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ICE FISHING | FRESHWATER FISHING | SALTWATER FISHING | THE MILFOIL MENACE
FRESHWATER FISHING
State angling for fishermen's input on pared-down brook trout rules
The state has long heard complaints about how staying legal while fishing is tricky - because there are so many rules. [Maine Sunday Telegram 8/14/05]
Fish numbers still rising on the Kennebec
Monitoring the population is one way to determine when the river is truly restored. [Central Maine Newspapers 8/14/05]
August stripers beckon freshwater anglers
Stripers are on the run — and that means anglers are, too.
[Central Maine Newspapers 8/6/05]
Reeling in the compliments
Farmington wins a nod for its fantastic fishing from a national magazine — as well as from devoted anglers. [Maine Sunday Telegram 7/24/05]
Summertime and the living's difficult for trout, salmon
Telling fish stories is a favorite past time of fishermen. So is making up theories about why fish behave one way or another. They're full, they're hot... Share your favorite theories on why fish aren't biting. [Central Maine Newspapers 7/20/05]
Wild at heart of Wells
Depot Brook is no prized fishery, but this tiny stream has native brook trout that are so unusual, they are being studied as examples in a book that will be published this fall by the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. [Maine Sunday Telegram 7/17/05]
Shad making happy return
The Before 1999, you couldn't catch shad at all. Now that they're back, anglers are learning how to handle the hard-fighting fish. [Central Maine Newspapers 7/16/05]
Central Maine has remote, wild brook trout galore
Little brook-trout factories crisscross central Maine. The key to nabbing the fish though, is temperature.
[Central Maine Newspapers 7/16/05]
Lessons learned
Everything we do in today's world in some way affects the environment. Our responsiblity is to minimize our impact. Catch and release: Discuss releasing fish safely. [Central Maine Newspapers 7/13/05]
Hex hatch to bring huge trout topside this week
These huge mayflies will attract angler crowds each evening now. The insects measure 2 to 2 1/2 inches long, depending on species, and that includes the very visible tails.
[Central Maine Newspapers 7/8/05]
Students get hooked on trout
The Trout Unlimited Kid's Camp, held at Evergreen Campground in Solon, is about fishing — but also, learning to love the places where fish live. [Central Maine Newspapers 7/8/05]
Illegal introduction of bass threatens one of Maine's last wild trout rivers -- the Rapid
Smallmouth bass have crept upriver and are now at the footstep of Maine's most fabled trout and salmon waters -- the Rangeley lakes. [Central Maine Newspapers 7/2/05]
Rain-splashed spring promises bright fishing future
Writing about fishing or weather during the previous two or three months often bores readers to death, and the reason is obvious. Folks know what happened, so they need no writer telling them what they saw firsthand.
[Central Maine Newspapers 7/2/05]
A Not So Secret Fishing Hole
Rainbow Valley Fly Fishing offers fishermen the chance to catch rainbow and brook trout for the joy of hooking a large fish and releasing it, or bringing it home for dinner.
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/25/05]
Bassing makes good practice
Bass offer summer anglers practice aplenty for playing big fish and taking fish photos, and now is the time to do it.
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/25/05]
Worth the wait
June along the Maine coast, and particularly in the Kennebec Valley, is a celebration of life. Where for so many months there is nothing but ice and snow and gray skies, suddenly, in what seems like a day, there is life everywhere about us.[Central Maine Newspapers 6/22/05]
Rush hour
Thousands of alewives jam their way through the Damariscotta Mills fishway, seeking freshwater in which to spawn. [Maine Sunday Telegram 6/19/05]
Bug man holds entomology clinic for Kennebec anglers
In the end, a lesson about bugs is all about fishing. But isn't everything?
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/18/05]
Rangeley region should be hot with brookies this week
This coming week would be an excellent time to head to Rangeley because all the fresh, cool water falling from the sky draws fish up tributaries, and then, rivers and streams in such mountainous terrain run-off quickly.
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/11/05]
Finally, fishing heating up
One of the biggest migrations is happening right now: Anglers making a beeline for the water. Finally: How do you know when fishing season has finally arrived? [Central Maine Newspapers 6/8/05]
Alewives on their way back
When alewives return to the Kennebec River each spring, Mother Nature rings the dinner bell. [Central Maine Newspapers 6/4/05]
Pugnacious trout put up tough fight regardless of size
Don't let their size fool you. These feisty fish don't give up easily. Fight club: Share your fish fight stories.
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/4/05]
Rewards for hard work plenty
When I flip through the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, my eyes drift to the places where black lines are single-dotted, not double, and where little spots of blue are lost in a sea of green. Call you crazy: Share your stories of voyages to the "ultimate spot."[Central Maine Newspapers 6/1/05]
Fast striper action looms just around corner
This coming month ranks as a top one for landing huge striped bass.[Central Maine Newspapers 5/28/05]
Salmon stocking an art and science
Stocking salmon can be as much of a thrill as catching one -- especially when you're riding full throttle down a lake in 30-knot winds, standing waves and torrential downpours.[Central Maine Newspapers 5/28/05]
Poor weather slows fishing action
Rain means good fishing, right? Not when the water hasn't had a chance to warm up yet. Still, there is a bright side to all of this gray and gloom. [Central Maine Newspapers 5/25/05]
Kennebec brown trout safely replenished through float stocking
Float-stocking reduces the number of fish lost to hungry and savvy avian predators.
[Central Maine Newspapers 5/21/05]
Sebago's salmon
Opinions differ on whether the fishery is coming back - or beyond repair.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 5/15/05]
Angling styles offer different, but effective approaches
Wade in quietly after the fish or throw caution to the wind and make your presence known? Turns out it doesn't really matter sometimes.
[Central Maine Newspapers 5/7/05]
Central Maine's May fly-fishing tough to beat
One lesson the river taught was this: Success often depends on determining what insect or baitfish interests game fish each day and then matching a fly to the natural in size, color and silhouette.
[Central Maine Newspapers 4/30/05]
Trout brook fishing has ancient, honorable heritage
Fishing for brookies results in stories as well as catches.
[Central Maine Newspapers 4/23/05]
Early morning smelt-dipping a tradition worth passing on
We go because the smelt runs are the first real sign of spring, a reason to sneak out of the house early again, and a sign of what's to come. Reader comments: Did you go smelting this year? Tell us about it. [Central Maine Newspapers 4/20/05]
Ice-out trout
Charlie Winslow, along with a pair of mallards, three loons and a raft of sea gulls, seemed to be the only ones that knew about ice-out on Togus last week. [Central Maine Newspapers 4/16/05]
Dealing with Belgrade Lakes pike a complex problem
Dealing with the pike in Belgrade Lakes isn't as simple as tracking them down and killing them. Reader comments: How can we effectively manage pike? [Central Maine Newspapers 4/13/05]
Open water fishing season begins with lots of ice, few anglers, catches
Getting up early to fish on April 1 is a ritual that generations of Maine anglers have enjoyed -- a tradition among families like picking fiddleheads, the first day of deer season, or dipping smelt. [Central Maine Newspapers 4/2/05]
Central Maine waters should provide plenty of action
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."
[Central Maine Newspapers 4/2/05]
Fishing with pipe dreams
If you can't distinguish which Opening Day is usually plagued by ice, so anglers have invented a clever way to deliver the bait. Reader Comments: Did you fish on opening day? Tell us how you did it.
[Portland Press Herald 4/2/05]
Fishing trip planning perfect remedy for winter blues
A great cure for the shack-nasty blues begins with "DeLorme's The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer," a computer and a telephone.
[Central Maine Newspapers 3/12/05]
Bamboo fly rods see popularity surge
Split-bamboo fly rods have made an impressive comeback in the fly-fishing world in recent years, particularly in Maine, a state with a rich heritage in bamboo-rod making.
[Central Maine Newspapers 3/5/05]
Bring them back
For thousands of years, Sheepscot River Atlantic salmon survived. Now, in just 20 years — a sliver in their nearly timeless existence, they've virtually disappeared from the Sheepscot River.
[Central Maine Newspapers 11/28/04]
Know your fish or face hefty fines
If you can't distinguish which fish is which, you will surely make mistakes that may result in a fine — unless you adopt a catch-and-release philosophy and kill nothing.
[Central Maine Newspapers 8/4/04]
Mapping the depths Maine
Sebago Lake is Tim Thurston's most ambitious mapping project since he founded Maine Lake Charts Inc. in February 2001, a company he and his wife, Delani, operate out of their home in Pittston.
[Central Maine Newspapers 6/2/04]
Summer stock
Ensuring a supply of fish for anglers encourages children to take up the sport.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 5/16/04]
Mother Nature leaves state's avid anglers cold
Rainy weather and little open water greet fishermen on the season's first day of open-water fishing. Reader Comments: Tell us about the one that got away.
[Portland Press Herald 4/2/04]
Feathered friends
The Penobscot Fly Fishers swap useful hints - along with plenty of jokes and jibes - at an advanced fly-tying class.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 3/28/04]
Trout Camp lessons come with a catch
Trout Unlimited's youth fly-fishing camp that will be offered in Maine for the first time this summer isn't so much about fishing as it is about fish. More from Deirdre Fleming.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 3/14/04]
Longer fishing season in more fisheries likely
The state may extend the season into October for 42 more stocked fisheries.
[Portland Press Herald 3/1/04]
Muskellunge: A new menace
Massive muskies attract anglers, but ravage upcountry fisheries .
[Central Maine Newspapers 2/22/04]
Two sides must team up
Maine fishermen and state biologists will have to reconcile their differences if Maine is to make any progress on the problem of non-native fish spreading throughout Maine's native trout and salmon waters.
[8/31/03]
Invasive species: Life after Sebago
The DIF&W needs to find a new strategy to deal with all Maine's waters that are affected by invasive species.
[8/27/03]
Alewives sought for Alewife Brook
The Cape Elizabeth brook hasn't had the bony fish for years, but an SMCC group hopes to change that.
[8/16/03]
State stocks fry in Kennebec
State officials hope there will soon be enough American shad in the Kennebec River and its tributaries to satisfy the palates of fish and humans.
[8/8/03]
Dam removal irrelevant to Sebasticook fish work
Despite the unresolved status of Fort Halifax Dam, the state's sea-run fish restoration initiative on the Sebasticook River is on schedule and headed for a new stage next year.
[7/24/03]
A century of solitude
Remote ponds where Percival Baxter fished for brook trout have barely changed in a century. This is one in a series of stories about Baxter State Park.
[7/20/03]
Angling for more fish
Fishermen, Maine voters and the state all want more stocked fish. The question is, can we afford it?
[5/18/03]
A new notch in the 'bass belt'
Anglers looking to land feisty bass increasingly turn their attention to Maine waters.
[4/20/03]
Invited to the Dance
The area that already embraces the unique waltz of the Damariscotta Mills fish ladder welcomes a marine shellfish preserve on Great Salt Bay.
[6/16/02]
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Milfoil invasion
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Find out more about the milfoil menace and the new sticker aimed at keeping invasive milfoil out of Maine waters. More details
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Fishing lure: The Kennebec
Anglers flock to the Shawmut section of the river because the bugs are great, the fish are fat - in short, the fishing there is getting better and better.
[6/9/02]
Angling on the Androscoggin
Biologists on a sampling trip share their knowledge of a river and its fish, and detail the program to stock the Androscoggin River and other waters with rainbow trout.
[10/14/01]
Casting a pall
The state offers fall fishing to attract new anglers as well as help the regulars gain greater satisfaction. There's just one thing missing from this hopeful scenario: the fishermen.
[9/9/01]
Fishing for fish? Perhaps a guide can help
How to make the most of the renowned tradition of Registered Maine Guides to help find the fish.
[9/9/01]
Fish prized by open-water anglers
An illustrated guide to some of the freshwater fish most sought after by anglers.
[1998]
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SALTWATER FISHING
Gulf of Maine bluefin tuna not as healthy as before
The decline could signal changes in the ecosystem that may affect other gulf species, researchers say.
[Portland Press Herald 8/22/05]
Anglers seek the big ones for cash, a worthy cause
The MDA Sportfishing Open raises money to fight muscular dystrophy and offers a chance at gamefish that bend the scales.
[Portland Press Herald 8/13/05]
Decline in codfish stocks may not be reversible
A new study sees the population of other species growing, resulting in major changes to the ecosystem.
[Portland Press Herald 6/27/05]
Bahamas bonefishing trip provides nice winter escape
Fishing for easily spooked fish in shallow water provided a nice respite from the bite of winter. Great escapes: Did you head to warmer waters to fish this winter? Share your story. [Central Maine Newspapers 3/16/05]
Surf delicacies
The hen clam is one of Maine's best-kept secrets. On beaches like Old Orchard, no license is required. Anyone -- and everyone -- is free to partake. [Central Maine Newspapers 2/12/05]
For the love of stripers
Tom McManus wins converts to sea-run angling in a simple way: He takes people fishing. Oh, and he catches the big ones.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 7/25/04]
Stripers on the fly a challenge but tough to beat
Chasing up and down the strand in waders, standing in the surf, casting a big fly with a stout rod makes for a darned good workout -- especially if you are fighting big fish.
[Central Maine Newspapers 5/19/04]
Cod lottery winners aid fish research
In addition to winning money and T-shirts and hats, the cod-fishing lottery winners also help researchers learn about fish migrations.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 4/18/04]
Bluefish pack a mean punch for Maine anglers
If you can find these fish, a few hours of hot fishing action will certainly provide a lifetime of memories and fishing stories.
[8/20/03]
Hot tuna
The thrill of fighting the fastest fish in the ocean makes even the days without a catch worth it for tuna fishermen.
[8/25/02]
Two rivers, two types of sturgeon
FARMINGDALE — Researchers are discovering discernible differences — including variations in DNA — in the same species of a rare saltwater fish that spawn in the Kennebec and Androscoggin rivers.
[5/21/01]
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ICE FISHING
March fishing tough to beat
Maine ice fishermen have always debated whether the fishing is better early in the season, or late, but one thing is for sure -- nothing beats a warm, sunny day on the ice in March. [Central Maine Newspapers 3/12/05]
Derby togue bigger, fewer in Windham
The Windham Rotary Club's Derby Fest brought in a record crowd with an estimated 5,000 spectators and 6,000 fishermen, but it oddly resulted in fewer lake trout caught this year.
[3/6/05]
Windham's derby ranks among best
Field & Stream magazine rates the Sebago Lake fishing contest as one of the nation's top five. Among the best: Talk about the Windham Rotary Derby Fest.
[3/2/05]
Industry tries to ease ice fight
At issue are improvements the town has made to the small beach area that was once the property of the Crystal Lake Grange.
[2/10/05]
For those hardy enough, temps right for ice fishing
The cold snap has made ice fishing safe in parts of northern New England, but cold and wind were likely to keep many fishermen indoors a little longer.
[1/23/05]
Slow start to season? Greenville grins and bears it
Towns that turn from fishing tourism in the summer to snowmobile income from December through March have problems with only a thin layer of white three weeks into January.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 1/23/05]
Thin ice again
Smelting suffers from the trend toward a late start for the season due to lack of cold and ice.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 1/16/05]
Hooked on fishing
The Windham Rotary Derby Fest on Sebago Lake lures die-hard anglers.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 2/22/04]
Fishing five
Ice fishermen are flocking to Sebago to take advantage of a new - and much more generous - line regulation.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 2/15/04]
Smelting's point
It's an outdoor sport. And it isn't.
[Maine Sunday Telegram 2/1/04]
See a slide show of local smelters in action.
Smelt critical to survival of other fish
Smelt, a tiny forage fish found in the deep, cold waters of many major lakes and ponds, is arguably Maine's most important fish.
[2/1/04]
Rough start for ice fishing
No snow and warm weather means no business for many ice-dependent businesses.
[1/11/04]
Anglers should keep ice augers sharp
Dennis Bolduc offers some tips on keeping the tip of the auger sharp for more effortless drilling.
[3/5/03]
Catching customers
A conversation with Steve Leighton of Leighton's Smelt Camps in Bowdoinham.
[2/6/03]
Anglers' contingent strikes back
State representative Matthew Dunlap has proposed legislation to ban ice fishing in January to help save the lives of people who venture out on thin to fish early on in the season and some are not happy about the proposal.
[1/16/03]
Do Mainers really understand fishing?
Back in the '60s and '70s, only by word of mouth to other loyal fishermen was anyone told of how good the fishing really was. This code of silence still exists today. [1/30/03]
Ice anglers gear up
Assortment of fishing equipment available on the market. Dwayne Rioux reviews the gear. [1/17/03]
Area trout fishermen practice their craft
As some anglers know, fishing for lake trout is as much an art as it is a science. In fact, lakers are not that hard to catch if you know this one simple thing.... [1/30/03]
Fish tales
Anglers follow stories of fat salmon, splake and trout to fishing spots around Maine. [1/26/03]
The BITE stuff
Chris Peck, 30, of Vassalboro, loves ice fishing for big, toothy, carnivorous northern pike. You know, the fish that look like alligators, with jaws wide open.
[12/15/002]
The sense of smelt
In tiny shacks on the water, anglers long have whiled away the winter pursuing spawning schools of little fish. And whether they catch any or not, it's simply a great way to break the ice.
[2/10/02]
Ice fishing decreases after a heyday in the 1980s
A state survey shows a 14 percent decline in the number of ice fishermen.
[1/14/02]
Holiday gift ideas for winter anglers
With the official ice fishing season hopefully just weeks away, most winter anglers are looking ahead to another season. Receiving the latest in ice fishing equipment on Christmas morning is always a traditional eye-opener for most ice fishermen, including myself.
[9/19/01]
Equipped for Ice Fishing
Survival tactics and general laws every Maine ice fisherman should know.
[Winter 1998]
Ice fishing plentiful in Maine
Here are some tips for catching fish in winter.
[Winter 1997]
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