Hi Folks, Been guiding a of of different types of trips the last few days. Keeps it fresh for me when I go from small stream fly fishing for trout to lake spin fishing for smallmouth. Did get some rain last night via thunderstorms. Every bit helps. Water was up this morning, but did not matter on the small stream I visited. Small stream fishing the last 3 days has been consistent. Today was the most challenging, but that was the nature of the stream we fly fished. We caught plenty of brook trout, just had employ different tactics and work more on dry fly presentation. The temperatures on the 3 different brooks we walked the last 3 days was between 58 degrees to 62 degrees this morning. Dry fly fishing has been the method except today when we got down and dirty with the fish. Stripped fairly quickly a heavy #8 tungsten cone head black muddler and a #8 tungsten bead black leech out of big plunge pools. Caught several nice brookies, had a bunch of follows, and a rather larger brown trout chase twice without striking, damn it! Casting directly up into the heavy white water with a heavy pattern was important.. Almost like casting a spin lure into a pool and reeling like crazy. The pictured brown was caught yesterday by a keen fly angler with a #12 green foam hopper. Had a good morning and had a few nice trout eat dry flies. This morning, we drifted some slower pools and had success getting brightly colored brookies to eat a #18 foam ant. There were a few #18-#20 micro caddis hatching as well as a few midges. We did see some rising fish which we caught with the ant pattern and a #18 goddard caddis. Was able to get on the main stem of the Lamoille Wednesday after the two consecutive nights of 50 degree air temps. Main stem was 65 degrees in the early morning and 69 degrees at dusk. Caught stocked and wild rainbows with a #18 peacock herl caddis dry and a #18 yellow/tan caddis pupa. Also got some stockies to grab foam hoppers and and #14 Grizzly Wulff. There were a few #14 light Cahill hatching as well as spinners. Good mending is always important in trout fishing. This stream today required good drifts or the fish simply would not rise. Mending is a work in progress for everyone as every bit of water can be different. Trout eat good drifts! On the bass front I have been on the afternoon program. Taking spin guests in my boat and canoe. The good old Senko never fails. The surface temps on the two different bodies of water I guided were between 74 degrees ad 76 degrees. Pretty warm. The bass have been holding in deeper water. Lake levels are down significantly. Sharp drop offs from 10' to 20' seem to be holding some of the larger fish. Still a lot of 4" to 10" smallies in the shallows, but the big girls and boys are off in deeper water. Right at dusk on Thursday night some of the better fish did move in shallow to eat. We got them on a 5" crawfish Senko. Lots of action on the rubber lately, but quite a few short strikes. Must be the smaller fish. Top water action for the bass was the best around downed trees that jutted into deeper water. Fishing the shade is always important. Did see a few #6 Hex's hatching. Well, keeping out of trouble and changing directions, just the way I like it. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy
