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Northeast Fishing Report 2/27/26
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Let me begin this newsletter with an apology. Last week, I might've underplayed Sunday's forecast. In fact, I believe the exact words I chose were "we might get a snow shower or two". Mea Culpa. In my defense, it was calling for 3-5 inches on Friday afternoon when I wrote that report, so if anything, blame the stuffed shirts at Weather.com.
Anyway, onward and upward! The weather this weekend looks downright stunning, with warm winds, sunshine, and limited chances for a freak blizzard. We know people have been scoring locally in the Mianus, Swift River in MA, and other CT freestones. Hatches are starting to heat up as the temperature rises, so keep those dry flies handy come dusk and dawn.
If you can't wait for the rivers to be stocked, ponds and lakes across the state have been getting their first round of trout. These fish will often cling close to shore in their first few weeks, so now is the time to target them from the beaches on a fly setup.
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows are up from the recent meltwater entering the system, which should give some energy to any trout wintering over in the local rivers. Be cautious with the increased water levels, as loose ice is prevalent. The Saugatuck is currently flowing at 37.8 CFS. We recommend using nymphs or heavier streamers to target deep water where trout might be hiding. Consider white, purple, olive, black, and brown. Basically any color that will help stand out. Jigging streamers near the bottom is an effective tactic when targeting larger, lethargic trout. A dry/dropper rig is also an effective searching technique when fishing low water events. Having a double nymph rig will give trout options in size and pattern, as well as improve your sink rate when using nymphs with bead heads.
Dry Fly Hatches:
Nymphs:
General Mayfly Attractor 14-18
Streamers:
Krystal Bugger (Black, Chartreuse, Brown, Olive, White, Burnt Orange) 6-12
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck is way up, currently flowing at 297 CFS. Again, be cautious, as the river was recently heavily ice affected. Atlantic Salmon and trout are still in the river, so a variety of streamers will work, from Woolly Buggers to more traditional Atlantic Salmon Flies. Try swinging your fly through the pools, and sometimes varying your presentation, such as stripping your fly, will entice a grab. You may also find some trout, and similar bug activity to our local rivers and streams report. Nymphing will be effective when there is no hatch activity. The Shetucket River was also stocked with Atlantic Salmon and Trout this Fall.
Farmington River
The river is mostly fishable from the dam down through New Hartford, although the heavy snow did create some slush and shelf ice. I’d expect it to melt out this week with the sun and above freezing temps. Fishing lately has been a grind, you have to work hard to get a bite. Be patient, as you need to hit a bite window when the trout decide to feed, and it’s not 100% predictable. It can last 45 minutes, or can go for 2-3 hours when it happens. Pick likely looking water and fish it thoroughly, slow & deep with nymphs and streamers. Trout won’t move far to eat in icy water, so make lots of casts in the higher percentage spots, and set the hook on anything suspicious. Strikes are usually very subtle in the Winter. Despite tough fishing, the average size has been large, as in 16-19”, with a few fish 20-22” landed recently. Winter Caddis hatches are ramping up lately, and some fish have been surface feeding on them in the mornings. Hope for rising trout, but expect to fish subsurface.
Dry Fly Hatches:
Nymphs:
General Mayfly Attractor 14-18
Streamers:
Krystal Bugger (Black, Brown, Olive, White, Burnt Orange) 6-12
Larger Articulated Streamers on a sinking/sink tip line
Housatonic River
Flows on the Housatonic River are up, with the Falls Village Gauge reading 548 CFS. There has been an increase in hatches, small dark stoneflies and the like, so pack your fly box accordingly. Ice and slushy banks are a guarantee with the recent snow, so we suggest using a wading staff, wader belt, and wear studs if walking slick access trails. There are increased midge hatches on the warmer days, typically starting midday and going until early evening. The river is reported to be generally clear to stained depending on releases. When clear, fish are sensitive, so aim for small tippets (4–6X for midges).Trout have been stocked on two occasions this Fall and are now acclimated and keyed in on the natural forage. Since water temperatures have cooled, they will be more lethargic and holding in the deeper and slower sections. Mop Flies, Squirmy Worms, egg flies, and a variety of streamers will be effective; however, you will want to bring smaller and more imitative nymphs as well. More educated and larger holdover trout that have been in the system longer are keying in these smaller insects.
Dry Fly Hatches:
Nymphs:
General Mayfly Attractor 14-18
Streamers:
Krystal Bugger (Black, Brown, Olive, White, Burnt Orange) 6-12
Larger Articulated Streamers on a sinking/sink tip line
New York
Salmon River
The current dam release is at 300 CFS, but the the flow was increased to 750cfs until 11:59pm on 02/25/2026. This week's angler density was moderate, and success varied from excellent to poor. Steelhead and a good number of Brown Trout were landed. Anglers were primarily concentrated in the middle of the run, with a few anglers fishing towards the upper end. Blue egg sacks produced best, followed by pink worms a distant second. For Steelhead, we recommend using a 9’ 3x tapered leader with split shot rigged above a micro swivel to avoid having your split shot slide down to your fly. For flies, more aggressive fish in the lower sections will grab different colored intruders such as Pink, Blue, Black, Purple, and Chartreuse swung on single and two-hand rods. Egg sucking leeches, Woolly Buggers, Glo Bugs, Squirmy Worms, Stoneflies, and Estaz Eggs in a variety of colors will work well throughout the whole river.