It's freezing outside, pure and simple. The wind is gusting to 50 mph here in western Ma and eastern Ma is getting hit by another coastal storm. I never even considered hitting the Swift today. Actually my thoughts were about the East Branch of the Westfield and in particular the EB on a June evening!!
If I had one place to fish on a June evening the EB would work for me. First, it's the solitude and this is strange because catch & release areas get crowded quickly. But the EB has miles of water to absorb the fishing pressure if there was any real pressure. The only time I ever saw crowds on the EB was when TU would hold it's annual shindig in May. I believe that event has ended. I have a handful on "secret" stretches that work very well for me and I am usually always alone.
Second, It's the fish!!! Primarily a rainbow river the EB got a good dose of browns last year and they made it through the Summer.
The rainbows will too if we would have a fairly wet Summer like 2008 and 2009. 2009 was the best year that I've had on the EB. It may have been the best year on any river that I've fished!!
So, back to tying some flies and thinking of Spring. Believe it or not - the days are getting longer!!!
Ken
7 comments:
Hit the FFO section of the Swift on Saturday. I hadn't been out in about a month, and boy have things changed. Very few fish in a lot of spots where there had been tens or even hundreds a month ago. Not sure what prompted so many fish to move... lack of food, fear of predators (I saw a mink and a heron in the Y pool), or something else. I heard stories of large schools of 30-40 fish on the move up and down the river during the last week. Still fish around above Rt 9 (I caught six or eight) but just not in the silly stupid high numbers that had been present all through the summer and fall and up until at least a month ago. Some have certainly taken up residence under the ice in the spill way, but I'm sure others have found other winter holding water.
Yeah last time I hit the swift a week or so ago the fish were schooled up something fierce right on the edge of the spillway shelf ice. I figured they liked the extra cover from wind, predators, etc.
Sadly, the last 2 times ive been to the swift ive walked down to the pipe and theres been guys thinning the herd both times. Confronted a guy with a "mystery" 5 gallon bucket he had covered the 2nd time. He didnt speak much english or pretended not to. Sigh, wish it was C & R 365 days/yr down to Cady Lane
PS.....Ken, I think you've finally inspired me to commit to driving PAST the Bearsden and lower Millers this year and try the Westfield on a Friday or Saturday evening. What do you suggest for the best place to park in a vehicle that doesnt enjoy rough dirt roads much? Thanks in advance for any feedback
Brendan and Dave,
We saw the same thing two winters ago when we had a lot of snow and cold weather. Then it was schools of trout circling the iced spillway but not a lot anywhere else. This January I saw ice forming on this river where no ice ever seemed to form. The bubbler arm had fish but they just were not interested. 6 to 8 trout under these conditions is very good!!
Yup, the catch and keep crowd is there but over the years I've never seen big catches made by this crowd. Many will disagree but I don't think these guys are that good to give them the credit that they get.
Dave, I've driven along the EB over the last few years in a small sedan. I took it s l o w in spots at the top by the Gorge and then had fair traveling downstream. Now I drive a vehicle that will scale a mountain!!! The first right turnoff going down the road is good if the two spots are not taken. One can always park in the big lot on the right at the start of the road. Avoid the trustees of reservations lot at the top since these guys want to charge you. I have "reservations" about that group!!
Ken
We had a good day below rt 9 in several spots. Covered lots of water and found some pods of trout in places I wouldn't have expected. All and all I picked up 10 fish and my buddy got about that same in 4 hours on Sat. Hot fly was something very similar to a pinhead.
-Eric
Eric,
That's good to hear!!! The fish are there but it's the finding them that counts. Are they real in pods or are they scattered a bit??
Ken
Ken,
We found both. Early, in a spot most everyone walks by on their way down to the pipe my buddy stumbled upon a pod of 8-10 fish sitting in a soft seam out of the main current. They were spooky, but he managed a few of them before they split. Also, found plenty of fish piled up in the pools early, but later in the day when the water warmed up a degree or two, they scattered out into some runs and were feeding pretty activly. There was even a quick & small hatch of BIG (for the swift) BWO's around 3:30 that got some fish looking up.
-Eric
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