Archive for July, 2007
Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
The 4th of July or thereabouts is a time when we shift gears in our regional work. Lake fishing intensity slows down as surface water temperatures rise, so we’ve suspended our angler interviews for the next couple of months. Liz Studdert, who has been checking the Richardson Lakes and Mooselookmeguntic Lake for us, saw some nice fish this spring, particularly in Mooselook. Lots of salmon but also lots of large brook trout, up to 4.5 pounds. She also saw a 5 pound brook trout from Richardson Lake, which is unusual – that one may be a drop-down from Mooselook. Speaking of brook trout, Steve Kasprzak reports good fishing for wild brook trout in Rangeley Lake, and I’ve had similar reports from other anglers. How long has it been since there’s been a wild brook trout fishery in Rangeley? Maybe we can dare hope that our modest stockings of Kennebago strain brook trout in the lake, combined with stream restoration efforts in South Bog Stream, are paying off in wild brook trout.
Dave Boucher and Dave Howatt also finished up bass sampling on the Androscoggin, and we’re set to begin sampling trout and salmon lakes throughout the region. We usually wait until the warmer part of the summer to sample these waters. If we conduct water quality (water temperatures, oxygen levels, etc.) during the heat of the summer, it gives us a good idea of the worst conditions that these coldwater fish experience and if water quality is ok in July, we can assume that it’s generally ok throughout the year.
Another change this time of year is that we’re beginning our stream restoration and monitoring work. Much of this work is, frankly, quite tedious – endless measurements of depths and rock sizes. But, it’s necessary to monitor these changes on an annual basis to determine whether our stream work is doing what it’s supposed to do. And so we thank the volunteers who help us gather this information, tedious or not.
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Tags: Western Mountains Fishing Report • Categories: General
Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
The Downeast Region that encompasses Hancock and Washington Counties are experiencing an epidemic of illegal introductions of non-native fish species that are affecting the natural eco-systems and native fishes.
In this week’s report I want to let the public know where this is occurring and the potential damages it will cause.
Jacob-Buck Pond, Bucksport — smallmouth bass confirmed in the summer of 2006. This illegal introduction occurred within the last 3 years and will affect native brook numbers and sizes by competing for food and space and by colonizing the outlet and feeding on small trout that would have migrated into the pond.
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Tags: Downeast Fishing Report • Categories: General
Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
Last winter during our annual creel surveys we received numerous questions and comments regarding rubber worms in the stomachs of both brook trout and brown trout. The number of these baits we find in the stomachs of fish have been increasing for a number of years. When I first came to the Belgrade Lakes Region in 1995 it was a rarity for us to find these baits in trout, now it seems like we find at least 1 fish in 20 fish that have consumed a rubber or plastic bait.
The Department decided to conduct a study to determine the effects of rubber baits eaten by brook trout. Last week the local newspapers wrote an interesting article regarding the study. These articles generated many questions from the public so I thought it would be interesting to give Dr Russell Danner, the leader of the study, the opportunity to inform the readers the results thus far. Dr Danner submitted the following.
The Department in collaboration with Unity College professor, Jim Chacko, has been conducting an experiment to observe the effects of plastic lure consumption by brook trout. More than occasionally, fish are caught with large masses of stuck together soft plastic fishing lures in their stomachs. Regional fisheries biologists are concerned that these plastic lures may be negatively impacting the growth and health of brook trout, brown trout and lake trout in some bodies of water. To begin to address this question 76 brook trout were transferred from the Palermo Fish Rearing Station to Unity College. One half of the fish were placed in a control tank and fed trout food. The other one half were placed in an identical tank and fed the same amount of trout food and also given the opportunity to voluntarily eat an assortment of plastic lures (no hook or line). The plastic lures were simply dropped into the tank while the fish were being fed. It has been astounding the effects the lures have had on the brook trout. Initially brook trout readily ate the lures, stole lures out of one another’s mouths, picked up lures off the bottom of the tank, grabbed lures at the water’s surface; but after several weeks became sluggish toward their normal food and after 90 days had lost weight and had a poorer body condition factor than controls. In the final analysis 63% of the brook trout were carrying a plastic lure in their stomachs; more Kennebago strain brook trout (83%) had lures in their stomachs than Maine Hatchery strain (45%). On average, the brook trout had only 1 gram of plastic lures in their stomach; although three fish had more than 10 grams of undigested plastic lures in their stomachs. The picture, found in the Region B Photos, shows the almost fantastical size of lures that one brook trout consumed. The salamander lure above fish was presumably in the fish’s stomach since the first week of the study while the lure underneath the fish was consumed several weeks later. Not surprisingly, this fish lost weight during the study. This is the first study of its kind that we’re aware of and more studies will be necessary to ultimately determine the effects of plastic lure consumption on trout and salmon. In the mean time, when you are standing in the bait shop deciding on which lure to use; maybe choose something biodegradable.
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Tags: Central Maine Fishing Report • Categories: General
Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
This past weekend my colleague Jim Pellerin took a friend from the Deep South to the Androscoggin River for bit of smallmouth bass action. This individual, who had never caught a smallmouth, had a 20 plus fish day fishing only with borrowed spinning gear and brown plastic worms. This example goes to show that you don’t need specialized or expensive gear or even much experience with your target species to have great times fishing in Maine. Other good bets for smallmouth bass action include Keys Pond in Sweden, Thompson Lake in Otisfield, and Trickey Pond in Naples. If you want fast action for largemouth bass and other warmwater fish you might consider Worthley Pond in Poland or Lily Pond in New Gloucester.
Others apparently also having a great time fishing have recently been catching fair numbers of land locked salmon and lake trout on Kezar Lake in Lovell including one 22-pound beast of a togue. Another lake trout of note was a 20-pound, 37-inch fish caught on Colcord Pond in Porter. While Colcord Pond is not known for having a robust lake trout fishery, it seems that some lakes that support the remains of a past lake trout stocking program occasionally give up these unexpected wall-hangers. Other good places to target lake trout and salmon include Auburn Lake in Auburn, South Pond in Greenwood, and Sebago Lake in Raymond/Standish/Sebago. Best of luck.
Tags: Southwestern Maine Fishing Report • Categories: General
Posted on Sunday, July 1st, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
This Month: Fishing Is Hot, But Deer Flies Invade the Woods
July reigns as Maine’s hottest month, but in the north country, June and July tie December for the most inclement weather, so brookie ponds can produce well through July, particularly during predictable evening hatches.
In the north country, these rains keep brooks flowing well and brook anglers after trout do well. As July wanes and water may become low and warm, brookies concentrate over springs and in deep holes.
Rain swells rivers, too, bringing brookies and salmon up from lakes. These rivers often attract angler crowds in June but offer far more solitude now.
Lake trout concentrate in predictable deep holes, easy targets for folks who know the bottom as they do their living room.
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Tags: July 2007 Issue • Categories: Almanac
