Autumn On The EB

Autumn On The EB

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Swift -June 27




I got down to the "Pipe" section and made my first cast at 6:30am. The size 18 scud did the trick as two browns and two rainbows came to the net within the first half hour. Finally I had some company so I moved to the slow water downstream hoping for some rising fish. I saw one working the surface but it wouldn't take the tiny bwo that I offered. I then worked that wonderful stretch by the gauge and took a rainbow and missed another. All casts were with that tiny dry, working all likely spots. By 8:30 I was out of the water and the parking areas were filling up. It pays to live close to the Swift!!
The Lower Millers has dropped into the 700cfs range. Without heavy rain it should drop into the 500's by 7/2. That will make it THREE WEEKS since the downpour of the evening of 6/11 sent the river into flood stage!! 2008 was crazy with high water events and 2009 is right behind it. Hopefully this will be a great LONG weekend on the Millers. Remember, it's an evening stream right now with early mornings a good bet too.
Good Luck!!
Ken

6 comments:

papel1 said...

My only comment is that I thought most fly fishing was in the western US. The photo of the Miller River in Mass shows an attractive River. I spent all my summer visiting Montana watching my Dad fly fish on the Madison, Big Hole and in Yellowstone. Interesting blog.
Judy

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Fly fishing started in the great Northeast and is still going strong. Montana is considered by most as a Mecca for the sport. Your Dad had a great place to fly fish!!

Ken

Joel said...

Ken:

Terrific blog site! I notice you are successful using scuds and in an earlier post indicated they were tied in the "Czech" style. So are they weighted? Any chance you can provide the recipe?

Also, do you fish them in the true Czech style - high-sticking with no slack in the line/leader. I'm a relative beginner and have only fished nymphs dead drifted with weight below an indicator, so I am always eager to learn new methods.

Thanks. Joel

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Joel,

Glad you like the blog!
Yes, I guess you can say that I fish the Swift Czech style but I don't use an indicator and my leaders are still long and tapered unlike the Czechs. A small stream like the Swift lends itself well to that high stick technique.

Scuds -
1.scud or bait hook #14 through #18
2.body of dark olive dubbing with a thorax of olive hares ear. Tie this body sparsely
3.Shell of clear plastic strip. Flashabou works too
4. very fine gold or copper wire for the rib
5. the only weight that I might use is a small silver bead for the head

I don't tie this fly very buggy. I keep it slim and it works very well.

Ken

Anonymous said...

Are there any web sites that give information about the level of the Swift? When is it too high? It would be great to get the information before making the drive out. Thanks for the blog.

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Anonymous - This blog has a link to the Swift, Millers and Westfield Rivers flows. The Swift is fine right now. When the flows get to 300cfs+ it changes everything.

Ken