Fishing Guide Book

[Ostrowski54]

I just moved to the area and was wondering if there is a book I can buy that could help me find some good fishing spots in western MA. I'm trying to get into fly fishing for trout this year and live/work in the Springfield/Westfield area. Also, if someone could recommend a good hatch guide, I'd greatly appreciate it!

[buckmanjr]

check out my post on the swift river on the fly fishing forum...i also posted a hatch guide there too.

This website is your guide book! lol

[Whaler]

Trout Unlimited has a book you can order from them. It has the Westfield/Deerfield/Swift Rivers as well as others in the area.

http://www.squanatissit.org/guide.htm


There is also a hatch guide for New England, I haven't read it so can't comment on it.

http://www.thomasames.com/insects/guide/guide.htm (Amazon.com has it too)


I'm in pretty much the same situation as you - live in Agawam and just getting into fly fishing. Maybe I'll see you on a river somewhere. I'll be the one standing in the middle of the river trying to untangle my line.Smashhead

[dana_c]

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwrec.htm

For starters, try the above website.

Here in western Mass. we have the Deerfield, Millers, Housatonic, Farmington, Westfield, Swift, Quabog, Ware, and many smaller rivers.

The Westfield has the easiest access from the Springfield/Agawam area - along rte 20 from West Springfield all the way to Chester. Buy a goood road map or atlas. Stop in at BG Sports on rte 20 in Westfield for flies, stocking reports and other goodies.

For more info try to attend a meeting of the Western Mass. Fly Fishermen - we meet in Ludlow every third Monday of the month (7PM) from Sept. thru May. (Meetings held at the Elks on Chapin Street.) Fly tying demos, raffles, slide presentations, good bunch of folks.

Also, Pioneer Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited meets second Tuesday of the month at the Elks Club in West Springfield (Morgan Rd. up-hill from the Showcase Cinemas) 7PM- fly tying demos, followed by various programs. Open to the public, both worth joining.

[digger10r]

there is also an excellent book titled trout streams of southern new england. It was written by Tom Fuller of Belchertown. It covers Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

[Ostrowski54]

Excellent! Thanks for the replies...I've hit up BG Sports a few times already. It's going to take some time to get to know the area. I really enjoy fishing in the more secluded spots, but for now, I've been spending a lot of time on the Westfield after work.

[dana_c]

Haven't made it to the Quabog yet but with this weather and the low flow the Hendricksons could happen like today!

Earliest I've seen 'em there was April 12

Quabog runs out of a shallow lake and warms quicker than most other area waters.