Swift River?

[Sentience]

Anyone been there in the last few weeks? Is it worth the drive from boston yet?

[BobG]

I spoke with a friend who lives in the Barre area, and he told me all the rivers in the central Ma area have flooded their banks.

[Slamdance]

I worked it hard over Easter weekend. Went from the rt 9 bridge all the way to the bubbler, working the river the whole way. Then went to the hatchery outflow and worked downstream from there. Saw a total of two fish, neither of which was over 6-inches long. I think that was the ifrst time in my whole life (I grew up not far from there and went to college in Amherst), that I have seen so few fish on that river. It was pretty sad.

[BobG]

I realize this isn't the Swift River, but it's not all that far away. I drive by this cam all the time while turkey hunting. It's located on Barre Plains facing n/e overlooking the Ware River.

https://webcam.crrel.usace.army.mil/barre_plains/

[ChuckD]

that it was dead. Lower section opens to bait fishing at the beginning of January and they just annihilate it. Y pool was devoid of any fish. Bummer.

[Strat]

They haven't stocked it yet. As others said the meat packers clean the joint out as soon as Jan 1 comes around. It's a shame. Poaching is also rampant during the spring. If you see anyone dragging a garbage back of stockies out of there PLEASE call the EPO's!

I hate seeing reports like "they stocked the hatchery hole on weds" because you know the poachers and meat packers are lurking. 1 or 2 people can screw it up for the rest of us in a hurry down there.

[Jed]

Went there yesterday. (Saturday 4/9). Fished for about an hour. Aside from the frozen toes, the water was cold. I looked carefully throughout the river from Rt9 up to the Y pool and did not see one fish. The water is about 1-2 feet higher than normal and water is coming over the spillway. If I wasn't lazy and frozen I would have considered going up towards the spillway and fishing that section. There are probably some lakers that have come over the dam so it might get interesting. All in all, it was fun to be there but I wish I could see some fish to make it seem more than a mental exercise.

jed