MAKE YOUR GIFTING EASIER THIS SEASON WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR EXPERT STAFF. HERE WE'VE COLLECTED SOME OF OUR BEST PICKS FOR ANY TYPE OF ANGLER THAT MIGHT BE ON YOUR LIST THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
"Blew out my boots right before an out of town trip and my local shops didn't have what I was looking for. Found The Compleat Angler through the manufacturer and called the shop. Awesome friendly service, and two days later my new boots were at my doorstep. Couldn't be happier. Thanks so much."
Brian Cline
"The Best of the Best"
"I’ve been to hundreds of fly shops. When it comes to knowledge, service and product The Compleat Angler is the best of the best. Amazing group of staff, all passionate about the sport and willing to help with everything from tying, trips, gear, fishing spots, everything."
Hunter Huebsch
"The most knowledgeable staff I have come across"
"This is the greatest fly shop around! They had everything I was looking for and they even ordered me something I was looking for and got in a week! Great staff, atmosphere, and selection, especially if you want the best or hard-to-find in the industry. This shop has the most knowledgeable staff I have come across. Prices are very good as well. Great experience all around."
Jennifer Schafer
"Genuinely interested in where I fished and what I caught"
A great new store and staff with a LOT of gear. They are genuinely interested in where I fished and what I caught. A minimum of three guys are working all the time- usually Scott the owner, Bob, and Forrest. They provide personal assistance and unlimited time and attention every time I am there. Forrest and Scott (the owner) provide intel on the local waters and will sit with me at their desks and pull up Google earth to map out the best fishing spots. What a great resource less than 15 minutes from my home.
Gregg J
"They Earned A Customer For Life"
Top notch customer service. My husband asked for a set of Simms waders like I got last year for our first wedding anniversary. I had the hardest time finding his size. I found it through Compleat Angler but unfortunately sold out before my order was completed. Scott called me and told me he was sending me this years versions instead. A big company would have just cancelled my order. There really is something to be said for shopping at small business. They earned a customer for life. He got to use his waders today and he’s beyond thrilled. Can’t recommend enough.
We're a local shop, not a big box store or warehouse. If you see it here on our site, we carry it in the shop (we also don't do backorders). We ship orders daily so you'll get them in a timely fashion.
Hello Compleat Anglers Friends, we have improved flows on most of our Connecticut rivers compared to last week, and all our options (besides the Housatonic) are easy to wade. With the colder water and air temperatures, this means your most productive methods are going to be nymphing and streamer fishing. However, you still may encounter some Blue Winged Olive and Midge hatches during the warmer afternoons. Anglers are still finding nice holdovers from Spring stocking with a mix of more recent Fall stocked fish. On the Salmon River in New York, reports are slow at the lower end of the river, with some anglers finding a fish or two in the DSR, while upriver there is a greater concentration of Steelhead. On the tributaries anglers are finding some good Brown Trout fishing. Our saltwater bite has slowed, as the bulk of the migratory Stripers hit the New Jersey coastline in pursuit of Peanut Bunker near the beaches. Our best options now are the resident Stripers that are staged at the mouth of the Housatonic River in preparation for wintering over. We hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Read on for more…
Hello Compleat Angler friends. Our local options have received the brunt of this week’s storm, and most of our rivers are going to be high and stained. When the water clarity improves, look to fish streamers during the dropping flows, as Brown Trout are approaching the end of their spawn and are looking for calories in preparation for Winter. The best options for freshwater fishing in the near future are some easier wading sections of the Housatonic and the Farmington. For our saltwater anglers, every day has been different as Stripers are migrating to the mouths of rivers and down the coast. Currently the bulk of the migration is located along the South Shore of Long Island and into New Jersey, however there are still resident fish to be had in Connecticut. Look to target the mouths of rivers and coves, and you may encounter Schoolies blitzing on Peanut Bunker around 3” in length. For our wade anglers, walking the beaches looking for birds/bait, and fishing the mouth of the Housatonic on the high outgoing tide is recommended. On the Salmon River in New York, most of the action is happening upriver, with some anglers finding single digit numbers in the lower sections of the river. Overall Steelhead have been trickling into the system with the occasional Brown Trout being landed. Read on for more…
Hello Compleat Angler friends! Our freshwater anglers have reported some good fishing on the Farmington this week, and flows are average which is making for good clarity and wading. Because our local streams and rivers are lower than average, fish will be podded up in the deeper sections. Brown trout and Brook trout are both spawning so it is worth bringing egg patterns no matter where you’re planning to fish this weekend. Trout will eagerly be waiting for eggs to dislodge and drift downstream from their Redds. Please be cautious when wading to avoid stepping on these Redds (spawning beds) or disturbing paired up fish. In addition, the streamer bite continues to be hot. On the saltwater side, there are still Stripers to be found in the coves and mouths of rivers, and there are still a ton of Peanut Bunker around in the 3-5” range. High to outgoing tide has been the most consistent for finding blitzing fish, as these Peanut Bunker get pushed downriver. The Housatonic has also started to see an improvement as Stripers are beginning to push upriver to winter over. Most of the large migratory Striper fishing is happening from Fire Island to New Jersey, and there have been impressive size and numbers of fish on the beachfronts. On the Salmon River in New York, there has been an uptick in Steelhead activity thanks to an increase in flows, and angers are finding fish spread throughout the entire river. There have been some impressive Brown trout caught in the tributaries, and Steelhead are starting to make a push into these locations as well. Read on for more…