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Fishing Reports
LOOKING TO UP YOUR GAME OR FIND SOME NEW IDEAS TO TAKE YOUR FISHING TO THE NEXT LEVEL? CHECK OUT OUR COMPLEAT JOURNAL FOR TIPS, TRICKS, AND INFO FROM THE FIELD.
Northeast Fishing Report: 10/20/2023
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! We had a great time fishing in this year’s Western Sound portion of the Tightline Slam Tournament! Thanks to all who participated and worked behind the scenes to make it happen. This tournament is for a great cause and is dedicated to raising money and awareness for the conservation of our fisheries and marine resources. For more information, and to participate in next year’s tournament, visit: https://www.tightlinedslam.com/
The biggest improvement so far has been on the freshwater side of things. Flows are now back down to normal, and most of our rivers in Connecticut have been stocked. A variety of flies will now work, with Streamers and Nymphs as the most productive until fish become acclimated and start to look up at hatches. The Housatonic and Farmington have great flows and clarity, and the primary hatches will be Blue Winged Olives and Caddis. Please be careful this time of year, as Brown Trout will start to spawn so avoid stepping on their Redd’s (spawning beds) and avoid fishing to spawning pairs. On the Salmon River steelhead reports are improving by the day, and the greatest concentration of fish is at the lower end of the river. In Long Island Sound, Peanut Bunker continue to fuel Striper blitzes, and there have still been nice Bluefish being brought to hand. This time of year, look towards the beaches as most of the bait will start to flush from the coves, ponds, and the mouth of rivers. The best of Striper fishing has yet to come! Read on for more…
Northeast Fishing Report: 10/13/2023
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Good news for our trout anglers, Fall stocking in some of our rivers is underway, and combined with relatively decent summer flows for holdover fish, it should be a good Fall season. In addition, Atlantic Salmon were stocked in the Shetucket River. Local areas to focus on include the Mill and Mianus Rivers, and the Farmington River will be fishing well for all techniques once flows return to normal. Brown Trout will be starting to spawn very soon, so look to fish Streamers as they will ramp up aggression but be cautious and avoid the Redd’s where they will be spawning. October Caddis will be seen with more regularity, so now is the time to stock your boxes. The Delaware hatches have started to improve, especially Blue Winged Olives, so look for rising fish during the afternoon and evenings thanks to good water temperatures. Our Fall saltwater season continues strong, with Albies most recently spotted from Blackrock to Southport. Our wade and boat anglers are reporting good Bass and Bluefish nearshore as well as in coves and salt ponds. Rhode Island has been consistent for catching a mixed bag, while the Eastern End of Long Island is primarily Albies, and we are still waiting on the major arrival of Stripers. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 10/6/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! The most significant improvement has been the arrival of False Albacore locally from Westport to Bridgeport. Covering ground to find them is the name of the game, and look for likely areas they can be found: at the entrance to coves, along reefs, and in rips. In addition Bluefish around 10lbs have been seen in large numbers blitzing on Peanut Bunker off the beaches, and the birds will be a good giveaway to their location. Our wade, as well as boat, anglers are catching some schoolies off Westport, the Norwalk Islands, as well as in coves and salt ponds. Overall the fall season is on! On the freshwater scene, both the Farmington and Housatonic flows are high, so use caution or wait until flows recede below 1000 CFS. On the other hand, the Catskills didn’t receive as much rain and as a result the Delaware River is low with inconsistent hatches. In good news, our Great Lakes anglers are catching some nice Kings and Cohos, with the occasional Brown Trout and Steelhead. Conditions will be windy and rainy Saturday and Sunday, and this front will drop temperatures into the low 60s locally. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 9/29/2023
For our freshwater anglers Fall has officially arrived, and with that Fall/Winter state stockings. Stockings begin with select ponds and lakes, so we will keep you posted on updates to our local rivers. In addition, the state will be stocking Seeforellan Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon. With the amount of water we’ve had this season and some pretty good temperatures there will still be some holdovers from Spring as well. Bug activity has increased, namely Blue Winged Olives (especially on the Housatonic). Saltwater reports have been relatively quiet due to storms and high winds, however conditions are shaping up to be a great week for our local saltwater anglers. Albies have been seen infrequently in our area, while Rhode Island and Long Island have seen great fishing for hardtails with rafting Stripers mixed in close to the beaches and inlets. Silversides, Bay Anchovies, Peanut Bunker (especially), and Sand Eels are all a part of the menu. Read on for more…
Northeast Fishing Report: 9/22/23
Hello Compleat Angler friends! We have better news on the freshwater side of things, as colder evenings and mornings have pushed water temperatures down to more fishable levels, and there is plenty of water to set us up nicely for a good Fall season. However, no Fall stockings have occurred locally yet, so be sure to check back. In the next few weeks our trout fishing will see an improvement, especially in the streamer game as trout approach pre-spawn and look for larger meals to bulk up. Flows and clarity will be good for wading on all of our rivers with the exception being the Housatonic, which ideally has to drop below 1000 CFS. Saltwater has started to improve nicely around Connecticut, with some lucky anglers finding Albies mixed in with Bluefish, however the fall run is still relatively early in our area. Rhode Island continues to be the most consistent spot for Hardtails, with Long Island being a close second, however it has still been hit-or-miss. Keep an eye on forecasts for this weekend when the wind will increase Friday night and reach 20 mph on Saturday with rain. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 9/15/2023
Hello Compleat Angler Friends! Cooler evenings during these upcoming weeks should prove useful for Fall freshwater fishing, so look for improvements in Trout and bug activity soon. Due to rain, our local rivers received quite a bit of water, and the Housatonic currently has poor wading and clarity. Flow cuts at the dam have the Farmington lower than average, so be mindful of your water temperatures. Early mornings have been safe, however you should consider fishing closer towards the dam once the late morning hits as temperatures in Riverton are still reaching 70 degrees. In upstate New York the Salmon River continues to see a push of fresh Kings and Cohos daily, and the middle sections of the river are becoming more active. Meanwhile, the Delaware flows have increased which hasn’t helped the lackluster hatches this month, so consider streamer fishing until flows are more normal. Rhode Island saltwater continues to be the most productive for Albies and Bonito, and the Bass and Bluefish bite has remained consistent towards the Western Sound. The furthest West Albies were reported was off Old Saybrook, so we should see them more westerly in a couple of weeks. This weekend we are going to experience high winds from the hurricane offshore, so please use caution and pay attention to weather reports! Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 9/8/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! The long awaited arrival of False Albacore and Bonito are here, with most Anglers running out East in pursuit. Rhode Island and some of the Beaches along the South Shore in New York are seeing the most action. The primary bait is small Bay Anchovies, so having a few patterns in the 1.5-2” range will have you covered. While it’s still early and finding them has been a hit-or-miss, some areas to focus on include Watch Hill, Point Judith, Charlestown, and the West Wall. Other areas to consider include Block Island, Fire Island, and Fisher’s Island, where you will also encounter Bluefish and Bass. Hot and dry weather this week make for tough conditions in our local rivers along with the Delaware and Farmington. However, rain is expected in the forecast this upcoming week, which, coupled with cooler temperatures, should improve our trout fishing. This Saturday is our Grand Reopening Party featuring representatives from major fly-fishing brands, raffle prizes, food and drinks, so stop by to say hello. We hope to see you there!
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Northeast Fishing Report: 9/1/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! Flying ants are now on the menu with consistency during the afternoons on the Farmington and Housatonic Rivers. Trout fishing has started to improve on the Housatonic while Smallmouth fishing remains steady. Flows are currently on the drop after this week’s rain but are quickly approaching average flows. The Delaware River received more rain than our local options, and the dry fly action continues to be a hit-or-miss with anglers steadily catching some fish. Persistence is the name of the game when targeting fish 20” and over. Remember to check stream temperatures, as most of our local options will be too hot to fish during the afternoon, as are the sections below the Still River on the Farmington River. Saltwater fishing has seen an improvement, with more Stripers and large Bluefish being found blitzing on small bait, which suggests that Fall patterns have started. While it’s still early for Bonito and Albies, some anglers have found sporadic pods below bait in Rhode Island at their typical Fall hotspots. The action should only continue to improve as more fish push inshore. In upstate New York, the Salmon season has improved as most anglers are seeing a steady increase in Kings moving into the Salmon River with an occasional Steelhead or two being caught. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 8/25/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! Our freshwater fishing has improved this week with wadeable flows and better clarity. Most of our local options are now in fishable condition, however make sure to check your stream temperatures and limit your fishing to the morning hours if temperatures are pushing 70 degrees. By the afternoon most will approach that 70-degree mark, including below the Still River on the Farmington, so during the afternoon we advise fishing closer towards the dam. The overall trend is that the dry fly fishing has been lackluster, and nymphing continues to be the most productive technique. On the saltwater side of things, many anglers are eagerly waiting for Bonito and False Albacore. There have been some hotspots out in Rhode Island now with some briefly showing up in Long Island and Block Island. We should expect to see some Albies locally in the next few weeks, however it is still fairly early. In the meantime, there are large Bluefish up to 15lbs cruising our part of the sound, with plenty of bait to feed on. Topwater flies have been producing well, especially during the morning hours when blues can be seen finning on the surface. There are plenty of Stripers out East, as well as local resident fish that are in their summer lies. Conditions for local saltwater will be fair this weekend, with gentle winds reaching up to 12mph from the N-NW and sunny conditions with air temperatures reaching the 80s. Read on for more…
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Northeast Fishing Report: 8/18/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! We had big spikes in flows from this morning’s rainstorms and many of our rivers are blown out. Unfortunately many of our local rivers and streams have also seen temperatures at 70 degrees and above, so they're currently unfishable. The Farmington looks to still be fishable at this time but be mindful of the high water temperatures and make sure to get out there early. Water is coming out of the dam at 67 degrees. On the saltwater front the Striper and Bluefish bite remains consistent. Blitzing fish tend to be an early morning game before they hunker back down in deeper, cooler water. This time of year can also be productive for night fishing with larger flies in Black/Purple. Read on for more...
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Northeast Fishing Report: 8/11/2023
Hello Compleat Angler friends! We had a spike in flows from rainstorms this past week but flows are now back down to average levels and clarity. Unfortunately our local rivers and streams have seen temperatures at 70 degrees and above, so they're currently unfishable. However there are plenty of other options available, and the Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent on the Housatonic for example. Many anglers are catching double digit numbers on small Wooly Buggers, and these fish are great fighters! Carp are also stacked in coves and back bays, which provide a unique opportunity for sight fishing. The Delaware and the Farmington are the most viable options for trout, as the water there is still at fishable temperatures. On the Farmington we recommend looking further up towards the dam as the day progresses since the lower section of the river will be too warm by the afternoon. On the saltwater front the Striper and Bluefish bite remains consistent. Blitzing fish tend to be an early morning game before they hunker back down in deeper cooler water. This time of year can also be productive for night fishing with larger flies in Black/Purple. Read on for more...
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Northeast Fishing Report: 8/4/2023
Greeting Compleat Anglers! Despite the heatwave and influx of dirty water in the Sound from our heavy rains, the Striper and Bluefish bite has held up. It continues to be a great season especially for this time of year. Most of the large 40” and over Stripers are going to be holding in deeper water structure given the heat, however they can be seen crashing bait on top during first light. Your Bunker imitations are going to be the best bet this time of year, and there are Bluefish hanging around and eager to take topwater flies. Rocky structures have been holding Stripers around the Norwalk Islands, and some of the Westport beaches have been seeing schoolie Blues and Stripers blitzing on bait towards the evenings. While flows and clarity have improved on most of our local streams, hot water temperatures are making the small stream options unfishable for the time being. However, now is a good time to think of Carp or Smallmouth fishing on the Housatonic. The water temperatures above New Hartford on the Farmington are still fishable, and they should improve now that water overflow has stopped spilling at the dam. The dry fly action has seen a lull but will hopefully improve with the normalized flows. Sulphur hatches on the Delaware remain decent with some Isonychia, Cahill, Caddis, and Ants in the mix. Read on for more…
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