One of my sons and his wife recently spent time (not fishing) in Manchester, VT area and loved it - shopping, dining, etc. Last evening, both sons and I had dinner together and we agreed to plan a trout fishing trip (2 days probably) to Manchester area next year. My fishing has been limited to CT/RI rivers so hoping some of you might share your experience fishing this area - best time to go (or at least if there is a time to avoid), where to fish, where to stay/eat, etc. Thanks very much in advance for your suggestions.
Trout fishing in VT
- Thread starter jc10
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moucheur2003
Well-known member
Talk to the folks at the Orvis flagship store. They know everything there is to know about the area, assuming they are willing to talk. The classic grand hotel there is the Equinox, although you can probably find a good deal on an out-of-season ski condo at VRBO.com. I haven't fished there in a few years, but I have heard that the Battenkill is no longer the blue-ribbon fishing experience it was in its heyday. The upper Otter (between Manchester and Rutland) and the Mettawee might be better places to try. DIY exploring is fun, but if you have the money and limited time, hiring a guide is probably your best bet to get you onto fish.
philly
Well-known member
My sister owned house about 30 minutes east of Manchester for many years. I'm more familiar with the streams in that area. Fished the Battenkill just over the border in NY years ago when it was a blue ribbon stream. It was tough fishing. I agree with moucheur 2003. The Orvis store would be your best place for info and you might have better luck on Otter Creek and Mettawee. Again places I haven't fished in years. Times to go I would avoid late May and early June. Unless you enjoy the company of black flies. It's a beautiful area.
If you aren’t tied to that area you can get in to some great fishing off the beaten path within an hour or so of Manchester. I grew up in northern Vt and worked in Weathersfield for a few years and fished some great holes along the Black River and Kedron Brook. There was a spot close to Woodstock that connected in to 20 foot hole that had some great brook trout fishing as well. Other places that were solid were the Deerfield and Mill Rivers, Wardsboro Brook, Mad River and the Saxton was solid. Also, try and get a hold of Tom
Rosenbauer over at Orvis. He could offer up some great tips and areas to look at. Certainly the Battenkill is always good and the Otter Creek is good too.
Rosenbauer over at Orvis. He could offer up some great tips and areas to look at. Certainly the Battenkill is always good and the Otter Creek is good too.
Great thing about Vermont is that you can get into some great fishing within an hour or so of anywhere. In fact, in a reasonable bicycle distance from my house I can catch (or at least try to catch) trout, bass, pike, salmon, lake trout, bowfin, catfish, gar, crappies, etc. etc.
Though having grown up in RI, I do miss fishing for stripers, bluefish, sea bass, tautog, flounder, etc.
photoguy
Well-known member
If you make it a little further north, there's a well equipped fly shop just outside of Stowe. I was there in the fall and could only spend a few minutes looking over the chalk board outside of the shop that listed current conditions and only a few minutes inside the shop as I was on my way to a work project. The Lamoille caught my eye as an interesting spot and the guy in the shop said it had been a great year for fishing. I typically go a little further up to the Connecticut but might spend a little time in VT this year as well.
That's the Fly Rod shop. Last Christmas my wife bought me a guided trip/lesson there. I went out on the Little River with the guide, real nice young guy, Andrew if I remember correctly.
Vermont Fly Fishing Guides, Instruction, & Fishing Supply Store in Stowe, VT
photoguy
Well-known member
^ Yeah, that's the shop. Nice selection of stuff. I grabbed a few small things in the short time I had.
I wish I'd gotten to spend a little more time in the area but it was during the really bad storm in mid October that seemed almost like a hurricane and brought some first snow to the mountain. I did make a mental note though that the area looked like a nice place to fish. Will spend some time this winter planning for next year and hopefully get back there.
I wish I'd gotten to spend a little more time in the area but it was during the really bad storm in mid October that seemed almost like a hurricane and brought some first snow to the mountain. I did make a mental note though that the area looked like a nice place to fish. Will spend some time this winter planning for next year and hopefully get back there.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
My son on the White River near Stockbridge, last year, Columbus weekend
Full fall foliage, many many tourists. None of them fishing
Full fall foliage, many many tourists. None of them fishing
Thanks for the info, and if you're going to be in SoCo in the future and interested in hooking up for a striped bass search (and hopefully seize) venture please let me know.
City Rat
Well-known member
I have a buddy who just moved to VT and lives near the White River and tells me there good trout fishing there.
philly
Well-known member
The White River is also a good smallmouth river once you get down around Royalton and Sharon. There's a stretch where 107 runs into 14 where the trout and smallmouth mix. I've seen some big fish of both species in that area.
moucheur2003
Well-known member
Bob Shannon, who owns the Fly Rod Shop in Stowe, is a friend of mine. He does a very nice job and provides good fishing reports in season, but Stowe is a long double-haul away from Manchester. There are plenty of good spots to try closer to Manchester in southern VT too. Currently the best guidebook I know of is by Lou Zambello (although a lot of his Vermont info seems to be taken from an earlier book by retired fly shop owner Rhey Plumley). It includes detailed maps with GPS co-ordinates for stream access points.
Flyfisher's Guide to New England: Lou Zambello: 9781940239071: Amazon.com: Books
Bob and Peter Shea also recently updated an older guidebook in which Shea was one of the original collaborators. It probably has the most recent scuttlebutt, but it's a little less comprehensive.
Vermont Trout Streams: A Fly Angler’s Guide to the Best | The Fly Rod Shop
Flyfisher's Guide to New England: Lou Zambello: 9781940239071: Amazon.com: Books
Bob and Peter Shea also recently updated an older guidebook in which Shea was one of the original collaborators. It probably has the most recent scuttlebutt, but it's a little less comprehensive.
Vermont Trout Streams: A Fly Angler’s Guide to the Best | The Fly Rod Shop
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moucheur2003
Well-known member
(Note: I fixed the link to the Shannon/Shea book up above. The link I originally posted was for a fly assortment, not the book.)