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Northeast Fishing Report 6/12/26
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Summer weather is here, and with it a boxed bag of emotions. On the one hand, the heat feels wonderful, but on the other, the increased temperatures are starting to shut down the trout bite in some of our local freestones. The good news is that striped bass fishing continues to improve as more fish settle into their summer haunts. There is a plethora of bait around, from squid to bunker, and even sand eels. The best bite window is early morning and evening near the usual hot spots, but always look for water moving from point A to point B.
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows are still way down across the state in our local freestones, even with the nightly thunderstorms. The Saugatuck at 14.1 CFS. The predominant hatches have transitioned to sulphurs, cahills, and Caddis. Stocked and wild trout will be skittish with the heat and low water, but try to find pools of deeper, shaded water and work the dry fly or a small streamer if you don’t see anything rising. The Mianus, Norwalk, and Mill rivers are in similar condition, and with trout stocking finished, resident fish will have become more acclimated to their surroundings, which should prove both challenging and fun.
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 has risen a slight but, but is still low at 154 CFS. Conditions might prove difficult, but as a bycatch reward, you should be able to find some nice smallmouth if trout aren't cooperating. Again, caddis, sulphurs, and cahills are the predominant hatches, so plan your fly boxes accordingly. Deep water pools, shaded riffles, and other usual hot spots for trout should be targeted with the rising temperatures. We should hopefully get a break from the heat by next week, so get out and do some exploring.
Farmington River
Fishing is getting more technical, so bring your “A” game. #16 Sulfurs (Invaria) started popping this week. Nymphing pupa in the riffles is working, with some fish holding in surprisingly shallow and fast water.
Evenings are the peak time for dry flies, although anytime there are bugs hatching surface action is a possibility. Depending upon how far below the dam you are, the main players in the evenings are Sulfurs (mostly #16, but you may see some #18 Dorothea’s now), assorted Caddis #16-22, Vitreus #12-14, #14 Cahills, and frequently #20-22 Blue Winged Olives & rusty spinners. Rusty spinners imitate the majority of Mayflies, and you should have Sulfur spinners too.
Flows are currently medium-low on most of the river, low 200’s for a total flow. Even when it gets hot, the water is coming out of the dam in the mid 40’s and keeps the river at trout-friendly temps for many miles below that. Getting a diversity of bugs now, depending on how far below the dam you are, it’s “Bug Soup” time. The major players on most of the river are still assorted Caddis #16-22, #16 Sulfurs (Invaria), and #12-14 Vitreus (Pink Lady/Cahill, Orange Sulfur). Caddis are most common in the #16-18 tan variety, but we are seeing olive/green, black, and gray ones too, all the way down to size 22. There are some #14 Cahills around in the evenings, and also #20-22 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s/Olives). Downriver in Unionville, Collinsville, and Canton you may see smaller #18 Sulfurs (Dorothea), and #8-12 Isonychia, both hatches are starting up and will steadily work their way upriver.
As you get closer to the dam and the water gets icy cold, hatches can happen at weird times of the day, often earlier in the day than the books say. Warmer water downstream means the hatches start there first and make their way upriver. Be prepared to also fish subsurface- just because there are hatches is no guarantee of dry fly fishing & rising trout.
We are into the peak dry fly time of year, with evenings being prime time for surface action. Cloudy afternoons have seen #20-22 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) hatching, trout gently sipping them off the surface in the flat water. They don’t hatch well on bright sunny days. We are getting toward that time of year where the best shot at good dry fly action tends to shift more toward the evenings, with some exceptions. Cooler/cloudy days can see the bugs hatch earlier, and hot/sunny days can push the bugs even closer to dusk.
Caddis are most active from about mid morning through early/mid afternoon, and come back later in the day to egg-lay over faster water in the eves. We are seeing at least 4-5 varieties of Caddis currently, in different sizes & colors. Hatch times in Riverton in the 2 miles right below the dam can vary considerably from “normal” due to the abnormally cold water.
Riverton is 203cfs(medium) below the Hogback Reservoir, with the Still River adding in 24cfs a little below the Rt 20 bridge. This puts the total flow at a medium-low 227cfs below the Still River. FYI the state has overall been conservative with water releases this year to maintain a good pool of cold water for summer distribution.
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 at Falls Village is reading 267 CFS. March Browns, Cahills and Sulfurs are still being taken by trout despite the low water and increased temps. Smallmouth fishing should blow open in the next few days, as everything has been delayed by a few weeks from the harsh winter. Sightcasting to big bronzebacks is an amazing way to switch up your approach during summer months, and helps give pressured trout a much deserved break. Craw flies, poppers, hoppers, and streamers will all be effective, and might even scare up a nice brown.
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
Angler density was low this week, one angler caught several Smallmouth using a variety of Spey and Spinning equipment. Smallmouth wasn't the only fish landed, a Fallfish was also brought to hand. The flow from the dam is currently 185 CFS which is scheduled through 11:59pm this evening. The Pineville Gauge currently reads 268 CFS.
Catskills
The release from Cannonsville is 500 CFS. A few storms pushed through last night, which helped the river flow slightly but not enough to really matter. The river flows are already dropping back. We may see a few more storms today so keep an eye on the radar. Wonderground is putting the total rainfall around .3″. Cahills, olives, and caddis are all around in some numbers. The sulphurs have been decent on some river sections in the evening. The cloud cover and rain could push some of the hatches earlier.
The Mainstem, the East Branch in Hancock, and the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls all peaked at or over 70 degrees again yesterday. It’s time to give these river sections a break until we cool back down.
Today will be 87 degrees with potential scattered thunderstorms. Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the North.
CT Saltwater
Striper fishing remains consistent, with anglers catching from shore and by boat. The predominant bait right now is sand eels and squid, and most catches have come in early morning or late evening. It seems like we finally have a solid push of resident fish, and while we should hopefully see some more schoolies, things have settled into a summer pattern. That means the flats should start to come alive as bass push up off the reefs. With the approaching new moon, now is the time to get out and get on the water!