Check here for Vermont fly fishing reports during the season.
Big browns live in Vermont!
|
Check here for Vermont fly fishing reports during the season.
|
Greetings folks. I see on the internet that we're getting hammered with a big wet heavy snowfall. Good for the ski areas, generally good for the rivers and water table (hopefully its not 50 in a week and we have flooding), and not so good for those of you sick of it all. Things are good down here in NZ; I just finished up a big guiding stint in the past couple of weeks, and the results were genrally good. Landing bows and browns up to 6.5 lbs, with opportunities at some bigger browns as well. I went fishing the other day with a friend of mine and we cleaned up on some smaller rainbows of 18"-3.5 lbs. on a stream that ran thru a gorge so we could stay out of the vicious headwinds that have been plagueing us lately. Before you know it, spring will arrive in Vermont and we'll be chomping at the bit for those first days of hatches and rising fish. Slowly but surely, bookings for May and early June are filling up, so if you're interested in getting out on the water at the "big fish" time of year, and perhaps improving your skills a bit, drop me a line. Thanks!
Hey Folks. Just wanted to give a quick update regarding the micro-hydro bill being shoved down Vermonters throats. There is currently a push to have the permit process for damming up a river made into a generic permit rather than recognizing the differences between river/watershed/size of stream etc. And this proposal also gets rid of the "accountability" element for power companies, so now, they can just say "hey, we're not right or wrong for dewatering a river, but because we care so darn much for the community, we'll "mitigate" what we've done and build all you suckers a nice little park, or make a donation to the 4th of july parade...", or any of the other things that power companies/individuals like to do to get their way. This is truly pathetic folks, and if we don't get in touch with our local politicians pretty soon, apathy could destroy your favorite trout stream. The publics water will be taken for benefits of the few, and once it is passed at the micro-hydro level, you can bet the big power companies will challenge thier existing water flow agreements, and many of our fisheries will go right down the gurgler. It's winter, I know many of you are busy tying flies,etc. for the upcoming season, but look at it this way: those flies will be useless if your local politician votes to allow free reign during the Dam regulatory process, and your favorite water loses its wild fish due to a spawning tributary being dammed up to benefit some jackass who thinks they own our water. Please take the 5-10 minutes to contact your local politician and express your disgust with this proposal. You can find out more of the facts/history of this trainwreck on the Mad-Dog Chapter of TU's website: www.maddogtu.org In about the time it takes to tie 5 flies, you could be saving your favorite trout stream! Those of you that already contacted your rep's about a month ago, please take the time to do it again, or contact a different local rep and let them know how you feel, and how it may effect your vote for them in the future. It's time to up the ante folks...do you want Vermont to just be a 6 week trout fishery with hatchery fish? That could happen to your local water. Thanks for your time, and lets send these scoundrels back under the rock they came from!
Most of the southern third of NZ has not seen decent rains in approaching weeks, and while the heat is not as bad it was, many of the fluvial, freestone rivers are getting low, which combined with the height of fishing pressure has made the fish very skitterish and tight. This has made guiding a bit more of a challenge, but we've still been catching fish in the 3-5lb. range pretty routinely. It looks like its been pretty dry and chilly back in VT with lows in single digits or colder. Not great weather for our trout trying to make it through the winter as anchor ice will be a an issue in certain watersheds. On the flipside, the biggest factor in winter mortality is usually mid winter floods, which thankfully there has only been one. I've got a few days of guiding ahead of me so I'll get to another report in about a week or so. For those of you interested, don't forget I'll have my raft to use this coming May and early June. Thanks and stay in touch...
Greetings folks. It's been a little while since I posted a fishing report from down here in NZ, but I've been pretty busy guiding as well as doing a bit of fishing,etc. And I wanted to keep the Vermont Hydro-crapolla post up so folks could call your legislator to voice your concerns. Anyhow, the fishing has been very good of late down here despite over 4" of rain having fallen in the first 18 days of the year. The smaller rivers have stayed at good levels, which makes the big old browns that live in those waters nice and happy. Clients have been landing browns up to 6.5 lbs, and I even a got a 12 year old son of a client into a 6 pound brown. The little guy could cast well and was accurate too. I went up a valley with a friend of mine last week and caught heaps of rainbows from 3.25-6.25 pounds on dries and nymphs. Overall, no complaints. Big mouse eating fish continue to be caught around my house; mostly by guys in boats fishing the lake margins at night with mouse patterns after the moon goes behind the mountains. Eerie stuff, but the fish have been huge. As for the upcoming season in Vermont, bookings are starting to pick up, and the month of May is already well over half full. Early June still has some openings too, so if you're interested in booking a trip during prime time this spring in Vermont, drop me a line. May and early June is a great time to hook-up with some of the biggest fish of the season and brush up on some skills as well. It seems like the winter has been fairly average for Vermont standards, with decent amounts of precip, and no really extended periods of below zero weather that create lots of anchor ice. Those are the conditions you want to have for good wintering over of trout in our rivers and streams. Thats all for now, I'll try to post reprts a bit more frequently in the coming weeks. Thanks!
Happy New Year everyone! Things are great down here in New Zealand, with very good fishing and decent rains to keep water levels up. The mouse plague is full effect on certain waters, and the fish are gorging themselves. In fact, a bit over a week ago, my wife and I went into a wilderness river being plagued by mice, and I caught my largest trout ever in New Zealand...13.5 pounds! "Hank", as I now call him, took over 30 minutes to finally find a fly/drift he liked from me, and in the end he took a #16 nymph! What a greedy bugger. I have plenty of pics of him and if any of you are interested in seeing him, drop me a line and I'll send you a pic or two. The guiding down here has generally gone well, with folks landing fish so far up to 6.5 lbs on dries; though some folks can't handle the dynamics down here as well as is sometimes needed to capitalize fully. I see that one big storm has passed through Vermont, and now another is coming: Lori Barg...aka "the Grinch who wants to steal Vermonters water", is at it again in the Vermont legislature trying to "water down" all the enviromental regulations regarding damming up our rivers and streams so it can be easier for her pals to build NEW DAMS AND RETROFIT OLD ONES ON OUR (YOURS AND MINE)WATERWAYS. Usually only to the benefit of the individual landowner who owns the dam. Folks, I don't need to explain the ramifications of her agenda in depth, if only to say that her "ploy" under the guise of "micro-hydro" development is to have dams on just about any stream or river she can....it pads her pocket personally as she is a lobbyist and a person who actually has a background in stream alteration....which would be fine, but she has chosen the dark side....building dams, rather than restoring streams (she actually did a restoration on her local stream Great Brook in Plainfield that looks ok, but like other evil minded folks, it was a ploy to get in the good graces of our TU chapter etc., and as soon as she finished the "token good work" her true motives revealed themselves as she planned to dewater Naismith Brook, a vital spawning stream for the upper Winooski...and had the audacity to brainwash students at Twinfield High School to back her on this). Sadly, she has some folks in the legislature listening to her appalling rationale, so we as anglers and folks who want a say in OUR water, not hers and her cronies, have to let our local legislator know we do not want more dams on our rivers, spawning streams (which could be dewatered for 100's of yards drying up spawning redds and leaving young trout high and dry), and swimming holes. Meanwhile, don't think that the big power companies like GMP,etc. aren't sitting back and saying "go Lori!.." they would love to have watered down regulations on minimum flows,etc. and her proposals could do just that. In a time when our environment gets the short end of the stick more often than not, it's time for US to make a stand against folks with a mentality like hers and her cronies. The link to get in touch with your legislator is http://www.leg.state.vt.us/ Please take the 5 or 10 minutes to convey to your local politician that "the benefits to the few cannot destroy the publics waterways..." etc.etc. It is a sad day when a state with a supposedly good enviromental reputation could even entertain such an horrid approach to the stewardship of our rivers and streams. In my opinion, if she likes dams so much, maybe she should go to a communist country like China, where dams are being built by the gov't. all the time with no regulation....and stay there, for good. Vermont and its trout streams would be no worse for wear thats for sure. Thanks for listening and please contact your local legislator as soon as you can....your favorite trout stream may depend on you to save it!
Good news, good news: the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has re-evaluated thier Dog River special regs proposal, and the regulation has indeed been expanded up to Northfield Falls. Thanks to those of you who expressed concerns similar to the ones I eluded to in my previous report; I'd like to think we made a difference. Down here in New Zealand, the weather has been wetter this month, which is great going into the warmest and longest days of the year. Fresh sea-run browns are now starting to move into the rivers after the recent freshes. I've done a bit of guiding and the results have been great. The daily average has been 12 fish hooked, 6 landed with the fish rangin from 3.5-5.75 lbs, rainbows and browns. One client hooked a big mouse eating brown that was around 7-8 lbs, but the fish was just too hot to handle and the dry fly popped out on a huge leap. As for fishing on my own time, I haven't done too much as we've been helping build our new house, and I've been writing a bit. I did have one really great day on a back country tiver with some friends from British Columbia and I hooked 16 browns and rainbows and landed 12 on nymphs and dries. The biggest brown was 7 lbs, and all were over 4lbs. The biggest rainbow landed was 4 lbs, and I hooked one so big that I still can't think about it without trembling and shaking my head! Thats all for now, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year! I'll try to do some more reports pretty soon...
I fished with a good friend of mine this past Friday in the local river running through town a few days ago, and the condition of the fish was really good considering this river is usually full of post-spawn rainbows and browns that during the early part of the season are usually pretty snakey. We both fished like crap early on and missed a few hook-ups, but in the end we hooked 16 and landed 8 fish of 3.5-4.5 pounds. Yesterday, I went to scout out a stretch of river that I'd never been too before to see if it was client worthy. The river was really rushing with water and the few nice fish (over 4.5lbs) I saw were holding in really deep fast runs that you'd need scuba gear to get down to them, but I did pick up a really hot 4.5lb female rainbow that took me downstream and gave me more of a tour of the river than I needed to see! In Vermont, you may have heard about the Dog River special regulation proposal. The proposed regulation is that the lower river from the bridge by the mouth upstream to the bridge by the Fire Department in West Berlin become no-kill, w/ artificials only. Sounds pretty good for Vermont, right? Well, yes and no. As is often the case in Vermont, this special regulation is being proposed not to preserve an existing healthy trout population, but rather to restore it, as trout populations have crashed from anywhere from 30-70% or more since 2001. This type of decline was similar to the Battenkill decline in the 80's and 90's. Now, the Battenkill no-kill regulation created a few years ago has indeed halted the population decline and with some habitat improvements, the river is rebounding. But the key to that regulation was that the WHOLE river was made no-kill, which made it much easier to track trout populations from a biological perspective, but also gauranteed that one possible factor in figuring out the reasons for the decline (consumptive angling pressure) was taken out of play. Now, we have the Dog River situation. As opposed to the Battenkill, the Dog has a major fish barricade in the way of Northfield Falls. Fish can fall down over it no problem (rare occurance), but they can't jump it...ever. And the lower 8.1 miles of the Dog below N. Falls has traditonally had some of the highest fishing pressure in the state, and "back in the day" (pre-2001 or so), was actually used as the "control stream" that state biologists used to compare its once healthy trout population to the ailing Battenkills. But yet, the current proposal for Dog does NOT include the whole river up to N. Falls. It leaves the remaining 2 miles or so below N. Falls open to our rape and pillage "general regulation" of 6 fish a day, any size, any gear. Hmmm. Now, it only takes a tiny bit of common sense to realize that if you're truly trying to restore a trout population and by doing so, understand what caused it's demise, you have to follow the Battenkill model, and not have fully 25% (2+ miles out of 8.1) of the river under a 6 fish a day regulation. As it stands now and many of you can imagine, all the consumptive anglers are going to do is hammer the crap out of the remaining open water and crush the trout population in those first two miles below N. Falls; which also happens to be where a majority of the Dogs mainstem spawning accurs. It's like going to the ER for stitches and the Dr. says "you'll need 10 stitches for that cut...", and you reply "well, just give 7 stitches and I'll just hope the rest of the bleeding stops on its own..." So not only do we have a failed "model" for solving the problem (how do we know if angler harvest is screwing the pooch if we STILL allow 6 fish a day harvest on 25% of the river?) We will still not be able to quantify and qualify the impact of the trout population by consumtive anglers if we still allow them to consume. As with our one of a kind, illogical other special regulations....the infamous "slot limits with bait allowed" (where state biologists admit bait has a 70-90% mortailtiy rate; Dad has to throw back a bleeding 14" wild rainbow in front of his son...great message for the future of our sport), having social appeasement outweigh and water down effective biological management has sadly been the way in Vermont since day one. I can tell you for sure, and many of you would agree, the rivers with the slot limits with bait have not improved as fisheries one bit (Winooski, Dog (oh the irony), New Haven, Mettawee, and Lamoille. And folks, as it stands now, we will have another ineffective special regulation that won't achieve its desired and proposed goal....to reduce angler harvest and to restore an ailing trout population. The only regualtion that has worked, is the Battenkill model. No-kill in the ENTIRE effected reach; which in the case of the Dog, is up to N. Falls. At the public meeting on 11/2, I had a friend read my concerns as I've stated here, so the F&W department knows where I stand, and I was pleased to hear that there were more supporters (of the current proposal) than folks who just want to bonk fish, but as I stated for the public input meeting, I'll state right here: if the "current" no-kill proposal passes, I will bet the house that we will see no improvement to the ailing Dog River trout populations. All we will be doing is "shifting" consumptive angling pressure to that remaining 2 + miles of 6 fish a day water....we're not reducing it, let alone eliminating it. So, what to do? Well,if you haven't submitted any public input for support of the regulation proposal yet, I strongly urge you to think about what I've written, and even more importantly, think about your own experiances on the Dog, particularly the water from the West Berlin Bridge (below the Riverton Gorge) up to N. Falls. Think about those big, wild, adult fish you've seen over the years from bridges, the railroad tracks or wherever, and ask yourself "why should any remaining adult wild fish living up there be removed while we're trying to save the whole 8.1 miles?" I truly wish I would be wrong about this, but it's just another example of Vermont managing for the fisherman first, the fish second. In a state with a history of allowing the destruction of our Walleyes (been in the restoration process for years in Lake Champlain), Turkeys (had to be re-introduced, and while they are now everywhere, most of that can be attributed to land use changes, and warmer winters), Deer (had to re-introduce deer from Virginia),etc.etc. Personally, I'm just really tired of our state being the laughing stock of trout fisheries management with our truly "half-assed" regulations. Either do it right, or don't do it at all. Some may disagree with me here, but ya gotta remember something else: "special" regs attract fly and spin anglers like stink on sh%$, and our hooking mortality is around 7-15% (it's true)even if we release everything. So, if fishing pressure increases on this proposed regulation stretch, which it will (just look at the fly-only water on the W. Branch of the Ausable, the Beaverkill, or the trophy trout zone on the Upper Ct.), it really assures of us of no improvement of the trout population. As in: so it improves the trout population by 10% (I really doubt it will, for all the reasons stated above), but we have a doubling of fishing pressure by fly and spin guys who have a 10% mortaility rate= no net gain or benefit for the fishery; just smoke and mirrors. If you agree with where I'm coming from, let the Dog River biologist know. He's a good guy, and will listen. Simply tell him, "While I support the concept of the proposed regulation, I do not feel it goes far enough, and should be amended to include all of the water upstream to N. Falls." He knows that I'm not the only one concerned about this, but it would really help if we had more folks take the 5 minutes to email him; whether you're a Vermont resident or a non-resident. His email is rich.kirn@state.vt.us Don't delay too long, as his final proposal will be presented by the first week of December. We can't complain about our fisheries management if we don't step up to the plate and do something about it. Thanks for hearing my pitch, and hopefully we can salvage this and finally do something right for managing our wild trout in Vermont!
I've only been able to fish one or two days a weel at the most during the past couple of weeks down here in New Zealand, but the fishing has been very good. A couple of weeks ago I fished a nice backcountry river and landed a picture perfect 9.25 lb. sea-run brown that took me for a ride about 200 metres downstream in no time at all. I landed a 4.5 lb and a 6.5 lb. brown the same day, but that bright sea-runner was clearly the most memorable! My wife and I fished for about 2 hours last Sunday on a different stream about 40 minutes from our place. It was full of fish. We only had to walk about 250 metres and Lisa got 4 brownies to eat, and landed one of 4lbs., and I got 6 to eat, and landed 5 from 3.5-5lbs. A couple of them ate dries which is real nice. A front just moved through from the Southern Ocean early this morning, and I'm hoping things clear up and the winds calm down in the next hour so I can get out for a bit today. The mouse plague is on for sure down here in Fiordland, and rivers running through beech forests have fish that are really packing on the pounds from gobbling mouse during the night. 4 pound fish become 7 pound fish in no time at all. In terms of the upcoming 2010 Vermont season, the month of May is already about half booked, and I still have some openings in the beginning of June as well. While I won't firm up any rate increases (my guiding rates have been the same for 3 years running) until just after the New Year, anyone who would like to book a trip right now can get the 2009 rate. Don't forget I have my raft now, so I'll also be doing float trips during May and early June (water flows allowing) on the Winooski, lower Lamoille, and Upper Ct. It looks like it's been pretty warm in Vermont recently, and while that is not uncommon in early November, it will be interesting how the El Nino weather pattern effects Vermont this winter. During strong El Nino's, it tends to be warm and pretty wet, which makes ski conditions pretty soupy, but keeps the area rivers from icing up too much. This El Nino is not real strong yet, but we'll see. Thats all for now, I'll try to post another report within the next week or so.
We made it to New Zealand a-ok last Tuesday, and until today we've had some nice spring weather with surprisingly little wind. As for the fishing, I got out this past Friday for 2-3 hours and went to the upper reaches of a backcountry stream about 45 minutes away and found some very large and well educated brown trout in the 5-9 lb. range. I saw around 8 fish, and I'd like to say I really dialed them in, but only around half of these fish were willing to play, while the others either sat in the shade under huge leaning beech trees, or cruised around the pool until they found me and then they just went deep and "doggo". I got 3 of them to eat on dries, but landed only one of 5.25 lbs. A bit rusty to be sure! This past weekend, my wife and I competed in the local lake fishing competition, and within the first hour of the competition we both had our fish to be entered. This is the first time I've bonked a trout over the head in years, and since the lake fisheries down here are very healthy, I didn't feel so bad especially when we had the chance at a $30,000 boat package! We both caught smaller browns of around 20", and when I gutted mine, I found 2 fully intact dead mice in its stomach and a third that was partially digested! The mouse plague is indeed on down here, and many fish are gorging themselves. This bodes well for some big fish during my first full year guiding down here. In Vermont fishing news, there is a very important meeting coming up regarding a special regulation being put on the Dog River in order to help the crashing fish population of the past 7 years. The meeting is on November 2nd, from 7-9pm at the West Berlin Firehouse on Rte. 12. Folks, if you care about our wild fisheries, let alone the Dog, we REALLY need to have a decent turnout to support the proposed regulation change. Personally I'd like to see this no-kill regulation extended up to Northfield Falls instead of the West Berlin bridge, so we can have an overwhelming majority of the trout protected and allowed a chance to recover, and in my letter will be advocating such an amendment, so if you attend and feel the same way, please speak up! We have a rather sad tradition in Vermont of putting in special regualtions that are so ineffective and watered down, that there is never really much benefit to the fisheries they're trying to protect. Please try to attend this meeting and if there is no way to make it in person, please write a letter or email to the F&W department voicing your support. If you like bonking 6 fish a day any size and letting them get freezer burn in your fridge, please stay home and watch football! I should have another report sometime by the end of the week. Thanks!
Well for me atleast, the 2009 guiding season has come to an end. I'll be heading back down to New Zealand on the 18th, where I'll be guiding my first full season. Overall, the 2009 season was good; we certainly had to battle high dirty water from the end of May through much of July, had some excessive heat in August, a very decent September, while October has just kind of skipped into November, which has made the fishing kind of fizzle out a bit. So I'd be plain lying to say "it was one of the best ever!". But overall, when we could get out on the water, the fishing was steady. Water temps are now under 45 in many rivers, and you'll have to really look hard to find any rising fish or active fish in general. As for next season, I'm hoping to get out on the raft a bit more since I'll have it for May this time around. I already have around 10 days booked for May 2010, so if you'd like to get out next spring, it may be good to book a date atleast before March when bookings pick up. I'll be in New Zealand until mid-April, so the best way to get in touch is by email lawtonweber@gmail.com My cell phone will not be in use while I'm gone. Last season in New Zealand I tried to provide some fishing reports on my site, and while I'll try to do the same this season, my fishing time will limited a bit more before Christmas as I'll be helping build our new house. But check in every week or so, and I may have a report. I want to thank all the new clients I met this year, and as always thanks to all of my repeat clientele for looking me up again to share some time on the water. Have a happy, healthy holiday season and new year, and if you're still fishing, good luck on the water!
I guided one last day on the Winooski this afternoon and we did very well, hooking about a dozen fish and landing 6 wild bows up to 12", mostly on dries. BWO's were hatching sporadically, and fish were rising all over the slow spots. Things take a turn for the worse tonight with snow above 1000-1500 ft. lasting overnight and the first half of Tuesday. The rain in the valleys will be very cold, and the forecast for the rest of the week shows no warm up. If you can find water temps over 45 though, you may find some risers and some feeding fish as long as flows are not too high and fast. Hatches consist of BWO's, and a few dregs in the terrestrial department. Good luck on the water!
Just an update to todays earlier report. The big rivers are currently high and dirty as of 5pm and the major tribs are high and dingy as well. They have crested and will be dropping overnight, but the lower reaches will remain unfishable through Thursday. Good luck on the water!
Yesterday was about as good as it gets for October dry fly fishing in Vermont. I was guiding on the Lamoille and we had rising fish the whole afternoon with a very good hatch of BWO's and Isonychias. There were bugs pretty much everywhere you looked on the water. Some bigger fish were out and about as well. It was about as good of a situation for a raw beginner as you'd find, though a real challenge where we were fishing as we had to do some downstream dry fly drifts that always make for difficult hook-ups. He still hooked 8 fish and landed 3 for his first time learning the ropes. A 12" bow was the largest. The rains of last night have not resulted in high water yet on either the Winooski or the Lamoille, and I'm not sure it will. Either way the tribs are all fine. Southern and Eastern Vt. got a bit more rain and levels are a bit higher. We have Thursday to dry out before more rain arrives late in the day on Friday. Looks like the same kind of thing as we've had of late. As long as we avoid the combination of high flows and water temps below 46, we should have decent fishing. Hatches consist of BWO's #18-22, Isonychias #12-14, Cinammon Caddis #16. Good luck on the water!
Sorry I haven't posted a report in awhile, things have been pretty busy dodging weather, getting packed up for New Zealand in a couple of weeks etc. The Winooski and Lamoille are running above average, but are still plenty low enough to fish and even find some risers. Not too much hatching other than BWO's, and a few Isonychias and Cinammon Caddis. Water temps are in the low to mid 50's on the big rivers, and in the upper 40's to 50's on smaller streams. Provided we don't get any big rains, decent fishing should hold up for another week atleast. Good luck on the water!
1.3" of rain has fallen in N. Underhill in the last 30 hrs or so, but the small streams on the west slopes of the greens are for the most part fishable. The bigger streams however are pretty stuffed from last nights rains. The Lamoille and Winooski are way up and are actually starting starting to fall, but that will be shortlived as more rain will arrive late this afternoon and evening. I think they will be unfishable in the middle to lower reaches for a couple of days or so. The upper reaches may be ok by Wednesday. I suspect it won't be the level so much as the clarity being a limiting factor. Other big rivers are also high and dirty further south. The Upper Ct. has come up a bit but is well within fishable levels; I just have to wonder how much dirty water may be entering the main stem from the tribs. Small streams are mostly fishable, and will be the way to go for the next day or two. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
After yesterdays outing on the lower Winooski, I knew better than to screw with a good thing, so it was back down to a different stretch below Bolton Dam. I drove up along River Road and saw only 2 anglers from Richmond up to Waterbury where I met my clients. Not much pressure I guess due to the weather, but hey, enjoy before it gets dirty or too cold, which will happen before you know it. So the fishing was decent today, I knew that our time frame would not set up for some hatches very well, and sure enough the fish were not rising all over the place like yesterday. Well, let me clarify. There were plenty of Fallfish and those young salmon rising early on, and I promptly whacked the Fallfish (a 7" Fallfish produces around 2300 eggs, which hatch in only 4-6 days in the Spring, so not only do they eat trout food, take up trout lies, do better in warmer water, they also have a far better deal with spawning success!), which were all 10-12". We got a couple smaller bows and one brown, and then in the last 20 minutes, a 12" and 14" wild bow were landed on dries in fast water within 3-5 feet of each other. Good stuff. Currently the rivers have not really budged much from the rain. The Mad has come up a bit, and the jokers who run the flows on the Lamoille are busy filling up their impoundments, so the Lamoille is as low as ever. We have gotten about .40" so far in N. Underhill and most places thru noon had gotten less than that. We've got another slug of some pretty decent rain coming for dinner time this evening, with the heavier stuff looking like it'll be further to the north. My guiding season ends October 15th, so if you're looking to get out on the water one more time this season, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on the Winooski below Bolton Dam today and it was one of those afternoons where not much could go wrong. Within 30 minutes after we got on the water, the breeze died out, and the bugs started hatching. Isonychias, Lil Yellow Quills, BWO's, and some leftover Cinammon Caddis that must have had a bigger hatch earlier in the morning or yesterday, as there were Caddis all over the bushes; they all were hatching and the wild bows were going bonkers in the skinny fast stuff. My clients landed around 15 wild bows on dries, 1 8" wild brown which is a bit of a rarity for fly anglers on that stretch, and a few 9-11" salmon which I largely could care less about. Imagine if we had stocked brown trout fry instead of Salmon below Bolton Dam...we'd actually have fish that would live out their life cycle in the river, and attain lengths greater than the 8-11" the salmon do. We've got some rain on the way overnight and tomorrow, and we'll just have to see how dirty the rivers get. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water levels on the Lamoille have dropped right back down normal and the clarity is fine. The Winooski has a slug of water from the Wrightsville Reservoir entering and making it a bit high and dingy below Montpelier. Fishing downstream towards Waterbury and Richmond should be fine as the channel can easily hold the water right now. We've got one more dry day tomorrow before some rain arrives early on Sunday. It looks like around .25-.75" over a 24 hr period, which is not bad at all. Monday will be breezy and we could get a t-storm late in the day as we usher in the big cooldown for Tuesday and Wednesday. Pretty standard weather for this time of year, and as long as flows don't get too high and cold at the same time, the good fishing will hold up. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Cinammon Caddis #16, BWO's #18-22, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, and Ants/Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Finally, we're getting a bit of rain here in northern Vermont. Not much mind you, but we'll gladly take it. Look like the Lamoille, which needs the rain the most, is going to get the brunt of it. I do have Friday available to guide, and then my next openings are in October, with the coveted first weekend in October open now due to a cancellation. Drop me a line if you're interested in getting out while the "getting" is good! Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, BWO's #18-22, Ants/Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I guided up on the Upper Ct. today and while we caught fish, we had to work for them in the bright sunny conditions. We found a huge trout rising sporadically on a flat that will haunt me for awhile as we just couldn't get it to eat a dry. We did roll two other big fish though. We've got a chance of some rain Tuesday thru Thursday which is sorely needed to "reshuffle the deck"; a deck that has not been shuffled since atleast the end of August for the Winooski watershed north. By that I mean a water rise, and/or some weather that keeps some anglers off the water for a bit. These past couple of days have not been easy, thats for sure. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided a group of 4 anglers this morning on the Winooski around Waterbury. All did well, including one who was a total beginner. Everyone landed atleast one wild rainbow; with 4 fish 10"+. We hooked quite a few others which kept the action pretty steady. Cinammon Caddis were coming off during the morning hours, and the fish made the switch to the Isonychias and Olives that took over around noon. A bright and breezy weekend is in store, so expect the better fishing to be during morning and evening, both for hatches and also hopefully some less breezy conditions. The lower parts of the big rivers will be howling tomarrow so fishing the upper reaches or smaller streams will be far more enjoyable. I expect whitecaps on the lower Lamoille and Winooski tomarrow. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Cinammon Caddis #16, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Tricos #22-26, and Ants/Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I guided a couple of beginner anglers this morning on the Lamoille and overall it went well. A bunch of fish were hooked and they each landed a wild rainbow. Water levels are looooow. The fishing is still overall very good for more seasoned anglers, and with a bit of cloud cover around, the fishing will be steady during the day. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The cooldown is now kicking in and its safe to say summer has finally come to an end. Air temps for the next week are in the mid 60's by day, with 30's and 40's at night. Good fishing can be had at most anytime of day with the cooler temps. Even bright days are usually better than say two weeks ago becuse the sun is at a much lower angle and air temps are keeping the river much cooler than the 75 and clear stuff we've had this month. We could really use some rain, but other than late Thursday night into Friday where we "may" get under .25", the forecast remains dry. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-24, Tricos #22-26, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, Ants/Beetles #12-20, and Small Hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
I took advantage of no water coming out of the Waterbury Resevoir to guide on the lower Winooski. We did really well, hooking a bunch of fish, including way too many young salmon in my opinion (nothing like fish that peak out at 10" that you never asked for, now taking up valuable habitat for our bows and browns, which we as anglers do want). A 13" and 14" wild bow were the best fish landed on dries, but we hooked alot! We got sandwiched by anglers below and above us, which was a bit annoying, but thats just a symptom of fair weather and good fishing. There was a decent Isonychia hatch and just at dusk the BWO's came off in swarms. Another week and there will be some good Caddis hatches again. Water levels from the Winooski watershed north are getting really, really low. We have no decent, river budging rains forecast through next Monday. I'm so glad this didn't occur during the summer. Surface activity will be as good as it gets however, so enjoy it while you can. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
What a difference some clouds and drizzle can make in the fishing. On Thursday we floated the Big C and while the morning was decent, the bright weather really kept the fish from rising on the flats. On Friday I did a wade trip, and the fishing was pretty slow until we got a bit of high cloud and found some shade on the bend of the river. Fish were steadily rising and we had a good 4th quarter rally. On Saturday I awoke at 7 am to the sound light rain on my tent..."sweet", I thought to myself. A bit later I met some clients and we had some fantastic fishing. I spent most of the time with the mrs. and taught her to fly fish, while the hubby went downstream to flat and once I gave him some insight,etc. he proceeded on catching over 20 fish on dries. Mostly rainbows. There was a steady drizzle thru 3pm, which was great. BWO's were not thick, but they were steady. On the way home last evening I saw rising fish on the Lamoille everywhere the road came near the river. Water levels are getting really low on the Lamoille right now, while the Winooski is in a little bit better shape level wise. Both will fish well over the next few days, especially when its cloudy. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, Tricos #22-26, Ants/Beetles #12-20, and small hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
Despite the bright weather, my client and I found some shady spots on the Winooski this evening and he did real well, landing 10 wild bows up to 12", and 5 browns up to 13". We took them on dries and nymphs, and at the end of the evening on the flats we found some fish eating some remnant flying ants. We hooked about twice as many, but they were pretty quick strikers. We actually have the potential for some rain showers from late Thursday night thru Friday night, though amounts are under a .25". I'll gladly take it though, as going this long with the sunny dry stuff can make things a bit stale sometimes. Later in the weekend and early next week we're back to sun and high pressure. On a sad note, legendary fly tier Fran Betters passed away this past Saturday. I saw him back in July and he tied me a dozen of one of his patterns, and I was grateful he still found the time despite his failing health. He was a true pioneer and innovator in the fly tying world. Simple to tie concepts that catch fish...you couldn't ask for more. He will be sorely missed. When you make it over to the W. Branch of the Ausable, make sure you stop in to the Sport Shop and buy a few flies,etc to help his wife out. I'll be in the Upper Ct. from tomarrow thru Sunday, so my reports will pick up Sunday evening. Fishing should remain good, and on Friday it could be outstanding if it rains. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, some Cinammon Caddis #14-16,, Ants/Beetles #12-20, and small hoppers #12-16. Good luck on the water!
While the fish were a bit surface shy in the bright sun this morning, my client nymphed up a dozen wild rainbows 8-13", and hooked one of 17-18" that came off after a good run. We also saw one of the biggest trout you'd ever dream to find in Vermont, or anywhere else for that matter. This brown was a bonafide 24" fish, an absolute tank. Naturally as soon as we tried to get in position for it, he backed off into the shadows and depths. After the trip, I checked the water temp of the Winooski in Waterbury and it was a surprising 70 on the nose at 2pm. A bit warmer than we'd like to see at this time of year, but there were plenty of other stretches of the Winooski that were cooler, and mornings are plenty cold enough. Can I get a collective "CLOUD" from the weather congregation?!? Zoiks, this weather pattern is a bit much for me personally. No rain is in the forecast now until atleast 7 days out. Talk about slamming on the rain brakes, 15 days with no rain or clouds? In Vermont? As water levels drop, expect the fish to get pretty spooky in places that receive a bit of fishing pressure. The only upside to these rapidly dropping water levels is that some of the deeper runs on the big waters will now be low enough to "get to the bottom of things". I have a few openings left in September, but things are filling up so if you're interested in getting in a trip this fall, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on the Lamoille and a trib today with my client and he did fantastic considering the bright sunny weather and the absurdly low water thanks to the careless ya-hoo's at Morrisville Power and Light. 67cfs in Johnson?!? Slimeballs. When I see how bad that power company treats the Lamoille, I have to wonder if the decision makers there are the kind of folks who drown kittens for fun in their spare time... But through it all, the fish were looking up everywhere and we landed a bunch of rainbows and browns 10-13" mostly on dries, and many smaller guys of all 3 species. The Lamoille was in the upper 60's where I was, but I know there were stretches that hit 70 today. Alot of bugs around in the evening, Iso spinnerfall, Little Yellow Quills (hebe), and a few other types of mayflies and some caddis. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the big rivers did get to 70 or so in spots today due to the continueing bright, dry conditions. I found a stretch in the upper 60's that had rising fish for my clients and for beginners they did very well on fish that appeared to me atleast, to be a bit gun shy due to the stagnant (sunny,dry) weather which brings out lots of anglers. A 13" wild bow was the best fish, which is great for a beginner. Flying Ants seem to have come and gone in that part of the river valley...we saw a handful of them all evening. Nothing was really hatching at all, but the fish liked terrestrials. I know after this summer many of you will have a furled brow at my upcoming comment, but...we need some rain! Rivers levels are generally fine, especially to the south, but we need a couple bad weather days to relieve some fishing pressure, and "shuffle the deck" as it were. Trout in Vermont don't like Montana weather to put it succinctly. One or two sunny days or so is one thing....12 of them is a bit much, and thats what we have. Sunny and dry mostly until Thursday next week. It won't be as warm as the last 2 days though. The fishing should be decent, but in the mid day things could be pretty slow on the bigger rivers. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temp on the Lamoille in Jeffersonville was 64 degrees at 11:30am. Fish were actively rising, and flying ants appear to have made thier way into the Lamoille Valley. Keep an eye out for flying ants over the next few days, as I'm sure they'll show up in other places. We've got sunny, dry weather forecast until next Thursday. With water levels dropping and an increase in fishing pressure due to fair weather, the trout in some of the more popular waters will start to get a bit spooky, so wade softly. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Crisp, cold nights and shortening days have allowed to water temps to drop enough to allow for fishing at any time of day. Granted, on bright blue sky days the trout on bigger waters tend to be pretty shy to dry flies until late in the day, but it's still nice to have cool water for the fish. The Winooski and parts of the Lamoille got under 60 this morning for the first time in a awhile. Flows were jacked up a bit too much out of Wrightsville Reservoir today, and the Winooski will have a bit of a dingy slug of water coming down it, but overall its fishable and river levels everywhere are dropping steadily which should make for some great dry fly fishing. We've got dry and mostly sunny weather forecast to continue right thru next Tuesday. Air temps will be warmer on Wednesday and Thursday, but Water temps should still stay below 70 on the larger waters. Thanks to those of you who have booked trips in past few days. I've still got some openings for the remainder of September, but weekends are getting pretty lean. Drop me a line if you'd like to do either float or wade trips. With the current flows, the float trips will be on the lower Winooski, or up on the Upper Ct. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Tricos #22-26, Tan Caddis #14-18, Ants/Beetles #12-20, and small Hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
Finally, a trip up to the Big C and we did not get blown out by heavy rains. The fishing was very good throughout the whole time I was up there. My clients had 20 fish days during the float trips, mostly on dries, and fishing on my own time was very good too. My wife and I floated during a very nice BWO hatch, one of the Upper Ct.'s best hatches, and in spite of frigid winds and rain, we landed heaps of fish. We got about .50" of rain over the weekend here in North Underhill, and it appears once again that the further east and/or south you were, the rainier it was. We did get a steady rain from about midnight-9am on Saturday up in Bloomfield, but the Big C handled it a-ok. The Lamoille only came up a bit, and is in really nice shape right now for dry fly fishing. The Winooski is a bit higher due to some tribs having a bit of extra water, but overall it should fish great this week. Further south, things are pretty high and dirty on many streams/rivers. We have a fantastic forecast for the upcoming week. Aside from some showers in the northern half this evening, the forecast is dry and cool. Hgihs in the 60's and low 70's, and lows at night in the 40's. Perfect. Things are starting to fill up on my guiding schedule for September and early October, so if you're interested in getting out on the water to enjoy some of the best fishing of the season, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Tan Caddis #14-18, Tricos #22-26, Ants and Beetles #12-20, and small hoppers #10-14. So, I personally have not seen any flying ants yet, but then again I was way up north these past few days. I've gotta think that we'll see some this week; the weather is perfect for them. Good luck on the water!
A bit of a gloomy morning today is signalling a big change in our weather pattern. Weather in the 60's during the day is in the cards for most of us in the northern half of Vermont for the next 5+ days. YES! Thursday night may be cold enough for a bit of frost in extreme northeastern Vermont. The front moving through today will drop less than .10" of rain, which is a-ok. The only fly in the ointment over the next 5 days is the potential for a tropical wave to come up the coast and interact with a front from the west....same deal as last weekend, which as you may recall was actually pretty hit or miss for many parts of the state. Regardless, if it tracks close enough to the coast to bring "the juice" back in the region, heavy rains could occur; most likely in south and eastern Vermont. That being said, by Saturday when this stuff arrives in some form, many of the rivers in the northern half of the state will be running at or slightly below average so we'll be able to handle a moderate amount of rain. Southern Vermont on the other hand, is in a whole different scenario, and with all the rain they had last weekend (2-3"), if they get slammed again, the rivers down there will go bonkers. We're talking the White River south. I'll be finding out if we get a frost in the NEK Thursday night as I'll be up there guiding and doing a bit of fishing on the Big C until Sunday. Flows are perfect right now, and I gotta say, if that storm system stays far enough off the coast so we only get light to moderate rains, the fishing is going to fantastic region wide (some southern Vt. streams are still high and dingy, and may be effected easier). With air temps in the 60's for highs and the 40's for lows, our big rivers will wake up and fish very,very well. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, BWO's #18-22, Epherons #12-16, Tricos #22-26, Ants/beetles #12-20, and smaller hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
We finally got a bit of rain here in N. Underhill late last night and early this morning; .40". This rain made its way through the Lamoille valley and the flows have been yo-yoing over the past 3 days by about 100 cfs or so. Both the Lamoille and Winooski are still warm and running in the 70's; hopefully they'll cool off tonight and get down into the 60's for awhile. Tomarrow will be bright and in the low 80's, so the big rivers will continue to be too warm in the evening. After that, we have a fantastic fishing forecast coming up. Cooler than normal with a chance of some showers Saturday night and maybe some more showers into early next week. But the key thing is that it will be cool and our big rivers need that big time. My guiding chedule is starting to fill up on the remaining weekends, so if you're a weekend warrior and you're looking to get out and enjoy some good fishing and learn a few things along the way, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Little Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Tricos #22-26, Epherons #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-18, Ant/Beetles #12-20, and small hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
It has really depended on where you've been in Vermont over the past few days regarding rainfall. If you were south of I-89, and along the I-91 corridor, there was plenty of rain and in many cases, too much. Meanwhile, in parts of Northwestern and Northcentral Vt. it has barely rained. In N. Underhill we've had less than .20" the whole time. As of 7pm Sunday, we have a bit more rain coming in from the west, but I'll believe it when I see it. The Lamoille came up a bit, and is dingy in spots, but overall has a good flow for the time of year. But it's too warm to fish until we get some nights in the 50's. The Winooski is still dingy and also warm. Further south, many rivers are blown out. The Big C is actually in great shape, missing out on big rains. I guided on a trib of the Lamoille this afternoon and it was surprisingly warm considering it's flow. 68 degrees. We got plenty of fish to eat, but they were blipy short slashes indicitive of fish that are pretty indifferent. We did land a handful of wild bows and brookies on dries though. We've got some drier, less humid weather for the next couple of days, and the big rivers may be fishable in the early am on Tuesday. Wednesday will get into the 80's and muggy again, and then the front we've all been waiting for will slam through and Thursday and Friday will feel like early fall, with highs in the 60's. I'll go out on a limb and predict some flying ant activity from Thursday on; where I have no clue, but be ready for them...you heard it here first. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Wow, today is one of those days you could set a dry sponge outside and it would get damp just sitting there. Soupy. So we went a bass fishin'....and for a solid 2 hrs of the half day, the action was obscene on the surface and subsurface. Then it just went dead, and we really warked hard for some of the smaller guys. But smallies in the river can be that way. Glutons one minute, then things shut down, only to pick up later on. But my client had a blast, and they fight sooo much better than most trout of similar size. I can see the furled brow of the trout purists from here....but its true. The rain is coming and has hit most areas except Franklin and Lamoille counties in earnest. It's now drizzling here in N. Underhill at 3pm, but southern Vt. already got slammed with big rains and hail,etc. The forecast generally calls for 1-2" of rain through Saturday, with potential torrential rains more likely in eastern, central, and southern Vermont. By Sunday we will have plenty of fishable water, unless things get worse than forecast. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Today I guided on a trib of the Lamoille and we did well getting all 3 species highlighted by a beautiful 13.5" wild brown. The water temp was a very nice 62-64 degrees throughout the morning. The big rivers around the state are still running over 70 in the pm, though they did finally get under 70 (66-69) overnight for the first time in awhile. The weather will be very warm overnight and in the 80's for a time tomarrow, so try to avoid fishing the big rivers until the big rains have come through to give the fish a break. Speaking of giving fish a break, I was made aware of a another guiding operation stating that Otter Creek trout "are very comfortable in water temps up to 75 degrees. They revive faster and feed more actively than fish in the Winooski, White and Lamoille systems during the same time of year." Hmmm, I don't know quite where to begin here. Ignorence is a valid excuse in life, but I really, really want to believe that most guiding operations who practice catch and release, are members of TU, or any other river/trout group would simply know better. I want to first cite just a fact to the limits of water temperature for our trout species. Paul R. Needham's "Trout Streams" is one of the concise and most "cited" fisheries book in the biological literature concerning salmonids. In fact, the state of Vermont biologists routinely use "Needham" as a referance to their own fisheries research done here in the state. Page 50, and I quote "In table 5 chapter 1, the limiting high temperatures for brook, brown, and rainbow trout are recorded as 75F, 81F, and 83F. respectively." "Limiting" means at what temperature they keel over at within 30 seconds in that water. So, yes, we all know trout can "surivive" the hot spells in most cases...but thats if they're left alone. I don't know an angler in Vermont who believes we manage our wild trout (or trout in general) very well and that our creel limits are low. So, why as folks with potential "killer" knowledge (that would be me and other guides), would we want to tell, let alone instruct/guide on rivers so warm that trout are barely holding on? Don't we need every nice wild fish we have so they can contribute to the gene pool for the next generation of anglers? As we know the state doesn't offer protection when it comes to reduced limit or catch and release policies on our waters. Guides are at the front line of being educational and potentially influencing the sporting ethics of a given angler. We're also the stewards of the fisheries we work with, spending more time than any governement worker does for instance. But here is reality with "Otter Creek trout". They are genitically identical to the fish in the Winooski, Lamoille, and White Rivers. They hate hot water just like every other trout this past week. They are not using performance inhancing drugs and have exceptional abilites to tolerate warm water (though you have to wonder what comes out of the pipe in Rutland!). If they are hooked and played too long, some will die in 75 degree water. Who knows which ones, because since they are a fish, they swim away. So why are we playing russian roulette with our trout to satisfy our short term needs (or, and I hope this is not the case....income?). Since the epic drought of 2001, where many of us saw firsthand the effects of high water temps, I have never had to revive a trout for me or a client as all of them have been hooked in water under 70F and were full of spunk (I also use 4x 75% of the time). There are so many smaller waters that have been and are fishable for trout, and the smallie fishing is on right now. The difference in this area of Otter that is different from the White, Winooski, and Lamoille is that the fish can't go anywhere to truly escape the heat. Yes, the Lamoille and Winooski also have dams, but within each dammed reach there are plenty of cold water tribs or even tailwaters to give fish access to cool water. The fish below Beldons Dam are dam locked, and only have the slightly cooler New Haven to run which has barricades for fish not far upstream. And the New Haven has far less food than Otter (a buggy river to be sure), so the fish don't want to move from food, and the New Haven has been around 73-75 degrees so it's not really a "retreat". Above Beldons same deal; fish stuck between impassable barriers. Above that the wild rainbow population is largely relegated to juuuust below some colder wild tribs further south. I mention rainbows and not browns for the simple fact that as the study showed, rainbows tolerate warmer water than browns, and rainbows (stocked and wild) make up the majority of the trout caught in the big rivers. These Otter Creek fish are just hunkering down, and sure, just at dark if there's a good hatch, an odd weak rise may happen, but these fish are taking in LESS THEN HALF the amount of oxygen they'd be getting at 61-63 degrees; 72 degree water has roughly half the oxygen. Think about that before you fish in water over 70. Would you enjoy breathing twice as hard just to stand there on the bank, and then be asked to run the 4X100 relay? Thats what its like for trout in water over 70....simple as that. Justifications, rationizations are just that. And don't get me wrong, I'm no peta guy...quite the contrary. I look at the trout as my business partners...I've certainly got the better end of the deal, but in return I do my very best to assure their long term AND short term survival and make sure my behavior/business practices inflict the least amount of harm possible. It's the least I can do, and at the end of the day, in 11 years of guiding I've never had a knowledgable trout angler be upset that he/she couldn't fish the Lamoille and had to fish a trib instead. And, if I have a big group, most cases beginners are involved, and fishing the lower rivers in Smallmouth bass country is actually easier in most cases for a beginner, and once again,I have never had a large group bothered by that, they understand it when I explain it. I also just treat it like dirty water...I don't guide in muddy high water and don't know a reputable guide who does, so refunds/rainchecks are usually in order. Well, same goes for thermal stress, its small stuff/smallies, or a raincheck. On top of all this, trout caught in warm water fight like dog poo. And if they do fight hard in warm water, those will be the ones who need reviving, and some gauranteed will result in death. With that I direct you to an interesting little link on mortaility rates of catch and release trout fishing in Montana....a state that actually closes its rivers that get warm during the summer when they get into the 70's. http://etb.lib.montana.edu/etd/view/item If that doesn't work (I'm a tech idiot), go to the Google and type: water temperature+mortality+rainbow trout. Page 2, 14th on the list. Very revealing, and keep in mind, that these were decent anglers who participated in the study, and that the highest water temp the trout were subjected to was 23C. which is 73.4F. So you can imagine what 75 degree plus water is like for them! I simply do not want to be part of, or create a culture that trout fishing in warm water is ethical, sporting, and that we C & R anglers are still doing no harm. And if the rationale is you'll just keep the fish if it doesn't revive...great, another fish gone, one less for you, the clients, the public at large, and one less potentially wild trout in the gene pool... I elaborate because it contradicts the message I and others have been giving, in my case for many years now. This is certainly not a selfish deal, I have nothing to gain from this, as situations like this only hurt the guiding reputation in Vermont as a whole; it was only a couple of weeks ago on a popular global fishing website that some guys caught wind of a different Vermont outfitter that wrote in their report "water temp on the Lamoille: 75 degreees...the fish are becoming more active..." Zoiks...warm water trout fishing does not make for repeat clientele folks, just a hint. Onto more stormy matters, we've got some rain on the way. Light stuff has been falling in the northern third this afternoon, and by Saturday we'll have 1-2" in the rain gage. We'll see how it impacts things. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did a smallie trip this morning on the lower Winooski and we did well landing fish up to 2.5 lbs. The water temp was....and get ready for this...80 degrees at 10am! Upstream in trout country things are not any better, with the river 78 degrees in Montpelier yesterday. That is pretty much the absolute threshhold for trout; "if" left undisturbed and things cool off real soon, rainbows and to a lesser extent browns can survive. Browns don't tend to allow themselves to be put in this situation very often and usually seek out springs in the warm stretches or migrate to a cooler stretch or a tributary. The Lamoille and all the other big rivers are in similar shape. Please avoid trout fishing the big rivers until they get under 70 degrees to reduce thermal stress and mortality. We've had some smallish storms north of I-89 in the past 24 hours, but southern Vermont got a pretty good dousing in most areas. We've got about .50-1.00" of rain forecast for Friday/Friday night, which will be exactly what the doctor ordered. There is a chance of heavier falls depending on a few factors, but we'll just have to see how things shake out. The better news is the cooldown for Sunday-Tuesday with highs in the low 70's and lows around 50. I'm counting the days.... In the meantime, the smallie fishing is good, and the small stream trout fishing is generally fine, though many are getting low and spooky. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I know for alot of folks this kind of weather is a welcome reprive from the generally rainy summer, but for my line of work it's just not so good. Today I guided on a small wild brown and brook trout stream that was icey cold (61 at noon!) and had an ungodly number of fish in it. So many fish in fact, that you were lucky to catch more than one fish in each pool because you'd invariably spook the whole pod of fish playing the first. Good fun, but hot and windy! The big rivers are in rough shape in terms of trout fishing right now. We need some rain and come cooler temps and its looking like that will happen over the next few days. Some t-storms later today will help, and Wednesday and Thursday will be around 5-9 degrees cooler, but the big rivers will still be too warm generally until we get a "potential" stalled front on Friday. "Bill" may keep the front from moving much on Friday and 1-2" of rain "could" be in the making. Yes, that is alot of rain, but rivers are at or below average now, and it'll take that kind of rain to flush all the warm stuff out of all of the impoundments behind our run of the river dams. Tomarrow it's smallie fishing for my client. Hatches consist of Isonychias #18-22, Epherons #12-16, BWO's #18-22, Tan Caddis #14-18, Tricos #22-26, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and small hoppers #10-14. I plan on being up on the Big C on the weekend of 8/29, and have openings to do float or wade trips in the days leading up to then, so drop me a line if you feel like cooling off. Good luck on the water!
The hot weather continues and water temps are are really high on most all of the big waters around the state. The Big C is the only one in good shape. The Winooski has gotten up to 75 in Montpelier, and only cooled to 70-71 at night. This is a tough time for a trout that has to put up with those conditions for very long. The Lamoille got screwed over by the ya-hoo's at Morrisville Power and Light, who in a period of 36 hours allowed the Lamoille in Johnson to drop from 400 cfs to 95cfs! A drop of 9" in water level....at the same time the heat kicked in, and trout needed that water to migrate to find cooler water. This power company is truly horrible in their flow regime practices; second only to Green Mountain Powers "feast or famine regime" on the Little River out of Waterbury Reservoir. What jokers.... About .10" of rain fell this evening here in N. Underhill; and areas in the Lamoille watershed got up to .25". Not enough to help break the heat. It's going to be hot and muggy through Tuesday, and then chances of showers and t-storms increase and it just be warm and muggy. The big rivers look to be off-line for the most part this week. Below Bolton Dam should fish ok when the cold water is raging down from the Little River in the evening, but be aware of the rise in level and make sure its under 70 otherwise. I'll be guiding on small streams and smallie fishing all week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We're into the hot stuff now, thats for sure. The big rivers are into the 70's in the afternoon and evening hours, but are still under 70 in spots in the early morning. Smaller streams will fish fine through the weekend at most any time of day, especially if they're shaded and at higher elevation. It will be bright and hot until Tuesday pm, when a front rolls in hopefully cooling things off a bit. I'll be over in New Hampshire until Sunday evening, so my reports will pick up then. If you're looking to fish big, cool water, the Upper Ct. is now down to managable (still up though) wading levels, and is icey cold! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
About .50" of rain has fallen here in N. Underhill in the past 30 hrs or so. Some places got hit harder than others, but overall it appears that all the area waters came away largely in good shape. We do have a 50% of showers and t-storms today, but most of the action will be from central Vt. and south and east; so the Lamoille and Winooski "may" come away untouched. The big rivers are warm however, with parts of the Lamoille and Winooski getting up to the low 70's yesterday pm. If it cools down enough each night, early morning fishing on the big rivers will be fine, in fact with some of the lowest flows of the season, it could be great. But finding cool water will be key. The forecast is high and dry from Thursday through Monday with lots of sun, and temps in the 80's. Haven't seen that all summer. The Big C is still up a bit as they have gotten good rains over the past two days. Floatable, but not really wadeable, and far from prime. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #18-22, Tricos #22-26, Tan Caddis #14-18, a few Yellow Quills #16-18, and Ant/Beetles #12-20. Find some cool water and good luck out there!
Yesterday I was down in west central Vermont on a couple of tribs of Otter Creek. We did well, landing some wild bows up to 12" on dries. The Winooski and Lamoille are as low as they've been in a long time, which makes for some great fishing levels. With the return of the warmth early morning fishing will be the way to go on the big rivers. Tribs still have plenty of water in them. We got .10" in a short downpour around 7am this morning, and there is a chance of more widespread t-storms later today and especially on Tuesday. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another great day on the Winooski this morning. I had a beginner out on the water this morning and he hooked around 20 fish and landed 8 wild bows. All on nymphs this morning, though we did see a couple little guys rise. Water temp was 63-64 degrees above Montpelier at 10am. Still a tad dingy up there due to hydro fluctuations, but plenty fishable. There were a few Tricos around but no bugs otherwise. Things are starting to fill up a bit during late August and September, so if you're interested in getting a prime date, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski may be at mid May levels, but the fish certainly don't care. The fishing was fantastic this evening and my client did very well. We landed about 12 wild bows up to 13", and our last fish of the night was the icing on the cake....a 19" wild brown on a dry! A beautiful fish, with rich golden orange flanks and all sorts of black and red dots. Isonychias are indeed hatching. We've got another day or so of good fishing weather before the chance of showers and t-storms increaes for Sunday pm -Tuesday. Overall, conditions are good on the Lamoille and Winooski, though below Bolton Dam on the Winooski is still cruisin'. Water temps on the Lamoille around Johnson late in the morning was 68 degrees. The Winooski was 68 at 5pm around Waterbury. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #18-22, a few Yellow Quills #18, and Ants/Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
It's great when we have dry, cool weather to bring water levels down during August. All too often, the bigger waters heat up while they are dropping and clearing, but we should luck out for a couple of days with this weather. The Winooski is now fishable, but is still running at those mid-May levels. Below Bolton Dam is still a bit high to be very worthwhile. The Lamoille is still a bit dingy and high below Johnson, but above Morrisville, it is a-ok. The Upper Ct. is still puffed up and is a a few days away from being in decent shape. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
.60" of rain fell overnight here in N. Underhill, but the rain was limited to mostly north of Rte. 2 last night so the Winooski (thankfully) did not get anymore rain. The Lamoille has thus far shown a bit of a rise, but it tends to be a "late riser" during some rains, so it could come up and get dingy, but I doubt it. As of now, it is fishable above Morrisville. The Winooski is fishable above E. Montpelier, but it does have plenty of water in it. The Big C is still up and is atleast 2-3 days away from being in decent shape. Small steams remain in great shape. Look like some nice cool weather through the weekend, which is truly hard to believe at this point. We'll take it though! Water temps range from the low 60's to low 70's depending on stream size and location in the state. Please avoid fishing the bigger streams when they are 70+ degrees. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Any hopes that August would start out different from May, June, and July this season were doused by yesterdays big rains. In N. Underhill we received 1.6" of rain on Sunday, and most areas got between .50-1.40". Rivers around the state are in rough shape with many running at record highs for the date. The Upper Ct, Lamoille, Winooski, White, and Otter Creeks are all stuffed, and will take quite a few days to be fishable. We have another cold front coming through on Tuesday with around .30-.75" of rain to the region, which will keep things high and dirty on the big rivers for that much longer. Afterwards, it appears fall arrives later in the week with cool temps and drier weather (!!!). Highs of 68 in early August are pretty odd, but then again getting 13+" of rain in parts of Rutland county during the month of July is pretty odd too! I am more than happy to take cool, dry weather however, and hopefully the big rivers can drop quick enough to actually be fishable in weather that is not in the 80's. In the meantime, small streams will be the way to go....many of the larger tribs of the big rivers are 1-2 days away from being fishable. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-20, BWO's #18-22, Blue Quills #18-20, Tricos #22-24, Giant Stones #6-12, and Ants and Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
More widespread rain has just moved through the state. .70" fell here in N. Underhill, and most areas got .50-1.00". Some southern and eastern counties saw upwards of 2+" in spots. River levels are very high in most areas. Many small streams will be fishable tomarrow, though not many in Addison, Rutland and counties south will be in good shape. I'll be out of town until Sunday evening, but expect more rain Sunday pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
A quick update to todays earlier report. I just got done a trip on small wild trout stream and my client did really well. He landed about 20 wild rainbows, browns, and brookies up to 11" all on dries. The water temp was 67-68F.; not ideal, but a heck of a lot better than the first small stream we went to which was an astounding 73F.!! I had never seen anything like that on this stream, and I have to think that a new massive beaver pond complex was built in the headwaters recently and it got real warm over the past few days. Very odd. It turns out the Lamoille is now high and dirty. These delayed rises in flow are hard to predict. Good luck on the water!
Well, I think the forecast I posted yesterday was spot on, but I sure don't like the impacts on most of our waters. The southern 4 counties got really hammered, with Rutland county getting 3" as well as one area NW of Rutland that appears to have gotten 6"! Further north and east things are also ugly. While the Mad came up to 900cfs, one valley to the east, the much smaller Dog went over 1400cfs! The Winooski above Montpelier came up 2.5 feet. The E. Branch of the Passumpsuc is at minor flood stage, and the Big C is blown out just in time for the weekend, when a bunch of us were going. Looks like golf now... But, amidst all the wreck and ruin, those streams on the west slopes of the Greens north of Middlebury did indeed stay fishable. The New Haven did come to a bit over 300 cfs, but is already dropping, and the smaller streams that I won't mention due to thier size are all fishable. In fact, we only got .30" of rain here in N. Underhill! The Lamoille, amazingly, barely budged in water level, and is clear. The problem with the Lamoille, is that with the warm nights of late, and the bright sun today, the river is simply too warm to trout fish. I know it will be tempting to some of you because its clear and bigger, but fishing in 70 degree + water will not be catch and release fishing. Fish caught in 74 degree water (which is what it is in many stretches in the evening) will not survive for long after you release them. The tribs of the Lamoille also missed the rain and will fish better, but late afternoon will still be getting close to 70 on the Gihon. On top of this, we have another bought of rain coming for Friday, with most of it once again falling south and east, but .30-.60" could fall region wide. That would be great for the Lamoille at this point, but not for any other watershed. Small steams will be the way to go as air temps will keep the Lamoille from being fishable (for trout, for bass its fine). Hatches consist of Tan Caddis #14-18, Isonychias #12-14, BWO's #18-22, Tricos (south) #20-24, Giant Stones #6-12, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I guided a couple of beginners on the lower Lamoille below Fairfax for smallies this morning and while we learned alot and caught a couple of nice smallies, I was stunned at the size of the Fallfish we were catching! I know, I know, they're a pain in the ass on the Winooski below Bolton Dam...but we're talking 16-20" Fallfish. And yes, they fought better than trout would have in those water temps! 75 degrees at 7:30am, I actually broke a sweat wet wading. As for the weather coming up, the dopplar radar has more color than a gay pride parade right now. The return of the rain will occur overnight with some pretty heavy stuff. The further south and east you go, the wetter it'll be. .50-2.00" could fall throughout the state. Enough rain that the powers that be have jacked up flows out of Murphy Dam on the Big C by almost 400 cfs, to allow for Lake Francis to be able to hold the upcoming inflows. Well, atleast we're going into this one with some of the lowest flows of the year. Looks like clearing by mid-day Thursday, and then another system on Friday with .25" or so. Considering how the big rivers are now too warm to trout fish for most of the day on most stretches, having them high and dirty is a better alternative for the fish. I expect plenty of small streams will be fishable by late tomarrow, especially the ones on the west slopes of the Greens north of Middlebury. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
It was pretty amazing over the past couple of days watching all the heavy t-storms develop to our west, south and east, and yet the Lamoille, Winooski, and most of the White received little to no rain. This is great, because despite the big rivers now getting too warm to fish in the pm and evenings in many sections, levels are dropping enough that we should start being able to "handle" any upcoming rains. Early mornings are the way to go right now on the big rivers, as the both the Lamoille and Winooski got into the lower 70's yesterday. The Winooski continues to be pretty puffed up below Montpelier, and remains the most vulnerable to the next cold front on Wednesday pm. Small streams a holding up a-ok, and the fishing has been great. The Big C is also in great shape right now and as it continues its drop, will only get better. 500 cfs out of Murphy Dam assures that the Big C won't get above 70 above Bloomfield. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
So far most of Vermont has avoided the big storms that have developed over New York. Parts of southeastern Vermont got hit pretty hard, but thats about it. The Lamoille is now at perfect flows, but it is getting warm in the afternoons and evenings. Early am is the way to for the time being. The Winooski has also dropped nicely, but its tribs are still pumping out quite a bit of water making overall levels similar to May flows. The river will be getting over 70 today in a few of the warmer spots, but overall you can't complain for this time of year. Major tribs and small streams continue to fishing great. We do have the threat of thunderstorms today, and southern Vermont is getting hit as of 1pm. We'll see how it shakes out. The Big C is in great shape now and is staying nice and cool. I'll be up there over the weekend and am available to do trips Monday or Tuesday. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a couple of trips today, and both went well considering it got pretty hot out there. The first was a couple of 17 yr old guys who were just learning how to fly-fish. We worked over some pretty well educated stocked brown trout, and they managed to get a few to eat. Later in the afternoon and I had a beginner and an pretty decent angler, but we had some pretty tough, bright conditions on the particular trib of the Lamoille we were on, but we hooked a bunch of wild bows and stocked browns. In the "what the hell is going on around here department" (thanks Vince Lombardi), another angler dropped 50 feet below us, and then 2o minutes later, a full Subaru outback w/ puppy tried to "high hole" us; but I went up to them and told them of our intentions to fish upstream to a certain bridge, and I'd appreciate it if they didn't attempt to jump us. They left, but it just had me wondering the thought process of some folks. The guy who went 50 feet below us literally parked his truck 50 feet from mine, and they were on a main road....and then the Subie showed another 50 feet behnd his truck! I saw no one downstream for 2-3 miles as we drove to our spot, and in such a sparsely populated state to have to deal with "Beaverkill" style crowding is a real bummer. I can't say that happens much to me fortunately, but then again I never park anywhere another car already is. If that other car is a real gunslinger, then my clients (or myself when I fish) won't get the "fresh" opportunities at nice fish. Oh well, ultimately not a huge thing, but it still surprises me how these things happen. The Winooski and it's southern tribs got slammed last night with huge rains. The Mad went from 200 cfs to 2300cfs. Amazingly, it's already down to 500 cfs as of 8pm. Still,the Winooski is shot again. The Lamoille on the other hand, did not budge in water level and really is at a perfect flow. But as is the summer norm, the river is now getting warm, and hit 70 today in spots. Early am will be the way to as long as are in the "80/60" (high/low) regime for the next week. We have some potentially nasty weather coming tonight and Sunday. Big storms with big downpours. As we all know, it won't take much for things to get high and dirty on the bigger waters. Small stuff usually clears within 12 hrs after the rain stops. Hatches, which have been fairly sparse with the giant exception of big black and golden stones #6-12, consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-20, BWO's #18-22, Blue Quills #18-20, a couple of Isonychias #12-14, and ants and beetles (Starting to see good numbers of Japanese beetles now) #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille is now fishable throughout its length and looks great. I still ended up on a trib of the Lamoille this evening and we did well using big dries catching mostly wild rainbows and one brown. The big stoneflies are a-hatchin'. Lots of shucks, and we even saw 5 or 6 fly off the rocks...3 of which were promptly devoured by birds! Thursday evening I was guiding on a trib of the Winooski and the fish were going absolutely bonkers. The stream is less than 25 feet wide in most parts, and my client caught native brookies up to 10", wild bows up to 12", and wild browns up to 12" all on dries and a 3 wt. Not much hatching though. The Winooski came up about 6" today above Montpelier; some of which may have just been the hydro-electric swings in flow, but the bottom line is while above Montpelier should still be ok, downstream towards Waterbury is at early May levels. We've got some rain entering the lower reaches of the Winooski below Richmond as of 10pm, and its heavy. We'll see how it shakes out in the morning, but these are some big downpours. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Small streams around the state are in great shape right now, with the bigger rivers still running high from the rains on Tuesday. In an "unrelated thing", I've got say I always try to support the "local guy" in business. But Powershift ISP out of Stowe has reached all time lows in quality. You see, they "offer" webmail, and for non techy types like myself, I just want to log in and and get on with it...like most folks. They "offer" it, but they say "you really need to synch it up with Internet Explorer to get it to work right". WHAT?! The only "synch" I know is some silly boy band from the 90's. So, lets get this straight....you go to your local bakery, where the sign says "Cherry pies for sale!" So, you say "Great!, lets go get a pie." Once inside, you order a pie, and as it's delivered, you notice there really is no cherry filling, just a few scraps. So you say whats up? And the baker says, "well, we do get enough cherries for a whole pie from time to time, but you really should think about going to the Monsanto Cherry Farm next door....the price of the pie includes the cherries you'll have to go pick to put in the pie...so it's really no big deal." Moral: Don't advertise a full service, that is half ass and requires additional crap for the consumer to do. Get your technology/development up to snuff and provide the FULL service. I will be doing my part to lambaste Powershift by word of mouth as this has been a problem for a couple of years now, and has reached a fever pitch. I won't even describe how difficult it is to send photo attachments through their server. So this week, I've been taking 45 minutes to respond to 4 emails because of crashes, cannot send, etc. I have no tolerance for this crap, and if local companies cannot do the work, they should fail like any other. Maybe less money on seriously stupid ads w/ Rusty Dewees, and more money on product/service development? Hmmm... just a thought. I will be putting up a new email address at some point in the not too distant future as P-shift is just craptacular. This will also explain to some of you who have recieved duplicate or triplicate emails from me of late. My apologies, I only mean to send one. Definetly not fishing related, but when you're living the role of Bill Murray in Groundhog Day in terms of the fishing conditions this summer, how much "creative reporting" can you have? To prove that, the forecast looks somewhat dry today (which means we'll get t-storms right where we don't need them), rain Friday/Friday night (.25-.50" forecast....which means atleast .50"), Saturday "unsettled" (which means it may rain), and Sunday t-storms are likely (which means it'll pour at some point then), and we'll dry out (by that I mean no measurable rain, we'll have clouds) for Monday/Tuesday, followed by warmer, humid weather Wednesday with a 40% of showers (which means it'll rain). Sound familiar? It makes me glad that we have so many nice small streams in the state to fish when "El NINO" is around like it is this summer. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
So yesterday before I did my report, I took a look at the NWS updated forecast, and then I looked at the radar on the map. I thought to myself, "the heaviest rains seem to be running up the Hudson Valley more towards the Champlain Valley....not going into eastern Vt. and New Hampshire like the weather experts are forecasting. Hmmm...well they're the pros, I'll take the "better" forecast they're giving." I wouldn't normally call out weather professionals as I'm more than aware that it is not an exact science, but yesterday was ridiculous. As the morning hours progressed, I kept checking for an updated forecast in between my yardwork to see if they moved the center of heaviest rain to the west; and they didn't. So in the end, the "forecast" of .20" of rain north of Route 2 and "drier" to the west was way off. The New Haven got .70" of rain and came up a foot. The Mad got .50" of rain and came up 6 inches or so. Parts of Orange county got .45" which being in the east was somewhat forecast. The Winooski has come up a foot in Montpelier and is completely stuffed. The Lamoille is still rising in Johnson and is now dingy, though as of 10am not as dirty or high as the Winooski. See where optimism got me!!! That being said, plenty of smaller rivers and streams are in great shape. Last evening, despite the drizzle, my wife (!) said "lets go fishing". So, we went over to a trib of the Lamoille and fished from 5:45pm to 7:30pm. We fished dries (in the rain) and the fish were going bonkers. We got between 15-20 to fish to eat, and landed a bit more than half of them. Wild and stocked browns, and wild rainbows up to 12". Nothing was really hatching, but with great flows making for better habitat in spots, there seemed to be fish everywhere, and a majority of them were wild. In between the raindrops (or in that case right through them), the fishing on smaller streams really has been great this summer. The forecast for the next few days is more of the same....it'll dry out today and early Thursday and juuuuust when the big rivers will start to be fishable, more showers and rain is forecast for Thursday night into Friday (.20-.50" as of now). Then things stay unsettled a bit, with the next load of crap to arrive potentially on Sunday where the forecasters are already using the word "heavy" to describe the potential rainfall. It just does not seem to want to end! Not much we can do about it ultimately, but it is a bummer not to be able to fish the big water for this long in the season. Water temps won't be an issue now that flows are so high and we have cloudcover. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well, well, well, it looks like the most of us in Vermont are finally going to get a bit of a break from the heavier rains that have materialized with most every mention of precip in the forecast this summer. North of Route 2 now looks to only get up to .20" of rain through Wednesday am, which falling as showers will not bring water levels up. Then Wednesday looks dry, before another chance of t-showers occurs for Thursday/Friday, and even that system is supposed to drop less than .25". If you're in Southeastern Vermont, and fish the Ottauquechee or White, you'll see a bit more rain later today, and some of it could be heavy at times later this evening. Currently the Lamoille is in great shape, though it still has plenty of water around Cambridge. The Winooski is in better shape too, though the releases from Wrightsville Reservoir tend to make the river a bit more tea colored and raise the level 2-3 inches below Montelier. Another day or two and I think those releases will be less dramatic. The Big C has gotten an infusion of cold water from Murphy Dam, and is now continueing its drop to ideal levels. If anyone is interested in doing some early am floats (1/2 day or full) on the Winooski, Lamoille, or Big C, drop me a line. The Winooski for instance still has plenty of water in it from Middlesex Dam downstream, and floating the river can be a great way to cover water that otherwise is still a bit deep, fast, or tough to get to. Water temps range from around 60 to the low 70's depending on the stream size and location in the state. If the big water is 70F+ when you arrive, please consider fishing a smaller, cooler stream. Trout only get half as much oxygen to breathe in 72 degree water as they do at 63F. That means in warm water, you'll find fish that don't care about feeding and will fight poorly. And if played too long on light tippet, could die from lactic acid buildup within 24 hrs; despite swimming away "looking" healthy. With so much great small stream fishing around, and good water temps on the big rivers in the am, there is not much need to pound fish in warm water in the pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Welcome to the first week of summer. Water levels on the big rivers continue to drop and are very close to being in good fishable shape throughout their length. The Lamoille below Jeffersonville is still up a bit, but is in decent shape above Morrisville. The Winooski is still pretty jacked up below Montpelier, but is fishable above where the N. Branch enters. By tomarrow things should really improve level/clarity wise on the big rivers, but water temps will start to be an issue in the late afternoon and evening hours on certain stretches. The Winooski in Montpelier is 69.6F at 4pm, so things will hit 70 in certain areas tomarrow. The Big C on the other hand, continues to drop in flows from its freestone tribs, but the flows out of Murphy Dam have been cranked up from 330 cfs to 500 cfs today...just in time to provide the river with some extra cold water when it needs it. It is currently fishable though still cranking a bit. We do have some precip on the way for Tuesday pm into Wednesday am of around .15-.35", with heavier amounts in any t-storms. As has been the trend, if we get some widespread rains in any of the big valleys of .35" or more, water levels on the big rivers will puff up again and get a bit dingy. If the rains are scattered and gradual, I think we'll get through this one ok. The small stream fishing has been great of late, and should remain excellant since flows are so nice. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
.60" of rain fell in N. Underhill last night, and the heaviest rains were in the central part of the state, where the Mad and Dog Rivers are at record highs for the date. The Winooski is way up and dirty. The Lamoille seemed to have lucked out a bit and while it is up, it's in nowhere near as bad of shape as the Winooski. The Upper Ct. is back up a bit below Colebrook, but will be fishable by tomarrow. Hatches consist of Blue Quills #18-20, Sulphurs #16-20, Lt. Cahills #12-16, BWO's #18-22, Big Golden Stones #6-12, Tan Caddis #14-20, and ants and beetles #12-20. Water temps are great right now, ranging from the upper 50's to upper 60's depending on location and size. Good luck on the water!
I guided a father and his two kids in 10-11 yr. old range this morning and I really had to find some bigger more open water than the small stuff I've been hitting of late. I noticed the Little River had been turned "off", so we went big on the mighty Winooski around Richmond. The Winooski actually had around 3 feet of visability and we fished near a clear trib that was pouring the gin clear stuff into the Winooski. They hooked around 10 fish on dries and nymphs, landing some stockie browns, a small wild bow, and some salmon. I spent all of my time with the kids and it was cool to see them catch their first trout on a fly rod. I think I just beat the slug of water from upriver this morning. The gage in Montpelier and some tribs came up pretty good last night, as did the Lamoille in Johnson. We now have a pretty solid rainfall forecast for the next 24 hrs. .50-1.00" of widespread rain will bring the big rivers way up again. The small stuff is fishing great though, and while many small streams will be high tomarrow, by Sunday the smaller stuff will be a-ok. Major tribs will be iffy at best I suspect until Monday. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As of 5pm, thunderstorms are making their way east into the Lamoille and Winooski watersheds. In N. Underhill, we got .10" earlier in the day, and looking out the window, I'd say we are in for another .20" or so. Fortunately, it does not look like every river is going to get hit with much rain. The Mad and New Haven, still way above their averages, will come up again tonight. We'll just have to see about how this effects the big waters, but they were fishable today in many reaches. It's just that they are at May levels. Alright, now its really pouring outside so I may have to ramp up the rainfall prediction! We might get a shower or t-storm Friday pm, but the more likely rain is for Saturday, with .25-.50" forecast,and bigger amounts in southern Vt. In the meantime, the smaller rivers and streams have largely been fishing great, so there are plenty of opportunities still out there. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another great day on a major trib of the Lamoille this morning. I had two clients who hooked atleast 20 fish, and landed a dozen or so. Most were taken on dries. BWO's, Blue Quills and a few Caddis were hatching sporadically throughout the morning. Water temp was 60 at 10 am. The Lamoille is now fishable throughout it's length, though it's essentially at mid May water levels, so wading below Johnson is a bit more limited, and the fish will still be pretty deep in many areas. The Upper Winooski around Plainfield is now fishable too, but is also a bit high. Flows are dropping very, very slowly around the state, and it seems the big rivers are starting get used to being this high and are clearing nicely with each day. And wouldn't it be nice to have a couple more days like this? Just two more? It would be nice, but it doesn't look like its going to happen. We've got about about .30-.60" of rain forecast through Friday, with more than that if any t-storms develop. So, we know the game....if most areas get the higher end of this through Friday, the big rivers will bump back up, as will major tribs. The small stuff will generally be fine aside from the first few hours after a big t-storm. The weekend also looks a bit unsettled now, but what's new.... Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Ahh....nothing like good dry fly fishing a late Septem.....uh, July day. The day started like so many others, me going out to read the raingage and finding another .20" over the past 24 hrs. I guided at 4pm and it was chilly on the small stream I was on. Steam coming out of the mouth chilly. But, we had a really amazing small stream "hatch" with four kinds of mayflies hatching from the moment we got on the water, to after 8pm when we finished. Water levels were pretty high, about as high as you can fish dries, but we landed all 3 species of wild trout and a couple of stockies on dries. The big rivers and their major tribs continue their painstakingly slow drop in water levels. The upper Lamoille around Wolcott, and the Winooski above Plainfield should be fishable tomarrow, but will still be cookin'. Tomarrow will be dry and then we get more showers and light rain into the beginning of the weekend. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Small stream fishing has been the meal ticket of late, as long as you hit them between the big rains. My clients did well today landing 6 fish on dries that were 10-13", which was very good considering one of them was a first timer who caught his first trout on the fly. The water was 62F at 3pm. It is amazing how soaked the water table is right now. There are springs gushing out that would only do that during a wet spring run-off. The big rivers around the state are still high, with the Lamoille currently having the best hope of being fishable this week; and even now the Lamoille is starting to level off at 700cfs in Johnson (186 cfs is average). Thats early May water levels. It's upper reaches in Wolcott should be fishable by Wednesday. The Upper Ct. is now in fishable shape with great flows out of Lake Francis, and downstream the river is in great shape for drift trips, and is wadeable in certain areas. It should only get better through the week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had to postpone a trip this weekend due to the big waters being shot, and seeing as I've had enough of all the rain in Vermont, I decided to go over to Lake Placid and see how getting wet in New York felt... New York state has got to have the absolute most absurd licensing process on the planet. So, they have an internet site to get licenses like us....only problem is if you have never gotten one and are a kid or beginner (uh you know, all those folks F&W dept's need so badly to increase their license sales and keep them fully funded), or you're like me and maybe have time to go every other year and throw it away after their oddball 9/30 license expiration kicks in...you're screwed because you don't have the "11 digit DEC #". Wow, way to optimize your marketing/sales with the internet... Then, they have those computer systems that the few remaining licence dealers that are left in NY have to "lease from NY DEC". And they crash...crashed on me at a shop in the Catskills a few years ago; and crashed on me at the "North Pole Campground" (yup, only 1 of the 3 fishing shops in the area actually sell licences!!). So, I had to go up to Lake Placid (we were staying halfway between Plcid and Wilmington). What a hassle. So I went down to the W. Branch of the Ausable and told myself "you're going to fish dries come hell or high water (it actually turned out to be both), and you're going to hook one fish for every dollar of my 1 day (3 hr.) license. I just barely managed that many by the time my wife and friend arrived on the riverbank. All browns, up to 15". It was high, but with 25,000 fish stocked annually, it still can be pretty silly at times. Back to Vermont and another .80" in the raingage. The Winooski looked like the Ohio in Richmond...coffee with cream added. The Lamoille, which was very close to being in decent shape just before the rain yesterday, is back to 1700+ cfs in Johnson (should be around 160). The Big C came up a bit, but not as bad as the big rivers within Vermont. Generally, small streams will continue to be the way to go as water levels on the big rivers are atleast 5+ days away on all but their uppermost reaches. Some more showers Monday and Wednesday will slow the drop in levels a bit at this point, and it "looks" like we may have a drier spell towards the end of the week, but I'll believe it when I see it. Hatches consist of Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #8-12, Giant Stones #4-8, Lt. Cahills #12-16, Sulphurs #16-20, Blue Quills #18-20, BWO's #18-22, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Wow, sun two days in a row; well not quite, we actually had about an hour of light rain here in N. Underhill yesterday in the late afternoon but it just kept the slugs happy in what's left of our garden. River levels are dropping on the major tribs of the Lamoille and Winooski, and the small streams I've been on are in great shape. The Lamoille looks like it may be in good shape from Wolcott upstream for the weekend....but we've got a pretty strong cold front coming thru on Saturday pm. If we get some heavy downpours, we're back in the muck. The Winooski is still a mess most everywhere except in its uppermost reaches. The Big C is still real high. So, lets hope for less than .25" of rain from this system on Saturday, and it looks now like next week won't be very wet, so we may see a guest appearance by our big rivers for the first time in awhile! Hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Sulphurs #16-20, Tan Caddis #14-20, big Stoneflies #6-12, Blue Quills #18-20, BWO's #18-22, Cream Varients #10-12, and ants and beetles #12-20. Water temps range from the upper 50's to upper 60's depending on stream size and time of day. Good luck on the water!
The heavier rains seemed all around us here in Underhill yesterday, but thru noon today we've had only .50" since yesterday, and it looks like more off and on rain thru the rest of today. The Lamoille came up a foot in Johnson yesterday and the Winooski, White, and Otter Creek watersheds are all blown out. The Mad for instance, was running at about the same as the Lamoille in Johnson; and its a much smaller watershed. The only thing currently fishable is the small mountain streams that drain quick and clear up quicker than meadow streams, and some of those are really cooking right now. This all seems an ugly repeat of last summer, where from June 10-August 10, we had 20-26" of rain many areas of the state. Since around May 10, Burlington has seen around 12", and I know that in the Greens and south and east have seen way, way more than that. So, as the pattern continues, we have Thursday and Friday to dry out (nowhere near long enough), and then things get warm and juiced up before a front moves through Saturday with a good % of t-storms, and ushers in yet another upper level low, putting us in the same pattern. I'd love this weather if the rivers were at closer to average flows for the date, light steady rain is great to fish in, but with the bigger waters so full, we're going to need a week solid of dry weather to put things back to normal. Let's hope that happens sooner rather than later! As eluded to before, the small stuff is the way to go, as well as hunting for those off the beaten path beaver ponds. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Here we go again...more excessive rainfall. Another 2" of rain has fallen in N. Underhill, bringing the total to 5" of rain since 6/26! This is becoming very similar to the summer of 2008, which was a royal pain in the you know what for fishing bigger water. But with climate change, Vermont is supposed to be wetter and warmer (remember that while daytime highs have not felt "summer like", the cloudiness has kept overnight lows warmer than normal, making the median temp fairly warm); so this may be a harbinger of whats "normal" in the future. The bottom line is the Lamoille hit a record high for the date yesterday and will be stuffed all week since more rain is forecast Monday-Wednesday. The Winooski is also high and unfishable and its tribs got slammed yesterday as well. Small stream fishing will be the name of the game for the forseeable future, which is ok because thankfully I have number of small wild trout streams I guide on all over the state that will offer some great fishing with cool temps and great flows. As I eluded to before, we've got another bout of rain/t-storms for Monday thru Tuesday pm that is forecast to drop around .30-.60" of rain with higher amounts in T-storms. It'll only take a half inch of rain to bring levels way back up, so the big rivers will be off line for some time yet. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another slug of rain came thru most watersheds last evening and overnight and the Lamoille and Winooski are going bonkers again; joining the White and Otter Creek watersheds which maintained really high flows throughout this weather system. There are some small streams that are in really good shape right now, and if you consider the cool, cloudy weather that makes for good fishing, these are a great bet. For those who like the big water, these rivers won't be fishable until early next week as it looks now. The major tribs of the big rivers are all high as well, and once again "if" they avoid anymore downpours, should be in ok shape by Saturday. Saturday looks to be drying out, and Sunday will actually be sunny and in the 70's. Slight chances for showers for a good part of next week with nice cool temps in the low 70's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Rain has fallen in many parts of Vermont, but not everywhere, so lots of small streams are in very good shape right now. The Winooski and Lamoille are still up and dirty, and various tribs of each have been getting hit with the random t-storms and downpours. The upper reaches of both "may" be fishable by the weekend if those reaches get little to no rain...but we'll just have to see how it shakes out. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I do recall calling mother nature a bitch back in May...and while some folks may have questioned the karmic implications of such a comment, the fact is after the past week...she has not proven me wrong! I had a couple of glorious days on the Big C before the rains arrived last Friday; with good numbers of wild bows and browns up to 16", highlighted by a monster wild brown of 21" that took a dry and then took me into my backing, which I normally do everything to avoid. By Saturday the river was stuffed and is even worse now. So, I'm back to N. Underhill early, though no rivers of any size are in any better shape right now. We received 2.3" of rain from Friday-Monday, and the Lamoille and the Winooski will be unfishable for a week I suspect becasue more big rains are coming. Small stuff will be the way to go for now, and even small streams will be subject to quick rises and dirty water since the ground is so saturated. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Lt. Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-20, BWO's #18-22, Golden and Yellow Drakes #8-12, Blue Quills #18-20, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck finding clear water and be safe out there!
We've had some windy, weird weather over the past two days, and I'll be happy when its gone. It's kept temps down enough to keep the big rivers from hitting 70, but I saw very little bug activity and rising fish seemed to be a bit rarer despite lowering water levels. I was on the Big C yesterday and we had some of the strongest winds I've ever had to guide on. Northeasterly winds of 10-30 mph, blew downriver all day. We hooked over a dozen fish, but it was tough going in the casting department. I came back home to do trip on a trib of the Lamoille today where I taught a 12 yr old kid to fish and he did great, landing a native brookie on a dry as his first trout. He hooked a few more brookies and browns and made some tough sidearm casts under trees and bushes. I'll be back up on the Big C starting tomarrow through 7/6. I have some openings to do trips up there if anyone is interested in either a float trip or wading. With the Big C reaching some of its lowest levels of the year and the local big rivers reaching the low 70's by this Thursday, this is the time of year when the Upper Ct. really come into its own. Cool water, lots of fish, and literally hardly a soul on the river from Canaan to Bloomfield. We've got one more day of "weird" easterly weather, and then summer arrives bigtime with heat, humidity and t-storms on Thursday. With highs in the mid 80's, the outstanding streak of water under 70F on the big rivers will come to an end on many reaches. Mornings should still be ok, as weather later in the weekend and early next week looks a bit wetter and cooler. Obviously t-storms could bring levels up and dinge up some rivers, so just pay attention to the river flows before heading out after t-storms have been in the area. Thur-Friday looks the wettest over the next 5-7 days. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Light Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-18, Blue Winged Olives #18-20, Summer Blue Quills #18-20, Big Golden and Brown Stones #6-12, and ants/beetles #12-20. The Hex hatches should start on the Northeastern Kingdom lakes by the end of the weekend and early next week. I'll try to do some reports while I'm up on the Big C. Good luck on the water!
The Winooski had a big drop in flows overnight, and is now is very good shape. The Lamoille continues to drop and should fish really well. I've got some guiding up on the Upper Ct. over the next couple of days, so my reports will pick up on Tuesday. In the meantime, get out there and fish while water temps are still low enough on the big rivers. By the middle of the week, I suspect we'll start to see our first 70 degree water temps. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on the Lamoille below Johnson and a trib of the Lamoille today and for doing an afternoon trip on June 20th....it could not be much better. We found rising fish on both rivers, the trib was 60 degrees at 3pm, and the Lamoille was 65 degrees at 5pm. Usually by now if you went to the Lamoille at 5pm, you'd find 72 degree water....not this season! We ended up catching a bunch of browns and rainbows on dries. The Lamoille is still running well above average for the date, so finding fish in the faster, deeper water can still be tough. The Winooski is also still up a bit below Montpelier. The Big C has fallen a bunch over the past 24 hrs, and is in good shape. Aside from southern Vermont which will see some light rain over the next 24 hrs, most of the state will be dry, with perhaps some drizzle in central and eastern regions. Lots of clouds thru Tuesday/Wednesday and easterly winds will make for some interesting fishing. Right now the fishing is very good, but we rarely get prolonged easterly winds in Vermont during the summer. I suspect the fishing will hold up fine as water levels will be dropping at the same time, making for better dry fly fishing conditions. If you're interested in getting out on the Upper Ct. from 6/25-7/5, drop me a line. Float or wade options are available. Hatches are the same as previous days, with the addition of some Blue Winged Olives #18-22; good luck on the water!
I was down on a trib of the Winooski this am doing a site visit for a stream restoration project our local TU chapter will be working on, and the Winooski is up and dirty. Some heavier rain fell last evening around central Vt. and the Mad river came up 2 feet and has made the Winooski very muddy downstream. In Montpelier the river is not quite as fidrty, but is high. The Lamoille, on the other hand, has not seen a big bump in water levels and overall is in better shape; particularly above Johnson. Small streams are mostly in good shape, though southern VT. streams are much higher than further north. We've got bit more rain for Saturday, though most of it "should" fall in the southern third of the state. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-20, Lt. Cahill (Cream Cahill/Stenonema) #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-18, Big Stones #6-12, and ants/beetles #12-20. Water temps range throughout the upper 50's and 60's. Good luck on the water!
It looks like a change in the storm track further south has put us in a really good position in the northern 2/3 rds of the state. We're now looking at only .30-.75" thru Saturday, which really should not do anything to the rivers except keep them nice and cool! Looks like summer arrives with warmer weather next week. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Tan Caddis #14-18, Lt. Cahills #12-16, big black and golden Stones #6-12, and ant/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
A buddy of mine and I took the new raft down the Winooski for its maiden voyage below Middlesex Dam today, and while river levels and clarity were far from ideal due to high flows out of Wrightsville Reservoir, we had a blast. Flows were actually good for floating, but the clarity was around 3 feet or so...not too flash. The water temp was an incredible 61F at 11:30am! We pretty much avoided the fast rainbow water, and concentrated on the slower brown trout looking water that is mostly unreachable to wading anglers most of the season. I didn't fish, but my buddy did and landed a beautiful 18" wild brown, a 9" wild brown, and hooked another around 20" as well! And where we got those fish, there was no way to get to them by wading under all but the lowest flows, and even then it would be a stretch. The Lamoille is down quite a bit, but still running at about twice its normal flow; just like the Winooski. These current flows around most of the state are more like mid-May water levels and thats keeping water temps down, which is great! That being said, we are going to have another wet spell thru Saturday. The Lamoille valley is forecast to get .50-1.25" of rain through Saturday; while the Winooski valley is looking more like 1-2" of rain over the same period. It looks like .25"-50" of rain a day more or less, which is not alot over 24 hrs, but it will have a compounding effect by the weekend I think. I'd say fish in the rain until flows just get too high or less than 3 feet of visability, because water temps are great, and there are plenty of fish around. Smaller rivers and streams should stay pretty clear and fishable throughout the timeframe. Flows on the Big C are back down and the river is in great shape. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The results of yesterdays rains are in; and most areas got hit pretty hrad. The Lamoille is high and unfishable, while the Winooski fared much better, the only real increase in flows is coming from the N Branch out of Wrightsville Reservoir and a good bump from the Mad. So, the best fishing on the Winooski will be above Montpelier. When the drop flows out of Wrightsville, conditions will be great. The Big C came up quite a bit, but I think most of it is from the Nulhegan River, which enters the Big C just upstream from the USGS river flow gauge. Baseline flows out of Lake Francis are at a great fishing flow of 300cfs. From the White River south and west river levels are also high and/or unfishable. Most small streams are in great shape, especially for the time of year. I'm trying to remember the last time we had largely fishable conditions and water temps on the big rivers staying under 70F this far into June. The 2000 season was mildy wet and very cool, and made for great fishing on all waters all season long. So far, we seem to lucking out this summer, just like in 2000. Today will be sunny and in the 70's and Wednesday will be sunny and around 74-78, but with the recent rains, I doubt the Lamoille or Winooski will hit 70. The new raft is ready to go, and flows are high enough to drift parts of the Lamoille, Winooski, and Upper Ct. rivers, so if you're interested in having a great day on the water, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Tan Caddis #14-16, Light Cahills #12-16, Big brown, black, and golden stones #6-12, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I guided an excellant angler in the late morning before the weather went crazy and we did really well. We hit a small wild trout stream on the western flanks of the Greens and hooked countless numbers of wild bows, browns and brookies up to 10" on dries. Tough casting, often sidearm and under branches was the order of the day and she did fantastic. I went thru a hellacious t-storm with hail and heavy rain later in the afternoon in Williston, but have seen no bumps up in river flows as of 7 pm, and saw no dirty water on my home to N. Underhill, but we'll just have to see what happens overnight. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I know a lot of guides wouldn't dare admit this, but sometimes freshly stocked brown trout can be tougher to catch on dries in slow pools than wild fish! I was guiding on a trib of the Lamoille today, and we found a bunch of stocked fish swimming around and rising when they weren't chasing each other. We got fish to eat on 5 different flies, but none were the meal ticket. This has happened enough, that I figure these fish really don't know what they really want to eat. There were no bugs hatching, but yet there they were, rising every so often. I told my client lets go upstream and find some wild fish that I said would be easier, and sure enough, we got a bunch of smaller wild bows and browns to take dries, and topped it off by a beautiful 13" wild brown that screamed around the stream. And none of these fish were rising like those stockers! In another week, if those stockers aren't in someones freezer, thye'll figure out what food looks like! Water temp was 63 at 5 pm. We've got some interesting weather for Monday. Slow moving, pop-up thunder storms are forecast over most of Vt., and given they have the potential for isolated 1-2" rainfalls in these storms, its hard to say what watersheds will get hit and which won't. But with the Lamoille just coming right from Johnson upstream, and the Winooski just a bit higher and dingier than normal, we won't need much rain to enter either river before they may get mucked up. We'll just have to see. Major tribs are clear right now and running just a tad high for the time of year. Small streams are in great shape. Hatches consist of Tan Caddis #14-18, Sulphurs #16-20, Light Cahill #12-16, Black Stones #6-12, and Ants/Beetles #12-20. Water temps are in the upper 50's to upper 60's depending on stream size and time of day, good luck on the water!
One inch on the nose has fallen in N. Underhill as of noon; and most areas of the state got between .50-1.5" of rain. The Lamoille in Jeffersonville "had" about 2 feet of visability to it, but looking at the river flows on the USGS, the river was starting to crest up in Johnson, so dirtier water is on the way downstream. The Winooski has also come up quite a bit and will be dirty from atleast Montpelier downstream. Many small streams I drove by were actually clear, so there will be some opportunities this weekend. We do have a chance of widespread showers both afternoons this weekend, but they shouldn't muck things up any more than they already are. Water temps range from the upper 50's to mid 60's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As of 3pm, a line of heavy rain is moving out the northern 'Dacks into the northwestern portion of Vt. It looks Franklin County will get hit the hardest early on...but that isn't exactly trout country. Portions of the Lamoille watershed will get a bit, and then in the next few hours portions of central Vermont should see some of these pop up downpours. Then the main event will come tonight and with 1-2" of rain forecast statewide. We're going to be dealing with some dirty water tomarrow. As usual, the small stuff will be the most fishable tomarrow. While we're not dealing with low water by any stretch, we've had a real good run of fishing weather of late, and there has been a fair bit of fishing pressure (for Vermont atleast) as well, so these upcoming days off for the big rivers will "reshuffle the deck" a bit. It'll give the wild fish a break and will scatter the stocked trout around a bit more. We just don't want to have a repeat of last summer, where starting this time last year, through August 10, we had well over 20" of rain! In days to come, we'll finally start to see a shift into more summer like weather patterns...more humidity, warmer air temps, not as cold as night. We won't be hitting 80 for another 5-7 days, but the fish in the big rivers are starting to show their early am/late evening preferences. I've added a few more openings to do trips on the Upper Ct. during the longest days of summer. I'll be available from 6/23-7/2 atleast. Some of those days are already taken, so for those interested in getting out to float or wade the Big C, just drop me a line with your preferred dates. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, Golden and Brown Stones #8-14, Light Cahills #12-16, a few Grey Drake spinners #10-12, and terrestrials like Ants and Beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The rains of yesterday did not effect most waters in any significant way, and the small streams were needing a bit of a top off. The Winooski stayed clear bit did come up a bit; same with the Lamoille and other big rivers around the state. I guided on the Winooski this evening and there was not much bug activity, but we did land a handful of wild rainbows 10-14" on both dries and nymphs. Water temps range from the upper 50's to mid 60's. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, Golden Stones #8-12, A few Grey Drake spinners #10-12, and terrestrials like ants ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Last evenings light rain north of Rte. 2 did nothing to river levels, and while we have a bright sunny day today, there is some pretty wet weather on the way for Tuesday-Friday. .50" should fall Tuesday statewide, while areas to the north and east could see as much as 1.00". Wednesday should be a bit drier, before the next wave of showers and rain arrives Wed.pm/Thur. River levels are starting to really drop, so we should be able to handle most of this rain, provided it doesn't come down too hard at once in a t-storm. Big rivers will still get pretty dirty regardless. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a nice little wild trout stream in Central Vt. today that was a chilly 54 degrees at 11:30am! We did pretty well, catching a bunch of smaller to mid-size wild bows and browns. Looking at the long term forecast, I know alot of non-agling types won't like it...but I love it! Highs in the low 60's on Wednesday?! That is fantastic for the water temps on our big rivers. I still have a couple of openings during the June 16-19 timeframe; thereafter I'll be up on the Big C for a few days, so if you're interested in getting out in some great June conditions, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, March Browns #10-14, the very rare Grey Drake #10-12 (only the spinnerfall is fishable;the Battenkill and parts of the Winooski are the only places I've seen them, but you never know), Tan Caddis #14-#20, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Water temps range from the low 50's to mid 60's depending on stream size, elevation and time of day. Good luck on the water!
I did a couple of trips on the Winooski today, the first was a bit of an instructional trip, so catching fish was not the main objective; the second trip was with a good local angler and we hit the Winooski and a trib. We did very well, landing around 6 bows from the Winooski 8-12" on dries, and hooking many more. On the trib we also did very well, landing 4 bows of 9-14" and we hooked two other in the 13-15" class. The real highlight of the day was watching one of the biggest trout I've seen in VT...a true monster, sitting about 6-7 feet down in a nice little ledge cubby hole...an absolute fortified bunker for this fish. Getting a drift on this fish is next to impossible due to the ledge rock wrapping around 3 sides of the fish. If you cast upstream, no matter how far, you can't get the fly down becasue it rolls over ledge about 3-4 feet over the trouts head. And this fish ain't rising for nobody! Maybe in lower flows the drift may open up....but not now. Aside from a 20% chance of t-showers on Saturday, we have dry weather until Tuesday. With no real heat forecast, water temps should be excellant on the bigger rivers, which were in the low 60's today. It will be bright on some days, so don't expect great fishing during mid afternoon. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I saw a couple of Brown Drakes on the Lamoille this evening, but the Caddis and Sulphur hatches stole the show. I found rising fish in places, but I was on the lower river and it looked like I was in the midst of a bit of a rise in water level due to a dam release upstream. We've got dry and generally cooler than normal temps for the next 5-7 days, which means we should have some great fishing coming up. I still have a couple of openings left for the week of 6/22 where I'll be up on the Big C to do wade or float trips. Water temps range from the low 50's to low 60's statewide. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a great day today with a new client on the middle reaches of the Winooski. It was one of those days where you kinda lost count after awhile. But we took browns and bows on dries and nymphs. Because of the cooler weather, there were sulphurs around from about 2pm on. Not alot, but if you looked around, you'd see one with every glance. Conditions could not look better for the next week or so, with river levels dropping and the froecast calling for cooler than normal weather. The Brown Drake hatch on parts of the Lamoille will start any day now, and is a fun somewhat rare hatch. When it comes off right, it'll bring most every fish in the river up to the surface. Big Bugs. Aside from the Drakes on the Lamoille, hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, a few March Browns #10-14, Stoneflies #8-12, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Water temps range throughout the 50's into the low 60's. Good luck on the water!
Today reminded me of the spring weather that hits southern NZ routinely...all 4 seasons in one day! I took a group up to the Upper Ct today, and while conditions were far from ideal, everyone managed to catch fish on nymphs. Once the hail started floating down the river and piling up on the ground, we called it a day. The big rivers should start to be in ok shpae in their upper reaches by tomarrow. Small streams around the state are in a-ok shape. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Stoneflies #8-12, and Ants and Beetles #12-20. Brown Drakes should start hatching this week on select parts of the Lamoille. Good luck on the water!
Any larger streams and rivers that were still in good shape yesterday are now high and dirty; this includes southern Vermont and the northern tier. The flow on the Upper Ct. out of Murphy Dam is still a very nice 409cfs as of 2pm; and if its going to change it'll happen in the next few hours. Further downstream, the "Big C" has come up a bit but won't be anywhere near as dirty as the other rivers in and around Vermont. Many small streams are fishable and clear enough to fish, and should remain in good shape thru the weekend. The big rivers will take atleast 3 days to clean up....further rainfalls aside. No big rains are forecast in the next few days, but there is a chance of showers for the next 5-7 days, so things will dry out slowly. All major river stockings have been completed at this point. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well, I guess I should start out by saying, with the somwhat lighter rainfalls in some areas of the state, I was wrong in saying most waters will be high and dirty today. More accurately, there are "alot" of waters that are blown out, namely the Winooski and tribs, and Otter Creek and tribs, and the lower White. But the Lamoille has just risen to it average for the date, and some of the smaller tribs I saw today were fine...but the forecast still calls for another 1" in the Lamoille Valley (and the rest of the northern half of Vt)by Friday 8pm, so things look like they could dirty there too. The far northeastern corner of the state has seen the least amount of rain and the Big C currently has very good flows. If the flows stay as they are for the weekend, that will be one of best bigger water options. Parts of far southern Vt have seen some rain, but most waters are fine down there. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I managed to squeeze in a instructional trip today on the Winooski, and whew, that southeast wind was raw! Nothing was hatching and I only saw two rises, but my client learned the fundamentals and hooked a couple of fish along the way. Water temp was around 58F at noon. We've got some monster rains on the way with a flood watch issued for all of Vermont except Rutland and Windsor counties, but they'll get rain too. 2-4" is expected through Friday. Ugh. We could have used a little bit, but this will stuff up things through the weekend on the bigger waters. Hatches consist of Sulphurs (E. Invaria #14-16), smaller Sulphurs #16-18 (E. Dorothea), March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, and some bigger Stoneflies #8-12. Good luck finding clear water!
I did a full day on the Winooski today with two very good anglers; and the "calm before the storm" conditions made for some very good fishing. They landed around 20 fish or so, topped off by a 17" wild bow and 14" wild brown on both dries and nymphs. The evening brought a great hatch of the first wave of smaller sulphurs (E. Dorothea #16-18, but fish didn't look up until just after 8pm, which made spotting the fly a bit tough with the lighting, or lack thereof. So we've got a major rain event for the next 3 days. The forecast is calling for between 1-3" of rain during the period, with the greatest amounts falling over the northern part of Vt; particularly the Lamoille and Mississquoi Valleys. There is potential for minor flooding despite the current lower than average flows. This all means that we're going to have lots of dirty high water for a few days on the bigger waters and the high gradient small brook trout streams will be the first clear up. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Rivers around the state are for the most part in great shape right now. Water temps range throughout the 50's and low 60's depending on stream size, location,etc. Just a reminder that it is especially important to clean your gear before moving to different water ways from the Winooski below the confluence of the Mad River. We know the Mad has didymo, and while there have been no algae blooms downstream in the Winooski, the cells are still in the water. I've still got some openings during the first half of June for those interested in getting out and learning and hopefully catching some nice fish! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did a couple of trips on the Winooski today, and the fish were much more active in the morning under lower flows and the drizzle. We caught all wild fish, breaking off one of about 17" that went absolute bonkers all over the river. Sulphurs and a few March Browns were hatching in the am, while Caddis were much more active in the afternoon. The afternoon stint was a bit tougher due to the brighter conditions and the fact the Winooski came up about 3-4 inches after 2pm below Middlesex Dam. We've got some dry weather for the next two days so the fishing should hold up well. Water temp on the Winooski was 59F at 4pm near Waterbury. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-16, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, and a few Quill Gordons #14. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille was in perfect shape today, and despite a lack of a hatch during the afternoon on the stretch I was on, my client caught 6 wild bows and 1 native brookie nymphing, and hooked a bunch more. There were some scattered risers, but they were hitting nymphs much more readily. It does not look like this front coming thru has much punch to it, which means river levels will continue to drop and surface action will really pick up. Wednesday looks a bit wet, especially down south, but we'll see how it shakes out. Water temps range from the low 50's on the smaller, colder streams to mid 60's on the big rivers in the pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a stretch of the Winooski above Montpelier today, and we did real well, landing over a dozen browns and wild bows up to 14". They took both nymphs and dries. Water levels have improved big time on the Winooski below Montpelier as releases out of Wrightsville Reservoir have been reduced by over 100cfs. The Lamoille is also in great shape. It has now been stocked below Cady's Falls in Morrisville, and I saw rising fish on my way home this evening. No river impacting rains are forecast until perhaps Wednesday, so the good fishing should hold up well. We didn't see much hatching where we were today, but expect Quill Gordons #14, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, March Browns #10-14, and Little Yellow Quills #14-18. Good luck on the water!
The Winooski continues to be a bit high to really do well right now, and the bright hot weather only made it tougher. We did land a 17" brown, but it was tough work. Caddis and a few Sulphurs were hatching late this am, and there were quite a few rusty spinners in the eddies, but no risers. No nasty weather in the forecast, and other than parts of the Winooski and the Upper Ct., water conditions are great. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Flows out of Wrightsville Resevoir into the North Branch of the Winooski are really delaying some otherwise great conditions on the Winooski. I guided down in Waterbury and it was tough going. You really needed to be able to cast a heavy rig quite far into deep water to get hook-ups, which we did, but it was really tough in most spots. The Winooski above Montpelier is in great shape, but factor in a wait of up to 20 minutes at the Rte. 2 and Rte. 302 intersections due to construction. We saw the first Sulphurs (E. Invaria) today, along with lots of Quill Gordon spinners and a few Caddis. If water levels were down 3-4 inches, fish would have been rising all over the place. The Lamoille is in far better shape level wise. Water temps are in the mid to upper 50's statewide right now. I've still got some openings for doing float and wade trips on the Upper Ct. during the week of 6/22-6/29, and can do trips the week after as well. Overnight camping packages on the river are available also. Drop me a line if interested. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski was still high, so I went back to a trib of the Lamoille and saw not quite as good of a Quill Gordon hatch, but there was a really nice Caddis hatch at the same time. Water levels are about a day off from being in "the zone". The Lamoille is in better shape overall than the Winooski clarity and level wise. Once they reduce flows on Wrightsville Resevoir fishing from Montpelier thru Waterbury will really turn on. The water below Bolton Dam is subject to the current high flows on the Little River out of Waterbury Resevoir and is still too high to fish any hatch. We're still atleast 3+ days from Bolton Dam downstream really turning on. As mentioned earlier, the Lamoille looks fine, though a bit high, and is clear down thru Cambridge. Water temps range throughout the 50's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The water temp on the trib of the Lamoille I was guiding on today was 53 degrees at 3pm; which I thought was pretty warm considering the air temp was barely 53 while we were out. We caught a bunch of brownies on dries and nymphs and witnessed a great Blue Quill hatch on one stretch of water, and then another great hatch of the somewhat rare Quill Gordon on a different stretch a mile or so upstream. The fish were actively rising to the Quill Gordons, but wow, they were tough...even the stocked fish, which had only been in the river a few days. The fish really did not eat the duns that were all over the surface, but instead were hitting them just as they were emerging. And considering the odd behavior of Quill Gordons when they emerge,(they actually emerge thru the water column without their nymphal shuck and have their wings developed), they weren't easy to fool with the usual meal tickets! We've got a great extended forecast for the next week, and with some real warm temps on the way along with a good drop in water levels, we should see some really good fishing. Hatches consist of Quill Gordons #14, a few Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, and March Browns #10-14 and Sulphurs #14-16 should start this week from south to north. Good luck on the water!
1.20" of rain fell yesterday in Underhill, and many parts of the Champlain and Winooski Valleys received about the same amount, and solid rains fell all over the state. All of the big rivers are back up and dirty and will take another 3 days atleast to be in decent shape. The major tribs will take around 2 days or so, and small streams should be in ok shape tomarrow. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Yesterday afternoon I managed to get out for about an hour and a half and managed to nymph up 3 wild bows of 12",14",15" on a trib of the Winooski. Today I guided on a small stream in the Lamoille Valley and we did pretty well considering the wind and a bit of rain, landing 8 brookies and hooking many more. Rain has arrived around the state and as of 5:20pm it looks like we're going to get a fair amount. With most rivers running at or just below average for the date, .25" should not be a problem, any more and its anyones guess. Most smaller rivers and streams should be fishable tomarrow, but it will be much cooler. The upcoming week looks good, with no big rains forecast for the week and good temps. It appears that the Hendricksons have indeed run their course. I think that some of the best remaining hatches may have come off during the dirty water and rain last weekend. I have not seen more than a couple at any given time on any of the waters I've been on this past week. There may be a few more some of the colder or high elevation waters, but its now time to be looking for Sulphurs #14-16, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, some remaining Hendrickson spinnerfalls (Rusty Spinner #12-16) and some Stoneflies #8-12. Good luck on the water!
Its a super windy day out there, and some showers are moving through the state this afternoon. It does not look like we'll get more than .25" which is great. The Lamoille is now in good shape and runnning at average for the year. The Winooski is still a bit high due to extra water coming out of the resevoirs, but the upper river is in good shape. All major tribs are also in good shape. Water temps range throughout the 50's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski below Montpelier and the Lamoille below Morrisville are still a bit high and dingy, but are fishable. In fact I guided in "the dinge" on the Winooski today. We had to use dark streamers which personally is not my favorite type of fishing, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do when faced with adverse conditions like high dingy water. We actually hooked a fair number of fish including a 14" wild bow that jumped off during the battle, and we even saw one crazed fish rise in the torrent. We've got some serious winds forecast for tomarrow, which I think will keep most everyone off the water...25-45 mph winds and showers. Hopefully we don't much rain from this so conditions can continue to improve. The forecast for early next week is great, so aside from some rain on the weekend (.50-75"), things are gradually improving river level wise. I still have Tuesday 5/26 available to guide and a few days in early June as well. I also plan on being on the Upper Ct. during the week of 6/22 to do both wade and float trips. Drop me a line if you're interested in getting out. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I went up to the Clyde today to look for some salmon, but struck out, just catching the little guys. Flows are a bit nutty up there with no more than 3 feet of visability. The Lamoille is still stuffed below Morrisville. Major tribs are clear and fishable. I saw a good Caddis hatch on the Gihon, but nobody rising. The Winooski is also still high and dingy below E. Montpelier. Its tribs are fishable, though the Mad is still a bit too high to fish well. Looks like Thursdays rain will be no more than .25"...yes! The potential wet weather for the weekend is looking not quite as significant but its still a bit early yet. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a hard time guiding out there today, conditions are far from prime, thats for sure. The far south of Vermont is in much better shape right now than further north. The Winooski and Lamoille may be ok except in the lower reaches by Wednesday, but thats assuming some of the resevoir releases are reduced a bit as well. The major tribs of both rivers are still high and a bit off color, but many will come around by tomarrow. Most small streams are "fast", but clear and fishable. As for the next few days, it'll be dry until Thursday am, and thankfully the amount of rain forecast has dropped to .25-50". If we get closer to .50" region wide, rivers and streams will come right back up. Friday looks dry, and I don't want to even talk about what could set up this weekend. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Little Brown Stones #14-16, Little Yellow Stones #14-16. Water temps range from the upper 40's in the am, thru the 50's in the pm. Good luck on the water!
Pardon my french, but mother nature is a real bitch. There, I said it, I can't help it. Yesterday was a mindboggling day. I was over in west central NH and on the Ottauquechee yesterday during the day and you could just feel the atmosphere getting juiced. At around 4:30pm or so we left the Ottauquechee headed back towards home on Route 100. We saw we were driving into something pretty nasty, and nasty it was. The hail was big enough to make me stop driving and pull over. Downed tree limbs everywhere,etc. I did not realize how heavy the rains were until we headed north and saw how much water was in the fields and saw a trib of the Mad almost bursting its banks. When I got home, my raingage read a massive 1.70" of rain. Overnight, we received another 1.00" as of 10am Sunday. Now it feels like early April! Needless to say, the rivers around the state are in complete tatters. While there are some small streams that are clear enough to fish, they are running very high which limits opportunities. The Lamoille went from around 780cfs before the rain, to over 4000cfs this am. The Mad went from 350cfs to 2090 cfs. The Winooski will be stuffed for atleast 3 days, same with any of the big rivers. Clearly mother nature and the trout gods don't see eye to eye..... We do have some improvement starting in Monday, with dry weather forecast until Thursday. By then the rivers should be coming right just in time for...you guessed it, the next big front! It's a bit unnerving that the NWS is already forecasting a rain event of .50-1.00" of rain this far out from Thursday. Hatches will be insignificant over the next 24 hrs+, but they are the same as previous days, Tan Caddis were much more prevelent in NH and southern Vt yesterday. Good luck finding fishable water!
Light rain last evening has kept rivers up a bit longer than I'd like to see at this time of year. The Winooski and Lamoille are only now (2pm) starting to go down, and the major tribs are in the same boat. The small streams certainly have plenty of water in them, but most are clear. I went down to small stream not far from my house for an hour and managed to catch a handful of small wild bows and browns on a Hendrickson dry, so fish are still eating. We've got some popcorn variety showers and t-showers popping up this afternoon around the state, and I'm hoping most areas don't get much rain. Saturday night we have another potentially solid rainfall of .50-1.25"....which we really don't need at the moment. Sunday will be cool and pretty raw, with a gradual warming up early next week. Todays potential rains aside, the uppermost Winooski and Lamoille may be fishable by Saturday am, and the major tribs should be in pretty good shape by tomarrow as well. If those areas get another .25"+ of rain today, all bets are off. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
It seems odd that so little rain did so much to most waterways. Nearest I can tell, rainfall amounts were only around .35" for New Haven, Moretown, Underhill,etc. yet they must have had more rain at higher elevation and in east central Vermont. The Lamoille is dingy from atleast Morrisville downstream, though Jeffersonville and Cambridge had not seen the slug of dirty water as of 3pm. The Lamoilles larger tribs are high and off color. The Winooski and its major tribs are also stuffed. Some of the tribs and the uppermost reaches of the mainstem come around by tomarrow afternoon, current forecast aside. Most water further south in the state are also up and dingy or dirty. As for the forecast, it'll be warmer tomarrow and I expect a good hatch, but the fly in the ointment is a pretty strong front that is supposed to bring a line of t-storms across the northern half of the state Friday afternoon. As it is the lower 2/3rds of both the Winooski and Lamoille will be dingy thru Saturday. Saturday is even warmer (low 70's) w/ only a 30% of showers. Sunday and Monday will be cooler with a minor chance of showers. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did a little recon earlier in the afternoon and got on the water a bit later than I'd have prefered. I saw 1 fish rise on a trib of the Winooski and caught it, 13" wild bow. I ran into some fishing buddies and saw pics of a nice 19" brown that was caught upstream of me on a nymph. The hendrickson hatch was decent again, and there were lots of spinners around the water from 4-6:45pm, but no takers. We've got a bit of rain on the way tonight and Thursday morning. It should make the lower 2/3rds of the big rivers dirty for a day or so. Otherwise the showery forecast bodes well for decent hatches....which consist of: Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Little Brown Stones #14-16. The photo of the big brown I caught yesterday is on the photos page, good luck on the water!
I just love days like these. A little light rain and drizzle, stationary front, and a decent hatch. Actually, the hatch did not appear to be as concentrated as yesterday where I was, but the Hendricksons tended to steadily come off from 2:30-4:30pm, but with no big bursts. There fish were looking up, and I got a 10" and a 13" rainbow up top. I got a beautiful 15" wild bow on a nymph, and then I got....the big one. I had seen this brown a few days ago, and it kind of played by rules of own regarding how it dealt with other fish around and how it fed and behaved. It defended its turf anytime a rainbow came by, but never settled enough to rise to anything. After trying a lot of stuff, I got her...a measured 22" wild brown that weighed in at a oversize 4 pounds! One of my top fish in Vermont to be sure. I have photos which I'll post on the site this week. What a fish...I was shaking for about 10 minutes afterwards! The trophy trout zone on the Winooski will be stocked tomarrow for those who enjoy the big slabs. The weather is looking a bit wetter than say, 36 hours ago. Maybe .10-.20" of rain tomarrow, mostly in the am; then some more serious rain overnight Wednesday and Thursday, with up to an inch forecast. Then we're back to showers Friday thru Sunday. That kind of rain will stuff up the big rivers (atleast the mid to lower reaches) on Friday and probobly the weekend. Tribs should stay ok except perhaps on Friday. With levels so low and the ground being dry, we should be able to soak up alot of it. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #14-16, Tan Caddis #14-16. Water temps range throughout the 50's, good luck on the water!
I managed to get out this afternoon for a bit, and it was really good. The first fish was a 15" wild bow on a nymph before the Hendrickson hatch. I also spooked a monster of a rainbow that had no business being that big in Vermont. Then the Hendricksons started a bit after 2pm, and was cranking by 2:40pm. The first couple of slow pools I went to had tons of bugs but nobody rising. I worked them with a nymph and got nothing. Then continuing upstream, I covered a huge slow pool and got nothing, saw nothing and then in an eddy about the size of a small car, was the first riser I've seen this spring. I didn't think it was more than 14" or so, but after sneaking up real close to get a good drift, I hooked her and she was way bigger than I thought...19" on the nose, on a Pink Lady. I got two other bows of 12-13" on dries and 1 14" wild brown. A great day to be sure. Look like some showers tomarrow w/ less than .10" from I-89 north, and up to .30" in southern Vt. It won't make the rivers dirty, but should provide for some good fishing! Wednesday looks a bit drier and then we have light rain or showers thru the weekend. It does not look like this will blow out most rivers, so this should be a great week. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #14-16, and a couple of Tan Caddis #14-16. Water temps range throughout the 50's, good luck on the water!
I went down to a trib of the Winooski today and fished with the Mrs. for a little while. One thing is for sure....the bugs are out! At around 2:20 we saw our first Hendrickson, and they were going strong through most of the 3 o'clock hour, and then continued to dribble off the water for another hour or so. I wasn't exactly fishing the best dry fly water, but we did see some really nice fish, including a couple of 18'+ monsters, and I landed to nice wild rainbows, one of 15" and a 16"er, both on nymphs, and I got 2 more to eat but missed them. Water temps are in the low 50's. We also saw a few Blue Quills and even a couple of Caddis. We've got an interesting forecast for the week that could set up to be either epic, or a tad "too wet". Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy either way, but we have some potentially decent rains forcast for Tuesday and Thursday thru Friday am. I think we'll be ok except on perhaps the lower stretches of the Lamoille, Winooski, White, and Otter. They are still a bit up and off color, and I'm not sure they'll be low and clear enough to handle Tuesdays rain. But, when you think about it, most years the lowest ends of these rivers aren't usually in fishable shape until atleast mid-May, so we can't complain really. I've got a few openings left for May and early June, so drop me a line if you're looking to improve your skills and get in on some great fishing. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis (Grannom) #14-16, Little Brown Stones #14-16. Good luck on the water!
Over the past 36 hrs or so we have gotten about .50" of rain here in Underhill. Some areas like parts of the Winooski watershed have received upwards of .70". I was quite surprised how much water levels went up overnight. Both the Winooski and Lamoille are back up and dingy, and the larger tribs of both are also off-color. I know for you weekend warriors that this is not waht you wanted to see, but it's good for two reasons: it keeps the river levels from getting too low too early in the season; and it gave our wild rainbow populations a push of water to make it into the more stable small tribs to spawn. With no rain forecast until around Tuesday pm, water levels and clarity should shape up pretty quick. The Winooski below Bolton Dam has been stocked with a tad over 3400 browns in the past couple of days. With water levels up a foot on the Winooski, it'll distribute those brownies around a bit and keep them from getting hammered and removed early. With cooler and sunny weather today I'm not expecting much of a hatch, and water levels would have squashed any fish from looking up anyway. With the current forecast, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the first decent Hendrickson hatch in central and northern Vermont that may have fish looking up will be on Wednesday....just a hunch! There are a few Hendricksons hatching in the far south, along with some Blue Quills and the ever present Little Brown Stones #14-16. Good luck on the water!
I went down to the Lamoille in Cambridge today at "bug time" to see how things were progressing hatch wise. Nothing but Little Brown Stones and nobody rising. Looking at the Trout Lilies on the bank, I would say that it'll be another 2-4 days or so before we say many Hendricksons. Water levels everywhere are very low and are more like early June levels. Some notable waters have now been stocked, including the Walloomsac, Poultney and Ottauquechee rivers in southern Vermont; the Lamoille below Fairfax Falls got another 400 "trophy" browns, for a total of 600 out of 800 being stocked down there and fish are being caught. The Winooski below Bolton Dam has gotten a bunch of Browns as well. We've got a slug of rain in the forecast for tomarrow, and then the weekend looks to be cool and blustery with big winds on atleast Saturday. Showers should return towards next Tuesday. Water temps range from the 40's on the colder mountain streams, to the low to mid 50's on the bigger water. Hatches consist of Little Brown Stones #14-16, a few Hendricksons #12-16, and a few Blue Quills #18. Good luck on the water!
As I suspected, we did not get much rain out of yesterdays cold front and rivers levels are continuing their slow steady drop. Rivers like the Mad came up quite a bit in recent days due to the hot weather and lots of snow melt, but that is a bit more "artificial" compared to most waterways since there are ski areas and man made snow in the Mad River valley. It looks like we've got more seasonal weather on the way with chances of showers on Friday, Saturday am, and early next week. Farmers are starting to plow thier fields, so Hendricksons won't be far away. Hatches are mostly non-existent, but there may be the odd Blue Quill #18, and Hendrickson #12-16 in the far south and lower Champlain Valley. Little Brown Stoneflies #14-16 are around a bit, but fish tend not to go crazy over them. Don't forget the Mad-Dog Trout Unlimited annual fundraiser this Saturday at 6pm at the Best Western in Waterbury. There are lots of great prizes, and a great presentation from "bug guru" Tom Ames. Hope to see you there, and good luck on the water!
The current weather is a real shock to the system, thats for sure. Temps in the mid to upper 80's have set some records, and water temps around the state have gotten as high as atleast 60F, which is a bit of shock to some of the wild trout in our waters as well. With the lack of rainfall, the wild rainbows around the state won't be entering the tiny tribs of our better waters to spawn, and will have to use larger river stretches instead. Hatches of Hendricksons should start in far southern Vermont any day now. I think they won't show up further north until atleast the weekend, and I think we'll need to get some rain to get it really going as well. So, water levels could not be much lower, and water temps could not be much higher for this time of year, I'd say get out and enjoy it while you can, because if we head into a drought during the summer, you'll cherish those spring fishing trips! There are still a couple of openings for May and early June left in my guiding schedule, so drop me a line if you're interested in getting out. Hatches consist of Little Brown Stones #14-16, a few Blue Quills #18, and perhaps a couple of Hendricksons in the far south and lower Champlain Valley #12-16. Good luck on the water!
Well, we're back in Vermont after some hellacious travelling screw-ups thanks to the muppets at United Airlines. Driving up from Boston it became very obvious that we have some very low water levels for this time of year. The White and Winooski are still pretty high overall, but they are both actually fishable. 85 degrees in April seems nice, but we don't want to see these "Bermuda Highs" developing too often as that is a weather pattern that can bring on drought conditions. Hopefully we get some rain over the next few days, but it looks pretty spotty. Most anything that falls at this point will be absorbed by the ground and sucked by forests that are trying to leaf out, so I don't expect water levels to really rise or get dirty from any rain. The state is starting to stock some rivers now, and I think things will really get cranking by the end of next week. I'm in the midst of some serious jetlag, so my reports will pick up in a day or two once I figure out whats am and whats pm! Hatches consist of Little Brown Stoneflies, and some Blue Quills #18 and maybe the odd early Hendricksons #12-16 down in far southern Vt. Good luck on the water!
Look like some much needed rain has arrived to most of Vermont. It is sorely needed, and this system won't bring more than a half inch or so of rain to most areas. By Friday the showery weather will be gone and some warm sunny weather is on the way. I got a report of some Blue Quills down on the Battenkill a few days ago, which would not surprise me this spring. Expect to see more Little Brown Stones, a few Olives and Blue Quills around, especially in the lower elevation streams around the Champlain Valley and southeastern Vermont. We're starting the packing process down here in New Zealand, and I've been fishing for a couple of hours the past few days and usually catching a handful of browns and rainbows in the 3-4 pound class. It's interesting how some browns are really thinking of spawning, while others are busy feeding away downstream in bigger water. As a species they really stagger out their spawning season, from Mid April thur July, and I suspect its the same in the states, by being staggered out they are certainly less exploited than rainbow trout. We'll be heading back to Vermont on Thursday, so my reports will pick up shortly thereafter. Good luck on the water!
Dry weather continues in Vermont, which has allowed water levels to drop well below normal for the time of year and water temperatures have gotten warm enough that the state has started to stock some rivers. Both the Missisquoi and the Lamoille trophy trout zones got a "starter package" of 200 fish apiece today. With river flows not expected to go up until atleast Tuesday, I suppose its not too early to be starting to stock these pretty pricey fish. All three branches of the White and the mainstem above Rochester got stocked with brookies today as well. The Rochester area usually gets rainbows, but the state is short of rainbows this year, so it's 1300 brookies instead. They won't last near as long as the rainbows, so enjoy them while you can. The problem I've seen with stocking brookies this early is if we get a cold snap (forecast this weekend), they tend to run downstream for warmer water not to be seen again. On the flipside, the weather has been nice and folks want to catch some fish, and those stretches of the White are not banner wild trout water by any stretch, so I guess its a healthy compromise. Down here in NZ, there is a real fall feel to the air, but temps have stayed in the 60's all week which is nice. Today I went down to my local big river for a couple of hours and had a great day with a nice late season mayfly hatch. It brought up all sizes of rainbows from 12" up to 4 pounds and 24". I landed 8 rainbows on dries and got a real monster brown of 6.5 pounds in a spring fed wetland adjacent to the river. Back to Vermont, expect some cooler weather this weekend due to a "backdoor" cold front dropping down from the northeast. Not much if any rain is going to fall from it. Starting Tuesday it looks like the wet weather should arrive, which is a good thing for spawning bows and general fishing conditions. I've still got a couple of days left in May and early June to guide if any of you are interested in getting out during the prime time of the season. Some Little Brown Stoneflies should be moving now, but fish at this time of year tend not to key in on any one insect. Fish deep, dark and slow, and good luck on the water!
Dry, sunny conditions persist over Vermont, and water levels are dropping like rocks. We could really use some rain to keep from running into a defecit going into summer. It looks like it will be wetter starting next week which is good. Water temps have reached the mid 40's on many water for the past couple of days or so, which means wild rainbows will be busy spawning. The browns and brookies should be pretty hungry right now, so concentrate on rivers where there are good populations of them. The state has not started to stock rivers in earnest yet, but I think they'll start in a week or so. Down here in New Zealand, I had a great couple of hours on a local stream that sees big runs of browns out of the lake. My first fish was a 3.3lb rainbow which took me into my backing and was just a super hot fish. I got a 4 lb. brown on a dry, a 2.5 "little" guy, and a beautiful 5 pound hen that had great color and markings. I spooked a few other browns that were sitting in shallow riffles I otherwise would have ignored. I'll be back in Vt. in a week, but hopefully I'll get out atleast once more in NZ before we head home. Good luck on the water!
With river flows around Vermont at or just below average for the date, and water temps reaching the low to mid 40's under sunshine, you really couldn't have much better condtions for opening day. I hope everyone enjoyed their time out. Here in New Zealand, my wife and I went out for a couple of hours on a stream about 30 minutes from our house. We didn't see many fish, and landed 3; I got a 3.5 pound brown, a 4.5 pound rainbow, and Lisa got a beautiful 4.5 pound brown. The lower angle of the sun is making much harder to sight fish on many waters, but we did ok. Looks like conditions back in Vt. will be dry and slightly below average in terms of air temps for the next 5 days or so. Most smaller rivers and streams will have great clarity and ok water temps in the afternoon, so if you fish deep, dark, and slow you may bump the odd brown or brookie. I'll have another report in a couple of days or so. Good luck on the water!
Just a couple thoughts on opening weekend in Vermont,etc. It looks like some waters are hitting the low to maybe even mid 40's today, and are not running too high. The forecast for Saturday is sunny and in the upper 40's, and any time you can get sun and air temps over water temps, thats generally a good thing. The best time of day to fish will be between 1-6pm, as water temps will be at their warmest then, and you may see the odd stonefly or two hatch. It will be getting windy in the afternoon though, 10-25 mph northerlies. The best waters to fish will be lowland brook trout/brown trout fisheries that reach the 40's. If you're fishing small streams and happen to see rainbows spawning, please leave them alone to "do the deed", and perhaps respect the fact we are fortunate to have wild rainbows in Vermont...I know I do! Thanks to those of you have recently booked trips with me. I still have a couple openings in May, and a few left for early June. I am also taking bookings for float or wade trips on the Upper Ct. during the 6/22-7/5 window. These trips will be based from my property on the river in the no-kill zone in Bloomfield. As many of you know, by late June most of our big waters in Vermont and New Hampshire start to get a bit too warm to have "great" trout fishing, let alone all day long. The Upper Ct. is the big exception to that. I have only seen the water in front of my property hit 70F a couple of times, and just for a couple of hours at that. For some 30 odd miles upstream the water just gets colder and colder due to cold bottom releases from Lake Francis up in Pittsburg, NH. So if you're interested in fishing the "Great North Woods" region, drop me a line! Good luck on the water!
The weather has cleared and the mountains are now covered in snow, which really adds to the NZ scenery. I went down to my neighbors spring creek since most of the freestone streams are not quite clear enough to fish yet. I caught a couple of "small" browns that definitely weren't interested in spawning, around 18" and 2.5 lbs. There were a couple of nice 4-4.5 pounders nymphing away, but I either biffed the hookset or spooked them with the cast ( a little rusty!), and then I found a monster. This fish made those 4 pounders look like runts. It is over 7 pounds for sure, and until I hopefully land him, he may even be a 10 lber. Down here, sometimes the biggest fish aren't the ones that "look" as huge in the water due to their density and more stout appearance. But this one was certifiablely huge. Regardless, I got her to look at a nymph, but on the next cast, I caught a stick on the bottom and that was it, game over. But I now know where he/she is, and sitting in a pool 12 feet wide and 4-5 ft. deep with good cover....it's a homebody, and was still eating nymphs; no interest in spawning! My goal before I head back to Vermont is to hook the bugger. Some new photos are up on my photo page. All are from the wet 2008 season. As you can see, some really nice fish were caught, and there were plenty of others that I just didn't bother photographing or the client took the pics on their camera. Looks like the mrs. and I will fish tomarrow while the weather holds on, so I'll have another report in a day or so.
Not much new to report down here in New Zealand; we've had 4 days of rain capped off by good snows down to 300 metres this morning. This weather will definetly get the brownies moving upriver! Now I just need some nicer weather. Speaking of nicer weather, looks like opening day in Vermont will as usual, be in "name only". Lots of cold rain and snow has puffed up most of Vermonts waters, and the warmer weather of a week or so ago will be negated by temps in the low 40's by day and low 20's at night. Aside from fishing the Steelhead runs in the Northeast Kingdom, April is largely casting practice and getting the kinks out. My only advice for catching April trout is to find low elevation streams with now snowpack in their headwaters, and hopefully you can find some water atleast 43F. I talked with someone with the F&W department, and it looks like the proposal to close the state hatcheries is not going anywhere...which is GREAT news. As for the upcoming season in Vermont, I still have a few days left at the end of May and early June that are open for guiding. This year I will have a new "toy" for my guiding....a top of the line inflateable drift boat! Like most drift boats, it holds two clients, and I will be doing trips on the Upper Ct. mostly, with some trips on the lower Lamoille and Winooski when water conditions allow. So if you and a fishing buddy are looking to cover some water in style while having some great fishing, drop me a line about booking a date. And don't forget about Smallmouth bass fishing on those lower rivers during the dog days of summer! Also, I'll have some new photos from this past 2008 season posted on my website in the next few days. Considering how many days were unfishable on many of our better trout waters, some impressive fish were caught last season. Thats all for now, hopefully I can get out in the next day or so.
What a difference two days can make. Yesterday, I went over to one of NZ's top big brown trout rivers in hopes of seeing a fresh run of fish from the sea, but it was not to be. The stretch I was on had really been hammered by high water in January and the river had braided alot. I only saw a couple of old brownies who were not interested in much. I then went to another stream closer to my place, but the didymo was flushing down the river making fishing too tough to try. It happens rarely, but when the algae is loose for whatever reason, it's a pain to pain fish. I then went to my neighbors spring creek and redeemed myself with a mice 3.5 pound brownie on a dry. Today, however, was as good as it gets. A friend and I went way up a river valley 30 minutes from our neck of the woods, and got access from the runholder to take the farm tracks even further up the valley than I had ever been before. The stream was about 20-30 feet wide, and looks like the upper White above Rochester; except it fish...lots and lots of big wild bows! We each got 12 to eat, and landed 8 rainbows apiece from 3-4.4 pounds. We saw atleast 35 fish for the day. It was sunny, calm and really was a perfect day. I'm taking the mrs. to Dunedin for the weekend for her birthday, so I don't think I'll be fishing until Monday, so check in ealry next week!
Hi folks. Nothing to new to report down here in New Zealand, but there is some big news ptonetially in Vermont. The House Appropriations Commitee has proposed CLOSING VERMONTS FISH HATCHERIES to fund "other" projects!! Now, I'm as big of a fan of wild trout as the next guy, but without hatchery fish beginners would have an awfully hard time getting into fishing, and "consumptive" anglers would destroy most wild stocks of trout because of our overly generous high creel limits. Economically, it would effect a great deal of the tourism industry, small business owners like myself and fishing shop owners would be potentially out of business in only a few years once anglers realize there's no "fishable" trout fishing left in Vermont. And, I suppose you could argue that at a time of high unemployment, we don't need to get rid of decent paying jobs w/ benefits at the state level. Traditionally, most of these are stable jobs, not usually subject to absurd bills and proposals such as this. So, personally, I can't see this happening when the numbers are crunched, but we all need to get in touch with these House members: Heath of Westford (Chair) Larson of Burlington (Vice Chair) Helm of Castleton Acinapura of Brandon Bostic of St. Johnsbury Hunt of Essex Johnson of South Hero Keenen of St. Albans City Miller of Shaftsbury Morley of Barton The phone number is 1-800-322-5616. Call the one closest to you and/or Heath and Larson. If you know the rep in your town and can get in thier ear about how you "may vote next time around" if thier fellow house members vote for this, that would certainly help out. As for the 2009 season, the fish are already produced, so this season will not be affected; but we can't afford to be complacent on this. In looking at the list of Appropriations members, I noticed an interesting thing: most members live in towns that have wild trout streams that aren't really stocked, or, they live near Lake Champlain where our popular warm water fisheries are not stocked. Hmmm, very interesting....I wonder what the reps in Waterbury, Stowe, Cambridge, Johnson, Wolcott, Montpelier, Waitsfield, Bethal, Woodstock,etc,etc. think about folks no longer coming to thier town to fish, eat, gas up, stay at loding, hire characters like me,etc.? I guess we'll have to see, but we should all get involved....thats the magic of a small state, its easier for us to be heard. It would also make for a great time to get involved in a Trout Unlimited chapter of other angling orgnaization! Thats all for now...
The string of cloudless beautiful weather is over, but I had a great day yesterday on a backcountry lake sight fishing the outlet and the flats along the shoreline. I landed a bunch of rainbows that were 3.5-4.25 pounds and 20-24". My best fish was a 5.5 lb. brown who charged 8 ft to take my big terrestrial. I hooked another rainbow that was so headstrong it broke the hook in half on its first run! Clouds and rain are on the way, but I'll get another report in as soon as I head out.
The weather here in Fiordland has been bright and sunny since Saturday, but there is a definite fall tinge to the air. Despite all the sun, the cold nights have kept the temp from getting over 68F. I went down to my local big river today and got a handfull of browns and rainbows up to 4 pounds or so. I got a nice bow of just over 4 pounds on a dry which was real nice. The browns are getting tougher to catch as they are starting to ponder spawning in another month or so. Despite not getting much pressure throughout the season, they are tougher to catch now than in the Nov-Jan. period. I plan on going back up to a backcountry lake and do some flats fishing tomarrow while the weather is still sweet. I only have a handful of days left available for guiding in early May and during the last week of May, while early June is a bit more open; so if you're interested in booking a trip drop me a line. I'll let you know how the flats fishing goes!
This past weekend my wife and I went up to one our favorite high country lakes to do some fishing and mountain biking. The biking was fun, I only crashed once! The fishing was challenging but memorable and we caught fish. This lake does not allow motorized boats on it and the water is so clear that you can see fish on the flats from over 100 feet away when its calm. I got a handful of browns from 3-6.25 lbs and was refused many more times by some smart fish! But it was playing the 6+ pounder that was truly amazing. I hooked him on a #14 Adams Para; and he didn't really fight too hard at first, kind of like he didn't beleive he was hooked. He then swung below me, and when he smelled my scent in the water he went berserk. Since the water was all clouded up by me wading on the silty,sandy flat, he didn't see me and when he accelerated and jumped....he hit me on the waist! I didn't see him in the cloudy water below me either, but he jumped from about 5 feet away and slamnmed onto me. I had my rod in my left hand, the net under my left armpit. After he bopped me, I put the net in my right hand to get ready to land him...and he jumped again about 3 feet out of the air and landed right in the net!! It was a bit surreal. About 26", it was an absolute gem of a fish. Not a mark on it. I've seen fish jump out of the water and land on the bank or bushes (ouch) before, but I've never had a 6 pound projectile hit me on my right hip bone!! I'm sure if he had the visibility to see me standing there he would not have done that. We've had some great weather of late, and it looks to continue until mid-week, so I should be able to get out a bit more this week before a friend of ours from Vermont arrives to stay with us. Check in later this week!
The weather has put a bit of a damper on my fishing of late. If I was only down here for a couple of weeks, I would bundle up and give it a go each day, but over the years I've learned that this kind of weather is tough to say the least. Since last Friday, we've had about 1.3" of rain, air temps of 41-56 during the course of the day, and the worst of it....the winds. They've been running at 15-30mph, with gusts to over 50mph, and its been real chilly for a westerly. We're bracing for the "southerly change" later today and Wednesday, which will bring snow down to 1200 ft in the mtns. I think I'm going to be patient, and wait until Thursday or Friday which should be close to 70 and much nicer! I just found out that there will be some subtle but significant changes to this years stockings on inland waters in Vermont. In a very smart move, the F&W department has moved all production of trout for inland waters to thier inland hatcheries. This is smart since it keeps the lethal virus VHS in the Champlain basin if/when it turns up. So, the Ed Weed Hatchery in Grand Isle which uses water from the lake, will only produce fish for the lake and tribs below first falls or dam. The net result is that this year there will be a 15% shortage of rainbows, and a few extra brookies. In noticed the Mad, White, and Ottauquechee have noticable drops in numbers of rainbows compared to recent years. There are some brown trout reductions as well, like in the Clyde, Gihon, and N. Branch of the Lamoille. So, the reduced stocking numbers are not because of budgetary concerns, it's the F&W department doing a very pro-active manuever by doing thier best to keep the spread of VHS out of its inland state hatchery systems. Good work, I say. It would take a significant good string of weather variables for folks to actually notice these reduced numbers of fish in those certain streams. You would essentially need alteast a week or more of perfect fishing weather and water levels/temps juuust after these fish were stocked....and, you'd need to avoid any real high floods in the summer that push stocked fish around. If those two things happened, the "consumptive anglers" would do a number on them early on; and if we had no high water events, alot of these waters would be low and getting real warm. Stocked fish, whether there are 50 or 75 left in a given stretch, are gonna die if the water gets over the mid 70's anyhow. It just means on some of those waters with reduced numbers, you may not catch many stocked fish in the fall (unless we have a real cool summer), but all those streams have decent wild trout populations in stretches as well, so I don't think we'll see any drop in the quality of the fishing in the long run. It's noon and hailing out, I think it's time to start a fire!
Yesterday I got out and fished with a really nice couple I met up on the Central South Island a month ago. They were down in Southland and we fished a nice backcountry river and caught some nice brownies on dries up to 5 lbs. It was great talking to them as the husband was a former coach in the NFL so I got to pick his brain about certain players in the league! Today I went down and fished the flats at the mouth of my neighbors spring creek for about 45 minutes. I got 3 browns to eat, and landed 2, one of 3 pounds and an older "long" fish of about 26" and 4.5 lbs. The big one refused all my smaller dries and nymphs, and then I said "screw it" and put on the biggest Cicada pattern in my box...a #6 dry that must be 2" long. He ate it on the first cast! Gotta love it. We have some dirty weather coming in over the next couple of days, but I'll try to get another report done in the next few days. A couple of final notes/thoughts: Saturday May 2 is the Mad-Dog Chapter of TU annual banquet at the Best Western in Waterbury. Go to www.maddogtu.org for more info. There will be some great prizes and Tom Ames will be the guest speaker that night. It'll be a great night to be sure. Lastly, I've been getting my schedule sorted out for the upcoming guiding season, and I plan on being up on the Upper Ct. the week of 6/22-6/28, and maybe later. If anyone is interested in cooling off during the longest days of summer on Big C, drop me a line. Overnight camping (I can provide gear) options are available on my property. Thats all for now...thanks!
I went out and hit my local big river for a bit yesterday and fished a spring fed wetland that lies adjacent to the river. The wetland is slightly tea colored and right now is very weedy (it looks like Bluegill water in Vermont), but there are some very big browns swimming around in it. Earlier in the season I landed one 6.6lbs on a dry, and my guiding buddy saw one he estimated in the 10-12 pound class a couple of weeks ago. I spotted one by its opening and closing of its huge mouth as it ate nymphs and made a cast with a dry and he came up and sipped it. He jumped twice before breaking me off at my 3x to 4x connection...I'm not going to say he was that 10+lb fish....but he was over 7 and very strong! I then went down to the river and caught a bunch of rainbows up to 3.5 lbs and about 23". The small 8-10" bows are dropping out of the mtn tribs and entering the big river now, so there are more little guys you have to try and avoid to catch the adults. When I got home, I walked down to my next door neighbors spring creek and fished the mouth where it enters the lake and found about 5 fish swinging around and playing chase with each other. I got 2 brownies, one of 3.3 lbs, and a smaller one of 2.5 lbs. The 2 I landed took the fly on the first cast, while the others were very difficult and I threw a bit of everything at them to no avail. We're heading up to Queenstown with some friends for the weekend to do some mountain biking and going to a concert, so I don't think I'll be fishing until early next week. My reports will pick up sometime next week. Have a great weekend!
Well, it's been awhile since my last New Zealand fishing report, but I have been fishing a bit; some of it has been as great as ever, while my visit up the west coast to some of the beautiful big spring creeks was a bit of a bust due in part to poor weather, and also sadly, due to a substantial increase in fishing pressure on some of these streams, the fish have become completely neorotic...making fish in rivers like the Dog or Battenkill look like politicians at a fourth of July parade. Closer to my place, the fishing has held up very well thru the summer since we had such a wet spell just after the new year. Air temps have not been real hot either; the odd day over 78F., but mostly 63-73F on most days and 41-54F at night. Cicada and terrestrial fishing is at a fever pitch right now, with the cicadas chirping at a deafening level in many places. This is about the time my wife and I usually head back to Vermont, and we can tell the days are getting shorter down here. This will be our first autumn in NZ and I'm looking forward to seeing some big sea run and lake run browns moving up the rivers in later March. It loks like Vermont had a bit of a thaw a few days ago and the rivers puffed up a bunch...a sure sign spring is not "too far" away. If not spring, perhaps no more below zero weather! I've got a couple of days still open in the last week of May and a few openings before 5/14, but the rest of the month is booked up which I'm happy and grateful to see. There are still some prime openings in June, and if anyone is thinking about a summer weekend or the like cooling off on the Upper Ct. the fishing is usually at its best anytime after 6/7. I can provide quality camping gear (tents,etc) to do overnight camping/fishing trips on my property in the middle of the No-Kill section of the river. I'll be doing both wade and float trips on the Big C. Just some food for thought. After a nice Valentines weekend in Dunedin with the Mrs., I'll be hitting some streams this week...I'll let you know how it goes!
I'm back down in Manapouri after spending a couple of days fishing up in the Central South Island district. The climate is 180 degrees different from where I live further south. Dry, Hot, and usually windy. On Saturday, I got up at 7am and headed up to the famous big trout river in the area. It was 62F, clear, and most importantly was dead calm! I started fishing at about 8:30 am, and the fishing was epic all morning. The wind picked up around noon and by then I decided to quite while I was ahead. I got 8 fish to eat, and landed 6 of them. The 2 I missed were on the nymphing hookset, which can be a pretty easy thing to do when you're trying to hook a #14 nymph into the mouth of a trout you can stick your whole hand into! The 6 I landed were taken on a #14 Adams Irresistable, 1 was 5lbs, and perhaps fought the hardest in many respects, a 6 lber that moved almost 10 feet for my fly, 3 fish of 7 pounds, and the biggest was 8.25 lbs. and just under 30". After that I headed back to the town I was staying in, and sought out some shade. It reached 90F that afternoon. As good as Saturday was, Sunday was not to be...clouds, cooler, and a bunch of real stiff, dour fish that were not looking up and weren't swingers either. I did discover a new spring creek in my travels which was cool. It had 10 fish in it; all were 4-6 lbs, except one which looked to be in the 7-9 lb. class. Tough fish! I also fished a small freestone/spring fed combo stream for a an hour or so and caught 3 "smaller" browns of 16-18", 2.2-2.75 lbs, and one monster for a 12 foot wide stream of 5.5 lbs and around 25". I'll be fishing my local waters closer to my house in the next couple of weeks, and I'll be sure to report any decent fishing!
The blustery weather has rolled back in to my neck of the woods down here in NZ. Windy, cloudy, and in the 50's. Last week my friend and I had some great fishing on a variety of waters. We fished a Fiordland backcountry stream and caught browns from 5-6.25 lbs and rainbows up to 4lbs. Then we hit some of the smaller lowland streams for more exciting willow grub action. Our best day we landed 9 browns of 3-5+ lbs; broke off 2 fish over 5lbs, and had one straighten a hook! The weather forecast for the rest of the week is not too flash down here, but I may make a roadtrip north into the arid central south island for a few days. I'll let you know how it goes!
Today is the first day of the year down here that it has not rained. We've had over 4 inches of rain since 12/31. That said, I've had some great fishing on some lowland streams with great mayfly hatches along with the super challenging Willow Grub fishing. On one stream, I parked at a bridge and looking upstream I saw around 8 fish in the 2-4 lb. class rising all over the place. I managed to hook 6 of them, and landed 4 on dries. One fish that I did not land actually straightened out my hook! I also fished the lower Matuara River a couple of days ago, and caught a bit of the world famous "Mad Mataura Rise..." The river is anywhere from 75-200 ft. wide, and had fish rising all over the place, eating mostly #16 spinners that have a nack for keeing their wings more upright than spinners in the states. I hooked 5 and landed 4 in about 2 hours with the biggest about 3 pounds or so. It's one of the rare times I go down to 5x tippet. This week I'll be fishing most every day, as a good friend will be coming down to do some photography stuff. Check in later this week!
A belated Happy New Year to everyone! Things are going well in NZ, though since I last wrote a report I have not fished very much due to my wifes vacation time, holiday get togethers, and a 4 day mountain biking trip with some friends, and 3"+ of rainover the last 5 days, but I did manage to get out for an hour or so on a couple of occasions and caught some nice browns in the 5 pound class. Today I explored a tributary of a well known NZ river that I had never fished before and was impressed with the number and quality of the fish. I hooked 5 of them, but only landed 1 of 4 pounds. They all took dries, but they were extremely difficult to get to eat as they were completely obsessed with Willow Grubs that were falling out of the Willows along the bank. These grubs are kind of like parasites on the Willow trees, burying themsleves in the leaf making a red bulge on the leaf before they chew out of it and on windy days they fall into the rivers in large numbers. They are about a size 18-20 and do not float for more than a few seconds, so imitating them with a fly is very tough to say the least! A green Humpy #16 worked fine as long as they water was moving a bit. If it was flat, forget it! The stream was less than 25 ft. wide so stealthiness was essential, but these guys were pretty brazen zooming around the willows that were overhanging. I had one fish LIFT the flyline out of the water on his back to eat a grub near my line. Thanks to those of you who have booked early for those prime May and early June slots. Most of the second half of May is now booked, but I still have a fair share of openings before 5/14 and a few after 5/26. Well, thats all for now, and hopefully Vermont gets a bit of new snow to replenish the slopes for all the skiers and boarders out there!
Well, the weather down in the far south of New Zealand has been pretty wet, cloudy and windy with very few sunny calm days so far this month and this has made the sight fishing pretty tough. Some friends of mine from British Columbia have been down in Southland and on the first day we fished a backcountry lake doing the sight fishing on the flats thing. It poured on us off and on throughout the day, but we saw plenty of fish and I even managed to hook 3 of them and land one brown of about 3.5 lbs that took me close to my backing before jumping a couple of times. The next day, the guys really wanted to get on one of the "trophy" waters in our area and despite the wind, we gave it a go. And "a go" was about it, as winds came down the valley at 50-90km/hour!! Ever tried to cast a 5 or 6 wt. into tropical storm strength winds?!? A challenge to say the least. It would make a FFF casting instructor look like a raw beginner! After about an hour or so in this river, I suggested we peal off into a smaller trib (under 35 feet wide) where the wind may actually help us a bit. We found 12 fish, all in the 5-8 lb. class. We managed to get 5 to eat, and landed 3 of them. My biggest was 5.5 lbs and about 26". My hat blew off 6 times that day, and at one point the loose fly line at my feet got swept up in the air behind me and managed to wrap itself around the handle of net so tight, I had to take my pack off to undo the mother of all windknots! Short power casts with the tip were the way to go on that day, and even then it was brutally tough, but in a kinda twisted way fun too. It reminded me of the priest and Bill Murray (Carl) in Caddyshack...the weather was bad but the preist had the round of his life (literally!). This past weekend, a kiwi mate of mine took his boat into the wilds of Fiordland National Park, where we fished two smallish streams running into one of the lakes. The rainbows in these streams were about as nieve as you could get. All were 3-4lb., and they would move 6 feet across the river to eat your dry if your cast was errant! I even caught one as I was picking my fly up to cast to a fish upstream! The smaller of the two streams was under 15 ft. wide and had fish in every little run and pool. It was like fishing the upper Mad, except the fish were NZ size. At the end of the day, I landed 14 fish, and my buddy got 8 or 9, and missed a bunch more. Today I'm off to the local big river with the BC boys again, I'll let you know how it goes! Oh yea, for the 2009 guiding season, I'm already starting to get bookings for the May/June window, so if anyone is looking for one of the popular weekend dates, dropping me a line a sooner than later may be the best bet. Also, I've decided to keep my rates the same for the 2009 season. Thanks!
I didn't get to do very much fishing while my wife had a week off, but lately I've been fishing my local big river and catching some nice rainbows and browns up to 4.5 lbs on dries. Yesterday I fished the lower end of a tributary of this big river and caught a nice brown that went 5.5 lbs and about 25" on a heavy nymph in some very fast water. I could see him clear as a bell, but really had to tinker with my nymph rig to get it to him. Tomarrow I'm heading out with a couple of friends from B.C. to flats fish for browns and bows on a backcountry lake which is always a blast. It's very similar to bonefishing on the flats, but with dry flies!. That's all for now, I'll do another report in the next day or two.
Due to a change in the weather, my friend and I did not take a boat into the wilds this past Saturday, but instead we hoofed it into a different backcountry river last Friday. I started the day off on a pretty poor note, breaking off a brown of atleast 6.5 lbs on my hookset. We ended up seeing 21 fish for the day and hiked about 8km of river. We may have missed a couple of fish in the shade, but most fish in NZ won't sit in the shade unless its their only safe feeding lie. Between us, we landed 10 fish,5 browns up to 6.75 lbs and 27", and 5 bows that were all over 20" and 3.5-4.75 lbs. About 50% of them took dries, which is always a blast with fish this big. A couple of days ago, I battled some nasty winds for about 90 minutes, and caught two 3-4lb browns in a pretty small stream close to my house. The winds and cold rain squalls have been a bit nasty lately, but I hope to get in a few days on some water a few hours north of where I live when my wife and I head out on the road tomarrow for a week or so. I may not have another report for a week, but keep checking in!
I've been fishing a mix of really small water and my local big river during the past week or so. The big river is indeed big, about 125-200ft. wide in most places, and contains fish of all sizes; not just big oversize fish, but younger rainbows that range from 8-20" as well. These smaller "American" sized fish are found in astounding numbers; with recent population surveys showing up to 2000 fish per kilometre which also includes all of the bigger 3-5+ lb rainbows and browns. You can sight fish on the edges for browns that are usually all 2.5-5lbs or blind fish the riffs and runs and pick up rainbows of all sizes. What I like most though is that for such a big clear river, I fished it twice for a total of 6 hrs and did not see another angler! The first day I fished it I got humbled by a couple of cruising browns, but landed about a dozen bows up to 3lbs and one brown of 4 lbs in the fast stuff. I hooked about twice as many, but it was sleeting with rain squalls and a nasty southerly which made my hands and reflexes a bit slow. The second day was in the 60's and sunny and I picked up the same kind of rainbows as the time before, mostly on nymphs. I drove about 75 minutes yesterday and explored a small (less than 20 ft wide) stream I'd heard some locals talk about but had never bothered to fish. I found 8 browns, all in the 3.5-5.0 lb range. I landed 4 of them, one was dying of old age and was in 4 inches of water which I bypassed, I spooked two that were in the shade, and spooked another by simply giving him a nymph he apparently found really insulting because he swam over, gave it a look, and then proceeded to take off 15 ft. upstream under a willow tree! A friend of mine and I are planning a long day trip involving a boat for Saturday so I'll let you know how it goes!
This past Sunday my wife and I fished a very small stream (about the size of the Mettawee in Dorset or Lewis Creek in Starksboro) that runs into one of the lakes in our neck of the woods and we did pretty well; especially since there only 9 fish in the stretch we covered. Lisa got 3 to eat, landing a 4.4 lb brown; and I got 4 to eat, landing browns of 4, 5.25, and 4.5 lbs all on some early season dry fly action! Yesterday (Monday in NZ...we're 18 hours ahead of Vt.), I got in a little spring training casting in the fierce "Norwester" winds that blow so often in many parts of NZ. It was a doozy yesterday, blowing mostly downriver at anywhere from 15-45 miles an hour. I went to a small stream about 1 hour from our house that I'd never fished before (this is my 11th year coming to NZ, so that should give you an idea of how much water is available to fish!), and I found 8 very large browns that were truly some of the smarter, sneakier and spookier trout I've ever seen. The stream was about the size of the Browns River in Underhill, and the first two fish I saw were in the 26-29" range and atleast 6.5-8.5 pounds. They sat in very shallow water (2-3 ft., so they still had a good window) under a row of trees tight against a bank knowing no angler could come up from behind on their bank because of the bush. The problem with coming up the opposite bank even though it was my strong casting side, was that the pool just dropped off to around 10 feet deep and the fish just sat in the shade where you couldn't see them...but boy they sure saw me! I did get a drift over another in the run going into the pool, but he did not appreciate my offering. Upstream, I did finally hook one of about 6 pounds or so before he shook the fly out of his mouth, and I landed the smallest fish I saw of the day...a 4 lb. brown. It may be spring in NZ, but we've got some crazy weather coming for the next 48 hours...up to 5" of rain in the Alps, followed by a heavy SNOW warning down to 200 metres above sea level (lucky me, my house is at exactly 200 metres) with 6-16" of snow falling depending on elevation. They say the cold southerly is coming from 70 degrees south on the globe! I would be happy to send it north to Vermont to make all the skiers and boarders happy! Thats all for now; it's supposed to be back in the 60's on Friday so I'll get out then for sure.
The weather in New Zealand over the past few days has been wacky to say the least. This past Friday a good friend of mine and I hit some small (less than 20 feet wide) backcountry streams and got some nice brownies in the 4-5.5lb range including a few on dries. The weather was perfect, about 68F. and strangely for NZ...no wind. Saturday started out fine, but at around 5 pm, my wife an I were at happy hour and watched "the southerly" roll in. This is a COLD wind and precip from the Southern Ocean, and the temp dropped about 20 degrees in about 15 minutes....no kidding. Hail, then sleet started falling. An hour later at our house it started snowing, though nothing stuck due to our proximity to the lake. Today it was very nice and warm (68-70F) again, but the winds were blowing 15-45 mph downstream. We hit another small backcountry stream about an hour from our house that is one of my favorites. I guess I like it because it's real small...less than 15 ft. wide in most places; and the smallest fish I've seen in it was 4 pounds! True to form, we saw 13 fish in about 3km of water and I got 7 brownies to eat my fly, landing 5 of them from 4-5lbs. Naturally, the two I lost were bigger, in the 6-7lb. range; and my wife hooked the biggest of the day which promptly went bonkers and tailwalked, then sprinted upsteam about 30 ft. in 2 seconds and cleaned her clock. Nice fish though. More nasty weather on the way down here, so it may be a few days before I head out again. 'Till next time....
We got to New Zealand on Monday, and after getting sorted, I hit a river about 10 minutes from our house and fished for a couple of hours. I got 5 rainbows to eat, and landed 3 of them. The smallest was 3 lbs; while the other 2 were 4 lbs. apiece. One of the 4 lbers took me for a big ride down river about 2 football fields before I put the brakes on her and got her in the net. Not bad for a couple of hours! I'll try to do some NZ "blogs" in the future, but there will be periods of up to a week when I'm in the bush and won't be able to write anything, so just check in periodically if you're interested. Good luck on the water if you're still fishing!
Well, it looks like the colder weather has arrived and will be here for atleast the next week. There may even be some snow by the middle of next week. Once we get that cold rain in the middle of October along with a bump in water levels and a drop in water temps the fishing tends to really slow down. Good nymphers will still drum up fish but they won't swinging nearly as much. As for looking for risers at this point in the season, the lower ends of the bigger rivers will have warmer temps and a better chance to find fish eating olives and random "stuff". My guiding season has now come to a close and my wife and I are headed down to New Zealand on Saturday. We'll be down there for awhile, until April 23, but I check my email daily down there so just drop me a line to book a trip for Spring 2009. Personally, I'm a bit glad to have 2008 over with; the spring fishing was ok, inconsistent would be the best word to describe it. And the fall was good in the sense that there were plenty of fish around, lots of smaller ones, and then in the past two weeks or so, we got the big ones. But the summer....oh the summer...over 20" of rain many places from 6/15 thru 8/10. The big rivers were largely unfishable for weeks. Judging from the numbers of smaller wild rainbows, we should have some good numbers of fish for next season, provided we don't get a bad winter flood. A big thanks to all of you who hired me this season, it was appreciated more than ever with the kind of year it's been! I may try to do a bit of a "blog" on this reports page while I'm in NZ...but it may be a bit spotty. Thanks again and good luck on the water!
Other than the wind, conditions were great for mid-October today. My clients did pretty well, landing a bunch of wild bows in the small to mid sizes, and a 16" brown as well. We were fishing some pretty fast water, so we picked them up on nymphs. Looks like the cooldown will begin on Friday; get out there while its still warm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Lots of wild bows rising today on the Winooski. The flats were alive as well as the slow eddies near fast seams. BWO's are the name of the game right now, good luck on the water!
Well, after doing a pretty early morning trip due to client schedules, I can say that things are pretty slow early in the am right now. Water temps are running under 50 in the am, and the fish just won't move as much as when the water is 3-5 degrees warmer. Enjoy the fine weasther and conditions this week, as we're going to have the big cooldown by next weekend. Hatches consist of a few Cinammon Caddis and some BWO's #18-22. Good luck on the water!
Lots of folks on the water today, which comes as no real surprise with the weather and foliage season; but we did get sandwiched on part of the upper Winooski which was a bummer. We did ok though, landing a 14" brown, and a bunch wild bows up to 12". All on nymphs. Conditions should continue to be good with no big rains or real cold days in the next 5 days. Hatches are sparse, but the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did a bit of fishing this afternoon with me brother in law and we did very well for a couple of hours fishing. We managed a 12", 15", 16", and 2 18"; all wild bows. We also got a 9" wild bow and your truly got 2 4" brookies as well. The bigger bows are really packing on the weight right now, and the fish were willing to eat most any nymph if it got to them. We've got a great forecast coming for the holiday weekend and the Winooski is now down to a very manageable level for most folks. The Lamoille remains at an excellant flow for fishing the BWO hatch. Hatches consist of BWO's, and a few Iso's #10-14, and Cinammon Caddis #14-16. Good luck on the water!
I guided on a trib of the Winooski today that I had not bothered with too much over the past few years...and the fish were there! My client was just getting back into the sport after many years away from it and he caught a 12", 14", and 16" wild rainbows and we found a HUUUGE wild bow that was in that magical "true" 20" size. He was so deep under heavy current, we just couldn't get him to see our fly. Under average flows we would've had a shot. The Winooski below Middlsex Dam is totally fishable though it there is a lot of water. The Lamoille is in fine shape and has been fishing pretty well also. There was a good BWO hatch this afternoon, but no fish were looking up in the fast high water we were on. Hatches consist of BWO's and Cinammon Caddis, and a few Isonychias. Ants will still get fish rising on flats. Good luck on the water!
I guided up on the Upper Winooski today, and while its was a bit high and visability was about 3 feet or so, we still got 3 nice wild bows of 12",12", and 16"...all nymphing. Looks like the Lamoille is in far better shape than the Winooski level and clarity wise, but the middle and lower Winooski will come around in the next day or so. Besides a few nuisance showers perhaps in the north tomarrow, we've got a dry, sunny and eventually a bit warmer week ahead. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well, I stand corrected....we got a bit more rain than was originally forecast, and both the Winooski and Lamoille are up over a foot and dirty. Major tribs have also come up quite a bit too. Some small streams are higher than others, but many are fishable. While water levels should drop pretty quick since overall its been so dry the past month, the time of year will effect that too. Starting when the foliage becomes near peak, the vegetation really slows down in taking up water from the aquafer, and in turn we always get the fall "bump"; where river flows actually can start to increase without any rain by a little bit. Well, combine that with this rain, and things will drop a bit slower than if this played out in July. We'll start to see water temps drop over the next couple of days too, but they should remain over 50 on the big rivers for some time yet. I've got a couple openings left before we head to NZ later in the month if anyone is interested in getting out on the water. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
My client and I managed to dodge some thunder,lightning, and some downpours to squeeze in a good 1/2 day on the water. The Winooski was getting higher and dingier the whole time we were on it, but we still found some rising fish on both the flats and some heavy water. We also picked some up nymphing. The big rivers may be a bit dingy tomarrow but I'm hoping they don't muddy. Some tribs of the big rivers got hit pretty hard, so levels will be bumping up quite a bit. Hatches consist of BWO's #18-22, Isonychias #12-14, a few Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The fishing has been very good of late on most every water I've been on. We've got some rain coming overnight and more showers tomarrow. Then we've got a real big cooldown. We could use a bit of rain, and I don't think we'll have any dirty water as a result of this stuff. Water temps have been in the upper 50's to low 60's on the big water which is great considering how late in the season it is. BWO's have been the meal ticket of late, w/ Iso's running in second. Hatches consist of BWO's #18-22, Isonychias #12-14, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Looks like a wet one for the next couple of days. The forecast calls for around 1.00" in the Champlain Valley, and 2-3" from the Greens east to the Ct. river valley through Sunday. If it happens gradually enough, I think we can handle 1-1.5" no problem; but if the headwaters of the Winooski and Lamoille get 2-3"...they will go bonkers. The White will get hit hard as well. There were fish rising on the flats on the lower Lamoille this morning. There should be a small break in the weather around mid-day tomarrow and if the rain lets up for any period of time and the river isn't dirty, the fishing should be very, very good. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did an instructional today on the Winooski so catching fish was not the main objective, but we did hook a few, and the fish started hitting the surface around 2pm once enough shade hit the water and the Iso's and BWO's got going. Things should only get better as we get more clouds and hopefully some rain as get towards the weekend. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We've got an interesting forecast from Friday thru next Tuesday for our area that could be great, or it could be a bit too much of a good thing. We will get some rain, and if the tropical "juice" makes it far enough north and inland, we could have real rain maker. In the meantime, water levels on the big rivers are good and with a bit of cloud cover rolling in, things should get even better. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did a couple of trips on the Big C over the past two days and while we did catch fish, we had to work for them on both days. Early Sunday morning there were low clouds and drizzle and as soon as we got on the water, Iso's were hatching and fish were rising, but when the sun came out and those northwest breezes kicked in the fishing went south...fast. Then around 3:30pm another round of bugs hatched and we got some nice fish on top. Today was just plain tough in the bright sunny weather, but we got a bunch of fish on dries and nymphs. That being said, we could really use some rain to reshuffle the deck on our area waters. Too many sunny days without cloudy and /or rainy ones and the fish are getting a bit tight in the middle of the day, even when there are bugs hatching. Look like this weekend we'll get some rain, but until then the fishing will be a bit of a crapshoot quality wise, and the last two hours of daylight will be when the bigger fish become active. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
You have to love days like this in late September...I managed to get in one more day of wet wading! I had the same client today as yesterday and I told her "On our fist day we hit a part of the river that sees hardly any fishing pressure and you got used to techniques I use up here and you'll catch lots of smaller fish w/ a shot at some big ones...but today we're going for quality over quantity and we'll try for some spookier, bigger wild bows and browns." I love it when a plan comes together. Despite hardly a bug around the whole afternoon/evening, we managed to land 12",12",14" wild rainbows and she hooked a real whopping big bow that I could see plain as day 15 feet in front of me that was in the 16-17" range. We also had a massive flurry of other fish of all sizes later in the evening that weren't rising but blindly took a couple of my favorite patterns but we couldn't seal the deal. Overall all a great day on some pretty pounded water. We've got a pretty strong cold front coming through tonight, though I don't think there will be much rain with this one...less than .20" and many areas may stay dry. It will be colder and a bit blustery for Sunday, good BWO weather. Water temps are currently on either side of 60 on the big waters which is geat going into the latter part of September. Hatches have been pretty sparse in general but they consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, a few Tricos #22-24, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20 and hoppers #10-14. I'll be guiding up on the Big C the next 2 days so my reports will pick up on Monday evening. Good luck on the water!
I had a busy day today doing two trips on the Winooski. The morning shift was pretty good; we hit the flats and found rising fish eating BWO spinners. We also hooked a big wild bow nymphing some heavy water a bit later. The evening shift was very good, and for my clients first time fishing Vermont, she did outstanding. She managed to land about 20 wild bows nymhping! She hooked atleast one big one that I saw (over 14"), but most of them were on the smaller side and were very eager. Nothing was really hatching in the pm shift. We're starting to need a bit of rain; the small streams are getting real boney, and the big rivers just need a little "bump" and an off day to reshuffle the deck. Popular stretches below Middlesex Dam and Bolton Dam are getting pretty hammered with all this fair weather. In fact, I watched 3 different sets of anglers hit one beat during the course of my day, while other less popular beats had nobody on them. The second and third parties must have had a tough time if that fisrt guy was a good angler. Fish are starting to settle a bit down on the flats right now, so folks who are having slow time on the popular beats should start thinking outside the box and looking for fish in water where they might not normally go in the spring or summer. This applies to the Lamoille as well, though pressure is not quite as high. As for salmon fishing on the Clyde, there have been fish in the river since mid-August when we had real high flows, and while more will start to file in now I'm not too excited to chase salmon in low water with the usual fishing pressure until we get a flow increase. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on the Winooski today and during the middle of the day and early afternoon I realized once again why I hate northwest winds that blow right after fronts push thru. The fishing was slow, with no one rising and generally nobody home at all. We went to another spot and got some wild bows up to 12" on nymphs and a couple smaller bows on dries, and then towards evening we found some flats where the wind had died and found LOTS of smaller wild bows rising in pods of 4-8 fish in small areas. There was nothing hatching but they ate ants no problem. We should have great conditions over the next week. I still have a couple of openings next week between 9/23 and 9/26 if anyone is interested in getting out. Hatches are the same previous days, good luck on the water!
Wow...I go up to the Big C for two days and the next thing I know we've socialized out countries financial sector. Strange happenings outside of Essex County indeed. We floated the Big C yesterday and I didn't have to bail anyone out...which is always good. The fishing was good, and we took lots of wild bows, browns and brookies on dries and nymphs, though I did have to subsidize one of my clients with one of my fly rods since his did not have proper "backing". That evening was capped off by that wonderful european import...a 17" wild brownie. Today we did fished various sectors of the river by wading and early on the going was actually quite volatile, and there was little in my portfolio that the salmonid market wanted to buy in to. The bright sunshine forcast by the decision makers was not much of a help to the doom and gloom that hit the hatch markets. In the end, we managed a twenty fish day up to 16", many on dries after I leveraged all my guiding assets. Whew....it was a fun day. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, BWO's #20-24, Tricos #22-24, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Fishing should be great all week. My financial recommendations? Beer. $10000 investment in 2000 $5 six-packs gets you 30 cents a sixer times 2000= $600 Return on your investment!!! Yea, I know ya gotta drink all that initial 10 grand worth of beer; but atleast you'll enjoy losing your initial investment more than alot of folks right now who have nothing to show for. You've quenched your thirst/drowned your sorrows AND made $600!!! Good luck on the water!
I was up all night with my newly aquired fall allergies and I was just stunned at how warm it was last night for the middle of September. I guess thats tropical moisture for ya. Now, a front has pushed thru and air temps are dropping like a rock. With the exception of a weak front on Wednesday night, we have a sunny and dry forecast through this coming weekend. Air temps should be seasonable. River levels are generally a-ok, though the Wrightsville Reservoir is throwing alot of water down the N. Branch into the Winooski. Flows are a bit high below the confluence; but by the time you get below Middlesex Dam, levels are only up 2-3 inches, and that won't last long with the dry forecast. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #20-24, Tricos #22-24, Yellow Quills #16-18, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-12. I'll be guiding up on the Big C Tuesday and Wednesday, so my reports will pick up on Wednesday pm. Good luck on the water!
I did a trip on the lower Winooski below Bolton Dam this pm, and quite honestly....it fished like crap. That does happen from time to time, though many guides are hesitant to admit it. We saw one small rise during a half day, and got a few hits. We hit three different pools/riffs which makes me think it wasn't other anglers there before me that stung a bunch of fish. Two things I noticed at the end of the evening that explained what was up....the river had in fact come up about 2-3"; and once again, at dusk fog settled on the water, which I eluded a number of days ago that I rarely if ever have good fishing in those conditions. We've got a high wind advisory thru 11am on Monday; up to 50mph; then the pm has winds out of the NW at 20-25mph. Ugh. Thereafter, the rest of the week looks very good...dry and 60s/40s. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
A pretty raw day is bring some windy showers mostly south of I-89 and the Winooski Valley. The Lamoille is really not getting much rain out of this front as of 5pm. Saturday should be fine and then we'll have increasing chances for showers Sunday into Monday am. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a pleasant evening guiding a good local client of mine on the middle reaches of the Winooski today. There was a pretty good and steady Isonychia hatch along with a few Caddis and some Yellow Quills. The fish were rising a bit, but it was fairly challenging I have to admit. We've got some rain tomarrow that should be in the .25"-.50" range, then Saturday should be fine and then Sunday pm we may get another slug of rain. I don't think we'll have any muddy high water from this, so we should be fine. I still have a couple of openings on the week of 9/22, if anyone is interested in getting out. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I know when wet wading season has come to an end when at about 6:30pm I feel like jumping INTO the Winooski to stay warm! I was on it this evening with a couple of clients and we had a blast catching wild rainbows up to 13". We only saw one rise the whole evening and the bug hatches were pretty meager. Then a bit before 7 I saw fog settling on the slower stretches and I knew it was game over. I never see good surface activity on evenings when fog settles on the Winooski, and usually those types of days are kinda slow as well. Overall though, the fishing has been good and steady, nothing outrageous as the bigger fish still are being a bit shy, but that should change real soon. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #20-22, Tan Caddis #14-16, a few Tricos #22-24, and ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
Water temps were in the upper 60's this evening on the Winooski where I was guiding. We got a few wild rainbows on some flats on dries; and then fished some bigger water and got some wild bows up to 12" on dries. We've got some rain tomarrow and then much cooler temps. The fishing should really get cranking later this week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Winooski I was on today were around 65 all day. We landed lots of smaller wild bows up to 11", and one brookie thrown in for good measure. Looks like southern Vt. will get slammed with rain, but I don't think we'll get too much from I-89 north. With cooler temps in the forecast, we're going to be in great shape next week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I went up to the Big C for a full day with a couple of great clients of mine. While I've seen the Big C a bit more friendly than it was today, we still did very well for fishing in the middle of the day in sunny 80 degree weather. Water temps stayed under 68 all day, and we landed around 20 rainbows and browns up to 17", mostly on dries. Flows were dropped during the middle of the day which helped a bit. I've had a schedule change and I now have the prime dates of 9/24, 25, and 26 open for guiding if any of you are interested. Those dates will get filled pretty quick being fall foliage season. Looks like we'll get a bit of rain from Hanna, while southern Vt. could get up to an inch. Look for a hot one tomarrow, then things will improve. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
My client and I hit a small stream on the west slopes of the Greens today and we did very well. Lots of small wild bows and a couple of wild browns all on dries. Water temp was 65F at 4:30 pm. The big rivers may hit 70 in the pm over the next two days, until we get some rain and cooldown. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Fishing has been good in the early mornings and evenings during this bright warm weather, and the Winooski continues to produce lots of smaller wild bows, but not too many big fellas. The Winooski has a bit more water in it than the Lamoille right now, so on some stretches you may be subjected to bumps in flows from the reservoirs. The forecast looks pretty dry until the weekend, with just a weak front pushing through on Thursday with very litte if any rain. The weekend though, looks pretty wet with the remnants of Hannah heading this way. There's a chance it'll stay south and east of us, but I think we'll see some precip this weekend. With the past few weeks being pretty dry, and water levels being normal, I think we'll handle even a pretty good soaking a-ok. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
After this summer, we deserved a weekend like this. The Big C fished well on Friday pm and Saturday; my wife and I got about 2 dozen wild and stocked rainbows and browns up to 17" mostly on dries during a 5 hr. float on Saturday. The river is still running at about twice its average flow for this time of year, but there are plenty of fish around. Rivers within Vermont are still slowly dropping, but are in good shape for this time of year. Fishing may be a bit slower over the next couple of days in the mid-afternoon hours on the big waters becuase of the sunny hot weather, but the mornings will still be a solid bet. Small streams are in good shape as well. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-16, BWO's #18-22, Tricos #22-24, Stoneflies #8-12, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
I guided down on a couple tribs of Otter Creek today, and while we had some good opportunities and caught all species of wild trout on dries, it was admittedly, "a bit off" today. I tend to chalk it up to above normal flows in these streams; they were clear as a bell but had way more water in them then they normally would have at this time of year. Water temps were in the upper 50's and low 60's. Everything still looks good for the forecast overall, so the fishing should be very good on most waters that have wild trout and /or good numbers of stockies leftover. I'll be up on the Big C thru Monday, so my reports will pick up then. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Tricos #22-24, a few Epherons (lower stretches of Winooski, Lamoille, Otter, and White) #12-14, BWO's #20-22, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
We really could not have better conditions right now around the state. Water temps are holding under 70 on the big rivers due to a bit of extra water and cold overnight temps, and fish are really starting to get active. I stopped by one of my favorite pools on the lower Lamoille at around 1:30 today and sure enough fish were junk feeding on the surface whereever it was shady. I still have few prime dates open for September and early October, so drop me a line if you're interested in getting out and enjoying these great conditions! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
After all the high water and floods, I was wondering how the more vulnerable and smaller wild fish and the stocked ones fared this summer. On the Winooski, which has had high dirty water most of the time since mid-June, I have seen great numbers of smaller 6-10" wild rainbows in most river sections. Stockies on both the Winooski and Lamoille seem to have fared ok as well. My client today was a beginner and he did very well in the Waterbury area landing 6 wild bows, and hooking atleast another 6 as well. At the end of our trip, I fired two blind casts onto a riffle and managed to land a 17" brown. A beautiful fish. Isonychias were sporadic in hatching, but we were on the water from noon to 4 which is not yet prime time for them. Water temp was 66-67F. We're shaping up for a great month and half of fishing with this current weather pattern. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Most areas had well under a 1/4 inch of rain last night and with much cooler weather this week, the fishing should only get better. A lot of folks I've talked to lately have been mostly touching the smaller wild rainbows and stocked fish, but rest assured, once the flows on the Winooski and Lamoille drop just a bit more, the big fish will start looking up. Both rivers have had rather large fluctuations in river flows over the past week and even though they remained fishable throughout, the Winooski has been still a bit dingy in some stretches, and most wild fish around here don't like to eat dries when the water level is rising....even if its from a dam release and not rain. Overall though, the fishing has been very good, with some small streams really turning out some nice fish. We're looking dry all week, with temps slowly warming up to seasonable temps with cool nights. If anyone is interested in doing a trip to the Upper Ct. on Thur. 9/4 or Fri. 9/5, I do have those dates open. Water temps range from the upper 50's thru the 60's depending on river size and location. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I was on a trib of the Lamoille on Saturday pm and did not see any Flying Ants, but I'm sure they will continue to be around the state this week. We have a bit of front moving thru overnight, but any rain we get from it will be fine, as some small streams could use a topping off, and the big rivers are in great shape. Afterwards, we have cooler and dry weather thru Thursday, so the fishing should be great this week. I'll heading up to the Big C at the end of the week, and if anyone would like to do a trip up there on Friday, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Yellow Quills #16-18, Tricos #22-24, Stoneflies #8-12, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #8-14. Good luck on the water!
Two words for the Winooski this evening...FLYING ANTS!! From Richmond through Montpelier, flying ants were all over the place. We caught lots of small wild bows, but the big fish still didn't want to look up in the higher than average flows. Some tribs of the Winooski did not have any ants in their respective valleys, despite a close proximity to the Winooski. I would expect to continue seeing ant activity over the next week in any valleys that have not seen them yet. Water temps on the Winooski were in the mid to upper 60's. Hatches are the same as previous days; plus the ants #14/16 work fine....good luck on the water!
The fishing continues to be very good right now, especially on the smaller water. The Lamoille is now in very good shape with well above average flows, but it is running clear and the extra flow will help it beat the heat over the next two days. The Winooski is still high because of high flows out of Wrightsville and Waterbury Reservoirs. Until they settle down (which could be as early as tomarrow), flows are a bit dingy and higher than what's comfortable for most folks. The Big C is still a bit high; though I have brought fish up on big dries at its current flows. Small streams could not be in better shape. Water temps are in the low to mid 60's on the big rivers right now; but some may hit 70 tomarrow and Saturday pm. Overall though, water temps couldn't be much better for this time of year. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, Epherons #12-14,(mostly Winooski and parts of Otter Crk.), Tricos #22-24, BWO's #20-22, Ants/Beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
Small streams are back in decent shape and my clients have been doing pretty well despite the higher, sometimes dingy flows. The Lamoille is fishable though it is certainly at May water levels and has a tad of dinge still in it in spots. The Winooski is still suffering from high flows out of the reservoirs that feed the mainstem. With a dry forecast through Saturday, and fairly cold overnight temps, we should see some very good fishing coming up. The Big C is still too high to fish, but should be shaping up in the next 2-3 days. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Tricos #22-24, BWO's #20-22, Stoneflies #8-10, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, and terrestrials like ants/beetles 12-20, and hoppers #10-14. September is really starting to fill up, so for those of you interested in trying to "salvage" a mostly wet season and get into some nice fish, drop me a line. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille is now fishable throughout its length os of this morning. The Winooski should be in pretty good shape also, now that the powers that be have reduced flows out of the reservoirs throughout the Winooski watershed. We do have strong cold front swinging thru later in the evening which could muck some things up, but in general, we "should" be in good shape this week. The forecast is sunny and dry the rest of the week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
All but the biggest rivers are in great shape right now. Hopefully we don't get too much rain from the cold front pushing thru on Monday pm. Afterwards we can expect dry and sunny weather. Be on the lookout for flying ants this week. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-20, Tricos #22-24, BWO's #20-22, and a few Little Yellow Quills #16-18. Good luck on the water!
We're still seeing a gradual improvment in river conditions around the state. The Lamoille had about 1-2 feet or so of visability above Morrisville; and was clear above Hardwick. I guided on a small stream in the Northest Kingdom and we managed to talk some nice fish up through some high, clear water. The biggest fish was a 13" wild rainbow. The Winooski is still completely stuffed on the lower half; yet I did see a hardy soul below Bolton Dam giving it a go. For a change we got lucky on the weather and had a drier day than was forecast for most areas. The reservoirs on the tribs of both the Lamoille and Winooski (Green, Little, Wrightsville, and Marshfield #6)are still running lots of water into the mainstems, and my guess is when those things drop their flow, both rivers will become much more fishable. We have a great forecast coming up with only a front coming through on Monday pm. The rest of the week is dry and seasonable which is exactly what we need. Water temps are in very good shape for this time of year; ranging from the mid 50's to the upper 60's depending on stream size and location. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-20, BWO's #20-22, Tricos #22-24, Stoneflies #8-10, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
Finally, a dry, sunny and breezy day to really help dry things out! Conditions continue to improve around the state, with most small streams in very good shape. The upper Lamoille should be fishable by tomarrow. We do have some rain in the forecast for Friday into Saturday. It look like a .25-1.00" rainfall, with the higher amounts in the eastern half of the state and north of I-89. If we stay around .50" over a 12 hr period, we should be fine and the big rivers won't really rise. If we get some heavier downpours in a thunderstorm....it'll be a crap shoot as to what gets dirty and unfishable. The extended forecast looks as good as any forecast for the past two months. Mostly dry all next week aside from a front on Monday which will be a fast mover. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
With each passing day we are seeing better and better conditions with more small streams and some bigger ones becoming in good fishing shape. The exceptions to this are some areas of Addison and Rutland counties, where rain keeps falling on those tribs of Otter Creek. We don't have any big rains forecast, just the nuisance variety that generally won't bring water levels back up. The Winooski and Lamoille still have a way to go yet, but we may see some portions of these bigger rivers fishable by the weekend. The Big C is still raging with excess releases from the Ct. Lakes. These flows should remain high through the weekend. September guiding is starting to fill up, so if you're interested in getting out for some good Fall fishing, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well it looks like there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel. Many small streams in the state are now in good fishable shape. The major tribs of the Winooski, and Otter Creeks are still very high and won't be in good shape for a couple more days atleast; the Lamoille's tribs are in a bit better shape. The big rivers themselves are still real mucked up, but with the slightly drier long term forecast, we "should" see the upper halves of the big rivers become fishable by the end of the weekend. Hopefully this forecast sticks! Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tircos #22-24, Epherons (white fly) #12-14, BWO's #20-22, Golden Stones #8-10, Tan Caddis #14-20, and terrestrials like ants,beetles #12-20, and smaller hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
After a one day break, we're back under the gun for heavy, flooding rains today and Monday. Some areas of Addison and Washington country have gotten heavy rains during the afternoon. In N. Underhill, we really haven't seen much...yet. There are some small streams that are fishable, but if any of them get a good downpour on them, they'll come right back up. The Winooski and Lamoille are still a long ways from being fishable. It looks like the next dry day could be on Thursday or Friday. Look for the clear stuff and good luck on the water!
More rains today, with some areas really prone to flash flooding; while other areas have seen plenty of rain but not flood conditions. Looks like the rain will continue through the evening, w/ .50"-1.00" w/ isolated heavier amounts up to 3". Saturday may be pretty dry, and then Sunday pm into Monday we have another strong system coming in; and maybe next Thursday we'll start to dry out! Hatches are not an issue right now, if you do find a small stream thats not roaring, go deep and good luck on the water!
It seems amazing that I could actually have the same report for what seems like the better part of 3 weeks. Things are not looking any better out there, and in many ways we're getting deeper in the hole. Flash flooding just hammered the Middlebury and Neshobe Rivers among others yesterday in Addison and Rutland counties. Some places in Orange Co. have seen 4 inches of rain today, and looking at the flows of a bunch of small streams, its amazing that even in streams where no torrential rains have recently happened (say, under .75" in the past 24 hrs), flows are running at closer to 50cfs rather than the average of only 3cfs! We're very likely to see alot of changes to alot of area streams as flows for this duration of time tend to cause erosion, landslides, and lots of movement of gravel. As for the fishing forecast...ehhh, not so good. Another .50-1.50" of rain through Friday with higher amounts to 3" in slow moving storms. A bit of a break on Saturday, but the damage may be done with Fridays rains; then late Sunday another potentially heavy round of rain slowly tapering off through Wednesday. The next "potentially" dry day is next Thursday for most areas. As I elduded to in recent reports, I don't believe that the Winooski below Montelier or the Lamoille below Johnson will be fishable for atleast 7-10 days. Small streams that haven't been battered by recent floods will be the way to go. Hatches are largely irrelevent right now, be safe, stay dry and good luck on the water!
More nasty and destructive weather today. In the morning, Addison and Washington counties got slammed again with heavy rains and rivers in the area came up over 2 feet in most places. Southwestern Vermont also got hit hard in the late morning. In the afternoon, we've seen more bad storms in Addison and Rutland counties and some places have recieved another 6" of rain! We seem to be lucking out a bit so far here in N. Underhill with only about .50" of rain so far, but all the streams near me are now high and dirty. Look for this weather to continue through the weekend which could mean more flooding. Monday looks dry.... Not much else new to report; it isn't even safe being out on stillwater with these t-storms around. If you can find clear water, good luck!
Small streams are in great shape right now, and while the major tribs to the big rivers are still high, some of them are clear enough to fish. And now, the rest of the story: another flood watch has been issued for all of Vt. north of Rte. 4, and the northern two-thirds of NH. It looks like the region will get .50-1.25" w/ locally higher amounts, which could send some of our waters back up to bank full. Sigh. Things aren't looking too flash for Thur. thru Sunday with another upper level low spinning over us. This one looks cooler with a bit less rain than this past weekend, so if you can find clear water, the fishing should be okay between the raindrops even in the middle of the day. At this point the only positive spin I can put on this season so far, is that "when" the rivers drop and clear, the fishing should be incredible! Reason being: fish haven't been removed by consumptive anglers since they too, haven't been able to fish much; the fish haven't been pounded by anglers so they should be a bit less uptight and spooky; there has not been as much heat stress and, we won't have LOW water conditions! The exceptions to this would be some of more popular waters in the far south like the Battenkill and Mettawee, which have seen less rain over the summer period, and always have a few anglers on them. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Rivers around the northern two-thirds of the state continue to be running at record highs, or close to it. Many small streams are fishable, though they're running at May water levels. Southern Vt.'s waters are in much better shape. It looks like Wednesday will bring some more showers and t-storms, then Thursday will be mostly dry, before the next big system arrives late on Friday. At this point I will venture that the Lamoille below Johnson, and the Winooski below Montpelier will be largely unfishable for atleast another week. The Big C is also blown out for awhile. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Its become a bit of a cliche, but I truly feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. In N. Underhill we've recieved 2.72" of rain since Thursday and its still coming down. I managed to guide on the Big C last Wednesday and Thursday in some pretty high, but clear water. The first day we got 9 or 10 fish, mostly on nymphs up to 14". The second day hooked some really nice fish, about 5 of them in the 14-18"+ range, but we had a hard time with landing them in the high flows. We did land 4 or 5 others up to 13". I fished a bit after my trips and landed some nice fish on big dry flies, and I also hooked a big brown of 18" or so on a dry in high rising water. As for Vt. waters, everything is pretty blown out, including many small streams from all this rain. I recall saying back around 7/25 that I doubted the bigger water on the Winooski or Lamoille would be fishable the rest of July. Well, it looks like it may be over a week before they become fishable. The extended forecast is exactly like the last week; a % of showers most days, then by Thursday we could be setting up for another big upper level Low setting up shop over us. This could mean big rains again. We're starting to see some damage from flooding on some smaller waters already. Small streams will be the way to go right now though since the big rivers are stuffed. I've had to postpone as many trips as possible in these conditions to later in August and into September, and because of that September is starting to fill up a bit. So, if you're interested in getting out in the traditionally excellant month of September for some fishing, you may want to drop me a line sooner than later. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tricos #22-24, Tan Caddis #16-20, Golden Stones #8-10, BWO's #20-22, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20, and hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille and Winooski are still pretty stuffed though the upper reaches of both should be in fishable shape by tomarrow. The bigger tribs still have a lot of water in them for this time of year, but are completely fishable. It appears that the "powers that be" have decided to keep flows at a very nice 472cfs out of Lake Francis on the Big C through Monday. The lower water towards Bloomfield is still a bit high, but upstream is fine and levels are dropping. I'll be up on the Big C from Wednesday through Sunday, but here's what you can expect between now and then: starting tomarrow pm through Friday, we "could" get between .50"-1.25" in the way of showers and thunderstorms. This means the Winooski, Lamoille, Otter,will remain dirty in the lower reaches over that time...unless they really manage to miss out on much rain, which is unlikely. The Lamoille above the Wild Branch in Wolcott should be ok unless they get a big downpour. The Winooski from Plainfield upstream should be "ok", but is subject to releases from Marshfield reservoir and gets dirty in something as simple as a .33" short downpour. Those isolated heavier t-storms could muck up the major tribs of Winooski, Lamoille or Otter, but they should be ok. Southern Vt. has a lower risk of heavier rains right now, so things should be ok. Small stuff is in great shape. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Small streams around the area are in great shape with cool temps and comfortable levels. The largest tribs to the Lamoille and Winooski still have quite a bit of water in them, makes the fishing feel more like early May levels. The upper reaches of the Winooski and Lamoille may be in fishable shape by Wednesday....just in time for the next batch of rain! Hopefully this next system is less potent than the last couple. It looks like off and on showers with an occasional rumble of thunder; but no huge rains. The Big C is fishing well below Lake Francis, though the lower reaches around Bloomfield are still a bit high. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I'm not one to generally gripe about too much rain, but I suppose I'm guilty of it now. Another .60" of rain fell yesterday in Underhill, and I drove along the whole length of the Lamoille watershed yesterday just as the rains arrived in Johnson. The whole river was still stuffed up, and it poured throughout most of Lamoille county last evening. The Winooski is still very high and dirty due to all the extra water being relased out of Wrightsville and Waterbury Reservoirs. That will take a while. Some small steams are actually in good shape and are fishing well, but its the larger tribs and the big rivers which may take a few more days, especially with more rain forecast on Monday. The Big C is slowly but surely dropping and hopefully it gets down under 700 cfs below Lake Francis by Wednesday. Hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Tricos #22-24, Blue Quills #18, BWO's #20-22, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #8-10, and terrestrials like small hoppers #10-14, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Well it looks like we made it through the big rains with pretty minor flooding, but the big rivers and their major tribs are going to be stuffed up for awhile. The major tribs should take a day or so (provided no t-storms dump lots of rain), while the Lamoille and Winooski will be unfishable for atleast 3 more days and w/ chances of t-storms later in the weekend it could be longer. Small streams will be the way to go for the time being. Hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tricos #22-24, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #8-10, and terrestrials like hoopers #10-14, beetles and ants #12-20. Good luck on the water!
test
Another .75"+- of rain from 7pm Sunday thru 1pm Monday has brought most rivers in the northern 2/3rds of the state to record highs for the date. In the far south where things have been drier, they are also at high, mostly unfishable levels. It is now 2 pm and the rain has started up again and it looks like we'll be getting hit for the next 4-6 hours...not what we need. The forecast for the rest of the week is getting scarier by the hour. We've already had 1-3" statewide over the past 24 hrs or so, (2.56" in N. Underhill) and continued off and on stuff thru Tuesday, the ground can't really take anymore rain. But Wednesday there is potential for another 1-2" which will make things real dicey in terms of potential flooding on area waters. Hopefully it doesn't come to fruition, but it's not lookin' good. That being said, some small streams will remain fishable, but they will have alot of water in them and most fish probobly won't rise to much. Go big if you do fish dry. Hatches won't make any difference during this week, but good luck and be safe out on the water!
Steady rains have brought up water levels on most waters around the state. We've gotten over 2" of rain from the past 24 hrs or so in N. Underhill. The Lamoille and Winooski will stay high and dirty for a few days since the ground is so saturated and we have a chnace of rain every day this week. Some small streams will be fishable in a day or so but they will be running fast. I was down on the Battenkill and Mettawee this weekend and the water levels were surprisingly low. Yesterday the Battenkill was 74 degrees at 4pm; so they could use the rain they're getting right now. The Mettawee stayed cool all day, but the river did not have near as many rainbows in the 5-10" range as what I've been used to seeing over the years. We did find some big fish for that river; we got a 14" bow, a 12" brown, a 12" bow, and saw two other bows that were 14-16"; but those smaller wild rainbows not around and we tried a number of stretches. On the way home today, all of the tribs to Otter Creek were rising and getting dirty. Hatches are the same as previous days, though you can add Tricos to the list for far southern Vt; good luck on the water!
Wow, big t-storms rolled thru parts of the Lamoille watershed this morning. I was guiding on a trib of the Lamoille and we had to get off the water due to torrential rains dirtying the stream a bit and lots of lightning. We still did very well in the hour we were out; we hooked 4 fish and landed 2 browns in the 10-12" class on dries. Look like the far north and the Upper Ct. are getting these storms; while from the Winooski south is in the clear. In fact, it looks as though the Big C is getting pretty hammered so I expect that it may run dirty for a day or two. I'll be down in southwestern Vt for the weekend, so my reports will pick up on Sunday pm. We have a 30-60% chance of t-storms, mostly north of Rte. 2, all weekend, and then a more significant weather system bringing some region wide showers and t-storms on Monday/Tuesday. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a wild trout stream down in central VT, and we did well landing wild rainbows up to 14" or so and we sight fished to some truly oversized wild trout, including a brown of about 22" or so. It's tough to get those fish to eat when theres not much hatching and they're always moving around in a pool! My client loved it regardless of hooking any of these big fish, because he knew he atleast had a chance since we actually found the fish. The big rivers have dropped right back to average water levels, and with this warm muggy weather, the bigger rivers are unfishable due to water well into the 70's. We have a chance of t-showers each day thru the weekend with the best chance north of Rte. 2. After the weekend, things will cool down but remain a bit unsettled, which is fine by me! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Lamoille I guided on were in the low 60's throughout the mornings hours. Some fish were looking up, while others wanted the nymph in the deeper pools. We landed wild and stocked browns up to 13", hooked one bigger, and got many native brookies as well. The Lamoille is still higher than the Winooski, but bith rivers are now fishable in the mornings. Many areas of both rivers will warm into the 70's in the afternoon so pm fishing should be avoided. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had two trips today; the first was in the morning on a trib of the Lamoille and we had something that has only happened once before while I've been guiding...we caught two fish on one cast! Using a dry and dropper, a 12" brown hit the dry, while a 8" brown hit the nymph. The water was still high from the rains, so we found the fish to be a bit clustered out of the current. We also got some wild rainbows on dries. Water temp was 61 degrees. This afternoon I did an instruction with a father and son and we had fun going over the basics and the son caught a few small wild rainbows. Water temp then was a still somewhat cool 68 degrees on a trib of the Winooski. The Lamoille is still completely stuffed, while the Winooski is high and dingy but nothing near as bad as the Lamoille around Jeffersonville. Thanks to those of you who filled up those two dates at the end of July on the Upper Ct. If anyone has interest in fishing the always cool Big C during August, drop me a line. Floating the river and casting hoppers or fishing BWO's on the flats in August can be a blast. Hatches consist of Tan Caddis #14-20, Lt. Cahills #12-16, some Sulphurs #16-20, Blue Quills #18, Golden Stones #8-10, and terrestrials like Hoppers #10-14, and ants/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
After 1.4" of rain yesterday here in Underhill and more in other areas, the Lamoille, Winooski, and Upper Ct. are all high and dirty. Many of the bigger tribs are also off-color, but most are still fishable. The Winooski and Lamoille should clear up by Wednesday pm or Thursday am in the lower stretches. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As of 7:30pm, 1.10" of rain has fallen here in N. Underhill, and it looks like another .25" or so is on the way. Some areas of the state are getting more than that, so most streams and the bigger rivers will be high tomarrow, and in the case of the Winooski, White, Lamoille, Otter Creek, and the Upper Ct. they will all be in varying shades of dirty. Most small steep gradient streams will be clean enough to fish tomarrow. Hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Sulphurs #16-20,Blue Quills #18, Golden Stones #8-10, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Drakes #10, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Remember to clean your gear after each stream you visit and good luck on the water!
Water temps on the lower,lower Winooski were a balmy 76 degrees this afternoon. I had some beginner clients so we bass fished as a change of pace. We had a great time and landed a half dozen smallies. The big rivers are still struggling to get below 70 so it was good to have this bonus overcast cool day. Saturday will send water temps way up again, so try to avoid the big water this weekend. Sunday looks wet with another strong front and potential heavy rains. For the Lamoille and Winooski valleys....we could use it! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
My clients and I shortened our trip to the Big C to one day and we had to battle pretty dingy to dorty warter on certain stretches during the day. We did real well considering, landing over 25 brookies and browns up to 15.5" on dries. And now to the not so good news...as most of us have heard by now, the Mad has Didymo algae. A royal bummer to be sure, but not entirely unexpected. I always thought that the Mad or Ottauquechee would be next due to thier proximity to the White and that they're in tourist valleys where folks may not know about Didymo. Regardless, its an understatement to say that we REALLY need to pay attention in cleaning our gear. The sad reality is not only the Mad has didymo cells in it, the Winooski downstream of the confluence must have some Didymo cells as well. Whether the Winooski is too warm or has too much nutrient enrichment for Didymo's liking remains to be seen. But anyone who has fished the Mad in the past month (it would have to take a month for the degree of Didymo in Warren to grow that thick) from Warren village downstream and went to another water w/o cleaning has in all liklihood spread it to those waters as well. Get into a routine about cleaning and it doesn't have to be a hassle. Hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Sulphurs #16-20, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #8-10, Blue Quills #18, BWO's #20-24, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Clean that gear and good luck on the water!
A cold front moving the state today has dumped alot of rain in some areas, while in other areas the rains have been pretty light. Here in N. Underhill we've barely gotten .25"; while areas of Addison,Bennington,Essex and eastern Franklin county have gotten 1-3" of rain. I don't expect the Winooski or Lamoille to rise too much in water level as they were getting pretty low, but they may be dingy in spots. Water temps are still too warm to fish on the big rivers right now, so please keep to the cooler smaller waters, or a tailwater like the Big C. I actually will be up on the Big C guiding Thursday and Friday so my reports will pick back up on Friday pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Lamoille and Winooski are within a couple of degrees within lethal limits for trout right now, so if you want to fish big water, fish the lowest reaches for smallies. Small, well shaded streams are fishing ok, but they need a bit of rain as the fish are pretty spooky. Some t-storms are popping up around the state this afternoon (Essex Co. Vt, Addison Co.) and the main cold front is approaching the St. Lawrence Valley which means we'll be getting some rain overnight and early Wednesday. The big rivers will still have the "delay effect", which means it will take another day or so after the front before all this super warm water is flushed out from behind the dams and cools the water below 70. By Friday Am we should be ok. I'm trying to set up another guiding stint on the Upper Ct. during the last week of July. I have Wednesday 7/30 and Thursday 7/31 open right now. The Ct. Lakes have finally purged themselves of the record June rains in the area and should fish outstanding from here on out, so drop me a line if you're interested. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another hot one has put the big rivers in serious shape for trout right now. The Winooski is near 76 for the second day in a row and with a warmer night tonight and an even hotter day tomarrow, trout will be under alot of heat stress. I doubt waters on the Lamoille or Winooski will even be under 70 in most spots at dawn. If you see fish at the mouths of cold tribs in shallow water, please don't fish to them...they're not there to eat. Looks like a strong cold front will push through Vt. on Wednesday bringing t-storms and potentially heavy rainfall in those storms. Despite a thoroughly wet June, water levels are dropping below average for the time of year. So this rain will be a big help along with the much cooler temps for Thursday and Friday. The Big C just saw a drop in releases out of Lake Francis so flows are now perfect. You won't see much hatching in daylight with this weather, but hatches consist of Lt. Cahills #12-16, Sulphurs #16-20, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #8-10, Lil Blue Quills #18, Tiny BWO's #22-24, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Looks like mid-summer weather has kicked in around the region. I just got back from an extended stay over in NH and on the Big C. The Upper Ct. was too high most days to fish, though we did find some nice fish up in the Pittsburg area. I also fished some Northeast Kingdom streams I had not fished in some time and found the fishing to be outstanding. My wife caught 25 native brookies up to 11" on dries in two hours! As we drove home today, all the waters we drove by were at decent levels for the time of year. We'll have a chance of t-storms increasingly until Wednesday when it looks like we'll all get some rain. The big rivers will be too warm to fish in the pm when the weather is in the 80's like this. Small streams should be a-ok. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Light Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-20, Golden Stones #10-12, Summer Blue Quills #18, Hexagenia #6-10 (on NE Kingdom Lakes), and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille and Winooski continue to be high and dirty and with more rain forecast Thursday, Sunday-Tuesday, I'm not sure how fishable the big rivers will be over that time. I'll be guiding and fishing up on the Big C and area waters until July 4th, so while I may try to get a report or two in, my reports won't pick back up until 7/4. There won't be too much new in the meantime; Cahills should pick up a bit, and summer Blue Quills will arrive the first week of July. Make sure to bring a stream thermometer and keep an eye out for river flows, and whereever you can find clear water, the fishing should be good considering how cold its going to be over the weekend and early next week. Good luck on the water!
Oh rain, how you torture me. Got driven to the truck during two different downpours on a trib of the Lamoille today. Flows were high and slightly dingy due to all the rain, but we got a nice 11" wild brown, a few smaller fish, and hooked a nice 14" brown that came popped off in fast water. The Winooski is high and in pretty rough shape, while the Lamoille is just plain unfishable. Below Johnson will take atleast 2 days to clear. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Lamoille is blown out from yesterdays rains, while the Winooski is generally in good shape. Water temps haven't gotten over 70, and the fishing is holding up pretty well. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Light Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stonefly nymphs #10-14, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Things are shaping up well now for the Winooski and Lamoille but they are at mid May water levels, and we continue to get heavy showers along the spine of the Greens...another .32" here in N. Underhill over the past 18 hrs. Fishing should be good on Saturday under warmer weather and drier skies. Water temps will be excellant for this time of year. The not so good news is it looks like we have a BIG rainfall coming for Sunday and Sunday night region wide. 1-1.5" of rain...just what we really don't need! I'm in NH thru Monday am, so my reports will pick up then. Hatches are the same as previous days, enjoy Saturday, and stay dry on Sunday...good luck on the water!
Another cool showery day is keeping water temps in the perfect range around the state. Small stream fishing is very good right now, while the big river fishing varies depending on how high or dingy certain stretches of the Lamoille, Winooski and Otter Creek are. The Big C is still off the charts flow wise which is a real bummer. The forecast is now calling cooler unsettled weather through most of next week now. Saturday is the exception, with more sun and upper 70's, but Sunday has a forecast for steady rains...which we don't need at this point. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, Cream Cahills (Stenonema) #12-16, Stonefly nymphs #10-14, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Conditions continue to be moody on the big waters due to higher flows and dirty water in stretches. Small streams are in great shape. I hope things stay pretty dry oveer the next few days to allow the big rivers to clear and drop a bit; especially the Big C. Water temps range throughout the upper 50's and 60's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski was 66 degrees at 9am on the stretch I was guiding on this morning. The river is fishable above Middlesex Dam, but still has a slight dinge to it and its running a bit above average for the time of year; which if it was totally clear would be no problem. The fish were moody today, though we did get a nice 13" brown. The Lamoille is back up and stuffed from Johnson downstream. I knew we'd be getting payback from mother nature for only getting .42" this past Saturday while many other places got inches of rain. Well, yesterday in N. Underhill we got 1.45" of rain from almost constant t-storms all afternoon and evening. These are the storms that hit portions of Lamoille and mucked it up. There are more storms scattered around the state today as of 2:30pm, so river conditions could change rapidly. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Light Cahills #12-16, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #8-14, and ants/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the upper Lamoille were 67 degrees at 9 am today. The river was clear, but really moving. We landed a mix of wild and stocked rainbows including one 12" wild bow that fought incredibly hard in fast water. The Lamoille below Johnson is high and dingy, as is the Winooski below Montpelier. We're expecting another round of t-storms later this afternoon, which hopefully won't drop too much rain. In N. Underhill we got another .33" last night. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We got some pretty serious rains in certain areas of the state last night. The town of Ripton, at the headwaters of the Middlebury River, got up to 8" of rain! Most areas were in the 1-2" range, and we only got .42" in North Underhill. The Lamoille is up today, but is in far better shape than the Winooski, or most tribs of Otter Creek. Small streams will be the way to go for the most part. The upper Lamoille should be ok by tomarrow. The forecast calls for more potentially severe storms Moday pm...hopefully we don't get too much too fast. Much cooler weather then arrives for the rest of the week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Winooski below Bolton Dam were 61 degrees at 8 am where I was guiding this morning. We did pretty well, catching a mix of wild rainbows and stocked browns. Fish were rising sporadically to a nice little caddis hatch which was nice. Heavy rains of 1-2" w/ up to 3" in spots are still forecast for the rest of today and tonight even though nothing has happened yet north of I-89. I think everybody will get in on the action when all is said and done. Sunday looks ok, but then another strong front w/ possible t-storms on Monday and MUCH cooler showery weather the rest of the week. I'll be honest, aside form this heavy rain today, I'm lovin' that forecast as long as we don't get too much rain north of I-89. On the national drought index, the southern 4 counties of Vermont are considered to be in early stages of a drought. Up north, we're in pretty good shape thanks to a wet past 2 weeks. Hatches consist of Tan Caddis #14-18, Sulphurs #16-18, Cream Cahills #12-14, Stonefly nymphs #10-14, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I had a full day on the Winooski and one of its smaller tribs today. Water temps around Waterbury were 63 degrees at 8 am. We caught a mix of wild and stocked rainbows, highlighted by a nice 16" wild bow. Then it was on to a mountain trib to cool off. We caught a 11" and 13" wild brown, and literally countless brookies on dries. Looks like we're in for some nasty weather tomarrow with potentially heavy rains of 1-2". That will send our big rivers back up to unfishable levels for a bit. Small streams will certainly go bonkers too, but should be ok by Sunday pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Both the Winooski and Lamoille are a bit high and off-colored. Fishable, but it ain't pretty. Small streams are in great shape. Looks like a warm one tomarrow followed by a pretty good chance of showers on Saturday and then some nice, cool, unsettled weather for early next week. Water temps on the big rivers are in the mid 60's in the early am, but over 70 in the pm. Smaller streams are a-ok temp wise. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We got some pretty serious raind around most of the state, and the rivers have responded. The Winooski and Lamoille and other big rivers around the state are high and off-color. Small streams are the way to go right now. The southern half of the state got a bit less than rain than up north. We got a total of 1.84" of rain from the two rounds yesterday here in N. Underhill. Forecast is for drier weather until the weekend when it may be showery. No big heat though which is great. We've already had about 70+% of our monthly average rainfall this month, so hopefully we can stay reasonabley wet and not go into any dry spells. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
This cold front is coming through just in time! Water temps on the Winooski hit 76 degrees in spots today, and that is getting real close to lethal temps. The Lamoille and other big rivers are in similar shape. One round of storms came thru around 3 pm today; we got about .76" of rain here in N. Underhill, but things were clearly worse just to the south of us. Both the Lamoille and Winooski received rain over most of their watershed from this first round; but the White and rivers south missed out. As of 6:30pm, another round of storms is in the 'Dacks, and will be here in a couple of hours. The second round is shaping up to be just as rainy, so there will be a number of waters that will be off color tomarrow. I still have Monday 6/30, and Tuesday 7/1 open for guiding on the Upper Ct that week. If you're interested in doing an overnight camping trip; I can provide accomadations. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The brutally hot weather continues through Tuesday, and in the meantime please avoid fishing the big rivers. Water temps on the Winooski in Montpelier hit almost 75 degrees today, and the Lamoille is no better off. Small stream fishing has been holding up pretty well thanks to the recent rains. The cold front arriving tomarrow afternoon means serious business with heavy rain, large hail, and lots of thunder/lightning. Much cooler weather arrives for the rest of the week. Hatches won't come off until almost dark in this weather so don't expect much right now. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski and Lamoille have just barely reached 70 degrees late this afternoon; which, considering the weather, is not near as bad as later in the summer when levels are lower and this kind of weather would put water temps well into the 70's. Things will only be tougher for the big rivers ove the next 2 days while muggy stuff continues. The extended forecast calls for much cooler and drier weather by Wednesday. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Tan Caddis #14-18, March Browns #10-14,Brown Drakes #10-12(mostly just the Lamoille), and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Whoa, big rains last night in quite a few areas. We got 1.06" from midnight thru 11am today here in N. Underhill. The Lamoille from Johnson downstream and its tribs got hit pretty hard and are mostly dirty. Upstream towards Wolcott "may" be ok; or atleast may be by tomarrrow. The Winooski got a good rain too and is dirty throughout most of its length. We needed the rain, and it came just in time to help offset the brutal weather forecast for Saturday thru Monday. Highs will be near 90, while overnight lows will only be in the mid to upper 60's....ugh. This will send all of the big rivers into the 70+ range at some point this weekend, and once they do please avoid fishing them when they're this warm. On the plus side, these rains have topped up the small streams, most of which will fish a-ok thru the heat. Brown Drakes should be starting on the Lamoille, but seeing as its generally a 3-5 day hatch and the river is dirty, we may miss a bit of it. I still have some openings for the Upper Ct. during the week of 6/30-7/4 if anyone is interested in "cooling off" and catching some nice fish! I also have few openings left for June as well. Hatches are the same as previous days, plus the potential Brown Drakes on the Lamoile....good luck on the water!
Water temps all over the Winooski today were about 61 degrees everywhere from Montpelier to Richmond. I had a blast with two local clients and we did well, getting fish to eat on the surface and with nymphs. The two biggest rainbows were between 18 and 20"!! We got some smaller wild and stocked bows, and about 5 browns 8-12". Checking the weather right now (10pm), we've got a line of pretty good rain coming in a couple of hours which will keep the Lamoille high and off color in most reaches, and the Winooski, while ok right now, won't take much to get a bit high for comfort. Speaking of comfort, the weather this weekend looks downright oppressive...around 90 and muggy on Saturday, and 85 and muggy on Sunday. I'll be guiding on the small streams which will have enough water in them and will be cool. A good sulphur hatch on the lower Winooski at dusk. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We received some much needed rains overnight, that has put the 48 hour rainfall total in Underhill at almost 1.00". The Lamoille is still a bit dingy, but it will need these higher flows to offset the hot weather forecast for this weekend. The Winooski is in a bit beter shape level and clarity wise. Um, Joe Aversa, if you are reading this could you please drop me a line as I've lost your contact info and we need to touch base before our trip on Saturday. Look for a gradual warm up in the weather thru Monday, though on most days there will be a shot at pm t-showers. Water temps range from the mid 50's on smaller streams up to the mid 60's on the bigger waters. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
A busy past couple of days for me. Yesterday I was down on the White, and despite one of my clients hooking a nice 16" wild brown, the bright warm weather made things pretty slow. Just an FYI, the White is COVERED in Didymo from Royalton upstream to atleast Bethal. When I got home, I soaked my gear,then put my stuff in the freezer overnight and froze them solid. Complete freezing also kills didymo. Today I did a morning instructional trip on the Lamoille and found that the t-storms that rolled thru up here last night kept the mainstem pretty dingy and a trib was clear but roaring high. Oh well, we need the rain. There is about 2-3 ft. of visability on the Lamoille below Johnson. This afternoon I guided on the Winooski, and while we hooked a bunch of fish including some big boys, we landed 1 18" rainbow. Fish were rising a bit to a steady Sulphur and Caddis hatch after 3pm. Looks like some much needed rain tonight and Wednesday, then a gradual warm up to the hot muggy stuff....party's over. By this weekend we'll be looking at water temps on the big rivers reaching and exceeding 70 degrees in the pm. Please avoid fishing in those conditions, it stresses the fish and does them no service in playing and releasing them in warm water. Early am will be the way to go from this weekend on; until we get more rain and/or a cooldown. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stonefly nymphs #10-14, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. I plan on being up on the Upper Ct. to guide on the week of 6/30 so if you're interested in "cooling off" and catching fish on dries, drop me a line. Good luck on the water!
Yesterday was just what the Dr. ordered...rain. Every major watershed in the state got a good topping off; with the Lamoille and Mississquoi getting hit the hardest after a line of t-storms came thru last night. The Winooski and White also came up to where they're suppossed to be for this time of year, with the Winooski getting dirty. The big rivers will take a day or so to become fishable, though the Lamoille may take a bit longer below Johnson. The forecast is for mostly unsettled weather with a pretty good chance of rain Tuesday night into Wednesday morning; and more unsettled weather the rest of the week. Nothing real warm either. It's great to have this kind of weather in June, thats for sure. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Stonefly nymphs #10-14, and Terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. For those of you interested in booking a trip on the Upper Ct. this summer, drop me a line. I provide overnight camping accomodations as well. Good luck on the water!
As of 9pm we've received .80" of rain here in North Underhill. Some of the area streams and rivers are a bit dirty, but they should come clean pretty quickly. Rainy days are essential to a good full season, so I'll take it. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Winooski I guided on this afternoon were around 64-65 degrees at 4pm. We hooked fish on both dries and nymphs, but it was hard going until the overcast rolled in. We saw a good hatch of Sulphurs #14-16, from about 4-5:30pm. Fish were not too receptive until the clouds rolled in. We can really use some rain, and it looks like we'll get a bit, and if we want more we'll have to get it by way of t-storms tomarrow afternoon. Lets hope for them! Hatches are the same as previous days, though you can add the summer sulphur (E. Dorothea #16-18) to the list. Good luck on the water!
I guided on the Winooski this afternoon, and after finding shady spots, did very well. We landed a mix of wild and stocked rainbows, and one 8" native brookie, which are pretty rare in the Winooski. The biggest wild bow was about 16". Not much hatching this afternoon...a little bit here, a little bit there...but we did get a couple on dries. Looks like rain Friday night and Saturday; lets hope its a soaker. Water temps range throughout the 50's and low 60's regionwide. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-16, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Yellow Sallies #14-18, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Not much new to report, conditions continue to be very good in general. Water levels are getting a bit low for my liking going into June, so hopefully we get some decent rain on Friday night and Saturday am. Thankfully, the air temps over the next 7 days do not contain any real warm weather. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a trib of Otter Creek today with a beginner and we had a great time. We hooked a bunch of rainbows and browns, landing a handful. Not much for afternoon hatch activity. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a doubleheader today, guiding on the Winooski in the morning; and the Lamoille in the afternoon. The Winooski had some active fish slamming caddis in the fast water thru about noon. The Lamoille was eerily quiet in the stretch I was in, and I wonder if this stretch had been pounded during the holiday weekend. The highlight was a beautiful 14" wild rainbow taked on a dry. We need the rain we're getting today, and I don't think it'll muck up any waters. Conditions are generally very good right now. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a trib of the Lamoille this afternoon and the insect activity was truly amazing. Spinnerfalls, Caddis hatching, Caddis mating swarms so big, they were over the road next to the river. Green egg sacs all over my windshield! We hooked many fish, all 3 species. It was pretty much as good as it gets on small stream. We did check out the Lamoille for a bit in the early evening but things were not as crazy as on the trib. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Wow, full day today. In the morning I guided a very enjoyable angler on a difficult wild trout stream and he got a nice 13" wild rainbow. We missed a couple of other fish, and then we found a big rainbow rising to a nice caddis hatch at the tail of a pool. A difficult situation for sure, and we put him down with one errant cast. Oh well, thats the challenge we love. In the afternoon I guided 3 clients on the Winooski and considering that two of them were beginners we did amazingly well: 3 rainbows 15-18", and 2 browns 15-16", including one on a dry. There was a steady sulphur hatch from 3 pm on. The Winooski was as crowded as I've ever seen it in many parts today, but we had a nice stretch of water to ourselves. Water temps are throughout the 50's region wide. Forecast is real good with a bit warmer weather and then a strong front with shores, and then cooler again. We like that as we enter June! I have only a handful of dates open thru mid June, so if you'd like to get in on some good fishing, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did an instructional trip this afternoon on the Lamoille. It seemed to pour every 45 minutes or so, which did not make things any easier. There was good P.A.D. (Pale afternoon Dun; E. Invaria) hatch on the lower river at around 3 pm and there were fish rising to them. I did not see a Hendrickson so I think it's finally fair to say the Hendies are about done. Hatches consist of P.A.D.'s #14-16, March Browns #10-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, Yellow Sallies #12-14. Conditions look great for the holiday weekend, good luck on the water!
I guided on the Winooski and a trib today and we did well. My clint was still a bit of a beginner but he managed to land 10 rainbows; a mix of wild and stocked fish highlighted by a beautiful 18" wild rainbow! We saw the first Sulphurs (E.Invaria, the bigger #14-16) and March Browns today, along with the everlingering Hendricksons. There was actually quite a hatch, and yet where we were, nobody was looking up. We did find a couple sporadic risers on some bigger slow water, but they were real tough. Water temps are in the low to mid 50's region wide due to this cold spell. Fine with me as highs on Monday may reach 80. Fishing will pick up as water temps get a bit closer to 60. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-16, March Browns #10-14, Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I'm an honest guy, and the fishing and guiding today was brutal for wild fish. We got 3 to eat the nymph, but once again, the hatches came off sporadic from 2pm thru 6pm, but never enough at once to bring fish up. Story of the season thus far. We did find one big fish rising on a big slow pool on the Winooski towards evening, but he was waay out there, and it seemed to pour every 5 minutes and that would put him down. Hendricksons are still bopping around up here, but the hatch can't last much longer. Caddis activity is picking up region wide. Looks like a warmer and sunny holiday weekend, which should crank the fish up a bit. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Winooski I guided on today were 54-55 degrees at 3pm. We caught a mix of wild and stocked rainbows. Most of them took nymphs, despite the fact that I saw the best Hednrickson hatch of the season. As we were leaving the Spinnerfall was looking huge too. My clients had to get back for dinner though. The Lamoille and the Mad seem to have come up the most from yesterdays rain; and that said, it just brought them up to average levels for the date. The fishing should hold up nicely thru the next week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We received a surprising .84" of rain here in N. Underhill today. Some of the tiny brooks in the surrounding area were running dirty, which isn't surprising as this is the biggest rain in awhile. This morning I helped the F&W Department stock the upper Winooski. 2800 rainbows all bucket carried and spread out pretty well. I guided on the Winooski (not where I stocked) and a trib this afternoon and it was rough in the cold wet weather. Got a nice wild rainbow, and there were a few Quills and Hendricksons around all afternoon, but it was raining pretty hard at times. Water temps are now in the low to mid 50's. It'll be cool, cloudy and showery through Friday, which is a good thing in my opinion at this time of year. We certainly needed the rain, and this will cool down the big rivers for awhile. I just had a trip postponed for Friday 5/23 so if anyone is interested in getting out on the water then, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Hendricksons (still around!) #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Yellow Sallies #12-14, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
It looks like we won't get as much rain as earlier thought for the next couple of days. It will be real cold though, with highs only around 50 tomarrow. Tan Caddis #14-16 are now hatching around the area. The Lamoille is now completely stocked, and the Winooski will get more fish this week. Water temps range from the 50's to low 60's throughout the state. Hatches consist of Hendricksons (pretty weak this year so far), Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Little Brown Stones #12-14, Yellow Sallies #12-14. Good luck on the water!
Not much new to report, other than lots of Caddis activity on a trib of the Lamoille. We got a few fish on a trib today, and Caddis were above Johnson. Water temps range throughout the 50's to low 60's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The stretches of the Winooski I guided on today were all 56-58 degrees throughout the afternoon and evening hours. We did well considering the very inconsistent conditions we've faced so far this season. We landed 9 fish and hooked a few more on both dries and nymphs. Things are looking wet, raw and colder by tomarrow night and lasting through atleast Wednesday. We'll see how much rain we get and how the rivers react to it. The Lamoille's flow dropped big time today, so it should hold some rain ok. The Winooski is still at the "high" end of productive fishing levels from E. Montpelier downstream. Hatches were really crummy today where we were. I did see a couple of Caddis in Waterbury as I was waiting for my client, but saw none hatch where we went. Caddis are pretty late this season, and cloudy cold crummy weather is not typically good hatch weather for Caddis. Most big tribs of the Winooski and Lamoille have now been stocked. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
What a weird day today. I woke thinking "this is going to be an awesome day.." Didn't happen. Hatches of Hendricksons were sparse at best, and there were no fish rising. We nymphed up a couple but that was it. No significant spinnerfall tonight either. Of course, spinnerfalls can be around in one area, and not in another, but it looked like not much was happening anywhere on the Winooski watershed. We're going to get some cooler, wetter weather through next Thursday, and hopefully it doesn't rain too much at once. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on the mid reaches of the Winooski today with a beginner and we did well, hooking 11, and landing 5, all browns. We took them on both nymphs and on dries. Water temp was 61 degrees at 3:30 pm. The hatches were sparse today, atleast where I was. The Lamoille has been stocked above Morrisville. We'll be getting some much needed showers overnight, and then things will turn much cooler and, hopefully, some decent shower activity to "top things off" through early next week. I still have a few dates left for the first half of June, for those of you interested in getting out during the "prime time". Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Conditions continue to improve around the state. While Hendricksons are on the wane in far southern Vt., they are still hatching steadily right now in central and northern Vt. I still haven't seen any caddis yet, but they'll be around by the weekend. Rivers continue to be stocked as well. The White got its big dumping of rainbows recently. Parts of the Winooski have been stocked and by the middle of next week the upper half will be stocked completely...I'm going to help do it. I got a nice 17" wild brown and a fat 12" wild rainbow that looked and felt like a tuna today. Rock solid. We'll have another warm dry day tomarrow and then a front will bring less than .25" of rain overnight Wednesday. Looks like we're in for cooler and coudy weather with no big rains for the weekend and into early next week. I've had a schedule change and I now have Monday 5/26 Memorial Day open to guide if anyone is interested. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Seeing Black flies out today, told me we're hitting prime time now. And today was indeed the breakthru day as far as I'm concerned. The Hendrickson hatch was decent, not huge, but it did bring 3 big fish to the surface where I was! I spooked one in the commotion of landing a beautiful 19" female wild brown trout on a Hednrickson dry. I took photos of this fish as she was really a perfect looking fish...clean, nice markings, big fins, healthy. The third fish was also in that size class judging by the fact that I easily could have shoved a golf ball in its mouth when it rose. This fish was more shifty, and by the time I got to fishing to it, it was slowing down on the rising, so I only put a couple of casts in the area and it stopped rising. Oh well, some lucky client will get a chance at it! Remember those spawning rainbows I found yesterday? Well, 24 hrs later, the 6 fish, were now only one, seemingly disoriented fish, that clearly was done spawning but didn't know if it wanted to go up or downstream. So, these fish will moving around, redistributing themselves, and feeding big time. I'm sure most wild rainbow waters are in the same boat, so we should see a big increase in the quality of fishing over the next week or so. The forecast is pretty dry, and while some small streams could use a drink, the big rivers are going to really turn on. Water temps range throughout the 50's to near 60. The Winooski below E. Montpelier Dam has been stocked with its Brown trout; above the dam will happen in the upcoming week. I would expect the Lamoille to start being stocked by the end of the week also. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #12-14, Yellow Sallies #12-14. No Caddis quite yet, but it'll happen by weeks end. Thanks to those of you have recently booked trips with me; I only have a handful of openings left thru early June. Good luck on the water!
An interesting day today; I caught a beautiful 16" wild brown today that jumped 3 times! But what made the day today, and helped solve why some of our wild rainbow waters are not seeing many fish or rises...is that some fish are still spawning. I found 3 pairs of 12-17" wild rainbows getting it on on the tail of one pool. And I found a disproportionate number of wild bows in another pool, though these were feeding and not on spawning beds at all. So I think the fish are still redistributing themselves throughout any given watershed, and some are still spawning. I got down on my hands and knees to get close enough to that spawning group and got some pretty good photos of, dare I say...true trout porn!! I swore at times the breeze was blowing the sounds of Barry White... This evening I went to the lower Lamoille around Cambridge and found the first 3-4 fish I've seen rise on the Lamoille this season; another good sign! No spinnerfalls, but there were some Hendrickson Duns on the water around 6:30 or so. I would expect to see some Hednrickson spinnerfalls this week, so don't write off the evenings. Small streams that have resident adult trout populations are fishing well also, and they are rising to various dries. Water temps range throughout the 50's to almost 60. The Winooski had some extra water releases below East Montpelier dam I suspect for the kayak du-dah they hold every spring below the dam. Flows should drop, clear and return to more normal levels tomarrow. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #12-14; also look for Mothers Day Caddis #14-16 this week. I still have a few openings left for the rest of May and early June, so drop me a line if you want to get out. Good luck on the water!
The Hendricksons continue to come off slow, somewhat spotty, but steady...yet nobody is looking up. I nymphed up a couple of wild rainbows on part of the Winooski today, but I must admit it's eerily slow. Like last season, this dry weather with north and sometimes east winds do not make for good fishing in general. Forecast is for more of the same through Wednesday with cooler weather and east to northeast winds...ugh. We'll see if the fish respend favorably or not. Water temps range throughout the 50's. The Lamoille is in far better shape in general, and today there were increased flows on the Winooski from "the powers that be". Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Conditions continue to be pretty darn slow right now. A bit surprising as I look over my fishing journals. I've seen far more surface activity and bugs around in years past even, with similar flows and water temps. We saw enough Hendricksons today to actually see a few on the water at any given time, yet no rises, nothing. It'll happen soon enough, but the "new" weather forecast brings brings my least favorite weather to Vermont; sunny and northerly winds and average temps through Wednesday. Chamber of Commerce days to be sure, but that kind of weather doesn't keep the bugs on the water long enough to get lots of rising fish. It'll help push the Winooski into better, fishable levels though, and the state will be getting lots of rivers stocked too. Remember to get into your "clean gear" routine to prevent didymo spread. Water temps on the water I was on today were 55-56 degrees on a trib of the Winooski and 59 in the upper Winooski at 5pm. Hatches are slowly coming along, and the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I managed to nymph up two nice wild rainbows this afternoon, 12", and 14", but I did not see any rises, and the Hednricksons only came off a little better than yesterday. Water temps were great though, reaching 55-56 degrees at 2:30 pm. Fair weather for everyone north of Rte. 9 through the weekend, but cooler. Early next week looks cold and wet, with snow showers in the mtns. on Monday night! Hendricksons are hatching much better in the Champlain valley than in the spine of the Greens. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #12-14, and Cranefly Larvae #10. Good luck on the water!
Slowly but surely we're getting there. A few more Hendricksons on the wild trout stream I was on today. No rises, but I did get a 15" wild rainbow nymphing. Water temp was 53 degrees at 2:30 pm. We'll need perhaps two more days of weather that is warm enough and we'll be in great shape. The weather forecast makes this a bit of a toss-up though. We'll have some rain and showers overnight and early tomorrow that should not muck things up, but it may drop water temps below 50 again. In general, water levels are running at around average for the date which is good. Both the Winooski and Lamoille are running into the 50's during the afternoon. The Lamoille is in far better shape than the Winooski right now. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #12-14, and Cranefly larvae #10. Good luck on the water!
Still not much happening on the wild trout stream I was on today. I realized that this season we may still be a bit early is that I found a pile of snow at only 525 ft. in elevation! Water temps on the Winooski around Montpelier were in the low 50's this afternoon. I did see the first two Hendricksons, so we're getting there. Some of the tribs of the Lamoille have been stocked with their brook trout over the past couple of days. The Lamoille is in better shape than the Winooski overall; it is generally lower and clearer. We've got a bit of rain for Wednesday night and Thursday am, which is fine since it will be pretty warm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the wild trout stream I was on today were 50 degrees at 2:30 pm. Still a bit too cold to get any mayflies really going. Lots of Little Brown Stones flying around and hatching though. This sping has been a bit different than the past 2-3 years, more of a traditional start to things. The last 2+ years, I found rising fish eating Hendricksons on May 1st in central Vt. This spring has also been a teaser so far because as soon as condtions start to look good water level wise, we get get rain/cooler weather. I'll gladly take that later in the season, but once May rolls around, I like to see clearer and warmer water! With that said, some rain is forecast Wednesday pm through the rest of the week, and as of now Friday and the weekend are forecast to be cooler than normal! Hopefully it doesn't rain too hard. The Winooski is still high and pretty dirty below Montpelier. Water temps range throughout the 40's into the low 50's. Hatches consist of Blue Quills #18, Hendricksons #12-16, Little Brown Stones #12-14, and Cranefly Larvae #8-12. Good luck on the water!
I just got back from a wet, raw weekend in the Manchester area. When we left the Orvis parking lot at 2:00pm it was 45 degrees out! We continued downstream and checked out the Battenkill looking for some insects and maybe some surface activity. Flows were still pretty fast on the 'Kill, and I was looking for slower, warmer water. We found it on the NY side of the river. 49 degrees for a water temp is not warm really, but it was the best we could find. I found a pod of 3-4 fish; hooking 2 and landing one nice 13" wild brown. But the real fun part was how GREAT the hatch of Hendricksons was. Clearly more males than females were on the water (Red Quills #14-16), but the numbers of them was a sight to behold. They hatchesd a bit later due to the cool dreary weather, but from about 3:30-5pm + there were bugs all over the stretch we were on. On the drive back up today, none of the rivers we saw (Mettawee, Poultney, Castleton, New Haven, Lewis Creek) were in bad shape. The Mettawee was moving real fast and would have been on the bottom of my list out of those 5 right now. We stopped on the lower New Haven and watched a nice Blue Quill hatch with the first few Hendricksons of the year. There were also the first #14 Yellow Sallies, as well as the Little Brown Stones that have been hatching for about a week now. Nobody rising though, and the water temp was just under 50 degrees. As for things further north, the Winooski is still stuffed from atleast Montpelier downstream. High flows out of the reservoirs are contributing to that. Hendricksons should start hatching in decent numbers by Wednesday in both the Winooski and Lamoille watersheds. The Lamoille is in better shape level wise and I'm thinking the fishing will really pick up towards Wolcott in the next coupls of days or so. The "petting zoo" (trophy trout zone) on the Lamoille below Fairfax Falls was stocked last Thursday. The "petting zoos" on the Mississquoi and the Black in southern Vt. were also stocked late last week. I've still got a few openings left for May, so drop me a line if you'd like to get in on the "big fish" time of year! Hatches consist of Blue Quills #18, Hendricksons #12-16, Little Brown Stones #14, Yellow Sallies #12-14, the odd Quill Gordon #14. Good luck on the water!
A bit warmer today, but the lack of overall sun will keep the rivers and streams from warming up too much. Looks like a bit of wet weather Saturday night and Sunday, but I don't think it'll be more than a bump in the road. River levels are just a couple of days away from being in great shape for first hatches of the season. We'll see how next week pans out; right now it looks a bit cool to get many streams over the 50 degree mark for very long. While nothing banner yet, hatches consist of Blue Quills #18, Little Brown Stones #14-16, Quill Gordons #14 (select waters, mostly in S.W. waters). I'll be down around Manchester this weekend, and I'll try to get a report in on Saturday, but I'll have a Sunday report for sure. Good luck on the water!
Water levels are dropping fast around the state which gives us an idea of how badly we needed rain. Smaller streams under say 25-30 ft. are fishable. Larger tribs to the big rivers have varying degrees of clarity, but are still a day or so from being really fishable. The Lamoille and Winooski are both still high, but the Winooski is in worse shape due to high flows out of Waterbury and Wrightsville Reservoirs. I found a couple of Hendrickson nymphs on a small trib of the Lamoille today, and they look like they're about 5 days from hatching. The extended forecast is starting to become clearer with the next two days warming and drying out, with highs in the upper 60's atleast on Saturday. From Sunday through mid next week is a bit dicey with no big rains but no air temps to really get water temps into the low 50's for consecutive days like we need to initiate decent mayfly activity. They may start with a trickle for awhile. No rivers of note have been stocked other than the trophy trout zone on Otter Creek. I wouldn't be surprised if the trophy trout in the Lamoille below Fairfax Falls were stocked tomarrow. Hatches consist of Little Brown Stones #14-16, a few Blue Quills #18 at lower elevations and further south, some Quill Gordons #14 on a few southwestern streams. Your best shot at catching fish with nymphs and maybe the odd dry will be lower elevation brook trout streams. Good luck on the water!
Big rains yesterday have brought water levels back up on the all rivers and streams around the state. The big rivers will be stuffed for atleast 3+ days, depnding on how much rain we get over the next 5 days or so. The weather forecast is pretty dicey; with now a cooler wetter forecast for the weekend, with temps only in the low to mid 50's. This will not allow water temps to get above the magic 50 degree mark for most waters. That being said, the forecast could improve, we'll just have to wait and see. Some small streams are fishable right now; they're clear but running a bit fast. Hatches consist of Little Brown Stones #14-16, and some Blue Quills #18, and Quill Gordons #14 down south. Good luck on the water!
As of 11 am, I received 1.05" of rain and it is now SNOWING so heavily it's pilling up on top of my rain gage! We're now expecting up to 2" of snow above 1500 ft., and rain elsewhere. Rainfall has been widespread around the state; West Brdigewater (Ottauquechee) 1.66", St. Johnsbury, 1.47", Rutland .81", Montpelier .78", and Burlington .48". So we can see that the eatern half of the state has gotten more rain, and river levels are responding. There is a flood watch for Caledonia County, as the Passumpsuc is now bankfull and will flood later today. Most everything is blown out, and the big rivers have climbed right back up in water level. The Winooski and Lamoille will be unfishable for atleast 3-5 days or so. It now looks like most of the state will have dry weather during the upcoming weekend (southern Vt. may be cloudy/wet), and by then small to mid-size waters will be fishable. Bookings are picking up for the remainder of my May/early June openings, so if you're interested in getting out and chasing big wild fish, don't hesitate in dropping me a line. Hatches (or the lack thereof) are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The much needed rain has arrived, though it's still pretty light here in Underhill at 11am. The rain will pick up and we're expecting a 1-2" rainfall statewide over the 36+ hours. Some snow (gulp!) is forecast above 2000 ft. later on Tuesday when a pool of cold air filters in. All of this means unfishable conditions on most waters for some time. Small streams will be the first to clear. I got a reputable report that Quill Gordons and a few Blue Quills are starting to hatch on the Battenkill. There is also an odd Hendrickson, but these were seen a bit further down on the NY side of the river. Any hatches will slow down a bit with this rain and colder weather. Water level aside, there should be some more consistent bug activity by the upcoming weekend. Nothing really hatching further north of any real consequence. Lewis Creek being in the Champlain Valley has a few more bugs around like Little Brown Stones #14. Fishing a "hatch" will still be a few days off yet. Thanks to those of you who attended the Mad-Dog TU Banquet this past weekend. We raised alot of money and had a great time in the process. Stay dry and warm and good luck on the water!
We got a bit of rain last night, about .12", but the real stuff will be arriving tomarrow with 1-2" of rain forecast thru Tuesday. This means that the vastly improved conditions right now will turn ugly again. Personally, I'm happy with the rain, the real hatches have not begun yet, and I'll take it gladly so we don't have a repeat of last May. I don't expect Handricksons to start hatching in earnest for another 7 days. Good luck on the water!
I just got back from the Catskill region today and we had a great time. Lots of bugs, lots of fish! As for current happenings in Vermont, there is not too much new since Tuesday, other than the forecast for this coming week will be wet and cool. We really need the rain in general, though the big rivers are still pretty high from all the snowmelt. Small streams look great right now, and most should hold up well during the rains. Little Black Stones #16-18, and some small Black Caddis area around, but I don't think the trout are being picky right now, you just have to find them and get down to them. Good luck on the water!
Just a follow up of todays report; while I will be out of town later today thru Saturday am, I will be checking e-mail and will have my cell phone with me, 802-338-0649, for those of you who'd like to book a trip. I've still got a few good days available for the "big fish" May-Early June window. Scroll down to read the first report, thanks and good luck on the water!
Wow, I really feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day...the same weather over and over...and over again. I cannot remember a steak of warm, dry weather that has lasted this long in April. The big rivers have peaked in flows and we're starting to see the gradual reduction in flows on these bigger waters and their major tribs. It'll be another 5 days or so before we start seeing widespread fishable water (other than the small streams which are mostly fishable). Word is that the Catskill rivers are having a hatch bonanza of Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, Hendricksons, and Caddis, so....I'm going!! I'll be down on the Deleware system until Saturday morning, so my reports will continue at the end of the week. Overall, nothing will really change during the week as we only have a slight chance of showers Wednesday night, and then more dry weather until Saturday night. Fish deep, dark, and slow and good luck on the water!
The Lamoille and Winooski appear to have finally peaked in flows now that the snowpack below 2500 ft. is largely gone. With dry weather in the forecast most of the next week, levels will drop pretty quick on the big rivers and major tribs. There are fish being caught on small brook trout tribs and streams that have no more snowmelt and are clear. Fishing streamers and nymphing will produce some fish. The state is just starting to stock our waterways, so don't expect to see any stockies until flows drop a bit. Good luck on the water!
The big rivers around the state are stuffed with snowmelt and will stay that way for atleast another 3-5 days, depending on the stretch and if there's any snow left. Some small streams are very fishable, while others that still have snowpack in their valleys are high and dingy. No real rain forecast for the next week; a 30-40% of showers on Wednesday night, and a 40% chance of showers next Saturday...thats it. I can live with the dry weather for another week (mostly to prevent flooding on the big rivers and their major tribs), but after that we are going to need a good soaking .50-1.00" of rain to prevent a repeat of last season, when rivers dropped really fast and we played "catch up" all summer. We tend to have dry summers after big,wet winters, and I'm hoping this is not the case this year. My bookings for the May to early June timeframe are filling up now, so drop me a line if you'd like to book a trip during this prime big fish window! I also will be doing trips on the Upper Connecticut River this season now that I have my NH guide license, and for those of you who have never fished the "Big C" during the summer...you're missing out! The Big C is without a doubt the most under-rated trout stream in the Eastern U.S. No crowds, cold water during the heat of summer, beautiful surroundings, and a healthy mix of wild and stocked fish. I will be doing wade and float trips on the Big C from early June (once water levels drop) thru early October. Not much hatching right now except for Little Black Stones #16-18, and I don't think there are any fish keying in on them..they'll take any nymph that can get down to them. Water temps range throughout the 40's. Good luck on the water!
Another warm day will continue to speed up the snowmelt from the higher elevations of the next few days. As the snowpack disappears, we will see water levels drop very fast around the state. The forecast for the next 5-7 days is more dry weather with above average temps. Some small streams at lower elevationsa are fishable. Nothing really hatching yet aside from Little Black stones #16-18, but the warm weather has brought out terrestrials a bit earlier than normal, and I'm seeing no shortage of wasps, ants, and ladybugs around right now. Water temps range throughout the 40's to around 50 on some of the lower elevation southern waters. Good luck on the water!
Well, I just got back from taking my New Hampshire Guides License exam and...I passed! Whew! I am now the ONLY LICENSED NH guide actively guiding in Northern and Central Vermont, so if you're interested in doing a trip up to the Upper Ct. this summer when the heat gets to our local rivers, drop me a line! I will also be doing overnight camping/fishing trips based from my property on the banks of the Upper Ct. in the Catch and Release zone. I have 700 ft. of private access to some outstanding water. I'll be doing float or wade trips on the Big C. Drop me a line for rates and overnight camping package info. As for current conditons around the state, this crazy warm weather has increased snowmelt at the higher elevations and the big rivers and their major tribs have responded by spiking back up. Some small brookie tribs that drain higher elevations are high and dingy, while the lower elevation tribs are clear and at a fine level. Some fish are being caught on both the Black and the Willoughby for those who like seeing more people than fish, though both rivers will be running real high and dingy with this increased snowmelt. Fish deep, dark, and slow for success, and good luck on the water!
Both the weather and my allergies have told me...Spring is here!! My personal misery aside, you can't beat this weather at this time of year. While I'm fine with it for the next week or so, I'd hate to see a repeat of last Spring where we had dry, sunny conditions all the time, making water levels drop too much too fast, and mayfly hatches were sporadic at best. Many small streams in the area are very fishable and with water temps approaching 50 on some of them, you may even be able to drum up some nice small stream fish. The larger tribs of the Winooski and Lamoille are still too high to spend much time on, but that will change by the weekend. With the exception of their headwaters, the Winooski and Lamoille are unfishable due to high, dirty flows. Water temps range throughout the 40's, to near 50 on some waters. Good luck on the water!
We have a great weather forecast for the next week, with sunny, dry and warm conditions that will help river levels drop and warm up a bit. April is never "good" fishing, but if you work hard enough and fish deep and slow and have a little luck on your side, you can drum up some fish. Please avoid fishing to any rainbows you may see spawning, these fish are busy making more fish for future generations, and exploiting them while they're spawning is unethical to say the least. Any small dark, weighted nymph will do on the fishable brook trout waters. Good luck on the water!
River levels are dropping fast now that the snowpack has dwindled and we have sunny dry weather. The big rivers will remain unfishable until around May 1 as usual. Small brook trout streams will be fishable by the end of the week, and for those patient and fishing deep, you should be able to drum up some brookies. There are some small black stoneflies around, but fish are not picky at his time of year; you just have to get down to them with something they can see. Forecast is outstanding through Saturday, with air temps well above normal (60-70F) and sunny, dry conditions. Good luck on the water!
Some heavy rain fell last night here in North Underhill, we received over .85" of rain in the past 24 hours. Portions of the Winooski, Lamoille, and Otter Creek are flooding into neighboring fields, while smaller tributaries and small streams are running at or close to bankfull. Looks like most of the rain has pushed east of us, but we do have a forecast of up to 1" of snow tonight, which won't do anything really to the rivers. Look for slow, gradual improvement over the next 3 days, with temps by mid-week approaching 60 degrees. There won't be to much to report over the next couple of days, so my next report will probably be on Tuesday. Good luck on the water!
Not much new to report from yesterdays report, though I just wanted to let folks know there is a flood advisory out for all of Vermont through Saturday, so please think twice about getting real close to any moving water tomarrow. With air and water temps running in the 30's it'll be pretty rough to say the least. As of noon Friday, the Lamoille in Cambridge is flooding into some fields already, and water levels are about 2 ft. from closing Rte. 15 at the backwards bridge. .75-1.00" of rain are forecast through Sunday am, which will really clobber the upper elevation snow pack. Look for some small brook trout streams to be fishable, though it will be slow, by Wednesday. Stay dry and don't wade!
Saturday is opening day here in Vermont; though it's really more symbolic than signalling the actual start of "good fishing". With .50-1.00" of rain forecast followed by snow showers Saturday night, I won't be heading out personally, but for those who feel the cabin fever, I'd recommend staying on small waters at low elevations that hopefully have no snowmelt left in their drainages. Water temps will be in the mid to upper 30's...not condusive to finding active trout. I posted some new photos from last season on my photos section, so check them out if you need some added inspiration! As I eluded to in my earlier report, bookings for the prime May to early June timeframe are filling up, so if you're interested in getting out for this "big fish" time of year, drop me a line. Pull out your Gore-tex and good luck on the water!
Greetings folks! I got back from New Zealand a month ago, and after a bit of getting over jet lag, doing some presentations for TU chapters and getting some writing done, I'm starting to look ahead to the upcoming trout season! I have already gotten quite a few inquiries and bookings for the magical mid-May to early June window, so if you're interested in booking a trip let me know asap. My rates for 2008 as of now have not changed, and anyone booking ahead will lock in on my 2007 rates. After Memorial Day, I'll see where gas prices are. If they're over 4.00 a gallon, my rates may go up nominally. In the next week or so, I should be adding a bunch of new photos from the 2007 season, some of which will raise some eyebrows I'm sure! Don't forget the Mad-Dog Trout Unlimited banquet and fundraiser on Saturday 4/26 at 6 pm at the Best Western in Waterbury. Lots of great fishing gear, and lots of good company, so don't miss it! Thats all for now, my reports will start up in April near opening day. Cheers, Lawton
Well, another season has come to a close and all in all it was a good, steady season. Lots of warm and sometimes low water kept it from being stellar in my opinion; but we had trout water to fish at almost any time once you got beyond the big rivers. In terms of trout numbers and size, I'd say they were within the "average", though atleast on the Winooski I did notice that high #'s of small wild rainbows did translate in to good numbers of 10-14" wild fish. In terms of hatches, I would have to rate the spring hatches as being a bit disappointing in terms of surface activity, largely due to the mid winter floods in most parts of the state, along with dry cold weather during the first half of May. Summer and fall hatches seemed decent. I guess the thing that stands out the most about the season was the discovery of Didymo in the Big C, the White, and the Battenkill. Let's remain diligent next season about cleaning our gear and slowing its spread into other rivers. The one thing we should all think about doing if we haven't already is to become a member of a local angling group, like Trout Unlimited,etc. It provides a good way to meet folks that have common interests, and the larger the unified group we have, the more we can potentially accomplish in terms of getting some good wild trout management on our waters. I'll be in New Zealand from November 2 thru February 13th this winter, so if you're interested in booking a trip for next season, please drop me an e-mail at lawtonweber@pshift.com I won't have my cell # on while I'm gone. When I get back, I'll be expanding the photos section on my website with some of the 2007 highlights, and there will be a couple of new features as well. I want to thank everyone I spent time on the water with this season, and thank my regular viewers as well. Let's hope for lots of snow and no real cold weather, and see you next Spring!!!
Well that was a bit more rain than was intially forecast! 1.65" fell in N. Underhill, and most every mid-size and large river in the state is blown out big time. Most small streams are high also. With another big rain event forecast for Friday pm/Saturday am, and then a major cooldown for early next week, I'm pretty sure this will be the unofficial end to the trout season. Overall for October we can't complain, we had several great days out on the water due to warmer than normal temps. I'll be doing perhaps a couple more reports between now and the 31st., especially if anything changes for the better. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Winooski and a trib were in the balmy mid-50's this afternoon. We did real well for this time of year, getting 6 wild bows on dries 8-14", and nymphed up another 5 wild bows 10-13" on nymphs. This was the last of the warm weather with rain and cooler temps arriving Tuesday. Fishing will slow down a bit with cooler temps, but as long as the water stays above around 46 or so, you'll still be able to drum up fish on nymphs. I saw one BWO all day today, so I wouldn't count on much for hatch activity other than BWO's and terrestrials...good luck on the water!
Last nights rains dumped 1.3" of rain here in N. Underhill; the Lamoille and Winooski are blown out, the White is off-color upstream as far as Bethal atleast. The major tribs are running high and off color, but should be fine by tomarrow. Some small streams are fishable, while others are really gushing. Fishing should be good thru mid-week with warmer than normal temps. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I went Salmon fishing on the Clyde this morning with a buddy and quite honestly did poorly...a few smolts, a couple of big fish strikes, and my buddy got a couple nice rainbows. Water levels were ok, but the fish we did see were dark and on their beds, so we left them alone. We have between .5-2.00" of rain forecast for the next 24 hrs, but as of 5pm it sure looks to me like most of it is heading north and west of us. I'll probobly be wrong and the rain will come, but with warm temps forecast thru Monday, I think the trout fishing will be good for the latter half of October. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Nice warm weather for this time of year will keep the fishing surprisingly productive if you know where they are. We have some pretty big rains forecast Friday pm, and the weekend is calling for dry and above normal temps, so I think the fishing will be ok for the next few days, high muddy water on the bigger waters aside. Hatches consist mostly of just a few Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and good #'s of BWO's #20-24. Good luck on the Water!
Water levels continue their slow drop, and conditions should be ok thru Friday. We are going to get more rain starting Thursday and some heavier stuff on Friday and in my experiance if you can fish in a relatively "warm" fall rain the fishing is usally pretty good. Hatches are the same as preivous days, good luck on the water!
I had a very good "October" guiding day today on the Winooski below Bolton Dam. The water was 47 degrees all afternoon, and we fished a Blue-Winged Olive hatch that was REALLY thick! We caught all of our fish on dries, landing 6 total, and hooking a couple others. Condtions aren't going to get any worse; they may actually get better as things will slowly warm a bit thru the week, peaking out on Friday with temps in the low 60's. With dropping water levels, things should hold on just fine. It's challenging fishing, but I find it alot of fun! I do have openings over the next week, so look me up if interested. Hatches consist of mostly BWO's #20-24, and a few Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and Isonychias #12-14. Good luck on the water!
The big rivers are running clear, but with the above average flows and cold temps we'll start to see the slowdown this week. Temps are forecast to be a bit lower than was thought a few days ago. We've gotten snow above around 2500 ft. the past couple of nights, and we had sleet last night here in N. Underhill. Water temps will range throughout the 40's to around 50 in some of the warmer, lower elevation, big waters. Nymphing will be the way to go from here on out...exceptions being of course, that if you find some fish rising, go for it! BWO's and small terrestrials will usually be the ticket. Good luck on the water!
The Winooski below Bolton Dam was 56 degrees at noon today where I was guiding. There was some surface activity and I saw the odd fish chasing emerging Isoychias. I had a raw beginner out today teaching her to cast, so catching fish was not the priority, but we did hook a couple. Big rains forecast tonight thru Friday will put the big rivers off and make the small streams a bit cold. Lows Friday/Saturday nights will be cold enough for snow above 1500 ft. It has been a good run though, and I do think once this water drops next week, we should still have some decent fishing...it'll be a bit more work/skill, but it's worth it! Good luck on the water!
The big rivers are in decent shape as of Wednesday pm, but after the rains on Thursday pm and Friday am, things will be high and off again. We're expecting .5-1.00" of rain thru Friday am. Thursday should be decent fishing, especially late in the afternoon when the rain just starts. Hatches are pretty sparse, but consist of Isonychias #12-14, BWO's #18-22, a few Caddis #14-16, and snts and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the two tribs of the Winooski I was on today were both a surprisingly warm 57 degrees in the afternoon hours. I would have thought the cold rain a day or so ago would have cooled things off more. Regardless, its a GREAT water temp for this time of year. The "deck" has certainly been reshuffled on the area waters after that big rain, with fish moving around quite a bit. We saw an odd Trico and BWO but no rises, all the fish were caught on nymphs. As of 8pm, it looks like most of the big rain tonight is falling south of I-89, which means the Lamoille and Winooski should be in good shape by tomarrow pm. Good luck on the water!
Surprisingly heavy rains started falling around 2 am last night and as of 11 am have now tapered off, dropping .85" here in N. Underhill. The Winooski is blown out big time; the Lamoille did not get near as much rain, but I'm sure will be off-color at the very least. As is often the case from Colombus day onward, conditions have really nose-dived. With such a cold rain this morning, water temps will be way down in the low 50's...which is still fine to fish in, but quite a sharp drop from a couple of days ago. With more rain now forecast for Tuesday-Friday, it may be awhile before we get "nice" weather to fish in. All that being said, the small streams will fish ok, as will some of the major tribs of the Lamoille and Winooski. In the far south, streams like the Mettawee and Battenkill avoided most of the recent rains, so are still rather low and in good shape. Hatches consist of BWO's #18-22, a few Isonychias #10-14, and a few Cinammon Caddis #14-16. Good luck on the water!
I had some clients who weren't quite willing to fish in the heavy rain today, so I went myself for about an hour and a half. I fished the lower Winooski just above Richmond and did pretty well, catching 5 of the stocked brownies, a couple of smaller wild bows, and had a brown of about 18" break me off on the corner of a big rock after a pretty long battle. All were taken on nymphs with the rain falling like it was. Some smaller streams have gotten enough rain to throw mud in the big rivers, Mill Brk. in Richmond for instance, was chocolate milk at 4:30pm. I suspect that the Winooski and possibly the Lamoille will be off-color on Sunday, maybe worse. Heavy rains are falling in the south too, so some waters will be off as well. We needed the rain, and in N.Underhill we got 1" even today. Because it was a pretty "warm" rain, it won't cause the water temps to plummet like they normally do in a typical October rain. So conditions should be great this coming week, though it will be more typical October weather. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, BWO's #18-22, a few Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Winooski around Montpelier was 62 degrees at 4pm. We did well, hooking lots of wild bows, a few browns, and landing around 8 wild bows and browns. It's going to start cooling down finally during the weekend, but conditions should stay very good for the next 5+ days. Hatches are sparse but the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Ah women in bikinis on ride-em-up mowers...October in Vt.!! I actually saw that on my road this morning. Anyhow, I managed to get out and fish a trib of the Winooski with a buddy and despite the bright warm weather, we did ok. One wild brown of 17", and wild rainbows of 9",9",10",13",13",17", and 18" were landed. Hatches are sparse at this point, but with water around 63 degrees the trout are really active! Good luck on the water!
Another day of shorts and wet wading. I guided on trib of the Lamoille this afternoon and the water was on either side of 60 degrees. With all the leaves blowing into the river, it was a bit tough at times, but we hooked a couple of nice fish. Look for the weather to continue to get warmer thru the week, until Monday when a big cooldown occurs. Hatches, are getting pretty sparse but are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I feel a bit like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day...sunny and dry, sunny and dry,etc. All in all though, the fishing continues to be good, though hatches have diminished a bit. When we get some clouds and rain, we'll see some better BWO activity. Looks like Columbus Day will provide some showers and a big cool down, but until then it's a beach party. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #22-26, a few Tricos #22-26, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Wet wading...in October?!? Yup, I did it today on the Lamoille. Now those of you who have fished with me know I don't wear waders usually until October or if its pouring out, but this weather is a bit much! Water temp on the Lamoille around Johnson was 59 degrees at 1 pm. Forecast for the next 5-7 days calls for WARM weather and no significant rain in sight. We will however, start to see the "bump" in river levels over the next week as most trees stop taking in water and the aquafer has more water going to the streams. If you're looking to get out and enjoy these conditions, drop me a line, good fishing should continue well past Columbus day weekend. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Had to shorten a trip this evening due to a sore back my client had, but we still hooked two nice wild bows, landing the smaller 13" one. Water temp was 62 degrees in Richmond. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the section of the Winooski I guided on today was 60 degrees at noon. I don't think the temp budged much during this "fall feeling" day. Northwest winds are never great for hatches and rising fish, but we managed to do pretty well landing a bunch of wild bows up to 13". Forecast looks great for the next week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Much needed rainfall fell across the state last night. Here in N. Underhill we received about .85" so far, and the Moretown area in the Mad/Winooski Valley got about the same. Heavier rains fell across Rutland county and in east-central Vt. The Lamoille has ballooned up to 531cfs and is a bit off-color, but not muddy. The Winooski has come up a bit too, but I suspect portions of it will be fishable by Saturday pm. Water temps on both rivers range thru the low to mid 60's. We've got another spell of dry fine weather from Saturday-Friday, with above normal daytime highs, and cool lows in the 40's. what this means is that we'll have GREAT fishing conditions over this coming week. We could still use a bit rain for the long term, but for now this is just perfect. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #18-22, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Looks like a good slug of rain is on the way overnight, and then clearing by Thursday pm. We'll see if/how many streams get dirty from this..we have had some shower actvity the past 36 hrs, so the ground should be able to absorb a bit, but we're just going to have to see how things shake out. One thing is for sure, Saturday-Thursday we will have GREAT conditions for this time of year. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Hot muggy weather for late September has kept river temps in the 60's to almost, gulp, 70 on the lower ends of the big rivers. We've only gotten about .12" of rain so far in N. Underhill, but it really does look like we're going to get some solid rains over the next 36 hrs. which we sorely need. After Friday we'll have great fishing weather for atleast 3-5 days. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, BWO's #18-22, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Conditions right now can only be described as a bit "stale" on Vermonts rivers. Lack of rain and warm bright weather has made fish a bit uptight. I got calls from two angling friends of mine this evening that reported similar events on the water tonight as to what I experianced guidng today. We had a couple of big bows come up and take a look and then follow a dry that only 3 days ago they would take on the first good cast. We had to work for them a bit today, but we got a 12" brown, and 13",14",14" and 16" wild rainbows. I had to pull out a secret New Zealand dry fly tonight to bring up the bigger bows on what was essentially a hatchless evening on the Winooski around Waterbury. This particular dry got solid takes on the first presentation. Water temps range from 63 below Bolton Dam at noon, to 65 degrees around Waterbury at 5:30pm. The rainfall predictions appear to be better and better, with totals generally of an inch forecast Wed. pm thru Friday. Like most of the season, I'll believe it when I see it in the rain gage. Hatches are the same previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a great day guiding a client on a stretch of the Winooski above Montpelier. Water temp was 60 degrees at noon. We caught a mix of wild browns and bows, along with a couple of stocked browns that seemed to make it thru the heat of this summer no problem. I can't remember flows being this low in late September since the drought of 2001. We do have some weather coming for Wednesday-Friday, anywhere between .25-.75" should fall, and since the trees are starting to turn, and don't take in as much water, we should see the levels pop up atleast a bit. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another breezy day on the Winooski, but atleast it was alot cooler. First trip was actually for late season Smallmouth on the lower Winooski. We caught about 25 smallies 9"-15", no biggies but fun nonetheless. On my second trip the water temp on a stretch below Bolton Dam was 66 degrees at 5pm. I had the same beginners I had on Saturday, and they improved nicely, culminating with 14" and 17" wild rainbows! Water levels are getting really,really low right now, not good for spawning browns looking to access tribs. Hopefully we'll get some rain midweek. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The water on the Winooski was a bit toasty for this time of year, 67 degrees where I was guiding, but the fish were still pretty active. The big problem today was the gusty winds...it made it tough for just about any skill level. We did catch some rainbows however, so the hard work payed off. A cooler day tomarrow will help things stay productive. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #20-24, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, a few Tricos #22-26, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The fishing on the Winooski today was off the charts. I guided from 11am until dark, and the water temps went from to 60 to 66 thru the day. A tad above normal for late September, but the fish were very active. We literally hooked dozens of fish, landing around 15 fish, all wild bows 7-16", and one wild brownie of 14". We could use rain, but overall conditions are really good. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well, I'm back from Denver and one thing is for sure...I would not trade the fishing we've got here for the CARNIVAL in Colorado. Yes, they have some rivers with bigger numbers of bigger fish, but man, the crowds are beyond the pale! Anglers everywhere, you have to drive hours to go to different watersheds only to find more anglers everywhere, and then of course being the west, the better stretches are totally posted and private. We may not have huge numbers of big fish, but we don't have the crowds, and last time I checked, you can only catch one fish at a time! I jumped right back into the guiding this evening on the Lamoille. We got a mix of wild rainbows and browns up to 16" mostly on dries, and unlike Colorado, we had the water all to ourselves! The water temp was 60 degrees at 6pm. The forecast has some warm weather the next two days, but a cold night tonight should keep things decent. So all in all, we've got some great conditions ahead of us. I have very limited openings for the next 2 weeks, so drop me a line if you'd like to take advantage of some of the best fishing of the season! Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #20-24, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, a few Tricos #22-26, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The forecast calls for .50"-1.00" of rain over a good portion of the state tonight. With that comes the possibility of the big rivers getting a bit dingy, but it'll be short-lived, and aside from that the forecast looks great for the next week. I'll be out of town at the World-Flyfishing Expo in Denver from Saturday 9/15-Wednesday 9/19, so my reports will pick up after I get back. For September openings I only have 9/26, and 9/27 remaining, so whether you'd like to chase Salmon on the NEK, or doing a float down the Winooski or Lamoille, don't hesitate in looking me up! I'll be checking my e-mail while I'm in Denver, or you can call my cell. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a great night guiding a beginner on the Winooski. 63 degree water temps, and rising fish galore. We hooked 12 fish up to 15", managed to land a couple and had fish rising within 10 ft. of us. We've got a pretty strong cold front that'll push thru Friday night, bringing some needed rain and then some very cool weather for the weekend. Aside from the potential of some dingy water on the big rivers after the front, the extended forecast looks great. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Last night we got about .33" of rain here in N.Underhill while east-central and southern Vt. got hammered yesterday with some places getting up to 3" of rain. Needless to say, most streams in the south are high and muddy, while the Winooski and Lamoille have come up, but are still completely fishable. Small streams in the area are in great shape, and with temps in the 30's the next two nights, a sunny 75 degree day on Friday won't be a bad thing at all. Funny how only a week ago, we were sick of hot weather and warm water, and now with a week of mostly colder than normal temps ahead of us, I won't mind some days in the 70's to keep things from getting too cool too quick! Thats the weather in Northern New England for ya. We're looking at Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #20-24, Tricos #22-26, Cinammon Caddis #14-16, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like and ants and beetles #12-20 for hatches. Good luck on the water!
Fishing was pretty good in the middle of the day today on the Lamoille above Morrisville. Water temp was 61 degrees at noon. We caught a mix of wild and stocked rainbows up to 14". A bit of rain came thru this evening, but not enough to really much things up. Southern Vt. got much more rain today than we did up north. Aside from high winds Wednesday, fishing should be great over the next few days. I think we've finally cooled down for good, which is real nice. A float trip down the Winooski or Lamoille at this time of year can provide some great fishing, so drop me a line if interested. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Lamoille this afternoon were 65-66 degrees at 5pm. We found lots of active fish and hooked a bunch on dries. We only got .23" of rain on Sunday, while the Winooski Valley got a bit more (.63" in Montpelier). We've got more rain forecast Tuesday pm which is good news. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #20-24, Caddis #14-18, Tricos #22-26, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20, and a few hoppers #10-14. Good luck on the water!
My client and I did surprisingly well today on a trib of the Winooski, the water was 63 at 8am, and 68 at 2pm. We caught heaps of wild rainbows up to 13",and hooked a few whales in the 15-18" class. No rain today really, but it looks like we're going to get much needed rains tomarrow, and then we'll finally get some fall weather. I've got a few prime dates left in September and early October, so look me up if you're looking to cap off the season with the big one! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Record high temps are forecast tomarrow along with incredibly warm overnight temps on Friday (only getting down to around 70!); this will make the big rivers too warm to trout fish Friday/Saturday, and probably Sunday if we don't get decent amounts of rain. 1/4-1/3" is what it looks like now, but it may not be widespread. Speaking of rain, here in N. Underhill we got a pretty nasty t-storm early this am, dropping a tad over .25". These storms move up the Lamoille Valley and points further north only. I'm actually thinking smallmouth bass over these next couple of days, but in terms of trout fishing, am hours will best, and even Saturday will find some larger tribs of the big rivers running around 70 degrees, so I would go to some higher elevation streams for some good small stream action. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Not much new to report, other than it looks like we won't be seeing any rain until Sunday. We really need some rain. The big rivers will be a bit too warm Friday thru the weekend, but the small stuff should be ok. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water levels are at season lows now, and we could really use some rain which we will hopefully get this weekend. The fish were definetly spooky where I was guiding today. Look for some pretty hot muggy weather from Thursday thru the weekend, so keep in mind that the big rivers may not be in great shape in the pm hours despite the shorter days and cooler nights. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, Tricos #22-26, BWO's #18-22, Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like hoppers #8-14, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
We just spent the weekend up on the Big C where we had pretty good fishing, particularly on Sunday pm., when I got some nice wild bows and browns in dries in the 10-16" class, and I hooked the monster brown that we saw about a month ago, he was in the same place, and ate a big stonefly dry, but after about a minute or so, the darn hook popped out, which rarely happens to me personally once I've had a fish on that long with such a big fly. Oh well, he was truly huge, about 24" or so, 4+ lbs. The didymo seemed to be making another comeback after getting knocked back from the high water in July...no carpets of the stuff but most rocks had patches of it on them. Conditions within Vt. are pretty boney, with low water levels just about everywhere, and after a cool Tuesday-Thursday, it warms up into the 80's again, which is way above average and does not help matters. Overall though, there is still plenty of cool water around, and the big rivers should be ok in the early am during those warm days. I've got few openings left for the latter half of September, so don't hesitate in looking me up to book a trip! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The last time we got rain, the Lamoille valley got it all and the Winooski got barely any. Well todays cold front is giving the Winooski and its tribs south of I-89 a needed drink of water while the Lamoille is not getting anything. Addison and Rutland counties are getting slammed and expect to see most of the waters in those counties to be blown out for a day or so. The best thing to come out of this weather system is cool air, which looks to be staying with us for awhile. No 80's in the extended forecast! Fishing by the end of the weekend should be very good on the big rivers. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, BWO's #20-24, Tricos (pretty weak this season) #22-26, Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-12, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, and terrestial like hoppers #8-14, ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The bright hot sunny weather today makes me always think of fishing gorges in these conditions...looking for that shady, deep water! We've got a cold front approaching from the west that will be over us on Thursday, and while it does not have alot of precip with it, it does have some cooler air which the big rivers could really use. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a small trib of the Lamoille this evening and we did pretty well despite the bright warm weather, landing all three species, all wild, all on dries. Water temps were 63-64 degrees between 5-8 pm. The big rivers continue to be warm, and we actually could use some rain from the Winooski watershed south; northern Vt. is ok for now. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Lamoille I guided on this morning were a cool 61 degrees at 11 am. Fishing contuinues to be good on the tribs of the big rivers, while the Lamoille is still muddy below Johnson; and both the Lamoille and Winooski are running a bit warm in the pm hours. These conditions will continue until Thursday when we have a cold front push thru with some showers and cooler temps for the end of the week and weekend. Prime September dates are getting booked up, so look me up if you'd like to get a prime date! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a real fun time this evening with a very good angler on a wild trout stream in Central Vt. We caught about 6 browns and bows 10-13", all on dries, and hooked many more. We also had opportunities at bigger fish that we saw but couldn't quite reach. Water temps were 65-67 degrees at 5:30 pm. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tricos #22-26, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, some Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-12, and lots of beetles, ants and hoppers #12-20. Good luck on the water!
We had surprisingly good fishing this am after such a warm night. The trib of the Winooski I was guiding on was 63 degrees at 7:30 am. Flying ants must have been all over the place last night, because even this morning, there were THOUSANDS of them on the surface of the river. A small downpour knocked down our Trico hatch, but it was no big deal with all the ants around. 5 wild bows 11-13", hooked 3 large bows 15-18", landing one of 17", and a couple of smaller fish. We're expecting some pretty strong t-storms this evening, which is good for our water levels. The big rivers, despite the flying ants everywhere, are really too warm to fish, with temps through the low to mid 70's. It will be a bit cooler Sunday, but the big rivers will take a couple of days to cool off. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We've got some needed rain on the way this evening, hopefully it doesn't fall apart over the next 3-4 hours. Water levels are about average for this time of year in the northern half of state, but I've gotten reports down in southwestern Vt. that levels are getting real low. Water temps on the big rivers will be skyrocketing tomarrow thru Sunday with the approach of some hot sticky weather; lows Friday night will only be on the upper 60's to low 70's. Small streams should be fine. As my September bookings are filling up, I want to remind everyone of the Salmon fishing in the NEK in later September and October, and to look me up to do a trip up there if interested. I have a pretty good success rate up there, and have landed Ounaniche up to 7.5 lbs.; so what better way to finish the season than with a big landlocked salmon! And don't forget about those float trips on the Winooski and Lamoille also. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stream in Central Vt. I guided on this am were a chilly 56 degrees at 7:30 am. We got a handful of wild bows up to 12", and we sight fished to a big brown of 18", which we hooked, but the client broke him off...oh well. We've only got about .10-.25" forecast over the next 2-3 days, and progressively warmer weather reaching the mid 80's on Friday, which means mornings will be best. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As this week slowly warms up and we lose our cold nights, the big rivers will be hitting the 70+ mark during the pm hours, so carry that stream thermometer with you. Mornings will be a-ok all week, and small stream fishing should be great too. Hopefully we'll get a bit of rain from Wed.-Friday as things are starting to get a bit boney in places. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Winooski below Bolton Dam was 66 degrees at 4:30 pm. We had great hatches, Isonychias, Epherons, Lil Yellow Quills, BWO's, some Caddis...it was a typical Winooski potpouri. Fish were rising once we arrived, then we had a lull between 6:30-7:30, and then the fish went bonkers again on epherons and junk feeding in general. If you're interested in doing a float trip on either the Lamoille or Winooski this fall, look me up, it's a great way to see and cover alot of water in great conditions. Hatches consist of Isonychias #12-14, Epherons #12-16, Lil Yellow Quills #16-18, BWO's #20-24, Tricos #22-26, Caddis #14-22, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like hopers #10-12, ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The Lamoille is still a bit dingy down by Jeffersonville, but otherwise river conditions all around are in great shape for the time of year. This week looks cool and dry until Wednesday when we'll start to see some rain, which by then we'll need. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Sotrm totals in N. Underhill were .88"...a nice soaker. I've never seen so much polarity between the Winooski and the Lamoille in terms of rainfall from a big front like that. The Lamoille is high and dirty, 900+cfs, while the Winooski barely got anything and is still runnning at a bit over 200 cfs in Montpelier. Needless to say which one will fish better this weekend! There are some other smaller blown out rivers in south central Vt. and in the NEK, but all in all we've got plenty of water to fish and conditions will be cool and productive. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As of 5pm we're at .25" and climbing fast in heavy t-storms. Looks like the northern 2/3rds is going to get hit the hardest. My suspicion is that we'll see the Lamoille and Winooski blown out for a day or so in sections that get hit the hardest. Great timing for the rain though with real cool weather coming on the heels, our tribs will be pumping COLD water into the big rivers, and they could use that. The forecast thru Wednesday calls for weather in the low 70's and low 50's, and pretty dry after Friday, so we should be in great shape for this time of year. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
It's really nice when you get a good angler who can capitalize on good fishing conditions. After some am rain that dropped .25" in Underhill, we hit a small Lamoille trib that was 58 degrees and caught all wild fish, mostly browns 8-13" on dries, and missed a few more. Then we got back together and did an evening trip on the Lamoille and found some nice 65-66 degree water with a decent Isonychia hatch and got 10 bows, 4 stocked, 6 wild, up to 14" also on dries. Good stuff! Conditions are really nice right now, and hopefully we don't get heaps of rain from the t-storms forecast Thursday pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
On my morning trip we found the Lamoille in Jeffersonville 68 degrees at 8 am, with a few fish rising. I was doing instruction, so we went to a small trib and hooked a few fish. In the pm I guided on the lower Winooski (73 degrees at 5pm) for Smallies and we had a great time, landing about 15 or so up to a couple of pounds. Conditions should be good through the next week or so. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Here in N. Underhill we got about .65" of rain last night, and Moretown in the Mad River Valley got .80". Nothing has gotten dirty from the rains, and it has topped off our waters nicely. We've got cooler than normal weather for the next week which will make fishing conditions outstanding. Water temps range throughout the 60's though some waters could be a bit warmer in the far south. Fall bookings are filling up surprisingly fast, so If you're looking to get out a bit later this season, drop me a line. Hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tricos #22-26, BWO's #20-24, Epherons (the White mayfly) #12-16, Caddis #14-22, Stoneflies #6-12, and Terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
I went up to the Big C for the first time since I found the Didymo, and after the recent heavy rains, the Didymo was knocked back big time, to perhaps less than 10% of what I saw during the end of June. This is not too surprising to me, as high, muddy water events are mother natures only "checks and balances" keeping Didymo from a perma bloom status. Flows were up quite a bit, but my wife and I landed a number of fish up to 15", and I hooked a huge wild bow that went 20"+, and quite honestly the largest brown trout I've ever seen in New England came up and tried to hit my Stonefly dry but in the choppy, heavy water, I couldn't maintain my drift long enough and he followed it, lifted and missed the fly before I could even strike. Based on my N.Z. experiances with big trout, I'd say he was a solid 5lb. We're in for some great fishing conditons over this week...no hot weather, a bit of rain but not too much, and really cool nights. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Lamoille this morning were 63-64 degrees at 8am. We did well, catching a bunch of wild and stocked rainbows up to 14". This evening I taught two 16 yr. olds how to fish and we did the casting instruction on the Lamoille below Johnson...at 5:30 the water there was 70 on the nose. Needless to say we went to a small brook to catch some brookies since the Lamoille was too warm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I did two nice trips today; the first was on a trib of the Winooski in the am, I had a very nice family of 4 that needed instruction from the ground up. They did very well, landing a handful of wild and stocked rainbows from 10-13" on dries. The evening trip was on a trib of the Lamoille and we hooked a bunch of fish, wild browns, brookies, and rainbows, also on dries. Both rivers were in the low 60's throughout our time on the water. Conditions look good for the next few days, water levels are good, cool nights should make the big rivers fishable in the am, and small streams are at very good levels for this time of year. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Fortunately, the big rains forecast for the northern half of the state today did not materialize and most of the real heavy stuff stayed south. We did get a bit over .50" here in North Underhill, but many parts of the Winooski watershed saw less than .50". As a result, rivers are not in bad shape other than the big ones being a bit warm, and maybe a little bit of dinge. Small streams are in great shape. Noteworthy hatches consist of Isonychias #10-14, Tricos #22-24, BWO's #20-24, Caddis #14-22, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. The Green Mtn Troutfitters have Korkers wading boots with 3 different kinds of soles included that you can rotate as needed; 1 aquastealth, 1 knobby ribber, and felt. They're a bit cheaper than Simms or Patagonia, being only $119.95. If I were to get them, I'd use the felt only on your one favorite/most visited stream and keep them dedicated to that one waterway. I'll be putting in another order of the Nomad2go portable pressure washer early next week, so drop me a line if you'd like one. Good luck on the water!
Flows were great on the trib of the Lamoille I guided on this am., and the water was in the low 60's all morning. The highlight was a beautiful 17" wild brown caught on a big dry in heavy water! Looks like we're in for big rains after midnight tonight and most of Wednesday (1-2"+), so I expect the big rivers to be really stuffed for a few days now. The small streams will be best over the next few days. If you're interested in purchasing the portable pressure washer I've got to help clean gear for didymo, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided on a trib of the Winooski this am until heavy rains drove us off. We did pretty good considering how heavy it was raining, landing 3 wild rainbows, and hooking a couple more. Water temps were in the low 60's, and with cool air temps today and pretty widepsread decent rains (.50" at 11:30am in North Underhill, and the Winooski Valley got atleast that), this is the break the big rivers sorely needed. Tomarrow will hot and sticky, but then we have off and on showers forecast thru the weekend. Isonychias have gotten going all over the Lamoille and Winooski valleys, along with BWO's #22-24, Trico's #22-26, Caddis #14-22, Stoneflies #6-12, and ants and beetles. I have not seen many hoppers yet, but they should be around soon. The Epheron (White Mayfly) #14-16) should be starting with a week or so. It's best #'s are in the lower big rivers, Otter, Lamoille, and Winooski. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Winooski I guided on this am were 64 degrees at 10am. We did pretty well after a slow start, getting a 15" wild brown, and a 16" wild bow along with a few smaller wild bows. On a side note, I was wondering if anyone out there knows who put up the Didymo prevention signs on the Dog river recently. The posters only say FFF (federation of Flyfishers), and the EPA. While I truly appreaciate the good intentions, the info on the posters for effective cleaning techniques is largely inaccurate regarding soluble gear, and has some illogical assumptions in terms of angler use. At the bottom of the sign it says " wade downstream, blah,blah, in order to not spread it upstream". Well, here's the deal: the Dog is not currently effected with Didymo, and most flyfisherman fish UPSTREAM, and if you were to say, fish the way the sign wanted you to (downstream) on two different sections, wading downstream on the upper section would spread it downstream anyways. Good intentions, but not logical, particularly for a river currently unaffected. I would say that for travelling to two different waterways (which would obviously include tribs of a main river), you should clean your gear in transit. On that note, I have found a product that can really help us prevent the spread. The "Nomad2go" is a portable pressure washer that plugs into your car lighter, has 3.5 gallons of water in its resevoir, and sprays at 90 psi (pounds per square inch). It will only take the 2% bleach solution (which has been found to be very bit as effective as the detergent, and at 2% clothing/fabric should have no issues). It has a 20' hose, and is one tidy setup. I got a couple the other day, and found them to be great. I would be fairly confident that with that kind of water pressure, one could get the solution into the fabric and felt of your boots no problem. They retail for $169.95, and I will have few for sale real soon. I think it's a great tool, will clean canoes, rafts, etc. very fast, and has lots of other outdoor uses, like cleaning up "yourself", as well as camping stuff, bikes, etc. Drop me an e-mail if intersted, You can save the postage if you live in the nearby Winooski and Lamoille valley or Chittenden County, as I'll personally meet up and deliver one to you. Think about it! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Winooski I guided on were about 66 degrees at 7:30am. Despite the bad weather, we got two big trout to eat our dries, one brown was about 15", and the rainbow was a monster in the 18-20" range. We saw them, but missed the hookset, which, was due inpart I believe to the onset of a bad case of heat stroke my client got this morning. Feeling dizzy and faint in waders is not fun, so we pulled the pin a bit early. Fishing is never more important than ones health, let alone in this brutal weather! The big rivers will stay warm thru the weekend, as the warm water backed up behind the dams takes awhile to fluch thru and cool down. So far, there's been no rain in either the Winooski or Lamoille valleys worth noting, but boy do we need it. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Brutal weather today made me a bit happy I didn't have to take anyone out in what can only be considered pretty poor trout fishing conditions. Another warm night and day tomarrow, some scattered rain showers, and then things cool down a bit, but probobly not enough to cool the larger rivers. Small stuff will be the way to go for awhile, along with Smallmouth fishing on the lower ends of the big rivers. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
After checking the latest forecasts, it look like the brutal weather will continue thru Friday. On Friday we have a pretty good shot at some much needed rain but I don't think everywhere will get it; more of the bits and pieces variety we've seen so much this summer. The big rivers are simply too warm to trout fish right now, but the Smallie action is very good right now. Hatches consist of BWO's #20-24, Tricos #22-26, some Blue Quills #18-20, Caddis #14-22, Stoneflies #6-12, a few Golden and Yellow Drakes #8-10 (mostly on the big rivers, which are too warm anyway), and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Lamoille I guided on this morning were 66 degrees at 7 am. We did pretty well, getting a bunch of rainbows on dries and nymphs. It's going to be real warm over the next few days, so please stay off the big rivers in the pm. We could use some rain but it does not look to be in mix much over the next 7 days. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
We're in for a warm, dry week so the best fishing will be in the early am hours on most every water. The big rivers will be in the 70's all week so please stay off them, and try for some smallies on the lower ends instead! Not much else new to report, hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Thankfully, it appears so far that the algae found in the Little river yesterday is not didymo. It's being tested still, but at this point does not appear to be rock snot. Lots of pockets of rain throughout the state right now (3 pm), and if you're not getting hit now, there's a good chance you will be in a couple of hours. I'm off to guide this evening, we'll see how things pan out. Hatches consist of Blue quills #18-20, BWO's #22-24, Some Trico's (mostly in the south so far) #22-26, Yellow and Golden Darkes #10-12, Caddis #16-22, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Not much new to report on the fishing/river conditions front from yesterday; the big rivers are too warm, the small streams are fine, and we'll be getting some potentially big rains from tonight thru Sunday. Now for the bigger, potentially not so good news: around 2 pm today I got an e-mail w/ a picture attached of what could very well be DIDYMO IN THE LITTLE RIVER BELOW WATERBURY RESEVOIR! The picture WAS NOT conclusive to me (ya really need to see it in person), but I've contacted the Didymo front man for the F&W department, and he's on the road now to take a sample. Needless to say folks, this how it spreads, and the Little is perfect habitat for it. Please clean your gear after EVERY FISHING TRIP YOU DO REGARDLESS OF WHAT STREAM YOU FISH. I can assure you all, whether it's in the Little or not, IT IS in other Vt. waterways, it'll just be a matter of time before it becomes visable to the human eye. Be dilegent and good luck on the water!
The hot weather has turned the big rivers off for a bit, but the smaller rivers and streams seem to be holding up a-ok. We've got a pretty good chance for rain over the next 2-3 days which will help cool things off and atleast keep the smaller waters in great shape. The big rivers may get blown out, we'll just have to wait and see where the t-storms develop. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
A bright hot one today will bump the big rivers in to the 70+ "too warm to fish" temps in the evening hours. Dawn will be the way to go over the next couple of days. Friday pm thru Sunday am we'll be seeing some shower activity and a potential for bigger rains Saturday night in Central and Southern Vt. On these warm days, don't forget that I do trips on the lower ends of the big rivers for Smallmouth Bass, which can be outstanding with good #'s of 1-3 lb. fish. As for trout fishing, stick to small shaded waters during the day and fish early and late on the bigger waters. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the small mountain stream in the Winooski watershed I was guiding on this afternoon were 59-63 degrees. Lots of brookies hitting the dry! The Winooski should be in in a-ok shape by tomarrow, though below Bolton Dam is still pretty high with Little River water. The Lamoille is in a-ok shape from head to toe. Temps will be hot the next 2 days, so the big rivers will be hitting 70 or so. The tribs should should deal with the heat ok since they have good flows. Hatches consist of Blue Quills #18-20, BWO's #22-24, Caddis #16-22, Stoneflies #6-12, a few Sulphurs #18-20, a few Golden and Yellow Drakes #10-12, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
The trib of the Winooski I guided on today was 59 degrees at 10am, which is great for this particular stream. I had 2 raw beginners and they did pretty well getting a few rainbows on nymphs. Some were also rising on flat pools, but were much harder to entice for them. The big rivers are still high, though the Lamoille is in better shape than the Winooski, which has lots of high releases from Wrightsville and Waterbury Resevoirs. Things should settle down soon with a dry forecast for the week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I'm back from Newfoundland where I had a very nice time and had some pretty amazing small stream wild brownie fishing. I guided on a small wild trout stream this evening and the water was 63-65 degrees throughout the pm. Flows were above average for sure, but we still found some willing fish up top, and got some nice wild browns and rainbows. Quite frankly, I'm quite burned out about the Didymo thing (interviews, interviews, interviews), I'm happy to do them in order to get the word out, but it's been a bit of a bummer for me, and us all I suppose. I think everyone who reads this site, or listens/reads the news knows about what to do in terms of cleaning,etc. My only task with Didymo is getting my TU chapter to make up our signs and post them in our "district" waters. As for current conditions, the big rivers are pretty stuffed, and look to be for another day or two. The small streams are in great shape, and should carry thru for a week or two even without much rain. Hatches consist of Blue Quills (P.Mollis) #18-20, BWO's #22-24, Caddis #16-22, Hexagenia's (lakes, and there were tons of them on the windows of the Border patrol in Highgate Springs from Lake Champlain!), Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials i.e. ants and beetles #12-20. If anyone is interested in booking a trip for the upcoming Trico hatch in August, I still have some openings, and there is always some good dry fly action, so drop me a line. Check, clean, and dry, and good luck on the water!
Well, I left the Didymo meeting about 1/2 way, but I'm 50/50 on whether the state will be as procactive as they COULD be. That being said, Didymo IS in the White, and I would say that we should just plain avoid fishing the White altogether until we see how much it has spread. Also, the concensus is Felt boots are bad,bad,bad. Get some Rubber wading boots, they do work, and you'll "reduce" your chances of spreading it. Ya still have to clean the gear as I've mentioned before. The other thing folks can do is contact the Agency of Natural Resources, and tell them you want to see the mainstem White closed for the remainder of the season. I'm off to Newfoundland until July 22nd, and with all the rain and high water, I don't think I'll be missing much! If you're interested in booking a trip for after 7/22, send me an e-mail, as I'll be checking it from Newfie. More rain forecast, good luck on the water!
Rivers in the middle two-thirds of the state are mostly at record highs for the date and the bigger waters will be blown out for a few days atleast. smaller waters to the north and far south are in better shape for fishing. I knew there'd always be a few people who just enjoy stirring the pot and selectivly retaining the information they read and hear, but after a absurd e-mail I just recieved this afternoon, I'm going to reiterate what I have already told the state, the Burlington Free Press, The Rutland Herald/Times Argus, and anyone who has "tactfully" inquired...I have been going to New Zealand for almost 10 years now; since 2002 when I bought my cottage down and BEFORE Didymo was discovered in N.Z. (2004), I have kept a seperate set of waders, boots and fly rods at my cottage. The reason for this goes far beyond spreading Didymo: When you fly into Auckland Airport EVERYONE must hand over their waders and boots for fumigation at the Biosecurity checkpoint. Simply put, it's a hassle if you have a close connecting flight, and since I know I go down every year, I decided back in 2002 just to leave set of everything down there. (Additonally I don't use felt soles and EVEN IF I had brought gear back, it sits DRY for 3 months in a dark room) So for those of you are just looking for someone to "blame"...ya got the wrong guy. This person who wrote the e-mail obviously failed to retain in his brain the fact that Didymo has been found in Quebec, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Caralinas. I can't help of course but to take this a bit personally, as if I truly didn't care about what I spread around, why would I have alerted the state to the Didymo, and have gotten so involved? Most of you who know me or I have guided know me better, but for those of you who don't, I suggest we start looking at ourselves in the here and now rather than trying to find a cop-out. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Rain, rain and more rain! Flood watches and warnings out for most all of Vt. With river levels as they are and saturated soil, we're gonna see some pretty crazy flows on the big rivers over the next few days. And with more rain forecast late in the weekend and next week, we may see a prolonged unfishable phase for the big rivers and some marginal fishing for the mid-sized waters. The small streams will fish best, since they clear the fastest. Personally, despite some short-term lost business, I'm fine with this weather as it's keeping most anglers off the water which buys us some time to form a state policy on Didymo. I'll be participating in a meeting on Friday with folks from the state, feds, and N.H., Mass., and Ct. (Since the Big C runs thru all of them). I think, think...that we may see a pretty pro-active effort by the "officials" to get the word out. I wasn't as optimistic until today, when I talked with some more state folks, and it appears reality is sinking in for them. The newsletter is out, so if you'd like a copy drop me an e-mail at lawtonweber@pshift.com Hatches are fairly meaningless in this stuff, so fish deep and and dark, Check, Clean, Dry, and good luck on the water!
Yesterdays rains have clobbered the Lamoille, Winooski, and White River watersheds big time. The big rivers and their larger tribs are blown out, but the small streams are coming clean enough to fish. The White River does indeed have Diymo, and it would be a safe bet that it is now going to show up in other rivers pretty soon since the White gets fished alot, and anglers were not aware of Didymo until the last week or so. That being said, while the rivers are muddy and blown out, what better time to get your didymo "cleaning system" organized and ready? Clean EVERYTIME after you go out, it's our only chance. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Caddis #16-20, BWO's #20-24, Golden and Yellow Drakes #10-12, Stoneflies #6-12, and ants and beetles #12-20. Check, Clean and Dry...and good luck on the water!
Well folks, here we go...I've just heard that Didymo in all liklihood has been found in the White River from Cleveland Brook downstream in Bethal. Official testing results are not yet in, But the description is spot on. At this point, I'm going to tell everyone what I'm doing to prevent myself and clients from spreading Didymo: I have a huge plastic bin on the deck, in it well over 5% dishwashing detergent/hot water solution. I top it off daily by taking a lobster pot and take a pot full of cooled down water out, and adding a pot of BOILING water, that brings my temps up plenty. I've also added so much detergent that when I put my boots (AQUASTEALTH!) on yesterday, as I walked down the road, my boots turned white with suds!! I soak my stuff for atleast 40 minutes, usually overnight. Once you're set up, it's not that tough to do. You should also dunk your butt section of your rod and reel in solution for atleast 3 minutes or so. Remember the backing and inner line can get Didymo on it too. We'll see how pro-active the state is going to be on this. My suspicions are not good however with very apathetic leadership at the Agency of Natural Resources. The prior Secretary thought of Agency policy was one of lets see how business friendly we can be without doing much to protect the environment; I'm skeptical of these new guys too. They're welcome to prove me wrong! Ok, fishing...well, the areas that needed the rain most got it bigtime today. We've gotten about .66" so far today, but the Winooski valley got slammed with inches of rain. Big blowout, so everything in that valley is stuffed. Same goes for the Lamoille too, though not near as bad. The Kingdom got away with not much so far, but we're all under the gun thru Wednesday for potential big downpours. www.biosecurity.govt.nz Hatches are the same as previous days, check, clean and dry, and good luck on the water!
I got out to do some fishing this evening for a bit on a trib of the Winooski that was running clear enough to fish after the rains. It was a bit slow, but I found a nice 20" wild brown and missed the hook set in about 12 inches of water. Landed a nice 14" wild bow that took a dry, and got couple of smaller guys on dries also. Water temp was 60 degrees at 6pm. The Winooski and Lamoille came up quite a bit and are off-color, but not super muddy. We do have more rain in the forecast over the next 24+ hours, so things may stay status quo for a bit. You'll want to check water temps in the big rivers if they are clear enough,we'll have a pretty warm muggy week ahead. Newsletter will be finished tomarrow and be out by midweek; I had to update it with Didymo stuff...Check, Clean, and Dry!!! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Folks, I've just checked the latest info from Biosecurity New Zealand and they now have newer more stringent measures for cleaning gear. While my recommendations earlier apply to non-absorbant gear, things like felt and neoprene need longer soak times. For the direct info, everyone please go to www.biosecurity.govt.nz From there you'll find info on Didymo. The Burlington Free Press did a horrible job in telling the public about cleaning gear, it involves more than what they said in their article. Thanks and get the "right" word out!
Well folks, I really wish it hadn't come to this, but the algae I found on the Big C was indeed "didymo". Evidently it was on the radio this morning. I cannot understate what this could mean to Vermonts trout streams. This algae forms an ugly "mat" of yellowish brown algae that looks like wet toilet paper, yet when you pick it up it has the consistency of wet sheeps wool. When it gets into a stream you WILL NOT get a drift of the nymph or wet fly that will stay clear of this stuff. It also smothers the rocky streambed so invetabrates (trout food) cannot sustain their populations, which in turn means less trout, less wild trout, and then horrible fishing. Folks, this is the single biggest threat to our quality of trout fishing one could imagine. It scares the crap out of me personally. If you fish the Big C OR ANY OF THE TRIBS TO THE CT. RIVER PLEASE CLEAN YOUR GEAR WITH ATELAST A 5% DISHWASHING DETERGENT SOLUTION IN HOT WATER AND LET IT SOAK IN A BUCKET OR A BIG TUPPERWARE TUB FOR ATLEAST 3 MINUTES. There is no effective treatment as of yet, and we will only have oursleves to blame if it spreads. This is an open question for everyone who reads this site...how would you feel if you didn't clean your gear and weeks/months later you found it in your favorite trout water? It could be your fault, so don't pass the buck..please. I'm wishful that both Vt. and NH will be on the ball with this, and get the signage out on the streams along with cleaning stations at popular pull-offs and F&W access points, but we can't rely on the state, it's up to everyone of us. For less than 10 bucks you can get a cheap tupperware tub and some dishwashing detergent and less than 5 minutes of saoking you'll be clean and clear! To use the current campaign used in New Zealand right now..."Check, Clean, and Dry". I have been in contact with outfitters and guides along the Connecticut River Valley this morning, and they seem to understand the impact. I mentioned it before, but one other preventitive option is doing away with the felt soled boots. In N.Z. they have found Didymo spores in felt boots WEEKS after they were last used. While the didymo will still be in the fabric of your boots, the felt is the real harbinger, so why not go to an "aquastealth" type boot? Orvis, Patagonia, Simms, and L.L. Bean all make a rubber soled wading boot, and some have models with steel studs for extra grip. Personally I've been using Aquastealth rubber soles for years, they last longer, and as a guide I've found most folks fall down getting in and out of the river, not while they're in the river, and in that case rubber is far better on wet grass and mud than felt soles. Get the word out to as many anglers as you know about this, education and awareness are the cheapest, best way to prevent it's spreading into Vt. waters. For those of you who interested in learning more about Didymo check out Biosecurity New Zealands website www.biosecurity.govt.nz and find the links to Didymo. When you see it, you'll know you don't want it here! Thanks everyone for listening and check, clean, and dry!
Once upon a time a wild brown trout was born in a small mountain trib of the Lamoille. It spent it's first 3-4 years learning the ways of life as a wild trout...what to eat, how not to be eaten, where to hide, where to stay cool. 2 years ago "Lil Betty" became "Big Betty", a beginner client of mine caught her when she was a nice big 14" small stream trout. Last year, I had another raw beginner fish the same pool, and there she was again, this time she was 17" and big enough to terrorize most of the small trout that tried to share the pool with her. Well, this evening I had another beginner on the same pool. We had to dodge out of a t-storm for about 20 minutes and sit in the truck, and then we went back to the pool. About 5 minutes in both of us noticed a mustard-brown flash near the head of the pool. I noticed it again a minute later. I told my client to fire his nymph upstream a bit higher...boom! I am absolutely sure this was the same fish...tiny head indicative of a female; same profile, and in the same pool, on a stretch where there is no big trout habitat for hundreds of feet above and below the pool. This time she taped out as one of the biggest trout of the season, and certainly the biggest I've seen in this stream...19", 2.5 lbs.!!! I took some photos which will go up on the website towards the end of the season. We also got a sweet 13" wild bow that tore around river like it had never been hooked before. We also got some "mere mortals". Water temps was 63 degrees at 6pm. I also guided on the Mad this am and found fish rising everyhwere in 64 degree water (10 am). Mostly stockies, but they seemed in good shape, and where not pushovers in clear flat pools. More unsettled weather in store for the state thru next week. Once again, the southern third of the state got slammed with most of the rain today. We got anywhere from nothing/trace to maybe .25" in the northern third. Overall though flows are decent for this time of year, with the exception of some Winooski tribs which are still low. The Winooski was 65 below Middlesex Dam this am. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Light Cahills #12-14, Caddis #16-20, Stoneflies #6-12, Blue Quills (P. Mollis) #18-20, BWO's #20-24, and ants and beetles #12-20. I know, I know, I'll have the newsletter out early in the week! Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Lamoille in Jeffersonville was 65 degrees at 9 am. We found some fish junk feeding on the surface, browns and wild bows. We received around .50" of rain in N. Underhill last night, but nothing today. Unsettled weather is now forecast thru next Thursday, which is great news. No hot spells! Water levels have come up a bit which is also nice. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I guided some raw beginners this am on the Winooski below Middlesex dam and the water was a nice 62 degrees at 6:30 am. By 9:30 it had bumped up to 64. At that pace, the Winooski (and Lamoille) will probably touch close to 70 late this afternoon. We caught a couple of wild bows, and hooked a few others, but with beginners you usually can't expect much. Forecast is looking better now, with around .50-.75" of rain from Wednesday pm thru Thursday, then continued below average temps and another possible shot at more significant rains Sunday night/Monday, but that's far enough out that I'll believe it when I see it. We got about .30" of rain here in Underhill last night, and it looks as though the Winooski below Montpelier got about the same...good stuff. My apologies for not getting the newsletter out, but I've been slammed with last minute bookings, 7 trips in 4 days, so it'll be a few days yet before things settle down. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The small stream in the Northeast Kingdom I guided on today was 58-62 degrees during the late afternoon. We did well, fishing dries only, and managing a couple wild rainbows in the 11-12" range along with a bunch of smaller wild bows and brookies. These small showers are certainly better than nothing, but we really need a soaker. Water temps on the Winooski below Bolton Dam last evening were around 69 degrees, and the fishing evidently was not too flash, atleast for my buddies. Mornings are still the best way to go. Forecast continues to be good in terms of air temps, and we have showers in forecast most every day from Wednesday thru Monday, but no soakers. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, Blue Quills #18-20, BWO's #22-24, Caddis #16-22, some Isonychias #12, Stoenflies #6-12, and terrestrials like ants/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
You can't get much better weather to fish in July. Water temps range from the 50's thru the upper 60's, which is nice, but we're really drying out in many areas in the state. The National Weather Service announced that June was 2.7 degrees warmer than normal, and -1.02" for rainfall. I think the fishing in June reflected that for the most part, with warm water on the big rivers, and low spooky conditions. From Rte. 4 south in the state, things are a bit better for rainfall but not by much. Forecast for the upcoming week is good for July, cooler than normal, and our best chance for a good region wide rain for awhile comes on Wednesday night-Thursday. The Lamoille is in a bit better shape level wise than the Winooski, and both will still fish best in the am this week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Despite the cool weather last night and today, theres still ALOT of very warm water behind the dams on the Winooski and Lamoille. The Lamoille came up alot last night and is running a bit dirty in Jeffersonville. But atleast there's some water, on the Winooski things are rough. I just got a call from a reliable source that the Winooski just above the rte. 2 bridge in Waterbury was a fish-killing (if you fish to them) 77 degrees, thats about 2-3 degrees from killing trout period. Another night of cool temps should help matters and even better would be if the Winooski got a bit of rain that is forecast for Stuarday. It's only a slight chance of light rain, but it'll help. The Hex hatch on the lakes should be starting now, usually starting on Eligo and Caspian first and then moving northeast over the next week. Big bugs, right at dark. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-20, BWO's #22-24, Blue Quills (P. Mollis) #18-20, Lt. Cahills #12-14, Golden/Yellow Drakes #10-12, Tan Caddis #14-20, Stoneflies #6-12, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. If you fish the Connecticut River at all, please clean your gear with a 5% dishwashing detergent solution before venturing on Vt. waters, lets keep Didymo out of Vt.! Make sure to check water temps on the big water before fishing, it'll save your time and the lives of wild trout. Last call for signing up for the seasonal newletter, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com Good luck on the water!
The small stream I guided on this morning was 62 degrees at 6:30 am. We did very well, especially for a beginner, landing 14 wild brookies and browns, up to 13" all on dries! We've only gotten .33" of rain as of 11am today, but there is a narrow line of rain and t-showers pushing our way as of noon. Jeffersonville got almost .75", while Moretown only got .20", so it really depends on where you were. Water levels overall are still very low, except for the Lamoille which got enough rain to bump it up a bit, and made it a bit dingy in Cambridge. The next 3+ days should be great fishing. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Another record breaker today, and fish are having a tough time on a lot of waters. I was helping some grad students do some coldwater fisheries research this afternoon, and we were seeking out springs on a trib of the Winooski. At one, which was about 2 ft wide, we found a 20" wild brown and a 17" wild brown sitting in less than a foot of water where the spring came in. They seemed to be fine, and the main river was 68-69 degrees, but it goes to show the lengths wild fish will go to stay cool. T-storms once again seem to have hit mostly from Addison County south, and we're still waiting for our share in the Lamoille Valley. Water levels are getting real low. Tomarrow will still be too warm on the big rivers, as tonight is only supposed to be in the upper 60's, and it will take another night of cool temps (40's-50) on Thursday night to start making a difference. The weekend looks great though. I think Friday will be a nice evening to be on the bigger water and it only should get cooler thru the weekend. Hatches are the same as previous days, with the addition of some Yellow/Golden Drakes #8-12. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Lamoille I guided on this morning were a surprisingly cool 62 degrees at 9 am. We did well, catching stocked and wild browns, and wild bows. The big rivers will be in dire shape today thru Thursday, so please give the fish a break there. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps in the Lamoille around 9 am were 65 degrees in Cambridge. We've got some record warm temps forecast for the next 2 days, so please stay off the bigger rivers as the fish will be under quite a bit of stress. The smaller streams should be ok, though they may hit 70 or so on the lower/warmer stretches. On a sad note that ALL anglers in Vermont need to be aware of, I discovered an invasive algae this past weekend on the Big C. I've contacted the state and they're in the process of testing the algae, but having seen this nasty algae in New Zealand over the past 4 years, I'm all but certain about what I saw. This algae resembles cardboard colored toilet paper, and clings to rocks where it can cover the rocky streambed of rivers and streams. It tends to prefer clear, infertile streams, which means most all of Vt. would qualify. It hangs up on your nymphs, and spin anglers can get clumps of it on almost every cast. It seemed quite widespread from Lyman Brook downstream on the Big C (which means the spores are ALL the way downstream on the Big C). As I told my fellow TU members this past weekend, we have to clean our gear after we fish the Big C. A 5% bleach solution, 5% saline solution, 5%+ of laundary detergent all in hot tap water and dunked completely for atleast 2 minutes. This means your waders, boots, and your reel if you plan on fishing soon after hitting the Big C. Just because you don't fish for 3+ days, does NOT mean your felt soles are dry enough to kill Didymo. All it takes to spread this algae is 1 part per million! So, everything in contact with the water should be cleaned. If this were to get into our more clear, infertile water like the Mad and White rivers, instead of seeing gin clear water down to a light colored rock and gravel bottom, you'd see a cardboard brown bottom which would make the river look dingy. The streambed would be covered in a mat of this crap. I've seen it in N.Z. and they're taking it very seriously. It has been found in Quebec, B.C., Tennesee, the Dakotas, and some rocky mtn. states, and I believe some mid-atlantic states. Please, please do not be complacent on this, clean your gear after fishing the Big C! We'll only have ourselves to blame otherwise, and speaking from experiance fishing in it in some streams in N.Z., you don't want to deal with it. I actually leave a seperate set of boots and waders at my place in N.Z. so I don't spread it anywhere. One good option to start is considering buying a pair of boots with a rubber "aquastealth" sole; it by NO means gives you a free pass not to clean, but it does reduce the risk as the inner part of a felt sole can stay damp enough for days on end. Ok, that being said, fish early and fish late, and keep your thermometer handy. Good luck on the water!
Well, it looks like we got about .66" of rain this weekend, along with cool weather it has put the big rivers in pretty good shape. On my way home from the Big C, I noticed that the Gihon was dirty from East Johnson downstream, and this has made the Lamoille off color for a few miles downstream. The Lamoille in Cambridge is fine at the moment. The Big C was good, though you had to work for your fish. My highlight was a sweet 19" wild rainbow, along with a bunch of wild bows from 11-15". Hatches were ok, but not great. Looks like we're in for another big warm-up Monday-Wednesday, and then another cold front will come thru and bring things back down to 70s/50s late in the week. I will be getting out my seasonal newsletter at the end of the week, so if you'd like to recieve it, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, Lt. Cahills #12-14, BLue Quills #18-20, BWO's #22-24, Tan Caddis #14-20, Stoneflies #6-12, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Well, I have to admit I was not completely right in saying the big rivers will be blown out today. It turns out the rains did not come down heavy overnight (.20" more, 1.1" total from storms in Underhill, most places got less), but the big rivers did become off color a bit. So I guess we still need rain! Guided a father and his 12 year old son today, the kid was GOOD, real good. They got about 20 browns this morning 8-12", mostly on dries. Water temps range throughout the 60's and into the low 70's on the bigger, warmer water. I'm guiding on my way up to the Big C tomarrow, and I'll be up there all weekend, so my reports will continue on Sunday pm. Expect some pretty darn good conditons for summer; cool, cloudy weather will make early morning and "at dark" fishing very good. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Lt. Cahills #12-14, Cream Cahills #12, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-12, BWO's #20-24, and ants/beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
As of 7 pm, we've gotten just under 1" of rain and more is on the way later tonight. I expect the big rivers to blow out, though the Winooski has not gotten slammed as of 7pm. We've got a much better forecast for the next 3-4 days, with cooler than normal, cloudy conditions with more showers/t-storms. Good timing to deal with these hot long days. Water temps on smaller rivers and streams range from the upper 50's to low 70's depending on stream size, elevation, and location in the state. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Low and too warm for the big rivers, and low and spooky for the small stuff is making things tough right now. Hopefully the strong cold front coming on Tuesday pm will bring a solid amount of rain region wide. We could get 1-2" during heavy downpours. This will muck up the big rivers, but they need the water. With this kind of weather, comes the onset of the "night fishing season". For those interested in the "dark art of night fishing", I'll be doing trips from 7-11 pm for those of you interested. It is a well known fact that the biggest browns and bows become nocturnal during warm weather in order to chase baitfish, crayfish, and sculpins. True night fishing really does not get going until after 11pm, but I can understand that most folks don't want to hit the water in pitch black, so the 7-11 is a good compromise, as we'll get in on the hatches coming off at dark. For those who have not yet signed up for my seasonal newsletter which comes out at the end of June, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Not much new to report for Vt. conditions since my last update on Friday. Rivers continue to be low and getting warm. We did get about .60" of rain today, but it appears many areas missed out. I was spending my wedding anniversary over in Lake Placid this weekend, and I got to fish the West Branch of the Ausable a bit, and the experiance really made me realize aside from the pretty thick hatches they have, we're pretty lucky around here. Last night we went down to the W.B. after dinner to watch the Green Drake Hatch. There were 12 anglers within 150 yards of water! I had a cold one and waited for the right moment to drop in the water in between the anglers above and below. I was on the tricky tail of the pool nobody seemed to want. I did well, and it was pretty fun watching big drake spinners fall onto the water. I landed 12 fish and hooked a few more in less than 90 minutes, but you know what? They're ALL stocked fish, all species, and many looked as bad or worse(!) than Vt.'s hatchery product. And there were so many folks on the water. I wouldn't trade our situation here in Vt. for their better hatches. We have hatchery fish like they do, less anglers, more types of water, and the best part...we have some nice wild trout streams! I don't want this to sounds like I'm bashing Adirondack fishing, but I don't think there's any doubt we have better trout fisheries. The W.B. is about half the size of the Lamoille yet it recieves more the twice the number of stocked fish. Our neighbors to the west are also dealing with low, warm water; perhaps lower than in Vt. The W.B. of the Ausable was 69 degrees at 2pm near Whiteface on Friday. As for the upcoming week, I expect to start seeing more Light Cahills now, and with warm temps thru Tuesday, the big rivers will be off limits except at dawn, and on the Winooski below Bolton Dam, where Little River releases are keeping it pretty cool. Things are supposed to cool off later in the week, but no serious rain is forecast other than a strong front Tuesday pm. The Big C is in great shape right now, cool water, good levels. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #16-18, Light Cahills #12-14, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-12, Tiny BWO's #22, and terrestrials like beetles and ants #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Pretty much the same conditions we've had the past 2 days, rivers are getting lower, and are hitting the 70 degree + mark in the pm. The Lamoille was 68 degrees at 9 am just below the Brewster, which means the mainstem down stream would be 1-2 degrees warmer. We do have another cool night for tonight, but these long sunny days really do a number on things. Hopefully over the next few days everyone will get a bit of rain from the forecast of scattered showers and t-storms, but chances are prettty low on that one. The F&W Department has really screwed up on the stocking this year. Now that the Winooski has hit 70, which puts trout under a bit of stress, they stocked BROOK TROUT in Marshfield yesterday! Now, for those of you not familiar with that stretch of river, it gets over 68 pretty much every day now, and often gets to over 70. Those 500 brookies won't last past next week with the forecast of Tuesday hitting 90+. These yearlings cost over $2.25 apiece to rear and transport, so thats over $1100 of fish wasted. The Winooski above East Montpelier still has not been stocked with rainbows either and the water there has already hit 70+. The North Branch and the Gihon in the Lamoille valley also have not been stocked with browns yet, and they are well into the 60's now also. Putting fish in this late is risky at best; throwing $ literally down the drain at the worst. I'm beginning to wonder if we laid off more employees at the departement, and they can't get the job done. One source at the department told me "they had a slow start with many ponds frozen later in April that prevented stocking." While my source has no policy-making on when they stock, I find that pretty absurd, shoot, last year they were stocking some brookie waters WAY too early when the water was only in the low 40's, and as for ponds, I've seen them stock them as soon as there's a 10 ft. square of open water at the boat ramp or roadside. So, whatever the case, they've really screwed this one up. Not to get too socio-political, I think the best proposal to fund our cash-strapped depaartment (and there is no question they are understaffed and underfunded), is the concept of a 1/8 of 1% of sales tax going to fund the department. This would be the best alternative for a number of reasons. First, it would mean folks who use the departments resources would finally contribute to it (i.e. "Hello? yes, a bear is in my yard under my bird feeder because I decided to ignore the warnings and left it up" or the recent exotic animal round-ups in the press lately), and while we can all agree that nobody likes new taxes for much of anything, (even though they find a way, whether it's a price increase at the dump, to new DMV surcharges), the interesting thing about this proposal is that it is focused solely on funding the F&W Dep't. So we know where are $ is going. I'm sure if they had the funding, we would not be still stocking fish in 70 degree water. Our non-outdoorsman governor has stated he won't create a new tax, which is typical, but we need to do something. Talk to your legislator, e-mail the Governor, talk to whoever you can. When we wonder why the state can't do this fishing management tactic, stocking, hunting management, boat ramp repair,etc. it's usually because of one thing...$ If this tax happened, the department would be receiving enough to handle thier needs, and folks like kayakers who use the resource but don't pay anything, would be. Just some food for thought! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Looks like the next 36 hours will be pretty cool which will help keep the big rivers from getting too far out of hand. That being said, in many stretches of the Winooski and Lamoille water temps will still hit 70 during the afternoons. Night fishing and early morning will be the way to go from here on out except when we get rains and cool spells. If you're interested in signing up for my seasonal newsletter which comes out at the end of June drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The streams I guided on today were 62 and 65 degrees respectively, and that was during the afternoon. We had a big t-storm while we were out, but we still managed to get some very nice fish in fairly small water. Wild bows of 9",12",13",14", one wild brown 13", and a few 6" class wild brookies and browns. Well to me it's official...we need rain! Forecast is not good with sunny dry weather for the next week, and we'll be dealing with 70 degree water on the bigger warmer rivers. Rememeber, a trout in 72 degree water has only half the oxygen available to it as it does at 63. What that means is one, when it's slow in the afternoon and evening, it's because the trout are concerned with breathing not eating; and two, if you do hook one, they're overworking their system during the fight, even though you release them, there's a good chance they won't survive...which does not make us catch and release fisherman in it's truest sense! Hatches consist of Sulphurs, #14-18, Tiny BWO's #22, A few March browns #10-14, Grey Drake spinners #12, Tan Caddis #14-18, Stoneflies #6-14, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
We're really getting into summer-like conditions now. The Winooski managed to stay under 70 today, but only just. The water coming out of Middlesex Dam was 66 at 6 pm, but the Mad had water temps of 70 on the nose! Fish weren't doing much until the hour before dark, which is pretty standard fare. it is time for me to start the early am trips as the water is at its coolest, and there's more time to catch active fish. We could use some rain, which we may get tomarrow in bits and pieces, but after that it's pretty dry for the next 5-7 days. Hopefully that weather pattern doesn't stick around for awhile. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretches of the Lamoille I guide on today were a uniform 65 degrees all afternoon. We did very well with both stocked and wild fish, landing 17 and hooking many more. We actaully caught a native brookie in the mainstem Lamoille where the water is pretty big, thats always a good sign. Looks like we're in for the warm-up this week, and I expect water temps on the big rivers may touch 70 this week, so make sure you bring your stream thermometer with you. Forecast is pretty dry aside from a chance of t-storms Monday, and we could use a bit of rain actually. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
T-storms late last night did not drop enough rain to do anything to the rivers, so everything is in great shape. Water temps range from the upper 50's to around 67 for parts of the Lamoille and Winooski,etc. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski was 56 degrees on the stretch I guided on this morning, and a trib of it was 54 at 10 am. The fishing was decent but nothing like yesterday. It turned out real warm today west of the Greens today, 90 in Burlington, but Montpelier was just 80, so it made a difference where you were. Hatches consist of Sulphurs #14-18, March Browns #10-14, Grey Drake spinners #10-12, Tan Caddis #14-16, Stondflies #8-14, and ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
A surprising amount of cloud cover and even a few sprinkles helped make the fishing outstanding today on the Lamoille. Water temp was 57-58 degrees. March Browns, Caddis, Sulphurs(#14-16), and a few Brown Drakes brought alot of fish up top, and the 3 clients and I actually lost count of the number of fish caught. Rainbows, some up to 13", all eating dries...great stuff! Water level was still a tad puffed up, but that won't last long. Looks like Friday won't be quite as warm as initially forecast, more around 80 or so. The upcoming weekend should be great provided we don't get any deluges from a cold front moving thru Friday evening. Remember Saturday is Vt. "Free Fishing Day" (aka "Guides nightmare day"!), so there will be lots of folks around, so give everyone space, there's still plenty of water. For the record I support free fishing days thru and thru to get folks into fishing, but it can be tough on more popular water for guiding. I still have some June openings if folks are interested in getting out on the water, don't hesitate in dropping me a line. Also, another reminder for anyone who is interested in my seasonal newsletter which will come out at the end of the month, send me an e-mail lawtonweber@pshift.com Hatches are the same previous days, good luck on the water!
Days like this are great for cooling off the big rivers, and levels are dropping pretty fast. I'm planning on guiding on the Lamoille tomarrow, so I'm thinking things will be clear enough on the upper half of the river. In general it will be another day or two before things come right. We do have a cold front coming thru on Friday evening that may bring a t-storm, but I don't think it'll be bad. I'm stunned the Fish and Wildlife Department has not stocked the Winooski above East Monpelier, or the North Branch of the Lamoille and the Gihon with Brown trout. It's getting a bit late in the season to be spring stocking! Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
While there were some strong storms in the state today, it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. In Underhill we've gotten only .60" in the past 24 hrs. Many small streams are still clear and not high at all. The big rivers are stuffed but they should come around in a day or two in their upper reaches. Water temps on the tribs I guided on today were on either side of 60 degrees. Big cooldown for the next 36 hours, which is great for the big rivers. Hatches consist of March Browns #10-14, Sulphurs #14-18, Brown Drakes (iffy, mostly on Lamoille which muddy) #10, Grey Drake Spinners #10-12, Tan Caddis #14-16, Lil Yellow Stones #12-16, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
As of 4:15 pm, it's remained mostly dry here in N. Underhill, we've only gotten about .20" in the past 24 hrs. Looking at the radar, the Winooski watershed is now getting rain and the Lamoille Valley will be getting wet by 5 pm. They're now saying 1-2" of rain for the next 12+ hrs, and then by mid-day Tuesday we'll be under the gun again from a strong cold front pushing thru. I'm hopefull that some smaller rivers and streams may be fishable tomarrow pm, but I'm not holding my breath. Once levels do drop however, we should be in GREAT shape with cool weather and decent flows. I'll be doing my seasonal newsletter in a couple of weeks so if anyone would like to sign up for it, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com. The newsletters contain updates/observations on the season thus far, hatch info for the next couple of months, a "seasonal" subject, Q&A, and various other tidbits related to trout fishing here in Vermont. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water conditions are all over the place right now, the Winooski, Lamoille, and lower half of thw White are all muddy, but not real high, most tribs of the Winooski and Lamoille have come up a bit but are fishable...but with the forecast of big rains courtesy of "Barry" along with a strong front on Tuesday, I expect most everything to be stuffed for a bit. Eastern slopes of the Greens should get the most rain, and it looks like 1-2" for everywhere in the state over the next 24+ hours. As is the case after big rains, the small high gradient streams will become fishable first. Overall, despite a guiding nightmare for me, we need this rain as we enter the heat of summer. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well the big storm we had here in N. Underhill dropped .75" of rain last night, and the Lamoille and upper Winooski got slammed as well, and both rivers are mucked right up, and will stay dirty for atleast 3 days. Considering the potential for heavy rain Sunday pm thru Monday, the big rivers may be stuffed for awhile. On the flipside, the tribs of the Winooski did not recieve much rain at all, and the small mtn. stream I guided on this evening was low and in the low 60's for a water temp. This small stream has all 3 species and is not stocked, but we only caught brookies, all on dries, and up to 11". As mentioned before, we've got more rain forecast and it looks like we won't see the sun until Thursday and then ANOTHER system comes in for next weekend. So we've currently got some waters that are high and muddy, some high and fishable, and some really LOW and getting spooky. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I had a couple of hours or so to do a little fishing of my own today, so I decided to fish a stretch of a stream I had been meaning to check out for a couple of years now and just did not have the time. WOW! Big wild rainbows and browns galore. Wild rainbows of 12",13",13",12",16",12", and wild browns of 10",14", and beautiful hen of 17". All on nymphs, not much surface activity, though another nice fish ate my indicator. I'll have to add this to my inventory of water! Great fishing weather, and it looks to continue through Tuesday. While we are getting some scattered brief downpours, we really need some decent widespread rain. Southern Vt. got hit pretty hard earlier today, and Essex Co. Vt. got some decent rains, but the rest of us are in the spotty zone. March Browns were coming off pretty good throughout the time I was on the water. Hatches consist of March Browns #10-14, Sulphurs #14-16, Blue Quills #18, Grey Drake spinners #12, Tan Caddis #14-16, and terrestrials i.e. ants and beetles #12-20. Good luck on the water!
Light rain has begun to fall north of rte. 2 since about 4 pm. We're only supposed to get around .10" this evening which is good...we like slow and steady. Not much new to report, smaller streams are getting low and boney, while the big rivers are in decent shape with some decent dry fly action at dusk. We do need the rain forecast over the next 5 days, because when the heat comes, the big rivers will need the extra volume to stay cooler. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Most every stream in the state has been stocked according to the F&W department website, with the notable exceptions of the Winooski above East Montpelier, and brown trout plantings in the Gihon and N. Branch of the Lamoille. They could have been done today but it was not posted. Water levels in the East-Central portion of Vt. are REALLY low for this time of year, and in general we could use a bit of rain, preferably the slow steady kind. It looks as though we could be in for some big rains from rte. 2 north over the next 36 hrs. The forecast after that is a bit iffy, but expect upper 60's/low 70's and cloudy, humid, showery weather. Great for hatches! Things are starting to book up for June, so if you're interested in getting out on the water and catching some fish and learning a bit, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Winooski I was guiding on tonight were 64-65 degrees at 5:30 pm. Cool enough to keep the trout happy, but it shows that yesterdays cool weather and rain did not cool down the big rivers much from the recent warm spell. Tonight will be in the upper 40's which will help, and the forcast now calls for cooler, showery weather to arrive a bit earlier than thought. This is good news because the cloudy, damp days always have the best mayfly hatches. There was a variety of bugs around tonight, Caddis, M. Browns, M. Brown Spinners, Sulphurs(invaria, the small #16-20 Doratheas are still a week away). Early on things were tough, with sporadic splashy rises, and sporadic bug #'s. Then right at dark, as is usual for the Winooski, the sulphurs came off strong, and there were wild rainbows at the tails of the pools taking them off the top. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the Lamoille were 59 degrees below the Green River, and 61 degrees up in Wolcott during the afternoon hours. We're expecting around .50" of rain region wide, but some places may get up to an inch from heavier downpours and/or t-storms. Looks like the nastiest stuff is from Rte. 4 south, and from Rte. 15 north, as of 10 pm. Sunday. Monday thru Thursday look dry with gradual warming to around 80 Wed-Thur. Overall fishing conditions should be good for the next week. We certainly could use a bit of rain in the upper Winooski watershed, as well as the whole Lamoille watershed. If we can keep levels up a bit, those 80 degree temps won't effect the fishing as much. Hatches consist of March Browns #10-14 (though I personally have not seen good numbers yet), Quill Gordons #14, Sulphurs #14-16, Grey Drakes #10-12 (spinners only, duns crawl out on banks and grass), Tan caddis #14-16, and terrestrials like ants and beetles #12-18. Good luck on the water
It will still take another day for the big rivers to cool down after yesterdays high readings, and I think tonight will do the job. The next couple of days should be great fishing, t-storms aside tomarrow pm. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
The Winooski aboce East Montpelier was 67 this evening at about 5 pm. Thats getting pretty warm for May, and as expected the fish were not active that early in the pm. We decided to go over to one of my secret brook trout streams, and did very well, getting around 8-10 fish with only one about 6", and the rest 7.5"-11"...big stream brookies! Hatches are the same as previous days, enjoy the good weekend conditions, and good luck on the water!
88 degrees...ouch! A bit too warm for me personally, but the big rivers will hold thier own due to their decent flows, and the fact that Saturday-Thursday look to be much cooler and seasonable. The Lamoille has been stocked entirely, and the Winooski is all set except for above Warshaws Dam just east of Montpelier to the headwaters. Water temps range from the low 50's to the mid 60's. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Winooski I guided on was 60 degrees at 6pm. We caught over a dozen brownies 9-12" mostly on nymphs. Flows were still ripping a bit where we where but it obviously was still productive. We did not see much of a hatch this evening, a few invaria sulphurs, and not much else. Look for really bright hot weather Thursday and Friday, which will make fishing tough on the big rivers during the middle of the day despite decent water temps. I had a cancellation for this Saturday, so if anyone is interested, drop me a line. Hatches are the same as previous days, though March Browns will be hatching any day now...good luck on the water!
I had some fun with some clients today in the "petting zoo" in Waterbury...we caught around 15 of these ugly brutes up to 18" and a tad over 3lbs. Water temp on the Winooski was in the low 50's. Later in the day I guided up on the Lamoille above Morrisville where we found smaller stocked rainbows and water temps of 57 at 5pm. Really warm weather is forecast for the next 2-3 days, and I would not expect the fishing to be outstanding on the big rivers during the heat of the day, but the evening fishing should be great. Water levels on the big rivers is starting to drop to decent levels. We saw a good caddis hatch on the Winooski which started in the late am. Hatches consist of Hendrickons (waning) #12-16, Sulphurs #14-16, Tan Caddis #14-16, Blue Quills #18, and terrestrials like and and beetles. Good luck on the water!
Water levels on the Lamoille and Winooski continue their slow drop; the Lamoille above Morrisville is probobly in the best shape out of all the stretches on both rivers. The Winooski below Montpelier is still stained from big flows coming down the North Branch. Water temps range from the upper 40's to mid 50's depending on stream size and elevation. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I don't know if there are employees at the F&W department who read my daily reports, but low and behold they have updated the stocking reports after my "rant" a couple of days ago. The Winooski from Warshaws Dam in E. Montpelier down thru Richmond has been stocked, and The Lamoille has been stocked in the upper reaches and down this way in Cambridge. My theory has always been that if you're going to make stocking dates public for "Put and Take" managed fisheries, ya need to post them promptly! As for the current state of affairs, the big rivers are still high and off-color, but the tribs are in good shape. Water temps were 45-48 degrees on the small streams I guided on yesterday, which was a bit too cold for this time of year. Water temps will come back up to the 50's on most waters by Tuesday with much warmer summer-like weather. For those of you who have inquired about trips in the upcoming weeks, please drop me a line as I'm starting to fill up some days, and I want to make sure I accomodate you. Hatches consist of Hendricksons (mostly upper reaches of rivers and small streams) #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Quill Gordons #14, Sulphurs (E. Invaria) #14-16, Tan Caddis #14-16. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stream in central Vt. I was guiding on today was 46-47 thru the afternoon...ouch! We found 1 wild rainbow rising and caught him, but in general it was tough going. Larger Sulphurs have now started hatching, and we saw good numbers of the rare Quill Gordon today. On a side note, if the F&W dep't is doing their job and updating their stocking schedules, I cannot fully express my frustration at the departments "choice" not to stock the most fished river in the state, the Winooski, and the Lamoille and it's major tribs like the Gihon. The Gihon got some brookies early, but the browns have not been stocked, and every other trib of the Lamoille has not been stocked. While I'm an advocate of wild trout thru and thru, folks getting into the sport have a much easier and enjoyable time having a go at the more "user friendly" stocked fish, and by not stocking these popular large rivers, the wild trout areas of both rivers, and their wild trout tribs have been getting hammered. Now we have to wait even longer for these big rivers to drop and clear before they get stocked. As a guide, we do more to promote the quality of our states fishing than the department could ever do thru advertisements and the like, and yet their ineptitude on this years stocking schedule is beyond the pale! I'll be guiding on more small water tomarrow, off the beaten path. Looks like the storm system will stay more east this weekend with the best chance of widespread precip happening on Sunday pm. Southeastern Vt. will get more rain than the rest of us. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16 (they're waning a bit), Sulphurs #14-16, Blue Qulls #18, Quill Gordons #14, Tan Caddis #14-16, and Lil yellow stones #14-18. Good luck on the water!
Most rivers from the Winooski north hit record highs for the date early today after yesterdays rains. I've gotten another .30" since 4pm yesterday, bring the total to 2.4" where I live. The one thing I did notice today is that water levels are dropping pretty fast which I think is due in part to the very dry first 2 weeks of May. Small streams are clear for the most part, and south of I-89 less rain fell, and streams there will recover even quicker. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
As of 4 pm, we've gotten 2.1" of rain here in North Underhill, and all the streams on the westslopes of the Greens are raging and muddy. The Winooski in Montpelier has doubled in flow since early this morning. The southern third of the state has fared a bit better, but they have high water too. It looks as though I'll have to juggle some of my trips toward tribs and small streams, as the big waters will be dirty for 2+ days. Expect cooler than normal weather thru Sunday, and then a gradual warmup with nice weather early next week. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
I love it when eveything comes together like today! My good buddy Mike from the Green mtn. Troutfitters and I hit the water hard today, and had easily the best day of the season so far. On the Winooski below Middlesex some wild rainbows 9-14", and on the upper Winooski and a trib we got the following: 11",12",13",13",14",16",17" wild rainbows, 15" wild brown, and the whopper of the day...I told Mike "there's a 20" brown in this run...go for it..." Minutes later, Mike had landed a measured and weighed 20" 3.5 lb. wild female brown!! I took photos which I will post on my site in the future. Not a great deal of bugs around today, I'm pretty sure there was a late morning hatch and spinnerfall we missed, and we saw quite a bit of caddis on the Winooski. I love those cool, humid,drizzly days! The fish seemed to know that all hell was about to break loose weather wise, which it's about to do as of this writing (10:30 pm), we're expecting 1-2"+ of rain tonight, and all day Wednesday, which will blow out most everything except the small stuff. We need this rain though, so I can't complain much. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Lil Brown Stones #12-14, Lil Yellow Stones #14-16. Good luck on the water!
Hendricksons were coming off the water pretty quick this afternoon on the Lamoille, but with the wind alot of cripples stayed on the water and I found a pod of 5-6 small to medium size rainbows rising. Looks we'll be in for some crummy weather thru Wednesday eveing...excellant! I happen to have no trips tommarow and will be out on the rivers bigtime. Humid,warm, showery weather is forecast for the northern 2/3rds of the state, with rain totals greater the further north you go. Wednesday looks like the rainier day of the two. Bring your raincoat and Good luck on the water!
Well, when the going gets tough, the tough go Brook trout fishing! I've had an editor of a popular fly-fishing magazine with me all weekend, and we decided on our last day to show him some of our small stream "goods". We went to one of my secret small streams in the Winooski watershed, and we caught a bunch of brookies all 7.5-11", and all native. We also spooked a brown I had never seen in that stretch that was 12-13". Water levels are low right now, but finally it looks like that will change with a strong system moving in late Monday night thru Tuesday night, with 1-2" of rain falling most heavily in the northern 2/3 of the state, which is where we need it the most. The big rivers will blow out, but it's good for the long run. No flooding is expected as the ground is dry and the rivers have plenty of storage left in them. It's a bit frustrating that the state could not bother to stock our bigger rivers at all last week in what were excellant conditions, and now they may have to wait even longer for the high water to come down after the rain this coming week. But thats what you get with an underfunded and understaffed F&W department. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Well, I've got to be honest and say this is one of the weirdest starts to the season, the fishing has been decent some days, and sorely disappointing in others. This comes not only from my personal experiances, but those of alot of other anglers I've run into on the water. I blame most of this odd fishing to the weather, hatches have not been concentrated and thick at all, with Hendricksons trickling off from 2-dusk, but not enough of them to get many fish feeding regularly on top. Last night we did well on the most humid evening with cloud cover and got a decent spinnerfall from the weeks worth of cumulative mayflies. But today, we got back to the "May trend"...sunny, slightly cooler than normal weather, with very dry, low humidity, with north to northwest winds. Fishing is seldom banner in a northerly, exception being a heat breaker in the summer, and this low humidity crap has the bugs popping off the water so fast, fish aren't bothering with feeding on top much. Even with all this, we have pretty low flows already for this time of year and you'd think the fish would be more willing to eat off the top, but they're not. The brookies and real small stream stuff is a different matter, they're up and eating because they have little choice. All this being said, we need rain; it hasn't rained more than .10" all month except in the southern part of the state, and some tribs of the Winooski and Lamoille are getting low already. Today we got a beautiful 17" wild rainbow, but things were generally real tough, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! Hatches are the same as previous days, and I believe Sunday the hatches will be no better, as the weather will be like watching "Groundhog Day" again...and again, so good luck on the water! P.S. Monday pm and Tuesday pm "should" be better with clouds, showers, and more humidity!
Now tonight was more like it! Nothing epic, but some good fish rising to a decent Hendrickson spinnerfall all evening from 6:30 till dark. As has been the trend during this warm weather, there were even a few duns hatching in the evening also. We landed 3 wild rainbows 13-14" and hooked about 5 others all over 12". Water temp on the Winooski just above Montpelier was a mind-boggling 65 degrees at 4 pm.! Thankfully we've got a much cooler forecast over the next week, though not much rain. We got less than .10" of rain Thursday night, while parts of Bennington and Rutland counties got as much as 5"! Caddis are starting to bop around quite a bit, and I expect to see them hatching in the late am on these sunny days. Hatches in general consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Lil Brown Stones #12-14, Tan Caddis #14-16, and the odd Quill Gordon #14 on certain streams. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the stretch of the Winooski I guided on today was 59-60 degrees between 2-6 pm. Flows in the lower half of the river are still pretty high for folks not used to fishing deep and heavy. I went to look for a spinnerfall after my trip, but it was too warm, and nothing happened. Once we get some rain, and a break in this weather this weekend and next week, things should look up. From Rutland county south has been slammed by rain this evening, but we'll have to see if it makes it this far north. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Today was downright hot out, I think it hit the low to mid 80's everywhere. With that kind of weather, we had a decent hendrickon hatch, but the bugs were coming off the water so fast, I only saw a handful of sporadic rises. The fish were active however, and I saw quite a few nymphing. The Winooski in the Middlesex area was 58 degrees at 1pm, and a trib of the Winooski was 57 at 3:30 pm. A pretty good chance of t-showers Thursday and Friday will "freshen" the rivers a bit, as levels are currently dropping really fast. I talked to one of the folks from the Fish and Wildlife Dept. and they told me they will be stocking the upper half of the Winooski next week, despite the fact that conditions are great right now for stocking fish. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18 (mostly on cool dreary days), Lil Bronwn Stones #12-14, and a few Tan Caddis #14-16. Good luck on the water!
A real warm, dry day had the Hendricksons hatching sparsely and coming off the water very fast, which in turn did not interest many fish in eating dries. I saw one rise today. Look for another 80 degree day tomarrow and perhaps with a bit of cloud cover and more humidity, the bugs will stay on the water longer. Hatches are the same as previous days, good luck on the water!
Water temps range from the upper 40's to mid 50's throughout the state right now, and water levels on all but the biggest rivers is now below average for the date and very clear. The Winooski still has a bit of dinge to it, with the best clarity from Middlesex dam down thru Waterbury, and above East Montpelier. The Lamoille is in a bit better shape, and very fishable. I saw a few Hendricksons today from 2:40-3:45 pm, but not enough to bring fish up. I also spotted a few rainbows still spawning, so please avoid these fish that are at the tails of the pools, and watch that you try not to walk on these tailouts with pea to golfball size gravel...the eggs are in there! In general, a good share of the rainbows have spawned, as I've sighted a number of solo fish and fish that are at the heads of runs etc. Today I found a bonafide 20"+ brown that wanted nothing to do with me, but I know where he is, and some lucky client will get a crack at him when the hatch is on later in the week! I'm also seeing a few tan caddis popping too, and they should come off in better numbers by the weekend...hence the term "mothers day caddis"! A few more streams have been stocked now, and that will continue with the dry weather. Speaking of which, aside from a line of showers and an odd t-shower Friday pm (less than .50"), we're dry thru next Monday. In many respects we could use a little rain, but I'm not going to grumble until June. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Tan Caddis #14-16, Lil Brown Stones #12-14. Good luck on the water!
Fished an upper part of the Winooski today, and got 3 wild rainbows...13",14",15". Very nice! We nymphed as there was very little hatch activity; I saw about 5 blue quills, 3 Hendricksons, 2 Stoneflies, 1 tan caddis, and a partridge in a pear tree. Water temps were 52 degrees at 2 pm. Things are really going to take off this week, and the fishing should be excellant by Wednesday once a couple of warm days get the water temps up a bit. Remember to ask for permission on posted land or any land where you don't know the owner. I heard some nightmare scenarios play out recently for landowners where cars were parked blocking farm tracks where farmers could not get to their fields...not good. Most folks are fine with you fishing, but don't abuse the land or the privilage. Good luck on the water!
Water temps on the trib of the Winooski I was on today was 52 degrees at 4 pm. I found a beautiful 18-20" wild brown, and once we get some good hatch weather, some lucky client will get a chance for him! That cool northerly that kicked in this afternoon was CHILLY. Water temps range from 45-55 degrees depending on time of day, elevation and location in the state. We've got a dry, warmer forecast for the upcoming week, and then it looks like we'll see a weather pattern change to cooler and wetter weather next weekend, which is fine with me after temps near 80 on Thursday. Did not see much for bugs today, but you rarely do in a fresh northerly breeze. The big rivers are looking real nice right now, and will become productive in another day or two once they warm up and drop a bit further so folks can get down to the fish, and the fish can come up to them! That's all for now, good luck on the water!
Went on our annual pilgramage down to Manchester today, where my wife shops, and I dip out on the Battenkill right in town for an hour or so. Well, judging by the shopping bags and the number of fish I caught, it was a great day. In under 90 minutes, I landed 21 wild browns and brookies on the upper reaches of the 'Kill, 7 were 10-13", and only 2 were under 6" (brookies), and I got a couple of fish to eat dries! Things are about 5 days or so ahead of Central and Northern Vt. Water temp was 53 at 1pm. Water levels are really dropping fast now, and there is no real good chance of rain thru next Friday, so dry fly fishing should be great once the hatches get roaring. The petting zoos (trophy trout zones) on both the Lamoille and Winooski have been stocked, but most other rivers and stretches have not been stocked yet. This coming week, they'll be dumping fish big time. Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, and Lil Brown Stones #12-14. Only a couple of days left available for May and first half of June, look me up if you're interested, and good luck on the water!
I guided a raw beginner today and took him to a low elevation stream in the Champlain Valley that had Hendricksons coming off in sparse #'s from 10:30-noon. Nothing to bring fish up, but I ran into an angler who had said that yesterday Hendricksons hatched during the normal afternoon hours and a few fish were up on them. Over the next few days, we'll see more and more activity, and the extended weather forecast calls for very little precipitation thru next Thursday. The big rivers are now pretty close to average flow for the date, and the major tribs are at average or even a little below....good stuff for dry fly activity next week. We don't want to see this weather pattern in June though! Hatches consist of Hendricksons #12-16, Blue Quills #18, Lil Brown Stones #12-14, and cranefly larvae #8-12. Good luck on the water!
As I suspected the bigger rivers are dropping rapidly now, with some visability in the Winooski above Waterbury, though still Black Wooly Bugger conditions. The Lamoille is dropping fast but is still a chilly 46 degrees in Jeffersonville. I fish a trib of the Winooski that was 50 degrees at 2 pm, and saw a handful of Blue Quills #18, but no rises. I fished one pool in some fast heavy water at the head of a run and nymphed up a 16" and a 13" wild rainbow. Both had spawned as they had somewhat flabby sides. I did in my travels however, find that there are still some rainbows spawning, so please steer clear of any fish at the tails of pools on fine gravel for another week or so. With the forecast things will only get better from here on out, good luck on the water!
Despite the colder weather recently, I think we're setting up real nice for a great start to the Hendrickson hatch. Usually in central Vt. the Hendricksons start around 5/5-5/7, i.e. fish begin rising. The forecast for the next 5-7 days puts these mayflies right on schedule AND we have dropping water levels that should be average or slightly below average for this time of year by then. These types of flows are what bring the fish up alot easier than above average flows with a great hatch Even now, the major tribs of the Winooski, Lamoille, Otter, and White are all running near average. The big rivers themselves are still well above average though I expect that alot of this flow is from spillover on the Hydro dams and resevoirs. That should slow in the coming week. Water temps are still having problems topping 50 right now, but that will change soon. Little Brown Stones are hatching fairly regularly in the afternoon on most small streams, and the brookies are ready and willing. Good luck on the water!
Another raw day in the northern 2/3rds of the state. Light showers and some brief downpours this morning did not do much to the area rivers and streams. Water temps still range throughout the 40's and I expect that to be the case until Sunday when we get some air temps up into the upper 60's. Monday looks to be real nice also, perfect timing for Hendricksons! I do expect water temps to be in the low 50's by the beginning of next week, and then fishing should really take off. Only 2 rivers have been stocked yet, and I suspect it was only done for "special request", as the headwaters of the Mississquoi and Mill River in Clarendon are not any warmer or lower, but they did dump some brookies in both. Look for a lot more fish stocked in the next 2 weeks as water levels drop more and warm a bit. The wild rainbows should start to finish spawning over the next week or so, and then dropping back to feed. Please don't fish to any rainbows that are in small streams spawning...give them a break until after they're done, that way we'll have wild fish for the future! I now only have a handful of openings left for May and early June, so if you're interested in improving your skills and catching some nice fish, drop me a line. Good luck on the water!
Despite a steady light drizzle in mnay places overnight and so far today, river levels continue to drop to much more favorable levels. The big rivers are still stuffed and will be for atleast another 5+ days, but everything else is looking better by the day. What we still need is some warm weather to get water temps bumped up 3-5 degrees and get some hatches going. Our Mad-Dog TU banquet was a huge success, thanks to all of you who attended. Look for continued cooler than normal weather this week, and smaller brook trout waters are still the way to go. Water temps are in the 40's throughout the state. Good luck on the water!
Well, we lucked out so far with very little rain so far from this big low pressure. Forecast now calls for only about .33" or less over the next 2 days. Snowpack is now left to elevations of 2500 ft. and higher, so many rivers are dropping nicely right now. We still could use some warm weather however, and that is not forecast for the next 5+ days. One thing for sure, Hendricksons won't be starting on May 1 like last season! I still have a few days left in May, and a couple of days in the first half of June, available to anyone interested in catching some big,wild trout. My records have shown that 50% of the wild fish over 14" in length are caught in May and the first half of June....don't miss out! Sunday looks to be the better day this weekend...good luck on the water!
Another good drying out day for the rivers and streams. The Lamoille is still high and dirty, but has dropped 3 feet in the past day or two. The bigger tribs to the Winooski and Lamoille are starting to drop real fast and would be in decent shape by the weekend if we stayed dry...but we're not. Atleast they've halved the rainfall totals with this system to .5-.75", which really shouldn't be a big deal, and those bigger tribs will be ok by early next week. Water temps continue to be cold, in the 40's, and hatch activity won't be worth much until we see water temps in the 50's for 3+ days in a row. I had a client have to cancel Thursday 6/7, and Friday 6/8 today, so I have those 2 prime days open again. Smaller streams should handle the rain fine, and be fishable a day later. Good luck on the water!
Water temps range throughout the 40's today, and river levels are dropping pretty fast due to either the snowmelt slowing down, or ending altogether. Tomarrow looks like the best day to be out on the water, as we're expecting 1-1.5" of rain Thursday night-Saturday am, which should put the big rivers pretty close to flood stage. The first half of June is now pretty booked up, but I still have some prime dates during the Tue. 5/29-Friday 6/1 timeframe. With the high, cold,wet conditions thus far, late May should be as good as it gets, and a prime time to do a float trip down the Lamoille or Winooski. We can do float trips where fixed hull or hard framed watercraft cannot access or pull-out, with my rafts. Thats all for now, good luck on the water!
Yesterdays 80 degree temps and strong winds did a number on the snowpack and the rivers have responded with bankfull flows. The only exception, as I've eluded to before, are the streams that lost most of thier snowpack over the previous few days, they're still in decent shape. But for those of us looking to have success on the bigger tribs of the Lamoille and Winooski, I think it may be awhile. While cooler temps will slow snowmelt big-time, we're expecting a period of rain on Friday-Saturday, and the forecast beyond that is for below average temps. So it will be tough to get the right levels and water temps for the next week on these bigger tribs. One option at this time of year is to hunt around for new beaver ponds and dams and try them out. Good luck on the water!
Temps approaching records for the date, 76 up in the hills at my house, but Burlington and Montpelier are approaching 80. We have a little rain, about .10" coming overnight and then things will cool off to the 50's for the rest of the week. Fishing on the small brook trout streams should hold up in those lower elevation stretches, as things have warmed quite a bit. Once water temps hit 50+ for a couple of days, it triggers the fish enough that even if we cool down to 45 degrees or so. Yesterday when I was guiding there were #16-18 Black Stones, and #14-16 Brown Stones, not that I think fly selection matters at this point though. This spring is reminicent of the Spring of 2001, with the record snowpack. Flows are comparable at this date. Let's hope we don't get the epic drought we got in the summer/fall of 2001...ugh. Don't forget the Mad-Dog T.U. banquet on Saturday 4/28 at 6 pm at the Best Western in Waterbury off exit 10. Tom Rosenbauer is the guest speaker, and we have heaps of fishing and non-fishing related prizes. Drop me a line if interested, and good luck on the water!
First day guiding of the season, and we did surprisingly well, hooking 5, and landing 2 8-9" wild trout. We hit a couple of streams, and the water temps ranged from a chilly 42, where we had to walk thru a foot of snow to get to the stream, to a lower elevation stream that was a whopping 52 degees. Needless to say, we got the fish on the warmer stream. There's still a lot of water in most streams, and hopefully this week we'll see the big drop-off as the snow melts off the mountains. A few good dates in May are still available, so look me up if you're interested. Look for a pretty dry week with more seasonable weather after a very warm Monday. Good luck on the water!
Another beautiful day with temps a good 10 degrees above average. River levels continue to fluctuate, getting higher during the afternoon hours when snowmelt is at its peak. The streams with the least snowpack will fish the best. There has been no stocking of any rivers/streams as of yet. By the middle of next week temps will drop down to more average readings for this time of year. Fish dark, deep, and slow...good luck on the water!
68 degrees at 3pm, I guess we can consider it sweet payback for the first half of April! Snowmelt is keeping the big rivers and their major tribs high and dirty, but some streams of 25 ft. and less are fishable. Once the snow melts in each particular valley,that streams water level will drop pretty quick. Weather will be around 70 and sunny thru Monday, but Monday night a front will push thru with perhaps .50"+ of rain, which would muck things up a bit. After that next week will be more average...50's/30/s, cloudy. Fish deep and slow, every so often you can talk up a brookie with a dry in the slowest of holding water. Water temps on the more exposed, lower elevation small streams will reach the magic 45+ this weekend, so bring your stream thermometer with you. Good luck on the water!
65 degrees at 5 pm...nice! The forecast for the next few days is outstanding, and small streams should start giving up some fish over this timeframe. We'll start seeing a few Lil black and brown stoneflies in the next few days, though I think any old Pheasant tail will do. Black Wooly Buggers and marabou streamers will attract some fish during the p.m. hours. I've still got some prime dates left in my guiding schedule for May/early June, so don't hesitate in looking me up! Thanks, and good luck on the water!
Well, well,well, looks like mother nature is finally throwing us a bone! Temps skyrocketed way above what was expected today into the 50's, and it looks as though we can bump the forecast temps up about 5 degrees or more each of the next 5 days, with temps on Monday running from 65-75 degrees. Nice! And with no rain in the forecast during that time, smaller rivers and streams will be in pretty good shape by the end of the weekend. Just an FYI, I have updated my photo page with 9 or 10 photos from the 2006 season...there's some big wild fish to be had out there! We have some outstanding prizes for our annual Mad-Dog TU banquet/fundraiser, including a Orvis T3 rod, a 40% off coupon for any Scott Fly Rod, and a couple other rods, along with reels, flylines,etc. We have around 90 prizes gathered, both fishing and non-fishing related, so we have stuff for everyone. Drop me a line if you'd like to attend, and I'll give you details. Thanks, and good luck on the water!
Snowfall from this last storm has melted really quick, and most valleys are largely free of snow with the exception of high mountain streams which are still pretty socked in. All that will change over the next few days, as warmer weather moves in on Thursday and we'll have weather in the upper 50's on Sunday and 60 or so on Monday. Along with mostly dry weather, I think I may head out on Monday and poke around a bit on some good early season small streams. We should see some streams hit the low to mid 40's on Sunday, and with a warm Sunday night, Mondays temps should be a couple of degrees warmer. Too early to start talking hatch activity, just fish deep and slow with weight. For those of you interested in learning a bit about the Lamoille River, I wrote a big piece on the river in the upcoming May/June issue of Eastern Fly-fishing magazine. It should be out in about 2 weeks. That's all for now...good luck on the water!
Snow did not arrive here in North Underhill until around 5 pm or so, before that we had steady rain and sleet most of the afternoon. With 6-14" of snow forecast thru Monday evening, Spring seems a distant thought. More snow showers will fall on the westslopes of the Greens until Wednesday, which means another 2-6+" inches here in the hills. It appears right now that Thursday and Friday will be warm enough to trigger some good snowmelt (45-48), and then Saturday and Sunday will be partly sunny and in the mid 50's, which is the average for this time of year. Despite the good forecast right now for next weekend, the streams will be very high and only in the 30's due to the snowmelt that will be occuring. I guess patience is in order! Remember the Mad-Dog T.U. banquet/fundraiser on Saturday 4/28, at 6pm at the Best Western off exit 10 in Waterbury. We have some big projects coming up over the next couple of years, so we can use all the help we can get. Lots of great fishing and non-fishing prizes, a little of everything for everyone. Tix are $35, $60 for two. Drop me aline if you need directions or would like to confirm your reservation, the public is welcome. Stay warm and dry,and good luck on the water!
Snow, snow, and more snow! This weather is a lot more like March than April. We've had about 4" of snow here in Underhill and it's still coming down strong. Many other areas have recieved even more snow, and quite frankly, I don't hold much hope for opening day. Weather on Saturday will be in the 40's, but we'll have snowmelt going in the streams which will drop water temps to 34-37 degrees. Levels are actually quite low for opening weekend, but thats because nothing has melted above 2500 ft. in weeks. Don't forget the Mad-Dog T.U. Banquet and fundraiser on Saturday 4/28 6pm at the Best Western in Waterbury. The public is welcome, but if you'd like more details and to put your name down drop me a line. Tom Rosenbauer of Orvis fame is our guest speaker, and we have lots of flyfishing equipment, non-fishing prizes,and lots of goodies in general. For those inspired individuals...good luck on the water!
Opening day conditions will be high and cold like usual, though there may be some smallish streams running low and clear enough to give you slightly higher than a snowballs chance in hell of catching a fish. Look in the Champlain Valley, the lower Ct. river valleys for the warmest, lowest, and clearest conditions. We got almost 6" of new snow in North Underhill Sunday afternoon and evening, and most streams running off the spine of the Greens will be high after the rain/snow event Wednesday night and Thursday. The weekend looks to be around 50 or so, with rain on Sunday. If you have not signed up for the Spring 2007 newsletter and would like to do so, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com I still have some prime May and early June dates still open, so don't hesitate to look me up, improve your skills, and get into some of the bigger fish of the season! I'll be fishing the Lake Ontario tribs the next couple of days, so my reports will pick up on Friday, good luck digging out your gear!
Hi folks, as I look out the window at the big snowflakes falling down, trout season seems a distant thought, but we all know better...good fishing will start to be had by months end! I sent out my Spring seasonal newsletter last evening, and if you did not get and would like to sign up and receive it, drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com My reports will start to become regular after opening day, Good luck, uh, finding your waders!
Well the 2006 trout season has come to a close, and all in all, it was an excellant season! The rains of spring and early summer kept alot of fish from being caught and removed from the rivers and resulted in great numbers of both stocked and wild fish during the August-October timeframe. Some of the stocked rainbows grew to impressive sizes with many fish growing to 14-15" by the fall. I want to thank everyone who checks out this website and especially those who hired me to guide them during the course of the season. I will be doing an end of season newsletter in the next week, and those who have not already signed up can do so by dropping me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com I will be in New Zealand from Novemeber 19- February 15 this "winter", and when I return I will be doing some renovations to this website that I'm sure all of you will enjoy. Thanks again and my reports will pick up again in April!
Well it does not look like we'll be getting an "indian summer" this autumn! We had 6" of snow in North Underhill this past Friday and only today has it melted and it's been raining lightly most of the time leaving the rivers and streams pretty well blown out. I have one more guided trip for Salmon and maybe some Lakers, and that should about do it. Forecast is for crummy weather from now until April the way it looks right now! There are some streams to fish that run into Lake Champlain right now, including a few that folks would not normally bother to fish that should have anything from fall Steelhead, Landlocked Atlantics and lake run Browns. I will be doing an end of the season newsletter for those who have signed up by e-mail and it will come out in the first week of November. If you would like to sign up drop me a line at lawtonweber@pshift.com Thanks and good luck on the water!
River condtions are pretty high and muddy on the big rivers and fast and clear on most smaller waters. Looks we have a break on Thursday before more rains on Friday, which will continue to keep levels higher than one would like, but then again, thats October for ya! Water temps range throughout the 40's to around 50. Good luck on the water!
I did an instructional trip today down around Middlebury, and it was a raw day for sure. Levels were not bad, but I saw no onsect actvity and water temps were in th mid to upper 40's. The Winooski has dropped alot in the past day or so, making it along with parts of the lower Lamoille some of your better stretches to fish this late in the se