Connecticut River Drift Update: 9/2

Fantastic day on the good ole Connecticut yesterday – summerlike temps, in the 70s and low 80s, with plenty of sunsplash. Not the best weather for dry fly action, but boy, does it feel good. These are the waning days of summer, and it’s nice getting a reminder of what is almost over.

How’s the fishing, you may ask? Pretty good on the upper and lower floats of the Connecticut River yesterday. Jon took Tony Cammarata out on the upper drift (Canaan, VT to Colebrook, NH) with good success. Tony landed a nice 18″ brown on this float, among about a dozen others. Pat’s Rubber Legs trailed by a soft hackle emerger did the best, though they did land one on a hopper as well. Still, fishing under the surface was the preferred method, at least while the sun was high.

Myself and Don Eigenbauer went out with good friend and excellent fishing guide Bill Bernhardt from Lopstick Lodge on the lower float (Colebrook, NH to Lemington, VT). The action was consistent throughout the day, and mostly under the surface, at least until about 7 PM, when the sun went down. Once again, a mixture of woolybuggers with trailing emergers, or the Pat’s Rubber Legs trailing emergers did the damage. Many thanks again to Chris Ramel for sending me out a supply from Denver last year!

The vast majority of the landed fish were rainbows, with Don picking up a late inning brownie at the end of the drift on top. Several of the rainbows were in the 13″ – 15″ range, and we also picked up several smaller, brilliant rainbows as well – evidence that Connecticut River rainbows are spawning successfully.

Lower Connecticut River flows are moderate right now, and the water has cleared up pretty well after the deluge from Irene the other day. The Androscoggin River has not been so lucky however – still high and muddy as of two days ago. Hopefully it clears up soon for all of those early fall drifters that love the Andro.