It's a good day to take a ride up and grab some tying materials, outfit your reel with some new line or even start thinking about picking up a new rod for the new year. We have a few deals here in the store right now. We've got some upcoming fly tying events, so check our events page.
Today's forecast: This morning starts out warmer at 39', but will fall through the day to 29'. The skies will be sunny all day. Northwest wind 14-16 mph. Tonight's forecast low will be 11'. Tomorrow expect sun and clouds and a high temp of 31'. Slight chance of a snow shower tomorrow.
Now for the fishing conditions. The river is at 1950 CFS (we received more rain than expected over the last few days). The water should drop over the weekend and be at a good level by Sunday or Monday (if you have it off). In general, this time of the year you do well to wait until the sun gets on the water for a bit to help warm it up some. We suggest starting later in the morning with some big streamers and search the water. Strip these slowly as the fish are sluggish and not willing to move too far. All colors of streamers are effective at times, so swap out and modify your retrieve if you don't get any takes. Egg patterns dropped behind a big stonefly (8-12) are also very effective this time of the year. Trail the egg about 18" behind the stonefly so it gently rolls through the water. Don't forget to get some "ice off paste" for your guides this time of the year as it won't take long to get some build up on your guides this time of the year.
In addition to the stoneflies mentioned above, we like the following patterns: Hares Ear (12-16), BH Princes (10-16), BH Pheasant Tails (12-18), Rubber Legs (all colors), 20 Incher's (8-16) & Euro Bead Head Princes. Don't forget to try a San Juan or Squirmy Worm too. We recommend a drop rig for maximum effectiveness and use an indicator to make sure you don't miss any takes. Try the AirLock indicators if you haven't already. They are the best!
Since you're reading our river report, please consider purchasing your gear from us. We are happy to have the opportunity to match any deals out there you may come upon. Give us a call first and let us have the first chance. Thanks!
Start thinking about spring and book your guided fishing trips now! The best time to get out in the spring is Late April to Mid May and these dates always fill up fast so don't wait! We want to thank all of you for a great season this year and look forward to providing you with a great fishing experience again in the new year. A BIG THANK YOU from all of our guides!
Don't forget we buy, sell or trade used and antique fishing equipment rods, reels, lines, duck and fish decoys, fishing lures, books, artwork, collectibles and tying materials/tools. If you are looking to trade in, sell, or are just scaling down as they say, bring your items in or take pictures and email them to us and we will happily purchase or offer a trade up. I have been purchasing and selling used and collectible items for over 25 years and our fishing/hunting library in the store is the finest and largest probably in the country. We will happily show you the value of your items and then offer trade-in or purchase prices. So give us a call (860-672-1010) or send and email (hflyshop@aol.com). We also purchase estates and will gladly come over to your house to assess the value of your collection and purchase the entire collection.