Hello Compleat Angler friends! This upcoming weekend we have a taste of colder weather fishing so now is the time to layer up. If you’re fishing locally this weekend, air temperatures will reach a high in the low 30s, but local options are great in terms of flows and clarity. Anglers are also finding some fish willing to cooperate both subsurface and on emergers. For hatches you can expect some Winter Caddis and small Blue Winged Olives. With flows slightly increased streamer fishing will be a viable option. The most effective technique will be nymphing since water temperatures have caused trout to become more lethargic, especially during the morning. Flows are also ideal on the Farmington River, and anglers are finding some nice holdover trout. Meanwhile the Housatonic River is above average at 1460 CFS, so look for an improvement in wading when flows drop below 1000 CFS. On the Salmon River in New York flows are above average which means that more fish will be pushing in and traveling. With cold weather in the teens this weekend, slush may become an issue in certain sections during the morning. Anglers have been finding a few Steelhead each day with persistence, and fish are spread throughout the entire river.

Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Flows are gradually dropping now that the rain has ceased this past week, and our local rivers and streams are in good shape for fishing. Flows are currently below average but are still higher than they’ve been. For instance, the Saugatuck River is flowing at 80.5 CFS. This weekend may have an intermittent mix of rain and snow and temperatures reaching a high in the 30-degree range, however flows will remain unaffected. The Mainus River is fishing well, and anglers are finding fish both subsurface and on Blue Winged Olive emergers. You may also find some fish left over from Fall stocking in the Saugatuck, Mill, and other small rivers and streams hit by stocking trucks. Since flows are back down, we recommend switching back a more imitative and smaller selection of nymphs. Drab-colored nymphs will be working well such as Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Caddis Larvae, Waltz Worms, and Perdigones in sizes 14-20, as well as Zebra Midges in sizes 18-20. For dry flies, you will encounter some Winter Caddis hatching in sizes 18-24 during the morning. Towards the afternoon you can expect small Blue Winged Olives emerging in sizes 20-26. In addition, smaller Woolly Buggers will be working well in Black, Olive, Brown, White, and Purple. Vary the retrieve to see what the fish prefer, and sometime a slow swing can entice the more lethargic fish. Jig streamers either dead drifted or animated with a jigging action from the rod tip will also work well as they offer a slower and enticing motion. Overall, a slower and more methodical approach when fishing through runs will help during winter as trout are less willing to expend energy.

Naugatuck River

Flows on the Naugatuck are slightly below average reading 519 CFS at Beacon Falls, which are gradually dropping. Flows will be ideal for this weekend, and as a bonus more Atlantic Salmon were stocked. For targeting Atlantic Salmon, swinging and/or stripping streamers and traditional hairwing flies, Woolly Buggers, and different color intruders will work well. Change flies after swinging through a pool, as sometimes Salmon will be triggered by a particular color or fly that has some added flash. Focusing on the entire run and fishing all sections methodically will be a good strategy to hunt them down. If you’re using a floating line, having a few polyleaders will aid in controlling your fly depth in different runs and scenarios, which can make the difference of getting your fly in front of these fish to entice a strike. Morning conditions will be cold so look for an increase in fish activity as the sun warms the water. There are still some trout to be found after this past Fall stocking, and there are still some Small Blue Winged Olives, Midges, and Tan Caddis hatching from late morning into the afternoon. For nymphing the usual suspects will work well, Caddis Larvae, Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Waltz Worms and Perdigones in sizes 16-18. Also consider bringing Zebra Midges in sizes 18-24, Mop Flies, Egg Flies, and Squirmies. Nymphing will be the most productive method, especially in the morning with trout being more lethargic due to water temperatures. The Naugatuck and Shetucket are good alternatives for areas with more crowds/pressure.

Farmington River

New Hartford has received a light amount of snow this past week with possible flight snow on Saturday. Flows on the West Branch are reading 170 CFS at the Riverton Gauge while the Still River is adding 137 CFS . Overall water levels are ideal now with good clarity. On the West Branch water temperatures are fluctuating in the low to mid 40s. Water temperatures will be coldest during the morning, so trout and hatch activity will be highest when water temperatures warm during the afternoon. In the morning you will still find some Tan Caddis hatching in sizes 18-24, which will switch over to Blue Winged Olives during the afternoon and into the evening in sizes 20-24. If you see trout rising slowly, it will be worth trying some Blue Winged Olive emergers. Nymphing will be the most productive technique throughout the day. Smaller nymphs have been working well in conjunction with egg patterns now that most of the Brown Trout have completed spawning. For nymphs we recommend Pheasant Tails and Prince Nymphs in sizes 12-20, Caddis Larva 14-18, Perdigones 12-20, Hare’s Ears 14-18, Waltz Worms in 14-18, Black Stoneflies in sizes 12-18, and Zebra Midges in 18-24. Anglers are finding some nice holdover Rainbow and Brown Trout primarily on nymphs. With flows bumped a bit, now is a good time to be using streamers some colors to consider include Yellow, Olive, Black, White, Chartreuse, and Brown. Larger articulated patterns will be working in conjunction with a sink tip or full sinking line, or weighted streamers on a floating line. Vary your retrieve to see what the trout are preferring. For our two-handed anglers it will be worth swinging some larger streamers with Skagit heads and more aggressive sink tips. Streamer fishing will best during low light hours in either the morning or evening. Bite windows will tend to be shorter when Winter fishing, as trout will not be as active. 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 1-860-424-4357.

Housatonic River

Flows are still high on the Housatonic River. And are reading 1460 at Falls Village. Some areas will be easier wading, however, look for an improvement in access when flows drop below 1000 CFS. On a positive note, these flows will help spread Trout throughout the system that were previously concentrated in the deeper pools. Streamer fishing will also be an effective technique while flows are high and on the drop. Larger articulated streamers on sink tip or sinking lines will work well, or weighted streamers on floating lines. Nymphing will also be good while dry fly fishing will be diminished until flows reach average. Good nymphs to include in your rotation this time of year include Caddis and Scud patterns, Waltz Worms, Perdigones, Prince Nymphs, and Pheasant Tails all in sizes 14-18. In addition, bring some Black Stoneflies in sizes 12-18, as well as some Zebra Midges in sizes 18-20. Egg patterns will still be effective in 6mm since Brown Trout are finishing spawning. Having a double nymph rig will give the fish multiple options, and well as cover different areas in the water column. Larger and flashback nymphs in size 12 will work well for high or stained water along with Mop flies and Squirmies. Since air and water temperatures are cold the bite window will be shorter, the best times to fish will be the late morning into the early evening when water temperatures are at their highest. Trout Spey will also be an effective way to search and cover water, and swinging streamers with a sinking tip can prove useful during higher-than-average flows.

New York

Salmon River

Light winds and cold weather are in store for this weekend on the Salmon River, with a chance of snow on Saturday and air temperatures in the teens. Make sure to bring a good layering system and dress warm if deciding to fish this weekend. Flows are still higher than average, currently the Pineville Gauge is reading 1810 CFS which is above average. This increase in water will trigger more Steelhead to push into the system, so we can expect an improvement in the numbers of fish. This push will also trigger existing fish to continue moving upriver, so don’t overlook the heads and tails of runs, as those areas tend to be traveling lanes for Steelhead. Anglers are finding fish spread throughout the whole system from Altmar down to the DSR, and with persistence they’re finding a few Steelhead each day along with the occasional Brown Trout. Nymphing is the most effective technique now, and smaller egg patterns around 8-6mm are working with the current conditions. Using fluorocarbon leaders will aid in abrasion resistance and strength in smaller diameters. We recommend using 9’ leaders in 1-3X, and having a barrel swivel connecting your leader to tippet will help for faster rerigging during break-offs, as well as offer a point where your splitshot can’t slide down to your fly. Popular Egg colors include Chartreuse, Orange, Pink, Cheese, and Blue. Estaz Eggs, Glo-Bugs, Sucker Spawn, Stoneflies, and Squirmy Worms are all flies to consider bringing. Where allowed, pegging beads offer a realistic egg imitation in a variety of colors from mottled Tangerine to Chartreuse.  Anglers swinging flies can opt for Woolly Buggers in a variety of colors, Egg Sucking Leeches, or PNW style Intruder Flies. These can be swung with a single hand or spey rods in conjunction with a sink tip. During these higher flows fishing Skagit heads will be an effective method as you can use more aggressive sink tips.