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early fishing
- Thread starter Coyote33
- Start date
Not familiar with the Swift, but the Deerfield can yield some larger fish almost any time of year. I don't have the skills but a guide I know does, and the Deerfield is best accessed by raft or kayak. I've caught nice rainbows in the Ozarks when it was cold enough to continually freeze water onto my rod guides- had to dip the rod into the river to remove ice build up before casting. Decent results fishing weighted wooly buggers with a 6 or 7 WF line, just off the bottom or bouncing off the bottom if you don't have to worry about snags.
I don't fish the Swift but I do fish moving waters west of there. Plenty of open water this early, but some spots are still tough to park at. And you may have to hump it through some snow & ice. Early spring is my favorite time of year to fish small rivers. No bugs and no people.
JDL
NES Member
The Y Pool at the Swift should be all open water now. I have fished the Y Pool year round most of the time it will only freeze about half way down from the spillway. Get out and have a good day. When it is like that I have fished right at the shelf and fish would race out from under the shelf and attack my fly. It is early season, fish some Marabou Muddlers in black or brown and don't fish them too deep, just an inch or two below the surface. If you go let me know how you make out.
Took the kid to the Quabbin on Monday. He was dying to try out his new gear he got on Christmas. On the Swift, just a bit down from Route 9, I showed him a few things he didn't know I knew. Then we walked a little up the river, and there was a sign that said fishing season is July 1 - December 31. Oops. Well, he got his practice in at least.
Sparkey
NES Member
I think you read the sign wrong. July to dec is catch and release only Jan1 to July you can use bait and keep fish south of the bridge North of the bridge fly fishing only catch release year round
JDL
NES Member
The next time you go walk up north of the Rt.9 bridge the Y Pool is about a mile up the path. Your son will love it. Fly Fish Only, Catch and Release open year round. Very large fish , however it can be frustrating because they have a way of ignoring you.
JDL
NES Member
Yes this is true however it is early season, fish some Marabou Muddlers in black or brown and don't fish them too deep, just an inch or two below the surface. If you go let me know how you make out.
Dennis in MA
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Herring are in the Nemasket. So much for fishing the dam. 
Too much easy pickings to catch them easy. Wish my boat was in the water.
Too much easy pickings to catch them easy. Wish my boat was in the water.
smokey-seven
NES Member
Saw my first big large mouth jump this am. They are getting frisky.
Dennis in MA
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I need to bring my wife's thermometer and see what the temps are on Friday. I can't believe water is in teh 50's yet, but maybe. Lots of solar energy pumping into the ponds.
Strange is the "isolated" ones just finally broke out of ice this weekend. There's this tiny one on my way to work. All pine trees around it. Just air-temp alone to warm it up.
Strange is the "isolated" ones just finally broke out of ice this weekend. There's this tiny one on my way to work. All pine trees around it. Just air-temp alone to warm it up.
My son has already caught some whoppers. He is quite the fisherman. I was going to go to the Quabbin tomorrow to get a pass for Long Pond at Rutland State Park, but I just found out it was yesterday. I must have saw the "19" in the year and thought it was the date. Anyhow, now I might have a fishing day with the boy instead (school vacation). What do you all think? Wachusett, Quabbin, Swift River, Quinapoxet River, or somewhere else locally? That, or try the Canal for some stripers?
Dennis in MA
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Skunked again. Picked up my motor at the shop. Was considering putting the boat in. 25mph winds on-shore and 3-4’ waves put an end to that. Maybe I’ll get the boat launched Sun or Mon.
Wife took a Taunton River water temp. Today. 58 degrees. I’d really like for once to get my boat in BEFORE the spawn. Dammit!
Caught a small bass at Whiteman AFB on Tuesday. Funny fishing a pond smaller than my yard. No pics. SIL caught a small bass that had bluegill markings. Very strange.
Wife took a Taunton River water temp. Today. 58 degrees. I’d really like for once to get my boat in BEFORE the spawn. Dammit!
Caught a small bass at Whiteman AFB on Tuesday. Funny fishing a pond smaller than my yard. No pics. SIL caught a small bass that had bluegill markings. Very strange.
My son got some great bass and yellow perch this week. Ended up at Wachusett and Quinapoxet today. Got skunked, but saw a photo of a 10# lake trout taken out of where we were just yesterday! The thing was a monster. Guy is getting it mounted.
smokey-seven
NES Member
Last edited:
Dennis in MA
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Nope. Bass shaped. Blued gill. Limited LMB markings. I’ll see if he has a pic. The embankment to the pond is crushed up old runway. Maybe it’s nukulur or sumpin.
bigpick
NES Member
Live bait
I caught a lot of bluegill on worms when I was a kid but barely any bass. Normally I can figure out a way to catch at least a small one, but it’s been a really tough spring so far. The worst part is that I’ve seen a lot of people catching them.
I checked my records and last year my first fish wasn’t until April 27 so I’m not too far behind.
bigpick
NES Member
Was it a floating or a diver?
smokey-seven
NES Member
Got a question for you guys. Although I have not seen any in my lake for quite some time, I am looking to identify a fish we used to take in quantity. We would catch and release on ultra light tackle. The fish was about 9-10" long, shaped like a bluegill but had golden sides with black spots all over. They only held in a couple spots in the lake and were schooling fish. Any guesses?
We also used to have what we called Red Fin Shiners, that had a brown back, golden lower side and belly and red eyes and red pectoral fins. Dunno what they are really named either.
Both of these are gone now, replaced by Carp (monster Carp!) and White Perch, thick enough you can catch 6 in a net!
We also used to have what we called Red Fin Shiners, that had a brown back, golden lower side and belly and red eyes and red pectoral fins. Dunno what they are really named either.
Both of these are gone now, replaced by Carp (monster Carp!) and White Perch, thick enough you can catch 6 in a net!
smokey-seven
NES Member
Oh yea! On the money! thanks, never knew their real name we just called them Calico Bass.
Next to solve is the, "Red Fin Shiner."
