Central Maine Fishing Report: July 27, 2009

With the advent of spring, Region B biologists have taken to the field, undertaking open water evaluations of a wide variety of lakes, ponds and streams throughout the Midcoast.

While it is often referred to as “the Midcoastal Region,” Region B encompasses about 4,000 square miles, extending quite far inland from the coast. At the coast proper, the Region extends generally from the Androscoggin River on the west to the Penobscot on the east. Going north along the Androscoggin, the region reaches Livermore Falls before turning northeast in a somewhat ragged line roughly following the Kennebec\Franklin and Kennebec\Somerset county lines to Canaan. From there, it heads north to Cambridge, again east to Garland, then southeast to the Bangor area and the Penobscot River.

Throughout the region, there is a great variety of aquatic habitat types. Indeed, there are more than 300 named lakes and ponds and about 3,000 miles of permanent and intermittent streams. Region B is somewhat unique in that most of its waters are relatively easy to get to. A pond considered “remote” in this neck of the woods might be all of a half-mile walk. But, that quick hike might provide a pond or stream that one angler has all to themselves. In short, there as many types of fishing to be found here as there are anglers.

This year, working with State Sen. Dave Trahan, Advisory Council member Mike Witte, Lincoln County Fish and Game, Medomak Valley Land Trust, and the selectmen from the town of Waldoboro, regional biologists were able to create a fishing water for kids on a quarry on a town-owned lot. The quarry is small, not much over an acre. It was also on a town lot, meaning that the property was owned by all the citizens of Waldoboro.

While it may appear an easy task to get something beneficial like a “kids fishing water” in place, there is a process involved. In this case, Sen. Trahan, acting on a suggestion from Lincoln County F&G, approached IF&W to see if a kids’ water there was a possibility. Our first step was to notify the town of the suggestion. The selectmen agreed that it was an idea worth investigating, and scheduled a public meeting to discuss the idea with interested citizens. The results of this meeting were to proceed with an evaluation and report back on the results in a second public meeting. After the initial evaluation showed that the quarry was suitable for brook trout, we were able to secure some unscheduled hatchery fish as a startup stocking.

We soon discovered two things. First, both big and little kids took advantage of the fish. Second, not all of the 100 fish we put in that year were caught. Reports received in April of this year indicated that anglers had taken several trout from 12 to 14 inches. This meant that not only were the fish able to survive the warm summer months there, but that conditions also were suitable for over-winter survival and growth. All in all, not bad for a little mined-out quarry.

At the follow-up public meeting this spring, Lincoln County Fish and Game pledged their assistance in monitoring the site and proposed to hold a kids derby there. Some concern over liability was expressed by the selectmen and some concerned citizens. It was brought up that state liability laws adequately protected the town in that regard. Ultimately, with the cooperation of everyone concerned, it was agreed that the pond would be included of the department’s list of kids only fishing waters in the next fishing laws revision. To let the big kids, that is, those over 16 know, the Department is providing provide signs to identify it as such. On May 30, Lincoln County Fish and Game held their second fishing derby.