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.
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river
well and and is knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
Pictured
is a
beautiful brown trout that Zach St. Amand’s client landed
yesterday. It’s quality over quantity at the moment. If you’re
patient, you have a shot at a truly big trout.
We
have the brand spanking new Simms
Flyweight Waders
in
stock now, check ‘em out. Super
lightweight
and fold into their own pouch for easy carrying.
Current
Sale Items:
-Thomas
& Thomas Contact II Euro rods $499 (were $895): all sizes are now
completely 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 lines 20%
off
-All
Airflo fly lines are 40% off
***Sales
apply only to
in-stock merchandise and can be bought in-store, or on the website &
shipped to your door - call with any questions***
Gift
Certificates are available and can be sent by mail or bought on our
website.
We
will match most
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/early March.
We are also happy to accept various trade ins toward the III+ to make
them more affordable, and you can also trade in your Contact II.
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, a $100 deposit will reserve a rod for
you- we expect this first batch to sell out fast. 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, fish thin Micro Leaders,
and it also 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. With the
included 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 (3" longer). 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 inside of a week or so.
Friday
Morning 2/20/26
River
Report:
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river
well and and is knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
Don’t
forget to get a 2026 CT fishing license, you will need a new one as
of January 1st. You
can get a license here at UpCountry, on the CT DEEP website, or you
can get one in person at most town halls. Don’t forget to also
purchase the $5 Trout Stamp, you need it to fish the Farmington River
and any other river that
is a TMA (Trout Management Area).
We now have FRAA Banquet tickets available for purchase
in the store via cash or check, but not credit/debit cards. Date is
Saturday March 7th, cost is $60 per ticket. We also have 100 Ticket
Raffles for sale. FRAA puts on some of the best banquets we’ve ever
seen, and they do a fantastic raffle.
Milder
weather is back through
Saturday, take advantage of it. Overall the long range weather looks
mostly mild. Sunday
through Tuesday will be normal Winter weather, then it’s back to
highs averaging in the 40’s and some rain too. I’m expecting most
of the snow to melt by the following weekend. We have a LOT of snow
on the ground as I write this. Looks like sunny weather for today &
Saturday. You still need to dress warmly, as water temps are still in
the 30’s, but it’s soooo much more pleasant to be outside now. I
think we all have Cabin Fever at the moment.
March
arrives on Sunday, and soon it will be officially Spring according to
the calendar. I think many people consider March 1st
to be the unofficial start of Spring. Expect to see the bigger #12-16
Early Black Stoneflies soon, March is the big month for that big. We
continue to see plenty of the smaller #18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black
Winter Stonefly). Fishing is still a grind, but the trout are high
quality and a large average size (about 16-19”, with some in the
20” plus range). Be patient, as hours of slow fishing can suddenly
turn on when a bite window opens up. Most
major parking lots are clear of snow, but most of the pull offs are
snowed in. The river is fishable from the dam down through New
Hartford and even some
spots downstream of that.
I’d expect it to melt out this week with the sun and above freezing
temps. Pick likely looking water and fish it thorougly, slow &
deep with nymphs and streamers. Trout won’t move far to eat in icy
water, so make lots of casts in the higher percentage spots, and set
the hook on ANYTHING suspicious. Strikes are usually very subtle in
the Winter. Winter Caddis hatches are ramping up lately, and some
fish have been surface feeding on them in the mornings. Hope for
rising trout, but expect to fish subsurface.
Tiny Winter
Black Stoneflies (Capnia) are
hatching in the afternoons, especially
on warmer, sunny days. A
#18 BMAR Winter Stonefly or a black Zebra Midge in those sizes can
imitate this bug, but sometimes I find I do better on other nymphs
that look nothing like a small black Stone, so pair that up with
another nymph pattern. If nothing else, bugs in the drift get the
trout out of hiding & feeding. They may move into the riffles in
the afternoons when there are insects in the subsurface drift.
For
you fly tyers, a Wapsi fly tying materials order arrived recently,
and a Hareline tying materials order came in also.
The
flow gauge on the Still River is
frozen. The dam is reading
87cfs at the Rt 20 bridge, that’s a low flow (historical normal
flow would be 181cfs).
I’m guessing
Still River at about
70-80cfs,
which would put
the total flow below that in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release at
about 160cfs
(historical normal total flow for today would be 324cfs).
Riverton water temp this morning is 34.5 degrees, it peaked Thursday
afternoon
at 39.5
degrees. Behind UpCountry (11 miles below the dam) the water temp is
31.8
degrees this morning, it
peaked yesterday afternoon at 36.5.
Unionville USGS streamflow gauge is frozen.
I’d
recommend focusing on mid morning through mid afternoon when water
temps bump up a bit. Fish slow & deep, as trout are lethargic
when water temps are in the 30’s. Expect most eats to be subtle, so
set the hook on anything. Cycle between small nymphs #16-22 (Midges &
Mayflies), Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Worms), streamers, and fish them
all slow & deep. In the mornings (roughly 7am to 10am’ish) you
may find some trout rising to Winter Caddis, and during sunny
afternoons, if you are lucky there may be a few trout rising to
Capnia Stoneflies (Tiny Winter Black Stones) or Midges. Cold water
strikes can be VERY subtle, so set the hook on anything. Remember,
“hook sets are free”.
If you catch a Winter bite
window when the trout decide to actively feed, double digit catches
are sometimes possible for skilled anglers who know the river well
and are good nymphers. Lately though, anglers are working very hard
for each and every bite. You have to be in the right spot (the “spot
within the spot”), at the right time, with the correct flies,
rigging & technque. Lately the best time overall seems to be
mid/late morning to mid/late afternoon, when water temps rise and are
at their highest. It’s also the most pleasant time of day to be
outside. Some days it can be earlier than this though, especially if
you have milder night/morning. Nymphing has been the most consistent
method, with various nymphs #16-22 getting it done, as well as Junk
Flies (Squirmies, Eggs, Mops). We often pair a Junk Fly with a more
imitative smaller nymph, it’s a good Winter combo. Jigged streamers
fished slow & deep are also a good choice, white has been an
above average streamer color this Winter. Water temps are cold
(30’s), so focus on presenting your nymphs & streamers slow and
deep.
Small nymphs are often the key to subsurface success in the Winter, and by small I mean #18’s all the way down to #22-24. Exception could be large Stoneflies #8-10 (golden, brown, black), Mops, Egg flies and Worm patterns. Most nymphs are small to very small right now, with some exceptions. Both Midges and Winter Caddis are small, and most other nymphs/larva are immature and still small in late Winter. Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies run #18-24. Some days fly size can make a big difference. Nymphing is typically the ticket in the Winter, with fish coming to flies like Egg patterns #14-18, and #14-22 nymphs such as Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and Walt’s Worms. Other good Winter nymphs include Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red), small flashy Perdigons, Rainbow Warrior #16-18, Prince #10-14, Caddis Larva, Mops, and nymphs with pink beads (PT’s, Walt’s, Hare’s Ears, etc.).
Some
days there can be a good decent
streamer bite. Cold water
temps means you typically need to 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. Steamers
fished under an Indicator can sometimes get you a big Winter brown
trout, and jig streamers
tight-lined on a Euro rig can be very effective.
Dead-drift them, but also occasionally twitch/pop your indicator to
give your streamer a little movement. Top colors are white, olive,
and tan.
When water temps are in the 30’s (now), 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 afternoons when the water temps bump up a little, trout will
commonly move into the riffles and into the current to feed at the
pool heads. There are often bite windows in the Winter, when all of a
sudden after slow fishing, the trout feed actively subsurface for 1-3
hours, so be patient & persistent. Colder water means less bug
activity and less feeding by the trout, so expect to work for trout
this time of year. Trout normally will only move inches for your fly
in icy cold water. Having said that, I’ve had some surprisingly
productive days in the Winter. Fish will pod up in groups, and if you
can locate the pod and catch a bite window, you can do well some
days. Keep your expectations reasonable though. Work the high
percentage water more thoroughly with extra casts, because in the
Winter trout normally won’t move far at all for your fly. Slow &
deep for your nymphs and streamers, and set the hook on anything,
even just gut instinct.
If you are headed out fishing
this time of year,
in general there is no need to get out there 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). Sometimes
also, you can get a mid-morning streamer bite before the nymph
fishing turns on. Other than that, I wouldn’t venture out before 9
or 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
exception to warm days being best of all is when there is a decent
amount of snow on the ground. Warm sunny days can melt the snow and
send ice water into the river, dropping water temps by lunchtime and
totally shutting down the afternoon bite. Sunny days with highs in
the 30’s or less are better when we have significant snow cover on
the ground.
Midges and
Tiny
Winter Black Stoneflies (Capnia)
#18-24
are
the
afternoon hatches
now. Early
to mid mornings, Winter
Caddis
#18-24 is the bug.
*******************************************************************************
Dries:
-Summer/Winter
Caddis #18-24: hatch is typically early to mid morning. 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. Sometimes brings trout to the surface. If not, go
subsurface with Midge pupa & larva.
-Tiny Winter Black
Stoneflies (Capnia) #18-24: sunny afternoons
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.
-BMAR Winter Stonefly
#18
-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): Can work when standard nymphs
fail, especially in the Winter when there are not many hatches. Also
great in higher and/or 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. Some days in the Winter when
trout won’t move for a small nymph, it takes a bigger bite of food
to get an eat. Experiment!
-Caddis Larva (olive to green)
#14-16: tons of these in the river, good all year, especially in the
Winter.
-Attractor Nymphs #10-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow
Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threat, etc. Some Winter days
trout ignore natural/drab nymphs but will eat gaudy attractors.
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18 (yellow)- also imitates Black
Caddis larva & some Midge larva, works all year long, and one of
the only bugs that is active & hatching in the Winter.
Streamers:
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 white, olive, tan. A little yellow paired with
another color (olive, tan, etc.) in a streamer can trigger brown
trout. Black can be good on recently stocked trout (especially
rainbows), during low light (dawn/dusk), and high and/or dirty
water.
-Jig 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. White has been
a top color this Winter, and olive and tan are both good.
-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 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