The Mighty Housatonic River

Captain Adrian Block, a Dutch explorer was the first white man to see the river. In 1613, he sailed down Long Island Sound from New Amsterdam - he called it the River of the Red Hills. The Algonquin Indians named the river "Ousatonic" which meant "the river beyond the mountain". European settlers later named the river Housatonic, the name we know it by today. The river flows 150 miles from it's source in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts to it's entry into Long Island Sound. Structure and character of the upland stretches of this mighty river could easily be compared to western waters. A designated ten mile stretch of Trout Management Area (TMA), boasts large trout with an average of 16"to "18 and bigger.

It is considered by many fly anglers to be one of the best trout fisheries on the east coast. The more popular section of this TMA spans from the covered bridge in West Cornwall downstream along Rte.7 to the Cornwall Bridge at Rte.4. The entire TMA is catch-and-release. The upper section of the TMA is open to all forms of angling. Downstream, just below the covered bridge, the remainder of the TMA becomes fly-fishing-only. Regulation signs are posted accordingly. Well known pools such as Cellar Hole, Spring Hole, Carse Brook and my favorites Corner Hole, The Wall and Church Pool, are just to name a few. Almost all of the spots that the TMA has to offer are easy access from car pull-offs on Rte.7 or from unpaved roads that offer access along the eastern side of the river.

Since the beginning of European settlement along the river, industry, development and eventually the introduction of hydroelectric dams and facilities has left us with a river that has been subject to regulated water releases. Without getting into an entirely separate issue, conservation minded groups along with the state DEP have gone to great lengths to better this fishery. More so recently dam releases are better regulated to give the river a somewhat natural flow. I mention this because higher water releases can shut down the fishing until the fish acclimate. Also wading might be more difficult for those who are not familiar with the river. The river has a newer TMA that stretches from the Bull's Bridge bypass in Kent Ct. downstream to the bridge at Gaylordsville. This area receives a regular stocking of trout and has a fair amount of holdovers. The flows are not affected by the upper river releases unless there is extremely high water or winter into spring run-off. Pools have already been named and the area is being well received. Information on river flow, hatches and where to fish can be obtained from the local fly shops for both TMA's.

The Hatches and The Trout

Once the season gets into full swing the mayfly hatches can get extremely abundant and the caddis hatches can be prolific. Under normal conditions the opportune fly rodder can catch trout and do well using streamers, nymphs, dries, terrestrials and attractors. But when the hatches turn on the trout can get quite selective. Having a good variety of flies to match the mayfly and caddis hatches in all stages is a must. Because the hatches tend to intermingle paying close attention to what's happening during the hatch is a key factor in catching more fish on this river. I have watched many a dry fly enthusiast miss out on catching trout because they insist on fishing what they are watching float by meanwhile the trout are gorging on insects below the surface. This is especially important during the daytime when mayflies or caddis are on the top and there is hardly any surface action.

Evening fishing on the river is "no holds barred" when the hatch turns on. The trout change from their daytime feeding habits and lose their inhibitions. Some of the finest top water action be it rainbow or brown trout, that you can experience is just as the sun's light is ducking below the tree line. For many years one my favorite times to fish is in the late summer. After I have had my rod bent with trout and the hatch is over I wait For the die-hard few that stay when the hatch is over, they are staying for a reason. The reason being the brown trout action.

Lighting up a fresh cigar I make sure the batteries in my headlamp are still good. As I proceed to tie on a stronger leader and browse through my fly box, I hear a few fish crash the surface. Part of my waiting time has routinely consisted of working hair bugs or large dries on the slower water and has on many evenings produced drag pulling bronzebacks with the occasional feisty rainbow dancing across the surface. Soon enough I will find myself bouncing large muddlers, woolly buggers or zonkers off the bottom for the browns. Any area I can find where the food will be concentrated - off the tail ends of deep runs, large pockets with swirling eddies or pools and slower water areas, that's where the big browns will be cruising and feeding. My biggest browns have been caught when the moon is over the top of the pines and glistening off the river.

On occasion staying through to the early morning hours has proved rewarding also. When you here stories of the fly shop's local guides catching big browns up to 25" believe it. Your little catch-and-release trout net wont be big enough to scoop up the fish.

It's a mouthful , but the Housatonic in my opinion is a springtime and early summer - late summer and into fall time trout river. And just to add to the list I have had some great rainbow trout fishing during the winter months too, fishing stones and winter caddis and streamers.

Warm water species

From a somewhat ethical standpoint there is the mid summer season when times of extreme heat and lower water levels can endanger the trout and they seek refuge in the smaller river entries, spring holes, and cooler areas. At this time it is vital to leave the trout alone. The diversity of species of fish in the river make this is a great time to take advantage of the river's warm water species.

Tons of Smallmouth Bass are predominant throughout the river and the slow moving waters that flow down to the Bull's Bridge dam also offer excellent Largemouth Bass, Pike, and carp fishing.

Although available for anglers to catch all throughout the day and all along the river, Smallmouth Bass or Bronzebacks can sometimes be as frustrating and selective as the wary trout. There is a small window of activity in the morning time then they tend to disappear. The most productive time to fish is from early afternoon and into the evening. As night comes they tend to shut down and become sporadic at best. When I was younger I worked part time at The Valley Angler mostly spending my part time pay on fishing stuff. I remember opening a box of UPS that came in. Inside was a Wood River V-Boat float tube. John the owner was nice enough let me stretch - pay this too and needless to say the day finally came when it was mine, and soon I was off to every local body of water I could find. My love for the river only led me to fish the slow stretches of the river that I would curiously eye as I passed by on the way to the TMA. The first time I went I found a pull-off along Rte.7, float tubed across and into a ponded section along the western shoreline near the Scatacoke Indian reservation. Much to my surprise I hooked into something that was dragging me around which turned out to be a Pike. After frequenting the same area via float tube, canoe, and a friends bass boat, I deducted that this was a spot where pike could sustain. After talking with the DEP and finding out that small amounts of juvenile Pike have filtered in through the years from the reservoir above Falls Village and have established a Pike population in the slower waters of the river. This is an even better section now then when I started fishing it to try your hand at pike on the fly. Pike have been caught in the average size of 30 plus inches and bigger. There is also a good population of Largemouth Bass in these areas too. In my search for easy wading mostly during guide trips with beginners I have found an area of flat water ( flats if you will ) along the river in Kent Ct.. Crossing the river at the center of Kent at Rte. 341 and turning onto Skiff Mountain Rd. at The Kent School, stay on the dirt road that follows the river and from the road you can't help but spot the sandy flats. The early spring offers good trout fishing also but as soon as the water warms up the trout pack their bags. This area is loaded with carp most of the year. The eastern shoreline has long deep cuts that the suckers and carp lie in. Stalking the suckers on the sandy flats of the river is the freshwater version of fishing Bonefish, around these parts any way. When you get a sucker or a carp on the line they do not want to come in no matter what the size of the fish. Another spot that has excellent carp on the fly is at the Falls Village Power plant.

All in all If you are looking for a great place to fish any time of year try your hand at The River of The Red Hills.

Tightlines' Shawn