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Post by jskowron on Mar 30, 2007 17:16:39 GMT -5
Fished for about an hour after work in the upper reaches fo the East Branch of the Westfield in Cummington. None caught, no takes, none seen. I've never fished up this far before, so nothing to compare it too. The spot looked nice and fishy, with some deep runs broken by boulders, some pockets and pools. The water seemed a little high, but was very clear. the wind was very gusty. Had to walk through 4-5 inches of snow on the banks to get to the river. As I was packing up (about 5pm) there were some midges and small (size 18-20) stoneflies around the car. I sas a few Osprey circling above- mayve a sign that there are, or were, some fish around? Felt good to be out again.
-Edit_
After posting above, I checked out Mass Wildlife website and noticed that they have begun stoking the East Branch up in Cummington. That might explain why there were 3 osprey cirling together. I've seen them follow the stocking truck on the Swift River before.
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Post by jskowron on May 23, 2007 7:58:13 GMT -5
Driving home along route 9 in Cummington yesterday evening, coming down Windsor Mt. I noticed that a lot of the cars passing me had their wipers on. Curious, as there was a blue sky with no clouds. Then I discovered why, as my windshield was suddenly covered with dark little blobs. Next I noticed that the air was full of caddis- these blobs were actually green caddis eggs! I hit a couple of pullouts in Cummington for a little fishing. There was truly a "blizzard" hatch of caddis coming off (actually, it looked like one variety was hatching, and another was dropping in laying eggs). No surface activity from the fish, but I did hook one rainbow on an EHC fished wet (split shot about 2 ft above) downstream into a plunge pool. I fought the fish for about 30 seconds, until I realized there was no way for me to land it. I didn't have waders on, and had hopped out to a boulder above the plunge. I got the fish to the base of the 1-2 foot high plunge (about 6-10 ft downstream from me), but the only way to get it to me would have been to lift it through the plunge and into the air, all on 6x. Defeated, I dropped the rod tip, gave slack, and the fight was over. My car windows are still covered in coagulated caddis eggs, with a few bug splats thrown in.
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Post by Mark Patenaude on May 23, 2007 15:38:26 GMT -5
I know what you mean. When I drive to Wisconsin in May/June I could give an entomology lesson illustrating all the various species of mayflies and caddis stuck on the front of my truck. Just imagine if you were driving through a Hex hatch...  |
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Post by jskowron on May 31, 2007 9:06:16 GMT -5
Fished the Upper Westfield yesterday evening for an hour or so. Started at hole off River Road in Windsor. No signs of fish, only voracious swarms of mosqitoes. Moved downstream to Cummington. Got a few takes, as well as a lot of follows and refusals, but failed to set the hook. The fish rose harf to an EHC once it started dragging across the current. Also rised to a royal wulff. Big stonefly skins all over the rocks, plus a few dragonfly nymph skins on the rocks in the side pools.
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Post by FlyManDan on Jun 3, 2008 14:56:59 GMT -5
Nice write up Jeff
I have yet to make it all the way up to Cummington, but I hope to soon. One would think with all that activity the fish would be rising or at least hitting on emergers or something subsurface like how you fished that EHC.
It is a shame that you could not get a good positioning to land that pig you had on...It is such a rush followed by a low when they slack off. However, this is the experience that we all seek.
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Post by jskowron on Jun 3, 2008 15:31:12 GMT -5
Dan-
Check the date on that post of mine- It was from last year! I might stop by there on the way home from Pittsfield tonight. At the very least, I'll give a bug report. Driving home from the Poker Run a few weeks ago I hit a true Blizzard caddis hatch in Cummington. I literally needed my windshield wipers, though they don't do much good on the sticky green blobs of caddis eggs.
Jeff
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