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Between the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers, and their many tributaries, there is almost always productive fishing. When conditions are poor on one river, opportunities open up on another. |
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River Flow
HOUSATONIC RIVER AT FALLS VILLAGE, CT. WEST BRANCH FARMINGTON RIVER AND THE STILL RIVER
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River Report
Friday May 9th. We have some cooler, wet weather coming but at the moment the river is in great shape and perfect for floating. My clients have been catching both stocked browns and 15-18 inch athletic rainbows but not many holdover browns to speak of yet. Yesterday we did very well, hooking many nice bows! The dry fly activity is just beginning and I am beginning to see some fish rising sporadicaly. A friend of mine took a beautiful holdover brown yesterday night on a caddis dry. If you can deal with the crowds, the Farmington is your best bet for dry fly fishing. We have consistantly been able to take both stocked and holdover browns in the 16-18 inch class on Hendrickson patterns and on days like today look for olives. For more detailed reports on the Farmington have a look at www.farmingtonriver.com. Next Jan. of 2009 I will be hosting two trips to Argentina and in March two trips to Chile. Please look at www.anglingintheandes.com if you are interested in fishing in Patagonia. There are a couple of lodges offering great deals.....one of which is offering 7 nights lodging, 6 days of guided fishing, all meals, license and transfers for $2200 per person. WOW!!! Please contact me for details. --> |
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Housatonic Flow
Reading flows and trying to determine whether the Housatonic is fishing well is a tricky business. An angler who states that the "The fishing on the Housatonic is best between 400 and 800 CFS (Cubic Feet per Second)" is making too many assumptions. This statement is by and large true for wade anglers, but how is the fishing when it is at1500 CFS? The answer to this question varies greatly. Look at the graph. If the river has been at 1500 CFS for a period of several days then the fishing is likely to be good, especially for the streamer and nymph fisherman. On the other hand, if the river has been at a consistent 500 CFS and then jumps up to 1000CFS in one day, chances are the fishing will be poor. What is most important is water clarity and flow consistency. If the river has been flowing at a consistent CFS or is falling, then the clarity is likely to be good and the fishing good .... regardless of the CFS. I have enjoyed excellent fishing at 2000CFS from my drift boat. Water temperature is the most critical factor in terms of trying to determine whether trout will be active or not. As a general rule, the trout on the Housatonic will be most active when the temps are between 55 & 70 degrees. Once the river hits 70 degrees or more look for the bass fishing to improve. |
Farmington Flow
My stance on the Farmington is very different from most anglers. In my opinion, there is no bad time to fish the Farmington, unless the river is in excess 1500 CFS. Even after several inches of rain, I have enjoyed superb fishing when the river was up to 1200CFS. The Farm stays reasonably clear even after heavy rains, and in many cases when the water comes up and discolors the big boys turn on and can be caught with streamers. To generalize, the Farmington is best to wade at 600CFS or less and it is at these flows you are likely to have the best dry fly fishing. Water temperature is rarely an issue on the Farmington, the more you move upstream towards Riverton and towards the dam the colder she gets. In order to understand what the flow is you must add the flow of both the Still River and the West Branch. |
For reservations or information please call or write to:
(860) 672-4457 - Cell: 860-387-3300
Housatonic Anglers
26 Bolton Hill Road
Cornwall, CT 06753
E-mail: housangler@yahoo.com
Winter Trout Fising in Chile