The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Weekly Fishing Roundup 6/4/07 DOWNEAST

June 04, 2007 - DOWNEAST

Warmer weather and longer days are growing more common. The brooks and streams are still producing fun and exciting fishing for wild brook trout. Whether you prefer to fish with the old stand-by red and white spinner or if you prefer to drop your favorite fly just inches away from that undercut bank, your trip is sure to be worthwhile by landing a beautiful Maine brookie.

Over the weekend salmon fishermen were still having luck catching fish at the surface at West Grand Lake, however, in the next few weeks the fish will need to be targeted in deeper water as surface temperatures increase. Lake trout fishermen were finding the fish just a few feet off bottom in water between 70-80 feet. Grand Lake Stream itself was producing some fine catches of salmon over the weekend. Many anglers reported catching multiple fish each day from the upper sections of the stream.

These next few weeks will be the best time to be out on your favorite smallmouth bass lakes and ponds. Once these fish become 4-5 years in age they become sexually mature. Males begin building nests once the water temperature is in the range of 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit. These nests are usually constructed in association with some sort of cover, such as a large rock, downed tree, dock, or cover by water depth. The nest is composed of a small circular patch on bottom where the male has fanned his fins to remove sediment. Females deposit eggs once the water temperature reaches the early to mid-60s, and males fertilize them. Male smallmouths will guard and defend the nest from anything that approaches. After about a week the fry will have hatched and will remain in close proximity to the nest for another week or longer. The male continues to stay close by to defend against predators.

This time of year smallmouths are often fished by slowly cruising the shoreline and casting a large spinner into the shallows. If that spinner comes too close to a male guarding a nest, he will most always attack it, and in turn be caught. It is very important to quickly release fish back into the water in the same spot that they were caught. That way they can easily find their way back to their nest and continue to protect those eggs or newly hatched fry. If those males stop guarding for any reason the eggs or fry are likely to be lost to predation by other fish.

This is the prime time to be a fisherman in Maine as fishing variety abounds. Good luck out there and be safe!

-Joe Overlock, Fisheries Biologist Specialist


Lakes:
Regions: Calais, Downeast


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News