fly fishing for pike

Hi folks, Sorry for the time away.  I will be leaving for Florida this weekend and be back in at the beginning of May.  My reports will become more consistent then.  Been trout fishing on several small streams with little results.  After all of the warm March weather, things settled down and it has been a pretty typical April.  Trout streams I have been on have been in the low forties.  No hatching bugs and very little interest from the trout.  The Willoughby River has been producing a few rainbows and the suckers are already in the river.  Water levels have been fairly low and the very clear.  So, what I like to do in April is cast large flies with 8wt and 9wt outfits for northern pike.  Spent yesterday afternoon in a canoe chasing northern.  Water temperature was 51 degrees on the calm side of the lake and 54 degrees where the wind was pushing the surface water.  Nice afternoon and the perfect conditions for chasing pike in shallow water with cloudy skies.  We fished a floating line and sink tip line.  The set-up with the sink tip produced more fish.  I think keeping the fly down in the water column for longer was the key.  We landed 4 pike with no fish exceeding 30" and we lost or missed 4 other northerns.  The fly of the day was 2/0 black and chartruse bunny bugger.  Working the fly all the way to the boat was important as we had several strikes very close to the end of the retrieve.  Pike fishing should remain good and a nice time fish shallow water for large predators.  I off to guide today.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

trout opener

Hi Folks, Spent yesterday fly fishing a tributary of Lake Champlain and then the big lake itself.  Caught my first trout of the year which is always a good omen.  A 10" silver little rainbow which ate a orange tungsten bead head wooly bugger with rubber legs.  Dead drifted the fly with a egg pattern dropper under a large indicator and weight attached.  A real ugly rig to cast but effective.  Also missed another trout.  Water temperature was 51 degrees in the valley stream we fished and the water was up and off color.  Worked a bridge opening on Champlain for landlocked salmon where the water temperature was 44 degrees and clarity was excellent.  Very little wind on the big lake yesterday.  No salmon, but it was fun casting  some various ghost patterns.  Opening day should be decent if the rain holds off today.  Looks like the weather will be more April like the next few days with rain and snow and cooler daytime temperatures.  I have seen a few #14 brown/black stoneflies hatching and a matching fly pattern like a small spring wiggler can be very effective this time of the year.  Ice is out on our lakes and the surface bite for salmonids should be decent. Pike fishing is all about shallow water right now.  Northern fishing is one of my favorites this time of the year.  Look for warm water tomorrow like streams that originate from lakes and ponds or tailwater fishery.  Avoid high gradient mountain steams as run off will be an issue along with colder water.  Lake run rainbow fishing can be good, just remember to leave spawning bows alone.  A variety of flies should work like any egg pattern, stoneflies, large bunny buggers for pike, dark colored buggers, and heavy nymphs.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy