Maine Brook Trout | Maine River Guides

Nov

Maine Fishing Season: Does it have to end?

Only if you want it to.

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.

Sep

Maine Fly Fishing: September Rules!

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 20-24 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.

Have a safe fall on the water!

Fall Landlocked Salmon

Slippery…

Jul

Hot Days: Huge Hatches

Taking a break from the heat this afternoon after a nice long swim in the Big Eddy, and realized an update was long overdue. Had some awesome days in late June on the water and some extremely slow days as well. Got some good press in the July 2010 Issue of Field and Stream Magazine in an article titled “The North Woods Way” written by Edward Nickens. It’s a well crafted piece about Eddie’s travels and experiences fishing with three Maine Guides, myself included, last June. Get out and pick up a copy, or check it out here: The North Woods Way

For the last few weeks I have been burning the candle at both ends. Fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot during the morning and afternoon, and hunting Native Maine Brook Trout rising to Hexes, and exploring cool mountain streams. Things have been fishing well all around with the action on the river having picked up since a late June slump. The Landlocked Salmon and Brook Trout on the West Branch of the Penobscot River have been happily feeding on a wide variety of dry flies from tiny black caddis to super sized Stoneflies. Water temps are already over 68 degrees on the West Branch so take time releasing fish and avoid overplaying them.

While I have had some epic evenings on Maine Trout Ponds withing a 50 mile radius of the Big Eddy Campground, I do believe the Hex hatches are tapering off and the fish getting fussier by the day. Like everthing else this season, hatches are coming and going a few weeks ahead of normal.

Chris and his wife Kim just showed up for the afternoon round of fishing…so I gotta run. Check out the fish Chris landed this morning… Nice work!