Frankly, casting is all but irrelevant if a rod is to be used with a team of heavy bugs or Czech nymphs. Typically that means fishing a leader and maybe a yard of fly line, plunking the flies upstream and controlling the team as they fish downstream. Review of an unnamed nymphing rod - Flyfishing & Flytying review
I was flipping through the stocking report this morning and noticed some old, familiar names in the form of Locke Brook and Willard Brook in Ashby. These are two headwater streams of the Squannacook River. Willard is well known because of the State Park that bears its name and the fact that it snakes along Rt 119. Locke Brook is different. It's tucked away and almost invisible as it drops quickly through a sharp little depression in those rolling hills. I remember it as totally shaded which kept its hold on winter as the rest of north central Massachusetts marched on into spring. I spent two opening days (3rd Saturday in April) there in the early 70's trudging through knee deep snow and saw ice still clinging to the sides of pools in late May. This shaded environment kept the ample brookie population very healthy and it was easy to take a dozen between 4 and 6 inches just stripping in a brookie fly like a Royal Coachman. It was also easy to catch a dozen rainbows that the DFW felt the beautiful place needed, which it didn't. It probably doesn't need the hatchery brookies that are still dumped in. But in any event if you have had it with crowded conditions elsewhere check out this "thin blue line"!!!!!!
River Update
Maybe, as I write, the hatchery gang will throw some trout into the Pipe Stretch and give some of these winter weary central Ma fly fishers a BREAK instead of giving ANOTHER helping of trout to Jamaica Pond, that nationally known, pristine trout lake in the wilds of Boston. How about helping the people who actually CARE about trout 24/7/365??
The Y Pool has fish as does Bondsville!
The Millers actually picked up flow and will be high for another 1-2 weeks at least. The safest places to fish after the flow drops down to the 700 range are at Orcutt and the Bridge St. Pool. It's too high now for regular wading.
The Ware is wadable once the river drops below 400 cfs IMHO. It's at 365 as I write. Rain today may push that up a bit.
Now's the time to find a a small forgotten stream and check it out!!!
Ken
12 comments:
Willard Brook is a gem that could use some work. I fish there regularly and catch fish throughout the year and have only seen one other fisherman, a father teaching his son how to fish with worms. It's a great change of pace but the trash that accumulates along the stream is it's biggest down fall. It would be nice if your going to go there to bring a trash bag with you to help clean up a bit.
David H.,
I believe that Willard Brook along Rt 119 is state property. I don't know if they do any clean up or policing of their property. It appears that they may not. I've picked up a lot of trash, along the Swift for instance, and it comes from bait fishers since it's mostly bait containers and coffee cups. (fly fishers don't walk to the river with a coffee in their hands).
Ken
Nope I did not give up on the WB and this morning found fish, got a hat trick as a matter of fact in less than 30 minutes. All fooled with a #14 pats rubber legs and not an angler in sight.
Thank you Gary!!!
Almost didn't want to post this comment because I'll be there Monday with a client but the fish will still be there. Thank you!! I also feel that I will not see anyone there!
Ken
Ken,
Bead head nymphs continue to give me good action on the stocked rainbows in Bondsville. Both high-sticked through faster runs and with a small indicator on slower ones, the action has been fun most especially after a fishless winter.
I keep my eye out for top water activity, but I haven't seen any so far this spring. Props to the DFW for the rainbows they have put in. Some netted have been real chunks.
Best, Sam
Sam,
Had some subsurface action in Bondsville. We'll see surface action within two weeks.
Ken
Ken
Instead of complaining that there are not enough fish maybe those people should learn how to fish!!!
Anonymous 11:13
Why don't you ask the dozens of regulars who fish the place why they're not down there! They know how to fish and maybe better than you!!!
Ken
Ken, Sub surface flies brought only one hit tonight in Bondsville, that being a high jumper that created slack and the barbless hook fell out and off it went. I did some walking around and spotted a trout swirling just downstream of a brush pile.
I drifted the hare's ear nymph I had on past it with no results. Switched to a little emerger, but nothing doing. The trout finally stopped rising as I must have put it down with my offerings. I believe the recently stocked rainbows have scattered some which is good news. No doubt some have been taken out, but they never get them all.
Regards, Sam
Sam,
It's been a bit frustrating this week at Bondsville with many hits and few to the net. They seem to be all short strikes! I'm wondering if this could be small, long lost brookies breaking out of there winter doldrums? The bows were good size.
53 degree water with no insects. Weird!!!
Ken
Ken, you are so right about the many short hits. I have experienced the same, as has my friend Jim who fishes there too. Here's to hoping the brook trout show up in the near future!
Sam
Tully River was “buzzing” today while I hiked along it above the Millers River up to the East/West confluence. Too high for me to fish yet, but caddis and small mayflies were swarming above the river. So were black flies in areas. I saw no fish rising anywhere though. Soon......
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