NOTE: (5:30 am, 10/13) The Swift is at 50 CFS
Note:( 7:00 pm, 10/13) It's at 130 again!!!!
The map says it all. RED is very dry, GREEN is normal, ORANGE is low normal and BLUE is high water. Last week this map was mostly RED except for the Swift which had the color blue but the weekend rain took care of that except the Swift is still chugging along at 130 cfs because the Connecticut River is still below normal. Get it?? I hope so! Also hope for some more rain. Not a lot but just enough.
The Millers and the Ware have been fishing very well, especially the Ware. The report says that the Ware got bows this month but we've been taking some good looking browns in the mix which must be spring fish that made it through the summer.
Look for October Caddis (or Pumpkin Caddis) on the Millers and the Ware. I must of have close to a dozen on my waders a few days ago while working the Millers. I've never had much success with any dry version of this fly but the reliable Partridge and Orange SH does the trick.
What's up with the EB?
The flow looks good, it's cool enough but it hasn't received any fish this October. This all may be a moot by today but we will just have to wait and see. BTW, the gauge reading on the EB stopped working on October 9th. It's frozen at 75 cfs and is probably flowing around 55cfs as I write. The Bears Den gauge on the Millers is busted too as is the one on the Middle Branch. I blame Trump!!!!
Thank you for the BIG outflow of comments!! Much appreciated.
Ken
17 comments:
Been taking the 6wt out to the ocean last couple weeks the schoolies are everywhere right now. Closer for those of us in the Boston area. I highly recommend tossing a line out before they go away! They fight harder than those fresh stockies
Good info Ken. Thanks for the report! Your punch line cracked me up :)
David h,
I whipped the 6 wt for shcoolies in July and it was a blast!! I'd like to move forward in 2018 with reports/tales on this. If you don't mind some reports would be great. 20lb bass are great but 24 four inch fish are fun too.
Will,
Glad you liked the post!!!
Ken
Ken, the Swift IS high.
Out on the Bondsville section Sunday AM for a last bit of wet wading made me realize I have to give in to the inevitable: get a wading staff. Caught some of the most beautiful brook trout on hare's nymphs.
Your post made me realize I have not been on the Ware since this spring, though I pass by it several times daily. It never did seem to get as low this year as it has in years past. Now your pumpkin caddis comment has wet my appetite. Hopefully I can get out on the Ware one day this weekend, maybe even on the kayak, as it looks to be a warm one coming up.
Kevj,
The Bondsville section is not a secret to those who read this site but it's still unknown to the casual fly fisher. I've been writing about it for years and the smart flyfishers know of it. You are in the Club!!!
Ken
Ken,
Though days get late early this time of year, I took an opportunity to fish Bondsville for a couple of hours after work. Flow still high and water noticeably colder as felt through the waders. I can see why KevJ won't be wet wading again for a while.
Nothing doing on top or sub-surface. A pattern I notice after a stocking of new trout is that those that have been in the stream for a while seem to stop rising or feeding sub surface. For example there are two that I have been casting to for a while in specific zones haven't made an appearance last two times out. Who knows, maybe they are gone?
Point is, I wonder if newly stocked trout affect the hold overs that have been there for a while. I haven't caught any of the newly stocked trout either so maybe it is me who can't crack the code.
Regards, Sam
Hi Ken,
Been a while since I posted, but catching up and love reading all you contribute. Congrat's on leaving the 9-to-5 career for the dawn-to-dusk fly fishing "career"; well deserved.
Hit the lower Swift recently, and like Sam tied into some beautifully colored Brookies 10-12". Incredible transformation from earlier in the year colors. Even the jaws/teeth were pronounced for the annual mating dance. A couple of Bows, but the Brookies take the cake! Pheasant tails and mini-buggers in black worked well.
Also hit the Westfield River in the Westfield area; and they put in a lot of very nice Bows. Haven't posted until after the recent rains, as the area I found them in, a ways below the Mass Pike bridge area, as very very low and the recent stockies were essentially trapped in a long pool (unless they were willing to swim over rocks in 1-2" of water). Since the rapid rise from the rain recently, they have begun to spread out. One pool yielded over 20 trout over a couple of visits; and saw many pods of Bows swimming - a very healthy stocking in that section. Wish I could say I outsmarted them, but it was basically a black mini-Bugger with small red collar that couldn't miss. All of them had good fight in them which was great to see and feel. Now hopefully they're much more spread out, and getting smarter.
Hoping to finally explore the Ware, or maybe Millers, in the coming weeks.
Jim M.
Jim M,
Great, great comment that will not be found on any blog!! I think that you will have many of these Westfield fish in solitude going forward. You may meet someone but they will probably be a regular (Gary). If I had the time from guiding I would work the lower Westfield!
Sam,
I don't know about that question. Trout that have been in the river for a while may be more territorial and stake out the best positions.
I fished the EB today in a very reliable spot and caught no trout and neither did my companion who is good. We always see rising fish here but not today.
Short answer - I don't know!
Ken
Ken,
just a comment on Sam's and your question: I don't know either!
Last year after the late summer stocking in the Bondsville section, I couldn't catch a cold. This year I'm doing pretty well. Two differences this year: I've been fishing only the pockets, and I'm tying my own flies now (okay, maybe the second difference is only wishful thinking.)
Nothing doing again tonight, Ken. Fishing sub-surface I saw the line dart forward a couple of times, but may have been bottom. Maybe the leaves drifting and floating have them spooked for the time being. Most surprising was no brookie action, but they may be busy spawning.
Ran into a nice young fellow on the stream who clued me into a good spot to try on the Ware River. I had a good talk with him and we both agreed we love your blog site and learn a lot from it.
Jim, congrats on the great action on the Westfield River. I'm glad you connected with plenty!
Best, Sam
Sam,
Good theory on surface action ending because of falling leaves on the water. I was at the EB yesterday in a spot where they ALWAYS rise but nothing came up!!
Ken
Ken, why would the Swift flows go down to normal then back up so much in such a short time?
Ross,
They must have had to do some work which caused the short "return to normal" as far as the flow was concerned. The Swift flow will be up as long as we have this lack of rain. When the Connecticut goes down the Swift must go up to supply the big river with water although one wonders what an additional 3 to 4% of flow will actually do to help things. I don't think it's helping the spawning brookies at all.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Bummer, I was going to go out to the Swift today because of the low flows. I am sure that 2 day break confused the fish. I agree on the Brookies, but I have to believe they will spawn anyway. I still might head out there if I feel like recording the football game.
I went to Wendell on Friday and it was bony and slow. I only got 2 browns downstream before the turn to Kempfield. Didn't feel loaded or they weren't biting on my streamers.
I caught a ton of Striper Schoolies in Boston Harbor last week. I agree with David H, better then stockies and really fun.
Go Pats!
Ken,
I finally got off the skunk streak I have been on, hooking and netting a feisty brown on a #14 Prince Nymph. That trout was beautiful with many red spots on it. I think it is the first time I have used that fly pattern this year, but I will try it again next time out.
A bit later I got a very hard hit on a #14 pheasant tail, one of those no-doubter type of hits with the line darting out suddenly. Never did land that one as the 5X broke as soon as I lifted the rod to set the hook. I had gotten hung up previously on a log which must have nicked up the tippet is all I can think of. Nice to connect again though.
Sam
Andrew,
We were catching browns on the Millers in late September with flows of 70 cfs. The flows have been at 170 since then but the trout have been more difficult but not uncatchable. Some days have been very good.
The Swift - If it rains the Swift comes down..It didn't come down last year until after October 20th.
Sam,
Persistence pays off!!!
Ken
Indeed, Ken. One or two skunkings I can deal with, any more after that I take it personally! It was nice to connect once again, I will tell you that much.
Sam
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