Gear & Tackle
Housatonic River (Cornwall)

Rivers & StreamsFly Fishing Only per CT DEEP

Housatonic River (Cornwall) Fishing Guide

Connecticut

One of Connecticut's most popular rivers for fishing, per CT DEEP, with a catch-and-release trout management area above Cornwall Bridge whose lower three miles are fly fishing only, and a stretch managed for smallmouth bass a few miles below.

Part of the Housatonic River.

Photo: Quintin Soloviev via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to the Housatonic River (Cornwall) for rainbow trout, brown trout and smallmouth bass. No agency season found for the species here.

There are 5 shops nearby (3 fly, 2 bait and tackle), including Housatonic River Outfitters in Cornwall. Also nearby: the Farmington River.

Season at a Glance

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Rainbow Trout
No Agency Season
Brown Trout
No Agency Season
Smallmouth Bass

Legend

This Month Spawning No Agency Season Found

Spawning: CT DEEP (Smallmouth Bass)

Season Rules & Licenses

  • Routes 112 and 7 bridge (Falls Village) down to the Routes 4 and 7 bridge at Cornwall Bridge (Trout Management Area): trout catch-and-release only; fly fishing only in the 3 miles above the Route 4 bridge, as posted; a trout and salmon stamp is required. CT DEEP 2026
  • Massachusetts line to the Bleachery Dam in New Milford (Bass Management Area): largemouth and smallmouth bass are catch-and-release only, all year. CT DEEP 2026
  • Thermal refuges: within 100 feet of posted tributary mouths (including Kent Falls Brook and Macedonia Brook) the river is closed to all fishing June 15 to Sept. 15. CT DEEP 2026

Rules: our short summary, not the official text. Gear & Tackle is independent, not a government site; rules change, so read the agency's current rules before you go.

Most anglers need a Connecticut fishing license; age cutoffs and exemptions are set by the state.

Buy a License from CT DEEP CT DEEP Fishing Regulations

Parts of the Housatonic River

Housatonic River (Cornwall) Species

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

No agency season found.

View Species
Brown Trout

Brown Trout

No agency season found.

View Species
Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

No agency season found.

Spawning: Apr to Jun, per CT DEEP

View Species

Species per CT DEEP: Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout; Smallmouth Bass.

Images: Duane Raver, USFWS. Public domain.

What to Use

Fishing In
Fish

Rainbow Trout

No agency season found

Fly

9 ft 5 wt rod, weight-forward floating line, 9 ft 4X to 5X leader. Add a sink-tip and 3X for streamers.

Rod, Reel and Line

  • RodRedington Classic Trout Fly Rod · 9 ft 0 in, 5 weight, 4 pieceCheck Price
  • ReelRedington Behemoth Fly Reel · for 5 and 6 weightCheck Price
  • LineScientific Anglers Mastery Infinity Fly Line · 5 wt.Check Price
  • LeaderRIO Tapered Trout LeadersCheck Price

Tie On in November

  • Fly for November · #16-22Zebra MidgeTailwaters.See Options
  • Fly for November · #14-20Pheasant Tail NymphSee Options
  • Fly for November · #4-12Woolly Bugger · Umpqua Wooly BuggerCheck Price

Picks: general for this fish, each checked against state and federal agency pages, not specific to this water. Ask a local shop what is working.

Gear: rods, reels and lines are starting points, sized from each maker's page. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Buy Local

Fly shops near Housatonic River (Cornwall):

Map of Housatonic River (Cornwall)

Area around a representative access point; the river runs beyond it. View Larger Map© OpenStreetMap contributors

Fishing VideosWatch Housatonic River (Cornwall) Fishing Videos on YouTube

Planning for a Month

Prime in November

No agency season found for the species here.

Daylight

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Moon

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Typical Weather

51°F high, 29°F low

About 3.5 in of precipitation for the month.

Typical Flow

854 cfs

Most years 356 cfs to 1,819 cfs.

Typical, Not a Forecast: weather from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at a station about 9 mi away; flow from USGS gauge 01199000, 1912 to 2026.

Also Worth Packing

Clothing for November comes first, picked from typical weather here.

Waders & Boots

Simms Freestone Stockingfoot Waders

Durable, breathable four-layer waders built as a daily driver for seasons of wading.

Pack It For: Sep to Jun

Check Price Maker's Page

Waders & Boots

Simms Freestone Wading Boots

Supportive wading boots with determined traction for a full range of wading conditions, worn over waders or wading socks.

Pack It For: Year-round

Check Price Maker's Page

Nets & Tools

Frabill Rubber Mesh Landing Net

A floating trout net with tangle-free micromesh rubberized netting and a flat bottom that supports the fish's weight evenly.

Check Price Maker's Page

Sunglasses

Costa Polarized Fishing Sunglasses

Polarized lenses cut glare so you can see fish, structure, and flats.

Check Price

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Shops Near Housatonic River (Cornwall)

Guides and Charters Near Housatonic River (Cornwall)

Farther Out

Nearby Water

Photo: National Park Service, Public domain

Rivers & Streams · Connecticut

Farmington River

A Connecticut river with brown and rainbow trout and a catch-and-release, barbless-hook trout management area (Section 2) from below Riverton to New Hartford.

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

View Water

Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0

Lakes & Reservoirs · Connecticut

Candlewood Lake

About 23 mi

A large western Connecticut lake that CT DEEP calls one of the state's best and most important fishery resources and one of the most popular lakes among tournament bass anglers, with largemouth and smallmouth bass and brown and rainbow trout.

Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Brown Trout

View Water

Rivers & Streams · Massachusetts

Deerfield River

The Deerfield River below Fife Brook Dam, with two catch-and-release areas, cold dam releases that support coldwater fish year round in the upper one, and brown trout from the dam to Charlemont that are over 80% wild.

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout

View Water