Water Clarity: Clear-Chocolate Milk
Water Temperatures: 50s-75
Hatches: Golden Stoneflies, Tan Caddis, Light Cahils, Sulfurs, PMDs, Hex, Hoppers, White Flies(Epheron), Tricos
Suggested Patterns: RS2 Tricos (#20-24) More Or Less Hoppers, Micro Chubbies, KK Henberry Hopper, Quick Sight Beetle, Ants, Light Cahils, CDC Sulphurs, PMDs, Pheasant Tails (#14-18) Soft Hackle Hare’s #14-16) Zug Bugs (#16-18) Caddis Emergers (#16-18) Bird Of Prey (#16) Soft Hackles-Light Yellow/Orange Zonkers, Wooly Buggers, Sex Dungeons, Muddlers, Hornbergs
The rain we got earlier this week was huge! Super helpful in flushing all of the rivers out and cooling them off considerable. The heaviest of rain didn’t make it to the Lamoille watershed but it still received some. The Winooski came up a lot, and is still pretty high and definitely not fishable at the moment. The smaller tribs are all in great shape, higher than normal but very fishable. The fish will be quite happy over the next few days. Fish bushy dries in sizes from #12-16 and you should have great success. Since the rain, the temps on the smaller streams have dropped, they’re now in the mid 50s for the most part with some of the slightly larger ones closer to 60 but still great.
The upper half of the Lamoille (above Mo-vegas) fished great yesterday. Water temps were way cooler-60-63 depending on the spot and the fish seemed happy and healthy. We got fish on streamers, nymphing and dead drifting hoppers. A mix of wild and stocked rainbows were caught and they were all looking great. The fish on the smaller streams all looked super healthy as well which was great to see, 4-8″ “footballs”
It looks like we’re going to have some somewhat cooler temps over the next week or so. No days hitting 80 and cooler night time temps. I’d expect the Lamoille above Lake Lamoille to remain fishable over the course of the weekend, it could be quite productive with a slightly higher flow. Be sure to still bring a thermometer with you as things could change. The Winooski is still cranking pretty good, it’s at a fishable level but the color isn’t. Super super dirty. By the end of tomorrow it may be fishable but be sure to temp it. It was 64 this morning in Waterbury with maybe 6″ of visibility. Saturday AM could be great on the Winooski if the temps hold. Over the weekend the nymphing and streamer fishing should be good in the early am, depending on where you are, you may see some tricos doing their spinner fall dance around 8am. So be sure to have some 6x and tiny trico dries just in case. Aside from that, I wouldn’t expect to see too much happening on top in the am, having said that fishing terrestrials can be a productive way to bring those fish up to the surface. In the evenings expect to see sulfurs, Pale Evening Duns, Light Cahils, White Flies and maybe an ISO or two.
Good luck to everyone getting out over the next few days! Make a point to get out and fish this weekend!
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River: Winooski
Water Temp: 64am
Water Clarity: Chocolate Milk
Last Update: 7/22/21
USGS FI: 661
River: Dog
Water Temp: 64
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 7/22/21
USGS FI: 207
River: Lamoille
Water Temp:62
Water Clarity: Slightly Off (In a good way)
Last Update: 7/22/21
USGS FI: 326