Water Clarity: Muddy-Stained
Water Temperatures: 48-59
Hatches: Brown and Gold Stones. Tan/Grey and October Caddis, Hoppers, BWOs, ISOs
Suggested Patterns: Light Cahils-16-18, Blond Wulfs (#12-16), Adams-16-18, Micro Chubbies-12-14, Orange Stimulators 10-16, Griffith Gnats 18-22, RS2 (BWO) #20-22, Flying Ants #12-18, Soft Hackles 12-16 (cream and yellow colors) Pheasant Tails-14-18, Prince Nymphs-16-18, Copper Johns-16-18, Trina’s Micro Stone-14-18, Anderson’s Bird of Prey-14-16.
The fishing has been pretty good lately! Flows have become much more manageable as flows have dropped. Water temps are great at the moment as well! Some of the smaller streams in the early morning have been below 50! As temps continue to cool be on the look out for spawning brook trout and their beds and be sure to avoid them. Avoid walking over loose gravel in the tailout of any pool and if you start seeing concentrations of fish that’d be a good indication that they are spawning.
We’ve been seeing a mix of both wild and stocked fish in the bigger rivers, fewer stockies which is typical on a year we have a hot, dry summer as the stockies are less likely to survive. Bob got a few really nice wild rainbows in Johnson the other day nymphing. We’ve been having good results with both nymphs and wet flies. Not a ton of surface activity but that’s likely due to the higher water flows. As things continue to level off in the next few days I’d expect to see some good Blue Winged Olive hatches in the afternoon which can result in some of the best dry fly fishing of the entire year!
For those getting out this weekend you’ve got tons of options. The big rivers are at great flows currently, still much higher than they have been but a very manageable level. Swinging streamers, drifting nymphs, swinging soft hackles and even fishing dries will all be viable options for the next few days. Fishing mid day into the afternoon will be best in most bodies of water as the water temps are quite cool. Fish will become more active as the temps warm up over the course of the day.
Good luck to everyone hitting the rivers!! Should be a great weekend to go out.
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River: Winooski
Water Temp: 56AM
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 9/30/22
USGS FI: 340
River: Mad
Water Temp: 54
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 9/30/22
USGS FI: 136
River: Lamoille
Water Temp 54 am
Water Clarity: Clear
Last Update: 9/30/22
USGS FI: 205