The Rise Of The Swift

This was not expected although it should have been. The Swift has been flowing like clockwork at 50cfs since last Winter. And then today it jumps to 125cfs and levels off. I was always interested in these Summer jumps and was given an answer on this blog a few years back. When the Connecticut River hits a certain low flow at the gauge at Montague water HAS to be released from Quabbin by mandate. This will last until we get rain anywhere from Montague to northern Vermont which will raise the river and then turn down the Swift tap to a normal flow. This condition could last two days or two weeks. We will see.

Now, this flow may have some anglers waving the pom-poms BUT I like that 50-60 flow which is why I spent last night working up a bunch of size 22 to 26 emergers to continue the low flow, tiny flies for large trout battle from the week before. Yes, it's funny that I didn't bother to check my own blog for the flow reading at 4pm when I left to hit this river but the flow had not changed even with this mini drought UNTIL TODAY.

The flow was up and so was the angling pressure from the gauge downstream. I worked the riffles in this section with a monster size 14 grouse and orange 24 inches below a micro shot (take no chances during flood conditions) and took 3 'bows and missed another in an hour and a half of fishing.

The tiny flies never got wet but they will as things get back to normal. As I write the rain is coming down hard which means the BIG river will come up and the LITTLE river will go down, hopefully. Hopefully the drift boys will stay on the Deerfield and not force us to reel in as they go by on the intimate Swift.

BTW, Have you noticed the DCR intrusion on the Swift gauge site. Two very uninspired photos of the Swift and a BOATING SAFETY/REGULATION poster!! One would think that they should of got their camera crew downstream at the PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH instead of implying that the C&R/Special Regulation section is a boating destination. It's a WADING FLY FISHING DESTINATION and not the place for pleasure seeking flotsam!! I think that they have no problems in turning the best small stream, year round fly fishing river in Massachusetts into a theme park.

I may be wrong but.....

Ken

Late Summer - An Evening On The Swift

It's late August, that time of year again. Small dries that were tied on after 8:30pm in June, under full evening sun (sorry Charlie), are now a bit of a chore as dusk approaches long before 8. The weather and the temperatures will be sublime for the next two months BUT the light, which makes evening fishing possible, is on the wane. The season is changing but the fishing continues.

The EB has maintained its flow and the trout are still there but only in certain spots that provide cool sanctuary. The heat of Summer is over and those browns (and some bows) will begin to fill in the spots. I've done well there this Summer. No double digit evenings. That happens in late May and into June but enough dry fly action to keep bringing me back.

Went to the Swift after a 2+ week hiatus this evening. I was the only one there at the PIPE section for the 2.5 hours that I fished. Trout were rising at the tree pool and I had a devil of a time trying to figure it out. It wasn't that "dorsal/tail" rise that means something is emmerging but a full, gentle rise to a surface insect. I couldn't find that insect but a black bodied CDC dry, size 24, brought 5 up with 4 to the net. An ant??? I didn't see any. In fact, the bows would push my fly out of the way to get what they wanted. Frustrating but a lot of fun.

The seasons are changing. We will still have some hot days but they are on the way out. Autumn is approaching with it's early sunsets and darker mornings. Just two months ago I fished the Y Pool at 5:30am under full sunlight. Those days are gone until next year.

Last November I fished in mid day on the Swift in 60 degree weather. We still have a few months left to do what we do under good conditions before the neoprene comes out!

Ken

For This Weekend - The EB, The Millers And The Swift

Everything was perfect until last night. Good flows, maybe a little low for the EB but good for the Millers. Then the rains came. The Millers went from 150cfs to 680 cfs today. The EB started at 100 and then went to 970cfs as I write. The Millers is not TOO unfishable and if you like slinging something other than size 16 dries you may have fun. This river may stay UP for 4 or 5 days. The EB rises like a rocket but then drops like a stone quickly, holding at a very fishable level afterwards. If you want to fish for trout I would work these rivers this weekend into next week. The long range forecast has no rain through NEXT WEEKEND!!!!!

Then there's the Swift. I've had very nice evenings on this river around and below the gauge working emergers and dries. A steady 50 cfs of cold water will do that.

The photo above is from a very recently caught brown on the EB. It took a size 16 olive comparadun. I missed two other occasional risers on that short evening. I think that the browns are taking over this river which is a good thing. I heard word that the DFW has stocked more of them. Four years ago they were a rarity. Now they provide Summer angling!!

Went to the Millers on Saturday August 3. I had very little time to fish on that late day afternoon/evening trip and had to bail out too early. The water through Wendell was UP at that time and had been up and down because of releases from the dam in Orange throughout the day. It's been like that for days before and since then. These releases have always put the fishing off by my experience and the fishing was off that evening. These yo-yo releases may be illegal. The local TU Chapter should be on this quickly. It used to be that way years ago. Check their website because I'm sure, as the self proclaimed stewards of the Millers, they are on top of this.

Ken

Ken

August On The EB

The EB has survived the July heat waves and I mean really survived. The browns and 'bows are still there and are being taken in the evening and the early morning hours on the surface and below it. This week daytime temperatures will stay in the 70's with nighttime temps in the low fifties. This river will cool off and stay cool.

Fish the EB. It's worth it!!

Ken