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We are privately stocking 1,600 rainbows in the Housy on Friday 5/20- a big thanks to all of you who donated to put these nice fish and improve the fishing. We sell raffle tickets year 'round to raise & for spring & fall stockings. Interestingly enough, the DEP documented these very same fish successfully spawing in Housy tribs, with "abundant young of the year rainbows" sampled by them last year, and they said it was from our Spring spawning 'Bows (the state fish are fall spawners).

DIDYMO:
During the past five years Didymo (also known as “rock snot”) has been found in rivers in New York and Vermont. Now, Didymo has been confirmed by the Connecticut DEP in the Farmington River from Riverton to New Hartford. If it’s found in those stretches of the river it will likely be found in other areas of the river as well.
YOU NEED TO HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF THIS INVASIVE.
Every time you come off the water, CHECK, CLEAN AND DRY.
CHECK: Before leaving the water, remove all obvious clumps of algae and plant material from fishing gear, waders, clothing & footwear, canoes & kayaks and anything else that has been in the water. Leave them at the site. If you find any later, clean your gear and dispose of all material in the trash
Soak/spray & scrub boats and all other “hard” items for at least one minute in either very hot (140°F) water, a 2% bleach solution, or a 5% dishwashing detergent solution. Absorbent materials such as clothes and felt soles on waders should be soaked for at least 40 minutes in very hot water (140°F), or 30 minutes in hot water (115°F) with 5% dishwashing detergent.
What is a 2% solution? Three ounces in a gallon of water (which is 128 ounces)*. There are eight ounces in a cup, so that’s around a half cup of bleach to a gallon of water.
What is a 5% solution? Seven ounces in a gallon of water*. That’s around a cup of detergent in each gallon of water.
FREEZING THOROUGHLY WILL ALSO KILL DIDYMO. (if you’re allowed to put your waders and boots in the freezer)
DRY: Drying will also kill didymo, but items must remain completely dry (inside and out) for at least 48 hours.

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Rainbow Trout Stocking Donations-
It's that time of year again, we are looking for donations to fund our Spring '11 Rainbow Trout Stocking in May- our goal is to raise enough money to stock 2,000 nice sized fish. Any size donation is appreciated, and we will also be selling $20 raffle tickets for various prizes such as guided fishing trips, a $500 store gift certificate, a Hardy Marksman 9' #5 rod, and a Sage fly reel.

Update:
A friend forwarded me a DEP report- electroshocking revealed abundant reproduction of rainbow trout in 8 Housy tribs, the result of our privately stocked trout! (State stocked rainbows are fall spawners) Amazing & very cool.

We are STOCKED UP with Greys rods- lots of the new 2011 XF2 Streamflex rods & the XF2+ rods (9.5' rods that stow a 6" extension in the handle, it converts them to a 10 footer in seconds without unstringing your rod! Cool). Also the new XF2 that replaces the super popular X-Flites. The eagerly anticipated Hardy Zenith & Proaxis rods will be trickling in over the next month or so. In the new XF2 Streamflex series, we have the long awaited Euro Nymphing 11 footers in #3 & #4, as well as the specialized 10' #2 (for French Nymphing w/ light tippets & flies)- they are all VERY nice, prices range from $309 - $339. You cannot touch these rods at those prices, anything else on the market is a very distant 2nd, trust me on this one.
-Torrey

New products from Hardy/Greys available in 2011. Greys has added in some affordable but sweet Euro Nymphing 11' rods (available now) in #3 & #4 ($329-$339), a 10' #2 for the "French Nymphers" that will allow you to fish light nymphs/long leaders/6-7x tippets, and some convertible rods from #3-#5 ($399) that have a piece that stows in the handle but can be added to bring the rods from 9' 6" up to 10'- pretty cool! New size in the Hardy Perfect, the "Taupo", a 3 7/8" reel for #7/8 lines- available now. Hardy also has 2 new super-premium, state-of-the-art series of rods debuting, both using cutting edge new technology, material & lay-up (I cast these rods and they are unbelieveably good- featherlight & cast like a dream):
Hardy has developed their own specific formulation from this technology, and the results have been extensively field tested over the past 24 months. Their team of fishing pros from the Florida Keys to Montana has hailed the rods as truly innovative and exceptional fishing and casting tools. The Sintrix material uses Nano-Technology that allows the design team to build the first series of rods that combines the best attributes of the modern reserve-power, fast action fly rods with the more technical requirements of tracking, tippet protection and a taper that shifts the load to the butt when you need to lay into the fish. The freshwater series is the Zenith, and Proaxis is the SW version. The 9' #5 Zenith recently won the Yellowstone Angler's 5 weight shootout, beating out noteworthy contenders such as the Sage Z-Axis, Orvis Helios, and the new Loomis NRX.

UPCOMING EVENTS/CLASSES/CLINICS:

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Intro to Euro/Czech Nymphing with Torrey, June 4th from 10AM-2PM-
Seems like there has been an explosion of interest in this style of fishing in the past several years. The Europeans have been kicking ass in international competitions using these techniques for quite a while now. With practice in Euro-style nymphing, the strike detection is extremely high, and the hook-sets are fast- much better than with indicators. The clinic focus will be on the short line/short leader techniques developed & tweaked by the Poles & Czechs. Torrey will show you how to construct special leaders (one of the keys to success with this) with droppers & sighters, as well as proper fly pattern selection. Tackle, special knots, strike detection, anchor flies, sighters, reading the water & locating suitable spots, etc. will all be covered. Clinic will be part indoors, part outdoors. You will leave this class knowing how to properly rig & fish in true Euro/Czech style. While there are some similarities between this and high-stick/short-line USA techniques, make no mistake, this takes it to another level, using weighted flies, no indicator (at least not an “indicator” in the traditional sense we think of), long rods, and specially constructed leaders with “sighters”. Those of us using these European methods have seen our catch rates & strike detection go way up. While Indicator Nymphing will always be a very effective way of nymphing with moments of superiority over other methods, Euro style also has moments of superiority- and they are many! Open your eyes to a deadly way to catch trout in our hard-fished streams, fish that strike indicators miss. Cost is $75, paid in advance, nonrefundable, rain or shine. Bring a pad & pen to take notes and write down leader formulas. Torrey has spent the past 3 years or so working hard on perfecting these deadly methods and it is now his favored technique. This is a do not miss clinic for those who want to take their fishing to another level.

-Sage/Rio Day, Saturday June 11th from 10AM 'till whenever-
Our rep Brad Gage will have all sorts of goodies from Sage & Rio for you to check out, some great stuff. Great opportunity to cast rods & lines that might not normally be stocked in the stores, and pick his brain about Sage rods/reels & Rio lines too. Brad also reps Umpqua, C&F Design, Tibor Reels, and Reddington.


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New & Favorite Products for May:

-New Euro Nymphing Rods from Greys- The re-designed 2011 XF2 Streamflex series now includes some really cool brand spankin' new models designed specically with the Euro nympher in mind- 11 footers in #3 & $4, and a 10' #2. The 11' models give you a real edge when fishing rivers the size of the Housy & Farmington, with the additional reach & line control- I like the #4 as an all-around Housy nymph rod (great for indicator nymphing & wet flies/soft-hackles too) and for bigger fish- yet it will still cushion tippets down to 6x. The #3 would be preferable for those nymphing with lighter tippets (6x and lighter) and smaller flies, and the extra flex will help keep smaller trout from shaking off when you play them. The 10' #2 would be great choice for small to moderate waters and lighter tippets & flies, you can comfortably fish 7x tippets no problem, and this would be great for classic French-style (upstream with longer leaders, light tippets & smaller flies). And of course, they still do 10' models right up through a #5 (nice for indicator nymphing bigger rivers). Lots of options for the growing army of hardcore nymphers and wet fly/soft-hackle fishermen out there.

-Temple Fork Outfitters BVK rods- Wow, this new series from TFO is truly impressive. The $225, 9' #5 rod clocks in at 2.9 oz. (almost a half ounce lighter than the benmark $695 Sage Z-Axis) and is the best casting TFO rod I've had in my hand yet. Very comfortable up close, but can toss way out there too. This is a TON of rod for the money, probably the high performance bargain out there. All I have to say is come cast one and see what your arm says.

-Simms Headwaters Taco Wader Bag- This is basically an improved version of a discontinued wader mat/bag that I've been using for years. Priced at under $30 (hard to believe it's from Simms, right? Lol), this is basically a round wader mat that folds and zips into a half-circle, taco-shaped carrying case with handles on it. Fast & practical, just stand on it while putting waders on & off (to keep your socks clean/dry), and then zip shut when you are done. It will hold up to 2 pairs of waders & wading boots. Everyone should own one of these, it will make gearing up & down quicker & simpler. Two thumbs up on this one.

-New version of the Waterworks ULA Force reels- I didn't think they could make my favorite reel much better, but they did with the 2011 version of the ULA Force SL series. Even lighter, better looking, bigger drag knob, and they even stiffened it up & strengthened it- all without raising the price. If you want the lightest truly large arbor reel out there with an amazing, sealed drag, this is it. My favorite #5/6 weight model (the Force 2X SL) weighs in at an amazing 2.95 oz., and the drag is smooth as silk. Their proprietary type III anodization is the toughest finish out there (virtually all other quality reels are type II), and the reel now sits closer to the rod for easier casting (a la their Vanquish). I'm impressed, and I think you will be too.

-Fishpond Packs & Products- Whether trout fishing locally, in an exotic locale, or fishing in tropical climes for bonefish, Fishpond makes a great pack to carry your gear. In my opinion they are the #1 company in vest alternatives, and everything they do is well though out, well designed, well made, and good looking. We have a good assortment of their various packs right now, perfect for bonefishing the flats, or trout fishing without being bogged down by a heavy vest. They make some very nice rod/reel carrying luggage & tackle bags too. Everyone is imitating them, and we all know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I give them two thumbs up.

-New version Hardy Cascapedia Mk III reel- the latest incarnation of this classic Bogdan-style reel (at a much lower price and without the several year wait!), Hardy is re-issuing a version similar to the 1930's Mk I reel. Solid front plate with 3 stainless steel badges give it a distinctive look. Machined & anodized, trout sizes have an adjustable moderate click drag, heavier salmon sizes have a much heavier wide-ranging drag for bigger fish. If you like classic reels, I think you will love this one- it looks great on bamboo trout rods, and the bigger sizes have enough weight to balance modern spey rods. Very nicely done.

-Hardy Perfect trout reels in new black finish- Hardy did a special limited & numbered run of 20 HRO black perfects (like the St. Georges) for us at our request, and we sold out (actually still have one 2 7/8" left). I guess they liked our idea- they recently started offering the Perfect trout sizes (2 5/8", 2 7/8", & 3 1/8") in black in both LH & RH models. Pricing is the same as for the regular Perfects- they ain't cheap at all, but they are a beautiful, timeless classic trout reel for those of you who appreciate the finer things, and yes, all the Perfects are still made in England. Not sure how many they did or if they will keep doing these, so get 'em while they're hot. Nuff said.

-Hardy "Taupo" Perfect Fly Reel- The eagerly awaited release of this Perfect series fly reel is now over, they are here, and they are damn nice. Traditional Perfect finish, but unlike typical Perfects you can reverse the retrieve from LH to RH, because with modern machining they were able to eliminate the line guard, which also keeps the pricing down- instead of $899-$1,300 for a Perfect reel, these retail for $695. It maintains the original look of the series, which was first produced in 1958 for 4 years, but the drag mechanism is improved (still a click & pawl type mechanism). For you traditional guys who like to palm your reels & prefer a classic looking product, this will be perfect (no pun intended) for Switch, light Spey, Steelhead, and Atlantic Salmon. Reel is 3 7/8" in diameter, weight is 7.5 oz. It will hold a WF8 floating line + 175 yards of 20# backing.

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Torrey's Book Choices for May:

New Books:
-Tenkara- Tenkara originated in the mountains of Japan hundreds of years ago, and it is fly fishing simplified- a very long (usually 11'-13'), very light/flexible telescoping rod with no reel or guides, and a leader the length of the rod or somewhat longer hitched to the tip. This outfit is used to fish at short range with dries, nymphs, streamers & wets. Most practitioners are able to do this style of fishing with a single box of flies and a couple spools of tippet. Traditional Tenkara flies are very simple, but of course you can use the typical flies we fish on them also- the extreme length of the rods and light weight make them deadly for short range nymphing. There has been a groundswell of interest in this style of fishing in the USA recently, probably due to the simplicity and effectiveness of this style of fishing. Rods are super light and telescope down to a short length, making them ideal for backpackers & ultralight hikers. This is the new, definitive guide to get you started down the path to Tenkara, it tells you everything you need to know.
-Fishing the Film, by Gary Borger-
For sure, Gary is one of my "fishing heroes", and anything he writes should be required reading for fishermen. Only had a chance to briefly peruse this book, but in typical form, it is packed full of useful information. If you like to catch fish on top, most of the time they are feeding on emergers, cripples, spinners, etc. floating in the FILM, not actually on top of the water. Plenty of great illustrations by his talented son Jason. Many great stories/anecdotes to keep it all interesting and relevant.

-Charlie's Fly Box, by Charlie Craven- This Colorado-based fisherman & shop owner is one of the best tyers in America, with 30+ years of commercial fly tying experience. He is a signature fly designer for Umpqua, with 15 patterns in their catalogue and growing. This is his second book, aimed at intermediate to advanced tyers. Photography is clear & concise, as his his instruction. Some of his signature patterns in this book include Jujubee Midge, Charlie Boy Hopper, Two Bit Hooker, Poison Tung, Jujubaetis, and 11 more- a nice mix of nymphs, drys, emergers & streamers. Interesting back stories and anecdotes about each pattern, and in some cases specific fishing advic. Two thumbs up for this book, it's excellent- I'm adding a copy to my personal library.

-Flyfisher's Guide to the Big Apple- Tom Gilmore details quality trout fisheries within 150 miles of NYC, covering NY, NJ & PA. Tom is an award-winning champion of trout conservation, this is his 3rd published book, and he has 40 years experience flyfishing the tri-state area. As usual for this series of guidebooks, it's thorough & detailed, and he covers many, many fisheries. With many of you living in the big city, this book should have broad appeal. In fact he gives out so much info I'm sure this publication will make some fisherman not-so-happy! Nuff said, this is an excellent & thorough book.

-Matching Major Eastern Hatches, by Harry Ramsey- Beautifully done book with the author's deadliest ties to imitate what trout in the northeast eat on a daily basis. Ramsey is a PA guide for TCO, and he has some deadly looking flies. Serious tyers that like to explore new patterns will LOVE this book. As a nympher myself, his stonefly, caddis larva and Iso nymphs look deadly, cannot wait to tie some up and try 'em, and there are a ton of emerger, dun, pupa, adult & spinner patterns for the dry fly crowd. Very nicely done book, this guy knows his stuff.

-Flyfisher's Guide to the New England Coast- one of the latest installments in this excellent series of guide books, this one covers RI, MA, NH & ME. Game fish, bait fish, techniques & locations are all covered, and the auther Tom Keer gives you 10 of his favorite flies for these fisheries.

-Secret Flies of the Czech and Slovak Fly-Tiers- Looking for ideas for new flies? Look no further, there is a plethora of them here, with crisp photos & pattern dressings from some of the top competitive fishermen & tyers in Europe. Over 350 patterns from over 20 tyers, including dries, nymphs, wets, midges & streamers. Multilanguage book, the text is written in Czech, Slovak & English. Europeans have their own style of tying that is different from the typical American tyer, a book like this is great for helping you come up with new & more effective patterns, stuff our hard-pressured trout haven't seen yet. Excellent book.

-Tying & Fishing Tailwater Flies, by Pat Dorsey- noted CO guide & fly shop owner Dorsey is a fly designer for Umpqua and has written 2 previous books and has a DVD. Two dozen killer guide flies are presented in very clear detail, with history, great pix, pattern dressing, and specific fishing advice for every pattern presented. Includes many orignal Dorsey patterns, as well as his personal variations of proven classics. Advice from a guy like Dorsey, who plys his living on the technical & hard fished South Platte River in CO, is especially valuable because he has to consistently produce trout for his clients on a tough fishery. Dorsey is best known for his Mercury series of flies with glass beads, and he presents them here. The last chapter on organizing your tailwater fly boxes has great photos of box after box, neatly loaded with fly patterns that will make you very jealous. Nymphers seeking smaller flies for the Farmington, Croton, Delware & other hard-fished rivers with find some great stuff, and there are some dry flies too. Book is autographed. Two thumbs up, this one is going into my personal book collection.


Favorite Books:

-The Orvis Guide to Prospecting for Trout, by Tom Rosenbauer- Recently revised & updated, this was already one of the best books in print on general trout fishing strategies, techniques, fly selection, and a personal favorite of mine, and now it's even better, with new info, flies & color photos. It even has an extensive chapter on the often neglected wet flies. Most of the time on most streams, trout aren't rising, and prospecting is a necessary strategy if you want to catch trout consistently- don't be stuck when there are no hatches. Great book, in my personal Top 10.


Bestsellers:

-The Orvis Fly Fishing Guide- this is the best beginner to intermediate guide out there, bar none. In fact, just about everyone should own this book as a reference regardless of ability level, it's that good. It was recently updated with the latest info, equipment, techniques, flies and pictures. Tells you enough to take the confusion out of things, but not so much that you are overwhelmed. Much of this was written by Tom Rosenbauer, one of the best writers & fishermen out there- rarely are outdoor writers excellent writers AND excellent fishermen, but Tom is both. This book pretty much covers all facets of fly fishing. Highly recommended by me.


New DVD's:

-Czech Nymphing 101 & Related European Methods, with Steve Parrott- yet another DVD on Euro-style nymphing hot off the press, fresh on the heels of Aaron Jasper's excellent "European Nymphing" DVD. Parrot owns the Blue Quill Angler in CO, and has been into Czech/Euro type nymphing for a while now, employing the various methods on the hard-fished technical waters he calls home, such as the South Platte. Czech, Polish, French & Spanish methods are covered, as well as methodology (strike detection, hook-setting, casting, line control, etc.), equipment/gear, fly selection & line rigging, and he ties 4 weighted nymphs for the camera. Great reviews from Kirk Deter (Editor-at-Large for Field & Stream) and famous CO guide & author Landon Mayer. Now that I've personally watched it, I think this DVD is very well done, easy to follow, and well shot.

-Skagitmaster 2, Steelheading Outside the Box- The eagerly anticipated sequel to the original Skagitmaster (with Ed Ward), this one features expert steelheader Scott Howell, part of the Ed Ward Skagit crew. Learn how to fish a Skagit line & swing flies in all sorts of tough & different conditions. He even fishes on top for them. Footage was shot in Oregon & British Columbia, and he catches a bunch of wild steelhead for the camera while demonstrating techniques. This DVD is excellent- if you are a "swinger", you gotta have this one.

-European Nymphing- Techniques & Fly Tying, with Aaron Jasper- New in January '11- Our former guide Aaron has been delving heavily into Euro style nymphing the past several years, and this DVD is a synthesis of what he's learned. Detailed clear explanations, from short leader to long leader methods, making the leaders, special knots, leading the flies, rod angle, etc, it's all covered. He also shows you how to tie 4 of his most productive weighted flies, including 2 woven patterns. Learn how to do it from someone who truly has mastered the genre. Shot in High Def from multiple camera angles (some in slow motion), this one is top shelf. Aaron is an exceptional fisherman who fishes close to 250 days a year, and this is the best DVD on the subject to date. Buy it, study it, practice it, and catch a bunch more fish than normal. Nuff said.

-Trout Bum 4- Jurassic Lake- Join Andre Brun in the latest Trout Bum installment. Watch them catch some of the largest rainbow trout in the world out of Jurassic Lake (aka Lago Strobel) high up in the Patagonian mountains on the Chilean border. 10-15# fish are commonplace (with fish available into the 20 pound+ range, maybe bigger!), and you can catch them right from shore. They also fish a nearby "secret" stream where they stalk 10lb+ trout with dries. Check it out!

-Searching for Steelhead- Michigan steelhead guru Kevin Feenstra has specialized in swinging streamers to catch steelhead in the Great Lakes tributaries, and this is the new Bible for that approach. Kevin is a very innovative fly tyer, and his steelhead streamers are both unique & deadly. Great explanation both verbally & visually of how to do it properly from A to Z, including proper lines/sink-tips, flies (including tying instruction for some of his personal go-to's), seasons, small rivers/big rivers, etc. This is a very well done DVD and I rate it highly.

-Czech Nymph- Johan Klingberg and the Czech National Fly Fishing Team show you how to rig & execute the deadly "Czech Nymphing" technique. The Czechs are some of the best in the world at competitive fly fishing, and they will show you also how to build special leaders, favorite flies, and how to tie some of them. These methods are equally applicable in the USA. Shot on multiple rivers in Europe, you don't want to miss this one.

-New DVD Title's- I've added quite a few new titles for 2011, with more to come- "The Source" (Tazmania, New Zealand & Iceland), "Bugs of the Underworld, "A Kid's Guide to Fly Fishing", "Fly Fisherman's Foundation 40 Fly Patterns", "Flies That Catch Fish- Volume 2- Nymphs & Wet Flies", "Casts That Catch Fish", "Metalhead ", and still more to come. Picking out the newer, hot-sellers that are getting rave reviews, these make great presents, not to mention are nice to get for yourself!

-Rivers of a Lost Coast- Chronicles the legendary west coast angler Bill Schaadt (considered by many to be one of the best fly fishermen that ever lived, and the subject of a 1974 Sports Illustrated article titled "The World's Best"), and the coastal California fly fishing community he was part of- a competitive and often ungentlemanly one. Going back to the 40's & 50's, this DVD uses a combination of old photos, never before seen video footage, headlines and interviews with legendary anglers such as Lani Waller, Russelll Chatham, Hal Janssen and others. Schaadt was a Russian River legend, catching salmon & steelhead when nobody could. By the 70's & 80's, these fisheries were already on the decline for a variety of reasons, and this DVD is a fascinating account of both Schaadt's world, and the degredation of great wild fisheries. A small book is included with the DVD. Finally got to watch a good chunk of the movie, and it really is excellent.

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Wednesday Weather:
63 and sunny this morning, high 79, low 55, sun & clouds today. Long Range Forecast: 70's to low 80's, lows 50's to low 60's.
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WEDNESDAY REPORT:
We are privately stocking 1,600 rainbows in the Housy on Friday 5/27 (moved from 5/20 due to rain making it too muddy to get the stocking truck into the spots)- a big thanks to all of you who donated money to put these nice fish in and improve the fishing. We sell raffle tickets year 'round to raise & for spring & fall stockings. Interestingly enough, the DEP documented these very same fish successfully spawing in Housy tribs, with "abundant young of the year rainbows" sampled by them last year, and they said it was from our Spring spawning 'Bows (the state fish are fall spawners).

Rainbow Trout Stocking Donations- It's that time of year again, we are looking for donations to fund our Spring '11 Rainbow Trout Stocking in May- our goal is to raise enough money to stock 2,000 nice sized fish. Any size donation is appreciated, and we will also be selling $20 raffle tickets for various prizes such as guided fishing trips, a $500 store gift certificate, a Hardy Marksman 9' #5 rod, and a Sage fly reel.

Update:
A friend forwarded me a DEP report- electroshocking revealed abundant reproduction of rainbow trout in 8 Housy tribs, the result of our privately stocked trout! (State stocked rainbows are fall spawners) Amazing & very cool.

We are STOCKED UP with Greys rods- lots of the new 2011 XF2 Streamflex rods & the XF2+ rods (9.5' rods that stow a 6" extension in the handle, it converts them to a 10 footer in seconds without unstringing your rod! Cool). Check out all the specialized (and very reasonably priced) 10'-11' models for Euro & regular nymphing- they also make KILLER wet fly/soft-hackle rods too. Also the new XF2 that replaces the super popular X-Flites. The eagerly anticipated Hardy Zenith & Proaxis rods will be trickling in over the next month or so.

We are back open 7 days a week now that the fishing season is in full swing. We are doing our private stocking of 1,600 rainbows this Friday, 5/27, in time for Memorial Day weekend. We are getting into the front end of what I call "Crazy Time", when all the hatches are cranking. March Browns have joined the fray, and we have assorted Caddis too. Sulfurs might have started, not sure, but they WILL be hatching for Memorial Day weekend. Housy has come down a lot and gotten much clearer, still continues to drop, and the weather for the next few days does NOT include rain, Lol. Thank God. Nymphing has been the most consistent tactic (no surprised there), but there are fish rising to Caddis if you look around. Make sure to fish Caddis pupa patterns, esp. in the mornings when they are active & hatching. You get a second shot at the Caddis when they return to egg-lay in the evenings. Lots of good reports the past several weeks, the fishing has truly been good to excellent for many anglers (both guided trips & also those fishing on their own) who are flexible & show the trout what they want. Nymphing with stones, Princes & Caddis patterns has been the best producer of late. Housy was stocked by the state on 4/26 with 9,000 trout. We have been successfully fishing from our rafts, it's a great way to do the Housy in the spring. Local streams/rivers/brooks are are in nice shape, and represent an alternative to the Housy for those who prefer smaller waters. Some nice sized holdover browns & bows have been showing up this spring, and with the 9,000 fresh stockers, catch rates are of course jumping up. Local smaller streams include Furnace Brook, the Blackberry, Macedonia Brook, the Naugatuck, Kent Falls, and some others. Lots of cool new fly patterns from Umpqua, Rainy's and Solitude. Make sure to print out a 2011 fishing license off the internet, as we do not have a license machine. Check out the 2011 Greys rods, almost all of the new XF2 Streamflex series is in the store, including the Plus series that converts from a 9.5' dry fly rod to a 10 foot nymphing/wet fly rod- very impressive, you have to see & cast them to fully appreciate this feature. Stop by the store to check out new products (rods, reels, books, DVD's), get new waders/boots, stock up on flies or tying materials, or to just get out of the house and talk fly fishing with us. The Naugatuck C&R area is stocked & producing well. Every week we have more cool new products in, so stop by and get ready for the 2011 season. The Greys XF2 Streamflex rods are garnering a fair amount of customer attention of late, esp. the 10-11' #2-5 models aimed at nymphers- if you like to Euro-style nymph, check out the 11' models in #3 & #4, they are awesome, as well as the ultralite 10' #2. I've become a big fan of 11 footers for trout & steelhead in the past couple years. Housy fishermen should focus on nymphing the pools for their best chance of hooking up, afternoons are the most comfortable & prime to head out. Purchase your 2011 fishing license online or at a town hall, we don't have a license machine. Fishingwise, afternoons are the best time to head out in the early spring. Stop by the store and check out all the new DVD's & books I've added, we have quite a few titles now. This time of the year, don't start before mid/late morning or so, give the water time to warm up a degree or two- this will increase your chances of success, and it will be more comfortable for you. Depending upon the day, nymphing with Stones, Scuds, Egg flies, bigger Pheasant Tails (looks like Hendrickson nymph or Early Stone), Caddis larva, San Juan Worms, or Princes is generally the ticket. When fishing streamers, play around with colors, as the "hot" pattern can vary from day to day. As always, Stoneflies & Princes are never bad fly choices on this river, and that holds true 12 months a year.

Harold commissioned CD Clarke to paint the covered bridge - he owns a couple of his paintings and they are spectacular - we are selling this painting at the store.

If you fish below the TMA - please do not park on private property - we are getting complaints from the land-owners - and they will shut down access and stocking priviliges if fishermen keep trespassing and parking on their properties.
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We stock all the materials available to tie the infamous "Vladi Worm" for sale in the store (pink "latex", pre-bent Daiichi 1870 hooks, lead wire, Maxima Chameleon tippet & proper threads). We also carry a pretty good selection of other materials, tungsten beads, lead wire, "hot spot" materials, hooks, back materials, underribs, etc., that are orientated toward tying weighted patterns for Euro (Czech, Polish, French, Spanish) style nymphing.
We are trying to get the DEP to extend the TMA to include the section of the Housy from the Rt 7/Rt 4 Cornwall bridge down to at least North Kent, if not all the way down to the center of Kent. It's going to take a lot of angler support to accomplish this, the DEP has had mixed feeling about this in the past, but they seem to be starting to warm up to the idea. There is a trememdous amount of ideal trout water in that section, and it would be awesome to see it managed & stocked to it's potential.

Once again, poachers were active last year as they have been the past few seasons, both in & out of the TMA. They have been keeping fish in the TMA (esp. in Horse Hole) & spin fishing in the Fly Fishing Only section (esp. in Cellar Hole & the Park), as well as fishing down below the TMA without licenses and keeping more than their limit of fish- without a license, all fish kept are illegal. We need all of you to be proactive and call in violations, the DEP needs to receive calls from people other than us calling all the time from the shop. The TIPS (Turn in Poacher) hotline # is 1-800-842-4357, the last 4 digits spell out the word "HELP" in case you forget the number. And for the record, all calls made to the hotline are logged and they look at the data each year to see where they need to beef up enforcement. While they are way underfunded & understaffed in terms of Conservation Officers, they will make every effort to dispatch one if at all possible. Get as much info as possible- number of people, general description, vehicle & plate #. Take a pic of them & their car if possible with a digital camera or even cell phone. If we get some more of them nailed, the word will get out that you don't want to poach on the Housy. This is a problem we can all help to improve with a simple phone call.
A note on etiquette. In recent seasons, we are seeing more and more fishermen who crowd others and do not seem to be aware of proper etiquette. Nobody likes it when they have a big chunk of water to themselves and somebody steps in 20-30 feet away, and starts casting to the fish they are working on. When you approach a piece of water that another fisherman is occupying, ask yourself how far you would want someone to stay away if you were there first- try to stay at least a cast and a half away if possible. And DO NOT EVER throw to the same fish or water that another person is fishing, even if you can reach it. That is a HUGE no-no, do not be surprised if you get yelled at or get your ass kicked if you do that to someone- I'll have no sympathy for you. The Housy is a big river, and there is plenty of water for people to fish, even on a popular weekend. If the spot you want to fish is occupied, don't crowd that person, just go elsewhere. Believe me, there are TONS of fish (and big ones) all over the upper and lower TMA's, and outside of them also. Don't fish Corner Hole, Sand Hole, Cellar Hole, etc. on a busy Saturday at prime time and expect to have solitude- the easy access spots almost always hold the most fishermen. The Upper TMA is somewhere in the vicinity of 10 miles or so, and the lower one is about 2.5 miles, giving us all plenty of water to spread the pressure out in. Just make sure to practice courtesy and common sense, and treat other fishermen as you would like to be treated, and it will be a better experience for everyone.
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Lost and Found:
Lost on Shepaug 5/5, Blue Thomas & Thomas 5wt 9ft Mdl WL-905-4 with Lamson Hard Alox reel V2 w/ 30 ft Sink tip line Ser # on Rod 131228. Please contact Richard Heffernon (860) 868-7023.

Water Level 1,600cfs & dropping per USGS
Water Temperature Low 60's- typically rises during day
Water Clarity About 2.5-3 feet and increasing daily
Release Schedule Natural Flow
Current Hatches -Caddis- green/olive now, tan/brown starting up
-March Browns
-Sulfurs- will be hatching for Memorial Day weekend
BEST BETS:
TROUT:
DRIES:
-Caddis #14-18- green/olive, tan & brown- X-Caddis, Elk Hair, E/C Caddis, Henryville Special, etc.
-March Browns #10-12
-Sulfur #14-18- emergers, duns, spinners
-Parachute Adams #10-18

NYMPHS & WETS:
-Stoneflies #6-14- golden/yellow, brown
-Prince Nymph #8-16
-BH Pheasant Tail #14-18
-Micro Mayfly #14-16- brown
-Tungsten Electric Caddis #14-16- olive
-Bottom Rollers #8-12- Hydrop(olive/green), Hare's Ear
-Sparkle Pupa #14-16- tan/ginger, green/olive
-Z-Wing Caddis Pupa #14-16- olive/green
-Brown Serendiptiy #14-16
-Fox Squirrel Nymph #8-12
-Twenty Incher #10-12
-Rubber Leg Stonefly #6-8- various colors
-BH Lightning Bug #14- pearl
-Dark Lord #14
-Vladi's Polish Woven Nymph #8-12- brown/orange, green/orange, shrimp/white
-Hare's Ear #10-18

STREAMERS:
When in doubt, white is great year 'round streamer color (esp. in the spring) on the Housy under a variety of water & light conditions, and yellow can be deadly for brown trout at moments.
-Home Invaders #2-6- various colors
-Double Bunny #2-4- olive/white
-Olive Butt Monkey #2
-Bread 'N Butter Bugger #4- blonde
-Muddlers #2-12
-Double Bunny #2-4- olive/white
-Conehead Madonna #4- yellow, white, olive
-Barr's Slump Buster #6- olive, rust, natural
-Zoo Cougar #2-4 yellow, white
-Zonkers #2-8- natural, white, brown, tan
-Woolly Sculpin- black, white, tan #4-6
-Clouser Minnow #2-6- various colors
-Bob's Dangerous Darters #4
-Conehead Bow River Buggers- black, brown #4-8
-Woolybuggers- Olive, Black, Brown, White and Yellow #2-12
-Traditional Streamers: Grey Ghost, Black Ghost(deadly on brown trout ANYWHERE), Muddler, Mickey Finn, Baby Brown Trout(great Fall & clear
water Streamer), etc. #2-12

HIGH/DIRTY WATER:
-Medium to large streamers, esp. in black, white, yellow, chartreuse- Burgin Halloween
-Buggers, Zonkers, Woolly Buggers, -Egg Sucking Leeches, Clousers, Zuddlers, Bow River Buggers, etc.
-Kaufmann's Stonefly- brown, black #2-8
-Bitch Creek #4-8
-Golden Stonefly #4-8
-Prince Nymph #6-10
-Green Weenie #12
-Egg Flies- various colors #8-14
-Helgramite patterns #2-8
-Wooly Worms- black, peacock #8-10
-San Juan Worm- red, pink, orange

SMALLMOUTH BASS:
-Medium to large streamers in #2-8- patterns such as Zonkers, Clousers,Woolly Buggers, Madonnas, Woolly Sculpins, Bow River Buggers, Double Bunnies, etc. - think colors such as chartreuse, white, brown, yellow, olive, black, etc.
-Crayfish patterns #4-10- Crazy Dad, Clouser Crayfish, Near-Nuff Crayfish, Mini-Dad, etc.
-Topwaters- poppers, sliders, deer hair bugs #2-6
-Larger Nymphs #2-10- Bitch Creek, Stoneflies, Princes, Fox Squirrels, Helgramites, Halfback, etc

Bull's Bridge

4/14/13:
Same as for Cornwall Bridge Report.

Water Level 4/14/13- Medium to High (depending upon location)- lower above the powerhouse, higher above it (flows may fluctuate)- exact level depends on what part of TMA you are in
Water Temperature Low to Mid 40s in AM, rising during the day
Water Clarity Clear
Release Schedule 2,310cfs per USGS- flows may fluctuate below the Powerhouse
Current Hatches -Early Black Stoneflies
-Henricksons- not yet, but anytime now
BEST BETS:
TROUT-

DRIES:
-Parachute Adams #12-16
-Dark Caddis #12-16 (for Early Stones)

NYMPHS & WETS:
-Stoneflies #6-14- golden/yellow, brown
-Rubber Leg Stonefly #6-8- various colors
-Twenty Incher Stonefly #8-12
-Prince Nymph #8-18
-Pheasant Tail #12-16
-Early Stoneflies #12-16- use black and brown nymphs
-Caddis Larva #12-16- olive, green
-Tungsten Hot Wired Prince #14-
yellow/green
-BH Hare's Ear #10-18.
-San Juan Worm #8-14- pink, red, brown
-Egg Flies #10-18- yellow, orange, pink
-Scuds #12-16- olive, gray, tan
-Micro Mayfly- olive, brown- #14-16
-Fox Squirrel Nymph #8-12
-BH Lightning Bug #14- pearl
-Czech Catnip #10 (George Daniels pattern)- olive, chartreuse

STREAMERS:
When in doubt, white is great year 'round streamer color on the Housy under a variety of water & light conditions, and yellow is an excellent attractor color, esp. for brown trout. Try also brown/yellow combo, and plain black can be very good too in the Early Spring.

-Woolly Buggers #2-12- white, black, brown, olive, olive/black, brown/yellow, and other colors too
-Barr's Slump Buster #6- olive, rust, natural, black
-Home Invaders #2-6- various colors
-Yellow Marabou Muddler #4-8
-Traditional Streamers: Grey Ghost, Black Ghost (deadly on brown trout ANYWHERE), Muddler, Mickey Finn, Baby Brown Trout (great Fall & clear
water Streamer), etc. #2-12
-Zoo Cougar #2-4- yellow
-Zonkers #2-8- white, natural
-Double Bunny #2-4- olive/white
-Circus Peanut #4- olive, white, black
-Bread 'N Butter Bugger #4-8
-Muddlers #2-12
-Conehead Madonna #4- yellow, white, olive. black
-Clouser Minnow #2-6- various colors
-Bob's Dangerous Darter #4


HIGH/DIRTY WATER:
-Medium to large streamers, esp. in black, white, yellow, chartreuse
-Woolly Buggers, Zonkers
-Egg Sucking Leeches, Clousers, Zuddlers, Bow River Buggers, etc.
-Kaufmann's Stonefly- brown, black #2-8
-Bitch Creek #4-8
-Golden Stonefly #4-8
-Prince Nymph #6-10
-Green Weenie #12
-Egg Flies- various colors #8-14
-Helgramite patterns #2-8
-Wooly Worms- black, peacock #8-10
-San Juan Worm- red, pink, orange
**************************************************************************************

SMALLMOUTH BASS:

-Medium to large streamers in #2-8- patterns such as Zonkers, Clousers,Woolly Buggers, Madonnas, Woolly Sculpins, Bow River Buggers, Double Bunnies, etc. - think colors such as chartreuse, white, brown, yellow, olive, black, etc.
-Chartruese Clouser Minnow #2-6- maybe the deadliest Housy Smallmouth fly of all
-Baby Smallmouth Clouser Minnow #2-6- very effective in clear water
-Large Articulated streamers such as Circus Peanuts, etc. #2-4 (4-6" long)
-Crayfish patterns #4-10- Crazy Dad, Clouser Crayfish, Near-Nuff Crayfish, Mini-Dad, etc.
-Topwaters- poppers, sliders, deer hair bugs #2-8
-Helgramite Nymphs #2-6
-Larger Nymphs #2-10- Hellgrammite, Bitch Creek, Stoneflies, Princes, Fox Squirrels, Rubber Legs, Halfback, etc
**************************************************************************************

Pike:
Large streamers, the bigger the better-

-Bill's Figure 8 Sucker/Perch 3/0-
various colors
-Simm's Slugo 1/0- various colors
-Barry's Pike Fly 3/0- red & white
-Double Bunny #2-4- olive/white
-Clouser Minnow 2/0- chart/white

Farmington

August 12th, 2011-
Flow is upper 200fs range this morning, still a moderate & wading-friendly level, and also good for fishing dries. Some fishermen are doing well, some are struggling due to the "educated" fish in the river that have been fished over daily for months now. In the TMA especially, the fish have seen lots of pressure and can be VERY picky when you are targetting risers in the more popular pools (Chruch, Greenwoods, Ovation, etc.), so make sure your presentations are top shelf- accurate & drag-free (use a long leader, with and extra-long & relatively light tippet), and change your flies frequently. Nymphers should play around with some smaller flies on fluorocarbon tippets, although stones (AM) & Iso's (4PM till dark) are exceptions to the small nymphs. Caddis pupa in browns & tans in the #14-18 range are effective at moments too, esp. in the mornings. Dry fly guys will find that CDC patterns, emergers, cripples, spinners and small ant patterns can sometimes work magic on tough fish in flat water. Seeing plenty of big Golden stonefly shucks on the rocks, and some smaller Yellow Sally stone shucks too- this should be a big hint for morning nymph selection. Tricos (#22-24) have begun and are on the water in the early AM, and other hatches atches include: Olives (#18-20), Vitreus (#14-16, Riverton only), Sulphurs (#14-18, Riverton only), Isonychia/"Iso's" (sz 10-12), Needhami (sz 22-26), Midges (#20-32), Winter/Summer Caddis (#18-20), Tan/brown Caddis (#14-18). Dries, emergers, spinners, cripples, etc. imitating the above bugs will be effective when you have rising fish, and attractor flies (Stimulators, Wulffs, Humpies, small Chernobyls, etc.) can sometimes bring fish up when fished blind over likely holding water- Iso's are great for blind fishing also, esp. late afternoon thru dark. Water with a ripple to it is usually the best for blind fishing, it's easy to spook the fish in flat water. Don't forget about terrestrials during the warmer months, they can be very effective sometimes- think ants & beetles mainly, but sometimes hoppers (esp. smaller sized ones), and I saw inchworms dangling from the trees on a recent outing. Subsurface try various Caddis larva & pupa, Stoneflies (esp in early AM when they hatch/crawl out, there are shucks on the rocks), Princes, Isonychia nymphs (afternoons/evenings), Pheasant Tails, Micro Mayflies and Hare's Ears.

Water Level 8/12/11: Medium or so
Water Temperature TMA- upper 50's to mid 60's (TMA & upriver)
Water Clarity Clear
Release Schedule Total flow about 282cfs in TMA/C&R area- 249cfs from the dam in Riverton, 33cfs from the Still River
Current Hatches -Isonychia #10-12
-Tricos #22-24 (TMA & below)
-Sulfurs #14-18 (Riverton only)
-Vitreus #14-16 (Riverton only)
-Olives #18-20
-Needhami #22-26
-Caddis- tan, olive green, black #14-20
-Winter/Summer Caddis #18-20- AM hatch
-Midges #20-32
-Terrestrials- ants, beetles, inchworms, hoppers, etc.
BEST BETS:
-Terestrials- ants #10-24, beetles #12-20, hoppers #8-16
-Tricos #22-24- mainly spinners
-Sulfurs #14-18- use browns nymphs (PT's, Micro Mayfly, etc.), emergers, duns & spinners (yellow)
-Olives #18-20- use nymphs (in olive to brown), emergers, and duns & spinners (usually rust)
-Isonychia #10-12- use nymphs, emergers & duns
-Needhami #22-26- use chocolate colored duns & emergers
Caddis #14-20- tan olive- use pupa, soft-hackles, X-Caddis, Elk Hair, Henryville, E/C Caddis, CDC patterns, etc.
-Winter/Summer Caddis (lt.
brown) #16-22- use larva (yellow #16-18), foam pupa patterns (lt. brown to olive) & adults (muddy olive/brown)
Stonefly Nymphs- Golden/Yellow, Brown, Black #6-16
Caddis Larva #8-18- olive, green, yellow, tan, olive-brown, Hare's Ear
Midges #22-28- use larva (#16-24), pupa, and adults in various colors (red larva can be very good, esp. in the Winter, and some people swear by blue) to match the hatch- Zebra Midge, Rojo Midge, Pure Midge Larva, Brassie, Mercury Black Beauty, Miracle Nymph, Griffith's Gnat, etc.
Pheasant Tail #14-22- BH, regular, and especially Flashback versions
Prince Nymphs #10-20
Midge Larva & Pupa #16-22- Zebra Midge, Barr's Pure Midge Larva in fire orange, Mercury Black Beauty, Brassie in red/copper, etc.
Cased Caddis #6-18(lots of the naturals present in the river year 'round)- use various color/shade cases (lt. to dk brown mostly, some tied rough, some smooth) & peeking portions (green, yellow, chartreuse, tan, olive, etc)
Streamers #2-12- various patterns such as Woolly Buggers, Slump Busters, Zonkers, Clousers, Leeches, etc. Try natural,(in the Zonkers/Slumpbusters), olive, brown, black, yellow & white.

Barrington Lee

Fishing info & advice is the same as for Cornwall Bridge, CT

Water Level Medium
Water Temperature Low to Mid 30's in AM, rising in the afternoons
Water Clarity Clear
Release Schedule
Current Hatches -Midges- mild afternoons
-Tiny Winter Black Stonefly- anytime now
BEST BETS: