Spring
During the spring months in Connecticut, the water warms up, and the fish start to return to their normal routines. After expending a lot of energy to survive the winter, freshwater fish tend to become very hungry. It is during the spring that the fish also breed, attracting thousands of fishermen who want to try their hands at "bed fishing." Additionally, the warmer climate not only makes it more bearable for the fish to live, but it also makes it more bearable for the fishermen to get out and fish since the former annoyance of the cold winter no longer exists. Overall, because of these reasons, springtime is widely considered the best time of the year to go fishing.
In ponds and lakes, the outermost shallow areas are what will warm up the most. This warm water attracts smaller baitfish and other aquatic creatures to live in so they can stay warm. Because of this change in the location of food, the larger fish will, therefore, move shallow with it. Later on in the spring, during the months of April to June, the fish will also start to breed. During breeding, the female fish tend to get very large and very aggressive to protect their future eggs. This is also known as pre-spawn. During this time, the fish will reside in shallow waters on fishing beds made of rocks and sand to lay their eggs. By casting a lure at a fishing bed during pre-spawn, you will have a much larger chance of catching a large fish.
During the spring, I tend to throw larger and faster-moving baits to attract the attention of pond and lake fish. The fish are now hungrier and more aggressive, so not only does it attract the fish, but it also allows for a greater fight. Some examples of lures I will use are crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and topwater poppers. When I am fishing for fish on beds, I will usually throw something slow-moving that will annoy the fish on the bed but is still slow enough for them to see it and eat it. For example, Ned rigs and fake worms are perfect for these conditions.
If you plan on fishing in the river, trout and smallmouth bass will begin their pre-spawn in flat shallow areas near current breaks. Also, this time of year is when fly fishing begins to pick up again. The warmer river water encourages people to wade in the water and fish. Many nymphs and bugs also breed during this time in the water, allowing for multiple different flies that can be used. I don't fly fish that often, but in the spring, I would use little nymphs and bug larvae for river fish.