Southern New England is not a destination most people think of when they think of fly fishing. However, fly fishing in Southern New England can be a treat because of the species diversity and various locations one may target. As someone who spent their formative years fishing quintessential western rivers, I have grown to love the angling opportunities New England has to offer. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if not for the angling opportunities at my disposal, I would no longer live on the east coast.
Southern New England offer anglers excellent saltwater fishing, pond fishing, and trout fishing. Although these states are small, there is a lot of shore access for saltwater fishing, numerous ponds with open access, and long stretches of streams that are easily accessible if you are willing to walk.
About Southern New England
Southern New England includes Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Although the climate is generally similar to the northern states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine southern New England is more temperate – if you can believe that. The southern states of the region are far more densely populated than the northern states and are comparatively smaller, yet there are still plenty of fishing possibilities if you are willing to move around.
There are four distinct seasons in the region, and they all have unique angling opportunities. Spring and fall are my favorites, but summer can be highly productive as well. Winter is generally too cold to fly fish with consistent production but if you enjoy ice fishing, there is no shortage of opportunities in southern New England.
Southern New England Rivers
Southern New England offers opportunities for consummate trout fishermen to fulfill their goals. Many rivers are stocked with trout in the spring and fall, and some hold wild populations of rainbows, browns, and brookies for those anglers searching for a challenge. Famous rivers within the region include the Deerfield, Farmington, and Housatonic or “the Hoosey”. While maybe not as expansive as some of the rivers out West, these rivers still provide anglers with fun fly fishing opportunities. Not to mention they are loaded with fish.
The southern New England states each have trout hatchery programs that are in place to ensure that anglers have opportunities to catch fish and that trout populations persist. Additionally, Connecticut has a broodstock salmon program that is designed to continue introducing Atlantic salmon into two rivers within the state. The hope is that these fish will establish a breeding population in addition to the angling opportunities they provide.
In my opinion, the holy grail of river fishing in Southern New England is the opportunity to catch native brook trout. Native brook trout do not grow large (a large individual is around 12 inches) and will never equal the trophy brown trout measured in pounds, but these fish are technical, beautiful, and special.
Native brook trout can often be found in small streams where a short-light rod is necessary to catch them. They are exceptionally fun to catch in the early spring because presenting a fly to them requires precision and finesse. The small stream habitat these fish occupy requires anglers to navigate branches and other obstacles to find fish in small pools and pocket water. These are wild and smart fish but their beauty is well worth their challenge.
Southern New England Lakes
Southern New England is littered with lakes and ponds, many of which possess easy access for the public. As fly fishermen and women, we generally need space for a back cast and a canoe, kayak, or boat are good tools to to use to have success on lakes. Many lakes in southern New England are home to various species of bass, panfish, and even pike. Some lakes boast populations of largemouth bass with very large individuals allowing anglers to routinely catch 3, 4, and 5 plus pound bass.
Lake fishing for bass can be very successful during the pre-spawn and spawning cycles in the late spring. I also love to target bass during this time through the early summer when some of the rivers become too low and warm for consistent trout fishing. Bass fishing is also a great way to catch larger individuals if the native brook trout don’t satisfy the pull you desire.
Pike and other species in the pike family such as pickerel can be plentiful in southern New England lakes. These ambush predators are great targets on the fly because of their aggressive strikes and acrobatics once hooked. Some lakes in southern New England have pike programs where juvenile fish are stocked. These fish are a fun way to break up a day of bass fishing.
Southern New England Salt Water
Fly fishing in southern New England is not complete without mentioning the saltwater opportunities. Saltwater fly fishing has easily become my favorite type of fishing since I moved to southern New England.
Southern New England boasts a rich diversity of saltwater species which are present in the region throughout each respective migratory period. Fish that may be targeted with a fly rod include striped bass, blue fish, false albacore tuna, bluefin tuna, bonito, weakfish, hickory shad, and even various species of sharks. For those anglers looking to secure a meal, bottom fishing includes black sea bass, flounder, scup, and a whole lot more.
The best part of saltwater fishing in southern New England is that you do not need a vessel to do it. Access to salt water has never been an issue for me in this region. The sandy beaches are easy to access for fishing purposes and the abundant estuaries such as salt ponds and salt rivers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island provide excellent fishing as well.
Of course, fishing the saltwater in southern New England is even better with a boat or other vessel. This allows you the mobility to get out and find fish rather than waiting for them to come to you. Fish are generally plentiful, and my general rule of thumb is if you can find bait you can generally find fish.
Places to go Fly Fishing
Overall southern New England offers no shortage of fishing opportunities. The region is a jack of all trades but rather than being a master of none, it is certainly a master of salt water. Whatever your mood may be on any given day, it is likely you will be able to catch a fish species that satisfies your mood.
Some of my favorite areas and rivers to fish are as follows but make sure you use the fly fish finder mapper to explore these areas fully and find other like-minded anglers to hit the water with:
Miller’s River: Massachusetts
Ware River: Massachusetts
Wood River: Rhode Island
Farmington River: Connecticut
Narragansett, Rhode Island: Saltwater
Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Saltwater
Norwalk, Connecticut: Saltwater
Ponds and Lakes throughout the region (use the fly fish finder app)
