A SUMMER TO REMEMBER

July 31, 2004 - No July in recent memory has kept the smiles on trout zealots faces like that of 2004. The Swift River (both north and south of the Rt. 9 Bridge) in Belchertown continues to harbor extreme numbers of both stocked and native trout, with an occasional corker to boot. Most fly anglers have been favoring black ants, (16-18) fished both dry and subsurface, pheasant tail nymphs, beaded and conventional, (18-20), and a host of midge and midge emerger patterns (18-24) to produce startling results. Keep in mind that this fishery tends to be profoundly technical during the summer months so your success depends on stealth and your ability to manage leaders somewhere in the vicinity of 12-14' tapering to 7x-8x.

One angler we interviewed recently reports of engaging 16 fish between the dam and the Rt. 9 bridge, all on a black McMurray ant. Accounts similar to this have been very commonplace during the last few weeks as the watershed is enjoying a truly momentous summer despite minimum water releases.

When water levels cooperate the upper and lower C&R sections of the Deerfield has been the place to be. There seems to be a burst of surface activity just prior to nightfall that a few regs have been mimicking with a yellow stone dry (16-18). Prowl the deeper pools with black stones (8-10), Montana's (8-10) and drab colored wooly buggers (8-10) when risers aren't evident.

FROM GUANTANAMO TO THE GORGE
Fresh off a tour in Guantanamo, Orvis retail employee Eldon Colonies has enjoyed the fruits of the Gorge area along the Westfield River. Accompanied by a companion, Eldon's most recent outing was rewarded with a number of rainbows that fell to his subsurface offerings. His weapon of choice was a caddis pupa looking creation that evidently resembled our summer caddis to a degree. I still contend that this is a quintessential stone fly river and longrodders would do well to seek out deeper pools and slowly effort a weighted black stone (8-10) through it's confines. The watershed is in fine shape and should be able to withstand the summer months regarding both flow and water temperature.

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB