It may have been the hottest and driest July on record or at least it was in my memory. I've always said that heat by itself is not the culprit in slamming trout streams but that drought is the main enemy. 2006 is a good example - very hot BUT very wet and the fishing held up on the Millers. This year is another story. The photo of the lone fly fisher was taken on July 31 from the bridge on Bridge St. looking downstream. Too much exposed stream bed for my taste. Pray for rain!!
The EB - I'm waiting for a good deluge here too.
And that leaves the Swift, especially the Bondsville section that has been a pleasant surprise. With the exception of today (8/1) I've caught trout on every outing. The dry fly fishing has been great. I don't know what's up with the flow on this river which has seen levels of 38cfs 115cfs, 55cfs, 38cfs, and now 110cfs over the past three weeks. I'm not complaining. It's COLD water and there's plenty of it.
On August 7th I head to Plum Island for a week of striper chasing. Maybe my week at the beach will end the drought!! I'll squeeze in a trip or two this week in the evening. Maybe the EB!!
Ken
3 comments:
What's the chance of holding water back in the spring on the Millers and releasing it during the summer for a higher flow?
No chance. The holding area behind Birch Hill dam is a relatively small, shallow holding area. To hold back the water would cause a high temperature release during the Summer if it had any water to release. It's not the same set up as Quabbin or the dams on the Deerfield.
Ken,
Are there still trout in the mill river where you caught them this past spring?
Cliff
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