With these very spooky trout, having the right equipment is vital. They can look similar to a big trout, so have a close look if you think you see a 30-inch brookie! Try drifting a really heavy nymph right in front of one’s face, and prepare for a fight! Make sure you have heavy tippet, as these will make quick work of 6x. While most people ignore them, they are a blast to fish for. It’s not rare to see a 20-inch sucker sitting on the bottom, not really doing anything at all.
If you find a deep section near the shore, it will likely hold up to a dozen trout.Īlso, the Swift is filthy with suckers.
If this happens, you just have to search. You will almost always find trout here, although, sometimes, trout have completely left the pool. Sometimes, in the winter, I don’t see any fish below the bridge at all, so, the best bet is the good ol’ Y-Pool. When it gets cold, trout often will often spread out and locating them can be a bit more difficult. In the spring and summer, if you walk up towards the Y-Pool, you can easily spot rainbows from the trail.īut, in the fall, things start to get interesting. However, you should have no problem at all locating fish because the water is CRYSTAL CLEAR. It receives multiple stockings in the spring and the fall, mostly rainbows, but a few browns, too.īelow the Route 9 bridge, fishermen can keep trout for half the year, so this depletes the population a bit. Now, I’ve talked a lot about the native brook trout in the Swift, but I haven’t really talked about the other fish. These brookies are a blast to catch and are almost always willing to bite. Around this tree, I almost always see dozens of brookies. As you are walking up to the Y-Pool, you will see a fallen tree on the right side of the river, when you are right below the pool. They may move later, but right now, I would argue this spot is the best on the Swift. The water right below the Y-Pool is the best spot for native brookies, as of now. The trout can be tough to see in this water because it is fast, but a good pair of polarized sunglasses is super-helpful. The sides of this arm are lined with bushes and trees. Trout can be found in this arm almost always, but be careful of tough casting conditions. This is fast and always flowing because it drains from the Quabbin. So, plan on walking down the shore to get there. Trout can be found deep there, but it is pretty deep. Bugs are almost always hatching here, in the mouth of this arm. The water here is usually very still and is usually filled with spooky rainbows. The arm on the right (if you’re walking up the river) is the “dead arm”. The Y-Pool gets its name from the two arms that come out of it, forming a “Y”. Bear with me, and hopefully you’ll learn some new stuff about the Swift. It focuses mostly on above the Route 9 bridge. This is a probably the longest post I’ll ever make. Hopefully, I can give you access to everything you need to know to get out there and catch a bunch!
With some research, you can find out a lot about the river, but, here, I am going to compile 15 years of Swift River fishing experience. The Swift is the most popular fly fishing destination in Massachusetts, with maybe the exception of the Deerfield: great scenery, many big fish, and it fishes well all year-round.īut, it is also the most technical fishery in Massachusetts, and it can be a real challenge to hook the super-picky rainbows. So, without further ado, here’s my Swift guide…. Fortunately, I got over it fairly quickly and am better now.
I said earlier that I try to post every day, but I was in the hospital with pneumonia for a week. I’d like to start off with an explanation and an apology. For specific patterns, certain nymphs, dries and streamers do well for me. Swift regular Gary Metras has a presentation on winter fly fishing.Īlso, most of the anglers who do well make their own flies. The area below Bondsville is productive and faces much less pressure. If you are new to fly fishing, go to the Hatchery Pipe (overview here), which fishes well from July 1 to Dec. Troy’s overview below includes the best flies and best spots. Once you get the hang of it, though, it isn’t that tough.