Hi Folks, I feel like I have become a bass fishing guide. Mixing up my operation between river and lake fishing. I am truly a river rat and love walking streams. The river bass fishing has been excellent. Water temperatures have finally begun to cool off. Over the last 10 days, river temps. have dropped from a high of 80 degrees down to 72 degrees. The surface fishing has been tremendous. Popping bugs and crease fly patterns have all worked. Flies in yellow, chartreuse, black, and green have been effective. A #6 Frugal Frog, #8 Ms. Prissy, and a #6 chartreuse tickler have been very consistent. All of the smallmouth have been holding in large primary pools up against large rocks. The upstream side of large boulders are more productive. The lake fishing has been almost as consistent. Water temperatures have been even warmer in our lakes. However, with cooler nights presently, the temperatures are beginning to return to more seasonal readings. I have guided with my motorboat, canoes, and float tubes. One of my clients recently told me we have fished together for 16 years and the we have never used float tubes or fished the pond we ventured into too. I have guests I have guided 50 times who have never seen the same spot. Lots of water in Vermont. Plus you can’t fish the same place over and over again and expect positive results. For the most part, the bass have been holding on weed bed edges. Beneath the surface is a hard rock bottom. The bigger fish have been holding adjacent to deeper water. Letting your surface presentation sit and fishing it slowly has netted the best results. During the hot spell, the fishing was best first and last light. As the days become shorter, I have been fishing a little more mid morning and mid afternoon. With cooler nights, I find the water now needs to warm a bit to crank up the bass. I have mixed in a few trout trips. Lots of #12 Isonychia shucks on rocks as well as large #8 Stone fly casings. The Lamoille and Winooski should be fishable in near the future as river temperatures drop below 70. The number of large green grasshoppers around rivers is crazy. The streams I have visited have ranged from 57 to 65 degrees. I have the found the trout fishing to be not very good currently. Working hard to hook a few fish. As the water continues to cool, the river trout fishing will only improve. During our hot summer and where I live low water periods , many of the adult fish moved to find thermal refuge. The fish are not going to just return to their big water haunts the moment the water levels rise or cool off. This time of the year, Brown trout and Brook trout begin to relocate for spawning. Typically. Owing upstream. Good time of the year to hang a big brown or Brookie. I am off to guide a small stream. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy
