Tag Archives: Farmington River report

Menhaden action alert, Farmington River book, IFTS, and other fishy goings on

The first thing I’d like you to do after reading this opening paragraph is head over the ASGA website and sign their official letter calling for major reductions to the menhaden harvest. It will take you less than five minutes, and it’s an excellent use of your time. Long story short: Atlantic menhaden are a critical bait and ecosystem fish; they’ve been grossly over harvested; that needs to stop now. Please do this, even if you don’t fish for striped bass. We need all the voices we can get.

Galley copy for the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River has been reviewed by yours truly and sent back to the editors. This was simply my review and comments on their edits. I was pleased to discover that the edits weren’t substantial, and book flowed from one subject to another like…a river? There. I’ve made my unfunny joke of the day. Maps were also reviewed, and I really like the artwork. If you don’t know the river, you’ll find them highly useful. Next steps: the whole shebang gets put into page layout, then reviewed. That should happen in November. We’re getting closer!

A successful spawn means more of these. This fish was sampled by DEEP last September during broodstock collection for the Survivor Strain program. If you see a redd and canoodling trout, be like The Beatles and let it be.

Speaking of the Farmington river, the spawn has begun. If you’re fishing, please be on the lookout for redds! They are generally lighter, oval-shaped patches surrounded by dark substrate. Keep a safe distance. And of course, never target spawning fish. That’s just bad form.

A reminder that the International Fly Tying Symposium is November 15-16, now just over two weeks away. I’m doing a wet fly seminar on Saturday and a Farmington River tying demo on Sunday. More on those coming soon.

Farmington last week and now, back to the book

I did two lessons last week on the Farmington. On Tuesday, I took Joe on a wet fly excursion. We stuck to the lower river; at 140cfs, it had the most water, and the weather was cool enough that the water temp never got higher than 66 (3pm). The fishing was predictably slow; we found success by moving around (we fished three different marks) and targeting the deepest, fastest-moving water we could get into. Joe was a strong wader, and sometimes that’s the difference between fishing and catching. Trout love to hang out in places that are difficult for land animals like humans to navigate. Joe stuck four and we put three in the hoop. In difficult low-water conditions, that was pretty darned good.

Joe having at it. As you can see, the clarity of the water was excellent, and when the flows are low, that usually works in favor of the fish. But Joe kept at it, was enthusiastic, and figured out where he needed to put his flies to catch fish. Great job, Joe!

Friday was a different story. We had rain Thursday night, which had me all fired up because it would mean higher flows and a little color in the water. While those conditions manifested, the fishing stunk out loud, which depressed me no end. I guided Dan and Sean, and we spent the bulk of our time nymphing. We stuck to water just below the PTMA; our reward was not another angler in sight. Although we bounced around — we fished four different marks — we could only manage two touches. Bah-phooey on those trout. The good news was that both Dan and Sean showed tremendous improvement over the course of four hours. When you actually see clients getting it, and making better casts, presentations, and mends, it’s very gratifying. Both deserved better than what the river gave them, but they’ll hit right in the future and reap the rewards of their lesson.

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I’m back on the book, so this will be my only currentseams post this week. The publisher has sent me the galley copy, which is all of their edits in a document, paged format. My job is to read and review and comment. That’s over 300 pages of reading, so I need to hop to it. I’ve only made it through 20 pages, but it’s a happy feeling when you still like what you’ve written so many months ago, and the edits are generally light. AFAIK, The Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River is still on track for a June 1 2026 release. Natch’ , I’ll keep you updated with any news as it comes in.

Meanwhile, please do your best rain dance…

Farmington River Report early September: a wet fly lesson, broodstock sampling, challenging conditions

I guided — we’ll call him “Bob” because he’s in incognito mode — last Thursday. We did a little dry fly and a lot of wet fly. The Farmington can be a highly technical dry fly arena, and sometimes it comes down a perfect drift and a little luck. But a good starting place is a long leader. I was happy to see that Bob was using a 13-foot minimum line-to-fly leader/tippet length. We added a couple more feet of 6x and had at it. Unfortunately, we missed the Trico spinner fall, but we did manage some practice, and by the time we made the decision to go to wets, Bobs drifts were noticeably better.

We spent the next six hours on classroom, then banging around the PTMA, as well as above and below it. Like many people who take a wet fly lesson with me, Bob had to learn to wait a few beats — “Are you still there?” — after the hit to let the trout hook itself. We missed a handful of strikes, but stuck four and landed three, which was pretty darned good under some tough conditions. Low water/seasonal hint: all of our hookup came in fast, bubbling water.

A lovely wild brown from the PTMA, taken by Bob on my Drowned Ant soft hackle. And on the first cast! At first, Bob thought he was hung up on a boulder. But boulders don’t shake their heads…

Which brings us to the conditions. We’re out of meteorological summer, and the water is running clear and low. Because of the drought, the trees are behaving like it’s fall, turning color and especially shedding leaves. On windy days from now until the trees are bare, expect organic matter to be blowing into the river. Leaves were a constant challenge for us on this gusty day. The trout and bugs are also in a transition. Most of what’s hatching is very small (there are exceptions, like Isonychia). The trout are getting into pre-spawn mode. This adds up to more frequent windows where fish are much harder to catch. Bob was the only angler I saw land a fish on Thursday, and we encountered multiple anglers who were astonished by our success. Well done, Bob!

But wait, there’s more. Normally, the slug of rain we received over the weekend would mix things up a bit. However, Tuesday through Thursday this week, the CT DEEP will be drawing down the dam release to do their annual broodstock sampling. You can still fish the river, but vast stretches will be rendered as rock gardens. If you do fish, please give the sampling crews a wide berth. Things should be back to normal by Friday.

However, that normal will still mean challenging fishing — which makes every trout you land even sweeter. Catch ’em up!

First week of September Potpourri: Speaking, Guiding, Book, Flows….

Just when you think you’re going to have more time to do writing…you don’t. I have to confess that I didn’t take into account that I would be this busy with non-fishing pursuits, but here we are. It’s mostly yard-home-garden-kitchen — ’tis the season for drying hot peppers, and making tomato and hot sauces — like the tides, ripe fruits wait for no one — and that’s the current situation. Still, I have much to talk about.

If you’re the person in charge of booking speakers for your fly fishing club, I have openings this fall and winter. You can find my presentation menu here. Be advised that when the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River is published next year, I will want to come out and speak to your group about the book and the river. Something to look forward to!

I’m booked for the rest of the month with guide trips. Thanks to everyone who reached out! We are in rainfall deficit, so they’ve dropped the flow out of the Hogback gate to 165cfs. Note the release temperatures, and how they increase during the day (these readings are in Riverton, not at the gate). Be aware of water temps downstream. You should be OK through the PTMA, but carry and use your thermometer.

I’m supposed to get copy galleys for the book — this will be what the publisher has edited, in document form — mid-month. After I make comments, it goes back to them. It’s all very exciting. I’ll be locked away in my lonely writer’s garret that week, but if you see me on the river the other weeks, please say hello.

Next up will be the Montana trip, Part 2.

And, we’re back! (Plus some odds and ends.)

Hopefully, you noticed I didn’t post last week. Maybe you even missed me a little. I was way out west — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming — on a family vacation. Oh, you betcha there was fishing. I’ll get to that in greater detail later this week, but for now, I fished the Kootenay in NW Montana, Hebgen Lake in southern Montana, and the Madison and Henry’s Fork rivers in Montana and Idaho. We drove around Yellowstone and Grand Teton for a couple days, but (sadly) no fishing in either location for me.

I’ve never been to this part of the country, let alone fished it, so it was all new and wondrous. The water I fished was unlike anything we have back here.

You’re kidding, right? We stayed in a private cabin on the banks — really, as this is the view just a few feet from the back porch — of the Kootenay River in northwestern Montana, a ‘way up near Canada. That far north, and at the western edge of the Mountain Time Zone, it gets dark late. This photo was taken at 9:24PM!

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Before I left, I finished a piece for Surfcaster’s Journal on fishing small flies for striped bass. This will be essential reading for anyone who’s interested in fishing a three-fly team in marshes with small bait-imitating flies, or sight fishing with smaller patterns on beach fronts or flats. I’ll let you know when it comes out.

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I just received the first pass on rendered maps for the Farmington River book, and I think they look great! My goal was to have a graphically simple, eye-to-brain-friendly design for you, dear reader, and the artist hit it out of the park. There’s a large overview map, and then five detail maps that focus on the 22-mile stretch from Hogback to Farmington.

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On the home front, the Farmington is running at a fantastic, cool, trout-friendly summer level, reminiscent of yesteryear when the MDC wasn’t toying with the flows. Tricos are the big little hatch right now, which horrifies night owls like me. Get on it, early birds, while you can.

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Finally, I have some availability the rest of this month and through September for guide trips/lessons. If you’ve been hemming and hawing about getting out with me, this is best time to do it for the rest of the year. I used guides on my trip out west, and even I learned a ton — I’m a better angler than before I left. You know where to find me.

The summer pattern settles in

Here we are, already at the mid-point of July. Blink, and you might miss summer. We really don’t have much to complain about weather-wise — it’s standard-issue hot and humid, there have been rains (but nothing catastrophic [he said, knocking on wood]), and the reservoirs are full. The Farmington is running clear and cold — in the 50s coming out of the dam — and at a terrific summer height. Please be sure to carry and use a thermometer, and make your cutoff 67 degrees. You should be able to find ample cold water from the PTMA and points north. Tip of the week: ants, beetles, crickets, and small hoppers, fished in faster water and languid currents under trees and shade. Oh. And small nymphs. You can thank me next time you see me.

Try Stewart’s Black Spider fished as a dropper. Size 16-20, please.

I owe you a Block Island report, and spoiler alert: it’s not good. Locally, I know a few surfcasters who are doing OK. Things may pick up in another 30 days or so.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to play catch-up with my fishing. The yard work is settling down a bit, the garden’s in good shape, and the book is off with others. I think I’ll smoke a few cigars while I’m at it.

Stay cool and have fun.

Farmington River Report 7/8/25: Dodging thunderstorms, swinging wets, catching trout

John and Chris took a wet fly lesson with me on Tuesday, and we were having grand old time — a little streamside classroom action, a leader tying clinic, lots of fantastic Q&A (very inquisitive minds, these two, which I loved). When we finally got into the water, darkness fell across the land, and the thunder rumbles began.

This is good time to say this: get out of the water and seek shelter if there’s a threat of electrical storms. I am routinely astonished that some people still don’t do that. End of public service announcement.

We drove along the river trying in vain to find sunshine, which took about an hour. By then, the storm was over, and we had blue skies and hot weather. We headed north to fish above the PTMA. Finally able to wet a line, we got into some fish, although in the bright sunshine they didn’t come easy. It wasn’t until after the session ended that John and Chris were able to test their new wet fly skills. Both took multiple trout during the evening rise. Tremendous job, gentlemen. Your instructor couldn’t be prouder!

This brown fell for my Partridge and Light Cahill soft hackle. So simple and so effective! John Ryan photo

Sorry, sorry, sorry, or: Book duties keep calling

By now, I’d hoped to be back to my normal routine on these pages. But every time I think I’m in the clear, the book comes a callin’. So that’s why posts have been so spotty. All I can tell you is that when things do return to normal, you’ll be the first to know.

I just finished an article for Surcasters’ Journal. I’ll letcha know when it comes out.

It’s getting steamy out there. Time for the summer under-waders kit.

Fishing in brief: Block Island stunk again this year: slow, slower, slowest. Then there was last week on the Farmington. I gave Andrew a wet fly lesson, and it was likewise a non-action fest. We fished three marks, and it wasn’t until the last one that we found some fish. But Andrew was enthusiastic and persistent, and we ended up with two in the hoop for the win. Great job Andrew! I stayed to fish the evening rise. The location was above the PTMA, and the hatch and rise activity was one of the worst I’ve experienced in a decade. Very little hatching (mostly dorothea) and, almost impossibly, nothing on it except for a few small fish. Highly disappointing. I managed two small wild browns on wet flies and one stocker rainbow on the way out after I could no longer see my fly. Blech!

Of course, we hav the blank canvas of this week, upon which we may paint spectacular fishing images. Yeah. Let’s go with that.

And, we’re back

TGIF! Sorry for the 1-week hiatus, but I was re-called to emergency book duties. I believe — fingers crossed — that I’m all set on that front for a while. I hope. Now I can take some time to do all the things I haven’t done in the last few months, like go fishing. And resume regular posts here. The yard work list is also impressive. And just in time for the heat wave.

This warm weather coupled with cold water should kick-start the hatches on the Farmington, which have generally been lagging. Please be aware of temperature spikes in the afternoon. Carry a thermometer, and if you get 67 degrees or higher, go fish farther upstream. There will be plenty of colder water near the dam –it’s releasing at 52 degrees. You can also fish first light to mid-morning, when water temps will be lowest. Catch ’em up, and have fun.

No. Not this week.

And just like that, I’m back on the book

No rest for the weary. The publisher has asked for more photos (that’s a good thing!) and captions for the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River. So, instead of a report on my small stream outing this week, you get this update. Regular reports will be somewhat on hold until I get this book business finished.

The Farmington River continues to run high out of the gate. Hopefully they’ll reduce it by the weekend. I’m on the river giving a lesson tomorrow. Even the Hous is well over 1K cfs. I suppose a little too much water is better than the D-word.

Have fun, go fishing, and a pre-Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there!

And I still haven’t gone striper fishing this year! I’m also working on a new piece for Surfcaster’s Journal. Details on that to come.