Fly Fishing the Swift River. Eric Gass

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      34 . Swift River

       Location: Central Massachusetts, about a 1½-hour ride from Boston; a 1-hour ride from Hartford, Connecticut; a 2-hour ride from Albany, New York; and a 2-hour ride from Manchester, New Hampshire. Full-service airports are available in all four cities.

      Covering more than 25,000 acres, with a maximum depth of over 150 feet, Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts serves as the public water supply for greater Boston. Construction of Windsor Dam, opened in 1939, created the reservoir while inundating several small towns. Old farm roads disappear into the depths of the reservoir, telling a story of a time when life in the upper Swift River

      Valley was far different than it is today. In recent times, the area around the reservoir has played a critical role in the reintroduction of bald eagles.

      Two branches of the Swift River—East and West—flow into Quabbin. Both contain wild brook trout. One also serves as spawning habitat for the lake’s landlocked salmon. It is here that the Swift begins its transformation from a small freestone stream into a unique tailwater fishery. Most Northeast rivers referred to as tailwaters do not fit the classic definition. The Swift is the exception, with the year-round cold, clear, water and plant and insect life you would expect to find. These conditions support a robust trout population, with some specimens growing to trophy size.

      At the base of the 295-foot Windsor Dam, the Swift exits a power station through what is known as the bubbler. Water released from the dam runs between 38 and 55 degrees, depending on the time of year. Average flows run in the 40 to 60 cfs range. High flows can reach 600 cfs. There is also an overflow channel, known as the spillway, which releases water from the top of the reservoir when it is at capacity.

      Below the dam, the Swift meanders through mature forest in 1,500-acre Herman Covey Wildlife Management Area. It terminates at the Ware River, roughly 10 miles