Deerfield River

[TroutAholic]

Anybody have any info on how the Deerfield has been fishing recently and how the releases have been affecting the fishing? I've been thinking of making a day or weekend trip up there.

I have never been there before, so recommendations on a campground, as well as sections of the river to hit would be appreciated. Nymphing would be the number one priority, but I have been known to tie on a dry, if there are more rises than hits on my nymphs.

Thanks,

Steve

[marc]

Steve,

I only fished it once this year back in the spring during the morning before the rush of water was released from the Fife brook dam. At that point the flow was around 125cfs which made wading perfect. When they release water the flow gets over 1000cfs which makes wading difficult but provides anglers the opportunity to float it.

It looks like the water hasn't gone much below 1000cfs for the past week or so (for the entire day). Its tough to predict the flows. I use the two following sites. The first one is the forecast flow for the day and the second one is the current flow. I use the second one to compare how accurate the forecast was. The problem with the forecast site is that its only for today - you don't know what they're planning for the weekend for example. They have a pdf link for a calendar of releases but that isn't always accurate.

http://www.h2oline.com/255123.asp
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01168500

Anyway, with the flows the way they've been lately, I wouldn't go there unless you have a float trip planned. Harrison Anglers can guide you on one (I haven't had experience with them though) if needed.
I would plan a wading trip only once you start seeing the flows going from 125cfs in the morning, to 1000 around noon, back to 125 late afternoon, for several days in a row. That would give you good fishing in the morning and evening.

/marc

[TroutAholic]

Thanks Marc.

[marc]

It looks like the flows on the deerfield are back to normal. Take a look at this website and you see what I mean: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01168500

These are taken in the town of Charlemont. It takes about 6 hours for the release to get from the dam to Charlemont. Most people start fishing at the crack of dawn in the upper catch and release area just below the dam. When the water is released you can drive down river to the lower catch and release area and have a few more hours of fishing until the high water reaches you. When I fished it last I got a late start and just fished the lower C&R and was able to fish it during the low flow till about 3pm.

Also, they stock these stretches again in the fall (early Oct I think). I'll post again when I hear that they've stocked again...

/marc

[TroutAholic]

Thanks for the update, Marc, very kind of you to remember my post!

Steve

[SherpaB]

Sept 30-5:00PM
After wielding a sledgehammer to an old outhouse at my sister's place in Shelburne for most of the day(know I know what built like a brick house means), i took the opportunity to check out the Deerfield for the first time all year. I used to fish it almost weekly but time isn't available these days like in the old days.
Anyways, got to the upper catch and release about 5:30..the sun had disappeared behind the hills cooling the air dramatically..everything looked good. Took a quick walk along the road in the parking area and was pleased to see risers...back to the car..got rigged up and down to the river a few minutes later...found a nice pool with a few rising fish all to my self!
Lots of bugs in the air...more than I remember from the past...saw some tiny black caddis, some olives, some larger tan colored mayflies(Isonychia I presume). The two fish in casting range of the bank were on something causing them to make a bigger splash than the rest of the fish I saw so I tied on a #20 black caddis dry...4th cast tight to a 12" bow...ok cool. Re-dressed the same fly and about a half dozen casts later tight to a larger bow...he popped the fly off of the 6x. I am thinking Im not liking 6x flouro too much...Ive used it earlier this yr and the knot holding abilities are not quite as good as mono...anyways I took off the 6x flouro and switched to mono...but that was my only fly like that...hmmm what to try next. I tied on a trico-like pattern that was a #22 with a snowshoe hare wing...simple pattern right color right size.
Moved a little out in the current there was a larger fish coming up about every minute. It took a few casts, a lengthening of the tippet and a few more casts, a refusal, two flychanges and another refusal...went to my standby Iris caddis pattern...I had a tan #18 and tried it. First cast Bang! The fish hit it gently but without hesitation, a couple minutes later I nice chunky 15 inch brown was swimming back home after learning how deadly the iris caddis can be. The next pool down had a few risers..instead of going at them with the same fly, I tried some wetflys. I've been more than dabbling with them for the past few years. I am using very old school winged and soft hackle patterns tied with natural materials...always fishing a with at least one dropper. Many have passed these over in favor of the new fly designs but I have to say...these continue to produce for me consistently since Ive been using them. Had a garish Alexandria #10 on point with #12 Invicta on the dropper...Third cast BANG...its kinda like fishing for stripers...very hard hits. I struck and the hook pulled free of the fish...another few casts to another riser..BanG! the Invicta had its first victim...cool...I love fishing these things with other guys around tying on the tiniest of tiny flies..the fish pulled free while I leadered it but I consider it a catch..if I had a net...
Long story short nice time to fish the deerfield before it gets clogged with leaves...makes fishing a total pain so get out there...
And a side note noticed many cars parked and many fishermen fishing on the road up to the C&R section...stopped at one of those non-C&R spots on the way home and could definitely see rising fish in that pool< I had never tried too many spots outside of the C&R section but every time I have and the visual evidence seen Sunday night leads me to believe there is a ton of fish in that river...Good luck!

[AaronJasper]

Good report and nice reading. How many guys were out fishing? Good job on the brown. They are all wild in there from what I gather.

Did you use two or three wet flies? How did you rig them? Droppers?

[SherpaB]

I generally use two flies, a point and one dropper for the sake of less tangles as was the case last sunday. the dropper is rigged separately...use a perfection loop, slid the tag end of the dropper tippet through the loop and cinch it down on the leader above the knot to the tippet(thats usually 2 feet when i start). generally the dropper is 4x or 5x at about 4-8", I start with 8" and can generally change flies 3 or 4 times if need be. kelly galloup rigs his nymph droppers like that...i dont like using blood knot tags as they are a pain for me to tie. this is easy and quick onstream rigging for me. i fish them upsteam across and downstream...i have davy's video and try to remember some of that stuff but it comes down to just fishing by feel(sometimes literally) and instinct...im no expert or master at wets..just learning and having fun along the way...but they work!
in the upper c&R near the dam there were 8 or 9 fishing when i got there...some waaay up by the dam a couple in the middle and a couple in the diamond drill hole. i found a spot in the middle and the two anglers i could see left at dusk...i stayed about an hour after and was the only guy there. there were two at carbis bend there was a guy parked at the trestle, and 3 in the section i spoke of between the c&r places...second side note..a couple yrs ago i did fish some spots between the C&r sections ...and had really good success...my brother landed two "bows" in the 18-20 range I like to say i gave him the best spots but he was on fire that day. i encourage any fishermen to try some spots outside the c&r sections...they get barely any pressure as compared to the catch and release spots.

[Dave]

Hey SherpaB, long time no see. I enjoyed seeing your report for the Deerfield. By the way, have you fished the Millers anytime recently? I imagine with the abundance of rain this whole summer, it must have been one of the better years in its history. Usually it's running at less than a trickle, at a little above 80 degrees this time of year. Flows have been very consistent, thankfully.

Steve, we're approaching my favorite season for the Deerfield. Last fall, especially late Sept, early Oct, it's AWESOME. Not too many people fish the Deerfield when it isn't summer. The winter flows are usually high for obvious reasons, but the fall is PERFECT. I stay up in the upper C&R, and it can be excellent fishing. I'm really hoping to be able to fish it. . .although, to be honest, Pulaski is first, second, and third on my list.

[SherpaB]

Yes Ive been away for a bit. I did fish the millers. some dude has a blog on it that is decent to keep us up to date...I got a few and will repost a report i put on First Light Anglers discussion board.
Ive been chasing the bluefins mostly for the last month or two..have landed two myself hooked about 8 and have been aboard the boat for several more...its an insane addiction.
Millers report from 8/28
Stopped by after a business appointment. Water looked good. Temp was a little iffy 70 deg. but nightfall was coming. Was in the Depot section and found a feeder stream with cool water coming into the river...walked about 100yds below that and found a few risers. Used a partrige and yellow wetfly and took two very wild looking browns...on 10 inches the other 12 or 13..both brought to net in under a minute. I was getting dark and needed to head home to the northshore so called it a night. The river should be in excellent shape this fall. The rains have kept the river cooler than normal and unpressured. I would start working the river in ernest in about a week or two. Afternoons and evenings are really good on this river. Saw a couple Isonychia, some olives and sulfurs...
Water was super high in July and August practically unfishable quite a bit of the time...should be a great fall though...check out this blog.
http://millersriverflyfishingforum.b...-got-good.html