Hello Compleat Angler friends. Our local options have received the brunt of this week’s storm, and most of our rivers are going to be high and stained. When the water clarity improves, look to fish streamers during the dropping flows, as Brown Trout are approaching the end of their spawn and are looking for calories in preparation for Winter. The best options for freshwater fishing in the near future are some easier wading sections of the Housatonic and the Farmington. For our saltwater anglers, every day has been different as Stripers are migrating to the mouths of rivers and down the coast. Currently the bulk of the migration is located along the South Shore of Long Island and into New Jersey, however there are still resident fish to be had in Connecticut. Look to target the mouths of rivers and coves, and you may encounter Schoolies blitzing on Peanut Bunker around 3” in length. For our wade anglers, walking the beaches looking for birds/bait, and fishing the mouth of the Housatonic on the high outgoing tide is recommended. On the Salmon River in New York, most of the action is happening upriver, with some anglers finding single digit numbers in the lower sections of the river. Overall Steelhead have been trickling into the system with the occasional Brown Trout being landed. Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

We have had a huge spike in flows from Tuesday evening’s rain, and as a result all our local options are currently high and stained. For example, the Saugatuck is currently 607 CFS (where the average is 83 CFS). Therefore, conditions are too difficult for fishing now. Once the flows stabilize and drop (it doesn’t take long for our rivers to clear up), fishing streamers on the dropping flows can be an effective technique. Also focus on using larger nymphs and junk flies as they will get a Trout’s attention (mop flies, squirmy worms, large black stoneflies, and any nymph that incorporates flash: Flashback Prince Nymph, Sexy Waltz, Flashback Hare’s Ear, etc). Hatches will be diminished during high water events, but once flows normalize you may encounter Midges in sizes 18-20, Tan Caddis in sizes 16-20, and Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-24. Regardless, subsurface will still be the most effective method, and good choices also include Zebra Midges, Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Caddis Larvae, Hare’s Ears, and Perdigones in sizes 14-24. A dry dropper, paired with an Elk Hair Caddis followed by a smaller nymph can be a good way to cover both columns of the water and is a good searching technique. Smaller Wooly Buggers can either be used on a Floating or Sinking line.One of our favorite streamer lines for Fall is theAirflo Streamer Max Short,as well as theScientific Anglers Sonar Trout. The short head loads rods well are perfect for our smaller rivers when targeting the opposite bank and trying to sink the fly quickly into the strike zone. When nymphing and dry fly fishing we like having a shorter leader, such as theRio Powerflex in 7.5ft. Both 5x and 6x will have you covered for most dry fly and nymphing scenarios. Try pairing your smaller nymph with a larger junk fly (mops, squirmies, eggs) as these will still fool some of the stocked fish. In addition, at the end of your dead-drift let your nymphs swing to the bank as this will imitate an emerging insect. Trout will be grouped together during these flows, so where you catch one you will find more. Good areas to target include the Saugatuck, Mianus, Mill, and Aspetuck Rivers. Rain is expected Sunday with air temperatures in the mid to low 40s.

Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck and Shetucket were stocked with Atlantic Salmon, and more recently Trout in the Trout Management Areas. Flows currently have the river running high and stained, and are reading 1010 CFS at Beacon Falls, so it will be best to wait until flows drop. Once they do, having some junk flies will help catch the less-educated, stocked fish, and look to fish the same offerings we are using on our local streams: Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, and Midges. Bring some Tan Caddis patterns in sizes 14-18 as October Caddis will be hatching. With respect to other insects, having a range of sizes from 12-24 in nymphs/dries will have you covered, as well as egg patterns for this time of year. Overall, the hatch to focus on will be Blue Winged Olives, which are now becoming more prevalent again especially during overcast afternoons. Fishing drab colored Woolly Buggers and streamers 3-5” will also work for the more aggressive fish. The Naugatuck is a good alternative for areas with more crowds/pressure. When targeting Salmon, your traditional Atlantic Flies and hairwing streamers will work: Grey Ghosts, Blue Charms and Mickey Finns. Don’t be afraid to throw some larger intruders and flashy streamers in Pink, Black, Blue, and Purple, especially after they’ve just finished stocking. Try swinging these streamers slowly as you first fish the pool, and if you don’t get any takes, switch to a faster retrieve/swing. The fish will let you know what they prefer.

Farmington River

West Branch flows on the Farmington at Riverton are reading 264 CFS while the Still is adding 293 CFS from this past week’s rain. Flows will be clear upriver of the confluence with the Still River, however downriver it will be a little stained from runoff. The afternoons into the evening have been more consistent for bug activity, and the two main hatches you will encounter are Blue Winged Olives in sizes 20-26, and Midges in sizes 22-26. Additionally, you may see some Tan Caddis in sizes 14-20. Water temperatures will fluctuate in the mid to high 40s depending on the time of day. Brown Trout are finishing up their spawn but be aware to avoid stepping on Redds and disturbing the remaining spawning fish. This time of year, you will find fish podded up below spawning beds, so bringing a variety of egg patterns will be effective. Now is also the time to throw larger streamers as trout search for higher calorie meals in post-spawn and leading into the winter. Bringing some larger streamers can also result in finding some nice trophy fish 20” and over. Now is a good time for our Trout Spey anglers to break out theSkagit Heads andT Tips which will turn over larger intruders and streamers. Fishing a wet fly swung on aless aggressive sinking tip can pull additional fish during the afternoon when insects will be emerging. The same can be said for those nymphing with single handers: swinging nymphs at the end of your drift can simulate an emerging insect. Twitching jigged streamers through a run can also be a deadly technique. For nymphing, junk flies will catch the recently stocked Trout (Mops and Squirmies) as will Stoneflies in sizes 8-12. One technique is to use these larger flies as your point nymph paired with a smaller dropper nymph: Pheasant Tails in sizes 12-18, Caddis Larva 14-18, Perdigones 12-20, Hare’s Ears 14-18, and Zebra Midges in 18-24. These nymphs are all safe bets from Fall and well into Winter. In terms of rigging, look to use 5x-6xFluorocarbon when nymphing, andNylon 5x-7x when dry fly fishing. During normal-low flows, and especially with smaller flies, it pays off to have a stealthy leader in the10-12’ range which will aid in a delicate presentation. Staying into the evening can result in some good spinner falls.Remember to not high or low hole anyone. Let’s be respectful to other anglers. Good luck! Keep in mind:Please report any suspicious activity and poaching to DEEP by calling 800-842-4357.

Housatonic River

The Housy also has increased flows, reading 1020 CFS at Falls Village, though some sections will still be wadable depending on where you fish. The park will be at fishable levels, just make sure to be cautious when wading. Your main hatch will be Blue Winged Olives in sizes 20-26, Midges in the same size, and Caddis in sizes 14-20. Your best bet for dry fly fishing will be during the afternoon when water temperatures peak and bug and fish activity are at their highest. During the mornings nymphing still remains the most effective method. When nymphing with an indicator we’ve had great feedback about theOros Stike Indicators, and a 9ft taperedfluorocarbon leader in 5x-6x is recommended. Nymphs to consider bringing include Caddis Larvae, Prince Nymphs, Hare’s Ears, Waltz Worms, Perdigones, and Yellow/Golden Stoneflies in sizes 12-18. For smaller nymphs, Zebra Midges in 18-24, will fool fish well into Fall and throughout Winter. Since Brown and Brook Trout are currently spawning, be careful to avoid stepping on Redds or disturbing paired up fish. With that said, trout will be podded up downriver of spawning beds, so it will be worth bringing egg patterns. Streamer fishing will also be effective, because trout will be looking for higher calorie meals, so bringing some larger streamers will prove useful. If you are fishing articulated neutrally buoyant streamers (Mini Dungeons, Drunk and Disorderly, Circus Peanuts, etc), you will want to pair these with asinking line and a short 5’ leader tapered from20lb to 10lb. For our floating line streamer anglers, consider drab colored Conehead Woolly Buggers paired with a 9ft 2x leader. Now is also a good time for our Trout Spey anglers to consider throwing larger patterns during the afternoon in combination with swinging wet hackles in the mornings and evenings.

Saltwater

Overall, the Striper fishing nearshore has started to taper off as migratory fish move down the coast. The main action recently has been resident schoolie Stripers blitzing on Peanut Bunker around coves and harbors with some nicer fish in the mid 30” mixed in. Most of the bait is going to be concentrated near the mouths of rivers and coves. A good tide to focus on in this scenario is the outgoing tide. The Norwalk River, Saugatuck, and Housatonic will provide some Striper action. Most recently, the Housatonic has increased with Striper activity as fish stage near the mouth and push upriver. The most consistent action is during dusk and dawn. A variety of baitfish imitations will interest fish on either an intermediate or sinking line, however another effective method is covering water with a popper that will create a lot of disturbance, such as a Bob’s Banger, orlarger offerings that will create sound and draw attention. Everyday has been different as Stripers have started their migration, and for our wade anglers the Housatonic, Westport beaches, and Southport are good hunting grounds for Stripers. This time of year, it is worth casting along the beaches as the bait will push out and travel along the beach with Stripers in pursuit. Other areas to consider include Calf Pasture, Penfield Reef, Veterans Park, and Todd’s Point. While blitzes can erupt at any time, and seemingly out of nowhere, we like to focus on mornings and evenings, low light conditions, as well as tidal movement. We recommend bringing wire leader in20lb knottable wire which is easy to work with when adding a section to your leader for Bluefish, or having apre-tied leader, which will save some time. While most of the Bluefish have moved out there are still a few stragglers mixed in with Stripers. For your standard Striper leader, we prefer a leader7’ of 16-20lb, and if using poppers, you may extend your leader by a couple more feet. It will also help to bring some longer fullfluorocarbon leaders in 16lb for the chance of encountering Albies.

Hot Flies:
Deceivers in various colors
Clousers
Bay Anchovy Patterns
Peanut Bunker Patterns
Medium Sized Bunker Flies
Epoxy Sardine (Great Albie Fly)
Bob’s Banger (Stripers and Bluefish)

Good Fly Lines For Fall:
SA Full Intermediate
Wulff Monoclear (For picky Albie days)
Rio Outbound Short (Good for big flies and big winds)
Rio Striper (Good all-rounder)

Please report any poaching to the DEEP by calling 800-842-4357.

New York

Salmon River

Flows have increased on the Salmon River to 717 CFS at the Pineville Gauge (compared to 525 CFS on November 14th). Most of the Steelhead activity has been reported in the upper parts of the river, which means there hasn’t been an abundance of fish entering the system of late. The occasional Brown Trout has been caught in the lower to middle sections of the river. The tributaries are just starting to see Steelhead push in, and there has been some impressive Brown Trout fishing so far. In regards to Steelhead, it’s all a matter of covering water and finding pods of fish that are holding and willing to cooperate. For Steelhead it is worth bringing2x-3x fluorocarbon when nymphing. The most popular flies are going to be different colored Glo Bugs, Stoneflies, Squirmies, Steelhead Slammers, Rushers Steelhead Nymph, Wooly Buggers, and Egg Sucking Leeches. Some anglers are having success swinging for steelhead using large brightintruders in Pink, Black, Purple, and Blue/Chartreuse in the lower parts near the estuary.Beads in different colors will also work well (such as Chartreuse and Mottled Tangerine), so switching up flies/colors and techniques will be the key to success. As a bonus, these flies will also work on Brown Trout. Having amicro barrel swivel incorporated into your leader will help avoid splitshot sliding down your leader, as well as aid in quicker rerigging during breakoffs and snags. For our two handed anglers, Skagit has been the most productive method, and we like Rio’sSkagit Max Power head combined with either amono orcoated running line. Having a variety ofMOW Tips so you can fine tune the depth of your fly based on flows, depth, and current speed, to aid in your success. For tippet, we like usingMaxima Ultragreen in 10lb when swinging flies. Now that the weather is getting colder and into the low 30s, it will be beneficial to bring a good layering system as well as a pair of warmfingerless gloves.

Catskills

The Mainstem at Lordville on the Delaware River is currently 1930 CFS, while the West Branch at Hale Eddy is flowing at 400 CFS. Flows at Fish’s Eddy on the East are 1190 CFS. Overall, flows are still below average but have increased compared to last week. With that said, flows are still good for wading, but please be careful as some Brown Trout are still spawning so avoid stepping on Redds and disturbing paired fish. Your main hatch will be Blue Winged Olives in sizes 20-26, and with water temperatures in the mid-40s, most of your bug activity will be during the afternoon when temps are highest. Having a leader of at least12’ of 5x-6x will help when looking for a stealthier approach for dry flies. Look for rising fish in the slower pools and tailouts. Nymphing and streamer fishing is going to be the most productive during the mornings. In terms of nymphs, having Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Waltz Worms, Perdigones, Hare’s Ears and Caddis Larvae in sizes 16-20 will all be effective patterns to carry. It is also worth having egg patterns as fish are actively spawning, and trout will be posted downstream of Redds waiting for eggs to dislodge. This will cover the range of subsurface insects that you may encounter. It is worthwhile to bring egg patterns as Trout will be waiting for eggs to become dislodged from spawning beds. Bringing some larger articulated streamers (3-5”) will prove useful as Brown Trout will be more aggressive during this time of year (Drunk and Disorderly, Mini Dungeons, etc). Having a sinking line or some form of sink tip is an effective way to fish neutrally buoyant streamers at desired depths.

Saltwater

In New York and Long Island, the spotlight has shifted from Albies to Stripers with many blitzes happening along the North and South shores. The main baitfish are going to be Bunker in the 3-5” range, with some larger Bunker and Sand Eels along the southshore. Focus on areas near structure: jetties, rips, and at the mouth of canals. In deeper water structure there have been larger bass 40” and over underneath Bunker pods. There are still some small pods of Albies cruising along the Northshore, however it has been challenging to get shots off to them. Bringing some poppers, like a Bob’s Banger, will result in some Blue and Striper action during dusk and dawn. Night fishing has held steady for Stripers, especially around docks and lights, and anglers fishing from shore are finding large Stripers off the beaches. Looking for fish pushing bait to the surface in the rips will result in some fish 30lbs and over. Tidal movement is crucial when looking for fish, as this will stack bait into the rips which will make for an easy meal. If there is no surface action, you can use an aggressive sinking line paired with a larger Clouser to get deeper. With the abundance of bait and different species you will encounter, we recommend bringing some Deceivers, Clousers, Sand Eel patterns, and Popovic’s Surf Candies to imitate Bay Anchovies. This is the best time of year for targeting Stripers as the abundance of bait, which makes for great topwater action, will hold for a few more weeks.

Rhode Island

Fall Striper fishing continues, but has been tapering off along the Rhode Island shore. Most anglers are finding resident fish and some late migratory fish at the mouth of Rivers and in Bays. At the mouth of the Providence River there are anglers finding larger fish. Again, your most prevalent bait will be Peanut Bunker and Bay Anchovies. Looking for signs of birds and bait will be your best bet combined with covering ground, as the Stripers haven’t been tightly concentrated. Persistence will pay off. With fish migrating through, the beachfronts have been hit or miss. Cape Cod is still seeing some schoolie action in the surf, however most of the bait and fish have started to move South. Focusing on salt marshes and ponds can result in some resident Stripers looking to winter over. Areas to focus on include Watch Hill, Point Judith, Charlestown Breachway, and the West Wall. Anglers have been finding occasional Albies running through, but this has been a rarity the past couple of weeks.