Fishing Reports

Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week we have few changes to our local freestones; flows are still low and are unaffected by snowmelt. Snowmelt will drop water temperatures a bit as that cold water enters the rivers. You may see some small Blue Winged Olives and Midges hatching during the afternoon; however, hatches will be diminished with these colder water temperatures. Nymphing will be the most effective technique followed by streamer fishing. For nymphs, consider bringing small imitative selections (sizes 18-24). In addition, egg patterns will still be working now that the majority of Brown Trout have finished spawning. For streamers, you will want to try swinging flies on a floating or sink tip line. Jigging streamers can also be effective because they present a slower and more enticing action to lethargic fish. Trout fishing during colder temperatures will result in finding a narrow bite window during the day, usually when water temperatures are at their highest. During this time bug and trout activity will be at its peak. Overall, fish deeper pools methodically, and don’t be discouraged as catch rates can generally be lower during Winter. On the Salmon River in New York, Steelhead and Brown Trout are spread throughout the system, and anglers are finding single digit numbers of Steelhead each day on average. Nymphing with egg patterns and stoneflies will be most effective, however aggressive fish will still willingly take a swung fly.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! As the weather gets colder, we’ve slimmed down our fishing report to relevant areas with winter fishing potential. Winter will have its own unique challenges when trout fishing in Connecticut. Fish will be more lethargic and tend to favor the deeper slower pools and runs. They may become more active during the afternoon, and when water temperatures are warmest some will forage in the faster part of the run. Water temperatures will also be coldest during the early morning, so we recommend waiting until the late morning into the afternoon when trout will become more active. You may find small Blue Winged Olives and some Midges hatching; however, they may be diminished. Fishing slowly and methodically in likely holding areas will be the key to success, and there can be a bite window on some days in which trout activity is at its highest. Overall, flows are below average on our local freestones, as well as the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers. Small nymphs and jig streamers will be working best this time of year. On the Salmon River in New York, flows were cut which means Steelhead are now in their holding lies spread throughout the river. Focusing on the deeper pools is a good start. Anglers are finding a few fish each day, as well as some nice Brown Trout.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! The weather is getting chillier, and with that trout are starting their winter behavior. Metabolism will slow, and they will move into deeper and slower pools. Subsurface techniques will be more effective, as they will be less willing to expend energy. Our freestones across Connecticut are clear and wadable with below average flows. Persistent anglers have been catching fish primarily nymphing, and a few more aggressive fish have been taking streamers. Flows are also below average on the Naugatuck River, and more Atlantic Salmon were stocked recently. Flows are slightly below average on both the Farmington and Housatonic Rivers, which will have good clarity and easy wading this weekend. While water temperatures will result in diminished hatches, you may see some Blue Winged Olives hatching during the late afternoon and into the evening. Brown Trout have mostly finished spawning and are aggressive towards streamers; however, there are a few stragglers paired up so you will want to avoid fishing to them and stepping on their Redds. As a result of spawning, egg flies will also be working well. Flows have dropped a bit on the Salmon River in New York, creating ideal conditions for Steelhead fishing. Anglers are finding both Brown Trout and Steelhead spread throughout the entire river. Both swinging flies and nymphing will be effective methods.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week our Connecticut freestones have seen an increase in flows but are still below average, a slight improvement from last week. Anglers are still finding trout from Fall stockings. Now that water temperatures have dropped lower, winter techniques will start becoming more effective. This means methodically searching the deeper pools, using a low and slow approach drifting nymphs. Egg flies will also be working now that Brown Trout are completing their spawning. On the Farmington and Housatonic Rivers, which all have fishable flows for this weekend, will also be seeing some small Blue Winged Olives emerging towards the late afternoon. On the Salmon River in New York, Steelhead fishing is alive and well with fish being spread throughout the entire river. Flows have dropped, and now most sections will have easier wading, but the river is still high. As a result, search a variety of water types, as there will be Steelhead both holding and traveling, and you may find some nice Brown Trout as a bonus. On the saltwater, the Long Island Sound has winded down, with schoolies still blitzing on occasion. Areas to focus on include the mouth of river, coves, and harbors. Late morning can result in finding some Stripers hitting Peanut Bunker on the surface. Holdover Stripers are now staging and moving upriver into their respective winter spots. Rhode Island is experiencing similar circumstances, meanwhile the South Shore of Long Island and New Jersey still has good numbers of migratory fish.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week we have no significant changes to our Connecticut trout fishing, and all of our freestones have been holding below average flows. Hatches have been slowing down, but the main insects you will see include Tan Caddis, Midges, and Blue Winged Olives during the afternoon. Subsurface has been the best option, both nymphing and streamer fishing. On the Farmington River, you will want to bring your smaller nymphs as well as some egg patterns now that Brown Trout are spawning. The Housatonic River will be similar, and flows will be ideal for fishing and wading this weekend. Anglers are finding trout on all techniques, including dry flies when there are hatches of small Blue Winged Olives. On the Salmon River in New York, Steelhead have moved throughout the entire river now, and they’re still entering the estuary. Flows are high so we should see a nice push of fish into the river as a result. On the saltwater, there are some schoolies on some Peanut Bunker near the coves and harbors, and one will find them blitzing during the later morning with tide movement. The best action is still along the Southshore down to the Jersey Coastline, which is holding larger migratory Stripers. The most prevalent bait is Bunker and Sand Eels.

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Our local freestones have been holding steadily below average over the past few weeks throughout Connecticut. With stocked fish acclimated, it will be worth bringing some smaller nymphs, and you may find trout rising infrequently to Blue Winged Olives, Midges, and Tan Caddis. The Farmington River has increased flows on the West Branch, and clarity and wading will be ideal for the weekend with flows just shy of average. Cooler water temperature will result in better subsurface fishing during the morning and into the afternoon. Later during the day you may find some fish rising on small Blue Winged Olives, unless you’re lucky enough to encounter an October Caddis hatch, which are still occurring infrequently. The Housatonic River also has ideal flows leading into the weekend, and Blue Winged Olives are the primary hatch. When there are no hatches, streamer fishing and nymphing will be the most productive. On the Salmon River, Steelhead are now the primary fish entering the river, along with a few nice Brown Trout. There are still a few late Kings and Cohos running; however, most are staged upriver and into the tributaries. The primary nymphs this time of year will be egg flies, as salmon are spawning. Swinging flies will also work as fresher fish tend to be most aggressive. Fishing in the Long Island Sound has been spotty, but there are occasional Striper blitzes on Peanut Bunker. Areas to focus on include the Norwalk Islands, and along the Westport shoreline and into Bridgeport. On the right tides it will also be worth fishing the structures along the Northshore. The best Striper action continue along the Southshore, from Jamaica Bay and into New Jersey.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week flows are back down on our freestone options across Connecticut, and most of the fish will be hunkered in the deeper pools. There is still action to be had thanks to stocking, and most anglers are finding the subsurface fishing to be most effective with small nymphs and streamers. On the Farmington, Housatonic, and Delaware Rivers the primary hatches are Blue Winged Olives during the afternoons and evenings. All these options will have clear and fishable flows for the weekend, with the Housatonic having great flows for wading. Anglers are finding a mix of stocked and larger holdover fish. Nymphing with small flies has been the most effective option on the Farmington, but it is also worth bringing some larger stonefly patterns. All options will have improved streamer fishing as well, since Brown Trout are pre-spawn. You may come across paired up fish that are already spawning, so avoid stepping on their spawning beds (Redds). On the Salmon River in New York, Steelhead are starting to dominate the lower sections of the river as the salmon runs taper off, there are also some nice Brown Trout, which have also pushed into the smaller tributaries. On the saltwater, the best action for Stripers is along the Southshore from Long Island into New Jersey. Meanwhile, the Long Island Sound has been spotty with some areas holding bait and fish on top briefly. Areas to consider are deep structure along the Northshore, and the mouth of rivers and harbor along the Connecticut Shoreline. Albies have moved out with a few scattered Bonito remaining.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This weekend will be tough for fishing opportunities with high winds from the storm. The good news is anglers have been finding trout on our local freestones throughout Connecticut thanks to Fall stocking. Trout will be aggressive on a variety of streamers and nymphs. On the Housatonic River subsurface fishing is also working well, however it will be worth bringing some Blue Winged Olive for hatches towards dusk. The Delaware River has also had some great Blue Winged Olive hatches this past week, and streamer fishing is starting to improve as Brown Trout get ready to spawn throughout the Northeast. On the Salmon River, the notable improvement is the arrival of more Steelhead in the lower river, and there are still some Salmon entering to keep anglers busy. The saltwater fishing will prove challenging due to weather, but before the winds anglers were finding Stripers centralized in harbors, coves, and the mouths of rivers. The better Stripers are in the mid 30” range. Further East anglers are finding great migratory Striper fishing along the Southshore of Long Island and into New Jersey. The overall trend is that Albie and Bonito fishing has been tapering off in most areas.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week we have had a small improvement in flows from the past week’s rain, as well as additional stocking on our local freestones. As a result, trout fishing will be improved on these rivers, and fly selection is temporarily forgiving. We recommend bringing some attractor nymphs and streamers. The Housatonic River, while below average, has also increased and anglers are finding fish keyed in on Blue Winged Olives, as well as some Smallmouth Bass still. Blue Winged Olive hatches are the primary for the Delaware River, which has near average flows. On the saltwater, Stripers have become more active in the Long Island Sound, and they can be found during the mornings blitzing on Peanut Bunker. The same can be said further east, with pods of Albies and Bonito still scattered in, however, Stripers are starting to take over as the primary species. The South Shore of Long Island is seeing good numbers of larger migratory fish pushing along the shoreline. There are plenty of options whether you’re fishing fresh or saltwater this Fall!

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! Our freshwater fishing throughout Connecticut is still seeing below average flows, and some rivers and streams being stocked for Fall. Despite low flows, the Housatonic River is seeing some great trout fishing from stocking, and there is a mix of holdover and newly introduced fish. The stocked fish will be taking a variety of streamers and nymphs, and dry fly anglers are having success on Blue Winged Olives and Isonychia. The fishing remains steady on the Farmington River, and nymphing has been the most effective method. However, October Caddis have started to make a showing allowing for some decent dry fly opportunities. Streamer fishing will also improve in the coming weeks with temperatures being cooler as trout will start to look for higher calories before spawning and winter. Most of the hatches on the Delaware have consisted of small Blue Winged Olives, with late afternoons being best for dry fly opportunities. On the Salmon River in New York Steelhead are just starting to enter the lower river, while Kings and Cohos are being found in all sections of the river. Runs are trickling in slowly due to low water. Saltwater fishing has proven more difficult for Albies this past week, as the storm has the larger schools broken up. You may come across them blitzing on small Bay Anchovies in the Eastern portion of the sound and along the North and South Shore of Long Island. Bass fishing in New York and Rhode Island has held up and is improving as migratory fish push down the coast. The Western portion of the sound has been more hit-or-miss, with some days providing Striper blitzes on Peanut Bunker. There are still some good saltwater options as things settle post storm.

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Hello Compleat Angler Friends! This week flows remain low despite receiving some rain this week, and while some options throughout Connecticut were stocked, Fairfield County freestones have yet to be stocked. As a result, rivers without stocking will be slow. The Farmington River has good numbers of fish with October Caddis starting to hatch. While hatches have been slow, you may encounter some Blue Winged Olives, Isonychia, and Light Cahill as well. On the Delaware River, the sunnier days will have insects hatches later towards the evening, while overcast days will yield better hatches of Blue Winged Olives. Anglers are finding King Salmon and Coho on all sections of the Salmon River in New York; however, flows are low which has slowed fish from entering the river. Saltwater fishing has been great towards the Eastern portion of the Long Island Sound, with Stripers, larger Bluefish, Bonito, and some Albies near Niantic, Fisher’s, Stratford Shoals, and along the Northshore of Long Island. Further West anglers are mainly finding schoolie Stripers and small Bluefish during the morning hours. The primary bait is Bay Anchovies and Peanut Bunker.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! This week we have low water, but the most significant improvement is that the Housatonic River was stocked with trout, while the Naugatuck River received a round of Atlantic Salmon stocking. These fish will readily take a variety of flies, and for the Atlantic Salmon we recommend either a 7 or 8wt rod for swinging streamers. Fly choice will vary from Woolly Buggers to more traditional Atlantic Salmon patterns, such as a Grey Ghost. Flows are below average on the Farmington River; however, anglers are finding trout in a variety of water types on small nymphs when there is no hatch activity. On the local freestones, we will need some rain to help raise river levels which will signal more trout stocking. Despite low flows on the Salmon River in New York, Kings and Cohos are now spread throughout the river, with more pods of salmon entering the system each day. Focusing on the deeper pools, where they are staging, and during the morning hours before bright sunlight will result in the most action. This past week on the saltwater Anglers are finding more pods of Albies and Bonito off Niantic and into Middleground, with the best action for Albies being further East in Watch Hill and Long Island. In the Western portion of the Long Island Sound there are schools of smaller Bluefish and Stripers along the beaches, coves, and islands. Things should continue to improve as Sound temperatures cool down.

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