On our trip to visit my brother and his wife in Simsbury, Connecticut, last week I was treated to a couple of trips to the nearby Farmington River to try my hand at fly fishing for trout . The Farmington is one of the most popular trout streams along the East Coast. It is fed by water from a small water reservoir above where the Farmington joins the Connecticut River. Some of the best stretches of the river are reserved for catch-and-release fishing and in others keeping the fish is allowed.

Connecticut has done a great job of making the most out of its environment. If you weren't aware that residential communities were nearby you might think you were in a remote area in the Rockies. The river is stocked with thousands of mature trout each year. There are enough trophy fish in the river to keep everybody interested. Catching a trout as long as 30 inches is unusual but not unheard of.

We we fished two days and didn't find the big ones or even very many little ones, but the fishing was nevertheless enjoyable.

Waders are necessary because the water temperature is around 59 degrees. We tried several flies and had the best luck with the Caddis which my brother ties himself. (This will be the topic of a subsequent hub.)