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COMMENTS:
Flow is medium & clear, they are releasing 348cfs from the dam in Riverton, the Still River USGS flow gauge is currently frozen, the total flow should be somewhere from 400-500cfs. Fishing reports this past week have ranged from slow to fairly good- a friend landed a 21" brown. Watch out for possible morning slush in TMA after really cold nights, it usually clears out as the day progresses though. Afternoons are the best time to be out when the overnight temps dip way down, as well as being the most comfortable time of day to fish. The exception to this is when the nights aren't too cold, the Winter Caddis can hatch in the early morning, often by 7AM. Trout are being caught on top at moments with Winter Caddis & Midge patterns, and nymphing is a go-to technique whether they are rising or not. As far as nymphs go, try various caddis patterns (both larva & cased), small PT's, Midges, egg patterns, San Juan Worms, and #8-14 Stoneflies- see Best Bets above for more specific recommendations. Hatches are Winter Caddis & Midges, with surface activity at moments in the slower pool water- try School Bus, Church, Greenwoods, Bridge Pool, Whitemore, Pipe Line, Campground. The most predictable/consistent fishing is subsurface though. Those in the know have been picking up some 20" plus browns here and there. Streamers can also do well in the Wintertime on this river, just remember to fish them very slowly- if there is enough current, just swing them with an occasional twitch, and then slowly retrieve them back. Fish patterns with lots of built in motion, flies utilizing marabou, rabbit strips & rubber legs- Buggers, Zonkers, SlumpBusters, Marabous, etc. In slow pool water, cast out, let them sink, and then slowly retrieve. You might be surprised at how effective they can be, and it's a nice break when you've been doing too much nymphing & staring at strike indicators 'till your eyes cross. With water temps mainly in the 30's now, trout are in Winter mode, mostly hanging in the slow to moderate water in the pools, what I like to call "soft water". Browns are done spawning, but make sure not to walk thru any redds (they appear as circular light colored patches in gravelly riffles, side channels & pool tailouts) or you will crush the eggs they laid. In terms of fishing tactics, it really helps to think outside the box and fish where & how others don't. Nymph fishing can produce with a variety of patterns from Stoneflies, to Caddis patterns to egg flies- it depends upon where you are, the water type & the time of day. Don't be afraid to venture outside of the TMA to escape the crowds, there are plenty of fish in the open water, CT's season is open thru the end of February there, and the Trophy Trout regs (2 fish, 12") helps keep a good number in the river. The 2 year olds that were stocked in April '09 were big & fat, mostly 16-19", a few even bigger- they are marked with an adipose fin clip year and also (I think) a red dye mark behind the left eye. Look closely because many look like holdovers, with perfect fins & nice coloration- the DEP did a great job rasing some quality fish. Usually the giveaway is a flat spot on the top & bottom of the tail. Just like last season, there are a lot of 16-19" holdover browns (and some even bigger 20-22" plus specimens). Under "normal" water conditions, assorted 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 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 just about anywhere), 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. ************************************** |
