I am pondering heading out to the Swift River on Monday and wanted to see if anyone had any tips about fishing for trout there using a spinning rod. I fished there a month ago using a spinning bait and had no luck. I could see the trout all stacked up in schools in the water but they wouldn't bite. Some interest but not much. Ay tips on getting them to bite? I am using panther martins, rooster tails, and spoons.
Cheers,
Cheers,
I usually head to the catch and release (which isn't catch and release this time of the year) up near Cady lane(71 River Road, Ware Ma would be a close point to where I go). I use a berkley spinning powerbait rod (lime green one, UL, very nice for powerbait and 1/16-3/16 in line spinners) with a split shot and catch fish after fish. Where I go is where the hatchery dumps fish in most of the year by way of a pipe that leads directly from hatchery to the river. Always a ton of people (on weekends at least), mainly fly fisherman and I seem to outcatch them. If you use powerbait they may "scold you" but its technically fine from Jan 1-June 1(any lure, you can keep) and then from June1-Jan1 it becomes artificials only and catch and release (which powerbait is artificial so I tell them to piss off).
If you go where I posted, pull down that dirt path (there's a sign saying its a fishermans launch) and then walk south down the river til you see the hatchery and let the fun begin. My biggest I have caught around there was in November and was 2.25 lb (I don't do length, just my bass scale and weigh the fish in my trout net) .
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If you go where I posted, pull down that dirt path (there's a sign saying its a fishermans launch) and then walk south down the river til you see the hatchery and let the fun begin. My biggest I have caught around there was in November and was 2.25 lb (I don't do length, just my bass scale and weigh the fish in my trout net) .
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/nov2012swiftriver225lbr.jpg/]
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The area you mentioned is where I fished before. I will definitely go back to that area, from there south all the way to the old bridge foundation. Lots of good fish in there. I will try the power bait with a split shot and see if it yields any better results this time. How much above the swivel to you put the split shot? I would think you would want a few inches at least?