Fishing Report

Hello Compleat Angler friends! Word is coming in from our regulars that spring fishing is off to a decent start. Trout are being regularly stocked in all of the local rivers, from the Mianus in Greenwich, to the Saugatuck Fly section in Westport, and smaller brooks and streams scattered north of the I-95 corridor.

The weather outlook for this weekend is promising, with much of the rain and wind from the past week in the rearview mirror. If you are going to choose one day to hit the water, then Saturday is your best bet. Temperatures will hopefully crawl up into mid-50’s or even low 60’s, and there will be abundant sunshine. With the lack of cloud cover, early mornings and late afternoons into dusk will produce the best chance at a fish, especially if hatches start to pop off. This time of year with higher, stained water, we suggest using colorful streamers, but you can never go wrong with a nymph rig while the water temps are still hovering at or below 40 degrees.  

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…

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.

Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Let me begin this report with an apology. Last week, I might've underplayed Sunday's forecast. In fact, I believe the exact words I chose were "we might get a snow shower or two". Mea Culpa. In my defense, it was calling for 3-5 inches on Friday afternoon when I wrote that report, so if anything, blame the stuffed shirts at Weather.com.

Anyway, onward and upward! The weather this weekend looks downright stunning, with warm winds, sunshine, and limited chances for a freak blizzard. We know people have been scoring locally in the Mianus, Swift River in MA, and other CT freestones. Hatches are starting to heat up as the temperature rises, so keep those dry flies handy come dusk and dawn. 

If you can't wait for the rivers to be stocked, ponds and lakes across the state have been getting their first round of trout. These fish will often cling close to shore in their first few weeks, so now is the time to target them from iced-out beaches. 

Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Break out the sunblock, your sunglasses, and some swimtrunks because we haveofficially hit 40 degrees! Saturday is looking warm and bright, while Sunday might succumb to a snow shower or two, so take advantage of the nice weather while you have the chance. This uptick in temperature should kick off a few local hatches, so stocking up on dry flies, nymphs, and even a hopper or two wouldn’t be a bad idea. A few regulars swung by this week and mentioned that the bite is still slow, but not nearly as slow as it has been.DEEP’s Trout Stocking Program should start up relatively soon, so remember to keep an eye out for information on stockers as they hit local rivers and ponds. 

As always, remember to send us any photos of you on the river, fish or no fish. We love to see our customers enjoying the outdoors!

Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Do you feel that? It’skind ofwarm out! We’ve finally slipped out from under winter’s icy grip, and our local rivers are slowly, but surely, thawing out. Now is the time to head into the shop and pick out your favorite spring flies or any tying materials you need, as longer, warmer days are just around the corner. As always, we are hungry for any intel or photos from your time on the water, so if you head out this weekend, remember to send proof to @compleat_angler_ct. 

A regular who came into the shop yesterday said the Farmington River has been producing well, as has the Swift River in MA, so there are definitely opportunities available to nail a trout if you are willing to brave the chilly conditions. Drifting nymphs with or without indicators have been the ticket.

Hello Compleat Angler friends! We hope you enjoyed a slight respite from the bone chilling conditions this week. Enjoy it while it lasts, because we are diving right back into the cold this weekend. While reports from our regulars have been slow, we do know that most Connecticut freestones have briefly thawed in sunny areas and near faster moving water. Thawed enough to wet a line? That’s for you to discover and to let us know! We are always hungry for customer photos of your time on the river, skunk or no skunk, so DM any fishing related content to our Instagram, @compleat_angler_ct. 

Greetings Compleat Anglers! This past week had both highs and lows for anglers. If you fished out East for Stripers, you probably did very well. If you trout fished anywhere other than a tailwater, it was probably tough. The rivers are warming and it is getting late in the season. The Stripers are headed East. Rhode Island, Montauk, The Cape, and Nantucket are all fishing very well. Read on for more...

Greetings Compleat Anglers! Our local trout fishing is on the wane, but the good news is that the Catskills are picking up, with the start of dry fly fishing season just around the corner. And even better news, the saltwater action has kicked into gear as well, with lots of stripers being caught up and down the Connecticut coast. As always, read on for details...

Greetings Compleat Anglers! The report this week should look pretty familiar and not a whole lot has really changed. We've started to see a bit more action in trout rivers across the region, as expected with the warmer weather. The saltwater action has still yet to really materialize though it won't be long. We have received some nice reports from the Great Lakes, the last hurrah before things shut down until the fall. As always, read on for details...

Greetings Compleat Anglers! The big news is the opening of New York State's trout water. The streams are now open and the fishing has been awesome from what we are hearing. The state has stocked a ton of rivers in preparation for opening day and there are some wild trout streams that have been producing fish as well. New York state is our top pick for this week but Connecticut is still holding its own where more stockings from the state have kept CT anglers happy. There are no bad options at the moment. While the crowds have been substantial, a little moving around can get you on some unpressured fish. Read on for details...

Greetings Compleat Anglers! The trout fishing has been steadily picking up and as long as the flows don't spike the fishing should be excellent in most areas. Even with the dry fly action still largely in the offing, anglers have been having plenty of success. For those who were hoping for an early start to the saltwater scene, it seems that we are at least a few weeks away before we can expect the river hotspots to turn. As always this time of year, keep an eye on the forecast and on the river gauges. Read on for details...