Tall Timber's Fishing Blog

Fly Fishing NH's Connecticut Lakes Region

See You at the Show!

It’s that time of the fishing season, where you might be tying up your proven fly patterns, planning your next fishing excursion, or dreaming of hooking an acrobatic salmon or bully of a brown on a glorious summer day.

While it seems like fishing season is a distant memory, it is really just around the corner. The official opening of the fishing season on the Connecticut River may be in a couple of weeks, but we’re really five months away in northern New Hampshire, and this just might be the perfect time to talk fishing, or plan your next trip to our neck of the woods.

Salmon Serenade

It’s that time of the fishing season where we anticipate catching (and releasing) landlocked salmon in the Connecticut River. Sadly, we only have a few more weeks left to pursue Salmo Salar, the “Leaper”, before the season closes on October 15. That, in addition to the kaleidoscope of arboreal colors that form the backdrop that we play in on the river make this my favorite time of the year. Many thanks to NH Fishing Guide Mickey Cunliffe for his beautiful image of this male landlock.

Upper Connecticut River Fishing Report: 8/25

Well, summer finally came at last this week, at least for a few days. It was simply gorgeous, and that good weather led to decreasing flows at First Lake Dam and Murphy Dam at Lake Francis. The river is back “in shape”, and is now at its most wade-friendly and angler-friendly level since late June. It is shaping up to be an exciting final month and a half of the season.

Connecticut River Flow Update: 8/12

River flows continue to moderate here on the upper Connecticut River in Pittsburg, but each thunderstorm has the potential for a reversal in this trend, so pay attention to the weather if you’ve got a trip north planned soon. At 296 CFS, the Bridge Pool is finally getting to a flow where it can be fished decently – just bring heavy nymphs and split shot.

A Glimmer of Hope

The Connecticut River watershed is slowly (emphasize SLOWLY) returning to a semblance of what it usually is at this time of year. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we need a dry stretch of weather to really get things back to the way we want them.

Dam(n) It!

Our fishing on the Connecticut River in New England is now officially “suspended”, as the river has risen to flood stage throughout the watershed. Unceasing rainfall over the last six weeks or so, especially in the last two weeks, has filled the lakes and then some, creating dangerous flood conditions in and downstream of our area.