Mianus River
The Mianus River is well known for its early black stonefly hatch in February and March
The “Bathhouse Pool” is a great winter fishing spot
About the River
The Mianus River offers excellent fishing in the spring, fall and winter, and can be decent in the summer, depending on rainfall and water levels.
The Mianus River Park is the most popular place to fish and is where the Trout Management Area is located. The park is roughly 200 acres and owned jointly by the cities of Stamford and Greenwich. Though often crowded with other park users, including dog walkers, hikers and mountain bikers, a mid-week trip, or weekend or evening in the off-season, can often mean a day of fishing in relative solitude (under lower Fairfield County standards!)
The Trout Management Area is a limited harvest section of the stream, where from September 1 through the third Saturday in April fishing is restricted to catch and release using artificial lures and single hooks. From the third Saturday in April through August, anglers may also use bait, and are allowed to keep two trout a day, with none smaller than 9 inches.
What to use
The best gear for the river is a fairly short rod, an 8-foot 3- or 4-weight is best. Dry fly fishing is excellent in May and June, with sulphurs, light cahills and other mayflies coming off the water. Deer hair caddis are also a popular fly. Nymph patterns, such as pheasant tail nymphs or hare's ear nymphs work well in the faster moving currents, and a wooly bugger or other streamer pattern worked through a deep hole is sure to catch the notice of a stocked fish.
In the early part of the season, in late February and early March, on warm days when the weather is clear and bright, the Mianus comes alive with the early black and early brown stoneflies. These early insects often offer excellent fishing action when the park is at its quietest.