Squeezing Out The Last Of Summer - The Swift, The EB

It gets so dark early now. We who are luck enough to live close to trout water have about a week and a half to fish those increasingly shorter evenings. Sundown occurred before 6pm this week and I'm making the most of it.

Monday at 5pm found me playing around at the PIPE. I met a friend who was getting it done with surface feeding trout. He had to leave which gave me the tree pool which was full of rising bows. The air was full of knats which covered my waders within minutes. The air also had a good population of BWO's or something that looked like that in a size 22-24. I took three bows in that hour on the appropriate size cdc olive dry before I had to leave. Someone else arrived and he had the place to himself.

Tonight was an hour spent on the EB. I took two rainbows at the exact place I had been dreaming about taking bows since this past weekend and they were taken with the trusty grouse and orange which has worked so well on this river in the last two weeks. I can't stress enough how YOU should fish this river before the hard cold sets in. I'm hoping for a mild November. I want to squeeze every opportunity that I can get on this river. If we don't get any floods and if the weather stays somewhat mild this place will be awesome.

Keep Fishing!!!!

Ken

The EBEBEBEBEBEB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, it's a post about the East Branch of the Westfield River or the "EB" as we now seem to call it. I spent the last three days working this beautiful river ending today at mid day. It was very good.

Sunday I guided two flyfishers who landed one fish but missed others. It was a day that seemed perfect but the trout just wouldn't cooperate. Monday I went out alone for three hours to see if things were different. They were different!! I took five bows working the same spots as the day before swinging and drifting soft hackles (grouse and orange). I met two other fly fishers who said that Sunday was so-so but Monday was so much better. Why?? Who knows. Both days were identical with bluebird skies and the water levels were the same.

Then came Tuesday (today) morning. I guided a camera crew from a Boston TV station for some morning fishing on this great river. The trout couldn't wait to get hooked!! I'll fill you in on the station when I find out when their program will air.

Fish the EB!!! It's loaded with trout, it's uncrowded and it is the most beautiful trout stream in this State! We have another month or two before Winter hits this part of the State.

Fish the EB!!

Ken

Where Have I Been

Where have I been over the last two weeks?

First, I got MARRIED and then spent the better part of a week in Bermuda. My wonderful wife and I spent days just enjoying the wonderful climate of this sunny island (80 degrees every day)and just doing what newly weds do. I did not go fishing BUT I met a good guide for bones and tarpon which is on the list for next year. I plan to be there.

It took less than 24 hours for me to get a three weight in my hands after we touched down. The Swift (yesterday) was sublime with just the right amount of Swift frustration to bring back reality. I took two bows from the gauge downstream until I ran into Dan (the best flyfisher on the Swift) who was working the occasional sippers below the Pipe. He caught some and missed some just as I did in that area. My #20 bwo rose some, landed two but most of the time the trout rose and then refused the fly. I also hooked some tiny (4-6 inch) brookies that seem to be everywhere. This has happened over the last two months. Hatchery escapees? I don't think so.

So, who is this woman that I'm involved with? She's GREAT! She's also very good with a tenkara rod, VERY GOOD. She loves the Swift and loves when I fly fish and guide. I'm a lucky guy!!

I also went to the EB and did nothing in three hours today. It's on the Fall stocking list but.... Does anyone know anything about the EB.

Fall is here. October and November are great months especially on the Swift as they always are.

Keep Fishing!!

Ken