Our Story

Sportsmen's Connection started the way a lot of good tackle shops do — with one angler who couldn't get enough of the water. More than twenty years later, that passion has grown into Kent's full-service home for fishing tackle, outdoor gear, and guided trips on the Housatonic.

Owner Ethan Raskind has spent a lifetime chasing fish. He spent 16 years in Colorado — five of them guiding the Vail Valley — before settling into the northwest corner of Connecticut, where he's now guided and run the shop for over two decades. After that many seasons on one river, he and his team know every pool, bend, and run of the Housatonic by heart.

Our shop on North Main Street packs the largest selection of fly and conventional tackle in Litchfield County into 1,600 square feet — plus live bait, camping and trail gear, apparel, and honest advice from people who actually fish and guide these waters. It's also home to Rip Lips Fishing, our own line of premium fly-tying beads and accessories that anglers trust all over the country.

When you're ready to get on the water, our guide service runs fly and spin trips — drift boat or wading — for trout, bass, and everything in between, whether you're refining your cast or fishing the Housatonic for the first time.

Honest advice, fair prices, and local knowledge — that's what's kept people coming through the door for twenty years. Stop in, or call us at 860-592-0130. We'll point you toward the fish.