Archive for June, 2007
Posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
This time of year, regional staff is busy with all sorts of fieldwork. Predominant among those tasks is the evaluation of our bass waters. We in mid-coastal Maine have almost 200 lakes and ponds the hold either large or small mouth bass. Some waters contain both species. In addition, our larger rivers, such as the Kennebec, Androscoggin, Sebasticook and Penobscot also possess viable fisheries. Our bass fishery is hugely popular with anglers from all over. Keeping an eye on its health forms an important component of our work.
The Department’s goal in management of bass fisheries is to maintain populations and angling opportunities in the waters noted above. Since we have such a large number of waters in the region, staff evaluates a portion, usually 8-10 each year. Analysis of some of the waters consist of an evaluation of whether the water in question is meeting its management goal(s), while others are being looked at for the first time.
Management emphasis for any given water is categorized into one of 5 categories: Fast action: where an angler can catch more than 20 fish in an angler day with the lengths of commonly caught fish being in the 6 to 12 inch range. In the General category, a range of 6 to 20 fish can be boated, with average sizes in the 6 to 16 inch range. Quality size waters provide a catch of greater than 3 fish in the 14 to 18 inch range. Trophy waters yield up to 3 fish, with fish over 18 inches for smallmouths and 20 inches for largemouths. Finally, there is an unclassified category. This last category is a group of waters where we need to acquire information.
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Tags: Central Maine Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
Angler reports indicate that trout fishing in southern Maine is still hot! Small trout ponds are still producing some very nice catches of brook trout, check last years stocking report and look for the more remote waters in the region for your best bets. If rainbow trout is your fish, then Crystal Lake in Gray, Upper and Middle Range Ponds in Poland, Lily Pond in New Gloucester, and Kennebunk Pond in Lyman are all possibilities for fast action on 14-20 inch rainbows. Our seasonal creel clerk indicates the lake trout fishing is still very good on Lake Auburn, with catches averaging better than one legal trout per boat with several anglers catching 5 to 8 fish in a morning. With a good chance at early morning salmon and excellent smallmouth bass fishing, Lake Auburn is an excellent day trip destination.
Last week marked the end of this year’s bass electrofishing surveys for 2007. This year Region A staff were joined by seasonal creel clerk John Zwetsloot and game warden Tony Gray during some surveys. This year we sampled five waters (Worthley Pond, Poland, Otter Ponds #2 and #4, Standish, Thompson Lake, Otisfield, and Thomas Pond, Casco) in seven nights, resulting in the capture and release of around 1100 bass. Bass weights ranged from tiny 1/8-ounce young of the year to a pair of 9 plus pound monsters. While night work is an interesting change and can be a real eye opener in terms of the diversity of life in a lake we are always glad when we have put our bass sampling behind us and can look forward to some more sunny types of field work! See you out there!
Tags: Southwestern Maine Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
Fisheries personnel spent 3 days last week on the Big Black River in western Aroostook County. Flow for the trip was dropping from 200 cfs as measured at the USGS station on the Big Black River near Depot Mountain. Water temperature was 60F. Based on our observations, flow less than 200 cfs would not be desireable for canoeing this river. Launching off the Depot Road, brook trout were observed in the upper quickwater section of river prior to hitting extensive deadwater above the Maibec Road bridge. Muskellunge were present in this deadwater. It is speculated that the trout caught in the upper section were dropdowns from cold tributary brooks. Another quickwater section of river prior to the confluence of the Shields Branch offered no brook trout.
Access to the Big Black down the Shields Branch from the Robinson Road is all deadwater that can be motored with no difficulty. Ninemile Deadwater stretches upstream and downstream from this confluence and was measured at 53 feet where the Shields Branch enters the Big Black but was typically 10-15 feet deep. This deadwater can be motored downstream to the site of the old dam where quickwater begins again. Another section of deadwater is present near Two Mile Brook and then it is once again quickwater to the take out at the crossing on the Estcourt Road. Muskellunge are the dominant sport fish now in this section of the Big Black.
No authorized campsites were observed from the start of the canoe trip to the confluence with the St. John River, except for those located at the end of the trip off the Estcourt Road and at the confluence with the St. John River. The trip between the Depot Road and Shields Branch and from the Shields Branch to the Estcourt Road can each easily be done in a day trip with a canoe and motor while enjoying some fishing. This is a very easy and enjoyable trip for anyone looking to get off the beaten path.
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Tags: Aroostook County Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
Last week I had the opportunity to assist personnel from the Ashland Region with some work in one of the more remote parts of their region. The Big Black River, a tributary to the St. John River in the far northwest section of the State of Maine, was running 200+ cubic feet per second, a bit low for easy traveling. We put in from the Depot Road in T14 R16 WELS, and after two days of paddling, motoring, pushing and pulling downstream, we arrived at the confluence with the St. John River in T15 R13 WELS. Our charge was to evaluate both fish populations and habitat structure.
Unfortunately the fish populations have changed in the last twenty years, and not for the better. Brook trout are still present, but muskellunge are also now widespread throughout the drainage and are proving as destructive to the native brook trout populations as predicted 25 years ago when Maine biologist’s discovered their presence in Maine. Some opportunities exist but need to be addressed quickly to limit the expansion of muskellunge in other adjacent drainages.
It was both a revealing and fascinating trip through a section of Maine that most people never get a chance to experience. For me, it was an opportunity to assess first hand some of the challenges we will be facing over the next few years as we try to limit the expansion of Northern pike in the Penobscot Drainage. My thanks to Ashland Fisheries Staff and Game Wardens Gary Sibley and Chad Abbott for all their assistance.
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Tags: Penobscot Valley Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
Water temperatures are still cool in the area. Bass are just starting to build nests in waters on the southern fringes of the region and the first caddis hatches were observed last week on trout ponds in the area. Anglers are reporting some good salmon and lake trout fishing in the Rockwood area on Moosehead Lake. Flows in the East Outlet bumped up to nearly 5,000 cfs last week, which washed out most of the fishing. The good news is the flow is back down to around 2,400 cfs early this week and those high flows typically bring more fish into the river. The river fishing should be very good over the next few weeks as the insect activity increases.
Last week we finished up the scheduled stocking for the Moosehead Lake Region with some additional brook trout for the East and West Outlets and Fitzgerald Pond. We have had reports of great fishing on most of the stocked trout ponds in the Region this spring.
We have scheduled a public informational meeting in Rockwood on the 14th at 6:30 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an exchange of information between the Fisheries staff and the anglers. We anticipate questions regarding some of the proposed regulation changes and we will be prepared to discuss them. A formal regulation hearing has been scheduled for July 10th at the Greenville High School at 6:30 pm.
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Tags: Moosehead Region Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
