Memorial Day Weekend

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! <"((((><