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
is one
of two trophy browns nymphed up yesterday morning by guide Zach St.
Amand- one was 21”, and the other was 20 ¼”. Looks
like one wild, and one holdover.
Helluva morning! I guess the trout are liking this warm-up in the
weather.
Current
Sale Items:
-Thomas
& Thomas Contact II Euro rods $499 (were $895): 10’9” #4 is
the only size still available (we
have one left),
others are all 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.
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 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.
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. 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. 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. 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 2/13/26
River
Report:
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.
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.
So
nice to be back to normal and even mild Winter weather. Saturday
through Wednesday will see highs from the low to high 40’s and
plenty of sunshine! February Thaw? Remember that much of the river is
still frozen over. But from the dam in Riverton down at least as far
as the Campground the river is open and very fishable, and as we move
into next week more water may open up. FYI most of the pull-offs are
still full of snow, but major parking lots are almost all plowed. You
may have to get creative on parking, but should be able to
find a way to access most
of the open water. Even
had a credible report of Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies (Capnia) hatching on
Thursday afternoon from guide Steve Hogan. Said they were about a
#18-20. A #18 BMAR Winter
Stonefly or a black Zebra
Midge in those sizes can imitate this bug, but often 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
this week and is up on the walls.
And after that, we should be receving Hareline tying materials order
next week. Need to get those fly boxes up to speed for the Spring.
The flow gauge on the Still River is still frozen. The
dam is reading 91cfs
at the Rt 20 bridge, that’s a low but fishable level for the upper
river (historical normal flow would be 194cfs).
I’d guesstimate the Still River around 60cfs, which puts the total
flow below that in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release at about
150cfs,
give or take (historical normal total flow for today would be
335cfs).
Above the Still River in Riverton from about the Rt 20
bridge/Riverton Self Storage to the dam it will remain open &
fishable no matter how cold it gets, and last I knew it was
open/fishable at least as far downstream as the
Campground, and highs well into the 40’s combined with sunshine
should open up some more water nextt week.
Below that there is
substantial ice. Riverton water temp this morning is 34
degrees. Behind UpCountry (11 miles below the dam) the water temp is
31.3
degrees this morning. Unionville USGS streamflow gauge is frozen.
The
major parking lots are mostly plowed (Whittemore was
not last I knew),
but most of the pull-offs are still piled with snow. I’d recommend
focusing on mid/late
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, and
streamers, and fish them all slow & deep.
Slow &
deep in the pools with nymphs & streamers is normally the name of
the game in Winter. Strikes can be VERY subtle, so set the hook on
anything. Remember, “hook sets are free”. The best subsurface
fishing lately has been somewhere between 10am and 3pm’ish most
days (it can vary though). But… don’t totally rule out dry flies,
especially the Winter Caddis hatch in the early to mid mornings
(typically between 7am-10am, but can be earlier or later). Midges are
also a possibility during mild afternoons, a little sunshine really
helps.
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. But 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 #16-20
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 sometimes 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. 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 early 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 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. 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 in the Winter, 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 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.
-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