Sunday morning was strange. I thought that maybe I should of made reservations for the "Pipe" section. At 8:15am I was the only one there and for the next 4 plus hours I had ONE fishing companion named John. We took turns turning trout that slept in until 10am. A sparse hatch of BWO's turned these fish on and we got takes. I hooked 10 and landed only 4 but it was a ball. Monday morning my two clients hooked fish. The landing was another story with the same batting average that I had the day before. Then we went to the bubbler arm and hooked, landed and lost more fish. The 'bows in this river are full of fight and have seemed to have learned how to throw the hook!! BTW, even with 20 cars at the Y Pool parking area we had plenty of room on that Bubbler Arm. Everyone was at the Y and downstream. The Bubbler has about 100+ yards of water with plenty of water to fish.
I'm back on Wednesday (today) to revisit the Bubbler. Three fish in an hour with #18 hotspots and then nothing for the next two hours. Such is life!!
Fall fishing for me means low water and smart trout. The Swift has it.
Ken
18 comments:
I share your same feelings! Spent the day on Saturday roaming above and below rt. 9. Hooked countless numbers of fish on my normal array of midge offerings yet only put 2 in the net. It is normal for me to lose alot of fish with small flies at the swift but this holiday weekend seemed extraordinary. Thought I had fooled multiple good fish and had a real good hold of them...but alas they ended up fooling me over and over again. Great fun all day though. The local residents seem to be in a "class" or rare mood like ive never seen since I started on the swift in 09. Even standard sized fish were making HUGE runs ripping line off my reel, jumps, and other jaw dropping acrobatics. Havent stopped smiling since.
-Dave
Had a similar lonely two-hour end of the day experience at the Pipe on Sunday. No one else there except the fish. Landed one lost two. Then moved up toward the gage pool and hooked fish all along the way. More lost than landed - a great way to round out the weekend.
Bob
Bob O,
I love that stretch up to the gauge but I've had so-so results the last two times. Glad that you did well.
Ken
...and then there's the Millers... just a few days away from getting into great shape (447 cfs this am) and it happens again. And just to make sure, even more big rain tomorrow. It just ain't meant to be this fall.
Al
Al,
I saw that 447cfs and the weather forecast. The river is teasing us!!
I am a fan of the bubbler run, but I don't fish midges in there. Those big fish crash Hoppers. Try a parachute. I also caught a 19 inch Tiger up there earlier in the season.
It amazes me how many times I walk by 10 people crowding the Y pool and no one up there. I hope it stays a bit of a "secret" :-)
Shhh...
Ken, Have you fished the Bondsville section lately? Just curious if it is fishing as well this year as in the past?
Gerry
Falsecast,
George, the Hummer driving, ponytailed older gent told me yesterday of someone using hoppers and catching big fish on the bubbler run. Maybe it was you or Bob O by virtue to his one word response.
Gerry,
Fished Bondsville in July, did well, but haven't been back.
Yes, it easily could have been as he was there. One of the things I like about Ken's blog is that he's open about fishing info so I thought I'd join in even though all the secrets can't be let out.
Ken, try a bigger-than-you'd-think Hopper up there and see what happens. :)
I whole heartedly agree on the hopper thing - I'd do it anyplace on that river, but it's fun on the bubbler run for sure.
In particular, bigger than you would think. I've caught fish there on hoppers tied on #6 streamer hooks (heavy hook = lower floating in the film).
FUN stuff!
Will
i went to the gorge thursday to see if they filled the road in. its open for business ,just figure i throw it out there . probably try it out sun. bbd
bbd,
They opened the road?? They filled in the washed out section??You can drive on that access road?? That is very good news!!!!
NOT liking how Mother Nature keeps teasing me with flows at the Millers! Great flows during my days working, then it rains and here comes my days off, along with white water conditions! ARRR
Tony,
The Millers went from the mid 400cfs range to over 800 in twelve hours. I've never seen a more crazy flow in October on this river. It's just the year that we have and we have to deal with it. If you want to duplicate Spring with subsurface lines and heavy bugs then you may do ok but I like the traditional flows of Fall and the rising browns that come with that season. Maybe not this season. I go to the Swift. Things are interesting there.
Ken
I wouldn't run to the Westfield, the flows ar almost 2,000 this morning.
-BT
Thanks Ken,
I'll wait a few weeks again, and hope that late October/Early November may have a fish or two in sight, with some decent wadable waters. I know currently (my phone app informs me) that the flows are about 1330cf. I've been trying to get out there since Late August, but with this weather, and these flows.... at least I'm getting in some time at the bench. I'll sure be stocked up!!
Now I've got winter/spring anadromous fish on my mind. Tying glo bugs, wooly buggers and nymphs from size 12-6...a hell of alot easier then tying swift bead headed nymphs on a 22 barbless.
Oh well, tight lines to all! Still hope to fool one trout by the end of the year!!
I hit th Swift this past weekend and the downed pine needles floating on the river was really getting to me. I felt like I was bass fishing in a weed bed. Leaves I can handle, pine needles on the other hand are almost impossible to keep off the hook (and knots in the line) whether you are dry or wet fly fishing...Was still able to land one through all the frustration. Hope the next trip out is less windy and pine needle free.
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