Swift River New Hampshire Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Brown Trout (some wild and stocked
with holdovers)
Brook Trout (native and stocked with
holdovers)
Rainbow (some wild and stocked with
holdovers)
Size
Medium
Location
Northern New Hampshire
Nearest Towns
Livermore
Conway
Season
Jan 1 – October 15
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of New Hampshire
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season start Jan. 1 but it is usually May before the fishing gets good.
Spring:
The water can be high in the Spring from melting snow and rainfall but the fishing is usually good.
Summer:
The first part of Summer is good but the later part can get quite warm in some areas.
Fall:
Early Fall is excellent and a beautiful time for fly fishing the Swift River.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Swift River New Hampshire
The Swift River is a top notch New Hampshire brook trout stream. It begins in the White Mountains National Forest on Mount Kancamagus, near Livermoore. The twenty-three mile long stream is a tributary of the Saco River. Fly fishing the Swift River is a fun, filled experience.
Its upper section is fast, pocket water with lots of plunges, small pools, some runs and short sections of riffles. Although the native brook trout are only six to eight inches in length, they are plentiful and beautiful. Downstream, the river’s brook trout are mixed in with rainbow and brown trout. Fly fishing the Swift River can be a very pleasurable experience.
Access is excellent. State highway #112, called the Kancamagus Highway, goes along the stream from its hedwaters to Conway. From Conway downstream, Passaconaway Road follows the Swift River in its lower section. This road is also called Dugway Road. Both of these roads have plenty of picnic areas, pull off places for fishing and campgrounds along the way.
Probably the best thing about the stream is its “fly fishing only” section that extends from the 113A bridge downstream to the 113 bridge. Remember, this is a freestone stream and you have to go with the flow. The water levels can change quickly with heavy rainfall and the stream can get low during long periods of time without rain. You have to stay well hidden from the trout during periods of low water and use longer, lighter leaders and tippets.
During the hot summer, concentrate on the tributaries. There are many of them. One with very good access is Douglas Brook. Bear Notch Road follows along most of it. Most of these tributaries are very small but most of them have good populations of brook trout. They are also excellent places to fish when the main Swift River is high.