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Northeast Fishing Report 5/30/2025
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! This week’s rain has added to flows on our local rivers and streams a bit, which has kept levels slightly below average. With many options being stocked, there will be more Trout to find, which are starting to spread out into different types of water. Fly selection will be forgiving on these fish, with the holdovers being a little tougher to fool. The most noticeable improvement is the flow on the Housatonic River, which is now at ideal wading and clarity, with some fantastic hatches occurring from the afternoon and into the evening. The Farmington River is also at ideal flows for this weekend’s fishing, with plenty of fish spread throughout the river. In the Catskills, hatches have been good with more frequency of March Browns. Striper fishing has been great on the saltwater, and we’re starting to see some big Bluefish arriving in the Sound. Anglers are finding Stripers on Sand Eels along the beaches, and there are plenty of Bunker to keep the larger Stripers occupied along the coastline. The salt ponds also have Stripers in pursuit of Silversides.
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows on our local rivers and streams have started to drop after a small bump in rain and are slightly below average. Clarity and water temperatures are ideal for fishing this weekend, and many options were recently restocked with Trout. The Saugatuck River is flowing at 76.6 CFS, where the median flow is 110 CFS. Fishing in areas that were recently stocked will result in good success for this weekend. There’s still enough water for Trout to be spread out in a variety of water types, so don’t overlook fishing fast water. For areas that were more recently stocked bring some Woolly Buggers in different colors, as well as some flashier nymphs. They will be more forgiving in terms of fly selection. Areas that weren’t hit by the stocking truck will be a little trickier, so we suggest bringing some more imitative flies that match our local hatches. For hatches, you can expect a few Hendricksons (pretty much done), Midges, Tan and Olive Caddis, and Light Cahills. Other dries to consider are some terrestrials, both Ant and Beetles. Both streamer and nymphing techniques will work well when there is no hatch activity, especially in these above average flows.
Dry Fly Hatches:
Blue Winged Olives (Overcast Days) 18-24
Adams Parachute (Attractor) 16-20
Nymphs:
General Mayfly Attractor 14-18
Streamers:
Krystal Bugger (Black, Chartreuse, Brown, Olive, White, Burnt Orange) 6-12
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck River is also flowing slightly below average with good conditions for this weekend. Currently the Naugatuck is flowing at 411 CFS at Beacon Falls. The Naugatuck has received its third round of stocking for this Spring. Fishing streamers in recently stocked areas can be an effective technique, because they will be more aggressive before keying in on more natural forage. Nymphing will also be effective when there is no hatch activity, and using patterns suggested in our local rivers and streams report will work well. In addition, you can expect to see sparse numbers of Hendricksons, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Light Cahills, and Tan/Olive Caddis hatching.
Farmington River
Flows on the West Branch of the Farmington River were dropped this past week, and flows are currently reading 165 CFS at Riverton with water temperatures fluctuating between the high 40s to low 50s. The Still River is adding 96.4 CFS, and overall clarity is good with good fishing flows for this weekend. The Farmington has plenty of fish from stockings and holdover Trout, and they will be spread out in a variety of water types. The more recently stocked fish will take a variety of patterns, while the holdover fish you will have to work for and use more imitative and smaller patterns. Fishing streamers in a recently stocked area can result in some aggressive action, especially during the overcast days. For hatches the most prevalent insect is Tan/Olive Caddis, a few March Browns, a few Sulphurs, and Midges. The mornings have been better for nymphing and streamer fishing, with a variety of patterns and colors working. For dry fly leaders we prefer a 9-12’ 5x-6x, and for nymphing a 9’ 5x-6x. Streamer fishing depends on the line; for sinking lines a short 5’ section of 10-15lb will work well while floating lines will require a longer 7.5-9’ leader in 10lb.
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
The Housatonic River is finally at good fishable levels now at 718 CFS at the Falls Village Gauge. As a result, flow and clarity will be good for wading and fishing. There are currently some great hatches and fishing from the afternoon into the evenings with Tan/Olive Caddis, Hendricksons, Light Cahill, and Blue Winged Olives. We can expect to see some Sulphurs soon. Nymphing and streamer fishing are both working well, especially during the morning when there is infrequent hatch activity. You will find both stocked fish from spring stocking, as well as holdover fish from the past Fall, so there are plenty of trout spread throughout the river. Now is a great time to be fishing the Housatonic!
Dry Fly Hatches:
Blue Winged Olives (overcast days) 18-24
Blue Winged Olive Emerger 18-20
Hendrickson 12-14 (Sparse Hatches Still)
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
Saltwater
Larger Stripers and more numbers have taken residence along the Connecticut coastline, with fish still migrating through into deeper water locations. Around the coves, islands, and harbors there are also pods of Bunker with Stripers chasing them around, as well as schoolies off the beaches and in the salt ponds. Overall, there are a ton of options, and we are at the height of Spring Striper fishing. Sand Eels are also showing up near shore, and their numbers should improve for shore anglers in the next few weeks. Mornings and evenings with tide movement are your best bets for Schoolie action on the beachfronts, and some anglers are finding some good night fishing. Some Bluefish have also started to show up in smaller numbers, and the most of them can be found further east along the coastline. Herring have started to move out of the rivers which has slowed fishing a bit at the mouth of the Connecticut River.
Hot Flies for Spring:
Custom Tied Baby Bunker (Super Realistic!)
Bob’s Banger (Stripers and Bluefish)
Good Fly Lines for Spring:
Rio Outbound Short (Good for big flies and big winds)
Rio Striper (Good all-rounder)
Leaders:
Please report any poaching to the DEEP by calling 1-860-424-3333.
Catskills
Flows on the Mainstem of the Delaware River have been gradually dropping and are not at below average levels reading 1930 CFS at the Lordville Gauge. The East Branch is seeing similar changes, reading 795 CFS at Fishs Eddy, with the West reading 754 CFS at Hale Eddy. Water temperatures on the Mainstem are fluctuating in the mid to high 50s. Overall, clarity will be good for this weekend with good flows and temperatures for hatch activity. Anglers are reporting some good hatches and large fish being taken on dries, which will be dependent on what area you’re fishing, but you may encounter some March Browns, Olive/Tan Caddis, Sulphurs, Green Drakes, Blue Winged Olives, Light Cahills, and Gray Fox. Both streamers and nymphing have been working well during the morning, and current water temperatures will trout spread out into a variety of different water types.
Dry Fly Hatches:
Blue Winged Olives (overcast days) 18-24
Blue Winged Olive Emerger 18-20
Gray Fox 12
Green Drake 8-10
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 Saltwater
Sand Eels have been showing up along the North Shore, and Stripers and big Bluefish are starting to key in on them along the beaches, which is a great improvement for wade anglers. There are also plenty of Bunker pods along the coast with Stripers Blitzing on them making for some great topwater action. For boat anglers making fish deeper on the sonar, using a full sinking line to get deep has been effective until Stripers push bait to the surface. Anglers fishing the South Shore beaches and bays are finding schoolie fish to 30lbers along the beachfront and in the bays chasing Bunker and Sand Eels, with plenty of Bluefish mixed in. Overall fishing is great, it’s only a matter of finding the good weather opportunities to get out there
Rhode Island Saltwater
Narragansett Bay has continued to impress, with plenty of larger bass taking topwater and chasing Bunker pods. Fish are spread out now so covering the water looking for topwater action/bait is the name of the game. Along the beachfront and deeper ledges more Bluefish are starting to show up. There are also plenty of Squid which signals Stripers keying on Squid Patterns in the rips with full sinking lines. Around Newport, the rocky structures are now holding Stripers that have taken residency. Both wade and boat anglers have a good chance of running into blitzes along the beachfronts as Stripers migrate throughout the coastline.