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Water Clarity: Everything is fairly clear, things will muddy up as we get more rain

Water Temperatures:  Mid-Upper 40’s-Low 50’s

Hatches: Brown/black Stoneflies, Hendricksons, Blue Quill

Suggested Patterns:  RL Stoneflies, Two Tone Stones, Simple Stones, Smethurts Twenty Bomb, Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Black Montana Prince Nymphs, Olive and Natural Hare’s Ears, Bob’s Softy, Wooly Buggers, Muddler Minnows, Drunk Dads, Sparkle Minnows.

Things have remained similar in most of the rivers over the past couple of days. Water levels may come up over the next few days with the rain we are getting and from the rain we have in the forecast. If the rain amounts to anything expect to see some of the smaller streams off-colored and the bigger rivers potentially a bit more muddy. If this happens, be sure to have some meaty streamers in your box to standout in the dirty water. Other good patterns to have would be some beefy nymphs like Stoneflies and bigger Copper Johns. With the cool water temps, be sure to fish the flies slow and deep in the water as the fish may still be a bit lethargic. The Winooski in Waterbury yesterday afternoon was 52 degrees. It’s a bit warmer than it has been but could definitely use a couple more degrees. We’ve been seeing Hendricksons and Blue Quills hatching in the afternoons but the fish have not yet keyed in on dry flies. The Steelhead in NEK have still been biting pretty well according to a couple of customers. The Lewis Creek has slowed down and it’s starting to get a bit bony down there. The bass should start showing up any day if they haven’t already as well. The lake fishing has been good for us too, lots of big smallmouth bass in the pre-spawn phase in water depths between 3 and 8ft. Lots of fish have been caught on Wooly Buggers, Zonkers and other similar flies. Once the water warms up a bit more they will move onto their beds and be a bit more challenging to get on a fly. The Winooski is going to be getting stocked this coming week and once the fish settle in the fishing should pick up in the stretch in Waterbury. Good luck to those getting out!

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

River Water Temp Water Clarity Last Update  USGS Fl
Winooski Green 5/1/16  499 CFS @ Montpelier
Lewis Creek Clear  5/1/16 60 CFS @ Falls
Lamoille  Clear 5/1/16 468 CFS @ Johnson