Angler Pro · The Fishing CT
Know how to fish it — today.
Live Fishing Tips for every water body
Pick any lake, pond, river or saltwater spot and we tell you exactly how to fish it right now — for every species that lives there.
- 📏 Depth & where — which depth and structure the fish are holding on today
- 🎣 Technique — how to work it this week, not a generic how-to
- 🪝 Lures & colors — matched to today’s water clarity and light
- 🪱 Live bait & rigs — what to put on the hook and how to rig it
- ⏰ Best times — dawn, dusk, tide stage, moon and pressure
- 🌊 Tides for every saltwater spot
Updated every hour from water temperature, weather, barometric pressure, wind, moon phase and tides — for 489 Connecticut water bodies and 49 species. Built from fisheries research and Connecticut angling experience.
Unlock tips for every water bodyLive right now at Candlewood Lake — Wednesday 9:05 pm
WalleyeFallHot
- Crawler harness/spinner rig — Bottom bouncer/troll 0.8-1.2 mph.
- Trolling crankbaits/stickbaits — Shallow-running stickbaits at night over flats/points; deep divers in summer at thermocline.
- Jig + minnow/plastic — 1/8-3/8 oz, bottom contact on breaks.
- Jig + plastic (paddle/ringworm) (1/8-3/8 oz, 3-4 in): chartreuse, white, firetiger
- Stickbait (Husky Jerk, Rogue) (4-5 in): clown, perch, black/silver
- Deep crankbait (3-4 in): firetiger, perch, purple/chartreuse
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: natural perch/shad/silver · black/silver, clown
- Shiner/fathead 2-4 in — jig or slip-sinker rig · hook #4-2
- Nightcrawler — harness/spinner rig · hook #4-6 snell
📜 Walleye length/creel: CT DEEP Walleye page and regulations.
Rainbow TroutFallHot
- Inline spinner / small spoon — Bright colors work on stockers.
- Trolling small spoons/flies — 1.5-2.5 mph; downrigger/lead core at thermocline in summer.
- Inline spinner (1/16-1/4 oz): rainbow, pink/silver, chartreuse
- Spoon (1/8-1/4 oz): pink, orange, silver
- Trout Magnet/micro jig (1/64-1/32 oz under float): pink, white, chartreuse
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: natural: silver, gold, brown/olive, rainbow-trout pattern, black/gold spoon; small sizes · black streamer/mouse fly, live shiner; brown trout
- Nightcrawler (inflated) / garden worm — slip sinker, 18 in leader · hook #6-10
- PowerBait — slip sinker with floating bait · hook #10-14 treble
📜 Opening day and stocked-water rules: CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations; stocking report PDF/maps.
Largemouth BassFall feedGood
- Squarebill/lipless crankbait — Lipless (red/craw) over emerging grass in prespawn; squarebill around wood/rock.
- Suspending jerkbait — Long pauses in cold water.
- Football/flipping jig — Bottom-dragging on deeper breaks.
- Soft plastic stick/worm (5 in stick; 7-10 in ribbon-tail worm): green pumpkin, watermelon/red, junebug
- Jig + trailer (3/8-3/4 oz): black/blue, green pumpkin, brown/orange (craw)
- Spinnerbait (3/8-1/2 oz, willow/Colorado): white/chartreuse, white, black (night/muddy)
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: green pumpkin, watermelon, smoke, natural shad/ghost, translucent; finesse sizes · black/blue (big profile), black buzzbait/spinnerbait with Colorado blade
- Golden shiner (3-6 in) — float or free-line; tip-up through ice · hook #1-3/0 (circle or octopus)
- Nightcrawler — Texas/weightless or float · hook #2-1/0
📜 Bass seasons (any catch-and-release periods), slot lakes, tournament rules: CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations & Bass Management page.
Smallmouth BassFall feedGood
- Drop-shot — 3-4 in minnow/finesse worm, 1/4-3/8 oz weight, 12-24 in leader; deep summer and post-front.
- Jerkbait — Suspending; long pauses when cold.
- Tube jig — 3.5-4 in tube on 1/8-3/8 oz; crawfish imitation on rock.
- Tube (3.5-4 in): green pumpkin, smoke/purple flake, brown/orange
- Drop-shot minnow/worm (3-4.5 in): morning dawn, smelt, goby/green pumpkin
- Ned/finesse (2.75 in): green pumpkin, TRD/coppertreuse, black/blue
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: green pumpkin, watermelon, smoke, natural shad/ghost, translucent; finesse sizes · black/blue (big profile), black buzzbait/spinnerbait with Colorado blade
- Crayfish — light split shot, drift rocks · hook #1-2/0 through tail
- Hellgrammite — drift through riffles/seams · hook #4-1
📜 CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations (bass).
+ 4 more species at this water for Pro members.
Live right now at Housatonic River — Wednesday 9:05 pm
Rainbow TroutFallHot
- Inline spinner / small spoon — Bright colors work on stockers.
- Nymph / egg fly / San Juan worm — Egg patterns and worms very effective on stocked rainbows.
- Inline spinner (1/16-1/4 oz): rainbow, pink/silver, chartreuse
- Spoon (1/8-1/4 oz): pink, orange, silver
- Trout Magnet/micro jig (1/64-1/32 oz under float): pink, white, chartreuse
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: natural: silver, gold, brown/olive, rainbow-trout pattern, black/gold spoon; small sizes · black streamer/mouse fly, live shiner; brown trout
- Nightcrawler (inflated) / garden worm — slip sinker, 18 in leader · hook #6-10
- PowerBait — slip sinker with floating bait · hook #10-14 treble
📜 Opening day and stocked-water rules: CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations; stocking report PDF/maps.
Northern PikeFallHot
- Jerkbait / suspending minnow — Slow with pauses in cold water.
- Spoon (Daredevle/Johnson Silver Minnow weedless) — Classic.
- Swimbait/paddle tail — 4-7 in.
- Spoon (1/2-1 oz, 3-4 in): red/white, five of diamonds, silver
- Spinnerbait/inline bucktail (1/2-1 oz; #4-6 blade): white/chartreuse, black, firetiger
- Jerkbait (4.5-6 in): perch, firetiger, silver/black
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: perch, white, silver/black, golden shiner, natural
- Large golden shiner / sucker 4-8 in — float or tip-up, 12-18 in wire/heavy fluoro leader · hook #2-2/0 octopus or quick-strike treble rig
📜 Pike length/creel and ice device rules: CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations.
Brown TroutSpawn/fall feedGood
- Nymphing / dead-drift (flies) — Bottom bouncing nymphs (pheasant tail, hare's ear, stonefly #10-16); most productive year-round stream method.
- Streamers — Woolly Bugger, sculpin, Zonker, Clouser #2-8; strip across/down; high/stained water.
- Inline spinner / spoon casting — Cast up/across, retrieve just faster than current; lakes cast from shore after ice-out.
- Inline spinner (1/16-1/4 oz (Mepps #0-2, Panther Martin #2-4, Rooster Tail)): gold, silver, brown trout
- Spoon (casting/trolling) (1/8-1/3 oz casting; trolling 2-3.5 in (Phoebe, Kastmaster, Thomas Buoyant, Mooselook)): gold/orange, silver/blue, copper
- Minnow plug (2-4 in (Rapala Original/Countdown, jerkbait)): brown trout, rainbow trout, silver/black
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: natural: silver, gold, brown/olive, rainbow-trout pattern, black/gold spoon; small sizes · black streamer/mouse fly, live shiner; brown trout
- Nightcrawler/garden worm — Split shot 12-18 in above hook, drift; or bobber in lakes · hook #6-10 bait hook
- Live shiner/minnow — Under float or free-lined; tip-up through ice; slip-sinker at night in lakes · hook #4-8
📜 Trout season/stamp, TMA/WTMA/TML special rules, March catch-and-release period: CT DEEP Freshwater Regulations.
Striped BassFall runGood
- Live-lining bunker/eels (circle hook required) — Snag-and-drop bunker in schools; live eels at night on reefs/rips. Inline circle hooks mandatory for natural bait (CT DEEP).
- Swimming plugs/needlefish/darters (surf) — Slow retrieve at night; dark colors.
- Chunking (cut bunker/clam) — Anchored, chum, 6/0-8/0 circle; harbors, rivers in spring.
- Bucktail jig (1/2-4 oz): white, chartreuse, yellow
- Soft plastic paddle-tail/slug (4-9 in): white/pearl, bone, chartreuse
- Pencil popper / spook / popper (5-7 in, 1-3 oz): white, bone, yellow
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: black/dark purple silhouette; slow
- Live bunker (menhaden) — nose/back hooked, free-line or under float · hook 7/0-9/0 inline circle
- Live eel — through lips/eye socket, free-line or light sinker · hook 5/0-7/0 inline circle
📜 Striped bass slot/creel and circle-hook rule: CT DEEP Saltwater Species Regulations and Striped Bass & Circle Hooks page.
+ 1 more species at this water for Pro members.
Live right now at Hammonasset Beach State Park — Wednesday 9:05 pm
Striped BassFall runHot
- Live-lining bunker/eels (circle hook required) — Snag-and-drop bunker in schools; live eels at night on reefs/rips. Inline circle hooks mandatory for natural bait (CT DEEP).
- Bucktail/jig drifting or 3-way rig with tube & worm — Deep reefs/rips: 1-4 oz bucktail tipped with pork/plastic; tube-and-worm trolling.
- Swimming plugs/needlefish/darters (surf) — Slow retrieve at night; dark colors.
- Bucktail jig (1/2-4 oz): white, chartreuse, yellow
- Soft plastic paddle-tail/slug (4-9 in): white/pearl, bone, chartreuse
- Pencil popper / spook / popper (5-7 in, 1-3 oz): white, bone, yellow
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: black/dark purple silhouette; slow
- Live bunker (menhaden) — nose/back hooked, free-line or under float · hook 7/0-9/0 inline circle
- Live eel — through lips/eye socket, free-line or light sinker · hook 5/0-7/0 inline circle
📜 Striped bass slot/creel and circle-hook rule: CT DEEP Saltwater Species Regulations and Striped Bass & Circle Hooks page.
Black Sea BassPresentHot
- Hi-lo bottom rig
- Vertical jigging (bucktail, slow-pitch, diamond) — Very effective.
- Bucktail/Gulp (1-4 oz): white, pink, chartreuse
- Slow-pitch/diamond jig (2-6 oz): glow, pink, silver
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: white/silver
- Squid strips, clam, sandworm, cut bunker — hi-lo rig, 3-8 oz bank sinker · hook #1-3/0
📜 Seasons/size/creel change frequently: CT DEEP Saltwater Species Regulations.
ScupPresentGood
- Anchored hi-lo bottom rig over structure — Chum with clam/mussel.
- Small jigs/Sabiki
- Hi-lo rig with small beads/teasers (#1-2 hooks): red, chartreuse
- Small bucktail/Gulp (1/2-1 oz): pink, white
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: black/dark (needlefish, eels, darters) silhouette; slow presentation
- Squid strips, clam, sandworm, conch, shrimp, mussels, nightcrawlers (DEEP list) — hi-lo with 1-4 oz bank sinker · hook #1-2 baitholder or #2 beak
📜 CT DEEP Saltwater Species Regulations.
Summer FlounderDepartingFair
- Drifting bucktail tipped with Gulp/strip bait — Bounce bottom; 1-4 oz depending on depth/current.
- Hi-lo / fluke rig with squid strip & spearing — Spinner/teaser above hook.
- Casting soft plastics/jigs with slow retrieve (shore)
- Bucktail jig + teaser (1-4 oz bucktail; 4-6 in Gulp swimming mullet/grub): white, chartreuse, pink
- Soft plastic (Gulp) (4-6 in): white, pink shine, chartreuse
🎨 Colors for today’s water & light: white/pink
- Squid strips, spearing (silversides), killies (mummichogs), fluke belly strips, live snapper/peanut bunker — fluke rig or bucktail tip; 1-8 oz bank sinker · hook #1-4/0 wide gap/long shank
📜 Fluke season/size/creel and shore-site exceptions: CT DEEP Saltwater Species Regulations.
+ 1 more species at this water for Pro members.
My Connecticut Fishing Diary
Every Connecticut fish gets a page. Log a catch from your phone on the water — photo, date, time, spot, size, bait — and your photo replaces the illustration.
- 🏆 Your life list — how many of Connecticut’s species you’ve caught
- 📊 Your stats — fish this year, biggest catch, waters fished
- 📣 Brag cards — one tap makes a share-ready picture for Facebook, Instagram, X or a text
- 🌐 Public gallery — turn it on and get your own page to show off your catches
- 🤫 Secret spots stay secret — GPS is stripped from every photo, and your gallery hides your fishing spots unless you choose to show them
Brag about it
Every catch turns into a clean, branded brag card sized for social media. Share it straight from your phone, or send the link — friends see that one catch, nothing else.
- Make your gallery public by opting in — you get a link like
thefishingct.com/angler/your-name - Hide any catch from your public gallery with one checkbox
- Turn it off anytime and your gallery goes private again
Plus everything else in Pro
Free vs. Angler Pro
| Free | Angler Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Fishing Tips for every water body & species | — | ✔ |
| My Fishing Diary, life list & stats | — | ✔ |
| Brag cards & public gallery | — | ✔ |
| Depth maps & max depths | — | ✔ |
| Regulations & amenities on each water body | — | ✔ |
| Every lake, river & saltwater listing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Weather, tides, Fish ID & state records | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bait shops, charters & lodging | ✔ | ✔ |
Questions
Does it work on my phone?
Yes — thefishingct.com works on any phone, right from your browser. The Fishing CT app is coming soon to Google Play and the Apple App Store, and your Pro account will work there too.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel from My Account; you keep Pro until the end of the period you paid for. Your diary stays saved.
How accurate are the tips?
They’re built from fisheries research on each species plus live conditions at that water — water temperature, weather, pressure, moon and tides. Water temperature is estimated from weather data, so think of the tips as a smart starting point and adjust to what you see.
Who can see my diary?
Only you, unless you share a catch or turn on your public gallery. GPS data is removed from every photo, and your gallery hides where you fished unless you choose to show it.
Catch more. Remember every fish.
Go Pro — $9.99/moPayments are handled securely by PayPal. Cancel anytime.