best of both worlds

Hi Folks, Did a double dip yesterday and fly fished with clients in the morning for wild rainbow trout and then smallmouth bass in the afternoon.  Nice morning fog greeted us yesterday in the Winooski where the water temperature was 68 degrees.  The fog lifted around 9:00am.  Water levels were excellent for fishing.  Saw #12 Isonychia shucks on rocks as well as a few hatching and #10 golden stonefly shucks on rocks.  There were a few #18-#20 micro caddis hatching as well and the cedar wax wings were pounding the insects in the air.  Sporadic rising activity by the fish when we arrived prompted us to cast a dry fly dropper rig.  I saw a lot of spent #14 to #22 spent flying ants in water puddles on rocks next to the river. A #12 Hare's parachute with a #18 olive caddis pupa was the rig.  We nymphed with #12 and #14 prince nymphs and #14 zug bugs.  We did not land a lot of fish but the ones we did were really nice.  The first fish of the day was male rainbow in the 14" class that sipped the parachute pattern before coming tight on the line.  The fish of the morning was a measured 16" wild female rainbow that put up a really nice tussle.  Both trout were the largest fish my clients had caught in Vermont with a fly.  The fish looked to be in excellent shape and weather the hot summer well.  We missed several other fish and lost a couple.  The bite really slowed once the fog lifted and the bright sun showed itself.  In the afternoon, I canoe fly fished for smallmouth bass.  Lots of people had the same idea and there was a considerable amount of fishing pressure.  The surface temperature was 73 degrees with a slight breeze from the north.  We worked a lot of water and mostly focused on weed bed edges that had a hard bottom and dropped into deeper water.If you are only going to land one fish, you might as well make it a good one.  Fish of the day was a 3lb smallmouth bass that really put a bend in the 6wt. rod.  Several great jumps and the fish just did not want to be landed.  A fine smallmouth bass on a popper.  The fly of the day was a #4 chartruse snook slider.  We missed several other fish including a couple of decent sized pickerel.  Pretty exciting when a pickerel takes a fly off the top. The water level in this body of water had come up a foot in the last week and I was wondering if that had not affected the fish to a degree.  Anywho, always nice catching big fish off the top, the best of both worlds for trout and bass fly fishing.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy