The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Lots of Good Fishing Even as Open-Water Season Winds Down

September 29, 2009 - Open-water fishing season wraps up in many places Wednesday, but it continues and picks up on several Maine lakes in October.

As the last weeks of fly fishing wind down, the fishing also revs up as fish prepare to spawn. Biologists everywhere have tips this week on where to go.

REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE

Fish sampling done this week on Upper Range Pond and Middle Range Pond in Poland showed rainbows up to 20 inches long. Likewise, nice trout have been caught in some smaller streams in this region, said biologist Francis Brautigam.

"Recently, we've had some pretty good reports that larger adult brook trout are moving around in smaller streams in preparation for the upcoming spawning season," Brautigam said. "So if you're interested in fishing smaller streams, you may be pleasantly surprised to find some larger adult fish."

Fishermen have four more days to give these streams a try.

REGION B: CENTRAL MAINE

Biologist Jim Lucas came across an unusual find while doing stream surveys last week near Liberty. He stumbled upon what he thought was a spring salamander, which would be uncommon in Maine.

Lucas caught it and gave the critter a good look before releasing it and reporting his findings to Phillip deMaynadier, a state amphibian biologist. Lucas then went back to the stream for a closer look. He said the salamander is believed to be the rare one.

"There are only a few records in the state of Maine on spring salamanders and only in a few towns in the Penobscot River drainage," Lucas said. "If they've expanded their range into the Sheepscot River drainage, that's quite a distance."

REGION C: DOWN EAST

The fishing is getting very good at one of Maine's best landlocked salmon lakes, Grand Lake Stream, said biologist Gregory Burr.

The lake, where only catch-and-release and fly fishing angling is allowed, remains open through Oct. 20.

"The salmon will be dropping into the stream very shortly to get ready to spawn," Burr said.

West Grand Lake also is open to fishing until Oct. 20. The lake's regulations are artificial lures only and catch-and-release. Burr recommends trolling there.

Also, the final four days of fishing on the St. Croix River below Grand Falls will be fast. Fishing is by artificial lures only.

REGION D: WESTERN MAINE

In the Upper Androscoggin River, from Giliad down to Bethel, the rainbow trout are being analyzed. The last time the popular game fish was studied here was five years ago.

Biologist Dave Boucher is hopeful he will find they still are on course in the effort to bring a great fishery back to this once-polluted river.

REGION E: MOOSEHEAD REGION

Right now, the fishing around Moosehead Lake is prime. Biologist Tim Obrey said the Roach River and Upper West Branch are fishing very well.

Between Seboomook Lake and Chesuncook Lake, the area known as the "foxhole" is the place to target, Obrey said.

"I haven't heard much on the East Outlet. And a lot of rivers with natural flows are too low to really fish, but those other rivers are very good," Obrey said.

The pond fishing around the big lake also has picked up.

REGION F: EASTERN MAINE

Fly fishermen hitting the remote ponds in eastern Maine are catching some good brook trout, 10 to 17 inches in size.

Biologists up there were busy helping the Maine Department of Environmental Protection collect smallmouth bass on the Penobscot River to update the fish consumption advisory there. A new report on the levels of dioxins in the smallies caught in the Penobscot should be released in the next year. Currently, fishermen are advised to eat only one fish per month from the Penobscot below Lincoln and Millinocket.

REGION G: NORTHERN MAINE

Like everywhere else, the small pond fishing is excellent in the County now. Fishermen heading up that way will find a lot of opportunity in October – and a lot of empty bodies of water – as many turn to bird hunting, said biologist Frank Frost. Stocked lakes that are little used this time of year include Drew's and Nickerson lakes outside Houlton, and Echo and Hansen lakes in Presque Isle. Nickerson Lake is open through December.

DEIRDRE FLEMING Portland Press Herald, 9/24/09


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