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
will be closed this week on Tuesday 3/17 & Wednesday 3/18, just
for this week.
*****We
are looking for one
more
part-time employee, someone who knows the river well and and is
knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
Pictured
is local
guide Ben Canino with a stunner on a big streamer from a weekend high
water float trip on the Farmington. High water and big streamers can
be a great combination.
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. The all new Contact III+ is debuting sometime
very
soon
in
March
-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 very soon in
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.
Monday
Morning 3/16/26
River
Report:
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river and
is knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
We
will be closed this week on Tuesday 3/17 & Wednesday 3/18, only
for this week
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).
The
new Thomas & Thomas Contact III+ 10’ rods are slated to arrive
this afternoon if the
tracking info is accurate. As far as the longer 10’ 9” & 11’
5” models go, T&T is still awaiting a shipment of longer rod
tubes for those rods, and are probably a week or two out on that.
Looks
like a wet one today, with 1 ½”+ total in the
forecast (about .60” so far, with
another 1 inch+ in the forecast). The total flow in the Permanent TMA/Catch &
Release has come way down
since the last big rain, but today’s/tonight’s
rain & snowmelt will push it up again for sure. Flows
will shoot up a lot by Tuesday, but will drop quickly during the
week, and we should be sitting pretty by the weekend. They will
likely increase the dam release today, but Riverton above the Still
River will probably stay fishable even after all this rain has fallen
(the Still River is typically what blows us out after a heavy rain).
The Still River drops fast
once it stops raining. We
are in decent shape this
morning as I update this report,
with a total flow of 568cfs
and rising
(normal/median total flow would be 413cfs
for today’s date). Riverton above
the Still River is very
fishable, medium-low at 165cfs and slowly rising
from the dam down to the Still River, and the Still River is adding
in an additional 423cfs
and rising at a good clip
below that.
Fish reports were slow for
Saturday (even in Riverton which was recently stocked), and
noticeably better Sunday, with a mix of wilds/holdovers & recent
stockers depending upon which river sections you were fishing. The
river flow dropped quite a bit from Saturday to Sunday, which I’m
sure was a factor in the improved action.
The
inflow to Colebrook Reservoir in
MA has dramatically
increased, which is a good thing because the drought last year left
the lake low, and we never got the fall rains that we normally do.
The reservoir height/elevation has come up 22+
feet in the past 2
weeks,
and it is still going up at a good clip (from about 670 feet up to
almost 692+
feet, “full” would be considered to be about 716’ of elevation
this time of year). The state began
their Spring trout stocking in rivers last
week, and last week they
stocked upstream
of the Permanent TMA/Catch & release in
Riverton (from the dam downstream about 4 miles through Whittemore,
stopping just above the Campground).
It’s likely they will
stock downstream of the Permanent TMA/C&R this week (that section
would be from just below Rt 219 in New Hartford from the Wall/Calahan
Park downstream to Canton
by
the junction with the Nepaug River/Town Bridge Rd.)
The 6.2
mile Permanent TMA/C&R
normally gets
stocked once a year
in April.
When flows are elevated and/or off-color (like
they will be this week),
you should think about Junk Flies (Worms, Mops, Eggs, Green Weenies),
bigger nymphs (Stoneflies, Princes, etc.), and streamers of course.
Recently stocked trout
also love Junk Flies & Woolly Buggers.
The higher the flow gets, the more trout will move closer to the
banks to get out of heavier current. Darker colored flies show up
well in off color water, nymphs with hotspots are also good. Fish
the water near the bank before you step into the river, otherwise you
will spook trout you otherwise could have caught.
Riverton
water temp this morning is 37
degrees, it peaked Sunday
at 39+
degrees. Behind UpCountry (11 miles below the dam) the water temp is
37
degrees this morning. Water temps have been pushing into the low/mid
40’s during sunny afternoons on warmer days, and that will tend
to pick up the fishing as
it leads to a faster metabolism for the trout, and also
more insect activity.
Unionville USGS streamflow is 982cfs
and just starting to go up
(median/normal is 798 for
today’s date).
Early
Black Stoneflies #14-16 are a legit hatch now, March is the big month
for that bug, and they
normally spill over into early April.
We continue to see the smaller #18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black Winter
Stonefly) on mild/sunny afternoons, but that is very
near the end. Later in March we will see #16-18 Baetis/Blue Winged
Olives (BWO’s) in the afternoons, just
need water temps to rise a bit.
Fishing has mostly been a grind, but the trout are quality holdovers
& wilds, with a large average size (mid to upper teens, with some
in the 20” and bigger range). Be patient, as hours of slow fishing
can suddenly turn on when a bite window opens up. It’s quality over
quantity, and all it takes is one big trout to make your day. The
snow is almost all gone now,
the rain & mild temps
today (high of 60 degrees) should take out the last vestiges of snow.
Pick likely looking water and fish it thoroughly, slow & deep
with nymphs and streamers. Trout won’t move far to eat in cold
water, so make lots of casts in the higher percentage spots, and set
the hook on ANYTHING suspicious. Strikes are usually very subtle this
time of year.
For you fly tyers, big
Hareline &
Wapsi fly tying material orders arrived recently.
I’d
recommend focusing on mid/late morning through mid/late afternoon
when water temps bump up a bit. Fish slow & deep, as trout are
lethargic when water temps are cold. Expect most eats to be subtle,
so set the hook on anything. Cycle between small nymphs #16-22
(Midges & Mayflies), black nymphs & Prince nymphs #14-16 (to
imitate the Early Black Stones), Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Worms, Green
Weenies), 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 Stoneflies or Midges. Cold water strikes
can be VERY subtle, so set the hook on anything. Remember, “hook
sets are free”.
If you catch a bite window when the
trout decide to actively feed, good catches are 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. Currently 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. Jigged
streamers fished slow & deep are also a good choice when nymphs
aren’t producing, and 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.
Nymphing
is often the ticket in March, with fish coming to flies
like Egg patterns #14-18, and #14-22 nymphs such as Early Black
Stoneflies, Princes, Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and Walt’s Worms.
Other good Winter nymphs include Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) #16-18,
Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red), small flashy Perdigons, Rainbow
Warrior #16-18, Caddis Larva, Cased Caddis, 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 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 this time of year are white, olive, and
tan.
When water temps are in the 30’s and low 40’s,
look for most of the trout in 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 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. Keep
your expectations reasonable. Work the high percentage water more
thoroughly with extra casts, because in cold water 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. Sunny
days are best of all The
exception to starting
later 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 generally
wouldn’t venture out
before 9am, 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 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.
Midges and
Early
Black Stoneflies
#14-16
are
the
main afternoon hatches, Tiny
Winter Stoneflies (Capnia)
#18-24
are near the end. Early
to mid mornings, Winter
Caddis
#18-24 is the bug and may bring some trout to the
surface.
*******************************************************************************
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 Stoneflies
(Capnia) #18-24: sunny afternoons. Hatch is near the end
-Early
Black Stoneflies #14-16: Hatch is starting up. Mild sunny afternoons
are best.
Nymphs:
-BMAR Early Black
Stonefly #14 (hatching now)
-Small Nymphs #18-22: various
patterns, many of the bugs are small to tiny, 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 (hatch is near the end)
-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 when trout won’t move for a small
nymph, it takes a bigger bite of food to get an eat. Often catches
larger than average fish. Experiment!
-Caddis Larva (olive to
green) #14-16: tons of these in the river, good all year, especially
in the Winter/Spring.
-Attractor Nymphs #10-20: such as Sexy
Waltz, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threat, etc. Some
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, 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