"The Smallmouth bass was once the premier game fish in river environments 100 years ago in the Northeast. It was introduced, for the most part, by anglers, and by natural migrations and adapted very well (maybe too well in northern Maine) to it's new home. It has been pretty much forgotten by modern flyfishers over much of it's new range and that is a shame. Me
Yup, it's happening again. Mother Nature has turned off the spigot at least temporality which has resulted in low water conditions through the State. Now, these conditions are not killing the fishing because it is still early April and the flows, low for this time of year, are still ample and cool enough to fish. A good rain storm will fix things quickly!!
The Millers?
Yesterday morning the flow was about 420cfs. Now it's running as I write at 1880cfs. What's up?? A rogue thunderstorm in Athol dumping 6 inches of rain?? Nope, It seems that they held back water for the "cancelled" River Rat Canoe Race and then dumped it. Now, in the past stocking of trout occurred after the race (scheduled in mid April) was history and the flow subsided. This year Royalston and Athol got an early stocking which could very well be flushed out of the river by a 1880cfs release. Best wait until May!!!
I Wonder
What's going on with our pastime? It seems that many of the younger crowd have taken on an almost militaristic approach to this once benign endeavor. This is seen in the marketing of our "toys". Words like "tactical" and "stealth" have entered the lexicon. Fishing trips have taken on the aura on a Navy Seal raid. What's next, camo face paint.
Time to chill out.
Book Me
Ken
12 comments:
Thanks as always Ken. Was just heading out to Millers, saw chart and was not sure if it was a mistake! The info you provide is priceless to the community, thank you! -Mike
Bigdawg (Mike),
Thank you. I'm always trying to provide good info about our rivers.
Ken
There's more B.S. in fly fishing than there is in a Kansas feedlot. Lefty Kreh. Ken, you have quoted this before, and it will always be true.
Sam
Ken,
Like your smallmouth comment. It's a wild fish that eats baitfish, crayfish, nymphs and dry flies and fights like hell!
GW
Hi Ken,
Great news from Wareham, MA. Yesterday 85% of the voters at town meeting rejected a zoning change to allow a huge "entertainment district" that would have threatened Red Brook and its sea run brookies. I'm grateful to the citizens of Wareham and all those who worked to reserve this irreplaceable resource. Thanks to you, as well, for helping to publicize this issue. It's nice to "win one" once in a while.
Best wishes to all,
John
Hopefully the system pushing through this week will go far to offset drought. In the meantime, the low levels have been a joy to fish.
John,
All great news! I had a good feeling on this!!
Bob O,
You are right but in the long haul we need rain. Not a deluge but something "wet"!!
Ken
If you want to sell stuff its got to be Tacticool! I will admit that fishermen today are really spoiled in the great equipment offered, but really ...tactical? Didn't realize trout were the enemy!
Anonymous 5:28,
I've seen fly tying hooks described as "tactical".
Ken
Good info on the water levels! It's so valuable to have a heads up as someone who drives a fair distance to get to the better streams/rivers.
Although I'm a younger angler I'm still in the camp of "lets just go out and chill - super nice day isn't it?" but the tactical/stealth/special opps stuff is wicked corny if you ask me. Similar to anything saltwater/surf related that is "Charter Grade" etc.
That being said....I wonder if Charles F. Orvis would be cynical of YOUR generation's verbiage and techniques ;)
Glock 41- check. 200 rounds.45 cal hollow point brass jacket-check. Air Force Survival knife- Check. Excessively manly 10 weight with Camo finish,tactical black nickle guides and the Kevlar pistol grip -check. SWAT anti ballistic vest to stow all those fly thingys- check. Pick up "Crusher" the 200lb Rottie from the trainer for protection duty of the F-350 "Super Duty" while engaged in operations on the Swift river.
They're out there Ken but not usually for long. Fly fishing for trout is just to delicate and gentle.
Dean F,
What, no close combat? How about some nunchucks and a garrote?????
KEN
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