Early Spring 2024

The spring/ late winter of 2024 has seen some of the most consistent trout fishing that I can remember.  Often early spring and the very cold water temps that accompany it are downright tough fishing up here.  Getting completely skunked is frequent, but that has not been the case this year.  We have gotten into fish every time on the water on a variety of streams.  That being said, it is still a game of quality over quantity, and I have not encountered any hold over stockies from last year, only wild fish.  

Why has the fishing been so good for the time of year I think really goes back to last summer.  The extreme amount of rain last year allowed our fish to feed heavily, while also keeping river temps low.  The combination of lots of food and little thermal stress from warm water, meant our fish were in prime condition entering the winter.  I feel there are more wild trout in our area streams than there has been in recent memory.  Many, many people have asked me if its still worth fishing after last years flooding.  My response has been: There are a ton of fish, who knew that fish thrive when they have plenty of water!

All the positive news aside, it is important to remember that we are still going to be dealing with cool water temps for the next few weeks.  As a matter of fact it's snowing as I write this report.  Water temps should influence our decision making on the water, and while it's cold, remember to fish low and slow.  Deliberately slowing your drift is key.  A lesson learned at nationals this past March, where I picked up some really helpful tactics. You can slow the drift in a variety of ways.  Fly selection and weight, combined with sighter angles and drift angles allow the fly to stall and will help pull lethargic trout. Bigger more water resistant flies will slow the drift, as well as allowing sighter angles s to be more vertical or even invert.  Simply fishing patiently with both tight line and indicator tactics are equally important.  Allowing an indicator time in a pocket or back eddy to just sit, or likewise resting the urge to pull your nymphs into a seam and down the river when tight line nymphing will increase your catch rate.

Looking forward, things will be changing and the trout will become more active. I've already seen bugs hatching.  In fact, yesterday afternoon on a Northern stream there were brown stones, blue wing olives, and caddis and midges coming off.  I was petty impressed to be honest.  I also heard a report of an angler in VT catching a few fish on dries already.  

The coming week looks to be a solid week of fishing and I anticipate more fish being active at any one time.  Remember, fishes metabolism increases with water temp, so when it's cold they just do not need to eat as much or as often.  You can easily fish a run and catch nothing only for a fish or two to become active and eat a fly later on in the day.  Do not get sucked into fishing only deep pools.  Another lesson I learned at Nationals this past March.  Trout in winter or late spring will hold throughout the rivers anywhere there is slow water.  It does not need to be deep or a pool.  The first two fish I caught this year in early April with a water temp of 46 were in pocket water. 

Next weekend is the Otter Creek Classic, and all of our guides will be fishing.  It is a bit later than usual which should allow for more fish to be caught than typical. I anticipate needing to fill your score sheets both days with a few big fish to win.  I think it will be a challenge to repeat this year as those guys and gals who live and guide down that way know the whereabouts of more big fish than I!