Fishing Report

7-7-2008

The past couple of weeks have been kind to us.  We have received several rainstorms and the weather has been cool.  Many rivers are still running cool, and the flows are average for this time of year.  Things have slowed some, but we are still catching trout.  The bass fishing is good, most of the action on surface poppers.  Generally, if you hit the right place at the right time, there are plenty of fish to be caught.

 

 

6-11-08

Well, the heat spell is broken, some rain has fallen, and the fishing is good.  There have been quite a few hatches going on lately.  We’ve seen March Browns, Cahills, sulphers, large and small BWO’s, and tons of caddis.  Today, the fish were gorging themselves.  Not many fish rising, but the slightly off colored water was the ticket for fishing wooly buggers.  The weather forecast looks cooler for the next week with a chance of thunderstorm on the weekend.  It seems like we are back on track.

 

6-8-08

We have had nothing to complain about.  The fishing has been excellent.   Hopefully, this heat wave that has us in it grips will not do too much damage.  Our concern is that the water levels are unusually low for this time of year.  We expect water temperatures to rise over the next week, driving trout fishermen to the higher smaller streams in search of cold water.  Another option is to target warm water species.  Fish early mornings and you will find the temps cooler and the fish more actively feeding.  Targeting lakes will also expand your opportunities.    

 

 

5-26-08

This weekend we floated the Connecticut River and the White River.  We were after small mouth bass on the Connecticut, and although we caught a few, fishing was slow.  It may be a little early.  We will try again when things warm up a little.  The White River float proved to be productive with many rainbows caught.  Most of the fish caught were stocked rainbows.  We did see many large fish, but the bite was off.  The river is in beautiful shape.  The water was gin clear and the low flows allowed us to see many fish on the bottom.  Usually we see good numbers of rising trout at last light, but there was little surface activity.  Regardless, we had a beautiful day on the river and caught some nice fish.

 

 

5-23-08

I’m happy to report that fishing conditions are optimal for this time of year.  The rivers are showing ideal water temps and the flows are a little low, which makes wading the rivers easier and the fish more accessible.  The lake fishing has also been very good with reports of good catches.  Most of the stocking has been completed, and some very large fish have been seeded in many lakes and streams.  The weather for this weekend looks great.  Now is an excellent time to wet your line.  Good Luck.

 

 

5-16-08

It happened last year at exactly this time, and it’s happening right now.  Put it on your calendar.  Where we fish, May 15th marks the middle of the Hendrickson hatch, which lasts a little over a week.  Fishing is excellent.  The mornings are spent nymphing and fishing streamers, and the afternoons and evenings offer great dry fly fishing.  As long as the weather cooperates, the same will happen next year.  The bugs emerge over slightly different periods depending on the river fished, so you can actually chase the hatch.  We fished them in the Catskills two weeks ago, they were on the Mettawee last week, and they are here now.

 

 

5-14-08

Great day on the river.  Hendricksons came off all afternoon, followed by a good spinnerfall.  Fished dry flies all day and caught lots of large trout.      

 

 

5-11-08

We’re starting to see more bugs on the water.  Depending where you fish, Hedricksons have been present.  They have been around on the Otter Creek and the Mettawee for about a week now, and are just showing up on the Ottauquechee and the Black Rivers.
This is one of my favorite hatches.  The hatch comes off at a civilized time, usually mid afternoon, and if you miss it and the conditions are right, you can catch the spinner fall in the evenings.  Another thing that is nice about them is that they are large, size 12-14, which makes the take easy to see.  This time of year also has some great caddis hatches.  The caddis will also hatch during the days, with large egg laying flights at last light.  If you leave the river before dark, you might be missing out.

We fished the Ottauquechee yesterday looking for some holdovers.  We fished a hole we know holds fish in the upper river and had no luck.  The water temp was 58 degrees.  Next we hit a hole seven miles downstream and the water temp was 63 degrees.  The warmer water was the ticket and we picked up a beautiful large rainbow.  A few miles and a few degrees seemed to make the difference.  This is a perfect example of the benefits of using a thermometer when you fish.

 

 

5-6-08

Today was one of those days.  Air temps were near 70 degrees.  Water temps made it into the high 50’s.  Fishing was excellent.  We hooked a couple of dozen fish and landed over a dozen, the shortest was about 16” long.  The action was the heaviest from 2:00 – 5:00 when the water was the warmest.  As soon as the river fell into shade, the action slowed down.  We took most of the fish on streamers.  It is great to feel thump of a large fish whacking a streamer.  Can’t wait to get out there today.

 

 

5-4-08

Things are warming up and the rivers are coming down.   Bugs are in the air and the fishing is good.  Water temps are hitting the low 50’s on the warmer days.  We’ve picked up some large fish on nymphs and streamers.  The midge hatches on the lakes are bringing fish to the surface on the calmer evenings.  Fishing should improve as the conditions become even more favorable.         

 

 

10-11-2007

We are in our most spectacular time of the year.  The fall foliage is peaking right now and we are seeing the most vibrant colors that we have seen in many years.  The leaves aren’t the only colorful things around here.  The brown trout and brook trout are lit up in their spawning colors.  Knowing that there is only a few more weeks of fishing makes these days even more special.

Over the last couple of months, we have been challenged by drought conditions and the rivers have run about as low as we have seen them.  We are still fishing, just not necessarily in the same spots.  The fishing for bass is still strong.  The trout are on the move and we’ve picked up some very nice brownies.  The brook trout are aggressive this time of year.  The lakes are fishing well for all species.  As the fall wanes, so will the fishing so get out there and finish the season with some style.

 

 

7-13-07

Over the past week, we have received thunderstorms almost every day, some of which were quite heavy.  As a result, trout fishing is much improved since the last report.  All rivers are running cooler and flows are medium to high for this time of year.  We are finding fish in places that usually don’t produce in July.  The Connecticut River is the last to clear after storms.  It is running high and brown.  The White River is still a little high, but most others are running at levels found in early June.  It won’t last long, so get out there and enjoy. 

 

7-9-07

We’ve received periodic thunderstorms and cool weather recently, which has the temps in the rivers and streams below 70 degrees.  Although the rivers are still on the low side of things, there is good trout fishing.  The Black River is very low, but at the proper time of day, rising fish can be found and caught.  The temps in this river are marginal but fishable.  The Otter Creek has been fishing very well.  Tiny olives have been coming off regularly.  Sulphurs, Isonychias, small caddis, stoneflies, and terrestrials have also been very effective.  We fished North Hartland Reservoir and caught plenty of bass and trout.  The small mouth bass fishing on the Connecticut River has been good.  Poppers and deer hair bugs produce explosive takes, while subsurface flies are often taken more subtly. As long as things stay cool, fishing will continue to be good.

 

6-27-2007

Every once in a while, you hit conditions perfectly and have a day where everything works for you.  This was that kind of day.  We floated many miles on the Connecticut River and had the best small mouth bass fishing that we have ever had.  The flows were low and clear, there was nobody around and the bass were eager.  We caught many, most of which were in the three pound range.  Sight fishing conditions were excellent and the action was nonstop.  Can’t wait to go again, maybe tomorrow…

 

6-24-2007

The trout fishing is still very good.  Unusually cool temperatures over the last two weeks have extended the trout fishing in most of the waters that become marginal at this time of year. Although we have gotten regular rains, there have been no big storms lately. The result is most rivers are at medium to low flows which make the fish very accessible.  The weather forecast for the next few days is for some hotter weather, and then things are supposed to cool down again.  Get out there and enjoy. 

 

6-13-07

The rivers are fishing very well.  Cool weather has kept the water temps in the ideal zone for trout.  Although we have been receiving a little rain, water levels are low.  The fish are becoming difficult wherever there is heavy fishing pressure, so we have been targeting some waters that see less fishing traffic with some excellent results.  It won’t be long before things warm up and we target some of the smaller, cooler rivers and streams.
Flies that are working for us are march browns 10-12, assorted caddis 14-20, stonefly nymphs 8-12, cahills and sulphers 14-16.  This time of year, we are fishing the riffles that we know hold fish with an assortment of dry attractors.  This is working well, especially on heavily fished waters.  By showing the fish a variety of flies that they haven’t seen, we are sometimes rewarded with explosive takes.  Searching with a dry and covering lots of water will often bring up fish is spots that you would not expect to hold trout.

 

6-6-07

We have received some much needed rain.  There was some localized thunder storms which hit some areas really hard.  The Ludlow area received strong rains which raised the Black River to levels that were too hard to fish.  Things have come down some, so expect good flows by Friday or Saturday.  The White River is a little high and dropping fast.  The Ottaquechee River is fine.  We checked out the Connecticut River yesterday and found it high and off color with very slow fishing.  Earlier in the week, we spent a couple of days fishing the West River in Jamaica and had some really good fishing.  The water temp there was up to 68 degrees in the afternoon, but should have cooled down with the rain and cool weather.  The insect activity on the water lately has been march browns sz10-12, sulphers sz14-16, caddis sz16-20, stones sz14-16 crane flies and assorted midge.  The conditions for the weekend should be good to excellent.

 

5-29-07

Over the last week and a half, we have done allot of fishing.  We’ve fished the Black River, the Connecticut River, the White River, and Lake Champlain.  The flows and temps in the rivers are excellent at this time.  The Black has seen more dry fly action than it usually does.  Last year saw above average flows all season long.  We believe that there are more insects hatching because of this. The White is at the perfect level for wade fishing.  It is also an excellent time to drift that river.  We are seeing much better fishing in the lower White than above Bethel.  The Connecticut is warming up.  We’ve picked up some large bass in that river.  We had a perch bite like we’ve never seen.  We normally don’t fish for perch, but we’ve picked up many that were over a foot long, and when they school up, it’s nonstop action.  Lake Champlain was very good.  Large and small mouth bass are active and the pike bite is on.    

 

5-15-07

The rivers have come down very fast over the past two weeks bringing levels down below average. 

The Black River is fishing well.  There has been fishing pressure.  There have been some very good Hendrickson hatches and spinner falls over the last week.  BWO’s in sizes 16 and 18 are still around.  We are also being to see a variety of caddis and small yellow stoneflies in the air.  March Browns should be hatching soon. 

The lakes are seeing excellent midge activity whenever the wind calms down.  In most cases, the tiniest of flies presented on or just below the surface can take these risers (that is if you can get close enough to present to them).

We checked out the Connecticut River, and targeted the setbacks which tend to warm up first.  The water temp in these areas was 70-75 degrees.  We were looking to sight fish to carp, but they weren’t there.  We did manage to catch a few smallies and some very large perch.  We saw a few pike, chased some wakes in the shallows and enjoyed the day.  This fishery is warming up and showing some activity.

 

 

5-9-07

The rivers are all fishable and water temps are excellent.  We have had excellent fishing this week with good numbers of fish coming to hand.  The Black River is putting up some large trout, most caught on nymphs and streamers.  We’ve seen BWO’s hatching in good numbers, mostly sizes 16 and 18.  There have been small stoneflies in the air, along with a good variety of midges.  We set up a nymph trap in the river and check it a couple of times daily.  The largest populations in the trap tend to be smaller nymphs (sizes 16 and smaller) of all varieties.  We also find a variety of stonefly nymphs of all sizes, and some larger mayfly nymphs.  Hendricksons have not made an appearance yet, but they should be hatching soon.  There are also great numbers of cased caddis.  They are large and are the stick building variety.  Many of the trout caught have abrasions on their mouths from foraging among the rocks for these caddis.

For those looking for some dryfly action, the lakes have had great midge hatches and the trout are rising in big numbers when the winds die down.  Fish in the 10” to 15” range rise freely to these tiny insects.  This fishing is challenging, but quite rewarding when the conditions are right.

The weather for the near future looks excellent.  Now is the time to hit the rivers.  The next two months are our favorite times to trout fish.  See you on the water.

 

4-18-07

Prior to opening day, the weather could be described as that of February rather than April. Last week saw mountain snowfalls measured in feet. Skiers were boasting that the powder was dry and very deep. Temps were consistently below freezing and the rivers were low with temps in the 30’s. Few were lured out to fish. The second day of the season saw a foot of snow fall in the mountains, followed by 2 days of rain and severe winds. Now the rivers are raging, many are in flood stage. Most lakes are still ice covered. Needless to say, fishing at this time is very slow. The forecast for this coming weekend calls for temps in the 60-70 degree range with more moderate weather for next week. The rivers will see strong runoff for a few more days followed by warming temps and good fishing levels. Despite the slow start, expect the fishing to turn on soon.

10-13-06

It’s been a while since we posted a report. The fishing has been excellent. All through September, there has been unusually good insect activity, perfect water temps, good flows, and many fish caught. The flying ants were around for weeks, the midge hatches on the lakes have been consistently good, and there have been great hatches of mayflies and caddis on the lakes and streams. The Connecticut River has been seeing white fly hatches the likes of which we’ve never seen before. The blizzard of white mayflies at dusk makes it difficult to fish because each square foot of water is covered with dozens of naturals. There have been too many of them on the water, which makes it hard to get the fish to notice imitations.

The bass fishing on the Connecticut is still good, but has paled in comparison to the largemouth bass and pike fishing on Lake Champlain. The pike come out of the water at surface presentations, often cutting the line with their teeth, and 4-5 pound bass are not uncommon.

Over the last 2-3 weeks, reports of larger than average trout abound. The brownies are on the move, and every week we hear of 3-5 pound fish being taken in small streams that flow into larger rivers and lakes. The periodic rains that we have seen lately have allowed these fish to enter these streams which are otherwise too low. Large fish are not guaranteed, but they are there and they are being caught, and if you put in the time, you might tangle with one.

The last two weeks of trout season are ahead of us, and this season seems to be ending well. Try to get out there a couple of more times for a memorable end of the season.

 

9-4-06

Fishing has been excellent recently. All streams and rivers are at good temps and the fish are active. The Battenkill has seen consistent and prolific trico hatches and has produced some excellent fishing. It’s hard to imagine how many fish feed on these tiny mayflies.
The Black River has seen some good isonychia hatches. The trout slash at and chase the swimming nymphs and are also eager to take the dries. The lakes have seen strong midge hatches and the trout are eagerly rising to these tiny insects. The flying ants have been in the air by the thousands and attract fish to surface feed. Suphurs, tiny olives, and caddis are also hatching at this time.

Despite the ideal conditions and good activity, we still run into people that are having a tough time hooking up. The fishing is good right now, but not easy. The waters are gin clear and low, and the fish have been predated upon all summer long. They are the survivors; their nervous and spooky tendencies are what have kept them alive. If you approach with stealth and present your flies without drag, without allot of false casting, and present properly on the first cast, the fish are easily caught. If you wade right into shallow pools indiscreetly, wave your rod around in the air, beat the water with repetitive casts, and drag your fly, you will come away thinking that there are no fish. At this time of year, to catch fish, you have to be on your game. Good Luck.

 

8-18-06

There are certain insect emergences that mark the progression of the season. Trico hatches usually begin in mid August and continue into September. These tiny white winged, dark bodied mayflies can trigger aggressive trout feeding. The males normally emerge in great clouds in the evening and overnight on bankside vegetation. The females emerge in the very early morning. The males fall back to the water after mating where they are eagerly sucked up by lurking hungry trout. The females fall back later after laying eggs. The massive hatches and spinner falls turn the trout into surface feeders. We seen these insects on the water recently, and we have also spotted lots of trout feeding on them. The Battenkill is known for its tricos, and now is the time to hit it. Usually, an early half day will cover the action. We have seen tons of wild brook trout during these morning events, and the possibility of a good brownie taking your fly does exist. It’s a great visual to see pods of fish lined up and feeding hard. Every day is different, some days seeing more action than others. It is a great hatch that everyone should check out.

 

8-12-06

The weather has taken a turn for the better, at least for trout fishing. The last two nights have gotten down into the 40’s and the daytime temps have been in the 60’s and low 70’s. As a consequence, the river temps are cooler than the have been since June. The White River is holding in the 60’s and the flows are moderate. The same is true for most rivers in central Vermont. Take advantage of these conditions.

In the next couple of weeks, we should see emergences of flying ants. The fish go nuts for them. Don’t be caught out there without some good imitations. There are generally several varieties. Imitations should be small (18-24) and generally cinnamon is a good color. Tricos have been seen lately, and the hatches should only get better as time goes on. Sulphers are also around. Terrestrials are good right now. Caddis are also a good bet. Good Luck.

 

8-8-06

We’ve spent two more days on our new found lake and it is wonderful. Each day brought a different experience. On day one, I went out by myself to do some exploring. I checked out the cold inflows. I was wrong about the brookies. Instead, I was hooking up with some nice rainbows, ranging in the 12”-14” range. Before the day was over, 13 trout were brought to hand, all on dries. Several others were lost. The fish were eager to eat if the presentation was correct. I also tried to see what other species could be found. I came up with perch, tons of baby bass, sunfish, and rock bass. During the day I saw several large mouth bass, but they would not be caught. They are not as eager to come to the fly as small mouth bass are. All day long, I had the lake to myself. On the ride back to the boat launch, the lake was glass and the fish where rising and jumping all around me.

On the second day, Doug and I spent 7 hours fishing. The wind was blowing down the lake, churning up white caps in the most exposed areas. When we first arrived, we spotted a bald eagle soaring on the wind currents. It was curious about us, and circled closer and lower until it hovered 25’ above our heads. We could see every feather, it’s eye motion, and it’s smallest movements. It hung there for a minute and then moved off.
As we motored down the lake, we spotted another larger eagle. It was fishing and moved down the lake with us. The ospreys were not happy with their presence, and were screeching at them. Our bald eagle hung with us and made an unbelievable aerial maneuver, lowered its legs, and with open talons, dropped on a bass not 50 feet from us. The experience was unbelievable, and we hadn’t yet started to fish. That day brought 15-20 trout, over 50 perch, and other small fish. We saw some large bass, but again could not catch them. All in all, we probably caught about a hundred fish. We like our new lake.

 

8-7-06

The weather over the past week has been quite a mixed bag. There were a few days in there that were cool and clear. There were a few days that were brutally hot. We also receive some heavy rains. Consequently, the conditions are variable depending on the area and waters that you fish.

This week we spent some time in the Connecticut Lakes region of New Hampshire. Very heavy rains with periods of good weather caused some flooding. Most of the rivers and streams were over their banks with muddy water. The tail waters below the dams were slightly high, clear, and fishable. We were able to catch rainbows, brookies, and a 15” landlocked salmon on dry flies. We also spent a little time in Lake Francis. I’ve never seen more bait in fresh water, and although we saw a few large fish chasing bait, the action was sporadic and we did not hook up. The rivers are still high, and I imagine it will be a few days before things stabilize.

We also fished some local mountain streams on several occasions throughout the week. It’s amazing how these streams run cold through any weather. Brook trout fishing is good, all fish being caught on dry flies.

Yesterday was also a good day. We explored a lake that we never fished before and were surprised to pick up some nice rainbows. There were also some cold streams off the lake that holds brookies. Again, all the fish took dries.

This time of year is often challenged by warm water conditions. Find where the waters run cold and you will probable find some fish. Good Luck.

 

7-27-06

Despite the heat, we have been getting some very good fishing. We’ve been out several times since the last report, and we’ve caught rainbow and brook trout with regularity. The flies that are producing are mostly dry flies and dry/dropper rigs. Terrestrials are often the first flies that we will try, but we’ve also been getting hits on a variety of caddis patterns. Even large stimulator flies are bringing fish up. We are very careful to fish only cooler waters, which puts us on smaller streams. There were a few cold nights that brought the temps down to fishable levels on some larger rivers, the trick being to get out early before the water heats up.

The bass fishing is excellent. We’ve produced good numbers of smallmouth bass of good size on a couple of occasions this week. Yesterday, a small bass in the 1 to 1.5 pound range was hooked. We were surprised to see a pike come up from the deeper water and grab our bass. The pike was about 3 feet long and held our bass crosswise in his mouth and would not let go. We fought the bass/pike pair for a minute before the pike released our fish. All this was on a short line and in plain sight. Many more bass in the 2-3 pound range were caught. The conditions were favorable for some sight fishing, so were able the see the many of the fish eat. The flies that produced were clouser minnows, hard poppers, kiwi muddlers, and a fly that we tie called the cheater.

 

7-21-06

Last night we went fishing for smallmouth bass again. Will someone please pinch me and wake me up. Again, we had an afternoon that you dream about, taking double-digit numbers of large bass. It’s just too good to be true. The water was like glass and we were the only ones there. If you are interested in trying your hand at this, give Doug a call. We fish out of a large squareback canoe with an electric trolling motor. There is only room for one fisherman and the guide. The only requirement is that you must have good casting skills to reach the fish. So far, this has been the most consistent fishing for large fish that we have experienced in some time.

 

7-19-06

A couple of days after the huge rain, the waters dropped and cleared and we fished the areas that fish well in these conditions. The big rivers were still too high, so we hit the lakes. The inflows were running strong, but were clear. It’s amazing the activity we encountered in places that, before the rain, held no fish. Fish were taken on every cast and there was quite a mix. From the same small water, we took rainbow, some up to 15 inches, smallmouth bass, rockbass, and some large baitfish. If you were to check out these areas today, you would catch nothing.

Bass were the target of today, and we went back to the Connecticut River for some smallies. It didn’t take long to get into a few, but things seemed a little slower than our last trip. As the sun climbed higher in the sky and lit the shallow areas, we could clearly see bass in the shallows, and the fun began. We cruised the shore and sight fished to bass after bass. We watched the fish take notice of our flies. Some would approach cautiously and we would tease them into taking, and some would just charge up and alligator our flies. If we missed one, we could sometimes circle around and pick him up on the next pass. We caught good numbers of large bass and learned from our observations. We learned how they react to different flies, we learned some new holding areas, and we found out how fast a fish can take your fly and spit it out without feeling anything on the rod or line. We can’t wait to do it again.

 

7-13-06

Between noon yesterday and noon today, we received between 3 to 4 inches of rain. We’ve had lots of rain this year, but never that much in such a short period of time. The rivers are totally out of control and the streams are unapproachable. The only fishing to be had is in lakes and ponds. I was also surprised to see that some lakes are brown with silt from muddy inflows. For example, between Killington and Ludlow, there are five lakes and only one is clear. The others are brown and not fishable. It will be a few days before things settle down. The first to clear will be the smaller streams. Usually as this happens, the trout feed heavily. Hit it at the right time and you might score.

 

7-9-06

We decided to fish the Connecticut River for smallmouth bass and had a best every day for river smallies on the fly rod. We landed over 15 bass, with only one under 2 pounds. These fish fight much harder than the lake smallies that we’ve caught this year, which is why we lost quite a few larger fish. It’s amazing how these river fish jump. The other amazing thing was how many fish we saw following our flies that didn’t take. The flies that worked were olive wooly buggers, olive sculpins, Puglisi everglade patterns, and clouser minnows. We found that the fish preferred earth tone colors without a lot of flash. If the river continues to put up bass like this, you can be sure we will be fishing it often.

 

7-11-06

We’ve fished every day this week and the fishing has been good. The summer weather is finally upon us. It has been hot and clear for a while now. There is a distinct change in the fishing conditions. The fish have seen some pressure, the waters are lower and gin clear, and the temps are rising. What this means is that, even though the fish are there, stealth, good technique, and time on the water are requirements for success. The waters that get too warm in the summer to trout fish are just now reaching marginal temps at the end of the hottest days. Soon, we will be focusing on the cooler flows of mountain streams. Fortunately, the flows are still higher than normal for this time of year, so we probably have a week or two left in the larger rivers for trout fishing. The best times to trout fish are early and late in the day for cooler temps and lower light conditions. Smaller and more realistic fly patterns are working better because the fish are more selective in the lower and clearer waters. The hatches are slowing, and terrestrial patterns are more effective.

The White River is floatable and easier to wade at these lower flows. A couple of days ago saw afternoon temps at 69 degrees and the river is still fishing well. The Black River is starting to warm up. Doug snorkeled in all our favorite holes and the larger fish are mostly gone. There are still some fish to be had, and we know exactly where they are. The brookie streams are putting up some nice fish. The bass fishing is full on and will become more important as the season progresses.

 

6-26-06

We’ve just had several days of good weather and good fishing. This week we hit a couple of remote mountain streams for brook trout. We were not disappointed. These streams are crystal clear cascading freestone streams. In each case, we never saw another person, and the trout we absolutely beautiful. They tend to be small, usually 4”-8”, but occasionally, a 10” monster will come to hand. Vermont is rich with these brookie streams and these wild fish are fun to catch.

We also fished the Black River. Although it is fishing well, the trout are getting tougher to catch. We attribute that to over harvesting and fishing pressure. Nonetheless, we are still catching some beautiful fish in the Black.

It’s been pretty buggy on the water recently. We are seeing sulphers, a variety of large stoneflies, large and small olives, and caddis. Terrestrials are becoming more important, so don’t forget your beetles and ants.

The last 24 hours have brought driving rains and the rivers are full again. Rainfall totals were between 2.5 and 3.5 inches and more is expected. I’ve never seen it so wet, and although the trout like it, it makes it tough to hit some of our favorite spots. The upside is that streams that are normally too low and warm to fish this time of year are running cold and high and will fish well in coming weeks.

 

6-22-06

Fishing is really good right now. The water temps are good. The warm water species are on the bite. The lakes are still cool enough to still have good surface action on trout. The conditions on the White River are good for floating, and conditions are cooler with better flows than are normal for this time of year. In general, you can be sure that fish are active. So get out there and have some fun. Good luck.

 

6-15-06

Today we spent the day on the Black River. The flows were very fishable, a little on the high side. The benefit of all our rains is that flows and temps are ideal, starting at 57 degrees in the morning. When we left the river at two, the temps were in the mid 60’s. The fish were in their usual places and were quite active. We caught several large rainbows and brownies, and to our surprise, we also caught a 10” brookie. The flies that worked for us included green rockworms, a soft hackle wooly worm, and assortment of small caddis nymphs, and some small pheasant tail nymphs.

Last night we were on Echo Lake. We chased rising trout all evening and had a great time. Even the lake temps are running cool. The surface temp was 60 degrees at 6:00 pm.

The White River is flowing at 2200 cfs in Hartford. The upper river is very fishable, but the lower is still a little higher than what is ideal.

The brookie fishing is also very good right now, with certain mountain streams producing some browns and rainbows as well.

 

6-13-06

We finally got a couple of days of warm, sunny weather. For the 10 days prior to that, it rained, sometimes torrentially. The rivers are running high right now, and coming down slowly. Consequently, lake and pond fishing has been the call. Although we have seen plenty of action, even the lakes have been a little unpredictable. This is a great time of year because the bass come in shallow to spawn. The fish move to make their beds when the water temps are ideal, and we have had unusually cool temperatures. For a period of about three weeks, these fish are aggressive and shallow, making the flyfishing exceptional. The trick is to be at the right place at the right time. We’ve been out about a half dozen times recently, and along with the bass, we are picking up pan fish, pickerel, and trout. The trout rise whenever the lakes are calm. Poppers and streamers are working for the bass, and tiny midge patterns are what the trout are taking.

The White River has been raging all spring, and the high water has kept us from drifting it. It should be down and floatable next week. The temps are ideal and the fish are unmolested. We are looking forward to fishing it.

If you are looking to fish some streams, the headwaters have cleared and dropped and are fishing well. The larger waters are producing, but wading is difficult, as is getting the flies deep enough for the fish to see. The long-range forecast is good and the fish are hungry. The next few weeks should be awesome.

5-28-06

The fishing on the Black River has been like you read about. The flows are perfect, the water temps have been between 55 and 65 degrees and the water is crystal clear. We fished with Mark, Don and Rod, and those boys got it done. The fish count was in the 20’s with most fish in the 16”-18” range.

The river will fish well until the waters become too warm. If we’re lucky and get the right weather, June fishing will be good. The river is being fished regularly and many trout are being harvested, so hit it soon for the best results.

The Black is only 10 minutes from the shop. Stop in for some flies or advise. If we’re not there, we’re probably fishing.

5-26-06

With all this rain, we have been off the rivers for over 2 weeks. We had a free day, and decided to float the White River. Usually, we like to float below Bethel, but all the branches were still brown with silt. From Bethel down, the river was off color. The river was still running high. The water temp in the morning was 50 degrees, rising to 57 by afternoon. Three of us, all accomplished fishermen, fished six miles of river above Bethel and not a bite was had. Everyone we spoke to had similar luck. I imagine the fish were a little beat up by the raging flows, and things should stabilize soon.

The ground is so saturated with water from the rains that the rivers are coming down very slowly. Fishing the smaller rivers is the best bet right now, but fishing is improving daily. We’ve recently had excellent results on the Black River.

The insects that are on the water right now are March Browns, a variety of caddis, small yellow stoneflies, large black stones, large olives, and a variety of midges.

5-24-06

An unusual thing happened this morning; the sun came out. The sky is blue and the forecast is good. I’ve heard that parts of the state have received in excess of 10” of rain. This should give us good flows and good water temps for some time. The rivers are still swollen, but are coming down. We hope to float the White River on Friday. River fishing should be excellent by the weekend. The lakes are be fishing well right now. Good luck.

5-17-06

I haven’t seen this kind of rain in years. It’s been raining for a week now, most of the time, it’s been pouring. All the rivers are raging and the steams are very swollen. Many lakes are off colored due to runoff.

Despite this tough weather, we found some time to hit one of the lakes and had an awesome afternoon. The place was deserted. The skies were very dramatic, with storms visible in the distance. Our hopes were for some bass, but instead, the largest pickerel that I’ve seen was brought to hand. After that, the winds dropped and we rigged for trout. The black flies were out, so using suitable imitations, we picked up some nice rainbows. We fished till last light with thunder in the distance.

We are looking at rain through Tuesday with temps on the cool side. The good news is that the water table is getting a much-needed recharge, so we should benefit in the long run. The rivers won’t be fishable for a while. Give the lakes a try if you get a break in the rain. They can be quite productive this time of year.

5-11-06

We’re back. We’re pleased to report that the fishing is very good right now. The rivers are generally low, which tends to pool up the fish. The lower waters sometimes make it possible to spot your fish. Nothing beats sight fishing. Of course, the fish can see you too. Remember to approach carefully, and you will score more often.

The air temps have been in the 60’s during the days. The leaves are coming out on the trees, and the bugs are in the air. We’ve had Hendrickson hatches that are still going on in places. I saw my first March Brown last week. Stoneflies, Caddis, and Midge are commonly seen on the water.

The Otter Creek and the Black River have received their annual stocking of large fish. The fishing is excellent in those areas. We’ve had good fishing on some of the tribs of the Otter. These waters are far less crowded and we’ve come across some large fish. The lakes have been producing some phenomenal midge hatches, and when the winds are quiet, we have great dry fly fishing. Stalking and sight fishing to rising trout is the best. We have a high lake that we fish and it has produced bass, trout, pickerel, and a bunch of smaller warm water fish. It’s fishing well now and the bass are just now starting to spawn.

The forecast for the next few days is for rainy weather with temps in the 50’s. Showers are expected for the next week with temps moderating.

 

4-14-06

River and Stream Conditions: This winter has been nothing like I’ve ever seen. The lack of snow pack mixed with lower than average rainfall has left the rivers running lower than normal. We still have fluctuations in flows, but not as extreme as usual. The snow is gone in all but the highest places. Expect water temps to rise faster than the normal. We can expect good fishing to come sooner this year.

Currently, conditions are improving, but fishing is still a little slow. The ice is gone in all but the highest of lakes. The lakes around here have seen surface temps up to 45 degrees. We have already enjoyed some dry fly action on midges and black stoneflies. The rivers are dropping and the temps are rising. In full sun yesterday, parts of the Black River hit 50 degrees. The Ottauquechee River is in the 40’s during the days and the flows are fishable. The White River is high, causing difficult and dangerous wading conditions.

 

4-8-06

Opening Day. Air Temp: 40’s. Water Temp: High 30’s. The conditions were quite difficult. The water was running high, and the temps were low, but Joe wanted to give it a try. We targeted some local lakes and concentrated at the inflows and outflows. The moving currents there tend to collect food, and the trout need not exert much energy to feed. There is also the possibility of some large trout moving in from the depths of the lakes. The ice was not fully out of the lakes yet, and the boat allowed easy access. The day produced several rainbows in the 12”-14” range. As you would expect, there was also the larger fish that got away. The productive flies were Olive Wooly Buggers, Purple Wooly Buggers, and Mercury Midges. All in all, it was a great day. Well done, Joe.