Fishing Report - 10/16/26
It finally feels like fall, and we’ve gotten some significant rain at last. The high water has the fish taking advantage, and the bite has been better for it.
Tomorrow looks a bit cold, but air temperatures should climb back into the 50s and 60s next week, which should warm the water back up. Water temperatures have been fairly consistent in the mid 50s across most of the water I’ve been on recently. The New Haven is at 100 CFS as I write this, but with rain continuing through the afternoon, I’d be shocked if it doesn’t bump back up to at least a couple hundred. The Otter in Middlebury is running at 900 CFS and will likely hover around 1,000 through the weekend, which is probably too high to fish the lower stretches. Down in Rutland it has dropped to 350 CFS and is in much better shape.Visibility is slightly better than I expected, with two to three feet in the tributaries, though you’ll need to stay conscious of your drifts so they land in the right slots to find feeding fish.
Fish are shifting into slightly slower holding water, so be sure to get your flies down to the middle of the water column and be persistent with your drifts and rigs in likely areas. They don't seem to be quite as opportunistic right now and may need a little coaxing. Making sure your drift moves at a slow enough pace seems especially crucial to picking up eats. I’ve had a couple of fish eat on the 7th or 8th drift in the same spot. Midday and early afternoon may be a better option than early morning or late evening, since sun on the water tends to increase bug activity and makes fish more willing to move and feed.
In late season muddy water, dark streamers, eggs, worms, mops, and other junk flies will likely be the ticket. When I fish a natural pattern, I usually go with something bright, with some added color, in a size 14 or so. If the water clears up, prince nymphs, October caddis, and smaller olive streamers have all been working for me recently prior to the rain.
Keep in mind that it’s spawning season for the browns and brookies, so please avoid stepping or casting near redds while you wade. Lookout for clean, cleared out gravel patches, especially in the tributaries. Giving them space lets the fish spawn and keeps the population healthy.
Stop by the shop at 56 Main Street if you need to pick up some flies or any other gear. If you need some recommendations about what water to target or what tactics to use, please feel free to ask. We’ve moved some of the larger packs and other fishing equipment next door to make room for winter gear, but if there’s something you’re looking for, we can help you find it over there. We’re also coming into the final two weeks of the guiding season, so if you’d like to fish in the fall foliage or pick up some late-season tactics, call the shop to book a trip as soon as possible.
Tight Lines,
Jake
Previous Reports
We are well into the dog days of summer and despite the August heat and lack of rain we’re still finding some fish. In terms of water levels. the New Haven River is at 44 CFS, Otter Creek in Middlebury at 350, and Rutland at 228, and Lewis Creek is at 34 CFS as of the time of writing. The forecast for the coming week shows generally lows around 60 degrees and highs in the upper 70s.
Hello everyone! I’m glad to be back in the States and sharing some insights with you all from my first week or so back on the water here in Vermont. I will have more information to come as I continue to refresh myself on the water nearby.
First off, thank you to everyone who came out for the Otter Creek Classic last weekend. It’s pretty humbling to realize we’ve made it 18 years, and we’re already looking ahead to OCC19, scheduled for April 9–11, 2027. With around 95 anglers on the water, we gathered some great early-season feedback.
With the warmer weather this past week, we are finally getting some open water on the rivers around Middlebury. Currently Otter Creek in Middlebury is at 1000 CFS, and in Rutland just below 700. The New Haven is at right around 250 and most rivers are running fairly clear with a hint of the runoff blueish-green color.
We’re coming up towards the end of October and with it the end of the traditional fishing season. Remember, Vermont does have a plethora of year round water available to keep fishing into November and the Winter beyond, however, these last few weeks will be some of the last chances to target fish that are eating consistently and moving aggressively on food.
Get out while you can! The cooler temperatures combined with the recent rain has been making the fishing hot right now!
The New Haven peaked at nearly 800 CFS on Wednesday morning and has dropped down to 75 and has gone from muddy to clear but the fish have seemed much happier and more active on both it and the Middlebury since the increase in flows. The Otter Creek has just peaked today at around 530 and with the colder temperatures, should fish well for trout, pike, and smallmouth as long as the flows stay above 300/400.
Finally! With this week’s inch plus of total rain, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The New Haven peaked last night at just over 200 CFS, a flow level it hadn’t reached since 96 days prior, back in June. It’s back down to around 135 CFS, but that is still a steady improvement to the previous conditions. The Otter in Middlebury is up to right around 200 CFS and climbing. If it continues to rise and with the lower temperatures it has, fishing the Otter could be worth considering. The other tributaries, further south, have also been fishing well.
Chilly nights have been a blessing recently, but their positive impact has been (at least) balanced out by how low our rivers have been. The drought from this summer has continued; however, hopefully conditions and the fishing will continue to improve as fall comes into swing.
June 2nd Fishing Report – Vermont
It’s been a wild spring, with water temps and flows bouncing all over the place. I was able to wet wade a stretch of the New Haven last week, but after the recent rains, I’m back in waders and a light puffy. Water temps in Addison County streams had been steadily climbing—we pulled a 58°F on the Middlebury and a 61.4°F on the New Haven last week—but this morning the New Haven cooled off dramatically to 49.6°F.
Here's a mid-March fishing report for Vermont, packed with insights for anglers navigating the unpredictable spring conditions:
Welcome to the uncertainty of fishing in March in Vermont. By the end of last week, rivers were in great shape, especially the smaller freestone streams in the valley with excellent flows and visibility. If you had the chance to fish then, you may have enjoyed some prime conditions. However, expect things to shift quickly as we’re in for another round of rain and snow, which could change the game.
