We are once again open 7 days a week, current hours are:
8am-5pm Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday 10am-4pm, 8am-5pm Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday.
Pictured up top is a client of Zach St. Amand with a trophy male brown trout landed over the past weekend- look at that big hook jaw & beautiful coloration.
Tom Ames new & updated "Pocketguide to Eastern Hatches" book is back in stock, we received a big batch of them recently. Definitely the BEST hatch guide for our area, nothing else comes close. This version has some new info, new pictures, and new fly patterns. We will do our best to try to keep this in stock, it’s been flying off the shelves.
Nymphing
Tip:
Small
nymphs are often the key to subsurface success this time of year, and
by small I mean #18 and smaller, all the way down to #22-24.
Exceptions would be Isonychia #12-14, and Stoneflies #8-10. Most
nymphs are small to very small this time of year. They are by far
more numerous than bigger ones. Some days this makes a huge
difference. Dry/Dropper nymph rigs can be effective, especially in
softer and shallower currents. I know a guy from central PA that
catches an average of 6,000-8,000 trout every year. Yes, he is
retired and fishes a LOT (about 300 days a year), but usually only
part of each day. And yes, he’s a highly skilled nympher with
excellent water reading skills, and he lives near the best streams in
central PA (2,000 - 4,000+ fish per mile for some of his streams). If
he has a secret, it’s that he mostly fishes nymphs averaging #18-24
on a Euro Mono rig (FYI he also does dry flies & dry/dropper). He
typically uses a 4x micro leader and 6x tippet with 2 flies. He
reasons that immature nymphs are small and grossly outnumber bigger
adult nymphs, and it’s hard to argue with his results.
As
of 9/1/25, the entire upper 21 miles of the Farmington River from the
dam in Riverton downstream to the Rt 177 bridge in Unionville went
Catch & Release
until 6am on the second Saturday in April 2026. If you see anyone
illegally keeping trout, call the 24/7 turn in poachers DEEP hotline
at 860-424-3333.
Even if they cannot send somebody in time, they still log the call
and it helps us get more future enforcement.
We
have some of
the new Diamondback Gen IV Nymph Rods with carbon grips-
the previous batches were all with traditional cork grips. Carbon
grips are more sensitive 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.
Diamondback
Generation IV Euro nymphing rods are available. 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 and excellent option for Micro Leaders,
lighter tippets, and lighter flies - the rod has more backbone in the
lower half than you would expect, while having a very soft tip. The
10' 7" #2 & #3 have been the big sellers for us, perfect for
the Farmington River. The #3 is the all around and will do everything
including jigged streamers, but the #2 is great if you fish mostly 6x
or lighter tippet, it throws lighter flies a bit easier, and is
slightly better with Micro Leaders. The 7 weight is a new addition to
the Diamondback lineup, for those targeting larger Steelhead, as well
as King Salmon and other larger fish where you need a stiffer rod
with some serious backbone. Could also be a good choice for hot fresh
Fall Steelhead in heavy water & rapids on heavy tippets. The 6
weight is probably overall the better choice for Salmon River
Steelhead in NY, where you are often down lighter 3x & 4x tippets
and still need a rod that has some backbone to land 10# plus fish,
but has a softer tip so you don't break fish off.
Monday
morning 10/20/25
River Report:
I’d
say this past weekend might have been peak foliage, and this should
be the peak week into
the upcoming weekend.
Several
nights down in the 30’s last week finally brought out some better
color.
Much
needed rain fell overnight, about .35”, with .80”
more predicted later
in the 10 Day Forecast. Total
flow below the Still River in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release
is 124cfs, with the Riverton USGS gauge above that reading 61cfs, and
the Still River is adding in the additional 63cfs. Looks like the
Still bumped up a little and is already dropping.
I
drove along the Farmington River above Colebrook River Lake Sunday
after work, and that section of the river was FULL of water (it was piss low prior to this).
This was traditionally the weekend they begin lowering Otis Reservoir
(just a little above Colebrook River Lake), and by law/regulations
that water has to be added to the the Goodwin/Hogback dam release in
Riverton, which
has been at the minimum allowed release lately due to a very low
reservoir level.
They typically update most flow changes on Mondays, so you may see it
go up today, or it might not happen until next Monday, or
it could be adjusted between now & then.
They pulsed it from 40cfs up to 200cfs, and then back down to 40cfs
twice over the weekend. I’m pretty sure they did that last year
too, and then they went to a steady release. Maybe
they did this to blow leaves out, or maybe to test the equipment, I’m
not certain of the reason.
I don’t know yet what the final water release value will be, but
I’ll let you know as soon as I do. In
any case it will be a noticeable improvement in the low flows we’ve
had recently, and it will improve the fishing for
a while this Fall.
Probably
an additional 50-100cfs if I had to guess.
Trout
are just starting to spawn in the last several days, we are seeing a
small number of redds, and males are chasing each other around and
sparring with each other. A
lot of this is happening in the gravelly tails of the pools.
Don’t target spawning trout, and don’t wade through or below the redds or you
will crush the eggs. See a few paragraphs down for advice on what you
should and should not do during the spawn.
Riverton
water temp is 61
degrees
this morning, it peaked at 62.5
yesterday
afternoon. When Colebrook River Lake turns over/flips, the water
coming out of the dam
will
suddenly drop into the mid 50’s- typically this happens in late
October/early November.
The
HOBO unit behind UpCountry is reading 58.3
degrees
in New Hartford this morning, it peaked at 56.1
degrees
yesterday. Milder
through Wednesday with temps into the low to mid 60’s, night
averaging in the 40’s. Long Range highs average in the mid/upper
50’s, with nights mostly in the 30’s.
Mornings
& evenings have been the best time slots lately, afternoons have been slower. While
hatches are overall light this year, at moments there are good
numbers of tan/brown Caddis #16-18, small Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s)
#22-26 on cloudy afternoons, and a few #12-14 Isonychia (Iso’s)
around. When they are not rising, which is the majority of the time,
fish streamers, Junk Flies (Mops, Eggs), and small nymphs #18-22. Egg
flies get hot once trout begin spawning in good numbers. Trout
move around a lot in October, so they can be in one spot today, and a
totally different spot tomorrow. October is prime time for streamer
fishing, browns get extra
aggressive due to the impending spawn. Early & late in the day
are the peak streamer times, and also on overcast days and anytime
the water rises and/or gets off-color. Play with retrieves and fly
color. In general, in October faster more aggressive retrieves tend
to produce better, getting those quick reaction bites.
Brown
trout
are
in the beginning of spawning time now, keep your eyes out for redds,
the light colored oval areas in shallow gravelly riffles where trout
drop their eggs.
Avoid
walking through them, and the first 15 feet or so below them as the
eggs will often wash 5-15 feet below the redd.
Favored spawning areas typically include side channels and pool
tailouts, but riffles at pool heads can also have spawners if there
is pea gravel present. The bulk of the spawning on the Farmington
River is typically from about mid October through late November, and
the eggs/fry hatch out in February through early March. Walking on
the eggs in this time period will crush and destroy them and future
wild trout. Please also refrain from fishing to spawning trout on
redds, it’s unsporting & unethical. They are stressed enough
already, just let them do their thing and make more wild brown trout.
There are always lots of non-spawning trout to catch, as well as
trout that are still pre-spawn, and soon there will be plenty of
trout that have completed spawning. Some trout will position in the
first deeper water downstream of spawning fish
to
eat loose eggs in the drift.
Don’t
forget about the early to mid morning Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24
that hatch 12 months a year. There are a few Giant October Caddis
around later in the day, typically
they are light in numbers.
You may see small
numbers of some other bugs like #16-18
Hebe’s (Fall Sulfurs),
Yellow Sallies & Summer Steno’s, but those are the main ones.
Long leaders 12’+ paired with long/light tippets (3-6’ and even
longer) of 6x-7x (depending upon fly size) will help present small
dry flies properly to our picky trout in flat water. Be stealthy in
your wading, and it doesn’t hurt to dress in drab clothing. 5x-6x
tippet is appropriate for nymphs. Streamer fishing requires 0x-3x
tippet depending upon fly size and
the size of the trout your are targetting.
Jigged streamers on a Euro rig typically match up nicely with 4x-5x.
A big Hareline
tying materials arrived recently and it’s up on the walls now. I’m
working on a Nature’s
Spirit fly tying order
at the moment, and Joey is
workinig on another Wapsi
fill-in order. Time
to tie some flies for the Fall!
A
good October nymphing tactic is to target mornings with large #8-10
Stonefly nymphs- this can put some bigger trout in the net. The
naturals crawl out to emerge at that time of day, and some of them
get knocked into the drift. Pair them up with a smaller nymph,
something like a Caddis pupa, Walt’s Worm, or small Pheasant
Tail/Frenchy. Egg flies
can be very effective this month. The
fast water at pool heads and in between pools is loaded with trout.
It’s also more oxygenated and holds more bugs. As I already
mentioned in this report, often just going small (#18-22, even 24’s)
on your nymphs can be
the key to success this time of year.
Assorted Caddis
#16-22 will be present daily right into November until
the truly frigid weather sets in,
and anglers often overlook them because they are so obsessed with
Mayflies. Caddis are most active in the faster water: pool heads,
riffles, runs, rapids & pocket water. Trout will gorge on the
pupa surface, hint hint. Various nymphs from #8-24 are catching fish,
skewing mostly toward the smaller sizes. Caddis pupa are working
subsurface in #16-22 (tan mostly). You can use specific pupa
patterns, Walt’s Worms, and Sexy Waltz (has flashy rib &
hotspot).
The fast water is currently holding good
numbers of trout. FYI after the CT fisheries sampled the trout
population last September (2024), they estimated the trout per mile
in the Permanent TMA/C&R at 2,800+ fish- that’s a lot! And when
they sampled the trout recently (early September 2025), they shocked
up a lot of trout and the fish were in good condition. 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. Also hard to go wrong with a #14-22
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. Bigger PT’s can imitate Iso nymphs. From May
through early/mid November, if I’m nymphing, at some point during
the day there will definitely be a Caddis pupa pattern #14-18 on my
rig.
****************************************************************
Dries:
*Assorted
Caddis #16-22 (tan, gray, black): Mostly on the smaller side now,
various species. Active mostly in the mornings and evenings, nymphing
with a small pupa is currently a productive tactic for them. They
typically egg-lay later in the day in low light, in the faster water.
-*lue Winged Olives (BWO’s/Olives) #22-26: afternoons &
eves, especially during cloudy weather. Rusty spinners also in the
same sizes at dusk.
-Isonychia #12-14: light hatch,
afternoons/eves in fast 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.
-Giant October/Pumpkin
Caddis #8-12: light hatch, late afernoons & eves, use BMAR
October Caddis in fast water
-Light Cahill/Summer Stenos #12-14:
a few in the evenings, getting near the end for this hatch.
-Attractor Dries #10-16: Mini Chubbies, Stimulators, Amazon
Ants, etc.
-Midges #20-28: afternoons/eves
Nymphs:
-Small
Nymphs #18-24: various patterns, most of the bugs are small to tiny
this time of year, with size of the fly often superceding the exact
fly pattern.
-Assorted Caddis Pupa #16-22 in various colors
(mostly tan). Use specific pupa, plain Walt’s Worms, Sexy Waltz,
Hare’s Ear Blowtorch.
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-22:
imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Isonychia,
Vitreus, Blue Winged Olives, small Stoneflies, and more.
-Blue
Winged (Baetis) Olive Nymphs #16-22: all year long
-”Junk
Flies”: Mops, Eggs, Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Green Weenies. Often
work when standard nymphs fail. Especially good on recently stocked
trout, and also during high or dirty water. Egg Flies are deadly from
about mid October through April. Mops are a great “clean-up” fly
after you already fished a run. And worm flies are good in higher,
off-color water.
-Big Stonefly Nymphs #8-10: mornings in fast
water- golden/yellow, brown, black, Pat’s
-Isonychia Nymph
#12-14: mid afternoon through eves, fish in fast water. Use BMAR Iso
nymph, Keslar’s Iso, also Princes & Pheasant Tails
-Caddis
Larva (olive to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river (most other
rivers too), imitates the common Hydrospyche, good all year
-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, even in low/clear water.
-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,
works all year long
-Midges #18-22 (black, olive): Zebra Midge,
Flash Midge, Red Iris Midge.
Streamers:
Trout
get aggressive on streamers in the fall due to spawning. The
low-light conditions of early & late in the day are prime time
for streamers, as are overcast days and periods of higher and/or
off-color water.
Top
colors have been olive, tan, white, and yellow. A little yellow in a
streamer can trigger brown trout in the fall. Black is good on
recently stocked trout (especially rainbows), during low light (first
& last light), and high and/or 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
-Muddler
Minnow #6-10: and oldie, but a goodie. Most anglers don’t fish this
classic pattern anymore, and that’s a mistake! Quite a versatile
fly that can be floated, skated, dead-drifted, swung, stripped, or
weighted down & nymphed.