I've been spending a few late afternoons during the week this past month plying the Swift. So, it seems, is everyone else!! The Y Pool should have a reservation system installed and the Pipe has it's usual crew plus it's been bombarded with hardware tossers. This leads me to find quiet places. The Gauge Stretch is nice to fish but this season it just seems "off". Still good but not like last year. From the Gauge to the Crib Dam is reliable and like the previous two spots it doesn't get hammered much except on weekends. Are these the only spots? No!
I'll let you guess where I took the above photos. The water is low and gin clear. The rainbows hold behind the occasional rock or log and sip tiny offerings from the surface. Careless wading or poor casting will send them running. A slow upstream approach fishing with dries will do the trick. They'll take most surface flies from mayfly to ant imitations and they will rip line from your reel when the hook is set. Friday afternoon I took five 'bows and a brookie on this quite water, watching them rise to the surface through water that seemed like liquid air.
Will I find this place packed with anglers because of this entry? I don't think so. First, my description fits a lot of spots on this river. Second, the average Swift River fly fisher has his or her favorite spot and they will fish there regardless of the crowds.
Am I writing about a certain section of this trout filled river OR am I writing about ANY place on the Swift where you can fish alone?? I'll let you decide!
Ken
11 comments:
Respectfully, I believe the word you are searching for is "quiet" not "quite". I am so glad I have spellcheck. So a dyslexic guy walks into a bra......
Looks like down below the...... pool to me.
Anonymous #1
Thank you for the correction. Spell check does not protect me from that error. Sorry about that!! Tell me the rest of the joke!
Anonymous #2
You've got it. It's below THAT pool, more or less.
Ken
clearly below...that pool. I was wading once there and prehistoric snapping turtle cruised right by me. If this is the same plance, I've done well there in front of log jams and between the weed growth and before the bend. Am I think of the same place?
I went about a week ago and was doing very well on Hoppers. I love the chance to chuck some big bugs on this river and the big trout slam them.
Fished the Swift yesterday in the rain....AND SO DID EVERYONE ELSE. At the Y Pool I could count 7-8 fisherman at all times. I watched one guy nymphing....he caught at least 20 big, heavy rainbows....but he never said a word, nevermind share what they were taking. Whatever it was, it was large...made a little splash each cast...and he had a wad of yellow strike indicator to keep it floating.As I walked back to my car, soaked to the bone, I walked by many more fishermen. I guess there was nothing else to do in the rain but fish.
I only did the popular spots once, not a fan of crowds at all. Fished the Swift heavily last year but not once this year due to a move to the North Eastern part of the Mass. Was fond of the Industrial Park section on downstream to the power line crossing. Would fish it all day without seeing another person. And fish just about everywhere. I recall seeing a turn on the river with easily 20+ trout in the over 16" range. Only took one and the whole pool got spooked.
Fished the Nissi, Squan, and Quinnie this year because of simple proximity. Think I'm gonna start trekking up to New Hampshire
Anonymous,
I walked above RT9 on the Swift early Sunday morning around 7:30 am to take some photos. There were about four working the Y Pool with one guy landing two in the short time I was there. I don't know what your lucky angler was using but the "splash each every cast" sounds interesting. Hmm...
Shad,
I hate to see you fishing north of us but location is everything. Don't forget the Swift or the Millers.
My guess it was the weight making the splash not the fly...but who knows. It has that effect for me when im fishing tiny nymphs even if I spin a tiny amount on tightly.
Perhaps this weekend ill finally get the "guts" to venture down below rt. 9 on an exploratory mission and search for some of these more secluded spots. I hate the crowds above route 9 but tough to push yourself to explore when you only get 4-5 hours to fish, once a week. Been having steady success the last few weekends on the usual small midges...though patience and trust is required. Typically ill go a quiet hour or two...then a string of fish...more quiet...repeat
Ken,
What are your thoughts on the Millers right now. The river is up a bit, but I'm sure it's still warm.
With limited fishing time available I'm not sure if I should try my luck on the Millers.
I might be better served spending more time on the Swift and learning what type of nymph this guy caught all of the fish on last weekend. After thinking more about it, the splash may have been from some splitshot that he might have been using.
Anonymous,
I hope to make it to the Millers some evening within the next few days. The heat waves are over (for now) and night temperatures are in the fifties. August has traditionally been a good month on this river.
The Swift was on fire on sunday with Ants...ANTS ANTS ANTS! Size 20... Whacked and stacked 'bows from rt 9 all the way up. Did I mention I was the ONLY car their ALL DAY? BOOO YAAA!!
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