Lake Champlain United - Forums

Update .. stopped by today, hoping the brook would show signs of a turn around. Not the case. There were two fish . Looked to be two - three pounders and a couple of stockers. Further up the brook, nothing visible. Plenty of water flow, and no broaching fish out in the cove.

I saw a nice 8 lb female by the culvert 2 weeks ago, being pressed by a 4 lb steelhead. Since then, two trips, nothing but juveniles, and not many of them.

10/13 Update:

Took a ride up to the brook around 2:00 pm. 4-5 fish between 24-28" One large dark male 8-9 lbs and one female about 7-8 lbs. Two had yellow tags in the viewing deck pool.

10/13 Update: Fish also moved into the Winooski with the rain. I took the switch rod and figured on 30 minutes to see if the fish were in and I left 4 hours later wholly satisfied. I fished between 11:30 and 4. Healthy fish, and they took swinging nymphs.

That’s it.... I’m trolling up the otter for the shootout...

I stopped by the hatchery brook a couple of days ago. Not the numbers we were seeing three falls ago but there were at least a dozen mature fish in the pool . Certainly better than we were seeing last year the next few weeks will tell the tale.

Stopped by the brook today. Was pleasantly surprised to see good numbers of big fish in the pool. Several appeared to be big browns, just based on coloration. If so they are the biggest I have seen here . The upper brook had good numbers as well. This is the best run I have seen in 2-3 years. Things are loooking up ,,,,, we hope

Wdrnr wrote:Stopped by the brook today. Was pleasantly surprised to see good numbers of big fish in the pool. Several appeared to be big browns, just based on coloration. If so they are the biggest I have seen here . The upper brook had good numbers as well. This is the best run I have seen in 2-3 years. Things are loooking up ,,,,, we hope

that is awsome

There is a promising number of salmon returning to the brook this year. Hatchery personnel have been collecting eggs this week and from the number should be adequate to meet goals. Feral broodstock eggs have been collected for the current restoration programs being implemented by the USFWS.

Lamprey treatments have been going as planned on the NY side from what I've heard.

Al and Dave.. Your reports have made my week.. Al the good data you had shared at the shootout as well is pointing to some good days ahead for our salmon fishery... I am hoping the 2 year lul is behind us and better days are coming... If the bite Sat is a hint, it is sure good news!

Update from Brian Chipman, VTFG

Last Wed.... “The Salmon run has really picked up this weeK. We got 29 Salmon in the Hatchery Brook trap Monday and 36 more today, for a season total of 155 so far. We should surpass last year’s dismal total take of 164 Salmon when we check the trap on Fri, and I expect the run to peak in the next week or 2. (We’ll be monitoring through Nov 16.) We’re also on pace to surpass last year’s numbers in the Lamoille, Missisquoi and Otter.”

Winooski Lift
Last Wed
“At the Winooski River fish lift, we have trucked 38 salmon upstream, compared with about 70 at this time the last 2 years. I think water temperatures are limiting the numbers of fish entering the trap more than abundance in the river. The run started quite late due to the low and warm water through early October and then the recent cold snap has dropped river temps into the low 40’s for the last couple weeks. It’s been our experience that temps in the low 40’s slow the salmon down so they don’t jump into the trap. (Hatchery Brook temps are still around 50F)”

Update Last Fri....
“We had a good day today at the Hatchery Brook trap: 62 new salmon, for a total to date of 217, with most going to the Hatchery. We have also tagged and released 38 Browns and 8 Steelhead in the trap. So far we have collected:
26 Salmon in the Lamoille (season total of 28 last year)
27 in Otter Creek (total 11 last year)
13 in Missisquoi (total of 10 last year)”

“Two weeks to go and I expect numbers to continue to increase at Hatchery Brook and elsewhere. Overall, the runs are not great but they’re heading in the right direction.”

i know of some big salmon caught in otter creek 2 weeks ago and released. good sign there for sure.