It has been a great month of May for the Massachusetts fly fisher. The rivers have been close to full and full of trout! My favorite rivers for this month have been:
1. The Millers - even with high flows in the 700+ range earlier in the month it has been producing week after week. It will continue through June with evenings being the magic time as it has been for over 30 years.
2. The Ware - Again, another great river that has produced. Browns and bows have come to the net day after day and it's a pleasure to fish with easy wading and flows that allow the perfect drift.
3. The WB of the Westfield - Smaller and with more shade than the EB (did I mention cooler) it is a lonesome leave-me-alone river that has lots of trout and very few who fish it. Those who do catch trout. I took 14 on my last outing.
4. The MB of the Westfield - A small stream that turns on when you don't expect it. My client took 20 in skinny water when we hit it right.
5. The Swift - You can say that you killed them at the Y Pool because that's where they put the fish and, they say, in Bondsville. The rest of this tailwater has been a mess. Very few fish except the brookies down in Cady Lane and in over 30 years of fishing this river it's the worst Spring I've ever encountered. This place was becoming a destination for people as far away as Texas and Germany (I guided them!!). Now.......
6. The EB - A slow start for this river.
Favorite Fly - A black Spider in #12 through #16. Gary Cranson (spelled right this time) turned me on to this pattern. It's a winner!!!!!
Book for June - evenings and early morning will get it done. That's been the way to catch trout through the years in central Massachusetts over the decades. Join the club!!
Ken
8 comments:
Good bye May, what a great month and thanks Mass Wildlife for me, 60+ fish all on the Westfield River. The WB, you are correct Ken,(A GEM) it has been my spring training for years. Well to end May todays trip was to the EB knightville side, but the gates were closed??? OK to the EB gorge side and I started at a pool where I caught 3 brookies last friday, the waters lower now around 140 to 150 cfs, better wading better positioning, bugs hatching but no fish. Had a #14 partridge & pheasant on, worked the pool from the head almost to the tail when I heard a splash over my left shoulder, turned and saw nothing but the rip going through the pool. But I knew, so I turned got low and waded back upstream, then the splash again this time I saw him and where his lie might be. A bunch of casts to that spot, nothing, should I change flies to match the small white things coming out of the water? Nope I'll throw this bug a few feet to the left and let the drift go a little longer, bang there he was saw his belly, vicious hit, bent 5wt, great fight. Hey its a brown what color this fish has been here for a while I think? Now that's the way to end May. So now June back to the EB knightville side tomorrow hope the gates are open, Oh today air temp 61 water temp 56, only saw a couple spin guys.
Gary,
A great story. How big was the brown? Strange but the Gorge side of the EB has been only so-s0 for me this May.
Ken
I hit the EB on Monday and all of my favorite runs had fish, mostly browns but also brookies and rainbows. I left pretty happy. My buddy caught a bunch aswell so it’s stocked up pretty good unlike the past few years. Pheasant tails and soft hackles, usually a pheasant tail up top with a much smaller SH on the bottom, no indicator.
I did see cars driving through the gate toward Les’s pool but I didn’t drive down myself, no idea if they’re still open or why they we’re open typically they’re closed this time of year.
I'll echo the great job by Mass Wildlife this year. The Quinnie and Stillwater have been fishing so good I haven't wanted to fish anywhere else, except for today (double digits below rt 9 at the Swift). Fish have been spread out completely on the Q and S, thanks in part to the stocking efforts and the high water.
Best producing fly has been a dead drifted size 18 guides choice hare's ear on a jig hook with a tungsten bead.
Josh S,
Good to hear good news about the EB. Personally I have not done well in the few times I've been there. I must try harder or be more patient or ....whatever. I think evenings will be good. Always have.
Robert,
Great news on the Swift!! You may have had the place to yourself. I was there yesterday (Thursday) and there were 2 pother anglers.
Ken
Ken
Had a pretty nice evening on the Chicopee River in Ludlow tonight. A dozen rainbows and brookies between 8" and 12" and broke off a nice chunky rainbow as well. All on a green bugger and capped the evening off with a crappie on my last swing. Haven't gotten out much and didn't feel like driving up to the Swift. Found a nice new spot for now.
Ken made the hour trip out to Kempfield section on the Millers tonight with a friend. Got on the water late about 7 pm, my friend caught two browns on the infamous black spiders I tied from Garys recipe.
About 8pm the browns were sipping on top, tied on an olive comparadun and picked up two as daylight disappeared.
Mike
Mike,
A perfect evening!!!
Ross,
I've never fished that river. Maybe I should!!
Ken
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