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COMMENTS:
Hedricksons are above the TMA now, all the way up in Riverton. Some good spinner falls over the past week in the TMA, probably about done now- head upriver. Flow is at a very nice medium level. The river has been crowded even more than usual, prob due to the Hendrickson hatch & the good fishing during it. Should get a little more elbow room now that it's done in the TMA. Remember too, there is lots of good trout water for miles both above and way down below the TMA. With the season now officially upon us, you can fish both above & below the TMA, it is well stocked with fish throughout, including many very nice 14"-16" Bows. A lot of 16-18" holdover browns have shown up in angler catches, including a few even bigger fish and some nice rainbows. Under normal water conditions, various nymphs in small to medium sizes work, as do various streamers- play with different colors to see what what works best at any given moment, it changes. 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 #18-22 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 effective), 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. ************************************** |
