First, let me define "Indian Summer". It's not what the TV weather bunnies claim it to be, namely a warm Fall day with lots of foliage. Here in New England it has traditionally been a warm Fall day AFTER the foliage season. If you don't believe me then ask Robert Frost!!
The day starts with a temperature of 30 degrees and ends in the low 60's. Perfect. I meet Dick at the Pipe parking lot at 7:30am. I forgot to make reservations for the Pipe (haha) so we have to fish the stretch upstream to the crib dam. (actually this was the plan!!).
This stretch, almost always devoid of flyfishers, was ours for over three hours. We fished upstream with Dicks red beadhead and my scud taking and losing 'bows and brookies. Not too bad!!
After working this stretch we went back down to the Pipe to find a few anglers who had decided to drop anchor for the day just below the outflow but the "tree" pool was vacant. We were seated immediately (haha) and began to work a steady rise to midges or something very small. A size 24, mentioned in a recent post, tied onto the business end of a strand of 8x brought a couple of more trout.
It was a good day with good company and good trout. These sunny, comfortable days are in short supply. Fish them if you can!!
Ken
11 comments:
Ken, I read your blog faithfully and note that you speak of the "crib dam" & the "pipe" often. I only know the section of this river from the Rte. 9 bridge to the Y-pool and would like to explore more of the Swift. Can you give me a "hint" as to where these locations are? B/T/W, I'll be taking advantage of the weather this afternoon to make a few casts on the Swift...see you out there?
Ken, Does this rig make sense to you:
Unweighted stonefly attached to 5x tapered leader, with tungsten bb about 10 inches up the leader. I consider this the attractor fly. Then, from the bend in the hook i drop a thread midge using 8 inches or so of 6x tippet. I alternate using a football indicator and drifting a little faster than current with no indicator. I feel like i'm not getting as many hookups as all the other post I read, dispite fishing the same water.
Cliff
Anonymous,
Sorry, but I will not be on the Swift on the wonderful day but...
The "Pipe" and the "Crib Dam" are easily found. If you are at the Y Pool parking area just head east on RT9 for a few hundred yards and take a right onto River Rd. Travel until you see a wrought iron gate on the left. The enter point for the Pipe is directly across from the gate. Drive to the end of the dirt road. You will see a gauge station. Walk downstream until you see a brick building on the opposite bank. That's the intake for the trout hatchery. Below that you will see the "Pipe" (the outflow from the hatchery). There are a lot of trout from the Pipe downstream for a hundred yards. The Crib Section, as far as I'm concerned, is the area above the brick building upstream for a few hundred yards. If the Pipe section is crowded (it may be) I will cross over, walk upstream and start fishing upstream covering the riffles below the gauge station up to the "crib dam". The dam is partially submerged but you can't miss it.
The area from the crib downstream is seldom fished but has a good load of trout. It's great water. The Pipe gets blasted but there is even more trout to be fished to. "short and small" is the rule. Cast a short line and fish a small fly.
Cliff,
If you are talking about the Swift then I would ditch the stonefly and go with a soft hackle or a scud (14 to 16 for both) and lengthen the 6x tippet to 12 inches when the water is running below 50cfs, 18 inches when it's up to the usual 115cfs with maybe a micro shot.
I've had good luck with a single fly (hotspot, jailbird, scud, serendipity) with a micro shot a foot above the fly. If I use an indicator it's three white CDC feathers. They don't scare the trout and work great.
Ken
Ken,
Thanks for all of the great information that you have on your blog. I'm fairly new to this (5 yrs) and I'm still trying to find the "places". My success is so-so but but your descriptions of the Millers and the Swift really help. Your past blog entries are a great help.
Jeff
Ken,
Ever fish the next stretch UPTREAM of the Crib Dam? Access is from the first parking area off River Road - there is an S-bend with some nice riffles that always yields a few native brookies and perhaps a bow or two, then there is what looks like another old dam (which holds back the pool below the Rt. 9 bridge), dropping into a nice deep pool below - last time I fished there it gave up a brookie, a rainbow and a brown! There are lots of fish at "the pipe" but it can be much more satisfying to find some solitude and catch fish in some of these other areas!
Mike,
I know that section. Back in 2006 I spent some time fishing the slow water above the crib dam with ants and such during the Summer. I should spend more time there!!
The "old dam" that you mention is just above the "duck pond". Most of that dam was removed by TU a few years ago with questionable results. Anyway, the pool/riffle section below is certainly a "getaway" place. Nice water and no crowds.
Let's get back to the water above the crib. I remember a very hot day a few years ago where the usual spots were crowded. I fished that slow water from the left side facing upstream. I caught trout but worked for every one of them!!!! I said that I would go back but I didn't. Next year.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken, Do you have favorite colors for your scuds on the Swift?
Pete
Ken,
Sounds like a great day!
Dont mean to change subjects, howeer witht he devistating summer, do you think the Millers will fish "tough" this spring? It does not seem like many fish made it through the summer..its obviously stocked, but I am thinking perhaps the aquatic bug life took a major hit as well? However, i assume the fish caught in the spring are mostly stocked fish. Surely they outweigh the hold overs, however hoping the bug life did not take a huge dive as well...
The EB of the Swift and the Quinnie, the two rivers i could fish with a blind fold on, are DEVOID of life. I usually can manage a few ncie hold overs and plenty of natives...Not so much this fall. its scary.
Anonymous,
My scud patterns are tied with an olive color.
Anonymous,
The Millers - This past Summer, hot and dry as it was, will lower the amount of browns that will hold over for the Spring BUT it will not eliminate them. I don't believe that the insect population has taken a major hit. There was enough water to see them through. Most New England rivers, including the Swift, depend on some stocking to keep success rates up. Let's just hope that 2011 is a NORMAL season as far as water levels go.
Ken
I have read your blog and I am a novice fly fisherman who makes up for it in respect for these fish and a desire to catch as many different species in a year as possible. Thank you for your blog it is fantastic reading. Saturday I finally got to fish the y pool. Those fish are far more intelligent then I am .. ( I bow my head in respect to you my dear trout.) Only landed one Bow even though I could have grabbed a few as they were sitting between my legs at points! I fished SEVERAL different flies, including midges with no strikes. I think my combination with tippit and size fly still needs to be perfected ;)
I obviously have a lot to learn as other there claimed to have landed 10+.
Rookie,
Keep at it. One Y Pool 'bow will lead to more!!!!
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