Upper Connecticut River Fishing Report: 6/19

This has been our best stretch of weather so far this late spring/early summer, but it looks like it’s about to end. We have 1″ – 1.5″ of rain coming over the next day or two, which should freshen the river and, hopefully, the fish up a bit.

Small flies and delicate presentations seem to be the best advice that we can give at the moment for fishing on the Connecticut River’s “Trophy Stretch”. The fish still seem to be centered on taking nymphs and emergers, rather than dry flies. Of course, we’re still hearing that a well presented streamer is also catching a trout or salmon here and there.

Remember that fly fishing is a game of trial and error (in my case, mostly error …), so adjust how you’re fishing throughout your session. Change flies, depths, stripping speeds and casting angles if you’re throwing streamers. If you’re a nympher, change flies, adjust your depth (add or subtract spilt shot or strike indicator, if you use a bobber) and cover the available lies as best you can. Move around, and cover water thoroughly – fish hard, as Domenick Swentovsky would say …

Meanwhile, dry fly anglers should also try the best they can to match the hatch and achieve drag free presentations as much as possible. Of course, sometimes the fish like a skated fly … oh, the conundrums of fly fishing!

As far as the hatches go, there’s been some tan caddis coming off in the Trophy Stretch, as well as the usual assortment of BWO’s and smattering of Hendricksons. Sulphurs should be on the menu soon if they haven’t started already. As noted previously, the fish don’t seem to be interested much in the duns however. South of Murphy Dam, the caddis hatch has been mighty impressive lately, but it’s much the same story in that there have been few fish coming to the surface.

On Back Lake, the annual Hexagenia hatch looks to be at least a week off, as we haven’t even had our hatch of Brown Drakes yet. This will be a late one, folks … stay tuned.