When Should I Go Salmon Fishing in Connecticut?? **UPDATED**

Read the fine print, pal! 

Every year, newcomers to Connecticut’s broodstock Atlantic salmon fishery ask me about my favorite time of year to fish. Usually, this question comes from anglers looking to book a day of guided fishing on the lower Naugatuck River. I type/email this info all time, so I might as well do it here one final time and send the link when asked this question in the future. 

Really, there is no “best” time. There are times I prefer more than others, but I have had good fishing in every month from September to April, depending on conditions in a given year. There are pros and cons for every month/time period and I will do my best to outline them here. 

First salmon of last season
Sept 26, 2023 - dry fly!

September & October

Most years, the first salmon stocking happens in early October. That said, I can recall two seasons when conditions made a late September stocking possible (2013 and 2022). September of 2013 was great because hardly anyone knew it happened (it was before Facebook and email updates). I had the place pretty much to myself for two warm weeks and I caught a ton of fish. Last season didn’t see heavy angling pressure in September but, for better or for worse, social media prevented me from having a repeat of September 2013. No biggie…there are enough fish for everyone. 

Early season PROs:

• Warm water temps keep the fish active, aggressive, and fighting harder 

• Barren (unspawned) salmon are more common early in the season. They usually fight with the most intensity 

• Fishing is more “multi dimensional” - Dry flies, hitched flies/tubes, wet flies, deeply fished flies, etc. are all viable techniques at this time, which makes fishing much more interesting 
• The fish are less susceptible to the ill effects of angling pressure early in the season 
• The fishing day is longer and the temperature is at its most comfortable 

Early season CONs:

• We’re fishing over fewer salmon compared to later in the year 
• Early season salmon are rarely large (average size measured in inches, not pounds)
• The “bite window” is often less predictable than it is later in the season (when the water is cold) 
• A longer bite window can easily become a situation where more time on the water is needed to hook up, leading to some long and fatiguing sessions 
• The water can be low, making fly presentation (and solid hooksets) tricky 

Brusiser browns can be a welcome bycatch in November

November

November is the least predictable autumn month. It’s thirty days of highs and lows. I have probably caught more broodstock salmon in November than in any other month. Year in and year out, it’s the most consistent month. That said, I’ve seen brutal cold fronts and/or storms shut down fishing in November for a week or two at a time. It’s a crapshoot, but I think the odds of having a good November fishing are better overall than having a bad November, especially in the first half of the month. You never really know. 

November PROs:

• More and bigger salmon in the river 
• Though it’s getting colder, most of the month doesn’t yet require coldwater tactics and the fish are still fairly active
• Overcast/rainy days seem to be more common, which can improve the fishing 
• Low water is usually (but not always) less of an issue 
• The fish have had time to spread out, often times moving into less pressured areas 
• Every once in a while, you can catch some fairly large spawning run brown trout in November 

November CONs:

• LEAVES IN THE WATER - hands down, this is the worst part of November (can happen in October some years). It doesn’t necessarily mean bad fishing, but it gets really annoying unless you get a lot of action (it happens sometimes, but don’t count on it) 
• Unpredictable weather can make planning a November trip risky, especially late in the month
• We lose an hour of daylight in early November 
• Salmon will still take a fly just under the surface, but usually won’t take one on the surface like they might in September and October 
• Salmon who remain in popular pools have seen a lot of angling pressure by now 
• The weather can be raw at times 

The last fish of last year, caught on New Year's Eve

December

The final salmon stocking typically happens at the beginning of December. Some of the remaining fish can be quite large. The catch and release season ends mid-month, with one salmon per day being legal from December 16 onwards. For those who want to target large (but not necessarily plentiful) salmon, December is the best month in which to do it. An unusually warm stretch of weather in December can sometimes make for the most reliable and productive fishing of the whole season. 

December PROs:

• In theory (not always reality), we should have a short period of time in December where we are fishing over the maximum possible number of salmon in a given season 
• There will be big fish around 
• After water temps bottom out, the bite window becomes very predictable, with almost all action occurring from midday to early afternoon
• Weather trends (warmer later in the year than in the past) have actually made for some stellar Decembers in recent years. 
• Decreased angling pressure and salmon spread throughout the river can make fish that were once “stale” go on the take again

December CONs:

• Salmon become lethargic, often taking the fly softly and with less solid hookups 
• Cold water puts a damper on salmon fights 
• The total balance of salmon begins to decrease starting on the 16th, whether the final stocking has taken place by then or not 
• Tactics become one dimensional…fishing low and slow with sink tips or full sink lines 
• Even though Decembers have been trending warmer in recent years, volatile weather is still a distinct possibility 

Snow way, Jose! 

January - February 

Fishing can be an extension of December if winter is mild. It can also shut down entirely. Melting snow will chill the river and can slow the fishing down. Conversely, little snow and a warm stretch can make for short periods of good salmon fishing. Overall, however, I’m not too thrilled with winter salmon fishing. Unless it hasn’t snowed much or gotten very cold, I typically stop guiding (and fishing) by the end of December. 

March in 2014...snow was melting, it was warming up, and salmon were on the the take.
While Dec & Jan fishing has improved, March fishing has gotten worse.

Spring

In my experience, Spring is the least predictable time to fish for broodstock salmon. One of the best months I’ve ever had was in March 2016. I was catching consistently (some big fish too) and no one else was around. But in recent years, March weather has been horrible and with little possibility of good salmon fishing. The latest I’ve ever caught a broodstock salmon was on April 30. By that time, I am usually tired of it and ready to move on, though I’m sure some can be caught into May and possibly beyond. I’ve long thought that the possibility of dry fly fishing can come back in the spring. I’ve never had success with it then, but I have heard of salmon being caught during Hendrickson hatches. 

Not every spring fishes well. Some years, it seems like the salmon move out of the river en masse and don’t come back. I don’t guide in the spring (without lots of disclaimers!), but wouldn’t be opposed to it if the fish are around and the weather cooperates. 

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As our weather patterns seem to shift, so does the information above. I think most of it holds true…things like the photoperiod don’t change even if the weather does. Also, the leaves are still going to fall and drive us nuts, no matter when it happens.  It seems like fall lasts longer and winter comes later, bleeding into what used to be spring. It’s almost as if each month displays itself as the month that precedes it, i.e. November is the new December, which is the new January, etc. Salmon fishing itself is inherently unpredictable, so why should the weather be any different? 

It’s a cliché, but the best time to fish is whenever you can. That and you can’t catch a salmon if your fly isn’t in the water. My advice is to get out there as much as possible, regardless of the month. Observe trends and fish behavior, then modify your fishing methods accordingly! 

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**I just realized I made a post about this very subject six years ago. I probably should have looked before typing. Oh well...this post is more up to date. Compare it to the post from 2017 and you'll have even more info at your disposal. My loss of time is your gain of information! 

***I made a post about favorite flies for favorite months around the same time as the other 2017 post. The update to that is way more simple...just use Ally's Shrimp in various sizes. It has replaced the Mickey Finn as my ultimate go-to Naugatuck salmon fly. 

One of five hooked on a fruitful day of guiding/fishing last October
(on an Ally's Shrimp) 

Twitching and Skating for Pete

Farmington River brook trout were abundant this summer.
They were all too willing to nail a Variant. 

     After the spring runs are over, I switch to trout fishing mode. I usually hit a handful of local rivers, but I focused solely on the Farmington River this season. The Farmington was the favored haunt of a much-loved local angler who many of us were proud to call our friend. Pete, aka "TROUT I," was a Farmington River fishing machine. I learned a lot from Pete over the dozen or so years I knew him. Pete was very animated and he gave a realtime "play-by-play" of everything happening while he fished. We shared a lot of laughs, especially when the trout were "rising with blatant impunity."

     Unfortunately, Pete passed away on July 1, 2018. He had been sick for a while. Even though Pete could not fish anymore, he liked hearing reports. I sent him a report a couple days before he passed. He replied to my email and that was the last correspondence we shared.

     Pete was known as the master of the Beadhead Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle. It seemed like he could catch fish on command with that wet fly. About ten years ago, Pete gave me a Dun Variant to try. I had seen Variant-style dry flies in books, but had never fished one myself. That particular spring, Pete did well with a Dun Variant on our local river. I fished it a few times. I don't recall if I caught anything with it, but I remember seeing him catch several trout with his.

     In the years since then, I have caught a fair number of trout on a Dun Variant, usually during Isonychia hatches. Last summer, I had some luck with a Cream Variant during hatches of Yellow Drakes. On most days this summer, a Variant was my go-to dry fly. When a trout decides he wants one, often times the take is a violent one. There is nothing like twitching and skating a huge variant over fishy looking water, only to have a rainbow, brown, or brook trout dart top from the bottom of the river and smash a dry fly with the ferocity of a fish who thinks his last meal is about to escape.

      In early June, I caught a bunch of trout on a Grey Fox Variant. From mid June to early July, I caught a bunch of trout on a Cream Variant. From July through most of August, I caught a bunch of trout on a Dun Variant. Many of these catches weren't during hatches. Prospecting with a Variant was just as productive as fishing one during a hatch. I had one rainbow grab my Grey Fox Variant so hard, he pulled all the slack line from my hand and set the hook without me so much as raising the rod tip! Without a doubt, Variants were my most productive trout fly this season, an honor typically reserved for the Usual (which also did well, as usual).

     I told Pete about the aforementioned rainbow in our final email exchange. Though it has been at least two years since I last shared a pool with Pete, I felt like I was fishing with him in spirit this summer. Pete was exactly the guy you want next to you when a trout smashed a Variant, twitching and skating on the surface of the water.

Connecticut Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Season: Favorite Flies, Month by Month

A Green Machine, fished wet, accounted for three salmon in 30 minutes this October day.

     Following on the heels of last week's post, this week's post is about my favorite fly for each month  of the fall, plus a bonus winter and spring fly. I like tying almost as much as fishing, so it is difficult for me to narrow it down to one fly for each month, but I will do my best. Since fly selection is dependent on conditions, try not to think of these as the best flies to use as much as they're flies to always have on hand.

German Snaelda tied on a brass tube

September: My fly of choice is an unusual one for an unusual month. I have only experienced broodstock salmon fishing in one September (2013), but it was a great month. As expected, the water was low and relatively warm. As such, any angler would expect small flies to work well under those conditions. They did, but a surprising revelation was that a small German Snaelda, tied on a heavy brass tube, worked like a charm when the salmon wouldn't rise for the usual stuff. Since the fish were holding in the fastest water, a heavy tube fly got through the chop quickly and I hooked several salmon on the Snaelda that September. Actually, I got my clocked cleaned by one that took off like a banshee and cartwheeled all over the pool. It was one of three fish hooked on the tube fly that afternoon. Though I would always try a small wet fly first, I wouldn't be without the German Snaelda in very early season fishing.

Buck Bugs in various color schemes

October: It's a tough call, but I have to choose a Buck Bug, which is the most versatile fly of them all. Tied with a body of spun deer hair, a Buck Bug can be fished like a traditional wet fly, fished with the riffling hitch, or greased and fished as a dry fly. My favorite is the Green Machine with a white tail.  If you tie your own flies, make sure you don't pack the deer hair too tightly. 

Mickey Finn var. with fluorescent red bucktail

November: Now it's time for the king of all broodstock salmon flies, the Mickey Finn. Really, there is no bad time to fish a Mickey Finn. I could have made it fly of choice from September through December, but that wouldn't be much fun. I have had success on Mickey Finns from size 2 down to size 14. My favorite sizes are 6 and 4, particularly the latter for fishing in November. I like to tie it with a couple minor variations. I use a flat braid for the body. I find it holds up better than flat tinsel because it shreds rather than breaks. Sometimes I use regular red bucktail and red Krystal Flash, other times I use fluorescent red bucktail without Krystal Flash. I am particularly fond of the fluorescent red variation. It's almost a magenta color. When in doubt, use a Mickey Finn.

The Gold Body Willie Gunn is a great big fish fly

December: Early December is a great time to target big salmon. Without a doubt, my favorite fly for these big brutes is the Willie Gunn, tied with a gold body. In late November and early December, large fish might still be holding near the heavy current. Tied on a copper tube, this fly gets down fast. A sinking tip or line helps keep the fly down. It is an aggressive presentation, but it often times effective. One of the largest broodstock salmon I've ever landed took a gold Willie Gunn, one of three fish on that fly that December day. It is a very easy fly to tie and a good one for those learning to tie tube flies. 

The Grape tube fly, tied with lots of flash

Winter (January-March): This time of year is all sunk line work with a slow, mobile, aluminum tube fly. What is more mobile than marabou? The lethargic winter fish usually follow a fly from behind and nip at its rear end. Because of this, I like to use an exceptionally long piece of junction tube with the hook extending beyond the back end of the marabou. It helps to hook the "nippers". Other color combinations work well, but I have caught most of my salmon with the Grape. Any big, fluffy fly should work, but keep that hook way back.

The Sugerman Shrimp, my all-time favorite salmon fly

Spring: Now it's time for my all-time favorite salmon fly, the Sugerman Shrimp. Honestly, I've had plenty of luck with it in all months. I like a big size 2 or 4 Sugerman when the water is cold, but the air is warm, fished on a floating line. The largest broodstock salmon I've ever hooked took a big Sugerman Shrimp variation. Like the Grape, it's mobile, but the fish will nail it with more authority in the spring, so there is no need for a hook set way in the back. In the spring, the salmon are hungry and a big Sugerman Shrimp looks like a yummy meal. It is definitely one not to be without. 

Brilliant colors, both fish and fly

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     Hopefully this gives you some non-Mickey Finn options, even though the Mickey Finn is as good as any and better than most. Most eastern fly fishers are intimately familiar with this iconic bucktail pattern. The rest of the flies might not be as familiar, especially those tied on tubes. There's no reason to be scared off. All these flies, and many more, can be found in my ebook "Flies for Connecticut Atlantic Salmon: How to Tie and Fish Them," available for both Apple iOS devices and in universal PDF form. Get tying, fall is almost here! 

Connecticut Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Season: Month by Month

A handsome early season salmon

     As I'm starting to compile a list of anglers interested in guided trips this season, I find myself typing the same information over and over again. Most of it has to do with the when to plan a trip, as the character of each month can very different from the other months. This information might be helpful to the greater public, plus I won't have to type it out again if I post it on my blog. Here is the rundown as I see it and as it pertains to the Naugatuck River fishery:

September: As far as I know, there has only been one season with a September start, which was in 2013. This was before the state published stocking information on social media sites and I had some "inside information" about when the surprise first stocking would happen. I was out on the river as soon as I could get there and I had the place to myself for about two weeks. I caught a bunch of salmon, however, the temperatures were borderline for a safe release. At that time, a salmon could be harvested in September. The only one I ever kept was one, caught that September, that I couldn't revive. Now, September salmon can no longer be retained. 

     Because of the borderline water temperature (often reaching 70º by mid day), fishing was best early and late. The fish were very active and aggressive when the temperature agreed with them. When it got too warm, they sulked. As such, I planned my trips for times it would least dangerous for the salmon, opting to stay home on the warmest days. Once we got into October, the temperature was no longer an issue. 

     I don't know if we'll ever see a September start again, but it was nice. As long as anglers pay attention to the water temperatures, it can be a fun and productive time to fish, particularly with small flies, dry flies, floating lines, and single handed rods.

I suspect this extremely hard fighting salmon was one of the barren fish. 

October: Traditionally, the first salmon are stocked during the first or second week of October. The first salmon are small, averaging 3-6 lbs. What they lack in size they make up for in spunk. These fish are usually aggressive, take a fly well, and are willing to rise to a dry fly under the right conditions. The chance of catching a barren salmon exists now (one that won't spawn). Barren salmon fight much harder than post-spawn hatchery fish. The best broodstock salmon fights I've experienced have been with what I suspect were barren salmon, which are usually more silvery than dull gray. They are still feeding and are suckers for a sz. 6 Mickey Finn. 

     The fewest number of salmon are in the river in the first half of October, but it is my favorite time to fish. We haven't turned back the clocks yet and the evening bite is usually still good. The fish will take a variety of flies, will be interested in different presentations,  and will chase long distances. When hooked, many will fight hard and will jump several times. If you're lucky enough to hook into a barren fish, you might even see some high flying cartwheels.  

     Late October is a transitional period. I usually start out with a single handed rod. If we have a low water autumn, I will stick with that rod for the month. If we experience normal-to-high water, I fish a short two handed rod, usually no longer than 12' or so. The water is still warm enough to get salmon to the surface, so I rarely use a sinking tip or line. 

The larger fish now make their appearance later in the season. 

November: The first Sunday in November brings us one less hour of daylight. November also brings us falling temperatures and lots of falling leaves. Though the leaves can be a nuisance, the salmon will still take flies. We might even get accumulating snow in November. The water is usually high enough to use a two handed rod all month. Early in the month, an unweighted fly on a mono leader is usually enough. As the month goes on, however, it might be necessary to use a polyleader, sink tip, and/or weighted fly to get down to the more lethargic fish.

     The larger salmon make their appearance starting in November, typically near the middle to the end of the month. The salmon can weight up to 20 lbs. or more. In past years, large fish weren't all that uncommon. Now, there are much fewer than there used to be, though they can still be targeted. With a little luck, they can be hooked. With even more luck, they can be landed! 

     Due to the falling water temperature, the fishing in November is usually a little slower paced than in September or October. The trade-off is that there are more fish in the river and there is the chance of catching a much larger fish. A warm spell in November can mean terrific fishing. The dry fly isn't as much of an option, however, the first dry fly CT salmon I caught was during a November warm streak. Anything can happen. 

     I guide more during November than any other month. It's probably the best month to get an overall feel for the fishery. The fish have spread out by then and more pools are in play than earlier in the season. It sounds strange but, on the lower Naugatuck, the higher water actually makes wading easier, allowing the angler to fish further down the runs in the less rocky sections. 

December brings sinking lines and bigger flies

December: Without a doubt, December is the oddest of all the months. Usually by early December, all of the that season's salmon will have been stocked...but...anglers are allowed to retain one salmon per day beginning on December 1. For a brief period of time, there will be more (and bigger) salmon in the river in December than in any other month, although, this is a declining balance as fish are caught and kept. Also, the old salmon will have really spread throughout the system by December.

     I have had tremendous fishing in early December some seasons. I've also had some pretty forgettable fishing in other years. The quality of the fishing is usually dictated by the weather. December 2015 was really warm and the fishing was off the charts. It was one of my best months ever. I've had a few 5+ salmon days in various Decembers. But it is a crapshoot. 

    Knowing the movement patterns of the salmon helps figure out where salmon will be lurking in December. They are usually getting ready to hunker down for winter. Covering water is essential as the fish tend to spread out more and hold in slower water. As such, a two handed rod is a very useful tool since sinking lines become a regular piece of gear. The small flies of the early season get put back into their boxes, away go the dry flies, and large, mobile tube flies become most useful. 

     As is the case in November, a warm stretch can really make for good fishing. Most of the days will be cold, however, and the best fishing confined to a short window in the early afternoon. By 4:45pm, it is often too dark fish and the fish are too lethargic to bother leaving their lies. Our commute home is just in time for rush hour traffic. 

     When it comes to my own fishing in December, I tend to cherrypick my days and times. I don't spend all day on the river. This is a time of year when I actually recommend half day guide trips over full day trips. Like I said before, it's a gamble, especially when planning far in advance. 

A nice salmon, caught on Dec. 27, 2015. This was one of five that day. 

Winter (January-March): Admittedly, I don't fish often during the winter months. I'm usually sort of tired of it by then and I have a lot of tying to do for customers traveling to Canada and Europe for Atlantic salmon fishing in the spring and summer. When the weather warms up for a few days, I'll go out and try my luck as long as the river isn't too icy. A warm streak will melt snow and bring up the river, but the fish will usually go on the feed. If there hasn't been too much retention, it can be possible to catch a fish or two, sometimes more. Mid-to-late March can be good if the winter isn't too brutal or lengthy. I had a particularly good March a few years ago. There are no guarantees when it comes to salmon fishing, particularly at this time of year. 

     Expect to fish low and slow during the winter. Cover water and fish the middle of the day. It's not necessary to get on the river in the early morning and it's usually not necessary to stay until sunset. It's a good way to fight off cabin fever. If there hasn't been rampant poaching and/or retention, there will still be a fair amount of salmon around, certainly enough to target. 

Small, silvery salmon caught on April 29

Spring & Summer: The salmon season closes temporarily beginning on April 1. It reopens on opening day, which is the second Saturday in April. If there are enough salmon left to target in spring, they will be on the feed. The sinking lines can be ditched in favor of floating lines and mono leaders as long as the river isn't too high. The salmon pictured above was caught on April 29, which is the latest in the spring I've ever caught one (I've usually moved on to spring runs by then). It can be worth a shot if you know where salmon might be. The bonus is that there are usually trout around at the same time.

     The latest I've heard of a salmon being hooked was during a cold period in early July. It appears as if some actually hold over, though it is anyone's guess if they can make it through the heat of August and early September. I once tried to find them in July, based on some local intel. I waited until we had some unseasonably cool weather and was fishing at first light. The water was about 65ºF. I didn't wind up finding any salmon, though I landed a beautiful, acrobatic, holdover rainbow trout. 

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     That's the long and short of it, at least in my experience. Though I fish the Naugatuck River, I imagine the Shetucket follows similar patterns. I like my broodstock salmon fishing to mirror my wild salmon fishing as much as possible, so I tend to favor the warmer months, or at least the months that aren't too freezing. I have a couple friends who prefer the cold and who do quite well in winter. To each, his or her own. 

If you have any questions, you know where to find me...

A Ceremonial End to Summer Begins Prep Work for Fall

PB

     The summer of 2017 was the 50th anniversary of the longest free, continuously run jazz festival in the US, now known as "Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz." Held at Bushnell Park, in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz was started by one of our finest local jazz musicians, bassist Paul Brown (affectionately known as "PB"). Paul passed away last year, but has left quite a legacy in Hartford as a top-caliber musician, educator, and concert promoter. I was fortunate enough to play more gigs with PB than I can recall. I, as well as the rest of the Hartford jazz community, misses his positive, encouraging vibe, always encouraging us to keep "fighting the good fight".

     I was fortunate enough to play the opening night of the 2017 Monday Night concert season, a tribute to PB, as well as the closing night last Monday.  As often is the case in the world of performing artists, there is a lot of time spent waiting around. Usually, it is a time to catch up with old musician friends who might not see each other too often. Last night, I decided to be a little more productive in the time between soundcheck and the beginning of the concert. Seeing how the Connecticut broodstock Atlantic salmon season is potentially right around the corner, I decided to take inventory of my flies and consolidate them into one box (after BS'ing for a while, of course).

     We're at that sort of pivotal point of summer when river conditions could go either way. We've had a fairly wet, cool year so far and the drought is long gone. Without a doubt, we are currently in a better position than we were at the same time in either 2015 or 2016. Water levels are hovering around their historical average at the moment. That could all change very quickly if we don't get regular rain over the course of the next month or so. However, if the wet, cool weather continues, I'm cautiously optimistic of having an early start like we had in 2013, when the season started around the third week of September. In terms of numbers, 2013 was the best season I've ever had. I would love to see that happen again!

     So the prep work begins...I have to stock up on flies for the upcoming season, lube a couple reels, switch some lines, wax my ferrules, and order a lot more leader material. I plan on hitting the ground running this season. If you're interested in booking a guide trip, contact me and I will add you to the email blast that goes out immediately after the first stocking. Dates are first come first served and the prime dates tend to go quickly. Also, if you are interested in a presentation for your TU chapter or angling club, a list of available topics can be seen here.

     And if you want to come see some music, check my calendar here. It usually begins to fill up quickly come September. If you drop me an email, I let you know which gigs are the ones not to miss. As always, I'm here to answer virtually any question, so feel free to fire away. Get tying...salmon season will be here very soon!

A particularly crazy salmon...I can't wait to meet his friends soon.