I fished a 1/2 day today on the Swift. With our freestones’ water temperatures plummeting, I didn’t feel like risking a long drive only to find catatonic trout.
I hit the hatchery pipe area and got in before the crowds arrived. I also headed to the Y Pool area, and, then, drove home a little past 12 noon.
I landed 12 trout: nine rainbows, one brown, and two brookies. Landed only one on a dry, which was a 12″ brookie. I duped the other fish sub-surface. The highlight there was a 17″ rainbow. A new #22 soft hackle I had tied worked well. Photos of some of the fish are up top.
I could be wrong, but I’m seeing fewer fish in the usual stretches. I think we are gliding into the lean times for trout, and some are probably starting to hang out in deeper runs and placid pools.
Plenty of forage thus far at the hatchery pipe area. I pumped one trout’s stomach, and it was full of midges, simulium, and sow bugs (edit: or, are they scuds?).
Keep fishing!
I was at the pipe myself yesterday. I must have fished near you, I did pretty well with soft hackles also once I got my act together. I also picked up fish on scud patterns.
Great blog!
Mike
Small world!
Nice !
Thank you!
Nice trout!
Was fun. Thank you!
Awesome brookie! Glad you're still catching.
Thank you! FYI, am avoiding the redds like crazy.
Glad to gear that. Hopefully more follow your lead!
Great fish man! I may have been upstream of you earlier this weekend, near WB George. Good guy, but he needs to keep his distance lol, got some boundary issues. Took a few on scuds before he shouldered me out lol
Tom from Saugus
LOL. He's a great guy: very kind, funny, and generous with advice.
That's really interesting seeing all those sow bugs and in different sizes. I never used a sow bug pattern but after seeing the picture I'm going to tie some up. Thanks for sharing..
/marc
Marc, thanks for the note. I've been looking more at the pic, and I'm unsure if they're sow bugs or scuds. So, I don't want to mislead you accidentally and wanted to mention. I'll edit the post, too.
Marc, also, I had tied up some pheasant tails on a curved hook in size 18. They worked well. Used brown pheasant tail fibers (vs. the natural color), and they looked distinctly like the insects in the pic. So, you may be able to get away with some dark PTs….
I looked up some pictures of sow bugs and it looks like that's what they are. I have some small black beads that will serve for the head (or maybe its the rear), some ostrich herl for the body, clear scud back, and a silver rib. The only thing that might be missing are 2 short black fibers sticking out of the front of the bead.
/marc
Thanks, Marc!