Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We have low and clear flows this week, which should open all rivers for wading this weekend. Trout fishing continues to remain consistent, with the hotspot being the Housatonic at the moment. There have been blanket hatches towards the evening, with the most notable being Sulphurs, and many anglers are catching them subsurface and on emergers. Similarly, there is a lot of bug activity happening on the Farmington, with the recent addition of Caddis. Our incredible saltwater season continues with larger Stripers being brought to hand, and there is still plenty of bait nearshore to keep up the action. The push of big Bluefish has also moved our way, so it is worth bringing leaders with steel wire. The notable bait are Bunker, Silversides, and Sand Eels. Winds for local saltwater will be from the East reaching up to 20mph, but the good news is that winds will subside and switch to the North early this upcoming week. For our trout anglers, a little rain is expected this weekend, which should cool water temperatures and improve flows. Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Flows have continued to trend lower on our local rivers, with the Saugatuck reading 32.3cfs. Very low water means that water temperatures will be raised, so check to make sure you’re fishing temperatures that won’t stress the trout (below 70 degrees). Most of the hatches are going to be Sulphurs, March Browns, Blue Winged Olives and Cahills in sizes 12-18 depending on the conditions. For your Caddis, bring some smaller sizes down to 20. Elk hair Caddis, for example, are good dry dropper patterns because they will be buoyant enough to suspend a nymph. Having a general searching dry fly, such as a Parachute Adams, will imitate a variety of mayflies hatching, and make sure to use the appropriate size that the trout are keying in on. Having a smaller assortment of more natural looking nymphs is also a good idea during low and clear water, especially since the trout are now more educated. Bringing small Zebra Midges, Waltz Worms, Caddis Larvae, Frenchies, Hare’s Ears, Perdigones, and Prince Nymphs are good options and will all take fish. If you’re tying flies, try tying some nymphs without flashback or hotpots. During these flows and raining temperatures, fish will start to prefer the more oxygenated water, therefore fishing the faster riffles will prove useful. Junk flies will still work, however they may not be as productive in low water with educated fish. Other considerations for dry flies include Ant Patterns, Beetles, and Green Inchworms as terrestrials are more active this time of year. Small streamers on a floating line will also be a good option if there is no bug activity, sticking with 3x-0x leaders. Local rivers to try include the Mianus, Saugatuck, Norwalk, and Mill Rivers. For gear, bringing 6x leaders and tippet is a good idea for wary fish, and some anglers will step down to 7x, though please be mindful not to exhaust fish too much. Using a stealthy approach when entering the river is advised so that you won’t spook increasingly wary trout. All local options have been stocked and the fish are acclimated. Trout Parks and ponds are also a great option to take the kids fishing as they have been stocked more recently.

Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck flows are also low, 211cfs at Beacon Falls which is easy for wading. Focusing on the same techniques I outlined for our local rivers will help result in success as most of the insect activity will be similar. All sections of the Naugatuck around the TMAs will fish well and look to use the same offerings we are recommending on our other local streams: Sulphurs, March Browns, Cahills, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives, and Terrestrials. A range of sizes from 16-24 in nymphs/dries will have you covered. The Naugatuck is a good alternative for areas with more crowds/pressure. In addition, the Shetucket was stocked more recently with trout so a wide variety of flies will work. Since third stockings occurred earlier in the month on the Naugatuck, use more imitative flies as the trout have become more acclimated to their natural forage. With the increase in water temperature and trout metabolism now is a good time to be throwing streamers during the mornings and evenings.

Farmington River

The Farmington River has been fishing great recently, and there is plenty of bug activity during the afternoons. Flows are below average, reading 165cfs on the West Branch at Riverton, while the Still is adding an additional 41.5cfs, making for easy wading this weekend. Plenty of Caddis have fish looking up, along with Sulphurs, Blue Winged Olives, and Midges. Look to fish Caddis in a variety of sizes/colors from 14-22 in olive and tan, and Sulphurs from 14-18 (which are going to be hatching on the lower sections of the river). When the Blue Winged Olives are hatching, bring a variety of sizes down to 24. Midges will be in sizes 18-24. Water temperatures are starting in the mid-40s and reaching up to 50 during the afternoon in Riverton, so expect temperatures to be a couple degrees warmer downriver. A variety of techniques are working, including streamers, nymphs, swinging wet flies, and dries. For nymphs consider Caddis Larvae and pupa, as well as something to imitate Sulphur nymphs: Walts Worms, Hare’s Ears, Pheasant Tails, etc. Partridge soft hackles will work well when swinging wet flies, and when nymphing, swinging the fly at the end of your drift can pick up additional fish. Other considerations should be larger Stoneflies (which can be paired with a smaller offering to help get your rig down) as well as Zebra Midges and Perdigones. Bring a variety of small nymphs, especially if you’re looking for larger fish and holdover Browns, as they are more apt to eat nymphs during the daytime. Stick with 5x and 6x leaders when nymphing and dry fly fishing. Generally, we prefer nylon leaders and tippet for dry flies because they are naturally floating (you can always use a small piece of fluorocarbon for a stealthier approach). For nymphing we prefer fluorocarbon because of its inherent sinking properties, and it is also more abrasion resistant. Anglers that are blind fishing dries in faster water have been raising fish, and fish will be pushed up into these faster runs to actively feed and take advantage of the more oxygenated water. For our Trout Spey anglers, look to fish larger streamers or intruders paired with a faster sinking tip in the morning. Once the afternoon hatches hit, fishing a wet fly swung on a less aggressive sinking tip can produce additional fish. For streamer fishing, trout aggression will increase with warmer water temperatures, so try fishing articulated flies paired with sinking lines and a short leader. Your odds will be better with streamers during the morning hours. Vary retrieves, starting fast and then slowing down to see what the trout prefer. There are plenty of anglers enjoying the good weather and fishing. 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

Again, we have low water conditions on the Housatonic River at 412cfs. The Housatonic was stocked as well as the Shepaug. Fishing has been excellent of late, with plenty of bug activity occurring in the evenings. Bring a variety of nymphs: Caddis larvae and Pupae, Stoneflies, Zebra Midges, Pheasant Tails, Golden Stoneflies, as well as junk flies (Mops and Squirmies). The larger junk flies will perform well during high water and on stocked fish. The main hatches will be Blue Winged Olives, Caddis, Cahills, and Sulphurs. Bringing a variety of Sulphur and Caddis patterns in sizes 12-20, and 16-24 BWOs, will have you covered for the warmer afternoons, which is when you can expect the large hatches. Sulphur emergers have been taking fish consistently, and try swinging them when the hatches are on. Spinners have been seen during the evenings laying eggs, and as a rule, you can expect most of the bug activity in the afternoons and evenings. For nymphs, having different sizes of Pheasant tails, Prince Nymphs, and Hare’s Ears (#12-18) will help imitate Stoneflies and a variety of Mayfly Nymphs well. Focusing on TMAs and areas by the park, especially if you’re looking for rising trout, should result in some fish during the warmer afternoons. Other considerations will be Midges and terrestrials. Focusing on small Midges 18-24 should result in some success. Presentation is key, so use longer leaders, step down to 6x tippet, and make sure you get a drag free drift. With water temperatures on the rise, the fish are starting to spread out in the river and feed in different water types. Focusing on nymphing and streamer fishing during the mornings before any hatches start, can be a good strategy, and then start looking for rising fish in the afternoon and into the evening. For streamer fishing, having a sinking line or sink tip is the key to success. Trout are starting to become more active with the increasing water temperatures, so don’t overlook the faster water. During high water events, the fish will be pushed closer to the bank, which is a good opportunity to fish larger streamers paired with a sinking line. There are plenty of fish in the river with a combination of stocked fish and holdover fish from the last stocking during the Fall. Smallmouth and carp are starting to become more active in the larger and slower sections of the river and lake systems

Saltwater

Both the mouths of the Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers have slowed considerably, however some anglers are still catching resident fish. A lot of schoolies are being brought to hand, with some fish 30” and over in the mix. The Westport beaches have seen an increase in Striper activity, as well as Cove Harbor, and the outflow of Holly Pond. During the morning hours fish can be seen hitting Sand Eels on the surface. Greenwich and Stamford beaches have the same scenario. The bait will be in these locations, and as long as there is tide movement (we prefer the incoming) Stripers and Blues will be on the baitfish. For nearshore fishing, we recommend short leaders (around 7’ in length 20-25lb) paired with an intermediate line. The topwater action has been great using Bob’s Bangers and Gurglers in White, Chartreuse, and Pink. For this scenario we will switch over to floating lines. The Bunker have moved in closer to shore, and there are plenty of Bluefish underneath them. The Bluefish have been spotted from Old Saybrook to Greenwich. Look for nervous schools of Bunker moving quickly, and you should find fish beneath them. If fishing the coves by boat, bring some EP Peanut Butters, Deceivers, Clousers, and Half-and-Halfs in the 4” range, which should be the most effective. Bring a variety of colors in Chartreuse, White, Olive, Blue, and Black/Purple for the evenings. Rocky points will hold Stripers especially well and look for gulls to give away the location of the bait. Fish will also be pushed on the flats during either side of the high tide. For boat anglers the beaches and coves around Southport are fishing well, as is the structure near some of the buoys, which suggests migratory fish are holding nearshore. Larger 40” and over Stripers are being marked and caught using big flies, and this is a game of quality over quantity. For the most part they are in deeper water toward the middle of the sound. Those that are putting in the time and effort are being rewarded. For this type of fishing having the fastest sinking lines available in 10-12wt, as well as large flies from 6-10” in length will be your best shot at a trophy. With a lot of options available via wading or boat, now is the time to get out there! This season has been impressive in terms of the quantity and quality of the fish, and many happy Saltwater anglers are saying that this is one of the better seasons they have seen in years. Please report any poaching to the DEEP by calling 800-842-4357.

New York

Catskills

Flows are still low on the Delaware, with the mainstem at Lordville reading 956cfs. West Branch flows are currently 525cfs at Hale Eddy, while the East Branch is flowing 315cfs at Fish’s Eddy. These flows have been ideal for wade anglers. The past week has been hot, in the mid to high 80s, however the good news is that temperatures will cool over the weekend with scattered rain showers, which will bump the flows a bit for our anglers who are fishing by boat. The overcast weather should also help with some of the hatches and bug activity. Water temperatures have increased, starting in the mid-60s during the morning and reaching the low 70s during the afternoon. The main hatches you can expect are Sulphurs in sizes 14-18, Blue Winged Olives in sizes 14-20, March Browns in sizes 12-14, Green Drakes in sizes 8-10, and both Tan and Apple Caddis in sizes 16-20. There are plenty of Caddis on top that trout are keying in on, and during the spinner fall bring some Rusty Spinners and Sulphurs. Hendricksons are tapering off, although some spinners can be found on the upper stretches. During the afternoons and evenings is when you will encounter most of your hatches, and anglers that are nymphing and streamer fishing in the morning are having success. Nymphing has been the most productive with Stoneflies, Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, Caddis Pupa, Caddis Larvae, and Isonychia Nymphs. Fishing larger nymphs in sizes 10-12 will work for March Brown and Isonychia, and for the rest stick with your 14-18 sizes. When dry fly fishing, presenting the fly downstream, so the trout will see your fly first as opposed to the leader, will improve your odds. Adding a reach cast can also be an effective way to get a better and longer drift, coupled with a longer 10-14” 5x leader. Fluorocarbon is recommended for nymphing in 5x, and streamer leaders with sinking lines should be short, consisting of a front section of 10lb. Streamer colors to consider are Yellow, White, and Chartreuse. Since the water is low and clear, a stealthy approach, and setting up a further distance from rising fish will improve your odds. The Neversink is seeing a lot of Caddis, and the Willowemoc and Beaverkill are at good flows for wading. You can expect March Browns, Sulphurs, and Caddis on both systems.

Saltwater

Striper season is underway, and the fishing has been heating up. Stripers have inundated the South Shore, along with large schools of big Bluefish. Anglers are starting to catch fish on topwater, and the most prevalent bait nearshore are Bunker, Silversides, and Sand Eels. When fishing by boat, focus on structure around the bays and look for birds/baitfish as the Stripers will likely be blitzing. Bringing some poppers, like a Bob’s Banger or Gurglers, will result in some Blue and Striper action during dusk and dawn. Montauk is seeing a big push of Stripers, and there have been a ton of squid nearshore recently as most of the action continues to push in from the West. For subsurface flies, having different colored Clousers with varying lead eyes, Deceivers, and EP flies are all recommended.

Rhode Island

The nearshore Striper fishing has been consistent, and there are plenty of schoolies in the 20-30” range. Many fish are being caught by shore and boat anglers. Squid and topwater patterns will be working well, especially toward Cape Cod. The bluefish action has been great on the fly, so make sure to bring your steel leaders. Fishing topwater at dusk and dawn has also resulted in nice Stripers up to 30lbs. It will be worth fishing squid patterns with sinking lines near structure and the rips. Trophy Stripers have made an appearance in many areas, with most of them being caught near Narragansett Bay and the Canal. In Watch Hill, Stripers are inundating the beaches, breachways, and salt ponds and bigger Bluefish are cruising the beaches as well. Bringing larger EP Bunker patterns, topwater flies, Flatwings and Deceivers should all imitate the variety of the baitfish you will encounter. Stripers and Blues are also filtering into the rips off Block Island, and the fishing should only continue to improve as the season progresses.