Water levels around the 15th of May were quite good with the Battenkill in the 800 CFS range, the Walloomsac in the 300 CFS range and the Mettawee a little high in the 400 CFS range. Rain events on May 28th and June 9th helped keep waters in the excellent range till just now where the water is getting a little low. Stocking in NY and Vermont is done at this time with the latest stockings occurring around the first week in June. I am finding that now as we are in the later part of June the fish have spread out from stock points and are getting selective as they are getting educated between real food and the not so food. The natural predators have been very much around in the stocked waters I target. Lots of Mergansers, Osprey and the occasional Bald Eagle.
Bug hatches for me have been of the sporadic nature. Part of this is because I guide during the day at this time of year and rarely get to fish into the evening when you would get some flush hatches and spinner falls. Rain is expected in the next several days which again will improve conditions.
Since my preseason report, our weather has remained cooler and wetter than normal for early May. We received significant rainfall on May 6th and also on the 8th which made most local waters too high to fish. The Walloomsac went to over 1000 CFS and the Battenkill went to over 2000 CFS. Since the 8th, water levels dropped to very fishable heights as we went further toward the end of the month. Because of the high water earlier in the month my fishing during the Hendrickson hatch was limited due to the conditions.
Trout Stocking of local waters I fish and guide on began in later April and is continuing as of this report. For the Walloomsac located in Bennington, Brook trout were stocked in South Stream on the 18th and the Trophy stretch got its first of 2 stockings on April 26th. As the month progressed stocking the Deerfield, Hoosic, and Otter Creek continued throughout the month. In NY where I guideed on the BattenKill and the Mettawee, stocking started the 2nd and 3rd week of April. NY changed their management of trout in rivers and streams several years ago. Many of the sections I fish now are either "Wild Premier" or "Stock Extended" under the new regulations.The Battenkill from the NY/VT border to Eagleville Covered bridge is the Wild Premier section. There is no stocking, all catch and release and only artificials are allowed. The Kill has a stock extended stretch with a 40% reduction in daily harvest and multiple stockings every 2 weeks. The same is for the Mettawee in Granville and Whitehall.
Hatches during May included Hendricksons, and Blue Quills, and now we are into the Light Cahills, March Browns, Yellow sallies and several species of Caddis. During the times of day I guide most of the hatches have been sporadic in nature throughout the day. Most of my fishing has been either wet fly swing or dead drift nymphing. When I see working fish I may shift to a dry fly. I am still amazed that swinging flies are still so effective over the years! I have been targeting the stocked fish streams and when conditions are appropriate fishing my small water targets for wild fish. Both are doing well as I finish this report.
Will keep you posted as we go forward into early June.
Tight Lines
What an interesting winter it was here in southern Vermont. Not a great ski season to start and overall December through February were much warmer than normal. February was recorded as the warmest ever for the state of Vermont. I did some fishing on my own during those warm periods. I didn't catch every time I fished but I did catch in every "winter" month I did fish. In mid March our weather changed and we went into a colder and wetter late winter period with a number of snowstorms that made everything white again. Now as we head into the season the weather is beginning to warm up.
This is my first report for the 2024 season.Tomorrow will be the Official "Trout Opener" here in Vermont. In NY the opener was April 1st. I do not plan on going out because water levels are very high and extremely cold due to rain and snowmelt. From my notes, examples of flows are Battenkill 4000 CFS, The Walloomsac, 1740 CFS, and the Mettawee, 1430 CFS. All essentially "Blown Out".
I finished my winter job at the ski shop on April 1st. I have been busy with indoor projects for our home and doing gear prep for the season. My plans are to start guiding in early May.
Tight Lines!
