Making the guide proud

Hi Folks, Been a good three days of guiding. Nice damp cool weekend culminating in a beautiful float down the lamoille yesterday afternoon.  Our rivers are low and we could use some more rain.  Water temperatures are staying down with the cool nights.  41 degrees at my house in Stowe currently.  The Lamoille was 62 degrees last night and 69 on Saturday.  The lake  I was on Sunday was 69 to 70 degrees.  Pretty calm weekend with a good steady northwest wind yesterday.  The river fishing for bass was really good on Saturday.  We landed 25 smallmouth working a frog popper with my fly angler and a fire tiger Rapala with my spin angler.  The fish holding in classic giant riffles to pools with lots and lots of big boulders.  Holding tight to cover upstream and down stream of rocks.  A swung #8 olive zonker was very effective prompting fish from the their holding spots. Last night the fish rose sporadically on the Lamoille.  The fishing was pretty slow until we got out of the sun.  Saw a bunch of #14 Cahills coming off as well as #8 Adult Stoneflies laying eggs. Most of the rises we saw were very splashy.  We actually caught a native Brook Trout in the main stem of the lamoille.  I have not seen a Brookie in this stretch of river in quite some time.  All of our trout and mostly stocked rainbows came out of heavy riffles.  The risers were in  the slower pools were pretty selective.  Also noticed a few Cahill spinners landing on the water while we were pulling out the drift boat. I suspect the fish were going to much on them after the sun went down.  My lake trip this weekend for bass and pike was a lot of fun.  I took out a father son who I have guided for a number of years. I love it when a young person who I have taught to fish makes the perfect cast and are rewarded with a fish.  Nothing like seeing a floating Rapala land right next to downed wood and watch a big bass explode on the top water presentation.  Great accurate cast to the suspected resulting in a nice fish. I enjoy the process in guiding and getting to see young guests connect the dots to fish is very satisfying.   The smallies, largemouth, and pike were all related to cover whether it was heavy weeds, wood, or rock.  We landed 6 different types of fish from game species to pan fish. Well it looks like a warm up is on the way.  I am guiding all week and chasing smallmouth later today. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy

Big bass and the Vermont cycle

Hi Folks, It has been a busy week of guiding.  Just completed back to back doubles and preparing to do it again today.  The fishing has been pretty decent.  Our rivers have settled from the early week rain and we could use some more rain.  I have been mixing it up and fly fishing for smallmouth and northern from  my motorboat and river wading for trout.  The Winooski gave up a the Vermont cycle yesterday.  We landed a native brook trout, wild brown trout, and wild rainbow.  The river was 65 degrees. Not a ton of hatching activity.  A few #18 sulphurs, a few some random #18-#20 micro caddis along with a few #14 tan bodied caddis were hatching at dark.  We nymphed up our bigger fish and caught the smaller trout on dry flies.   A #10 orange bodied Stimulator drew a lot of interest from young wild trout.  A #10 double tungsten black stone fly with a #16 caddis pupa dropper as well as a #12 Prince nymph under an indicator was very effective.  All of the trout that ate nymphs were holding in heavier water loaded with great big rocks.  While still water fishing for bass and pike and I started to see some of the large #4-#6 Hex May flies coming off.  Now is the time to start exploring the various cold water lakes in Vermont on search of large fish rising to eat the Hex at dark.  The bass fishing has been pretty darn good.  I have done several smallmouth trips the over the last few days from river fishing to lake fishing.  The top water bite has been inconsistent, but the fish that have been eating off the top have been large.  We landed a 18" smallie the other day on a frog popper that absolutely hammered the fly,  A big bass will really put a bend in a 6wt. fly rod.  A #8 bunny fur olive zonker has been consistent for a sub surface pattern.  The spin anglers have been enjoying a lot of success with a fire tiger Rapalas and the incredible edible Senko.  A 3" to 4" Senko in watermelon black magic has been very consistent.  The Rapala really was effective catching small northerns and pickerel.  An erratic retrieve while attempting to dance the lure over weed patches got the fish interested. We located all of our fish in less than 10' of water.  All in and around rip rap, rock, and forming weed beds. The river fishing smallmouth has mostly been a subsurface thing.  Water temps in the rivers are a bit cooler.  The lower Lamoille was 68 degrees and the Winooski trib. 60 to 61 degrees.  Slow drifts with 3" crawfish  Senkos and a 3.5" baby bass swim Senko were just the right ticket. for the cold water and lethargic smallmouth.   We did get a few eats on a fire tiger Rapala and a small bass popper that imitated a frog.  We landed 20 plus smallmouth this morning fishing big giant rock laden pools.  I think once the bass water warms above70 degrees  then the top water fishing will improve.  I am floating tommorow.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-natives species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

nice to have water in our streams

Hi Folks, The recent rain has really been a game changer for our rivers and brooks.  It is nice to see a charge of water in the river beds.  Yesterday I guided a wade trip with spin gear in the morning and floated the Lamoille in the afternoon.  Not seeing any sign of people fishing on the water.  Water levels were slightly above the season average and dropping.  The Winooski tributary in the morning was 61 degrees and the Lamoille was 65 in the afternoon.  The best fishing times currently are either early in the morning or late in the day.  All of the rising fish yesterday afternoon happened in the last hour of light.  The bass fishing in the morning was fairly slow.  We landed one fish and missed another half a dozen.  Very subtle takes.  We had to slow down our approach and use a 3" watermelon black magic Senko slowly dead drifted.  Casting plugs did not result in any interest.  I did not see any fish chase an actively moved lure.  I attribute the quiet morning to water still being up and a little cool. All of the fish we had eat were holding in the slower parts of a pool or in a big back eddy.  The fishing on the Lamoille was pretty good yesterday once the sun got low in the sky.  The first part of the afternoon was slow while the sun was still on the water.  We saw #16 dark bodied caddis hatching, a few #8 Stone Flies coming off, and a few #16/#18 Sukphurs right at dark.  We got rainbows to eat a #16 foam bodied elk hair winged caddis and a #10 orange bodied stimulator.  The fish we located rising seemed fairly agreeable to eating the dry fly.  We did hook a big fish at the end of the float that we never saw and broke us off.  The rise form by the fish was big  and it made a loud chomping noise as it ate.  My guest got it to eat and it instantly bent over the rod and buried itself in the river under some debris and it was game over.  Really fun casting to surface feeding fish.  All about making a good cast accurate cast and a drag free drift.  I m off to bass fish today in the morning and afternoon.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have fun, Willy

Welcome change

Hi Folks, Finally we received some much need rain in Stowe Vermont.  It doe not bode well for my trip today as our rivers are now full of water and settling out after nearly an inch of rain yesterday. However, we were becoming desperate for some precipitation, so we finally got it. I have been guiding trout for the last 4 days on the Lamoille, Winooski, and several Lamoille tributaries. The water temperatures in the Lamoille and Winooski had been creeping up into the high sixties in the afternoon.  The Winooski has been around 60 to 63 in the early am and the Lamoile about the same.  What has helped prevent the rivers from becoming too warm have been cool nights with air temperatures in the low fifties to high forties.  The Lamoille tributaries I visited over the weekend were 52 degrees and 59 degrees.  The main stem of the Winooski did not fish well at all on Friday morning.  I floated the river and we caught 1 wild rainbow and I do not think we got another strike.  The main stem of the Lamoille was a bit more accommodating on Saturday.  We landed lots of wild rainbows and a few small browns.  Not any really big fish, but all wild.  We did not see a stocked trout.  There was a decent little caddis hatch of #16 dark bodied bug that the fish were rising to eat.  We dead drifted right into feeding lanes a #14 Henryville Special.  We also took fish with a dry dropper rig and swung #16 olive hare's ear nymphs and #16 green soft hackles into riffles. With the hot weather over the weekend the fishing on the Lamoille was consistent until about 10am. The tributary fishing has been really good.  We caught all 3 species, native brook trout, stocked browns, and wild rainbows.  A foam bodied #10 Royal Trude and a #12 foam bodied Yellow Sally drew lots of interest in the small water.  Bigger fish were taken casting a #8 Near Enuff Sculpin into plunge pools and striping it back as quickly as possible.  Really fun to watch a large trout race out from under the cover of the plunge to take the fly.  A nice method for drawing out big fish in heavy deep pools. Yesterday morning I guided a Winooski tributary.  A few rising fish eating #16 tan bodied caddis and a #16 blue dun colored mayfly. A combination of brown trout and fall fish eating off the top.  We cast a #14 Ausable Wulff and a #14 Henryville Special.  All of the fish were rising subtly in slower deep pools. The cast and drift had to placed right into the feeding lane. Well, nice to have some rain and cooler weather.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

getting a little dry

Hi Folks, A little rain currently failing from the sky, we really need it.  Our rivers are super low for this time of the year.  The water level is and will impact the trout fishing.  Let it rain. With the low water and hot days the temperatures have been climbing. The Lamoille and Winooski have both climbed into the upper sixties. Luckily we have been experiencing cold nights that have helped keep temperatures down.  Plus today is cool and damp.  I have been guiding both the Lamoille and Winooski this week.  Rising activity has been an early morning and dusk event.  The trout in the morning have been on a #16 cinnamon bodied caddis and in evening #16 Sulphur duns and spinners.  With the low water the trout have been a bit fussy.  Good casts and drifts have been necessary in order to prompt a response.  We have had success drifting a #16 foam caddis, a #16 olive hare and copper, a #14 Rusty Spinner.  A rubber legged olive bugger has worked well dead drifted and worked slowly along the bottom.  The trout have been either holding in the deepest parts of big pools or up in the heavy riffles when the caddis have been hatching.  Small stream trout fishing is now a great option as the big rivers become more tricky.  I will be chasing trout the next few days.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Fish with teeth

Hi Folks, Spent a windy Saturday in the boat chasing pike, bass, and walleye with spin anglers.  Beautiful day.  Steady NW west that made boat handling a bit tricky.  The water temperature ranged form 62 to 66 degrees.  The water was off color and we used brightly colored lures.  A fire tiger Rapala and a #3 Mepps both produced smallmouth, pike, and small walleye.  We located all of our fish in less than 10' of water.  Pike fishing involves lots of casting.  After hooking and losing a big pike, land a couple of small ones, we got fortunate to catch a 35" hen.  Nice looking northern and I am glad I had a net.  We spent the afternoon fishing the river section of this body of water looking for smallmouth.  It appears that the bass are now post spawn and on the move to their summer haunts.  We located a bunch of fish in rocky section of the river where there was a big back eddy adjacent to the current.  4" Black magic Senkos caught several small sized bass.  We did land a large walleye that ate a Senko.  The fish had some teeth! It is a really nice time of year to fish in Vermont.  Just hard to decide on any given day what species to pursue. Lots of options.  Back to the trout water tomorrow. Fishing is best in the early morning or late day to dusk currently.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy

parts unknown

Hi Folks, I had a great float with guests on a stretch of the Winooski river Thursday.  We floated on section of river that I guarantee no one has ever put a drift boat down.  I have 6 floats now that I can do with my 14' NRS.   Really nice way to see a lot of water.  the Winooski was 62 degrees and rather low.  We need some rain as it is getting a bit dry out there.  The trout fishing remains very good.  We landed a combination of wild rainbows, wild browns, and stocked browns on dry dropper rigs.  A #12 parachute with a #14 peacock soft hackle dropper and  used a #14 prince dropper as well.  We landed 20 fish and they ate the dry and dropper nymph about equally.  Lots of big slow holes we floated over with rising fish.  You really had to make an accurate cast and a good drift in order to get the fish to eat.  Not a lot of bugs hatching that night and it appeared that the fish were eating in the surface film.  It was really fun to fish water I have never seen.  Most of this section is not accessible from the bank. The only way at it is from my boat.  I am off to chase pike this morning.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  have Fun, Willy

Brown Drakes

Hi Folks, Sometimes timing is everything in life.  Rowed the drift boat on the Lamoille with clients and was treated to a spectacular hatch of #10-#12 Brown Drakes (Ephemera similuns).  The Brown Drake is unique in that it is one of only a few mayflies in the United States that is the exact same genus and species from East to West.  The hatch occurs for 3 to 5 days and typically comes off in huge numbers.  The odd part about the this season was we witnessed the hatch in the morning to mid morning.  Typically it takes place at dusk.  I can only figure the big cold front that has moved in impacted the hatching schedule. We found lots of rising fish. The large pools seemd to have more bugs which made sense since this is a burrowing mayfly, the Drake need some somewhat of a soft bottom to live in.  A #10 parachute, #12 Drake Variant pattern worked well as the dun and we had dropper flies of #12 pheasant tails and hares ears nymphs below the surface imitating the emerger.  We caught fish on all of the patterns.  What I can I say, the fishing was really good and we had the river to ourselves.  The trick was to place the fly in the trouts feeding lane.  Lots of food in the water so the fish did not have to deviate much from their feeding positions.  Not sure how many fish we landed, but the action was steady and I used the net a lot.  In addition to the Drakes, their was a number of #14 Sulphers (Ephemerella invaria)  hatching.  I am off to row the boat again today down the Winooski.  The trout fishing is really good currently.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Give me a bugger

Hi Follks, Nice change of the weather here in Stowe. Feels like fall outside. Cold front arrived with a serious east wind yesterday. I spent the afternoon on the Lamoille under cloudy cool conditions and a steady wind.  Water temperature dropped a few degrees down to 58 degrees.  The water level was dropping and is currently right around the seasonal average flow.  There were a few bug hatching from a #14 Sulphur (large one- Dorothea), to a #14 caddis, and a few left over #12 March Browns.  A number of crawfish shells in the shallow.  Big trout in Vermont love to eat crawfish.  Its like a steak to a trout.  We had some pretty good success dead drifting with a floating line and sinking tip #8-#6 black and olive wooly buggers.  All wild trout yesterday and we worked for them.  All of the bows were nice looking and fought really well. One of the particular fish came out of the water 6 times.  Did miss and lose a few fish.  It seemed like the weather had the fish a bit tight as I saw several trout roll up on the fly and not take it.  It appeared there was some short striking going on.  There was a really good hatch of Sulphurs late afternoon.  No rising fish but we did take 1 nice wild bow on a #14 sulphur nymph.  Looks like cool weather for a few days, perfect.  Off to row the boat.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun, Willy

Foam is home

Hi Folks, The trout fishing has become an early morning and late day event.  Been unusually warm and muggy here in Stowe.  We could use some rain as it is fairly dry and the rivers are below their seasonal average flow regime.  Look like a weather front moving into town and it will bring with it some cooler air temperatures.  I have been guiding the Winooski and the river temperature was 62 degrees early this morning. It was a nice over cast morning with heavy air.  We found some rising fish in a slow deep pool.  All of the rising activity was within the realm of the foam line.  The foam line is where everything gets collected that is moving down stream.  It is a feeding area for trout but not necessarily where they consistently hold.  The particular foam line we worked this morning was abutted by a big eddy that collects all of the goodies for the fish.  The rises were obvious but subtle at the same time. Big bulges just below the surface.  There was not a lot of obvious bug activity.  A few hatching #14-#16 caddis but that was it.  Upon closer examination into the foam line there was a large number of spent #14 caddis.  The fish were gorging on spent caddis so we gave them a #14 Henryville special with a #14 peacock herl  soft hackle dropper.  Of the 8 takes, 6 came on the dropper and 2 on the dry.  Mostly stocked brown trout eating bugs. Fish feeding in this dynamic whether they be wild or stocked demand a good presentation.  They have a lot of time to study your drift in slow greasy water. Lots of fun.  I am off to trout fish all weekend.  Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home.  Have Fun,Willy

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