Water Clarity: Clear
Water Temperatures: 50s
Hatches: Black and Golden Stoneflies, Black and Olive Caddis, 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 (#10-16) Wooly Buggers, Olive or White #6-10) Zonkers-Olive or Natural, Mini Complex Twist Buggers-Tan
The fishing has continued to improve as water temps have crept up into the upper 50s on the bigger rivers. We’ve been seeing some great hatches, mostly Hendricksons with towards the end of the day with some mid afternoon caddis in the mix. We’ve gotten fish on both the Winooski and Lamoillle on dries in the past two days. With the warmer temps the dry fly fishing should only continue to improve over the next few days. The water levels are pretty low at the moment but it does look like we’re going to get some rain over the next week which will hopefully bump the water levels up.
We’ve been runnning into more stockies than anything right now although Bob hit a spot on the Winooski the other evening and landed 2 stockies and 18 wild fish, all of the wild fish were bows and none of them were over 8″ or so but that was awesome to hear given the summer we had last year. All of the fish he caught that day were swinging small, sparse soft hackles tied by our buddy Rich A. The wild fish were in the faster, shallower water at the head of the run and the 2 stockies were back in the slower water which is par for the course. Often this time of the year, the stocked fish will stick to the slower water for quite a while, meanwhile the wild fish push up into the swifter water. We’ve also been getting fish nymphing, using indicators as well as tightlining has proven to be effective. Still been picking away at fish with streamers as well, smaller more neutral colored streamers have been the most productive, that’s probably due to the clearer water.
For anyone getting out over the next few days definitely go fish the Winooski or Lamoille if you’re in the area. The evening fishing should be quite productive, I’d plan to start off nymphing and as the sun drops and the bugs start hatching plan to switch over to dries. We’ve been using Parachute Adams in sizes #10-14 depending on the size of the hendricksons. We’ve also been skating and drifting black and olive caddis in #14-16 when the caddis flies have been out. Good luck to everyone getting out! Enjoy this warm weather
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River: Winooski
Water Temp: 56
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/18/21
USGS FI: 453
River: Dog
Water Temp: 57
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/18/21
USGS FI: 79.5
River: Lamoille
Water Temp: 57
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 5/18/21
USGS FI: 322