nice to have options

Hi Folks, Been a busy few days guiding over the Memorial Day weekend.  I am always thankful in Vermont that there are so many places to fish without big crowds. We have a lot of diverse fisheries. I guided pike, smallmouth, and trout over a 4 day stretch.  The Winooski was fantastic last night. The river level is low for this time of the year and rain would be good.  The water temperature was 60 degrees and a nearby tributary was 58 degrees. The trout fishing has been slow during the day especially when the sun has been bright.  However, the last hour of the day has been pretty darn good.  Especially for rising fish.  Great spinner fall of #12 March Browns last night.  A #12 Rusty Spinner was the fly.  We did not get a single strike all afternoon and then in an hours time landed 5 wild rainbows and 1 wild brown on a dry fly.  Dusk and Dawn currently is the way to go. Lots of caddis activity especially on the brighter mornings.  At dusk a tons of bugs egg laying.  I ran the boat a few times this weekend. Visited 2 different bodies of water.  The pike lake was 58 to 62 degrees and the wind blew pretty hard from the south/southwest. We found fish in shallow water and were able to sight a couple of nice looking pike.  It was a bright day so black and white, black and orange, and black and red Bunny Buggers tied on a 2/0 hook did the job.  Pike fishing is fun because they just materialize out of no where.  However, it also requires a lot of casting and can beat up your arm.  Learning to double haul with the fly rod makes casting a lot more efficient. They can be lightening fast when taking a fly.  It is really important that one learns to strip strike when fishing large streamers on fish that pursue.  Good morning of action.  The smallmouth fishing has been okay.  Water temperatures on the lake we visited Saturday was 62 to 64 degrees.  We caught smallmouth on a variety of lures.  A perch rapala, a fire tiger popper, a crawfish colored Big O, and a 5" Senko in green.  We had good steady action. Not a lot of really big fish.  I did not see any spawning beds.  Most of the fish were holding in less than 10' of water.  It is the time of the year where there are many choices.  I will be floating in the drift boat this week.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

eating dry flies and eating each other

Hi Folks, Been a couple crazy days of trout fishing.  I have guided the Lamoille yesterday afternoon.  The river is in great shape.  Water temperature was 58 to 59 degrees and the level was slightly below the seasonal average flow.  We caught trout nymph fishing as well as on dry flies.  A double nymph rig with a #14 tungsten pheasant tail with a peacock hackle soft hackle dropper accounted for 2 wild bows and a stocked rainbow.  No comparison on how the fish looked and fought.  All of the fish were holding in the slower water.  Mostly in pools and not riffles.  Makes sense being that the water temperature was in the fifties.  We saw a few #10-#12 March Browns hatching and lots of spinners collecting so we moved down stream to long slow deep elbow pool.  We found sipping trout who were eating #14 Hendrickson spinners.  I had a very experienced fly angler who knew how to be patient in presenting to these finicky trout. We caught 4 more wild jumping bows on a #12 Rusty Spinner pattern.  The fish were moving about a bit so we had to time the cast properly and make a good drift. Nice afternoon on the Lamoille.  Thursday was still water fly fishing for brook trout at a private trout club. The brook trout in this lake are native and wild.  It was a windy afternoon with a breeze from the north/northwest so we set up on the lee of the lake at an inlet.  There were a number of small trout rising to eat midges.  We were casting a #18 Griffiths Nat.  We landed a few small fish and my friend caught a beautiful 16" brook trout on the dry.  Then the afternoon became surreal.  We saw a pack of wolves in the water (large brook trout) cruising in the shallows under the fish that were rising.  I caught a 6" brookie on a dry and as I was reeling it in, a 20" trout attacked it and ate the fish at the boat.  I fought it for a bit and when we netted it the mangled brook trout was spit out and amazingly enough, the Griffiths Nat was in the large male trouts mouth, Incredible!! We had this happen two other times and my friend landed one 18" that also ate a small brookie that was hooked.  You can't rule out that trout are not meat eaters and that they will not eat their own. I have seen large brown trout chase down small fish in rivers, but never have I witnessed large trout swallowing a small trout that was hooked.  Reminded me of pike fishing. Anywho, I am off to chase prespawn smallmouth.  Should be a wet damp weekend.  The forecast of rain might puff up the rivers so pay attention to flows.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

big brown, dry fly action, and more

Hi Folks, Been an interesting few days of trout fishing. I have been guiding wade trips and just completed my first float trip of the season.  Water temperatures are warming slowly.  A Lamoille tributary was 51 degrees on Sunday and the main stem of the Winooski was 58 degrees yesterday.  Saw a ton of #14 green apple bodied caddis coming off yesterday on the Winooski and we actually found  a few risers.  The fishing was slow until the last hour or so of light.  Big bright sunny day and the water level is slightly above the seasonal average flow.  The fish can be pretty spread out and hard to locate in the higher water in stream with not a high density of trout. We worked for the 4 fish landed.  We cast a double streamer rig for good part of the float with a #6 white zonker and a #10 black/olive bugger dropper. We cast a 200 grain sink tip keeping the flies down in the water column.  The fish ate the bugger and the risers were on an x-caddis.  Sunday produced quality not quantity. One beautiful 19" wild male brown trout that stopped a white zonker in its tracks.  Not much for bugs on Sunday so we resorted to prying deep primary pools with the tandem stream rig.  I'll take quality over quantity any day of the week. Taking the motorboat out for some pre spawn smallmouth action next.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have fun, Willy

wet Winooski today

Hi Folks, Spent a wet day guiding the Winooski yesterday with a  large group.  Perfect day for being on a trout with stream with damp cool conditions and eventually afternoon rain.  The Wonooski was fairly clear and the temperature was 51 to 52 degrees.  The water level was slightly under the seasonal average flow.  Saw a nice hatch of #14-#16 Hendricksons , #18 Baetis, and a few #14 caddis.  We landed around 40 trout mostly of the stocked variety.  The first trout of the day was a wild 11' rainbow that came out of the water.  We did not mix up fly selection too much.  An #6-#8 olive wooly bugger, #6 Black Girdle  Bug, and a #14 Pheasant tail.  The Bugger and Girdle Bug were drifted and swung off the bottom and accounted for most of our takes. The pheasant tail worked wonders dead drifted under an indicator.  Interestingly, the fishing slowed in the afternoon as a cold front pushed in.  Looks like rain.  Could be another cloudy wet day on a trout stream.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Wild fish

Hi Folks, Spent the afternoon on one of my favorite trout streams yesterday afternoon,  Water temperature was 56 degrees and the levels and flows were just about at a seasonal average.  Saw a few bug hatching, but not much for a trout to rise to.  Pretty sunny as well and we stayed until dark and did not locate any rising fish.  For insect life there were a number of #14 crane fly adults, a few #14-#16 Hendricksons and #18 Chimarra Caddis.  We saw all of our fish on sub surface patterns.  The first cast of the day with a sinking tip and white wooly bugger generated a response from the fish of lifetime brown trout.  The trout went nuts over the fly but just did not seal the deal.  The damn thing chased the streamer twice without committing. Later in the afternoon another large brown hammered a white bugger only to snap me off. I am never happy breaking off a fly in a trout's beak.  I needed a heavier tippet than 3x and honestly I think I could of gotten away with 1x or 0x fluorocarbon.  These large trout are not line shy when chasing down a streamer. We did catch some nice wild rainbow nymphing with a #12 double tungsten black stone fly under indicator.  The rainbows were in the heavier water and the browns were holding in the slower deeper pools.  Looks like the trout fishing is finally turning on.  Most of the rivers and ponds have been stocked though I prefer to chase wild fish.  I am off to chase trout again today.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Always a good option

Hi Folks, Ran the motor boat the other day with a client in search of northern pike. The fishing was pretty decent.  Water temperatures were between 58 and 61 degrees on the surface with a steady southwest wind. Dirty colored water we fished that looked like a swamp.  I have always liked catching pike and they are a good option in the spring when the trout streams are still warming up.  Pike come into shallow dark bottom bays in late ice to spawn.  After completing their mission they like to hang around in the shallow margins until the water  becomes too warm and uncomfortable.  We caught fish in 3' to 8' of water.  We worked a fire tiger mepps very slowly to draw interest.  We landed 5 pike and a 1 small largemouth bass.  The wind cut our day short.  Pike fishing is all about lots of casting and covering water.  It has been a nice weather week and the trout is starting to turn on.  I will be on a wild trout stream this afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have fun, Willy

Getting going and waiting for warm

Hi Folks, Back for another season of fishing in Vermont.  It has been a slow start for me.  I guess I am not inspired to fish in cold high water.  Been a cold spring here in Stowe and the weather is finally warming.  Our rivers are still bit high and cold.  I have guided several river trips for trout and the fishing has been tough.  I have found water temperatures in the mid to high forties.  Water clarity is pretty decent.  The Lamoille is looking pretty good while the Winooski is still pretty high and off color.  Until our water temperatures reach 50 degrees and holds there, I have always found the trout fishing to be tricky coming out of winter.  Not to say that fish cant be caught, you just have to really work for them.  I have spent a little time pursuing lake run rainbow trout or steelhead as well as lake run brook trout. When chasing lake run fish it is a matter of being on the river daily to catch them when they pass through. Constantly changing conditions with flows and temperatures.  A lot of drifting of various egg patterns and when the water is clear and warmer brown stone fly patterns.  I like a yellow egg pattern that represents sucker roe.  The good old #10 Spring Wiggler is an excellent stone fly imitation for these feisty lake run steel head.  Working various streamer patterns that represent smelt has been the tactic for the big brook trout. Stone fly patterns dead drifted with an egg dropper is a nice rig this time of the year.  The ice has just come off the lakes and ponds within the last two weeks.  Many of the spring flowers and plants like Trillium, Dutchmens Britches, Ramps, Fiddleheads, and Trout Lillys that grow in Ephemerella woods are behind by a couple of weeks.  For bugs, I have only seen a few #12-#16 little brown/black stone flies and I found a few #18 Chimarra caddis on rocks.  Under rocks in riffles I have found a number of pupating #14-#16 candy apple green caddis and a few #14-#16 Hendrickson may flies.  So, I left Vermont this week and visited the upper Delaware for a bit fishing.  We floated the main stem of the Delaware.  Big water that is awesome and very challenging to fish.  The Delaware is loaded with insects and big wily wild trout.  We drifted it on a day when the sun was bright.  A really good hatch of #14 candy apple caddis and a decent number of #14-#16 Hendricksons.  With the bright sun the fish were pretty fussy. One of my good friends caught a really nice 20" brown at dark on a dry fly.  Very impressive. The other two days on the Big D we worked white streamer patterns that represented Alewives.  Moved a lot of big browns under cloudy conditions. Well looks like a nice warm week that should jump start the trout fishing.  Happy Mothers Day.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Its all over now Mr. Fish for the Catfish

Hi Folks, Just completed my last day of guiding for the 2017 season.  The state wide trout season runs until October 31.  After that, for the hardy angler there are a variety of options.  You can fish sections of the Lamoille and Winooski catch and release, pursue lake run salmon and trout on the lower sections of the rivers where they deposit into Champlain, and fish for pike and bass.  Myself, I will put the fishing gear away and hunt for the next couple of months. I had a heck of a good season completing 146 trips since May 1.  A record for Catamount Fishing Adventures.  My body feels it.  I am tickled that I got to conclude my season with a bang.  Landlocked salmon fishing the last couple of days up north has been pretty good.  Water temperature was 49 to 50 degrees and the water levels have been creeping up from the much needed rain we received on Thursday.  It takes water flow to get lake run fishing moving and that is exactly what we got.  Salmon fishing can be tricky and takes some patience.  Lots of casting and a willingness to try different fly patterns as well as be really efficient in how you cast to the water.  I like fishing for lake run fish either early am or late day unless it is a rainy cloudy day.  Over the last two days we landed 4 fish in excess of 20" with the largest just short of 24". Also, caught a nice steelhead that jumped like crazy.  We did catch a number of young salmon that are learning to eat at an early age.  We swung streamers and dead drifted nymphs.  Not a lot of luck swinging streamers.  Nymphing seemed to be the method.  A #12 tungsten red threaded prince nymph has been the fly.  Really subtle takes with the indicator just stopping.  Of course once the hook is set, all hell breaks loose when these fish get air born.  You make countless numbers of casts to finally hook a big fish only to loose them in the battle.  They can test your ability to fight a big fish in heavy water.  I love it and these fish truly are Vermont Royalty.  In the near future I will post a season ending recap.  I hope everyone has had a great fishing season.  I know I did!  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

winding down in style

Hi Folks, Had a heck of a day guiding the Winooski yesterday morning.  Pretty chilly start to the day and the water temperature was a cool 45 degrees.  The water is still low and we need rain. Not much for bugs in the morning and I only saw fish randomly rise all morning.  We nymph fished with a #14 olive caddis pupa and a #20 BWO dropper under an indicator.  We also tight lined a #8 black leech  pattern with #20 BWO dropper.  We landed 6 fish with one being a wild trout the and the rest hatchery products.  We were fortunate enough to land 3 20" rainbows.  The first two fish fought like crazy and the last fish laid down and came to the net.  Two of the trout ate the small nymph while the last one consumed the leech pattern.  These big fish were trout that appeared to have migrated up the Winooski from the petting zoo in Waterbury.  All of our nymphing was in slow pools within the foam line.  We had to adjust the indicator a bit to get the correct drift.  About a week left in the trout season.  Should be pretty decent with the weather really not cooling off significantly.  I have 2 scheduled trips left and then off to hunt.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

What a weird October

Hi Folks, It has been one of the strangest Octobers for fishing that I can remember.  Just unusually warm and sunny with no rain.  I am having an extremely busy guiding month and the nice weather has certainly helped.  However, I keep waiting to have to put on the long underwear and multiple layers to deal with cold weather and it is not happening.  The trout fishing has been decent but rather tricky as well. I have been mostly guiding the Winooski.  Water levels are so low that I prefer the Winooski over the Lamoille with the current conditions.  The water temperature has ranged between 48 degrees to 51 degrees. I have been putting guests on rising fish.  Like clock work everyday the trout rise to est tiny #20 BWOs.  The rising activity has varied depending ont he weather.  The cloudy afternoons have been way more productive.  More insects on the cloudy days and the larger fish seem more willing to rise.  We have been nymphing as well with #12 copper john nymph and #20 BWO emerger as a dropper.  On the sunny days I have been trying to fish in shady stretches of river.  Many of the larger trout are rising in slow water within the foam line and require perfect casting and mending.  These fish have a PHD in studying your presentation.  Many of the rise forms have indicated that the trout are eating the bugs in the film line.  You can see their dorsal fin and tail on the rise.  A  #20 spotlight emerger with a #20 soft hackle dropper has worked well.  The trick is to respond to the rise when you see the push of water even if you think it is not on your fly but close.  Can be tricky.  Anyway, I love this technical type of trout fishing.  We need rain big time.  I am off to guide today and about a week left in the season.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Finally, olives galore and big sippers

Hi Folks, I have been guiding pretty much everyday for October. I'm on pace to finally guide a 150 trips for the season.  The fall fishing has been slow to come this year, but finally over the last few days the river trout fishing has come to together.  From Saturday to Monday the fishing improved significantly.  I have been on the Winooski the last 3 days from the lower river to the middle section.  The numbers of #20 BWOs hatching has increased each day. The water temperature was 54 degrees on Saturday and down to 50 to 51 degrees yesterday afternoon.  The water is wicked low and we are accessing water on foot that is generally unsafe to wade.  The best fishing has been from 1pm to dusk.  It really depends on the cloud cover or lack there of.  If it is sunny then the rising will happen later in the day. We have targeted risers with emerger patterns.  Not until yesterday did I actually see trout eating duns off the top.  Prior to that, most of the surface feeding has been in the surface film line.  We caught wild rainbows and had them eat a dead drifted  #20 BWO spotlight emerger. An olive emerger with CDC has also been productive.  What has been interesting are the number of takes blind fishing the tiny flies on the surface.  This type of trout fishing is not easy.  It requires accurate casting and good presentations.  You have to be dialed in to strike the fish and mange your line.  Tough on beginners landing fish.  A slow action rod is ideal  and a 12' leader with 5x and 6x tippets are a good idea.  All about delicate presentations in the slow moving water where the trout have a PHD in studying your fly.  Looks like cool nights ahead but nice warm days.  Trout fishing should remain good.  I'm a little bummed about lake run salmon and brown trout.  I cant bring myself to pursue them in the low flows.  I'm sure they are getting hammered but honestly they should be left alone until flows change.  No one on the water which has been nice.  Lots of risers and no angling pressure.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Depends on the day

Hi Folks, Been guiding everyday.  I have been on the water for everyday of October and conditions have been variable.  I would say the last week offered up the best fall fishing thus far.  I have been wading the Lamoille with guests to chase trout and running my motorboat for bass and pike.  Water temperatures are starting to drop with the recent cool nights.  The lake I guided on Thursday was 59 to 61 degrees while the Lamoille was 51 degrees yesterday afternoon.  The bass fishing has been good.  We are not catching tons of fish but all quality fish.  The smallmouths have looked really good with big deep bodies and full of energy once hooked.  We located smallies on deep drop offs adjacent to rocky shorelines with weeds and wood.  We are still getting to eat of the surface but I think that bite is starting to slow.  Largemouth bass have been in around thick weed beds in less than 10' of water.  Not much for pike lately.  On the trout front, tiny flies have been the way.  We saw a few BWO duns yesterday and few raisers who had no pattern.  Pretty good number of spinners at dusk that got few more fish rising in slow water.  Tricky fish to get to eat as they have a PHD in studying your presentation.  We nymphed up trout yesterday using an indicator rig and tight lining.  We also swung #18 BWO emerger in riffle and hooked a couple feisty bows.  A #14 copper john with a #20 BWO nymph has been productive tight lined as well.  I think as the water cools the fish are not as willing to move great distances to eat the fly.  I am off to guide on the Winooski today and tomorrow.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have fun, Willy

tight lines, rain, little flies, nice fish

Hi Folks, Amazing what some rain can do for the trout fishing.  Monday rained all day and our rivers came up a bit and the trout fishing turned on.  The foliage looks nice but not as brilliant as in years past. Finally some near freezing night time air temperatures have cooled down our rivers.  The Lamoille was 53 degrees today and 54 degrees  yesterday .  A Lamoille tributary was 52 degrees.  Been nice guiding fly fishing rips for the trout the last few days. There has not been tons of bug activity though, there were a fish risers at dusk today eating tiny #BWO dries.  With the water levels up, the trout fishing game has totally changed.  It went from being tough and not so great to pretty good in two days time.  We have been tight lining #8 buggers in black and olive with #20 BWO droppers and well as nymphing with a #14 copper john and #20 BWO nymph or soft hackle.  The fish are all over a the #20 nymph.  We landed a spectacular wild male 16" brown today on 6x tippet with a #20 nymph. The fish jumped like a salmon 3 times! I have been having guests swinging a 200 grain sinking tip with tandem flies  in some deeper slower pool.  Pretty productive. A little contrast with dark colored streamer with a light colored streamer tied off 2x  fluoro.  As the water cools, presentations need  to be slowed down.  Two weeks left in the season.  Get your casts in.  Off toc ahse pike and bass tomorrow.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy

Nice time of year to be on the water

Hi Folks, Been an interesting 3 days of fishing.  Mixing it up between fly fishing and spin fishing for trout, bass, and pike.  It has been unusually warm and we still really need rain.  Looks like some substantial rain is on the way for the next couple of days.  Foliage is finally getting pretty nice.  Maybe not the best foliage year, but still is pretty magnificent.  Trout fishing has been challenging.  The water is wicked low.  The temperature of a Winooski tributary the other day was 49 degrees.  We fished in the morning and we should have been on the water in the afternoon.  We saw one large brown trout eat something off the bottom and that was it.  Not takes, nor risers, no nothing.  There were a decent number of #20 BWOs hatching and a good number of #14 caddis on the trees and and bushes along the rivers edge.  So, I changed directions and put the motorboat int he water to chase bass and pike.  Surface temperature of the lake I have been guiding has ranged from 59 degrees to 63 degrees.  The wind has been issue.  Blowing everyday steady from the west south/west.  Finally got cloudy yesterday.  The bass fishing has been pretty good.  I cant say we are catching tons of fish, but we are landing quality fish.  This particular lake is dirty and off colored so brightly colored flies and lures have been the most productive.  We got a number of smallmouth and largemouth to eat off the top. Even had a big pickerel hammer a popper yesterday.  Really impressive take.  We have locating fish off huge milfoil beds and lily pads that abut deep water.  Letting the lure or fly sit intially and then twitching it has produced some slashing takes.  A number of bass have chased our lures and flies back to the boat in deeper water.  A fast retrieve has been drawn the fish to chasing.  Flies and lures in in fire tiger, orange, yellow, and red and white have all worked.  Well, hoping for rain and more trout fishing to come.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

a bit of rain and a bit of foliage

Hi Folks, Finally got some rain last night with the arrival of a cold front.  We sure could use a lot more precipitation.  Not enough rain to raise water levels significantly but any amount is helpful to our dry rivers.  I have guiding with the motorboat for bass and pike.  It has been a bit windy with steady breezes from the south/southwest the last few days.  Was awful sunny the last couple of days so the fishing really was best late afternoon once the sun got low in the sky.  Finding shade has been important.  The surface temperature of the lake was 66 to 68 degrees and the water is off colored.  This particular body of water is the home to some large pike and bass.  Brightly colored lures and flies always work well.  Fire tiger lures, hot orange and chartreuse, and things with flash are all productive.  I have noticed with the low water that the fish are holding in deeper water than in years past.  Working the lure or fly quickly with an erratic retrieve has been best.  Especially for drawing interest from a northern pike.  Most of the fish have been holding off of huge weed beds that have rocks, boulders, and downed wood in and around them.  The fish are on the outside or deeper edges of the beds.  The lake fishing should remain decent as the water temperatures have been slow to cool off.  I am going to run the boat again today and chase bass and pike.  Looks like maybe some rain in the near future, lets hope so.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Making the best of it

Hi Folks, My favorite time of the year to fish for river trout and the conditions are just not very good.  The water is so low you can walk in places on the lower Winooski that you would never dream of under normal flows.  At least it is now cold at night and cooler during the day so that the river temperatures have dropped into nice range.  The Winooski was 59 early and 62 later in the day.  The Lamoille has also dropped into the high fifties and low sixties.  Lots of sun the last few days.  Hatches have been marginal.  Seeing some #14 green bodied caddis and few #18 tan bodied caddis.  Even saw a good number #10 Fall Caddis today but no fish responding to the big bug.  The trout that have been rising lately are pretty tight.  They appear to moving around in eddies, flats, and big pools.  It is almost like you are still water fly fishing with the low water.  We hooked fish today swinging #14 prince nymph with a #18 green soft hackle dropper.  We caught wild rainbow, stocked browns, young salmon, and lots of Fall Fish.  The dry fly fishing the last few days on the Winooski and Lamoille has been very tricky.  Really good casting has been required and perfect mending.  A lot of the rising activity has been subtle bulges in the water created by trout sipping and gulping in the surface film. The fish seem to have a Phd currently when comes to eating dry flies.  Well, we really need rain.  Off in the boat tomorrow. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

going with the flow

Hi Folks, Been pretty weird weather the last couple of days.  Guided from motorboat and a canoe on Tuesday and Wednesday then waded the Lamoille yesterday afternoon.  The air temperatures have swung almost 40 degrees in a 24 hour period.  I went from getting beat down by the sun and heat to wearing waders and actually feeling chilly at dusk.  Water temperatures soared over the last week during the record heat wave. The surface temperature of the lake I guided with the fly rods on Wednesday was 73 to 76 degrees.  We need rain big time. We caught two decent smallmouth on poppers and missed one other fish in the morning before the sun was totally over head.  Once the sun was up, the fishing shut down.  Too sunny and too darn hot.  Yesterday was fairly bright but things had cooled off and the Lamoille was a pleasant 63 degrees.  Lots of bug activity yesterday afternoon from #16 green bodied caddis hatching and egg laying at dusk.  There was a #18 sulphur that came off at dusk and a few spinners.  Saw only a few sporadic #12 Isonychia.  The trout were keyed in on the caddis and were jumping out of the water to take bugs that were taking flight to sucking pupa in the surface film.  We only landed 2 stocked trout but several others to eat.  We had several fish take a #18 green soft hackle  that was trailing behind a #16 Goddard caddis dry.  Sometimes when fishing a dropper it can be tricky to to detect strikes.  You need to respond to the bulge in the water that is near the dry and assume the fish ate your dropper.  We did nymph fish with limited results.  We had one eat on a bobber rig a couple of takes on a swung #10 black wooly bugger.  We caught feeding fish on a #16 foam bodied caddis in a big eddy off a giant pool.  It  was interesting to watch the fish feeding aggressively on the caddis as they swam around the eddy.  We had to cast to wear they ate and then give the fly some movement with the tip to prompt a strike.  We had two fish hammer the fly as it was being twitched along the surface.  Very counter to the typical dead drift in the foam line you would often make when casting dry flies to rising fish.  We then had a burst of surface activity of trout that resembled a feeding blitz on the ocean and we hooked our last fish of the night.  Pretty challenging fish but lots of fun.  Saw a lot rising fish.  Off to do it again today.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Big fish sort of day

Hi Folks, Well the weird weather continues.  Record high air temperatures have made me change directions and chase smallmouth bass.  I'm okay with it, just bummed because I like rout fishing and typically that what we would be doing this time of the year.  Oh well, be happy with what I have to fish. Surface temperature was 71 degrees with very little wind.  We need rain big time.  My fly client and I yesterday fished from a canoe in one of my favorite bass fisheries in the state.  It did not disappoint. We covered a lot of water and there was no true pattern to the fishing.  We located smallmouth in shady areas along downed wood, weed beds, rocky shorelines, and all the cover combined.  A #6 deer hair bug in black, red, and white was the fly of the day.  Matter of fact all surface deer hair flies produced fish yesterday that were mostly black deer hair.  All of our takes were really subtle.  If you were not paying attention you would have missed the bass coming to the top to eat.  The big fish of the day was a measured 22" beast.  Darn close to 6lbs. is what I would have guessed.  All of the fish including pickerel that were landed yesterday looked very healthy.  We did not know the size of the big smallmouth until it jumped.  Wow was what came out of my mouth when the fish breached. Pretty impressive.  I am off to do it all over again today.  Remember to clean  your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Too darn hot

Hi Folks, What a run of hot weather we are experiencing.  Feels like July, but is the end of September.  Typically I would be guiding trout trips during this time of the year, but I have been changing directions and pursuing smallmouth bass with my clients.  The trout fishing has really slowed.  I did guide the Lamoille and Winooski for trout in the last few days and the fishing was tough due to low water and warm water temperatures. Both rivers have warmed to the high sixties.    No rising activity from trout either day as the sun has been really intense.  Man we need rain desperately.  The lower Lamoille for bass has been okay. Water temperature was 69 degrees in the morning.  No fish coming to poppers.  We swung streamers deep and varied retrieves to hook a dozen fish.  A #6 olive clauser style bunny bugger and a #8 black heavily weighted wooly bugger were the most consistent patterns.  Getting out of the sun and fishing in the shade is advised.  Standing in the sun fishing is not only tough on the anglers, but more so the fish are not very responsive.  Looks like things will cool down by weeks end and hopefully we get some rain. Until then, I am guiding smallmouth.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Subtle rises and sipping in the film

Hi Folks, Been awful hot the last few days.  Feels like July and not the end of September.  All the same the trout fishing is still decent.  The water is low and we need rain big time.  Water temperature on the Winooski yesterday was 68 degrees.  That is probably about 10 degrees warmer than it should for this time of the year.  Lots of bug activity still, just now all happening right in the last hour and half of light.  I floated with clients yesterday down the Winooski and the fishing was fairly slow until the last hour.  Big bright sun is not a friend of any trout.  We had 11 fish come to the fly and landed 3 trout.  All rainbows sipping spent #12 Isonychia spinners. A few #20 BWOs coming off but no fish responding to the small bug.  Really subtle rise forms and if you did not observe closely, you would have thought they were chubs eating off the top.  I could see the crimson gill plate of the trout from my vantage point in the boat rolling on the spent bugs.  We cast a grey bodied parachute and it was imperative to place the cast into the feeding lane.  Good fun and required some patience, then again doesnt all fishing require patience? Off to fly fish for trout.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy