Housatonic River Connecticut

The Housatonic River starts in far western Massachusetts in the Berkshire Mountains near the city of Pittsfield. It flows southward through western Massachusetts through the Berkshires and into western Connecticut and ultimately makes it way to the Long Island Sound. The Housatonic or”Housy” as it is locally know, is 149 miles long and drops a total of over 900 feet from the confluence of its east and west branches. Housatonic River’s name is derived from the Mohican phrase "usi-a-di-en-uk", which is translated as "beyond the mountain place".

As the Housatonic flows into Connecticut, the character changes dramatically as it glides along in a valley over a hard substrate of limestone, quartz and granite making it a rich river. The portion that interests fly fishermen is that section that starts about 10 miles upstream from West Cornwall. The river at this point gains speed with some pocket water and some long pools connected by riffles. The north/south Rt.7 follows along a trout management area which is said to be a fly fishers dream stream. Just below the Highway 128 famous covered bridge the Housatonic goes through the Housatonic Meadows State Park which provides easy access to the river.

The rich waters of the Housy provide a good population of browns and rainbows up to 18 inches long with the bulk of the population averaging 10 to 14 inches. Although the Housy is stocked, there are a number of wily holdovers and unlike most trout management areas, anglers may use live bait since they are returning them to the Housy anyway. There is a 3.5 mile of the Housy that is fly fishing only and it ends at Cornwall Bridge.

Fishing the Housatonic river:
In times of high water, fish the pockets with large nymphs and streamers especially if the water is slightly stained or off color. The Blue winged Olives are prevalent from spring through the fall months as are other prolific insect hatches. The water flow in the Housatonic River is important! For wading, you will be looking for the Cubic Feet per Second (CFS) to be in the 400 to 800 CFS and if it higher, it would be best to use a drift boat. Please check the water releases schedule before fishing the Housy.

Spring:
The Housatonic spring fishing starts to heat up in May and June with the BWOs, Blue Quills, and both the Little Black Caddis and the Cinnamon Caddis. Look for fishing pressure to be heavy in the trout management areas.

Summer:
The Housy slows down somewhat but the BWOs, Tricos, and the Drakes will have active hatches. Also, the terrestrials like grasshoppers, ants and beetles will be productive as well as streamers.

Fall and winter:
The trout become more active again in the fall, as the water temperature becomes more moderate and fishing is permitted through the entire year. Start with the BWOs and the Midges but keep some terrestrials in your fly box as well.