Hi Folks, Been windy in Vermont for the last 10 days. Blowing steady between 10 to 20mph. Plus, big bright sunny skies. Not ideal fishing conditions. Water temperatures have been steadily rising. Though things will cool off with the arrival of a cold front today. With the wind and sun, it is pretty dry. We could use a nice soaking rain. I have been guiding from my boat and wading rivers. The lake fishing has been tough with the wind. White caps can make for tricky handling of the boat. Surface temperatures have ranged from 53 to 59 degrees. We have been chasing northern pike and pre spawn bass. Catching a few fish, but we are earning them with the present conditions. My focus has been 10’ of water and less. Nice time of year to catch a big fish in shallow water. The bass are in pre spawn mode and fairly aggressive. Northern Pike are post spawn and looking to put on the feed bag. With the bright sun, fishing early or late day are the best times currently. On the spin front, we have been casting various spinner baits, swim baits, and rapalas. With the fly, Clouser Minnows, Large ELP fiber pike flies with flash, Deceivers, and Half and Half patterns in white and chartreuse. Perch colored lures and flies as well as earth tones have all have worked. In dirty water, I like the combination of olive, orange, and yellow. On the trout front, I have been working to catch fish. I stay away from stocked areas currently. I like to scout water and find wild trout. It seems in our larger waters, the wild fish are few and far in between. I have been working the Lamoille watershed. Got into a few wild browns yesterday afternoon. A sinking tip with a with two flies. A white bugger and black bugger. The sink tip keeps the flies in the zone longer than using a floating line. Lost a huge brown yesterday afternoon on a black bugger. It tossed the fly as it got within net range. Oh well, move forward. As far as hatches, I’m seeing bugs come off. However, the wind is blowing so hard every afternoon that they are staying on the water. Hatching currently are caddis #14 Grannoms and #14 Candy apple green caddis. Lots of large #12/#14 midges and you see them gathering over riffles towards dusk. A few #14/#16 Hendricksons. Still a fair number of #12/#14 stone flies. Most of the stone flies I have seen are egg laying in the late afternoon. Nymphing I have been drifting a #12 Dave’s Red Fox squirrel nymph, #12/#14 Pheasant tails as well as flash back pheasant tails, #14 peacock soft hackles, pink and red wire San Juan worms and #12 black tung head stone fly patterns. I have spent sometime chasing lake run salmon. Hooked 1 good fish and landed a bunch of small ones. I don’t like catching the salmon per. Prefer to keep them off the hook if possible. Salmon fishing in a river is always tough when it is bright and sunny. The fishing is only improving by the day. Late May and June is prime time. Looking forward to being on the water daily and catching lots of fish. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy
