Fly Fishing Information On The Millers, Swift, Middle, West and East Branches Of the Westfield River and the Ware, and Mill rivers. YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR MA. FLY FISHING INFORMATION, the top ranked fly fishing blog in Massachusetts! WHAT FLY FISHERS READ!!
"Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded" - Yogi Berra
One has to go back to 2011 when Hurricane Irene stormed through in late August of that year to witness the high flows that have taken over New England. Even the noble Farmington is busting it's banks as this weather onslaught continues. There is one stream that remains civilized and that's our own Swift. It's a tick under 55 cfs as I write and baring a Quabbin overflow it will remain in that neighborhood. Fish it this weekend but try to move around. Fish it from the Bubbler to Bondsville!!!
Brookies??
I'm looking but I don't see as many as in years past. Cady Lane by the horse farm used to have schools of them all Summer long but this year is very different. Did they find a more suitable home or did the browns thin them out or is this just a population cycle that they are going through? We will know in three weeks.
Stocking
Well, It has started with the Squannacook and the Nissie getting their Autumn share along with some lakes and ponds which may be the safest bet this weekend. Don't even think about the Millers, the EB or the Ware.
"Like frogs, trout can't possibly have any idea what we are, or what a fishing line is, or what an artificial fly is. Nor can they associate us in any way with the lures at the end of our lines or have any reason or ability to suspect them. They don't have the cognitive horsepower to perceive our fly as a fake. In fact, they don't have ideas at all. They don't possess the capacity for reflection and analysis. In other words, in terms we use to describe human intelligence, fish aren't smart." - Bob Wyatt in What Trout Want: The Educated Trout And Other Myths
I love fishing the Swift through the Fall with its quiet,low flows and ample small fly hatches. Now, I know these conditions bother some anglers, especially those nymph anglers who must have ample current to dredge their heavy offerings but that's not my game. As you know I love soft hackles because they actually LOOK and ACT like a real INSECT instead of a piece of costume jewelry! All of the rivers that I fish see my offerings, most of the time, in sizes 12 through 16. Now is the time for sizes 18 and 20 for the Swift as we swing these dainty flies through 5 inch deep riffles like we did on Friday. These flies also work well on larger rivers like the Millers with 18 and 20 BWO Soft Hackles being a top choice on the Millers when that flow gets down around 200 cfs (hope that happens soon).
My favorite hackle for these smaller flies is starling. A typical starling cape is loaded with 18 and 20 size hackles but a word of caution. These hackles are extremely fragile and will make partridge hackle feel like you're wrapping wire around the hook!!
My usual setup to fish these flies on skinny water is an 8 1/2 foot 3 weight rod with a progressive action pared to a 3wt double taper or a Triangle taper in the same weight. Leaders are 12 feet long and lately have been 6x although 5x works just as fine. This is a Swift setup but when on the Millers or the EB (bigger water with more wind) I will go with a 5wt with the same leader.
There are some who may think that a 3wt is too heavy for the Swift with those flies. "You need a 1wt or smaller". Well, one can ride a tricycle from Boston to Springfield but I wouldn't recommend it. Take a car!!!
The Rivers
As I write the Millers is at 1620 cfs. Good news since it was over 3000 2 days ago. Wait a week to see what happens.
The EB left the 3000 range and is at a fishable, but maybe not a crossing stage as of yet. The flow is at 432 so take your chances. Fish were caught before the flow went up.
The Ware, at 389 is rounding into shape nicely.
Stocking is supposed to start next week (tomorrow maybe) and although I don't "follow the trucks" I know that it is the last hurrah
of the season for many so we will do our best to keep you informed.
Booking October
I still have choice openings for October so grab them up. My evening trips (5-8 and 4-7p) are now 3 to 6 or 2 to 5pm. In fact you can set your own hours for the 3 and 6 hour trips. October weather is usually in the high 50's to the 60's and is perfect for what we do. It will actually feel good to have a fleece vest on after the summer that we had!!!!
"The future isn't what it used to be" - Yogi Berra
I can't seem to leave well enough alone - I'm always fiddling around with fly patterns and new materials usually with the result being a different profile to the fly while still making it look like a real insect instead of am attractor fly. Seed Beads, a mainstay in jewelry manufacturing, filled the bill.
Just march into a Michael's Craft store and head for jewelry making. You will see vials of different colored plastic beads (pretty much weightless) and then pick out a color. I picked Olive. Size 11/0 pretty much works for sizes 14 through 18. Flies tied with these beads give us a true profile that nymphs have without the heavy attractor bead and they will not be getting you down into the weeds which is what you don't want! Like the soft hackle family they are the perfect low water fly!!
The Partridge and Magic Orange has been my top fly on the Swift within the past week with a size 16 taking top honors. As I stated in my last post you can order Partridge and Orange flies from me and then send an email with the words "Magic Orange" and I'll send you the real thing.
There has been a rash of break-offs by monster bows on the Swift lately. A client broke off three last Wednesday evening and David said he lost four on Sunday. Both of these gentlemen are accomplished anglers and were not using ultralight tippet material. The top photo is of a rainbow that was in the 20 inch range that I managed to put into the net only to break off the next large bow.
I love chicken in all of its forms and it just seems best when it's paired with garden grown summer vegetables. Cooking this is easy: take some boneless chicken thighs seasoned with pepper and throw them on a hot grill just to sear the outside. Then transfer to a skillet in the kitchen and toss in some zucchini strips, thinly sliced carrots strips, thinly sliced onion, some tomato wedges, one thinly sliced potato (like the thickness of a potato chip), a few chick peas, season with anything you like (I like pepper) and then cover and cook slowly. When it's almost done toss in some baby spinach and let it wilt.
"I've been getting into astronomy so I installed a skylight. The people who live above me are furious" - Steven Wright
Last season I began to experiment with different body materials and colors for soft hackled flies. I was testing this nice yellow material when I noticed the strangest thing. The bright yellow body entered the water as bright yellow but when removed from the water it was the neatest pale orange that I've ever seen on a trout fly. Furthermore, the fly turned back to yellow as it dried out!
It caught trout and lots of them. It's been my go-to Partridge and Orange this year and it's all I've used on the Swift this Summer. The above photo shows the yellow version of the fly on the bottom and the "Magic Orange" on the top. If you want to order some just use my paypal buttons for the partridge and orange, place the order and then send me an email with the message "magic orange" and you will get the right material. $20.00 minimum for all flies.
The Rivers
The Swift dropped like a rock yesterday going from 130 cfs to 52 cfs. I for one like that flow especially with brookie spawning season just around the corner. If the flow is too high the BT will not hit the redds. 50 cfs is perfect spawning flow.
Now, is it my imagination or does there seem to be fewer brook trout down in Cady Lane this year? Gone are the schools of a dozen or so brook trout just milling around. Are they further downstream and if they are why would that be? I think we will know in a month.
The Millers - forgetaboutit!!!!! On Monday 9/10 it was a perfect 220 but now it's at 973 cfs as I write. I would love to see a flow of 300 or less by the last week of September. As my comment section states, the browns are still active on this river. We just need a better flow.
The EB - 994 cfs but it will drop like a rock by the weekend if it doesn't rain. The trout are still there and we have caught some by moving around and fishing hard!!!
A Funny Thing - Last Monday morning I drove past the RT 9 parking areas at 7:30 and saw no cars. The Pipe parking lot also was vacant of vehicles and so was the Pipe and Tree Pool for the next 2 hours until Phil showed up. late yesterday afternoon my client and I had 3 hours ( 5pm - 8pm) of fishing the same place with nobody else in sight. Question - I thought that the Swift was crowded??
"Another great post from an experienced angler. It amazes me how much of a bond I feel with you even though we live on opposite sides of our nation, fish different types of water, and have different preferences for the areas we fish." Reader Phil in 9/6/18 comments
On Tuesday September 4 it was 92 degrees at noon and I waded wet. In fact, I waded wet all week. Yesterday, Sunday the 9th, it was 58 at noon and refreshing and I hope it stays like this. This is the time of year that I anticipate the most. The streams are low but cool and trout will be after everything from size 20 olives to size 12 October caddis. These great conditions will run right into November so get out there and fish! I'll keep you posted!!!!
Pellets
It's always interesting when I tell a client about the pellet hatch while guiding on the Swift. First, I get the impression that they don't believe me until it actually happens but the sight of dozens of surface slashing trout will quickly change their minds. Then out comes the PELLET FLY and to see trout fooled by a piece of cork is entertaining. Kyle saw his first pellet hatch, caught his first trout on a pellet and showed up the next day with his own pellet flies tied up the night before.
Then there's Des who caught his FIRST trout by any means on the Swift yesterday. I think he is hooked on fly fishing!!!!
Big Browns
I received a photo of an outsized brown taken and released down in Cady Lane this past week. The sender of the photo claims that it was just over 24 inches long and I believe him.
Here it is for your viewing pleasure!! It's that time of year folks!!!
The New Orange
I've got a new body material for the classic Partridge and Orange that just outshines everything else. Stay tuned for that!!!!!
Book A Trip
My calendar is filling up quickly but I still have some prime spots open. It's time to "call in sick" after you've booked a session with me. We will be hitting the Ware, Swift, the EB and my most popular destination, the Millers. Get introduced to places other than the same old stocking spots. YOU DESERVE IT!!!!!!!
"Thanks for the continued updates! I wouldn't fish nearly as much if it wasn't for your blog." comment on 9/5
The Blue Wing Olive
The BWO is with us all season long but its prime stage is on those cool, cloudy September and October afternoons on rivers like the Millers and the EB. 20 years ago it seemed to be a rarity to see this hatch on the Millers. Now it's a daily event from mid September onward and if the weather stays good (no flooding rain) it will go right into November.
Where To Find Them
Fish the riffles at the head of pools. That's the neighborhood for this fly and that's where the trout will be. Think of the riffles at Erving Center/Arch Street on the Millers or that sexy riffle at the head of Les's Pool on the EB. Every stream has these locations and you know where they are.
What To Fish
Way to much emphasis is placed on the dry fly when working these insects. The pre-emergence stage is just as important. My top emerger the last few years has been nothing but a starling and olive soft hackle (what else) from size 16 through 18. I fish this fly upstream or on the swing until the rising fish REALLY begin to appear. Then my dry emerger goes on. Read Bob Wyatt's book What Trout Want to get the idea. I shy away from those dainty parachute flies for something that can be whipped up in mass and actually is the most representative of the BWO. Sizes 16 through 18 work the best on the above mentioned rivers.
The Swift Believe it or not but the Swift release was increased on Tuesday from 50 to 130 cfs. Now, I can hear the round of applause celebrating this event but I like 50 cfs!!! When they up the flow it puts the trout down for a few days. Surface action was slow but I managed 2 sipping bows above the Duck Pond and then a brown at the Y Pool. The water temperature was 56 degrees at 5pm and wet wading felt REAL GOOD!!!
The EB
It seems that everyone is catching something on the EB and although it isn't at the same success level as this time last year we will take it. Iso nymphs are everywhere and BIG FAT Stoneflies are all over the place. Sparse, size 12 or 14 dark buggers have done well representing the stoneflies and pheasant tail nymphs work for isonychia nymphs. The flow is about 130 cfs = A good flow!!
The Millers
Read the comments on this blog for the last two weeks. Some say that it's all smallies and fallfish and others say that browns are in play. I'll say that the rainbows are still with us and when this damn heat finally breaks we will have even better fishing. The flow, as I write, is at 267 cfs = PERFECT!
"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time" - Steven Wright
Photo by Thomas Ames, Jr.
"Look at them, the place is covered with them!!" The them being referred to were the empty shell casings of large Golden Stonefly nymphs clinging to streamside rocks and this was not a day in early June but a day in early September. They crawl out of the stream usually under the cover of darkness and they will do this all season long ESPECIALLY in the Fall. Combine these guys with the Fall emerging Isonychia mayfly (a nymph that hatches the same way as stoneflies) and you have two insects that wack the conventional wisdom that Autumn means tiny flies.
Isonychia Nymphs
The Stones can be imitated with any large stonefly nymph, sizes 6-10 and the Isonychia works well with a size 12-14 pheasant tail. These nymphs can be found on the Millers but the EB takes the prize for the most.
Also, let's not forget that late Summer and early Fall are prime hopper time. Hoppers are to trout what chicken wings are to football fans. You just have to have them!!
Partridge and Olive This is a very simple fly that allows you to play around with the dressing. I supply OLIVE bodies for the market but my own fly boxes contain olive and very pale olive bodies that almost look like a pale yellow to me. It doesn't seem to make much difference as long as you keep the bodies SLIM and the hackles SPARSE. There's nothing worse than a fat bodied SH with a half dozen wraps of oversize hackles. It would make Sylvester Nemes roll over in his grave.
I am booking up September, October and November. Don't get left out!!
