The Swift Is Normal (?) Again

It's been a busy week but not on the fly fishing scene. Work, family and thunderstorms canceled out my planned trips to the local waters. On the 21st I fished the "Pipe" section with the flow around 100cfs. By Thursday it had dropped to 38cfs which is about a bit below normal but ok. Sunday I guided on this section. We had great low flow, a 54 degree water temperature and ONE OTHER FLY FISHER!!! The reasons: High water for the last two months have scattered the trout(maybe)or the hardware guys fished them out (maybe again). The trout were certainly there but in less numbers than before. We had some on. The "one other fly fisher" floated the theory that with the end of the hardware season on 7/1 the DFW will bless us with a summertime stocking. Let's hope so.

Now, for a great story. The "one other fly fisher" hooked a large 'bow (20inch) about 30 feet below the pipe. The fish tore off downstream and then went flying upstream, dragging the fly fisher with him. Up PAST the pump house the bow went with his angler in tow. The last I saw of them was as they rounded the bend in the stream, at least 150 yards+ from the spot of the strike.

Maybe a foul hook but entertaining anyway!!

Ken

This Past Weekend On The EB

The EB of the Westfield was my place this weekend. Summer is here and with it comes a change in tactics. You can fish during banking hours or you can fish in the evening or early morning if you want to catch trout. Both times worked for me. I was there on the evening of June 19th. A "new" spot just below the final gate yielded a good time but no trout. Upstream, at the Slant Rock Pool, brought one brown and a few misses to my dry fly offering. Then came the Bliss Pool . Browns and 'bows came to a #16 olive emmerger which made a nice end to the evening.

Sunday morning I set the alarm for 4:30am but managed to "sleep in" - a major error. I like being the first at the Swift! I goofed, pure and simple. So off to the EB I went to salvage a few hours. My two hours were well spent at Slant Rock and at the Bliss. Browns and 'Bows were working the surface between 8 and 10am. I caught a bunch!!!! Basically any olive dun/emmerger in size 16 did the trick. Water temperature was around 70 in the evening and around 55 in the morning. This was great fly fishing!!!

Went to the "pipe" on the Swift on Monday evening ( 6/21). STRUCK OUT in two hours. Took a water temperature and it read 64 degrees. So I ask: just a bad outing for me or are we in the doldrums for this spot?

I can honestly say that Summer Fly Fishing is may favorite time to cast a fly to eager trout. It's the most exciting form of fly fishing. On the Millers and the EB of the Westfield it lasts all Summer!!

Ken

Saturday Morning On The EB

The rain was supposed to hold off until mid day but 10am found a light drizzle turning into a light rain turning into a ........ You get the message.

8:45am found me at slant rock pool only because I was too lazy to work the section below the gate a half mile or so into this section. There is a stretch below the gate that has entered my dreams - deep, smooth, classic, but I chickened out. I'll pay for that with "could of, should of" dreams for the next week. Anyway, slant rock forgave me. Five 'bows came to the dry. The tail end of this pool will keep you awake at night. Classic dry fly water!!!!

Next stop was the Bliss Pool. Three more surfaced to take a large stone fly. I made the mistake of tying this #10 stone to a 5x tippet. Talk about a messed up tippet!! 4X brought three 'bows up in the fast water at the head of this pool.

I thought about this river as I cut vines and other invasive growth away from my deck over looking the Mill River this early afternoon. Maybe tonight.......

The above photo is an old photo. I didn't have my camera today. Sorry!!

Ken

Light Cahill Evening On The Millers

Thomas Ames would call them Cream Cahills or Light Cahills but for the fact that it was a spinner fall that I witnessed I'll call them Cream Cahills BECAUSE he said that light cahill spinners fall long after dusk and these were definitly spinners - dropping gently on the surface, a bounce or two, and then lying flat after that. I think that I'll just call them Light Cahills - close enough.

It was not a blizzard of flies but a steady fall which brought the browns up. The #14 cdc comparaduns fooled enough trout to make the two hours that I was there worthwhile. Where was I??? The Kempfield was the spot. The Upper Trestle Pool did well before "the fall" with a large dry stone fooling some bows and browns in the fast water at the head of this stretch. when was I there?? Monday night and I had the river all to myself.

It's Summer on the Millers and evenings will produce for the next few months. Enjoy it if you can!!

Ken

Home Waters

Sometimes it's right in your back yard. I live in Northampton and the little Mill River flows right behind my house. I've heard of this stream - a seasonal catch and keep flow that serves the Spring time bait and hardware guys for two months before it's forgotten. I've never seen a fly fisher on this water and I have ignored it for better fare on the EB, Swift, Farmington and the Millers rivers. Three years ago I saw a rainbow rise right behind my house on Mothers Day. I thought "dumb 'bow, soon to be the victim of warm water" or something like that. No fly was cast.

But things began to change. On a muggy, hot afternoon last July I saw a bait fisher below one of the dams that cross this river. I threw out the "catch anything" question only to be answered with a stringer of two 14-18 inch rainbows. Hmm.......the fly fishing guide that I own states that the river warms up too much for trout survival during the Summer. I made note of it but didn't fish the river that Summer. This winter I thought that some effort should be made here but May found me on the big waters. Then came Memorial Day. I had some time on my hands at midday so I took a walk along the Mill River. This place is a favorite swimming spot for the locals so it took some time to find undisturbed water. I found it, at noon with the temperatures in the high 80's. I also found RISING TROUT throughout this section!!!

Forward cast to 8am this Saturday morning. Into the Mill River I went with boots, swim trunks and a pocket full of flies and leader material. The first thing that I noticed was that the water was COLD! I've waded wet before and know what Summertime water feels like. This was cold. This water also had a RISING TROUT mid way through the section that I was at. Three casts later the #16 sulphur was taken by a 'bow that ran up and down this this small pool. It was released and swam off like a rocket. Two more trout were seen rising at the head of this section. My first thoughts were "this will be easy" BUT I managed to put both of these guys down.

This was fun. A little 3wt, small flies, short casts and nobody around!!!! It was almost like having my own private trout stream!!!

I'll spend more time here this Summer. If we have normal rainfall this season this place will be very nice.

Ken

The Millers In Summer Mode

Maybe it was the string of thunderstorms that rolled through the Millers valley on this Memorial Day Saturday because the parking spot at Wendell Depot was EMPTY at 4pm. The threat of lightning kept me car bound for a good half hour before I headed upstream to the Upper Trestle Pool. Conditions were perfect but the trout, with the exception of one rainbow, didn't want to play. Two fly rodding gents waved and headed upstream. I, in turn, headed for the Kempfield where I had the place to myself. Nothing was working the surface at the head or middle of the stretch BUT trout were making some splashy rises in the calm water of the big pool. The rises said "caddis" but there certainly was a lack of this insect in the air. Then I noticed that the shoreline on my side of the river was swarming with dark caddis. The logical choice was made and for an hour I threw adult and emerger imitations with no results. These fish were cruising around with no set positions which gave the game a "chuck and chance it" feel.

I was about to throw in the towel when I saw a rise in the current. One rise and then another = a trout in a feeding location. Off came the caddis and on went a dark tan cdc dun. It only took two casts before I set the hook. A few minutes later I was admiring the brute, a beautiful brown that ran about 18 inches. It was well worth the wait!!!

The Millers has entered it's summer phase. Mornings and evenings will be the rule until September. I love Summer evenings on the Millers. So do the Browns!!