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Northeast Fishing Report 3/13/26
Hello Compleat Angler friends! Was that a nice taste of spring orwhat? It hit 70º here at the shop, and I even ate lunch outside on Monday and Tuesday. With the nicer weather and the sunshine, people have been hitting the shop in droves to pick up materials and flies for the river, and we have heard some whispers about the usual hot spots—the Farmington, the Mianus, etc.
While we are going to temporarily slide back into the cold and gloomy weather, the increase in water levels and air temperature will have fish putting on the feedbag, especially as hatches start to pop-off
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows are up on our local Connecticut freestones. The Saugatuck River is at 289 CFS, and was recently stocked in the fly fishing only section. With higher, turbid water, we recommend using Nymphs or heavier streamers to target pools, seams, or current breaks where trout might be hiding. Consider white, purple, olive, black, and brown. Basically any color that will help stand out. Freshly stocked trout will be skittish as they settle into the river, so giving them a day or two to acclimate might be worth your while. Remember, these fish have been pellet fed for most of their lives, so they won’t be as keyed into the local forage. Opting for flashy or bright colors is the way to go. Jigging streamers is effective when trying to tempt larger, lethargic trout to bite. I am in the camp that believes larger fish will make a calculated risk for a calorically richer meal than smaller fare, but that’s just me. 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 surging at 3190 CFS. Although it has yet to be stocked, any hold over trout in the river will be on the move and ready to eat thanks to the water and warmer temperatures. Stained, fast moving water will push trout towards structure, so target anything that interrupts current or large boulders along the bottom. Think heavy streamers, nymph rigs, or for the brave, big articulated flies. Atlantic Salmon can prove difficult to find but are still in the river. 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. 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
River flows have noticeably increased due to snowmelt since Saturday, and the Still River USGS flow gauge is finally thawed out and reading again. The total flow in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release is medium-high at 631cfs (normal/median flow would be 381CFS). It’s nice to see a decent amount of water in the river again. Riverton is 256 CFS, and the Still River is adding in an additional 499 CFS. Water clarity is decent with a modest stain but plenty of visibility. When flows are up and/or off-color, you should think about Junk Flies—Worms, Mops, Eggs, Green Weenies, bigger nymphs, Stoneflies, Princes, etc., and streamers of course. The higher the flow gets, the more trout will move to the banks to get out of heavier current. Darker colored flies show up well in off color water, nymphs with hotspots are also good.
Riverton water is around 35 degrees, it peaked Sunday afternoon at 37+ degrees. It won’t be long before water temps start pushing up into the low/mid 40’s during sunny afternoons, and that will pick up the fishing as it leads to a faster metabolism for the trout, and more insect activity. Unionville USGS streamflow is 2,770 CFS (median/normal is 652).
Early Black Stoneflies are starting up now, March is the big month for that bug and the mild weather should really get them going this week. We continue to see the smaller #18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black Winter Stonefly) on mild/sunny afternoons, but that is probably getting near the end. Later in March we will see #16-18 Baetis/Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) in the afternoons. Fishing has mostly been a grind, but the trout are quality holdovers and wilds, with a large average size (mid to upper teens, with some in the 20” and bigger range).
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 have increased majorly, with the Falls Village Gauge reading 5,340 CFS. Stoneflies are still hatching like crazy, and with higher flows, trout will be close to the bank. Be wary, as the current is no joke after prolonged melting and recent rain events. The water will be stained, so aim for junk flies such as Mop Flies, Squirmy Worms, egg flies, and a variety of streamers. 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 reading for the gauge at Pineville is a whopping 2430 CFS. The angler density was low this week. The few guests that fished the run today only fished for an hour or so, they stated that the water was very dirty. No fish were reported hooked or landed today. 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.