The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Freshwater Fishing Report

August 09, 2011 - Augusta-It's the white perch, pickerel, crappie and bass time of year.

And Down East through central Maine, these warm-water fish are not so hard to catch, if fishermen go at the right time and to the right waterbody.

Meanwhile, The County will be all about the muskies in a week, when the international derby gets under way.

SOUTHERN MAINE

There haven been reports of exceptionally large fish coming from Sebago, state biologist Francis Brautigam said.

A 27-inch salmon weighing 8.8 pounds was caught recently.

Also, one angler who found an old flat fish lure decided to use it and hooked into 16-pound togue in the big lake.

"He recycled the flat fish and caught himself a trophy size lake trout," said Brautigam of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

CENTRAL MAINE

The crappie fishing is going great right now in central Maine, and IFW biologist Bob Van Riper said it's one of the tastiest fish.

Fishermen need to go in the early morning or right at dusk and be patient, then Van Riper said they're not hard to catch and easy to eat.

Try Unity Pond or Buker Pond.

DOWN EAST

People are starting to fish for the white perch schooling up, reports IFW biologist Greg Bur.

"They see them dimpling on the surface and target them in the deeper holes," Bur said.

Fish with live bait or small jigs, and try Toddy Pond in Hancock County or Big Lake in Washington County as well as Third Machias and Rocky lakes.

WESTERN MAINE

Stream fishing is great reports IFW biologist Jason Cider. Several good "water years" when the cool summer water and plenty of river water allowed for great trout production is one reason why, he said.

"Their numbers are very high in both streams and some wild trout ponds," Cider said.

MOOSEHEAD LAKE REGION

Despite the warm weather, there are some reports of great fishing for salmon and brook trout on Moosehead Lake, IFW Tim Obrey said.

"Togue are still numerous and there are many smaller fish, but the salmon and brook trout are looking very good with some nice large individuals showing up," he said.

The thermocline is around 40 feet down in Moosehead Lake, Obrey said, so get down deep with down riggers or lead line.

NORTHERN MAINE

Muskie have been in the St. John River since 1980, a stocking idea gone bad in Quebec, said IFW biologist David Basley, but the one big muskie event of the year does draw a crowd.

The muskie migrated down into the St. John, which runs between the Canadian province and Maine, but fortunately have remained only in the river.

"It's a credit to the fishermen up here that they've left them there. They don't want them in the trout ponds," Basley said.

But once a year a muskie derby draws fishermen from all around to target the big fish. It starts next Friday and runs though the weekend.

Deidre Fleming, Portland Press Herald, August 2011


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