Water Clarity: Clear
Water Temperatures: 50s
Hatches: Black Stonesflies, Caddis, March Browns, Hendricksons,
Suggested Patterns: Anderson’s Bird of Prey-Olive #12-16) Black Montana Prince (#12-14) Red Copper Johns (#14-16) Pheasant Tails #12-18) Girdle Bugs (#8-12) Zug Bugs (#14-18) Sqirminator, MFGA Prince Nymph #10-12, Olive and Black Elk Hair Caddis-#12-16) Parachute Adams (#10-12) Wooly Buggers, Olive or White #6-10) Zonkers-Olive or Natural, Mini Complex Twist Buggers-Tan
Things have really improved over the past week. The awesome weather we’ve had has increased the water temps across the board and the fish are definitely getting more active. Still mostly subsurface, although Bob saw half a dozen rises on the Lamoille yesterday. He said it looked like they were all rising to Black Caddis which were buzzing around on the surface of the river. A great opportunity to catch fish while skating dries. Haven’t seen any rises on the Winooski yet but that may change over the next week or so. I wouldn’t have super high dry fly expectations until June 1st but that could easily change after a few warm days.
We’ve been having equal success nymphing and swinging streamers have both been productive. With water levels dropping, and water clarity improving we’ve been running smaller, more naturally colored streamers. A larger soft hackle tied in off the back has also caught a decent number of fish. The fish still seem to be settled in the slower deeper water. Over the next two weeks as water temperatures continue to warm up we should start seeing more and more fish in the faster flowing water and more in the head of the pools. Until then, make sure if you’re fishing wet flies you’ve still got a little weight on your set up.Whether it’s a streamer on a sink tip or a nymph with some split shot or a heavier tungsten jig style nymph you want to get down to where the fish are.
Good luck to everyone getting out! The weather looks pretty awesome over the next week and you all should take advantage of it!
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River: Winooski
Water Temp: 54
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/15/21
USGS FI: 448
River: Dog
Water Temp: 55
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/15/21
USGS FI: 93
River: Lamoille
Water Temp: 55
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/15/21
USGS FI: 347