First off, thank you to everyone who came out for the Otter Creek Classic last weekend. It’s pretty humbling to realize we’ve made it 18 years, and we’re already looking ahead to OCC19, scheduled for April 9–11, 2027. With around 95 anglers on the water, we gathered some great early-season feedback.

Water levels across Addison County are running a bit high after recent rains, and it looks like we may get another bump tomorrow. The Otter is currently flowing at 1,760 cfs in Middlebury and is pushing silt back into the freestone tributaries for a few hundred yards upstream. Clarity will vary quite a bit depending on how far you are from the Otter, so it’s worth driving around and checking different sections—fortunately, there are pull-offs every few bends, making that easy. The Otter will likely stay in this condition for the next few weeks. It’s not completely off the table, but caution is key. Wading isn’t recommended until flows drop and clarity improves. A few anglers spent time on the White during the OCC, with most reporting colder temps, very clear water, and limited fish activity. We’ll begin floating the White in the coming weeks and will share more detailed...