Winooski River

Below the Huntington River confluence the river slows and warms, and smallmouth bass, fallfish, and carp take over — the most agriculturally and urban-impacted reach, running down through Richmond and Essex Junction (USGS gauge 04290500, a big-river gauge that reads far higher than the trout water) to the Salmon Hole below the Winooski One hydro dam. The Salmon Hole is the region's landlocked-salmon and steelhead spot on the fall run out of Lake Champlain, and the lower flats hold carp worth sight-fishing. Wade the Salmon Hole and the low-water reaches; the flats below fish better from a boat. Intermediate-to-advanced.

Best for: Smallmouth bass on streamers and poppers, carp sight-fishing on the flats, and the fall landlocked-salmon and steelhead run at the Salmon Hole. Seasonal trout on the cool edges up high.

Faster pocket water and pools through the Bolton area below Bolton Dam, where the river begins its character shift from trout to warmwater. The run-of-river Green Mountain Power dams sit through here — access and character landmarks, not release-scheduled flows and no reservoir storage. The Bolton Dam access (~10 vehicles) is a popular fall landlocked-salmon spot, and Route 2 stays close. Trout up high transitioning to salmon and smallmouth lower; streamers earn their keep in fall. Wadeable in places, intermediate-to-advanced.

Best for: Trout up top and fall landlocked-salmon staging water below Bolton Dam — swing streamers in autumn as the river transitions toward warmwater.

The marquee trout reach — 60 to 70 feet wide over riffles and runs, and the best shot at a large fish on the river. Vermont's trophy-trout regulation section runs from the Route 2 bridge on the east side of Waterbury Village downstream to the top of Bolton Dam, stocked with two-year-old fish and broodstock in the 16-22" range (occasionally to 26") — put-grow-take stockers rather than a wild trophy population, but genuinely big fish. The Waterbury Village access holds about 15 vehicles; River Road runs the south bank and Route 2 shadows the reach from Middlesex. Nymphing, streamers, and evening dries for intermediate wading.

Best for: The best chance at a large brown or rainbow — stocked two-year-olds and broodstock in the year-round catch-and-release trophy section. Nymph deep, throw streamers, and fish evening hatches.

The smaller, easily waded freestone at the top of the fly water — the most trout-like water on the river, cleaner and with better gradient than downstream. Riffles, pockets, and pools over gravel and cobble, with Route 2 shadowing the river and pull-offs and town access around Marshfield and Plainfield. Wild and stocked browns and rainbows hold here, and it sees less pressure than the Waterbury trophy stretch below. Dry-fly and nymph water for beginner-to-intermediate wading.

Best for: Wild and stocked brown trout and rainbow trout on nymphs and dries — the cleanest trout water on the Winooski and the lightest crowds.

Fifty to seventy feet wide with moderate current straight through downtown Montpelier, where the North Branch confluence adds a shot of cold water and USGS gauge 04286000 — the reference for the wadeable trout reaches — sits right in town. The downtown fishing-access area offers about 20 vehicles of parking and walk-in from the city streets. This is the river's signature story: fishing a trout river from a state-capital sidewalk. Nymphing runs and evening caddis for browns and rainbows, beginner-to-intermediate wading.

Best for: Brown trout and rainbow trout on nymph rigs and evening caddis — easy walk-in access and the primary flow gauge for the trout water.