Working the big water

Hi Folks, Guided a large party of fly anglers yesterday morning on the lower Winooski.  Water temperature was 65 degrees.  Water level was right around the seasonal average though the level of the river did drop while we were fishing.  Always something to contend with when you fish anywhere below the Bolton Dam.  I think as the water is coming up or down it effects the fishing negatively until it settles out.  Morning fog until about 8:30 am and then it was a bright sunny day.  Started the morning off seeing a very large adult bald eagle.  Also encountered a hunting osprey and really big snapping turtle sunning itself on a rock.  Tons of #10 Stone fly shucks on the rocks that looked recently hatched.  Saw a fair amount of #12/#14 Isonychia beginning to hatch late morning and the ever present #16/#18 olive caddis.  We nymph fished most of the morning swinging #18 olive caddis pupa, #10 Montana Stone Fly, #12 flashback pheasant tail , a #14 tungsten prince nymph, and a #18 olive copper john.  The fish were tuned into the small flies.  We landed the Winooski tri-fecta catching a salmon, brown trout, and rainbow.  The rainbow was the best fish of the day.  In all we had over a dozen fish take the fly yesterday morning.  We worked for our fish and made lots of drifts.  Looks like wet weather to start the week and the trout fishing should be really good this morning.  Off to fish the Lamoille.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy