Upper Connecticut River Fishing Report: 7/14

Nice brookie, caught and released by our guest Jeff Molesso, under the expert guidance of TTL Fly Fishing Guide Mickey Cunliffe. Let’s be honest, that’s a nice fish, but take a look at his nephew’s fish (Lucas, below), and you be the judge …

On to what’s really important … the fishing on the river and Back Lake. Things have changed a bit with the river and the lake since I last posted anything. The river’s main change has come from the flows below First Lake Dam and Murphy Dam being raised yesterday, an increase that will likely last for the next week or so. First Lake Dam is now flowing at a very trout-and-salmon-friendly 222 CFS, and the flow below Murphy Dam is a robust 500 CFS.

This is generally good news for us anglers, as the fish will get a quick look at the smorgasbord of food coming downstream (this is beneficial as maybe the trout and salmon have less time to make a hasty dining decision), and it also opens up new lies for the fish to feed and rest in (creating many more areas to fish for us, though crossing the river could be difficult in places and impossible in others).

As far as the fishing goes, the increased flow means that a multitude of methods can be utilized to good effect, depending on the water you’re fishing – nymphs, dries and streamers can all be used with some degree of confidence at these flows. The hatches of mayflies, caddis and stoneflies have also been prolific lately, so there are many options, once again depending on how well your fly box is stocked.

For something really fun, we are entering the sweet spot for terrestrials as well, so bring along an assortment of Hoppers, Ants, Spiders and even Cicadas when you venture forth to the river.

As far as Back Lake goes, while the Hex Hatch has, for all intents and purposes, “ended”, it might not be a bad idea to bring along some of those patterns to round out your day in the evening. The fish could still be interested in a properly presented Hex pattern as daylight fades, so never rule it out. The lake is still producing some good fish here and there for Tall Timber guests, and the bass are ever present too.

Finally, in the pursuit of truly useful knowledge for my readers, I plumbed the depths of one of our area’s foremost experts on our varied fishery: Chuck Degray of North Country Fly Shop and Guide Service. Here is what he related to me regarding his approach at this time of year – good advice for any angler.

Regarding method: “Don’t be afraid to give your indicator a rest and start throwing dry / dropper combos at this time of year. Throw dry flies even if nothing is coming up – #feedemyourfly. The fish are looking up and will readily take a nicely presented caddis fly, and salmon particularly love BWO dries. If you’re going to hit the stillwater, fish them early early or late in the day.”

Terrestrials: “Terrestrials are starting to show themselves more and more with the trout crack (Flying Ants) happening any day now. As the water temperature starts to rise, you’ll start finding more fish in the riffles.”

Guide Trips: “Let’s not forget if you’re going to book a guided trip, let’s be honest about how experienced you are so your guide can meet your expectations. The guide and angler should be working together as a team – it’s not a one-man band.”

Sage Wisdom: “Let’s limit our catch and not catch our limit.”

Lastly, Happy Bastille Day to our French friends! Ok, I suspect that not everyone has an interest in French history, but today is France’s July 4th, and that was quite a revolution, after all. Kings and queens losing their heads (literally), massive riots and general discord, but there was liberty too, so congrats to them and this baguette’s for you, France.