Vermont fishing the end of September

It did rain over the weekend and more is in the forecast for this week. We really need it for the small streams and ponds. Lake Champlain, major lakes, Battenkill, Otter and main stem rivers have been fine....everything else really needed the rain. Mother nature really knows how to take care of all her critters.

I made a mistake on my Woodcock prediction of season opener. Woodcock season opens Oct 8th and ends Nov 6th....also Duck season opens Oct 10th....please take note of this lake fisherman....Benson will be a war zone....and more than likely there will not be any parking.

Bass are hitting funny....picking up bait and swimming away with it.....you really have to be a "line watcher"....the Perch bite is red hot on Champlain! I'll be putting a ton of fillets in freezer this coming Thursday.

Trout are overwhelmed with leaves in the water....this is a normal thing by the end of this week they will settle down....it takes about a week or so for the trout to settle down. Hopefully with the rain coming... we can get back on the small streams....I love fishing for Brook Trout in the fall. They get all fired up color wise in pre spawn mode.

Hatches currently: Fall Caddis (orange), tan caddis and BWO

Looking like fall in Vermont

Photo by Bill "anything fishy" Osborne

I have been pretty busy guiding and getting my wholesale fly line together to write this winters work. We had a light frost in the valley a couple mornings ago. Trout fishing is a mid morning and afternoon affair. On windy days there is alot of debris in the water. I've been successful with dryfly and wetfly combos fished upstream on the Battenkill. The Walloomsac in my opinion is done for the season. Currently the Battenkill is the best option with the Mettawee a close second.
We need rain.....I can't believe I just wrote that.....but we do....small streams are very low!!! Word has it Landlocked Salmon on Champlain are staged but need water to draw in the run. Same thing on the Salmon river in New York....small runs of Salmon....but need water to get the big push in.

Grouse season opens this coming Saturday....Woodcock opens on the 6th of October...At that point I jump around between guiding Trout, Bass and birds.....my buddy Tucker loves the new homestead and is in GREAT shape for an old dog....

Bass are moving towards the bank. Water temps are dropping and the bite is on. Been hearing alot of chatter about a pike bite too....we'll see on Thursday and Saturday when I have lake trips.

Thinking the mountain Brook thing is also a done deal for this season...it sure was fun this summer.

October is very busy around here....got some openings in the beginning of the month then its booked solid from Oct 8th until November 4th. I will be thinking Lakers on Champlain then. Since Nick has out grown youth deer hunting...the first weekend in November I will be open for Laker trips. All for now and thanks for staying tuned and please tell your buddies about the blog!!!

Vermont fishing and fishing news

The fishing is now out of early morning mode. No more getting up at 4:00 am!!!! Trout fishing is pretty good. The Battenkill is plan A most days. Seeing alot of orange fall caddis throughout the day.

Bass fishing in local ponds has been good also. Poppers on the surface are the number one producer. Surface temperature in high 60's. Air and water temps are almost equal. Bass are still in 10 feet of water but will move up any day.

Sad News: Fran Betters of Adirondack fame died last week. Fran created the: Ausable wulff, Usual and Haystack (original compradun style). Mr Betters had been in failing health for quite awhile.

Amazing News: A potential new world record Brown Trout. Caught Sept. 9th on the Manistee river, MI. 43.75 inches 41lbs 7 oz. !!! For the best internet coverage check out this link:

www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/trout-fishing/where-fish-trout/2009/09/potential-world-record-brown-trout-cau?photo=0

Today is a prep day...got a big run of trips coming up....life is short...go fishing.

FLY TYING BENCH

The MAN CAVE...at least the tying bench. I tie roughly 1000 dozen flies a year.

Labor Day weekend Battenkill flyfishing Forecast

Water levels and weather should make for an excellent holiday weekend for Fly fishing the Battenkill region. I have been hearing reports of flying ants!!! The female flying ant looks like a termite and is about a size 14. The Battenkill Brown Trout love them. I have seen browns rising very, very selectively to blue quills or trico duns....then have flying ants start.....all of a sudden they become stupid. Not often do you hear....Battenkill, Brown Trout and Stupid. I have been bass fishing the last couple days and will be bassing today....but count on I have flying ants in my vest and will be on the Battenkill over the weekend.