New England is much more than Boston accents and Patriots fans. It offers fly anglers wonderful chances to catch a variety of fish. Whether you are a trout fisherman, bass fisherman, or saltwater angler New England fly fishing has something for you.
New England fly fishing includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont (northern New England), Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut (southern New England). No matter where you visit in those six states, excellent fishing awaits. The beauty of New England is that there are fish to be caught right in the heart of the major cities and in the surrounding wilderness.
Whether you hail from New England or plan to visit someday, there are a few locations that you must fish.
1. Cape Cod, Massachusetts
You may be familiar with the stereotypes of Cape Cod and coastal Massachusetts from movies such as Jaws or stories of the Kennedy family. However, Cape Cod is rich with new england fly fishing opportunities.
Cape Cod is a large stretch of land extending well out into the Atlantic Ocean from southeastern Massachusetts. Cape Cod and the surrounding islands are a major stop on the migration for striped bass. Throughout the summer and fall, stripers will inundate Cape Cod in droves as they make their annual migration up and down the coast.
The beauty of stripers is that they swim close to shore and can even be found on tidal flats. As such, you do not need a boat to chase these tough-fighting fish. Walking up and down beaches will pay dividends. Check out our article on fishing saltwater to gain a better idea as to how you should chase these fish.
Cape Cod does not end with saltwater. It is full of large ponds rich with freshwater fish. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are abundant on Cape Cod. A great and publicly accessible place to start is on Long Pond in Brewster for some unique New England fly fishing.
Whether new to fly fishing or a veteran, utilizing our FREE community feature in the app will connect you with anglers like Quincy so you can plan a trip, meet up and hit these areas at the perfect time to make the most of your trips. Having that local expertise will outperform all other methods in our experience for actually catching fish.
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2. Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
New England’s lone national park, Acadia offers fly anglers excellent opportunities to fish for native brook trout and landlocked salmon. Acadia has several ponds accessible by paddle craft. There are many ways to rent paddle craft in the area or you can bring your own.
Eagle Lake and Bubble Pond are two extremely popular options for lake fishing. Eagle Lake is known for its landlocked salmon population while Bubble Pond is a brook trout haven.
For those without a boat or paddle craft, Jordan Stream offers excellent wade fishing. It is a classic New England small stream in which a “massive” brook trout does not generally exceed 12 inches. It is quintessential New England fishing. It does not get much better than being in the wilderness of Maine off the beaten path while catching these tiny, yet beautiful fish.
3. Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed, Rhode Island
I would be remiss if I did not mention my home state of Rhode Island in this article as a top new england fly fishing destination. While I may be biased, “Little Rhody” provides excellent trout fishing within a 30-minute drive of Providence.
The Wood River is located in the southwestern portion of the state. It is home to rainbow, brown, and brook trout. While many of the brown and rainbow trout are stocked, there is a robust native brook trout population here as well.
Many of the brook trout in the area are smaller than small. We are talking five-inch fish. However, having the ability to, and dichotomy of, stepping off a busy highway and into the wilderness of Rhode Island is truly incredible.
The Wood River features various tributaries and small streams that are home to beautiful native brook trout populations. You will have to work for these fish. Just because you are not in the backwoods of Maine or in the rivers of New Hampshire does not mean that these fish are not wily.
While Rhode Island may not be considered by most to be a “destination”, the Wood River area provides excellent fishing for anyone who may be passing through the state or for new fly anglers within the state.
4. Central-Western Massachusetts
Massachusetts is so small that breaking it down by region is not a big lift. However, the central and western portions of the state deserve their time in the sun. The crown jewel of the area is the Deerfield River.
The Deerfield is a destination river. Located in the Deerfield, Massachusetts area, anglers come from far and wide to fish this tailwater. It features huge brown trout and excellent driftboat fishing. It is one of the rivers in New England that is closest to what you might find in the western United States.
The Swift River is great for anglers looking for finicky fish. Fish on the Swift see a lot of flies every year. The water is also crystal clear allowing for sight-fishing. However, stealth is absolutely necessary as the fish can see you about as well as you can see them.
Honorable mentions in this area are the Ware River and the Millers River. Both rivers feature their fair share of urban and rural fishing opportunities. They are stocked with trout every year, but if you get off the beaten path, you can find the wild fish.
5. Green Mountains, Vermont
The Green Mountains are famous for their skiing and hiking. However, excellent new england fly fishing awaits you in the “Greens”.
The Battenkill River is the cream of the crop in this region. It features wild brown and brook trout. In New England, fishing for browns and brookies is about as good as it gets.
The best part about the Green Mountains is the abundance of small streams. There is just about no hike you can do in this area that will not allow you to dip a line immediately off-trail. Additionally, several lakes in the area are home to a variety of fish species including trout.
While you are in Vermont, be sure to visit the original Orvis store in Manchester, Vermont as well.
6. White Mountains, New Hampshire
Lastly, the White Mountains in New Hampshire also provide anglers with new england fly fishing opportunities to hike and find small streams. The White Mountains feature several pull-offs along rivers that are filled with pocket water and rising brook trout. Summer wet-wading in the Whites can be stellar.
As far as main rivers are concerned, the Pemigewassett River is an excellent choice. The “Pemi” features various species of wild trout and Atlantic salmon. The Pemi is also relatively long and has plenty of highly productive stretches along the river.
For more areas check out the FlyFishFinder app to locate detailed fishing maps built 100% for fly anglers. Start a Free account today!
Drifthook put together a great little article on some other areas to check out in Massachusetts and surrounding areas.
