river clean-up and massive mayfly hatch

Hi Folks, Yesterday  I participated in the annual Lamoille River Anglers Association river clean-up and BBQ.  Nice to float the river in a canoe and pick up all of the rubbish and tires.  As a fishing guide I feel that it is my obligation to give something back to the resource I so enjoy and make a living from.  The wind really blew yesterday hard out of the north west.  River level are decent for this time of the year.  The water was barely 50 degrees.  We witnessed one of the best #14 Hendrickson hatches I have seen on the Lamoille.  The hatch starting coming off around 2:30pm and was still going strong at 4pm when we were pulling out of the river.  Bugs everywhere, but no surface feeding trout.  Can't say that it is the first time that I have witnessed this hatch like this without fish responding.  Always seems to be a water temperature issue.  Well I am guiding the Lamoille with the fly tomorrow and I hope that the hatch is going strong for my guests.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

damn wind

Hi Folks, guided yesterday with a repeat spin angler and we were stymied by the wind.  We had planned to take out my boat and fish for northern pike.  With a steady wind from the NW at 15mph to 25mph the boat was out of the question.  Nice sunny day but the air temperatures never surpassed 50 degrees.  The river we ended up wading was a cool 45 degrees and extremely clear.  We could still use some rain as our rivers are low for this time of the year and the snow pack has pretty much melted away.  I did see a few #14/#16 Hendrickson hatching late in the day yesterday, but no fish responding.   We were casting spoons ans smelt imitation plugs.  We did manage to hook 1 decent jumping wild rainbow.  Otherwise the fishing was pretty slow.  I have to remind myself that it is only the end of April and the best fishing is yet to come.  I will on the Lamoille this afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

in the net

trying new water

Hi Folks, Still kind of cold in the Stowe area.  Snowing on and off today.  We did receive some much needed rain over the last week and air temperatures have remained on the cool side.  Our streams are still a bit cool and water temperatures have been in the mid to high 40's.  I went down country to the East Branch and West Branch of the Delaware river for some fly fishing.  Nice place and beautiful river valleys.  Too much posted land.  Had a great float down the East Branch and managed to land a 22.5" male brown trout on a #14 Hendrickson emerger.  My largest dry fly brown in the U.S.  The trout put me into my backing.  Really nice fishing experience on a fertile hatch friendly watershed.  Well, back in Vermont we should be seeing #14/#16 Hendricksons, #16 Blue Quills, #16/#18 charcoal bodied caddis, #16 apple bodied caddis, and #18 olives.  Off to pike fish tomorrow, hope the wind is kind.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

spawning rainbows

Hi folks, Been spending some time on my local streams in the Stowe area.  We have lots of fishing opportunities with wild rainbow, wild brown trout, and native brook trout in our of our Stowe brooks.  Wind has been howling so I have opted to keep the boat in the barn.  My boat is ready to go and I just need the wind to lay down a bit.  River water temperatures have been hovering around 50 degrees.  The stream I visited yesterday was 50 on the nose and clear and low.  No hatching insects.  We should be seeing #14/#16 little brown stone flies, #14 Hendricksons, #16/#18 Blue Quills, #14-#18 candy apple green caddis and charcoal colored body caddis.  I did catch a small native brook trout yesterday on a #14 double tungsten black stone fly.  The high light of the day was spotting a larger rainbow trout holding over a spawning bed.  No I did not fish for this trout.  You could see the brushed out bed in gravel area at the tail out of a pool.  Makes sense, as rainbows spawn in mid 40 degree water temperatures and the eggs hatch out around 50 degrees to 58 degrees.  I was able to observe the trout for awhile before I spooked it.  Be careful walking around wild rainbow streams so you do not step on spawning beds.  Cool stuff.  Looks like a return to winter for a few days around here which will keep water temperatures in check.  Hopefully we get some much needed rain.  I will be gone for a few days fly fishing down south.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have fun, Willy

April heat

Hi folks, Guided today on the banks of a local reservoir today with aspiring spin anglers.  Crazy warm with day time air temperatures in the 80's.  The water temperature was 56 degrees in the shallow bay we fished.  I was on the Lamoille yesterday at midday and saw tons of #14 little brown stone flies hatching.  The water was really low and the water temperature was 54 degrees.  I am sure the Lamoille was even warmer today.  No question that mother nature is mixed up with the warmer than average weather.  Lots of spring flowers are already blooming that would not normally open up for several weeks.  My guess is all of our spring hatches are accelerated and in full action now.  Well,  we fished garden hackle under bobbers and did really well.  Landed 15 decent sized brown bullhead and 1 9" jumping wild rainbow.  Everyone was released safely with no deep hooking issues.  Things should cool back down, but we certainly need some rain.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have Fun, Willy

Opening Day

Hi folks, Great to be able to fish everywhere once again in the state of Vermont.  Due to the mild winter, there has been a fair amount of fishing opportunities prior to opening day today.  Whether you want to chase pike in dark bottomed shallow bays areas to trolling for salmon and lakers on the surface, all is possible with the early warm up and ice out this year.  The trout stream I fished this morning was 40 degrees and really low and clear.  Incredible that we need rain already, but things are pretty dry out there.  Not a lot of snow on top of Mt. Mansfield for run off.  Saw a great midday hatch of #14 little brown stone flies.  No trout responding to the stone flies.  Lake run rainbows on he Willoughby, Barton, and Lewis creek are all good options.  Early and late in he day is the best time to find lake run fish moving.  Pike fishing and resident river trout fishing should be pursued midday as to let the water warm up.  I will be fishing again tomorrow and we will see what the day brings.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy