Housy Mass

[AaronJasper]

Took my guide trip up to Lee in search of trout and no crowds. We found both. Fish numbers were not out of hand today but plenty were caught. The fishing was slow for the first hour but around 8 it got into gear. We saw many caddis flies and craneflies flying in the air. We did well on Lafontaine sparkle pupas in tan, stoneflies and olive caddis larve. We also had a fair amount of smaller wild fish today. On a side note we didn't get the big one... next time.

[Troutbum from Griswold]

I have always wanted to fish that stretch of the Housy. I am thinking about going in the Fall. Is there a place you can buy a license close by Lee. And, overall, how would you rate the fishing in that stretch? I hear the crowds are not too bad for the most part.

[AaronJasper]

You can get the license on line.

Do not wait till that fall. Go asap. That place has wild, fresh stockers and holdover fish. There are people fishing there but not many. We hit a spot that does not get stocked and is out of the C and R stretch by a few miles and got some nice wild browns.

This stream is what the Housy in CB should be.

[alanb_ct]

Link for on-line MA license:
http://www.sport.state.ma.us/

[Troutbum from Griswold]

Thanks a lot guys. I will then try to get up there in the next few weeks. I will check out the link to get the license. Appreciate it.

[SherpaB]

Probably going to make the run for the Lee section tomorrow...anything going on? advice? Have been working with my brother on getting his Grady outfitted for Tuna(hardtop, outriggers, rocket launchers, saltwaterwashdown lol...) among other things...
Anyways its my first outting this yr and dont really feel like battling for a parking spot let alone a fishing spot...any updates or advice would be welcomed...in exchange for a ride on the newly outfitted Grady-oops I better ask him first..Thanks guys will post results

[alanb_ct]

Can you say low, low, low? Great Barrington gauge is only 290cfs and you will be upstream from there. Make sure you have plenty of caddis, all varieties in green and tan. Good luck.

[AaronJasper]

Same as what Alain said but include some March Brown nymphs. Focus your attention an all the shallow riffled water.

[SherpaB]

Made the trip to Lee from the coast today. Started in around 10:30 at the truckstop...gorgeous looking water around 58deg. Caddis and small mayflies showing with birds working them pretty good. Took my first stab at euro nymphing the riffles with my newly constructed leader...(.013 gold stren, followed by 4ft of power pro 8#, followed by 2ft of 5x to the first fly and another 20" to the bottom). The sighter was the gold stren up top but a put a tiny piece of strike putty on about 20" down a little later . I was definitely ticking bottom and trying to lead the tandem downstream slightly ahead of the current but wasnt getting any action. I changed up flys varying from goldheads to czech nymphs, tungsten princes, and sparkle pupas. HMMMM...what the %^$#@$. I figured I would be getting some sort of something but nope...
Changed to some wets...across and downstream...a soft hackle and an Invicta...rolled one fish but still not getting my share of hits...(ok...have I forgot all this over the winter???)..Its new water to me so I dont know what the trout population is there but it sure looked fishy...
Kept making my way downstream to the bridges...saw a couple risers...nice...I remember how to fish drys for sure!..I hope.
By the nature of the rises...they were on the caddis...I spied a target just along the bank...looked like a nice fish...Switched rigs for the third time in two hours to my dry fly setup. Tied on a #16 tan iris caddis...nope...hmmm I remembered reading that Loren highly recommends mudding up the leader...plus its mono(I still am too cheap to buy flouro). After mudding up the tippet I got a take on the second drift. A gorgeous 12" wild brownie...absolutely perfect brown trout specimen!...He was colored beautifully had some nice shoulders on him and a chubby belly...very cool catching fish like this.
I moved under the bridge and spied a larger riser...tried the iris...nope nothing...ok switched to the X caddis...tan #16 Bang!...a 14" fish...nice looking but probably put in last yr or this yr... kept moving down and fished the bank for 3 more risers...taken on the tan x or iris caddis..lost two...one maybe a little larger but he slipped the hook after 20 seconds...
All in all a great (but late) start to the season for me...one other fisherman when i got in...I slipped into the river about 300 yds upstream and couldnt see what he was doing around the bend...
I am going to give the euro nymphing thing a few more tries for sure...it sure gets the flys down! I have used bounce nymphing to great success in the past and this is a little similar in that you lead the rig downstream...
If anyone knows a little more about this part of the Hous...I would love to hear about it...Its a very nice section of stream...I am thinking of trying some upstream and downstream sections but given the drive...prospecting is a hard pill to swallow if you know that there are some rising fish around..

[Gregorygob]

imag212.6BettCHAPKeviJameNoraStanShotDaviOracFoglGreewwwcGabo
TescRuicFranHearXVIISympLyonBogoSympMarlDaniAtlaGeorRepaDavi
aimeSidePearBlakGrooMoreXVIIXVIIPureOwenRobeStarLisaTescPale
EmilLouiSantJungMuriSieLNaviXVIIDysoELEGSelaEnjoElviSimoXVII
QuikNikiSergshinWindVoicKurtChriTranFreeRomaRoxySelaAlwyELEG
CaruRJSuCallCessXXIIEmilGUESRabiZoneEricZoneUtsuXVIIDecoModo
NasoLarsZoneZoneWentKarlZoneDamiMagiChetMoodBetwCharPatrZone
LargXVIIJohnsituZoneWashZoneEbonZoneZoneWillWarsmadeRichCopl