Out store hours have moved to closing at 6pm on weekdays, but staying at 5pm on weekends. We are also closed on Wednesdays, at least for a while.
Store
hours currently are 8am-6pm Monday & Tuesday, closed on
Wednesdays, 8am-6pm Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on
Saturday & Sunday.
Pictured up top is guide Derrick
Kirkpatrick with an awesome brown just shy of 21” from this past week, he nymphed it up
in the higher water on 4x tippet. Light tippets are not always required!
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.
We
received a small batch of the new Diamondback Gen IV Nymph Rods with
carbon grips- the first batch prior to this was all with
traditional cork grips. Carbon grips are very sensitive, more than
cork, as well as quite durable (they won’t chip like cork can).
There is a $25 upcharge for the carbon handle. We got them in the
popular 10’ 7” #2 & #3 rods, and the 10’ #2. We can order
the carbon grip in any size rod you want though. We have very limited
quantities on this first batch, so don’t wait if you want one.
The
store is stocked with tons of books at the moment- we received
a bunch of used books as well as a big order of new books.
Also, more used rods & reels
came in, we have a LARGE 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. This first batch is sold out, but
we have another big batch of them on the way.
Diamondback
Generation IV Euro nymphing rods are available. I know
many of you have been eagerly anticipating them, and 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 with crisp, responsive tips that recover fast with minimal
wobble. The 10’ 7” #1 is a very interesting option for Micro
Leaders, lighter tippet, and lighter flies.
After walking
through the woods, check yourself for ticks-
they are extremely active. I’m picking 1 or more off the dog on a
near daily basis, and also finding them on me regularly when I walk
in the woods or through tall grass.
Saturday morning
6/7/25 Report & Flow Update:
Back from vacation and
wanted to do a quick report/update. Conditions are similar to my last
report on Monday 6/2, total flow is high but fishable at 771cfs below
the Still River and in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release.
Riverton is 603cfs (also high but fishable in the pools) from the dam
to the Rt 20 bridge (Hitchcock/Riverton Self Storage). We received a
shot of rain Friday evening, the Still River bumped up and already
dropped, it’s adding in 168cfs as of 9am. The dam release is above
normal because Colebrook Reservoir is over 100%, due to about 8” of
rain in May, so the Army Corps of Engineers had to bump the dam
release to lower the lake to an acceptable level. I’m guessing you
will see them cut it back Monday 6/9, but that’s just an educated
guess. We are supposed to see some rain late morning/late afternoon,
but they scaled it back to about ¼”, and Sunday looks dry &
mostly cloudy.
Hatches remain similar with #16 Sulfurs
and assorted Caddis #14-20 (tan, olive\green, black) being the main
bugs, but there are other bugs too (see a few paragraphs down for
detailed hatch info). Higher flows reduce the dry fly action, but the
bigger/wider pools will still have some rising fish when bugs are on
the water. With flows on the high side, your bread & butter
techniques will be nymphing & streamers. For nymphs I’d pair
something bigger/Junk Fly (Stonefly, Mop, Prince Nymph, etc.) with
something more imitative (Caddis Pupa, Pheasant Tail/Sulfur type
nymph, etc). Focus on the water closer to the banks, out of the
heaviest current.
Monday afternoon 6/2/25 5pm Flow
Update:
Just received an email from MDC. Over the
weekend, due to rain Colebrook Reservoir exceeded Army Corps of
Engineers acceptable maximum stage (water height), and as such the
Army Corps is implementing a flow
increase at the dam to approximately 600cfs in order to lower the
lake level to an appropriate height. This will begin overnight
(Monday night 6/2). FYI Army Corps oversees flood
control. Typically when they do this it lasts 2-4 days, and then
they cut it back to a more typical release, usually before the
weekend. In anticipation of this, at 2pm the MDC increased the dam
release by 40cfs (160 to 200cfs). At the 4:30pm USGS streamflow gauge
update, the Farmington River at the Rt 20 bridge in Riverton was
reading an increase to 232cfs, and the Still River was at 257cfs &
dropping. This puts the total flow downstream of the Still River at
493cfs. When the full 600cfs dam release kicks in overnight, that
will put the total flow in about the mid 800cfs range and slowly
dropping (as Still River recedes) by Tuesday morning. I would
expect to see them cut the release back on Thursday or Friday, but
that's an educated guess.
Monday
morning 6/2/25
Report:
The total flow on the river below the
Still River and in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release (C&R) is
473cfs, the historical median
total flow for today is 347cfs- I would classify this morning’s
flow as medium to low end medium-high and dropping, water clarity is
good. Riverton is 186cfs between the dam and the Rt. 20
bridge/Riverton Self Storage (historical median flow for today is
258cfs)- that’s a pretty normal, medium to medium-low flow for that
section. The Still River is adding in 287cfs a little below
the Rt 20 Riverton bridge, it’s steadily dropping- historical
median flow is 110cfs. Riverton water temp is 47.5 degrees this
morning, it reached 51.5 degrees yesterday afternoon. Downstream
water temps are higher, averaging mid 50’s to low 60’s of late,
depending upon the daily weather and time of day. Peak water temps
are normally mid to late afternoon, with warm sunny days seeing the
biggest temp increases. Unionville USGS gauge is reading
947cfs (medium-high to low end high) and steadily dropping,
historical median flow for today is 575cfs.
We are coming
into June with nice river conditions. The recent rain pushed the
river up high for a couple of days, be we bounced back into nice
shape quickly, which is typical for us. With total flow in the upper
400’s and dropping, the river is very fishable and pretty wadeable
too. We had some cold days over the past week, which stifled some of
the hatching activity, but temps will be mild to hot for the long
range forecast, with highs from 70 to 90 (!) degrees, and nights
mostly in the 50’s to 60’s. This will probably lead to better
hatching activity, and on the hot days (87 Wednesday, 90 Thursday),
the best time to be on the water will probably be morning &
evening. Riverton can be an exception to this, with water coming out
of the dam in the upper 40’s, the hatch times don’t vary much
even on hot or cold days. FYI with the warm to hot weather moving in,
don’t neglect terrestrials such as Ants & Beetles, both can be
VERY effective, especially when there isn’t a good hatch but you
have sporadic risers. Air temps 68-70 and above get terrestrial
insects active, so they will be in play from now through October. You
can also blind fish them over likely water. I’d say #16 Sulfurs
mayflies (Invaria) are the current glamour hatch, on virtually the
entire river at this point. The books say it’s a late afternoon to
evening hatch, and it is, but with the icy cold water coming out of
the dam in can also come off in the morning and early afternoon.
Tailwaters like the Farmington and Delaware system often have hatches
at times of day and times of the year that deviate quite a bit from
standard hatch charts.
We are in the front end of “Crazy
Time”, when all sorts of bugs are hatching, June is a killer month
on Farmington. Look also for #12-14 Vitreus (looks sorta like a
bigger/paler Sulfur), March Browns #10-12, assorted Caddis #14-20
(tan, olive/green, black, etc.), Light Cahills #12-14. Caddis
typically hatch best on milder days, so with the warming trend here
now expect to see more Caddis (especially in the faster water)- they
typically hatch sometime between mid morning and mid afternoon, and
come back to egg-lay in the eves.
Hatch intensity has
varied from day to day, with light to moderate being typical most of
the time, but there has been some heavy hatching when you are in the
right place at the right time and the weather cooperates. FYI, in
general, most of the hatches get heavier as you go further downriver
as the river picks up increased fertility from the tributaries. It
has also varied a lot depending upon location, with some pools seeing
better bug activity than others, and it’s not 100% predictable
either. Various Caddis are showing up, from a #14-16 tan, to #18
olive/green, #20 black, down to Micro Caddis and other assorted sizes
& colors. Pupa patterns #14-18 nymphed in the fast water work
very well when Caddis are active, and there can be some good dry fly
action during milder eves when they come back to egg-lay in low
light. #12-14 Vitreus hatch in fast water between late afternoon &
dusk, albeit it’s been on the lighter side this year. #10-12 March
Browns are a sporadic one here/one there kind of bug that hatch in
fast water in the afternoons & evenings. If they rise to these
bugs, match with dries- you can also blind fish big March Brown
dries. Also fish nymphs that suggest them (#10-12 Fox Squirrel,
Hare’s Ear, or a specific MB nymph). #14 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies
work well for the Vitreus. Evenings are also seeing a few #12-14
Light Cahills.
Streamers can be a good option when you
don’t have bugs hatching (early AM, cold days, in between hatches,
etc.), if you want to cover a lot of water quickly, or when you have
high and/or dirty water. Make sure to get them down, experiment with
different retrieves, change colors, and play with different fly sizes
& designs (length, bulk/sparseness, shape, etc.). I usually start
with a fast strip his time of year with water temps mostly in the
50’s to low 60’s. But if that doesn’t work, slow it down,
change your presentation angle, swing them, twitch them, fish them on
the dangle- experiment based upon the trout’s reaction (or lack
thereof lol). Go smaller if you cannot get eats on bigger patterns.
Also try trailing a nymph or wet fly/soft hackle about 18” behind a
weighted streamer, very effective for converting follows to eats, and
a great way to “nymph” if you aren’t proficient at
nymphing.
Caddis remain a major hatch and will be present
daily to various degrees straight through mid fall. They are most
active in the faster water: pool heads, riffles, runs, rapids &
pocket water. Trout will gorge on the pupa surface, hint hint.
Vitreus hatch and are active between late afternoon and dark, and
they hatch best when it’s cooler and cloudy. They also require high
quality water, which we are fortunate to have on the Farmington
River. Various other nymphs from #10-20 are catching fish. Caddis
pupa are working great subsurface in #14-18 (olive/green, tan). You
can use specific pupa patterns, Walt’s Worms, and Sexy Waltz (has
flashy rib & hotspot). For Caddis dries think tan #14-18,
olive-green #16-18, and black #20. Seeing clouds of tiny cream Midges
at moments. On crappy, cooler overcast afternoons, we’ve been
seeing #20-24 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s/Olives).
The
fast water is currently full of trout, they are literally everywhere.
FYI after the CT fisheries sampled the trout population last
September, they estimated the trout per mile in the Permanent TMA/C&R
at 2,800+ fish- that’s a lot! Tight-line nymphing with one or two
weighted nymphs is your best option to probe faster riffles, runs,
rapids & pocket water, but Indicator nymphing is effective also.
Make sure one of your flies is a pupa-type pattern. Junk Flies such
as Mops (also Eggs & Worms) are still very effective at moments,
especially on the stocked fish that aren’t totally dialed in on
real bugs yet. Also hard to go wrong with a #14-20 Pheasant Tail or
Frenchy (just a hot-spot PT). FYI, small PT’s work 12 months a year
and are a great dropper fly when you are not sure what to put on.
From May through October, if I’m nymphing, at some point there will
definitely be a Caddis pupa pattern #14-18 on my rig at some point.
In case you missed it up top, we have gone to a 6pm
closing time on weekdays. Also, we are now CLOSED on
Wednesdays at least for a while, so please plan
accordingly.
Caddis &
General Fishing Tips:
We are seeing multiple
different Caddis hatching. 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. And they are not easy to catch by hand, as they
will actively try to avoid your hand, unlike a mayfly. You can look
for them in spiderwebs. Pupa color should match the adult BODY color.
Tan and olive/green are the two most common body colors, and small
black Caddis are very common now and hatch all year long on the
Farmington River. Tan Caddis are picking up now, they can be as big
as #14, but also commonly are #16-18. At the moment the subsurface
nymphing with Caddis pupa and other nymphs is the most consistent &
predictable method. I’m still catching trout on Junk Flies at
moments, 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 imitate 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 or soft hackle
wet 12-18” under a buoyant Caddis dry. 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. They are at their best
early & late in the day, on cloudy days, and during higher flows.
Make sure to cover lots of water, play with streamer color/patterns,
and vary your retrieves. Try tan, olive, white, yellow, black, or
combinations thereof.
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 9-10 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. After the recent rains we are finally full,
and a little over 100%. This means we don’t have to worry about
running out of water in July & August. At some point though, they
will likely need to increase the dam release to get the reservoir
down to or below 708’ by July 1st (the beginning of
hurricane season).
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). They have 2 tails,
hatch in faster water, and the winged dun emerges from the nymph on
the stream bottom and then swims/rises to the surface- most mayflies
emerge in the surface film. 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. March Browns average #10-12 (can even be a #8
on the lower river) and are another bug that lives & hatches in
fast water. They are a sporadic, one here, one there type of bug,
hatching sporadically in the afternoons & eves. They are starting
up, and we are seeing a few as far upstream as about Church Pool. FYI
1-2 weeks before they hatch, they nymphs migrate to the edges of fast
water, and many end up in the drift, creating some good nymph
fishing. You can use a specific March Brown nymph, and also bigger
Hare’s Ears & Fox Squirrels. Unlike the light and sporadic
daytime emergence, spinners fall all at once at dusk over fast water.
Don’t be afraid to explore and fish new water to get
away from the crowds, there are literally fish EVERYWHERE, including
all the water in between the pools. You are also more apt to get into
wild fish when you fish water that isn’t as busy. Wild fish don’t
like being constantly disturbed by anglers. 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
focus on the famous named pools that have easy access, and skip the
water in between. The water outside of the Permanent Catch &
Release/TMA gets less pressure for the most part.
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. Expect to work for the high quality bigger
holdover & wild fish. If you get into a pod of 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
in mid April with a lot of brown trout of various sizes- that section
gets stocked once per season. Most sections outside that have been
stocked 3-4 times now, with more to come for July 4th and
Labor Day. 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:
-Assorted
Caddis #14-20 (tan, green/olive, black): major hatch on all of the
river, very active mid mornings to mid afternoons, nymphing with pupa
is currently the most productive tactic for them. They typically
egg-lay later in the day in low light, in the faster water.
-Vitreus
#12-14: late afternoon & eves, fast water
-March Brown
#10-12: light hatch, sporadic fast water bug, afternoons/eves.
Spinners fall over fast water at dusk.
-Light Cahill #12-14:
eves
-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
-Ants &
Beetles #14-20
Nymphs:
-Assorted
Caddis Pupa #14-20 in various colors (olive/green, tan). Use specific
pupa, Walt’s Worms, and Sexy Waltz.
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies
#12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Vitreus,
Blue Winged Olives, small Stoneflies, and more.
-Blue Winged
(Baetis) Olive Nymphs #16-20: all year long
-Caddis Larva (olive
to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river (most other rivers too),
imitates the common Hydrospyche, good all year
-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.
-Cased Caddis #10-16:
all year, but especially after rain or flow bumps (higher water
knocks them into the drift)
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18
(yellow)- also imitates Black Caddis larva & some Midge
larva
-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,
including plenty of bigger articulated patterns.
***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