Back at it

Well, it's been a LONG year, and unfortunately like my blog posts, fishing has been far and few between. But I'm ready to get back on the saddle. Not sure why, but I have a good feeling about this Winter as far as holdovers go on the Quinnie. They are there every year, but I think this Winter will be better than most.

I did have a chance to fish the Millers recently. The brown pictured was taken on a swinging caddis nymph. Flows have been manageable but it looks like most of the Fall stockers didn't stay long. That's OK, because as we all know the Millers is a terrific holdover location, especially if you have access to a watercraft that can get you to the places where you cant just "park and drop."

If you are planning to hit the Quinnie this Winter I'd suggest the River road sections (both upper and lower road closures) as well as the Cable pool (Trout Brook). These tend to be the best spots for holdovers. Additionally, the Quinnie is notorious for having brookie-invested pocket water upstream and downstream from "the bridges." These are not easy access locations, and you have to really work to get the fly in an eatable position, but if you can get it done the fishing will be better than average. As for flies, this is a great time of year for woolly buggers, pheasant tails, and your typical variety of caddis nymphs. I myself favor the Black and Green beaded caddis larva trailed behind a Black woolly bugger.

Flows right now are at 25CFS and will most likely hit 30. I'll be heading to the lower river road section this Saturday, perhaps I will see some of you there.

-NC

Stocking update

Just a quick note prior to my "start of Spring" blog. If your heading out today, try the river rd bridges on the holden side of river rd, and the rte 31 bridge. Those were hit last week by the stocking trucks.

Tigh lines!

-NC

TU and Rushing Rivers Institute needs volunteers!

Attention all conservationists, trout enthusiasts, and outdoors people, we need your help! We are looking for volunteers for Wednesday, August 28 starting at 8am, to help with some local stream restoration work on the Wekepeke river in Sterling, MA. The Central MA Chapter of TU has teamed up with the Rushing Rivers Institute, Nestle Waters North America, and the Town of Sterling to improve, restore, and reconnect the waters and environment of the Wekepeke river as part of grant funded work from TU National and Nestle. We are at a very crucial point in the project and are looking for volunteers to help with the removal of a structure that is affecting stream flow. If you are interested in helping and/or learning more about the opportunity, please send me a message (nmcomeau@gmail.com). This is a great opportunity to get involved locally, learn about this great little stream, and have fun doing so! http://www.wekepeke.org/tu-project

Tailwaters until September

Over the past month or so, I've fished about as often as I've updated this blog - which you can tell is not that often. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. We were complaining about high flows early in the season, and now look at us - eating crow and not catching now fish - unless you're hitting a tailwater. If it wasn't for today's massive rainfall, we were heading for single digit CFS water flow on the Q. Its currently up to 50 CFS but will not be there for long. My guess is we'll be back to 10-20 by the weekend. I'm not sure if today's downpour will stimulate the bugs or fish at all, but its worth a try, I may be out there this evening. I'm sure you all know the past few weeks have been dreadful on the Q and other Massachusetts freestones. I did hit the Millers and Quinnie earlier this month and the best of the day were the two rainbows pictured. The hefty bow below was from the Millers and was a lot lighter in color than normal Millers River Trout. Typically, after being in that water for a month or so, the rainbows develop a blackish color, and the pink becomes more of a dark red. The browns get a bit darker as well, and the typical "butter belly" becomes more of a silver or light black/brown. So I was surprised to catch a fish that looked like it belonged in the Swift! Maybe its a sign of better water quality?! I wont hold my breath...

So, until September or so, its the tailwaters to keep us busy.

The Swift: This will be the most popular. If you're OK fishing within 10 yards of someone, then you'll do fine and catch fish. If you're not so fond of that, and happen to have a canoe or kayak or float, head downstream to the second bridge (Cold Spring Rd), put in below the bridge and fish DOWNSTREAM. Everyone likes to head upstream, but there are terrific stretches down past the houses and above the dam. You will catch fish on small (sz 20-24) pheasant tails and scuds.

The Deerfield: If you are OK with the drive (for me it's a little under 2 hours) this river is a gem in the summer. Big fat dries and terrestrials will catch fish during low and high flows during the day. Streamers work well too. Check out the flow release schedule and plan your trip accordingly. I usually fish the stretch just below the Fife dam right up until they release the water (~9am), then head downstream to the Zoar Outdoor parking lot to fish for another hour or so of low flow. Once the water is up, you can head further downstream and pick your spot along rte 2 - streamers and buggers, or Chernobyl ants if you can reach the edges. Head back to the fife stretch for the evening rise when the water comes down.

Tight Lines,

-NC

Past, Present, and Future

The Past
So I fished with a friend this past weekend where we floated a river "out west" with the help of the Harrison Brothers. Dan and Tom are fantastic guides, they know every inch of the rivers they fish and have endless knowledge on tips, tricks, and techniques that can not only help you catch some fish, but become a better fisherman. Sometimes I feel like they can put you on a fish of your choosing! After a slow start, the rain held off and we were able to net double digit fish by mid day, yet still looking for the big one. I ended up getting the big one on a double streamer rig (he followed the white attractor and nailed the trailing bugger), a beautiful 20" wild brown. Thanks to the Harrisons for a great day!

The Present
With yesterday and today's rain, the Quinnie is making its way back up to 100 CFS (perfection) after a steady decline over the past week. Should make for good fishing this this afternoon and this weekend. The only negative I've noticed this year about the Q has been the lack of 14"+ fish in "my spot." Last year there were more than plenty but all but 1 or 2 made it through July with the heat, lack of rain, and low flows. This year, its exactly the opposite, yet where are the fish?!  Since I have not hit the Millers yet this year, I have to make it there this weekend. Hopefully the rain will hold off enough to keep flows where they are now (700 CFS in Erving and 400 CFS in South Royalston).

The Future
If your looking to fish the Q in the late months of summer, you won't be productive at any of the easy access spots. The combination of heat, low flow, lack of feeder streams, and # of fisherman will make these spots worthless. If you want to catch fish on this river into July and August, follow these guidelines:

• Fish Early and Late - you will not catch many fish at noon. Get out at sunrise and fish until mid morning, or head there around 4 and fish until and even after dark. The evening hatches on this river are quite the Blitz. Hoppers and Chernobyl ants will take fish in mid morning and maybe early afternoon. Sulphurs, light cahills, and summer caddis will take fish at night.
• Fish Stealthy - the low flows and high water temperature will cause fish to move, so don't assume that where you stood and where you were catching fish in May will be the same in July. Don't be so quick to jump in the water, fish from the banks until you are positive there are no fish in close and out of the sunlight.
• Fish where other people don't - Easy access is great when the fish are plenty and the flows are full. This time of year you have to work for your catch, and that may mean spending time walking when you'd like to be fishing. Some good areas where cover, and cold feeder streams make for good fishing include:
• Upstream from the 190 bridge. You can park on the North side of the closed River rd and walk down the hill to the trail head on the left. 
• Upstream from the Mill st bridge. Its a bit of a walk, but 12" brookies (some wild) await your hare's ears and caddis dries.
• Confluence of the Asnebumskit and Quinnie. Park at the bridge of the Asnebumskit on Mill St and walk downstream to the Q. Fish the 100 yards below the fork.

-NC

DIDYMO ALERT

My first blog for the month of June, and it's about Didymo - partially a clue into how fishing has been recently...

The Massachusetts Fish and Game and DCR are reporting the first confirmed finding of Didymo in Mass in the Green River in Alford and Egremont (western MA). The invasive algae favors cold, clear, nutrient-poor waters with a neutral or slightly basic pH. Blooms can produce dense covering on rocky substrate and eventually result in long, unsightly stalks. Didymo may appear gray, brown or white and have texture comparably to wet wool or cotton balls. Extensive didymo blooms can cover river substrate, and may temporarily impact aquatic habitat, specifically cover stream bottoms, and make swimming, boating and fishing difficult and/or less desirable. 

Difficult and/or less desirable might be the understatement of the year. Just google "Didymo river" and see first hand what this rock snot can do. If bad enough, this stuff can get to the point where it actually inhibits water flow. This stuff is a trout killer, and with the rivers of central MA already dealing with conditions that most other areas of the US are not (extensive stormwater pollution, high fishing pressure, fluctuating flows and temperatures) this would spell DISASTER for our rivers, especially the Quinnie. Check out the link here for more information about the finding in the Green River and about what you can do to stop the spread of this crap. First and foremost NO FELT!!! Make sure you thoroughly clean or dry your boots, waders, and equipment after every trip. http://www.mass.gov/eea/pr-2013/didymo-discovery.html

I happened to run into a DCR officer at the Quinnie yesterday afternoon when fishing for a few hours (5 small rainbows, all on a foamy, buggy creature floated and skimmed on top). Not only did we talk about the Didymo finding, but also about another invasive species they are dealing with locally - some sort of water flea that sticks to your line. So its important to clean that as well. I'm in the process of finding more information on this flea to share.

I'm heading to the Q this afternoon to fish (246 CFS and coming down). I'll have some fliers with me to put on cars. Say Hi if you see me there.

-NC

Fish, Flies, and Flow

This river is on fire right now. Anyone whose fished the Q since our recent rain event I'm sure has seen as stellar action as I have. I fished it yesterday evening until dark. I can't say it enough, 100 CFS is the perfect flow for this river, especially for the spot I frequent (if you've read this in the past you know where that is). I hit all the usual pools, runs, and riffles and ALL of them had fish. Rainbows and Browns 12-16 inches. The setup of the day was a Chartreuse-headed wooly bugger with a caddis pupa trailer slightly weighted. Fish were hitting both flies, the caddis usually on the drift and the bugger on the swing. The beastly brown pictured above smashed the pupa on a swing - he came out from underneath the tree you see in the water in the picture below. Speaking of, the rain changed this river, not as much as Sandy and Irene did, but you can see the new piles of sticks/brush downstream of where I fished. Anyways, I fished from "the wall" to "the pump." Caught fish all the way down - easily 20 fish. I even got a double - a 6" brookie took the caddis pupa on the drift and just before I set the hook, a 12" rainbow hit the bugger. The brookie came off at my feet before I netted them. I ended the night with an elk hair caddis on the 3-weight. Caught 5 more on the dry, all rainbows. Caddis were everywhere and there were some light yellow mayflies coming off as well.

It was a great night. The river is absolutely perfect right now, hitting all 3 F's (flows, fish, and flies). If you can get to the river this week, I suggest you do it. Because as we saw last year, who knows how long the flows will remain where they are.

-NC