Connecticut River Fishing Update: 3/21

Finally, a couple of days to get out on the water Saturday through Monday for north country anglers. A few nice fish were hauled in and released, and there were even some larger ones that got away, from varying reports that I heard. This one was caught and released by Chuck Degray of North Country Fly Shop, on a Floating Smelt.

In a relatively short stretch of the river that day, we witnessed 5-6 different fish “rolling”, the unmistakable action of a trout coming up to hungrily take a dead smelt floating downriver. This action all happened quickly, and continued for maybe only 20-30 minutes or so – a small “smelt hatch” had occurred (when smelt get too close to Murphy Dam, they get sucked through, chopped up, and sent downriver for waiting browns and rainbows), and we had witnessed it.

Unfortunately, as with most hatches, not too long after you realize that it’s happening, it ends just as quickly. The most successful angler realizes what is happening and adjusts his or her fishing style to suit the conditions. In this case, Chuck quickly realized that enough fish were coming up, so he switched to a Floating Smelt, from his normal Gray Soft Hackle Streamer. That was the ticket, and he was rewarded by the trout gods for his astute observation.

If the trout are not making their presence readily known when you’re winter fishing, then they’re hunkered down, but that just means that they’re waiting for their next meal below the surface. This is when streamers on sinking lines, dead drifted, can do the most damage or even nymphs. Lately, midge patterns on light tippets have landed some nice trout as well – the Zebra Midge, in size 20 or 22, has been the most effective lately – just make sure you bring along your magnifiers!

Better temps are coming, but we’ll have to wait until this latest cold snap moves through …