Beautiful brookies

Hi Folks, Been guiding small water for native brook trout the last couple of days.  Water levels are still, but the clarity is fine in the small brooks.  The Lamoille and Winooski are dropping slowly but surely but still pretty high to fish effectively.  However, I prefer the small streams when the levels are high as the larger trout tend to show themselves.  Water temperatures have maintained from 52 degrees to 55 degrees the last few days.  My clients have been putting on a clinic with the native brook trout.  Catching some pretty decent sized brookies that are just fired up with color.  Not to mention the high elevations brooks they reside in are magnificent places to cast a fly.  Size is a relative thing on a small stream.  Gauge your tackle accordingly.  4" to 12" brook trout are good fun in moving water when caught on dry flies with short 2wt. and 3wt. outfits.  The fly the last couple days that has been extremely productive has been a #12 rusty colored Klinkhammer.  In the higher water, mending is pretty important in order to drew interest.  Slowing the fly down with high stick, up stream and down stream mends give the fish ample time to see the fly and respond to it.  I like to tell guests to fish only your leader and use the rod tip to steer the fly through the multiple currents.  Long casts are not needed, just accurate casting.  So, until the big water settles, I will continue to run the boat on lakes fish trout in small environments.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Being flexible

Hi Folks, Lots of rain in the last week.  Always tough in the guiding arena when you river fish.  Guided a full day yesterday on a local watershed.  Lost 3 trips over the last week due to blown out conditions on our rivers.  The Lamoille and Winooski are still too high to fish effectively.  The small streams are high but clear and are in very good shape for fishing.  Oe nice thing with the current weather is that things have remained cool and our water temperatures are perfect.  It was 55 degrees to 57 degrees yesterday on the brook and stream we visited.  Water clarity was okay but not perfect.  Over cast all day with a few showers.  We began the day chasing brook trout and had well over 30 fish come to the fly.  Large #10 and #12 royal rubber legged stimulators and large #10 Wulff patterns drew lots of interest from our native brook trout population.  All of the fish were in the soft water that was at least knee deep.  Brookies can hold in a variety of spots in small mountain streams as water temperature is not an issue.  All about energy efficiency and not getting picked off by a predator.  We moved down in the watershed in order to catch a few larger fish.  We did have one large brown come to fly and landed several more brookies on #12 Royal Wulffs and a #14 green foam bodied dry.  Moving further down river the water conditions deteriorated a bit as the water was higher and more off color.   Swinging #8 White Zonkers and dead drifting a #10 heavily weighted wooly bugger produced stocked rainbows and one nice 13" wild bow.  Big difference in how the wild fish versus the stocked fish fight.  I guess I just prefer wild trout as I feel like the stockers fight like a wet paper towel on the end of the line.  Plus, much more gratifying catching a real trout.  Anyway, will be attempting to dodge the weather thenext few days and get some rive fishing in.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Figuring it out

Hi Folks,  Ran the boat again yesterday with a spin client for smallouth bass.  Big rivers Lamoille and Winooski are still too high and dirty to trout fish.  The small tribs. are in decent shape though the flow is higher than average.  That could change as the forecast is calling for heavy rain tonight.  I knew the precipitation would catch up with us!  So, surface temperature was 69 degrees to 70 degrees with sunny skies and a steady southwest wind.  We got on the water at 5:30am to enjoy some low light.  The water is still very high and clarity was okay.  We chased smallies with poppers, a tiny torpedo, and floating perch rapala n the early morning and the bite was fairly slow.  We landed one small bass and a 2lb smallie off a downed birch.  We decided that slowing down our approach was the way to go.  So, the 4" green with red flake Senko on a #2 Red worm hook changed the day.  We proceeded to land 15 smallmouth with the soft plastic rig.  We went after several large bass that I had spotted on a earlier trip and were able to catch them.  One of the fish was beautiful 18" smallmouth that had a worm hook in its mouth from being previously caught and I removed it.  It was interesting detecting some of the takes because the wind was making it tough to control the fishing line.  The fish were picking up the worm and swimming to the boat every time so it made it challenging to detect the subtle takes.  All about rod positioning and line control.  Fishing often requires adjusting tactics to catch fish in varying conditions.  Attempting to run the boat this afternoon.  See what the weather brings.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

fly fishing in the trees

Hi Folks, Ran the boat yesterday afternoon with fly clients.  We chased smallmouth bass in a local lake where the water level was extremely high.  Surface temperature was 65 to 67 degrees.  A slight southwest wind with partly cloudy skies.  Several inches of rain from Sunday night through Tuesday have affected our water levels in lakes and especially rivers.  The Lamoille and Winooski will be several days away from being fishable.  Small streams have cleared but are still very high.  Certain small brooks will be manageable by today.  The water was so high where we cast our flies to the shoreline was indistinguishable.  You could not pick out the points and under water structure. It was helpful to have a good working knowledge of the lake.  We landed 5 smallmouth and missed another half a dozen fish.  All pretty good sized bass.  I did notice that most of the fish did come from downed wood.  We cast large poppers in in Chartreuse tied on #2 hook.  Larger than I would normally cast at smallies but the conditions with dirty high water dictated it.   Also, the flies had deep concave faces to help emit a louder popping sound.  I was pleased with the bass fishing after the weather we had experienced the las few days.  Off to run the boat again this morning for smallmouth.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Challenging

Hi Folks, Found the trout fishing to be tough the past two guiding Saturday and Sunday.  Big cold front with rain and very cool night time air temperatures.  The tribs. I walked Saturday and Sunday were both in the low fifties.  51 and 52 degrees respectively.  Probably should have been fishing in the afternoon versus the morning due to cooling air and water temperatures.  Visited the main stem of the Lamoille yesterday after small streaming it and it was 57 degrees.  Water was up on the main stem but dropping.  Water is up on the Winooski as well and the clarity is not quite as good as the Lamoille.  Pretty good rain this morning and with more expected this afternoon, should keep the big rivers up for a few days.  Really good hatch yesterday morning of a #14 olive bodied caddis and a #16 tan bodied caddis.  Lots of bugs and no damn fish responding.  Walked over some good consistent stable pools with a very competent fly angler and we could not buy a strike.  At least the cool air temperatures and higher water should set us up nicely for any hatches of #8/#10 Brown Drakes as well as consistent hatches of sulphurs at dusk.  Well, bass are spawning or are all done and beginning to disperse for the summer holding areas.  Looks like a warmer week in store with plenty off water in our rivers now.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

changing directions

Hi Folks, Pretty crazy weather change from Friday to Saturday.  I guided a family program Friday and fly fished with a guest yesterday.  It went from warm and a bit humid to wet and cold over night.  Had to cover certain plant in the vegetable garden last night.  The fishing on Friday was very good.  Water temperature was 62 degrees under over cast skies.  We caught all sots of fish from the bank of a local lake.  Rainbow trout, perch, suckers, sunfish, and bullhead all were landed.  Kept it pretty simple with beetle spins and lures.  The Lamoille on Friday was on the mark with trout rising to blind fished dry flies.  Large #12 Ausable Wulffs had the interest of the stocked trout as they pounded the dry fly.  I was looking forward to fishing the Lamoille Saturday morning with my client prior to the big heavy rain we received in Stowe Friday night.  The big rivers are once again unfishabale for a few days as their levels went up significantly. We fished a small tributary of the Winooski that was high but clear.  We landed brook trout including a nice 10" male.  We worked for the half a dozen fish that came to the #10 Ausable Wulff, but we had to in the high water.  The water temperature was a chilly 52 degrees.  All of the trout were holding in the soft water off the man current or in the tail outs of some of the larger pool. No luke nymphing yesterday morning but it is not all bad when the fish only eat dry flies.  Off to chase river trout again this morning and will be fishing smaller water.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Chasing landlocked salmon

Hi Folks, Guided on north with the fly rods yesterday in pursuit of Landlocked Salmon.  Had the river to our selves which was really nice.  Big bright sunny day so we got on the water in the early am.  River level was twice the average flow but clear.  Water temperature ranged from 59 degrees to 61 degrees. Good hatch all morning of #16 olive bodies caddis.  We saw a few small fish rise to the bugs, but no big boys.  My guess is that the heavy flows and bright sun kept the larger fish down and not willing to rise to bugs.  We lost one large salmon right off the get go.  The fish pulled hard and jumped and tossed the fly.  We were fishing a 6wt. out fit with a sinking tip casting a #8 white zonker and a cone headed muddler minnow.  We did see a large school of emerald shiners all balled up in an eddy but no predators crashing into them.  We landed 5 good sized smallmouth on streamers and a fall fish.  We did nymph fish with a #12 tungsten prince and #16 olive wire caddis under indicator.  landed one small salmon and missed a few fish.  In my opinion there are not a lot of salmon in the river currently.  On the Lamoille and Winooski front the fishing should very good this weekend.  Water has just come down from the rain and the tempratures are perfect.  Look for #14/#16 sulphurs at dusk, and #16 caddis in the morning and evening.  Off to chase bass. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

much needed rain and spawning bass

Hi Folks, Ran the boat yesterday afternoon on a local lake with a fly client for smallmouth bass.  Nice day after several days of rain.  All of our rivers are now above seasonal average flow and are slowly but surely dropping in level.  The Lamoille and Winooski are still a day or two away from being manageable to fish.  All of the tributaries are in great shape.  Along with the rain came a big cold front which dropped air temperatures and water temperatures significantly.  Bodes well for river fishing for trout for the next couple of weeks.  On the lake yesterday the water temperature was 66 degrees on the surface with a slight west breeze.  The water clarity was good as we could sight a lot of the smallmouth coming to eat our surface presentations.  There were a percentage of male bass protecting spawning beds and we made an effort to not fish these bass.  These bass will take your fly really gently and subtly and move it off the bed and spit it out.  Pretty interesting to see and you would not know what happened if you did not see the fish move the fly.  The fish we caught were all post spawn and slammed the fly very aggressively.  Good fun watching them rise from 10' of water to eat andthen get air time.  We landed 5 smallmouth with a #2 white rubber legged slider fly.  Probably missed and lost another 10 fish.  Pretty steady action.  I am off to chase landlocked salmon today with the fly rods.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

If you don't like the weather, wait a minute

Hi Folks, Good weekend for the Catfish on the water.  Guided two trips yesterday in the hot bright sun.    Took guests out today in the rainy colder weather.  Started yesterday in my boat spin fishing for bass and pike.  Surface temperature ranged from 64 degrees to 68 degrees.  Good steady stiff wind from the south.  Pushed my boat around a bit.  We caught a wide variety of species from smallmouth bass to largemouth bass to pike to chain pickerel to perch and finally rock bass.  The water was bit off color to down right dirty.  Depended on where we fished as the wind affected areas were the dirty sections of the lake.  The clearest and coolest water was in the river that fed the lake.  The largest fish we located were in the main lake on rocky shore lines that abruptly dropped off into deeper water.  I held the boat in 15' to 20' of water and my clients cast into 5' of water.  The fish were holding on the drop offs.  We located a mess of smallmouth bass in the river section that were more than willing to eat a Big O crank bait that resembled a crawfish.  Yesterday afternoon I took a beginning fly angler to fish on the lower Winooski.  The water temperature was 68 degrees.  The river level was low.  Pretty darn hot and humid  yesterday afternoon prior the cold front that pushed through with a massive thunder and lightening show.  The trout fishing was slow but it was a fall fish bonanza.  Lots of #14/#16 suphur nymphs on the rocks in the riffles and quite a few #16/#18 olive and tan bodied caddis.  Not too many hatching bugs that we saw prior to being blown off the water.  Last night and today we finally received some much needed rain.  We could use some more.  Nice cool down as well.  Did a family outing today with a little bank fishing.  The Lamoille was not fishable today as the water came up pretty significantly.  We fished were a river dumps into a lake from the shore line.  The water temperature was 63 degrees and off color.  We cast beetle spins and a variety of perch colored and craw fish colored plugs.  Good day for chasing pan fish.  Lots of action with bullhead and perch.  We did manage to draw the interest of several large trout but they turned off each time they followed a lure.  Looks like wet weather for the next few days.  Should be good for the fishing.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Warming up and late day risers

Hi Folks, Guided a young aspiring fly angler today on the Lamoille.  Water is awful low and warm for May 29.  Reminds me of July conditions except the fact that we have spring hatches!  Really warm weather for May.  Started the afternoon on a stretch of the Lamoille that was 72 degrees.  Ouch!!!!  So we did a casting clinic and went and found some cooler water.  Nice hatch of #14 Sulphurs and #16 olive bodied caddis, along with #12 March Brown spinners to boot.  Once the light got the low, the trout began to look up.  I love dry fly fishing.  Rather do that and guide it than ever swing streamers or drift nymphs.  My young angler today caught his first wild trout on a fly rod today with a dry fly, fantastic. The fly of the afternoon was a Catskill style tied #14 sulphur.  We landed 5 wild rainbows between 7" and 12" and missed 2 fish.  We did catch two of the trout with the fly drowned, though it was still drifting naturally in the current.  My suspicion is the trout were keyed in to the emerger.  All good jumping rainbows and fun on a 4wt.  Well, we need rain and some cooler weathe would be nice.  Off to chase pike and bass in the morning and trout in the afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

on the still water front

Hi Folks, Spent the last two days in my boat guiding anglers with both spin and fly gear for smallmouth bass and northern pike.  Water temperatures have ranged on the surface from 58 degrees to 63 degrees. Today the windy side of the lake was 3 degrees warmer than the leeward side.  Good steady northwest wind today with some whitecap action.  The fish in the lake I fished yesterday are up in the skinny water.  We got them to eat a floating perch colored rapala and a shallow running Big O crawfish colored crank bait.  Fished in a different lake today and the fish were are staging on the first drop off from the shallow areas where they will spawn.  We saw all of our bass today in 6' to 12' of water.  Both days the takes where pretty subtle,  Today we would set the hook when we saw our flies disappear.   You would not feel the strike.  You had to be patient on the hook in order to allow the fish to eat either the fly or lure.  Had a few encounters with toothy northern pike today and we landed and a couple a lost a couple.  The flies of the day were a Red/White 2/0 Bunny Bugger and a Creamsicle 2/0 Bunny bugger.  We found the northerns in deeper water and all of the strikes seemed like they come out of no where.  We really need some rain and it is awfully dry for May.  Fishing should continue to be good as long as it stays cool.  Warmer air temperatures slow things down and it appears that the fishing will now be best in the early morning and late afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Perfect time of the year

Hi Folks, Kept busy yesterday on the water guiding in the morning and afternoon. Chased smallmouth with the fly rods in the morning and river trout with the fly in the afternoon.  Great time of the year to pursue a wide variety of species and lots of options.  Nice cool morning yesterday with a slight swirling breeze.  Nice over cast skies and the top water bite was on for the bass. We landed 21 smallmouth.  The bass are in full on pre spawn mode and pretty easy pickings right now.  The fish were located in less than 5' of water over gravel and broken up rocky shorelines.  The takes were pretty subtle as the fish just came up and down on the fly.  It took some patience on the hook set as we did prematurely remove the fly a few times before the bass were stuck.  Pretty easy to do when you are getting lots of action.  In the afternoon I took two beginner fly anglers to fish a tail water where they happen to have some property.  The flow was low and the water temperature was 51 degrees.  Not much for hatching bugs and the gravel in riffles was pretty devoid of life.  This is due in large part to the flow regimes of this particular river which is an all or nothing release.  We dead drifted #10 heavily weighted olive/black wooly bugger under indicators.  We landed 1 solid 14" brown trout and lost the fish of the day if not the spring.  A very large brown trout that I would have estimated to be in the 20" plus class.  The large trout tossed the fly when it came out of the water.  Sounded like a beaver tail slapping the water when the fish jumped.  So bugs to look for currently are #10/#12 Mach Browns, #16 olive bodied caddis and , #14/#16 Grey Fox Variants.  I am off to run the boat for bass.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

March Browns

Hi Folks, I guided the Lamoille yesterday afternoon with the fly rods.  The river looked like a summer level as the water is still very low.  We really could use some sustained rain.  The temperature was great with it holding at 57 degrees all afternoon.  Nice big bright sunny day.  Let me tell you when the sun became low in the ski the fishing really tuned on.  Pretty interesting how slow the trout fishing was while it was bright and sunny out.  They really do prefer low light.  Fantastic hatch of #10/#12 Stenonema vicarium or commonly know as the March Brown.  It is a a big bug that hatches mid morning to late afternoon with big spinner falls at dusk.  Not much happening in the way of rising fish until the light got low even though the bugs were coming off pretty steadily.  March Browns are clinger nymphs and like to hold in heavy riffles.  We nymph fished with a #12 pheasant tail and tried a #10 olive black wooly bugger with minimum success.  We drew 4 strikes nymphing.  Once we started seeing fish rise then the fun really began.  We landed a dozen wild and stocked rainbows on a #12 parachute brown dun.  The fish rose aggressively and we missed a few trout as well.  We had rising for for a good 2 hours as they transitioned to eating March Brown spinners and then there was a #16 olive bodied caddis hatching in late afternoon.  Good drifts did make a difference in getting the better fish to eat.  The smaller trout were willing to eat the dry fly swung after the dead drift.  We did have some success in the later afternoon with a #12 Rusty Spinner.  I am off to chase smallmouth this morning and then trout fishing in the afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Recon MIssion

Hi Folks, Guided two of my long repeat guest yesterday afternoon on a Lamoille tributary.  It just so happens that they purchased a 74 acre parcel that is part of this particular watershed in prime trout water.  Nice to know the land will be in good hands and conserved and preserved for future anglers to enjoy.  Our streams are incredibly low.  We really need rain or it could be a long summer of trout fishing.  Water temperature was 56 degrees and extremely clear.  Big time cold front came through with a frost warning last night into early this morning.  The wind really blew hard and steady from the north/northwest.  We saw a really good hatch of #16 Blue Quills late in the afternoon with some #22 Olives.  Lots of duns in eddies and tail outs of pools.  Unfortunately, not a damn fish responding to the hatches.  During the afternoon we did see a fair amount of #10/#12 March Browns hatching.  We did not have a single fish eat our flies.  Now we did walk around my clients property for awhile and not necessarily fished the whole time, but still makes me wonder? I like pursuing wild trout and try to stay away from the stocked areas.  However, it seems to me the stocked trout fishing is a bit more productive currently than what I have been witnessing on my area trout streams.  It looks like a bit more warm weather for the weekend and I will chasing trout this afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

staging

Hi Folks, Ran the boat this afternoon with a client chasing pre-spawn smallmouth bass.  Interesting weather day with the arrival of a cold front.  Big steady northwest wind and the air temperatures dropped by 20 degrees from the previous day.  If you don't like the weather wait a minute!  Water temperature was between 61 degrees and 64 degrees.  We searched out the warmer water all afternoon and tried to fish in the sun.  Like the sun for early spring fishing for smallmouth as the bass are seeking out warmer water to crank up their metabolism in preparation for spawning.  With spin equipment we landed 7 male smallmouth bass.  We hooked fish on a perch rapala, a crawfish colored shallow running crankbait and a 5" watermelon red magic Senko.  The crank baits were the most productive lures in the stained and choppy water.  Tough fishing soft plastics in really windy conditions.  It appeared to me that the bass are staging to spawn and that the next full moon will really get reproduction going.  I did not spot one spawning bed in places I have seen them for 20 years.  We could still use some rain as our local rivers have dropped significantly since our last rain fall.  Trout fishing should really come into its own with the current weather pattern.  I will be on the water for the next week straight guiding and I am looking forward to chasing some trout.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Getting there slowly but surely

Hi Folks, Guided trout trips with the fly rods this weekend.  It was a weekend of river fishing with aspiring fly anglers.  Our rivers are coming around slowly but surely.  Levels are just around the seasonal average flow and temperatures have ranged from low fifties in the morning to high fifties by late afternoon.  Starting to see #14/#16 Hendricksons hatch, but I have not found any fish responding to them on the surface.   Lots and lots of cased caddis on tops of rocks in riffles that are preparing to hatch.
I found the trout fishing to be fairly slow this weekend.  With the exception of the trophy zones, many of our trout rivers have not been stocked as of yet.  Interesting to me how few wild trout actually exist in the Lamoille and Winooski.  Not a high density and they do not always come to the fly very easily.  Rainbow trout should become more of the mix everyday as they finish up spawning.  We are coming into one of the better times of the year for fishing as the options will be limitless for pursuing both cold water and warm water species.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

where are the big ones???

Hi Folks, Ran my boat yesterday with clients and fly rods in search of northern pike.  Fished a lake that is fed by the Lamoille River.  The water was stained and the temperature was 56 degrees to 58 degrees.  Partly cloudy afternoon with a slight northwest breeze.  We caught all of our fish in less than of 5' of water.  The colors of the day were red and white.  We cast 2/0 red and white bunny buggers with fast action 7 weight and 9 weight outfits matched with both sinking and floating lines.  We landed 3 northern pike, a pickerel, 2 largemouth bass, and loads of large yellow perch and rock bass.  No big fish though we did lose a good sized bass that tangled up in some wood.  Not a bad day on the lake, just did not see any big pike.  On the trout stream front we finally received much needed rain which puffed up our streams.  Water levels are right around the seasonal average level presently and dropping fairly fast.  Clarity on the Lamoille yesterday was good.  For hatches, look for #14/#16 Hendricksons, #16 Blue Quills, #14 bright green bodied caddis, and #16 Grannoms.  Still some lake run rainbow around to chase, but they are spawning and preparing to start dropping back.  Off to chase trout today.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-natve species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

On a trout stream

Hi Folks, Spent my first day on a trout stream this season yesterday afternoon.  Visited a Lamoille tributary where the water temperature was 61 degrees.  Pretty warm for this time of the year.  Of course, the 85 degree air temperatures with bright sun contributes to the higher than normal water temperatures.  The river levels are really low.  We need rain big time.  Pretty scary how low the water is for this time of the year.  No sign above the water of #14/#16 Hendricksons.  Did not see any duns or spinners at dusk.  Lots of puffed up nymphs below the surface on rocks and they look ready to begin hatching.  The only sign of life was from a few #14 brown stone flies and did not see any trout respond to them.  We dead drifted and swung a number of different patterns from #12 double tungsten stone fly to a #10 muddler minnow, to a variety of #12/#14 nymph patterns like a pheasant tail, hare and copper, and a Dave's red fox squirrel nymph.  No strikes or follows from any fish.  Not shocked as I would have said that the trout fishing would be slow to start this year after the winter we just experienced.  I wonder what impact the sudden increase in water temperatures have on the fish.  The water jumped in a good 10 to 15 degrees in a few days time.  Well, looks warm for the next few days and then back to season average temperatures with some much needed rain in the forecast.  Will be running the boat for pike in the next few days.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

The Cat is Back

Hi Folks, Started the guiding season today with the boat and fly rods.  Visited the Champlain Valley looking for northern pike. Nice warm day with a slight wind from northwest.  Surface temperature ranged from 60 degrees to 64 degrees.  Incredible that the water had warmed almost 15 degrees in a weeks time.  We fished the shallow margins with 8wt. and 9 wt. outfits.  One Rio Pike sinking line and a weight forward pike line.  Heavy leaders with 30lb tippet and steel bite guards.  Lots of casting in pursuit of northerns with a fly.  We had one pike follow.  Did manage to land 3 largemouth bass on a 2/0 chartreuse/white Deceiver. We missed a couple other bass.  There were tons of pan fish and bull head in the shallows and you could spot them all day.  Occasionally there were some large boils of water that appeared as if a predator was having a bite on the easy pickings in the shallows.    On the river front, the water is already low.  We need rain big time!!!  Ground is dry and even though there still is some snow melt from the high elevations, that will not last long with the warm temperatures forecast for the near future.  Rivers are warming and it will not be long before it is #12/#14 Hendrickson season.  Plenty of #14 brown stones around right now.  In Orleans county there a few quality rainbows being landed.  It is time spent chasing those beautiful lake run steelhead.  Looks like the fishing is heating up, lots of options.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Early season 2015

Hi Folks, Been awhile since I have blogged about fishing.  Been a long winter.  No ice fishing for the catfish this year as I was busy raising kids and skiing.  Still a lot of snow in the hills and cold temperatures at night.  Still sugaring here in Stowe though it is winding down.  My local lakes are still locked up in ice.  Rivers currently are ice laden and cold.  Though with the warming air temperatures snow melt is in full effect as can be seen in the Lamoille and Winooski with all of the run off.  Rivers are bit off colored, but more importantly their temeprature are not much above 34 degrees.  Tough catching trout in those water temperatures without literally bonking them in the head with your fly.  Up north not much happening with the spring rainbow run until things warm up a bit.  I am little concerned with the low water.  Water table was down going into winter and we never had a winter thaw.  Rivers will be low when the snow is done melting unless we get a bit spring rain.  I have cleaned many a fly line and reel as well as cleaning up the spin gear.  Boat is being worked on.  Will be chasing northern pike in the shallows with big flies once the ice breaks.  Slow start this year, but lots of good fishing heading our way.  Remember to clean your gear ad keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy