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More winter fly fishing
Post 03 Dec 2017, 16:49 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
Since I made my fishing post last week, the weather here took a turn for the worst. Temps down in the single digits, 3 days of heavy, drifting snow followed by 2 days of 35 degrees and rain. Long story short, all that snow melted and once again this weekend it warmed up into the 40's. This meant that it WAS warm enough to fish again, but the rivers were so high and muddy that I once again had no real choice but to make the 40 mile round trip drive to fish the Missisquoi River in Sheldon. I'm starting to see a pattern here!

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Once again, my oldest son Caleb decided to stay home (and warm), so Leland tagged along. The river was running almost a foot higher then last week and the water temp was 36 degrees. I don't know what the power plant was doing different this week, but there wasn't any difference in water temp between the discharge and the river. It didn't make much sense to deal with the fast currents and slimy rocks there so we headed up stream after about 30 minutes of fishing with out so much as a bite.

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We hiked up stream for about 300 yards to one of my favorite spots on the lower stretch of river. I haven't fished this spot in about 15 years, but it was always good (in summer) for smallmouth bass and browns (in spring and fall). I also know this stretch of river hold quite a few burbot cod, I've never caught one on a fly rod.....but I can always hope to. :)

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Leland's casting technique is still developing, but he's one of those kids that refuses to take instruction and has to be allowed to figure things out for him self. He did hook into something that managed to completely destroy his fly and shred his leader. Nether one of us saw what it was, but the way his rod was folded in half it must have had some size to it. I had a few fallfish and one small brown on, and something bigger that made one good run and then spit the hook. All in all, not a bad 3 hours of fishing.

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This week I tried a different line on my favorite "mystery rod"....which I've recently figured out is a Horrocks & Ibbotson, which is great since it fits in with the rest of my collection. Anyway, this week I swapped on 7wt SA Mastery Steelhead, the rod seems to like it for "distance", but it's safe to say I've reached the working limits of that rod since it barely has enough back bone to lift 60' of it. So this may be my "medium sized" river glass rod next summer.


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Post 03 Dec 2017, 18:44 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/12/16
Posts: 4094
Location: USA-CO
A good day! Thanks for showing. I wonder if the mystery fish is a big eel.


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Post 03 Dec 2017, 19:40 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
Well, there are eels farther down stream, but there's 2 more dams in the way. Possible but I've never seen them that far up. Who knows, there are some big smallmouth, browns, burbot, pike and even the occasional walleye in there so it could have been just about anything. Over 80 species of fish in that river! :)


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Post 03 Dec 2017, 22:46 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/04/15
Posts: 388
Location: Coppell, TX
Enjoyed the report and pictures.


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Post 04 Dec 2017, 07:46 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
That is some pretty water!


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Post 04 Dec 2017, 12:07 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
It is a really cool spot, kind of a hidden gem just far enough off the beaten path to never get fished hard. It's one of those places you can fish 5 days in a row and catch something different every day. I like that!


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