"Tailwaters are what Thomas McGuane called "the great theme parks of American fly fishing," with their more or less stable water temperatures and artificially inflated populations of insects and fish. They are irresistible for all kinds of reasons, but all of those trout breed the peculiarly postmodern sense that anything short of a 20 fish day is a bust, so when things are slow there's the temptation to lie about numbers or to vaguely allow that you are "getting your share" - John Gierach
Forget any mention of a drought at least for central and western Ma and that is a very good thing. The EB hit 1090 cfs on 8/2 and as I write it's a very fishable 486. The Millers is dropping slowly but at 544 cfs it is also fishable. Both rivers still have their fish but they're not going to jump into the net for you. You will have to work for them. Your main concern will be to keep an eye on the flows. We've had some rogue storms this week which have pounded some watersheds while leaving others dry. To check a rivers flow just Google: name of river usgs and you will get it on your phone.
Things are getting weird on the Swift. If I want plenty of elbow room I get there EARLY or stay late or disappear down in Cady Lane. EARLY didn't work Sunday when I encountered people in jungle hammocks next to the river and one dude apparently "sleeping it off" in his car. My feeling was that the "neighborhood had just gone to hell" so I headed downstream only to encounter a camping trailer on the side of the road. Now, this person (identity withheld) claims they have permission and I believe it BUT camping by the river only invites MORE camping by the river with or without permission. Around the 4th of July I saw some dope trying to pitch a tent on the aqueduct path!!! Add this to the moron built camp fires by the Y Pool and by the PIPE parking area and the bare-assed fool who took a bath in the Swift (yes, that actually happened) this summer and we have a problem. If something bad happens it will be the fly fishers who will take it on the chin!
I got to the Swift early on Thursday, saw only one person working the PIPE area, had three hits and landed two and when five people entered the water I packed my bags and headed to Cady Lane where I spent three hours working difficult fish (caught 3) AND SAW ONLY ONE OTHER ANGLER. When I walked back to the Pipe there were 9 in the water and things seemed to be getting testy as one angler accused another of being "territorial". This is what happens when you have too many people in a small place. SPREAD OUT!!
P.S. Pinheads and small starling and olives did the trick!
8 comments:
The flow on the MB was up a little high, but very fishable, this branch of the Westfield drains quickly like within hours not days. You talk about solitude and beauty out of doors,this is a great venue. I fooled 2 bows with a #14 wet, olive and black color, my design and made from scraps from the top of my tying desk. Its great when I make those work. Early morning trip 3 to 4 hours.
Gary,
I bet I know where you were. It's a secret!
Ken
It is funny Ken, years of fishing the swift and I never saw anything that felt a bit weird. My last trip I saw the naked bathing guy and two young men that I was pretty sure were about to crack out a needle and risk death to get high. Odd.
These storms are great for the rivers. It's making another hobby of mine, mountain biking, a bit slicker than normal for sure... but Ill take it since it helps the rivers and gives the deer plenty of lush stuff to eat :)
Will
I hope the rain and the flows hold up for fall time EB has been screwed the past couple years for fall stocking... hoping to make a trip there in the morning as long as the weather holds off
Ken,
I was the one other angler who saw you at Cady Lane yesterday and yes indeed, it was a slow day down there with the bigger fish. I had a tough time figuring out what they were taking. There were some sulfurs and an occasional caddis in the air, and other than the brookies which cooperated on dry versions of both, the bows and one or two browns I saw showed no similar interest. I fished a dry/dropper set up for a while with a variety of nymphs and/or a soft hackles on the dropper. As you usual, the brookies responded. The only two big bows I had on (shortly before getting broken off) hit a pink san juan worm ( yes, I had to resort to that:)) and nymphs fished deep. I even went to the extreme measure of trying a size 30 "wicked pissah" on 8x for about an hour and hooked a couple of brookies. It was a beautiful day to be out even if the bigger guys did not cooperate.
Best,
Paul
Paul,
You hooked a number of fish that, I would guess, others didn't. Sometimes we don't need the "bigger guys" to have a good day. If you land the brook trout the big bows will come!
Ken
It's funny how the pipe area was a no mans land this Spring and now it's a circus.
GW
With the water levels so high I figured id try the Swift on Saturday. First time on the river and not real sure where to go besides what ive read here on your blog. Got there early just as the rain started. I was below route 9 what I assume was the pipe area.
With the heavy rain the water was getting cloudy so I tied on a blood n guts streamer and got two very large rainbows.
One of the fish jumped clear out of the water after the fly as I was lifting the line out for a cast.
Made the 1:45 drive a little better after getting soaked.
Mike
Post a Comment