Most Frequently Asked Questions
about fishing in the
Moosehead Lake Region of Maine
As defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries
and Wildlife the Moosehead Lake Region lies in the west central
portion of Maine bordering to it's west side the province of Quebec.
In its 4400 square miles of territory there are 625 ponds and lakes
over ten acres, with Moosehead Lake being the largest at 75,000
acres. 24% of Maine's total lake area is in this region. There are
also 336 miles of mainstream rivers with an additional 3800 miles
of tributaries, 13% of the states total. In the Moosehead Lake Region
are the headwaters of the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers, the Moose
River, St. John and the Allagash Rivers.
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Our rivers are dominated by landlocked salmon also holding brook trout. Within a thirty-minute drive from Greenville you can be on the Moose River, East & West Outlet of the Kennebec or the Roach River.
The countless remote ponds in the region hold good populations of wild brook trout. Some of the ponds handy to town and roadside accessible are generously stocked by the state with brookies. Smallmouth bass provide fast action and are found in a number of easy access and more remote areas.
Perch and other rough fish are abundant in many of the warmer water ponds and provide for some fast action especially when you are introducing the younger generation to fishing. They just want to catch fish.
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Opening day in the state of Maine is April first. We are generally still in the grips of snow and ice till around May 1st. Some of the larger lakes including Moosehead Lake, Wilson Ponds and 1st Roach Pond remain closed till May 1st. Ice generally goes out the first week of May and fishing can be excellent as soon as ice out occurs. The season remains open until the end of September for most waters but some waters have an extended season allowing fishing until the end of October.
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The East & West Outlet of the Kennebec, the Moose River & the Roach
River all open April 1st with catch & release regulations until
May 1st. The Roach River remains catch & release the entire season.
You will be fishing primarily for wintered over fish. Wading levels
are usually very good in April because flows are reduced to catch
the last of the run-off to fill the lakes. It's great to get out
on any one of the many beautiful spring days in April. It's been
a long winter around here.
Although the general fishing season ends the last day of September
for most bodies of water primarily because brook trout are spawning
in October, some waters remain open through the month of October.
The East & West Outlets of the Kennebec remain open through October,
catch & release only. Water flows are usually at very wadeable levels.
Many of the salmon do not enter the rivers to spawn until October.
Most fish caught are adults and in full spawning colors. The nights
are cool and the days quite often warm. Foliage is at its peak the
first of the month making October a beautiful time of season with
very little fishing pressure.
A number of the small local ponds remain open through the entire
month of October. Mountain View, Prong, Sawyer and Shadow Ponds
are open in October still allowing you to keep fish. Remember to
consult the law book for these special extended season regulations.
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Depending on the type of fishing you prefer the entire season can
be quite productive. Early season fishing during May is streamer
and nymph fishing. Sinking lines and smelt imitations dominate.
Stonefly nymphs are well as small mayfly and caddis nymphs also
work well along the bottom. Remember until the bugs start hatching
the fish are not looking to the surface for food and getting your
fly down is essential. You'll catch mostly bigger adult fish at
this time but not the numbers that you can catch once the hatches
start.
Mayflies start about the first week of June, a bit earlier if the
water warms, with caddis kicking in by the third week with big hatches
continuing through July. Mid-June through mid-July being quite reliable
dry fly action with mid-day hatches common. August is stonefly and
terrestrial season. In the heat of the summer you may want to get
up early and work a bit harder but fishing holds up especially on
the tail water fisheries. September is spawning season with the
biggest fish of the season entering the rivers prior to their October
& November spawn. Water flows are usually increased just after Labor
Day weekend to attract fish into the rivers. We traditionally use
large attractor streamer patterns in the fall. Spawning fish do
not feed often and the brighter flies invade their guarded territory
provoking very aggressive strikes. Nymphing can also be very productive
in the fall especially during low water conditions.
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As soon as the ice goes out, usually the beginning of May, fish get quite active around the shoreline and at the mouth of streams where smelt congregate to spawn. Larger predatory nymphs such as dragon and damsel flies roam the shallows warmed by the sun. Full sinking or sink-tip lines are the order of the day.
As the water starts to warm just a little by mid-May the dreaded midge hatches take place. Midges, difficult to figure out at times, can be very productive surface action before the mayflies start showing.
As June arrives so do the many mayfly hatches. Mid-day hatches
are common with spinner falls just at dark. Banker's hours are in
season. When July approaches Maine's favorite Green Drake (Hex)
hatches start and continue till mid-July. These monster mayflies
provide the best chance of the season to catch the biggest trout
on dries although nymphing works well also.
The heat of the summer requires locating and nymphing the spring holes. At this time of season the fish are stacked in the cold spring water entering from
the bottom of the pond. A spring hole may not be any bigger than
your living room but it holds the majority of the pond trout. Find
it and you may have a summer day like none you're ever had before.
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East Outlet of the Kennebec - 3 ¸ miles of remote water starting at Moosehead Lake flowing into Indian Pond, the first impoundment on the Kennebec. A dirt road follows the north side for about a mile then it's on foot the rest of the way. Fly Fishing Only.
West Outlet of the Kennebec - The small neighbor to the East Outlet closer to Rockwood flowing over eight miles from Moosehead Lake into Indian Pond on the Kennebec. It provides a good early season trout and landlocked salmon fishery in the upper stretches and a wonderful warm water species fishery during the summer months throughout.
Moose River - A ² mile tail water fishery flowing from Brassua Lake into Moosehead Lake in the township of Rockwood.
Roach River - 6 miles of catch & release water flowing from First Roach Pond, in Kokadjo through very remote country till it dumps into Spencer Bay on Moosehead Lake. A very small river that provides the opportunity to catch big salmon and brook trout on 3-4 weight rods. What could be better? Fly Fishing Only.
West Branch of the Penobscot below Ripogenous Dam - One
of the finest landlocked salmon rivers in the northeast holding
all wild fish that often grow to trophy size. It's big water that
holds big fish. Catch & release section, fly fishing only section
and artificial lures only section.
Almost any of the small streams in the region will hold a wild
brook trout fishery. Take a walk back a bit away from the road past
the foot prints and you maybe pleasantly surprised. Find a beaver
flowage and pan sized trout action could last all day.
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There are countless trout ponds in the Moosehead Lake Region. Some
are easy access from the roads an easy access for a canoe or kayak,
while others are remote hike in ponds that are perfect for the float
tube fisherman. A good map is a must. The Maine Atlas & Gazetteer
by DeLorme Publishing is your ticket to locating Maine's remote
ponds. The Maine Atlas is a detailed map of Maine's extensive logging
road system.
Special regulations put in place on many ponds years ago have insured
quality fishing will remain on our remote ponds.
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For water flow information and daily dam releases on the Penobscot
River Drainage call 1-888-323-4341.
For water flow information and daily dam releases on the Kennebec
River Drainage call 1-800-557-3569.
You can always call us at 207-695-2266. Although we have no influence over water flows and can never guaranty flows will not change without notice we can tell you if a river is wadeable or not.
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The staff at the Maine Guide Fly Shop is very knowledgeable in
the ways of the trout, salmon and smallmouth. We will always try
to help you in any way we can. Contact us at info@maineguideflyshop.com
with any questions you may have.
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