Well, they turned the tap off at the Quabbin Dam last Thursday dropping the flow from 110 cfs to 46 cfs. Now, that may seem low (very low) to many of you but it's not that far from the historical average. Usually the Summer flow, without the high water "spikes", is around 69 cfs. This is close enough and it gives us a chance to do some "trout hunting", also known as sight fishing. And I don't mean standing in the Y Pool staring at fish but going to "parts unknown" and studying the water. Now is the time to explore!!!
There are plenty of rainbows to be had either by drifting a wet fly or finding an active surface feeder and using a dry. My sulphur imitation failed me this week but the ants came to the rescue!!
It seems to me that the brookies are beginning to stage up. And they also appear to be bigger this year with a good number topping 10 inches. I can hardly wait until November for the real action.
I have been able to fool these guys all summer with soft hackles but that trusted fly will play second fiddle to terrestrials (your choice) until the first frost and then it's back to soft hackles again.
Booking Fall Trips
I am booking already so don't get left out. By the first week of October the Millers and the EB will be stocked and so will the Swift. Fall is the best time of the year to fly fish in Central Ma with cool temperatures and good flows (except for last year). Fall is the BEST time for tossing dry flies!!!!
Book Me
Ken
11 comments:
Hi there Ken - First, congratulations on the great coverage in Eastern Fly Fishing Magazine. I am a subscriber and was very excited to se you in there.....again! Glad you weren’t talking about the Swift as the crowds there have really gotten bad. Perhaps too much talk about the river.
Also, I like the flow in the 110-150 range myself. I feel it is better fishing without negatively affecting the BT spawn. Also, it allows too much wading access above rte 9. As with every year I worry about the fact that every day people walk over BT redds. It seems it is impossible to stop. I support closing the river above rte 9 from end of Oct to Jan 1. I realize how unpopular this idea is. I should probably add that I would support stopping Rainbow stocking and moving to only stocking fingerling Brown trout every year. Another unpopular position, I know. I just think it would be interesting to see what happen over 3 years. You can always go back.
With all that traffic on Sat, I did well on dries all day and love the river. :). This can be some of the most fun fishing of the year. You have too hunt for it.
Falsecast,
I have not run into any massive crowds on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays especially in the morning. Weekends are a different story. I also haven't fished above Route 9 since Spring because it is usually a mob scene. I see no reason to close off the Y Pool since it's not spawning territory (too deep). The Hemlocks are a different story.
If you close off everything above Route 9 in the Fall you may send the hordes downstream!!!!
Ken
Hit the Millers last evening. Thanks to your guide, I tried the Upper Trestle pool for the first time (followed your instructions to a T — found the sandbar and walked out positioning myself to fish dries down the run into the pool). Great looking stretch, but shortly after arriving two very large beavers showed up and started circling me, slapping their tails angrily in the water. After googling “Beaver attack,” I retreated to the usual spots in the area, and landed several nice browns about 18”, a couple of rainbows, and about 20 smallmouth. All on hoppers over about 4 hours. Water levels lower than I was used to but the browns started moving into position as the sun set. By the time I left at dark the water was bubbling with activity. Definitely a lot of smallies but if you’re patient you can find the trout. Need to remember my headlamp next time. Thanks for the continued updates — always helpful!
Ken,
Really enjoying your blog this summer as an injury has kept me off the rivers for a while. Friday was my first time out this year and I hobbled into the Bearsden area on the Millers. Beautiful day and fairly heavy trico hatch, but I saw no risers on spinner fall. Was good to get out finally. That is one pretty stretch of water. Thanks for keeping us informed and excited.
Willis
Willis,
There are lots of tricos on the Millers but the trout don't seem to care about them. I hope you heal up for the Fall season!!
John,
That was a good evening. We were there at noon the next day and saw NOTHING!!!
Ken
Ken and friends:
Just a reminder to keep an eye on the distribution of the dangerous Eastern Encephalitis Encephalopathy (EEE) virus transmitted by mosquitoes. Virus has been found in mosquitoes in SE Mass, southern Worcester county and now up near the Deerfield esp Colrain and Heath. Isolated cases elsewhere in the Commonwealth. MA Dept Public Health map here: http://www.mosquitoresults.com/
Human cases are limited thusfar but...
Rick
Good info Ken - thanks!
I'd be open to full time CR over a longer stretch of the swift. Not sure about total closures. Could that improve BT survival, sure. But it disregards that with stable human pressure the numbers have boomed. Before closing sections, I'd focus on fishermen education RE wading habits, and intentional habitat improvement when mother nature has not been helping - IE, drop the occasional tree or two in the river, which, arguably, has been the biggest boom there going, from the 08 ice storm to present.
The millers looks perfect right now to me. I love fishing smallies on that river this time of year when it's low though, so take that with some bias :)
Hibernation,
C&R on a longer stretch of the Swift? I could see that. As you said the BT population as expanded over the last ten years so I don't see total closures improving the situation much. Funny, but I remember one TU officer wanting to CLEAR fallen trees from the Swift after the Halloween ice storm in 2011. Another bad idea!!!
Rick,
GOOD POINT!!!! I think of that when I fish Cady Lane down by the spot we call the "horse farm" for obvious reasons.
Ken
John,
Sound like you had a great trip to the Upper Trestle Pool! They have circled me. When I googled 'beaver attacks' it seems like on occasion they have bitten swimmers. For example in the Quinebaug:https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Swimming-Warning-Issued-After-Beaver-Attacks-2-People-at-Quinebaug-River-Near-Route-101-389645701.html
When I moved back to the sand bar, or walked up to the riffle, the beavers left. Did that happen to you as well?
Those damn beavers...lol they've been there forever. I generally go up around the corner and mostly don't have to deal with them from there. They are a pain but overall introduce nutrients into the river helping bug life. Long term they can be a positive.
BobT,
As one fisheries biologist from Maine once told me- " if beavers were bad for trout habitat Maine wouldn't have any trout." Beavers are VERY beneficial for trout but not so much for fly fishing for them. Beavers are beneficial for all aquatic creatures.
Ken
Post a Comment