Weekly report and newsletter

One of the most essential skills in river/stream fishing is wading ( some smaller streams stalking). When you plan your approach to fishing any piece of water whether first time there or 100 time there you need to keep three things in mind.1) what is my best wading strategy for the conditions and the water I am on. Example many of the medium sized rivers here in Connecticut have an almost bowel effect to them. Due to ice movement in winter and heavy run off at time the middle of the channel is the deepest. So don’t just wade into the middle to fish downstream or up.  2) one of the things many of us either don’t understand or forget is that when we wade we cause a disturbance, when the water is high or fast it is not much of an issue but if it is slower water or lower flows lift your feet-don’t drag them it does make a noise trout can “hear”. Try to not make too many ripples on a calm pool, it will alert the trout to your presents. They may not spook but will be far more cautious when moving for the fly. Lastly be courteous, don’t pocket fish ( fall in just behind someone fishing up or down and actually push them) also remember you are  not the only person fishing a piece of water, if your fishing wets or a streamer don’t just wade right down the middle of the river for half a mile. You will move or spook every fish you don’t catch if you catch any when all the trout scramble downstream alerting every other trout that there is danger. One other note if you closer to the bank your shape will be broken up and you can get closer to the fish. Larger rivers, Farmington, Housie, and Shetucket are not as critical as they are larger rivers I am talking about the Willimantic , salmon and that size water.

Report

Natchaug:

Flow is at  75 CFS (normal), water clear

Water temps are 52 degrees in the Am rising to about 58 at 3 Pm.

Right now there are grey caddis, Hendricksons (pink sz 12, sz 14 red quills)with small black caddis sz 18, mahogany quills(paraleps) sz. 18 , BWO sz 18.

Willimantic:

flow is at 157 CFS ( normal), water is clear

water temps are 54 in the morning rising to about 57 at 3 PM

 some small midges, Hendricksons and a few quill Gordon’s,  with little black caddis mixed as well.

Mount Hope:

Flow is at 31 CFS , water is clear

Water temps are 54 am to about 56 PM

 small grey caddis. Hendricksons, look for small black caddis as well.

Fenton:

Flow is at 20 CFS , water is clear

Water temps 53 am to almost 56 in pm

Paraleps sz. 18, BWO sz 18, Hendricksons, gray caddis, look for spinners in the afternoon.

Shetucket:

Flow is at 50 CFS (this is about the limit of fishable high water)

Temps are 50 to 59 flow is clearing

Should see some decent grey caddis sz 16 -18, BWO sz 18, tan caddis 18

Salmon:

Flow is at 193 CFS, flow is clear

Water temps are 50 in the am going up to 58 in pm

 there Hendricksons on esp. spinner fall, tan caddis sz 18, paraleps sz 18.

What to use:

As always buggers sz 8-10 in black, olive or a thin mint will work well.  Streamers like 6-8 grey ghosts and black nose dace will work as well. Bow river buggers sz 6-8 will produce as well. For nymphs try black hares ears sz 14-16, Riffle stones sz 8 fished dead drift as always will take fish. For quill Gordons use a Quill Gordon Wet instead of regular dry.  For the Hendricksons remember the male and female look completely different. Makes are a full hook size smaller (14) and reddish brown, female is size 12 and a pinkish /tan color. With almost a week o emergence we will also see the spinner fall later in the afternoon, look for lazy rolling rises and hit them with a sz 12 rusty spinner.  The mahogany duns use a small red quill sz.18 and a sz.18 rusty spinner. For the caddis hatch use a sparkle pupa fished in the surface film. For the BWO a sz. 18 dry will work great. I

Shop droppings:

We have some nice used rods for sale 11’6” 6 wt. Two hander , Greys 9’ 4wt StreamFlex, TFO pro 9’6” 5wt. with prism reel and Airflo line. A couple of bamboo rods and several NEW Greys rods left 8’ 4wt, 8’6” 5 wt , 9’ 5wt , 9’ 6 wt in the GS 2 series, XF2 11’ 7wt, XF 2 6’6” 2wt, 9’ 8 and 9 wt. salt water rods. Stop in and check them out.

Tight lines,

Steve’O