Don't forget tomorrow we are hosting Jim Plante as he teaches you how to tie some of his most effective smallmouth bass patterns! He will be here 10AM until 1PM. All you need to do is bring your vise and basic tying tools and we will provide you the materials!! Come down and learn some new techniques and leave with some flies for your boxes! Stew Sunday is also happening Sunday around 1PM with George Kenna cooking up some good eats! Come down, eat some good food, tie some flies and still make your Super Bowl Party.
Today's forecast: Today is a going to be a colder day, but the weather will still lend itself to those looking to get on the board in 2017. The temperature starts out at 19' and will head to 23' today. The skies start off sunny, but clouds will be on the increase as the day goes on; perfect conditions to chase some of the bigger fish. West wind of 6-10 mph today. Tonight the temp will drop to 14' and tomorrow will be cloudy with a chance of light snow and 30'.
Now for the fishing conditions. The river is at 786 CFS and clear. While there may be some slush or ice around rocks in the slower sections today the water is in a great state to fish. Look for the deeper pools and channels as the fish are located in these spots. In general, this time of the year you do well to wait until the sun gets on the water for a bit to help warm it up some. We suggest starting later in the morning with some big streamers and search the water. Strip these slowly as the fish are sluggish and not willing to move too far. All colors of streamers are effective at times, so swap out and modify your retrieve if you don't get any takes. We are seeing our small black stoneflies starting to show up so make sure you have some of these in your boxes (size 14-18). Egg patterns dropped behind a big stonefly (8-12) are also very effective this time of the year. Trail the egg about 18" behind the stonefly so it gently rolls through the water. Winter black stones are starting to appear so you'll want to have a few of these (size 12-16).
In addition to the stoneflies mentioned above, we like the following patterns: Hares Ear (12-16), BH Princes (10-16), BH Pheasant Tails (12-18), Rubber Legs (all colors), 20 Incher's (8-16) & Euro Bead Head Princes. Don't forget to try a San Juan or Squirmy Worm too. We recommend a drop rig for maximum effectiveness and use an indicator to make sure you don't miss any takes. Try the AirLock indicators if you haven't already. They are the best!
Since you're reading our river report, please consider purchasing your gear from us. We are happy to have the opportunity to match any deals out there you may come upon. Give us a call first and let us have the first chance. Thanks!
Start thinking about spring and book your guided fishing trips now! The best time to get out in the spring is Late April to Mid May and these dates always fill up fast so don't wait! We want to thank all of you for a great season this year and look forward to providing you with a great fishing experience again in the new year. A BIG THANK YOU from all of our guides!
Don't forget we buy, sell or trade used and antique fishing equipment rods, reels, lines, duck and fish decoys, fishing lures, books, artwork, collectibles and tying materials/tools. If you are looking to trade in, sell, or are just scaling down as they say, bring your items in or take pictures and email them to us and we will happily purchase or offer a trade up. I have been purchasing and selling used and collectible items for over 25 years and our fishing/hunting library in the store is the finest and largest probably in the country. We will happily show you the value of your items and then offer trade-in or purchase prices. So give us a call (860-672-1010) or send and email (hflyshop@aol.com). We also purchase estates and will gladly come over to your house to assess the value of your collection and purchase the entire collection.