Custom Fly Tying Service

Yesterday while it was raw, chilly and raining buckets...I worked on a custom fly order for a gentleman going Atlantic Salmon fishing to the Gaspe Peninsula. The river he plans to fish is the Sainte Anne around September 11.

I tied the following patterns: Bee Wulff, Badger Bombers, Green Machine all salmon dries. For hairwing wetflies; Black Dose, Green Highlander, Jock Scott, Rusty Rat, and Silver Doctors.

If you are going on a major trip and have a fly list... please let me put in a bid. I have tied flies for almost every species that eat chicken feathers and fur. The internet makes it extremely easy to get pattern recipes and preferred fly lists for every destination worldwide.

Southern Vermont Fly Fishing for Brown Trout

Check out a Brown Trout caught by Bob Cameron, of Joe Jones at Great Outdoors in Rutland.

Fat, strong and ready to be caught again soon. I gave the boys a great tour of my playground:

Walloomsac, Battenkill and the Branch. Looks like another major rain event will happen this weekend. Look for termites, flying ants and fall caddis very soon.

Mettawee Headwaters

The upper Mettawee continues to be a very productive fish with a nice mix of wild Brown and Rainbow Trout. Todays water level was just a tiny bit high for dryflies but they were hammering beadhead nymphs in size 14 and 16 under a indicator about 30 " up the leader. This stretch has really great access off Dorset Hollow Road (next to Barrows House) a right hand turn off rte. 30.
A couple miles up the hollow road you'll go over a bridge on the river. Take that right turn and park by the historical marker for "Fenton Pottery Site". The surrounding lands are private, but once you're in the river its public domain. A bunch of this stretch that follows hollow road closely.

The Battenkill on Rte 313 today was only streamer/ sink tip fishable. The Sac is dropping in a big way. Tomorrow, I will be fishing with the boys from Joe Jones at Great Outdoors...this is your local Rutland, Vt sports shop.....imagine a fly shop where the guys actually fish!!! and not just talk the talk...Please stay tuned...

Vermont Fly Fishing for Trout

The fly fishing for trout this last week was pretty decent. I had total beginners all week so mostly it was learning to cast, learning to wade....all the things one needs to know to chase trout.
All week everyone had hits and several caught. One day on the sac my newbies caught 5 apiece.
Water.....we have great water levels....rain yes we have had rain. Bringing me to my next thought in this rant. If you won't fish in the rain....you have no business lining up a guide or for that matter even thinking about fishing. Some of my biggest Brown trout were caught in the rain...some of the best alltime days bass fishing were in the rain....even deer hunting....I've shot a bunch of deer on rainy days....Do I love standing in the rain...no but it's part of the deal on spending time outdoors.

Kashner Iso-Nymph

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Kashner Caddis Pupa

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Chuck Kashner's Favorite Caddis Dryfly

Here it is....simple and deadly....No hackle, tan hares ear body, deerhair wing....fish it wet, fish it dry....this fly catches fish.

Manchester Vt. Fly fishing for Trout

Couple more days in a row of this kind of weather and we'll be doing the trico thing!!! Until the tricos get consistant...THINK CADDIS.

BATTENKILL in Southern Vermont

Southern Vermont Battenkill fly fishing

Currently we are seeing the following hatches on the Battenkill: Tricos, BWOs, and Tan Caddis.

Tricos are just starting and are yet to be dependable. I did put clients this weekend into a large pod of Brook Trout that were eating caddis recklessly. All water levels are in great shape around here. August temperatures and bugs with June water levels....lets go fishing.

TRICOS in SOUTHERN VERMONT

Check out this photo....most are males with black bodies...the females have off white bodies.

Vermont fly fishing report TRICOS

I saw a ball of TRICOS this am on the "sac". With all the high water we have had they are late. Water levels are nearing normal June levels....which is awesome for August. Tricos are intense but its not the only game we can play. We did the red midge worm thing this morning. I really need decent casting skills to really play the Trico game. Small bugs, long leaders, fine tippets and selective trout. Let the game begin.

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!!!

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

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...