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Fishing Reports
LOOKING TO UP YOUR GAME OR FIND SOME NEW IDEAS TO TAKE YOUR FISHING TO THE NEXT LEVEL? CHECK OUT OUR COMPLEAT JOURNAL FOR TIPS, TRICKS, AND INFO FROM THE FIELD.
Northeast Fishing Report: 4/26/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! The most significant improvement this week is that flows are finally dropping back down to average levels. This will help boost dry fly activity during the afternoons, with the possibility of spinner falls in the evenings. The weather is lining up nicely for a great weekend of fishing: warm weather, slightly overcast, and low winds. While there are still some Stoneflies and Blue Winged Olives hatching, these are giving way to Hendricksons and Blue Quills, while Caddis and Midges remain relevant. Flows are now ideal for all our local options, as well as the Farmington and Delaware Rivers (with the exception still being the Housatonic) so there are plenty of options for this weekend and the week ahead. Steelhead season on the Great Lakes is slowly wrapping up, though anglers are still finding them in the lower portions of the river mixed in with Smallmouth. On the saltwater side, migratory fish are starting to show up along with Bunker schools in New York and Rhode Island, while anglers are awaiting the anticipated Squid Run in Rhody. In our local waters the fishing has been most consistent from Darien to Rye, while our wade anglers are still catching fish at the mouth of the Housatonic. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 4/19/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We hope everyone has had the chance to get out and fish in between this Spring’s rain. While flows have been generally higher than average, let’s hope the influx of water keeps the fishing consistent during the summer months when we need it most. On the freshwater side, flows are still above average but fishable on our local streams and rivers, and many anglers are doing well since the stockings, mostly by fishing subsurface. Look for more hatch activity when flows approach more average levels, especially Stoneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, and more recently Hendricksons. Both the Farmington and Housatonic are high, so use caution when fishing and high-water tactics, or wait until flows drop. Striper fishing continues to improve by the day, and while migratory fish have yet to show, there are plenty of holdover schoolies to keep you busy near the mouth of rivers, coves, and bays. Flows are up on the Delaware River which means your best option will be floating as opposed to wading. And on the Salmon River in New York, dropback Steelhead are spread throughout the system with more Smallmouth in the lower river. Covering ground is the name of the game to have a successful day. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 4/12/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Water levels are back up on our rivers and streams after Thursday’s rain. So most spots will be high and a bit stained. Conditions will improve earlier this upcoming week, and before the expected rain on Wednesday- Friday. Your high-water tactics will still pull a few fish: getting down aggressively with larger streamers and heavier nymphs. Saltwater fishing continues to improve for holdover at the mouth of rivers, near coves, and in bays. Clousers and Deceivers will be your best flies. It’s the same story in New York and Rhode Island, which means that migratory Stripers have yet to show up. In upstate New York on the Salmon River dropback Steelhead fishing continues to be good, with Smallmouth showing up in more numbers in the lower sections. Higher water on the Delaware from this week’s rain means that drifting the river is going to be your best bet, and dry fly activity has improved. Read on for more…
Northeast Fishing Report: 4/5/2024
Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week we were slammed with more rain and high winds, so our local streams and rivers are currently high and stained with debris. Look for an improvement later in the week before Thursday’s expected rain. In the immediate future the best options are either the Farmington River above the Still, or a float trip on the Delaware, which is starting to see an increase in hatches from Blue Winged Olives, Stoneflies, and some early Hendricksons and Quill Gordons showing up on the East Branch. Streamer fishing should also be productive with the increase in flows this past week. Anglers that have been saltwater fishing have seen an increase in Striper activity, and some anglers have been bringing a few fish to hand. Currently the mouth of the Housatonic will be a little stained from rain, however as clarity improves a bit so will the Striper fishing. For our boat anglers, some of the flats, coves, and mouths of rivers are holding fish. These areas are best fished with an intermediate line paired with Clousers or Deceivers. In addition, the Salmon River flows have dropped into the 500 CFS range, which should prove well for our wade anglers fishing dropback Steelhead. These fish, while concentrated the most in the upper sections, will be spread throughout the river this time of year, so it is worth covering ground. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 3/29/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! It’s no surprise we’re back to high water fishing this week after all the rain we had last weekend. If you decide to fish during the high water, focus on subsurface techniques, and avoid the Housatonic as flows are currently unsafe for wading. Keep your eye on the flow charts, and expect rain locally Tuesday into Wednesday. The saltwater Striper fishing has seen an improvement, and anglers are catching fish dropping back down to the mouth of the Housatonic. Fishing different colored Clousers paired with an intermediate line and short leader is generally best for this scenario. On the freshwater side of things, anglers are still doing well in the higher water as many areas were stocked for this Spring. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 3/22/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! The biggest improvement this week is that flows are now back down to average levels on all of our local rivers and streams, which means that we should see an improvement in dry fly action. Fish will be more apt to take Small Black Stoneflies, which we are seeing a lot of. In the meantime, many anglers have been catching fish subsurface as well. Both Wooly Buggers and a variety of nymphs are taking stocked fish. Anglers are also finding good fishing on the Farmington and are bringing both stocked and holdover fish to hand. Now is also the time to start thinking about Stripers, mainly the Housatonic fish dropping back to the sound. While we don’t have any firsthand reports as of yet, historically anglers have caught their first few Stripers this time of year. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 3/15/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! The biggest improvement this week is that flows have dropped to fishable levels on our local rivers and streams. Since they are still a bit high, consider streamer and nymph fishing until trout start keying in on Small Black Stoneflies during more average flows. In addition, a few more areas were stocked this week and in terms of fly selection these fish will be very forgiving. The Housatonic and Farmington are currently high, so consider waiting until the flows drop. On the Salmon River in upstate NY, Steelhead are in transition to drop back to the lake and are spread out throughout the river. They will be more aggressive after the spawn so consider swinging streamers. In the Catskills, anglers are seeing Small Black Stoneflies and Blue Winged Olives with more frequency. Consider fishing subsurface until flows drop and fish start to key in on these bugs. Local temperatures will reach the high 40s this week, so look for more bug activity on our local rivers and streams. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 3/8/2024
Hello Compleat Angler friends! It should be no surprise that flows are high from all our rain this week. We would advise waiting until conditions improve for safe wading and improved clarity. Fortunately, most of our local streams and rivers recover quickly, so keep an eye on flows. New York was no exception, as flows are also high in the Catskills and on the Salmon River. If you’re anxious to fish soon, flows on the West Branch of the Farmington River above the confluence with the Still are currently average. We’re expecting more rain Saturday evening both locally and in upstate NY. When flows do improve, a select number of rivers and lakes have been stocked recently, so a variety of flies should work, and there is still good holdover fishing in areas that haven’t been stocked yet. Many anglers are continuing to have a great Steelhead season on the Salmon River, and there are a good number of fish that have made their way to the upper sections. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 3/1/2024
Hello Compleat Angler friends! We’ve seen some good improvements in our freshwater fishing this week. The state of Connecticut has started stocking some select lakes, ponds, and rivers in anticipation for Spring. Areas that are stocked will be more forgiving in terms of fly selection, everything from streamers to Mops, Squirmies, and more imitative bugs will work until the trout become more educated. On other rivers that haven’t been stocked, fish are looking up and more regularly keying in on small Black Stoneflies in sizes #16-#18. One detail to note is that rivers are still high from this past week’s rain, but they are dropping quickly toward average levels. Some of our anglers are taking some early trips to the Delaware River and are catching fish on streamers and nymphs. Further north, Great Lakes Anglers are finding good numbers of Steelhead that are staged near the upper reaches of the Salmon River, and all the tributaries are fishing well. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 2/23/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! The most significant change this week is a reduction in flows on all of our rivers and streams, and areas that have not been fishable (namely the Housatonic) are now accessible for wading. As the remainder of our snow melts, this will keep water temperatures low. However, you may encounter Midges, Winter Caddis, and small Black Stoneflies when you’re on the water this upcoming week. The good news is that air temperatures will be warming into the low 50s during the afternoon. Hopefully that will have a few fish looking up and rising. Otherwise, your most productive method will be nymphing followed by streamer fishing. During these slightly below average flows, sticking with more natural colors of nymphs in sizes 16-24 will be your best bet. Winter fishing can prove tough at times, though many days there will be a narrow bite window during the afternoon when fishing will pick up. When nymphing, pay attention and expect subtle hits, and fish your flies close to the bottom, as fish are more lethargic and less willing to move out of their way for flies. Anglers that have been putting in their time have been finding quality rather than quantity. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 2/16/2024
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! It’s finally starting to feel like winter this past week with the snowfall, and with that accumulation be on the lookout for increased flows as the snow melts with air temperatures reaching into the low 40s. Early this month we have seen an additional stocking of Seeforellan Brown Trout in select lakes, as well as a late stocking of Atlantic Salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers. Trout fishing has held steady on our local rivers, but this time of year can be tricky. Subsurface will be your best bet, and fishing low and slow is the name of the game. Focus on the deeper and slower pools, which are typical winter holding lies, and make sure those flies are getting down to the trout’s strike zone, as they will be less willing to move to a fly. There have been some Black Stoneflies, Winter Caddis, and Midges hatching, especially during the warmer afternoons. Steelhead fishing on the Salmon River has been most productive from Pineville to Altmar, however anglers are still connecting with some fish in the lower sections of the river. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 2/9/2024
Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week the most significant improvement has been right in our backyard, as flows have gradually tapered off to near average levels. This means good clarity, easy wading, and an increased possibility that fish may be looking up at Midges or small Black Stoneflies. Air temperatures for this upcoming week will start in the high 40s then dip into the high 30s for the latter part of the week. The overall trend is that nymphing continues to be the most effective method. Streamer fishing is also a viable option during the afternoons when water temperatures reach their peak. The Farmington is back down to average levels thanks to flow cuts at the dam, while the Housatonic is still high. The Naugatuck was also stocked with another round of Atlantic Salmon which is a nice surprise. Steelhead fishing continues to be consistent on the Salmon River in upstate NY as a good number of fish have been pushing through the system. While there are more fresh fish moving in, the highest concentration of Steelhead is towards the upper part of the river. Read on for more…
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