SUMMER SOLSTICE

June 25, 2010 - Reflecting back to the beginning of summer 2009 and you might recollect the condition of most watersheds here in central New England. The bad news… there was a considerable amount of water around; the good news… there was a considerable amount of water around. The thunderstorms that dominated our weather pattern during the midweek did little to aide, what can be considered to be, a low water problem. Many of the freestone rivers that featured higher than normal water levels throughout the entire spring season are now in dire need of substantial rainfall.

Even the main branch of the Swift River in Belchertown has not escaped this latest water deficit. While the river has continued to offer demanding fishing conditions due to extremely high water releases throughout most of the spring, on Thursday, June 24th water levels were dropped to about 40 cfs making the entire stretch between the dam and Cady Lane highly negotiable.

This does create it's own set of challenging circumstances. The fish will begin to display an almost acute sense of selectivity (as if that's possible on the Swift), and must be approached with utmost stealth to experience any modicum of success. If you are fortunate enough to encounter the celebrated sulphur hatch (early July-early August) we would strongly recommend no-hackle, parachute or comparadun style flies (#16-#18). These imitations rest directly in the water rather than on it (much like the natural) making for a more convincing mimic. Believe it or not these are the largest traditional mayflies to reside in the Swift and can be witnessed with varying degrees of regularity, depending on weather conditions.

Recent report filed by Jeff Scales…

"I'm sure you've heard from many but the Swift is holding EVERYTHING right now, small mouth, rock bass, panfish, rainbows, browns, brookies, tigers, suckers and landlocked salmon. I wish I could say I caught all of them but I didn't. I did manage a few decent rainbows in the y pool and lost a land locked salmon close to my feet (snagged on a branch underwater and broke free). I took my father for father days yesterday on his first fly fishing adventure and he did mange to hook up with his first rainbow. Of all things we were doing the best with a flesh fly that I had tied up for steelhead at the Salmon River. Some fish were being taken up top with brown ants by other anglers."

THE HATCHES
Approaching the torrid days of summer we would recommend the following… summer caddis (#16-#18), sulphur dun (#16-#18), black ant (#16-#18), black cricket (#14), Dave's hopper #10) and black beetle (#14-#16).

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB