WARE RIVER ROUNDUP

August 7, 2002 - I recently had a lengthy conversation with Tom Schofield who resides but a double haul from the obscure Creamery Road Bridge that spans the Ware River in Hardwick. An avid fly guy, and somewhat of a cane aficionado, Tom became very animated while disclosing the success he enjoyed this past season on his home water. "The best season I've had on the river so far. It peaked around Fathers Day when my son and I took numerous fish on dry flies while standing all by ourselves!"

While the lower Ware typically does not hold up well throughout the torrid summer months, the spring and early summer fishing was memorable. The mile long section from the "Silver Bridge" (junction of Old Turnpike Rd and Rt.32) to the Creamery Rd Bridge saw very few weekend anglers and even fewer on weekdays. The insect emergence was in tune with the customary central New England sequence of Hendrickson, Red Quill, March Brown, Light Cahill, BWO, Hexagenia with a smattering of prolific caddis hatches in the mix allowing for some entertaining dry fly fishing.

It has always puzzled me why more cold water anglers don't take the initiative to explore this somewhat remote piece of water. In past years we have been blessed with a generous (unpublicized) fall stocking of brown trout in this area that, with the exception of a handful of river regs, goes virtually unnoticed.

SWIFT RIVER
Hate to keep beating a dead horse but the Swift remains the only "sure thing" in central Mass during the balance of the summer. Tom and Audrey Reilly recently guided with Marla Blair and took a number of impressive brown trout on the veteran guides renowned "jailbird" pattern. The water level continues to fluctuate so be forewarned. Mid-summer releases have been difficult to predict with levels ranging from ankle to belly button depending on the time of day. Best patterns remain emergers, nymphs and pupa (18-22), black ants (14-16), black beetle's (16), Griffith's gnat's (20), BWO's (20-22), and diptera adults (20-22).

CANE RENAISSANCE
There has been an emergence of a very important cane rod craftsman within the ranks of New England fly fishermen who is sure to achieve notoriety in the not to distant future. Spencer's favorite son, Joe Philaponis, has been laboriously fashioning some of the most exquisite bamboo rods I have witnessed in quite a while. Thus far (through word of mouth) he has been able to market every rod produced at the bargain price of about 1K. Once his reputation is established it should not be uncommon for these masterpieces to fetch twice this asking price and higher.

Joe recently procured a piece of property in the Greenfield area and his master plan is to relocate the entire operation to these more rural digs, establish a B&B that caters for fly anglers, and spend the remaining balance of his life turning reeds into fly poles. We all wish him nothing but luck and prosperity in his lifelong endeavor.

Good fishing and safe wading,

JB