September 28
We are at the end of our season for fishing reports and it has been quite a season! Our next reporting season will start on the first Monday of January, 2010. We’d like to thank very much all those that contributed to this report over the last year. It takes quite a commitment to furnish us with information 39 weeks in a row! We’d also like to thank all of our thousands of anglers and other people that have been loyal readers. And thank those of them that have added information for us to use. And lastly, the dedication of staff here that have had much input and also have sweat a lot over the editing and support to produce the report.
The year 2009 started with some exceptional ice fishing on Maine’s two largest lakes (Moosehead and Sebago) and flowed over into most of the other areas that we report on. A fairly early ice-out lead to some fantastic trout and salmon fishing and as the season progressed, an early smallmouth bass bedding was extended because the weather turned cooler and very rainy.
Saltwater fishing also was excellent. Big codfish and a lot of haddock started right off as soon as the weather turned good enough to get out on the ocean but was also impacted by weekend storms, one right after the other. Stripers showed up in the rivers in late April and early May and there were plenty of big ones feeding on the herring runs and the good striper fishing continued until dropping off just recently. Bluefish were never steady but there were enough of the smaller ones to raise havoc with live bait.
It was the incredible bluefin tuna action that started early and probably hasn’t peaked yet that caught a lot of attention. Fish were running anywhere from 40 pounds to eight hundred pounds. Much of the action was coming from and around Stellwagen Banks, just off Gloucester, Massachusetts but soon spread northward and currently there are good reports coming from Downeast Maine to Cape Cod.
Derek Sturtevant at Kittery Trading Post’s Fishing Department had some suggestions for late-season freshwater fans. “If you’re fishing the freshwater lakes and ponds, much of your late-season success will depend on water temperature. In the spring, finding water temperatures a couple of degrees warmer than the rest of a lake’s water will often find you the fish, as baitfish and other organisms are very temperature oriented. In the fall, it’s just the same, as the lakes are cooling down and fish will again seek a warmer pool of water. This temperature not only supplies food sources but also invigorates the fish. Being cold-blooded creatures, fish react to their environmental temperature much more than warm-blooded animals.”
“One suggestion we have is to delay your getting on the water until the sun has had a chance to rise over the lake’s tree canopy along the shoreline. The shoreline water will generally be warmer than the deeper pool in the center of any lakes or ponds. Since the sun rises in the East, its rays will usually hit the water of the northern end of a lake sooner so the water there tends to warm fastest. But there is also the wind to take into consideration. The windward shore will just about universally be the warm shore, as warming surface water will flow from the direction of the wind onto the windward shore. It makes a big difference,” Derek warns.
“Some days on small ponds, the eastern shorelines don’t warm up until mid-morning, so fishing that shoreline can result in a couple of very slow fishing hours! Once you start considering these factors, you’re going to see much more insect action in the warmer shorelines, much more evidence of baitfish feeding there and also there’s a good chance that you’ll also observe gamefish surface feeding.”
“This can be a great time to use surface fly-rod poppers if you are a fly fishing angler. Big dragonflies are often active along the warmer shorelines and panfish, bass and often-larger sizes of trout will be targeting those dragonflies. Also, dragon fly nymphs become active as the water warms. A dark colored wooly bugger fly is close enough to copying those big nymphs that it is a good choice for both bass and trout.”
“The warmest water of a lake may not be the ideal place to fish for landlocked salmon and lake trout, although you’ll find that they are more motivated to feed by the presence of smelt. Smelt are not as temperature sensitive as salmon and lake trout. Although they seek the cold water depths in the summer, in the fall as the water temperatures moderate but don’t really get cold, smelt will swarm onto some shallow areas where plankton and other food is available. When this happens, landlocks and lake trout are often right with them, feeding with abandon. This is a time to watch the gulls and other birds. Their feeding on wounded or dead smelt in a salmon and trout feeding spree will telegraph the fish’s presence.”
As for saltwater fishing, he asks, “Does water temperature have much to do with saltwater fall fishing? You’d better believe it does. In one outstanding instance, an outlet of a warmed-up tidal creek or tidal pond entering a colder river as the tide turns to go out can be one of the hottest spots to fish! Gamefish such as summer flounder, stripers and bluefish will often gather at these outlet mouths and have a feeding spree. Also, warm water discharges from power plants or other sources can be a magnet for both baitfish and game fish.”
“The fall changes in weather starts a southern migration for both stripers and bluefish as well as for winter flounder. Winter flounder are apt to move back inshore while the stripers and bluefish will be migrating south towards warmer waters where they will winter over. Bluefin tuna also have a tendency to go south. Catching a migrating school of gamefish can be the most exciting time of a lifetime of fishing as migrating fish have more than travel on their minds. They are feeding very heavily to put on a source of energy to survive the winter. Along the coastline, topwater or swimming plugs cast into a feeding school of blues or stripers or a mixed group will almost always bring instant hook-ups.”
Derek says it’s a long, long winter and a short fall. “Don’t put that fishing gear away too soon. You might just be missing the best of the year. You’ll still have those long winter nights and short days to repair and replace your worn gear, tie flies and upgrade your lures,” he ended.
Maine:
Master Maine Guide Stu Bristol of Lyman says, “Good thing my last guided trip this week was a fly-fishing lesson. The power company decided that this would be a great time to draw the water level down to almost no flow. Even with my small boat I could get only halfway up the river before we ran out of fishing depths. Still, the smaller bass that weighed just under a pound each were very cooperative when we targeted the deeper ledges and looked for the best water flow. That's one of the good traits of river fishing. When the water falls the fish don't just head to the deepest water as they would during the fall drawdown of the lakes, the bass and brown trout hold in the ruffles and runs and just about anywhere there is moving water.”
“Almost all of the water in southern Maine is open right through the end of the year, although most have an artificials-only and limited creel limit. For the catch and release anglers, this time of year is typically the hottest angling of the season. The water is beginning to cool as is the air temperature and the scenery with colored foliage is spectacular. And, whatever water skiing and jet ski activity we contended with during the summer is gone as well.”
“Anglers can now follow the rules for fall pattern angling. The underwater vegetation is dying back so the fish search the underwater rock piles and deep shoreline banks where minnows and other food sources hideout. Unlike springtime angling, fish are more active and will chase crankbaits, spinnerbaits and fast-moving streamer flies. The brown trout we connected with this week all fell for bright flies – the Mickey Finn in particular ¬– followed by the local favorite, the Warden's Worry and a smaller winged pattern, the Parmacheenee Bell. In fact, the brook trout usually come out of hiding and we begin to take a few in spots usually reserved for brown trout and smallmouth bass.”
“We didn't look for crappie this week but fall anglers should spend at least a day or two ignoring the bass and trout and just target crappies. Most of our warmwater lakes in southern Maine have good populations with Wadley Pond in Lyman and Shaker Pond in Alfred being two of the most productive. Now that camp owners have closed up for the winter, parking is not a problem.”
“I learned long ago that upland game hunters and waterfowl hunters can add to their days by bringing along a light fly rod or spinning gear. While northern Maine waters are closed to protect trout and salmon, southern Maine waters are open through December 31 and the fish are active,” Stu ended.
Dave Garcia at Naples Bait and Tackle at Long Lake in the Sebago Region is also an ardent bass tourney fisherman, often teaming up with his son Tyson. “We’ll both be putting our standings on the line when we finish up with the competition that runs a few more weeks. Right now we stand in the second spot in our group’s rankings, but we’re hoping for a shot at first place.”
“In the last few tourneys we’ve concentrated on smallmouth bass and didn’t score that well. We’ll be after the largemouths from now on, using different technique and probably finding them in or around some kind of cover, not suspended over rock piles in twenty or thirty feet of water like the smallmouths have been.”
“Maine has extended fishing seasons, mostly catch and release for game fish, in many, actually most of the lakes and ponds locally. But there are other regulations that come into play. One in particular is the area located at the Station on the southerly end of Sebago Lake. This area selected for special regulations allows anglers to target landlocked salmon. But it’s catch and release and fly-fishing only. These restrictions allow anglers to take advantage of an area where historically, salmon have gathered in the late season.”
“Also, there are several rivers that allow late-season fishing. Some people say that Maine has over regulated. We congratulate the state for making so many late-season opportunities available, even though you need to check the rules before you fish.”
We asked Dave where he will be fishing. “Around my new place in Florida,” he laughed.
Also in the Sebago Lake Region, Carroll Cutting at Jordan’s Store in East Sebago has some suggestions. “Our togue (lake trout) fishermen here on Sebago Lake have the most liberal fall fishing opportunities in the state. The new regulations allow for catch-and-keep togue fishing, along with catch-and-keep panfishing. The regulations prohibit targeting landlocked salmon after the season closes this week. Fishermen are encouraged to keep the togue they catch to reduce the fish’s overpopulation. These liberal rules passed in the last few years have a goal of less but larger togue and a more stable smelt population that supports both the togue and landlocked salmon fisheries.”
“Much of our local fishing will be shutting down as the regular season ends,” noted Ken Lemke at River’s Edge Sports in Oquossoc in the Rangeley Lakes Region. “But there are special regulations on some of our waters. Because they are all tailored for the individual water, you really need to check the rules before venturing out to fish.”
“All in all, we’ve had one of the most successful trout and salmon seasons of recent years. Early in the season we had a lot of rain, keeping fish in our rivers much of the early summer but right now we could really use some rain as the rivers are low and what fish are in them are quite stale.”
Here’s the last-of-the-season report from Master Maine Guide Dan Legere at the Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville, in the Moosehead Lake region: “Well, the first day of fall is upon us, the nights are cool and the fishing is excellent. Many of our ponds and rivers will be closed for the season so this week is a great opportunity to get in some of the last great fishing of the year. The East Outlet will be opened throughout the month of October for catch-and-release fishing only.”
“Fly selections haven't changed much over the last week. Fish are still chasing flashy marabou streamers. Remember, in the river the color white is a sign of weakness and sickness for baitfish, which makes that color an excellent choice for fish looking for an easy meal. Nymphing is also an excellent way to catch even the pickiest of fish this time of year. Experiment with different patterns and set ups, without a predominant insect hatch, fish aren't necessarily keying in on anything in particular. This time of year fish are territorial and will sometimes chase anything that is in their area. Folks have also had some luck on the surface, with small dark caddis and tent wing caddis. Again, it’s all about territory, not really ‘matching the hatch.’”
On Maine’s saltwater scene, Captain Barry Gibson of Salt Water Sportsman magazine fame said that he’d be shutting down his striper and bluefish guiding as the southward migrations of these fish will have moved most of these fish. We started off kind of slow but then the stripers came in and gave us one of the better summer seasons of late. We never did get much of any chance at bluefish but the tuna are here right now and several of the boats have had success.
“Maine has some great late-season coastal opportunities. Along the shorelines of both Cumberland and York County, unless this fall is different than those past, there will be some of the largest stripers of the season taken and chances of getting into a genuine bluefish blitz are the best of the year. These fish are migratory. Coastal fishermen should be mobile and follow the migrating fish for the best action.
“We’re ready for some serious late-season fishing, both coastal and offshore,” noted Craig Bergeron at Saco Bay Bait and Tackle. “Offshore the bluefin tuna, both giants and schoolies should be peaking. Unless the recent cold temperatures sent the pelagic sharks south, we also should see a couple weeks of very active shark fishing.”
“This is fishing-the-beach-time, for both stripers and bluefish. In the fall they’ll pretty much migrate along the shorelines so fishing both the rocky and sandy beaches could put you into some of the largest fish of the season. Swimming and topwater plugs will work while bait fishermen should stick with the old standards: clams or chunk mackerel and herring.”
Craig also said he’s looking forward to some post-coastal storm sea claming. “Last year we had a lot of storms but almost no clams washed up. We’ll be checking the beaches this fall and winter after every storm. It’s bound to happen sooner or later.”
New Hampshire:
In New Hampshire’s far Northcountry, Cindy Caron Howe at Tall Timber Lodge in Pittsburg on Back Lake says that they’ve experienced some of the most incredible river fishing, especially on the Connecticut River, in years. “We’ve had so much water this year that the rivers have just filled up with fish moving up from the lakes. New Hampshire has very liberal fishing seasons on its big rivers, but there are many special regulation stretches of rivers so it’s imperative that you know the rules for the stretch of river that you fish.”
Cindy has always liked the Trophy Stretch of the Connecticut, but also stated that the piece of river below Murphy Dam to the Town of Pittsburg always produces some huge brown trout in the late season and even during the winter. “Big streamer flies and Rapala-type swimming plugs work best there.”
“Our salmon and lake trout fishing on the big lakes shuts down October first, but there are many local ponds and rivers that do stay open for an extended period,” revealed Alan Nute at AJ’s Bait and Tackle in Meredith. “Some of the most exciting fishing in our local lakes and ponds that are open to late season fishing is for rainbow trout. Surface fishing with streamers and small swimming plugs work well. There are a lot of special regulation waters so you have to check before you fish.”
“The special Atlantic salmon fishing season on the Merrimack and areas of the Pemigewasset Rivers can be very exciting but you need a special permit to target these fish. Usually these special regulation waters get a fall stocking that makes for some exciting action. This is one of the few opportunities in the whole USA that offers fishing for Atlantics,” Alan ended.
“We’ve got a wonderful fall landlocked salmon fishing opportunity right nearby on the Merrymeeting River,” boasted Paul Garland at Hot Spot Outfitters in New Durham. “It’s catch-and-release, fly-only water but that is kind of traditional for this kind of special fishing. At times this river will fill up with salmon that have spawning on their mind. This year, with all the rain we’ve had, we’d have to bet it will be a banner year on the river. Check your regulations!”
George Taylor at Taylor’s Trading Post in Madbury had to take time out from his big game processing to talk, so he made it brief. “The striper thing has really cooled off but there’s still some great river trout opportunities here at the Lamprey and Cocheco Rivers with late-season fishing allowed. The crappie fishing here on the Bellamy Reservoir makes us wonder just how many fish can this place support. The fishing pressure has been pretty steady and limit catches are a daily thing. It’s amazing.”
George likes the nearby trout ponds: Barbados in Madbury, Stonehouse in Barrington and Lucas, in Northwood for fall action. Bow Lake in Strafford is another pond to check out.
Coastal fishing, especially groundfish, will continue with quite a bit of interest, noted Jason MacKenzie at Suds-n-Soda Sports in Greenland. And there’s the coastal shoreline open-water smelt fishing that somehow travels under the radar of a lot of fishermen, according to Jason.
“We have our regular group of die-hard groundfishermen that will just about universally switch over to fishing on the late season party boats and they catch a ton of fish this time of year. Cod, haddock and especially those big fall ocean pollock provide plenty of action and good eating.”
“At night you’re apt to find a group of smelt fishermen with their long poles and bobbers with spreader two-hook rigs baited with bits of worms fishing a few special places along the coastline. A few fishermen try the docks around Portsmouth’s Prescott Park or the Newcastle causeway and shoreline. A very popular spot is the Route 1A Bridge over Witches Creek (a.k.a. Seavey’s Creek) in Rye. Another popular spot is the Rye Harbor docks. Small bits of night crawlers, seaworms or grass shrimp work best. Bundle up as it gets pretty frosty around the shoreline on autumn nights,” he warns.
Massachusetts:
Pete Santini at Fishing FINatics in Everett says that this time of year is really the start of the best fishing for most species in the Boston Harbor area and out on Stellwagon Bank. “We’re going to see some stripers well over 50 pounds this year. It’s got to happen as we’ve had schools of pogies this year that won’t quit and the stripers and bluefish have been really putting on the weight feeding on them. Also, as the season progresses, we get a nice run of codfish that come into the North Channel and President’s Roads. Out on Stellwagon, the giant and schoolie bluefin tuna will be peaking. And we’ll also see quite a few flounder moving back into their regular haunts. It’s no time to quit,” he warned.
“We’ve already seen a big slowdown in fishing pressure,” was the word from Kay Moulton at Surfland on Plum Island. “But we’ve always had a nice run of stripers along the beaches here in the late season as well as schools of bluefish migrating. It’s a great time to be on the Merrimack River as the normal hustle and bustle of too many boaters just isn't here, but the fish often are,” she laughed.
Outdoors writer Dave Sartwell sent us this up-to-date information: “The fishing along the North Shore has been spectacular. The big cow stripers are running along the coast. Eels fished very slowly at night are the trick. Tuna fishing on Stellwagon and Jeffries has been terrific. Big Sluggos and large Shad Rap lures seem to be working well.”
We are at the end of our season for fishing reports and it has been quite a season! Our next reporting season will start on the first Monday of January, 2010. We’d like to thank very much all those that contributed to this report over the last year. It takes quite a commitment to furnish us with information 39 weeks in a row! We’d also like to thank all of our thousands of anglers and other people that have been loyal readers. And thank those of them that have added information for us to use. And lastly, the dedication of staff here that have had much input and also have sweat a lot over the editing and support to produce the report.
The year 2009 started with some exceptional ice fishing on Maine’s two largest lakes (Moosehead and Sebago) and flowed over into most of the other areas that we report on. A fairly early ice-out lead to some fantastic trout and salmon fishing and as the season progressed, an early smallmouth bass bedding was extended because the weather turned cooler and very rainy.
Saltwater fishing also was excellent. Big codfish and a lot of haddock started right off as soon as the weather turned good enough to get out on the ocean but was also impacted by weekend storms, one right after the other. Stripers showed up in the rivers in late April and early May and there were plenty of big ones feeding on the herring runs and the good striper fishing continued until dropping off just recently. Bluefish were never steady but there were enough of the smaller ones to raise havoc with live bait.
It was the incredible bluefin tuna action that started early and probably hasn’t peaked yet that caught a lot of attention. Fish were running anywhere from 40 pounds to eight hundred pounds. Much of the action was coming from and around Stellwagen Banks, just off Gloucester, Massachusetts but soon spread northward and currently there are good reports coming from Downeast Maine to Cape Cod.
Derek Sturtevant at Kittery Trading Post’s Fishing Department had some suggestions for late-season freshwater fans. “If you’re fishing the freshwater lakes and ponds, much of your late-season success will depend on water temperature. In the spring, finding water temperatures a couple of degrees warmer than the rest of a lake’s water will often find you the fish, as baitfish and other organisms are very temperature oriented. In the fall, it’s just the same, as the lakes are cooling down and fish will again seek a warmer pool of water. This temperature not only supplies food sources but also invigorates the fish. Being cold-blooded creatures, fish react to their environmental temperature much more than warm-blooded animals.”
“One suggestion we have is to delay your getting on the water until the sun has had a chance to rise over the lake’s tree canopy along the shoreline. The shoreline water will generally be warmer than the deeper pool in the center of any lakes or ponds. Since the sun rises in the East, its rays will usually hit the water of the northern end of a lake sooner so the water there tends to warm fastest. But there is also the wind to take into consideration. The windward shore will just about universally be the warm shore, as warming surface water will flow from the direction of the wind onto the windward shore. It makes a big difference,” Derek warns.
“Some days on small ponds, the eastern shorelines don’t warm up until mid-morning, so fishing that shoreline can result in a couple of very slow fishing hours! Once you start considering these factors, you’re going to see much more insect action in the warmer shorelines, much more evidence of baitfish feeding there and also there’s a good chance that you’ll also observe gamefish surface feeding.”
“This can be a great time to use surface fly-rod poppers if you are a fly fishing angler. Big dragonflies are often active along the warmer shorelines and panfish, bass and often-larger sizes of trout will be targeting those dragonflies. Also, dragon fly nymphs become active as the water warms. A dark colored wooly bugger fly is close enough to copying those big nymphs that it is a good choice for both bass and trout.”
“The warmest water of a lake may not be the ideal place to fish for landlocked salmon and lake trout, although you’ll find that they are more motivated to feed by the presence of smelt. Smelt are not as temperature sensitive as salmon and lake trout. Although they seek the cold water depths in the summer, in the fall as the water temperatures moderate but don’t really get cold, smelt will swarm onto some shallow areas where plankton and other food is available. When this happens, landlocks and lake trout are often right with them, feeding with abandon. This is a time to watch the gulls and other birds. Their feeding on wounded or dead smelt in a salmon and trout feeding spree will telegraph the fish’s presence.”
As for saltwater fishing, he asks, “Does water temperature have much to do with saltwater fall fishing? You’d better believe it does. In one outstanding instance, an outlet of a warmed-up tidal creek or tidal pond entering a colder river as the tide turns to go out can be one of the hottest spots to fish! Gamefish such as summer flounder, stripers and bluefish will often gather at these outlet mouths and have a feeding spree. Also, warm water discharges from power plants or other sources can be a magnet for both baitfish and game fish.”
“The fall changes in weather starts a southern migration for both stripers and bluefish as well as for winter flounder. Winter flounder are apt to move back inshore while the stripers and bluefish will be migrating south towards warmer waters where they will winter over. Bluefin tuna also have a tendency to go south. Catching a migrating school of gamefish can be the most exciting time of a lifetime of fishing as migrating fish have more than travel on their minds. They are feeding very heavily to put on a source of energy to survive the winter. Along the coastline, topwater or swimming plugs cast into a feeding school of blues or stripers or a mixed group will almost always bring instant hook-ups.”
Derek says it’s a long, long winter and a short fall. “Don’t put that fishing gear away too soon. You might just be missing the best of the year. You’ll still have those long winter nights and short days to repair and replace your worn gear, tie flies and upgrade your lures,” he ended.
Maine:
Master Maine Guide Stu Bristol of Lyman says, “Good thing my last guided trip this week was a fly-fishing lesson. The power company decided that this would be a great time to draw the water level down to almost no flow. Even with my small boat I could get only halfway up the river before we ran out of fishing depths. Still, the smaller bass that weighed just under a pound each were very cooperative when we targeted the deeper ledges and looked for the best water flow. That's one of the good traits of river fishing. When the water falls the fish don't just head to the deepest water as they would during the fall drawdown of the lakes, the bass and brown trout hold in the ruffles and runs and just about anywhere there is moving water.”
“Almost all of the water in southern Maine is open right through the end of the year, although most have an artificials-only and limited creel limit. For the catch and release anglers, this time of year is typically the hottest angling of the season. The water is beginning to cool as is the air temperature and the scenery with colored foliage is spectacular. And, whatever water skiing and jet ski activity we contended with during the summer is gone as well.”
“Anglers can now follow the rules for fall pattern angling. The underwater vegetation is dying back so the fish search the underwater rock piles and deep shoreline banks where minnows and other food sources hideout. Unlike springtime angling, fish are more active and will chase crankbaits, spinnerbaits and fast-moving streamer flies. The brown trout we connected with this week all fell for bright flies – the Mickey Finn in particular ¬– followed by the local favorite, the Warden's Worry and a smaller winged pattern, the Parmacheenee Bell. In fact, the brook trout usually come out of hiding and we begin to take a few in spots usually reserved for brown trout and smallmouth bass.”
“We didn't look for crappie this week but fall anglers should spend at least a day or two ignoring the bass and trout and just target crappies. Most of our warmwater lakes in southern Maine have good populations with Wadley Pond in Lyman and Shaker Pond in Alfred being two of the most productive. Now that camp owners have closed up for the winter, parking is not a problem.”
“I learned long ago that upland game hunters and waterfowl hunters can add to their days by bringing along a light fly rod or spinning gear. While northern Maine waters are closed to protect trout and salmon, southern Maine waters are open through December 31 and the fish are active,” Stu ended.
Dave Garcia at Naples Bait and Tackle at Long Lake in the Sebago Region is also an ardent bass tourney fisherman, often teaming up with his son Tyson. “We’ll both be putting our standings on the line when we finish up with the competition that runs a few more weeks. Right now we stand in the second spot in our group’s rankings, but we’re hoping for a shot at first place.”
“In the last few tourneys we’ve concentrated on smallmouth bass and didn’t score that well. We’ll be after the largemouths from now on, using different technique and probably finding them in or around some kind of cover, not suspended over rock piles in twenty or thirty feet of water like the smallmouths have been.”
“Maine has extended fishing seasons, mostly catch and release for game fish, in many, actually most of the lakes and ponds locally. But there are other regulations that come into play. One in particular is the area located at the Station on the southerly end of Sebago Lake. This area selected for special regulations allows anglers to target landlocked salmon. But it’s catch and release and fly-fishing only. These restrictions allow anglers to take advantage of an area where historically, salmon have gathered in the late season.”
“Also, there are several rivers that allow late-season fishing. Some people say that Maine has over regulated. We congratulate the state for making so many late-season opportunities available, even though you need to check the rules before you fish.”
We asked Dave where he will be fishing. “Around my new place in Florida,” he laughed.
Also in the Sebago Lake Region, Carroll Cutting at Jordan’s Store in East Sebago has some suggestions. “Our togue (lake trout) fishermen here on Sebago Lake have the most liberal fall fishing opportunities in the state. The new regulations allow for catch-and-keep togue fishing, along with catch-and-keep panfishing. The regulations prohibit targeting landlocked salmon after the season closes this week. Fishermen are encouraged to keep the togue they catch to reduce the fish’s overpopulation. These liberal rules passed in the last few years have a goal of less but larger togue and a more stable smelt population that supports both the togue and landlocked salmon fisheries.”
“Much of our local fishing will be shutting down as the regular season ends,” noted Ken Lemke at River’s Edge Sports in Oquossoc in the Rangeley Lakes Region. “But there are special regulations on some of our waters. Because they are all tailored for the individual water, you really need to check the rules before venturing out to fish.”
“All in all, we’ve had one of the most successful trout and salmon seasons of recent years. Early in the season we had a lot of rain, keeping fish in our rivers much of the early summer but right now we could really use some rain as the rivers are low and what fish are in them are quite stale.”
Here’s the last-of-the-season report from Master Maine Guide Dan Legere at the Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville, in the Moosehead Lake region: “Well, the first day of fall is upon us, the nights are cool and the fishing is excellent. Many of our ponds and rivers will be closed for the season so this week is a great opportunity to get in some of the last great fishing of the year. The East Outlet will be opened throughout the month of October for catch-and-release fishing only.”
“Fly selections haven't changed much over the last week. Fish are still chasing flashy marabou streamers. Remember, in the river the color white is a sign of weakness and sickness for baitfish, which makes that color an excellent choice for fish looking for an easy meal. Nymphing is also an excellent way to catch even the pickiest of fish this time of year. Experiment with different patterns and set ups, without a predominant insect hatch, fish aren't necessarily keying in on anything in particular. This time of year fish are territorial and will sometimes chase anything that is in their area. Folks have also had some luck on the surface, with small dark caddis and tent wing caddis. Again, it’s all about territory, not really ‘matching the hatch.’”
On Maine’s saltwater scene, Captain Barry Gibson of Salt Water Sportsman magazine fame said that he’d be shutting down his striper and bluefish guiding as the southward migrations of these fish will have moved most of these fish. We started off kind of slow but then the stripers came in and gave us one of the better summer seasons of late. We never did get much of any chance at bluefish but the tuna are here right now and several of the boats have had success.
“Maine has some great late-season coastal opportunities. Along the shorelines of both Cumberland and York County, unless this fall is different than those past, there will be some of the largest stripers of the season taken and chances of getting into a genuine bluefish blitz are the best of the year. These fish are migratory. Coastal fishermen should be mobile and follow the migrating fish for the best action.
“We’re ready for some serious late-season fishing, both coastal and offshore,” noted Craig Bergeron at Saco Bay Bait and Tackle. “Offshore the bluefin tuna, both giants and schoolies should be peaking. Unless the recent cold temperatures sent the pelagic sharks south, we also should see a couple weeks of very active shark fishing.”
“This is fishing-the-beach-time, for both stripers and bluefish. In the fall they’ll pretty much migrate along the shorelines so fishing both the rocky and sandy beaches could put you into some of the largest fish of the season. Swimming and topwater plugs will work while bait fishermen should stick with the old standards: clams or chunk mackerel and herring.”
Craig also said he’s looking forward to some post-coastal storm sea claming. “Last year we had a lot of storms but almost no clams washed up. We’ll be checking the beaches this fall and winter after every storm. It’s bound to happen sooner or later.”
New Hampshire:
In New Hampshire’s far Northcountry, Cindy Caron Howe at Tall Timber Lodge in Pittsburg on Back Lake says that they’ve experienced some of the most incredible river fishing, especially on the Connecticut River, in years. “We’ve had so much water this year that the rivers have just filled up with fish moving up from the lakes. New Hampshire has very liberal fishing seasons on its big rivers, but there are many special regulation stretches of rivers so it’s imperative that you know the rules for the stretch of river that you fish.”
Cindy has always liked the Trophy Stretch of the Connecticut, but also stated that the piece of river below Murphy Dam to the Town of Pittsburg always produces some huge brown trout in the late season and even during the winter. “Big streamer flies and Rapala-type swimming plugs work best there.”
“Our salmon and lake trout fishing on the big lakes shuts down October first, but there are many local ponds and rivers that do stay open for an extended period,” revealed Alan Nute at AJ’s Bait and Tackle in Meredith. “Some of the most exciting fishing in our local lakes and ponds that are open to late season fishing is for rainbow trout. Surface fishing with streamers and small swimming plugs work well. There are a lot of special regulation waters so you have to check before you fish.”
“The special Atlantic salmon fishing season on the Merrimack and areas of the Pemigewasset Rivers can be very exciting but you need a special permit to target these fish. Usually these special regulation waters get a fall stocking that makes for some exciting action. This is one of the few opportunities in the whole USA that offers fishing for Atlantics,” Alan ended.
“We’ve got a wonderful fall landlocked salmon fishing opportunity right nearby on the Merrymeeting River,” boasted Paul Garland at Hot Spot Outfitters in New Durham. “It’s catch-and-release, fly-only water but that is kind of traditional for this kind of special fishing. At times this river will fill up with salmon that have spawning on their mind. This year, with all the rain we’ve had, we’d have to bet it will be a banner year on the river. Check your regulations!”
George Taylor at Taylor’s Trading Post in Madbury had to take time out from his big game processing to talk, so he made it brief. “The striper thing has really cooled off but there’s still some great river trout opportunities here at the Lamprey and Cocheco Rivers with late-season fishing allowed. The crappie fishing here on the Bellamy Reservoir makes us wonder just how many fish can this place support. The fishing pressure has been pretty steady and limit catches are a daily thing. It’s amazing.”
George likes the nearby trout ponds: Barbados in Madbury, Stonehouse in Barrington and Lucas, in Northwood for fall action. Bow Lake in Strafford is another pond to check out.
Coastal fishing, especially groundfish, will continue with quite a bit of interest, noted Jason MacKenzie at Suds-n-Soda Sports in Greenland. And there’s the coastal shoreline open-water smelt fishing that somehow travels under the radar of a lot of fishermen, according to Jason.
“We have our regular group of die-hard groundfishermen that will just about universally switch over to fishing on the late season party boats and they catch a ton of fish this time of year. Cod, haddock and especially those big fall ocean pollock provide plenty of action and good eating.”
“At night you’re apt to find a group of smelt fishermen with their long poles and bobbers with spreader two-hook rigs baited with bits of worms fishing a few special places along the coastline. A few fishermen try the docks around Portsmouth’s Prescott Park or the Newcastle causeway and shoreline. A very popular spot is the Route 1A Bridge over Witches Creek (a.k.a. Seavey’s Creek) in Rye. Another popular spot is the Rye Harbor docks. Small bits of night crawlers, seaworms or grass shrimp work best. Bundle up as it gets pretty frosty around the shoreline on autumn nights,” he warns.
Massachusetts:
Pete Santini at Fishing FINatics in Everett says that this time of year is really the start of the best fishing for most species in the Boston Harbor area and out on Stellwagon Bank. “We’re going to see some stripers well over 50 pounds this year. It’s got to happen as we’ve had schools of pogies this year that won’t quit and the stripers and bluefish have been really putting on the weight feeding on them. Also, as the season progresses, we get a nice run of codfish that come into the North Channel and President’s Roads. Out on Stellwagon, the giant and schoolie bluefin tuna will be peaking. And we’ll also see quite a few flounder moving back into their regular haunts. It’s no time to quit,” he warned.
“We’ve already seen a big slowdown in fishing pressure,” was the word from Kay Moulton at Surfland on Plum Island. “But we’ve always had a nice run of stripers along the beaches here in the late season as well as schools of bluefish migrating. It’s a great time to be on the Merrimack River as the normal hustle and bustle of too many boaters just isn't here, but the fish often are,” she laughed.
Outdoors writer Dave Sartwell sent us this up-to-date information: “The fishing along the North Shore has been spectacular. The big cow stripers are running along the coast. Eels fished very slowly at night are the trick. Tuna fishing on Stellwagon and Jeffries has been terrific. Big Sluggos and large Shad Rap lures seem to be working well.”