Conditions are ideal for angling on the Connecticut River’s “Trophy Stretch” lately – a steady 152 CFS (very good for wading), perfect water temperature, and still quite a few trout and salmon willing to “play the game”.
It can be spectacular, not only for the fishing, but the scenery is pretty special as well. The trout are almost as brilliant as the frequently drifting leaves that never cease to attach themselves to your fly. The weather is usually comfortable, though there is occasionally the spike of an indian summer or the plunge of what’s coming next … winter. It’s never far away here in northern New Hampshire.
It’s hard to believe that there’s only three weeks left in the New Hampshire fishing season (ends Oct. 15), but that’s where we are. The season has literally flown by. Nevertheless, the fishing has been good on the Trophy Stretch the last couple of weeks. Here is TTL guest Paul Bohn with a beautiful rainbow, caught and released under the expert direction of NH Fishing Guide Mickey Cunliffe – nice catch, Paul!
That’s an exceptionally beautiful Connecticut River brown trout, caught and released by TTL Fishing Guide Mickey Cunliffe (yes, even guides take the time to fish, every chance they get) last night. Mick was slinging around a ridiculously large articulated streamer and this brownie took it. He was right behind the drooping branches of a big tree – fish that structure, people!
Whatever word you want to use: fortunate, lucky, opportune, etc., having the upper reaches of the Connecticut River in your back yard makes for a long and fruitful fishing season, all year long.
Yesterday was our annual “Guides Drift”, where five guides and myself fish together, tell jokes that everyone has heard before, and razz each other about our casting abilities (or lack thereof, in my case). Since the pike drift was such a big hit last year, we decided to do it again, on one of our hottest days of the summer …