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