Northeast Fishing Report: 12/1/2023

Northeast Fishing Report: 12/1/2023

December 01, 2023 10 min read

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…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 11/24/2023

Northeast Fishing Report: 11/24/2023

November 24, 2023 12 min read

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…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 11/17/2023

Northeast Fishing Report: 11/17/2023

November 17, 2023 12 min read

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…
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