Connecticut River Fishing Trips
Come floating with me for fishing fun, know how, relaxation and a great lunch! All equipment (Fly Fishing and/or Spinning) and incidentials are included such as flies, rods, lures, etc. Just bring yourselves and be ready to have a good time. Of course if you have equipment you are comfortable with, by all means bring it. The boat we use is a custom built RB McKenzie Drift Boat which is safe, stable and comfortable with padded seating and back support. It is a "Cadillac" of drift boats. For this reason even non-fishing guests find the experience quite enjoyable. Binoculars are also available for your use, and I take quality digital photos for you to remember your trip.
Over the many years I've been fishing the Connecticut River, I've been learning the habits of trout and smallmouth bass. I look at every trip as an opportunity to learn more, and I like to pass my knowledge along to my guests. The following information explores some of the lessons I've learned and shows you what you can expect from me on our trips.
The Smallmouth Bass Float Trips
from Sumner Falls of Hartland, Vermont to Bellows Falls, Vermont
This special 30 mile piece of the Connecticut River has a diverse fishery but is best known for its excellent smallmouth bass potential - with most fish averaging two pounds or better. Fly fishing or light spinning will catch and release its share of quality smallmouth bass for you. On occassion we also bring to net trophy rainbow or brown trout, northern pike and walleye. The scenery here is beautiful and the wildlife abundant, which includes mature bald eagles.
Learn More: Rates, Schedule & Menu
A Guide to Fishing the Connecticut River
Contents:
Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing
Smallmouth Bass Spinning
Spinning For Trout
A Few Recommended Lures and Plugs for Trout
Fly Fishing for Trout in Moving Water - Demystifying Emergers
Other Fly Fishing Options
Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing
Smallmouth Bass are a lot of fun to pursue, especially with a fly rod. They
are hard hitting, tenacious fighting and high jumping. A smallmouth bass
could tow an equal size trout at will. The area we fish for smallmouth is
below Wilder Dam to the Windsor-Cornish Bridge. The Connecticut River
portrays its diversity here by being able to support many fishable species.
There is a terrific insect population. Abundant crustaceans and bait fish provide an excellent forage base.
You'll occassionally find pockets of northern pike,
usually located near large vegetation patches, blow downs and structure with
dropoffs and slower water nearby. Walleye can be found around shoals and
islands with moderate current and dropoffs.
Trout (good sized) can be found in the faster water, (riffles, rapids and runs) springs, pools and in the area where tributaries enter.
And of course smallmouth bass. They are found throughout, preferring structure
such as rocks and boulders, blowdowns, points, banks, rip rap, shoals and
islands, shaded areas, vegetation and where shallow water drops into deeper
water.
Smallmouth are more opportunistic than trout so usually a few simple fly
patterns and techniques will offer success. Bass will be found in one of
three feeding modes.
1. Active
2. Neutral
3. Inactive
Active is when they will travel 15 to 50 feet in pursuit of food. A good time
for the surface such as cork poppers, hair bugs, dahlberg divers, mice imitations and
similar offerings. Use a weight forward or bass bug floating fly line in 6 to
8 weight and a 9 foot leader tapered to 1 - 2x.
Neutral is when they will travel 5 to 15 feet in pursuit of food. The surface
can offer some action at this time but usually more strikes will be below.
This depends upon your preference. Some folks would rather catch a few fish
on top during stingy surface action while others like to hook up as often as
possible, without any preference. Sometimes we will fish a floating line with
a clouser, wooly bugger or a zonker. At times we may add shot or go to a sink
tip. I'll use 4x thru 2x depending on conditions.
Inactive is when a bass will only move a short distance, 1-2 feet or less to
feed. You will need to crawl or bounce a nymph, crawfish or streamer right in
front of the fish to get a strike.
This is when we fish specific deeper water
locations and use shot with our sink tips or else slow crawl a nymph or
crawfish with a sinking line. We also fish larger stonefly nymphs and
crawfish imitations with an indicator for inactive fish.
When surface fishing for smallmouth it is very important to keep your rod low
and retrieve and add action to the fly with your line hand.
Upon receiving a strike, set the hook by pulling with your line hand. If
resistance is felt, quickly set the hook with the rod. Even if you feel good
resistance strike again after a few seconds. A smallie will quite often rush
the fisherman. It is very important that you use the control system while
quickly striping fly line to keep pressure on the fish.
This is another benefit of keeping a low rod and retrieving while adding action with the line
hand. You have plenty of room to set the hook with the rod and plenty of room
to maintain tension on the bass by lifting the rod in conjunction with
quickly stripping in line. If your rod is used to add action while retrieving
and a strike occurs while in a 10 to 12 o'clock position you have no place to
go to set the hook or maintain line resistance on the fish. Usually in this
scenario the bass will jump off.
A good place to start the day is to cast into the bank, especially bank with
a ledge, downed tree or plenty of rocks and boulders. If the fish are not
cooperating try the first drop off from the bank. Also during your time on
the river look for all the other areas previously mentioned in the first
paragraph about smallmouth.
Smallmouth Bass Spinning
1. Active feeding mode
a. Rebel - Pop-N-R 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz
b. Heddon - Tiny or Baby Torpedo
c. Zara Spook Puppy
d. Sluggo 4-6 inch
2. Neutral Feeding Mode
a. Floating Rapala size 5 - 11, most used 7 - 9
b. Sinking Rapala size 3 - 7, most used 5 - 7
c. Rebel Crawfish
d. Jensens Speed Trap
3. Inactive Feeding Mode
a. 2-4 inch jigs bounce of the bottom
b. 4-6 inch plastic worms crawled on the bottom
c. Sluggos - carolina rigged or texas rigged and crawled across the bottom
d. Gizzits - bounced or crawled across the bottom
e. Crankbaits reeled slowly while diging the bottom
Spinning for Trout
Try to concentrate on targets. Those areas a trout is most likely to be
holding. Try in front of or behind a current breaking obstruction such as a
boulder or log. Look for shade, or where darker water meets clearer water,
pockets, drop offs, cuts in the bank, downed trees, where tributaries enter,
seams near the faster currents and shoals and islands, etc. Allow your lure
or plug to swing through theses targets. Depth and control will best be
achieved by raising or lowering the rod as your offering is steered through
good fish holding structure. Reel in fast enough to gain the desired depth
while keeping the blades turning, spoon wobbling or good plug action
continuing. Concentrate on the drift but more importantly on the swing. Many
strikes occur through or at the end of this swing. This is when your offering
will begin to rise from the bottom due to increased current velocity. This
causes the spinner blades, spoon or plug to give off more vibration and fish
attracting action. Be ready. I use 4 - 8 lb line depending on conditions.
A Few Recommended Lures and Plugs for Trout
1. 1/16oz - 1/4 oz Spinners and Spoons
a. Mepps Aglia - gold or silver
b. Panther Martin
i. gold blade-black body-orange dots
ii. silver blade-yelow body-orange dots
c. Cleo Spoon - 1/8oz to 1/4 oz - gold
d. Al's Goldfish - 1/8oz to 1/4 oz - gold
2. Rapalas
a. Sinking Rapala, size 3 - size 9 - most used 5-7
b. Floating Rapala size 5 - size 11 most used 5-7
3.Small Crankbaits
a. Baitfish Imitation
b.Crawfish imitation
c. Insect Imitation
Fly Fishing for Trout in Moving Water - Demystifying Emergers
There are many different techniques and riggings in river fishing for trout.
Usually this depends upon what the trout are feeding on at that particular
moment, what level, (top, middle, or bottom) and the river conditions (low
water, high water, stained water, lightly stained water, perfect conditions,
etc). Trout will feed on many different food items such as sculpins, leeches,
dragons flies, damsel flies, dobson flies (helgramites), crane flies,
terrestials such as worms, beetles, ants and hoppers, bait fish, smaller
trout, mice and even baby birds, etc. However, the four food forms usually
utilized by river trout for food are Mayflies, Caddis flies, diptera (midges)
and stoneflies.
The ideal conditions upon arriving at your favorite stream are when trout are exposing themselves in good numbers while feeding on or near the surface. This usually means that there is a hatch underway. For the
best trout deceiving success you will need to offer them an impression of the
food item they are feeding on at that time. Most fishermen are aware of this
but may encounter frustration by not being able to hook up while fish are
showing all around them.
They are probably missing the boat by not
realizing that the trout may be taking a smaller insect than is visible to
the angler, a terrestial insect in the film or keyed upon a specific stage of
insect, mayfly, caddis or diptera, under or in the surface film. Trout will
develop a preference for a particular stage of an insect during a hatch,
especially on hard fished public water or long placid pools and flats. Allow
me to explain.
Most trout feeding during an emergence will focus on the stage
of insect which at that particular time offers the most food mass. This
feeding relates to OFT - Optimal Foraging Theory, which means all creatures
must consume more calories than the energy expended in capturing food items, or they will die. Trout have become, through repeated feedings,
masters on energy efficient feeding. They consider feeding on these changing
stages that have the most food mass at that time as being a safe, reliable
food source offering them the most calorie intake for the least energy
expended. It is more energy efficient for them to feed in this manner than
to move hither and fro consuming all food forms.
Lets follow the progression
of most emerging mayflies. They are first available to trout near the bottom
of the stream as a nymph. When ready to emerge they make their way to the
elastic-like miniscus called the surface film (Surface). (Many biologists
refer to an insect's difficulty in breaking through this surface film to
become airborne as similar to a human trying to push through six feet of
dirt. No simple task.) Then the insect begins to literally crawl out of the
back of its thorax. This stage is called the emerger.
The insect is very susceptible to the trout at this time. Huge quantities of
vulnerable insects during this stage can be efficiently sipped from the
surface film. If the insect gets wet it will prevent or delay successful
emergence. Because of this many do not make it and are consumed by trout as
cripples or stillborn. Isn't it ironic that after spending their entire lives
as an sub aquatic nymph their very existence and purpose upon emergence
depends on their not getting wet.
The next stage is the captive dun. This is
when the insect has emerged but may still be stuck to the nymphal shuck.
Usually they will twitch violently trying to free themselves. Another good
stage to imitate. Then the insect is finally rid of its shuck, wings are damp
and a low silhouette is present on the surface. This is called the
transitional dun.
When feeding on this and all of the preceding stages the
trout knows through prior experience that they have time and usually can
casually feed without fear of the insect flying away causing wasted energy.
Not so with the next stage. This stage is called the dun. This is when the insect is fully emerged, free of its shuck and high riding
on the surface with upright wings. This insect can fly away at any moment. I
am sure many of you have seen a trout expending energy on a fleeing escaping
insect which had become airborne. I believe a trout has a preference for all
the other stages but will break into the outside world beyond the surface to
take an insect if sufficient insect mass warrants it or if there is no hatch
or insects available. Individuals may feed on the occasional insect. Although
many of the smaller mayflies will emerge, molt and mate within an hour or two
most mayflies take 24 hours. This stage is called a spinner. Upon mating the
sought after females, with their high-calorie-content eggs, fall upon the
surface to deposit those eggs. Some will make their way down submerged logs,
rocks or even dive under in order to deposit them. These female spinners
offer another trout feeding opportunity. Many insects will begin hatching
sometime in April and continue through October and even into November. During
the course of a season these flies will offer the trout many surface feeding
opportunities with many different types of insects hatching at many different
times of the day.
Sometimes a trout will only accept a specific stage of insect near the
surface but usually an imitation of a floating nymph, emerger, captive dun,
transitional dun or high riding dun will save the day. I like to fish two
different stages at a time and let the trout tell me what they want. This
preference can change as the hatch progresses or another insect begins
hatching in greater numbers. That is what to me offers the greatest
challenge. If we could go out and fish for showing trout with the same fly
every time and receive a strike on every cast I believe we would soon find
another sport.
For a two fly rig I simply tie a 10 to 12 inch tippet to the bend of the
first fly. For smaller flies 16 to 24, I thread the first fly then tie on a
1 to 2 foot tippet. The knot will stop the fly from sliding beyond it. Now
tie on the second fly to the end of the tippet.
When fishing on or near the surface I generally use 3x for size 6 to 8, 4x
10 to 12, 5x 14 to 16, 6x 18 to 20, 7x 22 to 24.
Emerger Stages & Suggested Flies to Match
- 1. Nymph
- Fished on the bottom or rising to the surface
- 2. Floating nymph
- No weight, mole fur or cdc added to
thorax region
Fished just under or in the
surface film
- 3. Emerger
- Soft Hackle or CDC emerger
- 4. Captive Dun
- Compara Dun with an z-lon or antron
shuck,
light, med or dark dun cdc or elk can be used for wing
- A parachutte style fly with an antron or z-lon shuck is
a good option
- 5. Transitional Dun
- Compara dun - light, med or dark dun
cdc or elk can be
used for wing
- A parachutte style fly is a good option
- 6. Dun
- Classic catskill tie with cock
hackle tail and hackle.
Wood duck wings for most ties. Hackle can be clipped
below the body to present a
flush in the film imitation
similar to a Transitional dun
Other Fly Fishing Options
There will be times there is little or no surface activity. If you are on a
good trout stream there are options.
1. Nymph
2. Streamer
3. Attractor Flies - Wulff, Stimulator, Humpy, Parachutte Adams
Nymphs:
You can fish one or two nymphs either with or without a strike indicator on a floating fly line.
When rigging an indicator (small bobber) or fishing any nymph I try to use as
little lead free split shot as needed to accomplish sinking the fly to the
desired depth. The shot is placed 10 to 12 inches above the nymph. Place your
indicator 1 1/2 times the water depth above the shot. As the depth changes
you must adjust your indicator. A drag free drift is desired. To accomplish
this use rod and line manipulations. Many times little or no fly line will be
touching the water. As the nymph hits the water your rod should be low and
pointing towards that area. Gradually lift the rod and retrieve line, while
following with the speed of the current until held high overhead as the
offering drifts in front of your position. Now lower the rod, slowly pivot
your body towards downstream and follow the fly as it passes. Reach a little
at the end, allowing a few extra drag free feet. When not using an indicator
I still place the shot 10 to 12 inches above my fly. If you are concentrating
on fishing the swing with a nymph the shot should be placed 2 to 3 feet above
the fly, for a more natural swing.
For fishing nymphs I will use from 6x to 3x depending on conditions. For a
size 18 to 20 nymph 6x. 14 to 16 5x. 8 to12 4x. 2 - 6 3x
Streamer:
A streamer can be fished with a floating line with or without shot, depending
on the depth desired. Many folks use a very fast sinking sink tip fly line
with a short leader, seldom over 6 feet in length. A longer leader will allow
the fly to buoy upward and negate the effectiveness of the sink tip. One of
many techniques I use is to hold position in my drift boat above a good run I
know to hold good numbers of fish. My guests will make casts to the
bank, add a few mends for depth and then allow the streamer to swing through
productive water slightly downstream. I will slowly work my way downstream
with the boat allowing my guests to swing their streamer through new water
until we start hitting fish. Then we will hammer them. It is also important to
let your streamer hold for a while at the end of the swing. It may help to
suggest my companions hold a couple of strips of line in their line hand and
release it as their swing starts. This will soften the swinging fly which can
bring strikes.
Hand twitching the line or rod during the swing can also at times be the
triggering factor. Another good technique when using streamers is to cast
towards shore as the boat is drifting, make 5 or 6 strips and then recast.
You can cover a lot of water this way while giving aggressive trout an
opportunity to take the streamer. Through slow moving pools and flats the person in the rear of the boat has the
option of casting to the bank while allowing the streamer to swing
behind the boat. Another effective technique is to fish your streamer like a
nymph, with shot, through runs and rapids.
When fishing streamers I use from 4x to 2x. In stained water I will go to 2x.
During low clear water 4x. I use 3x for most other conditions.
River Excitement
P.O. Box 65 * Hartland Four Corners, VT 05049
802-457-4021 * JMarshall@RiverExcitement.com
© 2002-2010, John Marshall and River Excitement.
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Lodging Near the Fishing Trips
Fishing License Requirement
The Connecticut River is owned by New Hampshire; therefore a New Hampshire
fishing license is needed to fish the Connecticut River for all guests. One exception: A Vermont resident may legally fish the Connecticut River, between Vermont and New Hampshire, with a Vermont fishing License. Fishing licenses may be obtained at Hanover Outdoors in Hanover, N.H. or New Hampshire fish and game Web site. New Hampshire fishing licenses may also be purchased at K-Mart or Wal-Mart in West Lebanon, N.H.
Other Great Resources
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