Franconia Notch State Park offers one of New Hampshire's most scenic drives, according to outdoor columnist George Liset. On a recent trip to Pittsburg, Liset and his son Reed fished the Connecticut River Trophy Stretch and surrounding waters, adapting to high-water conditions reported by the Lopstick Lodge.
With four fly rods and six reel setups, the pair prepared for varied river conditions. Reed opted for a dedicated nymphing rod, a departure from his usual dry-fly preference. Nymphing, which presents flies below the surface, is highly effective since trout feed underwater about 90 percent of the time, Liset noted. The technique involves tight-line nymphing with a long rod, dropping two bead-head nymphs spaced on the tippet, and adding weight to get flies to the bottom without snagging.
Fishing below the First Connecticut Lake Dam, Liset caught a 14-inch brook trout on a green Hornburg fly, while Reed landed a rainbow trout using a dry-dropper setup. After a brief thunderstorm passed, they moved downstream to deeper, faster water. Reed's nymphing rig proved productive, while Liset switched to a slower seam and caught additional fish.
The day ended with dinner at the Buck Rub Pub, where Reed joked about needing a new nymphing rod, to which Liset replied he would gladly take Reed's dry-fly rod.
Originally reported by InDepthNH.
Photo: David Kanigan via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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