Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We had a wonderful time with all who attended last Saturday’s Spring Slam. The music was rockin’, the beer flowin’, and the vibes were high! With that out of the way, we are excited to get everyone outfitted for the arrival of May, which historically brings fantastic fishing to the region.

We have had folks in the shop all week showing off photos from local trips. Whether it's striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, or trout, everything is biting. The weather has been a bit cooler than we would hope for this time of year, but the ample cloud cover and rain is a godsend for our pressured native trout and migratory striped bass, which thrive on overcast days. The increased flows should also help spread more stocked trout throughout recently stocked river systems, as well as kick off better hatches once the temps rise in the coming weeks.  

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Hello Compleat Angler Friends! This week has felt like proper spring. Warm days followed by cold days followed by wind and rain and water. It’s all over the map, but thankfully, the fish are still up and moving around. Stocking activity remains high across the state, with local waterways getting another slug of fresh fish, as well as rivers to our north like the Housatonic, Farmington, Naugatuck, and Salmon rivers. A variety of hatches have been taking place, with small stoneflies and caddis taking the cake. We are starting to see more BWO’s, Hendricksons, both male and female, as well as Apple Caddis and Blue Quills. With rain scheduled for Saturday, things might get a bit murky on Sunday, but we need the water as levels are low across the state.

Saltwater fishing is finally starting to heat up. The mouth of the Housatonic has been producing a solid bite. The fish are taking closures on outgoing tides, but we still haven’t heard anything about fresh fish just yet, although I am sure a few are already here. With this weeks warm weather and an approaching full moon on May 1, things should open up very soon. 

If you don’t want to get wet on Saturday, join us at the shop on April 25th, for our Spring Slam! We will have food, music, vendor sales, and games. 

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Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We hope you have been taking advantage of the warm weather this week. Stocked and native trout are taking a variety of offerings across the state, from black stoneflies and hendricksons, to wooly buggers and nymphs. With conditions drier than usual, many of these trout are hunkered beneath bridges, in deep pools, and rocky cuts. Targeting them in lower light has been the key, and some fish are starting to eat on top with increased hatch activity. On the saltwater front, I imagine we are only days away from hearing about fresh striped bass in the Sound, but some anglers have already tried their luck with holdovers in salt ponds, estuaries, and local river mouths. The weather this weekend will bring back more seasonally appropriate temperatures, and hopefully some rain, but that shouldn’t impact any trips you have planned. 

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