Archive for September, 2007
Posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
This morning’s light frost serves as a reminder of one of the many reasons why I will always live in Maine. Seasonal change here in northern New England keeps things fresh and new and ensures there is always something to do in the outdoors. In fact, if we narrow things down to our angling pursuits, there is always something to do outdoors and if we wish, it can almost always be as different as our seasons. Some folks actually divide their open water fishing season into as many as ten individual fishing seasons depending on their angling preferences and the best opportunities available at the time. For instance, your open water schedule could run a follows: early brook trout fishing, Sebago Lake salmon fishing at ice out, springtime smallmouth bass fishing, fly-fishing striped bass in rivers, bass and panfish in summer, off shore groundfish fishing, back to Sebago in the early fall for more salmon, and rainbow trout during the fall extended season. Those were just a fraction of the possibilities available in just one of our two major fishing seasons. The angling possibilities in this State are truly far above and beyond what most of us have for free time.
Recent sampling efforts at Lower Range Pond in Poland revealed yet another high quality angling opportunity. Our efforts resulted in the capture of good numbers of white perch averaging about 13 inches in length and about a pound in weight. No small perch were captured. Also found were a fair number of brown trout, the largest of which exceeded 5 pounds. The general law open water fishing season is quickly coming to a close but don’t forget the many opportunities available during the extended seasons through October and in some cases through November. Since we’re looking ahead, just consider the wide range of possibilities the ice fishing season can offer!
Tags: Southwestern Maine Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
We routinely receive questions on the presence of muskellunge in the St. John River drainage. This week’s fishing report affords the opportunity to view the history of muskellunge in this river system.
Muskellunge were introduced into Lac Frontier, a 260 acre headwater lake of the NW Branch of the St. John River, by Quebec fishery personnel in 1970.
It was assumed that the muskellunge were sedentary and territorial, bred in the lake and did not migrate; therefore they would not endanger the St. John River system in Maine.
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Tags: Aroostook County Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
On Monday, with the help of our fin clipping crew, staff from other hatcheries and regional fisheries offices and our research office, we will begin the annual fall fish marking at Cobb Fish Hatchery in Enfield. This crew will mark more than 90,735 Brook Trout and 20,350 Splake. In a week’s time, 111,085 fish will be netted out of the raceways, loaded onto a truck and transported to a holding pool. Then the fish are netted out, placed in a trough with an anesthetic, and then the anesthetized fish are then are netted and placed in a trough to be clipped. After this, they are sent through a pipeline back to the pool were they started. In most cases, the fish go through this complete process in about 15 min. It is quite a process to see. If your happen to be in the Enfield area this week stop by.
After this week of fin clipping, the hatchery staff here at Cobb Hatchery will begin the task of stocking more than 116,260 fall fingerling brook trout; 4,950 fall fingerling splake; 17,900 fall yearling brook trout; 1,600 fall yearling splake and 5,000 adult brook trout. It is truly an amazing feat that they can stock over 145,000 fish in less than two months. The start of fish marking signifies to us here in the office that summer is over and fall is here. Lets hope for some great fall weather with plenty of rain to bring the flows up in the streams and rivers as well at the water levels up in the lakes and ponds. Get out and enjoy the great fall weather. The trees will be turning soon.
Tags: Penobscot Valley Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
The East Outlet is a perhaps one of the most popular river fisheries in the State. The river averages about 200 feet across and is nearly 3 miles long as it drops 75 feet from the dam on Moosehead Lake to the “Last Drop” on Indian Pond. The habitat is primarily rocky/boulder riffle with many pools and pockets. It is ideal salmon and trout water. There is, however, a shortage of salmonid spawning habitat in the river. Surveys indicate that less than 0.5% of the total area in the river contains gravel that would be suitable for successful spawning.
The East Outlet dam; which is owned and operated by Kennebec Water Power (KWP), was relicensed in the 1990′s. Paul Johnson, the Regional Fisheries Biologist, led the negotiations for the IF&W. The resulting new license had many benefits for the fish and the fishermen, including higher minimum flows. Paul also identified 2 areas in the river that could be modified to increase the amount of spawning and fry habitat in the river. KWP was very supportive of the proposed project and funded the work. A channel about 25 feet wide and 250 feet long was created just below the Beach Pool. This channel alone effectively doubled the amount of spawning habitat in the river. Another channel averaging nearly 30 feet by 520 feet was also improved. This area provides great fry and some spawning habitat. The project was completed just one year after the license became final.
We have been back to these sections since the work was finished and have observed many salmon using the spawning areas and we have also electrofished young salmon utilizing the improved nursery habitat.
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Tags: Moosehead Region Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 by Maine Sportsman
With the water cooling down and higher flows, many anglers are heading for rivers that flow into the large lakes. Most serious anglers know that the place to be a few days after a heavy rain event is were the brook trout and salmon will be running for fall spawning season. These rushes of water trigger the fish’s instinct to move to their pre-spawning holding areas. At this time large fish from the lakes are catchable by anglers wading or standing along the shoreline.
Anglers might also try their favorite trout pond again too. Often anglers fish a pond regularly in the spring, but then forget about it after the water warms up. However, water temperatures have begun to cool, so the trout are now on the move and feeding more aggressively. A few ponds to try would be Beal Pond in Madrid, Quimby Pond in Rangeley, or Rowe Pond in Pleasant Ridge Plt. All three of these waters are annually stocked with brook trout.
Anglers interested in bass fishing don’t have to give up quite yet. Although these fish become a little less active and more difficult to catch as the warm summer days end, they will take bait or lures if presented to them properly. Try fishing a little deeper than you normally would in lakes and ponds. The fish in rivers are more likely to be in their same old haunts, even moving into very shallow water on bright sunny days. For anglers in the northwestern part of the state I would recommend fishing the Androscoggin River in the Jay or Canton area. There are some very large smallmouths in this stretch of water.
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Tags: Western Mountains Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
