Tight Lines and big water

Hi folks, Well, I have been saying we need rain and we finally got some and more.  Flash flooding problems right now as we have received substantial rain over the last couple of days.  Our rivers, big and small, are stuffed!  Matter of fact, not even safe to go near and think about fishing them.  I own a fishing boat for a reason, so I can still guide when we have high water events.  Guided from the boat this morning with 2 fly anglers.  Water temperature was 62 to 63 degrees and the clarity was way off.  Pretty dirty colored water and the level had risen several feet.  Lots of floating debris in the water.  We worked the shore line right up tight to the bank with our casts.  Still fished points, hard bottomed flats, and downed wood.  Landed 15 smallmouth bass and every fish took a popper off the top.  I think the fish are beginning to get on the beds.  We fished big #4 poppers in frog and chartreuse colors.  Pretty subtle takes for the most part though the fish wanted the popper worked aggressively.   Probably due to off colored water. The first couple of hours of fishing was really good as the wind was light and the rain not too over whelming.  Towards the end of the trip the fishing really turned off.  I think the cold front was settling in and the rain and wind really picked up.  Looks like cool damp weather for the weekend and I will be running my boat every day.  On a side note, looks like the Lamoille from Cadys Falls in Hyde Park downriver to Fairfax is now saturated with northern pike.  Several more large pike have been ccaught recently in locations that shocked me.  Not a good thing as the fragile wild trout fishery of the Lamoille is not going withstand the onslaught of apex predator like a pike.  Man if I were a northern, the stocked rainbows would be an awful nice easy meal.  Too bad that some dumb ass decided to stock pike into the drainage.  Oh well, guess I will be carrying a trout and pike rod for now on.  Stay dry over the weekend and look to fish lakes and ponds until our rivers clear.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy