Central Maine waters should provide plenty of action

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Open-water fishing began Friday, but the real action begins after ponds and lakes shed their mantel of ice, a time that many central Mainers affectionately refer to as "ice-out mania."

In central Maine, this period occurs in mid April and produces some of the largest fish of the season.

Any doubting Thomases should check the statistics in the One That Didn't Get Away Club. Anglers who land trophy fish can get a club patch for the accomplishment, and a big chunk of the qualifying members landed their wall hanger after ice-out or in the first two weeks of January.

William Woodward, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), recently talked about central Maine waters that should produce action galore this spring. Much of his advice requires a stocking list for reference, easily obtained directly from the department (1-207-287-8000), http://www.mefishwildlife.com or the April issue of The Maine Sportsman magazine.

"Last autumn, we put 12,000, fall-yearling brookies into 60 waters across Region B," Woodward said, "and these trout run between 12 and 14 inches."

Region B encompasses central Maine, and Woodward said that ice fishers had not cleaned out the fall-yearling brookies released before the winter. He collected creel-census data last month and noticed anglers were still catching brookies from the fall stocking, so he feels certain that plenty are left for the open-water crowd.

DIF&W also dumped fall-yearling brown trout into 60 waters, and these fish average 10 to 14 inches. In March, Woodward saw lots of fall-yearling browns in ice-fishing catches, indicating winter anglers did not get all the browns, either.

The department sweetened some of these brown-trout waters with brood-stock browns. When salmonids used for breeding outlive their role for producing eggs and spawn for hatcheries, DIF&W releases them into the wild. They are old, pampered trout that bring smiles to those who tangle with them. Often, it is the largest salmonid a Maine angler ever catches. Just as one example, this past winter, Woodward saw a 5-pound brookie from Long Pond in the Belgrade Lakes, probably a brood-stock fish.

When DIF&W stocking trucks get out later in the month, myriad waters will receive lots of spring yearling brookies, which average 10 to 12 inches but according to Woodward, measure closer to the 10-inch range. A 10-inch brookie is consistent with the average brook trout in many northern Maine ponds and streams.

Woodward advised the open-water crowd to look for waters that have had consistent stocking through the years, which ensures a good mix of recent hatchery trout and hold-overs. This enables anglers to keep busy with 10- to 14-inch trout while the occasional bigger fish adds more excitement to a day already hopping.

Woodward mentioned Little Pond, in Damariscotta, calling it a perfect example of the above philosophy. Last fall, biologists trap-netted 65 brook trout in Little, and eight of them were over 20 inches. Even more impressive, Little produced brookie specimens that included five different age classes of hatchery trout from 1 to 5 years old. Years ago, a stocked brookie seldom lived to be 5 years old in the wild, but the improved genetics in the hatchery program have created fish with a longevity unheard of in the old days.

Bowler Pond, in Palermo, is another dynamite choice for 10- to 16-inch brookies, and this hot spot is particularly attractive because it is closed to ice-fishing. Fish have lived in this pond all winter without worrying about angling pressure, so ice-out action should be fast.

Woodward likes Damariscotta Lake, the jewel of Lincoln County. This water produces brown trout up to five pounds, and according to this biologist, an 8-pounder is a possibility on any outing.

One intriguing feature of Damariscotta Lake is the somewhat new landlocked-salmon program there. In the past, an annual stocking of salmon did not produce a solid landlock fishery. These days, DIF&W is doing periodic stocking as opposed to every year and expect big results. This management tool has worked well in other waters around Maine.

Last fall's trap-netting on St. George Lake in Liberty produced 100 landlocked salmon in the 2- to 3-pound range with a few 5-pounders, according to Woodward.

Few brook trout showed up in the 2004 autumn study on St. George Lake, but in 2004, the department did stock 2,800 spring-yearling brookies and 500 fall-yearlings -- a continuing effort for this relatively new brook-trout program. Anglers as well as fisheries biologists with trap nets target St. George salmon, so the brookie fishery could be a sleeper or a flat-out dud. The jury is still out.

As the spring unfolds, I'll include more hot where-to spots.

Ken Allen, of Belgrade Lakes, is a writer, editor and photographer. To reach him, send e-mail to KAllyn800@aol.com