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March 12, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
For Immediate Release: March 13, 2015
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
With the moderating temperatures, the snow is settling, and getting around on southern Maine lakes is getting easier.
?We?ve got good travel conditions now. There is some slush, but most is frozen,? said IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam. ?With the snow and cold, use has been on the light side, so there are plenty of good fishing opportunities.?
In March, Brautigam generally sees a decrease in the number of ice anglers fishing, but with the light use earlier this year, anglers who are looking to enjoy a March day on the ice should see some good fishing.
?In some of the waters where we stocked brook trout, anglers are still catching brook trout,? said Brautigam.
If you are looking to head out trout fishing, you ought to check out Horn Pond in Limington and Lower Range Pond. These ponds received to mid-winter stocking, and there are definitely some holdovers left that will brighten any angler?s day.
Brautigam also noted that anglers are still catching trout on the Otter Ponds in Standish and Barker?s Pond in Lyman. They?re a good bet for some late season fishing.
It?s also a good time for targeting rainbow and brown trout. Both browns and ?bows are a bit more difficult than brookies to catch, so come March, there?s generally good opportunities to land a rainbow or a brown.
Of course, fishing for bass is also heating up. Lot of bass are in their pre-spawn mode are and are actively feeding, making them a prime target for ice anglers. Remember, there is a two fish bag limit for bass, with anglers only allowed to keep one over 14 inches. This regulation is designed to protect the larger fish as they are better breeders than smaller bass.
Anglers should also be reminded that if you decide to keep a bass, salmon, togue, trout or whitefish, it is unlawful to remove the heads and tails of the fish, and it is unlawful to possess or transport fish dressed in such a manner that the species of fish cannot be identified (unless they are being prepared for immediate cooking). While this isn?t an issue for most anglers, these laws help ensure that only legal fish are kept.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
?Bass fishing tends to take off this time of year,? says IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?Bass are in prespawn mode and are feeding heavily.?
Largemouth bass are going to start moving into the shallow weedy areas of lakes and ponds, while smallmouths will continue to hang relatively deep, generally near a shoal or some type of structures.
?Last year, we changed the regs, allowing anglers to keep smaller bass,? said Seiders. ?By keeping a smaller bass instead of a larger one, we can improve bass productivity and the size quality of the fishery.? Seiders noted that it takes about 20 years to produce a trophy bass.
This winter?s weather has certainly decreased the number of anglers out in January and February, and as result, fishing for trout and salmon in the area is still pretty good. Seiders recommends Flying Pond and Pleasant Pond as destinations if you are looking for salmon.
?While we are not seeing a ton, the fishing is still pretty good. The fish on Flying Pond are just gorgeous. The smelt are abundant, and every fish that you catch are full of smelts.?
If you are looking for lake trout, head out over to Swan Lake where the togue numbers appear to be up, but the size quality is still quite good, which is a good indicator that the smelt population is up. An average size togue on Swan is about 21 inches.
Messalonskee and Long Pond continue to hold up well for pan fish. On Long Pond, the average white perch is in the 1 ? pound range, with some tipping the scale at 2 ? pounds.
Region C -- Downeast
It?s a familiar refrain, but due to all the snow and cold weather, the number of ice anglers out on the ice was down in January and February. The good news? There are still plenty of fish to be caught.
?Use has certainly been down this winter, and the further away you get from urban areas, the fewer the anglers,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr, who said that anglers were staying closer to home this winter. ?A lot of lakes where access has been limited still has fishing that is similar to the beginning of the season.?
Traveling conditions are much better than they have been earlier this year, so anglers who want to head out ought to try waters such as Mopang Lake, Spring River Lake, Alligator Lake and Upper and Lower Lead Mountain Ponds.
Other lakes and ponds where you should have some excellent March ice fishing include West Grand Lake, West Musquash Lake, Meddybemps Lake, Big Lake, Crawford Lake, and Pocomoonshine Lake.
Burr did mention that with all the snow the Downeast Region has received, parking is an issue at some of these areas. However, the warmer weather this week should help knock down some of the snowbanks.
With many lakes seeing lighter use this season, Burr said anglers should be shy about trying new spots on some of their favorite lakes. A lot of smaller coves haven?t been fished yet this season, and offer some fast fishing to anglers looking to try new areas.
?There?s some good fishing to be had,? said Greg Burr, ?The light use this winter not only bodes well for ice fishermen, but also for the spring fisheries as well.?
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Looking for some late season destinations for salmon and trout? Region D has some excellent late winter options.
?The Chain of Ponds in Franklin County has some nice brook trout and salmon,? says IFW fisheries biologist Dave Howatt. ?And Pleasant Pond in Caratunk is good bet for lake trout and a shot at some brookies.?
Other popular late winter/early spring destinations include Spring and Spencer Lakes in Somerset County. Anglers venturing to Spring and Spencer have a chance at salmon, togue and brook trout.
?Any of these lakes are a good choice as they offer some good fishing and the ice is usually in good condition this time of year,? said Howatt.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Similar to other regions across the state, use has been down this year on Moosehead due to weather. While the number of togue caught on Moosehead may be down this year, anglers are catching some good salmon and some nice trout so far this year.
Anglers targeting salmon would do well to try Chesuncook Lake, which has been fishing well. Out on Sebec Lake, anglers are faring well targeting togue. Sebec closes after this weekend, so this is your last chance this winter at some good-sized lake trout.
Catch rates have also been good on Manhanock in Parkman. The pond received a good stocking of brook trout this fall, and anglers have been catching some big bass as well. Please remember, all bass caught on Manhanock must be released.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
After the cold, snowy winter, last weekend was a breath of fresh air in the Penobscot region as more people were out enjoying the outdoors.
?Last weekend, we really started to see people out on the ice,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer. ?It was nice weather and the conditions were better for traveling.?
Slush has been a problem in this area of the state, just like every other, but if you stay on established tracks that have hardened up, you can avoid bogging down your machine.
On Upper Cold Stream Pond there were a number of anglers spread out across the ice. Kramer was out conducting a creel census on Cold Stream last weekend, and anglers were catching both togue and salmon. Average size togue on Cold Stream this year has been in the 2-4 pound range, but there were two togue in the 15-pound range that were caught earlier this year.
Other places where anglers are doing well include Schoodic, where anglers have been targeting lake trout. One lucky angler hooked into a Schoodic landlocked salmon earlier this year that tipped the scales at over ten pounds.
Anglers are also having good luck for lake trout on East Grand Lake. ?East Grand has been hot. It?s been producing well for togue, and the occasional salmon,? said Kramer.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
There?s still plenty of fish and ice to be had up in Aroostook County.
?Anglers fishing the north country the next few weeks should plan to have an auger extension to get through the unusually thick ice layer covering most lakes and ponds,? said IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost.
In particular, areas blown clear of snow, areas around cleared ice shacks, and plowed roads on lakes and ponds have especially thick ice.
?One area on Long Lake over the weekend had ice that was reported to be four feet thick,? said Frost.
Even though conditions have been colder than normal this past winter, there hasn?t been the deep snow and accompanying slush that generally occurs each winter.
?Travel is very good on northern Maine waters and unless we get some heavy snow or rain in the near future, the remainder of the season should be excellent for ice fishing,? said Frost.
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May 8, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
So far this year, lakes in Region A have been providing anglers with plenty of action.
?Salmon fisherman have had a good early season with a good mix of size and catch rates,? said IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam.
Early on, Auburn Lake anglers were fishing under the ice with their PVC rigs and were rewarded with some healthy salmon right as the ice was receding. The smelt run on Auburn Lake was noted as one of the largest ever by area wardens as well.
?Boat anglers on Auburn reported initially slow action, but recently the fishing has picked up with one angler reporting a mornings catch of 19 salmon, with some up to 4 pounds,? said Brautigam.
Out on Sebago, there was some unusually good early fishing as soon as the ice went out, with some good and some slow days to date. At the time of this report the smelt are beginning to migrate into the Songo and we?ve had reports of some smelt at the locks. The next week or so should offer some good fishing as the lake?s smelt population converges on the northwest corner of Sebago to spawn, followed by hungry salmon and togue.
Over on Peabody Pond, the smelt run is over, during which successful anglers reported catching 5 to 6 salmon in a trip up to 4 pounds on a good day. Thompson offered fast fishing for one angler who fished a week after ice out and reportedly landed 30 salmon over two outings using sewed smelt trolled very slow. Another angler fished there with streamers and landed 12 salmon. The salmon on Thompson are smaller than last year when some unusually large salmon were caught in the 4 to 6 pound range. This year?s catch is ?more normal? with most salmon under 3 pounds.
If you are into river fishing in Region A, things were a bit slow but the Presumpscot River Bypass fishery was perhaps the exception, with anglers reporting some quality-size salmon being caught early by fly fishermen.
?Many of the popular streams in Region A are stocked twice (April/May) and typically the fishing in May provides much faster action as the waters warm, flows subside, and insect life emerges,? said Brautigam. ?The difficult decision now is do you fish or turkey hunt??
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
There are some outstanding bass waters in central Maine, and the bass fishing is starting to heat up.
?Bass are starting to move into the shallows as they prepare to spawn,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Jason Seiders. ?Anglers have a lot of opportunity to fish for big bass.?
Seiders reminds anglers to treat these fish with care, as these large females are generally full of eggs and ready to spawn.
Area brooks and streams are running at a very fishable level, and anglers are doing well catching some of the trout stocked by IFW hatchery personnel.
?One spot that is doing well is the Salmon Lake Outlet in Belgrade,? said Seiders. The outlet connects Salmon Lake to Great Pond, and trout have been congregating in certain areas of the outlet.
One other spot to add to your list to try is the Goose River in Swanville below Swan Lake. The water is a little lower than you would generally find this time of year, and plans are to stock it this week.
If you are looking to try your luck on one of the bigger rivers, you should try the Kennebec. Seiders has heard several reports of anglers catching rainbows over 20 inches below Wyman Dam, and the area in Madison from the dam to the confluence of the Sandy River has also been productive.
Also of interest to anglers is that Great Meadows Stream, the main tributary to Great Pond is now open to paddle craft such as canoes and kayaks, but is still closed to motorized craft. The stream has been closed to all use due to a mifoil infestation but is now open to paddle craft. There is a small hand carry launch on Route 225 that now has an open gate.
?The area is a scaled down version of the south end of Messalonskee,? said Seiders. ?There?s tremendous bass fishing as well as excellent wildlife and bird watching opportunities.?
Region C -- Downeast
In the last week, area lakes have been opening up throughout the Downeast area.
?Mount Desert Island waters started going out the week of the 20th, then we started to see other area lakes following,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr. Big Lake opened up soon thereafter, and West Grand Lake finally on May 1.
Water levels in area lakes and ponds are mostly up, although West Grand Lake and Grand Lake Stream are down. With the deep snowpack, water regulators ran high flows on Grand Lake Stream through April in order to avoid flooding, but currently Grand Lake Stream is running a little lower than normal for this time of year. Anglers are catching fish, but fishing will improve once the water levels are bumped. Of interest to anglers will is that 75 retired brood salmon were stocked in the river earlier this year, as well as 25 in the St. Croix below the powerhouse in Kellyland.
The rapid warmup also has smaller ponds fishing very well for this time of year.
?Everything seems to be happening all at once. Usually there?s a progression with the smaller ponds warming up first, but right now, fishing seems to be picking up everywhere,? said Burr. ?Salmon are very active on area lakes as the water temperatures are climbing.?
Burr mentioned that early season favorite Cathance Lake is doing well, as is West Grand and Big Lake. Anglers on Branch Lake in Ellsworth are also having good luck.
?Winter use throughout the area was down this year, and that bodes well for spring fishing,? said Burr. ?It?s time to get out and fish.?
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Up in the Rangeley region, water levels are going down and the fishing is picking up.
?There?s still some ice in the northern part of the region, but the ice on Rangeley Lake went out earlier this week,? said IFW fisheries biologist Bobby Van Riper.
The southern part of the region is ice free, and anglers have been catching fish on Porter and Clearwater Lakes and Temple Stream. Biologist Dave Howatt said one angler caught a five pound salmon on Little Ellis Pond in Roxbury.
?We?re starting to stock in Temple Stream, and yesterday there were several trucks and cars parked along the stream with people out fishing,? said Van Riper.
While many smaller ponds may be free of ice, trout in some of these smaller ponds might be a little slow to bite. ?Once the bugs come out, the trout will start to bite,? said Van Riper.
River fishing has been slow to pick up, but that hasn?t stopped anglers from trying as fly fisherman were seen wading through the snowbanks to fish on the Magalloway earlier in the season.
Some northern ponds are still experiencing strong smelt runs but in the southern section of the region, the smelt runs have come and gone.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
On Tuesday Evening, the ice went out on Moosehead Lake.
?It?s time to be out on the shorelines fishing for big trout,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. While most of the snow is out of the woods, anglers should note that area roads are still a bit muddy.
While many anglers will concentrate on the big lake right after ice out, Obrey noted that anglers may want to check out the Moose River.
?It?s too high to fish the river right now, but the mouth of the river is a good bet,? said Obrey. Other popular early season spots include Chesuncook and Allagash Lake. ?Ice fishing pressure was down this year, and there are a lot of fish still out there.?
Smelt runs seem to be just about over in the Moosehead region, as Obrey and his staff set trap nets earlier to determine the strength of some smelt runs in a couple of Moosehead tributaries.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
April 25th marked ice out on Cold Stream Pond, and word is that most ice is out in the region, including early season favorites Grand Lake Matagammon and East Grand Lake.
The early returns on Cold Stream have been very favorable, with salmon in the 22? range being landed, however, reports have been slowing coming in from other ponds in the region.
?We are basically just getting underway here,? said Nels Kramer, IFW fisheries biologist. ?Water levels are good, we had a gradual thaw, and people are starting to catch fish.?
Smelts have pretty much come and gone in the area. Some larger streams are beginning to see the suckers moving in. Stocking has begun in the area, and will continue through the end of the month.
?The next couple of weeks are one of the best times to be fishing in the area,? added Kramer.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Ice is out on all the major lakes, smelt runs are winding down, and anglers are catching fish.
?Ice went out earlier this week on Long Lake,? said IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost, who added that the ice is out on all the lakes on the Fish River Chain.
?Things seem to condensed this year. Smelt runs are winding down but Squa Pan and Long Lake are still running. Tributaries are warming up quickly as some now have temps now over 50 degrees,? said Frost.
Water levels in area rivers and streams are at good fishing levels, but still need to warm up a bit. With the warm weather this week, fishing should pick up quickly.
If you?re looking for a good early season spot for fishing, any of the lakes in the Fish River chain are a good bet, with Square Lake always a popular spot, as well as Carr Pond.
A little further to the south, Drews Lake and Nickerson are popular early, as well as Conroy Lake in Monticello. These waters are stocked in the fall and spring, and are popular fisheries this time of year.
May 29, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
IFW Fishing Report For May 29, 2015
For current stocking information that is updated daily, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/reports/stocking/currentseason/currentstockingreport.pdf .
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
On Little Sebago, anglers are enjoying the rebuilt launching facility there and enjoying some fine fishing for rainbow and brown trout, as well as smallmouth and largemouth bass.
The refurbished facility has a new dock system and toilet. It provides boaters with improved deep water access on little Sebago.
?Little Sebago attracts anglers seeking both trout and bass,? said Brautigam. ?The launch is used from right after ice-out almost until it ices in again.?
With the weather warming up, area waters have been heating up as well, and bass are actively spawning.
?We were conducting our bass electrofishing surveys last week and bass are actively spawning. Water temperatures were in the mid- to high 50s last week. Smallmouth bass typically spawn when the water temps hit 50, and largemouths spawn in a little warmer water, around 55,? said Brautigam.
Auburn Lake continues to produce good action for salmon and some lake trout. Out on Sebago, it?s been a good spring if not a little inconsistent.
?It?s been hot and cold, but recently it has been very good,? said Brautigam.
Out on our smaller streams, water levels have been low, so in many streams, fish aren?t yet found throughout the waterway. ?A little rain and the fish will be moving and will be found throughout the stream,? said Brautigam.
It is the time of year that water temps are rising, so once river flows increase, trout will start to move around looking for areas of cooler water. This can make it a productive time of year to fish.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
In central and coastal Maine, the bass fishing is heating up, with bass on or near nests in 3-5 feet of water.
?Males will guard the nest after spawning,? explains IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?Once you land the fish, it?s important to release the fish quickly as they prevent predators from eating eggs or the fry.?
If you like river fishing, the reports from portions of the Kennebec are glowing.
?In Madison, anglers are catching good numbers of brown trout, with many of these fish around 18 inches,? says Seiders.
However, it is the rainbows in the Bingham area that has people really talking.
?The fishing in Bingham has been exceptional,? said Seiders. ?Anglers are catching some unusually large rainbows.?
Many of these rainbows are in the 20-24 inch range, but Seiders received on report of a rainbow at 28 inches.
?It?s really been a tremendous spring for catching large fish up there,? said Seiders.
Region C -- Downeast
Downeast, you can take your pick of bass, trout, salmon or togue.
?Bass fishing is just starting to come on with smallmouths and largemouths right near shore,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr, ?Anglers are also catching good numbers of salmon and trout still.?
If you?re looking for salmon, Burr mentioned Branch Lake in Ellsworth, and Long Pond in Mount Desert Island as good choices, as well as Beech Hill Pond, Cathance Lake and Donnell Pond. Brown trout can be found in Walker Pond in Brooksville and Molasses Pond in Eastbrook. Tunk Lake is producing some nice salmon and togue, and West Grand is producing some big togue. West Musquash is another pond with good access with some nice salmon and wild togue. Some of the togue in West Musquash have tipped the scales at over 20 pounds.
?We have been emphasizing size quality in managing these fisheries, as well as provide for reasonable catch rates,? said Burr. ?It seems to be working out well as anglers are catching fish.?
Brook trout fishing has also been good in a lot of very good small ponds in the region. ?Now is a great time to get out and fish,? said Burr.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Up in the Rangeley Lakes region, anglers have been landing some big fish.
?One angler caught a four-and-a-half pound salmon on Rangeley Lake, and there have been several brook trout over three pounds caught on Mooselook,? said IFW fisheries biologist Liz Thorndike.
Rangeley usually offers the fastest fishing early in the spring, and then the other area lakes start to heat up. With water temps still in the low 50s, anglers are still catching fish on Rangeley as well as other locations too.
?We are surveying anglers on Aziscohos, and every boat we talk to has been producing fish,? said Thorndike, who added that Aziscohos is one of those waters that has a productive coldwater fishery that extends well into the summer.
Trout anglers who are looking for something a little different ought to try Jackson Pond in Concord. This small pond is off the main road, but just a short walk along the outlet to the pond. The pond was recently stocked with trout fry, but while there earlier this week, Thorndike noticed several nice rises from trout that had been stocked in past years.
?It?s a fly fishing only pond, and it?s a great size for fishing with a float tube,? said Thorndike.
If you are thinking about fishing in Porter and Clearwater Lakes, bring your lead core, as anglers are doing well getting deeper in the water column.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Up in the Moosehead region, last week?s weather was a real struggle between winter and summer. There was ice on the puddles on Saturday, but by Monday the heat was on. Unfortunately the wind kept many anglers on shore next to the fire for the first half of the holiday weekend before it died down for the rest of the weekend.
?We have received some good reports of fishing on Moosehead, primarily in the Rockwood area, as salmon and togue staged off the mouth of the Moose River during the smelt run,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. ?We are also hearing accounts of flying ants in the stomachs of salmon and togue on Moosehead.?
With flying ants already hatching, usually caddis flies aren?t far behind. ?Caddis flies usually make their first appearance of the summer in early June on our rivers and trout ponds,? said Obrey.
The stocking trucks have been out if full force the past several weeks in the area. Anglers can take advantage of the free fishing weekend coming up to hit a couple of the more accessible stocking sites. For the most up-to-date info check out the IFW website and hit the current stocking link (http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/reports/stocking/currentseason/currentstockingreport.pdf).
?Gravel Pit Pond in Greenville is stocked several times in the spring and there should be plenty of fish this weekend,? said Obrey, ?Also, Prong Pond, the Sebec River, Piscataquis River, and Drummond Pond are all good spots to fish in the Dover-Foxcroft to Greenville area.?
?If you?re in Jackman, head over to Big Wood Pond, Sandy Stream, or Heald Stream as they should be loaded with brook trout,? said Obrey, ?These are all great places to take kids that want to catch a few fish for dinner...just don?t forget the bug dope!?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
Are you in the Orono area this weekend and looking to go trout fishing? The department recently stocked 500 brook trout in the Stillwater River in Orono.
?We expect there to be a lot of angler interest in this fishery,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer. In order gauge interest in the fishery, Kramer has set up voluntary angler boxes at the landing at the UMO steam plant and across the river at the Orono Land Trust Kiosk. ?If you fish this area, please fill out a survey card and let us know how you did. The reports we get back help us better manage the fishery.?
If you?re not in Orono, don?t fret, there are plenty of other waters that are experiencing good to excellent salmon fishing according to Kramer, including Cold Stream Pond, West Lake, Duck Lake, East Grand Lake, Shin Ponds, Millinocket Lake and Schoodic Lake.
Brook trout fisherman will want to try Matagamon Lake, Scraggly Lake, and just about any pond throughout Baxter State Park. Looking to take the kids fishing and bring home some trout? There are numerous Kids Only Ponds in the Region, including Harris Pond in Milo, Edwards Pond in Lincoln, Pickerel Pond in T32 and many, many more. Don?t forget, it?s also Free Fishing Weekend!
Brook fishing has been just about perfect of late with moderate flows and cooler temperatures, however that will be changing fast this week with predicted temperatures in the 80?s.
Bass fishing should start to pick up soon especially on the Penobscot River. If you are fishing for bass on the Penobscot, please be on the lookout for northern pike. Workers at the Milford Dam reported a 29? pike in the fishway this past holiday weekend. Pike are invasive species in Maine, so we ask that if you encounter a pike in the Penobscot, please kill it immediately and call the Regional Office at 732-4131.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Now is the time to be fishing up in the county.
?The fishing is pretty good right now with near ideal conditions for lakes, ponds and rivers,? said IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost. Fishing has been good throughout the region, and Memorial Day Weekend was busy, despite the Saturday morning snow that left 2-5 inches of the white stuff on the ground.
?All the district game wardens say that fish are being caught all over,? said Frost.
Of note was an 18 pound togue that was landed on Eagle Lake, which has been the largest fish of the spring.
Out on area rivers, conditions are about as good as it gets.
?The Aroostook is lower than normal, but very fishable,? said Frost. ?It?s near ideal temperature and flows.?
Other rivers that anglers may want to try include the Meduxnekeag in Houlton and the east branch of the Mattawamkeag in Smyrna.
If you are looking to take some family fishing this weekend, you may want to try Nickerson Lake in New Limerick, Spaulding Lake in Oakfield and Mantle Lake in Presque Isle. These lakes were stocked with brook trout by IFW, and offer anglers a good chance at bringing home some trout.
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June 19, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
June 19, 2015
For current stocking information that is updated daily, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/reports/stocking/currentseason/currentstockingreport.pdf .
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
There are some good reports coming out of Sebago, with anglers still landing salmon.
?I talked to one angler who fished Monday, and he landed 20 salmon, all on streamers,? said IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam. Brautigam noted that most were in the 13 ? 16? range, but he has also received reports of some exceptional fish in the 3-4 pound range.
?Right now, coldwater fish are feeding 10-15 feet below the surface as lakes begin to heat up,? said Brautigam, who noted that the surface water temps were 70 degrees at Range Pond, and Lake Auburn was in the high 60s.
They are also getting some decent size lake trout out on Sebago, including some good size ones that are over the 33? slot limit.
?Anglers should know that lake trout aren?t always in the same areas as in the past, as they seem to be moving around feeding on alewives,? said Brautigam.
Anglers are also catching some pretty nice browns on area lakes, and that means fish in the 18-25? range. One of the more effective baits has been live shiners. Bass fishing is still productive even though most bass have moved off their spawning beds.
Anglers fishing for rainbows have been rewarded with decent fishing. Lakes like Norway, Little Ossippee and the Range Ponds have all been producing with daily catches from 2-7 fish in the 15-19? range.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
In Solon, anglers are catching some nice size brown trout in the 18? range. Anglers are also catching lots of salmon, but many are just below the legal limit of 16?
?It?s a productive area. You can launch at Evergreen and float down to Anson. You can also wade there by the bridge,? said IFW Fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?One day last week there were so many rises you would?ve thought it was raining.?
Early season reports are that the Shawmut section of the Kennebec is fishing better than it has in years. Anglers are catching browns in the 14-18? range with the occasional fish over 20?. While the number of fish being caught is not as strong as several years ago, the resurgence in the numbers even has a few guides taking sports to the Shawmut section once again.
The department stocked three different varieties of brown trout in that section, and all three strains of brown trout seem to be doing well.
?We are seeing three different year-classes (ages) of fish, which tells us that survival is good, and their growth is good as well,? said Seiders. One of the keys, said Seiders, is stocking a larger fish in the fall, instead of a smaller size brown trout in the spring.
Region C -- Downeast
Bass fishing is hot right now throughout the region, with some waters still having bass on their nests in the shallows.
?If you?re fishing one of our colder, deeper lakes, you?re likely to still see bass on nests,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr. ?Lakes like Green, Branch, West Grand, Beech Hill ? we are still seeing bass in the shallows.?
Water flows are very good for stream and brook fishing, and fishing your favorite trout stream has been productive.
?With the streams and brooks still relatively cool, trout are still spread out throughout the stream instead of concentrating in cooler, deeper areas,? said Burr.
Trolling for salmon is still productive. Anglers are still getting some on the surface, as well as just below. If you?re looking for togue, just troll a little deeper and you?re likely to be rewarded.
?Take your pick, no matter what you want to fish for, it?s all pretty darn good,? says Burr.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
In Rangeley Lakes Region, perhaps the best barometer on how good the fishing is the phone.
?I can tell the fishing has been pretty fantastic because it?s reflected in the amount of phone calls I get,? says IFW fisheries biologist Bobby Van Riper. ?So far this season, there have been no complaints and that means they are out fishing and catching fish. If not, people would be calling.?
Popular spots like the Rapid and Magalloway Rivers have been busy, but anglers are still catching fish. Water levels are down a bit, but fish are throughout the river and anglers are doing well.
On Rangeley Lake, anglers are still trolling and catching fish. Van Riper counted 20 boats there on Thursday. Look for the fishing on Mooselookmeguntic to heat up once fishing starts to cool off on Rangeley.
Bass fishing has been steady on waters like Crowell and Norcross. Van Riper things the best bass fishing in the southern part of the region is still to come.
If you like brook fishing, water levels in the area are near perfect. ?The black flies will just about carry you away, so the trout are feeding heavily,? said Van Riper. ?Every trout is loaded with black fly larva.?
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Last week?s rain really gave the rivers and streams a boost in flow said IFW Fisheries Biologist Tim Obrey.
?While it makes it tough to fish the bigger rivers, the smaller flowing waters should offer some terrific fishing for the next several days,? said Obrey. ?These early summer rain events will often bring some fresh adult salmon and brook trout up into the streams and rivers creating some great fishing as flows recede.?
Rivers that you may want to try include the Roach and the Moose River above Brassua Lake. ?Trout and salmon just scream into them,? after a rain says Obrey.
If you?re looking for some trout ponds in the Greenville area to try, take a look at Salmon, Secret or Rum Pond. They?re relatively easy to get to, offer good access and have plenty of trout in the 12-14? range. Bug activity on these smaller trout ponds is very good with both caddises and mayflies.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
On the Eastern border, there are very good reports from East Grand Lake.
?Reports from East Grand Lake, one of the more important salmon lakes in the region, indicate a good to excellent spring trolling season,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer. ?A number of anglers and guides have boated some very nice landlocked salmon in the 2-3 pound range. Togue fishing is also been impressive with numerous reports of lakers in the 8-10 pound range.?
As you head north, reports from Millinocket Lake in T1R8/T1R9 WELS are encouraging, with some handsome salmon coming to net. Across the dike from Millinocket Lake, anglers at Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes are also presently reporting some good salmon and togue as well.
It seems you can never go wrong heading into Baxter State Park, and lakes and ponds in and around Baxter are warming up with anglers experiencing some excellent trout fishing so far. Large brook trout in the 2 pound range have started to show at Grand Lake Matagamon, and a number of very fat salmon are also being reported.
Spawning bass are the ticket on lakes throughout the region, with anglers reporting action at South Branch Lake, Sysladobsis Lake, Caribou, Egg and Long Ponds, Mattanawcook Lake, Nicatous Lake, Saponac Lake and many others too numerous to mention. Smallmouth bass fishing has been as good as ever on the Penobscot River from Old Town to Medway, with fast action for smallies from 1-3 pounds being common.
Nicatous Lake has also started to produce some excitement with anglers enjoying the splake stocking program. Anglers are reporting splake in the 15? to 17? category, as well as some additional larger fish.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
If you are headed up to the County to go fishing, you won?t be disappointed.
?The trout fishing is still very good,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jeremiah Wood. ?The cool weather has extended the season in streams and the pond fishing just seems to be getting started.
Good news if you like to fish the Aroostook River.
?The Aroostook is fishing good as well. Usually the lower part of the Aroostook is more productive and produces bigger trout more consistently but the upper river is still fishing pretty good,? said Wood.
If you want to try some pond fishing, the Deboullie area is always a good bet.
?There?s been quite a few people in there the last couple of weeks. It?s been fast fishing and a nice place to go,? said Wood. ?And if the fish aren?t biting in one particular water, just head over to another.?
In Long Lake, the salmon bite is just beginning and they?re still catching togue in Eagle. If you?re looking for a new spot, try Fish River Lake, near the headwaters of the Fish River. There is a public launch there, and the water holds both landlocks and brook trout.
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August 14, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
Anglers seeking brown trout are having success, you just need to fish a little deeper, somewhere between 20-30 feet seems to be ideal depth this time of year. Hancock Pond and Little Sebago are popular spots for brown trout, but don?t be afraid to try some other ponds.
Trolling live shiners is productive, but you need to troll very slow, less than a mile an hour. If you are using a DB smelt or Rapala, you can speed up a little, but keep your speed in the 2-3 mile per hour range.
Of course, if you are looking for some fast fishing action, now is one of the best times to be fishing for white perch. It?s also a great way to introduce someone to fishing, and can be fun for the whole family.
?There is some spectacular white perch fishing in area lakes such as Long Lake in Naples, Highland Lake in Bridgton, and Keoka Lake in Wateford,? says IFW fisheries biologist Frances Brautigam. ?What?s fun about white perch fishing is that they move to the surface in the evening, they fight hard and they are not that finicky.?
Look for dimples or fins on the surface of the water just before and after sunset. Cast out a spinner, a Swedish pimple or even a bit of worm and your likely to have good luck.
Out on Sebago, anglers that are out there fishing early and late are doing fairly well for salmon. Anglers are catching quite a few wild 11-15 inch salmon, a result of good salmon spawning production in the Crooked River. Anglers fishing close to the surface are likely to catch the smaller ones, and those trolling deeper in the 20-35 foot range are being rewarded with some three to four pound salmon.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
Bass fishing in local rivers is always productive this time of year, and the Sebasticook has been producing for area anglers. Anglers should try sections of the river in the Burnham area, with a chance at some decent size bass.
?On the upper Kennebec in the Solon area, there are plenty of salmon and few larger brown trout,? says IFW fisheries biologist Wes Ashe. ?Anglers are catching a mix of small and larger salmon, but some of the brown trout landed are upwards of 20 inches.?
With the shorter days and cooler night time temperatures, Ashe said that water temperatures are dropping and fish are feeding more actively. Try some of the deep runs off some of the gravel bars for your best chance at a trout or salmon.
Brown trout lovers might want to know that there are some large browns being caught in Long Pond in Belgrade according to Ashe. While browns aren?t stocked in Long, they are dropping down from Great Pond.
While a number of 3-6 pounders have been landed, even more impressive are the 8-10 pound brown trout that have been caught this summer. Succesful anglers head out early in the morning, and have been trolling leadcore line with some sort of live bait or a Mooselook wobbler.
Region C -- Downeast
Downeast, it?s a great time for bass and white perch fishing.
?Perch fishing has been really good. There?s been a lot of people out perch fishing, finding the deeper holes and getting some nice fish,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr.
Bass anglers are also having quite a bit of success, particularly in the early and later parts of the day.
?Bass fishing has been pretty good, particularly for those who love to fly fish for bass this time of year,? said Burr. ?Anglers who like to fish with live bait are also finding success in the drop -off areas.?
Togue and salmon anglers are still getting some fish, but you have to go deep, with the most success found in the 35-50 foot range. Anglers are getting fish with live bait trolled really slow (less than a mile an hour) and others are having success with copper mooselooks, or flies attached to dodger.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
?It?s typical summertime fishing up here in the Rangeley region,? says IFW fisheries biologist Dave Howatt. ?You need to fish either early or late in the day.?
Howatt had spent the earlier part of the day up at Saddleback Pond, getting a sample of brook trout.
?We went up there to survey the trout population, and we found a good variation in age classes,? said Howatt, noting that they got trout anywhere from one to four years of age.
With river temps still in the summer range, river and stream fishing has slowed, but it won?t be long till it picks up.
?One big rain will trigger the spawning urge, and the fishing will pick up,? said Howatt, who said with the rain earlier this week, ?rivers went from extremely low to just normal August lows.?
Howatt did add that there is some really good white perch fishing in Chesterville on Norcross and Sand Pond. If you are looking to have a white perch fry, you may want to try one of these ponds.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Moosehead Lake is still producing some big brookies, even in the summer heat, with some large trout including one that topped the scales at 6.6 pounds.
?Right now, for brook trout, landlocked salmon and togue, you want to fish in the 45-65 foot range,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey
Those depths are based on summer netting that is done to monitor togue growth and condition.
?We are very pleased with the results we got. Last fall and winter we saw a slight decline in salmon and togue weights, but the fish are looking better this summer,? said Obrey.
This fall, Moosehead area fish biologists will be operating two fish weirs on tributaries to Moosehead to gather baseline data on wild brook trout spawning. The weirs will be set in late August and will be checked during September and early October.
Using radio tags implanted in the fish, biologists will monitor movements throughout the drainage giving biologists a better idea on how many fish and how much of these drainages trout use during their spawning season.
Money for the weirs comes in part from the Natural Resource Education Center at Moosehead who purchased additional weir parts this summer. The money from their fisheries enhancement/internship fund originates from the Moosehead Lake Togue Derby and other donations.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
?Most people you are seeing out this time of year are white perch fishing,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer.
?Some anglers are still fishing the salmon lakes, but you have to be more patient this time of year,? said Kramer. Looking for a good salmon lake for this time of year? Try East Grand, Matagammon, West Lake, or Pleasant Lake in Island Falls.
If you?re looking for a pond to trout fish, you?d be hard-pressed to do better than some of the walk-in ponds in Baxter State Park, which don?t receive a lot of fishing pressure, but hold some fantastic populations of wild brook trout.
?Anglers may want to try either the upper or lower South Branch Ponds in the northern part of the park. These are fairly large, crystal clear and cold ponds with a campground on the north end,? said Kramer. ?We were in there surveying the trout and we got good numbers of trout in the 5-17? range.?
If you want to do some bass fishing, fishing on the Penobscot is still quite good, with flow levels excellent for fishing.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
In the Aroostook region, IFW fisheries biologist Derrick Cote says they have been getting questions about black spots on some trout
?We have received numerous inquiries in recent weeks about "blackspots" present on the skin of brook trout. These blackspots are the intermediate stage of a parasitic worm known as a trematode. The adult form of the worms are found in the intestine of fish-eating birds such as the loon, kingfisher, duck, gull, cormorant, with the heron being the most common.?
?After reproduction, eggs are subsequently released into the water with the droppings of the host bird. The eggs soon hatch into a larval form and seek out an intermediate host snail. Further development requires the larvae to burrow into the internal tissues of a specific species of snail within a short period of time or else the larvae soon perish.?
?Within the snail, the larvae undergo two more stages of development within a month or two. Under the influence of warming water and light, the cercariae, as they are now called, break out of the snail and begin to seek a suitable fish, the second intermediate host. ?
?As with the snail, if contact with an appropriate fish is not soon made, the cercariae will die. Upon contact with a fish, the parasite bores through the scales and skin and occasionally the muscle whereupon it is surrounded with a thin wall. The fish in turn lays down a black pigment around the encysted parasite thereby producing the "blackspot" visible to the angler.?
?The final stage of the life cycle occurs when a bird, the final host, eats a fish infested with blackspot. Digestive juices within the bird's stomach frees the encysted parasite from the fish's skin whereupon it migrates to the bird's intestine and develops into a sexually mature worm, completing the life cycle. ?
?We are not aware of a situation in the wild where blackspot has been lethal or harmful to adult fish. Nor is it necessary to refrain from eating a fish infested with blackspot. Cooking the fish will destroy the parasite and the parasite is not known to survive in humans. So, although the presence of blackspot may detract from a trout's appearance, it is of no consequence to its edibility.
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January 15, 2015
MDIFW Fishing Report
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2016
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
If you haven?t noticed, this is anything but a normal winter throughout the state. Ponds and lakes that are usually frozen and safe throughout are still iffy at best. Before heading out onto the ice on any pond, please check the ice.
?Last weekend, we were out on a small pond that had about five inches of ice,? said IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam. ?That?s not a lot of ice for a pond that size in the middle of January.?
The snow earlier this week didn?t help ice conditions either. Ponds and lakes that skimmed over now have an insulating blanket of snow that has slowed ice forming conditions, even with the single digit temperatures that we?ve experienced at night. That?s if there is any ice at all.
?Mousam Lake in York County was pretty much wide open, except for some ice on the very north end,? said Brautigam. ?There aren?t too many years when we still have open water this time of year on our moderate-size lakes.?
With ice conditions extremely variable, anglers are targeting smaller ponds in the region, as well as fishing the frozen coves and shorelines of the larger lakes and ponds.
?On Crystal Lake and the Range Ponds, there?s less than a couple of inches of ice in the middle. People were tight to the shore and in coves and catching fish,? said Brautigam.
?On some of our smaller ponds that we manage for catchable brook trout, anglers are having good success at the Otter Ponds, Sand Pond, Barker Pond and Worthley Pond,? said Brautigam, who added the Hinkley Ponds in South Portland are fishing well too. Check your law book for regulations specific to each water you want to fish.
One silver lining for anglers? Ponds with poor ice conditions haven?t received any fishing pressure, and once they freeze up, the fishing should be excellent.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
Ice conditions vary throughout the region, so make sure you check the ice before heading out. Anglers fishing some of the smaller ponds in the region are having good success.
?We are seeing a number of people of fishing and doing well on Brettuns and Beals Pond which are both right off of Route 4 in Turner,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?Both have really good access and are stocked with a variety of different sized brook trout.?
In addition to brook trout, there are also some brown trout stocked in these ponds.
If you are closer to the coast, you may want to try out Maces Pond and Rocky Pond in Rockport. Both were stocked this fall with brook trout that range up to 20 inches. Rocky Pond is a youth and complimentary license only water, but Maces is open to all.
?Anglers are seeing some really good catch rates with brook trout,? said Seiders. ?Try fishing with small minnows, worms or nightcrawlers. Jigging is also very productive. Remember to fish shallow, shallow, shallow for trout.?
Region C -- Downeast
Downeast, people are fishing, but not in areas that you normally would this time of year.
?Until last week?s rain, the ice was shaping up, even if it was a little later than usual,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr. ?Most had sealed over, even though the larger waters were marginal.?
With the rain last weekend and then the snow, larger lakes are still extremely questionable. Thin ice is blanketed with snow, covering up poor ice conditions, and as well as creating slushy conditions.
?We are seeing people along shore and in the coves,? said Burr. ?People are anxious to get out.? Burr is hoping the colder weather will help freeze the slush and solidify the ice. Until then, check the ice before venturing out.
?People who are fishing the smaller ponds are doing really well. Ponds like Round Pond on MDI and Lovejoy in T34 offer some really good fishing,? said Burr.
?Fish the shallower water for brook trout. Brookies tend to hang out in 4-8 feet of water. We found them schooling in some of the coves,? said Burr, who added don?t be afraid to keep moving until you find the fish. Try fishing off of structure, or even downed trees in some of these ponds.
Small bodies of water in the region have 5-8? of ice. Try Keely Lake in Machias or Second or Third Lake Old Stream in Township 31. Splake are stocked into Second Lake Old Stream, and they can also be found in Third Lake. Some anglers are catching 18? splake in these waters.
Other ponds you may want to try include Fitts Pond in Clifton, where there are some splake and retired brood fish; Lowe Hadlock in Northeast Harbor which has brook trout ranging from 8-20?; and Jacob Buck Pond in Bucksport that has brook trout, splake and landlocked salmon.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Ice conditions vary up here, and anglers are still staying off the larger, deeper waters like Embden Lake until the ice gets thicker.
?Overall, the bigger lakes don?t have ice, the smaller, shallower ones do, and people have been catching fish on the smaller ponds,? said IFW fisheries biologist Dave Howatt. ?Spring Lake (T3 R4) is not real safe and one angler who went up to Chain of Ponds and saw the ice said he has never seen such a scary place in his life.?
Lufkin Pond in Phillips has been a popular destination with a good population of splake and brown trout, as well as a number of bass. Crowell Pond in Chesterville is also fishing well. If you?ve got children under the age 16, you will want to try Harvey Pond in Madrid. This was stocked this fall with fish 13-17? in length.
Mount Blue Pond in Avon is open to ice fishing this year, and is stocked with splake and brown trout, and is also loaded with bass. Fishing has started a little slow there, but Howatt thinks it?s just a matter of time until people learn where to go on the pond.
If you want to fish Wilson Pond or Porter Lake, stay near the shore. Anglers near the shore are catching some nice fish, particularly on Porter where they are getting some nice salmon, but the ice is iffy as you head out deeper. There have been several reports of shacks and anglers breaking through the ice.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
There?s not much ice, even in the Moosehead area.
?The ice just caught up in Rockwood earlier this week, but it?s not safe,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey.
Obrey said he has heard of some anglers fishing close to shore, but has also heard that even on the smaller ponds such as Moutain View, there have been some people who went through the ice.
With ice conditions so poor, organizers for the 9th annual Moosehead Lake Togue Derby have modified the event. The event was originally scheduled for the weekend of January 29th, but organizers have added three more days to the event, the weekend of February 19-21. The banquet, silent auction, and the door prize drawings will occur on Saturday, February 20th at the Masonic Hall in Greenville..
Organizers will also operate the weigh-in stations during the originally planned dates of January 29th -31 since many anglers have already booked camp and hotel reservations a year in advance. They do caution anyone fishing that weekend to be extremely cautious and check ice conditions before heading out on the lake.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
It?s been on again off again in the Penobscot region.
Last Friday, Cold Stream Pond finally buttoned up. After all the rain and wind on Sunday, it was wide open again on Monday. On Tuesday, it had frozen once again.
?Schoodic Lake was the same story, with it freezing, opening up again, then buttoning up in some places just enough to give some people some false confidence,? said Nels Kramer, IFW fisheries biologist. ?The truth is, I have a longer list of what is not fishable than of what is fishable.?
Anglers have been having some success at the north end of Pleasant Lake in Island Falls where there is 4-6? of ice with reports that anglers are catching salmon. Kramer says do not attempt to go across the lake.
The upper basin of Mattawamkeag is producing with salmon, perch and pickerel. Anglers are also fishing the Shin Ponds, but watch out as this snow will hide some of the thin ice on the ponds.
Anglers are fishing East Grand and Spednic near to the shore as the main body of those waters remains iffy. Locals up at Matagammon say that lake was unfishable earlier this week, but that should change quickly.
Molunkus Lake had 7? of ice and was producing some ?nice, fat brook trout.? On Mud (Perch) Pond in Old Town, anglers are catching 13-17? brook trout. Smaller water bodies generally are safer, and anglers have cautiously getting out on the ice to fish them.
On Pushaw Lake and Little Pushaw Lake, there are some anglers but they are staying near shore and are targeting perch and pickerel.
?This is the worst year for ice that I can remember,? said Kramer.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Even up north in Aroostook County, ice conditions are less than ideal.
?The ice is not good. The snow we got this week has created some treacherous conditions,? said IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost. Fisheries biologists do a lot of creel survey work during the winter on a number of ponds and lakes, and for now, biologists have suspended their work.
?The ice is really variable. In shore you may have 5-7 inches of ice and out in the middle there is 1-2 inches. Now with the snow, there is slush as well. Several sleds have gone through the ice on area lakes,? said Frost.
?What little fishing there is happens very, very, close to shore. Right now, that?s the extent of the fishing. It?s a very atypical year,? said Frost.
Frost did mention that he has received several reports of anglers fishing the Fish River below the Fish River Falls. That area is open to fishing during the winter, and some anglers are taking advantage and going open water fishing.
?It can be tough conditions with ice forming in the guides of your rod, but the fish are there,? said Frost, who recommended trying it on a sunny day so ice is not as much of an issue.
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April 8, 2016
MDIFW Fishing Report
Compiled By Mark Latti with IFW Fisheries Biologists
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
?The fishing in the southern part of the state is really exceptional for this time of year,? says IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam.
Brautigam was recently out on Sebago talking with anglers who were fishing. Most of the boats had 2-4 landlocks, and were reporting excellent fishing. Three-year-old salmon on Sebago are running in the 16-18 inch size. Smelt runs on Sebago and throughout the region are earlier than usual.
?On Sebago, as soon as we got some nice weather, people were out there,? said Brautigam. ?The water is 35 degrees, and people are picking up some pretty nice salmon, including some that are reaching 23 inches.?
Anglers trolling Sebago have also been getting some nice togue in the slot range from 23-33 inches. ?Anglers are saying how much fun it has been to bring in a 5 to 8 pound togue trolling with fly gear,? said Brautigam.
There is also some excellent fishing on many other ponds, particularly waters that were stocked in anticipation of youth fishing events that later got cancelled due to poor ice conditions. ?There wasn?t a lot of ice fishing activity this winter,? said Brautigam who suggested Crystal Lake and Lower Range Pond as destinations for some quality brook trout.
Flows for river fishing have been on the high side, and they still are a little on the muddy side. ?Still a bit early for river fishing,? said Brautigam.
On Little Sebago, anglers are talking about the big rainbows they are catching.
?We?ve been stocking rainbows there since the late 2000?s, and the last few years we are getting more and more reports of good rainbow catches in the springtime,? said Brautigam. ?Anglers are catching rainbows in the high teens with streamers.?
If you are looking for a little variety, anglers on Kennebunk pond in Lyman are catching brookies, rainbows and brown trout.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
If you want wet a line, you may want to head towards some of the coastal streams that are part of Region B.
?The coastal rivers like the St. George, Medomak and Pemaquid were heavily stocked this spring and have fish that range up to 16 inches. Inland, you should try the Nezinscot,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?The fishing should be fantastic.
Another spot that is getting some good early season reviews is Lake St. George.
?The fish we saw in our trap net surveys were in the best condition we?ve seen in a decade,? said Seiders. ?That, coupled with the lack of ice fishing pressure, has the lake fishing really well. Anglers are catching good numbers of salmon, with a lot of the fish in the three to four pound range.?
Smelts are the key to landlock health in Lake St. George, and the smelts in Lake St. George are shoreline spawners.
?Trolling near the shore is your best bet,? said Seiders, who added that the salmon are looking like footballs.
If you are looking to bass fish this spring, one spot you may want to try is the Great Meadows Stream, which flows from North Pond into Great Pond. This used to be closed to watercraft due to a milfoil infestation but it is now open to paddle craft. You can put in at a hand carry launch at the Route 225 bridge. The current there is slow, so you can also paddle back to where you put in.
?There is tremendous bass fishing there, particularly as you get close to the mouth of the stream,? said Seiders. ?It?s also a beautiful area to paddle with lots of shorebirds and waterfowl, and it?s a great area for some really large fish.?
Region C -- Downeast
With the short ice fishing season this past winter, springtime Downeast should bring a lot of opportunities.
?Early season should be terrific,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr. ?With the light fishing pressure we had this year, there should be some very good early season fishing.?
Burr said that there have been a few anglers out, but they are ?not catching a whole lot. That should start to turn as soon as we get a little warmer.?
Most of the lakes in the region are now ice-free and open. West Grand Lake went out last Saturday, one of the earliest ice outs ever. Grand Lake Stream was also fishing well early, but the recent rains have bumped up the flows to 1200 cfs which is not conducive to river fishing.
As far as where to go salmon fishing this spring, Burr thinks that West Grand, Beech Hill, Branch, Donnell, Green, Tunk and Long Pond should all have some very good salmon fishing this spring.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Spring is here in the southern part of the region, but as you go further north, it is still winter, with ice covering most of the lakes and ponds.
Ice is out on Porter, Crowell, and Norcross, and there have been a few people fishing,? said IFW fisheries biologist Bobby Van Riper. ?There also were some anglers out on Temple Stream which we will be stocking next week.?
Recent winds and rain should open up some other ponds soon, if not already.
?Ice on many of our ponds hasn?t been safe since the middle of March, and now it?s beginning to break up,? said Van Riper, ?Clearwater will be open soon if it is not already.?
Stocking in the area hasn?t really begun yet, but there are still some ponds that have quite a few holdover fish from the lighter than normal fishing pressure this past winter. However, be aware that these fish are fairly sluggish due to water temps that are still in the 30s and low 40s.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Thoughts of an early spring have disappeared in the Moosehead region.
?There was a lot of anticipation in March about getting some extra open water fishing due to the warm winter, but those thoughts have been put on ice in the Moosehead Lake area,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. ?Right now, many of the lakes and ponds south of Dexter are ice free, but we still have winter-like conditions to the north and west.?
The general rule of thumb in this region is that Sebec Lake will be ice free about 7-10 days after the Piscataquis River opens up, and then another 7-10 days for Moosehead to be ice free.
?Based on this theory the ice would be out of Maine?s largest lake around the 11th of April,? said Obrey, ?Unfortunately the theory doesn?t account for having the river re-freeze like some of it did earlier this week.?
Obrey said it won?t be much longer, especially with the heavy rain we just had, as it will start to eat away at the remaining ice on our lakes. He also said that Brookfield plans very high flows on the East Outlet and Moose River in the near future which will make them unfishable for a while, but will also open large areas near the mouths of the rivers.
?The recent rains will also fill lakes and ponds which will pull the ice away from shore and create some good areas for anglers to drop a line,? said Obrey, ?This is a great time to hit some of the smaller ponds and lakes.?
?The water is still very cold and the trout, salmon, and togue will be cruising the shoreline. Any place where a brook or stream enters a lake should have some open water after this weekend. The brooks and streams themselves will be very high, but they are usually very cold this time of year and not as productive as lakes and ponds. We?ll have to wait until water temperatures rise and flows settle before the stream fishing improves.?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
If you look at lakes and ponds in the Penobscot region, it still looks like winter with most lakes and ponds still frozen. However, there a few places you can fish.
?Cold Stream Pond went out last Thursday, and this week we saw a few guys fishing,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer.
On East Musquash, the lake is half open, but there is still ice at the boat ramp so anglers haven?t had a chance to get out there. The recent rains and winds should take care of that if they haven?t already.
About the only anglers who seem to be out fishing right now are some of the younger kids taking advantage of the kid?s only waters.
?The kids have been catching some nice trout in the outlet of Cold Stream Pond,? said Kramer, ?I?ve also got some reports of kids catching some good fish in the Burlington Fire Pond.?
Region G ? Aroostook Region
If you are planning to go fishing in the northern part of Aroostook county, you are going to have to wait a bit longer.
?We had two mornings earlier this week where the temperature was below zero,? said IFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost, ?and we still have full ice cover on our lakes and ponds.?
Rivers and streams have opened up, but most are still too high to fish. It also may take a while for rivers to subside to a fishable level as there is still two feet of ice on lakes and ponds, and snowpack to the north and west.
About the only area that you can fish is in the Fish River below the falls. There are also some very minor ice openings in areas where tributaries flow into lakes.
With all this cold weather, when will the ice leave?
?Probably the first week of May, depending on the weather. For the last twenty years or so, that?s generally been the week of ice out,? said Frost.
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May 6, 2016
MDIFW Fishing Report
For Immediate Release: May 6, 2016
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
In the Sebago region, the rainbow trout fishing is heating up.
?We?ve been hearing about some good rainbow fishing in the region, particularly in the western part of the state. Some of the fish are pushing four pounds,? said IFW fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam.
The smelt run is starting to wane on Sebago. There still are some at the mouth of the Songo, but salmon are starting to redistribute throughout the lake as the smelts disperse. Anglers may want to try around the western shore, or down at the southern end of the lake.
Water temps are still in the low 40s on Sebago. Some anglers have switched from trolling smelts to trolling streamers, but the results still have been excellent. One angler targeting togue caught 18 togue and three salmon; another netted 8 togue and three salmon.
With water levels lower than you would normally find this time of year, some anglers are hitting area streams with good success, catching a fair number of brookies and browns, some that have held over from the fall.
If you are looking for some panfish, it seems to still be a little early for the white perch spawn, but there are some big yellow perch spawning this time of year. Biologists were out trapnetting on Ossipee and the yellow perch that were captured in the nets were dripping with eggs or milt.
Bass fishing hasn?t really started to heat up, but this time of year, bass are seeking out shallower coves and the mouths of inlets where you will find warmer water.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
In central Maine, anglers hitting some of the area rivers are doing very well.
?Fishing on the Nezinscot has been phenomenal. There are a lot of brookies and browns in the river, some reaching 17 or 18 inches. The Nezinscot should fish well into June,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders.
Anglers have also been doing well on the Kennebec up in the Bingham and Madison areas. One angler caught two rainbows, one 27 inches and another that was 20. In Madison between the dam and the Sandy River, anglers are catching some nice holdover brown trout.
?White perch runs are just getting started. North Pond in Smithfield always has a very strong run, as do many lakes in coastal and central Maine. Target large inlets and you will likely find white perch spawning this time of year,? said Seiders.
If we ever get some nice, warm, sunny weather, bass will be moving into the shallows. Usually the first bass into the shallows are the larger fish so don?t miss out.
Relatively low water levels have resulted in outstanding small brook fishing for brook trout. Now is the time as the there are no black flies and plenty of fish. Look for streams that are a little in higher in elevation, or streams that you know stay cold in the summer. Even if you think they are too small, they probably hold some trout as long as it stays cool.
Region C -- Downeast
Now is the time to be fishing in Washington County.
?The fishing is great, everything is coming alive,? said IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr. ?Streams have warmed and are producing brook trout, salmon are still on top and biting in area lakes and bass are beginning to move into shallower water.?
Reports are coming with some very good catches at West Grand Lake, Branch Lake and Beech Hill Pond.
?At Branch, they are catching some beautiful salmon in the 19-22 inch range, and Beech Hill is producing nice salmon as well,? said Burr. ?On West Grand, most of the salmon are in the 16-19 inch range, and they are experiencing great catch rates.? On West Grand Lake, one angler even caught a 35 inch togue.
On Grand Lake Stream, salmon have started to move throughout the river. The river was also recently stocked with brook trout, giving anglers and added bonus. There is also a kids? only fishing area in the canal that was also recently stocked with brookies.
Other trout ponds you might want to try include Indian Lake in Whiting, Salmon pond in Township 30, Berrypatch Pond in Township 31 and West Pike Pond in Deblois. Jones Pond in Gouldsboro is also gaining in popularity as anglers are catching some nice rainbows there.
?Now is just a great time to be out fishing,? said Burr.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
If you are looking to go fishing in the Rangeley area, you may want to try Rangeley Lake.
Biologists have been talking with fisherman on the lake, starting the day after ice on the 21st. Catches have been very good. Last weekend, they checked over 70 boats that had caught 183 legal salmon. On average, salmon are running in the 19-20 inch range, but they did measure one that was 22.5 inches and weighed just over four pounds.
?The salmon are looking good ? healthy and fat,? said IFW fisheries biologist Liz Thorndike. ?Anglers are also picking up some trout as well.? Most anglers are trolling sewn-on smelts at slow speeds.
Nearby on Richardson Lake, anglers are catching some very nice lake trout. One angler landed two togue that were both over 30 inches.
Elsewhere, smelt are still running on Aziscohos, and there are scattered reports of good fishing on the Rapid as well as the Magalloway. Overall, stream and river fishing is picking up as the flows are very fishable right now.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
The fishing on Moosehead right now is very good.
?We?ve heard some good reports from Moosehead,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. ?Smelts are still running in the Moose River. That?s the place to go for salmon, togue and trout. Anglers are catching salmon up to 21 inches.?
On Moosehead, the smelts are still running on the northern end of the lake, but the runs have petered out in the southern end.
IFW stocking trucks have also made several trips to the area, and one of the more popular fisheries is the West Outlet. Anglers have been catching some nice brook trout there. Other rivers in the area including the Roach still might be a little too cool to fish.
?It?s still early ? there?s still ice on Allagash,? said Obrey.
Now is also a good time to try some of the smaller ponds in the Moosehead area.
?Now?s the time of year when people catch the biggest trout out of these small ponds. The next two weeks should be really good for bigger fish,? said Obrey. ?There?s usually a few midge hatches around midday, and anglers can catch some nice trout on wet flies during the day as well.?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
Smelt runs have been strong in the Penobscot Region, and that translates to good fishing and large fish.
?In the north end of the region, ice went out two weeks ago on places like Matagammon, Shin Pond and Scraggly. For the most part, we?ve had some good smelt runs, but they have been extremely good in some places,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Nels Kramer, who said that the size and condition of the salmon they are seeing is excellent.
?Schoodic and Cold Stream pond are looking really good,? said Kramer. ?It?s still a little early for Matagammon and the East Branch of the Penobscot but those should be good as well.?
Ice went out on East Grand a month ago, but cold and windy weather have limited fishing activity there. This weekend could be really good there with the winds likely diminishing Saturday.
?The head of the lake has produced some good, healthy salmon but down at the southern end, we just haven?t seen many anglers due to the wind. When we have seen fish, we have seen some very nice salmon,? said Kramer.
It?s still early up in the Katahdin/Baxter Park area, but they are opening the Park Tote Road to Foster Field on Monday. This will give anglers access to Daicey, Kidney and Draper ponds.
?There?s some pretty good ponds in that neighborhood and anglers do well,? said Kramer. ?We did some netting in there and the results were astounding.?
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Up north, winter is still hanging on in much of the region. Basically, the further north and west you go, the more likely you are to find ice on ponds and lakes, while waters are more open to the south and east of the region.
?In the northwest corner of our region there?s still a lot of snow in the woods and the roads are just beginning to open,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Frank Frost. ?The southern and eastern part of the region is ice free.?
However, that could change soon.
?By the weekend, we expect ice outs to begin to spread from the east to the west. Eagle Lake should be out by the weekend and others will follow,? said Frost. Eagle is usually the first lake for ice out in the Fish River chain, and Long Lake is the last.
Smelts have just started to run in the Fish River Chain, while most of the smelt runs in the southern part of Aroostook are done.
?Square and Eagle are very good ice out fisheries, along with the thoroughfares. Smelt are spawning in the thoroughfares and the salmon and trout are following them into the tributaries,? said Frost.
Ice is out in the shallower ponds in eastern and southern Aroostook. Many of those ponds are heavily stocked and the ice out fishing can be excellent.
Even with the recent rain, water levels are lower than you would normally see for this time of year. Anglers may want to check out the Fish River, as there has been some good fishing both above and below the falls.
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December 22, 2016
MDIFW Fishing Report
For Immediate Release: December 22, 2016
IFW Ice Fishing Report For December 22, 2016
Anglers can find the 2016 fishing law book ( http://www.eregulations.com/maine/fishing/ ) and the 2017 fishing law book ( http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/laws/index.htm ) online.
If you would like more information, or need questions answered, please call the Regional Fisheries Offices at these locations and numbers: Region A ? Gray (207) 657-2345; Region B - Sidney (207) 547-5300; Region C - Jonesboro (207) 434-5925; Region D ? Strong (207) 778-3322; Region E - Greenville (207) 695-3756 ext. 2; Region F - Enfield (207) 732-4131; Region G - Ashland (207) 435-3231.
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
The early season cold has made for some excellent early season ice fishing opportunities in the southern part of the state.
?There are a lot of people out already, and there is more than a couple of inches of ice on the smaller ponds. A lot of the bigger lakes are still open in the middle, but the shoreline and coves have frozen over,? said IFW Fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin.
If you are looking for some good early season fishing for trout, try these ponds: The Otter Ponds in Standish, Littlefield Pond in Sanford, Barker Pond in Lyman, Knights Pond in Berwick, Hall Pond in Paris, Moose Pond in Acton, and Worthley Pond in Peru.
If you are looking to take the kids fishing, try Round Pond in Lyman and Lower Hinckley Pond in South Portland
?On some of these ponds, like the Otters, anglers are doing great already,? said Pellerin, who noted that these ponds were stocked with trout that range from 12-15? in length with a few bigger ones as well.
Pellerin advises that if you are looking to fish for brookies, remember to fish shallow, in water that is five feet deep or less. Use small bait, such as worms or small shiners, and don?t be afraid to use a small jig as well.
If you are looking to fish for some rainbows, head on over to Stanley Pond in Hiram, Norway Lake in Norway, Little Sebago in Gray, the Ranges in Poland, or Crystal Lake in Gray. Most of these ponds are a little larger but should have some good ice and fishing for rainbows by the first of the year.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
Anglers are having early season success for trout in many different waters in Region B.
?If you are looking for trout, you ought to try Levenseller Pond in Searsmont or Dutton Pond in Knox. They were stocked with brook trout that range in size from ten inches to nearly 20 inches,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Jason Seiders.
With ice covering the pond now, many anglers might be tempted to try the deeper water at Levenseller, but Seiders says that if you are looking for brookies, stay close to shore in and in shallow water.
?Brook trout cruise the shoreline looking for food, usually nymphs or small minnows. Look for areas that have gravel or rocky bottoms,? said Seiders.
Once you?ve found a spot, make sure you use small bait or jigs.
?Fish shallow with small bait ?use worms or small shiners. Don?t be afraid to jig. The key is to be where the trout are, and they are not out deep, they are cruising the shoreline, and they like small bait,? said Seiders.
If you?ve got kids and you want to give them a day catching trout, try Maces Pond and Rocky Pond in Rockport. ?Both ponds are heavily stocked with trout,? says Seiders.
Heading away from the coast and towards the Belgrades, you may want to try Salmon and McGrath Ponds in Belgrade, which were recently stocked and also have some nice bass. If you are looking for panfish, East Pond in Smithfield has a popular white perch fishery.
Round Pond and Brettuns Pond in Turner has good access and good fishing. ?They were both heavily stocked with brook trout and there are some nice holdovers of brown trout that are in the 20 inch range,? said Seiders.
There are also some nice salmon to be had in Region B. Fall trapnetting revealed a number of 20? salmon at waters such as Flying Pond in Vienna; and in Alford Lake, there were brown trout that tipped the scales at over seven pounds as well as a number of 20 inch salmon. Lake Wassokeag in Dexter also had some good number of large salmon.
Down in the southern coastal part of the region, check out Sewall Pond in Arrowsic for trout and a chance at some big bass, and in Georgetown, Charles Pond was also stocked and should offer some fine trout fishing.
Region C -- Downeast
Anglers are enjoying the early season angling downeast, with some excellent early season angling opportunities.
?Lovejoy Pond in T 35, just south of the Studmill Road is a pond that freezes early and was stocked with fall fingerlings and fall yearling trout,? says IFW Fisheries Biologist Greg Burr. Anglers fishing there can expect to catch trout in the 12-14? range.
Over in Calais, you?ll want to try Keene?s Lake for brookies. In Whiting, Indian Lake has a range of sizes for brook trout, ranging from 8-10?, and even some in the 20? range.
Down on Mount Desert Island, there are some excellent opportunities for brook trout. Check out Round Pond in Mount Desert, and Lower Hadlock in Northeast harbor. Both were stocked this fall with 12-14 inch brook trout.
For the kids, try Foxhole in Deblois. It?s a kid?s only pond that?s stocked with brook trout. If you are fishing here, use small bait and worms, or small silver lures for jigging.
There?s also a few new fisheries you may want to try out downeast, including Phillips Lake in Dedham and Spring River Lake in T10SD, just north of Tunk lake.
?Phillips Lake gets quite a lot of use, and anglers wanted more opportunity. So after a thorough review, this fall we stocked it with brook trout to augment the togue and salmon fishery,? explained Burr. ?We can?t enhance the togue or salmon population without impacting the smelt population, so a ?put and take? brook trout fishery will enhance the species diversity without putting a lot of pressure on the forage base.? 700 brook trout were stocked there this fall, and the stocking program will be evaluated over the coming years.
?We did the same thing at Spring River Lake,? said Burr. ?We had been stocking the lake with brown trout, which tend to have slower catch rates. Anglers were catching browns and some salmon that dropped down, but again, anglers were looking for more opportunity. We think the addition of 400 fall yearling brook trout should really augment the fishery, and over the next few years, we will be evaluating the program.?
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
It?s been cold in Region D, and even before the sub-zero cold we had last week, anglers were already out fishing their favorite early season spots. Ice conditions continue to get better, and most of the small ponds now have 5-6? of ice.
?There are a number of popular early season ponds that received stockings of 12-14 inch brook trout this fall,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Dave Howatt. ?Anglers should check out Crowell and Norcross Ponds in Chesterville, Ellis Pond in Roxbury, and Fahi Pond in Embden.? Most of the ponds have very good access (Fahi requires a bit more effort), and along with the trout, there are also strong bass, pickerel and perch fisheries.
Howatt mentioned that a lot of other ponds will open on January 1, including Mount Blue Pond in Avon.
?Mount Blue Pond is an interesting place to try. It was opened to ice fishing for the first time last year. It saw moderate activity, and the fishing for splake was fair. This year, we upped the splake stocking from 200 up to 500.? Howatt said it will be interesting to see if this draws more anglers, and if anglers have more success at Mount Blue Pond. There is also a decent smallmouth bass and white perch fishery at Mount Blue.
Other waters that you may want to try after the New Year include Clearwater Pond in Industry, Porter Lake in Strong, and Wilson Pond in Wilton. All three of these waters are in Franklin County, have easy access, and offer decent winter angling for brook trout, salmon, and togue. If you are looking for more of an adventure this winter, you could try the Chain of Ponds in Chain of Ponds Twp for brookies and salmon or head to Spring Lake in T03 R04 BKP WKR for brookies, salmon and togue.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Anglers looking for early season action in the Moosehead Lake Region should target smaller, shallow waters that tend to freeze early.
?Ponds like Fitzgerald Pond, Prong Pond, and Shirley Pond are good early season choices in the Greenville area,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Tim Obrey. ?These ponds are all stocked with fallyearling brook trout in the fall that range from 12-14 inches.?
?Brann?s Mill Pond in Dover-Foxcroft is another good bet, and a great place to take the kids. The pond has white perch, bass, and pickerel to keep the action going all day in addition to the fall stocking of brook trout,? added Obrey. ?Access is very easy as the main road runs very close to the pond.
Other ponds that you may want to try for some early season action include Harlow in Sangerville and Manhanock Pond in Parkman. Both ponds are stocked with brook trout, and white perch are big and abundant. There are some monster bass in this pond but they must be released.
One other water, while not small or shallow but always freezes early is Big Wood Pond in the Jackman region
?Big Wood freezes earlier than most of our larger waters,? says Obrey. ?This pond is stocked heavily with splake and brook trout in the fall. In fact, this year we had a few extra brook trout in the hatchery and Big Wood Pond anglers will reap the benefits. The fishing is always fast and furious in early January on this pond and this year should be even better.?
Even with the cold weather, early season ice conditions can be tricky, so take care. ?We?ve had some pretty cold days over the last week which will help make ice but caution is the rule of the day. No fish is worth a dip in the water this time of year,? said Obrey.
Region F ? Penobscot Region
Ponds and even some lakes are buttoning up in the Penobscot region, but even with the spell of cold weather we experienced, remember, there are no guarantees with ice, so be careful and check the ice before heading out.
?We have a number of lakes and ponds that tend to firm up early,? said IFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer, ?and we stock a number of them with both fall yearling and adult brook trout.? Fall yearlings average about 12-14 inches, and the retired brood stock adult brook trout are generally in the 17-20 inch range.
Some of the waters you may want to try early this season include: Middle Oxhead Pond (T40 MD), Perch Pond (Old Town), Wiley Pond (Patten), Silver Lake (Lee), Upper Pond (Lincoln), Trout Pond (Lowell), Smith Pond (Millinocket), Norton Pond (Brownville), Flatiron Pond (T3R9) and Falkner Pond (Weston).
You may also want to try Lower Shin and Upper Shin Ponds (Mount Chase), Hay Lake (T6R8 WELS), Cold Stream Pond (Enfield) and Upper Cold Stream Pond (Lincoln). Check the regulation book on these waters, as they have special S-Code regulations for the early part of the season.
Kramer and the Region F fisheries crew were out trapnetting this past fall, and were encouraged with the results
?We have high expectations for both salmon and togue fishing at a number of waters that will be opening on the 1st of January, including Schoodic Lake in Brownville, East Grand in Danforth and Cold Stream Pond in Enfield,? said Kramer. ?Matagamon Lake should also have very good fishing for trout and salmon. Anglers should also do well at Scraggly and I expect to see excellent splake and salmon fishing at Nicatous Lake (T40 MD), Cedar Lake (T3R9 NWP) and Seboeis Lake (T4R9 NWP).?
The region also has some excellent ?Kid?s Only? ponds that you may want to try with some young anglers.
?We always encourage any adults who enjoy ice fishing to consider taking a kid along. We have a number of ?Kid?s Only? ponds that have been heavily stocked with big trout and we?d love to see young anglers experience the thrill of hooking and landing a 12? to 18? brookie,? said Kramer.
If you are looking for a ?Kid?s Only? pond, try Jerry Pond (Millinocket), Pickerel Pond (T32MD), Edwards Family Fishing Pond (Lincoln), Harris Pond (Milo), Little Round Pond (Lincoln) and Rock Crusher Pond (Island Falls).
As always, anglers should check their fishing rule book and if any anglers would like more information, or need to have questions answered, please call the Regional Fisheries Office and ask. The Penobscot Regional Office number in Enfield is: 732-4131.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
This year, the winter weather is cooperating for ice anglers and there are no shortages of places to fish.
?This is looking like a more normal year. By January 1st, we should have ice nearly everywhere,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Frank Frost.
Many of the smaller lakes and ponds already have five to six inches of ice. ?Even some of our bigger lakes are starting to close in,? said Frost, who noted that most of the larger lakes had ice around the shore.
Anglers looking to catch some trout or splake have a variety of ponds they may want to try early this year.
Arnold Brook Lake in Presque Isle and Scopan Lake in Mapleton should offer some good fishing early, and if you are a little further south in Region G, Drews Lake in Linneus and Nickerson Lake in New Limerick. All of these waters have good numbers of catchable trout. You also have the chance to catch some larger splake in Scopan and Drews.
?All of these were stocked with fall yearling trout, but there are also some adult brood trout that are up to 20 inches,? says Frost. Frost added that the St. John River in Van Buren also holds good number of catchable trout. He cautions anglers to be careful when heading out onto any body of water, including the St. John.
October 2, 2015
MDIFW Hunting Report
IFW Hunting Report for October 2, 2015
Southern Lakes Region ? Region A
October marks the beginning of pheasant season in southern Maine, and IFW biologists and local rod and gun clubs were out earlier in the week, releasing birds at a variety of sites.
?We released 770 birds at 24 different sites,? said IFW wildlife biologist Scott Lindsay. ?We had 40 volunteers from different fish and game clubs who helped us release the birds.?
Over the course of the season, the department will release 2,300 birds on three different release dates. The next pheasant release date is October 11, and then the final release date will be October 18.
Funding for the program comes directly from the pheasant stamp, which costs $17. Birds are released on public land, or on private land where the landowners have provided access to pheasant hunters. For more information on the program, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/pheasant.htm
The fall season for wild turkeys also begins this week. Lindsay says that he is still seeing turkeys throughout the region, but not as many as years past due to some harsh winters and increased turkey hunting opportunities. Lindsay suggests changing your tactics when hunting this bird in the fall.
?Birds are not in the fields as much since the males aren?t displaying,? said Lindsay. ?You should try more in the woods. Look for oak stands where there is some good hard mast. It?s been a good acorn year.?
Lindsay did add that this fall, he had close to 20 requests for bear baiting sites on wildlife management areas in southern Maine. He said that several of those hunters were successful in getting a bear, and that many of them got a lot of activity from bears that were confirmed with game cam pictures.
Central and Midcoast Maine ? Region B
Waterfowl season is heating up in central and coastal Maine.
?We are seeing a lot of the big ducks, blacks and mallards, on Sebasticook Lake,? said IFW Wildlife Biologist Keel Kemper. ?They haven?t drawn down the water yet, but once they do, the teal will start to show up as well.?
Kemper added that teal hadn?t really showed up at Merrymeeting Bay either. ?Things seem to be a little behind this year.?
If you are a wood duck hunter, this might be one of the better years in a while.
?It could be an exceptional year for wood ducks due to the huge acorn crop. Everywhere I have gone, it has been quite substantial,? said Kemper. Kemper said a trip down the Sebasticook River would be worthwhile for woodies. ?They are pretty evenly distributed up and down the river.?
Green Point in Dresden is another good choice for waterfowl hunting. The gate is open down to the point and it offers excellent access to Merrymeeting Bay.
If you are a goose hunter, things are looking good as well. Unity Pond has hundreds of geese that are roosting on the pond, then heading out at first light to feed in the fields around the area.
If you are looking to go duck hunting, don?t forget your federal duck stamp. They are available at your local post office. Some hunters have had to go to multiple post offices to get theirs, so plan ahead. You can also get them online from the US Postal Service.
And the early word is that that the grouse study at Frye Mountain Wildlife Management Area had good grouse numbers which should translate to a good season.
Downeast Region ? Region C
After two harsh winters Downeast, upland bird numbers are rebounding.
?Two years ago, our December ice storm was pretty harmful to grouse and turkeys, and then we had a prolonged winter last year,? said IFW wildlife biologist Tom Schaeffer. ?But from what I have seen, this year could be slightly above average, or average in most areas downeast.?
Schaeffer points out that even though spring was delayed in arriving, it wasn?t a prolonged cold and wet spring, meaning that there was fair to good conditions for broods of grouse and turkeys. ?We?ve received some favorable reports and observations of pretty good recruitment.?
If you are looking to turkey hunt downeast,, WMDs 16 and 28 have a two bird bag limit, while WMD 19 has a one bird bag limit. There is no fall turkey hunting in WMD 27.
Rangeley Lakes and Western Mountains Region ? Region D
Now is a great time to go waterfowl hunting in the western foothills and western mountain areas of the state.
?Any of our wildlife management areas such as Stump Pond in Strong, Fahi Pond in Embden, Chesterville WMA in Chesterville, Mercer Bog in Mercer and Black Brook Flowage in Carrying Place Township all are good bets for waterfowl hunting,? said IFW wildlife biologist Chuck Hulsey.
Fall turkey hunters aren?t likely to as many turkeys as they?ve seen in years past. ?There are fewer turkeys out there with the harsh winters we?ve had the past two winters,? said Hulsey.
With a relatively good spring from nesting, upland bird hunters in the area should see an average to an above average year for birds.
Moosehead Region ? Region E
While much of Maine was dry this spring, it was a little different in parts of northern Maine.
?I was a little concerned about grouse numbers after all the water we had up here in the nesting season,? said IFW wildlife biologist Doug Kane, who added that once the foliage drops, hunters should start seeing birds.
With the start of the regular archery season for deer, Kane is glad to hear favorable reports on deer in the area.
?Deer numbers are showing up really well. There?s been a lot of sightings and we are seeing a slow upward growth in the population after the two very difficult winters we had in 08 and 09,? said Kane.
Bear hunters in the Moosehead region are doing well, but with all the natural foods in woods, it was more difficult to get a bear using bait.
?For some hunters, it was about average, but for other hunters, it was a little more difficult,? said Kane. ?The good news is that bears will be out longer this year and denning later. Deer hunters will likely get a chance at a bear.?
The moose hunt started slow in the northern part of the region with temperatures in the mid-70s on Monday, but with the rain and cooler weather, hunters were seeing more moose by mid-week.
Penobscot Region ? Region F
By mid-week, area moose tagging stations were busy. Island Falls had registered nine moose, Mount Chase registered 11 and Springfield had 10 registered. Abol Bridge was the busiest as usual, registering 27 moose through early Thursday.
With the early part of bear season over, numbers look similar to last year.
?They tagged 60 bear up to Mount Chase,? said IFW Wildlife biologist Allen Starr, ?Milo has also tagged a similar number. While the beginning of the bait season was a little slower than normal, it picked up later in the season.?
Bird hunters were out the first day of the season, and even though it was windy, they were finding success. Many moose hunters were on the prowl for birds as well. Foliage is still thick throughout the region.
If you are looking to turkey hunt in the area, you will want to hunt the southern part of the region. ?I?ve noticed some good flocks of turkeys in the Bradford, Lagrange and Charleston areas,? said Starr.
If you are looking to go grouse hunting, the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area is an excellent choice. IFW biologists have been working to free apple trees that are overly grown in, and have been cutting different areas of the forested landscape in both strip and block cuts for grouse and woodcock. The staggered cuts provide excellent habitat in different stages of growth for both game birds. Page Farm on the Mattawamkeag River Wildlife Management Area is another good choice to hunt.
Aroostook Region ? Region G
At 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, it was 43 degrees in parts of Aroostook County, a marked contrast to the mid-70s that were prevalent for moose hunters earlier in the week.
Even with the warm weather, there were steady numbers of moose being registered, including several over 1,000 pounds.
Thursday also marked the beginning what should be a good grouse season up north.
?It should be a better than average year,? said IFW wildlife biologist Rich Hoppe. This is based primarily on drumming counts and brood counts done earlier in the year. ?It may be spotty in some areas, but overall what we saw was that brood numbers were better than average.?
?It?s also looking good for duck season up here. We?ve seen good production with a high number of broods and there?s a lot of food available. What we?ve seen in the past is that if the food is here, the ducks will stay put,? said Hoppe. ?The recent rain has spread the ducks out, but once things dry out a bit, the duck hunting will pick up.
January 11, 2018
MDIFW Fishing Report
For Immediate Release: January 11, 2018
MDIFW Ice Fishing Report For January 11, 2018
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
Cold weather has been holding people back, but those that braved the cold at the beginning of the month are doing well ice fishing on southern Maine waters.
?There?s been very few people out?most lakes and ponds have 8 inches of ice and those that are out are catching fish,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin.
Biologists interview anglers for creel surveys throughout the year to gather information they will use to manage the fishery. In southern Maine this ice fishing season, expect to find IFW fisheries staff out on Little Sebago, Long Pond in Parsonsfield and Sabbathday in New Gloucester.
?Most places we check, there are five to seven parties. Last weekend, there were hardly any,? said Pellerin.
One early season hot spot is the Otter Ponds in Standish. ?There was no one there on New year?s weekend,? said Pellerin. The good news? The light early season use means there?s still plenty of trout in the Otters.
On Sebago, while the big bay has not set up, there is 3-5 inches of ice from the Station to Jordan Bay. ?That?s the earliest I?ve ever seen that section freeze in my 21 years,? said Pellerin. Anglers have been fishing there, and having good luck for togue, nothing huge yet, but some nice fish in the slot limit.
With early season use low, anglers who are targeting trout should have good results the new few weeks. Pellerin advises using smaller baits for brook trout and rainbows, and don?t forget to bring a jig rod. Jigging with small spoons can be an excellent way to entice a wary trout.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
Now that temperatures have moderated, if you are looking for a place to go salmon fishing, you have a number of choices in Region B.
?Maranacook is a good choice for salmon. We trapnetted the lake this fall, and the number and size of the salmon we trapped was excellent, including several over five pounds,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders.
Another spot you may want to try is Echo Lake. ?You may not get as many salmon as you do at Maranacook, but the size quality of these salmon are the best in the region. There?s lots of fish in that lake that are over five pounds,? said Seiders.
Put Parker Pond on your ice fishing list as well. It used to be open only during the month of January. Due to some management-driven regulation changes, now not only can you fish there throughout the season, instead of the one salmon over 16 inches, you can keep two salmon over 14 inches.
Those looking to catch a few trout may want to try Pinkham Pond in Alna. This small pond was stocked this fall with trout that averaged 13 inches in length, along with some larger trout over 18 inches.
Other small ponds that offer fast fishing this time of year include Levenseller Pond in Lincolnville, Sewall Pond in Arrowsic and Charles Pond in Georgetown.
If you are looking to get off the beaten path, and try something new, take a look at Spectacle Pond in Augusta. Located in the department?s Garcelon Wildlife Management Area, Spectacle offers an undeveloped shoreline and some really nice brown trout.
Region C -- Downeast
?People are itching to get out ice fishing,? says IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr.
Early season creel surveys Downeast are similar to those in other regions ? bitterly cold weather means not a lot of fishing pressure.
?We saw ten parties on Hopkins and four on Beech Hill,? said Burr. ?Those numbers are usually much higher.? On Hopkins, anglers had a decent number of brook trout, and a few lake trout as well.
On New Year?s Day, Beech Hill had just frozen over and anglers were starting to get a few togue. Most anglers weren?t venturing too far out, waiting for the ice to thicken before hitting some of their favorite deep water spots.
Lakes in the region were frozen over by the end of last week, with the exception of Tunk Lake. People were even fishing Jordan Pond, which hasn?t had safe ice for a couple of years, and anglers were catching some nice salmon.
If you are looking to catch a few salmon, along with Jordan Pond, you should visit Beech Hill Pond, Branch Lake and the southern end of Tunk (while we wait for the main part of the lake to freeze). For brook trout try Phillips Lake and Spring River Lake. Anglers searching for togue ought to try Beech Hill, Branch, Tunk, West Musquash and when it opens on February 1st, West Grand Lake.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Like everywhere else in Maine at the start of January, it was frigid in the Rangeley Lakes region for the start of ice fishing season.
?We went to the Chain of Ponds, Porter and Clearwater Lakes, and checked approximately 50 anglers,? said IFW fisheries biologist Liz Thorndike. ?That was low for opening day. On a good opening day, we will have over 200 anglers.?
Those who were out there fishing, were catching fish some decent fish, and in good numbers.
?We saw an 18.5 inch brookie on Porter, and quite a few salmon, all of them over 18 inches,? said Thorndike.
Norcross and Crowell Pond located in Chesterville are good bets right now. Crowell Pond was stocked with 1,150 brook trout and Norcross Pond with 900; those trout average 13 inches in length. You will also have a chance for some largemouth bass, white perch, and chain pickerel.
You may also want to try a couple of ponds located in North Anson. Sandy Pond received 250 brook trout and 200 spring-yearling brown trout. There?s also bass and white perch there too. Fahi Pond, across the road from Sandy Pond was stocked with 350 brook trout and is known for its fast fishing for white perch and chain pickerel.
And if you want to get the kids hooked on ice fishing now that it is finally warmer, consider Harvey Pond in Madrid. This pond is 10 acres in size with an average depth of 5 feet and was recently stocked with 200 fall yearling brook trout. An additional 25 retired brood brook trout (18-20 inches) were also stocked, giving anglers a chance at a trout they won?t soon forget.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
Looking for some good spots to fish early in the Moosehead region? In the Guilford-Dover area, try Brann?s Mill Pond, Center Pond, Manhanock Pond, and Harlow Pond. These ponds are stocked in the fall just before freeze up with fish that average 14 inches and sometimes brood stock when available. Fitzgerald and Prong Ponds in the Greenville area are also favorites in the early season.
?Big Wood Pond in Jackman will be hopping this winter. The pond is stocked with splake, brook trout, and a few salmon each year. This year, due to the drought, we could not stock the fish scheduled for the Piscataquis River in October, so they were redirected to Big Wood Pond,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. ?These fish are 12-14 inches and will provide some fast action. ?
?If you are looking for a place to catch a salmon then please head to Chesuncook Lake this winter. The lake has an overabundance of salmon and we have just implemented new regulations to help thin them out,? said Obrey. Starting in January, there will be no size or bag limit on salmon under 16 inches and a bag limit of just 1 salmon over 16 inches. ?Yes, unlimited salmon under 16 inches! We need to harvest around 2,000 salmon annually and currently we estimate around 400 are removed each year. This is a situation similar to Moosehead Lake with lake trout a few years ago, and we are encouraging anglers to help improve the fishery at Chesuncook Lake by harvesting fish.?
Moosehead Lake should be very good fishing this winter. The smelt population is very abundant and the gamefish are responding positively. According to Obrey, growth is at a peak for brook trout, salmon, and lake trout in the big lake. The salmon we saw in our fall trapnetting were exceptional. Anglers are reminded that you cannot keep salmon until Feb 15th and then they must be 18 inches to harvest. The purpose of this regulation is to allow these fish to grow to older ages and larger sizes.
?On Moosehead, the winter fishing is very good for lake trout and brook trout, while the summer fishing depends heavily on salmon. That is why you cannot harvest salmon until mid-February,? said Obrey , ?With good growth and survival, we could see some impressive fish next summer and winter. ?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
Cold weather has had many anglers hunkering inside since the new year, but this brief warm spell should have anglers out fishing. Interviewing anglers for creel surveys are one way biologists gather information to manage a fishery, and on this January 1, there weren?t a lot of anglers around in the Penobscot Region.
?On January first, we made our loop, it?s a 90-mile round trip and we knew there weren?t going to be a lot of people as it was 15 below and windy,? said IFW Fisheries Biologist Nels Kramer. ?Webster Lake, Matagamon, and Hay Lake were pretty quiet.?
Stops that day also included Pleasant and Mattawamkeag, where biologists did collect data from more anglers.
?There were ten to twelve groups out on Pleasant, and they were catching some nice salmon. All of them were fishing from their camps or sporting camps,? said Kramer, who added that Pleasant is one of the better salmon lakes in the region and that the largest salmon they saw on Pleasant that day was 22 inches.
With temperatures moderating for the weekend, Kramer suggested that anglers who are looking to catch some salmon should try Schoodic, East Grand and Matagamon Lake. Cold Stream and Pleasant are also good bets, but anglers should be excited about East Grand.
?This fall, we trapnetted at East Grand Lake, and the landlocked salmon were in the best shape we have seen in 8 years,? said Kramer, ?The lake trout there are also doing very well, but the salmon look really great.?
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Up in the county, the season is off to a strong start.
On Long Lake, there is ice, but it is highly variable, with thickness ranging from anywhere from 5-20 inches depending on the location of the lake and the snow cover.
Even with the cold temperatures, there still were many anglers out on Long Lake to start the season with over 40 different groups spread out. Out on Eagle, there were anglers out, but either in front of camps or out in their shacks.
On Long, there were several salmon in the four to six pound range. There are still some big landlocks in Long, just not quite as many as we have seen in some of the better years. A tweak in the stocking rates and a new change in the regulations should improve things and bring those numbers of large salmon back.
On Eagle, while there were not a lot of anglers out there, new regulations regarding salmon should attract anglers. There is no bag limit on salmon under 14 inches, and a daily bag limit of two salmon over 14 inches.
?The initial returns are showing some very encouraging signs of improving growth,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jeremiah Wood. ?We are seeing more salmon in the 18-22 inch range, more than we have seen in a long time.?
Smelt fishing has been variable on Eagle, with some places better than others.
With the extremely cold weather, there are some anglers who are fishing the St. John River. Ice conditions can be extremely variable on this river, and anglers should take great care if they plan to fish the St. John.
Drews Lake and Nickerson Pond are always quite popular as they have very good access and contain a good number of stocked fish. Drews offers some fast fishing for splake, and an opportunity for some large brown trout. Nickerson is stocked with brook trout in the spring and fall, as well as with some retired brood stock trout that are over 17 inches.
On Scopan Lake, anglers will have ample opportunity for both splake and brook trout, and in Presque Isle, don?t miss out on Arnold Brook lake.
If you are looking for more of an adventure, try Umcolcus Lake in T7 R5. Those that make the snowmobile ride do well there, but bring plenty of bait.
Another remote location that can get overlooked is Big Eagle and Churchill Lake. With angler pressure decreasing, size and bag limits on brook trout were changed in order to increase the size quality of brook trout. Anglers can now keep five trout, with only one fish over 14 inches.
?The new regulations will allow for the harvest of some of the smaller trout, improving growth rates on the remaining trout,? said Wood.
And don?t forget about Upper McNally Pond. This brook trout destination is located right off the Realty Road and provides excellent fishing for brook trout in the 13-15 inch range.
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April 1, 2017
MDIFW Fishing Report
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
?It?s prime time for salmon right now,? says IFW fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin, who added that in most of the lakes in the Sebago Lakes region, the smelt runs have just ended or are about to end. As a result, the salmon are feasting.
?The ice is out on nearly all our lakes, except for Kezar Lake in the northwest corner of our region,? said Pellerin. Anglers have been out and are reporting good catches of landlocks on Thompson and Sebago, and a few on Auburn Lake.
Sebago?s smelt run is generally later than other area lakes, but anglers have been getting good numbers of both salmon and togue, particularly on the west shore of the lake. Staff biologists were out conducting creel surveys last weekend, and checked 58 boats.
One boat on Sebago last week landed a 38-inch, 22-pound togue. While the angler kept that fish to be mounted, a nearly identical togue that he caught was just a bit smaller and was released. Another angler was out for two hours and landed over 20 lake trout.
If you are looking to fish area streams and rivers, you will have to wait a bit. Waters are still high and murky, but should start to recede after the weekend.
IFW hatchery staff are preparing for the busy stocking schedule ahead, but to date have only stocked some of the smaller ponds in the region. Some of the region?s smaller ponds like Otter seem to still have quite a few trout left over from ice fishing season.
If bass fishing is your passion, it won?t be long as Pellerin noted that smallmouths are just starting to come into the shallows.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area
In the central part of the state, coastal waters are free and clear of ice, and inland waters are getting close.
?Ice on the Belgrades will probably be out in the next week,? said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders. ?Messalonskee is open on the north end, and some warm weather and wind should take the rest out.?
Out on Long Pond, anglers are fishing where they can find open water, and they are catching some nice rainbow trout.
?A lot of the rainbows anglers are catching are in the 19-inch range,? said Seiders.
Looking for two early season hotspots?
?Your best bet right now is Lake St. George in Liberty. The best fishing there is right after ice out,? said Seiders. ?Alford is another good bet with some great landlocked salmon and brown trout fishing.?
Seiders noted that regional staff trapnetted and released several Alford brown trout last fall that were over eight pounds, and he believes that there are even bigger ones in there. White perch fishing can also be pretty fast on Alford, with some humpbacks reaching two pounds.
With waters still coffee-colored and tipping the banks, it will be a bit before anglers can fish area streams. Traditional early season spots like Messalonskee and Belgrade Stream haven?t been stocked yet but will be soon.
When the water does recede, you may want to try some of the coastal streams and rivers like the St. George, Medomak and the Pemaquid. These waters contain a lot of stocked fish that holdover and Seiders said these waters should be loaded with trout.
Up on the Kennebec below Wyman Dam, reports are excellent on early season salmon and rainbow fishing. IFW staff are conducting creel surveys there and interviewed one group that caught 20 salmon, and released all but one.
Region C -- Downeast
Downeast, winter has loosened its grip.
?Lots of our waters, especially waters south of Route 9, are now ice free,? reports IFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr.
?I talked with the game warden in Princeton, and Big Lake should go out any day,? said Burr, ?And West Grand Lake is usually six days after that.? Anglers may want to try the narrows at the outlet of Big Lake, which is always a good spot for early season salmon.
On Grand Lake Stream, anglers had an excellent opening day, and high flows have pushed salmon out of the dam pool down into the hatchery pool and below. It should also pull some fish down from West Grand and others up from Big Lake.
Burr noted that smelts are starting to stage at the mouths of tributaries on some of the salmon lakes. With ice going out soon, try early in the morning in some of the darker bottomed coves, or downwind in coves where there is a bit of salmon chop.
Anglers have been enjoying the rainbow trout fishing on Jones Pond, with reports of some rainbows over 21 inches. Water is still a little cool there, so anglers were getting hits on lines that were running a little deeper last weekend.
If you like to fish small ponds for brook trout, you may want to try these waters. In Hancock County, try Witch Hole Pond ? Bar Harbor, Lakewood Pond ? Bar Harbor, Upper and Lower Breakneck Ponds ? Bar Harbor, Echo Lake ? Mount Desert, Simmons Pond ? Hancock, Little Pond (FFO) ? Franklin, Young?s Pond (FFO) ? Otis, Halfmile Pond ? Amherst, Jellison Hill ? Amherst, Long Pond ? Great Pond Plt, King Pond ? Great Pond Plt, and Halfmile Pond ? Aurora. In Washington County you will want to try: Simpson?s Pond ? Roque Bluffs, Pineo Pond ? Deblois, West and East Pike Brook Ponds ? Deblois, Salmon Pond ? T 30 MD, Berry Patch Pond ? Day Block Twp., Six Mile Lake ? Marshfield, West Monroe Pond ? T 43 MD, Monroe Lake ? T 43 MD, Pork Barrel Lake ? T6 R1, Goulding Lake ? Robbinston, Norse Pond ? Cutler, and Ackley Pond ? Cutler.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
Up in the Rangeley Region, fishing season may be open, but there are not many open waters. Most lakes are still ice-covered.
Some spots are fishable but it is limited. There are some reports of anglers fishing the Wilson Lake outlet by the boat launch, but not a lot of other spots.
?Rivers are high, lakes still have ice, I?d look for some of the smaller ponds that may be free of ice,? said IFW fisheries biologist Bobby Van Riper.
If you are looking to fish some streams, Van Riper suggested Temple Stream in Farmington.
?Try the lower section of the river from Route 2 to the fast water on Morrison Hill. There are always some trout that overwintered there,? said Van Riper, who also suggested the lower section of Sunday River and the lower section of the Bear River, particularly where they join the Androscoggin. Larger fish from the Andro often congregate there during high water.
As far as ice outs on some of the more popular spots in the region, Wilson Lake is always one of the first to go out, followed by Varnum Pond a little later. Then it usually is a while until Rangeley and Mooselook go out.
?Ice out on Rangeley is usually the first week of May, but it looks like it could be a little later this year,? said Van Riper.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
In the Moosehead Region, there is still plenty of snow and ice.
?There?s not much going on,? said IFW fisheries biologist Tim Obrey. ?There is some open water right at the mouth of the Moose River, and anglers are fishing there.?
The Moose River can have some very good early season fishing.
?When the smelt start to run, the salmon and lake trout really start to feed, but it looks like we are probably about two weeks from the smelts running there,? said Obrey.
Some anglers are trying lakes and ponds where the ice along the shoreline has receded enough to cast. Obrey expects waters in the southern part of his region to lose their ice by the end of next week.
As for Moosehead?
?Historically, ice out on Moosehead is the first week of May. For the last 20 years, it has been a little earlier,? said Obrey. ?This year, it looks like we are on schedule for May.?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
Not a lot of open water in the Penobscot region but there is some.
?I just heard from one angler that made it in to West Lake, but there is not much open in our region,? said Nels Kramer, IFW Fisheries Biologist.
Rivers are open, but water flows are mostly unfishable. However, once some seasonal weather returns, waters should begin to open up.
?Cold Stream Pond should go out sometime between April 22 and 28. Anglers had a good ice fishing season on Cold Stream, and it is always a very popular early season fishery,? said Kramer. Creel Surveys conducted this winter revealed a number of salmon caught in the 20-23 inch range.
?Ice is beginning to pull away on our lakes, but it still may some time until it?s gone,? added Kramer.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
Up in the Fish River region of Aroostook County, not much to report other it snowed earlier in the week, and there were snowmobilers out on Long Lake last weekend.
?There?s really not much fishing other than a handful of small ponds. There?s still a fair amount of snow in the woods,? said Frank Frost. ?In the eastern part of the county, there?s very little snow in the fields, but there is still a good 20 inches of ice.?
Ice outs in the Fish River chain of lakes is generally somewhere in the range of May 6 to the 10th.
?That is the normal range historically, but it has been earlier the past ten to fifteen years,? said Frost. Cross lake is usually the first to open up, followed by Portage, then Eagle, and Long Lake is the last.
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February 2, 2018
IFW Ice Fishing Report For February 2, 2018
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2018
IFW Ice Fishing Report For February 2, 2018
Region A ? Sebago Lakes Region
If you are wondering where the fish are really biting, look no further than Sebago lake.
?Sebago is really hot, just about everywhere you can get on the ice, you are going to catch some togue,? said Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin.
While the big bay hasn?t frozen over yet, anglers are catching fish from Jordan Bay all the way down to the station. And they are catching a lot of lake trout. One angler landed over 300 togue over the first few weeks of the season on Sebago.
While on Sebago last week, one lucky angler got a little more than they bargained for while jigging for togue. Reeling his line in, he thought he had a fish, but it was acting funny. As he reeled in, he reeled in another person?s fishing line. Pulling that line in hand over hand, he pulled up a jig pole! As he went to pull in the rest of the line, he realized he had a fish on the end of the line attached to the jig pole he just retrieved, and he pulled in a nice togue! Luckily, there was a name on the jigging rod that previously was 120 feet down on the bottom of Sebago, and the rod was returned to its happy owner.
Nearby on Tricky Pond, anglers are getting some nice catches of splake and salmon, including one five-pound salmon and a five pound splake. Pellerin says there are more of those in there, as they trapnetted and released several salmon over seven pounds this fall. Salmon and splake are showing rapid growth in Trickey.
There are some nice brown trout being caught on Long Pond in Parsonsfield, Little Sebago and on Sabbathday. In fact, one angler caught a 4.75 brown trout that measured 22 inches on Long. And looking for brook trout? There still are some brook trout in the 8-14? range that anglers are catching on the Otter Ponds.
Over on Stanley Pond in Hiram, anglers are catching some good rainbows, 18-20 inches in length, jigging through the ice.
If you are targeting rainbows, Pellerin says to fish in water ten feet deep or less. Worms and crawlers are good bait, as well as the smallest minnows you can find. If you get a strike, don?t wait to set the hook as rainbows tend to spit out the bait.
Region B ? Central and Midcoast Area Looking for some fast action for some hard-fighting fish? Head over to Swan Lake in Swanville where anglers have been busy catching lake trout.
?These togue are averaging 21-25 inches, and fisherman are catching a bunch of togue both by jigging and using traps,? said MDIFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders.
The department extended the ice fishing season on Swan Lake this year, extending the season past the traditional end of February closing date. Seiders is hoping to see some anglers keep more lake trout.
?We are hoping that anglers will harvest some more lake trout, and that by lengthening the season, we will start to see some faster growth in the salmon and togue there,? said Seiders.
If you are looking for browns, head over to Spectacle Pond, where anglers have been having some excellent luck fishing for brown trout, catching fish that are several pounds. Spectacle has a regulation of a one fish, 18? limit for brown trout, and that regulation is producing some monsters there.
Echo Lake and its robust smelt population are turning up some football-shaped salmon, including several over 20 inches long.
?We netted the lake this fall, and we trapped and released some gorgeous salmon,? said Seiders, who also noted that over on Alfred, they are catching some trophy browns and a number of salmon over 18 inches.
If you are looking to take the kids fishing, you?d be hard pressed to do better than Rocky Pond in Rockport. This youth only pond is located right along Route 17, providing excellent access, and is stocked full of brookies.
?We are getting some really good reports of some excellent fishing. It?s just a great opportunity for kids to catch a ton of brook trout,? said Seiders.
Region C -- Downeast
In case you hadn?t heard, its February, and Downeast, that means West Grand Lake is now open to ice fishing. West Grand is one of the premier waters in the region, and anglers flock to it every year when it opens due to the high number and large size of the landlocked salmon there.
?The fishing should be very good. The salmon on West Grand that we saw this past fall showed good growth, and when the hatchery staff were netting, they caught more salmon than they ever have,? said MDIFW fisheries biologist Greg Burr.
Another attractive option on West Grand is the fishing for whitefish.
?You?lll want to try Junior Bay for whitefish. Fish right off the bottom with small bait, or jig with some small hooks tipped with a bit of bait,? said Burr.
If you are looking for salmon and togue, you may want to try Branch Lake, Green Lake, Beech Hill Pond and West Musquash Lake. Branch is producing togue in the 7-10 pound range and Green Lake togue are tipping the scales in the 8-10 pound range. Beech Hill is producing salmon over 20 inches and togue in the 8-10 pound range as well.
Tunk Lake has also been fishing well, with good numbers of togue, salmon and brook trout. Salmon are over 20 inches, and some of the togue that are being caught are ten pounds. Anglers are doing well targeting brook trout along the shore. Careful fishing the northern end where ice can be a little treacherous.
Region D ? Rangeley Lakes
In the western mountains of Maine, there are some excellent opportunities for ice fishing.
?We worked the Chain of Ponds, but there weren?t a lot of people. We stocked quite a few trout up there this fall, and with the first few weeks being brutally cold, there?s still plenty of fish up there,? said MDIFW fisheries biologist Dave Howatt.
One added bonus for Chain of Pond anglers are the new regulations on salmon. It used to be general law, but now you can keep up to three salmon, with a minimum length limit of 12 inches and with one over 16 inches.
?Not everyone is aware of the new regulation. We want to see some people keeping some of the smaller salmon to help the remaining ones grow a little faster,? said Howatt.
Clearwater and Porter Lakes ae very popular this time of year. Over on Porter, anglers are catching salmon, brook trout, and togue. Fishing has been fast there, with anglers chasing lot of flags. Clearwater may be a bit slower as far as the number of flags, but Howatt says the size of the fish that they are getting there has been impressive. ?There?s really been some high-quality fish there, its hard to find a fish under three pounds,? said Howatt.
Solon has a couple of brown trout ponds that are worth visiting if you haven?t tried them. Baker and Wentworth can produce some big browns. Howatt was at one of these ponds, and an angler showed him a picture of a brown trout that he recently caught that was 27 inches long and weighed over seven pounds.
If you are looking for a bit of an adventure, take a trip up to Spencer Lake. ?It?s been great fishing for togue and salmon up there. Every time we go up there, we are seeing people with good catches of togue and salmon ? there?s been some fast fishing,? said Howatt.
If perch and pickerel are your passion, Fahi Pond in Embden is quite popular with good access and good fishing.
Region E ? Moosehead Region
If you hadn?t heard, this past weekend was the 11th Annual Moosehead Lake Togue Derby with Ricky Craven.
?The weather was pretty good by derby standards and travel conditions were great on the big lake for the three-day ice fishing event. It seemed like the best fishing was on Friday and Saturday morning, then it tailed off as the weekend wore on. NREC sold 728 tickets this year (up 4 tickets from last year?s record) and we had 143 children?s names entered in the youth raffle,? reported Tim Obrey.
The winner of the biggest togue was David Larry of Abbot with an 8.3 pound fish. It was in exceptional shape and almost two inches shorter than the second-place fish which was weighed in by John Gallant of Augusta at an even 7.0 pounds. Jacob Turner of Hermon came in third with a nice 6.2 pound fish.
?Ricky Craven emceed the wild game dinner on Saturday night and helped draw the names of the prize winners. A good time was had by all! NREC would like to thank all the sponsors and donors that make this derby into a terrific community event,? said Obrey.
Aside from the derby, anglers are catching some big trout out on Moosehead, including several in the four to five-pound range.
Obrey said he is eager to check fisherman out on Chesuncook Lake, where starting this January 1, there is no size or bag limit on salmon under 16 inches and a bag limit of 1 salmon over 16 inches.
?We are encouraging people to go there and keep some salmon. There?s so many salmon up there if you put your pack basket in the right spot, they?ll just jump right in it,? said Obrey. ?You might, however, just want to bring some bait as a backup.?
Region F ? Penobscot Region
In the Penobscot region, things are heating up out on the ice.
?Despite last week?s freezing rain, the ice conditions are pretty good,? said MDIFW fisheries biologist Nels Kramer.
Last weekend, Kramer was in the northern part of his region interviewing anglers out on Webster Lake, Hay Lake, Scraggly Lake and Grand Lake Matagamon.
?We are seeing more activity out on the ice, and people are catching more fish,? said Kramer, ?Out on Webster, there were some nice catches of brook trout ? it?s definitely worth the trip.?
On Matagamon, anglers are catching brook trout and salmon. ?Nothing huge, but some good catches of both,? said Kramer, who added the fishing on Scraggly was similar.
Fisheries staff is also interviewing anglers on Pleasant Lake and Mattawamkeag Lake.
?We saw over 30 parties out on Pleasant?It?s like that every weekend,? said Kramer who added they saw a lot of salmon, with some of them over 20 inches and weighing up to five pounds.
Cold Stream Pond continues to be popular with salmon up to 22 inches, and decent numbers of togue.
If you are headed east over to East Grand Lake, you will be happy to hear that anglers are doing well targeting lake trout.
?One group targeting togue had really fast fishing, and then another person was targeting whitefish and caught his limit,? said Kramer.
There?s also been some impressive catches of salmon, with a good number of them in the 19 to 20-inch range.
Region G ? Aroostook Region
The big news up north was the Long Lake Derby this past weekend. The annual derby always attracts hundreds of anglers, and this year there were over 1,100 registrations, a new record, reflecting how quickly the Long Lake salmon fishery has rebounded.
?The derby went really well, saw a lot of nice fish, and we talked to a lot of people about Long Lake and the improving fishery,? said MDIFW fisheries biologist Frank Frost.
Frost said that on Long Lake, they talked to 150 ice fishing parties, with parties averaging four to five people each. That?s over 600 anglers on Long Lake alone.
?Since Mud Brook has been closed to the dipping of smelts, Long Lake is turning around quickly, growing the large salmon its known for,? said Frost.
That?s shown in what anglers were catching. Frost said there were several salmon in the five to six-pound range, including the winner that was over six pounds. The weekend before, one angler, Marc Deschaine, caught a salmon that measured 24.5 inches, but tipped the at a whopping 8.5 pounds.
The growth improvement on landlocks since Mud Brook was closed is readily apparent on three-year-old salmon. When mud brook was open to smelting, these age 3 salmon were in the 16-inch range. Now that it is closed, these age 3 salmon are back to reaching over 20 inches in length, and are in excellent condition.
Along with the improving salmon growth rates, the winter smelt fishery continues to improve with catches increasing since the Mud Brook closure.
Over on Eagle Lake on the Fish River chain, anglers are catching a lot of togue, and good numbers of salmon as well. Anglers may remember that there is no bag limit on salmon under 14 inches, and some anglers are taking advantage of that.
Biologists are also out on Millinocket and Millimagassett Lakes. Use was low out on Millinocket recently, but there were a number of anglers heading out to Millimagassett for brook trout.
Anglers should also take note that on February 15, the ice fishing season begins out on Madawaska Lake. The ice fishing for brook trout there continues to improve and anglers look forward to the opening each year.
The opening of the season coincides closely with the beginning of February vacation for many students, so if you are looking for a spot to go ice fishing during school vacation week, put Madawaska Lake on your list.