Hello Compleat Angler Friends! With this week’s rain we’ve had a small bump in flows on our local rivers that will carry into the weekend. Things are still in good shape in terms of wading and clarity. Anglers are reporting great fishing and good numbers of fish with the late Spring stocking being completed across the state. We are now entering a transition time for bug activity. Caddis are still going steady, while Hendricksons have tapered off and will give way to Sulphurs. On the Delaware river dry fly fishing has been great, and anglers are now fooling fish on Caddis, March Browns, Blue Winged Olives, and some Sulphurs in select areas. The best hatch right now on the Farmington is Caddis and remember to bring your Blue Winged Olives for the overcast days. The Housatonic is back up above 1000 CFS but when flows are good you can expect an improvement in Trout and Smallmouth fishing. On the Saltwater side, things are improving daily, and large Bunker schools should be arriving on our side of the sound any day now. The most prevalent bait are Silversides and anglers are finding a nice mix of both migratory and resident fish. Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Our local rivers are currently increasing in flows from this past week’s rain, but all our options are currently wadable. For instance, the Saugatuck is flowing at 87.2 CFS and can be expected to plateau and start to drop throughout the weekend. This bump in flows can be a positive thing, as it can trigger fish to act more aggressively toward streamers and also help delay low and hot water as we head into the summer. The fish will be looking up with more frequency so dry flies to bring include Tan and Black Caddis in sizes 16-18, Blue Winged Olives (especially on overcast days) in sizes 18-20, Midges in sizes 20-14, and Ant Patterns. Sulphurs and Light Cahills are starting to hatch in sizes 16-18, so you will want to bring those soon. For low and clear water we recommend using9’ leaders in 6x. Having a drag free drift is especially important now that stocked trout are keying in on the natural insects in the river. That said, some rivers have recently received a second stocking so these fresh fish will be more forgiving in terms of fly selection. Nymphing will be most productive in the morning, and it will help to have a variety of different bead sizes (in brass and tungsten) or split shot to calibrate your depth. 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. Streamer fishing is holding up very well, and many anglers are finding fish using Wooly Buggers and other small streamers. The hot colors are currently White, Chartreuse, Black, Olive, and Grey. During the afternoons and into the evenings fishing emergers and swinging soft hackles can be an effective technique.Areas to consider include 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. The additional Spring Stocking was completed so there are plenty of options no matter where you are fishing in the state.

Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck River has increased more significantly compared to our local options after this past week’s rain. Flows are currently above average, reading 1230 CFS at Beacon Falls which is on the high side for wading so we recommend waiting until flows drop below 1000 CFS. All sections of the Naugatuck were stocked, and the TMAs have received their second round of stocking already. Now that the fish have been in the system for a couple weeks they are keying in on more naturals as well, and coupled with lower flows, they will be rising with more frequency. Look to fish, Midges, Caddis, and Blue Winged Olives as your main hatches with some Cahills and Sulphurs mixed in. With 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 were cut this past week on the West Branch of the Farmington River and are currently 318 CFS while the Still River is adding 182 CFS and rising due to rain. Flows are ideal for wading and water clarity is good with water temperatures in the mid-40s in Riverton, and slightly warmer downriver. Hendrickson hatches are dwindling, so the main hatch now are Tan and Olive Caddis in sizes 14-18, along with Blue Winged Olives in 18-20, and Midges in 20-24. It will also be worth bringing Ants, Beetles, and Hoppers. You may see an increase in hatches and rising fish now that flows are near average levels. We may see flow increases at the dam soon after this past week’s rain. During average flows we recommend using 9’ or greater leaders in 5x-6x. Swinging wet flies, such as a Caddis Pupae, can be effective since Caddis are currently the most active. The holdovers and wild fish are going to be more difficult but persistence and a more natural selection of flies will help even the odds. Nymphing is going to be the most productive method during the morning before most of the hatches start. For nymphing, you will want to bring 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, and Zebra Midges in 18-24. The most recently stocked fish will more readily take Mop flies and Squirmy Worms. 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 Scandi heads and polyleaders during these average flows. 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

Flows are currently 1130 CFS at Falls Village which means the Housatonic River may be wadable in the easier sections. Keep an eye on flows before fishing this weekend as the flows will increase a bit more from the rain we’ve received. The Housatonic has been stocked multiple times so anglers are finding good numbers of fish. The larger holdover fish will be more difficult to find but persistence pays off. Since water temperatures have increased there are more prevalent hatches, with the main insects being Caddis in sizes 14-18 and Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-20. During cloudy and overcast days, you can expect more Blue Winged Olives, while Caddis will be prevalent during sunnier afternoons. Nymphing and Streamer fishing are still the most effective methods, especially during the mornings. For nymphing, consider bringing Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Caddis Larvae, Scud patterns, 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. Streamer fishing can also be a fun and productive technique. 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. Smallmouth are more active as they get ready to spawn, so now is a good time to target them. 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.

Saltwater

Striper action continues to increase with a few Bluefish showing up. The most prevalent bait is currently small Silversides, and fish can be found on top when you find the birds and bait. This is more common in 5-20ft of water, so focus on areas around the Norwalk Islands, the beaches off Westport, and the coves and mouths of rivers from Milford to Stamford. There is still Herring around deeper water structures, and Bunker are just starting to show on our side of the sound. Most of the fish are still residents, however more migratory fish are filtering in, with the most common sizes being mid teen schoolies to mid 30” fish. Some anglers are still having success at the mouth of the Housatonic River. For our saltwater 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. If the river is stained, bringing brighter colors such as Chartreuse and White will help stand out in dirty water. For our boat anglers bringing larger Bunker and Herring Patterns to juvenile Silverside Patterns will be key as there are a variety of bait and sizes. It is still early for Sand Eels, but they should start showing up in a few weeks with some warmer weather. Some of the salt ponds, such as Holly Pond and Old Mill, are seeing more action recently with Silversides being the primary forage. Focusing on rocky structures and points when fishing from a 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 deeper water ledges are receiving more fish, and sometimes they may be on top crashing bait. If there’s no surface activity, marking fish with sonar and using full sinking lines will also work. For this fishing we recommend a 4-6” Deceiver in Blue/White. Bunker schools should be arriving soon. Please be safe out there and respectful to other boaters!

New York

The Catskills

Flows have increased quickly on the Mainstem in Lordville and the East Branch at Fish’s Eddy where they are up to average, while flows have dropped on the West Branch at Hale Eddy. The main is currently reading 2690 CFS with water temperatures in the mid-50s to low 60s, while the East is reading 1280 CFS, and the West is down to 585 CFS. The Caddis hatch has been fantastic some days with Apple and Tan Caddis in sizes 16-18, while there are some March Browns in sizes 10-12, Sulphurs in sizes 16-18, and some areas (like the West Branch) are still seeing some Hendricksons in sizes 12-16. During overcast days bring Blue Winged Olives in sizes 16-18. On sunnier days you can expect to encounter the Hendrickson hatch later in the day and into the evening, while Caddis have been numerous throughout the day. 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. Bring different stages of Apple Caddis, from the spent adult to the pupae riding lower on the surface film. Most anglers are fishing nymphs during high water and during the morning, so consider Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Caddis Larvae, Perdigones, Waltz Worms, etc., all in sizes #14-#20. During the warmer afternoons you may have luck swinging soft hackles. During the cooler mornings stick to your subsurface patterns, until the afternoon when you may see some fish starting to rise in the slower pools. Dry fly action has been hit or miss, but when it’s on there are a ton of bugs with fish happily rising to them. Anglers have been finding some good size Brown Trout around 20” and there are more Rainbow Trout being brought to hand. Both the Beaverkill and Willowemoc are in good shape for wading and are giving up some impressive fish as well. This weekend weather conditions will be in the mid-60s and cloudy (good for Blue Winged Olives) with winds reaching 8mph.

New York Saltwater

Eaton’s Neck and other areas along the North Shore have been fishing well with migratory and resident Stripers chasing Silversides and Bunker that are starting to push in. Along the South Shore beaches and into Montauk stripers have been in the surf and holding in deeper water structure. When they’re blitzing on top they’re either on Bay Anchovies or Adult Bunker. The salt ponds, coves, and flats are also fishing well so there are plenty of options and fish in different scenarios. For the back bays you will want to bring some smaller Clousers in #2 and a variety of colors, as well as small Deceivers, Sand Eel patterns and Grass Shrimp. Fishing poppers like Bob’s Bangers and Gurglers early in the morning on a floating line can be a blast. Most of the holdovers you will find are in the 20-30” size with a few high 30” fish in the mix. If searching for migratory fish, bring some larger flies to imitate adult Bunker paired with a sinking line to cut below the schools. Look for signs of nervous and faster moving bait as Stripers will be pushing below them. Bluefish are starting to show up in the mix. Depending on your tide, night fishing has been great. Jamaica Bay is still seeing a lot of Striper action now that the Adult Bunker have moved in.

Rhode Island Saltwater

Squid are starting to show with more consistency in the rips around Point Judith, so it’s time to bring some squid patterns and sinking lines. More migratory fish are filtering in and chasing Adult Bunker, especially around the bays. Narragansett Bay, Providence, and Newport have improved this past week. Both night and daytime fishing along the beachfronts is improving as well, and anglers are catching fish more consistently. While few and far between, some Bluefish are being caught. Both the flats and bays around Cape Cod are seeing an improvement as well, and our anglers are catching some fish in the mid 30” range. Both Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay are areas to focus on moving forward. Watch hill is also seeing more migratory fish with the largest being up to 40”.