fishing in river water
TRANSCRIPT
Fishing in the Deerfield river
The ever so popular Deerfield River is hidden deep in the hills of northwest Massachusetts.
It starts from Harmon reservoir and flows into the Connecticut River below Turner falls in
Greenland. The river is 73 miles long and it offers numerous recreational opportunities for
the tourists in every season. Some of the popular activities are swimming near Stillwater
Bridge, kayaking, water paddling, canoeing, jumping of the cliff (not recommended though)
and trout fishing.
As the River enters the state of Massachusetts, trout fishing becomes a pure delight for the
fishermen. The 1.6 miles river stretch running from the boulder strewn Long Pool at the Fife
Brook Dam to the Boston & Maine Railroad trestle is an object of interest for the anglers.
Also, the area of railroad underpass stretching to Mohawk Campgrounds is known for the
scenic beauty. The hills here are covered with birch trees, spruce and hemlock.
There are two floatable stretches in the Deerfield trout water that have steady streams of mayflies,
stoneflies, and caddis throughout the year for the trout fish to feed on. Tourists looking to try their
hand at fishing can actually have a ball at this place! The Deerfield river water flows through a variety
of terrains, right from rough pocket and deep pools with riffles to a fairly smooth one. Due to the cool
waters, the river actually provides a kind of cover in the form of crevices in large rocks for the large
trout to hide. Deerfield River stocks large number of trout like large brown holdovers that are
approximately 20 inches long and rainbow trout that are up to 15 inches long. Therefore, fishing can
really be a rewarding experience for people.
One needs to go through all the fishing regulations before heading out for fishing. Also, one
thing to remember that as the season grows longer, the fish becomes cleverer. During the
peak season, the place becomes quite crowded and you need to know how to deal with the
same and make your way to the fishing site.
Fishing in the Deerfield River:
Deerfield River has generous hatches of blue quills, tricos, caddis flies and light cahills. The trick is to
be able to fish the hatch and you will see the rising trout. If that doesn’t work for you, there is a good
chance that you can be successful at fishing a larvae or nymph imitation. Pupae and midge larvae are
a good catch because of their ample availability all through the year.
The river route
The upper part of Deerfield has different varieties of fish like brown trout, brook and wild
rainbow trout. On the lower part, one can find different types of stocked trout, dace, walleye,
shad and smallmouth bass. The best thing about the river is that it is floatable in all the four
seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter, from Vermont border to the Connecticut River.
However, the environmental changes and challenges cause the water level change
continuously which makes it quite difficult for the beginners and first time whitewater river
runners.
However, one can definitely get the best of fishing experience on navigating class III and
class IV rapids. Some sections that are difficult to access can be made easy by using winch
in and winch out equipment. Low water conditions can destroy wooden drift and fiberglass
boats. There are large inflatable fly-fishing rafts as well as pontoon boats like Schadden and
Outcast that are safe to use in float trips in the river. Inflatable rafts can skillfully handle
fluctuating water levels, steep river banks and long hauls to and from launches and takeouts.
All you need is the right equipment, rowing skills and determination to get it right and you are
ready to take on the Deerfield River floating challenge.
Large inflatable fly-fishing rafts and pontoon boats (like those from AIRE, Scadden, and
Outcast) are safer bets for float trips. Inflatable rafts can easily handle fluctuating water levels,
as well as access issues such as long hauls to and from launches and takeouts, and steep
riverbanks. With the right equipment, practiced rowing skills, and determination, you can float
most sections of the Deerfield River.
Fishing in different seasons:
Spring:
The season starts in April when you get black caddis followed by grey caddis in May and brown
one sin June. Be prepared to walk since it will be crowded and hatch as closely as possible.
Summer :
This is an ideal season for fishing and be prepared to face the crowd for fishing. The season
sees hatches of blue quills sulphurs and cahills.
Fall and winter:
The onset of fall is an excellent time to fish in the Deerfield River. The nature turns gold
during this time with leaves changing their colours to orange and yellow. The brown sculpin is
the primary catch of the season. Trout can also be caught in midge patterns in this season.
Fishing guide for the readers:
Deerfield River is a perfect destination for a wonderful fishing experience. You can do fishing
sitting on the banks or while floating in the river. Usually, serious anglers prefer fishing from a
boat since one can cover a large area. The fishing experience can be easy or quite difficult
depending on various factors. There is a power plant that monitors the flow of water so as to
keep the water cool irrespective of the season. This ensures that the trout is found
abundantly in the river. The water level can ride up to two feet when the water is released.
One needs to keep an eye on the changing water levels. You can easily do this by picking out
a visible object above the water level and notice the point where water is striking. This way,
you can safely get to the bank before water goes up to high level.
