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I have been fishing two times this spring and have caught five trout so far. Two 11-12" Brown trout last week and today I caught three 10"- 12" brookies. I let them all go except one brookie today that swallowed the hook and I knew it wasn't going to make it.
Great fun with the clear, slower water this spring. Much better fishing than the last two springs! I hope you're all taking advantage of this exceptional spring fishing season!
Have you been hitting ponds or streams?
What's your favorite type of water?
Bait or artificials?
I'm debating whether to get my season license and start this Saturday afternoon and Sunday am at Gardner pond or the West branch of the Union. Goal, two trout for the pan on this trip. I always use panther martin spinners and the trout are left with a take or leave it situation, but those are my terms. Will consider garden hackle at this point.
Have to get around to exploring the small streams that empty into the Penobscot south of Bangor.
Just hitting streams and the local rivers for now. They are running fairly clear though swift. Finding pools near whitewater seems to be the key. Fish as close as you can to the fast water. I always start the year with the garden hackle before the flies hatch. Then Mepps spinners, Mooselook wobblers and some other favorites. I like to drag small Yozuri minnows behind the canoe on the rivers too. Worms work the best but where you can't use worms I use any of the above old standby's. I don't flyfish though I'm thinking about getting in to it. I took a quick fly tossing lesson at the L L Bean outdoor discovery weekend this past Saturday. I did OK ....still debating the investment.
Yeah, this summer it's my turn to learn to fly fish. I've been watching the DH outfish me for years and have a blast doing it. I've got to make the commitment to get myself outfitted.
O.K. I can't stand it any longer. Maineah, are you north or south of the Mason/Augusta line? I'm trying to discern whether my trip home at the end of the month should be partially spent downeast or up north.
O.K. I can't stand it any longer. Maineah, are you north or south of the Mason/Augusta line? I'm trying to discern whether my trip home at the end of the month should be partially spent downeast or up north.
I live in Freeport and fish the brooks and rivers in Pownal, Durham, New Gloucester, Cumberland and Yarmouth this time of year. I fish the bigger rivers and local ponds later in the season. I like to take a trip to Greenville in the spring and fish the feeder streams to the ponds there for nice native brookies. I fish for stripers and blue fish on Casco Bay in the summer. I'm not a fanatic but I try to fish one or two days a week.
Sounds early this year. What would you say? Two weeks? More? It usually takes about 5 days of 60 degree plus weather before the Machias River produces, and I don't mean followed by a cold snap. First we use the garden hackle, then get serious with nymphs and dry flies. For some reason, they just WON'T touch a worm. Only night crawlers. Same thing with the big white perch we used to catch on Plymouth pond on the sand beds mid May. Night crawlers only. A worm on a bobber would just hang there waiting for an errant yellow perch.
Sounds early this year. What would you say? Two weeks? More? It usually takes about 5 days of 60 degree plus weather before the Machias River produces, and I don't mean followed by a cold snap. First we use the garden hackle, then get serious with nymphs and dry flies. For some reason, they just WON'T touch a worm. Only night crawlers. Same thing with the big white perch we used to catch on Plymouth pond on the sand beds mid May. Night crawlers only. A worm on a bobber would just hang there waiting for an errant yellow perch.
I'd say at least two, maybe three weeks early. They're catching nice salmon in Sebago now and last year it was still frozen over until the second week of May. Worms are all I have used so far. I'll use crawlers when I get off my duff and go out at night to catch some. The trout evidently love the worms this year. No bobber, just behind the fast water in a pool. I'm not scientific about it. I don't fly fish and if it's a legal trout I keep it. I throw a worm in and more often than not catch something. I don't fish many artificial lures only waters. I use an occasional spinner in slower water. If I don't catch something in 20-30 minutes I go somewhere else. We eat quite a few trout so I'm happy with my methods.
I spend more time waiting on the tides when striper fishing. I use a bait runner reel and a half of a mackerel or a medium sized Rapala on a medium action spinning outfit. Same for blue fish except I use a steel leader for blues. I like a striper or blue fish filet on the grill wrapped in foil with onions and lemon...very tasty. I'm not in to catch and release. To me it's like hunting with a camera...what's the sense? I just take what I can eat but never more than three at a time. We eat fish once or twice a week in the spring and summer.
Maineah..know of any easy access surf spots for stripers in the belfast area? That would be my closest ride to the coast. North or south of that point but not too far would make the drive worthwhile.
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ponds or streams
