Penobscot Valley Fishing Report: September 23, 2008
After a full summer of lake and pond surveys the fisheries staff here in Region F are gearing up for the fall field season, primarily trap netting. Fall is an opportune time to sample the salmonid populations of our large lakes, as trout and salmon are responding to their natural instinct to spawn and are cruising the shorelines in search of spawning habitat and mates.
Trap nets, set at strategic locations around a lake, intercept fish which end up in the box part of the net. Trap netting is a non-lethal method of sampling, which means after the biological data (length, weight, and scales for aging) is collected from each fish it is then released alive back to the lake, hopefully to be enjoyed in the future by anglers. Typically we try to sample at least 30 fish for each of our target species, usually landlocked salmon, lake trout, and brook trout.
Depending on water temperature and timing it may take one or more weeks at each lake to collect the fish that we need. However our goal is to get our sample quickly and move on to the next lake, as our window of opportunity ends with the onset of cold weather, generally around Nov. 1.
The growth data that we collect from these fish helps us determine if the current regulations are effective for meeting our fishery management goals and for our stocked waters if the stocking rates need to be adjusted. In addition to our field work, fishery staff will be analyzing data collected from the summer lake and pond surveys and writing reports and recommendations based on those reports.
Cooler nights and fall rains mean lake temperatures are coming down, and fish are moving up into shallower water to feed and prepare for fall spawning. Fishing for landlocked salmon and brook trout in September can be as good as early season fishing just after ice out. The difference is the fall fish should be in prime condition having fattened up over the summer on smelt and other forage. Male salmon and brook trout are on full display with hooked jaws and brilliant colors as they are preparing for the fall spawning season and should you be lucky enough to hook into one, be ready to hang on for they are full of vigor this time of year. Salmon lakes around the Penobscot Region worth a try this fall include East Grand, East Musquash, Lower Sysladobsis, Junior, Duck, West, Schoodic, Pleasant (Island Falls), Matagamon Lakes, and Cold Stream Pond. Brook trout waters are spread throughout the region; however the majority are located in upper third of Penobscot County, especially in and around Baxter State Park.
Good luck this fall — before you know it we’ll be pulling snowmobiles out getting ready for the first ice fishing trip of the year!
