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Northeast Fishing Report 3/6/26
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Welcome to March. As the old adage says, “In like a lion, out like a lamb” and that couldn’t be more true with the upcoming forecast. Today and tomorrow are supposed to be cold and wet, but Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday are calling for temperatures in the high 60’s. We are also getting an additional hour of sunlight back on Sunday with Daylight Savings, which means more time to get on the water after work. Hatches should really start to pick up speed in the next few days, and holdover trout will respond accordingly, especially with the warmer weather.
We haven’t heard much from our regulars vis a vis local fishing, but from what we have heard, smaller rivers are starting to produce on warm days. Think the Mianus, the Swift, the Housatonic, the Hammonnasset and others. Keep an eye on the DEEP Trout Stocking website, as stocking should start any day now.
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows are way up across the state with the recent melt and rain, a great sign as we approach proper spring fishing conditions. Be cautious with the increased water levels, as any remaining loose ice is liable to get swept up in the current. The Saugatuck is currently flowing at 107 CFS. With the water being higher and stained, we recommend using heavy nymphs or larger streamers to target deep water where trout might be staging. 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 858 CFS. With the warmer weather, hatches should start to pop off on sunnier days in the morning and evening, so plan your fly box accordingly. 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 Farmington is up to 5.49ft, but the CFS still isn’t reading due to the gauges being ice affected (Man what a winter!) Expect to see the bigger #12-16 Early Black Stoneflies soon, March is the big month for that bug. We continue to see plenty of the smaller #18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black Winter Stonefly) on milder, sunny afternoons. Fishing is still a grind, but the trout are high quality and a large average size, mid to upper teens, with some in the 20” plus range. Be patient, as hours of slow fishing can suddenly turn on when a bite window opens up. Most major parking lots are clear of snow, but most of the pull offs are snowed in. The river is fishable from the dam down through New Hartford and even some spots downstream of that. I’d expect it to melt out later this week when the Spring temperatures move in to stay. Pick likely looking water and fish it thoroughly, slow & deep with nymphs and streamers.
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 803 CFS. There is a big potential for the flow to crest above 2000 in the coming days with the increased meltwater entering the river and additional rain in the forecast. Spring is coming, but be cautious. There has been an increase in hatches, with reports of hundreds of robins along the ice shelves picking off small dark stoneflies, so pack your fly box accordingly. Ice and slushy banks are still possible, 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 raging at 1430 CFS. Angler success has been very limited in the recent days. With cold temperatures, swinging flies won’t be as successful as in the Fall, but you may find one fish aggressive enough to chase flies. There is still a chance of catching a few Brown Trout. With colder air temperatures, water temperatures will stay low for this weekend, so you will want to fish slowly and methodically. 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.