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Northeast Fishing Report 6/5/26
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! After a wild previous weekend, we are back into a nice pattern of summer weather. Southwest breezes, sunshine, and high temps are going to dominate the forecast for the next few days, so take advantage before the rain sneaks back up! Trout fishing has started to fall into its summer pattern, with dry fly and nymphs landing a majority of the fish. Freshwater largemouth and smallmouth are eating with more regularity, especially as they move off beds and into their summer patterns. Their ocean brethren, the striped bass, seem to have finally shaken off the cold weather from the last two weeks, and are taking a variety of offerings in the sound.
Read on for more…
Connecticut
Local Rivers
Flows are way down across the state in our local freestones, with the Saugatuck at 14.1 CFS. Caddis and BWO’s are now the predominant hatch. Stocked and wild trout are consistently rising to afternoon hatches, and sizes #14-#18 BWO patterns have been the ticket for rising browns and brook trout. I think the increased water levels have fired up our rivers, so as long as you can get to a spot without too many people (a tall order, I know), you should be able to scare up a trout.
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 dropped considerably down to 147 CFS. The East Branch, Mid Sections, and Lower Section of the Naugatuck have been stocked in the last month. With warmer weather this week as well as the recent rain, streamers and dry flies should start to pull in some nice fish. Try targeting pools and pocket water along the banks, as well as deeper water at the end of riffles or shallower runs.
Farmington River
The flow has been bumped from the dam in Riverton by an additional 100cfs on Wednesday (and they bumped it up 30cfs Monday morning), which brings the total flow from the upper 100cfs range up to 271cfs, an excellent/medium water level, and in the historically normal range. Unusual for DEEP to make a flow change on a Thursday, maybe it’s to keep the river cooler due to the mid to upper 80’s weather moving in today and going straight through the 10 Day Forecast. Usually Monday is the day they adjust flows when necessary. Very happy to see more water- this creates more holding water, and keeps water temps cooler further downstream. Win-win. We are seeing good #12-14 Vitreus (late afternoon thru eves) and assorted #16-22 Caddis, as well as #16 Invaria Sulfurs in the evenings. As you get closer to the dam and the water gets colder, hatches can happen at weird times of the day, often earlier than the books say. If you venture downriver to Collinsville/Unionville, you may even see a few #812 Isonychia (“Iso’s”). 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. But…. we are into the peak dry fly time of year, with evenings being prime time for surface action. This flow bump is also good news for you nymphers, it creates better & more water that is good for nymphing. It will also make the trout less skittish, they feel safer from predators.
#10-12 March Browns continue to trickle off in the afternoons & eves, it’s a one here, one there kinda bug. Cloudy afternoons & eves have seen #20-22 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) hatching, with plenty of trout gently sipping them off the surface. 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 toward the evenings. Cooler/cloudy days can see the bugs hatch earlier, and hot/sunny days can push the bugs even closer to dusk. Caddis are the main hatch in the mornings; they return in the low light of evenings to mate & egg-lay over the riffles.
Vitreus are most active on cooler, overcast, and even wet days, and tend to hatch between late afternoon and evening when shadows start hitting the water. The winged dun emerges at the stream bottom from the nymphal shuck, and then swims to the surface fully winged. Females have a pinkish-orange cast to their abdomens due to eggs, males are more of a dull yellow, kinda like a bigger Sulfur. March Browns are also a fast water bug, they tend to hatch one here, one there, sporadically between late morning and evening, with spinner falls at 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. Hatch times in Riverton in the 2 miles right below the dam can vary considerably from “normal” due to the abnormally cold water.
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 345 CFS. March Browns, Cahills and Sulfurs have been getting hammered by big holdovers in the river. They are eagerly taking dries most days. Big holdover Rainbows and Browns have been taking flies throughout the river, and the cooler weather definitely fired up the bite, especially now that there is some more water in the river. Streamers will certainly start to be more effective with higher flows after the wet spell this weekend, so keep a variety of offerings in the bag just in case.
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
DSR had a handful, (‘low’), of anglers join them on the run this week. Fishing was listed as ‘quiet’ with only a handful of smallmouth brought to hand primarily in the lower sections, along with several fall fish caught by those anglers targeting them directly.
Catskills
The release from Cannonsville is 500 cfs. It’s going to be another warm one with sun but we may see come clouds today. The weather has us in a bit of Summer mode right now. It’s worth looking for risers in the slow pools in the mornings eating left over spinners or caddis. Midday nymphing or blind casting the riffles are the best bets. We’ve had decent spinner falls and sulphurs in the evening once the sun drops. It still a mix of bugs with March Browns, Gray Fox, Cahills, Green Drakes, olives, and Sulphurs hatching.
The Mainstem in Callicoon and the East Branch in Hancock both peaked over 70 degrees yesterday. The Beaverkill at Cooks Falls peaked at 68 degrees. The water temps will peak higher today. It’s time to give these sections a break until we cool back down.
Today will be 87 degrees with sunshine and clouds mixed. Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the North.
CT Saltwater
Striper fishing has improved in the Sound as larger fish have moved into their seasonal haunts. The cold weather seemed to have slowed things down, but with fair weather in the forecast, things should start to improve as we approach the New Moon. Half n' Halfs, Hollow Flies, and deceivers have all been producing, and thankfully, we've heard good reports of schoolie bass busting on top in the eastern Sound.