Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Summertime Vermont Trout Fishing

The hot weather is here. The past several days we have been fly fishing for Trout in southern Vermont. We will be seeing Tricos any day and I have my trico box in my vest. BWO size 16 are working very well. I am using a cross pattern between a compradun and a usual. Its got a snowshoe rabbit foot wing with a split tail. Its been deadly. Mayflies and caddis are present for a couple hours in the morning and an hour just before dark. So whats a wild trout to do for food???? TERRESTRIALS= living or growing on land but when they fall in the water the trout think they are yummy.

Ants, beetles, inch worms, leaf hoppers, grasshoppers, crickets, tent worms, moths, termites, flying ants.....if its in the water.....its lunch.

One of my favorite summertime combos is a yellow adams wulff trailed by a black ant wetfly. This has been an excellent Mettawee combo for wild rainbow trout. Yes....I said it....the Mettawee....we fished the upper Mettawee in Dorset and did quite well.

Mountain streams for Brook Trout, wet wading, 6'2weight, dryflies.....get some!!!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Vermont Bass Fishing


The Bass fishing in Vermont between 5 to 8 am is ELECTRIC!!!! The last several times out we have really been hammering them...both large and smallmouthes. Some of you "Trout guys" just don't know what you are missing...power nap time

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Vermont fishing

The Gar fishing was a bust....too windy to sight fish so we fished for bass and did ok with clousers and soft plastic baits. I will keep looking for opportunities to fish gar. I have caught a half dozen and have seen several that were close to 5 feet long.....

Fished Smallmouths on the West River on Friday.....We caught some but the West River is a tough fish no doubt about it.

Saturday was a cancellation......sat on the dock.....tied flies for a custom order, repaired some broken gear....in fishing if its not broke....it will be soon. Patched some waders and tied more flies.

Sunday: Came up with a new beetle pattern to imitate Japanese beetles which are now hatched and are everywhere. Spent time around the house....poured 12 dozen jigs....loaded the boat for tomorrow....A bassin we will go! 5am I will be casting to busting Bass...

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Vermont fishing guide

This last week I have spent more time in the shop tying flies and organizing gear for the back and forth between Bass in the lakes and Trout in the rivers. Most of my tying has been re-order stuff for a couple wholesale accounts and a bunch of retail client orders. It has been a very good year to be a fly tyer. If you need flies give me a call or email.

Main stem rivers are getting back into shape at least in Manchester, Ludlow and in Bennington. Alot of rivers in central and northern Vermont are still pretty high. The high air temperature yesterday was in the 60's with early May water levels with a late June water temp.....the fishing is pretty good across the board.

Unlike some states...We have alot of wild trout....these fish are always around and provide a challenge to fisherman all season. Point is the fish are here....water levels are great...BWO, caddis and green stones are hatching....I know a guide who has some openings....give a call.

The other day while surfing the web I came across some bass aging information which really blew me away. a 11" bass / 2years old, 15" bass / 5years, 18" bass / 12 years old....check out the data posted by Shawn Good, Vt fisheries biologist...here's the link

http://cjohn2979.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Forum&action=display&thread=3202

I was amazed....we have been beating on a bunch of Lake Champlain senior citizens...
The Bass are eating crank baits on weed edges very well! In the next couple weeks the clouser minnows are coming out as all the spring hatched fry is starting to move away from the cover...
Some of the best Bass fishing is really still coming.

Watch for Tricos....I have my trico box in the truck....if we get a week of hot weather we'll see Tricos on the sac....

Please stay tuned....we are chasing Alligator Gar tomorrow with rope flies!!!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Battenkill Region Fishing Report

There's a saying in Vermont...if ya don't like the weather....wait 5 minutes... We have been on a roller coaster weather wise for a couple weeks. Water levels have been all over the place. As a guide its been impossible to pattern and there has been plenty of target switches made while on the run. There have been times when river systems like the main stem Battenkill are just not fishable. The "Sac" has been steady and producing. Small streams like the upper Battenkill also have been fine. There hasn't been a single day I've left the house without looking at usgs.gov water data. Rivers like the Walloomsac and Black river will rise fast but they also drop fast. The Battenkill and Otter Creek not so much....they take many days to drop. Overall the fishing has been good...we just might have to fish plan D or E...

Hot Fly patterns other then normal stand bys:
Black Beetles, Black Ant Wets, BWO's in a 16, No Hackle Caddis, Gray CDC caddis, Green Stones.
Ausable and Yellow Adams Wulffs in a 14 or 16...

I am and will be until the end of August in MORNING MODE....We fished mountain brooks yesterday...Nick and I scouting new water. First brook had that tannic rust colored water and it sucked....second brook produced very well with a brookie on the first cast....third brook was dead because of the Atlantic Salmon program and the last brook near Manchester produced well for being the heat of the day. All day we never changed the fly....size 16 ausable wulff...Want to go fishing give me a call....I've got a bunch of openings upcoming...

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Richardson chest fly box

With the new fishpond vest I am wearing...I have returned to using my 35 year old chest fly box. Yes....my fly box is 35 years old....its a great box as many of you have seen. My father gave it to me for my 13th birthday prior to a trip to West Yellowstone. Spoiled fishing kid....well maybe.
Any way here's a web link to the company that still makes them: www.chestflybox.com