Summer conditions

Hi Folks, Looks like summer fishing out there.  Guided all day yesterday and I was surprised to see how low our rivers really are.  Could use some steady rain.  Fly fished the Lamoille and one of its tributaries which were both much lower than average for this time of the year.  Yesterday was partly cloudy with afternoon clearing.  Water temperatures were 60 to 63 degrees.  Not going to cool much either as it will be warm and sunny for most of this upcoming week.  We fished a lot of water yesterday and use a wide variety of tactics.  Started with a dry dropper rig in the morning that did not produce so we double nymph rigged with a #12 flashback pheasant tail and #16 hare and copper.  We landed, hooked , and missed 8 wild rainbows with most takes being on the dropper fly.  We stayed away from stocked fish yesterday and the larger trout in the river did not seem overly interested in us.  We moved to smaller water and found a few rising fish that were eating hatching caddis.  We swung #14 and #16 olive bodied x-caddis with pretty good results.  More wild rainbows but not any big fish.  We concluded the day in a shady pocket water section with the x-caddis ahd fun tugging on native brookies and small wild rainbows.  Really important in small stream fishing to move with your feet and minimize the amount of fly line out and on the water.  Positioning and line management are critical.  Off to do it all over again today.  Morning and evening seem to be the way to go now.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

beautiful day, good fly fishing

Hi Folks, Spent the day guiding the Lamoille under blue bird skies with big bright sun..  Not ideal fly fishing conditions, but with water temperatures from 58 degrees in the early am to 62 at dusk, the trout were on.  Really good hatch of #14 green bodied light wing colored caddis in the morning.  We saw #12 March Browns throughout the morning as well.  Not many fish rising early.  We fished with double nymph rigs with and without indicators.  A #12 flashback pheasant tail nymph with a #14 dark caddis pupa was the combo.  Our first 5 trout of the day were 4 12" to 13" wild rainbows that all jumped and 1 10" brook trout.  It was interesting when we moved spots we encountered a pod of fresh stocked rainbows that were easy pickings.  Not nearly as pretty as the wild fish nor as acrobatic.  We took midday off to siesta and went back out late day to find rising fish.  The trout were certainly rising and eating a #14 mayfly.  Had a blue dun colored wing, but not sure exactly what mayfly it was.  Did not matter as we drifted a #14 hare's ear parachute with good success.  Landed several more wild rainbows and missed a few.  The cast and drift were important as the slightest drag in your presentation resulted in a refusal.  Patience in watching the rising fish and only casting when in proper position was key.  No errant casts.  Off to guide another full day and it looks like summer conditions for the next week.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Fly fishing in the rain

Hi folks, Spent a really good day of fly fishing up north in the rain.  Water temperature was 58 degrees and the river flow was well below the seasonal average.  Clarity was good.  Saw a tremendous hatch of #14 green bodied caddis with a tan wing.  A few #12 March Browns, but the caddis were the meal of the day.  Not too often that you get situation where Landlocked salmon are eating dry flies like crazy.  We could watch the salmon rise and slash at hatching caddis.  We did nymph fish a bit and one of the better salmon of the day was a  18" silver bullet that ate a #14 hare and copper.  The most productive rig of the day was a #14x-caddis with a caddis pupa dropper.  You could see the salmon swing to eat the dropper and when the rose of the dry there was no doubt about the take.  Had a 16" male steelhead absolutely cream the x-caddis by swimming downstream and sticking its entire head out of the water to eat.  The fish of the day was a 20" plus silver steelhead that gobbled up a #10 smelt imitation.  What a fish.  You can call them steelhead or lake run rainbows, but these fish can fight.  One of the bigger rainbows I will see this season for sure.  It is really important in the water we were fishing to have good knots the right tippet 3x and 4x and put relentless pressure on these fish.  If they race out of the pool you hook them in, you are done.  We landed 8 salmon and 2 steelhead.  We missed another half a dozen salmon.  Going to warm up and be sunny over the next few days so I will be fishing early and late.  Hatching bugs right now are #14 Grey Fox, #12 March Browns, #14/#16 caddis, #14 yellow sallies and I have seen an assortment of stoneflies.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

landlocked salmon

Steelhead

Getting around

Hi Folks, spent yesterday dedicating myself to Vermont fishing.  Started the morning on lake Champlain in my friends boat fishing for landlocked salmon and lake trout.  The main lake was like glass with no wind.  Water temperature was in the low fifties and fairly sunny day.  We trolled which is not my cup of tea, but very interesting all the same.  Landed several lake trout between 3lbs and 5lbs and lost a couple of fish.  No salmon to report. One of the lake trout did have a big lamprey mark on it.  We kept our lures and flies anywhere from the surface to 15' down.  Covered a lot of water.  A rainbow trout imitation spoon seemed to be the most productive.  Later in the day I helped plant trees with fellow members of the Lamoille River Anglers Association.  A local group of anglers dedicated to stream preservation, conservation, and education.  We were helping to stabilize a  streambank with a wide variety of trees and shrubs yesterday afternoon.  Anyone interested in becoming part of the LRAA can contact me.  You can an active or inactive member.  Great way to give back to the Lamoille watershed.  so, while plantings trees and digging holes I noticed rising trout downs stream.  Well any good anglers carries his fly rod along at all times, right?  My curiousity got the best of me and I had to see what was going on.  Water temperature was 62 degrees at dusk.  I found about 15 rising fish.  I tied on #14 hare's ear parachute and landed a 14" wild brown trout on my second cast and then a 18" hook jawed male rainbow on the 5th cast.  Probably one of my single best dry fly experiences on the Lamoille in a long time.  The rainbow was incredible and a just a big fat healthy trout that really bent the 4wt. It is not every day that you catch a wild trout that big on the Lamoille.  Any trout over 15" is big.  This fish weighed almost 3lbs on my net scale.  To bad no camera.  I ended up hooking 6 trout in total and all of the fish were wild!  Not bad for about 20 minutes of fishing.  I am off to chase landlocked salmon in a river today.  Should be good fishing day with overcast skies and cooler air temperatures.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

stalking rising fish

Hi Folks, guided the Lamoille yesterday afternoon under sunny skies.  Water temperature was 58 degrees and the level was just below the seasonal average.  Saw a number of large #14 caddis hatching, a few sporadic #12 March Browns, and #14 spinners.  We nymph fished for the first part of the day without much success.  Just could not buy a strike.  We fished 3 pretty good riffles with a variety of flies and no luck.  However, once the sun went down a bit and we found shady section of river, things changed quickly.  We found a nice pod of rising wild rainbows that were holding in slow long bend pool that was littered with large boulders.  It took some observation and patience to figure out what they were eating.  This pool is fed by a gentle riffle and the mayfly spinners were being swept down stream into the trouts feeding lanes.  These fish were not moving very far to eat and were certainly tuned into one thing and one thing only.  The fly of the day was a #14 Hendrickson colored spinner with grizzly hackle wing and split tail.  Man did these trout fight when hooked!  The first fish was out of the water before you knew what was happening.  All of the trout were between 13" and 14" and looked to be in excellent shape.  Good fun stalking these fish.  It required good casting, staying out of the water, and lots of patience.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-natvie species at home.  Off to chase landlocked salmon.  Have Fun, Willy

Nice sunny weather

Hi Folks, Spent the weekend away from the Stowe area down around Cavendish Vermont.  Nice part of the state.  Did a bit of fishing on the Black River.  It one of Vermont's trophy trout streams where large brood stock from the hatchery are dumped.  Big rainbows and browns in the 15" plus range.  Along with the big fish comes big fishing pressure.  I saw more people fishing yesterday that I have seen collectively all season around this area.  I can't blame them, nice day with a really nice looking river.  However, it is my understanding that the Black fishes the best in the spring before the water temperatures warm over 70 degrees.  Not much of a summer fishery.  Water temperature was 52 degrees yesterday and there were a few #14 hatching caddis, #12 March Browns and plenty of black flies.  My friend and I nymph fished using the old reliable prince nymph.  Something showy for the stockers.  Can't say I put on a clinic as I only hooked one trout but my friend caught two very fish stocked trophy fish. One rainbow and one really good looking brown trout.  All in all it was fun to fish somewhere new and enjoy some good Vermont scenery.  Will be guiding trout today and should be good.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

cold weather fishing

Hi Folks, Guided a large party yesterday afternoon with the fly rods.  We fished a river that has an influence of lake run rainbows, browns, smelt, suckers, and smallmouth bass.  Cool day with morning sun and afternoon clouds.  Not much wind to speak of and it was a chilly day.  Water temperatures have not really warmed up with night time temperatures still in the thirties. Water temperature was 43 degrees.  River levels are slightly above average but very fishable and the clarity was good.  Saw a decent hatch of Stenonema mayflies #12 to #14.  Looked like March Browns or Gray Fox.  It would make sense since this particular river has large gravel with heavy riffles that is not typically kind to the Ephemerella family of mayflies.  Did not see any trout rise.  We did manage to catch two brook trout who ate weighted nymphs.  A #12 Dave's Red Fox nymph and a #14 Hare's Ear nymph.  Lots of casts for a few fish.  The river fishing will only get better and it appears that once the waters warms a bit things will really turn on.  Look for Hendricksons #14/#16, Caddis dark bodied #16, Caddis candy apple bodied #14, and Gray Fox #14, Blue Quills #16, and March Browns #10/#12.  Will be running my boat this afternoon looking for northern.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

cold rain and snow

Hi Folks, Snowing right now at my house, great!  Fished yesterday afternoon on a Lamoille river tributary and the water temperatures we a chilly 42 degrees.  Not good with leaking waders.  Water levels are up a bit after receiving about a quarter inch of rain.  The Lamoille main stem was slightly high and off color and the tributary I fished was off color as well and high.  I did see a few Hendricksons #14 hatching and few shucks in a big back eddy.  Believe it or not I also found a few rising fish.  Nothing consistent but the trout that were rising were keyed into emergers.  I did not see one nose of a trout eat a dun.  So I swung a Hendrickson emerger pattern and hooked a fish.  I was so surprised that I got one to eat I lost the trout pretty quickly.  I can not imagine that the water will warm up in the next few days as the weather looks to be a bit on the cold side.  Still the trout seem to have awoken out of the winter slow down and are feeding.  You can expect to see some Blue Quills #16, Hendricksonss #14/#16, and dark bodied caddis #16, and apple candy colored bodied caddis #14.  Pike fishing in the shallows is still a good option.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Rising wild trout

Hi Folks, guided on a tributary of the Lamoille today and was pleasantly surprised to find lots of rising fish.  The main stem of the Lamoille was blown out and dirty.  The water temperature was a cool 48 degrees and there was an impressive hatch of #14 olive dark bodied caddis with a light tan wing.  The water level was slightly high but clear.  The trout were rising with an angry aggression.  The rise forms sounded like rocks were being tossed in the water.  We did see a few sporadic mayflies, but with the bright sun the caddis ruled the day.  A #14 olive x-caddis was the fly.  We cast right at the rise forms and were rewarded with aggressive takes.  We did land any monsters but all of the trout were scrapy wild bows.  Not bad to have rising fish this early in the season.  I love being able to fish in the middle of the day and find trout taking bugs off the top.  I will be chasing pike tomorrow.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

guiding, pike, and black flies

Hi Folks, Just returned from southwest Florida for a little vacation with my wife.  Stayed in Captiva Island.  Great place with lots of good fishing and yes I did hire a guide for a day.  Loads of fun.  Anyway, guided a day before I left Vermont. and just did a fly fishing trip for northern yesterday.  Whether seems to have been a little helter skelter with snow one day and eighty degree temperatures the next.  Bank fished with a family before I left and we tugged on all sorts of things.  Bottom fishing with set lines we kept it simple and caught lots of keepre size yellow perch, suckers, bullhead and one very large brown trout.  Good fun for the kids and parents.  Yesterday under the  threat of thunderstorms which never developed we cast flies for pike.  Water temperature was 56 degrees with a steady south/southwest wind.  Made paddling the canoe interesting.  Worked very hard for one northern and missed two other pike.  Did see one very large smallmouth chase a fly but it would not eat.  A classic #2 chartruse/white clauser minnow was the winning fly.  Tried a few different patterns and made lots of casts.  We fished primarily in shallow dark bottomed bay with new weed growth from 1' to 5'.  There did not seem to be any pattern to the fishing yesterday.  I will be piking some more this week and investigating some trout streams.  Look for #14/#16 Hendricksons on our rivers and I think it should be a good year for early rising fish. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

fly fishing for pike

Hi folks, Sorry for the time away.  I will be leaving for Florida this weekend and be back in at the beginning of May.  My reports will become more consistent then.  Been trout fishing on several small streams with little results.  After all of the warm March weather, things settled down and it has been a pretty typical April.  Trout streams I have been on have been in the low forties.  No hatching bugs and very little interest from the trout.  The Willoughby River has been producing a few rainbows and the suckers are already in the river.  Water levels have been fairly low and the very clear.  So, what I like to do in April is cast large flies with 8wt and 9wt outfits for northern pike.  Spent yesterday afternoon in a canoe chasing northern.  Water temperature was 51 degrees on the calm side of the lake and 54 degrees where the wind was pushing the surface water.  Nice afternoon and the perfect conditions for chasing pike in shallow water with cloudy skies.  We fished a floating line and sink tip line.  The set-up with the sink tip produced more fish.  I think keeping the fly down in the water column for longer was the key.  We landed 4 pike with no fish exceeding 30" and we lost or missed 4 other northerns.  The fly of the day was 2/0 black and chartruse bunny bugger.  Working the fly all the way to the boat was important as we had several strikes very close to the end of the retrieve.  Pike fishing should remain good and a nice time fish shallow water for large predators.  I off to guide today.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

trout opener

Hi Folks, Spent yesterday fly fishing a tributary of Lake Champlain and then the big lake itself.  Caught my first trout of the year which is always a good omen.  A 10" silver little rainbow which ate a orange tungsten bead head wooly bugger with rubber legs.  Dead drifted the fly with a egg pattern dropper under a large indicator and weight attached.  A real ugly rig to cast but effective.  Also missed another trout.  Water temperature was 51 degrees in the valley stream we fished and the water was up and off color.  Worked a bridge opening on Champlain for landlocked salmon where the water temperature was 44 degrees and clarity was excellent.  Very little wind on the big lake yesterday.  No salmon, but it was fun casting  some various ghost patterns.  Opening day should be decent if the rain holds off today.  Looks like the weather will be more April like the next few days with rain and snow and cooler daytime temperatures.  I have seen a few #14 brown/black stoneflies hatching and a matching fly pattern like a small spring wiggler can be very effective this time of the year.  Ice is out on our lakes and the surface bite for salmonids should be decent. Pike fishing is all about shallow water right now.  Northern fishing is one of my favorites this time of the year.  Look for warm water tomorrow like streams that originate from lakes and ponds or tailwater fishery.  Avoid high gradient mountain steams as run off will be an issue along with colder water.  Lake run rainbow fishing can be good, just remember to leave spawning bows alone.  A variety of flies should work like any egg pattern, stoneflies, large bunny buggers for pike, dark colored buggers, and heavy nymphs.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Getting ready

Hi folks, Seems like spring is upon us.  Putting away the ice fishing gear as it has become unsafe in my opinion to venture out on the hardwater.  Just received over 2" of rain at my house and the snow is really going from the mountains now.  Since the snow pack has been lean this winter we need the rain.  The trout season opens in 10 days and it could be a good opening day.  Warm temperatures are forecast for the next week and water levels will probably be decent.  Ice out is early this year so the pike fishing should be going on.  My boat will ready soon and I will be chasing northerns on the fly.  Also, steelhead fishing should be decent whether you venture north or to the Champlain.  Just remember to leave alone any spawning fish.  Taking a trout off a bed is wrong and you are only shooting yourself in the foot.  Also, killing a rainbow for its eggs to tie spawn bags is old school.  Flies tied to imitate egg sacs work well as does yellow and orange sponge.  Looking forward to fishing and I might venture down to a Champlain tribibutary to chase steelies or even fish a bridge for landlocked salmon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

late season ice fishing

Hi folks. Been ice fishing and guiding the last couple of of weeks on a variety of lakes.  Beautiful warm bluebird sunny days.  Still a lot of ice on the inland bodies of water.  I have found anywhere from 15" to 25" of solid black ice.  the edges are now becoming soft and caution should be used when entering and exiting the ice.  The ice fishing season for trout concludes this Sunday.  I removed my shanty the other night to avoid any complications.  Had a some success catching small lake trout the other day on tip ups.  Set rosy reds for bait in about 5' of water and less.  Got on the ice at 5:00am and set up in the dark.  Fished northern yesterday and did well using golden shiners under tip ups.  Caught all of the pike in 5' to 8' of water over newly forming weed beds.  We did manage to land about 50 small perch on bright colored Hali jigs.  After Sunday ice fishing will be for pike in shallow bays.  Caution needs to be used as this can be a dangerous time of the year to be on the ice.  Carry rope and a safety lanyard.  Also a good time of the year to catch a big northern.  Remember to follow the bait laws and prevent the spread of VHS.  have Fun, Willy

ice fishing, fly tying, and buying gear

Hi Folks, had a busy week of ice fishing guiding.  Always amazes how many people are interested in ice fishing.  It is a lot of fun standing on a frozen lake fishing and certainly different than open water fishing.  the fishing from my shanty has been up and down.  pretty steady on the yellow perch and smelt, but the trout fishing has been okay.
 

There is currently 20" of black ice on Waterbury Reservoir with very little snow cover.  Lots of shanties on the ice and plenty of traffic which makes me wonder if it is not having an impact on the trout fishing.  Most of the large trout we catch ice fishing come from right under the ice with a live smelt set on a tip-up.  All of the noise on the ice has to have an impact. 

I am gearing up to start chasing pike under the ice as this is the time of year that the large hen fish start to move into dark bottom bays to spawn.  the next two months are the prime time to catch a trophy northern in Vermont. 

Been spinning flies for the up coming season and filling the guiding calender for May.  If the winter continues on the current pace the early spring fishing could be pretty decent this year.  However, if we do not receive some significant snow between now and then a late spring drought is possible. 

A lot fun this time of year buying new gear and figuring out the what the business is missing.  Looking at good electronics for the boat to use for the lake trout trips I will be offering this season.  More to come.  Should be able to ice fish for another 6 weeks before focusing on the open water fishing. 

Remember to obey the bait laws help prevent the spread of VHS. 

Have Fun, Willy

smelt and trout

Hi Folks, Spent all day yesterday at my shanty fishing for smelt and trout.  The water level was being lowered throughout the day and it appeared that the power company released over 5' of water.  Lots of noise, moaning, and groaning on the ice yesterday.  A little freaky except that there is over 18" of ice.  Plenty safe out there as I drove my truck onto the ice yesterday. 

Beautiful day with very little wind and plenty of sun.  We landed not quite 50 smelt on a silver Hali jig with a orange floating bibbit attached.  Had 7 flags yesterday and did not manage to land one trout.  Had several trout on who simply did not get hooked well enough.  Every trout ate a smelt under a tip-up. 

We started with golden shinners and rosy reds under tip-ups and did not get one trout bite.  We did have several large perch eat the rosy reds and shiners, but they were not the target species.  We set up in 5' to 25' of water and it appeared that most of the trout were suspended at 15'.  Every fish we lost and missed mauled the live smelt.

I am fishing this afternoon and lets hope that we can execute a little better on the trout.  I have replaced some hooks with rigs that should be more effective. 

Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Obey the bait laws.

Have Fun, Willy

rain, dirty water, and ice fishing

Hi folks, Not very winter like on Monday with all of the rain and warm weather we received.  The ice took a small blow but is still safe for ice fishing.  I would not drive on the ice right now, but walking is safe.  Pay attention to old holes as they do re freeze so quickly in warm weather. The ice where my shanty is located is still 9-1/2" thick and has good integrity.  You need to pay attention around the edges as there was some standing water from the recent rainfall. 

The water clarity was a bit off from incoming streams that were pumping dirty snowmelt into the reservoir.  We jigged smelt and yellow perch from my shanty yesterday and set 12 tip-ups rigged with live smlet right under ice.  No trout to speak of as we only had two flags all day.  I did not see any trout get caught yesterday.  The poor water clarity must have had some impact upon the fishing.  We had set tip ups from shallow water against the rocky shoreline to deep water channel areas. 

A cold front moving in tonight should firm up all of the ice once again. 

Remeber to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.
Obey the bait laws and prevent the spread of VHS.

Have Fun, Willy

Ice fishing 2010

Hi Folks, Happy New Year to everyone. 

Finally got out on the ice within the last week.  Been busy working for Stowe Mountain Resort.  Well, not as much ice as you would think for this time of the year.  Went walleye fishing and trout fishng on two different lakes and found about 10" of good black ice with a couple of inches of snow on top.  Good walking on the ice, but I would be a little nervous about driving a vehicle out there.  I have put my shanty out and will be chasing brown trout, rainbow trout, and brookies through the hard water along with smallmouth, smelt, and yellow perch. 

Thus far we have not caught any trout, but then again I have not put forth much of effort.  I did see several large brown trout landed yesterday and they were either caught jigging off the bottom with small bibitts or on a live smelt just under the ice. 

I will be offering guided trips and they will be offered on Wedenesdays and Thursdays. 

Remember to clean your gear and follow the bait regulations to prevent the spread of non-native species.

Have Fun, Willy