Links - UpCountry Sportfishing on the Farmington River

UpCountry Sportfishing
352 Main St/PO Box 70
Pine Meadow Ct. 06061

Phone:
(860) 379-1952

Pat Torrey is our resident Zen Master of nymph fishing. Here is a quick tip from his wisdom.

Blue Winged Olives and the Wet Fly

If you are the type of angler who is looking for a different kind of fall fishing experience, we at UpCountry just might have the answer for you: fish the fall Baetis with little Blue Winged Olive wets.

Almost every afternoon from mid October until the first week of December the Farmington River has a very consistent hatch of small Baetis mayflies, size 26-28. The extended time frame of the hatch allows the fish to get pretty familiar with this food source. Most anglers fish this hatch with standard dry fly and emerger patterns, which become less and less effective as time goes on.

As an alternative: try fishing the Baetis hatch below the surface with soft hackled wet fly imitations that are seldom used. To paraphrase the late Gary LaFontaine: if you want to catch more fish, fish when other fishermen don’t; fish where other fishermen don’t, and fish how other fishermen don’t.

Blue Wing Olive Wet
Hook:
Tiemco 100 or 2487

Body:
Olive brown fur or olive thread

Tail:
Blue dun wet hackle or brown zelon

Rib:
Gold wire (optional)

Hackle:
Blue dun wet hackle

A selection of Pat’s wet fly patterns are available at UpCountry.

You'll find Don Butler working behind the counter much of the time, but he also guides, ties flies, teaches classes and holds a record
83 months in a row
catching a trout on a dry fly on the Farmington River.

Links

Housatonic Anglers - Rob Nicholas is the only full time guide servicing the Housatonic River. Offering both drift fishing and wade trips, Rob blends an educational guide trip with a fun fish catching experience. Contact Rob and check out his river report at www.housatonicanglers.com

Housatonic River Outfitters, Cornwall Bridge Ct. - Good resource for anyone fishing the Housatonic River.

The Selective Angler - Web address for Fred Jeans's guide service. Serving the Farmington River, Long Island Sound and the Housatonic River. FFF certified instructor.

Farmington River Anglers Association - Great resource for anyone fishing the Farmington River. Please support the Farmington River by joining the FRAA and get involved.

Northwestern Connecticut TU - Trout Unlimited Chapter currently restoring the Naugatuk River and helping to return the Housatonic River to natural flow.

Northeast Fly Fishing Guide Service - Walt Geryk is an Orvis Endorsed Fly & Spey Fishing Guide who will be your host for professional how- to, where-to guiding for Steelhead, Salmon and Trout in Upstate New York to blue-ribbon Trout fishing in Massachusetts. Walt’s Services are for those who would like to learn and better understand the presentations and techniques required to take fresh water trophy fish while traditionally fly fishing.

Send mail to upcountrysports@gmail.com with questions or comments about this web site.