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Hot Weather's Fine For Warm-Water Fish

July 11, 2010 - AUGUSTA -- This is the time of year that really tests a fisherman's mettle.

Last week's heat wave sent bass diving to the depths, but nice browns and brook trout were still had, according to state biologists.

REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE

A report of an angler catching a 10.1-pound brown trout came in to the state fisheries office last week, but there was no word on where it was hooked, said biologist Francis Brautigam.

"He did say it was somewhere in southern Maine," said Brautigam, with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

During trap netting on Highland Lake in Bridgton, state biologists confirmed that brown trout stocked there are meeting size quality objectives, which is a biologist's way of saying there are some nice browns there.

"We caught browns up to 6 pounds," Brautigam said. "That lake gets very little use, and very little fishing pressure. Quite frankly, it's a bit of a sleeper."

REGION C: DOWN EAST

IFW biologist Gregory Burr said there are plenty of ways to catch warm-water fish Down East. Burr recommends using worms and minnows around the perch holes where the fish school up.

"They're one of the delicacies of Maine," Burr said.

And pickerel fishing around the lily pads is the best, by casting to the runways, he said.

"Fish will meander into those runways. It's great to go in there and cast to the runways with surface lures, or anything shiny," Burr said.

Meanwhile the bass have moved away from the shallows and are down in the deeper pockets. Look for them 4 to 6 feet down, Burr said.

REGION D: WESTERN MAINE

Last week's heat wave will drive salmonids to colder refuges, reported IFW biologist Dave Boucher.

There are still some insect hatches to take advantage of, however, particularly on smaller trout ponds early and late in the day.

Most anglers in the southern part of the region are now targeting white perch, pickerel and bass.

Good bets for these species include Crowell Pond, Norcross Pond and North Pond in Chesterville, Webb Lake in Weld, Ellis Pond in Roxbury and Wesserunsett Lake in Madison.

REGION E: MOOSEHEAD LAKE REGION

The Hex hatch is in full swing in the Moosehead Lake region, reports IFW biologist Tim Obrey.

These big yellow mayflies typically hatch just before nightfall starting around the Fourth of July. This is one of the few times of the year that big brook trout can be caught on the surface with dry flies.

Also recent rain provided a much needed bump in stream and river flows around the region. This should draw new fish into these flowing waters.

The East Outlet and Moose River would be good bets for fishing over the next week, Obrey recommends.

REGION F: EASTERN MAINE

Trout fishing in Baxter State Park has held up well and green drake hatches are in full force, said IFW biologist Nels Kramer.

"Each particular hatch may only last a week on a particular pond, but for instance Daicey Pond may be a couple of days, followed by Fowler," Kramer said.

by Deirdre Fleming, Portland Press Herald, July 11, 2010

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