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COMMENTS:
Saturday Report:
Guestimated flow is low 700cfs range (moderately high but definitely fishable), the last Still River flow update on USGA was 321cfs at 2:30AM & it's dropping at a good clipm, release from the dam is holding steady in the mid 400cfs range (462cfs this morning). If you want slightly lower flows today, head up toward Riverton & fish the 2 mile stretch above the Still River, between there and the dam. They are still running mid 400cfs flows daily from the dam, trying to get the reservoir level down- I expect they will be doing this for a while. While I haven't personally seen them yet, we should now be getting a #18 (or so) Olive hatching in the evenings, with a nice spinner fall (of rusty spinners) after the hatch in the dusk to dark period- this usually goes on for the first 3 weeks of July & produces some really good evening dry fly fishing, as well as nymphing with a #18 brownish to olive mayfly type nymph (Pheasant Tail, Micro Mayfly, etc.) in the hours preceding the hatch, hint, hint. Hatchwise in the TMA, we are currently seeing good numbers of #16-18 Sulfurs (Invaria, Dorothea?) in the TMA in the evenings, some nights starting as early as 5PM, with spinners at dusk. Still some March Browns/Grey Fox, Vitreus, and we are seeing Light Cahills, assorted Caddis (tan, brown) and even big Iso's (about a #10, give or take). Nymph fishing has been productive with a variety of patterns from Stoneflies, to Sulfur-type nymphs to Caddis patters- it depends upon where you are, the water type & the time of day. Don't neglect big Golden stoneflies, we are in the time of year when the nymphs are active & available to the trout, and the early AM is a particularly good time to fish them. Fish are scattered all over- shallow riffles, pocket water, pools, runs, pretty much anywhere that looks fishy is holding trout. Don't be afraid to venture outside of the TMA to escape the crowds, there are plenty of fish in the open water. The 2 year olds that were stocked in April are big, some in the 19" plus range- they are marked with an adipose fin clip this year. Look closely because many look like holdovers, with perfect fins & nice coloration- the DEP did a great job rasing some quality fish. Nymphs, streamers & wet flies are currently your best overall bets when fish aren't rising- dead-drifted nymphs are probably the highest percentage tactic, but streamers will sometimes score with the biggest trout in the river, and don't overlook the wets- most fishermen do. Just like last season, there are a lot of 16-19" holdover browns (and some even bigger). Under "normal" water conditions, various nymphs in small to medium sizes work, as do various streamers (esp. in low light, higher water & after a good rain)- play with different colors to see what what works best at any given moment, it changes with streamers. Remember that in addition to the Housy, we also do guided fishing trips on the Farmington.
While the Farmington is known for producing dry fly fishing all year long, don't neglect fishing nymphs & streamers, especially if you want to tie into some truly large trout, or if there are no fish rising, or the conditions are less than optimal. Under "normal" conditions, try your favorite nymph pattern and trail a smaller dropper pattern in the #16-22 range behind it (Midge Pupa/Larva, Brassie, Zebra Midge, Pheasant Tail, Hare's Ear, Micro Mayfly, RS2, WD-40, Serendipity, Copper John, etc.). Try also throwing streamers on a sink-tip line, Teeny-type line (130 to 200 grains depending on flow), or a Sinking Leader (Rio, Airflo, etc.). No hatch-matching to worry about when you are chucking streamers. Try various colors and patterns until you find what works at a given moment. Don't be afraid to fish big streamers, #2-4, they work! During bright weather with low, clear water, sometimes smaller patterns in more natural tones (such as olive or tan) and slimmer/sparser ties often produce better- experiment with colors, the trout will tell you which one is right. Day in and day out, try White or Natural Zonkers and White Buggers #2-12, they are consistent producers on the Farmington. Brown (one of my favorite streamer colors), Black, and Olive are good colors also. Try also some tried-and-true older patterns such as Baby Brown Trout, Muddlers, Mickey Finn, Grey or Black Ghost, etc. Trout see plenty of Woolly Buggers nowadays, but many of the older patterns aren't fished too much anymore, and the fish aren't as wise to something that they don't constantly see and get punished with. This also applies to nymphs, wets (definitely a neglected fly category, but they still are very, very effective if fished properly), and dries, esp. in heavily fished rivers like this one. And remember, old patterns that are still around usually survived the test of time for a reason. A Black Ghost is one of the all time great streamers anywhere there are brown trout, and it can be tied as a featherwing (the standard), a marabou, a bucktail, or even Zonker style. Something about the combo of white, black, a splash of yellow, and some silver flash really appeals to browns.
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When fishing dry, accuracy and drag-free floats are essential. Try lengthening your tippet to help combat drag. This often works better than dropping down to ridiculously light tippets. Make sure your tippet doesn't straighten out completely when it lands on the water- if it does, you have instant drag. I believe the main reason lighter tippets seem to sometimes catch more fish is because it is easier to get a drag-free float due to the greater limpness/flexibility and the fact that a lighter tippet is less apt to straighten out completely due to lesser mass(it just doesn't transfer energy as well as a thicker tippet). Instead of using a standard 18-20" or so tippet, try using 3 or more feet. Adjust the length so your tippet lands in S curves- if it straightens completely, lengthen it, if it piles up shorten it. It will give you the same effect as dropping down about 2 sizes on your tippet. As you go to smaller, lighter flies, you will have to reduce your tippet size, but try lengthening it before you go super-light. Be sporting and use a tippet that will allow you to land the trout in a reasonable amount of time.
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If no fish are rising, don't neglect to try nymphs, from big #8 Golden Stoneflies down to small #22-24 nymphs. Hare's Ears, Golden Stones, Brassies, Princes, Disco Midges, Pheasant Tails(deadly), Midge Larva/Pupa, Caddis Larva, WD40's, RS2's, Copper Johns, etc., are all possibilities. Pheasant Tails, in various sizes, are very effective on this river(and most others, for that matter) at almost any time- a #16-20 is a go-to fly under normal conditions- I like it with a flashback or beadhead to help the trout find it.
Streamers can be deadly at moments, especially if you like to catch bigger fish. Most people are so hatch oriented on this river, they don't fish them much. For best results, use on a sink-tip or some sort of sinking line- they are MUCH more productive fished like that. No need for light tippets with these flies- think 0x-3x, depending on fly size mainly, but also on water clarity and light conditions. ************************************** |
