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Deerfield Report 10/13-14

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  josko 
#1 ·
Met up with fishyboy and talented willie on Sunday for a camping trip to the mighty deerfield. Weather was iffy, flows were iffy, but why not? Certainly the saltwater scene was out of the picture.

Thanks to a typical last-minute flow reforcast we trekked up to the upper C&R section to catch the low-flow for the last hours of daylight. Caught a couple of pretty little native browns and stocked bows into the darkness. Got a chance to use my new Petzl Zipka which was helpful while wading the snot-slick rocks in the darkness on the way back to the truck. I had studs on but it was still mighty hairy at times.

Enjoyed a fine meal and a few brews at Mohawk Park afterwards and crashed early. Thanks to willie's fancy tent we did not blow away into the river with the serious wind during the night.

Sunday we hit a downstream location with little success. Time for run and gun. Up to the CR section we drove. All I can say is WOW :whoa: it is stunning up there this time of year. Fishyboy lands a bow on his second cast. I cross the river with willie and then cross back to get downstream. While willie is tying a knot we notice that the river getting louder. Thanks to the power company for forgetting to sound the horns! :tsk_tsk: Not to mention blowing out the river at 9am on a holiday. Now willie is stranded on the wrong side of the river and it is a serious flow.

After a long walk we get wille into a shallow riffle where he makes it almost all the way across and is proptly dunked by a slippery rock. Things ain't looking good as the river has now turned to chocolate milk. He is fine except for the reel seat on his redington. Time for more run and gun.

In a desperation attempt we run way downstream and are finally rewarded with multiple hook ups and landings. Willie scores the big fish of the day as birthday present and we make the long trip home with smiles on our faces.

The Deerfield is still the gem of MA trout fishing. Just be careful if you go!

BigD

:smokin:
 
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#3 ·
Juro,

It appears to me that these fish are wild as I have caught them anywhere from 4 inches to 4 pounds. That said I have only caught a few in comparison with the many stocked rainbows. They certainly look like wild fish - beutiful colors and fin-perfect. As far as I know DFW does not stock fingerlings in the Deerfield.

Don't know about the brookies - I have never caught one in the upper reaches of the river. Fishyboy caught one this weekend but he said it looked like a clone.

The potential is certainly there as many of the river's smaller tribs contain the clean moving water and pea-sized gravel required for natural reproduction.
 
#4 ·
one of my favorite fall rivers....but it is slippery under the best of conditions, so when the flow comes up, be careful!!!

we've fished right below the dam and had them blow the gates, without even a squeak from the horns....CRAZY!

hope to get there this fall, but with albies in Rhody & leaves piling up in the yard, I'm not sure it will happen....

--j
 
#5 ·
Had the pleasure to fish with Big Dave and my older Bro (Talented Willie) this past Sun/Mon. The Deerfield proved to be a very challenging river. As Dave mentioned earlier the flow regime did not help. The wading proved very difficult(It rates right up there with the Savage river in western Maryland in regards to difficult wading.) and the fish seemed to have lock jaw in at least a few of the stretches that we fished. We did eventually find willing fish and Big Dave proved that he can swing a stonefly nymph with the best of 'em.

Despite less than ideal conditions we did reasonably well. Great friends+great scenery+a few beverages=good times and a missing set of sunglasses!
 
#8 · (Edited)
BigDave, sorry we missed you. My son Marco and I were ont he river both days, as well, fishing mostly between Mohawk campground and Charlemont bridge. Decent day Sunday, but Monday the fish really turned on for us. I think Marco and I each landed over 10; all rainbows.
Water was nice and low (~200 CFS) Monday until 13:00 or so, when we moved up to the Cold river pool. Got a football 20" rainbow there in spite of the ~800 CFS flow.
A bit later we went up to Beaver island, which fishes well at high water, but didn't do anything there. All in all, a great couple of days, and a truly memorable fish on monday.
Again, sorry we missed you. We were in a green Volvo wagon.

BTW, I frequently get brook trout on the river, but mostly up above Fife brook dam. There is lots of stocked browns in the river, but I can get them mostly just at night.

I'm always game to run up to the Deerfield on short notice, especially this time of the year. I'd love a chance to hook up with someboy going up there. let me know if you'd like company.
 
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