It had been a while since I last fished this spot. Actually it had been years since I worked this water. This is a spot on the Millers that sees very little fishing action and not because the fishing is poor. Actually it's great but it is a bit out of the way which then begs the question "Ken, I thought you liked spots off the beaten track" and I do but some just fall through the cracks and become forgotten. I will not forget this spot again!
My client and I arrived and got ready to explore the long glassy flat that seemed to stretch forever. The fly of choice was a Kens Caddis Emerger in one of four body colors that I tie it in. (a think it was grey). We caught some big fish with trout slashing at the swinging emerger. It's my experience that the rise to a swinging emerger is the most violent and exciting hit you can have on a trout stream.
Forward cast 24 hours. I just finished a guiding session on the Ware and then made a beeline to the Millers. Same spot, same fly and a 9 foot 5 weight because I can make longer casts with a 5 weight than with a 3 or 4 weight. The result - 9 fish (7 bows, 2 browns) in three hours.
The Rivers
As I write the flows are:
Millers - 419
Ware - 119
Swift - 410
EB - 286
WB - 123
Everything is in GREAT shape except for the Swift which still has to come down and more importantly has to stop overflowing. We are in June and that Quabbin surface water is NOT what we want in the Swift.
Fish A Freestone/Book A trip
The freestones are in the best shape for the first week in June that I can remember but some just can't pry themselves away from the Swift or the Farmington. There's lots of GOOD flyfishing on natural rivers in central Massachusetts that goes unnoticed. I've been dry fly fishing the Millers on Summer evenings for over 35 years and caught a lot of trout while the "experts" said it was a bass river after June first. Book a trip trip and find out!!!!
Ken
12 comments:
Wow what a start to June, on the WB this morning at 7am in a foggy mist and found fish. Fooled 5 with a #8 pats rubber legs, 2 monster bows, 2 mass. brookies and 1 tiger, off the river at 8:30 (I was tired). Great morning and they are all back in the river for you to catch.
Gary,
That is really great!!! Personally I have not done well on the WB the last two times out. I know they are there but I have to catch them. Guiding there on Tuesday so I hope my luck changes.
Ken
Hi Ken,
I've been having some luck at Wendell Depot area in the pool under the bridge coming off of 2A. Mostly on PTs. Thinking about hitting the Ware for the first time do you have any tips on spots and fly choice?
p.s. I was recommended to fish the North River and didn't know if you ever dabbled up there.
Best,
Jared
Hi Ken,
Had some nice luck on the Miller's at the Wendell depot area under that first bridge coming off of 2A, mostly on PTs. Thinking about hitting the Ware for the first time. Do you have any tips on spots to try first and well as fly choice.
Also wanted to know if you ever tried the Green or North Rivers in the Deerfield/Greenfield Area.
Best,
Jared
Jared K,
Answering question #1 - Fish "Anyware" but Church St. is a good start.
Answering question #2 - I was going to start guiding on the North but had a change of heart. I've never fished the Green River up there.
Ken
Ken,
Ken,
One really nice rainbow caught in the Ware River last evening swinging a soft hackle meant to imitate a sulphur emerger. One split shot 10" above the fly. Dead drifting the zone brought no action, but a little stripping in action induced the hit. Only hit of the outing.
Water temp at 66 or so in this downstream zone last night, not far from where it joins the Swift. My friend who fished it today reported to me no action and the stream temp was up to 67.
Best, Sam
Sam,
If you google up WARE RIVER USGS you will find the site measures water temperature and flow. It's been up into the 60's daily for a while now but the fishing is still good.
Ken
Ken,
The Ware is a great stream. I can see why you have been extoling its virtues all these years.
Best Regards, Sam
Damsel flies were out on the EB this past weekend what a meal for a hungry
trout! Had good action for the couple hours I was there plenty of fish to be found.. olive woolybugger did the trick
Anonymous,
They popped up on the Millers too!!!
Ken
Ken,
After work I hit the Ware downstream of the route 181 bridge. One rainbow brought in on a caddis emerger fly with a couple of split shot above. Seems every hit I get in this zone requires movement, dead drifting brings no action.
Some kind of may fly or moth was flying out of the bank side trees from time to time, a very big insect. Every time one flew across the stream a bird in the bushes spotted it and ate it. I never got a chance to see if it would land on the water where a trout would hit it. I tied on an elk hair caddis anyway, but that brought no action.
Regards, Sam
Sam,
I saw a large insect, a caddis, doing the same thing on the Millers yesterday.
Ken
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