Fishing Season: All season

Housatonic River - CT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

78

Bert Ouellette's Tip of the Week

The Housatonic River is at 151 CFS . The water temperature is to warm to fish for trout. If you hook a trout get them to the net as quick as possible and release them without lifting them out of the water. To avoid catching a trout during the summer months switch to warm water species flies. Most of the trout have moved into the thermal refuge area. Stay out of the Thermo refuge areas they are marked with white signs saying no fishing. If you would like to fish for trout I would suggest heading to the Farmington River which is a tail water and stays cool most all summer. The Housatonic River most days has water temperatures over 70° it is time to give the trout a break and switch over to warm water species like Smallmouth bass and Carp. Pike fishing on the Housatonic during the summer months should be limited to cooler days with water temperature under 72° Fish early morning before water temperatures get to warm. The streamer and popper bite for smallmouth bass has really turned on with the warm water temperatures. Top water popper fishing has been excellent with the warmer water temperature. When fishing on any river during the summer months you should always bring your thermometer to check the water temperature before Fishing. Trout are stressed in water temperatures over 67° Northern pike start to stress in water over 72° Smallmouth bass start to stress and water over 78° On the warm summer days you should limit your fishing to early morning when the water temperature will be at its coolest. No one should be fishing for any species of fish in water that is 85°and above. Spiked boots, wader belt,wading staff and polarized sunglasses are highly recommend when fishing the Housatonic River. Fishydude.com

Directions open in app

Map of Housatonic River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Antoine Bissieux
Bert Ouellette

5-Day Outlook as of 8/8/22

Warm high 80s to low 90° temperatures predicted throughout the week fishydude.com

Techniques & Tips as of 8/8/22

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good! It is too warm to fish for trout on the Housatonic. If you are trout fishing in the summer months on any river you fish you should have a thermometer with you and periodically check the water temperature on days when the air temperature is 70° or more. Trout become stressed in water temperature above 67° you should switch over to fishing smallmouth bass and other warm water species. If you do hook trout in warm water you should bring it in quickly and release it without taking it out of the water. It’s time!! The small mouth bass fishing has really turned on with the warmer water on the housatonic. The popper Fishing has been excellent! All color poppers have been working very well. The streamer fishing has been good for smallmouth woolly buggers in Black,Olive,White and chartreuse. Articulate streamers have been getting the bite in White,Black,Olive and Chartreuse. Any crayfish streamer pattern in Olive or Brown has been hooking it up. During the summer months limit your fishing to early morning when the water temperatures are at the coolest. Most evenings during the hot weather the water temperature is still too warm to fish. Fishydude.com

Local Species Available All season

  • Fish Icon

    Trout

  • Fish Icon

    Smallmouth bass

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    pike

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    carp.

Bert Ouellette's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Blue Winged Olive Blue wing olives 20-26
Sparkle Dun ISO Brown 12-14
Elk Wing Caddis Tan Caddis 16-18
Flying Ant Black/Red 18-24
Stonefly Nymph Black / Golden 6 /14
Pheasant Tail Nymph natural 12-22
Fly Formerly Known As Prince Golden -Brown 10-12
Bead Head Caddis Pupa tan/brown 16-18
Caddis Larvae Green / tan 14-18
Wolly Bugger BLK / Brown ? olive 6-10

Blue Winged Olive

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Bert Ouellette's Recommended Gear

Description: About Housatonic River

The Housatonic River, or Housy as it is known by those that fish it regularly, is one of New Englands premier trout streams. The stretch that runs from the dam in Falls Village down to Housatonic State Park is of most interest to trout anglers; more specifically, the stretch that runs from Push em up Pool down to the park. This section runs just over 5 miles and is the area that is stocked with browns and rainbows twice per year. 9000 trout are stocked in the spring that average in size from 8 inches to 17 inches. In the Fall, another 9000 trout are stocked. Years ago the Housy was a pond and release river where flows fluctuated everyday because of down stream releases from the dam in Falls Village. This is no longer the case and the Housy is now a natural flow river. This is great news for the trout and for the anglers that fish for them. Good fishing can continue all day long and the trout are no longer limited to the deeper pools and are well spread out throughout in the entire river system. During the months of May, June, September, October and November the Housatonic produces some fantastic dry fly fishing with both Mayflies and Caddis flies. All the classic hatches are here! Hendricksons, Cahills, Sulfers, March browns, ISO’s, Blue winged olives, and blizzard caddis hatches. There are also hatches not present on other streams such as the Alder fly and Housatonic quill or White fly. At times you might find midges and stone flies as well. The Housatonic has been called a Western river misplaced in the East and that is an accurate description. When flows are above 500 Cubic Feet per Second (CFS) the river is effectively floated in drift boats. Floating the river gives anglers and guides the opportunity to fish less pressured areas and areas that are unreachable on foot. The streamer fishing can be outrageous and nymphing is the most reliable way to take trout consistently. A huge and often over looked feature of the Housy is its fantastic small mouth bass fishing. The bass fishing is excellent up in Mass and all the way down to New Milford, Connecticut. Fishing for the bass in a drift boat is a huge advantage simply because you can cover a lot more water. Despite the low flows of summer, there are sections that remain floatable, even when the water is down to 200 CFS. As an added bonus, there is a growing population of pike in the slower, deeper sections where downed trees line the banks. Pike up to 42 inches are caught on a regular basis for those that target them. In short, there is great fishing to be had on the Housatonic at anytime of year.

Nearest Airport:

BDL-Hartford Bradley International Airport

Hatches:

Blue wing olives 18-22 Green Caddis 16-18 Tan Caddis 14-20 Cahill 12-14 Isonychia 10-12 Yellowstone 6-10 Alder 12-14

Best Time to Fish:

Anytime

Best Stretch:

From two miles above the Covered Bridge down to Housatonic State Park in Cornwall Bridge.

Best Access:

Anywhere along Rte 7 from the park to the Covered Bridge and off the dirt road from the Covered Bridge up to Push em up pool.