The Swift River below the Quabbin Reservoir is well known for its demanding trout. This river presents a unique set of challenges for the fly angler, and you often need specific flies to meet those challenges. The Deerfield Fly Shop is proud to present the Best Winter Flies for the Swift River with Gary Metras, who will lead you through a few of his favorite patterns for the tricky fish of the Swift River. This two-part fly-tying class takes place on consecutive Sundays and will help you with the techniques needed to tie the smaller flies often required for success on the Swift in the winter. The first class will cover subsurface flies and the second will tackle dry flies. Gary will share some of his strategies for fishing these flies. Gary is past president of the Pioneer Valley Trout Unlimited and has taught the chapter’s tying classes for 15 years. He is an excellent angler and tyer and has been fishing the Swift every week for the past twenty years.
Pre-registration is required—call the shop at 413-397-3665 or email [email protected]. This class consists of two three-hour sessions that will take place here at the shop on Sunday, February 5 at 3 pm and Sunday, February 12 at 3 pm. The fee is $50 total for both classes and will include materials for the flies to be tied. Bring your own vise, tools and thread (Veevus 16/0 in a variety of colors recommended—the shop has plenty in stock).