Thursday, August 25, 2011

Leisenring lift and Isonychia

Hi Folks, been guiding on the big water the last couple of days splitting time between the Lamoille and the Winooski.  The early fall weather has lowered our rivers water temperatures.  I have been recording water temperatures between 66 degrees and 68 degrees.  A welcome change from the hot weather of the summer.  Saw a pretty decent #16 dark bodied caddis hatch yesterday accompanied by rising trout.  The fish were aggressively coming out of the water to eat emerging caddis.  A #16 olive bodied x-caddis and a #16 goddard caddis fooled the young wild rainbows.  The fish were rising in riffles, eddies, and slow boulder strewn pools.  All wild rainbows between 7" and 11".  More of the same today on the Winooski with fish rising throughout the day.  Nice overcast conditions with on and off rain showers.  Did see a few #12 Isonychia hatching and the nymph shucks on rocks.  Fished a #12 Isonychia nymph and used the Leisenring Lift to perfect to hook several wild rainbows.  We cast up stream and dead drifted the nymph past ourselves and begun to raise the rod tip and wiggle it horizontally at the same time.  A great method for imitating a swimming may fly or emerging caddis.  Did get a few fish to eat a #14 foam ant that could have been perceived by the trout to be a caddis fly.  Looks like no much for rain tonight, but that will change by Sunday.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy