Water Clarity: Clear
Water Temperatures: 50s-60s
Hatches: Black and Golden Stoneflies, Tan Caddis, Hendricksons, Light Cahils, Brown Drakes, Sulfurs
Suggested Patterns: Anderson’s Bird of Prey (Olive-#14-16) Pheasant Tails #14-18) Strolis Quil Body Jig (#12-16) Green Copper Johns (#12-14) Kaufman Stone Flies (#10-12) Girdle Bugs (8-12) Zug Bugs #12-18) Parachute Adams (#12-16) Elk Hair Caddis-Olive and Tan (#14-18) Goddard Caddis #14-18, Light Cahils (#12-14)
Looks like we may finally get a break from this hot, dry weather. The forecast is looking pretty good for the next week, cooler temps and rain 4 out of the next 10 days. We’ll see if it amounts to anything. From a fishing standpoint, we’ve spent more time bass fishing than trout fishing over the past week. We’ve also had some pike trips in the mix. The bass fishing has been great on both the stillwater and moving water front. Matt had a trip out the other day on a river and they did quite well, 4 or 5 fish over 3lbs and a bunch of 12-14″ fish. I believe they got all of them on topwater flies. A mix of Poppers, big stimulators and even a hopper, not that there’s any hoppers out yet but the bass don’t seem to mind. On the stillwater side of things, the bigger bass have definitely retreated to deeper water, having a 10-15ft sink tip line would not be a bad idea by any means. Focus on any rock or gravel when targeting smallmouth. We’ve been having good luck on clousers, buggers and smaller crayfish flies while we’ve been targeting the smallmouth. On the largemouth front, we’ve spent more time using poppers than anything. A Size 2 or 1/0 Hard Bodied frog popper has worked wonders, the ones we use are either tied with a stiff mono or a wire weed guard allowing us to put our flies in the really thick stuff where the largemouth like to hangout. A stiff short leader is also beneficial for turning over those heavier flies. We like to run 2.5ft or 25lb maxima to 2ft of 20lb to a foot and a half of 15lb. This shorter leader with a stiff butt section will help turn over those bigger bass flies with ease. Not to mention, maxima will take a serious beating before it’s weakened.
On the trout front, really the only fishing we’ve done in the past week or so has been on the smaller brook trout streams. The water temps have been fine but man they are lowwwww. You’ll spook way more fish than you catch, but you’ll still be able to get into them. Make longer casts and stay out of the water. Be sure to move relatively quick, if you don’t get a strike in 5-8 casts in a spot keep on moving. It’s likely that that fish was spooked so there’s no sense in putting too much effort there. And there’s always going to be another hungry brook trout in the next pool!
Water temps on the bigger rivers right now aren’t good, the Winooski was 72 this morning and the Lamoille was 73 yesterday evening. It looks like the weather over the next few days should help out quite a bit. Cooler temps during the day and night and rain. I wouldn’t plan on fishing the bigger rivers tomorrow or Saturday, perhaps by Sunday they’ll have cooled off enough. Be sure to bring a thermometer if you hit one of the bigger rivers! Or head way downstream on them and go fish for smallies!! Good luck to everyone getting out this weekend!
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River: Winooski
Water Temp: 72
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 6/10/21
USGS FI: 199
River: Dog
Water Temp: 68
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 6/10/21
USGS FI: 29
River: Lamoille
Water Temp:73
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 6/10/21
USGS FI: 118