Over the last decade or so, as the growth in the number of fly fishermen has plateaued, it’s become harder and harder for the large wholesale fly companies to grow or even maintain their sales. As a way of combating this, the introduction of new fly patterns is something they’ve come to rely on. The same is true for many fly shops and independent fly tiers. At all levels of distribution, new flies represent both monetary incentive and reward. How well they catch fish isn’t nearly as important as how well they sell. - Hatch Magazine
Well, it had to happen with the two months of steady rain that we have had. The Quabbin finally crested the overflow arm and began to flow into the Swift. The photo to the left was taken at 9:30 am on Saturday November 3 and although it's not a lot of water it can be enough to change the strategy for this river. Fridays' heavy rain blew the river from 55 cfs to 100 overnight. Much of that increase was due to the RAIN hitting below the dam and not from the overflow but the overflow may keep everything higher than it's been for a few months. The river leveled off but it may not drop to that "sweet spot" of 55 cfs for a while. Wherever it lands I hope that the BWO action doesn't stop early. It's been the best in years.
The Bubbler Arm will be the least affected but this rain. There is no increase in the release so it should be fine.
What to expect - the overflow may last for months meaning that there may be some LL Salmon taking the plunge as in 2011. There was a lot more water back then so we will see. It also means if that if the overflow continues through the Winter and Spring we could have some SUPER dry fly action on that arm on warm March and early April days. We always have. My concern is if we have too much water downstream it may hinder the brookie spawning. Again we will see.
The Dark Season
I'm a traditionalist which makes me lean towards freestones and the best time to fish freestones is on a Spring or Summer evening. Insects are hatching and trout are rising and I am in heaven. Sadly, those days are gone until late March where we will have longer days without balmy temperatures for a while. Until then the tailwaters will have to do.
The Quote At The Top
I found that quote to be fairly accurate but a bit limited in scope. If the number of flyfishers have "plateaued" then it would effect all parts of our game and not just flies. There are many more types of rods now than "back in the day" and I believe that it is an attempt to squeeze every $$$ out of us by creating a solution in search of a problem. We now seem to need a rod for every situation instead of a rod for all occasions. The industry is turning many of us into gear heads. I still fish 10 and 20 year old rods and never felt undergunned or handicapped.
Ken
11 comments:
Ken, I'm hoping to get out on the EB one last time next Monday. Keeping an eye on the flows. Can you explain what is happening with those downward spikes in the graph? In a couple of places the flow drops radically (like from 1700 to 300 cf/s!) then pops right back up. Are these gauge errors?
Cheers,
Dave
Dave,
It appears that some work/testing is being done that the dam site. I've seen that before on the EB and even on the Millers.
More rain Wednesday I guess. Hopefully not that much.
Ken
Ken,
One good thing about moving the clocks back - it get light earlier.
POP
Ken,
I remember 2011 at the Swift! Right now the flow is 109 - I know you like it at 55, but, personally, I don't mind the high water (provided it remains clear, as it usually still does): I've gotten the impresssion that the trout are little less choosy and a little less cautious about flies in higher water ...
Just my two cents worth ;-)
Herm
Made a trip out to the Swift Sunday along with everybody else it seems. At least 10 cars at the bridge and at the pipe parking so it was crowded to say the least. Nice to see some bigger brookies compared to two weeks ago and a few were on what little gravel was to be found below the gauge run. Hiked well down to the houses below cady lane and came across dozens of rising 3-4" brookies during a big BWO hatch, strangely absent were the bigger 6-8" fish that have been there in years past. The biggest challenge is that the weed/grass quantities are like nothing I've seen before which really limits wading down there. From the Duckpond all the way down to Cady Lane and beyond its gotten bad pretty quickly. In just a two years those big gravel beds below the duck pond have been covered in plant matter. That's sure to affect the brookie spawning. There are a few houses upstream of the gauge, but I'm hard pressed to believe its phosphorus leaking from their septic that is the cause for this increase - but it is possible. Usually this kind of growth needs to be supported by a huge nutrient load. I could understand outputs from the hatchery and horse farm being a major contributor, but not upstream of the pipe. Above Route 9 doesn't seem to be affected the same way as below. This could be a big problem with the current rate of plant growth. TC
Thanks, Ken. Is the Swift still fishable at 200 cf/s?
Cheers,
Dave
Hi Ken,
The mass wildlife men & ladies were working on the Swift today in search of adipose fin clipped fish. I noticed Adam Kurzra (sp.) in the crew and had a quick chat as he was shocking his way to the Y pool. He mentioned that they had seen lots of big -16” - male brookies as they worked from rt 9 up to the Y pool. They draped a river wide net just below the Y pool, which was their stopping point on that arm.
They then worked the bubbler arm, but stopped about 2 pools below the first no trespassing sign posted on the chain link fence. It was pretty cool to watch the operation, but the fishing took a hit for awhile after they completed their work. I did catch one adipose fin clipped rainbow later this afternoon just at the first chain link fence with the no trespassing sign.
Also, I saw some more odd behavior today from a young guy (25ish) wearing a hooded black sweatshirt with white lettering down the arms. I first noticed him at the bubbler arm bridge around 2:30pm just hanging out looking up steam . When I left, I was the only car in the parking area at the rte 9 bridge around 4:45pm. After I got my waders off, I needed to take a quick leak, so I walked about 10 -15 feet into the woods in front of my car and this same guy was “buried” about 30 ft deeper in the woods. It really felt like this guy had been “stalking” me. Don’t know what to make of it, but it was weird and people should watch out for this guy.
Paul
David,
The Swift is fishable at 200 cfs.
Herm,
I like fussy trout and skinny water. It keeps the euro tight liners away (HAHA)
Paul,
First, I wonder way they shocked that area again?? It was shocked just a few weeks ago. Second, Thanks for the heads up on that guy. Wonder if he was the same guy as the naked man running through the woods downstream?
TC,
That weed bloom started last year and ruined the spawning beds below the duck pond as you stated. My guess is that it's residences along the stream from Rt 9 downstream. I believe that a really bad septic system can do it. We don't have the problem above RT 9, only below the duck pond.
Actually I thought that the weeds seemed less dense and widespread this year down in Cady Lane.
Ken
I heard that they shocked and recorded 12 of the couple hundred clipped trout stocked up stream of nine in July. They surveyed from the stairs to just below y pool. Third time this year I was there during survey
Swift at 400 cf/s!?
David
David,
400 cfs is possible. In the Fall of 2011 it hit 400+ and in July of 2009 it was over 500cfs!!!
Ken
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