"It's hard to resist tying new flies for a trip. Day-to day life, with its death spiral of chores and errands, can make even a big fishing trip seem unreal right up to the moment you toss your duffel and rod case into the pickup and drive to the airport. But tying flies before a trip clears your mind and gives you something to do besides pacing, fretting and packing more gear than you'll ever use." - John Gierach
It's time to go fly fishing because it's September 1 and we will have all of this month and October AND November to do what we like best. The rivers are in good shape, the weather is cooling and the trout are becoming more active. We also don't have to wait our freestones out until evening because in a few weeks we will be catching trout at mid day under wonderful conditions. You also now have a guide who is now available ALL OF THE TIME. Book me up!!!!!
As you probably know the Swift went from 50 cfs to 128 this week and that's not a bad thing although I prefer the lower water and the tiny flies that I like. Bigger offerings will still work with terrestrials leading the way on rivers like the Swift and October Caddis and Isonychia making their presence seen on our freestones like the Millers and the EB.
The Swift - Thursday morning found me down by the Pipe adjusting to the heavier flow. I started off working pinheads and chironomid patterns with very limited success so I put on an old faithful - a size 16 partridge and orange with a light orange body. I picked up 2 bows and 2 brookies and then moved down to Caddy Lane. This place fishes well with the higher flows, allowing trout to get up next to the banks which were almost high and dry just a few days before. I got some brookies, missed a bow and then took a foot long brookie who was right up against the bank. It couldn't be better!!!
Time to fish!!
14 comments:
Ken,
I have a feeling that the Swift will be up for at least a few weeks just like last year.
GW
Ken,
You turned me onto those soft hackles. and i've become a huge fan. Love tossing them, true wets and nymphs. i admit the wets (vs dry) help hide my casting mistakes. I've got to learn how to become a better dry fly fisherman, but i do like exploring new waters with those soft hackles.
best
Joe
GW,
You could very well be right. Let's hope the Swift drops before October.
Joe,
I spent most of last evening tying up SH's. You can never have enough.
Ken
Curious Ken- if I recall back in the 80's the "normal" flow for the Swift was 125 CFS then they'd drop it to like 50 at 3 every afternoon. Am I remembering correctly?
I sight fished nymphs and then tied on something dry(usually a beetle) when flows dropped. Truth be told, I liked fishing the higher flows on that river especially above 9 which was 75% of my fishing in those years. Whats the reason you guys like it so low?
Had very little success on the swift this morning tried soft hackles, tried some dries and some emergers..... I don't know maybe my set up is wrong
Bob T.,
You may be right. I also fished the Swift back in the 80's but we didn't have online readings back then so I would just fish it!
But there is a bit of data that is interesting. First, we have been flowing along at 50 cfs for most of the year and last year and the year before that. It would be safe to say that the 50-60 cfs has been the standard for over a decade. But if you look at the 77 year median it's at 93 cfs! That means that we must of had much more of a release years ago which supports your theory!!
Second, I like the lower flow because I mostly fish below RT 9. It seems that the Swift is a narrower river down there which speeds up the water especially during higher flows. Above 9 it's wider and more tranquil. I'm just a skinny water addict!!
Dalton,
Took my clients down to the Swift and we caught (and lost) trout. We caught everything on soft hackles right down to size 18. We did have to use some micro shot to keep the fly down in that flow. Short casts and high sticking when necessary!!
Ken
Maybe that was my problem not enough weight and getting my flies down to the fish I'm still learning! I'm pretty sure I saw you as I was leaving the pipe section yesterday but me being the shy type didn't introduce myself... next time!
Ken,
I had some good dry fly action last night on an unpopular part of the Swift. I was using Ausable Wullfs and elk hair caddis mostly, in size 14. The Wulff twitched a little bit is sometimes deadly alongside logs and banks. All fish netted were brook trout, one a dandy at about 12", plump and coloring up for the annual ritual. Pretty sure a nice rainbow was long distance released which was hooked right next to the bank.
Dry fly action subsided so I remembered your post on the partridge and orange soft hackle so I tied one on and drifted it in a favorite run. No action until I put a split shot about 6" above the fly to get it down. Line stops and I am tight to a very pretty brook trout that fought for all it's worth. All brookies came off the barbless hook easily and were no worse for wear. The rainy day today found me tying up a new supply of soft hackles, hopefully to drift tomorrow.
Best,
Sam
Sam,
I was on the Swift during the early evening which hosted a good hatch of cream cahills until a bit after 7pm. Before the hatch we used a size 16 Partridge and Orange and just as you, with micro shot a few inches above. Got the hits, got the fish!!! Worked up 4 dozen of the same fly this morning for the Fall season!
Ken
Ken, the Partridge and Orange is a great fly. So simple and so effective. What the trout think it is, I have no idea. The pheasant tail nymph is hard to beat too.
I will always try dry flies though first, until I'm convinced nothing is doing with them. Big Ausable Wulff, #14 size, was sipped as quietly as can be by a real nice one against the opposite bank. Felt like a good one for the brief time I had it on.
Thanks for the good work you do here on your blog site, and with your guiding showing folks how great trout fishing can be.
Sam
Millers River in Wendell Depot was fishing nicely today. Even brought in a 14" Brown just below the Rte 2 bridge. At NOON! Big bushy white dry. Cool water, willing critters.
Bill,
That is good news!!!! the best months are here. I'll be there this week!
Ken
At the EB early this morning,fast water but fishable, color chocolate brown, thru the bug there for while then moved to the MB. Fooled a big bow with a #14 olive & crystal mini bugger in almost clear water and a perfect current using early 70's gear, click and pawl 2 1/2" reels, 8' #8 composite graphite rods lined with level 6wt. line. Probably eguivalent to a medium 4 or 5 in a todays rods. For me its fun. By the way no anglers at the EB only 2 spin guys down river at the MB who left after fishing for 45 minutes.
Gary,
I saw the EB go chocolate brown in ONE HOUR in late May of 2016 but the MB loves to run gin clear. With this rain that we've had and what's in the forecast we think the increased current of the MB will get some of those big bows out of the lake.
Dude, you are destroying all of the conventional wisdom about rod/line setups and that's a good thing IMHO!!!!
Ken
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