River Conditions: 4/28/18

Water Clarity: Muddy-Clear Bigger Rivers will be shot for a while

Water Temperatures:  High 30s-Low 40s

Hatches: Black Stoneflies, EGGS

Suggested Patterns: #12-14 Pheasant Tails, #12-14 Olive Hare’s Ears, Montana Prince Nymphs #12-14, Smethurts 20bomb #6-10, Kaufman Stone-Black #4-12, Glo Bugs, Copper Johns #12-14, Girdle Bugs #6-10, San Juan Worms, Sucker Spawn, Wooly Buggers-Black or White #4-8, Zonkers-Black, Montana Mouthwash-White, Sculpin and other Baitfish Patterns.

Not a whole lot has changed in the past few days. We’re still dealing with high, cold water on most of the streams in our neck of the woods. Not to say that you can’t go catch fish but it will continue to be a little challenging until things warm up. Having said that, John had a trip out yesterday and they went 1-3 on Wild Browns swinging streamers. They were on a smaller trib of the Winooski that had a moderate flow and was pretty clear. They moved around quite a bit, the holes they moved fish in happened pretty quick, if they were going to hook a fish it was going to happen in the first dozen cast of the hole. On that particular trib the water was 42. Best fishing is going to take place mid day for the most part, if you go too late in the day depending on where you are you may be dealing with higher flows from snow run off. Although if you go further south or fish tribs in the Champlain valley it may not be as big of a problem. A few reports of steelhead being caught up north and some good ones being caught out of champ tribs too. With the increased flows more fish should have entered the streams. As temps warm up they will become more active and once they get done spawning they will become very aggressive. Typically this time of the year you can start to think about fishing streamers for steelhead with pretty good success. The post spawn fish will jump all over wooly buggers, zonkers, muddlers etc… Can be a wicked fun way to get them and it’s nice to not have to stare at a bobber all day.

The forecast over the next week is looking decent, still quite a bit of rain but we’ve got some really warm weather moving in. Things might get a little hairy mid week with snow runoff and rain but it’s hard to say at this point. A few of the guys that have been coming in the shop lately have been getting a fish here and there with a lot coming up empty handed. Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t getting fish. Keep after it, it’s going to continue to get better out there.

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, Sitka, Redington, Loon Products, Montana Fly Company, Buff, Lamson Waterworks, Sage, Rio, Scientific Angler and more!