Connecticut River: Trophy Stretch

**mesanomad** · 07-22-2010, 11:27 PM

Made my first trip to the Connecticut River. Number of trout was great. Unfortunately, there were no trophy trout to be found. Halfway through the day, I talked to a local who said that all the guides were telling him the same thing for the last week. Who knows though? I felt like I was good enough today to hook into one of those big brook trout. But it was just one rainbow after another. Loren's Red Devil was just stupid. And a tan soft hackle (pupa) worked really well. Overall, I was really impressed with the stream. And can only imagine what it's like at it's best.

**Magnet** · 07-24-2010, 08:48 PM

That's nice. Is the area you fished right below lake Francis I have never been there but would like to some day. Is there any visible sign of dydimo up there?

**mesanomad** · 07-25-2010, 11:15 AM

The trophy stretch is above Lake Francis and below 1st Connecticut Lake. I didn't see any didymo in that stretch, although there are signs posted about it everywhere.

**Magnet** · 07-25-2010, 02:07 PM

Clean your boots and waders before you get Into your home rivers just to be safe.

**mesanomad** · 07-25-2010, 05:39 PM

Definitely will. They need a good cleaning anyway.

**dublhaul1** · 07-26-2010, 07:29 AM

I live about an hour forty-five from that stretch of the CT and heard from friends over the weekend that the daytime water temp moved up into the low 70's and the bite stopped...but early morning (4:30 -6:30) was pretty good...do you think it was water temp related for those larger fish? Normally, water temp isn't an issue for us, just this year I guess.

**mesanomad** · 07-26-2010, 07:01 PM

The water temp was 62 around 10am. But from the sounds of it, that was low compared to the previous days. I'm sure it was a factor. My question is where do those big trout go? Do they migrate down to Lake Francis?

**dublhaul1** · 07-26-2010, 08:04 PM

I dunno...I heard and interview with Kelly Gallup on askaboutflyfishing.com and he said that trophy trout will move several miles up and down stream to find preferred habitat and feeding opportunities. We have had enough warm weather to push trout out of their comfort zones....so maybe they do head down to the lake. Sidenote...I caught a really nice brookie several years ago night fishing with a mouse pattern...so I know they will feed at night...whether they are as nocturnal as browns I can't say....but maybe that's another possibility.

**sipper** · 07-26-2010, 10:48 PM

I have found that trout in low freestone water tend to sit under shoots in the front of holes where there is a cushion. Under the shoot there is a cushion way up in front of the pocket or hole so the water almost shoots into the hole and goes over the trouts lie.( the same goes for water falls) If the trout sits there the shoot goes over the trout and they can sit undetected w/o exerting any energy. Its all about safe sanctuary. in low water trout get so exposed that there optimum lie is where they aren't detected, but in normal water an optimum lie would be where food is delivered most efficiently. I think trout are more worried about heron Hawks and osprey than fisherman. i have had success tossing nymphs way up above the shoot so that the fly sinks very very early and drops below the shoot into that deep cushion of water that can't be seen by human or heron. give it a try but I would advise hitting the farmy bcuz of the thermal factor. its so easy to kill a trout in low warm water. just because you release them and they swim away doesn't mean that they will live. They may swim away and just sit down and slowly drown because they can't catch up with their depleted oxygen. They can't get their Oxygen levels back to normal because their gills just can't catch up. also an exhausted trout may just sit ther in the open and get nailed by a heron because in their state of exhaustion they just sit there oblivious to their surroundings because their main priority is to regenerate their O level, and not to hide. I used to fish low water as a teenager until i read some scary articles about warm water mortality. If you want trophy trout in low water hit a tailwater and fish the banks w ants, its a nice guilt free way to catch trout in heat waves. If ya gotta hit the Conn try dropping streamers into the lakes at the mouth. If ya catch fish atleast your releasing them into a lake where their survival rate is prob much better. And i think that many big trout do escape to lakes and chill out at the mouth under the entrance shoot. just my "2 cents."