I live well within an hour of the following rivers: The Millers, the Swift,the Ware,the EB, WB and the MB of the Westfield. What does that mean? It means I'm a lucky guy who can pick a different river for almost every day of the week and sometimes I do. Sometimes I'll fish the same river 3 days in a week BUT I'll fish 3 different sections which can be like fishing 3 different rivers. The Bears Den and the Lower C/R of the Millers are almost like fishing different rivers. And please don't forget Bondsville on the Swift which IS a different river from what's above. The same is true of the MB of the Westfield. We realize this after a few years casting over the same water, we learn what it's like and we learn it's secrets. And most important of all we, if we love to fish freestones, usually have the place to ourselves. I'm beginning to think that freestone rivers, if they have a spirit to them, actually repel the "it's all about me" angler who must be seen AT and be able to talk ABOUT destination tailwaters like they are the only rivers that count! (Yes, I fish tailwaters but my BEST moments (and fish) have been on homely, old freestones).
This season one should take the path less traveled. Find a new spot or get reacquainted with an old one and try to learn its secrets.
River Reports
Yup, the trucks are rolling as is the Swift and the Millers - with water that is! Both rivers are flowing at full bank and that has been going on since early October. Don't pray for rain if you can help it!! What I would love is a normal Spring and Summer and not like the last 3 years (flood or drought). I think that it needs to warm up a bit to get the insects going (that's why we call it flyfishing.)
Ken
26 comments:
how has the fishing been on the ware river? has anybody gone yet? thanx
bigmster127,
It has been on the slow side. I caught one and have seen a few more caught. It needs to be warmer.
Ken
thats what i figured went to cranberry pond on friday and caught 3 nice size rainbows. then we had that front push through with the snow firday night. saturday morning i went out and couldnt even get a hit. may go out tonite before front comes through tonight
Hockey Dad,
Hi Ken- just wondering if the issue between the mass fish and game and B&G Sports has been resolved?
My understanding is that there was a cooperative effort between fishermen and the state on stocking the Westfield main stem (Masspike bridge then down stream) that arose and resulted in a reduction of stocked fish.
Thanks
hockey
Hi Ken- just wondering if the issue between the mass fish and game and B&G Sports has been resolved?
My understanding is that there was a cooperative effort between fishermen and the state on stocking the Westfield main stem (Masspike bridge then down stream) that arose and resulted in a reduction of stocked fish.
Thanks
hockey
hockey,
I don't know of any issues between B&G sports and the DFW. I seems to me that stocking the lower Westfield would be easy and no additional help would be needed.Don't know the story about this.
Ken
I think that BG's focus was on spreading the fish out so that they would be available longer. Believe me the catch and keep your limit+ meatpackers are well entrenched on the Westfield! They are also the reason a lot of warm water species are decimated during ice fishing season, but that's another story! And, they are reported to EPO's with little obvious effect.
Anonymous,
I'm not too concerned about stockers in the main stem of the Westfield. Maybe it will keep the keeper boys out of the EB.
Slow action for me in the Bondsville zone, Ken. Nothing doing for me the last few times out, but that is not to say fish aren't being caught. A young angler I have run into a couple of times has connected on some nice rainbows, including before the DFW stocked. One holdover rainbow in particular was a real beauty judging by the picture he showed me. Flow still high and the water temp on Saturday was cold as all get out, though I did not take the temperature. I would estimate 40 degrees.
Some good sized tan caddis, around #14, were dropping on to the river Saturday, but there was no interest from the trout. I tied on an elk hair caddis anyway along with an emerger pattern. I liked the drag free floats I got, but got no takers.
Regards, Sam
Sam,
Everyone complained of the cold on Saturday. It was a dry, bitter wind that just whipped the heat right out of you. It's been a slow start to this season.
Ken
Fished the WB for a few hours on both Saturday and Sunday. I hooked into one small fish but lost it before I could bring it to hand. There were a ton of blackstone flies coming off of the water but I was unable to find the trout or get them to bite.
Went to the CR section of the Deerfield Saturday, and encountered 2-3 inches of wet snow to slog through, plus flow rates of about 700 cfs. I was first on the river, but by the time I left there were quite a few up there--MA, CT, NY, and VT fisherman. Most were wading, although that looked a bit brisk for me. Caddis and wooly bugger struck out, and by then I was freezing--temps about 40.
Charles
Anyone visit the Bears Den section of the Miller recently? Trying to schedule sometime to make the drive over there this weekend but it looks like more rain so I am guessing the flows will be rather high.
Pat,
I'm hearing a lot about western Ma streams this week. Insects popping off everywhere but very few trout.
Charles,
The Deerfield is an up and down (mostly UP) river. Flows during these cold months (April there can be a COLD month) will make it difficult. Years ago the OPENING DAY OF TROUT SEASON was the 3rd Saturday of April and we thought it was cold then (it was) but this is much earlier. No regrets on the later start time. Opening Day was a total mess. All that pent up energy released from fly fishers to worm drowners in one day was absolute hell!!!!!
Ken
Ken, Sunday was gorgeous on the Swift. No wind, warm temps and SUN! As Sam mentioned, there were some large tan caddis in the air but the numbers did not seem high enough to produce much if any surface action. I watched several caddis drop down to the surface, flutter and drift all the way through the trout infested waters of the Y pool without attracting any attention. Funny how that happens.
Everything seemed to be happening below the surface. I stuck with the usual, small black zebra midges. I usually fish them as the second fly under a larger bead head SH pheasant tail or comparable, but I almost never hook fish this time of year on this larger fly. So, I tried two small zebras instead with a little added tungsten putty to 8" above the first fly. Don't know if it's dumb luck or not, but this rig brought 5 bows to the net and two more had a short visit on my line. They all had plenty of energy which was nice to feel. I did not see many fish being caught in the Spillway, Y pool or bubbler.
I had to leave around 4pm, but on the walk out, the light was absolutely gorgeous all they way down stream and we saw a handful of trout in most of the logical holding spots which was encouraging. There are still a handful of salmon visible.
Best,
Paul
Paul,
Way to go!!!!
Ken
Haha! I saw the same caddis action in Bondsville with them dropping out of the sky and landing on the river. Boy they were skittering around on the river surface there to be had by the trout, but no interest. Same as upstream on the Swift, not many as reported by Paul. I thought maybe a caddis emerger fly would get action, but nothing doing.
James Charles
I would stay away from the Bearsden section of the Millers this weekend as it is the annual canoe race in Athol. Flow should be well over 1000 cfs and would be blown out. It should drop below 300 after the weekend though.
Best of luck
T Neale,
Thank you for the heads up regarding the canoe race and the flows. I will hold off for now and try my luck on a different river.
i will be - hopefully fishing the Swift in a couple of week with a friend.
i will keep reading the blog for news and updates!
Not to be Coy, but has absolutely anybody caught or seen decent numbers of Brook Trout in the Swift River lately? Fine with all the other available species at my disposal. But rather in need, of a change in Species and Weather Patterns. Any advice would be much obliged.
Best,
Phil
Phil,
The brookies are really a seasonal event (Fall spawning). My guess is that they drop back down to the deeper water below Cady Lane.
It's been years since I fished the swift "high". I have not been able to get there over this winter, so Monday was my first time in a LONG time. Life. It's a challenge to fish regrettably some times. That said, I managed a few, one in the Y pool. Water almost to the tops of the waders. I was not going to mess round with traditional swift flies, I was tossing a 3-4" long black leech with a cone head and rubber legs! It is fun to fish the swift when it's not the "swift" we all enjoy. It's a unique and new challenge.
Above someone noted brookies on the swift. I suspect they are there as normal, but in winter habitat. That said, if you are after brookies, this is the time. Go hit blue lines - avoiding other anglers and high water (those little streams rise fast when it rains and within hours are fishable when the rain stops). There are several within a 15-30' of the swift, so if you are after brookies, go explore. Pre Greenup is the best time to explore those little blue line streams.
Thank you Will!!
Ken
question for anybody was looking too fish the west branch swift river and was wondering is this a fly fishing only area? and im talking above rt 202 in shutesbury. i do know the above rt 9 bridge is flyfishing but once it crosses 202 is it the same thing. thanx
bigmster127,
The West Branch is NOT flyfishing only. "Flyfishing Only" is from Rt 9 to the Windsor Dam and not above it.
Ken
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