Maine Bass and Pike Fishing: Now is the time!!!
Sweet Summertime is here in Maine! As we roll into the dog days and the rivers warm, our focus shifts from Landlocked Salmon and Brook trout to Bass and Pike on the fly on the Androscoggin River. Purists my scoff at the idea, until they hook their first hefty Smallmouth on a topwater fly, or witness a 10 plus pound Pike T-bone a large streamer right at the boat.
While temps on trout waters across the state approach the 70 degree mark, we give the trout and salmon a rest. And shift our focus to fly fishing for Bass and Pike which provides tons of action for our guests in a sustainable manner. The topwater (dryfly) conditions for these species simply couldn’t be any better right now. Drop us a line and get out and enjoy a day of Sweet Summertime on a River in Maine!
Check this short edit of what it is all about!
See You on the water!
GB
Maine Fly Fishing: I gotta say it was a good day!
Today I fished a pond with John from Maryland…weather was decent fishing was off the hook for Maine Brook Trout…Too many landed on dryflies to count…I gotta say it was a good day.
Since our last report…
Caddis arrived in full force this past Sunday on the West Branch, during a soaking downpour… seems the Branch is the only game in town right now with high flows all over Maine. Fish have been fussy during these hatches try a variety of flys at all levels of the water column. Weather has been wet, but I have had a lot of good company the past to weeks. I love my job!
On the River we have been seeing a good variety of insects, caddis from size 20 to 14, Bwos from 16 to 22, March browns, lots of yellow sallies, golden stones, and some lingering Hendricksons…
Some of the best fishing of the year is yet to come! Book a day on the water and spoil yourself! Don’t wait til July to book a July day on the water…it will be too late! And if you are looking for a dry place to hang your hat after a day fishing the West Branch…Chewonki’s Big Eddy has you covered with a new cabin for rent seconds from the river…Good news is you will be dry and comfortable with a woodstove and other amenities, bad new is…I’m your neighbor…
Here is a link to booking info for Big Eddy Campground :
http://www.chewonki.org/vacations/vacations_big_eddy.asp
Email maineriverguides@yahoo.com as cell phone service is limited.
Todays Catch…
The past week in review:
Til next time,
Building a better Driftboat: time 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…
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
Got Lips?
Smallmouth
Spring Landlocked Salmon
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
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:
While last season brought torrential rains keeping anglers off many bodies of water here in Maine… this year the extended 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…
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… 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