Check here for Vermont fly fishing reports during the season.
Big browns live in Vermont!
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Check here for Vermont fly fishing reports during the season.
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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!
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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