We are 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 Jim DeCesare, once again grinding out a big Winter brown. Persistence + effort/time on the water = big trout.
Current Sale Items:
-Thomas & Thomas Contact II Euro rods $535 (were $895)- 10’9” #3 & #2 are sold out
-Scott G Series fly rods $660 (30% off, were $945)
-Thomas & Thomas Lotic fiberglass rods $450 (were $695)
-Sage Sonic fly rods 25% off
-Scott G Series fly rods 25% off
-Simms G3 Waders 20% off
-Simms Confluence Waders 35% off
-Scientific Angler Amplitude Smooth Trout fly line 20% off
And
as of 12/12/25:
-All
Airflo fly line 40% off
***Sales
apply
only to in-stock
merchandise***
Between
the 40% off sale and our trade-in program,
those of you who have lusted after a T&T Contact II Euro rod but
are on a tight budget should be able to finally afford one. Next
year's Contact III+ (arriving mid to late February 2026) will bring a
new gold standard to the industry, but the Contact II is the
current best and will elevate your game. Bring the rods & reels
that are gathering dust in your closet and trade them for something
that will make your Christmas special.
We
will match almost
any advertised deals
from other stores local or on the internet if we have the item in
stock. We want your business, and as your friends and local fly shop
please come to us first if we can help. Our business only survives
because of your support.
We
are now accepting pre-orders for the first batch of Thomas &
Thomas Contact III+ Euro rods that will be available starting
sometime around mid-February.
UpCountry will be one of the first stores in the country to receive
these rods limited to an initial run of 500 nationwide, so get in
line by giving us a call now. T&T brought these rods to us
recently, and we were blown away. They have two different tips,
including a solid one that enables you to more easily cast lighter
flies, cushion lighter tippet, and makes it harder for smaller fish
to throw the hook. The Contact III+ is made of a new material that’s
twice as strong, and recovers noticeably faster/crisper. This will
translate into more casting distance, more accuracy, and greater
sensitivity. And with the second tip, it's like getting two rods in
one. Lengths remain the same at 10' & 10'9" with the
exception of the new 11 ‘5“ 3wt. If you break a rod tip on these,
T&T has an expedited repair program that should have you back on
the water with a new tip in less than a week.
Tom Ames new & updated "Pocketguide to Eastern Hatches" book came out 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 are currently sold out, but should have another batch in early January. We sold 175 copies in the past 3 months!!!
Winter
Nymphing Tip:
Small
nymphs are often the key to subsurface success this time of year, and
by small I mean #18’s all the way down to #22-24. Exception would
be Stoneflies #8-10 & Mops. Most nymphs are small to very small
right now, and overall
small nymphs & larva are by far more numerous than bigger ones
throughout the year.
Some days this makes a huge difference. I know a guy from central PA
that avereages
6,000+
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 30’ 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.
Monday afternoon 2pm 12/28/25 Flow Update:
Per MDC, at 9am the dam release was lowered from 218cfs to 114cfs, putting the total flow below the Still River around 170cfs, give or take a little (Still River USGS flow gauge is broken). This is a result of reduced reservoir inflow due to minimal rain, and also a reduction in water released from Otis Reservoir (31cfs currently, it was 89cfs a week ago). The rain & snowmelt later this week (Thursday night/Friday day) will push flows back up to some degree for the weekend. And that's a good thing.
Monday
morning 12/8/25
River Report:
Scott
G-Series rods are now on sale, they are updating this iconic series
for March 2026. We are selling them for 30% off at $660, originally
$945. Many Contact II Euro
sale rods have gone out the door since Black Friday weekend. We are
out of the 10’ 9” in #2 & #3, but Contact rods remain on sale
at 40% off ($535), and we still have inventory in the other sizes.
T&T Lotic fiberglass rods are now on sale at $450 (previously
$695). We also put all Airflo fly lines on sale at 40% off (they are
redoing the entire line-up for 2026).
Another
nasty cold morning starting out in single digits and peaking in the
mid 20’s, this is definitely shaping up to be a great December for
ice fishermen. But, starting Wednesday things warm up a lot, with
highs into the mid 40’s for Wednesday & Thursday, peaking at 53
degrees on Friday. Highs in the 30’s to low 40’s for the upcoming
weekend, with 1” of rain predicted for Thursday night into Friday
afternoon. I’m looking
for to a break in the colder than average December weather.
Despite
the cold, we had some good reports over the weekend, and some slow
ones too. Once again, successful anglers were mostly nymphing.
Ideally you want stable to warming weather in the Winter. The
toughest is the first day of a cold snap. After a day or two the
trout settle in and adapt to it. Warming trends get both the trout
and the bugs more active. There is a lot less bug activity in the
Winter, but a water temp increase does get more larva & nymphs
into the drift, and helps with afternoon Midge hatches. Sunny days
tend to be the best of all, probably because sunlight does more than
anything to raise water temps. Water temp behind UpCountry is a bone
chilling 31.5 degrees this morning, it peaked at just under 36
degrees yesterday afternoon. Riverton runs warmer in the Winter due
to proximity to the dam and slightly warmer water release from down
deep in the reservoir- it’s 36.5 in Riverton at the Rt 20 bridge
this morning, and it reached about 39 degrees Sunday afternoon. There
is a little slush floating down the River in New Hartford as I write
this, with the sun out it should clear by 11am or so. Riverton above
the Still River stays ice free & slush free, evening during cold
snaps.
Total
flow below the Still River and in the Permanent TMA/Catch &
Release (C&R) is about 290-300cfs
(a medium water level), with Riverton right below the dam at 238cfs
(medium level), and just below that the Still River the gauge is
frozen currently but is running about 50-60cfs.
That
gauge should thaw out by Friday or so. Monday is the day they adjust
the dam release if necessary, so it is possible you may see a small
reduction. Won’t know until this afternoon.
Nymphing
is typically the ticket in December, with fish coming to flies
like Egg patterns, and smaller nymphs such as Pheasant Tails. Other
good December nymphs include Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red), small
flashy Perdigons, Rainbow
Warrior #16-18, Princes,
Caddis Larva, Mops, nymphs with pink beads, and Stoneflies
#8-10.
Some days there can be a good streamer bite. Trout
are virtually
done spawning now, and
they
lose weight during the process. They
are looking to bulk up afterwards, which can make streamers a
tempting choice for them. With cold water temps here now, slow down
your streamer presentations and get them deep. The easier you make it
for the trout to eat, the more strikes you will get on streamers.
When water
temps drop,
look for most of the trout in Winter lies. That means deeper, slower
water like pools, softer runs, and deeper moderate riffles. Be aware
that during sunny afternoons when the water temps bump up a little,
trout may move into the riffles to feed at the pool heads. There are
often bite windows in the Winter, when all of a sudden after very
slow fishing, the trout feed actively subsurface for 1-3 hours, so be
patient & persistent. Water level remains at an optimum medium
level. Colder water means less bug activity and less feeding by the
trout, so expect to work for trout this time of year. Having said
that, I’ve had some surprisingly productive days in the Winter,
especially in December and the first half of January. Fish will start
to pod up, and if you can locate the pod and catch a bite window, you
can do well. Keep your expectations reasonable though. Work the water
more thoroughly with extra casts, because in the Winter trout
normally won’t move far at all for your fly. Think slow & deep
for your nymphs and streamers, and set the hook on ANYTHING. Strikes
tend to be subtle when water temps are in the 30’s and low 40’s.
If you are headed out fishing, in general there is now no
need to get out there at at the crack of dawn. Give the water a few
hours to warm up one or two degrees, that’s all it takes to get the
trout feeding. The exception would be the Winter Caddis hatch, which
goes on all Winter in the early to mid mornings (7am to 10pm would be
typical, but it can vary). Other than that, I wouldn’t venture out
before 10am, and I’d expect the best fishing to be late morning
through mid/late afternoon, when water temps rise and are at their
highest for the day. Sunny days are best of all, they warm the water
up more than overcast weather. The general rule of thumb with trout
is, fish at the time of day when air temps are the most comfortable
for you, and it’s 90% accurate.
The river remains in
great shape. 99%
of the browns have spawned now. Keep your eye out for redds, and
don’t walk on or right below them or you will crush the eggs.
Subsurface with streamers and especially nymphs has been the most
consistent lately. Look a few paragraphs down for specific advice on
streamer & nymph fishing. When nymphing on windy days, using a
strike indicator makes more sense than Euro nymphing. Strike
indicators also work better in slower water, and when fishing further
away or downstream of your position. FYI you can add an aerodynamic
indicator to a mono rig when Euro nymphing if you need to, gives you
a lot more flexibility in water types & conditions.
Downstream
water temps are averaging in the low
to high 30’s
now, depending upon time of day & weather. Sunny days will see
the biggest water temp increases.
Water
temperatures in the 30’s
will
tend to push trout
into
the deeper, slower pool water as they drop out of faster flows. They
will often pod up in the Winter. Locate the pod and catch a bite
window, and you can have a surprisingly good Winter day if you show
them flies they want with a good presentation (for nymphs that
usually means a dead drift down deep). If standard nymphs are not
working, try Junk Flies like Eggs, Mops, and Squirmy/San Juan Worms.
Also, sometimes a bigger nymph like a #8-10 Stonefly or a #10-12
Prince
can
convince a lethargic trout to eat when they refuse smaller nymphs. In
general though, most aquatic life is small in the Winter, as in #18
and smaller.
They began to lower Otis Reservoir in MA in
early November, and that water has to be added to the dam release in
CT. Also, the Still River flow is
being
augmented by water released from Highland Lake to lower the lake
level there (they do that every Fall, just like at Otis Reservoir).
We should be in good shape in terms of water for a while now. Still
need a good amount of water to fill
Colebrook
River back up. November
rainfall
helped, and although still low the lake level
has
increased by about 15’
in
elevation.
Grady
recently acquired some reasonably
priced trout-weight bamboo rods,
most are in the $300 range.
They are in the rod rack all the way to the right, in between the
Sage and T & T rods. There are some real values & bargains
here.
Midges
become the afternoon hatch now that
the Fall Blue Winged Olive hatch is virtually over. Diptera/Midges
are a bug that goes all Winter (all year long actually).
And in early to mid morning, Winter
Caddis
#18-24. When
they are not rising, which is the majority of the time, fish
streamers, Junk Flies (Mops, Eggs, Worms, Green Weenies), small
nymphs #18-22 (BWO’s, Midges, Pheasant Tails, etc.), #8-10
Stoneflies, Prince nymphs,
and
Caddis Larva.
Egg
flies are
a great choice from now
through the early Spring, and in fact I catch trout 12 months a year
on egg flies.
Trout move around a lot in the Fall &
early Winter
due
to spawning and also dropping water temps,
so
they can be in one spot today, and a totally different spot tomorrow.
This
is
prime time for streamer fishing- when
they
are post-spawn, trout
are
depleted, very hungry, and on the hunt for bigger food items. 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. When water temps are in the 30’s (now),
you may need to slow your retrieve down and make sure to get your
streamers down deep (use weight flies, split shot, sink-tips/sinking
line, or sinking leaders). Euro nymphing jig streamers and/or
dead-drifting them under a strike indicator can be a deadly way
present streamers to lethargic trout in cold water. It puts the fly
right in their face and makes it easier for them to eat. Twitch &
animate the fly sporadically during the drift.
99%
of the brown
trout have now spawned.
You
still need to 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 gentle 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.
The majority of the trout that are going to spawn have done so
already, but I’ve seen stragglers as late
as
the second week of January. 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 there are
plenty
of post-spawn
trout.
Some trout will position in the first deeper/darker
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, this bug ramps up in the Winter and
can provide rising trout in the mornings.
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 most nymphs. Streamer fishing requires
0x-3x tippet depending upon fly size and the size of the trout your
are targeting. Small jigged streamers on a Euro rig typically match
up nicely with 4x-5x, and as heavy as 2x-3x for larger jigged
streamers.
FYI after the CT fisheries sampled the trout
population in 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.
****************************************************************
Dries:
-Summer/Winter
Caddis #18-24: hatch is typically early to mid morning, all year
long, ramps up in the Winter. Trout focus on the pupa first, and then
as the morning progresses they normally switch to the winged adults
when they return to egg-lay. Try both twitching & dead-drifting
your fly, trout often key on movement with this bug.
-Midges
#20-28: afternoon hatch, especially on sunny/milder
days
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 superseding the exact fly
pattern.
-Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red): Zebra Midge, Flash
Midge, Red Iris Midge, etc.
-Blue Winged Olive (Baetis/BWO)
Nymphs #16-22: all year long
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #14-22:
imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Isonychia,
Vitreus, Blue Winged Olives, small Stoneflies, and more.
-”Junk
Flies” (Eggs, Mops, Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Green Weenies): Often
work when standard nymphs fail, especially in the off season (Winter)
when there are not many hatches. 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 very good in
higher, off-color water.
-Big Stonefly Nymphs #8-10:
golden/yellow, brown, black, Pat’s. Big Stones are a mouthful that
can be hard for trout to pass up, and there are a surprising amount
of them in the river. Often gets you less but bigger fish.
-Caddis
Larva (olive to green) #14-16: tons of these in the river (most other
rivers too), imitates the common Hydrospyche, good all year
-Attractor Nymphs #10-20: 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
Streamers:
Trout
get aggressive on streamers in the fall due to spawning, and then
after spawning brown trout are hungry and looking to put weight back
on. 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. Streamers are also a great “clean-up” fly to
fish after you have thoroughly nymphed a run, and often will produce
a bigger fish than the nymphs did.
Top
colors have been olive, tan, white, and yellow. A little yellow in a
streamer can trigger brown trout in the fall. Black can be good on
recently stocked trout (especially rainbows), during low light
(dawn/dusk), 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