Greetings Compleat Anglers! We have a tough forecast for the weekend but if you decide to brave the rain, the fishing should be very good. Both fresh and saltwater are hot right now. The state continues to stock smaller rivers with 47 stocked this week alone. While spin anglers are killing fish by the thousands and cleaning out many of our most popular rivers, moving around to lesser-known spots will keep you on the fish. The Farmington is in its prime right now. With multiple stockings and the wild browns becoming very active, the fishing has been very good. There are more and more wild fish being taken as those water temps continue to climb so you can expect a good mix of fish. The Hendrickson hatch has begun offering the first really good dry fly action of the season. With a large permanent catch-and-release-only section of water that is well-patrolled by the DEEP, you do not have to contend with as much of the spin angler debauchery. This makes it a favorite for fly anglers. The phenomenal Striper bite has had many putting those 3s and 5s away in favor of 9s and 10s. The Connecticut and New York bite has been white hot. Lots of large and smaller fish have been caught in numerous locations. The water has warmed up quite a bit over the past few weeks and the Stripers have responded accordingly. Now is the time to get in on some of the best Striper fly fishing all year. Read on for more!

Connecticut

Local Streams

More stockings mean more options for the upcoming week. The DEEP has stocked another 47 streams this week alone. While the Saug and Mianus got fish last week, these rivers will be a bit of zoo. Many are trying to avoid the crowds and I would highly recommend it. The key this time of year is to move around to lesser-known rivers which can ensure a productive and relaxing day on the water. One benefit to the Spring is that there is no shortage of options in terms of rivers to fish as the state has stocked over 70 of them thus far, so there is really no need to pack into the crowded spots. Another benefit to this time of year is that the fish are very willing to hit a wide variety of flies. Mops, worms, PTs, Hares Ears, streamers, soft hackles, and other assorted larger nymphs will work great for these fish. The warmer weather is a positive trend as it will warm that water up into the 50s which is ideal for trout to feed. For you dry fly anglers, the last gasp of Stoneflies could still be coming off occasionally. It is the tail end of this hatch but there may be a few still flying around. A word on fishing this weekend. Get there nice and early. Being first to the spots will make a big difference in the quality of fishing. The crowds have been substantial and while everyone tends to play nice and give you space, most of the good water will be occupied by 11am. Please be respectful of other anglers. Remember to not high or low hole anyone. We have been seeing a lot of anglers being disrespectful and crowding anglers who are already fishing in a spot. There are plenty of fish around and plenty of water to fish. If someone is fishing a hole, just move on and find other open water. If there are no holes open, get there earlier next time or wait until one opens up. Remember that all TMAs are all catch and release until mid-April. Please report any poaching. When the states stocks, there tend to be a lot of poachers that come out of the woodwork. Especially spin anglers. As such, please report any misconduct to the DEEP by calling 800-842-4357.

Farmington River

No change to the Farmy report, as it continues to fish extremely well. The past few weeks you have had to pick your days but when flows are good, the fishing has been awesome. This is the time of year when fishing tends to get really hot. I find the next month or so to be some of the best fishing all year. The trout are moving into feeding lies and a wide variety of techniques will take fish. The flow out of the dam is around 180cfs, the Still is coming in at 140ish, which makes for just about a perfect flow. However we do have some rain on the way and it looks like we could get precipitation all weekend so those cfs values could go up quickly. Water temps are fluctuating depending on the air temperatures but this weekend should be just shy of 50 degrees during the afternoon. The farther away from the dam you get, the warmer the water will be. So, starting down low in the morning and moving up in the afternoons can be very effective. Nymphs will most likely be the best option. No surprise there. Larger patterns such as junk flies and attractor patterns should produce as these fish will be actively searching for food and that is doubly true for the stockies that will try anything once. Anglers are reporting Hendrickson style nymphs as being one of the hot patterns at the moment. Hendricksons are hatching well into the permanent catch-and-release-only area at this point. Mimicking these bugs is a smart move. The hatch is certainly in full swing so bring those dries! Smaller black stonefly nymphs are a good option as well. Patterns in s12 and 14 tend to draw aggressive strikes. There should be some smaller bugs coming off as well. Caddis, Midges and certainly BWOs should be flying around this weekend. You can expect fish to be rising in the mornings provided the water doesn’t blow out so bring those dries just in case. Make no mistake, the fly fishing can be nothing short of spectacular this time of year. May is one of my favorite months. The fish are active, hungry, and there is no shortage of options as far as techniques. With increased angling pressure, now is the time when you will want to start getting to the river nice and early. If you have a favorite spot in mind I would recommend trying to get there at sun-up. It is time to start playing those games to try and beat other anglers. Good luck! Keep in mind: Please report any poaching to the DEEP by calling 800-842-4357.

Housatonic River

Still too high. We just cannot catch a break on the Housey this season. The river is running at around 1200cfs and coming down. However, with rain in the forcast for this weekend, I would recommend staying off the water for safety reasons. Most anglers will be avoiding this river due to flows. If you have drift boat, that is a different story but do not wade this river at the moment. Remember that 1000 or below is widely regarded as the safe flow. Water temperatures will certainly bump up with the weather we have forecasted but with the Farmington fishing so well, why risk it on the Housey? If you do decide to give it a shot once the water comes down, the DEEP has stocked the TMA and it should be super productive. With the higher water, the drift boat anglers have a good opportunity this weekend. Streamers or larger nymphs would not be a bad choice. Junk flies should produce and while any reasonable nymph has a shot of getting hit, larger patterns in the 8 to 12 size range should be best. The Hendrickson should also be hatching at this point however, be careful with those flows. With the Farmington fishing so well, I would recommend fishing there this weekend. 

Saltwater

No change to last week’s report. The Striper bite is wide open all across Connecticut. Fly anglers are getting into plenty of fish in a wide variety of locations. River mouths are a favorite right now as the concentration of fish there is very high. However, crowds will be substantial so be prepared for that. The fish have already begun spreading out and keying in on any structure associated with warmer water. These areas also tend to have larger fish as well so keep that in mind.

There is plenty of bait around so a multitude of flies should work, however, a Clouser Minnow or Deceiver is tough to beat right now. The fish are feeding very aggressively after a long and cold winter so don’t get too caught up on fly selection. As long as it’s close it will get bit. The falling tide has been the most productive (no surprise there) but the rising will still produce as well. The fish tend to be more diurnal this time of year and large fish can be regularly taken mid-day so no need to fish at night. Really all that matters is tidal fluctuation. As long as the water is moving, you will have feeding Stripers (provided you are in the right area). Any decent effort to locate Stripers has a high probability of success. Pick your weather windows and the fly fishing should be lights out. The bite is white hot.

New York

The Catskills

The Catskills are really beginning to come into their own. The East, West and upper Main are beginning to see Hendricksons. Although the hatch is a bit sporadic, I would expect next week or the week after to see that hatch begin in earnest. It is all weather dependent but a few warm days should kick that hatch off. There have been some Apples flying around and the fish have been taking the emergers well. That has made for challenging fishing but a well drifted Hendrickon has been taking fishing consistently. The Willowemoc and Beaverkill are a bit warmer and fishing well. Higher water has lent itself well to streamers and nymphs but there are certainly Hendys flying around making for some spectacular dry fly fishing. If you are thinking about doing something a little different, the Catskills are a great option right now on the right day. 

Saltwater 

Stripers, Stripers, Stripers! They are here and fly anglers have been making the most of it. Spawning fish have been moving into the Hudson with the smaller males in tow. Raritan Bay has been the epicenter of the action with fish from 20 inches up to 60 pounds being caught right now. The surrounding area has been inundated with fish moving into the shallows to feed making them easier targets for fly rodders. Coney Island Beach and Great Kills Beach has seen some awesome fishing as have Breezy Point, Fort Tilden, Rockaway Beach and East Atlantic Beach (Jones Beach). Some seriously big fish have been caught in these areas recently so if big Stripers are your thing, look to these areas for a shot. Really this whole area will be producing for the next few weeks so now is the time to get after it. Jamaica Bay has been another hot spot. Bait is piled up in there and Stripers are back in there gorging on anything they can find. Especially on a falling tide, as the water rushes out the fish have been stacked up and feeding heavily. It will only get better in the next few weeks but Striper season has officially started.