Fly Fishing Information On The Millers, Swift, Middle, West and East Branches Of the Westfield River and the Ware, and Mill rivers. YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR MA. FLY FISHING INFORMATION, the top ranked fly fishing blog in Massachusetts! WHAT FLY FISHERS READ!!
I find it easy to take a few more minutes and walk to a spot that I know will not be crowded. In fact, most of the sections of the Millers, EB and WB and the Ware will be devoid of anglers. "Two's company and three's a crowd" as the old saying goes but I believe that the best thing you can do for your fishing buddy is to give him or her a hundred yards of space to fish in although it's very possible that a piscatorial type or three will suck up that hundred yards in no time. Maybe it's best to just leave instructions to meet up at a certain place at a certain hour.
Swift Brookie
One can practice the Gierach School of Angling (crowd avoidance) even on the Swift although most never do and will gravitate to the CR above Route 9 or to the Pipe. There is a certain spot on the Swift that I do very well at and never have another angler within 100 yards of me but may have dozens walking right past me so they can squeeze into a honey hole downstream. There are many places on the Swift that are good spots but are underfished such as the depths of Cady Lane where I spent many a morning and evening last Summer catching beautiful brookies and the occasional brown instead of standing in the Y pool wondering where all the bows went.
Book A River
60 to 70 degrees last week and single digit mornings this week. As they say "All things must pass" and April is just around the corner so book a day on a river for April, May or June. The Millers, EB Ware and the WB await you!!!
The All Around Rod
It's a 9 foot, 4 weight with a medium action. It will do everything that you want it to do on the above rivers and will handle flies down to size 30 with a little care. Don't get sucked into that equipment black hole that will have you flinging rods that are too short, too light or too long.
Ken
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Ken,
All good points. I used to be a slave to the Y Pool until I found the Cady Lane area. Even the rainbows down there behave like wild fish.
While I don't fish the Swift, I practice social distancing on the Farmington and have found, not surprisingly, that 10% of named pools have 90% of the fishermen! Fishing over unpressured fish is a good reason to avoid the crowds too!
My wife and I took a ride along various parts of the Quaboag this evening. That flow is just perfect right now, though I'm sure it is still plenty cold in the 30's. I can see how some trout, especially browns, could make it through a hot summer with numerous small brooks feeding it to provide thermal refuge. I will hit it soon before stocking trucks bring out the crowds. Smallmouth bass are in there too which would be most welcome on the end of my line.
Living north of Caribou, I only get to read about the Swift. I did manage to fish it once, about 10 years ago. By northern Maine standards, I found the 'crowd' appalling; in truth, there might have been 5 other anglers within sight. I hope everyone can appreciate what a gem you have in that river.
Ken you're exactly right. I prefer to fish the open parts of the Swift. Plenty of fish of all sizes can be found in many areas that go unnoticed. A friend told me "If you went to the Y pool in a blizzard there would already be someone ahead of you fishing". Prior to covid and the drought driving what seemed to be every fly fisherman in the state onto the Swift I fished many hours there without another person in sight and caught fish.
There's a really nice stretch of weather coming, I hope you can get out and fish! Dean
Size 30 is used on the Swift especially just below the Pipe although they are used by the Y Pool. Below the Pipe you have a fairly steady influx of tiny midge types coming from the hatchery. You can see the trout steadily rising below the Pipe but not above it. That's for size 28-30 midges. It is difficult subsurface/surface fishing! I've done well with size 24 midge types in those areas but I once guided a guy with a 6wt rod that I matched up with a size 30 and he took a good brown with that rig. Nobody thought we would catch that fish with that rig setup. I've also caught trout during these "hatches" on a size 16 partridge and orange. Someties it's not the fly BUT presentation!!
9 comments:
Ken,
All good points. I used to be a slave to the Y Pool until I found the Cady Lane area. Even the rainbows down there behave like wild fish.
TG
While I don't fish the Swift, I practice social distancing on the Farmington and have found, not surprisingly, that 10% of named pools have 90% of the fishermen! Fishing over unpressured fish is a good reason to avoid the crowds too!
Ken,
My wife and I took a ride along various parts of the Quaboag this evening. That flow is just perfect right now, though I'm sure it is still plenty cold in the 30's. I can see how some trout, especially browns, could make it through a hot summer with numerous small brooks feeding it to provide thermal refuge. I will hit it soon before stocking trucks bring out the crowds. Smallmouth bass are in there too which would be most welcome on the end of my line.
Best, Sam
Anonymous 11:26,
The Farmington is the same as the Swift. Everyone crowds together while there's so much river to fish.
Sam,
I've never fished that river but I should. Heard some good things about it.
Ken
Living north of Caribou, I only get to read about the Swift. I did manage to fish it once, about 10 years ago. By northern Maine standards, I found the 'crowd' appalling; in truth, there might have been 5 other anglers within sight. I hope everyone can appreciate what a gem you have in that river.
Ken you're exactly right. I prefer to fish the open parts of the Swift. Plenty of fish of all sizes can be found in many areas that go unnoticed. A friend told me "If you went to the Y pool in a blizzard there would already be someone ahead of you fishing". Prior to covid and the drought driving what seemed to be every fly fisherman in the state onto the Swift I fished many hours there without another person in sight and caught fish.
There's a really nice stretch of weather coming, I hope you can get out and fish!
Dean
Ken who uses 30 size? I can't even see those buggers, never mind holding one without dropping it? Cheers,Chet
Chet,
Size 30 is used on the Swift especially just below the Pipe although they are used by the Y Pool. Below the Pipe you have a fairly steady influx of tiny midge types coming from the hatchery. You can see the trout steadily rising below the Pipe but not above it. That's for size 28-30 midges. It is difficult subsurface/surface fishing! I've done well with size 24 midge types in those areas but I once guided a guy with a 6wt rod that I matched up with a size 30 and he took a good brown with that rig. Nobody thought we would catch that fish with that rig setup. I've also caught trout during these "hatches" on a size 16 partridge and orange. Someties it's not the fly BUT presentation!!
Ken
Dean F.
People are creatures of habit!!
Ken
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