Escape from New York
A City Dweller’s Guide to Finding Fish
Gameshow Music Plays
1960s Narrator: Hey you? Yes, you, the pale-looking guy in the cramped East Village fifth-floor walk-up. Are you tired of marinating in your apartment all summer like a bad piece of chicken? Do you want to feel the rush of cool water across your commute-tired feet, the gentle kiss of sunlight on your brow? Well, look no further…
Outpost introduces Connecticut™!
With Connecticut™, you’ll never feel trapped or bogged down by city dwelling ever again. It even comes with accessories such as “Cramped Beach,” “Overpriced Lobster Roll,” and my personal favorite, “Stocked Hatchery Trout.”
Right now, for the low, low price of $MTA-ticket, or $Borrow-friends-car, you too can escape the city doldrums and find peace and happiness with Connecticut™.
“Connecticut™: It’s just kind of there!”
Okay, I got that out of my system.
Hello, Outpost readers—long time, no chat. I’ve been reminiscing about how I used to spend my summer weekends when I lived in Brooklyn. It would frequently involve waking up on Saturday with a hangover, less money than I had on Friday, and nothing better to do but fester on my couch as The Sopranos ran on a continuous loop. Sure, I could’ve biked the West Side Highway or taken a jog on the Brooklyn Promenade, but who the hell wants to be surrounded by that many hot people when you’re at your lowest?
It took me a few years before I remembered that New York is bordered to the north by a mystical, magical place called Connecticut. Keep in mind that I spent my college years in the seaside town of New London, CT, a place famous for nuclear submarines, empty storefronts, and overly talkative panhandlers, so suffice to say, I didn’t fully realize what the state had to offer in my youth.
After a particularly spooky work happy hour where I was filmed giving a speech gushing over my manager, I decided enough was enough and lit out for the countryside the next morning with nothing more than a fly rod, my backpack, and train fare.
I made it as far as Greenwich, and it was along the banks of the Mianus River that I met my first Connecticut stocked trout. It was a stubby, pale little rainbow with a misshapen adipose fin and a frayed tail, but it was a fish. From then on, I was hooked (pun intended, nay, forced), and I regularly found ways to get out of Brooklyn to trawl the rivers of Connecticut.
Now that I have a few more years of fishing in the Constitution State under my belt, I am honored to deliver a list of favorite day-trip rivers accessible from New York City. It goes without saying, if you heed my advice, don’t be a dick. Clean up after yourself, don’t throw any Zyn’s into the water, keep trout in the river for any glamour shots, and be nice to the locals. Also, check out the DEEP’s trout stocking map to stay up to date on what rivers have been stocked and when.
Alright enough preamble. Enjoy:
Mianus River
The Mianus River is a 20-mile-long waterway that flows south from Westchester County into Long Island Sound. Along its route, it cuts through Mianus River Park, a wooded, rocky tract of land covered in a network of hiking trails nestled in the suburbs between Greenwich and North Stamford. Despite only being a 55-minute drive from Midtown, the park feels pleasantly remote, and it would be easy to trick yourself into believing you are somewhere else if it weren’t for the Audis and Range Rovers mobbing the parking lot.
The river itself is slender and shallow, no more than four or five feet in its deepest pools, but it has no shortage of fish. The state regularly stocks the Mianus with a variety of trout at multiple intervals throughout the spring and fall, meaning fishing here is possible year-round. The only downside is the crowds. It is a popular destination for dog walkers and fishermen alike, so be prepared to share the river with a fleet of golden retrievers as well as other anglers.
Look to use a 9’ 4wt. or 5wt. fly rod. Flies depend on the hatches and forage, as well as the time of year, but streamers, small Midges, Perdigons, or nymphs floated under an indicator will always produce results. Waders are not required, but they help.
Mill River
Located just north of Fairfield, the Mill River is another suburban stretch of water teeming with trout. Like the Mianus, the river cuts through a popular public park that is capstoned at its south by Mohegan Lake. Again, crowds here should be expected, but depending on the time of day, it’s possible to have the river to yourself, especially if you go to the upper TMA, which has native fish. The state takes great care to stock the lower section of Mill River each spring with a variety of trout, but rainbows are the most populous.
Gear is the same here as the Mianus: 4–5 wt. rod and streamers as well as nymph rigs. Waders aren’t necessary here, as the hiking trails lining the edge of the river are devoid of vegetation and overhangs, making fly casting easy.
Saugatuck River
The Saugatuck River is an extremely popular fly destination for anglers along the southern portion of the state, and for good reason. Reliably stocked multiple times throughout the spring, the river is filled with quality trout, mostly browns, that fight hard and are even harder to fool. The river is broken into a fly-only section and a no-regulations section, so if you want to use a spin rod (gross), just be sure to check the map ahead of time.
The fly-only section is located just above Westport along Ford Rd., which is dotted with pull-offs and a parking area near the dam. Waders here are a must, and I would consult the local fly shops on what is hatching to dial in your offerings. The Compleat Angler in Darien is my go-to, which makes sense, given I work there.
Aspetuck River
A bit farther east of Westport, you will find the Aspetuck River. This river differs from the Mill and Mianus in that it doesn’t pass through a major public park, meaning you will be fishing under bridges and beneath people’s lavish backyards. Don’t let that deter you, as the wooded sections along the river are quiet and the neighborhoods pleasant. Although the Aspetuck is much narrower than the Mill or the Mianus, I highly recommend waders. They aren’t necessary, but they will make your life much easier when casting, unless you prefer untangling your line out of bramble every other cast.
If you do choose to visit the Aspetuck, I recommend driving along Rt. 136 toward Hemlock Reservoir. The drive is bucolic and gorgeous, lined with sprawling homes you can fantasize about when you are back in your coffin of an apartment.
In Closing
Whatever you decide, please don’t waste your summers indoors or locked into another overly expensive brunch. Connecticut exists for a reason, and as far as I can tell, that reason is to provide weary twenty-and-thirty-somethings with an excuse to escape the concrete jungle and wet a line.
Unfortunately, the West Village will still be there when you get back, so go burn a couple hours up north. You won’t regret it.