Hi Folks, Back from out west and visiting family. Being vaccinated has been refreshing and liberating. Back to the chasing Vermont fish with clients. The fishing has been slow for me thus far in Vermont. Water is a bit cold and the wind has been blowing. The rain has been much needed and hopefully there is more to come. Our rivers are now being stocked with trout for those who want to tug on hatchery mutants. Myself, I have been trying to locate and catch wild trout. The Lamoille and Winooski are fine rivers to stock. It’s my opinion that the big water does not have a large density of wild fish and thus need to be stocked. Our smaller tributary streams and brooks are where our populations of native Brook trout and Wild Rainbows and Browns are more plentiful. Water temps. have ranged from 48 degrees to 51 degrees on the Lamoille watershed. Over the last weekend I guided a fine trout stream with a decent population of wild browns and rainbows. Awesome #14-#16 Hendrickson hatch came off around 3pm. Sad to report we could not touch a fish. No fish rising nor did it seem there was any feeding below the surface. Water was 51 degrees. There were a lot bugs. Pretty much the norm it seems for early May trout fishing in Vermont for wild fish. This is not the first time I have experienced this. Makes we question how many self sustaining trout fisheries actually exist in the state? My conclusion is stocked trout are a necessary evil in Vermont. Still beautiful water and not a lot of anglers and angling pressure. On the lake front, still a bit chilly and windy in the boat. Ran the boat for pike and prep spawn bass yesterday. Stiff wind from the NorthWest. The wind blown shore water temp. was 51 degrees. The warmest water in the lake. Main lake temps. were 49. We cast the kitchen sink to these fish employing floating and sinking lines. The 2 most successful patrons were a #1 white Deceiver and a #4 Yellow and Olive Clouser Minnow. We landed 3 small pickerel, missed two fish, and had an unknown entity break us off. We did not findings any bass but I suspect the cold wind and weather front made them a bit lethargic. The April weather in May will improve and the fishing as well. Keep the fly in the water and good things will happen. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy
