Water Clarity: Clear
Water Temperatures: 55-70
Hatches: Small Stones, Caddis, Light Cahils, Pale Evening Duns, Sulphurs, Hex, Yellow Sallies
Suggested Patterns: Stimulators (#12-14) Light Cahils #14-16, PMX #12-16, Elk Hair Caddis, Hoppers, Pheasant Tails, Caddie Shack, Iron Sallies,
The fishing has been pretty solid over the past week. Mostly brookies and smallies on the moving water, and plenty of smallmouth and largemouth bass along with a few pike on some of the lakes and ponds. Water levels on some of the brook trout streams started to get a little low, but it looks like we’ll get some rain over the next few days to bring flows back up. Water temps on the small streams were good; high 50s to low 60s. The water temps should cool off quite a bit on a lot of bodies of water over the next few days. With the night time temps forecasted to be in the low to mid 50s, and day time temps in the low to mid 70s paired with some rain, we may have an excellent stretch of trout fishing. Even the main winooski and lamoille should cool off enough to give us some good opportunities. If the 10 day forecast holds true, we’re going to have a great stretch of summer fishing!!
While brook trout fishing over the past week, the usual patterns all got plenty of interest. We love the Swisher’s PMX in a #14 in the Royal Wulf Color, foam beetles, and small foam hoppers have also been working great! For the river bass, we’ve been throwing some poppers with good results, as the sun gets higher in the sky we’ve gone to more natural dries like hoppers and stimulators. Wooly Buggers, big stonefly nymphs and other heavier flies have also worked great below the surface. Been having good luck throwing poppers for largemouth, they’ve been hanging in the thicker weeds. An accurately placed popper into the small pockets of open water amongst the weeds has worked great! Be sure to have a heavier rod, and heavy tippet so you can muscle them out of the thick weeds!
For those getting out this weekend, there’s going to be some options, the upper sections of the big rivers should hopefully be cool enough by tomorrow AM to fish, if that’s your plan, be sure to bring a thermometer and double check temps before you start fishing. Mid sized tribs should be good, although water levels will still be pretty low. a hopper can be a great way to entice a bigger wild brown up this time of the year on the mid sized tribs. Be stealthy, but cover water! Small streams will be good to fish as well! Good luck to everyone getting out this weekend!
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River: Winooski:
Water Temp: 68(AM)
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 7/17
USGS FI: 188
River: Dog
Water Temp: 66 AM
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 7/17
USGS FI: 29
River: Lamoille
Water Temp: 67
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 7/17
USGS FI: 158