Central Maine Fishing Report: January 22, 2009

This is the second winter we have focused on evaluating the effectiveness of stocking large fall yearling brook trout to provide winter fisheries in waters that lack the habitat to provide over summer survival. Although successful anglers have certainly been happy with their catches, the results of last winter’s surveys indicated that approximately 16 percent of the brook trout stocked were harvested during the first winter. Since many of the surviving trout will not survive through the following summer, returns to anglers will have to improve if we to maintain this program.

Biologists from our research unit in Bangor also have been conducting surveys at Biscay Pond where anglers reported nice catches of brook trout, splake, brown trout, smallmouth bass, and white perch. A group of anglers surveyed by the research biologists caught and released two brown trout, one 18 inches and the other 24 inches in length! Anglers report many of the fish they are keeping are full of smelts. Though many anglers were fishing Nequasset Lake this weekend most reported the fishing to be slow for brook trout and rainbow trout.

We have some good fishing for other species, as well as for brook trout. Lake St George and Parker Pond have been very good fishing for salmon and brook trout. We have also received reports of good rainbow trout fishing in Lake George, Canaan. Large pike have been recently caught at North Pond in the Smithfield. Some humpback white perch are beginning to show in Great Pond, Belgrade.