15: Low and slow

Dec15

I really don’t like the river at this height (170cfs and falling in the the permanent TMA), especially in winter. Still, it’s hard to argue with air temperatures in the mid 50s in December. I bounced around to a bunch of spots today, switching between nymphs and streamers. Not a touch on the nymphs. The streamer thing was a little more interesting.

I had one solid bump (no hookup), bagged a juvy salmon, and had over a half dozen quality chases/follows that did not result in a hookup. A couple of the spots I fished allowed me to stand on submerged rocks or riverbank boulders. In addition to making casting easier, these also offered a tremendous vantage point for sight fishing to cruising trout — and to watch how they reacted to my offerings.

There’s one spot on the river where I’ve moved a fish my last two outings. He comes out of his hole, flashes at the streamer, then bails. Since I know where he lives, it is a moral imperative that I catch him this winter. Another fish today was an upper teens brown that was waiting in ambush below a ledge. Every time I changed flies, he came out to inspect it. During one follow — there were three of them — he even nudged the fly (Deep Threat) with his nose. But no completion of the transaction. Again, we have his address.

I had a conversation with Grady at UpCountry about all this on my way home, and we were in agreement that a faster retrieve is probably a good plan of action. Although I did plenty of speedy retrieves today, such as you can do with the fly rod.

If you’re heading out, be prepared for crowds. Of the six places I fished today, there were people in four of them — unheard of most Decembers — and none of the pools were named for a house of worship.

Farmington River Report: Let’s get out the tape measure

Dec3

I figured this would be a good day for streamers. Yesterday’s rain would elevate the flows (just over 400cfs in the permanent TMA) and maybe give the water a little color. Then there was the wind, supposed to be gusting to 30mph. Throw in temperatures nearing 50, and yup, we’re going to spend the day targeting big browns on the feed.

But since I’m an iconoclast, I started off by nymphing. I had a few experiments I wanted to conduct with egg flies. (You may remember I spoke with a centerpinner Monday who caught over a dozen on eggs.) I wasn’t sure if he was using real eggs, flies, or beads. Since I was going for the eggy mass visual, I tied up a couple horrible flies last night that were basically Nuclear Eggs with a trailing 8mm trout bead. To convince myself that the pattern qualified as a fly, I put a soft hackle on one. I stuck two fish, but since I landed neither, I couldn’t tell if they took the eggs or the nymph dropper. (Dammit. I really wanted to know.) I’m going to continue research with some smaller hooks and beads at a later date.

A pretty brown that swiped the Deep Threat, missed, then came back for more.

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I dedicated an hour to the nymphing cause, then re-rigged for streamers (full-sink integrated tip and a size 6 Deep Threat in grey/olive). Nothing, nothing, nothing. Then I moved downriver about 50 yards to fish a long, slow, deep stretch of water I was sure held fish.

Second cast, mend, slow strips, THUD. I love big browns. They just never miss. It feels like you’ve hooked a submerged log, but the log is shaking its head at you. I could tell it was a good fish. And it was. Just over 18″, and very disagreeable about being forced from the comfort of its lie.

Ever notice that no one ever catches a 17″ trout on the Farmington? Somehow, the fish grow to 15″, then suddenly shoot up to that magic universally-accepted-as-impressive number. However, I can confidently tell you this brown was duly and accurately tape measured at just over 18″.

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I fished four pools today and found players in two of them. All I ask from the river in winter is one trout. That makes today my Christmas bonus.

Farmington River report 3/26/15: holdover dreams, fresh stocked realities

Mar26

Overcast, fog, rain showers, air temps nearing fifty — where do I sign up? The river was running clear and about 350 cfs, 40 degrees in the upper TMA.

So. The day began with my foolish decision to navigate a perilously steep slope down to the river. There was no snow. But, rats! I didn’t take into account the frozen tundra. I slid on my butt for about twenty feet, and my the only reason my ass didn’t end up in the river was because I managed to grab a sapling as I hurtled past. Thus chastised, I waded in, bloody fingertips (ice can cut you quite properly, thank you) and all.

You gotta love the naiveté of fresh stockees. They haven’t quite figured out that they’re supposed to hit that streamer at the head. As a result, I had about 400 hysterical tail nips, with some of the new residents following the fly almost to my rod tip. At least a half dozen of what was put in last week are already dead; I saw them on the bottom of one run, most missing heads and/or eviscerated my some unknown predator. Downsizing the fly from a 4 to a 6 resulted in more hookups. But you don’t need to see photos of recently stocked trout, do you?

If the rain comes, they run and hide their heads. I fished all by myself today.

Since stockees were not why I came out, I headed to the TMA. I had visions of big browns. We’ll quote another British band here: you can’t always get what you want. So I had to be content with three sticks and several Deep Threats presented to appease the river bottom gods. But the smoke from that Rocky Patel The Edge corona gorda looked positively sublime as it mingled with the mists over the rain-speckled water.

And I left the river happy.

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

Mar21

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.

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.

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

Farmington River Report 3/13/15: More fun with streamers

Mar13

Fished the upper TMA for about 2 1/2 hours today. Streamers again (today’s favorite was a slim profile pattern with a gold bead head, and white and chartreuse marabou). The usual winter setup: full sink integrated line, three-foot leader, letting the fly sink/swing, then a slow, jerky retrieve. The strike pattern that was established on Tuesday’s outing was present today — a swipe by the trout to stun the fly, then the hit-to-eat. Two fat, healthy, sixteen-inch browns to net. One JR Cuban Alternate Cohiba Robusto and a very happy angler smoking it. The water was up a few inches from the other day, but still clear and cold at 36 degrees. A few midges here and there, and the early grey stones came out about 1pm. Snow pack was less of a walking issue, mostly because of last’s night’s freeze. Still, plenty of anglers out for a weekday in March.

Streamer tip of the week: these big browns aren’t eating on the first strike; rather, they’re smacking the fly to stun it. It feels like more of a bump than a tug. Don’t set the hook. Let the fly sit for a moment, or continue to micro strip. The eating strike will come a moment later.

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

Mar10

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.

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).

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

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.

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

Jan21

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.

First customer of the day. Lovely colors.

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

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.

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

Dec23

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.

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.

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

Farmington River Report 12/17 and 12/18/14: Is it winter yet?

Dec18

Meteorologically, not quite. And with no snow on the ground and air temps above freezing, it didn’t feel like it. Still, a misplaced hand in the water during a stumble told me right quick that this wasn’t September. Water temp was mid-thirties, flows around 540cfs, very slight stain.

Wednesday, 12/17/14: Ninety minutes of nymphing in the upper TMA. I missed it. By the time I got situated — around 12:30pm — what was apparently late morning gangbusters was now a fading memory. Managed one nice brown, and saw one other trout caught, but the anglers I spoke to said the action was nothing like it was earlier in the day. Of course. So I made plans to return on…

Thursday, 12/18/14: A mini cold front and a NW wind at 10-20 does wonders for keeping anglers off the river. Yesterday I was one of nearly a dozen. Today, all by myself. In place shortly before 11am for…nothing. Not a touch. Changed weight. Changed flies. Changed the side of the river I was fishing on. Finally, a small brown on the upward swing of the nymph. Then another momentary hookup as I was stripping my line in to re-cast. Hmmm. Maybe I should be presenting flies with some motion? A lost nymph rig was the impetus for abandoning the small stuff in favor of streamers. And that, as they say, made all the difference. Kept at it till 3pm. Left tired, cold, and happy.

There you are. First fish on the streamer today. Love the sparkles behind the eye. Looks like some kind of nebula or interstellar dust transposed from deep space to gill plate.

Dang. Lost him. That was a nice fish. I wonder what happened? Oh. That’s what…

One of several that didn’t get away. In fact, I found a whole pod of twelve-to-thirteen-inchers that were rather eager to chase. Fun while it lasted.

Today’s streamer setup: Teeny integrated full sink tip (4.0 ips) with floating running line. 3-foot leader (18 inches of 15#, 18 inches of 8#). Tungsten cone head in faster, deeper water, brass in slower water. Fished single hook and articulated. Did better with the single.