Mid Winter Fishing Report and OCC Info

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Otter Creek Classic 17    April, 11-13th 2025

https://www.mmvt.com/fishing/otter-creek-classic

https://flyfilmtour.com/film/2025-fly-fishing-film-tour-official-trailer/

OCC17 UPDATE: We have officially kicked off the registration to this year’s Otter Creek Classic.  Check the link out above. Jake, Craig and Steve have already been hard at work getting this year’s event rolling.  A huge credit to them all.  We will also be hosting the Fly Fishing Film Tour in partnership with MiddFly and the New Haven River Anglers Assoc. at Dana Auditorium on Friday, OCC eve.  Tickets are available on the OCC page on the GMA website(link above). We are all very excited to see you all, reconnect, and catch some fish. 

 

WINTER AND EARLY SPRING CONDITIONS OUTLOOK 

While we are still about 75 days away from the OCC17 we thought it would be helpful to do our annual early season tactics post, so you have something to think about and maybe put into practice in the time leading up to the event.  Winter still has a strong grasp on Vermont, and we are firmly in the “dog days” of the winter.  I find this post-holiday stretch between the holidays and March to feel the longest, but it’s a great time to get an early start on looking over your gear, tying flies, and educating yourself for the coming season.

It’s far too early to predict the spring conditions this year, but we appear to be getting through January without a major thaw.  Snowpacks are probably a bit below average, and we are still in a drought from the previous year.  The next month or so will determine how big our runoff could be, and the temps will decide how quickly that happens.  It’s a la Nina year, which is favorable for larger early spring snowstorms in New England.  I’m hopeful that we can get some additional snow, and praying the temps stay low, and just ease upward for a long-drawn-out runoff and a fully recharged aquifer.  

If that’s not the case, then we could have better fishing earlier.  There have been at least 2 events I can recall in which the runoff was completely over by the time we hosted OCC on the traditional “VT season opener weekend” dates.  Those years offered some of the highest fish totals and impressively large wild fish we have seen.  There have also been a few years in which everything has been cold and high.  It’s always a bit of a crap shoot, but the picture will get clearer about where we are headed each week. And we will keep you updated as it does. 

 

EARLY SEASON FISHING TACTICS

No matter what conditions get dealt, preparation is key.  That includes gear, rigging, strategy and scouting.  We will spend some time in future posts talking through each of those.  But here we want to share some insight on fishing tactics between now through the event.  So, when the mood strikes you and you feel the pull of the water, you can consider some of these things as you get out this late winter. 

I preface this with the a few important details which dictate why we may choose to go about using the tactics we do during this time period.  The Otter Creek and White River watersheds are freestone rivers.  There are no true tailwaters anywhere on them, in which I mean that there are no under spill dams fed by a deep reservoir supplying the river with a more consistent water temp.  There are many top spill and power generation dams throughout the Otter and small mill dams on several Otter tributaries and the White. But those do not offer the benefit of regulating water temperatures year-round.  Because of this, the water temps are completely subject to the weather. However, we do have one exception, which is there are a few places that have significant spring water seeps. That water can be warmer near those seeps, just like they are cooler in the summer months.  These can be quite a trout magnet if the habitat near them is suitable for holding fish.  

 So, as I am sure you have noticed, it’s January and most of the VT small streams are ice and snow covered, and the larger rivers don’t look much better.  This is a time of almost hibernation for our local trout and certainly starvation. Being that trout are cold blooded, and the water is 32 degrees, everything slows way down for trout.  Their metabolism is nearly at a standstill.  They prefer the easiest lies, which require little to no energy expenditure.   But even still, they will not stray far from some sort of food source and the little energy they choose to expend is usually going to be in pursuit of food and fleeing danger. Its not uncommon for winter fish that are caught to appear a bit more slender, due to the lack of consistent food sources.  

There is not much for macroinvertebrate activity in these winter months. We do not see hatches, except for some rare occurrences, and even drifting nymphs are sparse at best until the water temperature and light intensity increase.  For the most part, a lot of our trout junk feed right now.  Eating only when they need to, or an opportunity too good to pass comes by. Just knowing those important things can help you know where and how fish, allowing you to be on the water with the highest opportunity to connect with some fish. 

During these winter months I look for deep water like pools or runs and very slack water as long as it has enough depth for them to feel safe from overhead predation.  Reading the water is key to establishing the different potential lies as well as having some basic understanding of current dynamics and what the current could be doing under the surface throughout the water column.  There are certainly places that look like great holding water, but a hidden rock could be deflecting current quickly, making it too much work for the fish to hang there when the water is very cold.  Look for boiling water, back eddies and watch foam lines, if present for insight into the what’s happening.  

On deeper pools the water usually enters at a drop-off at the head of the pool, which could be very defined or just a gradual change in depth.  In the warmer months it’s easy to run right to the head and start fishing the drop.  It’s usually a safe bet that there will be at least one fish there. They don’t mind getting pushed around a bit by the current and working to hold their lie because the food is plentiful, so they are replacing calories they are expending and likely building a surplus. In these winter months, they don’t want to be there, but strategically positioned to barely have to move, but still be close enough in case something comes along.  In some cases, there is a dead spot below the current at the head of the pool where things can just drop right to them, I see this more at places with ledge rock defining the head of the pool or huge pocket pools.  But I found that the trout in the winter will typically hang back a bit in the middle or tail of the pool where they have good vision and use no energy to hold.  Because of this, approach with caution and do your best to stay out of the fish’s sight window.  When nymphing, work back to front, carefully covering the sections and making rig adjustments if the water speed or depth changes.  If streamer fishing, I would sneak around to the head, and down fish the pool, trying to cover as much of it as possible.  

Another place also worth considering is long, deeper runs, with laminar flow.  These will have far less defined current lines, which adds to the challenge because the fish could be anywhere.  These are the sort of places a streamer is likely the most effective choice because you can cover water with efficacy without trying to pick spots to drift your nymphs, especially on larger rivers like the White and Otter.  For the few who use trout spey rigs, this sort of “frog” water is dreamy.  

A majority of the food will be coming from the current, which is one of the vital reasons that trout always face into the current when holding.  On some of these pools there could be slow back eddies, which may cause the fish to face down stream of the main river flow.  The food items in the current could be a whole host of different things, including macroinvertebrates that were disturbed and caught in the current, terrestrials like worms from an eroding bank, and other fish and forge, some of which are dead and just tumbling along the bottom.  All of which are easy targets.  But there are also fish that have reached the stage of predation, which may choose to eat other smaller live trout should the opportunity and effort be worth it.  Those fish have a tendency to be larger.

Being that we can within reason eliminate dry fly fishing for the next few months, this is going to be a subsurface game.  I would argue that you’re likely going to be most productive with nymphs, but some streamer tactics do apply and may result is some impressive winter fishing. Because there isn’t consistency yet in what macroinvertebrates are around it is not about matching naturals and who wants to fish #24 midge larvae anyways?  This is a time where suggestive attractor patterns work well.  These patterns look enough like food without being something specific and usually have some extra appeal by using triggers like body color, rubber legs, hot spots and bead color.  The usual suspects like princes, PT’s, copper johns and all their variations are a good place to start. I’ll run stonefly nymphs in the #6-8 range and attractor nymphs in the #12-14.   You may find that certain colors work better on certain waters or certain days.  I for one like a pink bead in the winter months on certain water.  Check with the shop about what the team and guides are finding success with.  

The other important considerations are fly size and weight.  If I am nymphing, I usually use at least 2 nymphs, one larger and one smaller, with the correct amount of weight to get them both to where I what them in the water column, the bottom, and get them there quickly. Whether your indicator nymphing, using European techniques, or just swinging them through a pool, getting your weight right is of upmost importance.  If you have two flies you feel good about, don’t hesitate to add some splitshot if you think you’re not getting deep enough, or even quickly enough.  Being underweighted means your flies are spending allot less time in the strike zone then you think and you may be missing opportunities you think your getting. 

Streamer fishing will allow you to cover more of the water and you aren’t tied to just dead drifts.  The only real downside of streamer fishing is that it can provoke swipes and strikes, but legitimate hook ups come at a lower percentage.  You may tempt a sizable fish to come after your fly, but we all have stories about the state record fish that took a swipe at our streamer, but we didn’t connect and it disappeared into the abyss to only live in local legend.  One technique that does improve those odds is swinging the fly.  This keeps some tension in the line and helps keep in contact with they fly and can even have the fish hook itself at times. This can be done with a single hand rod, a floating line and a long leader and heavy fly.  But a weight line and lighter fly with strategic placement can give a better presentation is your trying to imitate a live fish.  Otherwise, you can use either the dead drift approach or a retrieve.  I have never seen someone be so deadly with a dead drifted streamer than local guide, Brian Cadoret.  He quarters the pool like he is nymphing, using a streamer (usually of monstrous proportions), and a sinking line. He will cast into the head of the pool, leaving a bit of slack in the system for a moment, but also has a sixth sense for an early in the drift eat, which is wizardry in my opinion. Then he will slowly get just under tension so he can feel if anything happens, finally allowing the fly to come tight and swing out the tail.  I’ve watched him land many big fish doing this. When considering what the fly is doing, it makes a lot of sense.  A nice slow dead drifted entry into the pool and a little action at the end could absolutely trigger a strike by offering an easy meal, falling into the front of the pool, a reaction to some of the movement in the drift, or a predatory response fearing food was getting away as it swings out the tail.  In the end the dead drifted streamer offers condition matching behavior of a larger food item that just might wake a sleepy trout up enough.  These can be a variety of streamer patterns and would also say crawfish patterns play here as well. White has always been a good streamer color for me, but have a few different options to go to, and switch if you think you are fishing the water well without any action.  Again, check with the shop about what is working. 

As always, you can use a retrieved approach. On medium sized VT rivers like the New Haven, Midd, upper White and Otter, I fish downstream, walking one side of the river peppering the other bank with casts and working my fly back. I move way quicker than I would nymphing or dry fly fishing but cover substantially more water when doing so.   With cold, winter water I would always tend to retrieve slowly, varying my strip lengths and timing, with longer stalls between movements.  I do know a few anglers who have success moving the fly surprisingly quickly, playing to a predatory response.  So, experiment with your retrieve speed and cadence.  If you find something that works, stick with it. One of the best things about streamer fishing is there is no wrong way to fish a streamer.  

I think that covers this first write up, and we look forward to sharing more in the future to help you prepare for the season and the OCC17.  Keep checking back for new content on the website, social channels for more OCC17 content and information.  I hope you have a great few weeks and I cant wait to see you all this spring.  Good Luck and Have Fun!  Jesse.  

Previous Reports

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General Fishing Report September 23, 2022

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General Fishing Report July 31, 2022

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General Fishing Report June 11,2022

 

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RIVER CONDITIONS:  Water levels are in very good shape and will continue to drop and warm over the week.  The warm weather the next few days should push water temps into optimal fishing temps, though without rain the clarity may make for some challenges in the high sun.  It looks like the Otter in Middlebury will be below 1000cfs which is a rarity during the OCC.  This should open allot more good  fishing options for the event. 

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General Fishing Report May 2, 2022

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General Fishing Report for April 4, 2022

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General Fishing Report March 22, 2022

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General Fishing Report October 9, 2021

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General Fishing Report September 18, 2021

Hello out there! I hope this report finds everyone well and enjoying some cooler weather.  Rivers in the area are doing well with the consistent added rainfall and their residents are enjoying the cooler water temps.  Otter Creek tributaries are running in the low 60's, and the Creek  was in the upper 60's as of yesterday (Friday) morning.  It's still a good idea to keep that thermometer handy, as warm afternoons can get those water temps close to 70, especially on the Otter and lower down on its tributaries.  

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General Fishing Report 08/22/2021