Tag Archives: Farmington River

Farmington River report 3/20/15: The best time to fish

Contrary to popular belief, the best time to go fishing isn’t when you can.

The best time to go fishing is when your mother-in-law has come to visit for the weekend.

The idea of sub-freezing temperatures and snow sounded just about right. Steelhead weather. I figured the river would be deserted (it was — I had my pick of the water). I also figured between the romance of snow flakes and deep overcast, the big browns would come out to play (I figured wrong — only one half-hearted bump in three hours).

Stanley’s Ice-Off Paste is a nice concept, but it’s only good for about a half-hour. Fishing streamers doesn’t help. Icy guide

I bounced all over the TMA. Spot A was an overhead deep run. Next, I walked several hundred yards through the woods to be able to fish a quarter-mile stretch of water. Then, a sortie to a new honey hole I had discovered last time out. One bump, no return. Ended up at another way-deep run where I caught a very nice stick and lost two flies. Streamers were the method, and I experimented with both bright and muted colors as well as retrieves. No interest in anything. River was down, about 225cfs, and running clear. Water temp was down, too, to 34 degrees, and I’m sure that was a negative influence. A few stray midges and some W/S Caddis here and there.

How Mother Nature cleans house. After Wednesday’s and Thursday’s wind, the forest floor was littered with shards of dead trees.

Forest floor       

But I was alone and fishing. If anyone had asked me, “Any luck?” I surely would have answered yes.

Trout streamer: the Deep Threat

When it comes to fly design, I always ask, “What do I want the fly to do?” With the Deep Threat, the answers came easy. I wanted a fly that would sink quickly. I wanted a fly that was highly impressionistic (Sculpin? Salamander? Frog?). I wanted a fly that would create the illusion of life, even if it were at rest. A fly rendered in natural earth tones. Most of all, I wanted a fly I could fish along the bottom, hook point up, in the cold winter waters of the Farmington River.

And here it is. The Deep Threat draws from many patterns. You can see little bits of Woolly Bugger, Zonker, Peanut Envy, and Alaskabou in its lineage. Its core of natural materials will whisper to the trout, “I’m alive.” There’s a calculated minimal use of flash and sparkle; enough to get a brown’s attention without overwhelming the pattern. I’ve been testing the Deep Threat for months, and I’ve been able to get to the bottom of some very deep pools on the Farmington using a full sink tip line and some mends. The fly is officially trout-approved. Fish it, like I do, with confidence.

The Deep Threat

Deep Threat

Farmington River Report 3/10/14: Big Browns (or nothing at all)

Finally. Weather that doesn’t suck. A schedule that is clear. Yes, dammit, there will be fishing today.

I had been planning this trip since last week. Streamers. That’s what I wanted to fish. And that’s what I had been tying over the past few nights.

My plan was brilliant in its conception: target a pool that has been inaccessible to vehicles (and probably 99.9% of potential anglers) for weeks, if not months. Park the Jeep as close as possible, then schlep through hundreds of yards of water and snow pack, all to be able to present to trout that might not have seen a fly since last year.

Good God, what a hike. So overheated and uber-saturated was I that upon arrival, I actually stripped down to my Under Armour. Cheap thrills for the Canada geese who warily eyeballed me. (And if someone hasn’t yet patented the Upstream Slog/Snow Cover Deep Step In Neoprene Boots Workout, I very well may.) On the way out, I passed another angler who apparently had the same delusions of grandeur as I. “Enjoy the walk,” I hailed him. “Any rewards?” was his response. Nope. Two sticks, three lost flies, and not a touch.

The advantage of being able to tally your weight in fractions of ounces is that you don’t sink up to your knees in snow when you attempt to walk across it.

Dinosaur Bug

Spot B was on the walk out, and it likewise was a blank.

The river was running about 400cfs, clear, and 36 degrees. I wasn’t the only person who thought today would be a good day to fish. But when I emerged from the woods at Spot C, I was all by myself.

Bump. “That was a fish,” I thought. I repeated the cast and strip. Again, bump. Then, whack! I could tell it was a good trout — the big ones often sideswipe the fly as if to stun it, then return for the kill shot. Seventeen inches, typed jaw, heavy black leopard-like spotting. Back to my slow walk downstream. Bump-and-whack again, another brown that made my rod creak as he exerted his will against the tension. One more trout hooked, a younger brother, who decided to scamper off from whence he came as I prepared to net him.

A seventeen-inch Farmington brown, endeavoring for gator status. (Come see me when you reach twenty-plus).

Gator Brown 3:14

We liked this fly today: an impressionistic cone-head soft-hackle in earthy colors I’ve been playing around with. Details  to come.

IMG_2865

Spot D was a blank. Except for that stick. Not a bad fight, but not worthy of release. So I tossed it up onto the bank.

Cheeseburger in wet fly paradise

There’s one sure way to get this presenter in a good mood, and that’s to offer to take him out to dinner before the engagement. And so it was that I found myself last night with several members of the Farmington Valley TU Chapter at the Whinstone Tavern in New Britain, CT, with a lovely medium-rare burger, crisp, tasty fries, crunchy deli pickle slice, and a moderately-hopped IPA. Wonderful!

And so, thank you. Thank you for feeding me. Thank you for being so welcoming. Thank you for finding that most excellent venue. Thank you for your technical support. And thank you for providing me with such a rapt, curious audience. I counted about fifty people. A decent crowned is always a positive.

Overheard last night: “That was the best presentation we’ve ever had.” Such kind words. Speaking of presentation, the trout below took this Magic Fly — fished wet — on a dead drift at the edge of a plunge pool current seam.

Brown PWWwet

Presenting “Wet Flies 101” Wednesday March 4 at FVTU

First and foremost: the venue has changed. The meeting will be in the large banquet room of the Whinstone Tavern at Stanley Golf Course, 245 Hartford Rd., New Britain, CT. I think doors open at 6:30 and the meeting starts at 7:00. I assume there will be an update on the FVTU website, fvtu.org.

The Program: Wet Flies 101 – The ancient and traditional art of subsurface fly fishing. Wet flies have been taking trout for centuries — and the fish aren’t getting any smarter. More and more anglers are discovering that a wet fly is often the best way to match a hatch. Explore the wonders of the wet fly as we cover basics like wet fly types, leader construction, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them.

If you want to see the other nineteen slides, you gotta come to the presentation.

Wet Flies 101

What happens in a fly tying class

Arrival, ten minutes before class. One of my students pulls into the space next to me and greets me with, “It’s the professor.” The first thing that goes through my head is, red tail, yellow floss body, gold tinsel rib, brown hackle, mallard wing. Yes. I am a  fly pattern nerd.

Introductions are made, and name tags are filled out. I have a pathological flaw when it comes to remembering names. I don’t know who who thought of the concept of “Hello, my name is,” but whoever you are, I don’t think the word “genius” is an excessive blandishment.

IMG_2742

I have seven students. They ask many questions. Some of my answers are too long, and stray down labyrinthine anecdotal paths. But everyone seems interested. Thank God for captive audiences.

All fly tiers are not created equal, and in any given class you have a broad range of skill levels. I look at some of the finished flies, and they will never grace the pages of a fly tying magazine. But, so what? To a trout, they will be beautiful. And that is all that matters. I also notice that some of the tiers are making significant improvements over the course of a couple hours. I would like to take credit for this, but I really can’t. I comes from within the tier. Still, it is gratifying to witness.

And then, we’re done. Seven flies (Partridge and Cahill, Drowned Ant, BWO Spider, Dark Hendrickson, Squirrel and Ginger, Ginger Caddis Larva, Pale Water Wingless) in a little over four-and-a-half hours. Thank you, gentlemen, for letting me be your instructor (and well done, all of you!). Thank you, UpCountry, for letting me teach. And thank you, Mother Nature, for saving the snow until Monday.

Stopping by Woods on a Sunny Afternoon (Farmington River report, with apologies to Robert Frost)

Whose woods these are – the state’s, I know.

But I have bought a license, so;

They will not mind me stopping here

To swing my streamers in the flow.

~

That little bird must think it queer

For I’m the only angler here

Somewhere within the TMA

My first fly outing of the year.

~

The big brown gives his head a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the scrape

Of line through guides of ice all caked.

~

The river’s lovely, dark and deep,

But I must get back to my Jeep,

Three trout today, none did I keep,

Three trout today, none did I keep.

~

Remnants from the last ice age. The river was clear of shelf ice, running at 550cfs, 35 degrees.

Ice Field

~

First customer of the day. Lovely colors.

Wild Brown 1:15

~

Saved the best for last. Some-teen inches, just hammered the fly as it swung across a seam.

Streamer Brown 1:15

~

Articulated streamers with jaunty names that push water catch trout. So do unnamed single hook streamers tied with a slim profile. I’d used this fly before — it’s a one-off from a couple years ago — and the trout found it to their liking today. Fished on a full sink line with a three-foot leader, swung and stripped. It opens up a bit in the water, but it’s still a fairly sparse tie. Tungsten bead head, so it rides hook point up.

Highlighter Streamer

Farmington River Report: A good time to tie flies

I drove along the lower Farmington TMA yesterday, and it was either frozen over, framed with shelf ice, or filled with slush.

Of course, the closer you get to the dam, the more open water you’ll find. Still, I’m going to save my chips, wait for a wee thaw, and tie some flies.

Take heart, cabin feverish types: Hendrickson spinners are just a little over three months away.

IMG_1833

Appearances, classes, and demos for early 2015

I was hoping to do some of the big shows this year, but that didn’t quite work out. Still, I’ll be out and about plenty in the next few months:

Tying Class: Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington River at UpCountry Sportfishing, Saturday, 1/24/15, 9am. There might still be an opening for this class. This class is sold out. Please contact the store to put your name on the wait list. 860-379-1952.

Tying Demo, CFFA Show, Saturday, 2/7/15, 9am-???, Maneeley’s, South Windsor, CT. I don’t know what I’ll be tying. Probably wet flies and fuzzy nymphs. Maybe some streamers. Any requests?

Tying Class: Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington River at UpCountry Sportfishing, Sunday, 2/8/15, 9am. This class is sold out.

Tying Demo: Soft-Hackles and Nymphs for Steelhead at The Compleat Angler, Darien, CT, 2/28/15, 10am-2pm. This is a free tying demo. Come with questions and good will and I shall do likewise, hopefully with some answers into the bargain.

Presentation: Wet Flies 101 at FVTU in Unionville, CT, 3/4/15, 7pm. I’ve had a lot of interest in this presentation, so if you missed it, here’s your chance. Details/directions at fvtu.org.

I’m hoping to do a batch of videos this month, but the time-space continuum has been particularly cruel to my best intentions. Please send positive waves so that hopes and dreams may vanquish the limitations of the calendar! And be sure to get out and do some fishing. It’s cold, but the trout still have to eat.

Hey. I know that guy.

IMG_9906

Farmington River Report 12/23/14: That’s what I came here for

No steelheading for me this week, so my consolation was a few hours on the Farmington. The upper TMA was running just over 500cfs, water 38 degrees, nice and clear. Despite air temperatures in the 40s, it was a cold, grey, and raw day with occasional mists and showers. (I did manage the entire session without gloves. I gave myself a gold star for that.) A few midges and some stray BWOs, but nothing rising to them. That was OK. I was committed to the subsurface cause.

Spot A was a blank on streamers. Well, not quite. I had a few bumps and came away with another scale souvenir on my hook point. Off to Spot B, another blank, although I did it proper by skunking on both nymph and streamer. Lost a few flies into the bargain. By now, I had crossed paths with four other anglers, and no one reported having any luck.

Started nymphing at Spot C, and that was also a blank. But, I had the whole place to myself. How pleasant to be able to walk the pool and fish at will. Switched back to streamers, and a few minutes later, bump, pause, thump. Not big, but a lovely jewel of a wild brown to send my spirits soaring.

All I wanted for Christmas today was a bent rod.

Bent Rod

I moved upstream a hundred yards and switched over to a streamer I conjured up the other night. It was an ugly beast with grizzly rabbit and schlappen and olive marabou and ice dub and crazy legs and a black cone head, but ugly in a fish-should-love-this-shit kind of way. Much to my delight, one did, a brown buck in the upper teens with pectoral fins the size of Montana (the state, not Joe) and an ornery disposition. A few casts later, I lost the fly.

That seemed like a good time to go pick up the rib roast.

I tied this fly just for you, bubba. Thanks for the early Christmas present.

Winter Streamer Brown

Streamer setup: full sink tip integrated line, 3-foot leader. Short, jerky, irregular strips produced both trout today.