It’s a fishing day

Farmington River fishing conditions · Connecticut

Now until 7 amRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 96. Water is 56°, close to the 55° rainbow trout like best.

Log a trip here
Right now: 96 for rainbow trout, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 963 am
  2. 96
  3. 96
  4. 966 am
  5. 82
  6. 82
  7. 849 am
  8. 84
  9. 92
  10. 9212 pm
  11. 92
  12. 92
  13. 923 pm
  14. 92
  15. 92
  16. 926 pm
  17. 92
  18. 92
  19. 929 pm
  20. 92
  21. 92
  22. 92Tue
  23. 84
  24. 82
  25. 823 am
  26. 82
  27. 82
  28. 826 am
  29. 82
  30. 82
  31. 849 am
  32. 84
  33. 92
  34. 9212 pm
  35. 84
  36. 84
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
56°F

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
1 mph

From the northwest

Flow
145 cfs

steady · -2% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:17 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
37°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Connecticut regulations for these waters.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

96GoNow until 7 am

Water

56°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in rainbow trout's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Catch and release only today. Connecticut statewide: 5 trout a day, no minimum length; catch and release only from Mar 1 to the second Saturday in April. The Farmington and Housatonic Trout Management Areas have their own rules, and a trout and salmon stamp is needed to keep trout.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Connecticut

Season here: Apr–Jul, Oct–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

88GoNow until 7 am

Water

56°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in brown trout's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Catch and release only today. Connecticut statewide: 5 trout a day, no minimum length; catch and release only from Mar 1 to the second Saturday in April. The Farmington and Housatonic Trout Management Areas have their own rules, and a trout and salmon stamp is needed to keep trout.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Connecticut

Season here: Apr–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperature56°F
  • River145 cfs · steady · -2% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.32 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:17 am
  • Sunset today5:54 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:20 am–8:20 am
  • Major solunarToday 11:50 am–1:50 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:20 pm–6:20 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Connecticut DEEP has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

New England's premier wild-trout tailwater — the West Branch below Hogback Dam holds dense populations of wild and holdover brown and rainbow trout in cold, year-round flows, with a renowned Trout Management Area. A technical hatch-matching river an hour from Hartford.

CT: the Trout Management Area below Goodwin Dam is 2 trout a day, 12" minimum, from the second Saturday in April to Aug 31 and catch and release the rest of the year; the Section 2 reach is catch and release all year. A blue-ribbon wild-brown fishery.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Housatonic River20 mi · ConnecticutBest now until 7 am
72Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Farmington River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Farmington River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Farmington River?

Farmington River is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Farmington River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Farmington River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Farmington River have?

Farmington River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. CT: the Trout Management Area below Goodwin Dam is 2 trout a day, 12" minimum, from the second Saturday in April to Aug 31 and catch and release the rest of the year; the Section 2 reach is catch and release all year. A blue-ribbon wild-brown fishery.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Farmington River?

state agency regulations apply at Farmington River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Farmington River tidal water?

No. Farmington River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.