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Swift River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The coldest water in Massachusetts: the Swift runs out of Quabbin at 50 degrees and grows trout year-round.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
119 cfs
Air / High
79 / 80 F
Wind
WNW 10 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01175500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Swift River rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 119 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 10 mph, rising pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 80. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 73 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Swift River at West Ware.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01175500.

5278105119 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp79 F
High / Low80 / 63 F
WindWNW 10-16 mph
Pressure1009.0 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain92% cloud, 12%
Sunrise / Sunset06:17 / 19:18
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 80/63 F, wind 10 mph, rain 12%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Swift River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Swift River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Swift River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 78 F, wind to 4 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 74 F, wind to 7 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 67 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Massachusetts requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Massachusetts license. Catch-and-release artificial-only regulations apply in the designated section below Quabbin: check current MassWildlife rules.

Access

Route 9 pull-offs and river road parking; the Y Pool and downstream catch-and-release water.

About this water

A cold tailwater below Quabbin Reservoir in Hampshire County, Massachusetts: the state’s year-round trout fishery.

Fishing Swift River: the full guide

A tailwater in the woods

The Swift River flows from the bottom of Quabbin Reservoir through the Massachusetts woods, and because it draws deep, cold water from a 39-square-mile reservoir, it stays in the low 50s all summer and never freezes in winter. That makes it the state’s only genuine year-round trout fishery: rainbow, brown and brook trout hold in a small, clear river fished hard by anglers from across New England.

Technical small water

The famous water is the catch-and-release section below the Y Pool near Route 9: clear, slow and full of trout that see hundreds of flies a week. Success comes from small patterns: midges, scuds, sowbugs and tiny nymphs on 6X and 7X, fished with careful drifts. The fish are visible, which helps and hurts in equal measure. Below the C&R water, the river opens up and holds stocked fish with less pressure.

Year-round seasons

Winter is a legitimate season and one of the Swift’s greatest assets: while everything else in Massachusetts freezes, the tailwater runs open and the trout keep feeding on midges. Spring and fall bring better hatches and more comfortable conditions. Summer draws crowds but the cold water keeps fish healthy: handle them quickly and wet your hands.

Access and etiquette

Parking areas along Route 9 and the river road serve the popular reaches, with the Y Pool the best-known and busiest spot in the state. Crowding is real: spread out, respect the water others are working, and consider fishing the less famous sections downstream. Belchertown and Ware are the nearby towns, with Amherst and Northampton twenty minutes west.

Common questions

Why does it fish in winter?

Deep releases from Quabbin hold the river in the low 50s year-round: it never freezes, and midges hatch through the coldest months.

How technical is it?

Very: clear, slow water and heavily fished trout demand small flies, fine tippet and excellent drifts.

Is it crowded?

The Y Pool is the busiest trout water in Massachusetts. Walk downstream for space and often better fishing.

Is fishing good at Swift River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Quabbin Reservoir5 miStillwater River28 miWebster Lake29 miDeerfield River37 miMansfield Hollow Lake37 miFarmington River39 mi
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