Maine Fishing Report

Surface water temperatures in southern Maine lakes have warmed considerably the last few weeks. Two recent surveys on Woods Pond (Bridgton) and Lovewell Pond (Fryeburg), indicated surface water temperatures are well into the mid 70's. As of last week, the thermoclines (that depth where the water temperature dramatically changes from predominantly "warm" to predominantly "cold") on both ponds was at 15 to 20 feet deep. Trout and salmon will periodically continue to feed above the thermocline, but as many experienced anglers already know, more productive fishing for coldwater fish will occur at or below the thermocline during the summer months. As the summer progresses the thermocline may continue to drop lower into the water column and by late summer the thermocline may be 20 to 25 feet deep or deeper.

Also, as the summer progresses, the oxygen levels in the deepest areas of most lakes experience a decline, which can preclude use by coldwater fish. This "sandwich" effect tends to concentrate trout and salmon, making them quite vulnerable to angling. For those willing to fish with downriggers and/or lead line the summer months can offer some exceptional fishing. The biggest draw back to summer fishing is the need to schedule your fishing (both location, day of the week, time of day, etc) to avoid the recreational boating activity (jet skis, water skiing, etc) which most anglers find disruptive to successful fishing. Early and late day fishing scheduled earlier in the week will minimize this disruptive influence. Although already well known to many experienced anglers, and recently verified during our rainbow trout study, those anglers willing to fish early and late will realize the greatest success.

After an unusually slow spring fishery for browns and rainbows on the lower Little Androscoggin River, we're finally getting some good angler reports. In the last two weeks, anglers are reporting consistent catches of 9 to 13 inch rainbow and brown trout below Hacketts Mills, Hotel Road, Empire Road, as well as other popular road crossings.

Good catches of rainbows up to 18 inches are now being reported at the Range Ponds (Middle/Upper) in Poland and Crystal Lake in Gray, after a somewhat sluggish late spring season.

We continue to receive good reports from most of the region's salmon waters. Quality size salmon continue to be caught on Sebago, Thompson, Peabody, Moose, Pleasant, and Auburn. Furthermore, the number of salmon fishing complaints is low…a most certain barometer of angler satisfaction.

-Francis Braugtigam, Regional Fisheries Biologist

Region B - Central Maine

Last week we received disturbing reports of illegal stockings of an exotic fish species. Anglers caught what they believed to be walleye from 2 waters in Central Maine. These fish were caught in Hermon Pond and Sabattus Lake. This week we will be sampling these 2 waters with gillnets and electro-fishing in an effort to confirm these reports. Anglers fishing either of these ponds and catching any strange looking fish are urge to kill the fish and report it to our Sidney Regional office.

Walleye are members of the perch family and look somewhat similar to yellow perch. Walleye are general a greenish color with two separate dorsal fins, the front fin with a sharp spine the back fin with only soft rays. They are large sharp canine teeth. The color is usually brownish green with a few black specs.

We are always on the look out for additional waters to stock to create fishing opportunities. The bad news is that in Central Maine most of the waters that are not currently stocked have water quality that would not support a coldwater fishery. The good news is that many of the poor water quality ponds can support warm water fisheries.

Occasionally we decide to stock such ponds with a species to provide more angler opportunity. Once water is selected a written proposal is developed, the proposal is review by the entire Fishery Division staff for recommendations, comments and finally a vote for approval or denial of the stocking. In 1999, after Divisional approval, three such ponds were stocked with largemouth bass captured from ponds located on Natanis Golf Course. Bass from these ponds have been certified to be disease free making them ideal candidates for transfer.

This spring we sampled these three ponds to evaluate the success of those stockings. I’m happy to report all three ponds now support fishable bass populations. Tinkham Pond and Givens Pond are located within 10 minutes of Augusta (Delorme map page 13) and both provide the opportunity to have some very fast fishing, with the possibility of catching 50 fish per day. Since bass grow very slowly and its been only a few years since the initial stockings, most of the fish caught will be on the small size 10-14 inches but there is the possibility of catching one of the original stocked bass which could be in the 4-5 pound range.

The third pond we stocked was Upper Mason Pond located in Belfast (Delorme map page 14). The fishing here will probably be a bit slower but I think anglers can expect to catch 20-30 bass on a good day. Although the access sites for Givens and Upper Mason ponds is a little rough, small trailerable boats can be launched whereas a canoe is a must at Tinkham Pond.

-Jim Lucas, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist

Region C - Downeast

Vacation time is here for many families and couples who will be traveling to Downeast Maine to experience our region’s great outdoors. Many of Downeast Maine’s guests have family who live here, and they are a wealth of knowledge about where to go and how to enjoy the fishing in this beautiful summer weather that is now upon us. However, for those travelers who are not as fortunate to know someone from our area, here are few tips to help make your fishing excursions a success.

1.) Fishing success for children: In the summer months of July & August, set your sights on fishing for warm-water species such as chain pickerel, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, sunfish and bullhead. These species are easy and fun to catch for family members of all ages, especially children. Coldwater species such as trout and salmon have gone deep into the cooler waters of our lakes and ponds and it takes specialized equipment to be successful in the summer months. Most of the above warm-water species are found in many of our lakes and ponds and thrive in the warm shallow surface waters where there are rocks, weeds and lily pads. Many of these species will come to bright shiny lures and spinners cast along the edges of rocks, weed and lily pads. These fish can also be readily caught on a simple worm and bobber rig, also cast along the edges of rocks, weeds and lily pads. Sunfish can be relied upon to bite at anytime of day and can be caught off any of the above structure. These fish will keep children entertained for hours and will help make memories that will last a lifetime. The above shallow areas described above are plentiful and many can found roadside.

2.) Rent a canoe, kayak or small boat: Many waters are best fished from a boat as anglers can quietly approach rocky areas and weed patches and use the element of surprise on unsuspecting sport fish that are hunkering down around cover waiting for their pray. Canoes and kayaks can be rented in most communities and some businesses will even deliver these boats to you. Most rental businesses will help you attach the boat to your car with straps and rubber cushions.

3.) Call a local Chamber of Commerce: Community Chamber of Commerce’s are very good at helping would-be anglers find local businesses that will rent boats and fishing gear, as well as hire fishing guides and ocean fishing charters. Here are some Downeast area Chamber of Commerce offices to get local business information: Blue Hill (207) 374-3242, Bucksport (207) 469-6818, Ellsworth (207) 667–5584, Bar Harbor (207) 288-5103, Machias (207) 255-4402, Winter Harbor (207) 963-7658, Deer Isle (207) 348-6124, Eastport (207) 853- 4644, Calais (207) 454-2308.

4.) Buy a fishing license and read your fishing law book: Non-resident anglers 12 years of age and older need to buy a fishing license to fish inland waters. Fishing licenses can be purchased at many local hardware and general stores, Wal-Mart stores or online at: www.mefishwildlife.com.When you purchase a fishing license, it will be accompanied by a State of Maine Open Water fishing law book. Make sure you read the general law fishing part of this booklet on pages 9 and 10, although I would recommend reading pages 1 through 13 to familiarize yourself and your children with state’s basic regulations. Then make sure you identify the water and the county you are fishing in and familiarize yourself with any specific regulations that pertain to the water body your are on or plan to fish while on your vacation.

5.) Have children wear a lifejacket: We remind everyone that children age 10 and under are required to wear a lifejacket when riding in boats on Maine waters. All other person’s are required to be accompanied by a wearable life jacket when riding in boats on Maine waters.

6.) If you have questions about where to fish and what to fish for, call area fisheries biologists: Extreme northern Maine (Aroostook County) Ashland office (207) 435-3231, Bangor to Baxter State Park area – Enfield office (207) 723-4131, Moosehead Lake area – Greenville office (207) 695-3756, Downeast (Hancock & Washington Counties includes the waters in Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island) Jonesboro office (207) 434-5925, Central Maine (Waldo and Kennebec Counties) Sidney office (207) 547-5314, Western Maine (Rangeley Lake Region) – Strong office (207) 778-3322, Southern Maine (Sebago Lake Region) – Gray office (207) 657-2345.

Just a reminder for anglers interested in giving public input and or just listening to discussions about proposed new fishing regulations that would begin in 2007 for Downeast area lakes, ponds, brooks, rivers and streams. There is a public hearing set for this week at the Penobscot County Conservation Association on Wednesday evening July 12^th at 6:30 PM. New regulations will be discussed for waters such as Branch Lake, Phillips Lake, Lower Patten Pond, Jacob-Buck Pond, Fitts Pond, Heart Pond, and Second Lake Old Stream as well as many others. All interested members of the public are urged to attend.

New stockings proposed: In the near future, Downeast regional biologists will be bringing before the public the following 3 new lake stocking proposals:

Toddy Pond, Orland – propose 1,000 fall yearling brown trout to be stocked in the fall of 2006.

Silver Lake, Bucksport – propose 450 fall yearling brown trout to be stocked in the fall of 2006.

Hopkins’s Pond, Clifton – propose 150 spring yearling landlocked salmon to be stocked in the spring of 2007.

Watch for notices for upcoming public informational meetings to held to be held in the next few months soliciting for public input on these Department proposals. Anyone wishing to send comments on these proposals please e-mail them to Rick Jordan or Greg Burr at: Richard.Jordan@maine.gov or Gregory.burr@maine.gov or call us at (207) 434-5925

-Greg Burr, Fisheries Biologist

Region D - Western Mountains

I spent some time during the past weekend fishing the Androscoggin River between Dixfield and Canton. It’s just a short section of the river, but fishing action is huge. Smallmouth bass grow to very attractive sizes in the Androscoggin. Even the smaller fish caught were fat, healthy and fought very hard. Most of the bass caught were over 12 inches in length, including one over 18. The bottom line is that a fishing trip down any section of the Androscoggin River is a day well spent. Besides great bass fishing, opportunities to view wildlife such as eagles, herons, ducks, geese occur around every bend.

Anglers interested in brook trout fishing ponds should try Quimby Pond in Rangeley, Little Jim Pond in Jim Pond Twp., Bald Mountain Pond in Bald Mountain Twp., and Round Pond in Chase Stream Twp. Action during the day can be slow, but evening hatches are still good.

Last week we received a call from Scott Blaisdell of Dixfield. He was fishing Webb Lake in Weld and caught a 25-inch, 7-pound brown trout. While Webb Lake is known for its brown trout fishery, it is not known for particularly large fish. Of the over 300 browns from Webb Lake in our database the largest was 24½ inches and weighed only 5.3 pounds. Scott’s fish is truly a whopper.

-Dave Howatt, Fisheries Biologist

Region E - Moosehead Region

It seems that the thundershowers we received last week brought lots of water to the region, which has continued to provide good flows and suitable temperatures in some of the small brooks and streams. Brooks and streams in the region are still providing some good fishing for native brookies. A good bet for a fun fishing trip would be to one of our many brooks and streams in the Moosehead Region. My tackle of choice would be, a few #8 hooks with or without spinners, a couple dozen worms, and a small spinning rod. It’s been my experience, that often times folks will fish upstream and downstream of a brook or stream crossing for just a few hundred feet. Anglers should be a “little more adventurous” and walk a short distance beyond any visible activity and footpaths. The trout may not be large, 6 and 8 inches long, but they can provide a lot of fun.

Despite the rain we had earlier this summer the surface temperatures of lakes and ponds are slowly warming up to the point that insect activity is beginning to slow down. Reports of drake hatches have been spotty thus far this summer. Some folks have hit the hatches and others have not been so fortunate. It’s during this time of the season that anglers may want to think about digging out the leadcore line and down riggers to get their favorite spoons and baits down to where the “action” is. Anglers knowing the location of the secret spring hole on their favorite trout pond will likely be looking for these summer refuges, which are often sure bets for some mid and late summertime action.

We have finalized our summer work schedule and is seems that the fisheries staff will be out and about to all corners of the Moosehead Region. One of my favorite activities that is on the schedule includes conducting new pond surveys. These surveys involve getting into the pond, which often times can be an adventure in itself. Once we get to the body of water we conduct water quality, take depth measurements, determine what fish species, if any, occur, and describe the immediate surroundings of the pond. These surveys can reveal some nice little gems and other times the ponds turn out to be no more than moose wallows.

During the last few weeks the Greenville office has been bombarded with calls from anglers wanting to know what the flows have been in some of the rivers in the Moosehead Region, more specifically the Roach River. The flow for the Roach River along with several other rivers around the state is now being posted on the Fly Fishing in Maine web site at http://www.flyfishinginmaine.com/streamflow. The site also gives some indication of the fishability for each of these rivers at a given flow.

-Jeff Bagley, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist

Region F, Penobscot Region

The summer season continues to be a "roller coaster" ride. Days of hot, humid weather are followed by days of cool weather with intermittent heavy rainfall. Most of the brook trout stream fishery is over for the summer despite the freshets caused by the heavy showers. Trout have moved into areas providing refuge from the summer heat.

Trout fishing in Baxter Park has become spotty and relies on being at the pond when the right conditions occur which usually is either early morning or late evening. Lake fishing for salmon and lake trout requires the angler to fish deep which is normal for the summer season.

Bass have been very active in regional waters and providing good action on both streams and lakes. Anglers report exceptional action on the Penobscot River and, despite earlier concerns, there appears to have been a very good spawning of smallmouth bass on that water.

One fish species that is quite popular in the region but anglers know very little about is the white perch. Despite its common name, the white perch is not a true perch but is a member of the striped bass family. Perch in Maine were originally found only in coastal waters up to the first barrier that prevented upstream movement. The fish were highly prized by early settlers as a source of food and were quickly spread to other waters as settlers moved inland. Although white perch are capable of living in salt water they, like striped bass, must spawn in fresh water. Spawning takes place in the spring when water temperatures reach about 60 degrees F. The total number of eggs per female varies from 20,000 to 300,000 depending upon the size of the fish. A 6-inch long perch would have about 22,000 eggs. The eggs hatch in about 4 - 5 days at 60 degrees F. The average life span is 5 - 7 years.

Where conditions are favorable, white perch form very large populations that occasionally dominate the waters they inhabit and result in large numbers of smaller fish. Even small, slow growing perch can mature and spawn successfully, thus perpetuating a large population of slow growing fish. Fishermen prefer larger perch for food and sport and are likely to be concerned when the perch are all small.

-Mike Smith, Regional Fisheries Biologist

Region G - Aroostook County

On Thursday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m., IF&W will be holding a public hearing at the Caribou Inn & Convention Center to consider regulation changes for the upcoming ice fishing and open water fishing seasons.

Changes to be considered include: Dimock Brook, Big and Little Goddard Brook, California Brook (tributaries to Square Lake) - General Law. Big and Little Caribou Ponds in T7R10 WELS - Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish. Logan Lake in Houlton and Tote Road Pond in Moro - Remove the youth exception to special regulations. Raymond Pond in Caribou - Fishing restricted to persons under 16 years of age; daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish. Meduxnekeag River and tributaries, etc. from the ME/New Brunswick border upstream to the Route 1 bridge in Houlton - Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish; minimum length limit on troutu: 10 inches, only 1 may exceed 12 inches.

There will also be several statewide fishing proposals to be presented for public comment. The Caribou Inn & Convention Center is located at the intersection of South Main Street and the Caribou By-Pass.

The recent hot weather 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. Whitney Brook, Three Brooks, River des Chutes and the North Branch of the Presque Isle Stream are a few of the productive 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, blackflies should be less of a nuisance but the deer flies will become more of a plague. They are, however, much better than hurricanes, tornados and poisonous snakes.

-Dave Basley, Regional Fisheries Biologist