The last measurable snow to hit the greater Northampton area was in early February. That 20 inches is mostly a memory now. That can't be said about central and eastern Ma which has been hit with snowstorms for the last few weekends. 30 inches at Blue Hills!!!
Our streams are open and with temperatures climbing past 50 we have one of the first aquatic insects to make the scene. Little gray/black stoneflies are covering everything that's near open running water. In this case it's the Mill River in Northampton. These small stoneflies, (size 20) are a sure sign that the back of Winter is broken. We may have another storm but Spring sun will make short order of it.
In another month......
Ken
14 comments:
Ken, went down to the eb those little stoneflies were everywhere. Tried a few cast's but no luck. How do you think the fish held over at the gorge? Badge
Right on Ken. Those little guys, and the larger ones (size 16 occasionally 14) were all over the snow in my Leominster yard today. they were flying into us while the kiddos played in the snow :) My 20 month old daughter made my day - she walked around the yard and proudly proclaimed "Stonefly" at each she saw and wanted to pick them up and inspect them... She will be at the vice and on the stream in no time that one :)
Every year come early March I look forward to seeing the little black stoneflies appear on my window screens. When I see them, it always brings me a positive breath of air in knowing that spring is but a few weeks away. I only wish the state would begin stocking when these little buggers come about, so that by the time the March Browns and Quill Gordons are dancing on the rivers, the trout would know they are food to eat!
they r hatching here in deerfield, ma..... as well...saw sizes 12- 16 here...
I have the Middle Branch of the Swift running thru my yard, and for a couple weeks now everything is covered by these little winter stoneflies. They're even working their way into the house. At the time they started, there was only a 15 foot stretch of river open over a riffle.
Ventured out to the Millers on Saturday. Figured I would try the easiest stretch, the Orcutt Brook area, where the wading is easy and the fish are plentiful. Well, the sun was warm, the flow was decent (700 cfs) but the fish did not cooperate. Took the short drive to Wendell Depot.Trudged thru the snow in the woods to get to the Kempfield section. Again, the sun was warm..but no fish to speak of.
It was good just to get out.
Tom Salahna from Orange
My guess is that the water temps are still a bit low for the fish to be moving around much from their wintering holes. I know there must be some decent holdovers in there, just need to wait a little longer...
Scott M. has it right. Water temperatures are still in the low forties so the holdovers are still in a dormant stage and will not be actively searching for food. We need mild Winter conditions to insure holdover survival. What trout survived this winter are still too sluggish to come to the fly. Wait a month or so on the Millers and the EB. The Swift - things start happening NOW!!
Ken
ken... you mentioned "classic-wet-flies" earlier in your article.. i still am a proud owner of some of those traditional flies ... i stopped at an old flea-market and spotted a "tin" of old flies that were tied in 1935...i got 50 flies in that tin....and all were old style wet flies and streames...ive been coping these and have used these with great sucsess. ( the tin cost me $5. 00)
This morning started with stone flies on the car windshield and a dead beaver in the roadway. Two Tell-tale signs of spring in my book!
Tony from Medway
just went thru lower millers...bridge street pool....probably running 1100 cfm
Spring trout stocking has begun in the eastern part of the state. We're not far behind.
western mass seems not to stock until the ponds thaw out...
at least here in greenfield-surrounding towns "sigh"
ken
my son is coming up from florida to visit me in mid june...thinking maybe you might have a "evening rise" night in or near that....do u have an online schedual or the likes?
Post a Comment