Store Hours:
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 my
fishing buddy and hand model Will Ryan with a beautiful 18”
Farmington River brown trout from our Wednesday outing, caught
on a Mop
in beautiful 70 degree weather. Water temps got well into the 40’s
during
the afternoon.
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.
Friday
Morning 3/9/26
River
Report:
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river 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).
River
flows shot way up on
Thursday due to snowmelt (70 degrees & sunny here on Wednesday),
peaking near 2,000cfs, but it’s dropping like a stone now, high
but fishable as I write this, and should be in much better shape by
the weekend. Highs
will be in the low to mid 40’s for today through Sunday, and no
rain until after dark Sunday night.
Water temps on Wednesday
reached into the low to mid 40’s depending where on the river you
were (45 in New Hartford, 43 in Riverton). This is a nice change from
the 30’s we’ve been used to all Winter. The inflow to Colebrook
Reservoir 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
15’ plus in the past week, and it is still going up at a good clip
(from about 670 feet up to almost 686 feet, “full” would be
considered to be about 716’ of elevation this time of year). The
state has begun
their Spring trout stocking in rivers this
week, and I’d expect them to
stock upstream and downstream of the Permanent TMA/Catch &
release in the next week or two (Permanent TMA/C&R gets stocked
once annually in April), could
be any day now.
The
total flow in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release is high for
sure this morning, but
fishable at 1,006cfs
and dropping fast
(normal/median total flow
would be 412cfs
for today’s date).
Water clarity is decent at
2 ½ to 3 feet with an iced tea stain to it.
Riverton is very
fishable, medium/medium-low
and clear
at 165cfs and
slowly dropping from
the dam down to the Still River,
and the Still River is adding in an additional 881cfs
(very high) and dropping
fast below that.
When flows are elevated
and/or off-color, you should think about Junk Flies (Worms, Mops,
Eggs, Green Weenies), bigger nymphs (Stoneflies, Princes, etc.), and
streamers of course. 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.
Riverton water temp this morning is 34.5
degrees, it peaked Thursday
at 37 degrees. Behind UpCountry (11 miles below the dam) the water
temp is 33.8
degrees this morning, it peaked yesterday at 40.2.
Water temps have been
pushing into the low/mid
40’s during sunny afternoons on
warmer days, and that will
pick up the fishing as it leads to a faster metabolism for the trout,
and more insect activity. Unionville USGS streamflow is 1,870cfs
(very high)
and dropping fast
(median/normal is 763).
Early
Black Stoneflies #14-16
are a legit hatch now,
March is the big month for that bug. We continue to see the smaller
#18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black Winter Stonefly) on mild/sunny afternoons,
but that is probably getting near the end. Later in March we will see
#16-18 Baetis/Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) in the afternoons. 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, and
the entire river is once again
ice-free. 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 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. 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.
Midges and
Early
Black Stoneflies
#14-16 are
the
main
afternoon
hatches, Tiny
Winter Stoneflies (Capnia)
#18-24 are
still around but 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:
-Small Nymphs
#18-22: various patterns, many 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
-BMAR
Early Black Stonefly #14 (should start hatching very soon)
-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