Upper Connecticut River Fishing Update: 6/7

It’s beginning to look a lot like fishing season, everywhere you go …

Okay, so I may have substituted a couple of words from that venerable Perry Como crooned yuletide song, but you get my meaning. It’s June, there’s bugs around (lots of them), and the fish are looking upward for their next meal here on the upper Connecticut River.

Now that the northern New Hampshire economy is gradually opening up, we are starting to see more folks venturing north, and we anticipate more anglers on the local waters as the summer goes on.

Flows are very stable right now, with the “No Kill” Stretch below the dam at Second Connecticut Lake running at 80 CFS, the Trophy Stretch below First Lake Dam is currently at an angler-friendly 155 CFS, and the reach below Murphy Dam at Lake Francis journeys southward at 300 CFS.

These are all good flows for wading, but because of a couple of factors, the fishing in each section can be quite different. In general, the 80 CFS below Second Lake Dam will be warmer than the other sections, and not as swift, but the tight gorges of this stretch make it seem a bit faster. This stretch is home to small brook trout and salmon, and if you prefer trying to fool smaller wild fish in their element, it’s a great area to explore. Scenic as all get out too.

The Trophy Stretch has a nice flow of 155 CFS – wade angler friendly, with crossing possible at various points along the river. The Trophy tends to run colder that the No Kill Stretch, and has had a good amount of insect activity lately. There’s been plenty of caddis and mayflies hatching, but bringing along a good supply of stonefly imitations is recommended too.

The water temperature is always coldest below Murphy Dam at Lake Francis, however. This stretch will usually stay in the mid to upper 40’s for a good part of the summer, and then only tops out in the 50’s later on. The caddis hatches especially in this section are robust, but all of the same flies that you use on the Trophy will work below Murphy. Less tree cover however often means trout that are more wary …

Recommended Fly Patterns

Nymphs: Quasimodo PT, BH Pheasant Tail, BH Prince, TB Jig CDC Pheasant Tail, UV Caddis Pupa, Little Green Machine, Anato May, Micro May, Dirty Bird, BH Z-Wing Caddis, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Goomie Worm, San Juan Worm, Egg Patterns (take yer pick).

Wets/Emergers: Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, UV Soft Hackle Glitter Olive, Chuck’s BWO Swing Fly, Angus’s Red & Black, Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear, Kashner’s Caddis Pupa Olive or Tan, Caddistropic Pupa Olive, Hatching Pupa Olive.

Dries: UV Caddis Reverse Wing, Hot Mess Caddis, Klinkhammer, Peacock Caddis w/ egg sac, BWO, Brooks Sprout, X-Caddis Olive, Usual, Parachute Sulpher, Morris May Emerger Sulpher, Light Cahill.

Streamers: Any of Chuck Degray’s Soft Hackle Streamers, but I find the Olive to be my favorite, carry a selection however. Sculpzilla (any color), Morticia.

The fly shop is open at Tall Timber (8 AM – 9 PM, daily), so swing by to get what you need for your next trip on the upper Connecticut – tight lines, everybody!