Fishing Report & Tips
Stonefly Season has arrived!!
July 11
The Golden Stones just kicked in on the rivers. They are the big helicopter looking bugs you see from time to time flying around the river. The nymphs crawl out of the river at night onto rocks and trees then slowly emerge and become adults. Look around the rocks and tree trucks and you will be able to find the cases they leave behind. They look like clinging little dinosaurs but hollow.
What does this mean?
The fish are finally dining on the big stuff. Up till now we had to fish small caddis to catch fish on the surface. Not any more. Yesterday our best fly was a size 8 Tarantula. Salmon bounded it hard. They also came to size 8 Foam Stones and Stimulators.
Now is the time to prospect around over heavy water with cheeseburger size flies. Even though there are no fish showing, every so often a big fish will come up and nail the big fly. When they show they mean business. There usually are no refusals. They grab it and growl. It's easy, great fun and the flies are big enough our aging eyes can see them easily. You'll be yelling out loud, you can't help it.
As you can see on our water flow page the Moose River is now at very wadeable levels and as an added bonus the East Outlet is scheduled to go down more tomorrow to 1468.
Drop everything because this is about as good as it gets.
The pond fishermen are having a grand time chasing the Hex hatches. A few spots have gone by but lots are yet to hatch. The main event should go on for another week or so as the larger ponds and higher elevation spots begin to pop.
It won't be to long now before trout have to retreat to the spring holes to wait out the heat of summer so get your licks in before the ice cream melts.
Monday's Weekend update
July 7
As predicted the Green Drakes started hatching all over on the small ponds as well as around the coves of the big lakes.
These hatches should continue for a while.
The East Outlet was at 2500cfs all weekend and everyone reported catching lots of fish. The river has fish all through it. Salmon and trout are taking a variety of patterns from the West Branch Caddis & Olive Elk Wing Caddis to Stimulators, Tarantulas, and Golden Stones all on top. Underneath it's Copper Johns, Dark Caddis Pupa, Hare's Ear and Bead Head Golden Stone to name a few.
With the lake full we should see good water flows throughout the month staying cool enough to hold fish in the river.
When the Moose finally comes down to a wadeable level, you can only guess as to how many fish are up in the river.
High water means fish the shallows.
The Drakes are here !!
Happy 4th of July
Even though high water persists folks are catching lots of fish. During high water on the rivers new spots start to appear. Fish will move into places you don't often find them holding. Seek out shallow, slower moving water around the edges. The bigger flush of water pretty much washes out the best known and fished pools and runs but fish will move out of that heavy water and hold in the shallower slower runs that show-up during high high flows.
Caddis are still your best bet with a darker body #14 working well. The West Branch Caddis (a local fly) has just started to hatch. Also golden stones are beginning to appear which means big stimulators are now in season. Drop a caddis behind a stimulator and skip it around the slower water. You will probably be pleasantly surprised. Don't leave your nymphs on shore. They are always in season.
NOW for the Green Drakes (hexes) which have already started in a few places. This is the time you had better be baby sitting your favorite haunts. The first night of the hatch can be magical. The biggest trout in any pond are on top, making pigs of themselves. Lay out anything that resembles those monster mayflies and they'll eat it. What a hoot it is to pick off cruising trout on flat calm water.
There are lots of imitations around and they all work at given times. The drakes are often a yellow/brown color but are also gray and even pale yellow or green. It's good to carry all the different colors in size 8 just in case.
A good nymph is just as important as the dries. A nymph called a Maple Syrup has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, because it works! It's tied with a tan chenille body, a yellow calf hair tail, and a brown soft hackle collar, a very simple fly to tie. Tied on a streamer hook the nymph is long enough to imitate the nymph very well. Remember to use a good stout leader on these big bugs or they your fly will corkscrew in the air as you cast and twist your leader. Go to a 3x tippet to do the job.
Take a flashlight along because you'll be staying till the end. This hatch happens just before dark. Hatches will usually last about a week on a pond with the deeper, higher elevation and northern ponds hatching last. Allagash Lake for instance usually doesn't pop till mid-month. While you're waiting around for the hatch to start hook-up a sinking line with a nymph so you can work the bottom a couple of hours before the light start to fade. You should find trout cruising around the cove looking for an early bird meal.
This is the time hard core pond fishermen wait for all year. The big boys are out and feeding on top. How can it get any better than that.
NEWS FLASH !!! 9:00 a.m. July 3rd
Mike the dam keeper at the East Outlet just called to tell us the E.O. is being dropped from 4000 cfs to 3064 cfs today and probably will go down to 2500 cfs tomorrow, July 4th. You know where we'll be. See you on the water & have a safe and memorable 4th of July celebration.
High water and Green Drakes
June 26
High water in most of the rivers has been the issue for the last week. Thunderstorms dropped too much water on the Kennebec watershed. Although water has been dropped considerably wadeable levels have no yet returned. The E.O is supposed to come down to 3000 cfs but it hasn't quite yet. Hopefully by the weekend. The caddis are still hatching in good shape and we have been picking up a fair number of trout and salmon in the shallow eddies.
It's time to drag out the big mayflies. The Green Drake (Hex) hatch is in the near future. The shallow lower elevation ponds will be the first to pop. If you play your cards right you can follow the hatches as the water warms in the coves of the bigger bodies of water like Moosehead Lake. The higher elevation ponds should be the last to bloom often not hatching till well into July. We'll keep you posted as the event all pond fishermen anxiously await unfolds. Remember the first night of the hatch you can do no wrong. You'll never forget it.
One quick tip when you start casting the huge #8 flies it takes to match the hatch. Use a 3X tippet leader. Ever have the leader twist all up when you fish these big flies? That's because you are still using the light leader you had on for the small flies. The bigger stiffer leader will control those bigger flies and stop them from corkscrewing when casting. Trout don't care that the leader is 8 lb. test. You'll be glad you did.
Caddis , Caddis Everywhere !!!
June 18
The caddis are hatching in big numbers and are hatching everywhere. The rivers are on FIRE ! Despite the big water on all the rivers the caddis have the fish doing back flips all over the place. I was on Big Eddie yesterday and fish were banging caddis all over the pool all morning. Just remember on Big Eddy it's all about the foam. When you see a fish take something on the surface have a hard look at where that fish showed. Odds are the fish took a bug in a patch of foam. Foam means food. Bugs collect in the foam and fish look to the foam for food. Whatever fly you choose, land it and dead drift it in a patch of foam. I know it's tempting to drift your fly all by itself on clean water but fishing the foam will get you way more takes. Believe me it works and is as essential to success on the Eddy as having the right fly.
Make sure you have plenty of Elk Wing Caddis in all the popular body colors. CDC's bring a lot of fish up as well. OH yea emergers, don't forget emergers, salmon love emergers.
If you follow the waters flows on our water flow page you'll see high water is presently an issue everywhere.
The big round of thunder storms last week dumped a good deal of water in a short period of time. Water had to be dumped, the lakes are brim full. The consolation prize of big flows is fish. The East Outlet has seen a tremendous run of fresh fish. There are more fish in the river than I've seen in a long time. We were not seeing many 18" plus fish earlier but they are there now in big numbers. Fish straight from a diet of smelt in the lake want smelt and will chase streamers hard. Don't be afraid to use the big spring time smelt streamers and you don't need to put them on a sinking line any longer, the fish are looking up. Despite the high water fish are feeding on caddis all day and chasing streamers to boot. Life is extremely good.
I know wading is tough but fish are everywhere and swinging a streamer is all it takes.
It all about caddis !!
June 13 -Caddis season has arrived. The mayfly hatches are all but gone and the annual caddis season is upon us. The first caddis hatches arrived on the West Branch yesterday and have not quite started on the East Outlet but should any day.
All you'll need is a hand full of olive or bright green bodied caddis in size 12 & 14 and you can do no wrong.
As I have stated with mayflies about the drag free drift being essential things change with caddis. The drag free drift works but now you can skitter caddis at the end of the drift. Also skip a caddis towards you by lifting the rod then letting it drift back over the same water by dropping your rod tip. Also try tying another dry caddis as a dropper and skip the pair around. Drives fish crazy.
Enjoy caddis season. It's a great time of year.
Don't forget to stock up on caddis pupa and lava. The fish in the above photo was caught on a bright green bead head caddis lava fished along an eddy line.
Mayflies everywhere!!
June 4th - The mayflies are in full bloom and hatching most days throughout the rivers. They are usually mid-day hatches and last till 5 or 6 pm. Have plenty of BWO # 14-16, Dark Hendrickson #12-14, March Brown # 10-12, and associated nymphs, like pheasant tails, olive and natural hare's ear.
We like to drop the smaller flies about 18" below a weighted stone fly or use two of the smaller nymphs and put a split shot between the two. Also try dropping a small unweighted nymph about 2' behind your mayfly to tickle any fish feeding on the emerging mayfly.
Bass are just now starting to head for the gravel to spawn. The cool nights and rainy weather has keep water temperature below 60 degrees most days but anytime the sun shows and water temperatures get to 60 or above the bass head for the shallows. We caught our first bass on a popper just 2 days ago. Clousers have been the answer till then.
There is a good supply of bass water in this region and plenty of really very big bass to be caught. Prime places are Prong Pond, the entire West Outlet with Long Pond being the focal point. Indian Pond on the Kennebec has long been know for fabulous bass fishing. The area around Lily Bay State Park is getting quite a reputation for large smallmouth as well. It's great fun especially when they start nailing poppers on the surface. Take a look at our photo page to see some of our recent bass outings. Very impressive fish!!
See you on the water.
The Hendrickson's are here!
May 30th - Well its almost June so that means its time for mayflies! Some good hatches are showing up so be sure to arm yourselves with plenty of hendricksons, red quills, and blue winged olives the usual suspects of the early mayfly season. Most of this action is occurring in the ponds in the late afternoons. Our recent blasts of high winds and really cool nights have slowed down some of the water warm up in the area so you'll still want to keep that sinking line handy or at least a sinking leader.
The rivers have remained cool and fairly fast so pack the streamers and other smelt patterns as well as a good selection of nymphs.
The big waters have remained cool as well, but productive. Some sinking line and a Joes Smelt or Grey Ghost will probably due the trick.
The warmer temperatures in the ponds have signaled the beginning of the smallmouth bass spawn, if you like catching big fish now is the time. Smallies are retreating to the shallows to begin their spawn and are extremely defensive. Not quite ready for surface presentations but throw a clouser or big streamer close to shore and hold on!
Time to drag out the dries
May 23 - Things are starting to come around nicely. The cool temperatures have held off the hatches we are all hoping for. The fact is in the Moosehead Lake Region we often don't see any real mayfly hatches till the beginning of June. If we have a nice warm spell in late May the hatches sometimes start earlier. One thing for sure the hatches will come it's just a question of when.
I have seen major Blue Wing Olive hatches the last couple of days on the lower East Outlet. They always get mixed reviews from trout and salmon. I've seen the water littered with the little morsels and nothing taking a one on the surface. Other times, like yesterday, the fish make pigs of themselves on the tiny tidbits.
The hatch that every fish in the river eats is the Hendrickson's and the Red Quill's. They are usually not far behind the BWO's.
The warmer weather predicted for this weekend should get things percolating any day. When the Hendricksons & Red Quills do kick-in they'll be size 12-14. Like most hatches the first day is magical with fish taking anything that even comes close to the real bug.
Two things to consider when matching any hatch. First is size and second is color. You don't need to know the names of any of the insects. The fish don't know any names, they just know they want one particular bug, the one that's hatching. If you spot fish rising don't just start casting, hoping you have something they want. Fish can be extremely particular. I once had to go to # 18 Blue Wing Olive to catch huge smallmouth bass acting like trout, sipping the tiny mayflies as the wind blew them over a reef they were holding on. Bass are not supposed to care but nothing else would work. So before you screw things up, stand back and observe. What is it that they are eating. Look at the water's surface and watch for insects hatching and drifting along on the currents. When you do see fish actually eat a bug look in your fly box and pick a fly that is the same size and next is the same color. Do this and you should be able to join in on the action. The next extremely important ingredient is the presentation. Just as important as having the right fly is presenting that fly properly to feeding fish. Remember a good drift is always better than a good cast. With the right fly you are in the game but a bad drift will leave you scoreless. Trout and salmon demand a drag free drift during mayfly season. The shorter you have to cast the better you'll be able to mend the fly line and control the drift of the fly. The further the cast the more currents you'll have to deal with and the more slack line you'll have to manage. A drag free drift with the right mayfly to a fish you found feeding along an eddy line or maybe at the tail end of a pool offers one of the best rewards I know... You'll have a good reason to pat yourself on the back.
This is what we've been waiting for so polish up those mayflies, don't forget the Gink and have a great time on the water.
Let the games begin
May 16
Things are finally beginning to settle in for us up in the Moosehead Lake area. A combination of warmer waters in the ponds and lower water flows in the rivers have paved the way for some great fishing opportunities in the past week.
The Kennebec River at East Outlet has gone down to 2700 cfs, which means....fishable! The river should be brimming with good size fish that have yet to see fly fisherman or fly. Large streamers should be the pattern of choice, as most fish in the river are feeding primarily off of spawning smelt. A note of caution though, the river is still running fairly fast so be careful wading. West outlet slower flows have also yielded some good fishing. I caught a beautiful 17 inch Brookie on a Joes Smelt the other day. This is a great time of year to be in the Moosehead area mild weather, no crowds, and good fishing has made the early spring season a real treat.
Folks have been coming in the shop looking for devil bugs, griffiths gnats and dragonfly nymphs so the pond season fishing is underway. Warm afternoons have given rise to some nice midge hatches griffiths gnats have been the fishes favorites so far. Hopefully the mayfly season will begin in the next couple of weeks, which makes for great fishing and a chance to dust off that floating fly line! A lot of our ponds are only a short drive away if your looking to save some gas money.
Don't hesitate to stop by the shop and say hi, and good luck fishing!!
May 9
Even though high water prevails on the rivers for a while longer there are lots of fishing opportunities. The Roach River is the exception and was lowered to 125 cfs today. It was sky high for a while, which should have tickled a nice run of salmon.
All water is ice free and now is the time to do some trolling on any of the lakes and ponds. 1st Roach Pond is fishing well around South Inlet Campground. The smelt are gathered around the gravel bar where they spawn and so are the fish. Some big lake trout are always taken there this time of season.
The mouth of the Moose River in Rockwood is prime with fish gathered at the mouth feasting on the spawning smelt. They haven't filled the river quite yet but will within a week.
It's midge season on the small trout ponds. We really have been blessed with wonderful, sun shiny days and day time temps in the 60's. We are already hearing folks say the fish were rolling everywhere and there were no bugs to be seen. That's because midges are so tiny they are near invisible. It takes a size 22-24 fly to even interest a fish. The Griffith's Gnat or a Cluster fished in the film of the water is the ticket around here. Because it is next to impossible to see exactly where your tiny fly is, I like to drop it on 2' of 7x tippet behind a dry fly which I can see like a #12 Adams. When you do set the hook just lift your rod, don't try to set the hook. If you do set too hard you'll either break off the fly or pull the fly loose. You'll have the fish hooked only by the skin with such a small hook. It's not as tough as it sounds and it's about the only way you'll get any surface fishing this time of season. Midge fishing is usually an afternoon activity and like all hatches there is no guarantee. Don't forget dragon fly nymphs on sinking lines along the sunny shore. This is prime time with very hungry fish searching the shallows for the easy pickin' dragons.
We have been posting current water flows on our web site www.maineguideflyshop.com every morning so you'll be able to tell when our moving waters start to recede.
I caught my first salmon of the season a couple of days ago. A beautiful 18-19" male with a hook jaw. Caught on a Grey Ghost. It is wonderful to be back in the saddle.
Have a great fishing week.
Unofficial Iceout!!
May 2 -There is open water everywhere. Moosehead isn't officially called out and there is still some ice in coves and floating around the main lake but Lily Bay is open, Rockwood is open, Spencer Bay is all but free of ice. Any stiff wind and winter's grip will finally be gone. Hoorah!!
It's all about smelt patterns on the lakes and wherever streams and rivers flow into any lake.
The rivers are running high and probably will be for a few days. Bad for now but good for later. High water in spring always brings fish in.
Smalls ponds are opening up steady and will be a good bet for this weekend. As soon as the water starts to warm brookies will be circling the ponds picking up dragon fly nymphs along the shallows. Check our small ponds guide plus there are printable maps of the area, click on Moosehead area maps on the left.
I can't wait to get out myself but I have shore duty all weekend. Stop and say Hi if you are in town.
Good luck.
Right on schedule
4/25 - We are back on schedule for iceout. The beautiful weather of last week has done major damage on the remaining snow and ice. Moosehead's top layers of ice are gone leaving the remaining ice jet black which means with a little more nice weather, some sunny days, and a stiff northwest wind the remaining ice will be gone sooner than many thought.
We always say if the ice comes out before May 1st it's early, if it goes out after May 10th it's late. I think it's safe to say that we'll see the ice gone closer to the 1st than the 10th.
For the trollers in the crowd opening day on Moosehead is Wed. May 1st. The mouth of the Moose River in Rockwood is the place to be. Smelt will be gathered at the mouth waiting for the water to warm above 40 degrees triggering the spawning run. There will be plenty of open water around the mouth of the river for the annual flotilla of boats. Plenty of fishermen will be taking advantage of these ideal conditions. Dust off the tandem smelt streamers, it's that time of season.
If anyone is in the business of trying for one of Moosehead's legendary trophy brook trout, the window of opportunity is about to open. The first two weeks after iceout will be your best chance to become a member of "The One that Didn't Get Away Club". Brookies have to be 4 lbs or better. Put on your best, beat-up old propeller and do battle with the rockiest shoreline you can find. Adult spawning smelt head for the shallow shore and follow it to any stream where they will spawn. Troll the contour close enough to shore where you see bottom on one side of the boat and not on the other. Keep a constant lookout for boulders and have the motor unlocked so it will bounce if you happen to get too close to structure (rocks). If you aren't constantly in peril you aren't in the zone. Springtime brookies aren't a whole lot different that smallmouth. They love patrolling the shallows especially along reefs and boulder strewn shorelines.
We like to use old fiberglass fly rods, sinking lines and long leaders at least 20'of 8 lb. test. Fish a long line, work the rod, and give your fly action. The scenery is great and the reward may be a lifelong memory. This is your best chance to make the club. The by-product of pounding the shoreline at iceout is salmon and laker trout are also there indulging in the banquet of bait fish as well.
We'll keep you up to date as the ice finally is replaced by the mirror image of an uninhabited shoreline on windless open water. Life begins again.
Good luck this weekend and stay safe. Don't sit on your life jacket, WEAR IT!. An unintentional swim this time of season can be deadly.
Help the fisheries by leaving information for the biologists
4/18 - Looks like it is going to be a nice weekend to get out and cast a fly, enjoy the nice spring weather, and maybe hook your first fish of the 2008 season.
The beautiful weather this week saw temps climb into the 60's in the Moosehead Region. It has really dropped the snow pack a lot but hasn't done away with all the snow. Not like it has just south of here. You'll still need snowshoes if you plan to hike downstream anywhere. Don't expect the back roads to be free of snow and OK to travel by truck till the beginning of May. Ponds rarely go free of ice till the first week of May.
I will say with the great weather we have had iceout stands a good chance of being on time. We always say if ice goes out before May 1st it's early, if it goes out after May 10th it's late.
The East Outlet's flow remains at 511 cfs and should stay there for some time to come. It is exceptionally wadable. I can't say the fish have been very cooperative but it's been fun trying. Until the ice leaves and water temperatures top the 40 degree mark, catching is going to be slow. Bring your tiniest midges. There was a huge midge hatch right at the bridge on the East Outlet when I was there on Wed. and I didn't have my midge box. You'll want #22-24 midge nymphs. All they really are is a tiny bit of very fine black dubbing wrapped around the tiny hook. That's it.
The photo you see at the top of the report is that of an information box put out by the fisheries biologists at access points to the rivers and ponds in the region. There are a good number around. Take a moment and flip the lid to fill out one of the information cards inside. It's painless and takes less than 5 minutes to fill out. The information asked for is how long you fished and what fish you caught, released and kept. You need to understand we only have 3 full time biologists and a couple of summer assistances (maybe) to manage the fresh water fisheries in a management area that starts below Dover Foxcroft and extends to Allagash Lake, 100 miles north of Greenville. Good information regarding a fishery is hard to come by and very valuable to these guys. It helps give them a good idea of the quality of the fish in a system and helps with rules making and stocking rates. You are truly doing yourself and the fisheries a big favor by taking the time to stop and share what you know with the scientists. I do and you should too.
If you would like to receive our regular email newsletters and fishing reports all season sign-up. The button is on the left at the top of any of our web pages. I think you find them informative and fun. Lots of folks have told us to keep'em coming.
Have an enjoyable and memorable weekend around the water.
There is no better time to learn about a river
4/11/08 -The East Outlet is at minimum flows as the water people start to fill Moosehead with the remaining run-off.
The river will never be any lower than it is right now. What an opportunity to learn a river. It will become obvious why you catch fish where you do. You might even find a new run you didn't know was there. You will easily see the deepest parts of the pools, where the deeper runs are, and where the plunge into the pool really begins. You'll see it all.
Not long ago the river ran at 5000 cfs, which put the water level well beyond the river bed. Now the river is low and you can walk what is now dry river exposed with low water conditions.
I went yesterday with a friend. It was wonderful to be on a river again and we had it all to ourselves. I did get a chance to fish a new Cortland, Big Sky 9', 6 wt. It's amazing these days that for under $200 you can have a rod that compares to much more expensive rods. It was a treat to cast right out of the box.
Even though we didn't hook any fish, the river is spectacular at low water, wading was easy, and it's teaming with wildlife. There isn't much open water in these parts so migrating water fowl are all around plus the East Outlet is a wintering area for deer. Deer sign was everywhere. The low water has allowed the deer to get out of the waist deep snow and walk the river bed to feed. I saw 4, one of which walked up on me as I fished. Great stuff. So even though I didn't hook a fish (yet) it was a wonderful first outing than did my open water deprived soul a world of good.
If you decide to give it a go put in snow shoes if you have them. Walking in the snow would be near impossible. Walking the river is actually quite easy with minimum flows but if the water happens to go up you'll be faced with deep snow.
We'll be open 9-5 , Thursday-Sunday during the rest of April so stop in if your get up this way and say Hi. We can once again fuel our passion for running water and the creatures that live there.
The snow pack is dropping
April 10th - The snow pack has been dropping steadily all week. Bright sun and 50-60 degree weather is sucking the snow into the sky and running water into the drainage.
Dam gates are being closed so not to loose any more of the run-off. It will take quite awhile to capture the remaining run-off and fill all the lakes in the Upper Kennebec Valley. Moosehead is 75,000 acres and is as low as it can be drained.
The East Outlet has been dropped to 500 cfs which is ideal wading conditions and the Moose River is flowing at 572 cfs which is also perfect. I suspect these flows will remain for some time unless we get greater than anticipated spring rains.
I've got a shiny new Big Sky series fly rod from Cortland that needs to be broken in. Today's the day I've been waiting for all winter.
Life begins again!!!
Still up to our ears in snow
March 27 - It seems like we are still under winter's grip. Night temps have been below zero this last week and rising only slightly above the freezing mark during the day. With near record snowfall, snowmobiling is still the #1 activity.
Moosehead Lake is still experiencing the annual draw down with flows on the East Outlet still extremely high. I expect they will start to cut back on the flows as the run-off kicks into high gear. I'll let you know when fishable levels begin. With the extreme high water all winter I believe the river should have more wintered over fish than usual plus there is a good chance lots of fish got dumped below the dam in the high flows of winter.
I know I'll be heading there as soon as the flow allows, I'm just going to need my snowshoes to get to the river.
The West Outlet is actually fishable with a year round flow of 125-150 cfs. There should be fish from Long Pond, just down stream, working their way up to hold in the road side Dam Pool. There are usually some nice brookies and salmon taken there through the month of April, nymphing mainly.
The West Branch of the Penobscot below Rip Dam is always a good bet to wet a line in April. There is always a few very hardy souls taking advantage of the April 1st opening. Newsowadnehunk Deadwater is the place. Many salmon winter over in the deadwater and big streamers fished near the in- flow will see some action. People will have to slide their watercraft over the high snow banks and shore ice to get to open water. Bring your snowmobile suit and REMEMBER the water is deadly cold this time of season and ALWAYS wear a good life jacket. Keep in mind the 50/50 rule. If the water temperature is less than 50 degrees you have a 50/50 chance of making it out of the water before hypothermia does you in.
Let the games begin!!!
East Outlet of the Kennebec Open Year Round
1-14-2008 - The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has openned the East Outlet of the Kennebec River to Year round fishing.
The current rule change reads:
From November 1st to April 1st - Fly Fishing Only - Catch & Release from the Dam to the tail end of the Beach Pool.
I remember, not that many years ago, standing in the shop looking out the window on a beautiful April Day feeling penalized for living in Greenville because nothing openned till May 1st. With some effort on my part the East Outlet, West Outlet, Moose River and Roach River were openned the 1st of April like the rest of the state. It was more about opportunity that productivity.
Opportunity is what this new change in the rule is all about. Even though I haven't taken advantage of the new opportunity to fish the East Outlet this winter, it makes me smile "Just thinking about it".
For those of you who may be considering giving it a go on one of those above freezing days you need to know the water flow is at 3500 cfs and won't be dropping anytime soon. Moosehead Lake filled this fall from all the rain and it has to be drained back down by spring to make room for all the run-off we will probably have when the snowpack cuts loose. If you could get to the river through all the snow you can't do any wading. There is a consolation price though. Generally after the fall spawn takes place fish drop back into Indian Pond with one exception, HIGH WATER!!
High flow hold fish in the river. When it does become fishable there should be fish to fish over. Time will tell. I plan on giving it a go when it warms up again and I'll let you know. My guess is it'll take a very, very heavy nymph to get the first fish of the year on.
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