Green Mountain Troutfitters, Vermont Fly Shop, Vermont Fly Fishing Guides

Memorial Day Weekend

2012-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Brewster River - 5/26/12

It looks like a beautiful holiday weekend is in store for our region this Memorial Day. We're in summer fishing mode for the most part with low to moderate flows and water temps on the bigger rivers approaching that lethal 70 degree mark. When water temps exceed 69, do the trout a favor and find cooler water to fish in a smaller tributary or go poppin' for bass. For those of you familiar with the Ten Bends stretch on the Lamoille River in Hyde Park, please take note: If you access the Lamoille via the "Fisherman's Parking" access in the Ten Bends development, you are required to fill out a creel survey found in the green mailbox before leaving. Also please be aware that fishing via this access is not permitted when water temperatures exceed 69 degrees. This thermal refuge was instated by the Ten Bends HOA and only applies when accessing the river within Ten Bends property lines.

The best bet for trout this weekend is going to be early am fishing on the bigger rivers and morning/evening fishing on the tribs. Most of the tribs will remain at comfortable temps throughout the day, but with all this bright sun will come some shy mid-day trout. The bass fishing on the lakes has been on fire, but please be mindful of fish on their spawning beds and leave them alone to do their thing. We got word of an absolute beauty of a rainbow that left one of our local tribs on a stringer the other day, likely to sit in the freezer for a couple years. It's a damn shame that some people just don't care or have any clue of the impacts of taking that breeding fish out of the gene pool.
Make sure to get your teams registered for the 2012 Ditch Pickle Classic on Lake Champlain! All you gotta do is send us an email to ditchpickleclassic@gmail.com including your team name and contact info. Registration is $25/person and all proceeds benefit Friends of Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge. The DPC is July 14/15 this year. Don't miss it! <"((((><

Back in Action

2012-05-24T07:17:00.004-07:00

Mercury 115 in need of TLC looking for a good home

I've been on the search some time now for a new powerplant for the Sea Nymph, and it looks like she'll be back in the water in no time! She's gonna be fitted with a very quiet and clean running Honda 50hp four stroke. This boat has been great to me and I'm glad I was able to find a new outboard at the right price to get me out on the lake again! I'm selling the merc in the photo above and some great parts for it. It needs a new #1 piston and proly some other stuff as well. Make me an offer!
It looks like we have a great weekend in store! The only downside to all this nice weather is that the bigger rivers will be getting warm in the afternoon hours, so carry a stream thermometer and avoid fishing those oxygen depleted water temps.
I fished with Chris from Waterbury last night whose been struggling with his catching lately. He broke his streak last night catching a handful of rainbows on both nymph and dry/dropper rigs. Just before dark, we moved to an area predominantly occupied by wild trout. On the first drift, Chris hooked into a solid fish that decided to spit the pheasant tail. Needless to say, I think Chris has re-discovered his passion for fly fishing which means far more than catching any fish.
We've still got openings for the weekend. Drop us a line and let's get out and fish! <"(((((><

Isolated rain

2012-05-23T10:16:00.002-07:00

We have been on the water guiding and fishing around the Lamoille this week and we saw quite a varity of bugs. Sometimes fish were eating them, sometimes not. Sulpher spinners have been over the water just after 7:15 or so, and I've seen duns popping off in the late afternoon/early eve. March browns and stoneflies have also been around. 2 nights ago there was a very large hatch of caddis and fish were all over them for about an hour. Lots of stockies caught on an x-caddis pattern. The other night saw bugs hatching and few fish rising. So, we have seen a bit of everything this week. Yesterday, I had a 70 year old client who was a blast. He did good and caught 4 or 5 stocked rainbows and missed as many. All those fish came on flashback pt nymphs #14 on the swing. Then we switched spots and he got 1 nice wild bow on a #10 olive crystal bugger. We fished late morn into early afternoon and the bug activity was slow but there were random risers here and there. The best action I have seen has been from 7:30 pm to dark. With that said, we might see some water temps possibly topping 70 on the big rivers in the pm this week.
Last nights rain was interesting around here cause the storms were very heavy in isolated spots. Here in Jeff, rivers look messy but, east of here looks downright low. At first, I figured they were holding water back in Lake Lamoille but, upstream of there, is clear as day.
So, the rest of this week will have decent weather, just a little warm with a chance of rain on Friday. Have fun out there.

High Pressure

2012-05-19T11:03:00.003-07:00

The story this week is sunshine. We have had bright sun and it looks like the weather will stay that way at least through the weekend. I fished a Winooski trib midday yesterday and between the clear water and the sun, things just did not feel right. We caught some small wild bows on nymphs but no big fish were seen or hooked. Not surprising in that kind of weather but, ya can't always get out when it's perfect. There were some bugs around and the fish were not responding to them on the surface. We saw mostly yellow sallies, and a couple of large mayflies that I did not identify. Most large rivers should have sulphers coming off right now although I have not seen any myself. So, between the weather, the good water flows and the recent local stockings, this weekend should be some very good fishing, just be sure to have some spinner patterns with you cause the next couple o weeks usually marks some of the better spinnerfalls of the season. Have fun out there.

Our Newest Lodging Partners

2012-05-18T08:28:00.002-07:00

Our display board in the lobby of the all new Hotel Jay

We're very excited to be working closely with2 new lodging partners this season; Jay Peak Resort and Sterling Ridge Resort & Log Cabins! If you plan on visiting our area anytime, both of these 4-season resorts offer outstanding accommodations and ameneties!

The Field & Stream Dream Cabin at Sterling Ridge Resort

Pickin' Away at the Pike

2012-05-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the fishing is so good that they just fall out of the sky

We got a little pike fishing in up North yesterday and, as most other days we have set aside for fishing recently, it was pretty raw, rainy and windy out! Luckily the rain let up and we found some spots to fish out of the wind. We caught plenty of smaller pike and had some real bruisers turn away at the boat. There were also a couple smallmouth in the mix with one that was a real beast of a fish. Water temps matched air temps and never rose above 54 degrees on the surface. We found fish pretty concentrated and found ourselves doing the same drift over and over. Looks like a nice weekend is in store for us here in the North, so get out and fish!
Some things to consider...

Registration is now open for the Ditch Pickle Classic. Get your team together and contact us at ditchpickleclassic@gmail.com
We are having our first Fishin' Buddies meeting on Saturday, May 19 from 10am-12pm at our shop. We'll be teaching 9-15 year old kids fly tying basics for FREE! Call 802.644.2214 to reserve a spot for your child.
The next Feathers n' Friends fly tying night will be on Tuesday, May 22nd from 6-9pm at our shop. This class on Lamoille River Essential Trout Patterns is FREE TO ATTEND, but space is limited so contact us soon to sign up!

Fishin' Buddies Fly Tying Class - May 19

2012-05-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

We'll be having our first "Fishin' Buddies" get together on Saturday, May 19th from 10-12pm at our store in Jeffersonville. We will be teaching 10-15 year old kids the basics of fly tying. If you have a child that would like to attend, please contact us at 802-644-2214 or chris@gmtrout.com
The goal of our Fishin' Buddies program is to get kids interested in fishing. This class is completely free to attend and all tools and materials will be provided!
Kids must pre-register and space is limited, so don't delay in getting your child signed up!

GreenUp Weekend

2012-05-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

The rains are back after a beautiful weekend. We had a successful Lamoille GreenUp on Saturday followed by an evening of bluegrass and tortillas in Johnson. We had the raft piled high with trash and if Mike had one more tire, his canoe would have sank! We pulled a ton of plastic out of the branches and bushes which, to me, was the most rewarding part. The day was really windy and, although we had rids with us, we didn't fish hardly at all since there was so much trash to pick up. We did float by one rising fish so we ditched the canoe and Mike jumped in the front of the raft (after moving around some tires and other trash) and we floated into position. A few drift with an emerger yielded nothing, but a skated elk hair caddis was all it took get that rainbow interested!
After this round of rains clears up, we should be right back to stellar afternoon fishing conditions. Give us a shout and let's go fishing! - Chris

On-Stream Class Reunion

2012-05-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today I hit the Lamoille with some clients. Long story short, turns out when we booked it happened that my client was my old friend from high school Chris, and his buddy Brian. We started upstream and water temps were a chilly 49 degrees. We got 1 rainbow and missed 1 or 2 more on beadhead PT nymphs. Then we went looking for hendricksons downstream and found them hatching pretty strong from 2-4pm. There was an odd stonefly in the mix as well. The water warmed just enough to turn the fish on and we got to see 2 hrs of very steady surface activity. It was their 1st time with fly rods and they did great going 4 for 4 on hendrickson dries, all wild browns between 12-15 inches. On the way out they let me take a shot and I got in on the action with another brown in the mid teens. Amazing to get 5 wild browns on dries out of the same run on the Lamoille. I have NEVER seen that before. Then at 4:00pm the bugs shut off like a light switch and the fish stopped rising. We are supposed to get a 1/2 to 1 inch of rain tonight into tomorrow which could shut down the big rivers but, we will have to wait and see.

Warmer Weather's on it's Way!

2012-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

My son's first fly-caught trout!

Yesterday, Mike and I had a group out in some pretty raw conditions to say the least. The day started out with some steady rain showers, air temps in the low to mid 40's and water temps of about 48-49 degrees in the stretch of the Winooski we fished. Although we had some seriously slow fishing, our guests still had a great time and learned a ton about fishing with the fly. It's hard to expect much of a response from a trout when water temps are so frigid. This week's forecasted warm up is more than welcome in my book!
The other day I took my kids to our local trout pond and found plenty of fish boiling on the surface. My 6 year old son had a couple break-offs with the fly rod, before sealing the deal on a nice rainbow. This time, I held the fly line for him so the fish could run when he wanted, he held the rod and my 4 year old was the go-to net man. Now they're both hooked!
Don't forget about our Lamoille River Clean-Up this coming Saturday, May 5th! We're gonna float from Cady's Falls to Waterman Brook in Johnson and clean that sucker up! We could use some volunteers, so give us a shout if you wanna join us! We'll be having a BBQ afterwards at my place in Hyde Park - Chris

Toothy Ties

2012-04-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

A BIG thanks to Ken Capsey of Vermont Fly Guys and the group of guys that came out last night to kick off our inaugural night of "Feathers n' Friends" with some must-have pike patterns! Our next session will be on Tuesday, May 22nd. Stay tuned for details!

2012 Lamoille River Clean Up

2012-04-23T12:30:00.001-07:00

When - Saturday, May 5th 2012; Meet at 8am; BBQ to follow

Where - Floating from Cady's Falls (Morrisville) to Waterman Brook (Johnson). We will meet at the recreational parking area on the Duhamel Rd. (Right next to Cady's Falls Nursery)

What - We're going to float in canoes and rafts and wade around picking up rubbish from the river bottom and banks. Considering last season's floods, I'm expecting a lot of trash!

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Some more of the details...

Keep in mind the idea is to transport as much garbage as possible, so we need plenty of boat space. Kayaks don't work so great for carrying more than the paddler...canoes are much better.
Bring a pointed shovel, a pair of work gloves and waders since the water will still be pretty cold
Afterwards, we'll be having a post-float BBQ in Hyde Park to celebrate our efforts! BYOB

If you'd like to join us and help clean up our river, drop us a line at...

802.644.2214

info@gmtrout.com

She's on the Rise

2012-04-22T09:22:00.002-07:00

Still a ways off from the median flow for this time of year, but it should'nt take long to surpass that with the rains forecasted for tonight/tomorrow. My lawn already looks greener - Chris

Good'ole Lamoille

2012-04-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Wild Lamoille River Brown (April 20th, 2012)

Mike and I got the rare opportunity to trout fish together last night close to home on the Lamoille and it was a great evening to be out! There was a slight breeze and not much to speak of for insect activity. The water is so low right now that we really could use this rain that is forecast to come thru this week. I was swinging big streamers on my switch-rod and Mike was throwing the single-hander, pretty much doing the same thing. I had just tucked my empty PBR 24-ouncer into my stretchy wading belt when I heard Mike yell for a net from around the bend. I sprinted around the corner and we slipped Mike's second wild Lamoille brown of the day into the net, took a couple pics and watched it swim away. We had about 2-3 other fish come up and aggressively grab stuff off the surface, but no other takers for the night. Great to be out <"((((>< Chris

Mike's first Lamoille Trout of the 2012 season

Bassin' in the Breeze

2012-04-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

I had a great day out yesterday with a father and son duo from Mass. We fished a lake in the upper tier of the state and found a pretty relentless south wind that was only forecast for 4-7mph, but by the time we took out there were whitecaps on the lake! We played our drifts accordingly and had a great day out, playing with some nice fish in water temps of about 50 on average. The fly of the day was a chartreuse/white half n' half fished on an intermediate sinking line. We had a lunker smallie come unbuttoned on one of the first casts of the day. Man I wanted to see that fish up close! Always good to be out <"((((>< Chris

2012 VT Trout Season Underway!

2012-04-17T12:09:00.002-07:00

My 2nd trout of the 2012 VT season was a bruiser!

The recent warm run of weather we've had combined with above average early season water temps has made for some epic April fishing conditions! I was on the Lamoille the other night and had swarms of stoneflies, caddis and even some mayflies all over. We've even seen 1 or 2 sporadic rising fish on the Lamoille already! Water flows are pretty low, so we could use some rain to keep things in check. It looks like later this week we'll possibly see a good shot at some rain showers(maybe even a lot of rain!), but we'll have to wait and see. Some stockings have already taken place, so check out the F&W Stocking Report for an updated list of what stockings have been completed.
Just 1 week from today, we'll be kicking off the first edition of Feathers n' Friends with Vermont Fly Guy, Ken Capsey and his killer pike patterns! Come on out and support the local fly tying talent!

Damn These Roads Are Bumpy

2012-04-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

A dandy of a smallie, but we were hoping for a dandy of a northern today

Today's conditions were much more favorable than our last day out, but the fish gods didn't seem to be on our side. We fished a pond in the northern tier and we really wanted to get a big northern! The water was a chilly 42 degrees to start and we hooked a small fish right off the batt, but we only ended up with a couple smaller pike and a chunker of a smallie on the day. Winds were out of the N/NW at about a steady 10mph which made it seem much colder than it was. We'll be back there after it warms up a touch
Many of our local roads (like Rte 15 between Johnson & Cambridge) have seen smoother days :-) Not the best conditions for towing a boat

R.I.P. Spanish Fly

2012-04-06T18:27:00.001-07:00

Big loss for the fishing community. Read about it HERE

We're Baaack!

2012-04-03T17:30:00.002-07:00

We are now open for the 2012 season so drop by and see us! Our current store hours are...
Monday 9-5
Tuesday 9-5
Wednesday 9-5
Thursday (CLOSED)
Friday 9-5
Saturday 9-5
Sunday 9-5

DON'T MISS "FEATHERS N' FRIENDS" ON APRIL 24TH WITH KEN CAPSEY!! PLEASE CALL AND LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE COMING - 802.644.2214

OR INFO@GMTROUT.COM

ALSO NOT TO MISS IS THE 2ND OTTER CREEK CLASSIC AND FLY FISHING FILM TOUR HOSTED BY MIDDLEBURY MOUNTAINEER

See you soon! <"((((>< Chris

White River rip rap

2012-03-25T18:15:00.001-07:00

I traveled through the White River valley this weekend. This fall there was so much Irene coverage that the shock wore off. Driving along the White and Tweed Rivers this weekend I was reminded of what happened. It is crazy now to see the massive reconstruction projects. Banks have been rip rapped for miles and miles. More rock has been moved than I could ever imagine and there is heavy machinery at every pull off. The woods and corn fields are still covered deep in silt. Huge amounts of trees. root balls and all, are washed against the banks. 7 months later and this disaster is still very obvious. mk

One in Winter

2012-03-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

My buddy Bob sent me this vid that's got him all amped up about catching steelhead on the two-hand rod...

One in Winter from ryan peterson on Vimeo.

April Eye Candy

2012-03-13T07:23:00.002-07:00

April 13th, 2012 / Doors 6:15; Show 7:30 / $15

The Fly Fishing Film Tour(FFFT) is returning to Middlebury...Bigger and Better! This year the Middlebury Mountaineer will be hosting the FFFT at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. They will also be having a product showcase prior to the show featuring products from Patagonia, Sage, RIO, Hardy, Jackson Kayaks, Vermont Fly Guys, and more. For more info on the event and ticketing follow this link: http://mmvt.com/node/326

Troutfitters Offering FREE Scholarship

2012-03-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Troutfitters are offering up a FREE TUITION to Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp for the kid that sends us the best fishy photo they can capture with a digital camera!

The only guidelines are that photo submissions relate to fishing in some way. Be creative and keep it original. Typical "grip n' grin" shots get old, so try to send us the most artistic composition you can put together. Please no photos of dead fish!

To Enter:

Send us a hard copy of your photo to Green Mountain Troutfitters Photo Contest / 233 Mill St. / Jeffersonville, VT 05464 (Please include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope if you would like your photo back after the contest)
Be sure to include a description of your photo along with your name, address, phone and email
Email us a digital copy of your photo to info@gmtrout.com
Keep an eye out for updates on our Blog frequently

- Photo submissions must be received by June 1st, 2012 -

- Winning photos will be announced June 8th, 2012 -
- Limit of (1) entry per person -

Buy a Chance & Give a Chance

2012-03-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

We've got some great items up for raffle on our Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp website! Buying a few raffle tickets for these products gives you a great shot at some quality gear and tackle! Your raffle $ will also make Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp possible for kids that otherwise couldn't attend! Click the link next to each item and buy your raffle tickets today!

Redington CPX Fly Rod

(9' / 5 weight / 4 pc.)

Fishpond Waterdance Guide Pack

Umpqua Ultimate Trout Selection in UPG Fly Box

CLICK HERE TO BUY A RAFFLE TODAY!!

Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp

2012-03-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

The dates have officially been set for the 2012 Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp!

This brand new camp, which will provide kids age 10-15 a unique 5-day/4-night fly fishing experience, will be held from July 8th-12th, 2012 at Seyon Lodge in Groton, Vermont.

Here are some important points regarding the camp:

For boys and girls 10-15 years. Please see our FAQ Page
Limited to 12 campers
Camp tuition INCLUDES a complete fly fishing outfit! Kids will receive a Redington Crosswater Rod & Reel Outfit, a Fishpond San Juan Vertical Chest Pack, an Umpqua Fly Tying Tool Kit, a GMFFC Fly Box filled with an assortment of locally hand-tied flies and a GMFFC t-shirt! That's a value of over $250!! We want to give our campers every reason to pursue the sport after leaving camp
We will be posting specific info shortly regarding scholarships. Limited scholarships will be available and we will be raffling items which procedes will go directly to the Green Mountain Fly Fishing Camp Scholarship Fund. If you or someone you know would like to help make GMFFC possible for kids that otherwise couldn't attend, please contact us right away!
We welcome volunteer help! If you'd like to help out in some way please let us know!

CLICK TO VIEW GMFFC WEBSITE