The Natchaug River...Eastern Connecticut's finest!

The Natchaug River ... a TEAM7x favorite

Without much doubt the Natchaug River in the towns of Eastford and Chaplin CT is a premier freestone trout stream.  A trophy trout stream as designated by the CTDEEP, it is fishing very well this season compared to the past few.  Here is a comprehensive guide to the river.

                  https://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/fishing/stockingmaps/natchaug_river.pdf

This year's Hendrickson hatch was predictable, 2:30 PM for an hour or so, spinners at dark and rising trout. It lasted for about 3 weeks as we are now seeing a few March Browns and larger Sulphurs.  Caddis are always around but with less prevalence as we've seen in the past.  A well-respected river monitor and fly fisherman tells us that the increasing water temps, i.e. climate change in his opinion, is the cause. BWO's are always present and a small size 18 or 20 will bring trout to the surface.

Hendrickson...short but solid hatch

We've taken some solid trout, some of which appear to be holdovers from fall stockings. Emerger patterns, CDC, and soft hackles fished dry and into the film at the end of the drift have produced great days and evenings.  Rainbows are prevalent with the Browns holding in certain other areas of the long river stretch as it parallels Rt. 198 in Eastford and Chaplin.

The down side to this wonderful trout stream is that the season is limited; mid June brings lower water levels, higher water temps as the trout head for more inaccessible parts to survive.  The unanswered question is:  Do they make it through the long, usually dry and hot summer?  Jury seems to be out on that one.  If we get periodic rain without high air temps we've got an extended season.

Some easily accessed areas of the Natchaug get heavily fished; there is no fly fishing only section.  Other areas that we frequent are devoid of other anglers and regularly hold 12-18" trout.

Enjoy this beautiful river, its trout and surroundings while you can...if we can help give a shout.

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For now...

DRAG FREE!

Tom/Everett

TEAM7x