May Is Gone, Summer Mornings And Evenings Are Here.

Ken ,

I am a newbe to your rivers and wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your blogs and your information packed articles about where to fish,and best water levels.

Your info is so valuable to me whereas I travel 1 hr.and 20 to get to this valhalla. I have been out to the Millers twice now and once to the Ware and havent seen one other sole at either river and have experienced solitude that I only have experienced on the steelhead rivers of Washington and Scotland. Thank You.. Richard J.

May was a good month.  The rivers started off high but rounded into shape quickly with the Ware setting the pace with good fishing when the flow exceeded 300 cfs.  Ditto for the EB and the Millers, especially the Millers in the past week.  The Swift is a bit of a mystery.  The flow just dipped below 200 cfs (about 3 times the average flow for this date) and one wonders where the water is coming from since most of central Ma. and its rivers are below average for flowing water at this time. I hate to say it but we may need some rain this next week so I won't have to think of the "D" word (Drought)!!!

The Swift And It's Brookies

Maybe we got too used to seeing them over the past decade but it seemed that they were fairly scarce the last two years.  Not so this year (so far).  They seemed to be all over the place about Route 9 this week and reader Bob O said the same about the Pipe area.  Not monsters but the kind that big browns like to snack on.  The Swift brookies are the key to everything.

Early Mornings And Evenings

This is the time of year where the "off" hours can be the best hours.  Early morning (and I don't mean 8am) can provide great fishing. I've done great on the Millers, Swift and the EB at 5am.  I can provide 3 and 6 hour early bird trips on those rivers.  Evenings on the Millers have been my mainstay for over 30 years.  The river comes alive as the sun sets.  Book Me!!

 

The March Brown

This is one of the major events one waits for if you are a lover of freestone rivers - The March Brown!  It will be the biggest of the mayflies that we have seen this year and it will be hatching from late May through early July. (it's named after an English fly that looks similar but who hatches in March across the pond).

As a nymph it lives in freestones that have those nice gravelly bottoms but can also be found along the slow silty margins of streams around hatching time. It never seems to hatch in monster numbers but it's big enough to attract the trout's attention.

A good reliable imitation is the old Adams Dry Fly in a size 10 to 12 especially if the body is a light tan color.  Count on a comparadun to fill the bill too.  Look for this puppy to emerge in the early evening in early Summer.

Thank You

May was a good month for this blog -  A huge amount of comments and some very good fishing reports by the readers.  We are not afraid to name rivers or sections of rivers.  Keep it coming!!!  It's the only blog that has this!!!

Ken

An Early Summer Evening

"The caddis at the farmy yesterday were tiny and unfortunately I didn't have anything in the box that they seemed interested in. Fishing pressure there this spring has rivaled the cape cod canal during a new moon or the salmon river during the salmon run." - Recent comment by a reader

This is the season that I dream about - calm, warm evenings on a trout stream. And make that a quality freestone river too.  I had a few hours to kill after visiting my oldest daughter and her family and a stop at the Millers was in order.

There's a bit of a decades long ritual here - get to the river in the very early evening to make some swings with a soft hackle while keeping an eye open on the parts of the river where the shadows have begun.  As the shadows lengthen you will see the occasional soft rise of a trout as it lines up for dinner. As the sun hides behind a western ridge there will be enough trout rising to make it interesting.

For years I would arm myself with dries and fish them when the trout began to "look up".  Not so much anymore.  I'll stay with the soft hackles being that they are the perfect emerger and that is what the trout are after when they break the surface.  Only when I see that parade of "little sailboats" will I make the move to a dry.  Sometimes when it gets dark you can't see the fly or even the rise form but you can feel the STRIKE.   BTW, I took 2 browns and 2 bows all on a size 14 soft hackle!


The Rivers

You guessed it, the rivers are coming down with the lack of rain that we've had but they are still fishing well. The Swift may even dip below 200 cfs this week.  The Millers and the EB are perfect right now but the Ware, still in ok shape, could use some rain.  That's what's in store for Friday.

BOOK ME

Things are good and busy after a corona start to the season.  Book me and let's flyfish.

Ken

Everything Is Perfect (Almost) LOST ROD ON THE EB

"Because of the problems with fly lines in most nymphing applications, some people even opt to fish an entirely monofilament rig with no fly line at all. So why are there Euro nymphing specific fly lines produced if fly lines cause problems? Essentially, fly lines in Euro nymphing exist to keep you legal in competitions and to adhere to fly only regulated waters."   Wise words from TCO Fly Shop, December 17, 2019

     Millers Bow                                  

It's funny how everything has rounded into form. Three weeks ago we were flooded out but now all the rivers are into form and that includes the Millers which is about ready to dip under 500 cfs.  Even the psychotic Swift is coming down off the ledge with a drop of 60 cfs in three days. It's still about 4 times the flow that I like but it's heading in the right direction!!!

There is no excuse not to be out there.  Pick a river and hit it.  Don't know the river(s) that well? Book Me for a trip!!!

Someone left a Sage Vantage rod and Battenkill reel up at the EB. If you find it notify me and I'll get the ball rolling!

Top Fly In May - I ignored green bodies flies for years and it was not to my benefit.  This has been my top fly this May on the EB and the Ware. Tie it with partridge, tie it with starling, put the hackles up front or at midship. It will always seem to produce.

Thank You!!

I've been getting a lot of compliments about this blog this Spring.  What people seem to like is the fact that this blog is packed with info about the elusive "where and when" on the rivers. It's not just photos of fish and no other info.  I actually want you to catch fish!!!!!


Have a Good Memorial Day!

Ken

Freestone Timing, Handling Trout And Book Me

"Moreover, I’ve never had good luck Euronymphing at the Swift’s busiest spots. The water is too slow or shallow, and the casting angles are not conducive." -From Another Blog, October 27, 2018

This is the season where Freestones rule.  This is also the season where you don't see me on the tailwaters as much.  They are good to fish during the winter when the true rivers are locked in ice.  They can provide mid day fishing during the heat of July which makes it very convenient  for those who play during bankers hours.  I would rather follow the cycles of the season on a Freestone: mid day and its hatches during the Spring, very early morning (4 am) and dusk (the witching hour) during the Summer and then back to mid day in the Fall.  John Gierach once referred to tailwaters as the "theme parks of flyfishing".  Fair enough.  Let's think about natural rivers.

I made it to the EB at about 1:45pm yesterday.  I had heard that flies were hatching everywhere over the weekend and that the flyfisher hatch was pretty heavy too but success was rare.  Why was
that?

The first thing I noticed was the good hatch of Q. Gordons and a lot of caddis that appeared to be in the hatching phase.  The second thing that I noticed was that most of the surface water was undisturbed by rising trout.  I said most of the surface water because one type of water was full of slashing trout and that was at the head of the two pools that I fished.  I noticed that because Q. Gordons and many caddis like the fast, choppy water of the riffles above a pool and when they hatch they will move down to the head of the pool.  Gordons and many caddis hatch quickly and trout will chase them knowing that they will escape.  That is why the "dorsal and tail" rises were quick and abrupt.

                                                                                    7ft 6in 4wt Heddon with Rainbow

Now, the youtube experts will have you fishing a nymph under a bobber (it won't work) or euro nymphing a heavy nymph (the wrong approach) or will suggest a dry fly (strike three).  What did I do?  Well, I noticed that the trout were definitely chasing flies so I gave them something to chase in the form of a size 14 partridge and peacock.  I took short 20-25 foot casts up and across and stripped them back in short, quick 2 inch strips. My fly was never deeper than 6 inches below the surface and some trout left the water while chasing my fly. The hits were vicious!!

I fished until 4pm and took 17 bows all with the same method. I tried some traditional presentations such as high sticking but the fly just didn't have the movement that the trout wanted.

Wait, one more thing. I was the only flyfisher there (as far as I know).

I fished the Bliss Pool and Chronicle Pool below and I am sure that the technique would work anywhere.

We will have some good morning and afternoon hatches until late June when things begin to swing into the evening when most tailwater fishers go home.

Releasing Trout

One does not have to look far to see photos of caught trout lying on the ground having their picture taken.  If you must take photos take them while the trout is in the wet net.  That's what you see here!!!

BOOK ME

Fishing has been great and and some of my best days have been in early to mid June. 
Book me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ken

FINALLY SPRING, Tweaking a Soft Hackle, The Rivers And My Readers

I firmly believe that there are two kinds of fly fishers. The first care only about the river, the trout that are in it and the chance of fishing it in relative solitude (Gierach School of Angling), The second kind of fly fisher cares equally about whether there is a local fly shop, good restaurants and posh accommodations. Can't be too far away from civilization, I guess.   BTW, it seems that covid - 19 has solved that issue. - Ken

I stepped into the Ware Friday morning at 5:45 with temperatures already nudging 60 degrees which allowed just a long sleeve tee shirt and a light cotton button down on top of that.  It is Spring and the trout started fast, went into a 2 hour lull and then picked up the pace in the last half hour that I was there. (I left at 10am).

Rainbows and a brookie came to the net all on a green soft hackle as nothing else seemed to work.  It was the same for frequent comment source "Falsecast" who said that a green caddis was a top fly that day on the Housy.

Check out the hackle on the green SH above.  I've started moving my soft hackles towards the back end of the thorax and then building a "head" in the front of the fly.  It gives it a realistic profile (I think).  Try it out and let me know how you do.
                                                                                   Still life Brook Trout With Heddon Bamboo

The Rivers

Every river  has come down to classic late Spring levels except for the roaring Swift which is running at a whopping 274 cfs.  Now, you can flog the Y Pool for the circus fish but that is all that you have on that river. Down by the Pipe it's a sluice way and not worth flinging a fly.  I love the Swift when it's around 60 cfs because I like
skinny water (it keeps the Euro nymphers away).

The Millers
This river was coming down and got below 700 cfs until Friday nights storm brought it up to almost 900 cfs.  I can hardly wait to get out there.  This is a river that fishes best between 200 and 400 cfs.  I have a feeling we will be seeing it soon.

The EB, WB And The Ware

Thank god for the obliging Ware River. It has been steady for weeks and it will have many weeks to go.  Quill Gordons are on the wane but Hendricksons are around and of course there are caddis.  The EB is wadable now and fishing has been very good.

Book me for a trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Readers

I'd like to thank the thousands who read this blog and the multitudes of people who comment on this blog.  We have more readers and people who comment than any other blog in the Northeast and what is very cool is that you folks aren't afraid to say where you are catching fish either.  That makes you a resource of knowledge instead  of a member of a secret society. Note: people who are tight lipped about locations usually fish the most popular spots anyway.  Suggestion: STAY THERE!!

Ken

High Rise Caddis (Or Mayfly) And Is This Spring?

"I think I fish, in part, because it's an anti-social, bohemian business that, when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstream culture without actually landing you in an institution" - John Gierach 

I seem to be on a weird quest to develop the perfect dry fly and that perfect dry fly will not be a traditional Catskill Dry or any other dry that tries to imitate a fully formed floating insect. The vast majority of rise forms that we see are for emerging insects that are struggling to break through the surface tension to fly away.  The perfect emerging insect, to me, has part of its body poking above the surface but still has a lot of body below the surface.

Notice the floss tail end of this fly.  That's the part that sinks.  The very fine deer hair thorax and wing keeps the front end above the surface.  You can see it from a mile away (almost).  It duplicates a caddis or mayfly very well.  Fine deer hair does well from sizes 12 through 16 and that's when I give way to snowshoe fur or synthetics on smaller sizes.  I'm losing my love for CDC - too fragile and too hard to clean up after a fish or two.

This Spring - This Spring sucks! We should not be starting off a day in late April through mid May at 30 degrees!!!  We should not be battling tough winds that drive the wind chill temperature down to where it is necessary to wear extra garments to be comfortable doing what we want to do.  And Quabbin is overflowing making the lower section of the Swift almost unfishable.  Is it anyone's fault?  No!!  It's the way it is and given a week or so things will (maybe) work out and we may be complaining about the
heat.  That is New England!!  All of the rivers (except the Swift if you want to place tiny flies on the noses of picky trout) are VERY fishable right now.  Even the Millers is down into the 700 cfs range so go get them.

You are doing yourself a big disservice by heading to the Farmington or the Deerfield because you don't think the other rivers are worth your attention and effort.  This is a kind of elitist attitude that leaves miles of great rivers that would be considered prime water in many states basically unfished.  This leaves  the Millers, EB and it's branches and the Ware alone.  Go fish them!

Book A Trip - I have plenty of 3 and 6 hour trips available through late May and June.  Don't wait too long.

Ken

An EB Morning

"The solution to any problem - work, love, money, whatever, is to go fishing and the worse the problem the longer the trip should be" - John Gierach

Note - I have an opening to guide on Friday, the 15th.  First one with the earliest time stamp gets it.  BTW, you cannot use this opportunity to reschedule an existing date. Ken - 7:40am 5/13/20

At 363 cfs it was time to go hit this river which has been all over the flow chart for the last few weeks.  It was time well spent!!

I got there at 9:30 and I had my favorite sections all to myself.  I saw one other vehicle going downstream as I entered the Bliss Pool to cross over.  My rod was the 9ft 6wt Heddon bamboo that I got from Rick Taupier at Swift River Rod Company. It casts like a dream and my fly was a partridge and orange (of course). My usual approach yielded one tiny tap but when I worked my way through the pool all hell broke loose in the form of the biggest brook trout that I can recall seeing in that river.  I took 7 brookies and most were a foot long or better and they were chunky! The 3 rainbows were almost an afterthought.

It started to rain around 10am starting as a light drizzle and ending up as a steady rain.  kept thinking that the forecast of T'storms may not be a joke so  I ended up leaving the place at noon, a bit wet but happy.

When I got home the flow rate had jumped to 374 which is typical of this river.  Check the forecast and the flow before you leave to fish the EB.

It was good to be back!

Ken

A Simple Time Tested Fly - The Peacock And Partridge And The Rivers

"There's always a hot new fly. Precious few of these patterns are genuine breakthroughs destined to last for a hundred years, but more often they're idle comments on existing traditions, explorations of half baked theories, attempts to use new and interesting materials to impress other tiers, or excuses to rename old patterns. The results are often pointless fads like the craze in some pretentious restaurants of plopping fried quail eggs on everything or calling sandwiches "paninis"" - John Gierach

I am a fly tying minimalist. As writer Christophe Perez wrote in Eastern Flyfishing Magazine my flies at times seem to be nothing more than thread and a scant dubbing.  He was right when he mentioned that they catch trout!  To test the theory of Thomas Ames Jr., the author of Hatch Guide For New England Streams, that it may be the bead on a beadhead that attracts the trout and not the skillfully crafted body, I tied a fly with nothing more than a size 14 hook with a brass bead glued to the hook AND CAUGHT TROUT on the Swift, no less.

Yes, this is taking minimalism too far.  Let's talk about a simple traditional SIMPLE FLY - The Peacock and Partridge.
I'll call it a caddis fly and I don't think the trout will mind. It has two main materials - beautiful peacock herl and partridge hackle.  Throw in some fine wire (or just black thread) to protect the herl and tie it on a dry fly hook from size 10 through 14 and you are in business!! Note: don't bother with a wet fly hook.

I've had some good days on the Millers and the EB with this simple thing. It never seemed to work on the Swift but that might be just me believing that only certain flies work on the Swift.

This is a good fly for a novice flytier because the materials are very common and skills are few. The partridge may be a bit fragile for newbie fingers so you can easily use hen hackle which is stronger.  I personally don't like hen but it catches fish.

Remember one thing with fly tying - proportion is the key to a good looking fly.  Hackles, wings and tails that are too big will ruin a fly. Get a good picture of this fly and tie your fly to match the one is the picture.

The Rivers

Everyone of my rivers is coming down (except for the Swift) with the Ware, the EB and the WB all at a fishable level.  The Millers is below the 1200 mark but it has to cut that flow in half before it becomes fun to fish.

All of this good news could be washed away if we get heavy rain this weekend.

Stay Tuned,

Ken

All That Rain But You Can Still Fish

"I knew by now that one of the pitfalls of falling in love with old bamboo fly rods was that there was no end to the number you could collect.  You could rationalize this in various ways. You could say, for example that going on a fishing trip with only two fly rods was like playing a round at Saint Andrews with only two golf clubs." - George Black

It took only two rainy days to blow out Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That even happened on the "thin blue lines" that became fat blue lines for a while.  I wanted some surface action and had it before the skies opened up.  That's what I'd like this week but the flows have to go down for that.  BTW, what are the flows?

MILLERS - 2000 cfs and going down but not enough this week (damn)

EB - 654 and dropping fast. 500 is the magic number and without rain we will hit it by late Tuesday.  Yes, it has been stocked and should again.

THE WARE - 330 and dropping and full of rising fish.

SWIFT- 227 and going up and it will take a while to turn of this faucet.  BTW, you can still catch trout, just not in that skinny water environment that I like.

WEST BRANCH Of THE WESTFIELD - 378 and going down slowly.  Fish it anyway!!!

Remember, the major hatches are daytime hatches at this time of year. A dawn start will just freeze your feet so start a little later in the morning and fish through mid afternoon.  As the month wears on the hatches will start later in the day and then move into the evening hours which is the BEST!!!!!


Ken