First, It's May 15th and the EB of the Westfield River, through the Chesterfield Gorge, has been a trout desert. Rumor has it that because TU moved their weekend party to the Quinnie the Gorge, the longest single C&R section in the State, may be put on the back burner. So please do this before next weekend - email the DFW and say you want the traditional May stocking of that river section to continue. The email address is: mass.wildlife@state.ma.us This is a quick way to bury them with our concerns. Let's show our strength!!!!!!
The Millers - Yup, the fish tales of 20 fish and 30 fish days are all true. That's what happens when you fish within a day of a stocking. But the browns are BIG and they swam quickly away when released so no harm done. And yes, it was fun catching them. The predicted rains will not move these fish around like it does with rainbows. They will just become harder to catch and will soon begin to shy away from those buggers we've been tossing. By late May/early June dries and emergers will rule the day.
BTW, word has it that the Erving Center bridge (the end of the lower C&R)on downstream was stocked heavily this past week. It's a beautiful section that gets little pressure and holds trout all Summer. If you want to try a new spot.........
Ken
24 comments:
Thanks for the update, Ken. Have yet to make it our way this year, but the dries on the Millers in late May/early June sound like a good excuse to venture west. Was on the Squannacook last Wednesday and there was a decent mayfly hatch, but no luck with the stockers. Only saw a few rising, but did get into a bunch of small fallfish.
Ken,
I just emailed MA Fish & WIldlife with my concerns on the pitiful stocking completed to date on the EB. If anything, with last summers hardship drought on that river, one would have expected over compensation of stocking to restore the fish kills there.
I ask all of you to please email MA Fish & Wildlife with your concerns.
Ken thank you for posting the email address.
-BT
Just sent this letter.
Hello from a concerned fly fisher,
I wanted to reach out and urge you to stock EB of the Westfield through the Chesterfield Gorge. Rumor has it that because Trout Unlimited moved their traditional weekend outing from this venue that the Gorge, the longest single C&R section in the State, may not receive its normal stocking.
The traditional May stocking of that river section should continue as the TU party represents a minority of the fishers who enjoy this great resource.
In fact I would urge you to increase the stocking this year if possible, especially with brown trout, given the high temperatures and low flow we experienced last year killed many of the fish that would normally hold over.
Thanks in advance for you consideration
Ken, Is the problem of stocking a larger State issue? Are stocking numbers and places down this year? I fished the Swift last Friday (May 13)from the Gauge to the small dam above. Not a strike, not a sighting of a fish. Quit after 2 hours and went above Rt 9 and walked along the trail searching the water below for fish. Again to no avail. Where are the fish in the river?
ken and browntrout, as soon as i get off this web site i'll send a message to ma fish & wildlife. thanks for showing us who to contact. i also e-mailed one of the main guys from the taconic chapter of t-u, asking if they could do something for the EB.i thought maybe they had some pull. It looked on their web site that they help organize the indian hollow . bbd
I fished the Swift on Thursday.
I worked pretty hard for one Rainbow.
The Swift is a total mystery this year. The Pipe is the easiest place in the state for them to stock. Even though there are few trout available to stock this year there is no excuse for this. Yet they make a publicity splash by throwing trout into Jamaica Pond in Boston.
Caught a brown parr in Bearsden in the pouring rain yesterday. Always happy to catch some small ones and think that some natural reproduction is going on, rather than a "put and take" fishery.
I live 10 minutes from Jamaica pond and never fish it for put and take trout (or salmon brood). (OK... I do remember catching my first "trout" from the pond as a kid, dangling a plastic grasshopper lure in front of a pod of fish next to the boat house.)
Ken, good directions in the guide to the middle section. I've kayaked through the Bearsden but I don't think I would have been able drive into and find that section on my own.
david
Has the lower section of the Millers i.e., kempfield pool, been stocked with browns?
thanks,
ethan
Ethan,
It's loaded with browns!!!
Ken
Fantastic! Thanks Ken
Ethan
My letter is in. Thanks Ken.
I also sent an email to the state...now if I could just get some time to go out and fish!
Ken,
The Millers is blown out. Based on flows in the 2,000 range, what do you estimate the drop time to be (days without rain) typically to get back into "floating line' fishing"?
Browntrout,
As I write the Millers at Erving is about 1400cfs. The Bears Den is at 700 cfs. It may take a week without rain to get Irving back to 600 which is, in my opinion, the limit for a floating line. 400 cfs works in the Bears Den and that may be less than a week without rain.
I have no problems fishing a full sinking line ( a standard procedure years ago)when the water is high but not this high!!
Thanks to those who emailed the DFW on the EB C&R. There are a number of you. Let's see what happens. Also, keep the flyfisher/non flyfisher data coming in.We have a lot but I want more!!!
Ken
Good News. I received a reply from Dana Ohman, the Western Region Fisheries Biologist regarding the ED Stocking
Dear Mr. Godley,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding trout stocking of the Westfield River East Branch Catch and Release area. I am writing to assure you that rumors in regards to the Chesterfield Gorge not being stocked because of the TU Jamboree Weekend not occurring this year at the Chesterfield Gorge area are unfounded. The Western District of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife are scheduled to stock with members of the Pioneer Chapter of Trout Unlimited prior to the weekend of May 21st and it will be stocked an additional time prior to the Memorial Day Weekend.
Good luck and have a great time fly fishing. If you have any additional questions please feel free to call me at the phone number listed below.
Respectfully,
Dana J. Ohman
Western District Aquatic Biologist
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
88 Old Windsor Road
Dalton, MA 01226
413 684-1646 (phone)
413 684-1705 (fax)
Thats the woman I spoke with about the fallen tree. Sounds like they got an earful from several people about the lack of fish. The goodnews is with all this rain and higher flows, the fish should spread out a bit more for when the river receds.
Thank you for the update. Concerning her comment, just for the record, I've fished the EB every year for the past 10 or so years the week prior to the Indian Hollow event and always found a ton of fish in the river EXCEPT this year. Hmmm...
I CONTACTED A Jan chague from trout's unlimited, they contacted dana ohman . I guess there supposed to stock fri but didn't say which one.bbd
This is GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. At least they know that we are out there!!!
Ken
Think the EB of the Westfield will be fishable this weekend?
Tom,
Probably not. I've caught trout with a floating line there when the flow was around 600cfs. It's 1500cfs as I write. If the flow drops below 1000 then maybe a full sinking line and some heavy buggers will work.
Ken
I have a week off from work starting Monday. Regardless of the flow, I will be fishing the lower Miller's throughout the week with a full sink line and a diverse selection of streamers and buggers.
I have been fishing this river hard (3-5x's per week, May through July, and then again Sept. to late October)
for the past five years, and have found many great spots that are not fished much by most anglers. Thinking I will have some decent luck regardless of the 1000cfs-plus flows. I will be happy to post my success and the spots where such luck is found if anyone is interested.
Hope to see some of you out there, as I will be fishing this river all week.
Ethan
Ethan,
Looking forward to your posts.
Ken
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