Upper Andro Anglers Alliance

Region A – Southern Maine

Lake fishing for trout and salmon has held up relatively well in southern Maine due largely to the cooler (and rainy) weather pattern. Sebago is still producing decent catches of salmon and lake trout, particularly the later.

Anglers also have also reported some good fishing for browns and rainbows in the 2- to 4-pound range from several regional waters. Good bets for rainbows and browns include Crystal Lake (Gray), the Range Ponds (Poland), Kennebunk Pond (Lyman), Worthley Pond (Peru), and Pennesseewassee Lake (Norway).

As the summer progresses and the surface becomes too warm for salmonids, lake
anglers will need to change their gear and tactics to target deeper, cooler water. For salmon, browns, and rainbows anglers should be targeting water depths in the 15- to 40-foot range, depending on the individual water and/or species. Lake trout will typically be even deeper during the summer, anywhere from 40 to 100 feet. Lakers will reside even deeper, but targeting them at depths over 100 feet is more difficult.

Fishing for warmwater species like bass, perch, and pickerel has been good and will hold up all season. An angler recently reported a great day of bass fishing were he and his partner landed over 30 largies. Pickerel and yellow perch are relatively easy to target this time of year by fishing shallow, weedy areas. They’ll take almost any lure, but weedless versions can help keep down on the frustration level.

White perch fishing is best in open water areas in the morning and evening hours where they can often be located by their continual surfacing. A variety of lures will work, but it’s hard to beat the old worm and bobber! Deep fried, batter white perch fillets are excellent eating. White perch are prevalent throughout southern Maine, a few good bets for some medium to large sized white perch include: Little Sebago Lake (Gray), Woods Pond (Bridgton), Lower Range Pond (Poland), Crescent Lake (Raymond), and Pennesseewassee Lake (Norway).

Surface water temperatures on rivers and streams in southern Maine have gradually been climbing, and as a result anglers have reported slower fishing for trout. There is still some good fishing to be had as the season progresses, but anglers will need to target smaller, cooler streams. These little gems support wild brook trout in the 4- to 10-inch range, with a 10 inch or larger being a trophy. “Trophy size” is relative to the species and size of the water being fished. For those stream anglers that don’t want to beat the bushes and prefer larger quarry, try hitting the larger rivers where smaller, cooler streams enter and provide a thermal refuge for these larger trout.

Good luck and enjoy the variety of fishing opportunities that the State of Maine offers. By the way, did I mention the mackerel are running in the Saco and
Biddeford area?

– Jim Pellerin, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Gray

Region B – Central Maine

In the past month we’ve received disturbing news of anglers catching and releasing walleye in Long Pond. Walleye are a non-native fish species to Maine but are a very popular sport fish primarily in the Midwest and Canada.

The Belgrade Lakes did have an introduced population of walleye back in the 1940s but this population was thought to have been eliminated possibly through over harvesting. People discovered that large concentration of walleye were very susceptible to harvest during their annual spring spawning run. The eyes of walleye illuminate green at night when light is reflected. People took advantage of this fact by illuminating the fish with a flashlight and then spearing them in the shallows. This practice probably played a significant role in the demise of walleyes in the Belgrade Lakes.

During our 1996 routine fall trapnetting operation in Long Pond we captured a single walleye, this was the first walleye observed in Long Pond since the 1940s. The following 10 years we captured a total of 31 walleyes. These fish were all from the same cohort (all were spawned the same year). The first one caught was age 3, and it was 17.8 inches long and weighed 2.2 pounds. We followed this cohort through age 12 in 2005, and it was 23 inches long and weighed 4.8 pounds. Since these fish were all from the same age class we believe they were illegally stocked. Until this summer we thought no natural reproduction from this illegal stocked fish had occurred but now it appears there may have been some limited reproduction.

The fish caught this summer are approximately 16 inches in length which indicates that there’s either been another illegal stocking or the fish have reproduced naturally in the lake. We will be trapnetting Long Pond this fall and if we should catch any walleye we’ll try to determine the origin of these fish. In the meantime if anyone should catch a walleye please save the fish and contact the Sidney Regional Fisheries Office.

– Jim Lucas, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Sidney

Region C — Downeast

We invite the angling public to attend one of two informational meetings to discuss and comment on a set of proposed regulation changes for Hancock and Washington counties that will create increased conformity of general law fishing regulations among 10 of Maine’s counties.

Meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 29 at the Bucks Mills Rod and Gun Club in Bucksport and at 6:30 p.m. on July 30 at the Calais Rod and Gun Club in Charlotte.

The proposed changes are largely the result of ongoing efforts to consolidate ice fishing and open water regulations into a single two-year law book. Our aim is to increase angling opportunities where possible, further simplify the law book, save time and financial resources, and to continue protecting the resource. Most of the proposed changes will affect southern, central, and eastern Maine angling opportunities.

The following general fishing laws are being proposed for lakes and ponds in Hancock and Washington Counties, although special restrictions may apply for specific waters:
 Lakes and ponds are open to open water fishing year round. (Note: Two lines per angler, general law.)

 Lakes and ponds are open to ice fishing from Dec. 1 through March 31. (Note: We provided this liberal time frame in order to account for years when ice forms early on waters. A time period was decided rather stating “presence of ice or safe ice” given the “fuzzy” nature of such terms.)

 Lakes and ponds will be Catch and Release for all salmonids from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. (Note: General law for all other species would apply during this time period. Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.)

 For lakes and ponds the General Law bag and length limits for salmonids apply from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30. (Note: Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.)

 Under the proposed general law fishing regulations, both ice anglers and open water anglers could fish lakes and ponds in December, but could not harvest salmonids, unless provided by special regulation. From Jan. 1 through March 31, both groups of anglers could fish lakes and ponds and harvest salmonids under respective bag and length limits.

 Unless otherwise provided by rule, the number of lines an angler may fish at any one time will be limited to two lines while open water fishing and five lines while ice fishing. At no time can an angler fish more than five lines. (Note: This modification in wording for the number of lines that can be fished by an angler at any one time is being made to address the potential for anglers to simultaneously ice fish and open water fish in lakes and ponds in the eight southern counties and two eastern counties. They are Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Hancock, and Washington.)

The current statewide aggregate bag limit for salmonids of five fish will be removed. (Note - IFW management decisions regarding bag limits, length limits, open seasons, etc. for salmonids are already focused at the species level and the removal of this regulation would not impact current management strategies.)

The term salmonids includes the following Maine fish species– Arctic charr, brook trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, splake, and togue (lake trout).

– Rick Jordan, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Maine

A study to evaluate the effect of adding large woody debris (more commonly known as trees) to headwaters of the Sunday River has grown to a major brook trout research effort thanks to the involvement of Stephen Coghlan, PhD., of the University of Maine. The original study, funded through the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, involved restoring wood to two tributaries of the Upper Sunday River in extreme western Maine and monitoring the results, which are expected to moderate flows and improve brook trout habitat by creating pools and adding organic matter (notably by trapping leaves) to increase the abundance of macroinbertebrates (aquatic insects), a major food source for brookies.

Enter Coghlan and his crew, including graduate student Paul Damkot. They are not only helping to monitor the existing project, but have expanded it to determine the role of brook trout as macroinvertebrate predators. They are in the process of sampling streams both with and without brook trout, and have plans to introduce brook trout into fishless reaches to monitor resultant changes to the macroinvertebrate population.

To return to the original project, Maine streams (as well as many streams nationally) are thought to be devoid of naturally occuring wood, which was removed to facilitate log/pulpwood drives and hasn’t really reoccurred naturally since log driving days because of cutting near the shores of streams. We found several log-driving dams on the Sunday, even high in the headwater streams, supporting this notion.

Jay Milot, who works in the White Mountain National Forest, has had good results from adding trees to a number of streams, and did the work on the Sunday River. We have a similar project on the headwaters of Bemis Stream, a tributary to Mooselookmeguntic Lake, which is also being monitored.

– Forrest Bonney, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Strong

Region E – Moosehead Lake

There certainly were some explosive fireworks this weekend in the Greenville area and not just from the annual Fourth of July celebration. The hex hatch has started in earnest in the region and now is the time to enjoy some of the best dry fly fishing of the year.

I am a firm believer that if you want to catch big brook trout while fly fishing then you must fish below the surface with a sinking fly line. I’ve pawed through enough gut piles to know that big trout feed primarily on small fish, leeches, and crayfish. But this week is one of the few times when the big boys will be coaxed from the depths to feed on the surface for the those massive mayflies sometimes referred to as Green Drakes.

On many ponds the hatch begins around sunset and continues well after dark. I have seen some hatches that dribble off and on all day when the conditions are good, including a flat calm pond surface and warm air temperatures. Friday night was the best night in the area. The light west wind subsided and both the bugs and fish were ready. We have had a southerly wind since Saturday afternoon which has persisted through the prime evening hours. I suspect the next calm night will be very good hex fishing.

The East Outlet continues to provide some of the best fishing in the region even though the flows have been high recently. Salmon and brook trout are stacked in the river and those anglers that know where to fish during high water have been rewarded with great catches. The salmon are looking very good in the river, obviously taking advantage of the abundant supply of caddis and stoneflies in the river. Water temperatures remain cooler than normal and the fish are very feisty when hooked. Don’t drive by the East Outlet without taking a cast.

Don’t despair if you’re not into fly fishing. This is also a good time to dunk a bait or troll. The Greenville Junction Wharf is always a favorite spot for anglers who don’t have a boat. Most folks lob a worm or shiner off the end of the pier in hopes of catching a salmon or togue. The fishing is best in spring but it has some ups and downs throughout the summer. Right now the fishing is pretty good. We are hearing multiple reports of good salmon catches and a few lake trout as well.

This is also a good time to troll for lake trout and brook trout. As the surface temperatures approach 70 degrees, these coldwater fish slip down to the thermocline. If you know where to look, you can find these fish. I prefer a flat fish for both lakers and brookies this time of year. Size, speed, and depth are very important to be effective with a flat fish. Most people troll too fast with these lures which are meant to just crawl along.

– Tim Obrey, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Greenville

Region F — Penobscot

The summer field season has been in full swing for several weeks now for the fishery biologists in Region F. Staff has been busy conducting lake and pond surveys around the Penobscot Region to assess the condition of warm and coldwater fish populations as well as the condition of their habitat. Staff may visit 30-50 waters in a summer, along with keeping up with normal office paper work and other responsibilities of the job.

During a pond survey, we collect water quality information including a temperature and dissolved oxygen profile from the surface to the bottom of the lake (deepest point), as well as testing the pH, alkalinity, conductivity at the surface and bottom of the lake. A Secchi disk reading helps determine the clarity of the lake or pond, and biologists record the level of turbidity seen in the water at the same time. While this water quality “snap shot” can vary greatly depending on the weather conditions in the days prior to the survey, it gives us a general understanding of the basic physical and chemical properties of the lake. Since most of the lakes and ponds in Region F have been surveyed at least once (often more than once), biologists have prior readings to compare current results to. If anything were drastically out of the ordinary then further, more precise sampling would follow.

Fish samples, typically collected with traps or nets, can help fishery biologists determine if management strategies (stocking rates and regulations) are effective at producing desired growth rates of principal sport fish populations; mainly brook trout, salmon and lake trout. Usually we need a 15 to 30 fish sample across several age classes to determine the current condition of a population. Equipment such as traps and nets help us to quickly obtain a sample and are set from one hour to one day depending on the water body. Based on the results from our surveys we can then make recommendations for future management changes (if needed) to help maintain or enhance the sport fisheries in the region.

Recent fishing reports indicate, as expected, that cold water fish species have moved down with the cool water, generally to depths greater than 25 feet. Salmon have been biting off and on at Cold Stream Pond, and a good number of the spring yearling brook trout stocked this spring as a well as fall yearling brook trout stocked in 2007 have been providing for some steady action.

We’re still receiving reports of better than expected togue fishing at East Grand Lake, and Matagamon Lake has been hot as well. The green drake hatch has finally started in the Baxter State Park waters, so evening dry fly fishing should be fantastic!

The bass fishing in the Penobscot should be good all summer, but can be slow during the mid-day heat… anglers will do better on over cast days or during the morning or evening hours. Trolling or drift fishing for white perch in the evenings should be very productive, and if there happens to be a hatch coming off, fly fishing over a school of perch can be very entertaining.
Good luck, and be safe on the water.

– Richard Dill, Regional Fisheries Biologist, West Enfield

Region G – Aroostook County

The recent hot weather from the weekend is quickly dropping flows in the rivers, brooks and streams. As this water drops, fishing for trout should be excellent until the water becomes to warm and the fish search out spring holes to get them through the warm summer months. Larger rivers such as the Aroostook and Allagash, where trout have been spread out due to cool water temperatures, should now see trout actively feeding in the riffles. We would note, however, that flows in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway have been running high due to the abundant rainfall in that area of the state.

Whitney Brook, Three Brooks, River des Chutes and the North Branch of the Presque Isle Stream are a few of the good trout brooks in eastern Aroostook County that could be visited for a productive day of trout fishing. Behind North Maine Woods gates, the many tributaries to the St. John River remain cold and full of trout for those looking for some pan size trout to go with breakfast. As the days warm up, black flies should be less of a nuisance but the deer flies will become more of a plague. Troublesome as they can sometimes be, they are, however, much better than the hurricanes, firs, tornados and poisonous snakes that must be endured by our southern and western states!

– David J. Basley, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington

This flag proudly flies in a field overlooking a rural Maine farmhouse! Hope you Independence Day if a great one!

Tom Remington

Hat tip to The Adventurist.

A friend of mine used to do a lot of work as a graphic artist and much of his work appeared on T-Shirts sold in Maine and then abroad as their popularity grew. Several of his designs became very popular and I believe it was him that used the “Maine State Bird” on a T-Shirt. The one I do remember vividly is “Black Flies Don’t Bite They Suck”.

Evidently there are bad things that come with the good when it comes to cleaning up our rivers and streams - black flies. It appears these 2,000-plus species of blood sucking insects are finicky when it comes to where the female fly decides to drop her eggs that have been nourished with your blood.

Many people believe these bugs thrive in standing, stagnant and even murky, dirty water. That actually closely describes where mosquitoes breed but black flies prefer pristine, fast-moving water.

Many of Maine’s rivers used to be very dirty, polluted from paper mills and municipal runoff which included raw sewerage. Over the past 30 years, we have made great strides in cleaning up our waters and as a result we now are seeing more abundant black flies and the pesky creatures are showing up in places many of us never saw them before.

I grew up on one of America’s ten dirtiest rivers, the Androscoggin. Not so now. The area where I now spend my summers, the Upper Androscoggin, is a decent place to go fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout, as well as bass. The state record rainbow was caught on this river near here.

Of course as we watched the river clear up, stop stinking and become a bit more user friendly, we also witnessed more and more fish, birds and other wildlife. According to an article yesterday in the Boston Globe, much of the return of the fish and wildlife is also due to the return of the black fly.

Unlike mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant pools, black flies like clear running water. The adult female typically mates with males in midair before seeking a blood meal to nourish eggs. The female then deposits the eggs in flowing water, where they hatch into larvae. But the running water must be nearly pristine: Black flies are incredibly sensitive to pollution.

This helps explain what happens when hardcore fishermen venture deep into prime wild brook trout territory only to emerge a quart or two low on blood and demand a very large and raw beef steak. Brook trout and black flies seem to make a good combination as far as survivability goes. Both like clear and cold water, so when you find prime trout fishing you also are apt to find prime blood sucking by black flies. This helps ensure the survivability of the brook trout as whimpy casters dare not venture into these areas.

According to the same article in the Globe, Maine has no intentions of doing anything to slow down or stop the growth of the black fly. They are still enjoying the successes of cleaning up their waters and aren’t much interested in dumping things back into them in order to kill black flies. Pennsylvania, it’s reported, spends $6 million annually to rid the state of the pesky suckers.

I guess then it would be prudent to inform readers that the next time you are swatting and batting at nasty biting black flies, itching and scratching until your skin falls off, think about how clean your water must be and the great job we have done getting to a point where we all must suffer from the results.

Yippee!

Tom Remington

Region A – Southwestern Maine

Another reminder to the angling public: The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Fisheries Division is planning two informational meetings on proposed regulation changes intended to consolidate the Ice Fishing and Open Water Fishing law books. The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, June 23 at the Gray Regional Office, 358 Shaker Road in Gray, and the second will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 at the Sidney Regional Office, 270 Lyons Road, in Sidney. Additional information regarding the specific proposals is available on the Departments web site www.mefishwildlife.com under the “News and Events” link.

Fishing on the region’s largest lake – Sebago Lake — continues to be productive for both salmon and togue, and angler use remains fairly high. Adult salmon are making a strong showing in the catch, but a higher proportion of sublegal salmon are being caught. Some outstanding catches of lake trout also are being reported to our census clerk, Bill Yeo. One boat recently caught 20 togue, and boats with 10 togue or more are not uncommon.

Fishing for salmon on Sebago has been very good the last few years. Some experienced anglers report that the lake has recently produced some of the best salmon fishing, particularly in terms of overall size quality, in the last 40-60 years. In response to these significant improvements in the fishery, we have fielded some interesting theories about why the lake is now producing so many large salmon. In an effort to dispel these rumors I will briefly explain some of the management philosophy that has contributed to the development of this quality salmon fishery.

First and foremost, an abundance of smelt is critical to optimizing salmon growth and survival to large size. Only where salmon growth is optimized can salmon of large size quality be produced in any numbers. As a Classic Salmon water, the management focus on Sebago is on improving salmon size quality, sometimes at the expense of higher salmon catch rates associated with higher salmon densities.

In the past, the stocking of large numbers of hatchery salmon on top of existing wild production created competition between wild and stocked salmon for smelt and prevented optimal salmon growth. Additionally an abundance of wild lake trout heavily influences smelt abundance. Annually assessing wild salmon production in the Crooked River and significantly scaled back stocking of hatchery salmon has maintained lake salmon densities lower than in the past thus favoring salmon growth and survival as well as better fishing for larger salmon. We have also encouraged the harvest of lake trout through a variety of techniques, including liberalized regulations.

Anglers interested in a more through discussion of stocking rates and other issues related to the management of salmon in Sebago are encouraged to read the Sebago Lake Salmon Management Plan, which is available on the Department’s web site.

– Francis Brautigam, Regional Fishery Biologist, Gray

Region B – Central Maine

Bass clubs began their derby season June 1, but for the Region B fishery staff the season always begins with the annual Father’s Day derby held on Androscoggin Lake. We’ve been collecting bass data during these derbies for over 20 years. These derbies provide an excellent opportunity for us to collect both angler information and bass data in a very short period of time. We need only be present for a couple of hours at the weigh-in to gather data on upwards of 100 anglers and collect biological data on 100 bass. We first began attending these derbies because of our concerns, and public concerns, that these large derbies would adversely effect the bass population. Although there are annual fluctuations, the bass fisheries remain fairly stable in the five waters we’ve routinely studied over the years.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the bass clubs for their cooperation during our surveys.

An informational meeting regarding fishing regulation changes for 2010 will be held at the Sidney Regional Office on Wednesday June 25 at 7 p.m.. The office is located at 270 Lyons Road just west of the 120 exit of the interstate. Details of these changes were reported last week in this column and with other various press releases. The proposed changes are intended to provide anglers with increased fishing opportunities and to simplify the regulation booklet while protecting fisheries resources.

– James Lucas, Fisheries Biologist, Sidney

Region C – Downeast

For the second summer in a row, the fisheries staff in the Jonesboro office has been putting forth a massive effort to survey as many brooks and streams as possible in our region. With many of these streams, we have no documented information about habitat, fish species present, or if any barriers to fish passage exist (perched culverts, dams, etc.) We are also interested in documenting which streams have brook trout populations. Last year our regional staff and our Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture crew surveyed over 215 streams in Washington and Hancock counties.

The most valuable tool utilized by fisheries biologists when conducting stream surveys is electrofishing. In simple terms the electrofishing unit sends direct current (DC) electricity through the water, momentarily stunning any fish within range (a few feet around the electrode). The pulse rate at which this current travels can be set, and this pulsing causes any fish to rapidly swim toward the unit where they can be netted. The fish recover quickly, and after all necessary biological information is collected, they are released alive back into the water.

For work in small streams the biologists employ a backpack unit electrofishing unit. The operator wears the unit on a pack frame on his/her back and is joined by a netter who is responsible for scooping up all of the fish that enter the electrical field. If we were to simply stand on the bank and look into the water, we would never see the majority of fish present. If we were to set nets or minnow traps it would take a number of days to obtain fish and we would miss many fish. Electrofishing provides a highly productive method to sample a section of a couple hundred feet, through various habitat types, in a short amount of time. We can generally sample each stream site in two hours, including collecting length and weight data from any fish we catch, performing culvert assessments, and conducting water quality analysis.

People may question why we need to invest time and energy into surveying small, overgrown, essentially “un-fishable” streams. Well, in most cases these streams are literally tiny natural brook trout hatcheries. They are important because they contain spawning habitat, riffle areas for juveniles, and cold-water refuge areas. Many of these streams are tributaries furnishing trout to larger rivers or streams, or even dump directly into the ocean and may be sites where sea-run brook trout contribute to the resident population in the stream.

Along with the regional staff, a two-person crew, consisting of Amy Preble and Josh Kuester, has been surveying multiple streams every day. Their number one priority is to survey and assess as many brooks and streams as possible. This work is made possible thanks to a large-scale effort, headed in Maine by Merry Gallagher of our Bangor office, to document the occurrence of brook trout known as the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture Project. By summer’s end we hope to have new survey information for at least 150 brooks, rivers, and streams in the region. Based on past sampling, we expect to see that wild brook trout occur in a very high percentage of these streams, verifying Maine as the last stronghold for brook trout on the east coast.

– Joe Overlock, Fisheries Biologist Specialist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

The Androscoggin River was, until fairly recently, so polluted that it was a place to avoid, rather than a destination for recreation. With dramatic improvements in water quality and public access, the river has rapidly transformed into a major recreational attraction, and anglers, kayakers, canoers, duck and goose hunters, bird watchers, and fiddleheaders are utilizing the river more than ever before.

The Androscoggin from the New Hampshire border to Livermore Falls — the reach that we in Region D manage — offers a tremendous variety of high-quality fishing opportunities. The upper-most reaches are managed primarily for wild rainbow trout and stocked brown trout. We supplement the rainbow fishery with hatchery stocks, and hatchery brook trout are occasionally added for early-season anglers.

Late-season anglers can now take advantage of a new fall yearling stocking program. These browns, brookies, and salmon are in the 12- to 15-inch range when stocked in October, and we have evidence that some overwinter successfully and provide some great spring action. Smallmouth bass are also present in this part of the river, and their size quality is generally good.

Below Rumford, the primary fishery is for smallmouth bass. Bass in this river, which includes the impoundments formed by dams in Jay and Livermore Falls, are abundant and grow to trophy size. We also stock brown trout and rainbow trout below Rumford. As the summer progresses, seek these fish out near the mouths of tributaries (including the Swift River) and small spring seeps.

With the renewed public interest and use of the Androscoggin, we’ve developed a variety of new monitoring projects to help us manage these important new fisheries. Beginning in 1995, we’ve sampled smallmouth bass from all sections of the river above Jay; that work continues this spring in the river below Rumford. We’ve also worked to collect rainbows and browns above Bethel to determine growth rates and relative contributions of hatchery stocks, and we’ve successfully identified rainbow trout spawning and nursery habitats. Finally, we monitor the fishery annually through an extensive network of voluntary anglers and streamside card surveys.

We’ve recently increased the stocking rates of both rainbows and browns in the Gilead/Bethel area. Because our management objectives for the upper Androscoggin are focused on maintaining high size quality, we need to be assured that the increased stocking rates, combined with the highly restrictive regulations imposed in 2003, are not compromising fish quality. To that end, we’ll spend lots of effort this week updating our growth information by electrofishing the river from the New Hampshire to Rumford Point.

– David Boucher, Fisheries Biologist, Strong

Region E – Moosehead Lake

Each spring the Greenville staff tries to attend some of the local kids fishing events that are put on in the surrounding communities. For the second consecutive year, members of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis, and volunteers for the second year held a Youth Fishing Day on May 30 at Kiwanis Park Pond in Dover-Foxcroft.
Approximately 60 fourth grade students from the Morton Avenue Elementary School attended the one-day event. The class was broken into 4 groups of approximately 15 students. Wardens Dan Carroll and Jeremy Kemp provided a short demonstration on boating safety and the proper use of life jackets by getting several of the students involved. Students then had the opportunity to fish for about an hour.

The fish cooperated and most students were successful in catching a trout or two, and a few even practiced some catch and release. Before the fishing started, the kids were asked if there was anyone that had never fished before. There were a few students that had never fished before and this was their first time out. I’m happy to say that many of these kids caught their first fish. Several volunteers were on hand to assist in baiting hooks, untangling lines, cleaning fish, and provide valuable support to these young anglers. The weather was great, the kids went away with some valuable life jacket safety information, and they caught and handled some nice brook trout as well. All provided the makings for a successful event. A special thank-you goes out to Jim Ellis and his crew for once again providing a great outing for the kids in the Dover-Foxcroft area.

I also was involved in another kids’ event a day earlier. I have had the opportunity to be the Den Leader for my son’s Cub Scout Den for the past two years. Earlier this spring I contacted Gene Arsenault and Kevin Sousa at the Ela Fish Rearing Station in Embden and asked them if they would mind giving a tour of their facility to a group of young Scouts. As I expected, they were more than agreeable. On May 29, a caravan of four vehicles left Abbott at 9 a.m. and we made our way to Embden. Our group arrived at the facility around 10 a.m. and was welcomed by Kevin Sousa. Shortly thereafter our tour was underway. The scouts and parents alike were very interested in this facility. The boys were amazed at the numbers of fish that were in the tanks.

A couple of years ago many of the boys had the opportunity to assist us in stocking Drummond Pond in Abbott. This helped the Scouts understand where the fish come from and how they grow before being stocked into some of their favorite ponds and streams.

I would like to thank Gene and Kevin for allowing the Wolf Den of Pack 61 to come and tour the Embden facility. Kevin did a great job at answering questions posed by the scouts in a way that they were able to understand. This can often be a challenge. The scouts and their parents really enjoyed this experience.

– Jeff Bagley, Fisheries Biologist, Greenville

Region F – Penobscot Valley

The Penobscot River is starting to produce some bass fishing in spite of the up and down water levels. Anglers are reporting some decent fishing in all the usual places along the river from Old Town to Medway. Angling action on the river should pick up as the water levels continue to drop and temperatures start to climb. Smallmouth bass spawning activities have been interrupted more than once this year but should start to stabilize soon in the river.
Largemouth bass have been rumored to be in Mattanawcook Lake in Lincoln for a couple of years. On Friday we were able to document that fact. And so it goes — another illegal introduction in the Penobscot Drainage. Largemouth bass could not have come up from the river as there is no fishway on the outlet dam at Mattanawcook. Someone must have brought them purposely to the lake to stock. Not until anglers are willing to come forward to report these illegal stockings will this ever stop.

The illegal introduction of any fish into any Maine water is a Class E crime, punishable by fines up to $10,000. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is offering a minimum reward of $2,000 for information leading to the apprehension of persons responsible for the illegal introduction of fish. Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-253-7887.

I would like to make all anglers aware of a change in the general law bass regulations in effect for the first time this year. In the past anglers were required to use artificial lures only when fishing for bass until June 20, with a one bass bag limit and a 12-inch length limit. Now, anglers must use artificial lures until June 30 with a one bass bag and a 10-inch length limit. Specials still apply on certain waters as before. Please check your 2008 Open Water Fishing Regulations Booklet, or online at:
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/laws_rules/fishing/openwaterlaws.htm
Lakes and ponds in and around the Baxter State Park area are starting to produce some decent fishing for both brook trout and landlocked salmon. All of the usual spots in the park are seeing increased traffic as the trails dry out and washouts are repaired. Anglers are reporting good trout fishing at Celia Pond, Kidney Pond, Daicey Pond, Round Pond, Rocky Pond, Draper Pond, The Fowlers, Billfish Pond, Frost Pond, High Pond and Long Pond. Salmon anglers are hooking up at Matagamon Lake and Scraggly Lake to the north, while to the south Millinocket Lake and Pemadumcook Lake are producing some excellent catches of salmon and togue. Matagamon has also been providing some fast action for both brook trout and togue in addition to the fine salmon fishing.

– Nels Kramer, Fisheries Biologist, West Enfield

Region G – Aroostook County

IF&W’s Fisheries Division’s Lakes Research group that works out of our Bangor office recently brought its new electrofishing raft to Aroostook County to sample small ponds and rivers. This new tool worked very efficiently and will be a great tool for sampling fish populations in the future. Thanks to Joe Dembeck and Jason Seiders for building the new craft and coming north to train Region G staff on its use.

We focused our efforts on a few waters where smallmouth bass have been reported or where we suspect they have invaded new waters. Smallmouth bass are not native to waters in Aroostook County, but with a large population having been established in the St. John River, bass now have access to a few drainages where they did not historically exist. The Meduxnekeag River drainage is one watershed where we have documented the spread of bass in recent years and are concerned with the invasion of muskellunge as well. Bass were being reported from a stretch of river in the town of Littleton during the 1980s; these reports became more frequent in the late 1990s and Nickerson Lake, New Limerick and Linneus, was documented to have bass in 2002.

We were able to sample the River in Littleton last week and sampled several bass but no muskellunge. The river temperature had warmed to the point that trout are now seeking out cooler tributaries. We were able to sample a number of brook trout very quickly with the raft. The Meduxnekeag River supports a good fishery for wild brook and brown trout and we will continue to monitor this fishery and the impact of non-native sport fish that become established there.

– Frank Frost, Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Fisheries Division is planning two informational meetings on a set of proposed regulation changes that are the result of our efforts to consolidate the Ice Fishing and Open Water Fishing law books.

The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, June 23 at the Gray Regional Office, 358 Shaker Road in Gray, and the second will be on at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 at the Sidney Regional Office, 270 Lyons Road, in Sidney.

If passed, the proposed regulation changes will take effect in April 2010 when the Department combines the two law books into a two-year booklet.

“These proposals will help east the process for a much broader rulemaking effort in 2009,” said John Boland, director of IF&W’s Fisheries Division.

The public is invited to provide comments either in writing or at one of the public informational meetings. Written comments may be sent to John.Boland@maine.gov or mailed to Mr. Boland’s attention at 284 State St., Station 41, Augusta, ME 04333.

Most of the proposed changes will affect southern and central Maine. The Department’s objective is to increase angling opportunities where possible, further simplify the law book, and save time and financial resources that instead can be used to continue protecting the inland fisheries resource, Boland said.

The following general fishing rules are being proposed for lakes and ponds in Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo counties, although special restrictions may apply for specific waters:

Proposal Number 1: Lakes and ponds will be open to open water fishing year round. (Note: Two lines per angler, general law.)

* Lakes and ponds will be open to ice fishing from Dec 1 through April 30. (Note: We provided this liberal time frame in order to account for years when ice forms early on waters and/or for years when ice remains later on waters. A time period was decided rather stating “presence of ice or safe ice” given the “fuzzy” nature of such terms.)

* Lakes and ponds will be Catch and Release for all salmonids from Oct. 1 thru Dec. 31. (Note: General law for all other species would apply during this time period. Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.) The term salmonids includes the following Maine fish species — Arctic charr, brook trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, splake, and togue.

* For lakes and ponds, the general law bag and length limits for salmonids apply from January 1 thru September 30. (Note - Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.)

Also, under the proposed general rule fishing regulations, both ice anglers and open water anglers could fish lakes and ponds in December, but could not harvest salmonids, unless provided by special regulation. From Jan. 1 thru April 30, both groups of anglers could fish lakes and ponds and harvest salmonids under respective bag and length limits.

Proposal Number 2: Unless otherwise provided by rule, the number of lines an angler may fish at any one time will be limited to two lines while open water fishing and five lines while ice fishing. At no time can an angler fish more than five lines. (Note: This modification in wording for the number of lines that can be fished by an angler at any one time is being made to address the potential for anglers to simultaneously ice fish and open water fish in lakes and ponds in the eight southern counties of Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo.)

Proposal Number 3: The current statewide aggregate bag limit for salmonids of five fish will be removed. (Note: IF&W management decisions regarding bag limits, length limits, open seasons, etc. for salmonids are already focused at the species level and the removal of this regulation would not impact current management strategies.) Again, the term salmonids includes the following Maine fish species – Arctic charr, brook trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, splake, and togue.

Posted by Tom Remington

Informational meetings on proposed regulation changes

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Fisheries Division is planning two informational meetings on a set of proposed regulation changes that are the result of our efforts to consolidate the Ice Fishing and Open Water Fishing law books.

The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, June 23 at the Gray Regional Office, 358 Shaker Road in Gray, and the second will be on at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 at the Sidney Regional Office, 270 Lyons Road, in Sidney.

If passed, the proposed regulation changes will take effect in April 2010 when the Department combines the two law books into a two-year booklet.

“These proposals will help east the process for a much broader rulemaking effort in 2009,” said John Boland, director of IF&W’s Fisheries Division.

The public is invited to provide comments either in writing or at one of the public informational meetings. Written comments may be sent to John.Boland@maine.gov or mailed to Mr. Boland’s attention at 284 State St., Station 41, Augusta, ME 04333.

Most of the proposed changes will affect southern and central Maine. The Department’s objective is to increase angling opportunities where possible, further simplify the law book, and save time and financial resources that instead can be used to continue protecting the inland fisheries resource, Boland said.

The following general fishing rules are being proposed for lakes and ponds in Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo counties, although special restrictions may apply for specific waters:

Proposal Number 1: Lakes and ponds will be open to open water fishing year round. (Note: Two lines per angler, general law.)

· Lakes and ponds will be open to ice fishing from Dec 1 through April 30. (Note: We provided this liberal time frame in order to account for years when ice forms early on waters and/or for years when ice remains later on waters. A time period was decided rather stating “presence of ice or safe ice” given the “fuzzy” nature of such terms.)

· Lakes and ponds will be Catch and Release for all salmonids from Oct. 1 thru Dec. 31. (Note: General law for all other species would apply during this time period. Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.) The term salmonids includes the following Maine fish species — Arctic charr, brook trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, splake, and togue.

· For lakes and ponds, the general law bag and length limits for salmonids apply from January 1 thru September 30. (Note - Special regulations, more liberal or conservative, can be provided on specific waters as appropriate.)

Also, under the proposed general rule fishing regulations, both ice anglers and open water anglers could fish lakes and ponds in December, but could not harvest salmonids, unless provided by special regulation. From Jan. 1 thru April 30, both groups of anglers could fish lakes and ponds and harvest salmonids under respective bag and length limits.

Proposal Number 2: Unless otherwise provided by rule, the number of lines an angler may fish at any one time will be limited to two lines while open water fishing and five lines while ice fishing. At no time can an angler fish more than five lines. (Note: This modification in wording for the number of lines that can be fished by an angler at any one time is being made to address the potential for anglers to simultaneously ice fish and open water fish in lakes and ponds in the eight southern counties of Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo.)

Proposal Number 3: The current statewide aggregate bag limit for salmonids of five fish will be removed. (Note: IF&W management decisions regarding bag limits, length limits, open seasons, etc. for salmonids are already focused at the species level and the removal of this regulation would not impact current management strategies.) Again, the term salmonids includes the following Maine fish species– Arctic charr, brook trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, splake, and togue.

Region A – Southwestern Maine

I came into the office Monday morning to an urgent phone message and a rather amusing e-mail from the same caller. Following is an excerpt from the e-mail:

“Well, if you don’t hear from me, I have been beamed up! Last night at 10 p.m., there was a mysterious boat on the water here. Seen from one end of the lake to the other. Description: Large, about 12 big headlights around the sides, large scoops on either side, water expelling from the rear. Another lake resident said it lit up the inside of her house (she’s right on the water) and she went out to see what it was and it was NOISELESS! I called Maine fisheries to see if they were stocking the lake last night. They do not stock at night. All the stocking is done already including Tripp.”

I spoke with the above person Monday morning, and fortunately she hadn’t been abducted by aliens over the weekend. She was very relieved to hear that the beings and foreign craft on Tripp Lake were simply the regional fisheries staff and their electrofishing boat.

We spent much of last week sampling bass populations into the wee hours of the morning on Pleasant Lake (Casco), Deer Pond (Hollis), and Tripp Lake (Poland). If all goes well, we hope to sample at least another three waters including Halls Pond (Paris), Barkers Pond (Lyman), and Chaffin Pond (Windham). Our bass assessments are always interesting, and we often leave with a new perspective on the fishery. For example, we expected relatively low numbers of bass on Pleasant Lake due to its predominantly sandy shoreline and lack of structure. However, it turned out the lake produced fairly good numbers of quality sized smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Based on our surveys conducted during the first week of June, it appeared that smallmouth bass were well into their spawning season on most regional lakes. As the spawning season for smallmouths begins to wind down, anglers can expect largies to begin their spawning season. In addition, anglers can often extend the opportunities for spawning bass by fishing larger waters, cool rivers, and/or by traveling northward. For example, I paddled around Sebago Lake with my son over the weekend, and I was unable to find a smallmouth nest on the portions of the main lake due to the cooler surface temperatures. On the other hand, smallmouths and largemouths were observed cruising in the shallows and hanging around docks suggesting it wouldn’t be long.

– James Pellerin, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Gray

Region B – Central Maine

Many lakes and ponds in the region are already at mid-summer water levels, as rainfall in the month of May was much below normal. Up until recently, the cool nights along with windy cool days made for unusual fishing conditions where anglers were enjoying an extension of springtime low water conditions as lake water temperatures were in the low 60s: prime temperatures for salmonids in this region. Bass spawning was delayed with smallmouth bass seen on their nests in early June. In Maine, though the locals tell us to wait a minute, as weather turned sultry over the weekend, fishing conditions turned about normal.

In the village of Belgrade Lakes, anglers attracted by the water flow at the dam are rewarded with white perch and the occasional brown trout and salmon. Other places that flowing water will attract both fish and fishermen are: Wings Mill Dam at the outlet of Long Pond; all the dams on Messalonskee Stream; the dams on the outlet of Cobbossee Lake; the dams on the Nezinscot; dams on the Sheepscot River; the dams or remnants on the St. George River; and dams on the Sebasticook River. If you cannot get to any of those, try looking even closer to home at an outlet of the lake or pond in your neighborhood that may have a dam or an outlet constriction. It may hold a temporary, yet rewarding, fishery.

There is no shortage of inquiries generated by information in recent fishing reports. Most want specific directions to hot spots in the central Maine area. As most well informed anglers know, biologists are able to do research that provides an “edge” for the professional fishery scientists. We also have the knowledge as to where the hatchery system should stock waters suitable for providing a fishery for our angling clientele. At this time of year there are many waters that will yield a decent catch of stocked salmonid species.

There also are many waters that still yield the native brook trout and the occasional native brownie, togue or salmon. Wild brookies, the most popular fish in Maine, have a limited distribution in Region B by the fact that there are few brooks and streams where cool water temperatures and decent flows are readily available in the months of June through September. Many lakes and ponds also have limited salmonid habitat due to the fact that as a lake stratifies, oxygen becomes depleted in the deeper water. Biologists have conducted experimental stocking programs in many waters in order to provide the species best suited for a particular body of water.

So if you are salmonid fishing or fishing for any of our warmwater fishes have fun and enjoy the fruits of many who manage and provide a true American pastime in the Vacationland of Maine. Give any of the regional fishery biologists a call at one of the seven offices around the state. You can find the telephone numbers at the State of Maine web site: www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/index/htm. Call and get the “scoop”.

–William L. Woodward, Assistant Regional Fishery Biologist, Sidney

Region C – Downeast

Smallmouth bass and chain pickerel recently have moved into the shallows and are providing anglers with fast fishing. In-shore lake water temperatures have risen into the mid 60s, and bass and pickerel have followed. When the shallow shoreline temperatures increase, baitfish and small game-fish stay close to shore, darting in and out of newly emerging vegetation, rocks and logs, while feeding on an abundance of food.

Chain pickerel take great advantage of the abundant schools of juvenile fish and stalk and wait until unsuspecting prey meander by. The current water temperatures have produced near-optimum feeding conditions for both bass and pickerel, and they both will strike hard as they bolt from in-shore cover to grab their hapless victim. No longer are they lethargic fighters from being in the ice-cold winter and spring waters. They jump, dive and bull their way through the shallows and off drop-offs trying to get off your line. This is the best time of year to experience fast shallow water action.

Bass are spawning now and also take great advantage of a plethora of food, in the form of insects and baitfish, swimming by their nesting areas. Male bass commonly charge out and grab baitfish when they can, while still protecting their eggs and young in the vicinity of the nest.

Here are some of the best lakes and ponds to fish for chain pickerel and smallmouth bass:

Smallmouth bass – Hancock County waters: Long Pond, Mount Desert Island; Branch Lake, Ellsworth; Green Lake, Ellsworth; Graham Lake, Ellsworth; Beech Hill Pond, Otis; Georges Pond, Franklin; Long Pond, T 10 SD; Molasses Pond, Eastbrook; Toddy Pond, Orland; Alamoosook Lake, Orland; Holbrook Pond, Holden; Donnell Pond, Franklin.

Chain Pickerel – Hancock County waters: Scammon Pond, Eastbrook; Seal Cove Pond, Tremont; Alamoosook Lake, Dead River Section, Orland; Graham Lake, Ellsworth; Upper West Bay Pond, Gouldsboro; Upper Patten Pond, Surry; Davis Pond, Eddington; Rocky Pond, T 22 MD.

Smallmouth bass – Washington County waters: Wabassus Lake, T 6 ND; Big Lake, T 27 ED; West Grand Lake, Grand Lake Stream; Pocomoonshine Lake, Alexander; Crawford Lake, Crawford; Love Lake, Alexander; Pleasant Lake, Alexander; Bog Lake, Northfield; Meddybemps Lake, Meddybemps; Woodland Flowage, Woodland; Third Machias Lake, T 43 MD; Pocumcus Lake, T 6 ND; Cathance Lake, Cooper; Gardner Lake, East Machias; Rocky Lake, T 18 ED.

Chain pickerel – Washington County waters: Grand Falls Flowage, Princeton; Woodland Flowage, Woodland; Orange Lake, Whiting; Pocomoonshine Lake, Alexander; Crawford Lake, Crawford; Chain Lakes, T 26 ED; Fourth Machias Lake, T 5 ND; Hadley Lake, East Machias.

These are some of the very best Downeast bass and pickerel waters for you to experience this fantastic early season shallow water action. Both of these fish are easy to catch and are great fun for children.

– Greg Burr, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Maine

We’ve had cool weather, we’ve had rain, and now we’ve had blistering heat, which sends salmon and trout scurrying into deeper water. Nonetheless, they’re still biting at our big lakes. At Aziscohos anglers have been catching a lot of salmon, up to 18 inches, and fewer trout.

We’ve been concerned about Rangeley Lake the last couple of years as we’ve watched salmon growth rates slide. As a result, we curtailed stocking the last two springs as numbers of wild salmon increased, and we’re encouraging anglers to keep a salmon to thin the number of predators on smelts. These efforts may be working as we’ve seen some fatter salmon this spring, and anglers are reporting clouds of smelts on their fish finders. Managing salmon waters can be a bit nerve wracking, as it’s always a struggle to balance their numbers against the forage fish they feed on. And landlocked salmon are notoriously finiky eaters — quite simply, if they don’t have smelt to feed on, they rarely do well.

The past few years we’ve been stocking a number of “marginal” waters with large brook trout to create additional spring fisheries. Some of these waters become too warm in the summer for brookies and some have quite a lot of interspecific competition from warm water fish species, but brookies will certainly thrive for a few months after ice out. One such water is Harvey Pond, beside Route 4 in Madrid, Franklin County. We frequently travel this road on our way to Rangeley, but haven’t seen much in the way of angling activity. And so it was that Dave Howatt and Liz Studdert checked for the presence of these brookies with a net last week. They immediately caught large numbers of them, confirming that they’re there, waiting for someone to throw a lure their way.

With our stockings now listed on our website, it’s easy to find waters that have trout and other species waiting for anglers to go after them.

– Forrest Bonney, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Strong

Region E – Moosehead Lake

The fisheries staff from the Moosehead Lake Regional Office of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has teamed up with the Natural Resource Education Center in Greenville to create a new program that will provide a mechanism for students interested in the field of resource management to gain valuable hands-on field experience while making a positive contribution to the enhancement of fisheries management in the Moosehead Lake Region. This program also will allow biologists to conduct new, innovative fisheries research in the area. We have developed a list of potential projects to conduct in the next few years.

The new internship program will contribute to NREC’s goals of providing high-quality on and off-site learning experiences, to be a research center for the area, to have highly engaged partners, and to sponsor programs that honor the area. The program will also help the IFW meet its goal of effectively managing the fisheries resource. The Moosehead Lake Region includes more than 1,200 lakes and ponds, as well as more than 4,000 miles of flowing water. Currently, this massive region, which has more water than many states, is managed by just three permanent fisheries biologists.

This spring NREC hired two Unity College students to remove competing fish species from two trout ponds in the region. Work began in early May on Crocker Pond in Dennistown and Misery Pond in Misery Township. Misery Pond is a native brook trout water, while Crocker Pond is stocked annually by the IF&W. Based on previous sucker removal studies, brook trout growth and survival improves when large numbers of suckers are removed from small trout ponds.

The interns were more successful at Crocker Pond, where they removed just over 5,300 suckers weighing approximately 2,000 total pounds. We also were very impressed with the trout fishery at this pond, which is located just a few miles north of Jackman. Crocker Pond is generally managed as a “put and take” fishery for hatchery brook trout. It is stocked each spring and fall. There are no gear restrictions on this water and the only special regulation is a two fish limit to spread the catch between the many anglers that utilize this fishery. We delayed the stocking this spring until the project was completed. We documented that 20 percent of our catch of brook trout was over 12 inches, indicating that many fish were surviving and growing beyond the management goal.

We were able to talk to quite a few anglers that were fishing while we were conducting our work and one had landed a nice fish exceeding 3 pounds. Clearly, this stocked pond is heavily utilized by locals and visitors, yet it is still a very nice fishery. It is a great example of how hatchery fish can create fishing opportunities and actually take some fishing pressure off wild/native trout ponds in an area.

This cooperative project is supported by donations to NREC from groups and individuals interested in improving the fishing in the Region, as well as funds from this winter’s togue fishing derby on Moosehead Lake sponsored by the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce. We plan to continue the competition removal project next spring and add new projects in the near future. Thanks to everyone for their support!

One last note: We want to remind everyone that the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition and the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce are planning a summer fishing derby on Moosehead Lake on June 21 and 22. There will be $1,200 in cash prizes and numerous door prizes including an Old Town Predator square stern canoe. You can get more info at www.mooseheadlake.org. It’s a great chance to enjoy the beautiful lake in the summer and have a chance at winning some terrific prizes.

– Tim Obrey, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Greenville

Region F – Penobscot Valley

Reports from around the region are that the trout ponds are getting hot, with good hatches of insects coming off in the evenings making for excellent dry fly or emerging fly fishing conditions. The salmon and togue are heading for deeper water in the Regions southern and central lakes, but that salmon can still be taken near the surface in lakes north of Millinocket, especially on overcast, rainy days. Togue at Cold Stream Pond are already down at 60 to 80 feet. Trout fishing in the East Branch Penobscot below Mattagamon Lake was especially good last week, and this should continue for at least another week. The recent cool damp days appear to have moved bass temporarily off the spawning beds, but the warm weather predicted for the upcoming week should help set the mood and make for prime bass fishing conditions. Remember, when fishing bass during the spawn get them back in the water ASAP while the boat is still near the nest. The longer a nest is left unguarded, the more susceptible it is to predation by other fishes.

It appears as though we can add at least three more lakes to the ever growing list of waters in Maine that have been illegally stocked with non-native fish species. Based on a report and pictures we received last week from a concerned angler, largemouth bass are now firmly established in Mattanawcook Lake, and Folsom and Crooked Ponds in the town of Lincoln. In fact, the angler reported that “largemouths are now captured as often if not more frequently than smallmouths in these ponds.”

While it is unfortunate that the smallmouth bass population appears to be in the process of being displaced by the largemouths, even more disconcerting is that Mattanawcook Lake, like several other illegally stocked largemouth waters in the drainage, flows directly into the Penobscot River. Largemouth bass are not known as a riverine fish, however access to the river means largemouth now have the ability to swim into countless other lakes and ponds in the Penobscot drainage putting at risk the native fish communities that inhabit them.

I have heard illegal stockings dubbed by some as the ecological crime of the century in Maine, and I would have to agree. The Department’s education and outreach programs informing citizens of the risk of illegal introductions is admirable and in my opinion has likely made a difference for those people accepting of such information. However, there are a number of individuals out there that have decided to knowingly and willingly take matters into their own hands, ignoring that they are forever changing the fish communities, and potentially entire lake ecosystems in the Maine waters that they choose to stock. Please help us in our efforts to prevent future illegal stockings by reporting suspected illegal stocking activities. The State of Maine offers a $2,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for illegal stocking. To report an illegal introduction call 1-800-ALERT-US (253-7887) or 287-6057. To report using US Cellular or Maine Wireless dial #GE and for Unicel dial *GW.

– Richard Dill, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Enfield

Region G – Aroostook County

Kayaking has fast overtaken canoeing as a preferred method of floating navigable rivers and streams for recreation purposes. There are some now who also use this watercraft for fishing. The Meduxnekeag River flowing through downtown Houlton should be on the list of destination for a day trip kayak adventure. From the public boat landing just downstream of Riverside Park to the public access on land owned by the Houlton Band of Maliseets at the iron bridge on the Lowrey Road or the Covered Bridge on the Carson Road, the river gradient is flat and the current gentle. The water level drops quickly in the summer but for this time of year there should be ample flow to float a kayak. Other times during the summer the trip could be made after a rainstorm or several days of steady rain.

The river corridor is little developed with homes or camps so one has the feeling of being in a remote setting while public roads parallel either side of the river. Sport fisheries that can be experienced include brook trout, brown trout and smallmouth bass that have moved into the drainage from the St. John River in New Brunswick. Either before or after the trip, visitors can experience the business/lunch attractions that are available in downtown Houlton within easy walking distance of the public boat launch.

– David J. Basley, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington

Weekly Open Water Fishing Report
For the Week beginning June 3, 2008

Region A – Southwestern Maine

Local anglers have reported some great trout and salmon fishing in southern Maine over Memorial Day week, and the cool nights should continue that trend for the foreseeable future.

An angler from Raymond reported a fantastic trip on Sebago Lake, where two fishermen each caught and harvested their limit of six lake trout. Although their primary target was togue, they also caught and released several salmon with a total of 19 salmonids boated!

My dad went out on Sebago on Memorial Day with my brother-in-law, nephew, and my niece’s boyfriend and they landed three salmon and a laker. My 11-year-old nephew, Casey Brown, caught a 16-inch landlocked salmon and a 24-inch lake trout. He released the salmon, but proudly harvested the trout. My sister stuffed the togue and baked it for dinner, and my nephew proclaimed, “I’m providing dinner for the family tonight!”

Stream fishing for trout also has been good. I ran into my neighbor’s son while shopping at Cabela’s and he reported catching some brookies and browns on the Little River in Gorham. He released the browns hoping they would grow up to the 24-incher he landed there a few years back, but decided to keep the “put-and-take” brookies that wouldn’t fair too well once the river warms up later in the summer.

I was planning to take my 4-year-old son, Hunter, bass fishing over the weekend, but our plans were foiled by the weather. Saturday rained and it was blowing a gale on Sunday afternoon. A four year old, high winds and a canoe are not a good combination. Hunter was disappointed, so I took him down to the Presumpscot River below the Mallison Dam. We saw several fly fishermen, and two of them landed trout during the short time we were there. Hunter managed to get in a half-dozen or more casts in with his Scooby-Doo fishing rod before deciding that throwing rocks into river was way more fun! He had a great time, and I realized that I was probably going to have to invest in a rod that casts more than 6-10 feet if I ever want him to catch a fish and stop throwing rocks!

Smallmouth bass are spawning and largemouths will soon follow. It’s a great time to get out there and bass fish. Male smallmouths are extremely aggressive when guarding their nest, and it is not uncommon to catch the same fish multiple times in a day. However, spawning can be a difficult time on these fish and I wouldn’t recommend over fishing a particular individual. Besides there may be a bigger bass behind the next boulder, although less aggressive, largemouths will also be easier to target during their spawning season. Not only is the action good, but you combine that with sight fishing and quality sized adults – it’s hard to beat! In my opinion it can be one of the best fishing times of the year, and I’m a trout fisherman at heart.

Late spring bass fishing is also a great way to introduce kids to fishing, since the action and catching can be almost nonstop. Get outdoors and enjoy. It’s one of the best seasons for both trout and bass!

— James Pellerin, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Gray

Region B – Central Maine

The spring stocking of scheduled fish is winding down in the throughout the mid-coast region. While there are some ponds that get multiple stockings each year, the majority of this year’s spring fish are in and acclimating to their new homes, or may have been hooked by an intrepid angler. More than 56,000 brook trout, 14,600 brown trout, 2,500 landlocked salmon, 1,000 rainbows and 4,000 splake have been planted in 86 waters throughout the region.

A representative list of just some of the waters in the region that recently were stocked by our hatchery staff include:

• Wassokeag Lake, Dexter, 1,000 brook trout;
• Cochnewagon Pond, Monmouth, 500 brook trout;
• China Lake, China, 1,500 brook trout;
• Ross Pond, Bristol, 750 brook trout;
• Maranacook Lake, Winthrop, 2,000 brook trout;
• St. George Lake, Liberty, 1,000 landlocked salmon;
• Nezinscot River, Turner, 1,900 brown trout;
• Alford Lake, Hope, 1,300 brook trout;
• Halfmoon Pond, Prospect, 1,000 brook trout;
• St. George River, Thomaston, etc., 3,000 brown trout;
• Unity Pond, Unity, 500 brook trout;
• Swan Lake, Swanville, 500 landlocked salmon;
• Flying Pond, Vienna, 1,000 brook trout;
• Kennebec River, Shawmut, 2,000 brown trout;
• Megunticook Lake, Lincolnville, 500 rainbow trout;
• Echo Lake, Mt. Vernon, 500 landlocked salmon;
• Brettun’s Pond, Livermore, 500 brook trout;
• West Garland Pond, Garland, 300 brook trout;
• Jamie’s Pond, Manchester, 750 brook trout.

The above list is only a sampling of what has been stocked around the Region, there are many more. For the complete list go to: www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/reports/stocking/index.htm. Click on the 2008 stocking report. That link will have this year’s report, which has updated as the spring stocking has progressed. Good luck out there!

– Robert Van-Riper, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Sidney

Region C – Downeast

If you prefer fishing that is characterized by lots of “catching,” this is the time for you! Recent weather has warmed lake temperatures into the mid-60 degree range, resulting in peaks of activity for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Mature bass are moving to the shores to spawn, producing some fast fishing. Remember that Maine’s general law on bass allows artificial lures only until July 1.

Because male bass remain on the nest to guard eggs and fry from being eaten by other fish, it is highly important that anglers land and release all bass quickly and as close to the nest as possible. Remember, male bass are excellent and protective parents whose role is vital in protecting each year’s next generation of bass.

Bass fishing is the way fishing should be! Once you learn their cover and habitat preferences along with locations of that habitat in the lake you are fishing, cooperative fish will be there.

What lures are best? Almost any fishing lure works – from Mepps-style spinners to topwater Jitterbugs or Tiny Torpedos, diving crankbaits, and soft plastics with jigs. You can hardly go wrong. Be ready to set the hook almost as soon as your lure hits the water because the action can be quick.

Maine bass begin to spawn at around 9 inches in length, at an age of about four years old. In eastern Maine, a 12-inch bass averages six years old – slow growth due to a relatively short growing season but lots of fish. And Maine biologists have found that trophy bass larger than 18 inches long are 15-20 years old, so for every one harvested, it will take that long to grow another to replace it. For this reason, many anglers release most of their bass. This strong catch and release ethic is a key reason why Maine has some of the most highly cherished bass fisheries in the United States. Many tournament anglers have told me that Maine’s bass fisheries are held in the highest regard by other tournament anglers.

Hancock and Washington Counties have about 80-plus lakes with bass populations. Good fisheries are found at: Toddy Pond in Orland, Branch and Green Lakes in Ellsworth, Beech Hill Pond in Otis, Pleasant River Lake in Beddington, Schoodic Lake in Cherryfield, Gardner Lake in East Machias, Cathance Lake in Cooper, Meddybemps Lake in Meddybemps, West Grand and Big Lake in Grand Lake Stream, Boyden Lake in Perry, Rocky Lake in T 18 ED, and Rocky Lake in Whiting.

Take some youngsters, pack a big picnic lunch, and head out soon! Don’t forget the swimming suits if it’s a hot day. The kids will never forget the excitement of hooking several bass in a day in a sport they will probably continue to pursue for a lifetime of enjoyment.

– Rick Jordan, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

Anglers on Aziscohos Lake in Lincoln Plantation in Oxford County have had good action lately. Our creel clerk, Liz Studdert, has so far interviewed 73 anglers that have logged over 300 hours of fishing time. In that time they reported catching 17 legal brook trout and 45 legal salmon. Also reported were 102 sublegal salmon, so Aziscohos Lake should remain good fishing for at least a few years to come. The salmon kept are averaging 16¾ inches, with the largest being 19¾ inches long and weighing about 2½ pounds. The brook trout kept are running about 13 inches in length.

Fishing has generally been good lately, with hatches of insect life in the evening being triggered by the sunny days. Some very enjoyable, and perhaps overlooked, fishing opportunities occur in the many miles of small brooks and streams throughout the state. Small trout, most commonly brook trout, are often abundant in this type of habitat. They will aggressively bite a baited hook or a small wet fly at any time of day. There is no better place to introduce a young angler to trout fishing than a small mountain stream. Most all the brooks in northwestern Maine have at least a few trout present, but brooks around the towns of Andover, Weld, Madrid, Eustis, and Bingham all have thriving populations.

Anglers interested in warmwater fish are having good luck also. Bass are spawning and will instinctively defend their nesting area from everything, including fishing lures. White perch are another species of fish active this time of year. They gather in schools near the water’s surface and are usually easy to locate on a calm evening. A few places to look for them are Locke Pond in Chesterville, Lufkin Pond in Phillips, Wentworth Pond in Solon, and Moxie Lake in The Forks Plantation. Anglers that harvest white perch are rewarded with high quality fillets for a chowder or fish fry.

– Forrest Bonney, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Strong

Region E – Moosehead Lake

This past weekend marked the State of Maine’s Family Fishing Days. On May 31 and June 1 any person was allowed to fish without a license, except those whose license had been suspended or revoked. All other laws and regulations applied on these days. These family fishing days are designed to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy a day of fishing with family and friends. These free fishing days may hook some individuals into obtaining a year round fishing license, so that they can further enjoy the plentiful fishing resources offered in the State of Maine.

Water temperatures still are fairly cool, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 50s in the smaller ponds across the region. As a result, mayfly and caddis hatches have been slow to start. Most of the insect activity has been spotty and will increase with warmer temperatures forecasted for the coming weeks. Brook trout stomachs have mostly contained dragon fly nymphs, midge larva, and leaches.

Reports from Moosehead Lake have been presented with a smile from anglers. Anglers are reporting good catches of lake trout, and a few nice landlocked salmon and brook trout are making there way into the creel. The Moosehead Lake Region Fisheries Staff is still encouraging anglers to take advantage of the no size or bag limit on lake trout less than 18 inches. Anglers took full advantage of this regulation this past winter and we are hopeful it will continue this spring. This liberal bag limit on these smaller lake trout in Moosehead Lake is designed to decrease the number of smaller individuals in this over abundant lake trout fishery.
Reports from the Moose River, West Branch of the Penobscot, and the East Outlet of the Kennebec are very encouraging. Anglers are reporting catching some nice salmon and brook trout. Fish are being taken on a variety of wet fly and nymph patterns. These dam controlled river systems provide cool water temperatures through out the summer months and can provide some good fishing during the warmer days of summer.

If you are planning to fish moving water in the Moosehead Lake Region it is a good idea to check the river flows before you head north. FPL Energy and Kennebec Water Power Co. have a flow hotline for flow levels on the Kennebec and Androscoggin rivers at 1-800-557-3569. If you are headed to the West Branch of the Penobscot River call the Brookfield Power river flow hotline at 1-888-323-4341.

– Stephen Seeback, Fisheries Biology Specialist, Greenville

Region F – Penobscot Valley

We continue to get reports of good catches of lake trout from East Grand Lake in Danforth and Weston, with many fish in the 5- to 10-pound range. Reports of respectable catches of lake trout also have come from Schoodic Lake in Brownville, Millinocket Lake in T1 R8 WELS, and Cold Stream Pond in Enfield. Pemadumcook in T1 R9 WELS and Matagamon at the northeast corner of Baxter State Park are two lakes that have the potential to produce some very nice lake trout as well (10 pounds-plus).

The salmon fishing in Region F continues to be good at Hay Lake, Shin Ponds, Pleasant Pond, Mattawamkeag Lake, Matagamon Lake and Scraggly Lake. Cold Stream, Schoodic, Pemadumcook, Upper Jo Mary and East Grand lakes also continue to give up some nice salmon, with a few fish reported in the 5 pound category.

With normal stream water levels the brook angler can expect to find some excellent brook trout fishing. It would be a pretty good bet that your favorite brook trout spot is now producing fish. If you’re looking for a new stretch of water to try might I suggest these waters spread around Region F; Trout Brook, Seboeis River, Mattawamkeag River, Fish Stream, Wassataquoik Stream and Little East Branch, Webster Stream and the outlet of Matagamon Lake (East Branch Penobscot).

Splake waters in Region F include West Seboeis Lake in T4 R9 NWP, Cedar Lake in T3 R9 NWP, Endless Lake in T3 R9 NWP and Lower Togue Pond in T2 R9 WELS.

As the water temperature beings to rise the warmwater game fish will become more active. Presently we have reports that smallmouth bass are becoming more active, however the catch rates are still slow a bit slow. A week of warm weather will surely turn the catch rates around and speed things up.

White perch fishing is still slow but again as the water temperatures rise and the fish begin to stage for spawning and catches will improve.

–Brian R Campbell, Fishery Biology Specialist, Enfield

Region G – Aroostook County

Regional fisheries personnel and district game wardens floated Beaver Brook last Friday from the bridge on the Beaver Brook Road downstream to its confluence with the Aroostook River. Beaver Brook is a major tributary to the Aroostook River and supports a wild brook trout sport fishery. Water had dropped during the week and although flow was satisfactory for canoeing, much less would have resulted in considerable dragging. In spite of low flow, water temperature was 50 degrees due to the cool spring that we have been experiencing.

We try to float one or two rivers or large streams in the spring to become familiar with the habitat and fishing quality that is offered in order to have a better understanding of conditions being experienced by anglers. I have found that there is nothing short of first-hand experience that connects with anglers when discussing a specific water. I have also found during my 29 years in this profession that any particular water in the state is someone’s favorite water and you had better be familiar with it to have any credibility!

While floating Beaver Brook the water was clear and pea- to walnut-size gravel was extremely abundant and clean in the riffles and pools. The channel was windy and on occasion beavers had attempted to dam the brook but high spring flow had reduced the head of most dams such that we could canoe over them. As we approached the lower reaches of the brook, deeper slow moving pools were more common and the bottom was covered with a light amount of silt. A stretch of quick water with rock and cobble substrate was encountered just prior to reaching the Aroostook River. Wood ducks, beaver and a wood turtle were observed along the way.

Exposed gravel banks afforded the opportunity to fish some of the deeper runs. It was evident from tracks observed in the gravel that the brook had been previously visited by anglers this spring. Three parties were observed fishing, all having caught some trout and camping at one of the campsites at the lower end of the brook. Trout observed in our trip ranged from 4-11 inches with most being 7-8 inches in length. By the end of the trip, the water temperature had risen to 56 degrees and a mayfly hatch was coming off the water. Numerous logs in the lower section were covered with large caddis fly cases. All trout appeared to be fat and healthy.

There is no public access where Beaver Brook meets the Aroostook River. Rather than motor upstream to Ashland, the decision had been made to motor downstream to the public landing in Washburn. It took 1.5 hours to cover this distance with canoe and motor. It was a great day to experience what the region has to offer our sportsmen while adding to our knowledge of what Beaver Brook has to offer for trout habitat and a sport fishery in the Aroostook River drainage.

– David J. Basley, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington

The Upper Andro Anglers Alliance in co-operation with Trout Unlimited will host a free family fishing festival on Saturday, May 31. The festival will be held at the Grand Summit Hotel Pond at Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry, from 9 am to 2 pm, rain or shine. Free casting workshops and fly-tying instruction will be available throughout the day.

Members of the Mollyockett Chapter of Trout Unlimited will teach the workshops. Instruction will follow the curriculum developed by Trout Unlimited’s “First Cast” program for Kids. Instruction will include both spin casting and fly casting for older youth and parents. Maine’s Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program will supply complimentary rods and reels for use at the festival.

Families can practice newly learned casting skills in the Grand Summit Pond and are welcome to take home their catch. The pond will be stocked with trout courtesy of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The Upper Andro Anglers Alliance will provide each young angler with a mini-tackle box complete with bobber, sinkers and hook.

Kids can learn how to tie flies with materials provided by TU and fibers from Sunday River Alpacas. Every child will be able to take home a hand-tied fly.

Exhibitors include the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife with a mobile unit information booth, the Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program; Mainefishingtoday.com; and The Maine Conservation School of Bryant Pond, a camp facility for juniors and adults offering programs in Maine’s traditional outdoor activities.

Families are welcome to bring a pack lunch. An outdoor barbecue and cold drinks will be available at the festival. All parents and kids registering for the event will be eligible for prizes including outdoor and fishing equipment from sponsors, local outfitters and businesses.

The weekend of May 31 and June 1 is a free fishing weekend in Maine. Resident and Non-resident freshwater fishing licenses are waived each day. June 1 is the first day of National Fishing & Boating Week, a program of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. RBFF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating and thereby increase public awareness and appreciation of the need for protecting, conserving and restoring the nation’s aquatic and natural resources.

The Bethel Family Fishing Festival is one many nationwide events that provide families with an opportunity to have fun on the water. For those families wishing to stay overnight and fish or canoe the Androscoggin River on Sunday, special family packages are available for the weekend at local lodging establishments.

For information on the Family Fishing Festival, contact the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance at 1-877-275-3363 or on line at www.upperandro.com.

Oh, my! For as long as man has taken to the woods, he has searched and searched for that magic “formula” that will keep biting insects away. For as long as man has searched for the secret there have been too-numerous-to-count “wives tales” formulas that “really do work”.

Take for example the blog I posted back in March about the use of Listerine mouth wash as an insect repellent. There have been over 30 comments from people who swear by it and those who will laugh in your face should you mention it.

The things that man has tried to beat off the swarming mosquitoes, black flies, chiggers, etc. could leave the most knowledgeable research scientist scratching his head. Some of those concocted formulas could kill or repel bigger things than tiny insects I’m sure but our quest remains undaunted. The search must go on.

One of the best known killers of insects, DDT - Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane - is banned from use here in the U.S. Growing up in rural Maine in the 50s and 60s, my small home town budgeted money each year in order to hire a spray plane to criss-cross the village air space spraying DDT to kill unwanted bugs. I can honestly say it worked. It was a rare occasion to be playing baseball on the town’s Little League field and find a biting insect. Of course there were no songbirds and the like either but we didn’t get bitten.

Some of my growing up buddies and I laugh even today as we relive the days when the spray plane arrived so we could run outside, look up toward the clouds and wait to feel the mist of DDT fall gently on our faces. All that and there’s nothing wrong with me….wrong with me……wrong with me……wrong with me……wrong with me……

Sorry, I don’t know what happened.

Later came the development of DEET - N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide. DEET has been used for several years now as a repellent, whereas DDT was a kill-em-dead-on-contact pesticide. DEET has been relatively effective but isn’t recommended to be used on your skin, especially on kids.

DEET seemed to work best on mosquitoes to repel them but scientists really didn’t know why until recently a study seemed to indicate that it makes human scent “invisible” to those biting, vicious and hungry insects. With that to work on, could it be that someday someone will discover a different “chemical” that will even be more effective than DEET with no residual side affects - unlike what has happened to me?

Black Bear Blog reader “jes” sent me an email yesterday with a link to a National Public Radio story about just such a thing. You can read or listen to it for yourself but here’s an interesting tidbit from the story.

“And we’re finding lots of interesting things that look nothing like DEET that are much more potent, at least in the lab,”

Is it really that simple? Could it be that once someone seemingly discovers how DEET works, researchers have been able to “model” other things that will work as good or better? If so, why has it taken so long?

Kelli Miller Staci for WebMD has a bit more information on the work done by researchers at the University of Florida on insect repellents. The article goes a bit further than that of NPR in actually telling us what these “magic” chemicals are that work better than DEET.

Alan Katritzky of the University of Florida and colleagues used artificial neural networking software to predict how certain compounds called N-acylpiperidines would keep mosquitoes from feeding on human flesh. N-acylpiperidines are related to the active ingredient in pepper. The researchers identified 23 strong candidates, which they expected to be as effective as DEET.

So, there you have it. The newest information on how to repel insects. Simply douse yourself in pepper and head outdoors. Maybe not so fast. I think there might be more to this.

What I do find interesting though is that “under laboratory conditions” DEET is said to be able to repel mosquitoes for an average of 17.5 days and these new pepper-based ingredients will last up to 73 days. I can tell you from experience that DEET products in the “deep woods” will not repel mosquitoes for 17.5 days. Perhaps 17.5 minutes before the next dose needs administering.

And do we really want to repel those dastardly bugs anyway? Don’t those biting, unrelenting insects work as a repellent of their own? I had a short exchange of emails with the same reader, “jes” and he brought up an interesting question or two.

But I wonder if “the bugs” (especially in FL) don’t determine two important aspects: one how long or if we spend any time at all in the woods, hunting, etc. and how comfortable we are there. And two, how many woods will be left for wildlife if the bugs are gone…(it seems to slow development), in FL, at least!

Never fear “jes”! There just might be protection for those biting insects and their natural human repellent might just be able to do the trick. Many of you might recall last October I told you about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issuing the “Draft Mosquito Management Plan“.

I didn’t read anything in that plan that would call for the control of insect repellents, only pesticides but you can be sure that in this day of animal rights extremists and their undaunting affection with the courts, they will find a way to stop us humans from repelling biting insects.

The good news in all this seems to be that there may be hope on the horizon that we can get relief from biting insects with something that may not be as harmful as DEET. I would suppose that for those with allergies to pepper, you’ll need to hope for something else.

AAHHH CHEEEEEEWWWW!

Tom Remington

Region A – Southwestern Maine

This past week I was fortunate to take part in three days of brook trout sampling in the Moosehead Lake region. The folks that manage the big lake were kind enough to ensure that I saw a good cross section of their springtime field efforts. We worked both wild and stocked waters, assessed a relatively new stocking program, and assessed the age and growth implications of a stocking rate change.

The differences between the Sebago Lakes region and the Moosehead region were many and very evident. The most important difference was a welcome reminder of what Maine brook trout can be in the absence of introduced warmwater fish. The brook trout I handled in the Moosehead region were invariably fat, healthy and were found in relative abundance. I am not suggesting that the fisheries crew in Greenville and the anglers they serve don’t bear their share of the pain from illegal fish introductions, but in southern Maine seemingly endless quantities of bass, perch, pike, and crappie abound and limit our opportunities to manage for trout and salmon. The end result of competition and predation by warmwater fish on brook trout is the inability to support a significant brook trout fishery.

Another interesting difference between the Sebago and Moosehead regions were the amazing number of ponds managed by my colleagues to the north. The Greenville office manages roughly 1,200 ponds, four times the number in the Sebago region. I have fished a small number of the ponds in the Moosehead area and always welcome the scenery and solitude to be found there. I intend to make a concerted effort to fish more of the brook trout gems in that area. I would like to extend a big thank you to the fisheries crew at Moosehead for a great few days of work.

While I had a great time working outside the region I am happy to be home and working with more familiar topics. The first thing I did after the long Memorial Day weekend was to look through the Sebago Lake creel census data collected by our seasonal census clerk, Bill Yeo. Bill contacted 60 fishing parties between Friday and Sunday and found that the salmon fishing is holding up very nicely. Between salmon and togue (mostly salmon), the average catch rate was between 1 to 1½ fish caught per boat. The salmon still seem to be concentrated around the mouth of the Songo River as well as the west shore, but they have begun to spread throughout the lake.

As water temperatures rise, the bass in southern Maine will soon begin their spawning activities. The generally smaller males begin moving into shallow water and can be seen building nests and recruiting a short-term mate. The next few weeks are a great time of year to take kids fishing for bass. Bass, especially smallmouths, are extremely aggressive towards anything that invades their nests and sight-fishing bass in the spring can be a blast.

Each year at this time the staff of Region A takes a week or two to characterize bass populations by making collections with an electrofishing boat. The electrofishing boat works by passing a generated electrical current through a localized area of the water to stun the fish. These fish are netted, measured, and released unharmed. These collections are done at night when all sizes of bass are cruising the shallows.

The boat is large, the generator is loud, and the lights are bright, so please don’t be alarmed if we visit your area of the shoreline. We pass quickly and hope to disturb nobody. We may begin sampling as early as next week on Hall Pond in Paris, Pleasant Lake in Casco, Tripp Pond in Poland, and Deer Pond in Buxton. We hope to use a smaller boat to sample bass at Barker Pond in Lyman and Chaffin Pond in Windham.

– Brian Lewis, Fisheries Biologist Specialist, Gray

Region B – Central Maine

Maine’s almost perfect Memorial Day weekend….. It was darn cool and breezy if you were on the water Saturday. On Sunday, I don’t know if I ever saw a cloud in the sky. Although I was not too comfortable in my rain jacket on Monday the periodic passing rain showers brought me some relief. With the weather conditions jumping from one extreme to another, anglers should of had at least one good fishing day over the Memorial Day weekend.

One thing that was pretty constant was the black fly emergence. I managed to get them in my eyes, up my nose, heard them in my ears and ate a few over the three days.

Bass anglers should take into account the current conditions we have had the last few weeks. This time of year, it is common to see bass on the spawning grounds one day and not to see them in the vicinity the next. Bass fishers should be patient; eventually the fish will react to rising water temperatures, and will then head for the nesting areas.

Trout anglers also should consider the current conditions. You may see a good hatch one day and not see anything resembling one the next. Yes indeed, at this time of year there will be bugs. That, in part, is what makes the fishing decent this time of year. When the water temperatures eventually stabilize you will have more predictable hatches.

– Scott Davis, Fisheries Specialist, Sidney

Region C – Downeast

Anglers targeting lake trout and salmon had some great catches over Memorial Day weekend at West Grand Lake. Colin Shankland, our work-study summer assistant, interviewed 29 parties of anglers on Saturday and Sunday at the dam. The majority of the salmon being caught were in the 15.5-17.5 inch range, with most togue falling between 18-22 inches.

Waters that we recently stocked with brook trout are providing excellent fishing for trout in the 9- to10-inch range, with some anglers reporting catches of 15-20 fish in a morning of fishing. We have heard reports of action like this all over the Downeast region. Many of these fish can be caught while fishing from shore, but to cover the most ground I suggest trolling in a small boat or canoe. Be on the look out for fish swirling at the surface and be prepared to cast a spinner or a fly to the area where the rings began. Things can get really exciting when everywhere you look you see fish rising at the surface.

Even though the days are warming (as we just passed the unofficial start of summer) the nights are still quite cool. Because of this, I suggest trying your luck at the waters if you want to target brook trout: Six-Mile Lake in Marshfield, Simpson Pond in Roque Bluffs, Fox Pond in T-10 SD, Montegail Pond in T19 MD, North and South Meyers Ponds in Columbia (kids only waters), Cutler Naval Station Pond in Cutler (located across the road from the former naval base), Fox-Hole Pond in Deblois (kids only water), Lily Lake in Trescott, Birch Harbor Pond in Winter Harbor, Simmons Pond in Hancock, Echo Lake in Mount Desert, Craig Pond in Orland, and the Orland River in Bucksport.

– Joe Overlook, Fisheries Biologist Specialist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

To date we have good fishing information on Rangeley and Aziscohos lakes with scattered reports coming in from other waters around the region. At Rangeley Lake our clerk Liz Studdert has checked more than a hundred anglers who have kept 19 salmon and released 51 legal-size salmon and 85 sublegal salmon. We’re encouraging anglers to keep their one salmon at Rangeley because growth rates are declining - a moderate reduction in the number of salmon will result in better growth rates in the future. Anglers at Rangeley Lake also kept 12 brook trout and released 23 legal-size and 2 sublegal trout. The biggest salmon checked at Rangeley to date was 4 pounds 7 ounces; the biggest trout was 1 pound 3 ounces.

At Aziscohos Lake, Liz has checked 46 anglers who kept 15 salmon and released 12 legal-size and 65 sublegal salmon; they kept seven brook trout and released seven legal-size and 15 sublegal trout. The biggest salmon checked at Aziscohos to date was 2 pounds 7 ounces; the biggest brook trout was 1 pound 3 ounces.

We also checked a 3 pound 12 ounce brook trout from Mooselookmeguntic and have reports of many large, fat salmon being caught already this spring. The liberalized salmon regulation (3 salmon limit, 12-inch minimum length, only one greater than 16 inches) at Mooselook is apparently paying off with increased growth rates.

In an era when catch and release is promoted, it sometimes confuses anglers when we encourage them to keep more fish. However, at Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic lakes, there is a lot of natural reproduction that is resulting in more salmon than there are smelts to feed them. The same situation occurs at Big Kennebago Lake, where we have also liberalized the brook trout regulations in an effort to reduce their numbers and improve growth rates. That said, we generally support the catch and release ethic, which works well on most waters.

– Forrest Bonney, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Strong

Region E – Moosehead Lake

Memorial Weekend has come and gone. This long weekend is often regarded as the biggest fishing weekend of the open water season. Although gas prices may have kept some folks a bit closer to home this past holiday weekend it was not evident on my ride south from Greenville on Friday evening. The number of vehicles heading north carrying canoes and towing boats and campers seemed endless. It was certainly a good weekend to be in the north woods. The weather seemed to cooperate and initial reports are that the fishing was quite good throughout the region. Many of the wild and stocked trout ponds in the region are producing some good catches. Flows in the smaller brooks and streams are at levels that make them very fishable and reports are that fishing is very good as well.

We had a report of a nice lake trout being caught from Moosehead Lake this past weekend. The big laker was 32 inches long and weighed in at 10 pounds.

The Rockwood area in the vicinity of the Moose River has seen lots of fishing activity. Anglers trolling this area have reported some nice salmon and lake trout catches.

Folks fishing in the Rockwood and Moose River areas may have noticed some posters/signs put up by Florida Power and Light biologists describing some of the research they are conducting on the Moose River. This work is being conducting in association with the relicensing of the Brassua Dam. FPL and Normandeau biologists are collecting salmon and brook trout and implanting them with radio tags.
These fish will then be tracked to document their movements within the Moose River and in Moosehead Lake. There is a lot of time and money being spent on this project and a lot of valuable information to be gained by it. IFW would like to request that if anglers do catch any of these fish that they would release these fish. We’ve had one report already of a salmon being caught and killed that had been radio tagged three days earlier.

We would like to mention that on the weekend of June 21-22 the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition and Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce are hosting a Moosehead Lake Open Water Togue Fishing Derby. Cash prizes will be awarded for the three largest lake trout and the smallest lake trout entered, along with a door prize.

For more information about this event, please contact the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-876-2778 or 207-695-2702 or email and info@mooseheadlake.org or visit the Moosehead Lake Coalition’s website at mooseheadlakecoalition.org

– Jeff Bagley, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Greenville

Region F – Penobscot

“They’re biting!�