Compiled By Mark Latti with IFW Fisheries Biologists
Region B – Central and Midcoast Area
If you are looking for brook trout, you may want to try a couple of ponds in central Maine.
“Anglers should try Gould Pond in Sidney or Egypt Pond in Chesterville,” said IFW fisheries biologist Jason Seiders, “The fish may be deep, but the catch rates are high.”
These ponds were stocked heavily in the spring with brook trout that averaged approximately 10” in length. The ponds are considered a “put and take” fishery, providing anglers with an opportunity to take home a couple of brook trout.
“Anglers should fish 15-20 feet deep. Small minnows or worms work best, but they are catching them trolling small lures deep as well,” said Seiders. Both ponds are relatively small with good roadside access, which makes them a good choice for fishing with a canoe.
Seiders has also been out on Maranacook Lake, monitoring the fishery. One note that may be of interest to anglers is that biologists confirmed that togue are reproducing naturally in Maranacook. The lake generally is stocked with lake trout, but with the confirmation of naturally reproducing togue, there won’t be a need to stock the pond with togue this year.
Region D – Rangeley Lakes
“It’s been really quiet on the trout front up here in the Rangeley area,” said IFW fisheries biologist Bobby Van Riper. “Some anglers go after them with lead line and downriggers, but many anglers prefer to wait until the water cools instead of trolling.”
Where and how you fish can make a difference. Some of the more experienced anglers may take a run across a potential fishing area without even putting their lines in, scanning their sonar, marking the depth where they see fish. They then will take the same route back, with one line above the fish and the other below.
In some parts of the western mountains area, green drakes are still hatching, but that is solely in the northern part of the region. Some anglers are having luck on rivers fishing on the fringes of a deep pool with a big green drake fly.
This time of year, however, it can be challenging to catch trout.
“Summer has settled in, we are reaching our maximum temperatures for area lakes and ponds, which means that they have also reached their minimum for oxygen. Most fish are just trying to endure the summer heart and aren’t looking to feed this time of year,” said Van Riper.
Van Riper notes that it is a good time of year to fish for bass in the southern part of the region, and suggests trying Clearwater Lake, Hancock Pond, McGurdy Pond or Norcross Pond for bass.
