So I got up to Vermont last Saturday. I was in the Stratton area. Lots of water up there, not all of it good. You drive around on the local highways and say to yourself "that this looks like a good spot, I should pull over and try it." I did just that in the river just down from the Stratton access road. Cold water, little green sallies coming off, decent flow, nada for my efforts.
Now Im not a pro or a guide, but I do know how to get things done. I tried yellow sallies (I didnt have green), streamers and nymphs. All for nothing...probably just one of those things where the river just gets low at some point and all the fish move out and I hit when it looked decent, but was barren.
Or maybe I just suck.
Anyway, I tried the famed Battenkill twice. The first time, I fished a stretch that had the slickest bottom Ive ever experienced. I was sliding and splashing the whole way and came away with a crap attitude. River one, Jim nada.
The second time, I hired a guide. Tom from Battenkill Angler.
He knew the river well and we saw fish rising. I managed three, and lost more than double that. They were taking #18 BWOs early on and then switched to Cahills #14.
Now, these fish were tough. I would see them taking BWOs and then I would roll a BWO parachute over their head with a good drift and they would ignore me. They were more selective than a country club beauty queen.
It didnt help that Tom yelled for me to set the hook and threw me off my game with a few. Ive really been trying to count to one before setting the hook with dries, as Ben Turpin tells me all the time that I'm too quick in that department.
Whatever, Im up for the Battenkill challenge next Summer.
I also fished the West River. That was pretty decent. Some stocked bows and a really nice holdover 16" brown came to net. From what I understand, in a typical year, the West warms up by Summer, but this year, with the cool temps it was cold with a great flow.
I had such a nice getaway, I even considered buying a place up there to ski and fish out of. The area is close to nice water and Stratton, Bromley and Magic for skiing.
Anyone want to go in on a house?