As the cooler, soggy conditions in Maine extend into the early part of summer, anglers can expect waters to begin warming up significantly this month.
In the meantime, brook trout anglers ought to be able to take advantage of higher, cooler waters in some rivers and streams while bass anglers target more shallow rivers and streams in search of hungry fish. The Penobscot River watershed is home to a wealth of excellent bass habitat, even as the waters warm.
When temperatures heat up and fish such as salmon and lake trout head deeper for more comfortable waters, anglers will likewise have to take measures to get their bait and lures farther below the surface.
Here is the July/August regional fishing report from the folks at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, who are always working to educate anglers while providing productive fishing opportunities across the state.
Penobscot Region
From Fisheries Resource Technician Zachary Glidden: After what feels like weeks of never-ending rain, summer has finally arrived. With the arrival of warmer weather an angler’s thoughts often switch from spring trout fishing to summer bass fishing and the Penobscot Region is home to one of the Northeast’s premier smallmouth rivers.
The main stem of the Penobscot River stretches from Medway to Bucksport with excellent smallmouth fishing at almost every bend. Pickerel, fallfish and sunfish are also readily caught. Anyone who has had the pleasure of fighting a river smallmouth on a fly rod or spinning rod knows how fun it is to catch these hard-fighting fish. The Penobscot River is a great place to take a child fishing; the main stem is very calm, easy to fish, and smallmouth bass are willing to go after a wide range of lures. There are many places to access the Penobscot River including trailered boat launches in Old Town, Costigan, Greenbush, Passadumkeag, Howland, Lincoln and Winn.
For those diehard trout anglers all is not lost. Titcomb Pond in T32 MD, Trout Pond in Lowell and Mitchell Pond in T7 R9 WELS are stocked brook trout fisheries that produce very nice trout well into the summer.
Looking for opportunities for lake trout and landlocked salmon trolling? Schoodic Lake, Lakeview Plantation; Cold Stream Pond, Enfield; and East Grand Lake, Danforth; are perennial favorites. Just remember to target below the thermocline using lead core or downriggers.
Fishing Tip: For the greatest success on the Penobscot River, fish in and around structure. Centuries of log driving has created ample cover for smallmouth bass in the form of rock piles and sunken timber. Fishing drop offs and flow seams are another place to look for hungry smallmouth bass chasing crayfish, baitfish and insects.
Reminder: Keep an eye on the weather when out on the water as it can change quickly here in Maine. Wear your life jacket and remember to recreate responsibly.
Moosehead Region
From Seasonal Fisheries Assistant Noah Frost: Just when we thought warmer weather was here to stay, spring decided it was time for round two. Though these wet and cool temperatures can make it difficult to sit out on the water, June-like fishing should persist into July this summer. Also, a cool, windy spring sets our ponds and lakes up with their best water quality for the summer months. That’s good news for anglers and fish alike!
With water temperatures remaining in the low-to-mid 60s, local ponds and rivers will be a productive place to spend your time. In the absence of a hatch, try stripping stimulator flies or Muddler Minnows to grab attention from below.
Many folks know of the locally famous green drake, or “Hex hatch” that occurs early in July. These are burrowing mayflies that, upon hatching, can invoke a feeding frenzy among local fishes. They thrive in ponds and lakes with silty bottoms and good water quality. Spend an afternoon on such a water and you may see one of these impressive hatches.
I might recommend trying the Greenville Junction Wharf on Moosehead, either early in the morning or late afternoon. Salmon, brook trout and lake trout will still be cruising the shoreline and can be casted to. Or head over to Spencer Pond off the Spencer Bay Road and try your luck for warm water species or stocked brook trout. Here you can fish from shore or throw a kayak or canoe in to fish the rest of the shoreline.
The latter half of July typically lends to warmer water and decreased catch rates of trout in rivers and ponds. This is a great time to take the pressure off these smaller waters and focus on larger lakes with abundant cool water below the surface. Don’t have the fancy gadgets to get down deep? All you need is an anchor and a heavy spoon for jigging. This method can be quite productive on waters like Moosehead Lake, where the lake trout population is robust. And remember to support our effort in balancing Moosehead’s lake trout and smelt populations by taking advantage of the five-fish limit (only one over 18 inches) on togue.
Reminder: Warm water species such as bass can offer an attractive fishery throughout the summer. However, their presence can change an ecosystem forever. If you take advantage of warm water fish species in the Moosehead Lake Region, do your part to help stop the spread of invasive species where they are.
Always consult a law book before venturing out. Fishing laws can be found online, or try out the map-based FLOAT (Fishing Laws Online Angling) tool.
Grand Lake Region
From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Greg Burr: It’s finally summertime in Down East Maine. That means that our warmest weather is here and with it, brings many opportunities for classic summertime fishing fun. Memories are often made at our most remote lakes and ponds, where anglers can camp and fish with friends and family. Here are waters with remote campsites that offer getaway tenting where anglers can get up with the sun and have great fishing:
Tunk Lake in T 10 SD has several boat-to camping sites with nearby fishing grounds for lake trout and landlocked salmon. Donnell Pond in Franklin also has boat-to and walk-to tent sites with fishing for landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass and white perch. West Grand Lake in the town of Grand Lake Stream has some island campsites with great fishing nearby for landlocked salmon and lake trout. Third Machias Lake in T 43 MD has drive-to camping sites on the water with terrific fishing for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and white perch. Rocky Lake in T 18 ED off Route 191 in Washington County provides lakeshore camping with wonderful fishing for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and white perch.
For those hardcore deep trollers looking for lake trout, I recommend Green Lake and Branch Lake in Ellsworth, Eagle Lake in Bar Harbor, and West Musquash Lake in Talmadge. All these lakes have large lakers with good overall catch rates.
For float-tube anglers looking for brook trout in small ponds, here are the summertime ponds I recommend: West Pike Brook Pond, Spectacle Ponds, and Pineo Pond (all of these in the blueberry barrens in the town of Deblois), Halfmile Pond in Aurora, Jellison Hill Pond in Amherst and Upper Hadlock Pond in Northeast Harbor.
For bank anglers, I recommend fishing for smallmouth bass at the base of Mariaville Falls in Mariaville and for youth along with complimentary license holders I recommend fishing for brook trout in the Grand Lake Stream Canal in the town of Grand Lake Stream.
Fishing Tip: My fishing tip for some of the best summertime fishing fun is to fish early in the morning when the water is calm and use top-water lures for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and chain pickerel for explosive surface water action!
Reminder: My reminder is that anglers can always call us at our regional office about current conditions and what techniques to use to have a great outing 207-255-2081.
Fish River Lakes Region
From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Frank Frost: Northern Maine is certainly experiencing abnormally high rainfall and lower than normal temperatures for late June, early July. This bodes well for fishes living in habitats that can be impacted by drought conditions, namely small waters that warm easily and may even dry up completely. We saw some severe impacts the 2020 drought had on trout populations around the region, however, these fish are resilient, as long as their habitats are intact, and may bounce back quickly given the right conditions.
After the severe drought year of 2020 and moderate drought of 2021, these last two summers will certainly help brook trout in northern Maine. Region G, with a central office in Ashland right on the boundary of The North Maine Woods, has 7,000 miles of flowing water in rivers, brooks and streams. Nearly all of it is brook trout habitat.
The suggested waters for this report focus on midsize streams where anglers may wade easily and should find great fishing for brookies that range in size from 6 to 12 inches:
Salmon Brook, Washburn: Parking at the town park along the ATV trail. Previously impounded by a dam that was removed in 2013, Salmon Brook has some great habitat, including deep pools in this stretch. Wade upstream from this point. If the weather turns warm, check out road crossings farther upstream where trout will be seeking out cooler water.
Beaver Brook, T13R5 WELS: Access via Beaver Brook Road that runs east from Route 11 in Nashville Plantation. Beaver Brook can be fished up or downstream from the bridge on Beaver Brook Road. Again, if the weather turns warm, focus on more upstream areas where you are likely to find cooler water.
Greenlaw Stream, Garfield Plantation and T12 R7 WELS: The North Maine Woods has almost endless opportunities to wade small brooks for trout. Immediately west of Six Mile Checkpoint you’ll find where Greenlaw crosses both the Realty Road and the Pinkham Road, both major road systems that are used primarily to move wood products. Anglers should park well off the road to avoid interfering with truck traffic. Anglers may find brookies at the lower crossing during this cool, wet weather but as the season progresses into August the upper crossing may be most productive.
Fishing Tip: Most brooks and streams are managed under General Law rules with a five-fish bag limit and 6-inch minimum length limit. Brook trout can be abundant and easily caught with most common tackle. Fly anglers should focus on the popular terrestrial patterns like grasshoppers. Under general law, regulations on most rivers, brooks and streams change in mid-August to more restrictive rules so anglers should check the rulebook for their specific waters.
Reminder: For those anglers venturing into The North Maine Woods: a small fee is due at check-in for day use and overnight camping. For safe travel on the gravel roads in NMW, anglers should check the list under: “Driving Safely on Privately Owned Forest Roads” at https://www.northmainewoods.org/. All logging trucks and other commercial vehicles have the right of way. Please pull over when meeting these vehicles.
