The Connecticut River ‘Trophy Stretch’ in Pittsburg, NH

TL;DR: Best flies and spots. One of the prettiest rivers in all of New England.

 

The Connecticut River “Trophy Stretch” is in Pittsburg, NH, and has a special grip on my heart. As a complete rookie, that is where I started fly fishing. It also is where I have taught fly fishing to all of my children. I tend to have many, many double-digit days there.

So, there are many great memories.

The fishing for rainbows and brook trout can be outstanding. And, if everything lines up, there are landlocked Atlantic Salmon there, too. A tailwater with bottom-released dam water, it offers great fishing conditions. And, it is fly-fishing only at The Stretch.

This is a region that really relies on visitors for its economy. The people are kind, and I want to do everything I can to support them.
 

BEFORE YOU GO
Check out our prior blog posts. As you know, we are very transparent about what works. We want you to succeed and feel the same joy that we do when it at times all comes together!

Read the Tall Timber fishing blog and watch the Lopstick Lodge river report videos.

 

Look at the the map here from Tall Timber to familiarize yourself with the river. This is the area that is below the First Connecticut Lake dam and is called the “Trophy Stretch.”

I love fishing up there in late June, early July and early October (the season is January 1 to October 15, FYI). But, I’d fish it any time. That’s the beauty of a tailwater.
 

BEST SPOTS
I really like the pocket water that is all over the river. It’s great for Euro-style nymphing and dry-dropper set-ups.

I’ve fished all over the river, including below other dams (there are three in all), but I find the Trophy Stretch to be the most consistent producer, and, so, my recommendations cover that water.

Dam Pools
This requires tricky wading, as you are getting close to the dam’s release, and the boulders are numerous and slippery. But, there are some extremely good fish there because few people wade up. I nearly always get a good-sized Atlantic salmon in one of the runs. Euronymph this area, or throw a heavy streamer. The water is turbulent and indicator nymphing will be very tough

The Corner Pool
This is a beautiful stretch that fishes best when the flows are over 250 cfs. If the water is low, throwing a heavy nymph rig and a big strike indicator will spook fish. So, approach the fish from below, crouch down and throw a dry-dropper or tightline with light nymphs. There are two seams here to work, and the morning Caddis hatch can be robust.

Judge’s and Jury Box
These are two pools that are adjacent to one another. This is a great spot for kids and the elderly. It gets pounded a great deal, but I’ve found the key is to throw small flies, especially as the season wears on and the fish become conditioned. Before or during a hatch, throwing small wet flies is very productive.

 

Ledge Pool
This is a fun one. There’s is a good-sized waterfall and the fish are at the bottom of the pool’s tail, hugging the bottom. There are some huge fish here and the trick is to throw heavy flies and be prepared to lose many.

Bridge Pool, Junction Pool and Doc’s Pool
These three areas get a ton of pressure. Wading is easy and well-worn dirt trails easily point the way. Because of the crowds, I tend not to fish these spots. I’ve done well at them, but, IMO, these are great spots to leave for newer anglers, those afraid of slipping while wading, and for children. If you go, get there at or before dawn. There are some long glides at Junction and Doc’s that are perfect for streamers. Make sure your flies are deep, and don’t be afraid to lose them. The fish are there, and some are quite big.

Other spots
There are other spots that I’ve fished, but not that often, and so, I’m not an expert. But, I would definitely take a look at the water between First Lake and Second Lake. That area is loaded with wild fish and is C&R-only. Note, though, that the Second Connecticut Lake dam features top-released water. So, if the weather is hot and the dam is full, the water coming down will be warm.

Also, don’t forget to fish the area below the Lake Francis dam, where some monster browns live. Here is a photo of one of the Lopstick guides with a piggy.

Bait get caught in the dam turbines and become easy “dazed and confused” prey. So, in that stretch, many anglers float a Chuck Degray soft-hackle streamer.

In addition, there are many other spots. It is worth exploring on your own. There are other areas that fish incredibly well, too, but because locals have shared them with me, I keep those to myself. Their secrets are not mine to divulge, and I hope you understand.

 

BEST FLIES
Nymphing really produces at the Trophy Stretch. I personally have experienced that a majority of takes occurs when my flies swing up at a drift’s end.

My anchor nymphs are usually size 14 or smaller. If I am fishing something truly deep, like Ledge Pool, my anchor will be a Mini-Woolly Bugger or a Tim Flagler Pat’s Legs. Both are tied on jig hooks, which definitely reduce the number of snags.

For dropper flies, I tend to fish them in sizes 20 and 22. By mid-summer, the fish have seen everything, and small flies produce much better for me.

My usual go-to nymphs include:

  • Pheasant Tail or its variants, such as the Frenchie. The Pheasant Tail mimics swimmer nymphs, such as Baetis
  • Walt’s Worm or Sexy Walt’s. These are quickie versions of a Hare’s Ear for me. Bulky and buggy-looking nymphs mimic clinger nymphs
  • Midges. Midge larvae and pupae are nearly always in the drift. Just as at other tailwaters, such as the Farmington and Swift, midges are key at the Stretch
  • My favorite Caddis Emerger. Given the proliferation of Caddis, some type of fly to mimic them sub-surface is a must-have

For dries, I have on-hand the X-Caddis in a size 20 and small Charlie Craven Parachute Adams flies. I have done well also with regular Elk Hair Caddis dries, particularly when the water is fast or choppy.

I’m not much of a streamer guy, but, a soft-hackle streamer landed for me a 18″ brookie as a fly-fishing rookie.

 

Have fun at the river. It truly is an amazing place!

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Thank you and tight lines!

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27 thoughts on “The Connecticut River ‘Trophy Stretch’ in Pittsburg, NH

  1. Great informative post! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Someday in Groveton NH I will keep heading North instead of Northeast to the Rangeley area!

  2. Jo, thank you for this comprehensive post on the trophy section. I am longing to get back up there and give it another go (some real nice salmon and trout in there). Tough going but well worth it!

  3. Nice post! I have only fished in Pittsburg one time, and fumbled around the trophy section by myself. Had a lot of fun and did well there. One fish tore through shallow water to take a retrieved nymph and I’ll never forget it. Good to know some of the names of the spots. I fished up near the dam, and what I now know was the ledge pool.

  4. Great post! How does this river fish in the fall (say, mid Sept. through Oct. 15) compared to the summer months? I would imagine it gets a run of spawning salmon up from the lakes, flight have to make a trip up at some point!

    1. Fished it only once in autumn, and it was phenomenal: fewer people, salmon in the river and plenty of trout!

      1. Fished it for the first time last June; the first week. Going back first week of June again with a buddy, awesome beautiful area loaded with fish

  5. Going there on the 5th of June for the week. Awesome post, lots of great information. I will look at the other blogs. Thank you.

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