I just can't stop beating the drum for the great brook trout fishery that we have on the Swift River. Where else in Massachusetts can you fish moving water and take a NATIVE brook trout 10 inches or better ON EVERY TRIP? Where else in New England for that matter!!! One thing is that after many words on this blog about this fishery I see very few people expressly targeting brook trout and that's probably because they're so small. That's ok with me!!
The poor photo to the right shows a small school of brookies below the Pipe. I've never seen that many of them in that area in the Spring before. (click the photo for a better view)
The Millers - This may be one of the best years that I've seen on this river in over 30 years of fly fishing it. One of the reasons besides the cool Spring is that we have had STABLE FLOWS with the readings staying south of 500 cfs for most of the past month. The flow has been on a slow, steady decline for a week now, contrary to an erroneous report found elsewhere. This is also a time to take advantage of the multiple fly hatches that are occurring by ditching the weighted fly and fish soft hackles, flymphs and traditional wets that imitate the hatching insect. Partridge and Olive, Grouse and Flash, and March Browns are all working and the hits are almost all violent as the trout whacks that fly in the water column.
We are now getting into the Summer mode which means early morning/early evening fishing BUT don't let a cloudy, cool day go by, especially this month.
The Bridge St. Pool, Orcutt, The Kempfield (the run above the main pool) are all producing. Order my Fly Fishers Guide To The Millers River if you want a total top to bottom guide written by a fly fisher!
18 comments:
Hey there Ken, I saw/drove by you this past Sunday morning while I was driving into the Chesterfield Gorge around 7:20am. You were by the upper parking lot & I was driving a Reddish brown Honda civic that parked at the 1st pull off. Anyway, I was fishing the Bliss & you ended up below me at another pool. I was hoping you'd stop by, say hello & I could introduce myself as one of your loyal blog readers.
I hope you made out better then me, though other the wind, it was a beautiful day. I got skunked on the fishing which I'm in a bit of a slump, but was a winner with the views & scenery. I love it there!
Best Regards...........Phil
Fished Orcutt yesterday for a couple hours. Saw a few risers, but no takes on swinging soft hackles, except for the occasional fall fish. Took one rainbow with a variant of an Adams dry. The fish did not look, or fight, like a stocker, although I'm sure its beginnings were not in a river. It was a beautiful day to fish, and I only regret that I was unwilling to stay for the proverbial 'witching hour.'
-Burke
Fished Orcutt yesterday for a couple hours. Saw a few risers that were all splashy takes. I got no hits on swinging soft hackles, or dead drifting nymphs, except for the occasional fall fish. However, I took one pretty rainbow that did not look, or fight, like a stocker, although I'm sure its beginnings were not in a river. Caught on a variant of an Adams dry. Overall, it was a temperate day to fish, and my only regret is that I did not stay for the proverbial 'witching hour.'
-Burke
Ken,
I was the kid that circled back at the end of the night on Saturday at the gorge to make sure you were ok. Were you headed back for some night fishing? The river is fishing nicely, many large rainbows came to the net on size 12 nymphs. Hope the cool conditions and rain keep this river through the summer.
DRYFLY GUY,
Wish that I could of run into you on the EB. We had a slow day except for the 16 inch chunk bow bow landed down at the bend. We lost another.
Burke, You should of been there the day before as the old saving goes. Lots of hookups on big fish!
Terry D.,
Yup, that was me waiting for a friend to go into the dark working the Bliss Pool. He never showed so I did it alone. Broke one off and didn't have a light to continue. No runs, one hit and ONE error. Thank you for the offer!!!
Ken
Ken -- having lived in Virginia for 6 years where I fished the streams in the Shenandoah NP for its native brookies, I can attest to the joy of catching 10 inch brookies where they belong. And to the thrill when you find a monster that clocks in at 12 or 13 inches! I hooked a few 5 inch brookies on the EB this past weekend - hoping that they were stream-born. Would love to see more native and/or wild fish in that river....
Two words for the EB, Les's Pool.
Downriver has been hot this year, opposite of last year for me. Next to no one down there.
Hmm, on Saturday I took a nice rainbow, brown and smallmouth all on a EHC dry in the morning at Orcutt. Lost one that broke my 4X. Like to have seen that one. One of my best mornings, thanks to your guidance, Ken. Now for some PM wading time.
Bill,
We must of been there right after you. Glad that you had a good day.
Ken
Small brookies are just fine with me also. Beautiful wild native jewels.
Brk Trt,
You should know!
Ken
Hi Ken,
I just watched the video. You did a real nice job on it. It reminded me of 3 or 4 years ago when you guided me on the Miller's.
I have a different river to report on. Last friday two friends and I spent the day in Henniker, NH fishing the Contookcook. We had a great day lots of brookies and a hefting rainbow or two. The water was fairly low but on a big river like this it actually improved the fishing creating easier to find runs and slots where the fish were hiding out. It was also safe to wade all over and reach the hard to reach lies. There was quite a bit of insect activity (caddis and some mayflies) but no surface action. We caught fish swinging fuzzy nymphs and soft hackles. The fuzzy nymph seemed to catch more but that might be because I had it on my line more.
Mike
Went to the swift for the first time in almost a month and a half and had a blast. Caught a few and lost even more. But you weren't kidding about the brookies. I spotted one that was over 15" easy but he was of the wise variety. Hotspots did their thing in the bubbler with almost instant response. Then went to the pipe were 22 olive emergers got it done and an indicator Adams for the last 15 minutes when I couldn't see the emerger anymore. Great day and hardly a soul fishing either. Only above rt 9 had other fly fishers.
Lenny
Lenny,
The Swift is a funny weird place this year. It's like having your own private fishing area below Rt 9.
Mike C.
Glad that you like the video. I've seen the Contookcook and have heard some good tales about that river. I only know it around the Peterborough area. Looks like brown trout water.
Ken
Ken, I had private fishing all Tuesday morning on the upper MB, unless you count interruptions from a momma duck and ducklings, and a family of mink bounding upstream along the far bank. Used a variety of enticement, hare’s ears, small egg, Mickey Finn, and finally EHC. All produced hefty rainbows. Lots of fun. Air temp began at 47F. The shady MB should continue to run cool and fish well until we’ve a real heat wave.
Bob O,
I wish I were there too. I love that place!!!
Erik,
Like I said I've only seen the river around Peterborough but have not fished it. I've heard tales about it but that's it. No first hand info for a better opinion.
Ken
Ken,
The brook trout fishing is amazing. If there is any kind of hatch at all on the water they are on it in a very aggressive fashion. Some come completely out of the water chasing the hovering bugs. The way they feed on the hatches I would have to think there are some good sized brookies in there being they feed so well.
Regards, Sam
Sam I couldn't agree with you more! Although setting the hook on those guys seems to be another story. I couldn't believe what I was seeing down below Cady Lane. I barely walked past the riffle at the end of the tree pool and saw a pod of brookies that almost made my jaw drop. Some gorgeous looking browns around too. It was so good on Tuesday I had to go back yesterday and caught a ridiculous amount of brookies and a fatty brown. Its almost Christmas in July!!
Lenny
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