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ConservationAs a Maine-based guide, it’s easy for me to be enthusiastic about coming to work every day, because fishing here is very diverse and ever-changing. Maine is larger than all the other New England states combined, and we literally have thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and hundreds of lakes and ponds, to explore.
My season begins in April trolling for salmon and trout on local lakes, or chasing smelt runs and fishing the sucker spawn, in rivers and streams. By early-May, the water in many of my favorite trout streams has usually warmed enough to begin producing the first hatches of the season. For the next six weeks, dry lines and floating flies dominate my trout fishing activities on streams and ponds throughout the state.
Smallmouth bass explode onto the scene in June. I run most of my drift boat trips on the Penobscot River, which is dam-controlled, and has reliable water flows all summer long. Fifty fish days are common, and we rarely see another boat on the river. Clients marvel at the fishing on the Penobscot, and I am blessed to have a world-class fishery like this right at my door step.
Early July is a much anticipated time of year for brook trout fishermen because it signals the start of the Green Drake hatch. This large mayfly entices the largest trout in ponds to feed on the surface just before dark and can produce unforgettable fishing when you hit it right.
Trout fishing in beaver flowages and spring creeks continues throughout the summer. This is probably my favorite type of fishing. The fish aren’t large, and access is usually difficult, but fishing in remote waters for native brookies that have never seen a fly before is what I like to do most.
Not long ago, the open-water fishing season ended on September 30. But in the past ten years, the Maine Inland Fisheries Department has put lots of effort into a fall stocking program, and establishing extended seasons on many waters. So now, some of Maine’s best fishing occurs in October. More people should come here to fish at a time of year when fall colors are at their peak, and black flies are almost non-existent.
