Winooski River Vermont Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone/Tailwaters
Species
Brown Trout (wild and stocked with
some holdovers)
Brook Trout (wild and stocked)
Rainbow (wild and stocked with some
holdovers)
Landlocked Salmon
Steelhead
Size
Medium to Large
Location
Central Vermont
Nearest Towns
Marshfield
Winooski
Montpelier
Burlington
Season
Mid April – October..
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Vermont
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season follows the standard Vermont trout season -but the season in the Salmon Hole is different. Be sure
to check the current regulations on it.
Spring:
Late Springtime is a good time for fly fishing the Winooski River.
Summer:
Choose your places to fish carefully during the hottest part of the Summer. Much of the water can become too warm.
Fall:
Fall is a good time to fish the Winooski and the time the salmon and steelhead move into the lower river.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Options For Selecting Flies:
1. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)
with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response.
2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need
3. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)
with a budget for flies and we will select them to match the budget and get them to you in time for your fly fishing trip.
All orders are shipped free in the
U. S. Orders over $100 are shipped via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Winooski River Vermont
The Winooski River is one of the largest rivers in the state of Vermont. It starts in Central Vermont at Marshfield, and flows northwestward all the way to Lake Champlain. Along its course, it gains in size big time, picking up water from several major tributaries such as
Dog River, Little River Stevens Branch, Mad River and others. Fly fishing the Winooski River varies from section to section.
This river is easy to wade in most areas but a canoe would be better suited for many other areas. It’s very wide and from a Vermont standard, a very large river. The section that extends from Burlington to Montpelier is the most popular section for fly anglers. Good access is provided in this area by River Road. This section is cooled by water from the Mad River and the discharge from the dam at Duxbury. It’s a tailwater stream in this section.
The river is stocked with rainbow, brown and brook trout. In the lower section of the river in Burlington, below the dam at Winooski, you can fish for landlocked salmon and steelhead that move into the river up to the dam during the Fall. This section is called the Salmon Hole.
The river flows through forested mountains and open farmland. Many parts of the river gets too warm for trout during the hot summer, so much of this large river is better suited for warm water species. The sections that hold trout have very good populations of various aquatic insects that provide the trout with plenty of food.
After being stocked for a few weeks, the trout in the Winooski River learn to survive on the national aquatic insects and other foods and can become quite selective. Using more realistic imitations of the most plentiful and available food at the time your fishing will improve your success. There is a good population of several caddisfly species, some mayflies and a few stoneflies. Sculpin and baitfish are very plentiful. The tailwater has lots of midges.