Dry Fly Fishing

Hi Folks, The trout fishing has been really good over the last week. Our rivers are low and we need rain. Looks like rain this afternoon and tonight. Luckily the air temps. with the exception of the last 2 days has been cool and kept our river temps. in the high fifties to low sixties. I guided the Lamoille early morning on Saturday and the river was 58 degrees. The Winooski was 61 degrees early Friday morning. Too avoid the sun, I guided a Lamoille trib. with great tree canopy and shade on Sunday. The water temp. was 56 to 57 degrees. The fishing has been good and most of all the fish we are catching are eating off the top. A #12 orange Stimulator crushed the fish on the Lamoille Saturday morning. Dead drifting in riffles prompted slurping takes. We landed 7 nice bows between 11”-14”. All healthy fat fish. Yesterday morning we caught Brookie, Brown, and Rainbow on a #14 Royal Trude. Friday we fished a #16 foam ant with the same results. Very few of the fish have been rising. I am seeing a few junk feeders but not a lot of steady rising the last few days. Still blind fishing a dry into good habitat still prompts a surface response. Our rivers are not overly rich with water born bugs. The trout need to eat when presented the opportunity. We have been presenting a single dry fly. A dropper nymph seems to impact the drift negatively. Nothing better than fish taking dry flies. Late afternoon has offered up some hatching activity. #16-#18 Cinnamon Caddis, #14-#22 Flying Ants, #12 Isonychia, #14-#16 Cahills, a #18-#20 Baetis, and #20 Sulphurs. All of the trout sipping bugs have been in slow deep pools. Great time of year to be on the water. Remember to clean your gear and keep the the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy