Hello Compleat Angler friends! Our coldest water options are still the Farmington River and the West Branch of the Delaware. On the Farmington River hatches continue with consistency, and your best timing is going to be the morning and evening hours. Sulphurs continue hatching upriver, while Isonychia, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, and Little Dark Hendricksons are hatching on most sections. During the afternoon nymphing is going to be the best producer, and many of the larger fish are being fooled by small offerings. On the Delaware the coolest water will be on the West Branch, with Small Blue Winged Olive, Sulphurs, and Light Cahill being the most consistent hatches. The hot fly of the week is featured in the photo for our fishing report, with the Tan Thunderbug Caddis emerger fooling many, especially on the Farmington. Flows are ideal for wading on the Housatonic, which is seeing some great Smallmouth fishing with some big ones being brought to hand. On the saltwater, Striper fishing has slowed down locally, with some anglers getting lucky during the morning hours. Bluefish are occasionally being found under Adult Bunker schools. Most of the action has shifted out east, where Stripers are still consistent, and some areas are starting to see Bonito.

Read on for more…

Connecticut

Local Rivers

Flows are still steadily holding at below average levels after a tiny bump from rain, for instance the Saugatuck is reading 23.5 CFS. This time of year, water temperatures are too hot to be trout fishing. Now is a good time to switch to Panfish and Bass species, and fishing small poppers can be an exciting way to target them. You can expect the normal hatches for this time of year, including Blue Winged Olives (especially on overcast days) in sizes 18-20, Ant Patterns, Sulphurs and Light Cahills in 12-18, Tan Caddis in 16-20, and Midges in 18-24. As a bonus, all these patterns will work for panfish. Some of our favorite nymph 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. If you decide to streamer fish, using small Woolly Buggers in White, Chartreuse, Black, Olive, Grey, and Brown will all do the trick. Streamer fishing will be more successful in the early mornings and especially during higher water events (for average and low flows stick to nymphing). Panfish and Bass are forgiving in terms of flies and techniques, so trying a variety of techniques from dry flies to streamers will catch panfish.

Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck River received more rain compared to our local rivers and streams, and levels are currently above average but dropping. At Beacon Falls flows are currently reading 232 CFS. Check your stream temperatures as they will approach 68 degrees and over during the afternoon. Temperatures below this threshold will give you the green light to fish without stressing trout. The main hatches will be Tan Caddis in sizes 16-18, Blue Winged Olives (especially on overcast days) in sizes 18-20, Midges in sizes 20-24, and Ant Patterns. Sulphurs and Light Cahills are hatching with more commonly during the evening hours in sizes 16-18. 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, and Squirmies. All sections of the Naugatuck were stocked and there are still some fish left from Spring Stocking. The Naugatuck is a good alternative for areas with more crowds/pressure. Be mindful of stream temperatures and keep most of your fishing to the morning hours when water temperatures are at their coolest.

Farmington River

This past week flows were dropped on the West Branch of the Farmington River and are currently reading 204 CFS in Riverton. The Still River is adding 37.3 CFS to total flows. Water temperatures are ideal, fluctuating in the mid to high 50s. Water temperatures will be a little warmer downriver. Anglers are still seeing some good hatches during the morning and evening hours, with subsurface fishing being most productive during the afternoon. The primary hatches are going to be small Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-20 with Sulphurs in sizes 16-18, and Little Dark Hendricksons in size 20 and smaller. Trout will be very selective this time of year, so it helps to bring a variety of sizes and offerings; also consider Tan Caddis in sizes 18-20, Isonychia in sizes 10-12, Light Cahill in sizes 14-18, Midges in sizes 20-24, and Terrestrials (Ants and Beetles). Most of the Sulphur hatches are occurring upriver, and the upcoming hatch for this month will be Tricos. During reduced and normal flows with good clarity, we recommend using 9’ or greater leaders in 5x-6x for dry flies. Swinging wet flies, such as a Caddis Pupae, can be an effective technique when Caddis hatch in the mornings and afternoons. 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. With that said anglers are finding some quality fish, especially some big stocked rainbows, and are having good success. 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, Golden Stoneflies in sizes 8-10, and Zebra Midges in 18-24. Since stocked trout have been in the system for a while, we recommend using smaller and more imitative nymphs that match their wild forage. In terms of rigging, look to use 5x-6x Fluorocarbon 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 Wolly 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 on less 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 have slightly increased on the Housatonic River, but they’re still below average reading 381 CFS at Falls Village. Currently wading will be easy with good water clarity. Water temperatures are warm, so most of the trout have moved into thermal refuges, which are off limits to fishing. The good news is that there has been some fantastic Smallmouth Bass fishing. Large articulated streamers and Woolly Buggers have been working well recently for the larger fish, try switching colors from Black, Chartreuse, Yellow, and Orange, to see what they prefer. Poppers are another great option as the topwater eats will get your heart pounding. For Smallmouth we recommend a short and stout leader to turn over the larger flies such as a 6” 12-20 leader. The Rio Big Nasty Leaders are a great option. Pike are another fun option for this time of year, focus on slower sections of water, coves, and weed beds. For rods and rigging, we like to use 8-10wts rigged with a sinking line, big flies (such as a Flashtail Whistler), and wire leader. The Housatonic also has some big Carp and the opportunity for sight fishing that will satisfy even the most discerning flats fisherman. For these fish, Mulberry Flies, Damselfly Nymphs, Crayfish, and your standard Trout Nymphs will fool these fish. We prefer 6-8wt rods paired with a floating line, such as a Bonefish Taper, rigged with an 8lb fluorocarbon leader.

Saltwater

Striper fishing continues to be steady, and fish are now in their typical summertime behavior. This means that most of the action, especially topwater, will be during the mornings and evenings. The deeper ledges are still holding fish which is good news for our boat anglers. The primary forage this time of year includes Adult Bunker, Sand Eels, and Baby Butterfish. Larger 6-8” wide profile patterns will imitate the Adult Bunker well, while the smaller 2-4” patterns (such as EP Peanut Butters) will imitate the Baby Peanut Bunker. As always you will want to bring some Clousers and more specific Sand Eel immitations. Anglers occasionally find some Bluefish on the Bunker pods out in the middle of the sound this time of year. For our wade anglers the beaches around Westport, Southport, with emphasis on Penfield Reef, are seeing schoolie Stripers and small Bluefish chasing Sand Eels. Again, your best bet is the mornings and evenings, however night fishing has also improved. Further towards Stonington and towards the CT River there has been some action, however spotty at times. Fish are migrating and spread out, so it helps to cover ground until you find the birds active on bait. This time of year you may find Stripers cruising the flats early in the morning before the heat of the sun. 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 or other larger wind resistant flies. For colors consider bringing Olive and White on clear sunny days. If the water is stained, bringing brighter colors such as Chartreuse and White will help stand out in dirty water. Overall anglers have been working hard for their fish, as this time of year every morning is different. 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 Olive/White. Please be safe out there and respectful to other boaters!

Hot Flies:

Deceivers in various colors

Clousers

Peanut Bunker Patterns

Custom Tied Baby Bunker (Super Realistic!)

Medium Sized Bunker Flies

Bob’s Banger (Stripers and Bluefish)

Larger Herring Flies

Good Fly Lines For Spring/Summer:

SA Full Intermediate

Rio Outbound Short (Good for big flies and big winds)

Rio Striper (Good all-rounder)

Airflo Universal Cold Salt

Leaders:

Rio Striped Bass Leader

New York

The Catskills

Flows on the Delaware River have dropped this past week after a bout of rain, and flows are now holding steadily below average which makes wading easy and good clarity. On the Mainstem at Lordville flows are 1470 CFS, with water temperatures reading in the low to mid 70s. Flows on the East Branch are 436 CFS at Fishes Eddy, while the West Branch is 872 CFS at Hale Eddy. Water temperatures are too warm on the Mainstem and East Branch, but the West Branch has water temperatures in the mid-50s to low 60s. These lower-than-average flows will have fish more comfortably rising; however, they will be more on edge and pickier, especially when they’re eating smaller bugs. Most dry fly fishing will be best on the upper sections of the river, especially during the evenings. Overcast days coupled with cooler nighttime temperatures will result in better hatch activity. Hatches you may encounter include Tan Caddis in sizes 16-18, along with Sulphurs in sizes 16-18, Light Cahill in size 14, Isonychia in sizes 10-12, and Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18-24. Bringing a variety of these insects is crucial as they will key in on any stage of these hatches. Presentation is also crucial for the more educated fish, and you will want a downstream presentation so fish will see your fly first. During the overcast days Blue Winged Olives are more prolific. You can expect to encounter Sulphurs in the evening, so it is worth staying until dark. Fishing Isonychia during the evenings in faster water can be effective at times. For nymphs we recommend bringing Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Caddis Larvae, Perdigones, Waltz Worms, etc... In sizes #12-#20. Nymphing during the sunnier afternoons and mornings has been the most productive. If trout are on Caddis, try fishing some emergers just below the surface film if they’re refusing the adult. The smaller rivers and streams outside of the tailwaters are currently too hot to fish.

New York Saltwater

Eaton’s Neck and other areas along the North Shore still have some Migratory and resident Stripers chasing Sand Eels and Bunker along the shorelines with more Bluefish now in the mix. These spots have been hit-or-miss, but some mornings fish are still on top. Anglers are also doing well further East into Plum Gut, The Race, and Gardiners Island which means a fair number of fish have traveled East. Striper fishing in the harbors and coves have been slowing down with an increase in water temperatures. 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 Sand Eels Adult Bunker, Butterfish, or Anchovies. There are also plenty of 6-10lb Bluefish pushing bait at the head of the rips during all hours of the day. However, fishing early in the morning will give you a better chance at finding Stripers on the surface. Squid patterns are also working in the rips. The salt ponds, coves, and flats have been a hit or miss with some shots at solo cruising fish. For the back bays you will want to bring some smaller sparse Clousers in #2 and a variety of colors, small Deceivers, Sand Eel patterns and Crabs. 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. If searching for migratory fish, 40” and over that have shown up in more numbers, 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 can be a blast on big poppers, and some anglers are finding larger ones up to 15lbs. Depending on your tide, night fishing has been great. Smithtown has also seen steady action with Stripers chasing both Bunker and Sand Eels. The fishing is still holding up!

Rhode Island Saltwater

The Striper fishing in Rhode Island continues to be consistent. Narragansett Bay, Providence, and Newport have seen good topwater action with the primary bait being Sand Eels and Adult Bunker. The worm hatch in the salt ponds also continues to be consistent towards the evenings. While far and few, some Bluefish are also being caught. Both the flats and bays around Cape Cod have been steady, however some of the bays with warmer water temperatures are starting to shut down. Watch Hill and Point Judith are also good Striper fishing with the largest being 40” and over. Each day has been different, with some finding fish on top near Block Island. Buzzards Bay, Providence, and Newport are fishing consistent with Stripers blitzing early mornings. The salt ponds are seeing some great Cinder Worm hatches with Stripers gorging on them. Rhode Island has held strong in terms of size and numbers of Stripers, so there’s tons of great options available. Bonito are also showing up along the Rhode Island Shoreline.