The weatherman said look out for storms last Tuesday but as I headed east at 5pm the sky was nothing but hazy. Paul headed west towards Wendell Depot after a big storm hit his town just outside the watershed. We were hoping for a few hours on the Millers.
The flow had just nudged over the 500 cfs level when we started. Some may like this level but I don't especially in the Summer. Cut it in half and I'm fine. When a inch smallie rips line off your reel because he's broadside heading downstream the flow is just too high. I spent the next hour or so practicing my casting.
Then came the lightning. We made it back to the cars before the skies opened up with the heaviest downpour I've seen since Irene. The result of this: the Millers went from a rather high 535 cfs to about 2000 cfs in 24 hours. As I write this (6am on 6/19) it's still roaring along at 1250. It will take a while to come down.
The EB rose like a rocket too but has come down nicely to 272 cfs. That is PERFECT!! Fish this river this weekend!! This weather pattern has been great for the EB. That whole watershed is WET with every brook and spring keeping the river cool and at a good level between storms. This year is much like 2008 and 2009 where the EB was great through the Summer and the Millers was unfishable.
The Swift just keeps rolling along with the trout beginning to spread themselves out. I can't say the same for the fishermen who still school up in the usual spots. I took two new fly fishers to the Swift, showed them the crowds, and directed them to an empty stretch of river where they both caught their first Swift River rainbows.
This is considered "High Summer". It's that two week period in July when we have, historically, our warmest temperatures
of the year. The EB has made it through this period this year. The Millers???
Ken
7 comments:
Hi Ken,
was that you on the EB this morning. I was on my way out around 9:30am & thought I recognized you with an older gentlemen?
Anyway, I came up blank today.
Tightlines.......Phil
Love the photos in this issue. I assume the top one is the EB. Looks pretty bony. The center taken from the trestle over the Millers (what pool is shown?). The last is a Swift Riiver chunkbow from the looks of the vegetation. Tightlines to all who venture out!
DRYFLYGUY,
That was me (the younger guy lol)!
That was you with the red pickup I presume. Rose 7, broke of 1 and landed 2. All browns and on the surface. A nice cool morning.
Bob O.,
Number one is the EB from 2008 I believe in mid July.
Number two is the Millers looking from the trestle downstream towards the Kempfield Stretch. The photo was taken in July 2006 just as a tornado hit Wendell. You can see the clouds in the distance.
Number three is one of the resident models posing at the Swift.
Ken
As always, thanks for the great updates and info. Hit the EB for the first time yesterday if you can believe it. Amazing river. Everything you have described. Hiked down about 10 minutes from the gate to a good looking run of water. Ran a hopper with a dropper down this stretch. Got three rises on the dropper and hooked possibly the biggest brown I've seen in Mass before he broke off (Tippett was wrapped in his jaw). Things slowed down as it warmed up but managed to coax another good sized brown out from under a fallen bush back closer to the gorge and got him to the net. Will definitely be making a return trip soon!
Ken,
Count me among those who like the Millers in the 450-550 range. I have been having a wonderful time when the water gets up to 400+. The bigger browns seem to make an appearance in the riffles at that level that I don't see in lower water. In fact, all my nice hook-ups have come at or above 400cfs in the stretch above the Erving. Is this just dumb luck, or could I be onto something? Be interested to hear folks' thoughts/
Good luck out there!
Muggs
To All:
A tip section of what appears to be a 4 pcs rod was found by a reader in the Wendell Depot area.
If it's yours then email me and I'll point you in the right direction.
Ken
Muggs,
I like the 200-300 fs level on the Millers because it means rising trout in the evening, careful approaches and smaller flies. The riffles work very well at this flow too. Basically it means that the spring hordes are gone and with them the dumb trout. I like a challenge.
Ken
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