Anybody Been Fishing The Deerfield?

[BambooMatt]

Has anybody been fishing the Deerfield a lot this season? It seems to me there are less fish, less insects, more rafters and kayaks and much more water flows than even last year. I've been caught on the wrong side of the river during un-announced water releases so many times now that I'm very hesitant to drive all the way up from Pittsfield. (gas nearly $3.00/gallon)
I can't stand to see a beautiful river that I once dearly loved given over to greedy power companies and eco-ignorant whitewater rafting companies. This really sucks. It seems there is nobody to complain to, or the powers-that-be are not listening. Can we just stand by and let this happen? Is it too late?
Whatever happened to the compromise that was in place for years?

Tha state better stop calling the Deerfield "Massachusetts' Top Blue Ribbon Trout Stream." It was great ten years ago, but I don't know what to call it now.

-Matt-

[Uplander]

I haven’t fished the Deerfield this year, but my father fishes it several times a week. According to him, it’s the best its been in years….

He says that this year the flows are much more fisherman friendly than they have been in recent years, and he has had no problem catching monster rainbow, brown, and brook trout every time he goes.

[BambooMatt]

That's good to hear!

The few times I've been up there this year have been dismal in terms of hatches and larger fish and I've been caught by un-announced high water twice already.

Has anybody else had a similar experience with the Deerfield this year or is it just me and my bad luck?

I remember 8-10 years ago being much better in terms of hatching insects - my fishing log backs this up: last year and this year I haven't hit a good hatch and neither have any of the guys I fish with.

[JoeOverlock]

I've never had any luck with the Deerfield either. Nor have I ever seen any large hatches like we get on the Hoosic.

It really seems to me like the Deerfield is a put and take fishery with the only exeption being the C&R area.