| 04/24/09 – I have to admit I was beginning to worry I was way off with my prediction that May 12th would be our start of regular, reliable wading in Shawmut. Water was dropping and even got down to 9,000CFS for a day or so.
Well, not to worry, with 33,000CFS running by the back door, 23,000CFS in Madison and the Sandy and Carrabassett both over 4,000CFS I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a couple of weeks before we’re wading and May 12th is 18 days away. Yep, I’m hanging with the 12th. Ponds are another story. Most any pond in this area is open. Many north of here are open, no Sebec Lake (Monson, Guilford, Dover-Foxcroft, Milo area) is open already and has been for a couple of days.Check out their webcam if you get a chance. They have a great time-lapse video you can run. It also shows the water temperature which yesterday was about 39 degrees which means the lake should be turning over. That will bring the salmon and togue up. But it’s Pike for me this weekend. Sunday I’ll be on Long Pond fishing the same water I used to fish this time of year for Salmon. But when the Lord gives you lemons you’re supposed to make lemonade so going for Pike is what I’ll be trying. But Monday I’ll probably go south to Sebago to see if I can get another nice Salmon like the one I got the last time I was down there. I don’t often head South to fish but a Salmon like that makes the trip worth it – lot of people though. Which is why I don’t do it often. It’s Ponds are fishing well in the area. I’ve talked to a number of people who have caught a goodly number of trout in local ponds like ______ and ______ oh yeah, that’s right they asked me not to mention the ponds. Well, I can say they were within 30 miles of Fairfield 🙂 which includes a lot of ponds. But for those of you like me who love the moving water – take heart. While the river was down to almost wadable it did provide some fishing from the banks and edges. The brown in this picture was caught on the 18th and again – I’m afraid I’ve been sworn to secrecy but I can tell you it was caught below the Solon Dam and above the Donald Carter Bridge.
Also don’t forget the sale Orvis is having and we are participating in. If you purchase a TLS Power Matrix, Superfine, T-3 or Helios fly rod between now and May 15th you can pick a free reel to go with it from the Battenkill Reel family. That includes the Battenkill Original Disc Drag reel, the Battenkill Bar Stock (BBS), the Battenkill Mid-Arbor or the Battenkill Large Arbor – your choice. |
make that most ponds and the lakes aren’t far behind as this picture taken this morning shows. Pemadumcook Lake is near Millinocket and usually goes out a week or so before Moosehead.
really just a frame of mind much like Grand Lake Stream on opening day. If you tell yourself to plan on seeing a lot of people, on talking to a lot of people and sharing stories about fishing and celebrating the end of a long winter, basically more of a social event than a fishing trip it all smooths out and makes for a good outing. Especially if you get a couple of hookups.
Get out this weekend and go find some fish. If you stop by the store tomorrow morning (the 24th) Tom Browne is doing his final presentation here for this spring and he will be talking about how to fish Maine Ponds. The presentation starts at 10:30 and ends early enough for you to take the tips from his years of experience to the pond with you.