Big Fish Small Flies
1, The Swift flow is at 526 cfs as I write. Three weeks ago it was over 700 cfs and conditions were somewhere between uncomfortable and dangerous. As the flow level drops it will be safer and, most importantly, we will have more places to wade. There are fish everywhere but many times they can't be reached. (a month ago I saw this guy on the edge of the Y Pool up to his elbows and wader drawstrings. Crazy!!!
2. The "REDD" season is long gone and trout and salmon will begin to really key on insects. Winter insects will hatch around mid day onward because that's when the temperatures are best (winter caddis). It will not be that necessary to be there are first light picking ice from your guides. Sleep in, eat breakfast, get there at 11:00am and fish until late afternoon.
Check out the photo on the right that a reader sent in. It's a Swift River brown somewhere in the range of 8lbs or so. I have a collection of photos like this from this river and I've seen some like this caught. (my biggest was only about 5lb but I'm working on it).
There are other rivers that would beg (if rivers could beg) for trout and salmon like these. And this isn't the result of many years of effort to create a super fish but just a "let's let Mother Nature do it" solution. And let's not forget the brookies!!!
Book Your Spring Trip
It's not too early to do this and many of you have so far. I guide on, east to west, the Ware, the Swift, the Millers, the Mill and all three branches of the Westfield. Plenty of water and plenty of trout AND you will not be placed shoulder to shoulder like sardines by this guide!!!! If you like crowds take up golf!!!
Ken
5 comments:
I think that Brown Trout, is actually a Big LandLocked Salmon. Look more closely at the Kype(snout). I confuse the two species, all the time. Both are stunning regardless!
Elk Hair Caddis addict
Browns have kypes also
Ken
Went on Saturday morning to the Y Pool and almost found it unwadable. (I'm short) in most areas.
Now that we are on the back side of February and the rivers are starting to come down, are rivers like the Millers, Ware, Westfield, etc going to be worth fishing in the next month or so? While I like the Swift, and would like to see and/or catch a big brown or salmon like in the pictures, I’m really looking forward to getting on the Millers and Ware.
Chuck
Chuck,
For all the rivers that you mentioned late March and April will be the soonest. The Millers and the Ware have been high since late Summer. I miss them too!!
Ken
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