CT Freshwater Report as of 9/12/2025

CT Freshwater Report as of 9/12/2025

Pictured above is Dom Benvenuti with a nice brown. We will continue to see cooler temps through next week, overnight lows are helping keep the river cool. The West Branch Farmington in Riverton is 104 cfs with a negligible influence from the Still 17 cfs. We got highs this week up to 80 with lows in the high 50’s. This week we don’t have much wind and the temps are a little warmer. Flows are still lowered from the DEEP stocking program that did work this week. Overall, this week looks to have some nice weather for fishing especially with some cooler overnight temps.

Bugs are looking very similar to last week in the drift. Stoneflies #8-12 are the most active in the early part of the day and will work great if nymphed. Isos typically hatch sporadically through 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 (#18-20) have also been active on cloudier/overcast days. Active caddis are around a #18-120.  There are some Light Cahills #14 hatching too. 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. Don’t neglect terrestrials, mostly ants and beetles but also throw in some bigger hoppers. Flying ants are still around and you should definitely have some on you out there.

Early morning Tricos are still falling but are moving further and further upstream. They fall at about a #20-24, so go small. In general fishing has been better in the morning with the most amount of bugs being active. 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 dissolved oxygen. With the lower flows fish will be more concentrated but also more skittish with the low clear water. Be stealthy when out there and look to the faster water. When bugs are slow don’t forget about streamers, especially as browns begin to transition to their fall habits. Evening dries have been slow overall but with the potential for flying ants throughout the day, dry fly fishing is still viable. Something else to give a shot in the evenings is throwing a mouse fly when you give up on trying to see a dry fly in the dark. Every now and again you will catch a nice brown on a mouse walking back to the car.

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, Cahil’s, and other smaller mayflies as well as assorted caddis (#14-18). Terrestrials should be a go to right now. 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, and hopefully gets a recharge with some rain, the fishing should be good. Look to throw smaller streamers as well especially since trout are going to be moving to their fall habits soon.

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 streamers but don’t neglect smaller crayfish/baitfish imitations. Bass are going to be moving into their fall habits soon and will be 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 dungeon’s.

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.

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. We are starting to get in our selection of steelhead and salmon flies, stop by the shop to start to prepare! As always tight lines!

 

Location:139 Center St, Bristol CT, 06010

Number: (203) 343-0775

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