The Hatch Guide For New England Streams is a new book by Thomas Ames Jr. This is the first book of its kind to focus solely on insects from this area. Filled with great photography, this book is a must have. 
available in paperback / $19.99

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

Phone:
(860) 379-1952

Email:
UpCountrySports@
Gmail.com


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.

 

UpCountry Sportfishing - Farmington River Report    

Updated
  05/11/08 01:01 PM

Northwestern Connecticut Weather  

Water levels for the Farmington River & Still River

 

2008 Fishing Licenses available for residents and nonresidents

  Hours: Mon to Fri 8am - 6pm / Sat & Sun 6am - 5pm

Gift Certificates Available in Store or by Mail 

 

Sunday 5/11/08 - The Farmington is currently 320cfs. The Hendrickson hatch improved yesterday and was particularly strong just below Riverton. Hendrickson Spinners dropped yesterday afternoon around 4pm and then again toward 7pm. In addition Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-24), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), and Winter/Summer Caddis were all on the surface and working. Wooly Buggers, Classic Streamers, and Nymphs of various types have been working well underneath 

www.Flyaddict.com has now grown to over 500 members since its launch and is fast becoming the premier place for fishing reports and conversation in the region. If you haven't yet... I suggest registering for free on the forum page and checking it out. The site is receiving daily reports from the Farmington, plus reports from the Naugatuck, Willimantic, Housatonic and others.

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Saturday 5/10/08 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs. With temperatures heading toward the warmer side, the next couple of days should bring good fishing. Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-24), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), and Winter/Summer Caddis are all good bets for the surface. Wooly Buggers, Classic Streamers, and Nymphs of various types have been working well underneath 

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Wednesday 5/7/08 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. The Hendrickson hatch continues to be strong on the upper Farmington though it showed signs of dying down in the Catch & Release area yesterday. Hendrickson Spinnerfalls were good last night, dropping between 6pm and 8:30pm. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Mahogany Duns (sz 18), and Blue Wing olives (sz 22-26) have been good as well.

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Friday 5/2/08 - The MDC shut the gates on the Hogsback Dam earlier this morning, making fishing this weekend much more palatable. The Farmington is 600cfs and dropping, it should level off at 500cfs within the next couple of hours.  Hendricksons (sz 12-14) have been on the water all week from mid-afternoon into early evening. Look for Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-24), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Tan Caddis (sz 16-18) as well.

 

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Tuesday 4/29/08 - The Farmington is currently 900cfs through the Catch & Release area. Heavy rains over the past day have pushed the river to a high but fishable level. Expect the Hendrickson hatch to go on hold until temperatures rise a few degrees and the water drops to a lower level, but fishing with nymphs and streamer will be excellent and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-24) are a good possibility for the surface as they like the overcast. Above Riverton the river is much lower and is running at 250cfs.

 

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Sunday 4/27/08 - The Farmington is currently 250cfs. Yesterday's Hendrickson hatch was late.... the peak of the hatch was about 3pm. Trout were rising steadily to the duns and emergers throughout the C&R. The first Hendrickson spinnerfall of the year in the Catch & Release area came about 4:30pm. Wooly Buggers(sz 6-8), and Copper Johns (sz 14-18) have been working well in the morning. Blue Wing Olives(sz 22-24), Winter/Summer Caddis(sz 18-22), Mahogany Duns(sz 18), and a mix of Hendrickson patterns(sz 12-14) have been working on the surface.

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Saturday 4/26/08 - The Farmington is currently 250cfs. The Hendrickson hatch continues to grow on the river and has good numbers of bugs from Unionville through the Catch & Release area in Barkhamsted. The DEP stocked the upper river and the C&R this week making fishing experts out of nearly all the anglers...... by next week you will start needing some skills to catch the trout again but for the next few days.... enjoy. Wooly Buggers(sz 6-8), and Copper Johns (sz 14-18) have been working well in the morning. Blue Wing Olives(sz 22-24), Winter/Summer Caddis(sz 18-22), Mahogany Duns(sz 18), and a mix of Hendrickson patterns(sz 12-14) have been working on the surface.

 

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Tuesday 4/22/08 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. Yesterday at Church Pool the Hendricksons came off around 1pm. Rises were light but the trout feeding were cooperative. They should only be better today and rumor has it that the state will be stocking the TMA over the next couple of days.

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Saturday 4/19/08 - The Farmington has fallen to 400cfs. Hendricksons were on the water yesterday afternoon through the West Branch TMA, however the trout were not reacting to the duns on the surface. Today may bring better results. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16, 22-24), Blue Quill/Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18), and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been a better bet for catching trout on the surface.  

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Friday 4/18/08 - The Farmington is currently 600fcs. Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-24), Blue Quill/Mahogany Dun(sz 16-18), Winter/Summer Caddis(sz 18-22), and Early Grey Stoneflies (sz 14-16) have been on the water though the surface activity has been limited. The most productive anglers have been using a combination of nymphs including Flashback Hare's Ear(sz 14-16), and the Yellow Prince(sz 14-16) plus a variety of Wooly Buggers and Streamers. I expect the dryfly activty to pick up over the next few days as the water level drops and the water temperature increases. Some Hendricksons have been reported in the Unionville area but I wouldn't expect them to reach the West Branch TMA for a few days yet.

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Friday 4/11/08 - The Farmington is currently 1200 cfs. However I have received email from the MDC that says that the flows will be reduced this morning, which should bring the river under 600cfs for the first time in weeks. This should provide a window of lower water for the weekend and could provide some great fishing. The amount of rain we receive will determine the actual water level so I am praying as many others are that most of the precipitation misses the area.

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Tuesday 4/8/08 - The Farmington is currently 1200cfs. At this level its best to stay home unless you are absolutely desperate. I walked the river yesterday afternoon and saw Grey Stoneflies (sz 14,16) Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18), and Midges (sz 22-32). There were a few trout rising but not enough to get excited about. The anglers doing the best are using nymphs dredging the bottom. 

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Monday 4/1/08 - The Farmington is currently 680cfs. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18), Blue Quill/Mahogany Dun (sz 16-18), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and even a few Quill Gordons (sz 14) have been on the water, however with the higher water, surface activity has been limited to the larger pools. Pheasant Tails (sz 12-18), Yellow Prince (sz 14-18), and Hendrickson Nymphs (sz 12-14), have all been producing trout underneath.  

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Wednesday 3/12/08 The Farmington is currently 1600cfs. The rain over the last month has caught up to us. The MDC has increased flow on the dam to reduce the water levels in the reservoir making fishing near impossible. My advice for the next few days is to stay out of the river.

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Friday 2/8/08 - The Farmington is 1100cfs. Heavy rains this week have pushed the water level to a near unfishable height. I recommend giving the river a rest for a few days. If you plan on coming out anyway, Wooly Buggers and medium sized nymphs should do the trick. Look for pockets of water that are not moving adjaecent to the flows, in those areas you will find the trout stacked. 

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Friday 1/25/08- The Farmington is currently 500cfs. The next warm spell is on the way toward the middle of next week, though if you have to work it might be worth a try this weekend. Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), and Midges (sz 22-32) are still hatching and should continue through February. 

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Wednesday 1/16/08 - The Farmington is currently 500cfs. Fishing has been decent over the past few days with Winter Caddis (sz 18 to 22) on the surface. Underneath.... Brassies, small Pheasant tails, and Winter Caddis Larva have all been successful as well as a Hornberg or Wooly Bugger on a slow swing through the current. 

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Friday 1/4/08 - The Farmington is 200cfs. Church Pool is frozen solid, though it only takes a day or two for things to clear up when the warm weather sets in. I expect Sunday and Monday may produce some good fishing as things thaw and the hungry trout warm up enough to look for some food. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Midges (sz 22-32) will be your best bet on the surface. Underneath.... the wooly buggers, small nymphs, midge larva, and egg patterns have been the ticket. A couple of weeks back, my friend Jeff Edgerly had a banner couple of hours catching trout on small beaded Prince Nymphs while I looked on and shivered. I hope you had a great 2007 on the river and look forward to seeing you in the coming year - Grady

I made my first major purchase rod purchase in a couple of years this fall..... the lovely Sage ZXL 5 weight, matched to the Airflo Trout Tactical Ridge Line,  this outfit is a beautiful addition to my arsenal. I've been fishing it almost exclusively since I purchased it and find it to be the perfect balance of power and delicacy.... it casts as far as I need it to but is soft enough to protect the 7x tippets we use on a daily basis here on the Farmington.   

We have the new Sage ZXL rods, and the new Scott S4 rods in stock as well as the new Airflo Ridge Line, Rio Gold Flyline, SA Sharkskin Ultimate Trout Line and the new Lamson Konic Fly Reels. Redington RS3 fly rods are now on sale 30% off. Models from 3wt to 6wt while they last.

 

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Sunday 11/25/07 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs Yesterday brought fair numbers of Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), and Midges (sz 22-32). The report from anglers leaving the stream toward evening indicated that Midges were the best hatch of the day with many trout caught on the larger pools throughout TMA and the upper river.   

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Tuesday 11/20/07 - The Farmington is currently 225cfs. Fished from noon to 3:30 Monday in People's State Forest. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22) were out in force and were responsible for the five trout I landed. Isonychia (sz 12) and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) were on the water as well, but the trout were clearly feeding on the BWOs. There were still a few fish on the surface when I headed for home.

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Sunday 11/11/07 - The Farmington is currently 350cfs. Fishing continues to be excellent. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Tan Caddis (sz 16-18) have been doing the trick on the surface. Egg Patterns (sz 12-18), Brassies (sz 14-22), Pheasant Tail (sz 14-20), and Olive Caddis Larva (sz 14-16) have been working well underneath.

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Tuesday 10/30/07 - The Farmington is currently 180cfs. Fishing has been good but has been dampened a little bit by the rain and wind of the past few days. Isonychia (sz 12-14), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), and Tan Caddis (sz 16-20), have all been working. Underneath... Wooly Buggers (sz 6-10), and White Zonkers (sz 6-8) have been productive along with an assortment of nymphs and egg patterns.

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Wednesday 10/24/07 - The Farmington is currently 135cfs. Fishing continues to be good with the drizzly weather. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been on the water throughout the day and producing well for those who venture out. 

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Saturday 10/20/07 - The Farmington is currently 120cfs. Fishing this week has been fantastic and the trout have been on the surface much of the day. Yesterday brought Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) from the late morning until evening. Tan Caddis (sz 16-20), have been out in force around 5:30pm every evening along with the Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26)

 

Thursday 10/11/07 - The Farmington is currently 110cfs. The rain over the past couple of days is doing the river some good and the water level will rise slightly over the next few hours. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-28), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Isonychia (sz 12-14) have been the most productive over the past few days. 

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Friday 9/29/07 - The Farmington is currently 110cfs. I expect good fishing this weekend with the cooler weather. The river from the Goodwin Dam downstream to People's State Forest was stocked last week and reports of good numbers of trout caught have been coming in. Tricos (sz 22-26), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Yellow Sallys (sz 16), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-28) have been the flies of choice for the trout.

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Wednesday 9/19/07 - The Farmington is currently 105cfs. Tricos can still be found on the upper river from the Goodwin Dam downstream to Peoples State Forest. The afternoon fishing has been excellent with Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), Isonychia (sz 12-14), and Midges (sz 22-32). Isonychia Spinners (sz 12-14), and Summer Stenos (sz 18-20) have been on just before dark.

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Saturday 9/8/07 - The Farmington is currently 100cfs. The Trico hatch is finally winding down but can be found on the water from 7am to about 10am. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been good in the morning so look for the trout feeding along in the slack water adjacent to the current. The afternoon has been a potpourri of Midges (sz 22-32), Grifith's Gnats (sz 20-28), Ants (sz 14-18), Beetles (sz 14-18), and Hoppers (sz 8-14). The evening has been bringing a ton of Yellow Sallys (sz 12-16), Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), and Isonychia (sz 12-14). 

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Thursday 8/23/07 - The Farmington is currently 220cfs. The Trico hatch is still rolling along. Expect Trico Duns (sz 22-28) in the early morning,followed by Trico Spinners (sz 22-28) from 7:30am to 10am.  Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26) throughout the day, and Summer Stenos (sz 18-22) in the evening.

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Wednesday 8/15/07 - The Farmington is currently 260cfs. The Trico hatch has started. Expect Trico Duns (sz 22-28) at daybreak, followed by Trico Spinners (sz 22-28) from 7:30am to 10am.  Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Needhami Spinners (sz 22-26), Black Ants (sz 14-20), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26), and Summer Stenos (sz 18-22) have all been producing as well.

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Saturday 8/4/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. Fishing has been great throughout the week with Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Needhami Spinners (sz 22-26), Black Ants (sz 14-20), and Tan Caddis (sz 14-20) forming the bulk of the trout caught during the day. Isonychia (sz 12-14), Cream Cahills (sz 14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 12-28), and Tan Caddis (sz 14-20) taking most of the trout in the evening.

 

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Sunday 7/29/07 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs. Yesterday's rain left the river higher but still plenty fishable. The water is a bit off-color and will clear over the day. All the major pools should be wade-able and have dryfly activity today. Look for Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Isonychia (sz 10-12), Cream Cahill (sz 14-16), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-28).

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Tuesday 7/24/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. The rain has done nothing to move the water level and conditions are ideal. The water temperature is 55 degrees. Yesterday brought Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-28), Cream Cahill (sz 12-14) and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-28) with quite a few large browns feeding on the surface. 

 

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Friday 7/20/07 - The Farmington is currently 320cfs. The rains yesterday did little to change the water level in the river so I expect good fishing today and over the weekend. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-28), Black Ants (sz 12-18), Needhami Duns (sz 22-28),  and Isonychia (sz 10-14) have been doing well.

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Friday 7/13/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. Fishing has been fantastic, particularly in the morning and late evening but there has been plenty of afternoon activity as well. Sulphurs (sz 18-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Tiny Blue Wing Olives (sz 24-28), Rusty Sipinners (sz 14-24) and Isonychia (sz 10-14) have been the best fare. 

Please be responsible for the fish you catch. Yesterday I was on the water and saw way too many overplayed fish. When a trout is fought for a long period of time it builds lactic acid inside its body and often dies as a result. Often the trout will swim off after you have released it, only to die later. Do a quick Google search for delayed mortality and you will see this is a serious problem. Don't keep the fish out of water for a long time to take photos and break off the trout if you absolutely can't land them in a reasonable amount of time. I promise you that they will get rid of the hook through natural means and be better for it.

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Friday 7/6/07 - The Farmington is currently 320cfs. The water has been running 55-60 degrees through the midday. Yesterday brought a good batch of large Blue Wing Olives (sz 18), a pile of small Blue Wing Olives (sz 24-28), Sulphurs (sz 16-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Tan Caddis (sz 18). I was on the water yesterday teaching a new angler around the  noon hour and saw an amazing amount of trout on the surface for that time of day. The one trout we hooked came on a Blue Wing Olive (sz 18). 

 

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Saturday 6/30/07 -The Farmington is currently 300cfs. Yesterday brought Sulphurs (sz 14-20), March Browns (sz 12-14), Isonychia (sz 10-14), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26).  I fished last night with a couple of store regulars and had a ball with the trout in the evening. Sulphur Emergers (sz 16-18), Rusty Spinners (sz 18), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 24) took the majority of our trout. The water temp was approaching 60 degrees in the early evening for the first time in weeks.... the river has been icy cold so I was surprised by the warm water. This means the lake bottom is finally running out of its supply of cold and temps in the 60s should prevail in the coming weeks. 

Updated the Used/Store Specials page with some Sage, Waterworks, Ross, & Abel Reels plus some Orvis rods. We have a good batch of discounted Smith/Action Optics and Maui Jim sunglasses at 35% to 50% off while they last.

 

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Wednesday 6/27/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. Fishing has been fantastic both during the day and in the evening due to the colder than usual water this year. Sulphur Duns (sz 16-20), March Browns (sz 12-14), Isonychia (sz 10-14), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) have all been on the water in good numbers. Sunday night a small group of us caught trout using everything on the list. The trout would key on a particular bug for a short window but then would shut down until we found the right pattern for the moment.

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Wednesday 6/20/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. Yesterday brought Sulphurs (sz 14-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-24), Potomantis (sz 10-12), and March Browns (sz 10-14). Isonychia (sz 10-12) were also present. Isonychia were the flavor of the evening last night for both my fishing partner and I last night even though we only saw a couple on the water. One trout was also caught on a Sulphur Comparadun and a couple came to Rusty Spinners at dark. 

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Friday 6/15/07 - The Farmington is currently 320cfs. Sulphurs (sz 16-20), are finally coming on strong but only in the late evening look for the hatch from 7pm on on most stretches of river unless the day is particularly overcast. They can be found in the morning in some areas and during the afternoon during cloudy conditions. Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-20), Vitreus (sz 16-18) and Black Ants (sz 12-18) have all been working well.

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Saturday 6/9/07 - The Farmington is currently 275cfs. Tan Wing Green Caddis (sz 14-18), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-20), March Browns (sz 12-14), Vitreus (sz 16-18), and Sulphurs (sz 16-20) have all been producing trout. The river is low, cool and clear.

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Tueday 6/5/07 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs. Yesterday's rain's brought a great deal of water and mud. The river is high but fishable in the major pools and should begin to clear before this evening. There is a low, clear stretch of river from the Goodwin Dam, downstream to the confluence of the Still River. March Brown/Grey Fox (sz 12-14), Vitreus (sz 16), Sulphurs (sz 14-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-20) are all on the water.

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Saturday 6/2/07 - The Farmington is 370cfs. The rain late this week raised the river slightly but it is still at a great level. Vitreus (sz 16), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), March Brown/Grey Fox (sz 12-14), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-20) have all been on the water and producing trout. There are a few Sulphurs (sz 18-20) showing as well toward evening. Black Ants (sz 14-18), and Flying Beetles (sz 14-16) continue to be some of your best bets during the day.

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Tuesday 5/29/07 - The Farmington is currently 280cfs. This weekend brought Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Rusty Spinners (sz 16-20), and a handful of March Browns (sz 12-14). Black Ants (sz 12-18) and Flying Beetles (sz 14-16) were working well on the surface. 

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Wednesday 5/23/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. The Hendrickson hatch (sz 12-14) is nearly over but there are still stragglers bellow the dam. I fished yesterday evening to see Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-20), and March Browns/Grey Fox (sz 12-14). My pair of trout came on a large Sulphur Usual (sz 12-14). The gentlemen fishing around me were hooking up on the BWO spinners. 

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Friday 5/18/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. The rain yesterday did little to change the river and it is running low and clear. Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-22), Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Green Caddis (sz 18-22) were all present. Nymphs such as Copper Johns (sz 16-18), Yellow Prince (sz 16-18) and the Angry Jake (sz 14-16) have all been productive over the past few days.

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Tuesday 5/8/07 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. The Hendrickson hatch (sz 12-14) is in full swing and is at its strongest from 2pm-4pm though I was out last night and there were some numbers of duns coming down the river until after 7pm. The Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) have started as well and should continue tonight... look for them after 6:30pm.

Also on the water is Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18) and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22). 

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Thursday 5/3/07 - The Farmington is currently 550cfs. The Hendricksons (sz 12-14) are in full swing. Mahogany Dun (sz 16-18), Blue Quill (sz 16-18) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) are also on the water. Although many trout are being caught on the surface, even more are being caught on streamer patterns such as Hornbergs and Olive Matukas. 

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Monday 4/30/07 - The Farmington is dropping in level. I will update later after it settles to a constant flow but for now be assured that the Goodwin Dam is reducing flow and we can commence fishing. The Hendrickson hatch (sz 12-14) should be on the water this afternoon in some numbers though its too early to say whether they will be feeding on the surface.

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Saturday 4/28/07 - The Farmington is currently 2500cfs. The dam is still releasing a ton of water in hopes of getting the reservoir to a safe level, however the heavy rains over the past couple of days have been slowing their efforts. Hendricksons (sz 12-14) have appeared on the river, particularly on the lower sections toward Collinsville. The Farmington is virtually unfishable but a few guys have been catching fish by fishing the slow pocket near the edges with nymphs and Wooly buggers. The Naugatuck and Still Rivers have been fishing well as alternates.

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Monday 4/23/07 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs. Due to the rain last week the Army Corp of Engineers has instructed the dam operators at Riverton to open begin releasing 3000cfs today to lower the reservoirs to a safe level. This will leave the river in an unfishable condition for the duration of the week. My hopes is that they will be able to get the lake down in time for fishing next weekend but they are not promising anything.  The past few days have seen Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) and Stoneflies (sz 14-16). The best fishing has been on Hendrickson Nymphs (sz 12-14), Pheasant Tails (sz 14-18), and Yellow Prince (sz 16-18). Wooly Buggers and Zonkers fished deep have also been productive.

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Saturday 4/14/07 - The Farmington is approximately 1000cfs through the catch & release. At this level, fishing is difficult. I expect the levels to continue to drop over the course of the day. Yesterday brought a large hatch of Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) that lasted much of the afternoon, however high winds and high water kept most of the trout off the surface. Today should be improved with a little more surface activity but expect to do most of your work subsurface with streamers & nymphs.

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Friday 4/6/07 - The Farmington has been fishing well but tough over the past week. The river is high but dropping. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), and Early Stoneflies (sz 14-16) have been on the water. The best fishing has been underneath with Egg Patterns (sz 14-18), Copper Johns (sz 14-18), Stonefly Nymphs (sz 14-18), and Yellow Prince (sz 16-18).

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Friday 3/23/07 - The Farmington is approximately 600cfs. Fishing today has been difficult but trout are being caught on Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 18). Underwater the trout are taking  Pheasant Tails (sz 14-20), Egg Patterns (sz 12-18) and Brassies (sz 16-22).

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Friday 3/9/07 - The Farmington is approximately 300cfs. The river is pretty frozen due to the cold snap this week. Expect it to start opening up by mid-morning on Saturday and it should be good for fishing on Sunday morning.

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Sunday 3/4/07 - The Farmington is approximately 500cfs. Yesterday brought a batch of Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and the Early Grey Stoneflies (14-16). I'm expecting a good day of fishing with the warm weather.

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Tuesday 2/27/07 - The Farmington is wide open once again and people are catching trout on  both Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) and Midges (sz 22-32) on the surface. Nymphs, particularly small Brassies (sz 16-20), and Pheasant Tails (14-18), have been working underneath. This week should be a good week to be out fishing with the warmer weather.

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Saturday 2/10/07 - The Farmington is pretty well frozen. There are a few guy still pushing the issue, fishing nymphs and midges anywhere they can find open water but its not easy. 

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Tuesday 1/30/07 - The Farmington is approximately 400cfs. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) continue despite the cold weather. Brassies (sz 14-20), and Serendipitys (sz 14-18) have been working well for the nymph fishermen. I recommend waiting until 9am to fish to allow the ice to clear from the water.

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Saturday 1/20/07 - The Farmington is approximately 400cfs. The river is at a great level. Expect Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Midges (sz 22-32) to be your major hatches today. This week has been very good for fishing, with many trout caught on the surface from 7am to about noon. The Winter/Summer Caddis has been out in force bringing up plenty of fish.

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Saturday 1/6/07 - The Farmington continues to fish well. Yesterday was a bit slower with Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Midges (sz 18-32), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-26), all producing. 

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Friday 1/5/07 - The Farmington has been fishing well all week. The warmer weather has brought out the Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) in force in the morning and is followed by Midges (sz 22-32) in the afternoon. Steamers & small nymphs have been fitting the bill when the surface activity has been off.

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Sunday 12/31/06 - The fishing has been very good this week with Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) hatching between daybreak and 10am followed by Midges (sz 22-32) in the afternoon. Church Pool, Greenwoods, and the Boneyard have been particularly good for catching trout on the surface. Streamers and Nymphs presented on the very bottom of the pools have been producing as well and have been responsible for most of the large trout caught this week.

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Saturday 12/23/06 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs. I took a ride by Church Pool on Thursday afternoon to see the water boiling with trout toward the tail end of the pool. The trout were feeding upon tiny Rusty Spinners (sz 24-28). Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been appearing in the morning, followed by some Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) in the afternoon. 

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Saturday 12/16/06 - The Farmington is currently 550cfs. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been appearing in the morning, followed by some Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) in the afternoon. Wolly Buggers (sz 6-8), have been particularly effective underneath the water.

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Saturday 12/9/06 - The Farmington is currently 550cfs. The fishing this week has been good for the nymph fishermen using egg patterns and brassies. We have had several reports of 20"+ trout caught in the catch & release area making me believe that they have left the spawning areas and have begun to feed again. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Midges (sz 22-32) have been the best  on the surface.

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Wednesday 12/6/05 - The Farmington is currently 560cfs. At this level most of the usual fishing areas will be accessible. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Midges (sz 22-32) and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been the most productive on the surface. Quite a few large brown trout were caught over the weekend by those using Wooly Buggers in the slower pools. 

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Friday 11/22/06 - The Farmington is approximately 800cfs. Fishing will be limited to just the largest area on the river such as Greenwoods and Church Pool due to the high water. Expect Some Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and Midges (sz 22-32), on the water this afternoon. Most of the success this week has been coming on nymphs, egg patterns and streamers.

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Wednesday 11/21/06 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs. Tiny Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), Midges (sz 22-32), Pheasant Tail nymphs (sz 16-18), and Wooly Buggers (sz 6-8) have been the best bets.

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Saturday 11/18/06 - The Farmington is currently 1000cfs from the rain Thursday night. I would wait until tomorrow to fish as the waters will drop considerably overnight.

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Wednesday 11/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 650cfs. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), and Midges (sz 22-32) have all been hatching in decent numbers. The river has been fishing best on the surface from 11am to 4pm. Brassies (sz 16-18), and Pheasant Tails (sz 16-20) have been working well throughout the day.

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Saturday 11/11/06 - The Farmington is currently 650cfs. At this level most major pools are fishable Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Midges (sz 22-32), and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have all been on the water and catching fish.

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Thursday 11/9/06 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs. At this level it is fishable but I would give the river a day to drop back toward normal before coming out to fish. By tomorrow it should be in good shape. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-28), Midges (sz 22-32), and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have all been present.

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Saturday 11/4/06 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs. The river has been fishing well all week with hatches of Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), Midges (sz 22-32), and Tan Caddis (sz 16-18) as well as a few Isonychia appearing.

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Tuesday 10/31/06 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs. This brings the river back to a fishable level. With today's weather I would think about giving the river a  shot. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and Tan Caddis (sz 14-18) have been the major hatches.

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Sunday 10/29/06 - The Farmington is 1200cfs through the catch & release area. This leaves the river at the very edge of being unfishable. By tomorrow it should drop to a better level. If you must get some fishing in today the stretch from the Goodwin Dam downstream to the center of Riverton will be relatively low & clear at 290cfs. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) have been out in force this week, along with some Tan Caddis (sz 14-18). 

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Wednesday 10/25/06 -The Farmington is currently 400cfs.  Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) have appeared in force and have been on the water throughout the day. Tan Caddis (sz 14-18),  Griffith's Gnats (sz 22-28), and Rusty Spinners (sz 22-26) have also been producing well.

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Wednesday 10/18/06 - The Farmington is currently 350cfs. Yesterday's rain failed to move the river upward significantly so the water level is still at a nice level. Yesterday afternoon brought a good hatch of Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) with trout feeding readily upon them. Tan Caddis (sz 16-20), Brown Caddis (sz 16-18), and Isonychia (sz 12-14) have also been present.

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Friday 10/13/06 - The Farmington is currently 650cfs. This level is still a bit high but leaves all major pools wade-able. The area from the Goodwin Dam to the center of Riverton is low & clear and the rest of the river should return to a low level by tomorrow. Fishing has been very good with Tan Caddis (sz 14-18), Brown Caddis (sz 16-18), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Midges (sz 22-32), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26).

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Thursday 10/12/06 - The Farmington is currently 900cfs. Last night's rain has raised the water level significantly and left the river on the edge of fishability. At this level the major pools such as Church & Greenwoods are still wade-able with care and usually fish well with streamers after a major rain. Tan Caddis (sz 14-18), Brown Caddis (sz 16-18), and Isonychia (sz 12-14) have been the major hatches over the past few days.

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Thursday 10/5/06 - The Farmington is currently 140cfs. Fishing has been good throughout the river and both the catch & release area and the Trophy Trout area above have been stocked in the past two weeks. Flying Ants (sz 16-26), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-28), Rusty Spinners (sz 18-28), Tan Caddis (sz 14-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) and Isonychia have all been working well.

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Saturday 9/30/06 - The Farmington is currently 150cfs. River Guide Fred Jeans, reported that his client landed over twenty trout yesterday between noon and 7pm. Blue Wing Olives were on the water after the wind died down late in the day and the trout fed heavily. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Tan Caddis (sz 14-18), and Isonychia (sz 12-14) were also present. 

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Friday 9/29/06 - The Farmington is currently 150cfs.  Tan Caddis (sz 14-18), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-26) and Midges (sz 22-32) have been out during the day, along with Black Ants (sz 14-22) and Flying Ants (sz 16-26). The evenings have been heavy with Isonychia (sz 12-14),  plus some Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-26), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26).

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Sunday 9/17/06 - The Farmington is currently 300cfs. The river has cleared up nicely after becoming stained by the rain on Friday. Fishing has been good with numbers of Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) out in the morning along with some Midges (sz 22-32) and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26). The middle of the day has been producing trout on nymphs and terrestrials. The Evening has been bringing Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Summer Stenos (sz 16-22) and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-22) 

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Friday 9/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 320cfs. The rains this week have done little to raise the water level. Yesterday brought Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) and I am expecting more of the same today. In addition to the BWOs there may be some Isonychia (sz 12-14), and some Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) out today. Also look for a batch of Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26) to fall this evening along with a few Summer Stenos (sz 18-22) hatching. 

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Sunday 9/10/06 - The Farmington is currently 350cfs. Last evening's rain had a negligible effect on the water level and fishing should be good today. We are still receiving some reports of Trico Spinners (sz 22-26) falling around 8am daily. Midges (sz 22-32), Tan Caddis (sz 16-22), Summer/Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-28) have been out daily along with some Isonychia (sz 12-14), Summer Stenos (sz 16-22) and Flying Ants (sz 16-28) in the evenings.

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Sunday 9/3/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs and has a light stain though the bottom is visible.. The rain has largely missed this area and what little we are receiving is coming to a close as I type this. Trico Spinners (sz 22-26) dropped around 8am yesterday. The rest of the day was accented by Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) and Flying Ants (sz 16-26). Summer Stenos (sz 16-22) and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26) have been present in the late evening.

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Thursday 8/31/06 - The Farmington has dropped to 300cfs. I expect the state to stock some fresh trout in Burlington and in Riverton during the next couple of days. Flying Ants (sz 14-26), plus some Isonychia (sz 12-14) were out last night. A decent batch of Rusty Spinners (sz 14-26) followed before dark.

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Wednesday 8/30/06 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs due to the rain. By tomorrow I expect it will have dropped considerably and be in great shape for fishing. I stopped by Church Pool this morning to see a good numbers of rising fish and a couple of anglers hooked up. It looked like the trout were feeding on Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) and possibly a few Trico Spinners (sz 22-26). The Trico hatch is still present but dying out. With the rising humidity I would expect some recurrence of the Flying Ants (sz 16-26) this evening along with some Rusty Spinners (sz 14-26).

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Monday 8/28/06 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs and carrying a light stain due to heavy rains yesterday. The river is still at a decent level for wading and fishing. Look for Flying Ants (16-26) this afternoon and evening along with the usual suspects.

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Saturday 8/26/06 - The Farmington is currently 360cfs. Although the river is up a little bit its still a good level for wading and fishing and running clear.Trico Duns & Spinners (sz 22-28), Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-24), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) are working well in the morning. The evening has been very good as well. Last night there was Flying Ants (sz 16-26), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), Tan Caddis (sz 18-24), and Summer Stenos (sz 16-22). I fished both last night and the evening before toward dark the trout have been taking Yellow & Rusty Spinners (sz 14-22) heavily.

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Thursday 8/24/06 The Farmington is currently 330cfs and fishing well. Trico Duns & Spinners (sz 22-28) continue in the mornings along with the Needhami Duns (sz 22-26). The evening hatches have been continuing with Lt Cahill (sz 12-16), Tan Caddis (sz 18-22), Isonychia (sz 12-14), and Blue Wing Olive (sz 22-26). I managed to get out once this week since the weekend and ran into a batch of Flying Ants (sz 16-26), though not as many as on Sunday night.

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Monday 8/21/06 - The Farmington is currently 350cfs. Trico Duns & Spinners ( sz 22-28) continue during the morning along with some Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) and Needhami Duns (sz 22-26). Last night saw a great hatch of Flying Ants (sz 16 & sz 22-26) followed by some Isonychia (sz 12-14), and Lt Cahill (sz 12-16) I fished with store friend Steve Culton last night and had a great evening using a variety of flying ants to fool the wary trout that were feeding on the blankets of ants that were on the water.

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Saturday 8/19/06 - The Farmington is currently 325cfs. Trico Duns & Spinners (sz 22-28) are still the main fare for the morning. Needhamis (sz 22-26) are fading but still present. Tan Caddis (sz 16-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-26), Isonychia (sz 12-14), Lt Cahill (sz 14-18), and Summer Stenos (sz 16-22) have been out in the late afternoon and evening.

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Tuesday 8/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 325cfs. Trico Duns & Spinners (sz 22-28) continued over th6e weekend bringing good fishing the the morning anglers. Needhami Duns & Spinners (sz 22-26) were also mixed in. Large Blue Wing Olives (sz 16) were reported in the afternoon on the upper river by river guide Fred Jeans who had an outstanding time with a client. Smaller Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) have been coming in the evenings followed by Rusty Spinners (sz 14-26) before dark.  

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Friday 8/11/06 - The Farmington is currently 425cfs. Trico Duns & Spinners (sz 22-28) have been all over the water for the last couple of mornings. Needhami Duns & Spinners (sz 22-26) have also been on the water and catching trout until late morning. The evenings have been bringing Isonychia (sz 12-14), Lt Cahill (sz 12-16), Summer Stenos (sz 16-22), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26) along with Rusty Spinners (sz 16-26) in the last hour. 

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Thursday 8/10/06 - The Farmington is currently 425cfs. The hatches have remained unchanged for the past few days. Needhami Duns & Spinners (sz 22-26), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Midges (sz 22-32) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) have been the most prevalent during the morning and mid-day, with Isonychia (sz 12-14), Lt Cahill (sz 12-16), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26) dominant in the evening. I fished last night and found good surface activity with Blue Wing Olives and later the Rusty Spinner, landing four trout and missing a several more.

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Sunday 8/6/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. Another great day on the river yesterday as the cooler weather continues to give benefit. Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26) have been the best morning hatches, followed by Isonychia (sz 10-14), Lt Cahill (sz 10-14), more Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26), and Rusty Spinners (sz 16-26). I fished last night with a few friends and had a great evening catching trout. Trout were rising from the time we arrived at 5:30 until dark with the action getting progressively better as the night wore on. The majority of trout appeared to be feeding on Blue Wing Olives but were proving to be extremely finicky so my friend Nate began throwing an Isonychia parachute at the bigger rises. After the fifth or sixth trout took his fly, I switched to an Isonychia Comparadun and began to catch trout including a 15" female brown that had the appearance of a wild fish. Later in the evening, another of my friends caught a 20" brown, also on an Isonychia. Before dark, the trout changed to Rusty Spinners and a another trout or two was caught before it was time to leave. 

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Saturday 8/5/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. Yesterday was a banner day on the river with the cooler weather bringing out the bugs. The early morning brought a mixture of Needhami Duns & Spinners (sz 22-26), plus the Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), For the rest of the day, Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26) were on the water with trout feeding well throughout the river, making for some happy anglers. The evening brought more of the same with Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), continuing to produce, along with Lt Cahills (sz 12-16), and Rusty Spinners (sz 18-26). I fished last night with store friend Steve Culton who landed an 18"+ brown, as did a couple of my other customers who were sharing the same pool. One of their trout went over 20". My own trout were of the more average variety but the fishing was quite good.

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Thursday 8/3/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs, Needhami Duns (sz 22-26) & Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been the best morning hatch, followed by some midday Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26). The afternoons have been mostly the time for Ants & Beetles, along with a few Tan Caddis (sz 16-22). The evenings have been bringing Isonychia (sz 10-14), Lt Cahill (sz 12-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and a variety of Rusty Spinners (sz 14-26). 

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Saturday 7/29/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. Needhami Duns and Spinners (sz 22-26) continue to be the best morning hatch, along with Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22). Afternoons are producing trout on Ants, Beetles and Midges (sz 22-32). The evening has been bringing Light Cahills (sz 10-14), Isonychia (sz 10-14) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26).

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Tuesday 7/25/06 - The Farmington is currently 420cfs. The Farmington is fishing well particularly in the morning and evening. Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Midges (sz 22-32), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Isonychia (sz 10-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and Sulphurs (sz 14-18) are still producing. Terrestrials are working best during the day.

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Sunday 7/23/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. The heavy rains yesterday, largely missed this area so the river is still a good level and fishing well. Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), were the strongest hatch over the past twenty four hours along with Isonychia (sz 10-14), Sulphurs (sz 14-20), and Rusty Spinners (sz 14-26).

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Friday 7/20/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. Fishing has been good this week and the weekend clouds should only improve things. Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), Rusty Spinners (sz 22-26), Black Ants (sz 14-20), Black Beetles (sz 14-18), Isonychia (sz 10-14), Tan Caddis (sz 14-20), and Sulphurs (sz 14-20), have all been productive.

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Wednesday 7/19/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. The mornings have been bringing the best fishing wth Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), and Midges (sz 22-32). Terrestrials, such as Ants and Beetles have been working well during the day. The evening brings an assortment of flies, including Isonychia (sz 10-14), Sulphurs (sz 14-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 20-26) and (sz 16). Rusty Spinners (sz 14-20) continue to produce trout at dark.

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Saturday 7/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 500cfs. Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18) & (sz 22-26), Sulphurs (sz 16-20), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), Isonychia (sz 10-14), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and various Terrestrials have all been catching trout. Rusty Spinners (sz 14-20) have been working toward dark.. 

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Saturday 7/8/06 - The Farmington is currently 450cfs. The past couple of days have brought large numbers of Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), and Needhami Spinners (sz 22-26), along with some Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18) & (sz 22-26), Sulphurs (sz 16-20), and Isonychia (sz 10-14). 

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Wednesday 7/5/06 - The Farmington is currently 500cfs and in great shape. The past few days have led to some great trout being caught on a variety of bugs. Needhami Duns (sz 22-26), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), Sulphurs (sz 16-20), Flying Ants (sz 16-24), Black Ants (sz 14-20), and Hoppers (sz 10-16) have all been producing.

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Saturday 7/1/06 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs through the catch & release area. At this level the major pools are accessible for wading. The area of the river above Riverton Center is 400cfs, clear and much lower.... plus it was stocked with trout late this week. The river will continue to drop in level as long as the rains stay away. Terrestrials, expecially ants and beetles have been working well, along with Sulphurs (sz 14-20), Blue Wing Olives (sz 14-18), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 16-22), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18) and Isonychia (sz 10-14), have all been on the water.

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Friday 6/30/06 - The Farmington is currently 950cfs through the catch & release area. At this level, the major pools are accessible for wading. The area of the river above Riverton Center is only 325cfs and in good shape for fishing today. I expect the river level to continue to fall over the course of the next couple of days and it should be much improved for the weekend..... if the heavy rains stay away. Sulphurs (sz 14-18), Isonychia (sz 10-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 14-18), and Vitreus (sz 14-16), have all been on the water over the past couple of days. 

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Wednesday 6/28/06 - The Farmington is currently 2000cfs through the catch & release area. Most of the flow is coming from the Still River so there is still a short stretch of river above Riverton Center where the water is under control and clear at 450cfs.  The rest of the river is too high to fish. Nymphs & streamers will be your best bet, but there may be some Sulphurs (sz 14-18) and Vitreus (sz 14-18) toward dark.

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Tuesday 6/27/06 - The Farmington is currently 700cfs through the catch & release area. Most of the flow is coming from the Still River so the area above Riverton Center is much lower. Expect Sulphurs (sz 14-20), Vitreus (sz 14-18), Black Ant (sz 14-18), and Black Beetles (sz 14-18), plus Blue Wing Olives (sz 14-18), and (22-28). The fishing has been great late in the evening but expect to be there until after dark. 

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Sunday 6/25/06 - Believe it or not, the Farmington is at a great level to fish. Sometime yesterday the MDC reduced the flow from the dam bringing the water level to 350cfs. The rain bypassed this area leaving the river in fine shape. I fished last evening with store friend Steve Culton who had just the right spot and landed three trout that were in the 15-16 inch range on Sulphur Comparaduns (sz 14-20). The surface activity was light but we saw Blue Wing Olives (sz 14-18) & (22-28). Sulphurs (sz 14-20), and March Brown Spinners (sz 10-14). At dark the water was boiling and Steve hooked up several times on a large Rusty Spinner but failed to get one to net. I had stuck with the Sulphurs and landed one brown during what appeared to be a frenzy of trout feeding on a mix of spinners and emergers. 

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Saturday 6/24/06 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs through the catch & release area. This is still a decent level for fishing and wading. I expect that the rain will push the river up somewhat over the day but it may not be heavy enough to ruin the fishing altogether.  Terrestrials such as Black Ants & Beetles have been your best bet during the day on the surface, along with Blue Wing Olives ( sz 22-28 ), and Midges ( 22-32 ). Vitreus ( sz 14-16 ), Blue Wing Olives ( sz 14-18 ), and Sulphurs ( sz 14-20 ) have been out in decent numbers during the evening.

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Sunday 6/18/06 - The Farmington is currently 330cfs through the catch & release area. This puts the river at a nice level for dryfly activity. Reports yesterday were mixed with good surface activity in some areas. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), and Sulphurs (sz 14-18 ) were all working. Terrestrials such as Black Ants (sz 14-18 ), and Black Beetles (sz 14-18 ) were also working.

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Thursday 6/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 550cfs through the catch & release area. Yesterday's rains have increased the flow but it should drop back to pre-rain conditions pretty quickly. The river is still running clear and should provide decent fishing toward evening today. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphur Duns (sz 14-18 ), and March Browns (sz 10-14 ) have all been hatching over the past couple of evenings.

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Tuesday 6/13/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs through the catch & release area. This brings the river back to a true medium height and dryfly activity should pick up significantly. With the weather settling down for a few days I expect good fishing from now through the weekend at least. Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphurs (sz 14-18 ), and March Browns (sz 10-14 ), were your best hatches yesterday.

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Monday 6/12/06 - The Farmington is currently 650cfs through the catch & release area. At this level most major pools are fishable. With today's too nice weather.... the bulk of the good fishing should be put off until evening. Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphurs (sz 14-18 ), and Winter/Summer Caddis Adults (sz 18-22) should be the strongest hatches. Look for Sulphur and Vitreus spinners in the late evening.

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Sunday 6/11/06 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs through the catch & release area. At this level most major pools are fishable. Expect surface activity in the larger pools, particularly Church Pool after the temperatures rise this morning. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22 ), Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphurs (sz 14- 18 ) and  March Browns (sz 10-14) have all been on the water over the past few days.

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Friday 6/9/06 - The Farmington is currently 1300cfs through the catch & release area. This is too fish for all but the most seasoned anglers. Hopefully the MDC is running the dam hard in hopes of having the river down to a good fishable level for the weekend Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Sulphurs (sz 14-18 ) have been the best hatches.

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Wednesday 6/7/06 -The Farmington is currently 600cfs through the catch & release area. Yesterday brought good activity with dryflies through the late morning and afternoon. The best fishing was from the Goodwin Dam to Church Pool with trout coming to net on Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphurs ( sz 14-18 ) and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22).

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Monday 6/5/06 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs through the catch & release section of the river. At this level, most major pools are accessible. Yesterday brought Vitreus (sz 14-16), Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22 ), March Browns/Grey Fox (sz 12-14), and Sulphurs (sz 14-18 ). 

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Sunday 6/4/06 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs through the catch & release section of the river. The rains largely missed this area yesterday and instead we were treated to a nice drizzle that lasted from the early A.M. into the evening. The river is relatively clear and fishable but quite high. Above Riverton center the river drops to a 350cfs level and is medium height and clear. Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Vitreus (sz 14-16) and Sulphur Duns (sz 14-18 ) have all been hatching.

I have recently added a pile of Simms Wader Closeouts and some nice used Sage Rods to the Used Gear/Specials page. The waders won't last long so don't wait to call or stop by if you see your size in the mix.

www.Flyaddict.com has now grown to 230 members since its launch and is fast becoming the premier place for fishing reports and conversation in the region. If you haven't yet... I suggest registering for free on the forum page and contribute so that you can say that you were there first. The site is receiving daily reports from the Farmington, plus reports from the Naugatuck, Willimantic, Housatonic and others. 

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Saturday 6/3/06 - The Farmington is currently 700cfs. The rains are beginning to take their toll and the water is slowly rising. The bottom is still visible despite some staining so the next few hours may provide an opportunity to fish the catch & release area with little competition... I suggest getting out the wooly buggers and streamers. The trout are already wet and a little rain won't harm you. The area of the river from the Goodwin Dam downstream to the center of Riverton is 350cfs, still relatively low and clear.... it should be a haven from the high waters downstream that I expect late in the day. If the rain lets up then you may find some Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Sulphur Duns (sz 14-20 ), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22 ) and Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ).   

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Friday 6/2/06 - The Farmington is currently 500cfs. Despite the rain last night the river is still running clear and is in great shape for fishing today. Expect Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), and Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ) to be your best hatches today and there is a chance that the overhead grey will bring a great dry-fly day.

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Tuesday 5/30/06 - The Farmington is currently 350cfs. The Farmington has returned to a low level and is in fine shape for fishing. Expect Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18 ), and Vitreus (sz 14-18 ). 

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Saturday 5/26/06 - The Farmington is currently 600cfs. The MDC was kind enough to lower the river for the holiday weekend, so the river is still a bit high but fishing well in most areas now. Tan Caddis (sz 14-18 ), Vitreus (sz 14-18 ), Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18 ), and Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have all been out in good numbers.

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Wednesday 5/24/06 - The Farmington is currently 800cfs through the catch & release area. Though the river is still higher than I like... it is  wade-able in just about all of the major pools and anglers are catching good numbers of trout. The majority of activity is with streamers & nymphs but there have been pockets of dry-fly activity, particularly at Church Pool and Beaver Pool. Vitreus (sz 14-18), Tan Caddis (sz 14-18), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18 ), and Hendricksons have all been present.

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Sunday 5/21/06 - The Farmington is currently 1100cfs through the catch & release area. For now the area from the Goodwin Dam downstream to the center of Riverton remains the best area to fish as the water is only 500cfs. Hendricksons (sz 12-14), are still showing above Riverton. Tan Caddis (sz 16), Mahogany Duns/Blue Quills (sz 16-18 ), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20) have all been out in fair numbers.

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Thursday 5/18/06 - The Farmington is currently 1050cfs through the catch & release area. The river is slowly dropping and is likely to be high but fishable this weekend. For now the area from the Goodwin Dam downstream to the center of Riverton remains the best area to fish as the water is only 500cfs. Hendricksons (sz 12-14), Mahogany Duns/Blue Quills (sz 16-18 ), and Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20) were around yesterday, along with numbers of tan winged caddis with olive bodies.

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Tuesday 5/16/06 - The Farmington is approximately 1100cfs through the catch & release area at this level, the river in the catch & release is still too high to fish, but Church Pool, Greenwoods and Ovation are at levels where a few fish can be caught. The river from the Goodwin Dam, downstream to the Still River in the center of Riverton.... remains the place to fish. Hendricksons (sz 12-14), Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) and  Mahogany Duns/Blue Quills (sz 16-18) have all been hatching. Wooly Buggers of various colors have been working well underneath.

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Sunday 5/14/06 - The Farmington is approximately 1600cfs through the catch & release area. At this level there will be a few fools fishing Church Pool.... a step or two off the bank. I don't recommend it myself. There is the short piece of river from the Goodwin Dam, downstream to the center of Riverton that is low, clear and running about 200cfs. Yesterday on that stretch, there were Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Mahogany Duns/Blue Quill (sz 16-18 ), and a great Hendrickson (sz 12-14) hatch yesterday afternoon plus Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) mixed throughout.  

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Saturday 5/13/06 - The Farmington is approximately 4000cfs leaving the river unfishable except above the confluence of the Still River in Riverton Center where the Farmington is still a medium 400cfs and clear. Expect the river to be too high to fish until at least Monday.

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Friday 5/12/06 - The Farmington is currently 250cfs. Heavy rains today are likely to make fishing this weekend difficult. Expect the area from the Goodwin Dam in Riverton downstream to the confluence of the Still River to be relatively low and clear. Below the Still River, the waters will be high and dirty. Streamers will be very effective in the slow pockets within the heavy flows. It will be close to this evening before the river rises to a bad level so you do have a few more hours to take advantage of the flows. This week the Blue Wing Olive (sz 18-20), and Blue Quill/Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18 ) were the strongest hatches with some Hendricksons remaining on the upper river. Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) have been falling in the evenings from the Goodwin Dam down to the catch & release area.

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Monday 5/8/06 -The Farmington is currently 250cfs. The Hendrickson hatch is winding down but it can still be found on the first few miles of river below the dam. Hendrickson Spinnerfalls have been occurring daily from Riverton down to the catch & release area. Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), Mahogany Dun/Blue Quill (sz 16-18 ), and Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) have all been hatching throughout the upper river and have been more reliable than the Hendricksons (sz 12-14). Tan Caddis (sz 14-18) have arrived on the lower Farmington around the Burlington TMA.

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Thursday 5/4/06 - The Farmington is currently 290cfs. The rain yesterday wasn't enough to bring the river up so fishing should be good today. Expect the Hendrickson ( sz 12-14) hatch to be out in force over the next couple of days due to the warm weather and evenings are likely to see good spinnerfalls of both Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) and Rusty Spinners (sz 16-20).

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Wednesday 5/3/06 - The Farmington is currently 290cfs. Yesterday was a quiet one on the river as anglers abandoned the stream in fear of a few water droplets. Anglers who dared the weather were rewarded with Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-20), and Winter Caddis (sz 18-22). Reports were that the surface activity was good in the catch & release for at least half the day, in both the morning and then again from 4 to 6pm. Streamers and nymphs were the most productive method of the day .

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Monday 5/1/06 - The Farmington is currently 250cfs. Hendricksons (sz 12-14) have been on the water all weekend throughout the Barkhamsted catch & release area and should continue today with the warm weather. The last two nights have brought Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) after 7pm. Also on the water during the day are the Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), which are your best bet during the mornings. Mahogany Dun/Blue Quill (sz 16-18) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) have also been on the water in good numbers. 

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Friday 4/28/06 - The Farmington is 300cfs. Hendricksons (sz 12-14) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) plus some Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been on the water in good numbers over the past couple of days throughout the Barkhamsted catch & release and People's State Forest. Some Hendrickson Spinners (sz 12-14) have been dropping in the evening.

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Wednesday 4/26/06 - The Farmington has dropped to 500cfs. At this level just about every area should be fishing well. Yesterday brought a very good Hendrickson (sz 12-14 )hatch from noon to three with some duns on the water into the evening. Streamers and nymphs continue to take large numbers of trout in the areas with less surface activity.

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Tuesday 4/25/06 - The Farmington has dropped to 900cfs through the Barkhamsted catch & release area and has cleared up. At this level, most major pools are very fishable and should be productive using streamers and nymphs. Above the influence of the Still River the water is just over 200cfs. Dry fly fishing should resume at Church Pool today and you can expect a combination of Blue Wing Olives ( sz 16-20), and Midges (sz 22-32). 

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Monday 4/24/06 - The Farmington is currently 1700cfs through the catch & release area. At this height I would normally advise everyone to stay home but there is some opportunity for catching trout on streamers due to the fresh addition of trout from the stocking trucks last week. By tomorrow, the water should be at a better level and will begin to clear up. If you are coming out today, be advised that the river above the influx of the Still River in the center of Riverton is still low and clear. 

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Friday 4/21/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. Yesterday brought a mix of Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Midges (sz 22-32), Mahogany Duns ( sz 16-18 ) and Hendricksons (sz 12-14). Most anglers we spoke to were catching trout on the surface, plus on nymphs and streamers. Look for more of the same today. 

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Thursday 4/20/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. There were good numbers of Hendricksons (sz 12-14) throughout the Barkhamsted TMA yesterday with fair numbers of trout feeding on the surface to both the Hendricksons and the Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20). As expected the state put a huge number of trout in the TMA, so the afternoon was accented by happy fishermen catching trout on dries, nymphs and streamers. Look for more of the same today.

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Wednesday 4/19/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. The Hendricksons remain elusive. Today and tomorrow are your best bet to find some Hendricksons on the water as the temperatures toward the end of the week will dip again, continuing to slow down the hatch from appearing. Unionville remains the sole area where decent numbers have been appearing and the reports haven't been great for that end of the river either. As you know they will be stocking the  Barkhamsted catch & release area today which will bring out an army of expert trout fishermen. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Mahogany Dun/Blue Quill (sz 16-18), and Midges (sz 22-32) continue to be the strongest afternoon hatches. Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22) have been on the water in the morning.  9am late update.... we are hearing reports that Hendricksons were on the water from Church Pool down. Expect good fishing today.

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Monday 4/17/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. We have received reports of full blown Hendrickson hatches on the lower river around Unionville. According to the same reports the trout did not feed heavily upon them on the surface but wet flies on the swing and Hendrickson nymphs were working well. There have been a few Hendricksons on the upper river but  not in enough numbers to call a hatch. The cooler weather will continue to slow things up but expect the hatch to continue to build. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Rusty Spinners (sz 16-26), and Midges (sz 22-32) have been working all weekend in various areas. The Barkhamsted catch & release area will be stocked on Wednesday so expect fishing within the TMA to pick up toward the end of the week. Until then I recommend fishing Church Pool or any area outside the catch & release. Even though there are scores of holdover trout throughout the catch & release now... the first stocking of the year seems to spur them to feed more aggressively. My best guess is the added competition for food makes the holdover trout fight for their position on the river and moves them in the dominant slots where they are more readily caught.

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Saturday 4/15/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. Pat Violette brought us the first Hendrickson of the season at 1pm, Friday afternoon winning the prize of the UpCountry hat and a fly box containing a dozen of our best Hendrickson flies. Congratulations to Pat.

Fishing was relatively slow on Friday with both Blue Wing Olives ( sz 16-20 ) and Midges ( sz 22-32 ) out in decent numbers. For the best fishing today.... wait until the early morning crazies clear out and fish the river outside the TMAs. The water outside the TMAs have been boiling with rising trout for a few days now and will be ripe for the picking in the afternoon.

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Friday 4/14/06 - The Farmington is approximately 200cfs. It looks like good weather this weekend with temps riding in the mid-60s. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18) & (sz 22-26) along with a flurry of Midges (sz 22-32) have been the strongest hatches.  

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Wednesday 4/12/06 - The Farmington is running just over 200cfs. The weather over the next few days will be ideal for the Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) and for developing the Hendrickson hatch which will begin to appear in the lower river over the next few days. Look for the best action to come from the BWOs, Blue Quill/Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18), and Midges (sz 22-32) until the Hendricksons appear. Many more trout are to be had by fishing subsurface using Wooly Buggers and nymphs of various types.

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Tuesday 4/11/06 -The Farmington is currently 250cfs. The past couple of days have brought Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18), Quill Gordons (sz 12-14), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), and lots of Midges (sz 22-32). The amount of rising trout has varied greatly from pool to pool with Church Pool, Spring Hole, Greenwoods, and Much of the Burlington TMA experiencing surface activity at some time during the day. 

A friend of mine is launching a new website and forum at www.FlyAddict.com focusing on flyfishing Connecticut and Massachusetts. He hopes to make the forum a resource for anyone who fishes in the area and it includes specific message boards for the Farmington and Housatonic Rivers. Its going to take a few days to get enough people online there to make it really rock but I ask that you register on the forum page and start making some posts so we can see if we can make this thing really special. I will be supporting it with posts of my own and you can communicate with me there. The site has only been up and running for a few days and already there are some great members contributing - Grady

Due to the Avian Flu epidemic, various types of feathers for fly tying have been in scarce supply. The major importers of feathers have had their shipments delayed in port for extended periods of time. One result is that CDC feathers have been running out at our store and many others. Saturday we received a large batch of CDC feathers  that should end the problem at our store for awhile. The feathers are of the best quality and come in both bulk packs and smaller packages for the casual tier.

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Sunday 4/9/06 - The Farmington is currently 270cfs. Yesterday brought blankets of Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-18) to Church Pool and the rest of the upper Trout Management Area. Parts of yesterday afternoon... there were so many BWOs on the water that it was impossible to get a trout to notice your fly. Midges (sz 22-32) and Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) were present also.

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Saturday 4/8/06 - The rains yesterday brought the river up slightly but its still only 280cfs. Reports have been good from the Barkhamsted TMA, with heavy hatches of Midges (sz 22-32) and larger Blue Wing Olives (sz 18-22). Wooly Buggers and Streamers of various types are still catching trout in good numbers in the Burlington TMA. As soon as the weather warms up again.... look for hatches of Mahogany Duns (sz 16-18), and Quill Gordons (sz 12-14). Hendricksons will be about a week behind these hatches. A few Quill Gordons were already spotted during the last batch of warm weather and its important to note as the Quill Gordon is often confused with the Hendrickson because of their similar size. A quick way to tell the difference between the two is that Hendricksons have three tails and Quill Gordons only two.   

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Thursday 4/6/06 - The Farmington has dropped to 350cfs and has cleared up nicely. So far the day has brought trout to the surface on Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26), and Midges (sz 22-32). It was reported by a customer that the Burlington TMA was stocked again this morning. Tomorrow would seem to be a great day to play hooky from work as temperatures are predicted to hit 55 degrees before cooling off again this weekend. For the fresh stocked trout I highly recommend streamers as the "stockies" seem to be quicker to hit a Grey Ghost than dead drifted nymphs.

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Wednesday 4/5/06 - The Farmington is currently 470cfs. Only a handful of anglers were on the water yesterday as the winds, rain, and cold made fishing a bit more difficult. Streamers were the king of the day with the most successful fishermen we spoke to employing Wooly Buggers, Grey Ghosts, and Hornberg patterns in large sizes.

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Tuesday 4/4/06 - The Farmington is currently 400cfs. This is twice the flow we have been experiencing over the past couple of weeks but still a nice level for fishing. Look for a couple of days of wind and rain before the weather stabilizes again late in the week with some warmer weather. The fishing has been pretty good over the past few days with anglers at Church Pool cleaning up on the freshly stocked trout that have filtered into the catch and release area from above. Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), and Midges (sz 22-32) have been the most successful patterns.  

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Sunday 4/2/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. The past few days have brought good luck on Blue Wing Olives (sz 22-26) and Winter Caddis (sz 18-22) in the morning, followed by Midges (sz 22-32), and larger Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) in the afternoon. Streamers have been productive subsurface, especially in the Burlington Catch & Release area.

 

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Wednesday 3/29/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. Anglers continue to have good luck using Grey Stoneflies (sz 14-18), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20) and Midges (22-32). 

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Tuesday 3/38/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. The fishing has been good over the past couple of days with most of the trout caught on the surface being caught in a combination of Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), and Midges (sz 22-32)

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Sunday 3/26/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. Yesterday brought good fishing on Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Midges (sz 22-32) and Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20). Streamers, such as White Wooly Buggers, Grey Ghost, and Olive Zonkers were working as well.

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Saturday 3/25/06 - The Farmington is currently 200cfs. The upper catch & release area has received some fresh trout recently, making Church Pool a haven for dryfly fishing during March. Most of the successful anglers are using some combination of Midges (sz 22-32), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (sz 18-22), and Tiny Black Stoneflies (sz 24-28). Wooly Buggers have been working well in most areas of the river, but particularly well in Church Pool and in the Burlington section of catch & release.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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