2003 Information - Kennebec River, Shawmut Section

11/28/03 Little change in what seems to be a broken record - "Shawmut is to high to wade" - is still number one on the hit charts.  The flow is down to 11,000cfs in Sidney and there is rain and SNOW in the next week's forecast.  Out gloomy.
So I think this is the last Friday Update of this year.  Hope you have enjoyed this season's posts and that you come back next April 1st to start off the new season with more weekly updates.
If you scroll down a bit you will find a link to our new weekly page the Thursday Review - the winter version of the Friday Update.  Check it out occasionally, I'll try to post something there that will interest you.
I hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving  and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

11/21/03 More of the same - the water dropped down for one day or so and bounced right back up. The flow yesterday went from just under 7,000cfs to just over 41,000cfs. Of course when it dropped I pulled my dock back up into place - well, the dock is hanging downriver again.  So I'll start over when and if the river drops.  Rain is supposed to end today and hold off until Monday but resume Tuesday and then we are looking at showers off and on for several days.  Maybe I'll see how the dock does sitting right where it is through the winter.

I cut the following text from a post I made on the forum yesterday.  Go check out the Thursday Review, the winter version of the Friday Update.

11/14/04 - Water has come back up and wading is out.  Fish are being caught by those willing to brave the elements in a canoe or boat.  Water is clear, cold (39 to 41 degrees) and today for anyone who hasn't noticed it is windy as hell.  Better times are coming I'm just beginning to think they won't get here until next spring.  I don't know about the rest of you but somewhere around the 1st week in December my fishing gets cut way back.  I start tying, and doing maintenance on my gear.  Which brings up a question I've been meaning to ask.  Last year several people asked if the Friday Update couldn't go year round.  My answer was there isn't much to say about the river come December and January unless I talk about the thickness of the ice.
But I could start doing a Thursday posting through the winter (on another page, not here on the Friday Update page) and cover things like techniques for fly fishing, fly tying and such.  There are a million topics to cover and it would pass the winter.  If you are interested and would like me to start a weekly "take us through the winter"  page let me know by posting on the forum (you will have to register if you aren't a member) or e-mailing me at ffo@maineflyfishing.com.  Some topic suggestions would be welcome also.

11/11/03 The white rock is showing.  Flow is fast and strong but the area is wadable.  I didn't get out there this morning but do plan to go tomorrow. Flashboards aren't up yet which is a big part of why the flow is so strong.  Be careful and stick to the areas that you are comfortable wading or work the shallows.  Blue Winged Olives midday are your best bet for surface action. 

11/07/03 Still to high as are most streams around that are still open.  The Carrabassett River is down to about 800cfs but the Sandy is still well above 1,000cfs (actually it's at 1,500cfs and dropping slowly) and it will probably be Sunday or Monday before it is below 1,000cfs.  I'll be leaving tomorrow and won't be back until Monday night late but I'll post Tuesday morning if it is low enough to wade.  Clarity is fairly good and there are several people fishing out of canoes and boats - they are having some success midday (12:00 to 3:00) working the Blue Winged Olive hatch.  Some fish showing but not holding.  If you are comfortable wading Shawmut in high water there is limited wading - if you don't know the high water wading sites but want to fish try the Benton side from the ledges high up or work from the bank down in the Pasture Pool.
To get an update on the Piscataquis River in the Guilford area check Marshall's post on our Forum by following this link.

10/31/03 Well the river is even higher yet; it peaked yesterday at about 65,000cfs and has already dropped to 38,000cfs, which means several days of no rain are needed before we can fish it.  I'll post when it is wadable. Here are a couple of picture of our dock and my favorite canoe hanging downstream in the current on a safety line.
The left one is where my dock used to be and the one on the right shows it just hanging out in the current. This next picture is looking upstream from the deck that used to be attached to the dock ramp.  What a mess, but this to shall pass.
However, all is not lost, if one works at it one can still find fishing.  For example yesterday Marshall guided two fine gentlemen and on the right you'll see a picture of the reward for being persistent.  As you can see this is a fine fish and the only clue I can give you is Yep, it was caught in Maine! So as you can see it is still worth being out there and you can check on our page of for a slightly outdated list of October and November waters that are open or go to the IF&W website and do a search for S-24 water.  S-24 being the designation for November waters.
I did go to Madison and take a look at the river last week and while I was there I took a picture of the Father Rasle monument and for those of you who haven't seen it here is a picture of the monument and then a close-up of the inscription. And, that's it for this week. Good luck finding fishable water and keep checking in by Monday or Tuesday we should be fishing out back again.

10/24/03 Last week I called the river "just plain to high and dirty for much fishing." Little did I know what high water was.  This week it has been HIGH, HIGH, HIGH. It peaked out at 35,000cfs, 23,000cfs being flood stage, and has only dropped to 16,000cfs.  The only good things about that are it sure should get the fish moving and the river will be relatively weed free but the time the level is fishable again.  The worse part of it for us it that it ripped my dock away from the deck and so my dock and canoe are swing in the current on safety lines.
Your best bet is to check the rule book for some smaller streams or ponds that are open this time of year and work some of them.  I went to Jackman earlier this week with Dana Charity and we got into some nice, pretty Brookies.  There are some waiting for you. As you can see they were cooperative in all size ranges.  Dana's fish were more like the one on the left, mine were more like the one on the right. That little guy on the right took a size 12 soft hackle that was to big for it but it took it anyway.

10/17/03 The Shawmut water is just plain too high and dirty for much fishing.  My guess is that Sunday it will be fishable but I'll post tomorrow morning if the level drops faster than I think.  Solon is running at 2,300cfs and fishing well. Madison is not fishable because of the Sandy River flow but that should also drop soon.
There are some good hatches to look for.  Of course the Blue Winged Olive will continue to hatch until snow flies but in addition to that the Great Brown Autumn Sedge (size 8) is starting to hatch.  This caddis is often mistaken for a moth because of it's size. It hatches at night or occasionally late afternoon and so is often not on the water when you are but if the wind is blowing working the edges of the river tight to the bushes often produces strikes as the fish lay under branches waiting for these poor fliers to get blown into the water. Use a large Elk Hair Caddis with a ginger to tan body or Woodchuck Caddis - same body color. For a sub-surface pattern use a large Hare's Ear or a Peeping Caddis in cream.
Belgrade Stream right in downtown Belgrade (Great Pond to Long Pond flow) is also still producing.  Yesterday I caught a nice Brookie there.  Nymphs fished up close to the dam are producing best and some big Browns and Salmon (yes, there are some left) are being caught. Green LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa with a trailer, also green, seem to produce best. But if you want to get a Brookie like I did get away from the dam and fish out into the lake and work the shallow bar that directs the flow out in the lake. I got my Brookie on a Royal Coachman Streamer.

10/10/03 Water temperature is 55 degrees, level is on the high side, flow is strong and clarity good.  I went to Shawmut this morning determined to dredge some big fish out of the deep fast water wayyyyy up by the dam.  After a hard wade to the "right" spot I started in with my 8 weight, lined with a 300 grain depth charge.  For the next two hours I cast long and worked several different streamers.  Nothing. Well, I take that back I did catch bottom a couple of times, felt good.
Tomorrow I'm going back but I'm going to follow my own advise and fish down at the bottom of the wading area by the Pasture Pool and between the island and the West Shore.  Fish still seem to be holding from there down.  Some nice fish are being caught but mostly out of boats and canoes below the I-95 bridge.  There are hatches coming off in the afternoon and evening, both caddis and Blue Winged Olives mayflies.  However, if you get a shot at a rising fish it is usually ONE shot only.  Doesn't fall fishing drive you nuts. 
Stripers are still in the river and Jimmy guided the Sidney section of the river yesterday.  When he got back last night it was with tales of BIG STRIPERS.  The kind that take you to your backing on the first run and break you off on the second run.  Nice, maybe I'll rethink Shawmut for tomorrow morning and head for Six Mile Falls.  Just below there is where they found the most bait busting action.  They ran into fish from just below the Donald Carter Bridge to the Sidney landing.  Yea, I think Stripers tomorrow before they strike out for the winter.  If any of you are planning one last fling at Stripers you don't want to wait too long - the water is cooling and they will leave soon.

10/03/03 Water is down to 59 degrees, clear and the level is easy for wading.  Isn't it funny for months now I've been posting "we need a few cool nights or a cool rain" but now that the water temperature is below 60 degrees I'll be posting "I hope the we don't get a lot of frosty nights the water is cooling to fast."  Isn't that fishing for you.  It's to hot, to cold, to fast or low ..........
Anyway, there are good hatches of BWO's during the afternoon and yesterday's hatch was going well until that little storm rolled in.  The wind and rain put a stop to the hatch and when the wind and rain subsided the hatch never resumed.  Mixed in with the Blue Winged Olives were caddis (tan and olive) but no other mayflies.
Alewives are definitely moving downriver.  There are schools of them showing in various spots and it is frustrating to be working a trout and have a whole school of alewives start rising yards upstream.  Frustrating because often the school of alewives drifts down towards the trout and the trout stops feeding.  Or as Jimmy theorizes the trout stops feeding on insects and snags a few alewives. 
The wading area is still fairly shallow as the water levels have dropped back to something below 4,500cfs and so the alewives are passing quickly downstream and not schooling up until they hit the deeper water down by the pasture.  Also the trout are not high up in the wading area.  As they have been the trout continue to hold lower down and to move up only when the hatch starts.
All in all things are pretty good and if you haven't put your gear away you should come fish.  Oh, and before I forget the stripers are all up and down the Waterville to Sidney section and there are some BIG fish being caught.

10/01/03 Water is down to a wading level again. Fishing is picking up. Bwo's hatching yesterday all afternoon. Lot of stripers in Waterville. Catching is running hot and cold but if they are hitting action is fast. Good sized fish.

09/30/03 Good news - the river is blown out.  Way to high for wading.  Isn't it great, finally some flow.  My guess is that we will have wading water by tomorrow as the Carrabassett and Sandy Rivers have already crested.  That should give us good clean water to fish for awhile instead of the low, slow and dirty flow we have been dealing with.  I'll post when the White Rock indicates safe wading.

09/26/03 Water level has come up and is approaching normal flows, finally.  The increased flow has cleaned out the loose debris that was throughout the water column and so swinging streamers and drifting nymphs are viable methods again.  Clarity is good, flow is moderate and the level is good (although many will think it high due to the low levels all summer).
Fish are showing in the evening and for the most part are still holding in the deeper water sections of the wading area during the day unless a stray hatch brings them up onto the flats to feed.  Big hopper and dry stonefly patterns are working and will bring fish up even when there is no hatch. 
During what evening hatch we have fish are showing fairly regularly and caddis are the name of the game.  more in a minute -
OK, I'm back I had to do a shuttle before we opened.  So, yep, Caddis are the name of the game and Olive Caddis (size 16 or so) and Black Caddis (even smaller) seem to be the key players. Tan Caddis size 14 have also been working even if there aren't a lot on the water. However, Blue Winged Olives are apt to be the name of the game this weekend if we get the drizzle the weatherman says to expect.  Fishing should be very good the next few days.  October promises to be the best October in years because we do have some water in the river system to keep flows up. 
As for Alewives - all I can say is what Alewives.  I've given up on ever fishing an Alewife run again.
And one final thing if you are going to Grand Lake Stream anytime soon don't go across the Studmill Road; it is bad. See my post on the Forum titled GLS 9/22.

09/19/03 Water level is low, low, low and so the flow is moderate to slow. Clarity is good - so good that you can see the pieces of weed flow by that are going to hook up on your streamer even if those pieces are 5 feet deep.  And therein lies the problem with the wading area right now.  Unless you come in the evening and catch the hatch (most any time after 3:30 it's apt to start) or use something interesting enough to bring fish up; you just can't probe the depths of the wading area without checking your fly OFTEN.
If you bring a canoe, or hire a drift trip it's hard to fish anything but the surface water. However, if you do come for the evening hatch you are apt to run into some browns like these two.  Both taken on dries in the evening last weekend. Saturday when we closed at 5:00pm and Sunday about the same time I poled upstream from the shop and ran into rising fish about 1/2 way to the dam.  There were quite a few fish showing but as often happens in the fall the hatches were weak and so the rises were sporadic and fish weren't holding in one spot.  That always leads to a dilemma for me - do I pull anchor and chase the rises or wait in the spot I picked believing they will sooner or later come to me.  So far I don't really have an answer to that.  I've waited and they have come to me and they haven't come to me.  I've chased them and caught up with them and I've chased them only to have them move completely out of the area.  Such is fishing. If you've got an answer to that one  or have a similar story post it on our bulletin board - I'd love to hear it. 

09/12/03 Well there is good news and bad news.  The good news is that the temperatures have dropped and fish have moved up into the wading area in Shawmut.  The bad news is that the level is low and weeds are a problem.  The Benton side has the deeper runs and so that is the side I'd head to if you come to fish - that side or the deep run between the island and the West shore.
So with that for a starting point here's the scoop. Level is low, flow is moderate to slow and the water temperature is 65 degrees.  Fish are showing occasionally in the morning and fairly steady in the evening.  Midday hatches are coming on.  Weeds are a problem but if you work the deeper runs things are good, otherwise if you fish anything subsurface check your fly often.
Madison and Solon are still fishing good and the flows are such that you can wade areas you normally can't.  When the fall rains come those areas will return to normal flow and the wading areas will shrink considerably. The brown on the left is a brown from Madison this morning - fell to that Adams of the wet fly world a Muddler Minnow. Big hopper patterns and large stoneflies have been bringing fish up. A size 14 Hare's Ear has accounted for several fish this week at Shawmut and there are tons of baitfish in the river. Come give it a whirl.

09/05/03 Water temperature is 68 degrees; clarity good, flow moderate to fast and hatches are few.  Still some White Mayflies in the evening, Black, and Olive caddis small. I have spent the last couple of mornings up in Shawmut swinging streamers and have no fish to show for my efforts.  The day before yesterday I worked up high by the dam and then moved down the Benton side – I saw no fish.  Today I worked down the Benton side from the White Rock and saw no fish until I got most of the way down to the Pasture Pool.  Just above the Pasture Pool I had three fish swirl and slash at my streamers.  No hook-ups but at least I found them.   

My theory is they are still staying deep in the Pasture Pool and the deeper runs along the Benton side and not venturing up into the higher wading areas.  Tomorrow morning I’m going up again and I’ll start down by the Island and work my way across the top edge of the Pasture Pool.  Now that I’ve at least had something look at my fly and show itself I’ve got a target.  It’s like RW says “go where they are and give them what they want.”  Finding where they are is the hard part. 

If you are planning to fish Shawmut I’d suggest the same area for you – work the deep lower sections towards the Pasture Pool.  The deep run between the island and shore also should be holding some fish.  However, if you want to sight cast to some rising fish for the next few nights I’d still be heading towards Madison, Solon or Bingham.  All three sections are cooler (have been cooler) and so the fish have started working.  

I also went swimming at Shawmut this morning.  The flow is up some even though they haven’t started the main turbine and the impoundment isn’t full so there is no water coming over the dam.  Because of the low water I started working a little closer to a deep run than I normally would have.   As I worked down the ledge that runs along the edge of this run I didn’t realize I was over about 15 feet more than normal and not on the ledge I thought I was on.  At one point I stopped and said, “Self, I think you’re in trouble” and that’s where I made my big mistake.  I didn’t immediately take my wading staff out of my holster.  I tell people when they buy a folding wading staff like mine “if you think you need it take it out and use it because if you even begin to think you need it, you do!”

 Well, I reeled in and started taking baby steps towards the ledge rise I was sure was only a few more feet downriver. I took one step and things were OK, I took the second and realized I was about to start floating. Those two steps only put me about 4 inches deeper but that was all it took; I was just barely able to stand without starting to bob downstream.  So I reached for my staff, which was now about a foot under water on my wader belt.  The flow and my position wouldn’t allow me to reach down and behind me to pull the staff out of the holster. If I put my arm down into the water I started to lift off the bottom – take my arm out and I could just stand there on my tiptoes.  Not good.

After trying to inch back upstream without success and taking stock of the situation I decided I had two choices, both included swimming.  They were swimming downstream to the ledge I though was below me or swimming upstream a couple of feet to gain some footing.  I decided to try upstream because I knew good, or at least adequate, footing was only a foot or so behind me.  So I gathered thing up, made sure my pockets were zipped, leaned back and lunged.  After a couple of hard backstrokes with my right arm I was able to touch and hold.  Whew.  Then came the acid test could I now reach my staff without bobbing off my feet?  I could and the rest was easy, wet but easy.

08/29/03 Water temperature in Shawmut is a happy 68 degrees. Love those 45 degree nights.  I'm done fishing Six Mile Falls for awhile and plan to refocus on Shawmut now that I don't think playing a fish here is a life threatening experience for that fish. However, I didn't fish Shawmut this morning.  Instead, I again went to Bingham.  I had planned to fish Shawmut but on a whim last night late I called the FPL water flow line and the recording said Bingham would be flowing at 1300cfs until 1:00pm today.  Well, that's just to good to pass up.  If they do it again for tomorrow I'll be in Bingham again if not it's Shawmut for me. 
I used my Spey Rod up there and caught a small Rainbow with it.  As you can see I do mean small.  The great thing about this fish was that as small as it was I felt it hit.  When I first started using a Spey Rod I figured it would be so much stick that I wouldn't even know if I had a fish this small on the line.  That just isn't the case.  My next fish was about 15" and it felt good even on my 12 1/2 foot, Spey. I couldn't get into any bigger fish but I know they are there.  This next picture I put up for Peter G. and Peter if you read this click on the picture and you will see the gravel bar I was telling you about on the left, center of the picture.  You will recognize the spot as I know it is a favorite swimming hole of yours :-)
OK, back to Shawmut - the water flow is moderate to slow, level is very good for wading and the temperature should hold in the 60's from now on.  The weeds are not as bad as the last two years and the last good rain we got flushed out a lot of the loose weeds so we don't have a lot of debris in the water.  I have high hopes of a real Alewife run this year since we seem to have enough water to keep the lake outlet stream flowing this fall.  Our next rain should get them moving and as long as it isn't to big a gully washer we should be able to enjoy the feeding frenzy that follows a good run of Alewives. There are still some White Mayflies, some small black caddis and small olive caddis hatching.  No really strong hatches but there will be soon.

08/23/03 Sorry, I meant to post but somewhere I lost a day and went through most of yesterday thinking it was Thursday.  You should have seen the look on my face when I made a comment about going fishing after we closed at 7:00pm and Linda told me it was Friday and we had to stay another two hours.
Anyway, here's what is going on with the river.  Bingham is still the coldest water around.  Even Solon has hit the 70 degree mark.  However, even though I drove up to Bingham yesterday morning I couldn't catch anything.  I blame it on the rising water.  I called the 1-800-557-3569 number on Thursday to get the flow information and they were not going to raise the water until 9:00am. So, I figured I'd have good water on Friday - hoping for the same flow schedule.  Well, I got to Bingham about 6:30am and waded out into the river, on about my third cast I had that uneasy feeling, you know, the "this water coming up feeling."  It was.  The water was at 1,900cfs when I got there and it quickly rose to 4,100 within a half-hour of my arrival.  I don't know about you but I've never had much luck fishing rising water and I didn't yesterday.  I'm thinking hard about going back tonight because at 7:00pm they are dropping it from 6,000cfs to 4,100 cfs and I've often had real good luck fishing falling water. It's the same old story - I should have called but I didn't.  You think I'd learn.
Here in Shawmut and elsewhere on the river the White mayflies are hatching - no fish coming up to them but there are thousands of mayflies.  So many that spider webs are collapsing under the weight of the mayflies and the wind is braiding the web and mayflies into a rope.  What a waste of a good hatch.  If I go to Bingham tonight I'll be using a 14 White Wulff for a dry when the hatch starts and I'll be using a Hare's Ear nymph pre-hatch - you can count on that. Hopefully, the break in the weather we have been promised happens and things will cool down. 
The East Outlet is fishing fairly well and Marshall was up there yesterday.  He left early, got there just after first light and was back home by 1:00pm with 5 fish to his credit - all on nymphs.  He used a Bead Head Prince and a small black dropper off that.  Most of the fish took the dropper.  Marshall really likes the East Outlet and few people can match him  fish for fish up there. Today Punkie, who posts on our forum, is up there and if you check tomorrow or later tonight he plans on posting his luck - be sure and check it out. Here's the link. Fly Fishing Only Forum.

08/15/03 Yep, the Stripers are still around.  Six-Mile Falls is still producing.  This guy was 24" and put up a good fight.  I was Spey Casting and the leader I was using has a .015" tippet section and so is quite strong.  You can fight them in fast and hard with a tippet section like that.  I believe that a hard fast fight doesn't hurt these guys even in this water temperature.  You sure don't have to revive them - just shake them off and they are GONE!  Speaking of water temperature the river here is running at 76 degrees and is to warm for trout fishing which is why I'm fishing Stripers.  That and the fact that Spey Casting itself is fun. There is still cold water up in Bingham and the Solon area.  Madison has also warmed up. Give me some cold rain.
This is still a good time to come and learn the Shawmut area from a wading standpoint.  If you want to fish Shawmut in September and October and haven't waded it much come on over and do some Smallmouth fishing while you learn the water.  The time you spend on the river now will pay big dividends later in the season. There are some BIG smallmouth here and in Waterville.

08/08/03 Water is still 72 but the flow is up.  We bounced up to 5,500cfs yesterday and today dropped back to 3,500cfs.  I'd rather see it stay at 5,500. The weird thing is yesterday morning the temperature was 69 degrees.  With the rain I figured it would stay the same or drop some but instead it went up 3 degrees.  Oh well, maybe the surge of water pushed a lot of that warm impoundment top water over the dam and with the drop in flow the temperature will settle out.
Went to Six-Mile Falls the day before yesterday with Greg Burchstead Spey Casting and got a Striper in the morning.  Jim Thibodeau and  Bruce Bowman went the night before and got 8 between them. Mine wasn't very big but I'm going back after his big brother tomorrow morning.  It took me most of my time yesterday to figure out where they were holding up in the daylight.  Now if the big ones are just hanging out with the little guys.  There are still Shad in Winslow and Jimmy has landed at least 10 so far this season.  Next year is supposed to be the big one for Shad - let's hope so. 
Shawmut is still hosting evening hatches and the Lead Winged Coachmen are coming off during the day.  Caddis is still King.
And, one last thing - Canoe Poling clinic this weekend - don't miss this chance - follow this link.
                                                                        Come Pole With Us

08/01/03 Water temperatures are staying about 72 here.  Water in Bingham is 67 and the waters between Bingham and here are, as you can guess, are somewhere between 67 and 72.  Flow is moderate hatches are few compared to the early season ones. One hatch that is steady is the Little Yellow Quill - I see them every day.  Here's a picture of one and as you can see the name fits the bug. Here's an excerpt from Tom Ames' book HATCH GUIDE FOR NEW ENGLAND STREAMS:
"My first experience with the summer goddesses began disappointingly.  The duns were emerging, but the trout were ignoring my flies. When the spinners, who had been making reconnaissance flights over the water, touched down, fish began rising indiscriminately adjacent to the main current tongues. Without even changing my pattern I began to catch fish at a steady pace.  As it turns out, emerging Leucrocutas leave the water with such astonishing speed that trout waste no energy in pursuit.  But egg-laying females come briefly to rest before flying off a short distance and repeating the process several times.  Trout capture them with the splashy rises we associate with active winged insects."  So get yourselves some Little Sulphurs and have at it.  Any hatch activity seems to be starting at dusk or even later.  Oh, and if you want to buy that book click on the title above and it will take you to a purchase page.  You can buy it there on-line if you like.
On another note several of you have asked where the Bargain Bin we used to maintain went to.  Well, I had a hard time keeping the software I used for that running and have been searching for a new software package to do e-commerce with.  I found one and have set the Bargain Bin back up along with some general catalog pages.  I am still building them and working out some glitches but if you want to do a little bargain hunting click on the words Bargain Bin here or above.  There are some good Trident TLS rod, the whole line of Superfines (my favorite Orvis rod series) and a selection of CFO reels, both the Traditional and Disc Drag.  The Superfines and CFO's are getting a facelift and will continue. The Trident TLS rods are being changed because there are too many similar rods in the line-up in these rod lengths and weights.  Check them out.
If you do fish for trout with these water temperatures be sure and use a stout leader and play them hard and fast.  Don't tire them any more than you have to.  Concentrate on the cooler waters of the Bingham area and small streams, probe the depths of some spring fed ponds and hope for cold rain.

07/25/03 The water temperature is 72 degrees in the morning - I don't check it after noon I don't want to know. The water level is low, and has been bouncing between very low and low (2,000cfs to 4,000cfs)
and so Shawmut is very wadable.  Despite this we are still having good evening hatches of sulfurs, some Cahills and Little Yellow stones. Caddis of many sizes and colors including a small (size 18) caddis with a bright green body nicely imitated with a Henryville's Special and there are fish coming up to them.
The coolest water still can be found in the Bingham, Solon and Madison stretches and these low levels are a boon to waders.  Some ponds are still producing a Hex hatch although this seems to be waning. Some big Stripers are still showing in the Waterville to Sidney stretch and the Morning Sentinel ran a picture of a 40" fish electro-shocked in that stretch.

7/18/03 The fishing is tough right now.  I just spent two hours up at Shawmut and they handed me my hat and sent me home.  The water temperature is 68 degrees this morning and it will probably be up to 72 or 73 by this evening unless it clouds up.  Flow is moderate to slow and the level is low.  The two pictures below will give you an idea how low if you know where they were taken.  The 1st one probably only Garrett Quinn will recognize because it is a picture of a submerged log he and I have lost flies on. (Garrett, if you click on the picture you will see the log is only 3 inches below the surface, if that - shallow, huh) and the 2nd picture is of the two rocks out in front of the 2nd island down.  Yep, those are the two rocks that don't show at all during normal water levels.
Anyway, as you can guess fishing is slow.  There are still some mid-day caddis if you are lucky.  Grasshoppers and beetles are good "Well, I might as well try this" flies and they often will bring something up. Otherwise, try going down, at least until the evening rise, but you will have to look for some deeper water to go subsurface because the weeds are starting to be a problem. 
Bingham, Solon and Madison all are sporting some cooler water with the coolest being found in Bingham.  By the time the water gets to Madison it has gotten quite a bit warmer and so fishing is harder. Still a burst of activity just coming dark all up and down the river. 
There are two other things I want to mention; I bring them both up this time of year.  First: if you haven't waded Shawmut or if you want to learn to wade it with confidence come wade now.  It won't get any easier and you can really find the feeding lanes as they are the only places you can find a good flow right now. Second: I'm often asked "if I go do you think I'll catch anything?" and my answer is always "The only thing I can tell you for sure is if you don't go you won't catch anything!"

07/11/03 The water is still warm - 69 degrees this morning - thank goodness for the few cool nights we've had.  Fishing is holding up but you have to go down for them most of the day.  Water clarity is good, flow is slow and level is low.  Easy wading and the weeds haven't gotten to be a pain yet.  This morning I started with the Gray Ghost I already had on my rod.  I never changed it because it brought me 4 rainbows.  Here are some photos of them. You can see my Gray Ghost is taking hell by the third one.  They fought well and were feisty enough to make me think that the warm water hasn't hurt them to bad. 

I was using 3X tippet and that didn't seem to bother them either.  One thing the heavy tippet does is allow you to play a fish hard and fast to the net.  I figure I may miss some who are leader shy but, so what, I'm happy with a four fish morning.  Playing them in fast and hard in this warm water allows you to net them while they are still pretty fresh.  I didn't have to hold these fish to revive them.  I just lowered the edge of my net and they swam away on their own.
If you click on the last one though you will see an ulcer on the belly of the fish.  I think that is a result of the warm water.  One drawback of this warm water is that bacteria like it and infection is a problem for the fish.

07/02/03 Things are hot and, unfortunately, I don't mean the fishing.  The water is 69 in the morning and 72+ if the sun burns all day.  Bring on some cold rain.  Insects are still hatching but the hatches have moved towards the evening with sporadic hatches or egg laying by caddis during the day. Several species of caddis so bring some of most anything.  There are small tan, olive and black caddis on the water along with Zebra Caddis, Tan size 14, Olives size 14 and other varied ones out there.  Here are some photos  showing a Leadwing Coachman, a Little Yellow Sally and a Light Cahill having an impromptu meeting on our back door.  Check out the size of the Leadwing Coachman  - the Cahill is a size 14.  The Coachman is easy to spot because of the hind legs.  They are white while the front legs are dark. The nymph is a fast swimmer and swim to shore or rocks sticking out of the water and once there it crawls out of the water to hatch - most of the time.  I have seen them many times in the morning at Shawmut hatching from the water and it does bring the fish up.  Fish a Zug Bug or a Leadwing Coachman wet for an imitation.  This is a good nymph to fish if you just can't make up your mind.  They hatch sporadically all summer and a dead-drift for the nymph isn't needed as they are very active. 
On another note there is cold water still in the river system - Bingham was 60 degrees yesterday morning and Solon is in the high 60's.

06/27/03 Water temperature is mid-sixties, flow is moderate (about 5,000 cfs), level is good for wading and fishing is still good.  The Zebra Caddis are hatching and as you can see by the picture of our back door on the left there are a lot of them.  The picture to the right is a close-up of two of them and a little Trico.  Bring some Goddard Caddis, Davey's Caddis (natural) or Schroeder's Hi-Vis Caddis when you come to fish this hatch.  It is apt to start mid-afternoon to early evening and brings big fish up. The Zebra Caddis Pupa is green and a Zug Bug is a good dropper pre-hatch. The dominant mayflies are still the Light Cahills, and the Sulphers. 

Fishing is good. Wednesday morning Dan Marra and I took the canoe from Shawmut to Fairfield.  We hit the water about 5:30am and were greeted by rising Rainbow Trout. They were cooperative and at one time we had doubles.  The fishing was steady up in the wading area until about 7:00am and when it slowed we decided to go hunting for some big browns further down.  This to proved successful and on the left is a picture of the only one we got to the boat taken just before we netted it. On the right it's on the way back to the water.  We had several other chances at similar fish but the others bested us.  This one took the fly about 9:30am and we had to leave rising fish to come open the shop.  Right now there is a good chance of rising fish like this even in the heat of the day. The Rainbows came to a White Wulff, size 12 and the Brown to a Usual, size 14. As I said in my post last week - if you can get out to fish GO NOW the fishing is good and won't last if this heat keeps up.  Do it now you can seal the driveway in August.

06/20/03 Water temperature is 60 degrees, Flow is moderate, Level is good for wading and fish are moving around looking for their favorite meal.  By that I mean right now they have a lot of choices, they can look for their favorite caddis, or mayfly and probably find it.  There are Light Cahills, Blue Winged Olives, Caddis of all colors and lots of both surface and sub-surface bug activity.  This is prime fishing and if you sit this next few weeks out you will be missing your best chance of the year for sight casting to rising trout.  These pictures are from a float trip Marshall took a father and son on yesterday - they fished from 2:00pm until 6:00pm - not normally the prime time of the day but this next few weeks it doesn't matter - come fish when you can.  Oh, and don't misunderstand me, I don't mean this is the only place this is happening - statewide now is the time to go - don't miss it.
From left to right , Dad with Brown, Close-up of Brown, Son with Rainbow.

06/18.03 Very wadable, they closed the gates and the flow is strong but fine for wading. Light Cahills around 6:00pm, Black Caddis around 1:pm and tan and olive caddis on and off all day.

06/15/05 - High water is the story for today.  The river rose slowly all day yesterday and by late afternoon it was not wadable.  The feeder rivers have crested and so the river should be OK by tomorrow or the next day.  A few posts below I put the link to the USGS site and if you want you can follow the link and see the flows.  I'll post when it is wadable.

06/13/03 update
Here are some pictures of what's happening - for more detail see the post below.
These pictures are from left to right Golden Stonefly bottom view, top view, a Sulfur, a Hendrickson and a Sulfur, a Hendrickson (you can see the egg sack forming) and last but not least a late evening Rainbow.  The Rainbow is washed out because I had to use a flash and it was to bright, but you can see it is a good healthy fish.  That reel is a Battenkill 5/6 which will give you an idea of the size of the Rainbow.  I broke his twin off about 5 minutes later.

06/13/03 Water level is good, flow is strong, water temperature is 61and hatches are coming on.  The Sulfurs are hatching late as are the tan caddis.  Yellow Stoneflies are hatching (body length 1" - counting the wing they are 1 1/2" total length) and if you show up on  a windy afternoon try casting to the shoreline with a big dry fly imitation like a Stimulator, yellow.  It can bring some explosive strikes.  The trout just cruse up and down the shoreline just waiting for one of those clumsy Stoneflies to fall out of a tree.  Stoneflies fly so poorly that they often can't recover in the air and so must land on the water and take off again.  They don't stay on the water long and that is the why of the explosive strikes. The trout slam them before they can take off again.  I've got some pictures for you I'll put up later tonight.

06/07/03 Water is still very high.  My guess is Sunday, tomorrow at best before you can wade.  I will be away so I can't post but if you check the USGS site you can get an idea of what the flow is. 

Here's some pictures for you.  The first one on the left is a size 16 Parachute Sulfur stuck into a pencil eraser with a dark looking mayfly beside it.  The colors don't seem to match until you look at the 2nd picture - it's the same mayfly from the bottom - colors match well from the fish's view.  The 3rd picture is a small Brown I got up there a couple of day ago - about 10" or so.  Then one from yesterday of a Schoolie Striper taken yesterday morning before the water came up and then a bigger one caught by Diane DeLisle (would you buy a house from a woman who's hands smell like fish? I would, if you would she can help you). And, then last but not least there is a picture of the trash that annually appears at the Beach Pool in Shawmut - I just don't understand why if they can lug in full beer cans and full Capt. Morgan's bottles that they can't lug them out.  One evening I'm going to be walking off the water and catch these guys - I hope.

 
And, last but not least the mayflies you should start looking for are the Light Cahill, the Large Sulphur, and the Little Sulphur.  The caddis flies are the Little Black Caddis, and an array of Tan, Olive, Gray and several other colors.  The mayfly gets all the press but the caddis is king and they have started.  I’m finally seeing some dry fly action in the morning and I can thank the caddis for that.  Caddis are what brought that little brown to the top - there were some bigger ones but, of course, I missed them.
Be on the lookout for Yellow Stoneflies as well.  They are due anytime and right about now the Golden Stone nymphs should start to produce consistently.  There is a good population of Golden Stones at Shawmut and it is a fly you should have. 

06/06/03 Water temperature is 55 to 58 degrees depending on where you take the reading and the time of day.  Clarity is medium to poor and the level is high, flow is fast.  You can wade but the wading is tough because of the flow.  The Carrabassett and the Sandy are both still rising so the White Rock could go out of site later today. Right now you can wade but it is on the edge.

There are Olive, Gray and Tan Caddis coming of during the day.  Some mayflies about 2:00pm that look like sulphurs, around a 16 it looked like.  I'll try and catch some today and scan them in so you can see them.  I have more to post but they gives you the basics.  I won't get to post the rest until this evening but you might want to check in tomorrow for an update.  Oh, one more thing - the East Outlet is up around 3100 cfs - I wouldn't want to be fishing up there today but when they drop the flow back to something under 2,000 - look out that place will light up!

05/30/03 Water temperature is 55 degrees, clarity is good, flow is strong and hatches weak.  There are still Hendrickson and Blue Winged Olives showing but the cold weather slowed them down. I don't think the hatch is over just slowed due to the cold. 

Not much activity in the morning - a few olive caddis showed but only a few.  No trout heads poking up.  Still an afternoon thing if you want to sight cast to rising trout. 

Got one Brown up there this morning - I went up determined to catch a fish on a dry but had to switch over to a sink tip line and a size 14 March Brown wet fly to get my fish.

05/23/03 Better late than never.  Water temperature is 53 degrees, insects are hatching, mid-day to late afternoon, nothing happening in the morning.  Flow is moderate, level good for wading and clarity is good.  Here's a sample of what is hatching the top one is a Hendrickson and the bottom two are Blue Winged Olives of some sort but I haven't figured out what yet.  The Blue Winged Olives are big an easy size 12 - that Hendrickson is a size 14.  The other hatch that is in full swing is the Little Mahogany which is right below the threesome. The Little Mahogany is about a size twenty.

05/16/03 Update
Flashboards are up and the river has dropped.  Here's a peak at the graph it shows the water has dropped to about 7,800 in Sidney which would put Shawmut around 6,000 cfs or about it's normal flow.
Another update is several people have called to tell me the river is at 52 degrees as measured at the Sappi and Chinet mills which is good news for fishing but it tells me I need a new thermometer. Oh well, I think I know a shop where I can buy one.

05/16/03 Water clarity good. Water temperature 49 degrees.  Water level, about normal which means it's a little high for most people's taste.  Water flow moderate to fast.  Fishing good. I was up there about 1 1/2 hours this morning swinging wet flies and using a sink tip line and was able to account for three fish. 
The first was a last year's rainbow with the left vent fin clipped (1st picture below click on it to enlarge).  It's mouth was torn from an earlier fight (my hook was in the other side of his jaw, no surprise there I'd eat on the other side too) but otherwise this was a healthy fish.  I had to wade to slower water to land him even with the net.  The next two fish had both vent fins clipped and so was this years fish (2nd fish 2nd picture, no picture of the third). 
The third picture below shows them loading flashboards into the barge they use to replace the boards.  They are replacing them all and it looked like they were hauling the old boards to shore rather than just dumping them over the side.  And, last but not least, the fourth picture is of a wading staff someone left for the next angler to use at the beach pool.  A time honored tradition I'm glad to see still alive.
So that's about it for today.  Come fish, bring some wet flies (all three of my fish hit my point fly which was a Partridge and Yellow size 14) and look for some Blue Winged Olives later today.  If tomorrow is as sunny as today and the water comes up a couple of degrees we should see some Quill Gordons and Hendricksons soon.  I'll be at West Grand Stream for the next five days so look for any additional information on the Forum Page.

05/15/03 - They are draining down the impoundment so it continues to flow fast even thought the level is down enough for the White Rock to be showing.  Wading is still dicey but that should cure itself soon.  When they put the flashboards up the level should drop down and the flow should stabilize.  Today will be iffy because they will play with the flow to get the working level they need for the replacement of the boards.  This picture shows the upstream side of the flashboards and you can see the impoundment is low.

So my guess is by this evening the boards will be up and levels good.  Give me some sunshine today and tomorrow and some dry flies because sunshine and stable flows are what I've been waiting for.
I figure this weekend will be when it will bust loose because the weekend I head for West Grand Stream for 5 days - fishing is bound to be good here if I leave. This picture shows the face of the dam and you can see the center gate is wide open causing the fast flow.  They are working on the boards right now and so should be done later today.

05/15/03 - Yep, it's wadable and some fish are being caught.  More later.

05/08/03 - I know today is Thursday but I'm posting today because tomorrow morning I'll be brush cutting at the Fairfield Kid's Pond instead of fishing.  Yesterday Greg Ponte and Jim Thibodeau stocked the pond with fresh fish and for those of you with kids the pond will be ready soon. Remember the pond is a kids pond but adults can fish if accompanied by a kid 15 or younger.

The White Rock is showing at Shawmut, barely.  Wading is tough.  I could not walk in at the landing as I did blissfully most of last year.  Heck, last year I would step in and start casting to the big rock on the left and walk without looking as I worked the eddy behind the rock.  Not this year.  Instead I was scrambling for footing and when I got just downstream of the rock I had to use my wading staff to get behind the rock and onto the gravel bar.   

I figured I was in good shape once I got onto the gravel bar and into the eddy, but I wasn’t.  Normally I thread the seam between the deeper water towards shore and main current but I found I couldn’t. The current is such that the seam has moved over into the deeper water and I had to use my staff and was glad for studded boots when I turned around and headed back to keep from swimming.  I had to get back to the landing and that was hard work – push one leg forward, pull the other up, push one leg forward pull the other one up that kind of hard wading – and then walk downstream on the path to the blow down, and enter the river there. 

There is a new indicator at the blow down – get a load of the picture on the right.  It is a footing with a big concrete base that the ice turned upright.  Get used to the idea of not going in if the water is any higher on the post than it is in this picture.  This flow was all I wanted and I am very comfortable wading Shawmut. Most anywhere on the Kennebec River right now, save the East Outlet, you want to be careful – wading is a lot harder right now than what we have had the last two summers.  If you expand this picture you can just make out the top of the White Rock about 3/4's of the way to the other shore - it's just a small white speck but it is showing.

 The best entry at Shawmut, right now, is on the West Shore and the downstream side of the blow down – the upstream side of the blow down is treacherous due to a submerged log.  Actually, the log is a tree and the top branches are what block the way.  That’s much worse than a log – the branches seem to reach out and grab you – logs don’t.  

I only waded from the blow down to the beach pool.  The gravel bar has a few new twists and grooves and wading was tricky.  Coming back was hard, as I said, but I decided to go back rather than continue downstream.  I wasn’t sure I could get out down stream without going all the way to the second island.  That is something to note.  If you wade Shawmut right now and can’t get back upstream to a safe exit point keep going to the island, and continue to the second island – there is a gravel bar the whole way and you can usually stay out of trouble. The second island is close to shore and should provide you an exit without having to take on any water.  Once onshore you can follow the path back to the parking area. 

One last thing - a guy was in here yesterday and said he had a 20 fish day.  All on a Muddler. He thought it was odd that they all seemed to be the same size and surprised that so many fish were taking.  Upon leaving the water and walking back to the landing he noticed truck tracks right at the edge of the launch area.  This is a picture of the tracks - he figures  while he was fishing the stocking truck must have showed up and dumped a bunch of fish.

05/02/03 - Still high, although the White Rock is right on the edge of showing.  Water temperature is 44 degrees, flow is fast and the clarity is medium to poor.  Insects are starting - I didn't see them but I had reports of a few Blue Winged Olives and I did see Caddis.  Here's a picture of one on the back of the building.  It's small and there was only one but it's still a promise of things to come.  All in all I'm afraid it is still early for Shawmut. 
At a DMR meeting in St. Albans last week a DMR representative said Alewives were showing in the Kennebec and another person said Alewives were in Damariscotta so they can't be far from Waterville.  That means Stripers in one to two weeks.  

04/25/03 - No change, high fast and not wadable.  It's visit some small streams for me this weekend. The Carrabassett, Sandy and Sebasticook are all flowing well over 1,000cfs and we'll have to wait for them to drop before the Kennebec will be wadable.  One could float Shawmut - the water isn't to dirty - however, the temperature is still only about 39 to 40 degrees.  Fishing will be slow.
Last Monday I visited a streamside Atlantic Salmon egg hatching project.  If you want to visit the write-up I did showing the project follow this link. 

04/24/03 - High, fast and not wadable.  I'd be surprised if we are able to wade before this time next week.

04/20/03 - Level has dropped and the gates are closed - river is wadable.  Clarity fair, flow fast, water temperature about 38 degrees. Fishing slow.

Happy Easter

04/19/03    The water is still very high and flow fast.  Wading would be ill advised with the air and water temperatures hypothermia is right there fishing with you.  The river is dropping fast and may be wadable by the time we close today.  I'll post if it is.

If you simply must fish this weekend and can't think of any other place to fish then try the Benton side of the river and go up close to the dam and fish off the ledges.  Down a bit from the dam you will find two ledges that jut out into the river and they are often worth trying when the water is high like this and the final spot or section I'd try would be the pasture pool area.  Those three locations have all given up fish at these water levels.  Not many fish but they have produced.  Bring your best roll casting rod or a Spey Rod.

04/18/03 Water is high and fast, but dropping already.  I'll post when it is wadable.  No insect activity to speak of - a few midges is about all.
The mechanical flood gates are about half open and some of the wooden flash boards have given way.  You can see the missing flash board area in the 1st photo and there is a close-up of the mechanical flash board status in the 2nd picture.

04/16/03 Well wading is out - the flow is around 20,000cfs - finally.  I was worried we weren't going to get a flushing.  This rate is just under flood stage and will take a week or so to drop.  You can keep checking here or go to the USGS site  at http://me.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/current/?type=flow and check this and other rivers.  I'll get some pictures tomorrow.  This is just what we need to rip up some of the weeds that have started to take hold in some areas.  It will clean some of the silt out of the gravel that has started to accumulate due to low flows.  Now for a few warm days..................

04/11/03  Water temperature is mid to high 30's depending on the time of day.  Clarity is good.  Flow is moderate to fast. Level is like mid-June.  Action is slow but fish are being caught.  Marshall got a 20" + brown two days ago on a bottom bouncing sculpin.  Here are a couple of photos to show you what is going on.
Here's yesterday's hatch.  Hearty little guys - about 3/8" long, size 12 fly.  This one is just out of his shuck and the wings haven't pumped full yet. 

Here's a close up of what Marshall and I think is an Early Dark Stonefly, normally a mid to late afternoon hatch.  To keep from freezing to death at night, should there be a frost, these guys will burrow down into the snow.  Try using an Early Brown Stone pattern or an American Pheasant Tail.  Use it in the slower water - these guys move to shore to hatch.

And here's a look at the tree blow-down that happened last fall.  It lays across the path on the Shawmut side and marks a good access point.  If you are continuing downstream someone kindly cut a step for us as well as removing a couple of large pieces that required some climbing to get through.  Fairly easy now.

04/09/03 Water levels are good for wading.  Still some ice floating down so one must watch out.  Marshall caught a nice 20" + (closer to 24" than 20") fish up there yesterday.  I'll post a picture as soon as he gets them back.  Got the fish with a no. 6 Bead Head Madonna Sculpin he tied yesterday. I'll have to get him to show me how he tied it.  Bet he ties some more.

Monday water was high but wadable.  Yes those are pussy willows in the picture on the left.  White Rock was showing but not a lot.

Today the level was even lower.  Here is a view from above and below the dam.  The black lines down the face of the dam are missing flashboards.

Here's the White Rock from the parking lot this morning. As you can see the water level is like the end of June. 

And finally here's some deer in a field down by Togus.  Nothing to do with Fly Fishing Shawmut Dam but I was happy to see them out. Like the pussy willows above a sure sign of spring.

04/04/03 Is it Friday again, already?  Wow, time flies.  Here's the scoop - water is high, fast but not as dirty.  Not as high or fast as on the 1st for that matter.  Two of the guys who fished the Shawmut Dam section yesterday, Will and Pete, were good enough to stop in after fishing and reported one Rainbow, 18", off the ledges on the Benton side.  Not much wading going on - it's wade in up to your knees type fishing - no roaming around. Green Wooly Bugger type pattern got the hook-up.

Here are some photos from Shawmut today. Click any to enlarge.

As you can see the flashboards are still up. The White Rock is not showing. The path is above water (see photo below on the 1st of the path to see the drop over these last 3 days) and above the dam the ice is breaking up.

04/02/03 Here's three more for you.  Left to Right - Sebasticook River meeting the Kennebec, Castle Island Camps and the Spillway in Belgrade.
       

04/01/03  Water temperature, cold, water level, high, water flow fast - hatches none.  Sounds like April doesn't it.  Here's a look at things along some of the river. Click to enlarge any of these pictures.
Shawmut has high water as you can see from these pictures.  The path on the right is underwater and the signs shown on the left are getting wet.  I've seen the water at the top of the signs so I guess it isn't to bad yet. 

Then we go to Skowhegan and it is much the same.  Here are two photos of the Great Eddy, the one on the left is the bank along RT. 2 and the one on the right is looking up into the gorge.

Then on to Madison, left, and to Solon, right, and as you can see Madison is high at the Pines, just in front of the spring and Solon, looking up from the bridge is not so bad.  As we got upriver the flow was less.  Most of the water seems to be coming from the Sandy and the Carrabassett.

Then quickly upriver to Bingham and Moscow.  Wyman dam is on the left and there isn't even any water coming through the overflows.  The picture on the right shows the ice above the dam.  It was looking a little dark in places but still solid.

And finally to the place I'd fish if I was going to be out instead of here working.  There aren't that many good access wadable spots out there on April 1st any year so I'm not going to say where I found this gravel bar but I will say it is on the Kennebec.

As for where you might want to go this week or coming weekend - try getting up towards the dams at some lake outlets. The ponds aren't overflowing and if you are streamside and above the swollen feeder streams that swell the downstream flow you might find fairly clean fishable water.

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