2016 Fishing/Ice Fishing Thread

I'm only ten minutes down the road so I fish the swift a few times a week, though I generally stay away from the Y pool. If I were from out of town and making a trip to the swift it's understandable why the big draw is the Y pool, its loaded and usually many different approaches will work there. Often times you can't even find a spot to stand though, it's heavily fished and guys will stay in the same spots for hours on end.

You have to be really good to be consistently successful with dries, I stick with nymphs and soft hackles all sub-surface and always catch fish. Took me about a full year to get the hang of how to fish that river. As mentioned above you really have to hone your technique and stick with it, have confidence in your rig, not changing flies every two seconds because you'll find nothing you're switching to will work. Like mentioned above you can have two guys fishing the same fly from the same spot and it boils down to presentation.

I personally prefer "real rivers" like the east branch of the westfield, the swift is more of an aquarium but as said above is maddeningly attractive and often the only game in town being that it's a tailwater.
 
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Just got my fancy license for my next big trip: Will be fly fishing the Yukon River North of Whitehorse for a week in September. I'm missing the salmon run, but the grayling and northern pike are reported to be very active on the stretch I'm visiting. Can't wait!

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I took the 12 year old grand son to the Y pool Swift River Fly Fish Only Catch and Release section last week. It was a great day. This week we fished the Little Leigh-Hi river in PA with a friend in PA. This is one of the PA heritage streams fly fish only catch and release, barb-less hooks. It is a small, beautiful stream nestled in a park like setting. We hope to get back out to the Y-Pool next week. Does anyone else on the forum fish the Y-Pool?

I grew up in Belchertown and fished the river for quite a few years now. I do love the Y-Pool but I hardly ever fish there unless its dark and nobody else is there. I will walk up towards the Y-Pool during daylight but normally end up stopping along the way and fishing a pocket I saw trout hanging out in. More often than not, I am down the river a ways either above the "pipes" or below at Cady Lane. I enjoy less people and have no problem pulling fish out of those sections. Anywhere you go on that river is a good time, watching fish refuse your fly is addicting!
 
Y Pool is maddeningly addictive. I've fished it a few times.

Last time I was there, an old timer was throwing the exact same fly pattern as I was and was having all kinds of success. It's 80% technique and the rest luck.

Good luck next time you go. I'm planning a trip for 9/17 with my buddy.

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I think I ran into that old timer one time last year. :)
 
Was able to get out briefly this morning.

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Got out to do some Tuna fishing yesterday, we were originally planning on giant fishing but the reports on big fish were quite dismal. Wound up hooking this little 60" fish early in the day and decided to take it home for dinner https://vimeo.com/180597606
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Has anyone been to the Swift recently? Making a trip this weekend and looking for a report before I make the drive.
Have you fished the swift much? The flow rate fluctuates constantly, which moves the fish around. I don't think there's a posted schedule or chart that says when they adjust it. I went a couple weeks ago and had great luck in one spot while the water was high and moving pretty fast, went back a couple days later and the water was way low and barely moving and there weren't many fish in that same area. I eventually found plenty of brookies and a few bows in another spot. Caddis, ants, hares ear, and tiny bwo's did best for me. I watched a large bow come shooting out of nowhere and repeatedly bite a tiny brookie I was bringing in, so I've been thinking brookie pattern streamers might be worth a shot. Saw lots of little sow bugs in the weedy sections so I tied up a few but haven't been back yet to try them.

Check out http://millersriverflyfishingforum.blogspot.com
He posts lots of river updates and tips.
 
Have you fished the swift much? The flow rate fluctuates constantly, which moves the fish around. I don't think there's a posted schedule or chart that says when they adjust it. I went a couple weeks ago and had great luck in one spot while the water was high and moving pretty fast, went back a couple days later and the water was way low and barely moving and there weren't many fish in that same area. I eventually found plenty of brookies and a few bows in another spot. Caddis, ants, hares ear, and tiny bwo's did best for me. I watched a large bow come shooting out of nowhere and repeatedly bite a tiny brookie I was bringing in, so I've been thinking brookie pattern streamers might be worth a shot. Saw lots of little sow bugs in the weedy sections so I tied up a few but haven't been back yet to try them.

Check out http://millersriverflyfishingforum.blogspot.com
He posts lots of river updates and tips.

I've fished it a couple times, ditto my buddy who is coming with me.

I'll plan on bringing some terrestrials in addition to my usual assortments. Gonna go looking for a brownie streamer, too!

Thanks for the tips! Will check out that website, too!

Making a trip down the Bear's Den on Tuesday (Don't tell my boss!) to get fly tying supplies to get started! Pumped to try my hand at it.

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Have you fished the swift much? The flow rate fluctuates constantly, which moves the fish around. I don't think there's a posted schedule or chart that says when they adjust it. I went a couple weeks ago and had great luck in one spot while the water was high and moving pretty fast, went back a couple days later and the water was way low and barely moving and there weren't many fish in that same area. I eventually found plenty of brookies and a few bows in another spot. Caddis, ants, hares ear, and tiny bwo's did best for me. I watched a large bow come shooting out of nowhere and repeatedly bite a tiny brookie I was bringing in, so I've been thinking brookie pattern streamers might be worth a shot. Saw lots of little sow bugs in the weedy sections so I tied up a few but haven't been back yet to try them.

Check out http://millersriverflyfishingforum.blogspot.com
He posts lots of river updates and tips.

You can follow the Swift flows and most river flows on the MA site: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01175500

Long story short, the flow is increased from the typical ~40 to roughly 100 when the CT River is in "drought" levels so aside from a heavy rain, the Swift will remain at the high flows for some time moving forward. You can always find fish at the swift but they certainly move to new spots with the high flows, I always prefer to go further from the Y-Pool in high flows as I want to be further from the high output.

admcd - start by Cady Lane and slowly work down the river.
 
You can follow the Swift flows and most river flows on the MA site: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01175500

Long story short, the flow is increased from the typical ~40 to roughly 100 when the CT River is in "drought" levels so aside from a heavy rain, the Swift will remain at the high flows for some time moving forward. You can always find fish at the swift but they certainly move to new spots with the high flows, I always prefer to go further from the Y-Pool in high flows as I want to be further from the high output.

admcd - start by Cady Lane and slowly work down the river.

Thanks. I'll check that site out, too! Sorry if I'm failing at map reading, but I don't see a Cady lane nearby. Is that a specific location on the river or an actual street?
 
I swear back in May when I started fishing for the season I wondered when the albies would show up again before my plug hit the water! These little fish have a way of getting into your head with the anticipation. Anyone who hasn't targeted these fish on light tackle is seriously missing out of some unbelievable fun. The lucky NES hat comes through again.

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Would love to chase albies one day. Was planning to go with my uncle on fly rods, but life got in the way and I won't make it down until October. How long do they stick around for?

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I swear back in May when I started fishing for the season I wondered when the albies would show up again before my plug hit the water! These little fish have a way of getting into your head with the anticipation. Anyone who hasn't targeted these fish on light tackle is seriously missing out of some unbelievable fun. The lucky NES hat comes through again.

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Nice fish!!
 
So far a bunch of little fingerlings. But it's the most I've ever caught here. Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
I was there today too. The weather was awesome. I landed a few decent fish. The game warden pulled up next to me at one point and watched me hook, net and release one. I figured after releasing it he'd call me over to ask for my fishing license but instead he just drove away.
 
I was there today too. The weather was awesome. I landed a few decent fish. The game warden pulled up next to me at one point and watched me hook, net and release one. I figured after releasing it he'd call me over to ask for my fishing license but instead he just drove away.
It was an amazing day. Had good luck with small bwos.

Lost a nice rainbow on a grass hopper. It wrapped me around a downed log.

Hopefully I get another trip out there before hunting season starts in earnest!

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So far a bunch of little fingerlings. But it's the most I've ever caught here.

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How did the day end up being? I missed your last question but @almostelmo has it covered! I actually never park at Cady Lane technically, driving down river road (with Cady Lane on the right) I go past that until the next dirt road and turn down there. You can bring a car back there but the terrain isn't easy on small cars. From that spot, I work up towards Cady Lane and back down.

When are you out next?
 
How did the day end up being? I missed your last question but @almostelmo has it covered! I actually never park at Cady Lane technically, driving down river road (with Cady Lane on the right) I go past that until the next dirt road and turn down there. You can bring a car back there but the terrain isn't easy on small cars. From that spot, I work up towards Cady Lane and back down.

When are you out next?

Enjoyed myself immensely but didn't get anything bigger than a six inch fish. Lost a nice rainbow on a hopper.

We parked in the dirt lot, fished above the bridge for an hour or so and walked south towards nine. Water got too deep to keep wading so we climbed out and dropped back in right before a small rapids. There were some HUGE goddamn fish in there.

Dunno when I'm out there next. Maybe 10/1, maybe Columbus Day itself.
 
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