Here we go: The EB of the Westfield is running at 490cfs, the Bears Den of the Millers is at 545cfs, The lower Millers has finally dipped below the thousand mark at 975. All have been stocked and with the right flies (weight) and presentation should be producing trout. Let's hope that the deluge forecast for Wednesday doesn't happen. Hey, what about the third river?? The Swift is RISING and has climbed above 200cfs for the first time in months. I was at the pipe Friday evening and saw only two other fly fishers and NO TROUT. Without a doubt it is the strangest April that I've seen on this river. If anyone has caught anything at the pipe section during the past two weeks than you are much better than me.
The Millers will get it's stocking of browns over the next two weeks. GOOD!!!!!
Now, I need your help for a little "study". Going forward please keep a mental note when you fish on one of our Ma. river of the number of flyfishers that you see on each trip vs. the number of non flyfishers that you see for each trip. Example: fished the Quinni and saw 4 flyfishers and 2 non flyfishers. When you get back just email me the results. Don't include Fly Fishing Only locations, of course.
Good Fishing!!!!
Ken
38 comments:
ken,
I'll be glad to update you on the fly versus non fly fishing at the river I visit.
How long are you asking for the info?
Also, any hint on what your plans are for the info?
Ed,
This is a season long study.
It's also to see who is actually fishing these rivers not only in the Spring but throughout the season.
Don't a lot of non-flyfishers hit the Millers at night? The active fire pits seem to indicate it.
Bill,
Count only the anglers that you see.
Ken
hey ken went fishing thursday at eb no one but me. no fish yet, could not drive down the road, big tree across the road. has anyone caught anything at the gorge yet, bbd
BBD,
I have not heard about anyone catching anything at the Gorge BUT I heard about the tree blocking the road. The same thing happened to me last November (check my post) when a tree came down and blocked my escape!! The Town came down and moved it out on a Saturday which was unbelievable!! I'm sure that they will move it out shortly (hopefully)! One takes their chances when they fish the Gorge!!
Ken
BBD & Ken,
I was at EB today. There is no way it has been stocked. There is a massive tree that fell across the road about 1/4 mile. There are no truck tracks beyond it, so clearly it has not been stocked. We fish before the felled tree as well as into the gorge. Not fish seen or hooked. Also fished the lower section of the Catch N realease dwon by rainbow pool. No fish in there either. The state is jerking us around on the westfield and their stocking reports are not accurate. Fished Gardner Park on the main stem without a lick as well. Fished the Middle branch and took 2 fish that were holdovers that was it! I will be calling F&G tomorrow to give them an earlful on Chesterfield!
-BT
BT,
It seems that over the past few years the State has held off stocking the Gorge until the week before the TU gathering at Indian Hollow on the 3rd weekend in May. For the first time in over twenty years or more there's no TU gathering for that weekend!! Hopefully they will still stock the place.
If anyone knows anyone in the Chesterfield DPW please tell them about that tree.
Ken
Ken,
I intend to call them today and give them an earful. Will let you know what their retort is.
-BT
Also, I will be happy to provide info on fly fish vs spinners. Yesterday while fishing the Westfield, we covered alot of ground on the main stem. Total fishermen sighted including Jeff and I- 14 of which 12 were spinning and or worming and Jeff and I were flyfishing.
-BT
Ken,
I called the western District today. Their statement was that just because their website states east branch chesterfield, does not mean the gorge. They then mentioned they did stock it last week once the snow pile was gone HOWEVER when I told them about the fallen tree across the road an 1/8 mile past where the snowbank was and how could they have stocked the phone went silent. I also mentioned that the lower section of just above Knightville dam also has a fallen tree beyond the yellow gate blocking much of that to be stocked. They said they would pass along and get the trees cleared, then stock. She did state that the absence of the TU camping weekend might affect some of the stocking well. As if that is the only time people flyfish the EB! AAAARRRGGGHHH!
How ist he petition coming along?
Ken,
I went fly-fishing on the Shawsheen River in Andover yesterday (5/2/11) and I was the only person there.
Don't ask if I caught anything.
Ed
Not the Central district, but fished the Assabet River C&R section in Concord yesterday for about an hour. One other fisherman leaving with a fly rod when I arrived. One other with a spin rod when I was leaving. The guy before me said he got 4 fish. I picked up two brookies and lost two more.
John
Not that it matters but just read my last post and they were young browns, not brookies. I am pretty sure Concord Outfitters stocks browns in there this time of year, although one of them was very dark (i.e. possible holdover)
John
Ken. I sent you an email with a report from the Quinnie. Hope to give you updates throughout the season.
Ken, two of us fished the Miller on Sunday from 1st run up to the Rock Garden. Lots of Caddis activity, but absolutely no fish activity :) Surprised that we saw no one else between 11:30 and 4PM.
ken the tree has been taken care of at the gorge. i read that they cancelled tu camping trip this year,usually i'v caught fish by now. they stock in april and the thursday before their camping weekend. why are we getting forgotten about? this place i love fishing, i'm minutes away. after the drought last year we could really use the fish. bbd
You folks are really responding to this "study". The objective is to show, if the numbers add up, that we are not a minority on our rivers.
I am working up a statement/proposal to the DFW. It will take time but it is time well spent.
Ken
BBD,
I called the western office today and told them about both the fallen tree blocking the gorge and the one at the lower end of the C&R above Knightville.
She too commented on the stocking possibly being altered this year because there will be no TU outing! Do these people have clue?? Do they actually think they only people that flyfish are the ones from the Boston Chapter. I woud love to see them develope some sort of cenus taking to better understand who and what % of the population actually fly fishes these days. Maybe then they will listen to our plight of limited C&R waters and fish stocking suggestions a but more!
Ken,
I woulf give you a 10 page long list of place I have fished since Jan 1st, however I will start with your May1st posting...
Sunday May 1st- Assabet Yellich Property... INCLUDING ME, 3 fly fishermen.
Monday 2nd-Danforth brook- 1 flyfishermen(me)
Today, Tuesday the 3rd-Fife/Zoar(Deerfield)- 8fly fishermen including me/1 spin fishermen
On way home I stopped at Quinnie- 1 fly fishermen (me) 6 spin guys
I hit up TROUT BROOK quick too-I was the only fishermen...
I WISH THEY WOULD DESIGNATE SOME OR EVEN ALL OF THE QUINNIE a C&R! Its already been picked good...Trout brook below the bridge is cleaned out as well..Ashame seeing all the worm container and garbage..I always bring a garbage bag with me...slobs
In the last week and a half:
E.br of Ware: 5 bait, only FF
E.rb of Swift:6 spin,4 FF (inc me)
Quinne (Various spots)5-6 spin, 3FF
Justice Brook- Just me
Trout Brook (upstream)- Just me
Phillips Brook (my yard)- 8-10 bait guys where they stock. Just me getting away from the roads for the natives.
-Eric
Eric,
I love the East Branch of the swift...How have you made out? I manage a few everytime, but this last time I only got one...Those bait guys SURELYYYY clean that place out...Its ashame...
Ken- Today, March 4. East Branch of the Swift, I was the only FF...NO bait dudes...
hey, browntrout so what should do now! retire my fly rod. did they mention when dump the fish in. according to the fall they had a lot of extra fish kicking around,would this be one of the many great spots to put them. maybe there should be an elected job from the state that takes care of our outdoor sportsman needs? how are you supposed to get the younger generation into flyfishing / fishing,hunting ect...well there's my rant. if there is there anything i can do to help this situation let me know . bt, sounds like you are living in the same area, maybe we can hook to fish. bbd
What this state needs are regional river keepers. People that oversee our fisheries for polluters, keep tracK of fish surveys on fish caught...numbers of fishermen vs ly fishermen in helping to determine more c&r sections (eg; Quinnie). Simply put, someone that gets paid a humble wage that has a passion for fisheries and is willing to keep them going. It ain't the state that will do it, thats for sure.
BBD, they claim they will stock, but who knows when and with how many.
Guys,
EMAIL your fishing survey reports to me at millercaddis@yahoo.com. Don't post them here!! Studies should not be made "public" before they are completed.
Ken
Ken, I heard that the TU outting was going to be held at Trout Brook Reservation in Holden on May 20 thru 22.
TU FINDS A NEW HOME
The annual TU family outing and campout will not take place at Indian Hollow Campground on the Westfield this year. It is scheduled for May 20-22 and will be held at trout Brook Reservation in Holden.
Directions are as follows:
Take Rte. 190N to the Rte. 140 Exit
Turn Left at off ramp
Follow to Stop Light and turn left on State Access Rd
Then right at end of road onto Manning St.
Go 1 mile, look for North St on right, down hill entrance to Trout Brook Reservation on right
Somehow TU lost out on Indian Hollow after having it there for over 20 years. The poor Quinnie!! It's going to look like the D Day invasion there on that weekend!!
Actually, I welcome the "invasion" of fellow fly-fishers on the Quinnie and will be happy to show them around my home water.
IMHO, We will have an excellent opportunity to show our bait fishing brethren, by our example, how much fun we have without abusing the resource.
I had a terrific time last Saturday on TB pool releasing several feisty Browns and Rainbows while the bait fishers watched; slack-jawed.
(Dead drifting a #16 pheasant tail soft hackle)
As I left, two of them thanked me for giving them a chance to catch those fish!
There may be hope...
Did anyone see the afternoon Caddis blizzard? Unfortunately the fish didn't seem to care much about them.
Ham...I was at the Quinnie last friday (the 29th). There was a massive caddis blizzard but no surface activity. It was really interesting to watch them migrate up stream as the afternoon progressed.
I unfortunately didn't do that well but did have two on...however they ended up being a quick release :)
With the quinnie I notice if you are willing to walk there is less and less worm container trash. I went down stream from the TB pool and had the place to my self. The fish were there...I was just too rusty.
LOTS of natives below TB pool (cable pool)...For some reason, the trout BY PASS all that sweet pocket water JUST below the poolldont know why, but never had much luck there...Once oyu get down to the bend, thats where it always came alive for me...Anyone else have this experience?
I hit the Quinnie 2 days agao and had a good time above Mill Street...tight quarters, shallow water, but some nice fish... Wont be long till the state stocks fromt he rail trail :)
Chris..Last fall I spooked a trout in that pocket water but that is the closest I have come to catching anything there.
Mike,
Glad to see its not my skills yeilding me ZERO trout everytime I hit that portion.
I wonder why trout do not like that section? You can not get any better water!!!
Christopher et al,
I have had the same experience on the Quinnie, fish a ton of great looking water and come up empty then suddenly you find fish.
Not to pile on but I have to believe that the absence of management of the fishery is partly if not entirely to blame. Your confiscated income (Read: tax dollars) hard at work !
Scott
I have found that same experience ont he Quinnie...BEAUTIFUL water, but no fish on some occasions...However, later int he season, when you do find the pod/fish, they are big!
The state, previously to last season, claimed they stocked the Quinnie in the fall...well, it must have been with the allusive brown trout as I never got any fresh "stockies" int he fall...
Oh well, The Quinnie is beautiful and with river road closed, should keep most meat snaggers away....
I was at the Swift last weekend, and it hasn't been stocked yet. Neither above Route 9 or below the farm. The state claims the road is too "soft" and they can get the truck up. Seems weird considering its already May.
The state should be ashamed of themselves this year regarding their stocking....Its absolutely rediculous...
Chris - this is Mass. When was the last time you ever heard of an official, elected or appointed, being ashamed of anything? well, other than getting caught with their hand in the till (or holding their hand out). To be ashamed, one has to have a conscience; and that is not a requirement for Mass gov't.
HamonFly...It was nice meeting your on friday. A funny chance encounter. Hope you got into them after I left...maybe I will see you on the stream sometime again.
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