Spring has sprung! All of a sudden, the days are getting long and the water getting warmer. This is a season of major transition across the fishery and there’s a lot to be thinking about in your approach at this time of year.
On the Fife Brook stretch of the Deerfield, flows are currently down-trending from a high-water event caused by both rain and snow melt earlier in the week. As this report is being written, Fife is running just under 2000 CFS with a good amount of stain in the water. Flows on the lower stretches are running even higher at the moment, ranging from 4000 to as high as over 6000 CFS. There’s a lot of snow melt running off into the river and with more rain and warmer temps forecasted for later this week, expect that flow conditions will likely remain high in the week ahead. 2000+ CFS is a bit on the unfishable side—especially for wade angling—so hopefully we’ll see this downtrend continue, although it’s a bit up in the air at the moment.
Before this high water, snow and ice conditions were still a consideration for wade angling, however, it’s likely that the river has been running high enough to wash away a lot of those hazards on the banks. Additionally, a lot of snow has melted in the woods and on the trails making navigation much easier. This being said, keep in mind that snow will turn to mud making for slippery conditions so it’s still worth it to wear studded wading soles.
Speaking of snow, also be advised that parking at most spots has become accessible again. A few areas still have some plow walls to punch through so make sure to take caution when parking. As we said last month, getting stuck will likely mean a long walk back to town/cell reception.
In terms of approach, keep in mind that a lot of change will occur in the coming weeks as we transition into spring. While many fish are still operating in winter mode at this point, they will gradually be pulling out of slow, deep wintering areas and redistributing across the river as warming continues. For now, nymphing soft seams with solid depth will likely still be one’s best bet. For nymphing fly selection, small stonefly nymphs, pheasant tails & frenchies, Walt’s worms & hare’s ears and the like have all been productive. Whether throwing an indicator or contact rig, consider tying patterns on jig hooks which generally allow nymphs to drop to depth faster and also ride hook point up, thereby diminishing snags. In addition, make sure your box has a solid representation of junk flies. Spring runoff is an ideal time to be throwing patterns like worms, leeches, mops and the like as a lot of such forage gets churned up in the high-water runoff causes. In any case, there’s still no urgent need to get overcomplicated with fly selection at this point while the water is still pretty cold and bug activity is relatively low.
All this being said, make sure to keep a close eye on water temperatures. As temps creep up into the 40s and beyond in the coming weeks, increased bug and other forage activity will have many fish on the move. Keep eyes peeled for winter/little black stoneflies which have already begun to crop up. This hatch is difficult to pattern on the surface as these small stones move onto the banks to hatch, however, small stonefly nymphs (usually around #18) are a good bet as these first bugs of the year become more prevalent. Additionally, we’re likely not too far off from the first blue winged olives (BWOs) of the season. Spring olives range in size from #18 to as small as #24, so make sure to have a good assortment of patterns for them. For subsurface imitation, you can never go wrong with a good old pheasant tail, a fly which was originally developed for BWOs. As fish turn their attention towards surface forage in the coming weeks, CDC emergers and small parachutes will be winning tickets.
This time of year is also highlighted by significantly increased activity among the river’s aggressive brown trout. Many can still be found with nymphs in typical winter holds along slow, deep seams, however, these fish will increasingly be on the move in search of high calorie opportunities. For this reason and especially with higher, stained water, you should plan to have a good assortment of streamers in the box and a worthy setup at the ready. For more details about streamer fishing on the Deerfield, check out our blog post on the subject which can be found on our website.
Lastly, keep in mind that the Deerfield will be stocked with trout in the coming weeks. The state stocks fish throughout the river’s course and you can find up to date stocking information at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/trout-stocking-report. For those who don’t know, it looks like the decision has been made to stop stocking trout above the Zoar Gap in the interest of establishing a more robust wild brown trout fishery. Feel free to reach out with questions regarding this decision.
Elsewhere on the Millers River, flows are running high just under 3000 CFS as this report is being written. These flow conditions are pretty unfishable and the Millers can take a while to fall back down into ideal conditions, especially with more rain in the forecast. The river is due to be stocked soon but the state will almost certainly wait until flows come down into a more manageable range. You could try your luck at finding some holdover fish but keep in mind that holdover rates in the Millers are pretty low owing to the fact that the river heats up considerably in the summer. For now, your best bet on the Millers will be to wait for flows to fall back into more fishable conditions and for the arrival of newly stocked fish. On the Millers and beyond, new stockies tend to be pretty willing to have a go at just about anything subsurface. For this reason, small streamers are usually very productive and fun to fish, however, if for some reason you find yourself struggling to connect, a simple egg pattern under an indicator or on a contact rig will often punch the ticket.
On the Westfield River, flows are down-trending from higher water earlier in the week, but the river is still running a bit high. With more rain in the forecast, it’s likely that we’ll see another slight bump towards the end of this week. Beyond that, reports have reflected that holdover rates have been notably low so there’s not many fish in the system at the moment. Like the Millers, the state will likely hold off stocking until flows come down into a more ideal range. After the new trout are dropped, the same principle mentioned for the Millers (and Deerfield) will apply here as well: give em’ something fast and flashy to chase down and don’t be afraid to turn to eggs if you find yourself struggling. This is of course just an inference, but it seems that new stockies feeding on egg patterns are usually viewing them as hatchery pellets, so a smaller egg (#16-18) in varying shades of tan is a good choice.
Below Quabbin on the Swift River, things are a little bit wonky right now. We’ve heard a lot of different perspectives on what’s going on down there, but the gist is that the river is considerably devoid of fish at the moment. Some reports have mentioned considerable activity from otters, others have emphasized poaching as a major culprit; whatever the reason, the usually robustly populated Swift is anything but at this time. The Y-Pool is seemingly one of the only spots on the upper river that’s supporting targetable numbers right now and areas from just below the Y all the way through Cady Lane which consistently hold fish are all but empty.
The good news is that the river will be stocked in the next week or two. When they do drop the new trout, the same principles we’ve already covered about new stockies will also apply on the Swift. Start with small streamers for that active bite and be ready to turn to eggs once they get wise to you. The only difference here is that given the river’s clarity, it’s a good idea to target individual fish or groups by sight. If you’ve got the vision for it, consider fishing an egg without an indicator and keep your eyes locked on the egg in the drift. This technique, usually called naked nymphing, can be absolutely deadly on the Swift and is usually a lot more engaging and productive than just blind drifting indicators or running contact rigs.
Lastly for the Swift, be aware that a window of opportunity to target fish—and especially brookies—feeding on BWOs in the lower river will open soon as water temperatures continue to creep up. This hatch is usually pretty consistent year to year and on the best days, it’s not uncommon to see entire groups of brookies and the occasional holdover rising to olives. This hatch usually occurs in areas of slower water on the lower river (Bondsville and Palmer) and is often confined to marginal water near the banks. Sizes can vary so have a good assortment in your box and in terms of fly selection, CDC emergers like the mole fly or smoke jumper seem to go best, but small parachutes or an RS2 could get the job done as well.
As for the area’s small water/creeks, conditions are varied depending on geography. Higher elevation waters like the Cold River or Pelham Brook are running faster at the moment as runoff continues whereas valley systems are running lower. This is an important time of year in the creeks as fish breakout of their wintering holes and redistribute across their respective systems. This movement is highly dependent on water temperatures and subsequently increased forage activity; you’ll go day in and day out really only finding fish in deep holes if anywhere at all and then all of a sudden, they’ll crop up in more varied water. While this transition is still in progress, nymphing tactics will be your best bet, however, we are really not far off from opportunities on the surface. Once creek trout turn their eyes upwards, you can reasonably expect solid dry fly and dry dropper opportunities all the way through October.
Outside the world of trout, things are quite literally heating up. Keep in mind that northern pike are spring spawners so their activity will increase dramatically soon if it hasn’t already. Immediately after ice-out, pike move into the shallow water of flood plains and marshes to spawn and will often hang around said areas after spawning has concluded. Both mid-spawn and post-spawn pike fishing can be productive as these highly predatory fish seek out what is often their first decent meal of the spring. Many of these fish will linger in the shallows after spawning as the year’s first aquatic vegetation begins to crop up.
Similarly, black bass both large and smallmouth will increasingly move shallower as they too prepare to spawn. The actual bass spawn itself is still pretty far off (65-68°F water temperature is the key), however, pre-spawn bass fishing can be absolutely stellar. At this point, most bass will still be pretty deep and sluggish near their wintering areas but it’ll be worth it to keep them in mind as we push into April.
Off the water, we’ll be holding our final Bugs & Beers of the winter on March 27th from 6-8pm at Progression Brewing in Northampton. This session will include a $10 cover fee (cash preferred) which will set you up with all the materials necessary for the session, just bring your own vise, tools and thread (tying equipment can be borrowed with advanced notice).
It’s our tenth anniversary this March! To celebrate, we will be holding an open house Saturday, March 29 from 10 to 4, featuring talks on handling fish from the folks at Keep Fish Wet and getting ready for spring trout fishing on the Deerfield with shop owner Brian Comfort. Robb Alexander will also be on hand tying up some great bugs for the early season. That weekend will also feature a 10 percent discount on everything in stock! We will announce a schedule next week so tune into our social media feeds.
Also approaching is the fourth season of our very popular Women’s Fly Fishing Retreat which will be held on May 2-3. This event is aimed at beginners, but intermediates who want to brush up or reinforce their skills are welcome as well.
On the late afternoon of the first day, Cynthia Harkness of Fearless Fly Fishing, who has more than ten years of experience teaching fly fishing and guiding clients on both fresh and salt water, will cover all the basics of fly fishing. From putting a rod together and rigging it up to selecting a fly and tying it on to casting that bug out there and where to cast it, Cynthia will guide you through the process. She will cover the basic gear and terminology, knots, hands-on casting instruction, fish feeding and behavior, and more over three hours on Friday afternoon/evening. On the second day, we will reconvene in the morning for a half-day float trip in our area waters where our professional guides will get you on the river and help you put into action everything Cynthia went through the day before.
The cost for the Retreat is $375 per person and includes use of all equipment, the Friday seminar with Cynthia Harkness and a half day float trip, guide tip included. In addition, all participants will get 10 percent off anything in the shop and there will be special deals on starter fly fishing equipment packages. Contact brian@deerfieldflyshop.com or call 413-397-3665 to reserve your spot!
As always, thank you for your continued support from all of us at the Deerfield Fly Shop. We wish you luck next time you’re out and hope to see you in the shop soon.
