Further proof that the boys are always looking for good places to fish …

So, what’s been happening up here on the Upper CT?  Nice weather, and even some trout doing their thing in the stretch below Murphy Dam at Lake Francis. Flows are lower than normal in all of the stretches of the Connecticut River between the lakes. We anticipate a rise in the flows out of the lakes at some point, probably near the end of this month or beginning of September, in preparation for the winter season.

Current Flows (approximate)

Second Lake Dam – 34 CFS. Very low flow for this section, and while you could fish it for native brookies and salmon, don’t expect to catch anything of size until the flow comes up in this section.

First Lake Dam – 68 CFS. This is also a very low flow for the Trophy Stretch (usually it’s around 150 CFS in here), but there are quite a few fish around. Problem is that they get pretty skittish with the flow this low, and tend to catch on quickly that someone is in their neighborhood. Once again, the angling will get a bit easier here when the flow comes up.

Murphy Dam – 207 CFS. While this is a low flow here (usually 300 CFS), it is still a good amount of water to keep the fish happy and active. Also, you can cross nearly anywhere in this section, which makes it even easier to access those spots that are normally hard to get at. This flow is relatively low all the way down to North Stratford, N.H., so there’s a lot of river that is accessible for wade fishermen right now. The drift boaters have also been doing well from Canaan, VT down to Columbia, N.H., with the trout clustered in the deeper pools and runs. Hoppers, Cinnamon Ants and Cicadas have been doing very well down here on the drifts.