will probably see Vitreus mayflies start up in a week or so. Vitreus often get labeled as a bigger Sulfur (#12-16), 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.
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. Many anglers are getting their fish on dries lately, mostly in the afternoons & evenings: Hendrickson emergers, duns, and spinners. If you have a good eye, you can pick out the big trout rise forms and focus on them.
Hendrickson 101:
Hendricksons are a #12-14 mayfly that hatches in the afternoons, and can bring some large trout to the surface. They have gray upright wings, 3 tails, the females have a tannish body with tinges of olive/brown/pink/gray, and the males are more of a rusty brown color. The hatch works it’s way upstream, and when it’s over in the Permanent TMA/C&R, it will be going in Riverton between the dam and the Still River. Hendricksons are typically a mid/late afternoon hatch, with somewhere between 1-2pm and 4-5pm being the normal time frame. The hatch can run anywhere from about 45 minutes to 2+ hours. Make sure to have both dun & emerger patterns for the afternoon hatch- often better fish will key on emergers because they are more vulnerable & easier to catch. Spinner falls (egg-laying) are an evening affair according to the books, but on the Farmington River I’ve seen them anywhere from mid to late mornings, concurrent with the afternoon hatch, and also in the traditional evening/dusk time frame. Spinners falls require dry weather, mild temps, and minimal wind. Cold or windy eves often lead to mid/late morning spinner falls the following morning, well before the “hatch” anglers are even on the river. Many of my biggest Hendrickson dry fly fish have come during spinner falls- they are a helpless meal that cannot get away, and often overlap with the preferred low light period that big trout feed in. Spinners are all rusty brown, and the females have a bright yellow egg sack at the end of the abdomen. Look for them in the air over riffles, flying up & down as they slowly work their way down to the water. Nymphs resembling the Hendricksons can be effective, especially in the 2-3 hours preceding the hatch. Hatches don’t always mean rising fish, so be prepared with nymphs. Think patterns in a medium to dark brown, #12-14- the nymphs darken as they get near hatching time. You can use a specific imitation, or something more generic like a Pheasant Tail or Frenchy. They are bulkier than some other nymphs, so if you tie them don’t make the abdomens too skinny, and make a robust thorax. FYI Hendricksons are close cousins to Sulfurs, varying mostly in size & color. Wet flies & soft-hackles can have their moments during this hatch, and are also a great way to cover water quickly and efficiently.
Hendrickson Dry Fly Tips:
-Have assorted patterns in #12-14, trout can be unusually particular during this hatch, and I don’t know why that is.
-Use a longer leader (12’ or longer) with a long tippet section (at least 3-4’, and up to 6 to 8 feet). This helps a LOT to get a drag-free presentation, which is absolutely critical to catching fish.
-Where possible, present down & across to the trout using a Reach Cast. This shows the trout your bug fly first and is the best angle for big, hard to catch fish.
-Emergers and patterns with shucks will often outproduce standard dun patterns during the afternoon hatch. Emergers & cripples cannot escape and are an easy meal, especially for bigger, more experienced fish.
-Make sure to have some spinner patterns, big fish love them (easy meal that is spent on the water and cannot escape). Spinner falls require air temps about 60 degrees & up, minimal wind, and no rain. If it’s cold or windy in the evening, they often fall in mid to late morning the next day. Spinners mate in the air over riffles and fall there. Both sexes are rusty brown, but the females have a bright yellow egg sack, so make sure to have some that imitate the egg sack.
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, 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 larva, 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, Hendricksons are bringing trout to the surface. Nymphs & streamers have been producing most of the fish you see in this report, but now is a good time to catch a big trout on a dry fly. 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:
-Hendrickson
#12-14: mid/late afternoon hatch, as far upstream as Riverton now (a
good choice during high water), best hatching is from about Church
Pool/Mathie’s Grove up to Riverton, but you will see spinner falls
downstream of that.
-Rusty Spinner #12-14: imitates Hendrickson
spinners
-Assorted
Caddis #14-20: very active in mid to late mornings, most productive
tactic is nymphing with pupa type patterns
-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:
-Hendrickson
#12-14: 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
-Assorted Caddis Pupa #14-20: various colors
-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