wild winooski

Hi Folks, guided a fine fly angler on the Winooski yesterday morning under bright blue skies and rising air and water temperatures.  We were on the water by 5:30am and the water temperature was 63 degrees.  It rose to 68 degrees by 11:00am.  I can only imagine that it reached 70 degrees by late afternoon.  Morning trout fishing right now or small cool streams.  No fishing in 70 degree plus water temperatures.  Water levels are still down and we need rain.  Saw a fair number of hatching #16 olive bodied caddis and a few sporadic rising fish.  We caught a bunch of little wild rainbows and brookies in several thin riffles with an #16 x-caddis dry and #16 olive caddis pupa dropper.  The big fish all came on nymphs.  We hooked a very good number of wild trout in the 12" to 14" range yesterday.  A #12 prince nymph with a #16 olive caddis pupa under an indicator was the ticket.  Lots of jumping fish and lost fish.  Really important to set the hook especially with a slower action fly rod.  Trust the rod, tippet, and your knots.  The fish or fishes of the day was the two wild bows we caught at the same time.  One on the top fly and one on the dropper fly.  Both wild rainbows around 12".  That is the 5th time in my life I have seen two fish caught at once.  Pretty cool.  Great fishing morning and with lots of action.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy