FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes).
C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M—water muddy.
N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling.
WT50—water temperature 50°.
FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor.
OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.
ATLANTIC SALMON: MAINE: The Narraguagus River came to life last week after a rise of water, with six fish from the Stillwater Pool in two days. Harry Smith of Cherryfield killed a brace of 10-pounders on a #6 bear-hair fly. At press time all pools had fish but few fishermen; OG next 10 days. Dennys River also a late starter, and OG.
NEW BRUNSWICK: FP in Miramichi area last week and OP, but good run of fish can move in any day. Nashwaak, Tobique and St. John spies say FF, OF/G.
NOVA SCOTIA: Medway River was best in province last week, with St. Marys and Annapolis close behind. All rivers in province were N, C at press time, and OG through next fortnight.
TROUT: NEW YORK: Esopus River was red-hot all last week with heavy hatches and trout feeding freely; fly fishermen scored with standard patterns, wet and dry, and with portal still 1/3 open and WT58-64, OG through July 4. Beaverkill WT68-72, no midday hatches, FVP except for brief flurries early and late when experts can raise a few fish to small wets and dries, OP.
NEW MEXICO: In Jemez area, FF/G, OG. Pecos area streams N, FG with flies in Red and Cimarron rivers, OG, FG in Chama River with bait and flies, OG. Most high lakes are now ice-free.
COLORADO: Despite last week's rains FG in most waters throughout state; "willow fly" is out on some rivers, including the Gunnison, which is H, D, FG with bait and OG. All forks of Platte H, D, FF with bait and lures, OP/F. Big Thompson River H, SD, FF/G with bait, OG. Colorado River (Glenwood Springs area) SD, FF with bait, OF/G; (Rifle area) H, D, FF, OF. Big Grizzly Creek D, FG with bait, OG. Shadow Mountain Reservoir full and FF/G with trolled lures. OF.
MICHIGAN: Heavy drake hatches are erupting on lower peninsula streams and OG through July 4; all standard dry imitation-patterns producing for good fly fishers in sizes 8 to 14. OG for big browns after dark on Au Sable, Pigeon and Sturgeon but skilled fly fishers going to 4 and 5X tippets, raising good fish by daylight.
OREGON: Deschutes River near Redmond N, C, FG for brown trout with dry flies and nymphs, OG. Best bets for still-water trouting are East and Paulina lakes in central Oregon. Snow is almost gone and OG generally.
MONTANA: All rivers H, D, FP (bait only) but lakes are producing well; hot spots are Cliff, Dailey and Canyon Ferry lakes (with 16-pound fly-caught trout from latter recently).
PENNSYLVANIA: Allegheny Forest and "tier" streams are normal, should hold height through July 4; good hatches continue (including locally named "Canadian sailor" or "gray midge"). Evening dry fly FG on Tionesta Creek from Mayburg to Warren County line.
CALIFORNIA: Most streams on east slope of Sierra C after heavy June run-off; creeks from Lone Pine to Bishop yielding small fish. Best bet is Mill Creek below Lundy Lake. Owens River H, D but OG. West Sierra waters H but clearing. Packers now going into Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks' high country, where limits easy. For big river browns, try South Fork of Middle Fork of Tule River below Camp Nelson.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Paul Lake producing limits of Kamloops trout to fly and troll, and OG. Le Jeune and Canim lakes improving.
NORTH CAROLINA: Fishing with worm in Nantahala River, Jeff Deaver caught 8-inch trout, stopped reeling in when he saw bigger fish gulp his catch, after 75 minutes landed 32-inch 9½-pound brown trout on 4-pound test monofilament.
WASHINGTON: Most streams H, D, FP, OP until after July 4; try Cascade and Mountain lakes on Orcas Island in the San Juans—both should be big time through 4th.
IDAHO: North Fork of Snake FG with fly, OG. Lake Pend Oreille producing Kamloops to 24 pounds in Whiskey Rock area and OG for trollers and bait casters.
MUSKELLUNGE: WISCONSIN: When Robert F. Werden of Jenkintown, Pa. found himself in Milwaukee with a day to spare he flew by commercial airline to Duluth, drove to Hayward, Wis. in rented car, fished the Chippewa River with guide hired by phone from Milwaukee, was back in Milwaukee within 24 hours with 23-pound musky. FG in Bone, Cedar, Little Rice, Mud, Potato, Rat, Riley, Crescent, Little Arbor Vitae and Gresham lakes, Moen Lake and Sugar Camp chains, Flambeau River; OG in all.
MICHIGAN: Muskying slowed in Lake St. Clair last week as fish moved into deep channels; FF in late evening and night but OP for midday.
BLUEFISH: NORTH CAROLINA: OG for bluefishing in surf, inlet and from ocean piers in Nags Head section S to Ocracoke; charter boats are averaging 100 fish daily, to 2½ pounds.
MASSACHUSETTS: Fish were in a week early last week from Westport to Buzzards Bay and around to Poponesset and South Cape Beach near Hyannis. Hadn't come into surf at press time but trollers were filling fish wells at Monument Beach, Phinney's Harbor and mouth of Weweantic and Wareham rivers. Best lures are sea worm and spinner, trolled deep—but have a casting rod rigged with popper plug handy when they chase bait to surface.
NEW JERSEY: FF/G for large blues on Barnegat Ridge off Barnegat Inlet and S to below Beach Haven; fish average 5 to 6 pounds, with last week's heaviest 10½ pounds and OG for charter boats out of Brielle, Point Pleasant, Toms River, Barnegat Light and Beach Haven.
STRIPED BASS: MASSACHUSETTS: Bass are still hitting well in Cape Cod Canal with best action at east end from Sagamore Bridge to east entrance. Try this section on early-morning turn of tide and work deep holes. Bass are hitting at Nauset Beach, Orleans and along outer Cape shore to Provincetown on atom plugs, with some bass reported from surf on Cape Cod Bay side of Cape in Wellfleet, Truro district. Fish are hitting solidly on Sows 'n Pigs Reef off Cuttyhunk Island, with night and early-morning trollers taking stripers to 50 pounds.
CALIFORNIA: San Pablo Bay is best bet for trollers but most fish are small: OP/F.
NEW JERSEY: Surf fishing is slow but some bass to 30 pounds reported taken from jetties at Avon south to Ocean Grove last Sunday, on calico crab bait. Best trolling was just below Sandy Hook on boats out of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands with most fish in 25-to 45-pound class, and OG through July 1.
BLACK BASS: MICHIGAN: SO June 18 and OG through July 4 as fish are still on spawning beds in most northerly waters.
MAINE: Spies say smallmouth fishing in most waters of state is best in five years; OG.
MISSOURI: Big Piney River N, C, FG with deep-running plugs and wet flies, OG. Lower Gasconade SD but FG and OG.
CALIFORNIA: Lake Mead FG despite high winds. San Diego County reservoirs FF/G; best are Henshaw, St. Vincente and Wohlford.
MISSISSIPPI: FG in Grenada and Enid reservoirs. Chotard Lake (20 miles N of Vicksburg); OG, but few big fish reported.
TENNESSEE: Fishing slowed at Dale Hollow Lake last week but should perk up momentarily. Rains lowered WT in Center Hill Lake and FG with surface plugs and popping bugs; OG.