Our fishing season is winding down, as we have just 13 days of angling left until it’s conclusion. Bittersweet for sure, as you enjoy some spectacularly beautiful fall days on the river, all the while knowing that it’s going to end soon …

The fishing has been a bit challenging on the Connecticut River’s Trophy Stretch these last few days. Firstly, the river flow was reduced from 175 CFS to 150 CFS, so there has probably been some reshuffling for the trout and salmon in their various lies.

While several of us witnessed a decent BWO hatch early this afternoon, there were no fish coming up to take them, so nymphs are still the best bet for taking fish. A beadhead nymph up front (Pheasant Tail, Prince, Copper John, etc.) with a BWO emerger or midge pattern as a dropper should be a good combo. If that doesn’t work, a San Juan Worm or Egg pattern could be the right attractor fly to get some responses.

If you’re a particularly lazy fisherman, such as myself, you simply throw on a Soft Hackle Streamer in White or Gray and you might find a trout on the end of your line – a healthy and colorful brook trout did just that for me this morning. Unfortunately at this flow, streamers really work well in only certain spots, while nymphs can be used effectively throughout the stretch.

The flow has also dropped down to 34 CFS in the “No Kill” Stretch between Second Connecticut Lake and First Connecticut Lake. While this is not good news going forward, there were brook trout and salmon in this stretch just last week, so they are probably still there, biding their time in the deeper pools and runs.

Below Murphy Dam, the river flow was brought down to 300 CFS, from 350 CFS last week. That’s still a good flow for fishing and wading, so if you’re going to be up here for the end of the season, you may want to give that area a look. Oh, and it’s been said that there’s some large brown trout down there too …

Although the Connecticut Lakes are closed for fishing, Pittsburg’s outer brook trout ponds are open through October 15. There’s some especially colorful brook trout in those ponds right now, and they are a good “Plan B” if you’re finding the river to be too crowded.

Get up here – it’s a long offseason!