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The Best Fly Fishing Rivers in New England
by Eric Halloran
If you delight in matching wits with the wily trout, you
are in for a treat in New England. The climate is
perfect for cold water fishing year round! Here are my
recommendations for rivers. You should be able to find
something here within striking range (2 hour drive) of
the larger population centers:
Housatonic River: Located in south western Massachusetts
and western Connecticut, this is a powerful, broad and
scenic thoroughfare for BIG brown trout, that rivals
some of the most famous western US fly fishing
destinations. Recent flow regulations promise to enhance
the bug life and thus the fishery even more. There is
already a great hatch of eastern mayflies and caddis but
the biggest browns are meat eaters so tie up some
streamers. Check out Housatonic Outfitters in West
Cornwall for tackle and tips when you arrive. In the
middle of summer the river temps rise to the point that
the trout fishing shuts down for a few weeks. But
small-mouth bass can be plenty of fun at this time.
Advisory: the river bottom is contaminated with PCBs so
don't plan to eat the trout. Bring a camera and be
prepared to pose with a trophy brown or rainbow before
releasing it (I promise you, no one will need to remind
you to smile).
Farmington River: Just an hour east of the Housatonic in
Connecticut is the Farmington River - another great
destination for the New York fisher folk, about equally
distant from Boston and a scant 20 miles away from
Hartford. This river is narrower than the Housatonic,
but because most of the water comes from a reservoir, it
runs at ideal temperatures for trout year round. The
insect hatches are incredible and as a result the trout
are "looking up" all year. Dry fly fishermen (and women)
are successful every month of the year. The Farmington
has a reputation and most weekends popular spots like
the Church Pool are downright crowded (despite the
expanse of fishable water in that spot). Weekdays are
more reasonable and anglers new to the river can easily
discover pull-offs and paths to favorite spots, just by
driving along the river.
Deerfield River: Western MA has plenty of small fishable
rivers, but the jewel in the crown is the Deerfield
River. The river has been given a bad rap the past few
years because the flows are inconsistent and, indeed,
recreational paddlers of the raft and kayak variety rely
on "flush and gush" releases of water from the Fife
Brook Dam for their thrills. Here's a tip: The dam
releases generally take place in the middle of the day
and we know the best times for fishing (at least in the
Spring, Summer, and Fall) are early morning, and late
afternoon into night. The lower sections of the
Deerfield hold plenty of trout and are affected less by
the variations in flow. Hit the catch and release
sections on the upper section of the river during the
margins of the day and head down stream during the
middle part of the day.
Battenkill River: This is a heritage destination river
for the sentimentalists among you located in
southwestern Vermont. Beautiful wild browns can be
brought to hand there and be sure to take in the Fly
Fishing Museum near Manchester.
Here are some locations that are considerably more
remote but well worth consideration if you have the
time:
Connecticut Lakes: Way up in the "Northern Kingdom" area
of Vermont and New Hampshire is a series of lakes and
rivers which are the source of the mighty Connecticut
River and some fantastic fishing for huge Rainbows and
Browns. Driver alert: Watch out for moose.
The shad run on the Connecticut River through its
namesake state and Massachusetts can provide plenty of
sport on what some people refer to as freshwater tarpon.
Striped Bass enter the river and if you are so-inclined
please do partake - if you happen to distract some
stripers, you just might be assisting the return of the
Atlantic Salmon to the Connecticut River tributaries.
Rangeley Lakes: Maine is fabled for beautiful brook
trout. The Kennebago River is the most popular of the
rivers in the Rangeley Lakes area but don't hesitate to
explore the myriad streams chock full of char if you
have an adventurous streak.
New England is rich in fly fishing opportunities - Spend
a few days and you will not be disappointed!
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