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Strategies and Equipment
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The Farmington River anglers Association (FRAA) maintains a hotline at (860) 738-7227 that provides hatch information and stream conditions. FRAA also produces an excellent guide to fishing the Farmington, detailing access points and maps of the most popular pools up and down the river. Contact the fly shops below for a copy ($9.95) or leave a message on the hotline.
Classic and Custom Fly Shop
New Hartford, CT
Dave Goulet
(860) 738-3597
www.classicandcustomflyshop.com
UpCountry Sportfishing
New Hartford, CT
Gradey Allen
(860) 379-1952
www.farmingtonriver.com
Quiet Sports
Collinsville, CT
John Marona
(860) 693-2214
The picturesque Austin Hawes State Campground (860) 379-0922 is on the west side of the river between Riverton and Pleasant Valley. Excellent fishing can be had within walking distance of your campsite.
Numerous motels are along Route 44 from Hartford to New Hartford. If you are looking for something more upscale, The Riverton Inn (860) 379-8678 in Riverton and the Avon Old Farms Hotel (860) 677-1651 in Avon both have excellent lodging and food.
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With 28 miles of outstanding trout water on the Farmington, the toughest decision of the day may be where to fish. If you enjoy the challenge of technical fishing to super-selective feeders, then head to the upper TMA and its large pools. If you seek less crowded conditions coupled with fantastic scenery, go to the sections above and below Riverton.
Below New Hartford to the town of Farmington, the river provides miles of lightly fished trout water (after the first few weeks of the season) with trout eager to rise to flies. There is something here for everyone, including solitude, if you seek it out. There is excellent access along the entire upper river. Stop in the fly shops for information about what spots might be hot at the moment. Explore and have fun.
Pocketwater. Look for trout feeding in the eddies next to the fast water. The slicks behind rocks and the seams next to fast water hold feeding fish. I have had great fishing in the pocketwater above and below the popular pools. Due to pressure, many of the holdover fish will move out of the pools and seek refuge in what normally would be less desirable lies. The best time to find these spots is during a good hatch, such as the Hendricksons—the fish will show themselves to you. Keep moving and keep looking.
Pools. If the siren call of the constantly rising trout in the pools of the upper TMA is too much to resist, remember one word—presentation. Slack-line casts are necessary to fool these catch-and-release trout. I have found the down-and-across presentation critical to fishing success on the flat-water sections.
The Farmington is a large river, so in most cases, if you walk slowly and carefully, you can approach a fish from above. Stay above and to the side or even directly across from a feeding fish. Using a reach cast, feed the fly before the leader down to a trout in his feeding lane. If the fly passes the trout, allow the fly to float well past the fish and then slowly retrieve it to avoid disturbing the trout. Never false-cast over the fish. I cast well above the fish and keep the casts low to the water. Long tippets of three to four feet may be necessary to get drag-free floats; shorten the tippet if it gets windy.
Tackle. For most of the Farmington River, an 8½- to 9-foot rod for an 4- or 5-weight line is fine. However, the upper TMA demands finer equipment. As the season progresses, the water levels drop, the flies get smaller, and the trout become smarter. These trout will often feed on infinitesimal items in the film.
It’s at this time that a 2-weight rod fished with 7X to 8X tippets can make a real difference. The trout in these hard-fished areas become leader shy and even a 4-weight line will produce too much line splash. Flies must be correspondingly small, so lighten up as much as possible.
Jeff Passante is author of The Housatonic River Fly Fishing Guide. He lives in Haddam, CT.
A.A. Outfitters
Full service, fully stocked flyshop located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
Allen Brothers Quality Fishing Flies
Quality is more than just a word. We use Daichii hooks and all our beadheads are tied with tungsten. Check out unique variations on a lot of the classics, plus our original patterns!
Angler's Pro Shop
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Bighorn Fly and Tackle Shop
Montana's premium fly shops, lodging and guide service. We're dedicated to helping you experience the best Montana has to offer.
Bob Henley's TIE-A-FLY
19 traditional patterns. TIE-A-FLY kits have all materials needed to tie them, instructions/illustrations, a pre-tied fly to use as a model.
Gary LaFontaine's "The Book Mailer"
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Crystal Fly Shop Online Store
Quality products at reasonable prices from Winston, Elkhorn, St. Croix, Galvan, Solitude, Idylwilde, Chota, etc. Many items 15-35% off.
Custom Fly Rod Crafters
Fly rod building components, tools & supplies.
Dan Bailey's Online Fly Shop
Outfitting fly fishermen since 1938. Equipment & information to make your next fly fishing trip be a memorable one.
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