There’s a fair amount of agreement that open water fishing season begins on April 1 for a good reason. Any angler who braves the cold conditions, the ice, snow, mud and frigid water on the remote chance of coaxing one lethargic fish to strike a bait has to be a little bit foolish. Having “been there, done that,” I have to admit it’s more about the rite of spring than catching a trout, but there are also some bragging rights to landing a fish on opening day in Aroostook County.
Perhaps you weren’t casting a line opening day, but plan to venture out this weekend. In that case local sportsmen should know that there are only four truly likely spots to toss a nymph, streamer fly, lure or worm this week. A fair-sized piece of open water exists below each of the Mars Hill and Robinson dams on the Prestile, enough room for three, maybe four anglers at each location. In Houlton, a fairly long stretch of the Meduxnekeag River is wadeable behind the old starch factory; and besides brook trout, this stream offers the chance to hook a hefty brown trout. Soldier Pond on the Fish River boasts the last, large open run of water, and again the chance to hook two species of game fish, landlocked salmon as well as brookies.
These four proven locations offer the chance to wade and cast or fishermen can toss out bait and bobber rigs from the shoreline. There’s little question, by the way, that angleworms or nightcrawlers will produce far more consistent action than any other metal or feathered baits on all these waterways, probably at a 10 to 1 ratio. A handful of other County brooks and streams will have small open pools and runs here and there along their course, but few, if any will produce fish regularly for at least two more weeks when longer, larger runs of water free of ice.
Bait and wait fishing consists of tossing out a hunk of worms to rest on bottom with a floating bobber to indicate when a trout grabs the bait. This technique works well in eddies, backwaters, bogans and other still or very slow moving pools. For flowing water, cast to the slowest runs and switch to a worm and sinker or spinner to cast and retrieve in the style referred to as bottom bouncing. Clamp-on split shot are the best weights as they can be quickly and easily added or removed from the leader to match weight to water flow speed. There has to be just enough weight so the hook and worm can be hopped from spot to spot during a slow, hesitating retrieve without being swept downstream by the current. Use too much weight and the rig catches on every rock, often breaking off. Although it takes a bit of practice to judge the best weight, I prefer the cast and retrieve style of spring bait fishing simply because it lets me take a more active part in the endeavor than bait and bobber.
By mid month a handful of regional ponds and small lakes will begin to free up of ice. Even before a pond is fully open, anglers can enjoy fast-action bank casting to portions of the lake that are clear of ice along the shoreline. Even if there’s only 20 feet of open water, the fish will find it and therefore any baits that are waiting. On most local lakes and ponds the earliest fishing is the most productive, and often action declines notably after the first two weeks.
To make matters more interesting, several local waterways received a late season visit from the regional fisheries biologists with a November stocking of large brood fish. Many of the stocked waters were not open to ice fishing, so ice out anglers should hook up to some hefty trout. Since these fish fed all winter, the opportunity to catch a two-pound plus brookie is very realistic.
Squa Pan Lake in Ashland got 1,660 splake in the 12- to 14-inch class last October and Arnold Brook in Presque Isle received 250 brown trout in October and 700 brook trout measuring 10- to 14-inches in November. Those that didn’t get caught through the ice will be larger now. Conroy Lake in Monticello has 50 brookies of 18 inches or better and Durepo Lake in Limestone was stocked with 100 of the 16-to 18-inch brutes in mid-November.
Echo Lake in Presque Isle got a hundred big brood fish and nearby Hanson Lake got 200 that were 14 inches last fall. Hodgdon Deadwater got two batches totaling 550 fish. Monson Pond in Fort Fairfield and Mud Pond in Linneus were each stocked with a hundred 18-inch beautiful brookies too. Fifty big trout were dropped off in Island Falls at Rock Crusher Pond and Spaudling Lake in Oakfield got 700 fish in the 12- to 14-inch class.
Lots of other waterways got stocked up with smaller trout and salmon last fall, but the ones I’ve mentioned warrant an April visit as soon as the first sign of open water appears. I know Mother Nature is fickle in April, but even cold fishing is better than no fishing and like most of you ardent anglers I’m ready for any fishing that doesn’t require drilling a hole in the ice. Open water season has arrived and the early sport gets the big fish, now you just have to find some open water.
Perhaps you weren’t casting a line opening day, but plan to venture out this weekend. In that case local sportsmen should know that there are only four truly likely spots to toss a nymph, streamer fly, lure or worm this week. A fair-sized piece of open water exists below each of the Mars Hill and Robinson dams on the Prestile, enough room for three, maybe four anglers at each location. In Houlton, a fairly long stretch of the Meduxnekeag River is wadeable behind the old starch factory; and besides brook trout, this stream offers the chance to hook a hefty brown trout. Soldier Pond on the Fish River boasts the last, large open run of water, and again the chance to hook two species of game fish, landlocked salmon as well as brookies.
These four proven locations offer the chance to wade and cast or fishermen can toss out bait and bobber rigs from the shoreline. There’s little question, by the way, that angleworms or nightcrawlers will produce far more consistent action than any other metal or feathered baits on all these waterways, probably at a 10 to 1 ratio. A handful of other County brooks and streams will have small open pools and runs here and there along their course, but few, if any will produce fish regularly for at least two more weeks when longer, larger runs of water free of ice.
Bait and wait fishing consists of tossing out a hunk of worms to rest on bottom with a floating bobber to indicate when a trout grabs the bait. This technique works well in eddies, backwaters, bogans and other still or very slow moving pools. For flowing water, cast to the slowest runs and switch to a worm and sinker or spinner to cast and retrieve in the style referred to as bottom bouncing. Clamp-on split shot are the best weights as they can be quickly and easily added or removed from the leader to match weight to water flow speed. There has to be just enough weight so the hook and worm can be hopped from spot to spot during a slow, hesitating retrieve without being swept downstream by the current. Use too much weight and the rig catches on every rock, often breaking off. Although it takes a bit of practice to judge the best weight, I prefer the cast and retrieve style of spring bait fishing simply because it lets me take a more active part in the endeavor than bait and bobber.
By mid month a handful of regional ponds and small lakes will begin to free up of ice. Even before a pond is fully open, anglers can enjoy fast-action bank casting to portions of the lake that are clear of ice along the shoreline. Even if there’s only 20 feet of open water, the fish will find it and therefore any baits that are waiting. On most local lakes and ponds the earliest fishing is the most productive, and often action declines notably after the first two weeks.
To make matters more interesting, several local waterways received a late season visit from the regional fisheries biologists with a November stocking of large brood fish. Many of the stocked waters were not open to ice fishing, so ice out anglers should hook up to some hefty trout. Since these fish fed all winter, the opportunity to catch a two-pound plus brookie is very realistic.
Squa Pan Lake in Ashland got 1,660 splake in the 12- to 14-inch class last October and Arnold Brook in Presque Isle received 250 brown trout in October and 700 brook trout measuring 10- to 14-inches in November. Those that didn’t get caught through the ice will be larger now. Conroy Lake in Monticello has 50 brookies of 18 inches or better and Durepo Lake in Limestone was stocked with 100 of the 16-to 18-inch brutes in mid-November.
Echo Lake in Presque Isle got a hundred big brood fish and nearby Hanson Lake got 200 that were 14 inches last fall. Hodgdon Deadwater got two batches totaling 550 fish. Monson Pond in Fort Fairfield and Mud Pond in Linneus were each stocked with a hundred 18-inch beautiful brookies too. Fifty big trout were dropped off in Island Falls at Rock Crusher Pond and Spaudling Lake in Oakfield got 700 fish in the 12- to 14-inch class.
Lots of other waterways got stocked up with smaller trout and salmon last fall, but the ones I’ve mentioned warrant an April visit as soon as the first sign of open water appears. I know Mother Nature is fickle in April, but even cold fishing is better than no fishing and like most of you ardent anglers I’m ready for any fishing that doesn’t require drilling a hole in the ice. Open water season has arrived and the early sport gets the big fish, now you just have to find some open water.
