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Deerfield this weekend - anybody?

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  BigDave 
#1 ·
I'll be on the Deerfield Saturday, Sunday and/or Monday. If anyone's thinking of going up there, let me know and let's try to hook up for breakfast at the Charlemont Inn.
 
#4 ·
There was actually decent fishing yesterday until they turned on the water bigtime around noon. A small black stonefly hatch had them going for 12-14 black nymphs with gusto. Then water came up to 5000+ cfs in one giant wave. I'm just glad I got out of its' way in time.
 
#6 ·
josko said:
There was actually decent fishing yesterday until they turned on the water bigtime around noon. A small black stonefly hatch had them going for 12-14 black nymphs with gusto. Then water came up to 5000+ cfs in one giant wave. I'm just glad I got out of its' way in time.
Yikes! I don't have a lot of hours logged on the Deerfield (although that will change).

Do they release on a schedule or willy-nilly?
 
#7 ·
juro said:
Yikes! I don't have a lot of hours logged on the Deerfield (although that will change).

Do they release on a schedule or willy-nilly?
Yup, you can find it in a lot of places. I hope this non-sponsor link is ok since I'm only posting it to make use of the schedule on their site (and it's not a fishing-related site anyway so I don't think it matters that they're not a sponsor...):
http://www.zoaroutdoor.com/schedule.htm

If you'd like any pointers on fishing the Deerfield, especially things like parking areas and navigating the area's roads, let me know Juro. The river can be tough to cross unless you know where, and tough to wade too below a certain point since it gets pretty deep. I've made an annual camping trip to the Mohawk Trail State Forest for years now, and fished it for years before that too with my best friend. We learned the hard way where you can cross!
 
#8 ·
I would not put any stock in the release schedule for Fife Brook.

They are supposed to run low water until 7am and then again at 4pm. They are also supposed to sound the horns up and down river road when they open the gates which happens about 20% of the time.

The actual link to the dam is on USGS look for Fife Brook Dam.

I have practically quit fishing there becuase the release schedule is so out of whack. Too long to drive to realize they are at flood stage.

Great river though...
 
#9 ·
BigDave said:
I would not put any stock in the release schedule for Fife Brook.

They are supposed to run low water until 7am and then again at 4pm. They are also supposed to sound the horns up and down river road when they open the gates which happens about 20% of the time.


Great river though...

Is there a specific agreement requiring them not to release water at night? Is this even feasible given the amount of water coming into the reservoir?

Do you mean that they sound the horns 20% of the time they open the gates??? I don't think I've ever heard these horns on the river.
 
#10 ·
Dunno..I have seen it at over 2,000 cfs at night but only after substantial rain.

I have found the most reliable time for low water is after 4pm but I don't know that they have any set schedule. Again - I don't fish there nearly as much as I used to so things may have changed.

I've heard them blast the horns when they really let the water out in the past. The horns are still there but come to think of it I haven't heard them in a while.
 
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