Archive for September, 2008
Posted on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 by Maine Sportsman
The fall air is now beginning to cast its spell on surface water temperatures in the central Maine region. With these changes come many fishing opportunities for both warm and coldwater game fish.
Bass will start to concentrate and begin to seek out their wintering grounds as water temperatures begin to cool. Both species of bass will over winter in habitat that consists of abrupt drop offs and rocky shoals at desirable depths. While bass seek out these wintering refuges their need for food is crucial to survive the long Maine winter. Although bass can become more lethargic as the cooling process extends into the winter months, bass will not pass up an easy meal, particularly when small jigs are retrieved very slowly around these wintering grounds.
Other warm water game fish like perch and crappie will also be preparing for the Maine winter that lies ahead. These species can be seen in schools, feeding on or near the surface, particularly during the evening hours when the winds die down. Try casting small spinners and jigs towards these schools of fish when seen feeding on the surface. Other good spots that should not be over looked would consist of slow moving water between two bodies of water usually consistent with some type of crossings or bridge.
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Tags: Central Maine Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 by Maine Sportsman
Fall fishing season is here, and it is certainly one of my favorite times of the year to get out there and wet a line. There’s nothing like fishing for landlocked salmon and brookies on a cool, crisp fall morning, while enjoying the striking reds, oranges, and yellows of the surrounding foliage.
Many anglers think the Department’s annual stocking season is over by late spring and for the most part they are correct. However, southern Maine also has a relatively large fall stocking program where many of our rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds are stocked with larger sized trout and salmon. The following rivers have good fall stocking programs and extended fall fishing seasons that make them a popular choice among local anglers: the Presumpscot River (Rte. 35 area in Windham), the Saco River (below Skelton and Bar Mills Dams), and the Royal River (below Elm St. in Yarmouth). In addition, don’t forget to give the sea-run brown trout rivers (Ogunquit, Mousam, and Salmon Falls) in York County a try. The Crooked River is a good bet for quality landlocked salmon in a riverine setting, but be prepared to have some fishless days. The Crooked is over 60 miles long and the salmon can quickly disperse in this large river system, which can make for some spotty fishing. On the other hand, you’ll have an opportunity to catch some decent 3- to 5-pound salmon!
Many of our lakes and ponds also receive fall stockings and most are open until the end of October or even as late as the end of November. Check out last year’s stocking report on our website (www.maine.gov/ifw) to get an idea where we typically plant fall stocked fish. Fall anglers have the first crack at these fall stocked beauties, which typically run in the 12- to 15-inch range for fall yearlings and up to several pounds for the brood fish. Although few anglers take advantage of the extended seasons, those hard core anglers that do have reported some great days of fishing.
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Tags: Southwestern Maine Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 by Maine Sportsman
During our routine fisheries management which often involves measuring hundreds of sport fish per year, we occasionally get reports of exceptionally large fish. While not the norm, large fish are worthy of recognition for the state of Maine and the angler. This summer we have had two notably large fish caught in Aroostook County, one of which will qualify as a new State record.
First, a new state record Arctic charr was caught by Carter McLaughlin, age 11, of Mapleton on Aug. 20, 2008. A locally common name for the species is “blueback trout.” This particular fish was caught at Pushineer Pond, T15R9. Carter was accompanied by his father Lionel (on right in attached picture). The charr was 25.4 inches total length and weighed 5.24 pounds.
The previous record was a 4 pound 4 ounce fish caught by Merton Wyman at Basin Pond in 1958. Arctic charr are a rare fish, occurring in only 14 lakes and ponds scattered throughout the interior highlands in northern and western Maine.
Normally, Arctic charr in Maine waters are small (6-10 inches) and inhabit deep, cold water of mountain lakes. Currently, the greatest threat to these rare fish are introductions of non-native species of fish that are competitors with or predators upon Arctic charr.
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Tags: Aroostook County Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 by Maine Sportsman
As we move into the early fall, the surface temperature of our lakes and ponds has begun to drop, and salmon and brook trout angling will pick-up substantially. Late season tactics of a shallow line and a quick retrieve will begin to produce again, as brook trout and salmon start their transformation from feeding to reproductive activity. Fall fishing can be the most rewarding of all seasons. Salmon and trout are in the best shape of any time of the year. Salmon are fat and bright, and nothing is as stunning as a brook trout all dressed up in its fall spawning colors! The scenery is hard to beat as the hardwood foliage starts to change from green to red, yellow and orange.
Next week we start our annual fall fin clipping operation here at Cobb Fish Hatchery. In years past we have marked up to 150,000 fish here at the Enfield, most of which are brook trout. This year we have made a concerted effort to reduce those numbers of fish to be marked to approximately 50,000. Demands on staff time and hatchery space as well as increasing fuel costs have forced us to reconsider marking as many fish as we have in years past.
The marking program has been a very helpful management tool evaluating our hatchery product. All salmonids, except lake trout, have a four-year rotation of fin clips. Lake trout have an 11-year fin clip rotation based upon their longevity. The presence of marked fish allows the fishery biologist to determine the age of any of our stocked salmonids as they encounter them in the field, without taking scales and reading them in the office at a later date. It also allows knowledgeable anglers the same ability to determine the age of any clipped hatchery fish that they catch.
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Tags: Penobscot Valley Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
Posted on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 by Maine Sportsman
A typical summer field season in the Moosehead Lake Region includes many different tasks. This summer we have surveyed a number of ponds that have never been inventoried by this Department. We generally find a few new nice trout ponds, while most newly surveyed ponds offer little or no potential for the development of a coldwater fishery. This summer was no different.
What was different this summer was the amount of time we spent investigating introductions of exotic species. Early in the summer we had a reliable report of smallmouth bass in Big Wood Pond in Jackman. Regional staff, along with assistance from Research staff and volunteers, spent several days electrofishing, trapnetting, and angling on this lake that sits in the middle of the Moose River drainage. In addition to the initial angler report of a 17-inch smallmouth, we captured one other smaller bass. It is unclear whether these fish will become established. The drainage is very large and it is possible that a small illegal introduction could disperse and never see each other again. But, like nearly all cases of illegal introductions, there is very little we can do to eliminate the threat.
If bass do become established they will be able to move downstream to Brassua Lake, which has a very good wild brook trout population, all the way to Holeb Pond.
We have also spent three days investigating an area north of Ebeemee Lake as part of an evaluation for the Penobscot River Restoration Project. Northern pike are established in Pushaw Lake and have access to the lower Piscataquis River. A fish by-pass is in the plans for the Howland Dam which will provide passage for all fish species, including pike. There is some concern that a large wet area north of Ebeemee Lake may provide a watercourse connection to Jo-Mary Lake and the West Branch of the Penobscot River drainage. The area was certainly wet in August, but more field work will be needed during spring run-off to determine for certain if the two systems are connected.
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Tags: Moosehead Region Fishing Report • Categories: Fishing Reports
