River Report

Updated 5/13/08

Fishing continues to get better and better. The bugs are in the air, lots of Hendricksons and I watched a sulfur cruise by my head tonight. Water levels are pretty good, if not a bit low for this time of year and river temps are climbing. The dry fly action is still slow on the valley floors but in the Mnts. the brookies and small wild bows are slapping away at anything big and bushy.

Much of the rainbow spawning has come and gone so there will be some hungry bows returing to their bigger streams, not a bad idea to work down stream of a tributary for the drop backs. The small mouth continue to work up into rivers. One place they have yet to show up in numbers yet has been the Otter Creek in Vergennes. That would be my pick of this coming week for big fish, they will show up and they are big!! See below for more specifics

We have been spending a fair amount of time stalking (note the spelling difference) some toothy critters, pike. The Otter Creek system is full of Northerns pretty much from Vergennes to Rutland and this time of year they are pretty accessible. Big streamers in slack water or flooded timber can get some great strikes (can't say much about the fight but the take is worth it). I picked a couple up below the falls in Vergennes. Drew P. landed a bunch at the Twin Bridges in Weybridge and Brian C. was hammering them at John's Bow in Brandon. One piece of toothy critter news is that Drew landed a young muskie in Vergennes. This is some of the first proof that natural Muskie reproduction is occurring in the Otter.

Father's Day Stream and Brook and the Inn at Essex will team up for a free casting clinic at the Inn's new stocked pond. If you want to dial in that cast or try some new Orvis product, come on by from 10-2 at the Inn.

If you have someone that you want to suprise this year, Stream and Brook offers Gift Certificates. Just shoot us an email.

- Neshobe Running clear and cool but the fish here are active and coming up to dries. It usually gets some fat brookies stocked in down town. They will spread up stream but not too far so if you are up for some jungle fishing you can work up from town sight casting to brookies in the mid teens.
- New Haven Fishing continues to be slow. Look to the junction of the Otter and New Haven for some big fish to be dropping back. You can park at River's Bend Camp ground (they'll hit you for a couple of bucks but it can be worth it) or you can hike in from the old Dog Team site.
-Otter Creek
In great shape. Water level is down, clarity is up and the river temps are rising. Lots of hendrickson action going on and this is a river that has a great wild and hold over population so it's one of my favorite places to look for rising fish these days. Down town Rutland, Center Falls, can be really good these days for browns as can down town Middlebury. Between Rutland and Midd. the pike are very active and there are lots of big browns mixed in for the patient angler with a big streamer. Also, the trophy section up at the top of the river is still full of big fish and the further you get from the road access the more likely you are to get one to bite. You can stand on most bridges and look at trophy fish but by then, it's too late, lockjaw. Move down stream in search of deep pools on bends or below riffles, pull a streamer through and hold on.
-Middlebury River Running great, its upper tribs received some of the state's finest brookies last week (catch and release if you can manage it) and getting away from road will produce some great dry fly action up in the Ripton area. There are some big fish cruising the lower stretches (see pics) if you put in the walking time.
-Furnace Brook Classic brook trout waters. Work the sunnier spots these days until the water temps come up. One of the places you could throw a dry/dropper combo. and see some surface action with the little brookies.
- Lewis Creek
This stream is running low and has been hit pretty hard. The fish are really spread out and when you find them they are very skittish. If you are targeting smallies down town Vergennes is probably a better bet right now. If we get some rain the Lewis may turn on again but right now the low water and multiple anglers have the fish in there pretty stressed.
Ottauqueeche The river is in good shape for fishing. Not a lot of new news to offer at this time.
Winooski
In pretty good shape. Waterbury got its trophy fish so there may still be time to get in on that action before they're fished out. Good hatches coming off and some dry fly action starting to happen. I like to look for riffles with moderately sized pools below and drift a juicy hendrickson or Wulff pattern through. This is a great sulfur river so that hatch isn't too far off. Sulfur nymphs or even emergers could do well towards evening.

USGS River Flow Data

STOCKING SCHEDULE

If you are looking for some great locally tied flies for your trip to Vermont we recommend Brian at
Cast Away Flies.

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Stream and Brook Fly Fishing
37 West Main Street
Vergennes, VT 05491
802-989-0398