Wow, two weeks without posting is a record for me even in the Winter let alone early Summer. Fishing and guiding and a vacation week have taken up the time in a very good way. Now, what's been happening?
The freestone rivers - Anyone who has read this blog over the years knows that the Millers and the EB are in Summer mode as are most freestone rivers. Fishing at mid day (unless it's cloudy and raining - maybe) is a waste of time as far as trout are concerned. Very early morning and evenings (late evenings into the night) will work on the Millers and hopefully on those EB browns. Overall, June was a good month on the Millers.
The Swift - This cold water gem will welcome you on a 95 degree day. It will also welcome the flotsum that insist on cruising the C&R section below RT 9. Why they don't take their act down to the boat launch and go DOWNSTREAM instead of putting our fish down will remain a mystery.
The last two weeks have been great at the PIPE section especially in the evening. Those Cream Cahills have have made their appearance every time and a dark tan emerger has fooled the rainbows. One thing of note - the best surface action has been when the flows are in the 40-50 cfs range. A few days of 100 cfs seemed to kill the surface action in this area.
It would be nice to see some rain during July!!!
Ken
9 comments:
I agree with the 'Floatsam' comment. I went there Tuesday July 03 and some of the rafters had broken their cooler and there was junk floating in the river i.e cans and paper.While the river is there to enjoy for all they should have the courtesy to float down where the ramp is ( Cady Lane).Just let us fish.
I fished the Contakook in NH for the first time as I was up camping in the area. Went to a pool that was suggested and coaxed a rainbow with a Pilot Pete fly. It had been sitting in my box for 5 yrs since someone gave it to me. Never used it before. Weird action, more like spin fishing.
Anyway, the fish barely fought and sort of got "dragged" in. Water temps were mid 70's. He revived, but I felt bad for putting him through it. It might be only the Swift and the kayakers for me until Fall. The Quinnie, my local river, is 78.5 today. That is deadly and takes any fun out of it for me.
correction: Pistol Pete is the name. Can't say I reccomend it as your tippet gets twisted and it's very tough to lift out of the water when prepping your cast.
http://www.cabelas.com/fly-assortments-pistol-pete-trout-fly-assortment-1.shtml
Paul - I was there Tuesday and saw the rafters (?) get out about 100' upstream of me. At least a 6-pack of Rolling Rock (unopened) preceded them. They had no idea what they were doing. 3 kayakers came down a short time before them, they were fishing, spin casting, and were courteous, waiting for me to acknowledge them, seeing what I was fishing to and quickly going by so to not disturb them for too long. These two fish were back in a minute.
The most disturbing news is the total lack of management by the State in regards to the stocking of trout and the enforcement of their regulations. The FFO section received an ample stocking last week while the lower C&R section received only 5 netfuls just above the pipe Monday morning. A poacher was chased out with a stringer of fish later Monday and another on Tuesday morning with a stringer of fish. One would think that after dumping 15" rainbows in one spot, someone from the State could at least make one showing - to at least give the poachers something to think about. I don't know how many 15" rainbows can fit into one of their "stocking nets", but I don't think it's likely that any more than 50 were stocked; and those 2 poachers probably have 1/4 of them. Who knows how many were taken after dark as there appears to be quite a few who arrive at that time to "fish".
I also don't think the State stocked as well this spring as they have in the past. Overall, this year has been the least amount of trout I've seen below Rt 9. Down stream of Bondsville in the industrial park area, I've only seen brookies, fall fish and suckers. Not one rainbow or brown. I did catch a few rainbows in the stretch below the 1st dam back in May but none since. I have visibly noticed an increase in the number of small brookies in the C&R waters below Rt 9 so far this season. There either has been a tremendous population explosion or the lack of large fish being present has made them bolder.
I'm sure anyone from any state agency will cry about the budget not allowing for anyone to be able to make a 15 minute check on our waters. Then if our sympathies haven't been given, then the next line of BS will be that the "hook and cook" crowd have become so much more efficient this year.
I personally would love to see 1 or 2 state troopers make an occasional appearance with the same attitude they have towards people trying to pick up passengers at Logan Airport. If you have never done so, you won't believe any stories about how..... "courteous" ... these public servants can be.
sorry for the tirade; must be the heat and frustration.
Al
I've been fishing the deerfield over the past 3 weeks and it has been on fire, lots of fish and very few fisherman. You do have to navigate the water release times to fish but when they shut off the water in the afternoon the kayak/tubing crowd disappears and you'll have to the river to yourself; the same goes for early morning before the release. I've been doing well on nymphs during daytime and dries later towards evening, one problem I'm having is that I haven't quite figured out what the fish are feeding on in the evening, they are definitely hitting something thats emerging as I'm only seeing their backs roll towards the surface. I've tried a number wet flies and caddis imitations, I've done alright with a brown comparadun but still haven't nailed it. I do suspect its a very small (size 26) cream midge as I see tons of them driving home at night. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this hatch on the deerfield and can offer suggestions or advice on this one.
I have hit the Millers twice in the last 3 weeks in the evening and have not seen many risers. Had some success swinging a caddis, but nothing on top. What patterns would you suggest for July dries on the Millers?
Tom,
I just fished the deerfield this past thursday and friday with great results also. I fished below the zoar picnic area in the morning until the high water (which reached that area around 1:30). Then I broke for lunch at the picnic area and watched the rafters float by. Then I hit either the dam or pools by the railroad bridge at 3:30 (low flow) and fished till dark. I don't know what they were taking (I agree that they were emergers). I was taking them on klinkhammers, sulphur emergers, and tiny spinners. Lots of fun. I love that river. Stayed at mohawk trail state forest campground
/marc
Jason B.
I've fished olive comparaduns in sizes 14 and 16 for years during the Summer on the Millers. Emergers in the same color and sizes work well too. Sometimes I fish a hopper pattern to try to get them interested. It is a dusk, twilight, darkness river right now.
The Deerfield - I fished that river back in the 1980's and loved it until the rafters got the flows that they wanted. Two years ago a friend told me of great dry fly action and good wading flows in the early evening. He talked me into going the next day at the same time. It was a FLOOD!! I saved some tubers flip-flop by snagging it. If you can time the flows then fish it and good luck. Too bad because it's a great river.
Ken
Love the deerfield. Bank angling is very difficult...Well, compared to me in my 3 man catacaft. I've fished the deerfield from my raft in 5k cfs flows, down to 125...A great way to cover miles of river and away from pesky bank anglers...
Fortunately, for those of us who know the deerfield, we float area void of rafters...the noobs seem to congregate ont he 'fife' stretch. Please, keep going there ;) hehe
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