The Upper Connecticut is a beautiful river, starting at 4th Connecticut Lake, which borders Canada, to the 3rd Connecticut Lake, 2nd Connecticut Lake, 1st Connecticut Lake and then to Lake Francis. Great Trout and Landlock salmon fishing can be experienced by wading anglers between these lakes, with the best potential between 2nd and 1st and 1st and Lake Francis. The water usually remains cool through out the season. Access is good but you should be prepared to do some walking and careful wading. The character is mostly beautiful, classic, pocket water with just the right mix of pools. Good size trout along with landlocked salmon are here with plenty of insects, especially stone flies.

The Upper C. has very cold water releases which occur 60 feet down at the base of Murphy Dam, on Lake Francis. These releases are the reason such a terrific trout fishery exists for the next 35 miles. You can wade most of the river from Murphy Dam to the bridge at West Stewartstown. Beginnning at the bridge separating Caanan, Vermont from West Stewartstown, NH, you will find that for the next 25 miles the river becomes navigatable by canoe or drift boat. Starting here I offer three different float trips with each having a different character. The first is from West Stewartstown to Colebrook and covers about 12 miles. The second float begins in Colebrook and continues for about 8 miles. The 3rd flows mostly through riffled water for 8 miles to the North Stratford Bridge.