First off, here are my open dates for half or full day trips for October: Friday, 10/14, Sunday 10/16, Friday 10/21, Saturday 10/22 and Sunday 10/23. I can squeeze in a 3pm to 6pm trip on the first three Thursdays of the month. First come, first serviced and these dates will go quickly so contact me if you are interested. You choose the river (Swift, EB, Millers, Ware River) and we will see if it works.
The Rivers - As I write the Millers is at 86 cfs and the EB is at 24. That is low BUT it is COOL as rivers in October should be. The question is will the inch or so of rain this weekend bounce the flow up enough for the DFW to stock the rivers? More rain is due early next week so I think that we may see some fish. I don't like to talk about stocking trucks but after this dry summer I'll take anything before the freeze up. The Swift - still flowing nicely and it has plenty of fish that seem to like the small stuff. More on the "small stuff" in an October Post.
Any updates will be posted on this front page and in the comments section.
9/29 - The DFW stocked a number of ponds today. Hopefully the rivers come next.
9/30 - The Deerfield got stocked and the Quinnie is up. Watch for increased flows on the river gauges. We need it!
Ken
13 comments:
Hello everyone! I agree ken a fall stocking would secure good fishing until the rivers freeze. It may be hard after this drought but I want to also stress again that that this time of year BEFORE the stocking can offer great holdover fishing, every river has a few deep hidey-holes where trout can summer over...some rivers like the squanacook have ponds on them concentrate on areas like this and you will be rewarded...i fished the sept of 2010 after a very bad drought and still managed to connect with fish on the squanny once the water cooled off...
Paul Fay
Paul,
The same strategy worked for me on the Millers back in 2010.
Ken
Ken,
I saw tonight that there is a hurricane Matthew in the ocean now which could possibly head our way. Hopefully it will weaken going up the coast, but still give us much needed rain to catch up on what we need around here.
Pray for rain. Sam
This strategy has actually changed the way I fish in that I used to be a slave to the stocking truck...thought I had a two week window untill all trout were fished out of the squanny and rivers like it...now I fish these rivers anytime flow and temps allow, be it in the dog days of August or cold of December...and after this spring I know for sure trout are able to winter over on the squanny as well, to my understanding this is more rare than trout summering over warm waters.
Paul Fay
If you don't know already the Deerfield got stocked and the other western/central Ma. rivers are on the up swing due to last nights rain. Thank you Paul and Sam for your input. If you want to know what's happening and where it's happening then you are at the right place. There is more information in the comments section of this blog than in the body of any other blog out there. Truly amazing!!
Ken
Ken,
I hate to hijack this post, but I am in the market for a new rod! If you or anyone else have some input for me, it would be greatly appreciated! I am looking for a new 3wt or 5wt in the mid level price range!
Thanks
Phil
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/hunting-fishing-wildlife-watching/fishing/trout-stocking-schedule.html
Glad stocking has started.
Ken, do you have any news on LL Salmon on the Stillwater? I read your two posts in the fall of 2011 on LL Salmon on the lower and on the upper Swift.
Curious if these rains are starting to move salmon out of the Chu and into the Stillwater.
Thanks!
Anonymous,
This rain should get things going.
Ken
I fished down at the pipe section of the Swift yesterday. What's up with the
water temperature? It seemed unusually warm.
Anonymous,
This is the seasonal lake turnover that we see every year and it's been going on for over a week. The warm surface water sinks and the cool deeper water comes to the surface. This will be pronounced when we have strong wave action which really mixes the water. It should be over soon.
Ken
Took a walk from the Stillwater gauge down to the Reservoir (as far as I could). No Salmon sighted at all. The flow is still pretty weak, as we didn't get much rain over the last few days. The water has been so low for so long the weeds have taken over most of the shallow areas.
On a lighter note; Fished the Pipe on Friday with usual success, but not as successful as the Heron that was plucking substantial Browns from the river at will. They are quite impressive fisher-birds.
Bob
Thanks for the explanation, Ken. Fishing the lower Swift yesterday afternoon I thought the same and now I understand. I had no action except a couple of fallfish, one of which was a nice one and hit the dry fly like a trout. It gave a good account of itself.
Sam
I don't carry a water thermometer, but should. The water felt colder tonight, Ken, and the action was pretty good with a few brookies brought to net via deer hair haystack and deer hair caddis. There were a few rises and I was able to put the dry fly in the zone to get hits. I lost a nice fish, not sure if brook trout or brown being whatever hit had a golden underbelly as it went after the fly. The knot must not have been good, though I pulled on it plenty hard when I tied on the fly. Regardless, line came back at me after I raised the rod tip...no fish and no fly. I hate it when that happens.
Sam
Post a Comment