Water Clarity: Clear to Stained
Water Temperatures: 42-50
Hatches: Brown and Gold Stones. Tan/Grey and October Caddis, Hoppers, BWOs,
Suggested Patterns: Tan X Caddis, BWOs, Hoppers/Chubbies, Adams, Pheasant Tails-#14-18, Zug Bugs #14-16, Copper Johns #16-18, Bird of Prey-Brown (#14-16) Black Magic Soft Hackles-#16-18, Wooly Buggers, Zonkers, Complex Twist Buggers, Hornbergs, Black Nosed Dace, Mickey Finns, Sex Dungeons, Drunk and Disorderly
The fishing has been pretty good over the past few days. The big rivers are still full but the clarity is good, great conditions to swing some bigger streamers and hope for a big fish! We’ve been spending most of our time on the mid sized tribs, the brook trout streams are pretty quiet now, likely due to most of the fish being in spawn mode. If you do venture into the smaller streams be careful not to step on any redds and also avoid fishing to the actively spawning fish, a low enough percentage of the fry make it to adulthood as it is so we might as well try to make it a little easier for them. Most of the fish we’ve been catching have been on nymphs and streamers although one of the trips the other day hit a good BWO hatch and got into a handful of fish on #18 BWOs. We’ve been running into some really nice fish lately, Matt’s trips have been getting into a variety of wild and holdover rainbows and a couple browns in the 16-19″ range on almost every trip in the past week! Fish in that size range put up an awesome fight, especially in water temps like what we have. Lots of long runs and jumps!!! Even the smaller 10-12″ fish are putting up awesome fights right now. Productive flies have been the usuals, mostly in #16s and #18s on the nymph side.
For those getting out this week and into the weekend you’ve got plenty of options, the flows should be great by the weekend, trout, or landlocked salmon would be great options. All the landlocked tribs on both Champ and up North seem to be full of fish! The Winooski and Lamoille will be in perfect shape by Friday-they’re in good shape now but still just a little on the higher side, the fish are catchable but you’ll have to work through a bit more water. Rivers like the Dog, Mad, Upper White, Gihon etc.. are all in great shape right now!! Go fish!
The Fly Rod Shop is Northern Vermont’s finest fly fishing guide service and fly fishing gear retailer. Visit our shop on Route 100 in Stowe, VT or shop our online store to find gear from Simms Fishing Products, Redington, Loon Products, Montana Fly Company, Lamson Waterworks, Winston, Sage, Rio, Scientific Angler, Thomas and Thomas and more!
River: Winooski
Water Temp: 51AM
Water Clarity: Stained
Last Update: 10/19/22
USGS FI: 553
River: Mad
Water Temp: 48
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 10/19/22
USGS FI: 183
River: Lamoille
Water Temp 51 am
Water Clarity: Stained
Last Update: 10/19/22
USGS FI: 675