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.