Fly Fishing Guide to Vermont

Mike Valla was inducted into the Fly-Fishing Hall of Fame in 2024. He is the author of Fly Fishing Guide to New York State, The Founding Flies, Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies, Tying and Fishing Bucktails and other Hair Wings, Tying the Founding Flies, The Classic Streamer Fly Box, and Favorite Flies for the Catskills. He is the recipient of the Poul Jorgensen Golden Hook Award and is often invited to speak about fly fishing in local, national, and international fly-fishing events and gatherings. He is a frequent contributor to American Fly Fishing magazine and has published articles in Fly Fisherman, Fly Tyer, and American Fly Fisher. He served on the Board of Directors at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. Valla has been fly-fishing for well over 50 years. He lives in the town of Cambridge, New York, just a few miles from Vermont.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionState of Vermont HatchesHUDSON RIVER BASIN Batten KillGreen RiverRoaring Branch (of Kelly Stand/Arlington)Branch Pond, Bourn Pond, and Grout PondWalloomsac RiverRoaring Branch (of Walloomsac), City Stream and Bolles BrookHoosic RiverLAKE CHAMPLAIN BASINLake Champlain—Middle SectionMettawee RiverFlower BrookPoultney RiverCastleton RiverLake BomoseenLake St. CatherineBig Branch StreamOtter CreekEast CreekFurnace BrookNeshobe RiverSugar Hill Reservoir (Goshen Dam)Cold RiverMill RiverMiddlebury RiverLewis CreekNew Haven RiverWinooski RiverHuntington RiverLittle River below Waterbury Reservoir Little River—West Branch above Waterbury ReservoirRanch BrookMad RiverDog RiverLamoille RiverLamoille River—North BranchGihon RiverBrowns RiverMissisquoi RiverMissisquoi River—East BranchMissisquoi River—Main StemLake Champlain North Section at Missisquoi Bay AreaTrout RiverTrout River Tributaries—Wade Brook and Jay BrookTrout River—South BranchMEMPHREMAGOG BASINPherrins RiverJobs PondBald Hill PondLong PondLake WilloughbyWilloughby RiverShadow LakeEcho LakeClyde RiverCONNECTICUT RIVER BASINForest Lake/Averill Lakes—“Quimby Country”Upper Connecticut RiverNulhegan River Notch PondPaul StreamMoose RiverPassumpsic RiverPassumpsic River—East BranchPassumpsic River—West BranchPassumpsic River—Main Stem Joe’s BrookWhite RiverBlack RiverJewell BrookBailey BrookKnapp Pond #1 and Knapp Pond #2Wells RiverNoyes Pond (aka Seyon Pond)Martins PondWaits RiverOmpompanoosuc RiverOmpompanoosuc River—East BranchOmpompanoosuc River—West BranchOttauquechee RiverColton Pond and Kent PondDeerfield RiverWest RiverJenny Coolidge Brook and Greendale BrookWilliams RiverSaxtons RiverSELECTED FLY PATTERN RECIPESIndexAbout the Author