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Whitefish In Sebago Lake Again

August 22, 2010 - AUGUSTA -- Biologists are busy with studies around the state as the fishing slows down.

But some signs indicate that, as usual, it will pick up in the coming weeks as we head into early autumn.

REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE

Thirty years ago Sebago Lake was known for whitefish. But state fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam said after the wide use of pesticide, that fishery declined.

However, a week ago a 5-pound, 3-ounce whitefish was caught in the lake, Brautigam reported.

"There is still a viable population. It's just not as abundant," said Brautigam with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

REGION B: CENTRAL MAINE


State biologists are searching for prime wild brook trout habitat this time of year.

Biologist Bobby Van-Riper said there are as many as 75 wild brook trout streams in the region, mostly in more remote areas.

But those are getting hard to come by with development, he said.

REGION C: DOWN EAST

Biologists Down East also are busy doing stream surveys for wild brook trout.

"Most are small in rural areas," said biologists Joe Overlock.

REGION D: WESTERN MAINE

IFW biologist Dave Boucher said fish will start moving from the lakes to the tributaries with the recent rain.

"Even the Rapid River will have a little run. Upper Dam Pool will have some fish movement if we get enough rain and some new flows. That always gets people excited," Boucher said.

Boucher points out the fish regulations in the area changed on small brooks on Aug. 15, with a daily bag limit of one fish and artificial lures only. Fishermen fishing small brooks in the area should consult the fishing law book.

REGION E: MOOSEHEAD LAKE REGION

This past week, the Moose- head Lake Region fisheries staff finished the Roach River weir, which will operate through the fall.

The biologists will catch 50 male brook trout and implant radio transmitters in the fish over the season to help estimate post-spawning mortality.

Biologists ask anglers to handle fish gingerly, as they might be trout with an antenna.

"We captured over 300 mature brook trout in a similar study on Socatean Stream last fall. We radio tagged 40 male trout from this sample and by early December, natural post-spawning mortality had claimed 63 percent of these mature fish," said IFW biologist Tim Obrey.

REGION F: EASTERN MAINE

Baxter State Park will be the area of study this week by IFW biologists in the region.

Visitors to the park may find them sampling the brook trout waters of fisheries like Daicey Pond, Rocky Pond, Celia Pond and Little Rocky Pond, said IFW biologist Nels Kramer.

REGION G: NORTHERN MAINE

The results of a project from 2000 are finally in, reports IFW biologist David Basley.

In October that year biologists transferred 170 pre-spawning lake trout from Allagash Lake to Crescent Pond in Township 9, Range 15 in Piscataquis County.

The togue population was going down in a small lake at the headwaters of Allagash Lake, Basley said.

"The only way we could see to build up the population was to transfer togue. We marked them with a clipped (fin)," Basley said.

However, biologists just checked Crescent Pond and there was not one togue found.

"The spawning habitat is marginal," Basley said.

by Deirdre Fleming, Portland Press Herald, August 22, 2010

Lakes: Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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