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Housatonic Report 8/30 - 9/2

2K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  SDHflyfisher 
#1 ·
At last, the Trout can breath (literally) a sigh of relief and drop back into the mainstream after being couped up in the spring fed feeders trying to escape the 80F water temps . The river is now running in the high 60s and dropping on a daily basis.

The long week-end provided some great trout fishing and the small mouth bass are still active.

Friday evening I had 6 trout up to 18 inches and failed to connect on several more, not bad for three hours. The big guy gave up a bonus size 28 rusty spinner and a foot of 8x nylon in addition to my more modest 20 trico spinner. An angler 100 ft downstream claimed the lost fly but somehow it stayed in my flybox :devil:

Saturday saw the first generating release from Falls Village dam for a few weeks, so the river was running dirty but wadeable. After checking out various holes I headed downstream to Bulls Bridge and fished the CL&P access point. The realy nice thing about this stretch is the water level is always constant between the dam and the power utility a couple of miles downstream. I managed to coax a few trout out of one hole on an Isonychia pattern.

Yesterday I fished the upper TMA pools for the first time - "Push em Up pool" and "Doctors Hole". Doctors gave up about two dozen smallies but no trout. Further downstream I must have raised a dozen trout but just couldn't get a hook-set. When I got back to my car I actually felt cold last night - 59F on the ride home - some difference to a week ago!

Today was another Generating release day so I waited until 5pm before hitting the river. The water was still up and colored four hours after shutdown but anglers were having success with BWOs on the surface. The level dropped and cleared over the three hours and I managed another three trout - best going about 18 inches and missed many other strikes. Hot pattern was again my trusty size 20 trico spinner and a size 12 cream spinner as it got dark. There is a cream mayfly which hatches sporadically through the summer evenings but is ignored by the trout until darkness falls - then white wulffs and cream spinners do quite well. Another angler across the stream switched to a white wulff and landed two. I also noticed a number of recently hatched black midges this evening.

The BWO hatches are becoming more consistent. They appear in small batches which get the fish all exited then everything goes quiet until the next flotilla comes sailing by. It can only get better from here on :D
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Sorry SD, - I didn't ignore your post - just missed it somehow - must be an an age thing:confused:

This season I fished a few pools a lot and tried a few other places. Most of my fishing has been on the TMA from Covered Bridge down to the Rt 4 bridge. Above the bridge, I like the Doctors Hole a lot - the long deep stretch by the house is a great low water spot and way down at the bottom the runs create some good higher water holding areas. The 1/2 mile walk across the fields puts most people off so its usually quiet too.

The other favorite is Corner Hole in Housatonic Meadows State Park. Trouble is everyone agrees and its usually crowded. Its also one of the heaviest fished spots on the river and the fish are very smart. The new TMA below Gaylordsville has some nice water and gets very little attention compared to the upper river. I will be spending a lot of time there next season ;)

There was a nice BWO hatch this past Saturday p.m. and spinner fall at about 5:00.
 
#5 ·
Dave

Not sure how much the Housatonic has left to offer - as temps drop further (currently mid 40s) the hatches will slow and I'm told its then all about finding sporadic midge activity until springtime.

I was chatting to one of the regulars this week end and he reckons as the Housie Olive hatches slows down, the Farmington picks up and it goes nuts for a few weeks. Not sure if thats true but sure sounds like fun :D

I made my first ever Farmington trip yesterday (Sunday p.m.) to the top end of the TMA and apparently missed the best of the BWO hatch by an hour or so. I managed to pick up one Brown on a 26 rusty spinner as it got dark around 4:30 and saw a couple of other fish caught. A few sporadic rises to get the blood pumping but it never really materialized.

Maybe next week-end!

The fall color has been glorious!
 
#6 ·
I have been to thet spot which you have to walk through the fields but i didn't fish.

The farmington is great in the summer. it is a tail water so the temp stays the same for the most part. go to riverton. there is a nice parking area with access to the river. or go further down the 20 to hogback road (not positive of name of the road). the further you drive upstream the closer you get to the dam. there are several parking spots near the better pools.
 
#7 ·
Fished the Greenwood and Bone Yard section of the Farmington today. Steady BWO hatch starting at noontime. Flows are higher than they have been. Landed six ( 5 browns, 1 Bow ) mostly on #24 BWO. Wind was gusty at times sending me back to the car for an extended dethaw.
 
#8 ·
DennisS said:
Fished the Greenwood and Bone Yard section of the Farmington today. Steady BWO hatch starting at noontime. Flows are higher than they have been. Landed six ( 5 browns, 1 Bow ) mostly on #24 BWO. Wind was gusty at times sending me back to the car for an extended dethaw.
I have never been to those spots to my knowledge. Have you fished in riverton?
 
#9 ·
My son has my Farmington guide book, but if Riverton is up by the Hitchcock factory, I have fished by the bridge there. The Bone Yard section is about a mile north of the center of New Hartford in the TMA C&R area. Be prepared for a little walk as the gate on the gravel road is now shut for the hunting season. I would recommend to anyone not familar with the Farmington to pick up the guide book ($10- $12?) put out by the Farmington River Anglers at one of the local Fly shops. It is really well done covering all the major sections........
 
#12 ·
if you go through riverton over the bridge by the factory tack a left on the 20 about a mile and a half up there will be a road on the left there will be a large gravel parking area of that road that is where i fish all summer mostly brookies in that area but i got a few very large rainbows close to 20 inches there but i don't know what flies to use in the winter streamers nymphs and midges should work.
 
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