Southwestern Maine Fishing Report: February 13, 2007
Although the season got off to a late start, most waters now have enough ice on them to get out there and do a little fishing. Regional fisheries staff visited over 15 waters over the weekend, but few anglers were observed. Where did all the anglers go? Some may blame the loss of the first few weeks; the cold, windy weekend weather; or even super bowl festivities. Whatever the reason, the fact that angler use has been so light means there are still some great fishing opportunities out there for those willing to work the ice. Last fall 353 brood brook trout (2-4 pounds), 410 brood landlocked salmon (2-4 pounds), and 460 brood brown trout (2-4 pounds) were stocked in Region A alone. In addition, approximately 9,000 12 to 14-inch brookies were stocked, which marks a significant expansion in this stocking program (up from just 2,000 fish in 2001). Based on our observations, most of these fall stocked fish are still swimming around out there…so check out our stocking report at www.mefishwildlife.com and then get out and enjoy a little winter fishing.
Even though use has been relatively low, we continue to see and hear of some good catches or some decent fish being caught. Last weekend, I observed a party of three or four guys on Rock Haven Pond in York County that were having some fun with bass and perch. By the time I checked them (before noon), they had already iced about three dozen fish and were actually having a hard time keeping all there traps set up. Wilson Lake in Acton has been a little on the slower side, but it has been yielding some decent fish including a few 16-18 inch brown trout, as well as a couple of 17-19″ rainbows. In addition, a few anglers have managed to pick up some brood and larger sized fall yearling brookies on Wilson.
Don’ t forget to check over the stocking report for new waters being stocked and/or additions to traditional stocking programs. On some of our waters were we haven’t traditionally stocked with brook trout, but are now doing so I have noticed many anglers aren’t really targeting the brookies. Your best bet for the brookies is to fish shallower water (0-10) and those really close to shore sets in 1-2 feet can be very effective. The brook trout also seem to favor sandy/gravelly substrates, as well as currents created from inlets, outlets, and thoroughfares. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to downsize your bait, particularly on waters were we also stock advanced fingerling brook trout in the 8-12 inch range.
Although ice conditions have improved, I would still urge all of the anglers to use extreme caution whenever on the ice! The ice is still thinner than most years, and as always it can be unpredictable. Speaking of ice conditions, the southern end of Sebago Lake has finally setup and a few brave and/or crazy souls were starting to poke around at the Station over the past week. Despite the cold temperatures, the main lake refuses to freeze up due to the windy conditions. Good luck out there and be safe!