CT Freshwater Report as of 10/18/2025

CT Freshwater Report as of 10/18/2025

Pictured here is Jim DeCesare with a monster bow. The Still had a little bump but its back down low this morning. The West Branch Farmington in Riverton is 59 cfs with the Still at 58 cfs. As of now we have low flows at a combined 117.  With some rain later this week hopefully that will increase. Cooler temps means cooler water pushing the fish more into fall habits. Please be mindful of redds as more fish begin to spawn. Keep in mind that the Farmington River from the dam to the Rt 177 bridge is now catch and release until April.

Not much of a change for bugs. Stoneflies #8-12 are the most active in the early part of the day and will work great if nymphed. Isos typically hatch sporadically throughout the day in faster water #10-14. When nymphing them play around with the drift, they like to swim so a swing at the end of your drift can trigger some bites. BWO (#20-24) have also been active on cloudier/overcast days. Active caddis are around a #16-20.  Sporadically there are some caddis #14 that the trout love to eat. Pheasant tails and other slim flies size 18-24 are going to be imitating a lot of the bugs in the drift right now. Small bugs are definitely the ticket right now as they are most prevalent in the drift. I have been seeing lots of caddis in the water so don’t forget about them.

Because of the low flows make sure to downsize your flies. Keep things small and drab as to not spook fish with crazy flashy flies. Focus on the faster water when nymphing as that’s where most of the fish will be this time of year because of the higher amounts of oxygen dissolved. The fast water is loaded with trout right now. When bugs are slow don’t forget about streamers. Bigger streamers have moved some fish right now and they seem to like yellow and olive but play around with brown, black, white, etc. These cool temps are going to push trout more into their fall habits and the aggression is going to rise. That being said, egg flies will become more and more effective, we are stocked up with lots in the shop.

Bugs off the Farmington are about the same. On smaller freestone rivers there aren’t as many bugs as there are on the Farmington so fish feed more opportunistically. Don’t be afraid to go a little bigger in fly choice on the smaller rivers. Bugs that could be active are Isos and other smaller mayflies as well as assorted caddis (#14-18). Dry dropper is a great technique right now to hook some wilds. Fall is a great time to fish for colored up brookies and as the water keeps cooling. Flows are low and with vegetation dying be very careful. Staying low and approaching the fish from downstream will help you find success when fishing the smaller streams.

If you want to get away from the Farmington don’t be afraid to explore, smallmouth and bass in general are super fun on the fly. There are a ton of rivers that are fun to fish. Small mouth love streamers and will surprisingly eat pretty big ones but don’t neglect smaller crayfish/baitfish imitations. Bass are moving into their fall habits and are gorging baitfish getting ready for winter. Look at the deeper water off structure as they begin to move. Cycle through different presentations but a faster strip works great. I have had lots of luck with game changers. Some other good patterns are woolly buggers, zonkers, and dungeons. Faster presentations overall have worked the best for me right now with bass.

If you want to try for some smallies, look to fish rivers that open into the Connecticut river like the Farmington River in Windsor and Mattabesset River in Middletown. The Housatonic River above the dam in Falls Village is another popular spot to try. Beyond these there are a plethora of lakes, ponds, and rivers that hold bass. They are usually found where the water is a bit warmer. If you aren’t convinced and want to trout fish, the Farmington River is a safe bet. A lot of the smaller rivers are starting to cool down but may be low with how little it’s raining.

Lots of rivers across CT have been stocked, fishing is going to pick up so it’s a good time to get out! A big note on stocking is DEEP recently stocked a TON of salmon into rivers and ponds across CT, including the Naugatuck and Shetucket. Come stock up with us in the shop to catch these fun fish! They have also stocked trout in these spots as well as others across CT.

If you go out and have any questions, feel free to stop by the shop, we are more than happy to help you with whatever you need. Stop by the shop and pick some streamers up for these aggressive browns. As always, tight lines!

 

Location:139 Center St, Bristol CT, 06010

Number: (203) 343-0775

Hours:

Monday                                  Closed

Tuesday                                 Closed

Wednesday                         8AM – 5PM

Thursday                               8AM – 5PM

Friday – Saturday              8AM – 5PM

Sunday                                  8AM – 3PM