I frankly don't make much of a living, but I make a hell of of a life" Jack Gartside
It was a great Sunday morning on the Swift. I took trout from the start, had my hat handed to me by some very crazy, timid bows in the mid hours and then got the guys to play with me by noon. It was great as the temperatures kissed 50 degrees on this last day on January.
I feel very good knowing that fly fishermen are "coming down" below Rt 9 and finding water that they had never fished. Today I met guys who decided to take the leap and go below Rt 9. In my opinion it's the BEST water on this river. I like letting people (fly fishers) know of this because every section of river needs its "fans". Two years ago some property owners down in Bondsville were scaring the hell out of people by saying that if a certain dam was to be removed the trout fishing miles above would be ruined. It was pure garbage and fly fishermen knew it. Always keep your eye open to this stuff.
My "go to" fly today was a size 20 McPhail Buzzer without the UV cure. It worked great!
I'm not one to carry a lot of things that I don't need. People that I've guided and fished with know that I don't change flies every five minutes. Changing flies often on any river shows that you have a lack of confidence in your selection of flies OR your presentation needs some work. Most nymphs that we work actually represent a number of subsurface insects. It's how we work them that counts.
I have TWO fly packs when I trout fish the Swift, the EB and the Millers. My Swift pack has three slim profile boxes that have just what I need for this river. One slim box has size 14 through 18 soft hackles and some Pheasant Tails from 16 through 22.
The other has some scuds and some larvae patterns in small sizes. Then there is the Dry Fly Box that has generics from size 16 through 30. That's it!!
On the Millers and the EB I will bring the heavy duty stuff. Woolly Buggers and other heavy duty artillery will never find their place in my box when I'm on the Swift. The Swift is special for me and I like fooling trout with something that LOOKS like an insect instead of a lure. My WB's (and other heavy stuff) that I fish subsurface on the EB and the Millers actually look like critters that live in those rivers. My fly packs for the EB and Millers have the heavy stuff AND the larger SH's and Dry flies suited for those rivers.
Two funny things happened this weekend: On Saturday I had close to a hundred robins in my back yard. Twoday I found a nightcrawler on the banks of the Swift. Climate change????
Ken
10 comments:
Lost three more
I fished below RT 9 later today also. Worked my way down to the tree pool where I was when a bait guy came in and practically fished on top of me. Good or bad he kept losing his bait and had to re-bait. He caught three rainbows that went into a creel before he commented "sh.t I'm out of bait and left. I had had a good day with a mix of brookies and bows but at this time of year it hurts to see fish on a one way trip.
Ken, I fished below Rt 9 today and had no luck in a real nice run while using an orange soft hackle, black emerger, etc.
I headed south and did better in an unpopular spot with same flies. I only caught one but it was a dandy rainbow which fought like crazy. Released to catch again.
Regards, Sam
Ken,
What size slim boxes do you like to use?
I have been using one single fly box since getting started in fly fishing. Last year I added small 6 compartment box for some Swift specific flies. However I have been thinking I need a little more organization of my flies as opposed to throwing all sorts and styles in to one box.
Mike
Sam,
Yes, there are unpopular spots on this river and you found one. Great!!
Joe C.,
Sounds like the guy Friday who fished with a sinker that you would use on the Cape
Cod Canal. Every time he tossed it into the Tree Pool it sounded like someone was throwing rocks!! He caught nothing thank God!!!
Ken
Fish were rising at the tree pool Saturday. Only landed one brookie on a dry fly, but still happy to get my first fish on a dry in January!
Mike C,
My fly box is small. About 4 x 3 x 1/2 inch high with the foam slots in it. Another is about the same size with magnetic compartments.
Ken
Ken,
Do you use the magnetic compartments for dries (w/ hackles) or the real small sizes?
Mike
Mike C.
I use magnetic compartments for subsurface flies. The dries are kept by themselves especially if they have hackles. It's what really works for you.
Ken
Ken
I have never fished the Swift River. I have had the opportunity to stand on the edge of the famous Y pool and observe. I can see why this is such a great fishery, classic tailwater, deep pool where the state trout can hang on the bottom and get stream wise before they get moved down river with every release or do they stock below the highway also?
Thanks Gary
Gary,
The entire river is stocked. You should wet a line there!
Ken
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