Maine Fly Fishing : Half Time Report
Here we are again mid season, and fast approaching the dog days of summer. Fortunately water temps are holding in the sixties and I feel we will be set up for some great Late July/August fishing. Caddis are still coming off strong and I find smaller has been better lately with size 18′s and 20′s in dark colors working well. The big summer Stonefly hatches have been keeping fish looking up to take Stimulators, Sofa Pillows, Foam Stones, Bugmeisters and and other large buggy varieties. I generally like fishing these big bugs with a small caddis nymph or emerger in tow. For you stillwater native brook trout fishermen the ponds are still pumping out some strong hexagenia limbata hatches but fish are getting fussier by the day depending on where you fish. When the spinner falls out number hatching duns the end is near.
From now through the end of August I will be fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot, and the Bingham section of the Kennebec, with an occassional jaunt over to the East Outlet of the Kennebec. If you are looking for a new challenge in dryfly fishing, the Wild Rainbow Trout in Bingham will keep you on your toes. Make sure to check your backing knot before you go, as fish over 18 inches will run long and hard… Looking ahead into August many of my trout trips will be split days early morning launches, midday swims followed by siestas and back out for the evening risers. This approach is better for the fish, and the anglers all around.
If you are hesitant to drive north in pursuit of trout there are some stellar opportunities for Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass within an hours drive of the Greater Portland area. Email or give a call and we can get you in touch with some WBD’s… guide’s I’d call “Weapons of Bass Destruction”.
We are at the halfway point in our season, and Fall will be here before you know it. If you haven’t fished in September and October in Maine crowds thin out, biting bugs are gone, and the fishing is refreshed by cooling water temps. Give a call and we will get you on it! 207-749-1593
Here is some eye candy from June and July 2011:
Prime Time has arrived : Fly Fishing Maine
May into June has been one hell of a Roller Coaster ride this season with river flows up and down, with many Plan B’s C’s and D’s thrown in the mix, trips canceled and rescheduled. The good news is fishing-friendly flows have finally arrived on the West Branch of the Penobscot, and the fishing has been solid. I have fished the river from 7300cfs on down to 2400cfs with good results all the way through. All tactics have produced in the last few weeks, smelt-style streamers up top and on bottom, Nymphs under and indie or naked, and of course dry flies. Over the last week and a half the dryfly fishing has come on hard, from Henrickson’s to rusty spinners, and as of Saturday night Big Caddis hatches. Prime time is here and once the current damp weather passes the caddis will really take the spotlight.
Speaking of spotlights…
The new Pro Guide Driftboat from Boulder Boatworks is turning some heads. Even Lefty Kreh was impressed with it. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get Lefty out in it and on the water for the day due to Severe Thunderstorms right at the put-in! But we made the best of the day sharing stories and even got some private casting lessons and discussion and lunch with a true legend of the fly fishing world. I hope to be half the caster Lefty Kreh is when I reach his age, he is truly incredible! We will make it happen next year Lefty!
The next month is the time to get out and experience some of the finest dryfly fishing in Maine. From Blizzard caddis and mayflies, to the Big Bugs of summer (Hexes) on a Northwoods pond. If you don’t have plans to get out soon you should…
Want to float a Maine River in style, give us a call or email. Some June/July dates are available.
Cell 207-749-1593
Until next time…
Three weeks well spent
Back in early April I trailered home a new Pro Guide Driftboat kit by Boulder Boatworks.
Before:
After:
While I’ve always wanted to build a wooden driftboat… and someday I will when it better suits my fishing needs. Years before I ever bought my NRS raft I began searching for a boat that was durable, quiet, and still retained the elegance of a driftboat’s lines… as a full time fly fishing guide I needed something durable and low maintenance above all else. Many guides here in Maine have been using fiberglass driftboats for years, and I explored those possibilities but never got on board. Then I ran across a picture of a beautiful drift boat built by a small company out of Boulder Colorado four years ago. There boats featured a light, durable, and quiet polymer hull, finished with ash ribs gunnels and trim. I began calling the guys out at Boulder and asking tons of questions about this new driftboat material. I called guides who have been using their boats for a few seasons and hearing very positive feedback. While talking the the guys at Boulder Boat works one day they mentioned a build it at home kit option they were going to begin to sell… I was sold. It wasn’t until late last winter I finally pulled the trigger sent them some cash and put my order in.
So early this May I began gluing wood,
sanding ribs, epoxying wood, varnishing wood,
more sanding, more varnishing.
After the gunnel scarf joints were glued and all four gunnels were sanded smooth,
I dropped them off to the guys at New England Off Road in Westbrook, Maine to have the gunnels coated with Line-X. The guys at New England Off Road did an awesome job on the gunnels, and I’m very glad I choose this option and feel for long term durability it is the way to go, especially if you have a dog.
It took over a week and a half to get the finish to where I wanted it. Then began the fun part… building the Boat! The build up process took about another week and a half to juggle between days on the water, and rescheduling lost days on the water due to high water.
Mounting Exterior gunnel.
Clamping starboard exterior gunnel.
Setting the Rib ins:
Making the interior gunnel cuts was the most intense part…a short cut would be bad, very bad…
Gunnel bolt detail:
Bare Bow:
Finished Bow Dashboard, and fly deck:
Guide tested, dog approved:
Of course there were fish to be caught during the build:
Chris Loves Brook Trout
Watching that bare hull slowly take the shape of a boat day by day was extremely rewardlng. I can honestly say my blood, sweat, and tears beers went into the building of this Pro Guide driftboat. I had some great help along the way, from my neighbors, my wife, my buddy Josh. The Biggest Thanks! goes to my friend Andrew, who put in a ton of time sanding, clamping gunnels, unclamping gunnels, theorizing, scratching heads, and getting it done. Check him out at Themadtrouter! I also owe a big thanks to the whole crew at Boulder Boatworks who were extremely helpful and supportive from delivering all the way through the build. Thanks Andy, Steve, and Chris for always taking the time to answer my questions no matter how busy you are. You guys Rock!
It was three weeks well spent, and now the real fun begins…
Who wants to Float a Beautiful Maine River?
Grab a seat before the dog beats you to it!
207-749-1593
April Fishing in Maine: Go get some
We are off to a slow start to the 2011 fishing season here in Maine. After a long snowy winter rivers across the state are running cold, high, and off color. Despite the less than ideal conditions, each visit to moving water this season has produced a good variety of fish species. Prime Time is on the way…slowy.
Check out this fish tale from an recent outing with my friend Jeremy over at www.fliesandfins.com
Happy New Year!
Another year has come and gone too fast.
I feel fortunate to have spent the last day of the 2010 fishing season reflecting on another amazing year with good friends, family, and spirits…I hope you all did the same.
Happy New Year! Wishing all the best for you, your friends and family in 2011.
Hope to see you on the water in Maine this year!
River Ice
Last Brown Trout of 2010
3wt and river ice
Trout-cicle
Last Years water...
Maine Fishing Season: Does it have to end?
Only if you want it to.
November Brook Trout
Before you know it you’ll be tired of pushing snow around, tying flies, and anxiously awaiting the warming rays of spring sunshine. There are some great extended season waters still open here in Maine and fishing well. Enjoy it as long as you can.
Maine Fly Fishing: September Rules!
Sunset on the West Branch of the Penobscot
Time flys… this update is long overdue, but for very good reasons. The fishing has been incredible on the West Branch of the Penobscot as well as area ponds and smaller rivers and streams. The high flows from Mckay Station on the West Branch of the Penobscot have dropped considerably along with the water temps, and the fish are responding well to stripping and swinging streamers. The retrieve seems more important than the pattern right now, all I will say is “make it move!” But it is not just a streamer game right now…in fact within the last week and a half I have witnessed two of the best late afternoon caddis hatches I have seen all season. These hatches are bringing up a lot of fish, including some really big ones just before dark. Try brown tan and black caddis sizes 16-20. If you are hiking out without a headlamp, you probably left too soon to see the big fish feeding on top. Blue Wing Olives (BWOs) have also been making appearances almost daily along with good spinner falls in the evening. The naturals have been small size 20-26 and we have been boating some good sized salmon on all phases of the hatch. Try parachute BOWs, barrs emergers, and wd40′s when you see these guys come off. If you can’t deal with the frustration of fishing (and seeing) these tiny flies I have good news! We are still seeing some action on big stone and hopper dryflys in the choppy water and along the foam lines, especially on the fair weather days. So enjoy fishing dryflys while you can…
I will be busy guiding on the West Branch of the Penobscot and Kennebago River in Rangeley through the end of September. Come October, I will be guiding Float trips on the East Outlet of the Kennebec River, The Dead River, and a few more extended season waters. If you want to get one more quality trip in before snow flys, give us a call or send an email. 207-749-1593 This is a great time to enjoy the splendor of Maine’s fall color, while catching some of the best fish of the season.
East Outlet Kennebec River
Have a safe fall on the water!
Ashley with a nice Maine Brook Trout
Maine Fall Salmon
Read more
Signs of Change: Maine Fall Fishing is almost here!
Ah…The Dog Days of August… While the extended forecast shows high day time temperatures the nights are beginning to cool off… The days are growing shorter as the earth tilts, and it won’t be long until my favorite season to fly fish in Maine is here. I have already seen some early signs of Fall color along the backroads:
Change is coming...
While last season brought torrential rains keeping anglers off many bodies of water here in Maine… this year the extendend periods of high temperatures have made trout fishing a tough game. What’s a trout hound to do? I traveled with my wife to her homeland in Finland to try to escape the heat of late July early August…only to arrive to record breaking high temps and smoke from Russian wildfires filling the air across Southern Finland. I gave trout fishing a try… Then realized that cold beverages and Sauna with faraway family was a better use of time…
Trying to pull a rabbit from the hat...
River in Finland
After Sauna swim under Midnight Sun
Chunky Summer Salmon
The Future of Fishing...
Fall Color is on the way...
Back home in Maine for over a week now, and the River temps remain around the dreaded 70 degree mark on my favorite trout and salmon waters… I have fished over six counties catching Rainbow Trout, Landlocked Salmon, and Smallmouth Bass. If you are still chasing trout and salmon right now…avoid light tippet and tackle, play them quickly, keep them in the water, and fish barbless hooks.
Other fishing opportunities? While trout purists may cringe at the thought, Fly Fishing for Bass in Maine is where it is at right now. Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass remain active during these high water temperatures and provide a lot of fun, and action for the fly fisherman until cooler (trout friendly) water temps arrive. I had a some great days recently including showing a boat-full of young fishing addicts the joy of catching Smallmouth Bass on the fly rod in Southern Maine. If you have forgotten what fishing is really about, check out these photos! It’s all about having fun on the water!
Summer is growing short, and Fall never lasts long enough.
Give us a call and get on the water!
207-749-1593
From Rangeley to Mount Katahdin
Been a wild ride lately from a few days guiding for Grants Camps up on Kennebago Lake back to the West Branch of the Penobscot where I will be guiding and fishing through July. Had a lot of fun with a good group of folks up at Grants Camps, and got to spend some time with some good friends and fellow Maine Guides. My friend Tony had a rough commute in to the Camps when a Big Maine Moose decided to run into his truck, folding his mirror in and leaving behind just enough fur to tie a fly or two. On the fishing front, flows on the Kennebago River went from too low to too high, so we spent most of our time looking for windless waters and rising fish on Kennebago Lake. Although fishing was a bit tough, we got some feisty brook trout in the net and the hospitality at the Camps was exceptional as always.
Tony's truck after clipping a Moose
Evening Calm Kennebago Lake
Subtle Sunset Kennebago Lake
Kennebago Limbo
Motoring out from Grants Camps
The West Branch of the Penobscot greeted me with huge numbers of caddisflies and the fish have been hot on their tails. We have been seeing a good mix of caddis species as well as bwo’s, cahills, march browns and golden stones, and yellow sallies in the air. This big bug buffet has had some evening anglers scratching their head while those willing to keep changing flies have been rewarded.
What are they eating?
Brookie barf tells the tale...
I'm not a pro photographer, but Matt Boutet is.
Last week we fished the river hard from Ripogenus Dam to the Abol Deadwater, and found some awesome dry fly fishing and solid fish throughout. Spent a day chasing fish from sunrise to sunset with friend and photographer Matt Boutet. He picked the right day for epic caddis…and got some amazing shots…Check out some incredible photos from the day along with many other stunning images at Matt Boutet Photography
Foam is Home
View from my cubicle...
Fat West Branch Salmon
The way things are going up here the big bugs will be here very soon, so have some winged stonefly imitations in the box if you are heading up. Stimulators, Sofa Pillows, and Bugmeisters get it done. For you Pond anglers, Hexes will be showing early this year if too. Prime Time is here.
Penobscot River Fishing: Summer is here!
June is here and it sure feels like Summer. We have seen some high daytime temps and humidity followed by powerful thunderstorms that felt more like July than late May… As for hatches, the Hendricksons seem to be trailing off, but I have been also seeing some good yellow sally hatches as well as bwo’s and the occasional golden stones and sporadic caddis. Spent wing mayflies have been the ticket in the evening and early morning, so keep an eye on the foam lines for subtle sipping rises. Not all small rises are small fish:) Streamers and nymphs have been filling the void between hatches. Try grey/white mitchell creeks, conehead olive wooly buggers, small stones and pt’s, green caddis, and hot wire prince nymphs.
Things really seem to be progressing very quickly this season, I even noticed some Lupines beginning to bloom at The Big Eddy over the holiday weekend! I’m guessing by mid next week we should be into our first really big caddis hatches of the season so keep your box stocked with elk hairs, X2 caddis, and Nancy’s Prayers as well as larvae and pupa imitations cause it will be on very soon!
I do have some open days for left for June and July, but they are limited, email if interested.
maineriverguides@yahoo.com Or call my cell 207-749-1593
Rusty Spinner Kennebago Lake
I have fished in good company the last few weeks from Grants Camps to the West Branch, made some new friends and caught up with the seasonal crew up at the Big Eddy. Here are a few photos from the past week and a half, including a shot of an empty Big Eddy Pool from last week… Won’t be seeing that again for a long time as Summer is here!
Misty Pool
Postcard day with a family of flyfishers...
Hendrickson by driftboat
Spring Salmon
Nesowadnehunk cleaning out a rafting crew...
Kevin with a nice Brook Trout
The Big Eddy Crew
Wood on water
Big Eddy Sunset