Housatonic River Fishing Report – Kent, CT – August 16, 2026
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Updated Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM · Housatonic River at Kent / Falls Village, CT
Conditions at a glance
| Reading | Now | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flow | 374 cfs | ▬ steady (-7% vs yesterday) |
| Gauge height | 2.31 ft | flood reference: 7 ft |
| Barometer | 997 hPa | ▼ falling (-3.4 hPa/6h) |
| Sky | 41% | daytime cloud cover — mixed sun |
| Water temp | — | no nearby live gauge; watch for 68°F+ on hot afternoons |
| Condition | Ideal Wading | clarity not gauged here |
USGS 01199000 (Housatonic River at Falls Village, CT) · observed Aug 16, 4:15 PM · pressure & sky via Open-Meteo
Today's call
Good wading flow — cross with care and cover the riffles and pocket water. 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 6:02 a.m., last light near 7:52 p.m. — the low-light edges are prime. Trico is the bug to watch — early morning spinner falls. · Waxing Crescent (11% lit)
Solunar: Majors (peak feeding): 2:48–4:48 a.m., 3:03–5:03 p.m. Minors: 9:58–10:58 a.m., 9:04–10:04 p.m.
Weather on the water
- This Afternoon: 78°F, Mostly Cloudy (wind 7 mph S · precip 7%)
- Tonight: 62°F, Rain Showers (wind 6 mph S · precip 87%)
Planning a trip? The next few days:
- Monday: 81°F, Rain Showers Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms (wind 1 to 5 mph SW · precip 57%)
- Tuesday: 82°F, Mostly Sunny (wind 3 mph N · precip 6%)
- Wednesday: 85°F, Sunny (wind 0 to 3 mph W · precip 3%)
- Thursday: 78°F, Chance Rain Showers (wind 0 to 3 mph NW · precip 36%)
What's hatching now
| Insect | Size | Try these |
|---|---|---|
| Trico (Tricorythodes) Early morning spinner falls |
#22-26 | Trico Spinner #22-24, CDC Trico Dun #24 |
| White Fly (Ephoron leukon) Dusk, heavy short-lived blizzard hatches |
#12-14 | White Wulff #12-14, White Comparadun #14 |
| Terrestrials (hoppers, beetles, ants) Midday along grassy banks |
#10-18 | Foam Hopper #10-12, Foam Beetle #14-16, Parachute Ant #16 |
| Flying Ants (terrestrial) Warm, humid afternoons after rain |
#14-20 | Cinnamon Flying Ant #16-18, Black Ant #16-20 |
| 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
Good flow for covering water — fan 1/8–1/4 oz inline spinners and small spoons through the riffles, runs, and pocket water; cast across and let the current swing them through the seams. 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. Smallmouth are active in the warmer water — work tubes, jerkbaits, and swimbaits through the faster rocky runs. Carp on the slow flats, plus the odd pickerel or fallfish, round out the warmwater options.
| 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 117 days ago (April 21)
- Housatonic River TMA (Salisbury, Canaan, Cornwall, Sharon) — last stocked 118 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.