"I'm talking about a handful of headwater creeks near my home that flow off the Continental Divide out of two national forests and a national park, although the seasonal crowds, theme park atmosphere and the political correctness that now passes as fisheries management have put me off the park in recent years. I'm more interested in the low rent wilderness with no so-called "facilities" and no entrance fee: "public land" in the truest sense of the word." John Gierach from Fool's Paradise.
"Any port in a storm", as the old saying goes and that port has been the Swift River. In particular it's been the area above Route 9 and the Y Pool to be precise. I was first in the water at 7:20 am on Friday and by 10:45 I was the 10th when I left. All of the regulars were there and I do enjoy their company but as I said to Gary "I'd do anything to be able to fish a freestone right now". The Pipe parking lot has been an ice rink of late and I've heard that it's been deadly slow down there (please brag if you disagree) and the bubbler appears to be fishless. Let's face it - this is the goofy time of the year where we have to resort to fishing artificial environments or break out the tip-ups and jigging rods!
Basic Midge Emerger, Size 24
Quinapoxet Update -
In February of LAST YEAR I reported on the lack of news about the Quinapoxet Dam removal project. Well, wouldn't you know, on Friday the MWRA received $40,000 from a state grant to "pay for plans to remove the Quinapoxet Dam in West Boylston". Now, before I start waving the pom-poms for this news I have to ask: haven't we been down this river before? I've had some people "in the know" who have said that the $$ has already been allocated years ago. I thought that maybe, just maybe, we were beyond the planning stage and ready to put this out to bid. Removing this dam is critical for improving the fishery on the Quinapoxet. Saying that you've received the $$$ is one thing but what is the money for, another "feasibility study"??
Stay tuned!
Just Thinking Out loud
As readers know and probably don't want to be reminded, I am a fan on John Gierach. Last night I was reading his Fool's Paradise about another camping/fishing trip of his when it dawned on me that I have NEVER been on a trout fishing trip where I didn't spend the night in a tent except last November when I spent a night in a motel with "fishermen's rates". There's something about getting the fire going, making "camp" coffee and cooking those breakfast foods that we try to avoid while in civilization. I don't think I could actually sleep in some "boutique" joint and I don't like Andes mints anyway!
Think Spring!!!
Ken
16 comments:
It seems that this Quinapoxet deal has been going on forever!
Jake
Please let that dam come down on the Quinnie. It's removal would make me very happy.
Anonymous 10:01pm,
You and me both. I still wonder if the trout and LL salmon would run upstream or hang out at the Pipe (aqueduct) where the cold water is.
Ken
Hi Ken,
I enjoyed a Saturday AM on the swift... But was limited to a missed take, and a fish on for a few seconds before escaping. Oh well, it's always fun to hear stories from Bill. And, I almost never fish the Y pool, but it was the only show. I worked up the bubbler, the hemlocks and really looked over everything from 9 up... Only fish sighted were in the Y.
LOVE your note on the Quinnie... I thought it was further along as well, but, this is a step. If it's just plans, it's better than nothing. That river would be an amazing fishery opened up. Amazing. Having seen 7-10# brown trout caught just below (where legal) the dam in the fall... that wanted to get up there BAD... not to mention salmon and other fish. The quinnie would go from a good river of stockies, some holdovers and some wild fish to a river that had months of AMAZING fishing potential. Fingers crossed with optimism.
Will,
It's sad that the Y Pool is only game in town although I know of a guy who worked the deep area below Rt 9 and the duck pond and took fish although that was a month ago. I fish the Y this time of year BECAUSE it has trout AND because I know most of the people up there. I've had a day where I had 12 hits and landed 6 and have had days where I caught 1 or a big fat zero! When I'm there I keep thinking of the Millers, EB, Ware and others. In short, I'm waiting for Spring. If the Y was not sooooo crowded and if the bubbler had fish I would not mind as much. Such is trout fishing in Winter in Massachusetts!
If the dam on the Quinnie comes down the question will be: does Wachusett have enough of the forage base that will be used by the LL salmon OR is that forage base near capacity? Having access to spawning area doesn't mean big salmon will return if there is not enough food to support their growth! Something to look into!
Ken
Ken
If they remove the damn and open fishing up all the way down to the reservoir, it would fish extremely well.
Hi Ken- I agree with you John Gierach is very good - knowledgeable and funny. I used to read his column in Rod and Reel but since they went under I haven't been able to find his work anywhere. Are there any magazines or websites that feature his work ?
Hockey
Hockey,
I may have every fly fishing book that Gierach has written. It's also too bad that Fly Rod & Reel went under. It was the BEST of the fly fishing magazines.
Ken
Hi Ken and all,
When Gierach left Rod & Reel he went to TU's Trout magazine. Which is now (if not before) the best fly fishing magazine out there (IMHO).
Ernie
Ernie,
BTW, are you an officer in TU? (LOL). Trout Magazine hit its high point when Robert Behnke wrote for that publication. Gierach is an odd fit since he comes across as a loner instead of a joiner. He writes as much about bass and sunfish as he does trout. He's still my favorite fly fishing writer but......
Ken
Ken,
Just back from a trip to the Quinnie this morning. Pix of the main stream and of Trout Brook. Quinnie was 49F, up >2’ higher than good conditions and fast.
No action.
Chatted with two men from DCR with truck parked at Trout Brook/Manning Street. They were repairing a stream gauge located where Trout Brook flows under Manning. I asked if they had heard anything of dam removal on the Quinnie. They said no but added as they were with Maintenance, they might be the last to learn of any such plans.
Guess I should have gone to the Swift. Was a nice walk. And the Quinnie is so much closer to home ((Andover).
John
Maybe you will get more wild browns and lake run brookies up to 3lbs with big landlocks as well... 3 Cheers for that...But they should allow anglers only to keep the rainbows to protect the wild and native fisheries....
Jordanflyfisher,
"Wild and native fisheries"? Browns are just like rainbows - non-native. LL Salmon are not native to the Wachusett watershed. But if they were born there some protection is in order while they are on a spawning run.
Ken
If they do remove the damn they should revisit the idea of atleast a fly fishing omly section. The river has been treated like a put and take fishery for way to long.
As far as natives in the Q, they are there but they are few and far between now. The majority of the brook trout are now found in the small blue off shoots of the main stream.
Lost Fly Rod/Reel at Swift on Feb 14.
I think I left it in the parking area. Can describe if you found it.
Nice day on the swift regardless. Caught a very colorful rainbow at the Y pool and lost another.
L
Anonymous 7;26am
You are right!
Ken
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