Hello Compleat Anglers Friends, we have improved flows on most of our Connecticut rivers compared to last week, and all our options (besides the Housatonic) are easy to wade. With the colder water and air temperatures, this means your most productive methods are going to be nymphing and streamer fishing. However, you still may encounter some Blue Winged Olive and Midge hatches during the warmer afternoons. Anglers are still finding nice holdovers from Spring stocking with a mix of more recent Fall stocked fish. On the Salmon River in New York, reports are slow at the lower end of the river, with some anglers finding a fish or two in the DSR, while upriver there is a greater concentration of Steelhead. On the tributaries anglers are finding some good Brown Trout fishing. Our saltwater bite has slowed, as the bulk of the migratory Stripers hit the New Jersey coastline in pursuit of Peanut Bunker near the beaches. Our best options now are the resident Stripers that are staged at the mouth of the Housatonic River in preparation for wintering over. We hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Flows are back down to average for this time of year on our local rivers and streams, which means good clarity and easy wading. For example, the Saugatuck is currently 111 CFS. Colder temperatures have diminished hatches so most of your fishing is going to be subsurface. Focusing on Streamer and Nymphing techniques will be the most productive, especially during the morning. Hatches you might encounter in the afternoon could include Midges in sizes 18-20, Tan Caddis in sizes 16-20, and Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-24. Still, subsurface will be the most effective method, and good choices 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 when you are on our smaller rivers and targeting the opposite bank to sink the fly quickly into the strike zone. When nymphing and dry fly fishing in our smaller rivers and streams 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. Areas that should fish well include the Saugatuck, Mianus, Mill, and Aspetuck Rivers. There are still plenty of fish to be had from Spring holdovers and Fall stockings.

Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck and Shetucket were stocked with Atlantic Salmon and Trout in the Trout Management Areas. Flows are currently clear and good for wading, reading 469 CFS. Having some junk flies will catch the less educated stocked fish and look to fish similar 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. 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 the 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 237 CFS while the Still has dropped to 163 CFS. Flows are currently clear and easy for wading access. 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 as they head 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 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) in addition to 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 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. With all the variety of bug activity, soft hackling can be a productive option as well.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 Housatonic is gradually dropping since last week but is still high, reading 1320 CFS at Falls Village, and most sections will be too high to wade. 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, bug activity, and fish activity are all highest. During the mornings nymphing still remains the most effective method. For nymphing with an indicator (we’ve had great feedback on theOros Strike Indicators) , 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 on the lookout 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 has been resident schoolie Stripers blitzing on Peanut Bunker around coves and harbors with some nicer fish in the mid 30” range 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. The Norwalk River 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 bringing20lb, 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.

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 were increased on the Salmon River the past few days, and are currently up to 1820 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. 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. With regard to Steelhead, it’s all a matter of covering water 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 fishing large brightintruders in Pink, Black, Purple, and Blue/Chartreuse swinging the lower parts near the estuary for Steelhead.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 and 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 bringing a good layering system as well as a pair of warmfingerless gloves.

Saltwater

Anglers are still getting into Stripers as they migrate along the coast, and focusing on the bays and beach fronts you will encounter fish crashing Peanut Bunker. This is most concentrated along the South Shore, while the North Shore and Montauk have slowed considerably. Most of these Stripers are in the schoolie size, however boat anglers have been finding larger fish on the outside of the feeding frenzies further from the beaches. The Peanut Bunker are in the 3-5” range, so using small deceivers, or EP Peanut Butters will be your best imitations when paired with an intermediate or full sinking line. Don’t overlook poppers, however, as they will be working well when Stripers are feeding in rafts up high. Striper fishing should continue to taper off as fish migrate further South into New Jersey, which still has the bulk of the run.

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 water. With Stripers spread out, 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.