Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We hope everyone has had the chance to get out and fish in between this Spring’s rain. While flows have been generally higher than average, let’s hope the influx of water keeps the fishing consistent during the summer months when we need it most. On the freshwater side, flows are still above average but fishable on our local streams and rivers, and many anglers are doing well since the stockings, mostly by fishing subsurface. Look for more hatch activity when flows approach more average levels, especially Stoneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, and more recently Hendricksons. Both the Farmington and Housatonic are high, so use caution when fishing and high-water tactics, or wait until flows drop. Striper fishing continues to improve by the day, and while migratory fish have yet to show, there are plenty of holdover schoolies to keep you busy near the mouth of rivers, coves, and bays. Flows are up on the Delaware River which means your best option will be floating as opposed to wading. And on the Salmon River in New York, dropback Steelhead are spread throughout the system with more Smallmouth in the lower river. Covering ground is the name of the game to have a successful day. Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Flows are currently back down to near average levels for our local options, however, expect a little bump in flows from this past week’s rain. The Saugatuck is currently flowing 272 CFS and just starting to rise, whereas the average level is 245 CFS. On sunny and warm days there will be an increase in bug activity. You can expect a fair number of Caddis and Small Black Stoneflies in sizes 14-16. The next prevalent insect will be Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-20 (on your overcast days), as well as some midges in similar size. Depending on where you fish you may start to see some Hendricksons hatching in sizes 12-14. Water levels are good so look for an improvement in trout surface activity, and blind fishing dries could result in a few more active fish. Many anglers are starting off with nymphing during the mornings and are having good success. Some of our favorite patterns include Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Caddis Larvae, Waltz Worms, and Perdigones in sizes 14-18, as well as Zebra Midges in sizes 18-20. Many of this Spring’s stocked trout are keying in on the river’s natural forage, however some are still being fooled on Mops and Squirmies. Swinging soft hackles can be a good method for fish keying in on emergers, and your standard CDC or Partridge flies in 14-18 will work. For most of our nymphing and dry fly scenarios we prefer 5x-6x, and in areas with tight brush a 7.5ft leader will work well, such astheRio Powerflex in 7.5ft. During mornings and overcast days fish will be more willing to chase streamers from Wooly Buggers in 4-10 to larger articulated flies. Both can be paired with a floating line or sinking/sink tip option. Some good colors to bring include Olive, Black, White, Yellow, and Tan.Areas to consider are the Saugatuck, the Mill River in Fairfield, the Aspetuck River, and the Norwalk River. Plenty of ponds and lakes were also stocked, which is a good opportunity to take the kids fishing. Some areas are seeing a second round of stocking so there’s a ton of options no matter where you are in the state.

Naugatuck River

While Naugatuck flows have been on the drop this past week the river is still high, reading 1420 CFS at Beacon Falls. High water fishing tactics are in play, so nymphing and streamer fishing are going to be the most productive. All sections of the Naugatuck were stocked, and the TMAs have received their second round of stocking already. Fish will be forgiving in terms of fly selection, so larger and brighter nymphs will work, as well as Mops and Squirmies. Look to fish Small Black Stoneflies, Midges, Caddis, and Blue Winged Olives as your main hatches when flows approach more average levels. In respect to other insects, having a range of sizes from 12-24 in nymphs/dries will have you covered. Bring similar patterns to the local rivers and streams reported above. The Naugatuck is a good alternative for areas with more crowds/pressure. 

Farmington River

Flows are currently high, spilling over the dam on the West Branch, and in Riverton flows are currently at 1540 CFS. The Still is adding 470 CFS and is currently rising due to this past week’s rain. Use caution wading and high-water tactics if you decide to fish, otherwise we would recommend waiting until the flows are cut. Temperatures on the West Branch are fluctuating in the low to mid 40s, and with high water surface trout activity will be diminished. Most of the river is experiencing Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-20, Tan Caddis in 16-20, Small Black Stoneflies in 14-16, Midges in size 20. Since water temperatures are warming there have been some reports of Hendricksons being seen downriver, however it is relatively early in terms of consistency. Nymphing is going to be the most productive method and will catch a variety of stocked fish as well as holdovers until water levels reach average. The holdovers are going to be more difficult but persistence and a more natural selection of flies will help even the odds. For nymphing, you will want to bring 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 12-20, Caddis Larva 14-18, Perdigones 12-20, Hare’s Ears 14-18, Waltz Worms in 14-18, and Zebra Midges in 18-24. In terms of rigging, look to use 5x-6xFluorocarbon when nymphing. Smaller nymphs in sizes 18-20 will pair well on a dry/dropper rig. For Streamer fishing you’ll want to bring some Wooly Buggers and jig style streamers in sizes 8-10 in a variety of colors: Olive, Black, White, and Brown. Fishing articulated flies on a sinking/sink tip line can be another useful tool to include in your arsenal. Weighted Sculpin patterns are another consideration and can be fished on a floating line. Now is a good time for our Trout Spey anglers to use Skagit heads and T-tips during the high water. Break out the Scandi heads when flows are average to try swinging some wet flies onless aggressive sinking tips, as insects will become more active during the afternoon.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 River is starting to rise again, and is currently 2470 CFS. These flows are too high and stained for wading, so we advise fishing during safer flows, which are 1000 CFS and under. It seems like we can’t get a break to get out there this Spring. Stocking has yet to occur on the Housatonic. When flows return to normal, you may encounter some Midges in sizes 18-24, Small Black Stoneflies in sizes 14-18, and Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-20. Streamer fishing and nymphing are going to be the most productive techniques until water temperatures warm a bit to increase hatch activity. Anglers that have been streamer fishing are swinging flies on a floating or sink tip line with either single handers or trout spey rods. 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 soft hackles in the mornings and evenings. Trout Spey is a good way to cover and search water, especially in the wider stretches. During the mornings nymphing still remains the most effective method. For nymphing with an indicator (we’ve had great feedback on theOros Stike Indicators), a 9ft taperedfluorocarbon leader in 5x-6x is recommended. Nymphs to consider bringing include Pheasant Tails, 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 under most conditions.

Saltwater

Anglers are starting to catch their first Stripers of the season at the mouth of the Housatonic. Stripers are starting to drop back down with more regularity and have been ranging from schoolie sized into the mid 30” range. This week has been a quantity over quality scenario, as most of the schoolies have been small but plentiful. For this fishery we recommend using a 9 or 10wt rod paired with an intermediate sinking line. For your leader a shorter 7.5ft section of 20-30lb will turn over easily when paired with a Clouser. For colors consider bringing Olive and White on clear sunny days. With the amount of rain we’ve had, water will be stained so bringing brighter colors such as Chartreuse and White will help stand out in dirty water. Larger herring patterns are also a consideration this time of year for our boat anglers fishing near the rivers. There have been some Stripers filtering in around the coves, harbor and around the mouth of rivers. Southport has seen an increase in Striper activity this week. Focusing on rocky structures and points when fishing from boat is crucial and wait until the flats warm during the afternoons and into the evening to see more Striper activity in these spots. The Housatonic River Striper Fishing will pick up throughout the lower sections as April progresses.

New York

Salmon River

Flows are currently being cut on the Salmon River are 921 CFS. Water levels are still high which will have fish spread throughout the river, meanwhile clarity is still good. While anglers have found a couple Steelhead in the lower river, Smallmouth are showing up with more regularity. Covering water and moving around to different sections will aid in your success. Where you catch one fish you will find more, as the Spring dropbacks tend to pod up and concentrate. Many different techniques will be working, whether you are swinging flies with sinking tips or nymphing. For nymphs consider Stoneflies in sizes 6-12, as well as Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, and Squirmy Worms. A variety of egg patterns will be working from Estaz Eggs, Glo Bugs, and Sucker Spawn to 6-8mm beads. Switching files, sizes, and techniques will help you identify what the Steelhead are keying in on during that day. Many anglers are still finding fish at the heads and tails of runs, which are prime traveling lies for fish moving downriver, so don’t overlook the sections where flows increase in speed, and sometimes Steelhead will be suspended higher. Anglers from Altmar to Pineville will still be seeing the largest concentration of fish, and in the Upper Fly Zone now that this section of river is open. When Nymphing, 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 and Scandi techniques have been working, and we like Rio’sSkagit Max Power head combined with either amono orcoated running line. Have a variety ofMOW Tips andVersileaders so you can fine tune the depth of your fly based on flows and current speed will aid in your success. For tippet, we like usingMaxima Ultragreen in 10lb when swinging flies on Skagit. For Scandi a 12-15ft leader tapered down to 3x is key. Having a variety of colors to rotate between is the name of the game: Brown, Olive, Black, Blue, Purple, and Pink are all good considerations. Rain is expected this weekend and a few days this upcoming week so expect flows to increase.

The Catskills

Flows are still high but there is some improvement this past week. Currently the Mainstem at Lordville is 6790 CFS, while the West at Hale Eddy is 2060 CFS, and the East 4010 at Fish’s Eddy. You will probably want to stick to floating the main river unless fishing the feeder creeks. Both the Beaverkill and Willowemoc are still in good shape for wading. Depending on where you’re fishing you will still find Small Black Stoneflies hatching in sizes 16-18, as well as Blue Winged Olives in sizes 16-20 and some Black and Tan Caddis in 16-18. Most notable is an improvement in Hendricksons in sizes 12-14, as well as Blue Quills and Quill Gordons in 16-18. It will help to bring a variety of options, as there are many different bugs hatching throughout the day, and trout will change flies that they are keying in on. Most anglers are fishing streamers and nymphs during the high water, especially during the morning, and are bringing a few fish to hand, so bring some articulated streamers paired with a sinking line while flows are still high. Some colors to consider are White, Yellow, Chartreuse, Black, Olive, and Brown. For nymphing, consider Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Caddis Larvae, Perdigones, Waltz Worms, etc., in sizes #14-#20. During the warmer afternoons you may have luck swinging soft hackles. During the colder mornings stick to your subsurface patterns, until the afternoon when you may see some fish rising in the slower pools.

New York Saltwater

Holdover Striper fishing has seen an improvement while anglers are still waiting for migratory fish to show up in more numbers. Focusing on the bays and salt ponds is going to be your best bet. For this fishing you will want to bring some smaller Clousers in #2 in a variety of colors, as well as small Deceivers, Sand Eel patterns, and Grass Shrimp. Fishing poppers early mornings on a floating line can be a blast, such as Bob’s Bangers and Gurglers. Most of the holdovers you will find are in the 20-30” size with a few high 30” in the mix. During the afternoon the flats can be a good option as they warm and offer sight fishing opportunities for cruising Stripers.

Rhode Island Saltwater

Again, sticking to the salt ponds and bays is going to be the most productive for holdover Stripers, and don’t overlook the beach front near these areas as Stripers filter out with the tide. There aren’t any signs of migratory stripers yet. The flats in bays and coves are a good choice to sight fish as they are the first areas to warm during the afternoon.