Housatonic River Fishing Report – Kent, CT – August 10, 2026
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Updated Monday, August 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM · Housatonic River at Kent / Falls Village, CT
Conditions at a glance
| Reading | Now | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flow | 738 cfs | ▬ steady (-1% vs yesterday) |
| Gauge height | 2.92 ft | flood reference: 7 ft |
| Barometer | 994 hPa | ▼ falling (-3.3 hPa/6h) |
| Sky | 30% | daytime cloud cover — mixed sun |
| Water temp | ⚠ warm | no nearby live gauge — see advisory below |
| Condition | High & Strong | clarity not gauged here |
USGS 01199000 (Housatonic River at Falls Village, CT) · observed Aug 10, 4:15 PM · pressure & sky via Open-Meteo
Today's call
High, pushy water — wade conservatively and fish the soft edges and inside seams. The barometer's sliding ahead of a system — fish often switch on right before a front, so the next few hours could be the best of the day.
Best windows: First light around 5:56 a.m., last light near 8:01 p.m. — the low-light edges are prime. Trico is the bug to watch — early morning spinner falls. · Waning Crescent (9% lit)
Solunar: Majors (peak feeding): 10:01 a.m.–12:01 p.m., 10:37 p.m.–12:37 a.m. Minors: 2:26–3:26 a.m., 6:27–7:27 p.m. The minor that lines up with last light is the one to be on the water for.
🌡 Hot spell: with air temps near 87°F the river likely climbs past 68°F by afternoon. Trout get stressed above that — fish early, carry a thermometer, and switch to smallmouth or carp when it's warm.
Weather on the water
- This Afternoon: 87°F, Mostly Sunny (wind 3 mph SW · precip 9%)
- Tonight: 64°F, Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Patchy Fog (wind 0 to 3 mph SW · precip 32%)
Planning a trip? The next few days:
- Tuesday: 84°F, Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny (wind 0 to 5 mph NW · precip 14%)
- Wednesday: 82°F, Mostly Sunny (wind 0 to 3 mph NW · precip 3%)
- Thursday: 82°F, Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms (wind 0 to 5 mph NW · precip 45%)
- Friday: 77°F, Mostly Sunny (wind 1 to 8 mph NW · precip 9%)
What's hatching now
| Insect | Size | Try these |
|---|---|---|
| Trico (Tricorythodes) Early morning spinner falls |
#22-26 | Trico Spinner #22-24, CDC Trico Dun #24 |
| Terrestrials (hoppers, beetles, ants) Midday along grassy banks |
#10-18 | Foam Hopper #10-12, Foam Beetle #14-16, Parachute Ant #16 |
| White Fly (Ephoron leukon) Dusk, heavy short-lived blizzard hatches |
#12-14 | White Wulff #12-14, White Comparadun #14 |
| Golden Drake (Anthopotamus) Dusk and after dark |
#10-12 | Golden Drake Spinner #10-12, Cream Variant #10 |
| Isonychia (Slate Drake) Late afternoon and evening; nymphs migrate to slow shallows |
#10-12 | Isonychia Parachute #12, Zug Bug #10-12, Leadwing Coachman #12 |
From our shop hatch calendar — stop in for what’s working this week.
Spin fishing — what to throw
High, pushy water — go heavier with a 1/4–3/8 oz spoon or a sinking stickbait, and work the soft inside seams and slack pockets where fish hold out of the main current. The barometer's dropping ahead of a front — fish turn aggressive, so pick up the pace and trigger reaction strikes while the window's open.
Species: Trout are the main target on spinning gear. On hot afternoons, give the trout a rest and chase smallmouth instead — tubes, Ned rigs, and small swimbaits through the rocky runs, with topwater at first and last light. Carp tailing the slow flats are fair game too and pull hard on light line.
| Lure | Size | Colors & when |
|---|---|---|
| Inline spinners Mepps Aglia, Panther Martin, Rooster Tail |
1/16–1/4 oz (#0–#3) | silver/gold blade, natural or black-fur bodies; brighter in stain The workhorse for trout in moving water — riffles, runs, and pocket water. |
| Casting spoons Acme Little Cleo, Kastmaster, Phoebe |
1/12–3/8 oz | silver/gold; hammered or painted (chartreuse, firetiger) when water's up Cover water and reach deeper or faster flows; great flash for stained water. |
| Soft plastics & jigs Trout Magnet, small paddle-tails, tubes, Ned rigs |
1.5–3 in on 1/32–1/8 oz heads | natural/translucent in clear water, darker or chartreuse in stain Finesse for low, clear water and pressured stocked trout; also the go-to for smallmouth. |
| Jerkbaits & stickbaits Rapala Original & Countdown, small suspending jerkbaits |
2–4 in | silver/black or rainbow-trout in clear; gold or firetiger in stain Match baitfish for bigger trout and smallmouth; shines in higher, stained water. |
| Micro jig under a float Trout Magnet / micro jig below a casting bubble or float |
1/64–1/32 oz | pink, white, olive Dead-drift for stocked and clear-water trout when they won't chase. |
Our standard Housatonic spin box — stop in and we’ll match it to today’s water.
Much of the Housatonic is open to spin fishing with artificial lures. The marked Trout Management Areas — the long TMA between Falls Village and Cornwall Bridge, and the Bulls Bridge TMA at Kent — are year-round catch-and-release, artificial lures and flies only, single barbless hooks: spinning gear is welcome there as long as you pinch your barbs and release fish quickly. Other stretches allow bait and trout harvest in season. Regulations change year to year — check the current CT DEEP Angler's Guide or stop in and ask us before you fish.
Stocking
- Housatonic River Bulls Bridge TMA (Kent, New Milford) — last stocked 111 days ago (April 21)
- Housatonic River TMA (Salisbury, Canaan, Cornwall, Sharon) — last stocked 112 days ago (April 20)
Stocking is between seasons right now; dates above are from the most recent round.
Data: USGS 01199000 · CT DEEP trout stocking · National Weather Service. This page refreshes automatically each morning. Conditions change fast — use your judgment on the water.