Home → News & Events → Press Releases → Previous Releases
June 19, 2015
IFW Fishing Report For June 19, 2015
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.