Getting Up Early - A Swift River Morning

It pays to start early and when you go to the Swift "early" is never early enough. I began the hike to the Y Pool section at 7:30 today with only one car in the lot and another just arriving as I was putting on the waders. I stayed away from going to the PIPE after what I saw yesterday: 8 flyfishers from the PIPE to the end of the Tree Pool at 9:00 am. The gauge section was not an option because I and another angler saw NOTHING in this section. I decided to go above RT 9 for a change.

After the 10 minute walk I got to the Y Pool and found 2 anglers working the water. No worry because the Pool was not my destination. The Bubbler arm was the place that I wanted to be. Long story short: I took 7 in two hours and all where over 16 inches. Started with a #14 scud, switched to a Grouse and Orange and they both worked. The guy who arrived just after me caught double what I did. A real fish hawk that guy!!! The Y Pool - not so good but maybe as the day went on it improved.

I'm not giving secret spots away. Where I fished is fished by everyone. It just pays to get there early!

Went home, raked leaves and am listening to the Patriots as I write this. A good day so far!

Ken

What Connecticut Is Doing And A River Update.

Google up "survivor trout". You will see what Connecticut is doing for it's trout management. It seems that the Nutmeg State is capturing wild/holdover trout and breeding them with hatchery trout to result in a fish that has better survival odds and it appears that they are seeing those results.

What I like about Connecticut is the fact that over 60% of their hatchery output are browns while Massachusetts manages about 25% of that species. Why is that? Maybe they are not swayed by the unofficial department logic that fishermen want large fish and that means fast growing rainbows. We know that the early season meat hunters want them but most season long fishers on moving water are fly fishers and they OVERWHELMINGLY practice catch and release and they want trout that will make it through the summer season. (BTW, if you can't wait to have the stocking trucks dump in new recruits each Fall then you should take up golf. Tough trout are not your game!) In short, Connecticut (and New York) GET IT. We don't. We better if one believes in climate change and in developing measures to insure a viable trout fishery for the future!

Now, what are the rivers doing. Wait to Thursday (10/16) night. The heavy rain will be over and my site will have the river links that you need. Heavy rains mean this: The Millers will rise and then rise some more and maybe stay there for a week. The EB will quickly rise up and then drop down quickly. Saturday should be fine. Below 400cfs is very fishable. BTW, I had a good Monday afternoon on the EB. I caught a lot in two hours. Many browns (fresh) and some older bows. The Swift - this river is like the running back that gives you 5 yards a carry. Very dependable!!

Good Luck,

Ken

Columbus Day Weekend - Everything Is Perfect!!!!!

Check the stream gauges on this site. Check the weather report for the next few days. Everything is perfect for fly fishing in Massachusetts this weekend. So why are you reading this blog?? Rig up and jump in!!

I'll see you there!!

BTW, I'll be writing and ranting about what one of our neighboring states is doing with trout management on my next post.

Ken

The Rains Came - Finally!!

September was as dry as a bone. Less than an inch of rain fell and the EB and the Millers, still both fishable, needed an infusion. That break came yesterday afternoon and evening. The EB went from 70cfs to 600cfs overnight and now is dropping as it always does. It should level out to 200 or so for October barring another big storm. The Millers fared nicely going from 140 or so to 300 as I write this and now it appears to be dropping which is unusual for this river. It usually goes through the roof and then stays there for a week. I'll take what's happening now any day.

Speaking of the Millers - Saturday, before the heavy rain started, the Millers had a great BWO hatch going on which brought the trout to the surface. The flies were in the size 18 range with both emergers and duns being taken. It was perfect BWO weather, cool and cloudy, until the skies opened up around 1pm. The rain put everything down. We'll have more chances this month if the flows stay fairly low and the weather stays cool and the skies stay cloudy!


Ken