Two Great Connecticut Fly Fishing Destinations
west branch of the farmington river
Below: Fishing map of West Branch of the Farmington River. Hover over map to magnify.
The strongest fishing section of this river extends from Riverton downstream to New Hartford. Good trout waters are created by virtue of a bottom drop dam, feeding the section of river with cold trout waters.
Consider focusing your efforts in Fairfield County, namely in the Upper Trout Management Area. Check regs, but expect this area to be catch and release with barbless hooks. There are good numbers in this section and some nice fish too.
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As in pretty much all waters in CT, even if keeping fish is allowed, check health alerts before consuming as many waters carry pollution risks.
housatonic river trout fishing
Excellent Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout Fishing in a Western-style river
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Upper Trout Management Area
Extends from Falls Village down to Cornwall. This section runs about ten total miles, the final three being fly fishing only, and river access is excellent. Some of the holes in this section are legendary by Eastern fly fishing standards.
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Lower Trout Management Area
This trout fishing section is shorter than the Upper TMA, running only about three miles in length. It begins at Bulls Bridge and runs down to Gaylordsville Bridge. Look for a few pull-offs for river access on Route 7 (Kent Road).
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As mentioned in the above section on the West Branch of the Farmington River, pollution risks are significant in these rivers...but getting better. The Housatonic was utterly devastated by PCB contamination upstream from this area, but has improved after EPA intervention and a Superfund site created.
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These two TMA's are catch and release only, so consuming fish will not be a decision you need to contemplate anyway. The water quality has improved to the extent that you can feel like exposure to the water while fishing is pretty safe.
