Biologist Jud Kratzer Talk Fishing In The Kingdom
Gary Moore
May 07, 2026
Jud Kratzer is a Vermont Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist stationed out of the St. Johnsbury District Office.
He will be my guest Thursday on WYKR. Spring is here and fishing is getting good as the waters warm and return to more normal flows so we will talk about fish and fishing as you would expect.
I recorded the interview last week. It was good to get up to date information on what is happening and what is expected for the coming months much of what you will hear Thursday.
Jud has been in his current position since 2006. He shares the fisheries duties with Pete Emerson, well known to many Kingdom anglers.
A native of Pennsylvania, Jud grew up fishing and that interest led him to earn a MS in fisheries from Penn State and a PHD from Michigan State University.
The St. Johnsbury District covers the Wells River watershed north to the Quebec border and includes the Memphremagog watershed and the upper Lamoile watershed over to Morrisville.
I naturally asked about the Willoughby Falls action as it is much talked about this time of year. He said it draws more interest than any other fishery related happening in the district. Jud pointed out the fish leaping the falls is, “a real brief window” and that, “No one can predict it.”
The fish are steelhead rainbow trout which were introduced to Lake Memphremagog in the early 1900s. He said they are, “rainbow trout that act like salmon and migrate from the lake up the Black River to the Willoughby River and over the falls to spawn.
That led us to discuss Lake Memphremagog and its tributaries. The old photos from the 1930 and 40s of fishermen lined up along the causeway bridge fishing for salmon entering the Clyde River can be found in libraries and historical societies in the watershed.
Jud pointed out that the salmon declined, with hydro on the Clyde being part of the reason. The salmon were replaced by walleye in the 80s then in the 90s salmon began coming back thanks to stocking efforts.
Today there is less food in the river to draw the salmon and increasing populations of lake trout compete for what food is available as do white perch.
I pointed out that most of the big lake is Canada and asked how well Vermont was working with Quebec. He said things have definitely improved over the years and that they now, “work very closely with Quebec and have worked to bring regulations in sync and to coordinate stocking.” That is certainly good news for anglers on both sides of the border.
When asked about what he was working on, he replied, “The project I aim most excited about is adding woody material to brook trout habitat.” Trout unlimited has been a big help in that effort, an example of sportsmen stepping up to protect and enhance the resource.
Jud told me that in the case of the streams they have worked on, the brook trout population triples after 3-4 years and after 10 years remains double of what it was before the woody material was added.
This summer they will be netting Notch Pond and Unknown Pond in the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area to see how the effort to establish brook trout in those ponds is working.
I asked if he had any recommendations for fishing and he quickly said the Passumpsic River. He pointed out that there is little or no natural reproduction and thus all the trout are stocked. He said the river is,”perfect to stock” and that “it holds fish well.” The river is very accessible and thus gets quite a bit of pressure in the spring and early summer. He said he fishes it from August through October when there are far fewer anglers and the fish are still there.
As regular readers of this column know, I prefer remote streams back in the hills where I seldom see another angler. It seems we agree on that as he said he prefers “streams out in the woods” such as those in the Nulhegan Basin.
This summer and fall you may run into Jud or Pete on a stream or pond in the Kingdom. Talk to them. They are a wealth of knowledge.
Teachers Can Learn About The Natural World This Summer
Vermont Fish and Wildlife and New Hampshire Fish and Game offer programs this summer for teachers.
Vermont’s popular fish and wildlife summer course for educators will be held July 19-24 this year.
The interactive field course that gets educators out into Vermont’s streams, forests and wetlands with some of the state’s leading natural resource experts takes place at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury.
Now in its 41st year, “Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators,” is a one-week course taught by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and other Agency of Natural Resources staff through Vermont State University.
Fish and Wildlife’s Outreach Director, Alison Thomas said, “This course is unique in that it helps non-formal and pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers from any discipline -- math, language arts, physical education, or history -- improve their instructional strategies and make their lesson plans more relevant to their students.”
Tuition is $710 for the course. Three graduate level credits through Vermont State University, books, food and overnight facilities are included. A limited number of partial scholarships are available.
A course description, schedule of activities and registration information are available by email from Alison.Thomas@vermont.gov.
Educators who want to introduce their students to hands-on activities that help develop an understanding, awareness, and sense of stewardship toward New Hampshire’s aquatic resources are invited to attend the Watershed Ecology Institute this July. A core component of the NH Fish and Game Department’s Watershed Education Program, the WEI will facilitate professional development through the exploration of the wildlife, people, and habitats that depend on a diversity of watershed resources.
July’s WEI workshop is intended for formal and non-formal educators of children in grades K-12 and is designed with a special focus on watershed systems and aquatic wildlife. Participants will discover hands-on activities that focus on ecological knowledge, analysis using ArcGIS, sustaining fish and wildlife resources, and connecting your classroom to conservation fieldwork. All participants will receive a supporting Aquatic WILD curriculum book.
This year’s WEI will consist of a virtual session and an in-person program. The virtual module will be held on July 24 from 4 p.m.–7:30 p.m. The three in-person sessions will be held July 28–30 at the Holderness School in Holderness. Programming will run from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. each day.
Space is limited to 15 people. To learn more about how to register or for any questions about the WEI, contact Kayla Marshwood at 603-271-0456 or kayla.a.marshwood@wildlife.nh.gov. Registration closes July 1.
Bits and Pieces
The Vermont walleye fishing season is now open. After a morning of turkey hunting, some time on the water and a chance for a delicious meal of fish is just what you need.
Excellent spring walleye fishing can be found in several Vermont lakes and rivers, including Lake Champlain and its tributaries – the Missisquoi, Lamoille and Winooski rivers and Otter Creek. In the Northeast Kingdom, Salem Lake and Island Pond also have walleye populations that are on the rebound thanks to stocking by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The Connecticut River, also offers quality walleye fishing. Be sure to check the regulation exceptions for the river as it goes by New Hampshire’s regulations.
***
The Caledonia Forest & Stream Club’s annual kids fishing derby for ages up to 12 will be held Wednesday, May 20 from 5-7 p.m.
For questions call derby chair Beulah Mcginnis at 802-748-2155.
***
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a series of public discussion sessions designed to gather public input on two proposed license fee amendments and draft rule changes affecting designated trout ponds across the state. These initiatives were introduced at the April 21, 2026, New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission meeting. Minutes from the Commission meeting can be viewed by visiting http://www.wildlife.nh.gov/about-new-hampshire-fish-and-game/nhfg-commission.
Wednesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Region 1 Office, Route 3, 629B Main Street, Lancaster.
Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord.
***
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Let’s Go Fishing Program will be hosting two sessions of their “Fly Fishing A–Z” workshop this spring. These 2-day weekend programs are designed primarily for first-time fly anglers. Instruction will cover the basics including equipment, fly casting, stream ecology, knot tying, safety, and fish identification. The highlight of these events happens on Sunday when the groups transition from the classroom onto the water at a local fishing pond to put their new skills to use.
Participants are required to attend both days of this no-cost program. All equipment is provided. No fishing license is required to participate.
Register online to reserve your spot today. These classes are open to anyone age 13 or older. Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Class space is limited, and registration is first-come, first-served.
This spring’s programs will be held at two locations.
Coleman State Park, Stewartstown—Saturday, June 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Gunstock Mountain Resort, Gilford—Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Register for either program by visiting https://nh-events-web.s3licensing.com/Event/AllEvents?EventTypeID=161&ClassActivity=19
***
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.
My guest this week is Vermont Fish and Wildlife biologist Jud Kratzer. We will talk fish and fishing as the waters warm and the fish start feeding.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on
May 1, 1844; “May Day begins wintry over the northern heights; 18 inches of snow in Wheelock, VT.”
May 6-7, 1930: “Early heat in southern VT and NH; 92° in Brattleboro, VT, and 90° in Keene, NH"
May 9, 2020: “Late-season snow, 6 to 10 inches over higher elevations, including 10 inches in Shaftsbury, 9 inches in Arlington, and 8 inches in Woodford, VT.”
Parting Shots
This is the time of year that ephemerals appear in our woods brightening an otherwise drab forest floor. Their bright flowers remind us that our world is awakening from a long winter’s sleep. I love to wander around the woods this time of year admiring the spring flowers that will soon disappear until next year.
Among the spring ephemerals that appear are flowers like trillium, trout lily, bloodroot, hepatica, and early blue cohosh. Also spring beauty, dutchman’s breeches, blue cohosh, and wild ginger.
As the name ephemerals implies, these early spring wildflowers appear but for a brief time, taking advantage of sun for photosynthesis before trees’ leaves emerge.
Spring ephemeral wildflowers are perennial woodland plants that sprout from the ground early, bloom fast and then go to seed, all before the canopy trees overhead leaf out. Once the forest floor is deep in shade, the plant’s leaves wither away leaving only the roots, rhizomes, and bulbs underground. It allows plants to take advantage of full sunlight levels reaching the forest floor during a short time in early spring.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
He will be my guest Thursday on WYKR. Spring is here and fishing is getting good as the waters warm and return to more normal flows so we will talk about fish and fishing as you would expect.
I recorded the interview last week. It was good to get up to date information on what is happening and what is expected for the coming months much of what you will hear Thursday.
Jud has been in his current position since 2006. He shares the fisheries duties with Pete Emerson, well known to many Kingdom anglers.
A native of Pennsylvania, Jud grew up fishing and that interest led him to earn a MS in fisheries from Penn State and a PHD from Michigan State University.
The St. Johnsbury District covers the Wells River watershed north to the Quebec border and includes the Memphremagog watershed and the upper Lamoile watershed over to Morrisville.
I naturally asked about the Willoughby Falls action as it is much talked about this time of year. He said it draws more interest than any other fishery related happening in the district. Jud pointed out the fish leaping the falls is, “a real brief window” and that, “No one can predict it.”
The fish are steelhead rainbow trout which were introduced to Lake Memphremagog in the early 1900s. He said they are, “rainbow trout that act like salmon and migrate from the lake up the Black River to the Willoughby River and over the falls to spawn.
That led us to discuss Lake Memphremagog and its tributaries. The old photos from the 1930 and 40s of fishermen lined up along the causeway bridge fishing for salmon entering the Clyde River can be found in libraries and historical societies in the watershed.
Jud pointed out that the salmon declined, with hydro on the Clyde being part of the reason. The salmon were replaced by walleye in the 80s then in the 90s salmon began coming back thanks to stocking efforts.
Today there is less food in the river to draw the salmon and increasing populations of lake trout compete for what food is available as do white perch.
I pointed out that most of the big lake is Canada and asked how well Vermont was working with Quebec. He said things have definitely improved over the years and that they now, “work very closely with Quebec and have worked to bring regulations in sync and to coordinate stocking.” That is certainly good news for anglers on both sides of the border.
When asked about what he was working on, he replied, “The project I aim most excited about is adding woody material to brook trout habitat.” Trout unlimited has been a big help in that effort, an example of sportsmen stepping up to protect and enhance the resource.
Jud told me that in the case of the streams they have worked on, the brook trout population triples after 3-4 years and after 10 years remains double of what it was before the woody material was added.
This summer they will be netting Notch Pond and Unknown Pond in the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area to see how the effort to establish brook trout in those ponds is working.
I asked if he had any recommendations for fishing and he quickly said the Passumpsic River. He pointed out that there is little or no natural reproduction and thus all the trout are stocked. He said the river is,”perfect to stock” and that “it holds fish well.” The river is very accessible and thus gets quite a bit of pressure in the spring and early summer. He said he fishes it from August through October when there are far fewer anglers and the fish are still there.
As regular readers of this column know, I prefer remote streams back in the hills where I seldom see another angler. It seems we agree on that as he said he prefers “streams out in the woods” such as those in the Nulhegan Basin.
This summer and fall you may run into Jud or Pete on a stream or pond in the Kingdom. Talk to them. They are a wealth of knowledge.
Teachers Can Learn About The Natural World This Summer
Vermont Fish and Wildlife and New Hampshire Fish and Game offer programs this summer for teachers.
Vermont’s popular fish and wildlife summer course for educators will be held July 19-24 this year.
The interactive field course that gets educators out into Vermont’s streams, forests and wetlands with some of the state’s leading natural resource experts takes place at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury.
Now in its 41st year, “Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators,” is a one-week course taught by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and other Agency of Natural Resources staff through Vermont State University.
Fish and Wildlife’s Outreach Director, Alison Thomas said, “This course is unique in that it helps non-formal and pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers from any discipline -- math, language arts, physical education, or history -- improve their instructional strategies and make their lesson plans more relevant to their students.”
Tuition is $710 for the course. Three graduate level credits through Vermont State University, books, food and overnight facilities are included. A limited number of partial scholarships are available.
A course description, schedule of activities and registration information are available by email from Alison.Thomas@vermont.gov.
Educators who want to introduce their students to hands-on activities that help develop an understanding, awareness, and sense of stewardship toward New Hampshire’s aquatic resources are invited to attend the Watershed Ecology Institute this July. A core component of the NH Fish and Game Department’s Watershed Education Program, the WEI will facilitate professional development through the exploration of the wildlife, people, and habitats that depend on a diversity of watershed resources.
July’s WEI workshop is intended for formal and non-formal educators of children in grades K-12 and is designed with a special focus on watershed systems and aquatic wildlife. Participants will discover hands-on activities that focus on ecological knowledge, analysis using ArcGIS, sustaining fish and wildlife resources, and connecting your classroom to conservation fieldwork. All participants will receive a supporting Aquatic WILD curriculum book.
This year’s WEI will consist of a virtual session and an in-person program. The virtual module will be held on July 24 from 4 p.m.–7:30 p.m. The three in-person sessions will be held July 28–30 at the Holderness School in Holderness. Programming will run from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. each day.
Space is limited to 15 people. To learn more about how to register or for any questions about the WEI, contact Kayla Marshwood at 603-271-0456 or kayla.a.marshwood@wildlife.nh.gov. Registration closes July 1.
Bits and Pieces
The Vermont walleye fishing season is now open. After a morning of turkey hunting, some time on the water and a chance for a delicious meal of fish is just what you need.
Excellent spring walleye fishing can be found in several Vermont lakes and rivers, including Lake Champlain and its tributaries – the Missisquoi, Lamoille and Winooski rivers and Otter Creek. In the Northeast Kingdom, Salem Lake and Island Pond also have walleye populations that are on the rebound thanks to stocking by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The Connecticut River, also offers quality walleye fishing. Be sure to check the regulation exceptions for the river as it goes by New Hampshire’s regulations.
***
The Caledonia Forest & Stream Club’s annual kids fishing derby for ages up to 12 will be held Wednesday, May 20 from 5-7 p.m.
For questions call derby chair Beulah Mcginnis at 802-748-2155.
***
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a series of public discussion sessions designed to gather public input on two proposed license fee amendments and draft rule changes affecting designated trout ponds across the state. These initiatives were introduced at the April 21, 2026, New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission meeting. Minutes from the Commission meeting can be viewed by visiting http://www.wildlife.nh.gov/about-new-hampshire-fish-and-game/nhfg-commission.
Wednesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Region 1 Office, Route 3, 629B Main Street, Lancaster.
Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord.
***
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Let’s Go Fishing Program will be hosting two sessions of their “Fly Fishing A–Z” workshop this spring. These 2-day weekend programs are designed primarily for first-time fly anglers. Instruction will cover the basics including equipment, fly casting, stream ecology, knot tying, safety, and fish identification. The highlight of these events happens on Sunday when the groups transition from the classroom onto the water at a local fishing pond to put their new skills to use.
Participants are required to attend both days of this no-cost program. All equipment is provided. No fishing license is required to participate.
Register online to reserve your spot today. These classes are open to anyone age 13 or older. Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Class space is limited, and registration is first-come, first-served.
This spring’s programs will be held at two locations.
Coleman State Park, Stewartstown—Saturday, June 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Gunstock Mountain Resort, Gilford—Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Register for either program by visiting https://nh-events-web.s3licensing.com/Event/AllEvents?EventTypeID=161&ClassActivity=19
***
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.
My guest this week is Vermont Fish and Wildlife biologist Jud Kratzer. We will talk fish and fishing as the waters warm and the fish start feeding.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on
May 1, 1844; “May Day begins wintry over the northern heights; 18 inches of snow in Wheelock, VT.”
May 6-7, 1930: “Early heat in southern VT and NH; 92° in Brattleboro, VT, and 90° in Keene, NH"
May 9, 2020: “Late-season snow, 6 to 10 inches over higher elevations, including 10 inches in Shaftsbury, 9 inches in Arlington, and 8 inches in Woodford, VT.”
Parting Shots
This is the time of year that ephemerals appear in our woods brightening an otherwise drab forest floor. Their bright flowers remind us that our world is awakening from a long winter’s sleep. I love to wander around the woods this time of year admiring the spring flowers that will soon disappear until next year.
Among the spring ephemerals that appear are flowers like trillium, trout lily, bloodroot, hepatica, and early blue cohosh. Also spring beauty, dutchman’s breeches, blue cohosh, and wild ginger.
As the name ephemerals implies, these early spring wildflowers appear but for a brief time, taking advantage of sun for photosynthesis before trees’ leaves emerge.
Spring ephemeral wildflowers are perennial woodland plants that sprout from the ground early, bloom fast and then go to seed, all before the canopy trees overhead leaf out. Once the forest floor is deep in shade, the plant’s leaves wither away leaving only the roots, rhizomes, and bulbs underground. It allows plants to take advantage of full sunlight levels reaching the forest floor during a short time in early spring.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
Have a story?
Let's hear it!
(802) 757-2773
(603) 787-2444
news@thebridgeweekly.com
