The West Branch of the Westfield River has been stocked
I love small streams and it might be because so few other people appear to like them. I'm not talking about unnamed "blue lines" necessarily but small rivers and streams that may get stocked and are still left alone. My Mill River in Northampton is one of them. Nice pools and riffles with trout but nobody fishing. Even though I've written about it in the past nothing seems to change and I don't think it will now either.
Why is that? There are a few theories about it.
1. Small brooks and streams were once the playground of adventurous young lads who, as they grew, graduated from worms to lures and then to flies and then set their sites on marquee trout rivers BUT didn't forget the small streams either. All that has changed because I believe that a large number of today's adult flyfishers did very little fishing as kids and took up flyfishing because it seemed like a cool thing to do. I knew one adult who said that he needed a hobby and it was going to be golf or flyfishing. He picked flyfishing. (If you have to pick between the two then pick golf. You're not ready for flyfishing.)
2. Small streams don't lend themselves to all of the high tech gizmos and equipment and all of the god forsaken theories that we now entertain ourselves with. I know of certain people that will not fish some very productive parts of the Swift because it doesn't lend itself to tight line nymphing. If that's the case then use another technique!!!!
3. People get fixated on marquee rivers and feel no qualms about being part of the maddening crowds that descend on them. Yes, sometimes the fishing is good but that's because the river is stocked very heavily. UpCountry Fly Shop, a few years ago, had to tell the people that the trout that they were catching WERE NOT NECESSARILY WILD FISH because they had intact adipose fins. 30,000 trout were stocked in the Farmington that year with no fins clipped!!!!!
4. It's odd but some people actually like a crowded place. Maybe it's the security of saying you fished a certain river which may add some credibility to your talking points. Maybe that's the reason Gierach called many of these famous rivers the "theme parks" of flyfishing.
Most anglers that I guide want to get away from the crowds and we do it. You can too!!
Florida
80 to 85 every day
Pompano in the surf. Surf deserted!!!!
Ken
14 comments:
Hi Ken,
Hope you are catching fish in that surf. Every couple of years, I travel to the SC coast and fish the surf (while my wife swings in a hammock) for anything that bites and the back water for tailing redfish (which we called red drum in the Carolinas, where I grew up). Great comments about the blue lines. I head out every March and April to fish small streams for five-inch rookies-- as far as I am concerned, our most beautiful trout. And they will hit anything- a fly, a spinner, a bit of yarn, a worm. Great way to learn the craft and appreciate this wonderful resource that we have.
Best,
Charles
I loved my time on the Scantic on Saturday, Ken. Only got one hit that did not connect, but it sure was nice spending time there. Two more streams nearby to where I live that I caught trout in when I was a youngster fishing worms are next for me. One in particular, I don't think people would ever realize there are brookies in it, at least there used to be. Not much has changed so I bet they are still in there.
Sam
Charles,
Pompano are all over the place and they are the best tasting fish you can catch down here.
Sam,
Native brook trout are very hardy fish and, as you know, can be found if the water is cool and clean. I tell people about stocked streams but NEVER about an unstocked stream with native brook trout. They would clean it out!!
Ken
HI Ken always enjoy your astute observations. The small streams are also more difficult to access. You might have to climb down an embankment,slip and slide down a gravelly bridge foundation, bushwack through the brambles or the insidious Japanese knotweed! That's why my sons and I love it! I've had more fun on these smaller tributaries. The Swift is like shopping at the mall . The smaller streams are like a fine,exquisite restaurant or cool thrift shop. Enjoy,Chet
Gotta love the blue lines Ken :)
In other news, you are on white sand, we are on white snow... Doh! Poor Mans Fertilizer supposedly :)
Be safe down there and on your travels home.
Chet,
Getting there is half the fun and if it's difficult you will have the place to yourself.
Hibernation,
The east coast of Florida (space coast and treasure coast) are never really crowded but now they are deserted.
Ken
I like both...sort of..I like the big rivers - you can find me on the Deerfield, Farmington Delaware Madison, South Platte or Arkansas a bunch of times per year but 60-70% of my fishing is on little known to unknown brooks and streams. You wont find me on the big streams during peak season unless its an unnamed or not so popular section of said stream. There is a reason the famous places are famous...predictable hatches (the Salmon Fly hatch on the Madison is worth it-just walk further). The little streams are less technical for the most part and tons of fun if you cover enough water-but you do need to do that sometimes and many don't have the patience. They will surprise you every now and then. I frequented a front range stream when living in CO that was not unknown-but got little pressure because it was on the way to the famous waters. While known for 10" wild browns, it held wild bows and cutthroat. Every now and then a 20" bow would reward the hike and bumps and bruises it took to get in far from the road. Well worth the effort. I have a couple streams and brook near me now that produce lots of brookies but every now and then a beast of a brown(14" or so) keeps your interest piqued. Now more than ever its probably a good idea to get away from the throngs.
BobT,
Good to hear from you. You made me think of the Ware River which is a nice dry fly river but receives little fly fishing pressure because it's only 10 minutes from the Swift.
Ken
I hate to think how busy the Swift is with the new stocking and everybody stir crazy. I am staying far away. I hope everyone remains safe and vigilant!
Falsecast,
I'm still in Florida in 85 degree temperature and in a county that has only 8 confirmed cases of covid 19, the same as Hampshire county in Ma. where I live. The beaches are deserted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Except for the fish!!!!!
Ken
On the WB of the Westfield River at 1pm off at 3:30pm, fooled 2 nice hold over bows. Walked in on a dual hatch small stones and little black caddis, yes rising fish eating on the surface. 1st was taken with a #14 p&o on the swing after a long drift, the second was fooled with a #16 dry, it was white and the only dry I had with me, the fish came up grabbed it, hooked in the corner of the mouth, it was a classic and in March? I released both back in the river and they are ready for you to catch. Oh I was all by myself.
Gary,
Good work. Bet you were the first on the WB this Spring!
Ken
I find it interesting that you have such an aversion to fishing around crowds. Blogs like this one have crowded our rivers to the point that it's hard to even feel like you're fishing anymore. Posting daily stocking reports, exact locations, fly recommendations, etc....you are spoon-feeding anyone with a smart phone, telling them exactly where to go and when to go there. What did you think was going to happen? Even the fly shops leave a little bit to the imagination.
I don't really get the rationale behind fishing blogs. Do you really need to prove to the world that you have mastered fishing for stocked trout? Or is it a marketing tool to book more trips? I am glad there are other fishing opportunities in Massachusetts. The crowding and lack of ethics at places like the swift are now rampant.
Anonymous 8:41,
I find it interesting that you can claim that this blog promotes river crowding. If you have been reading it for the last ten years (you haven't) you would have realized that I hate crowds and promote sections of streams that are less crowded and this blog is appreciated for that. I write about SIX DIFFERENT TROUT STREAMS with over a 100 miles of trout water none of which is overcrowded except for a few sections of the Swift.
Maybe you should sign your bogus comments. I think "CLUELESS" would be a good handle for you!! Go away and don't come back!!!!
Ken
Post a Comment