SALMON on the Shetucket

The CT DEP stocks excess broodstock Atlantic salmon on the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers in October/November.  The Shetucket receives 300-400 fish stocked below the Scotland dam.  Here are the best access points.  Team 7x spent a warm afternoon on the Shetucket, before hurricane Sandy with some success!

This nice Atlantic in the 4-5 pound range showed in a fast,deep riffle and hit a 2/0 deciever when swung in front of him.  What fun on a 5 weight as he took several leaps and runs before giving in.  He was promptly released since this is a catch-and-release regulated area until November 1.

This saltwater deceiver tied on a 2/0 hook with 3x tippet on a sinking leader did the trick!  We broke several fish off on a Mickey Finn as well.  They seemed to prefer hanging in the deeper seams between fast and slow water.  Pick a nice day and get to the Shetucket for some fall salmon!  They're not easy...but they are there!

A WORD OF CAUTION:  

The Scotland dam releases water unpredictably!  Within minutes on the afternoon we were there, not far below the dam, the water level rose a good 12", forcing us to hustle off the river!

BEFORE YOU GO...Call the recorded dam info line at 860-456-4115.  If the message says BREAKER OPEN, the water will be low and wadeable.  IF the message says BREAKER CLOSED, it's not worth the trip since the water will be high.

Email us at team_7x@yahoo.com for specifics on access or see the stocking map link above if you are planning to go.

Bill's First Trout!

Here's our friend Bill on the Swift River in MA!  He and his good buddy Ven joined us earlier in the year on the Natchaug and Bill recently took a nice fish on the Swift...no easy pickin's on the very selective Swift trout!  Great job Bill!

By the way...does anyone watch "CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM?"  This guy look familiar???? :):)

DRAG FREE!

Natchaug River update!

Our friend Paul emailed the following just a few days ago...

"Hi Guys...

Just a short note to let you know that I just left the Natchaug State Forest, and had a blast!  

The flows are back up ( wish i knew how to measure it ) and the Water temp was a refreshing 58 degrees. I picked off two very nice Rainbows and what appeared to be a young Brown, 10 to 12 "  Several other false strikes just below the surface, but it was definitely the best afternoon that I have had in quite awhile. All fish were "feisty" VERY healthy looking, and quickly blasted off after release.

9 ft, 5 wt, TFO:  7.5', 4X leader & about 3' of 4X Fluorocarbon tippet with a # 10 Green & White small streamer "looking" fly, with silver tape on the hook, fished just below the surface. All strikes and fish were had on a slow & jumpy retrieve with about 30 ft of line out to the pools and banks and within a few seconds of the fly sinking

It was an extremely encouraging afternoon !

Looking forward to the fly tying class!"

Thanks Paul for the update!
We spent Friday afternoon/evening on the river and the fish are there...although not a lot of surface activity.  Some gray caddis appeared late along with BWO spinners and some larger spinners at dark.  If we get ongoing rain, the levels and flow should be ok.  CTDEP stocked during the last 2 weeks and the trout should be spread out nicely shortly.  Be sure to check the flows at the left side of the page.
DRAG FREE!

Fly Tying Lessons in Eastern CT

Team7x and our friends at Charlie Brown Campground are planning a series of fly tying classes beginning likely in late February, early March at the CBC clubhouse in Eastford, CT.  Likely we'll have a 5 session program and perhaps add in some early season trout fishing on the year 'round open waters in eastern Connecticut!

All equipment, vises, materials, etc. will be provided and instruction led by Everett, who has been a fly tying instructor with RIDEM and is a United Fly Tyers member.  We'll be tying our favorite Natchaug and eastern CT rivers patterns!

PLEASE let us know ASAP if you're interested in further details at team_7x@yahoo.com  We have several folks committed and class size must be limited for individual attention. 

DRAG FREE!

Farmington River 9/13/2012

The Farmington, as you will see from the video, remains at low levels and flow, although the water temp was 62 degrees this AM.  Very little insect activity on a beautiful late summer morning.

Upriver a bit from the video location, trout were stacked like cordwood in a what is normally a deep pool.  They were clearly visible on the bottom and some very large fish in the mix!  Smaller trout would  occasionally come to the surface, inspect the my various miniature offerings and refuse; fascinating watching this activity!  The larger trout wouldn't expend much energy holding on the bottom and taking whatever small food was available.  I did manage a nice 16" rainbow later in the afternoon when the near-surface  activity increased on a pheasant tail in the film.  The fish showed no signs of stress, fought hard and was active on release. On a larger Isonychia, two trout were foul hooked as they came to the surface in a slapping fashion attempting to drown the fly.  They were quickly released unharmed.

The water is crystal clear and slow without any major hatch activity to get the trout in a surface feeding rhythm, making conditions extremely difficult. This is a great time to walk the river and explore while getting a lesson in trout behavior.  There is NO shortage of BIG trout in the Farmington, as we all know!  The previous few days were scheduled for annual shocking by CTDEP but that did not appear to have any effect in this particular area.

Fly Tying Classes-Spring 2013

Team7x and our friends at Charlie Brown Campground are planning a series of fly tying classes beginning likely in late February, early March at the CBC clubhouse in Eastford, CT.  Likely we'll have a 5 session program and perhaps add in some early season trout fishing on the year 'round open waters in eastern Connecticut!

All equipment, vises, materials, etc. will be provided and instruction led by Everett, who has been a fly tying instructor with RIDEM and is a United Fly Tyers member.  We'll be tying our favorite Natchaug and eastern CT rivers patterns!

PLEASE let us know ASAP if you're interested in further details at team_7x@yahoo.com  We have several folks committed and class size must be limited for individual attention. 

DRAG FREE!

Upper Delaware...East Branch

Team 7x spent 3 days in mid July in the upper Delaware River area.  We had a cabin directly on a semi-private (limited public access) section of the East Branch, below Downsville.  Water temps were a consistent 46 degrees!  The hot, muggy air produced fog most mornings and late evenings and the flow was around 200 cfs, below normal for this time of year but very clear.  We experienced sulphur hatches beginning in mid afternoon till evenings like you can't imagine!  After a morning rain, the sulphurs, PMD's covered the water throughout the long clear pool just in front of the cabin.   Occasional isonychia's and a steady hatch of BWO's complicated matters.  We managed some beautiful wild browns on emergers in the 17" range, but the catching was difficult with the huge number of naturals on the water.  The water was slow moving and clear and this particular area was loaded with big fish clearly visible in the long pool.  Trout would occasionally take a dun from the surface but were concentrating on easy pickings; emergers, floating nymphs and stillborns just under the surface per usual.

I've witnessed a huge hatch of sulphurs (PMD's) after a rain on Depuy's  spring creek outside Livingston, MT a few years back, but this day on the East Branch topped even that!
In chatting with Craig Matthews of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone during that trip, he confirmed that the rain will produce incredible hatches of the PMD's on most days.

A quick visit to the West Branch was unproductive.  Not much surface activity in the Gamelands area during a hot afternoon.  Team 7x has arranged exclusive access to this particular area of the East Branch by recommendation, and can help with rentals, etc.  Talk to us if you're planning a trip to the Upper Delaware.  Some speculate that the big browns have moved into the upper East Branch from the Beaverkill seeking the cooler water; the Beaverkill is just now returning to fishable levels.  Contact Dennis at Catskill Flies for updated info and daily river reports.

The upper East is a challenge; maybe that's why we had much of the water to ourselves.  With incredible numbers of wild browns and prolific hatches, casting your offering on a long leader into the parade of naturals is a crap shoot!  We love the challenge and we'll be back!!
DRAG FREE!