Connecticut Spring Fishing Report — April 2026

Freshwater: Trout Stocking Underway

CT DEEP began its spring stocking program in late March. By mid-April, most major rivers and stocked ponds will have received at least one stocking. The Farmington River, Salmon River, Housatonic River, and Willimantic River are all receiving stocked brown and rainbow trout.

**What's working:** Light spinners (Mepps Aglia size 0–2 in gold) and small spoons are the early-season go-to for freshly stocked fish. In clear water or after the fish have been in the river for a week or more, switch to live bait (worms, salmon eggs) or small marabou jigs under a float.

**Farmington TMA:** Wild fish are beginning to respond to early-season hatches. Quill Gordons and Blue Quills are hatching when water temps reach the mid-40s on sunny afternoons. Watch for risers between noon and 3 PM on warm April days — the first significant hatch activity of the year.

**The crowds:** Opening day (second Saturday in April) will draw crowds. If possible, fish the Monday or Tuesday after opening weekend — crowds thin out dramatically and stocked fish are still present and catchable.

**Water levels:** Check USGS stream gauges before heading out. Rivers can be running high and fast from spring runoff in April. The Farmington gauge at Tariffville should ideally be below 500 cfs for safe wading; the Salmon River gauge at Cobalt provides similar guidance.

Pre-Spawn Bass: Prime Window Opening

Largemouth bass in Connecticut's ponds and lakes are in or entering the pre-spawn staging phase in April. Water temperatures in the shallower southern CT waters are reaching the 50–58°F range that triggers pre-spawn activity.

**Where to look:** Points with adjacent deep water, the mouths of creek arms entering ponds, and the first drop-off outside of spawning flats (typically in 4–8 feet of water). The biggest pre-spawn females will be here, feeding actively before the spawn consumes their attention.

**What to throw:** Suspending jerkbaits with long pauses are the early-April standard when water is below 55°F. As water breaks above 55°F, add swimbaits, squarebill crankbaits, and weightless soft jerkbaits over the shallows.

**Best CT waters for April bass:** Candlewood Lake, Bantam Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Gardner Lake, and the thousands of smaller town and state ponds across the state. Smaller ponds warm faster than large lakes — start your spring bass season on a small, dark-bottom pond.

Saltwater: First Stripers of the Season

Early stripers are showing up at Connecticut river mouths and tidal rivers in late April. These are resident fish (smaller school stripers that winter in the area) rather than the larger migratory fish that arrive in May — but they're the first action of the season and a welcome sight after winter.

**Where to find early stripers:** The Housatonic River, Connecticut River (particularly below the Enfield Dam), Thames River, and Niantic River all see early striper activity in April as water temperatures rise. Tidal rivers and estuaries warm faster than open Sound water, drawing fish first.

**What's working:** Small paddle tail swimbaits (3–4 inch) on 1/2–1 oz jigheads worked along drop-offs and channel edges. Bucktail jigs on current seams. In the rivers, small swimmer plugs cast across current and worked downstream. The fish aren't huge (typically 18–26 inches), but they're here, and it's April.

**Note on regulations:** Connecticut striped bass regulations changed in recent years. The current slot limit and bag limit requirements apply from day one — check the CT DEEP Marine Fisheries regulations for the current season before you fish. Fines for out-of-slot stripers are real and the regulation exists for good reason.

What's Coming in May

May is when Connecticut's fishing truly comes alive across every species:

**Striper migration:** Schoolie stripers are already at the rivers; the big fish start arriving in May. When bunker (menhaden) push into the Sound in earnest — usually by mid-May — the large stripers follow. May is when trophy-class fish become accessible from shore and boat.

**Bass spawn:** Largemouth bass will be on beds in many CT waters by mid-May. The pre-spawn bass action described above gives way to spawning fish — visible on beds in clear shallow water. Post-spawn feeding (the next bite window) typically starts in early June.

**Shad run:** American shad begin their run up the Connecticut River in late April and build through May. The shad run at Enfield Falls and the CT River below the dams is a distinct fishery — shad dart jigs and small spoons produce fish that are among the best light-tackle fighters in New England.

**Spring trout:** Stocking continues through May. Farmington Hendrickson hatch (late April through May) is the signature CT fly fishing event of the year.

More detailed May and June reports will follow. Sign up for the newsletter to get updates delivered to your inbox.

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