There are some real exciting happenings taking place on the Farmington River these days. Wild brook trout seem to be doing very well in this river. Years ago when I first started fishing this river a brook trout was a stocked fish that did not look like a brook trout. It seemed like the focus was to establish a brown trout fishery and it has been very successful. Their are countless catches of big wild browns taken from this river. But in the last few years there have been wild brookies mixed in. With several feeder brooks to the Farmy, as well as the river itself these Connecticut natives have been doing well.
Wild brook trout can tell you so much about the quality of a watershed. They are the so called "Canary in the Coal Mine"
Yesterday Kirk and I fished the Farmy and here are a few wild natives encountered. Again they were feeding on some small fly, and we didn't have the proper match. I managed to fool a few with a soft hackle, and a Adams parachute.
I have been going through my fly boxes looking for some small flies.
A healthy scrappy brook trout.
Although not the "Rapid" the Farmington has the potential.
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Fantastic, that is good news for the river.
ReplyDeleteLQN,
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What a plus for sure.
It's good to see them in larger waters again. It's tough to find them in anything but the small streams in these parts.
ReplyDeleteBill,
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That's how it is here for the most part. Wild brookies pushed into the smaller waters.
If they can take hold in the Farmy....WOW.
Great news about the Farmy. The small tailwater I fished Sunday afternoon near me is in good health. Not having a drought like we've had in some years has really helped. Water was ice cold & full of young trout.
ReplyDeleteApache Trout,
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It truly is John. I've been thinking about making a run to that stream.
I'm glad you were able to get some time to fish.
great to see things going well!
ReplyDeleteTexWisGirl,
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You, me and whole lot of anglers say the same.
Last year I began catching more of them, nice to hear that their numbers are growing still. Hopefully, I can back to fishing soon!
ReplyDeleteMark,
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Several years ago far below New Hartford I started taking some very small brookies. I knew then that something nice was about to take place. Lets hope they hang on.
Hey Alan. Looks like the Brookies are doing just fine to me. A couple years and who knows.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz,
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They are in good shape, and if things remain to their liking maybe a 14-15 inch wild fish will come to hand.
That is exciting news. So happy to hear that the waters of the Farmy are doing so well. Bigger waters mean bigger trout for you to catch!
ReplyDeletepenbayman,
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It's a great feeling Mike.
As one who purposely avoid brookies for reasons I don't want to discuss, you've made me a believer. I've heard so many fantastic stories about the Farmington that I feel like I need to go there.
ReplyDeleteHoward,
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It's a wonderful river Howard.
I could feel your excited just reading this post.. Good news glad to hear...
ReplyDeleteRich60375,
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You can bet on my excitement.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI hope the brook trout really get established there and you guys continue to land more. Out tailrace is experimenting with stocking brook in the future in hopes they spawn. I feel the Farmington has a better chance of brook reproduction than our tailrace. thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell,
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I think they will do OK, only man can screw it up now.
The brookies have some good feeder streams which they can spawn in, and that's a plus.
It's always welcome to hear that brookie populations are on the rise and not the opposite. I lament the fact that they don't exist in numbers similar to precolonial days.
ReplyDeleteKiwi,
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If we give them cold clean water and access to food they will do very well.
I can visualize those times when the brook trout was king.
To add to Alan's story, it used to be I would look for them in isolated pockets and runs. They'd generally be in those same places every year. They're still in those spots, but now I have been finding them spread out all over the river, from Riverton down to Collinsville. Smaller fish (5-7 inches) with an occasional brute of 8-12 in the mix. All gloriously colored.
ReplyDeleteBeen catching many smaller wild browns as well. The best part of this is that all these fish made it through the warm trickle that was the Farmington last August. Once again, nature finds a way.
steveculton,
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Good points Steve. Here's hoping that a few more of those brutes find there way into our nets.
Your blog is top-notch and thank you.
ReplyDeleteIn high-water years like this one, more brookies than usual show up in the summer mix. The brookies are always there, but the high water flushes them from their home tributaries. I don't think there are more or less brook trout than usual, but they are always great to see. Glad you are getting them.
Alain,
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You have a very good point. Never gave that much thought.
Lets hope things continue on the good.