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> Fishing > Reports > Weekly Fishing Reports by Regional Fishery Biologists > Previous Fishing Reports > May 14, 2007
Weekly Fishing Reports by Regional Fishery Biologists
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| Water Applicable | Existing Regulation | Proposed Change | Reason |
| Alden’s Pond (Gorham) | General Law | Restricted to youth under the age of 16 | Expanded fishing for youth |
| Lake Arrowhead (Waterboro) | All bass greater than 18” must be released | All bass between 16” and 20” must be released, 1 fish bag | Consolidation |
| Little Ossipee Lake (Waterboro) | 2 fish aggregate bag for trout, salmon & togue | General law size and bag | Consolidation |
| Mousam Lake (Acton) |
2 fish aggregate bag for trout, salmon & togue | General law size and bag | Consolidation |
Mousam River (Acton - Kennebunk) |
Upper river open to fall fishing, lower river open year-round | Open entire river to year-round open water fishing | Expanded Fishing Opportunity |
| Salmon Falls River (Acton – S. Berwick) |
Border water regulations apply | Open entire river to year-round open water fishing | Expanded Fishing Opportunity |
| Saco River (downstream of Skelton Dam) |
No maximum on trout and salmon | 25” maximum length limit for trout and salmon | Prevent accidental harvest of Atlantic Salmon |
| Big Ossipee River | No maximum on trout and salmon | 25” maximum length limit for trout and salmon | Prevent accidental harvest of Atlantic Salmon |
| Winnegance Pond (W. Bath) |
General Law | 12” minimum length limit on pickerel | Prevent accidental harvest of state listed Redfin Pickerel |
| Thompson Lake (Poland) |
Togue: 2 fish bag | Togue: 3 fish | Consolidation |
| Auburn Lake (Auburn) |
Togue: 16” minimum length | Togue: 14” minimum length, only 1 over 18”, 3 bag limit | Consolidation |
| Kezar Lake (Lovell) |
Togue: 14” minimum, 5 fish bag | Togue: 14” minimum length, 6 fish bag, only 1 over 23” | Consolidation |
| Moose Pond (Bridgton) |
Salmon: 2 fish bag | Salmon: 1 fish bag (winter only) where 16” minimum length applies | Consolidation |
-Francis Brautigam, Fisheries Biologist Specialist
A few years ago I reported on a project that had great potential for fulfilling an important goal of our Department, namely, “ to provide anglers with the most opportunities for the types of fishing they want, while ensuring that these same fish resources are going to be here for those who come after us”. I'd like to take this opportunity to bring you up-to-date on the status of that project.
A tributary to Pitcher Pond crosses Route 52 in the town of Lincolnville at the eastern edge of Region B. In the fall of 2003, the Maine Department of Transportation replaced a failing "perched culvert" at that stream crossing. A perched culvert, you may recall, has a drop in elevation at its downstream mouth. If the drop is sufficiently high, fish are unable to pass through the culvert to upstream habitat. The new culvert was installed with an embedded outlet, that is without a drop in elevation at its mouth. Nevertheless, the elevation difference from the upstream to downstream ends required a slope in the culvert about half way through so that streambed movement could be avoided. I was skeptical of the ability of brook trout to negotiate the slope, but told the DOT environmental reviewer the site would be a good place to evaluate fish passage with a brook trout fry stocking.
Townline Brook, the name I gave the stream at the time in order to satisfy stocking records, is really Rollins Brook according to Peg Miller, an elderly long time resident that owns land abutting the stream. She indicated that the stream dries up in some years. The brook is designated as an intermittent stream on the area's topographical map. According to the map the total length of the stream is about 4000 feet. Mrs. Miller told me that in a 1954 hurricane, a flood removed a stone cribbed crossing and the perched culvert, the culvert replaced by MDOT last year, was the result. She couldn't recall any angling in the brook in her lifetime. Since 1954, the stream was most likely waterless in many summers, eliminating any fish populations above the perched culvert. The vertical barrier formed by the perched culvert, prevented re-colonization of the brook from downstream of the culvert. Prior to 1954 we do not know if a barrier was present at the crossing, but there is free access from Pitcher Pond to the present crossing. Pitcher Pond has a warm-water fishery, but has a known natural brook trout fishery in another tributary at Sucker Brook that could allow some occasional migration of trout to nearby Rollins Brook.
On June 7th of 2004 we were able to stock 1000 Maine Hatchery strain brook trout that were about 3 to 3.5 inches. On June 9th of 2004 I went back to the stream to ascertain the presence of brook trout above the culvert. I did document that the fry made it up through the culvert by the 14th and although numbers were not high it did indicate that the brookies could negotiate the incline in the culvert.
On September 22nd, I returned to Rollins Brook to document what had occurred. The first brook trout was found immediately above the culvert and I encountered other brook trout at likely pools for approximately 2000 feet above the culvert, . Were they the unmarked brookies stocked on June 7th or migrants from the pond? By all indications, such as deformed pectorals and shortened opercula’s (a commonly observed phenomena in hatchery fish), they were the survivors of the fry spring stocking of brook trout in the previously fishless brook. The brook trout ranged from 4.5 inches to 6.5 inches and exhibited robustness. No other fish species were found.
On April 22, 2005 I returned to Rollins Brook to evaluate over winter survival of the brook trout. We captured six 5-7 inch brook trout from just above the culvert to about 400 feet upstream.
Although 2004 was unusual with respect to cool temperatures and higher than normal water flows, there are some things we can gain from our observations. For instance, Maine Hatchery strain brook trout (which can survive to 5 years of age, as noted in Little Pond, Damariscotta) can survive in small brooks and are capable of migrating in some unusual conditions. During the September 22, 2004 evaluation, when in my judgment it was pretty certain that I would not find fish above what I thought was a barrier, I found another trout in the next good-looking pool. Further upstream I finally encountered a barrier where the brook disappeared underground.
In 2005 and 2006 our investigations, and angler reports, indicated that brook trout are now using this small watershed. In other work around the region our brook trout stream monitoring efforts have indicated that these types of small watersheds experience a rebound in brook trout populations when water flows are naturally increased thus allowing native fish to re-colonize barren streams that periodically experiencing water deprivation.
The most important finding from our observations is that in small streams that are otherwise suitable for brook trout but where we have barriers to upstream fish passage, the removal of any man-made barrier, can greatly facilitate restoration of brook trout populations whether through natural re-colonization or through stocking. In many towns throughout Maine culverts have been installed that prevent fish passage. Some of these were placed many year's ago and the natural condition of the stream has passed out of local memory. Ultimately, this often results in locals accepting that the stream is devoid of brook trout. Since Maine has numerous miles of small streams, all of us need to be vigilant in pointing out to town and state officials that if a culvert is perched and preventing fish passage, this is an unacceptable installation, and should be remedied.
-Bill Woodward, Assisitant Regional Fishery Biologist
Region C - Downeast - Photos from the field!
While the trees here in Downeast Maine are a little behind the rest of the state, we are finally beginning to see some leaves. Warm days are growing more common, the first blackflies of the season have been spotted, and I’ve had my first meal with fiddleheads of the year. This all adds up to one thing, spring has finally sprung!
Fishing for landlocked salmon has been heating up and will only improve in the coming weeks. Plus, anglers are reporting great catches of brook trout in ponds all over the region, including Six Mile Lake in Marshfield, Simpson Pond in Roque Bluffs, and Fox Pond in T-10 SD. Many of these great brook trout ponds are a result of increased stocking numbers in an effort to create some family fishing waters in our region. Also, this is the week to begin fishing your favorite brook or stream for wild brook trout as last weeks warm days helped to get the fish moving and feeding.
This spring the Downeast Region is focusing a great deal of sampling attention on Sea-Run Brook Trout. We know very little about these fish that spend a portion of their lives in the ocean before returning to coastal streams. Fishing for “salters,” as they are sometimes referred to, is quite popular and takes a great deal of patience. Often you have to fish many brooks, many different times before being successful. You have to know the tide cycle and where the “secret spots” are located. The time invested is well worth it if you are successful at catching one of these 10-16 inch silver beauties. The staff in the Region C office has been spending time electofishing in the brooks trying to find some of these Sea-Run Trout. We are interested in documenting the streams that have runs of these fish, so that in the future if conservation becomes an issue we will know more about these populations. Our staff will be surveying streams in Ellsworth, Trenton, Sullivan, Gouldsboro, Franklin, Milbridge, Whiting, Jonesport, Addison, Cutler, Trescott, Pembroke, Perry, and Edmunds, just to name a few. We have received lots of information from area anglers and greatly appreciate all the reports and advice. Finding Sea-Run Brook Trout has a lot to do with being in the right place at the right time and we know that our anglers have a great deal of knowledge about their favorite Sea-Run fishing spots. Also, I would like to thank Game Warden Joe McBrine for assisting us on a few occasions with electrofishing for Sea-Run Brook Trout.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the region. A couple of months ago I was hired by the department to fill the position of Region C’s Fisheries Biologist Specialist. I had worked in the region through contract positions for the last two summer and winter seasons. I grew up in Warren, in the mid-coast area and lived there until I began attending college at the University of Maine at Machias. I graduated from UMM in May of 2006 and was very fortunate to get my dream job with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife the following year. I understand how important fishing is to the people of this state, just as it is important to me. Regional Fisheries Biologist Rick Jordan and Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist Greg Burr have a passion for the resource that is contagious and I can only hope that in time I will have as much knowledge of the area’s fisheries as they do. I could not be more excited to be a part of the Downeast Fisheries Team.
Best of luck on the water, and remember to where your lifejacket!
-Joe Overlook, Fisheries Biology Specialist
The ice went out of Rangeley Lake sometime last weekend. We receive a lot of questions about what day the ice goes out on Rangeley, because the following week or weeks are often the best fishing of the year. Anglers can boat over a dozen fish in just hours when they are biting. Salmon over five pounds are not uncommon. The included photo shows a 22-inch, 4-pound Rangeley salmon taken this spring by Steve Kasprzak of North Waterboro. Anyone interested in participating in this annual event should probably head up to Rangeley shortly after reading this.
Creel surveys are being conducted at Mooselookmeguntic Lake and Richardson Lakes this summer. The census began on May 11 and will continue into July, when the fishing activity begins to slow down. Aziscohos Lake will be surveyed again this summer with creel survey boxes. Fern Bosse of Poland has placed boxes at launch sites around the lake. If you are coming off the lake after fishing, please fill out a card. The data collected will be very useful for the future management of Aziscohos Lake.
With the summer heat returning, the waters are warming and aquatic insect life is beginning to emerge. Anglers should target small brook trout ponds in the evening to take advantage of eager feeding fish. A few places to try are Spencer Pond in Township D, Gull Pond in Dallas Plt., Bugeye Pond in Chain of Ponds Twp., and Rowe Pond in Pleasant Ridge Plt.
Bass fishing is also starting to pick up with the warmer water temperatures. For smallmouths anglers should try Umbagog Lake in Upton, Clearwater Pond in Industry, Ellis Pond in Roxbury, or the Androscoggin River in the Canton area. If largemouths are what you’re looking for try Locke and Norcross Ponds in Chesterville or Wesserunsett Lake in Madison. These waters should all provide good action for respectable sized bass.
-David Howatt, Fisheries Biologist
Spring has sprung in the Moosehead Lake Region and now is the time to catch some of the biggest brookies of the year. Ice-out on Moosehead Lake was official on Saturday. It’s clear from years of monitoring angler records that the biggest trout typically come immediately after ice-out. So get out there and wet a line. This is the best time of the year to catch the fish of a lifetime.
The hatchery trucks are rolling into the region. Last week the following waters were stocked with some beautiful brook trout: Pingree Pond, Fitzgerald (Mountain View) Pond, Prong Pond, Hebron Lake, Mill Brook, Bear Brook, Sebec River, and the Piscataquis River (Dover to Guilford). We owe Bob Nelson and his crew of volunteers from the Dover-Foxcroft area a special “thank-you” for assisting the hatchery staff with the stocking program on the Piscataquis River.
There will be a couple special events for the kids in the area this week. There will be a Hooked on Fishing program at the Kiwanis Park Pond in Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday. The Piscataquis County Sheriffs Office sponsors the festivities. There will also be a kid’s fishing day at the Gravel Pit Pond in Greenville the same day. The Greenville Recreation Committee sponsors this annual event. You can contact either sponsor for more information.
On Friday, we will be stocking Drummond Pond in Abbot for the first time. This gravel pit pond is located along Rte 15 just north of the Abbot Line Restaurant. Mac Drummond owns the gravel pit and he has agreed to let us stock it with trout to promote family fishing in the area. It’s a great spot to bring the kids or maybe someone who can’t get into the back-country to catch a nice trout. Thanks to Mac and his family for their generosity.
This spring we are using the weekly fishing reports to get the word out about proposed regulation changes. There will be an informational meeting in Greenville in the next few weeks and a formal regulations hearing will be held sometime in the summer. This week we will discuss proposed fishing regulation changes for Moosehead Lake.
As most Moosehead Lake anglers know, we have had an abundance of small lake trout for nearly 15 years. The high number of small fish has had a negative impact on the forage base, namely smelts. The lack of smelts has resulted in thinner salmon and lake trout. During this time, we have liberalized the bag limit on lake trout from 1 fish to 3 fish then to 5 fish. We have dropped the minimum length limit from 18 inches to 14 inches. We have also cut the salmon stocking from 25,000 fish to the current level of 7,500 fish. All of these changes in management were designed to reduce the number of predators in the lake and thus allow the smelt population to rebound. There have been times when it appeared that we were on our way to a full recovery. But this past year we have suffered another setback. In the spring of 2006, IFW staff and members of the Moosehead Lake Fishery Coalition examined many tributaries for smelt runs. The results were very disappointing. Although there was a smelt run observed in the Moose River, most of the other smaller tributaries had very poor or non-existent runs. In August, we conducted our annual hydroacoustics sampling in Lily Bay. This high-tech equipment is used to estimate smelt abundance. Our results indicated a decline in the number of smelts in Lily Bay. Our annual fall trapnetting in Greenville Junction also indicated our smelt population was in poor shape. We observed a significant decline in condition or fatness in our hatchery salmon. We also observed sharp declines in lake trout condition this winter from fish sampled during our winter clerk survey on the big lake. We also saw an increase in the catch rate of smaller lake trout this past winter. So, in summary, the smelt population is down and the number of small lake trout is increasing.
Therefore, we are proposing some changes in an effort to balance the Moosehead Lake fishery. Our short-term goal is to remove more of the very abundant smaller lake trout. To do this, we will propose a no size or bag limit on lake trout less than 18 inches. We know from our data that anglers “grade” their catch. They typically release some of the smaller fish to take home the bigger fish. It’s a very common practice among anglers. We hope the no size or bag limit on these smaller lake trout will encourage anglers to remove as many of these smaller fish as they can.
We also think it would be prudent to reduce the number of larger lake trout for a few years to help restore the smelt population. We have seen a slight increase in the number of lake trout over 18 inches and currently we just cannot feed the number of predators in the lake. Therefore, we have proposed increasing the bag limit on lake trout over 18 inches from 1 fish to 2 fish.
We hope these regulations will quickly turn things around. We will adjust the regulations accordingly when we see signs of improvement in the condition of our gamefish and evidence that the lake trout population is more “in balance”.
We are also considering some changes in the lake level management that will help us sustain a balanced population over the long-term. We have already begun discussions with Kennebec Water Power regarding fall/winter drawdowns designed to reduce the number of lake trout. We are still working out the details, but it could be a win-win for everyone. We could reduce the number of lake trout in some years (as needed) and anglers on the East Outlet will see lower flows in September which will improve the fishing. Usually flows are very high in September and October as Kennebec Water Power attempts to meet the conditions of their license, which includes drawing the lake down before October 15th. We have also discussed the possibility of releasing more water on the West Outlet, which could improve the fall fishing on this river. Wes Hallowell of Kennebec Water Power has been very helpful and we appreciate his willingness to work with us on the improvement of the fisheries resources in the region.
Finally, we are working with local volunteers to obtain live smelt and/or smelt eggs for transfer into the lake. Given that we can obtain sufficient numbers, the smelt will be stocked in appropriate habitat in one on Moosehead's tributaries.
-Tim Obrey, Regional Fisheries Biologist
Water levels remain good in Region F. The cooler temperatures are helping to maintain some very good brook trout fishing. Several of our stocked trout ponds are producing some nice fish. Round Pond in Lincoln is seeing a fair amount of anglers returning with some nice catches. We have reports of very good fishing in many of the Baxter Park waters. Anglers may want to check out Abol, Round and Rocky Ponds in T3 R9 WELS. Crystal, Loon, Trout and the Oxheads in T40 MD are starting to pick up as well. Duck Lake in T4 ND is producing some nice 12 " to 14 " trout.
East Grand Lake in Danforth, Pleasant Pond in Island Falls, Deering and Upper Jo Mary Lake are providing lots of action for the salmon angler. We have had reports of several nice salmon coming form Seboeis, Pemadumcook, and Schoodic Lakes. Reports from West, Sysladdobsis and Duck Lakes (T4 ND) are that fishing is slow. For most of these lakes the ice has only been out a short time.
Lake Trout fishing has be picking up on Schoodic, Millinocket, Cold Stream and East Grand Lakes. Some nice catches of 5 to 7 lb fish have been taken in Schoodic as well as East Grand. The smelts in most of our lakes finished running last week. Reports are that most waters had great runs.
Seboeis, Endless and Cedar Lakes have produced some pretty good splake fishing. Last week, we had reports of a 5 lb splake being caught in Seboeis.
No reports yet from our only brown trout water, Nicatous Lake.
Our bass lakes have been slow to get started. The high water and cold, damp temperatures have kept the water temperatures cold. A few warm, sunny days will change that. Bass fishing on the Penobscot is also slow, but will pick up as soon as the temperatures warm up. We have had a few anglers from Pushaw and South Branch in Seboeis report some good fishing.
For those interested in some good pickerel fishing, might we suggest Passamagamet Lake or Saponac Pond in Grand Falls, Nicatous in T40 MD, Madagascal in Burlington or South Branch Lake in Seboeis.
Lets hope for a dry week. I'm sure the black flies are just waiting for the sun to shine.
-Brian Campbell, Fishery Biology Specialist
Mantle Lake is a small man-made impoundment on Kennedy Brook flowing through the middle of downtown Presque Isle. The pond is identified in the open water law book as open to persons under the age of 16 and to those with complimentary licenses. In June 2004, a gentleman took a child fishing at Mantle Lake and found the lake so thick with mats of algae that it was impossible to get a line in the water. Once brought to the attention of Commissioner Martin, regional fishery biologists contacted the northern regional office of the Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Presque Isle in support of action that might improve the aquatic habitat. A task force of individuals from the city, DEP, IFW, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Army Corps of Engineers and the Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District met in early 2005 to determine a plan of action. A watershed survey was conducted under the direction of Linda Alverson, Executive Director of the CASWCD, and identified the several sources of sedimentation that over the years has added to the nutrient loading of the lake. It was determined that dredging the bottom sediments and implementing erosion control was the course of action to treat the lake.
After core samples revealed that the material was inert, the lake was drained in the fall of 2005 and the bottom left to dry during the summer of 2006. Dredging commenced in late July and was completed by fall. As the result of fall rains and winter snowmelt, the lake was at full capacity at spring ice out this year. While removing the phosphorous rich sediment from the lake bottom that was determined through core samples to be 3-5 feet, an older dam constructed in 1887 was unearthed behind which was a vein of sediment 10 feet deep. This increased the amount of sediment that was removed from 9,000 yards to 13,000+ yards!
Recognizing that there would be few legal sized trout for the young anglers to catch this spring, 300 spring yearling brook trout were recently stocked by IF&W's Cobb Hatchery in Enfield. Young anglers have since been observed fishing on the bank and proudly showing off their catch of trout to anyone passing by. A Hooked on Fishing Program sponsored by the Presque Isle Elks Club is scheduled for early June.
This project to improve the water quality and sport fishery has been as the result of several governmental agencies, civic organizations and individuals that include in addition to those mentioned above: Smith Farms, contractor M.J. Ouellette & Daughters, Daigle Oil Co., Presque Isle Rotary Club, Wright-Pierce Engineers, Cavendish Farms, Presque Isle Order of Elks, and Rep. Jeremy Fisher.
In addition to being limited to persons under 16 and those with complimentary licenses, the use or possession of live fish as bait is prohibited. The daily bag limit on trout is 5 fish; minimum length limit on trout is 6 inches.
Ice is out on most of the lakes in the region at this time, exceptions might be Long Lake in St. Agatha and higher elevation ponds such as those in T15R9. It is anticipated that all waters will be free of ice by this weekend.
-Dave Basley, Regional Fishery Biologist
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