Hello Compleat Angler friends! Compared to last week, we are coming into the weekend with similar flows at below average levels. This means that clarity will be good and easy wading, however the consensus is that we could use more rain. Anglers are finding some good numbers of fish now that many rivers are stocked, especially when trout are keying in on Small Black Stoneflies. If there is no hatch activity, then using subsurface nymphing and streamer techniques will work well since stocked fish will be taking a variety of offerings. On the Farmington River, anglers are finding a good variety of holdovers and stocked fish. We’re seeing the same Black Stonefly hatch with the Blue Winged Olive hatches upcoming as Spring progresses. The Housatonic is gradually making improvements, and we’re almost at safe levels for wading. While both the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers have yet to be stocked, they will have holdover trout from the last Fall stocking. Our saltwater season is not yet in full swing for Striper fishing, as the bulk of fish are still staged upriver. Look for improvements into mid-April. Flows on the Delaware River are lower compared to last week, but the streamer fishing will still be working well. Anglers are also finding fish on nymphs until the sunnier afternoons when you may find a Black Stonefly Hatch. On the Salmon River in New York, flows are still above average but have dropped to safe levels to fish the lower river. We can expect some Steelhead to be dropping back with the above average flows.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! We’ve had a little more consistency in warmer weather this past week, and flows are back down to below average levels on our local rivers and streams. As a result of both factors, there is more consistency in the Small Black Stonefly hatches, and trout are now keying in on them with more frequency. Some rivers may have more prolific hatches, and when prevalent, both skating and dead drifting a dry fly will work. In addition, stocked fish are being caught on a variety of methods from streamers to nymphs, until they start to key in on the natural forage. There are plenty of great options right now throughout Connecticut, and things will continue to improve. It is important to note that the Housatonic River is currently high and will be safe for wading once flows drop below 1000 CFS. For the saltwater, the Herring are just starting to show up, and most of the Striper activity is still concentrated upriver on the Housatonic. We should start to see improvements towards the mouth of the river midway through April. We have started our New York Catskills report for Spring, and the Delaware River currently has some good streamer fishing with the potential for trout rising to Black Stoneflies during the sunny afternoons. Flows are currently below average on all options except the East Branch. On the Salmon River in New York, flows are high from snowmelt, so we recommend waiting until flows decrease a bit. However, this could trigger some Steelhead to start dropping back.

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Hello Compleat Angler friends! The improvement this week comes in the form of reduced flows, and all our local options are either near or below average. This will make for some easier wading and improved dry fly opportunities, especially during the afternoons when you may see a prolific Small Black Stonefly Hatch. Other hatches to consider are Caddis during the morning and Midges throughout the day. This time of year is all about the Small Black Stoneflies, however, which will only continue to get better in the coming weeks as water temperatures warm a bit, and trout key in on them more often. For this weekend, a variety of techniques will be working, especially with trout recently stocked in some rivers and streams. From small Woolly Buggers to Mop flies and more natural nymphs, you will want to bring a variety with you. The Farmington has ideal clarity and flows for wading. Some anglers are finding good numbers of stocked fish while others are catching some quality holdovers, mainly on small imitative nymphs. Meanwhile, the Housatonic River is still high but shaping up for wading soon. Overall, there are some great options now, and they will only continue to improve with the weather. On the Salmon River in New York, anglers are finding Steelhead in their usually Wintertime haunts, so the slower deeper pools are still fishing well. In the coming weeks Steelhead will start to drop back down river. We can expect flows to be near or above average as there is still a fair amount of snow that has yet to melt. Anglers putting in their time are finding single digit numbers of Steelhead each day spread throughout the entire river, with an occasional Brown Trout. Both nymphing and swinging flies will be working.

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