Fishing in Maine:
The following links will give you a short description of the types of lakes and fish you will find in the Maine North Woods.

Information below was provided by A Fisherman's Guide to Maine.

North Woods

HISTORY
For thousands of years after the last ice age, tribes of Wabnaki Indians traveled throughout Maine in yearly cycles. Winters were spent in hunting grounds at the headwaters of rivers like the Allagash and St. John. And when spring arrived, families would float down to the coast in birch bark canoes, where they would fish and raise crops, until shortening days prompted them to head back up river to gather nuts and berries for their winter stores. Everything in the Wabnaki world was sacred. Plants, animals, fish and even the rivers themselves were revered, because the survival of their families depended on the survival of everything else around them.

When white men arrived in New England, they looked toward Maine for the natural resources that it could provide. Rivers were dammed, trees were cut, and the traditional Wabnaki way of life was destroyed. Change began at the coast and along the major rivers, where mills and settlements were first built. Eventually though, the search for virgin timber led lumbermen to every corner of the state, and in 1839 they arrived in the North Maine Woods.

Discovery of the vast tracts of huge trees that stretched along the lakes and rivers of this region elicited great interest among lumber barons like Sam Veazie and Rufus Dwinel, whose mills on the lower Penobscot were hungry for raw materials. But water served as the only means of transporting logs in these early days, and a major problem for these men was that the natural course of the rivers in this area flowed northward. This meant that unless some drastic action was taken, logs from the North Maine Woods would be carried to the sawmills on the St. John River in Fredrickton, New Brunswick, rather than to their own operations in Bangor.

Motivated by huge profits, these Bangor lumbermen financed an effort to survey the area and build a dam at the outlet of Chamberlain Lake. The goal was to raise the water level enough make it flow backwards into Telos and Webster Lakes. But in order to completely reverse the flow of water on the upper part of the Allagash River, several other dikes and small dams had to be added. The project eventually was successful and the first logs from the North Maine Woods were floated to Bangor in 1842.

Within 10 years however, all the trees around Chamberlain had been cut, and the search for timber was extended further north. Lumbermen were again faced with the challenge of re-directing logs from the St. John to the Penobscot River drainage. This time, the problem was solved by an engineer from Salem Massachusetts named Eben Coe, who built a canal and lock system that allowed rafts of logs from the Eagle and Churchill to be floated into Chamberlain Lake.

Steam power arrived in the North Maine Woods at the turn of the century and had an immediate impact on how work was done. Prior to 1900, rafts of logs were transported across large lakes by a back-breaking process that involved winding a long rope attached to a heavy anchor onto a capstan. But now, these rafts could be attached to steamboats and effortlessly towed from place to place. Around this time, a 3000-foot long, steam-driven tramway that moved individual logs between Eagle and Chamberlain Lakes was also built and operated by O.A. Harkness. Within 10 years however, this tramway was replaced by a more efficient tank-like log hauler designed by Alvin Lombard of Waterville Maine which could pull up to 10 sleds of lumber along ice covered roads cut through the woods.

Perhaps the most impressive chapter in the lumbering history of the North Maine Woods was written between 1925 and 1927 by Edward Lacroix. This popular French Canadian built a 15-mile long rail line that could haul 7,000 cords of pulp wood from Eagle to Umbazookskus Lake each week. An 1800-foot long wooden trestle, along with two large steam locomotives, and a number of other artifacts of this by-gone era can still be viewed by Allagash visitors today.

ALLAGASH WATERSHED
The classic image of Maine fishing involves standing alone in a wild river, casting a dry fly to rising trout in fading light, while a moose feeds peacefully in the near-by shallows. A scene like this can be experienced in countless places along the Allagash River, and this is one reason why this place stirs such deep emotions among the people who have been here. The first recorded proposal to protect the Allagash appeared in a Portland Press Herald editorial written by Forrest H. Colby in 1921. But it took until 1966 to approve the legislation that led to the creation of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and insured that the “natural beauty, character and habitat of this unique area would be preserved forever.” Protection of the waterway was enhanced in 1970 when it was added to the National Wild and Scenic River System. And today, this 92-mile ribbon of river and lakes that winds through the heart of the North Maine Woods stands as a testament to the foresightedness of fishermen and other conservationists who loved this territory long before the generation of present-day users were even born.

WATERWAY LAKES
Many people who canoe the Allagash are surprised to find that nearly half the trip is comprised of lakes, rather than moving water. In fact, from Telos Landing to Allagash village, there are eight major lakes located directly on the waterway, and another half dozen that are connected to it. Brook trout, togue and whitefish are found in all of these waters and receive lots of attention from anglers in the winter and spring. Angling methods are similar on most of these lakes, so individual write-ups will only be provided for the three most popular ones.

Since all these waters are part of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, road access is limited and a number of boating and angling restrictions apply. The only hard-top boat launch is located near the southern terminus of the waterway at Chamberlain Bridge. Large boats can be launched here and used on Chamberlain and Telos Lakes. Only canoes with outboard motors of less than 10 horsepower are allowed on Eagle Lake or any of the waters farther north. Access to Eagle and Churchill Lakes can be gained from rough launches near John’s Bridge and Churchill Dam, or by floating a canoe down the outlet of Indian Pond. Umsaskis, Long Lake and Round Pond can be reached from the Realty Road thoroughfare or from a bridge on the Henderson Brook Road that runs along the west side of the Musquacook lakes. Allagash Lake is the most pristine spot on the waterway. Since no motors are allowed here, access is by floating down, or paddling up Allagash Stream, or carrying canoes and gear down a 2-mile trail that leads to the south end of the lake. People who have questions or want more detailed information on the waterway should contact the Maine Bureau of Parks and Recreation, State House, Augusta, ME, 04333.

Allagash Lake
Some of my fondest memories are of early season fishing trips to Allagash Lake with my wife Cheryl, and our three kids. My first visit here was with my oldest daughter Kristen, when she was in kindergarten. We didn’t depart until after the half-day school bus brought her home at 11AM, and I was very concerned about reaching our intended campsite on Allagash Lake by nightfall. Despite my anxiety, we had a great time counting dozens of moose on the 5-hour drive to the put-in site. Then after paddling across Johnson Pond and down Allagash Stream, we even managed to catch several nice brook trout at the inlet before dark. Other trips provided more adventures, like the time a northwest wind filled the cove we were camping on with floating ice. And the night that the smelts were running so heavily past our campsite, that they startled my daughter when she shined her flashlight into the water while doing the dinner dishes.

The ice usually doesn’t completely clear from Allagash Lake until around May 15, but adventurous anglers visit here as soon as any open water appears in the lake and the inlet stream is navigable. I know a number of people who have had great togue fishing here in late April. The smelts generally run up Allagash Stream and a couple of other smaller tributaries in early May, and this is when I like to fish here. Most of the lake is ice-free by then, and fish can be taken by trolling streamer flies, Rapalas or Mooselook Wobblers along the shorelines. Lots of fish also follow spawning smelts into Allagash Stream, and can be caught by casting flies and lures into deep corner pools. Stream fishing is particularly good in the early morning when spawned-out smelts are floating back down to the lake. People unfamiliar with canoes should use caution here in the spring, because cold water, high winds, and extreme isolation can be a dangerous combination.

Chamberlain Lake
At just over 13 miles long, Chamberlain is the largest and most popular lake on the waterway. And for several weeks after ice out, it’s not unusual to count more than 25 trucks with trailers at the boat launch. I have a love-hate relationship with this lake, because on one hand, it can provide some great fishing for brook trout, togue and whitefish. It often forces you to endure such miserable conditions however, that it hardly seems worth it. The problem with Chamberlain is that it’s a long, narrow body of water that is surrounded by low hills. So when the wind blows out of the northwest, as it often does for days-on-end in the spring, the lake gets whipped into whitecaps, and provides few places for boaters to hide. The action can be so good here though, that people are willing to battle these elements for a chance at a trophy fish.

The keys to safety and success on Chamberlain are having a large boat and getting on the water early. A good alternative when the weather really gets bad is to fish Round Pond or Telos Lake. Both are accessible from the boat launch at Chamberlain Bridge, but are much smaller and more protected than the big lake. And ever since I shared a shore lunch at High Bank campsite with a couple of guys who showed me a 24-inch brook trout they caught around Midnight Brook, I’ve always been interested in these waters.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the best way to fish Chamberlain because things change as the season progresses. When the smelts are running, trolling near spawning brooks can be very productive. Popular locations include the large cove where Allagash Stream dumps into the upper lake and the brook adjacent to The Arm campsite. The west shoreline between Ellis Brook and Mud Cove can also be good at this time of year.

Many brook trout are taken in early spring by trolling sewn smelts within 15 feet of the shore. Lures like the Rapala, Mirror Minnow and Yo-Zuri Pin Smelt, along with streamer flies like the Miss Sharon and Blue Smelt can also be very effective. Considering the irregular and relatively shallow nature of Chamberlain’s shoreline, fishing in-close without getting hung up can be a challenge, especially when the wind is blowing. Depth finders can be a big help, but in order to get your offerings into the fish-zone, you have to troll close to the rocks and risk losing a lure or two.

Togue are usually farther from shore, but can be taken near the surface by the same methods described for brook trout. Many anglers also use lead-core line and an assortment of large dodgers, flashers and spoons. But since I catch plenty of early-season togue by simply trolling a sewn-smelt or streamer fly on a sink-tip fly line, I generally stick to this lighter tackle. Whitefish are another popular target on Chamberlain that are found offshore within 15 feet of the bottom. Jigging in the upper lake with a Swedish Pimple, small Lead-Fish or cut bait, is the most common way to catch these tasty fish.

Eagle Lake
Eagle is another large lake in the area that produces some beautifully colored brook trout and togue. Because access is more difficult and boats are not allowed, Eagle receives much less fishing pressure than Chamberlain. In fact, several Department of Inland Fisheries surveys done in the 1980’s showed more than twice as many people fished on Chamberlain than Eagle, both during the open-water and ice-fishing seasons. Creel census data indicated that brook trout ran around 14 inches on both lakes, but that the average Eagle Lake togue (23.5 inches) was more than 3 inches longer than togue on Chamberlain.

Eagle Lake has been surveyed several times since then, and statistics show a steady increase in the size and catch rate of both brook trout and togue. Fisheries biologist Scott Roy says, “the most likely reason for this very encouraging trend is reduced bag limits and the introduction of smelts, which took place in the early 1960’s.” Today, Eagle Lake produces brook trout that can approach 3 pounds and togue in the 5-pound range. Popular locations on the south end of the lake include the mouths of Smith and Woodman Brooks, Indian Stream, and the ledges off of Pillsbury Island. Farther up the lake, Farm Island, Russell Cove, Snare Brook and the entire east shoreline from opposite the Pump Handle to just beyond Zeigler campsite can also provide great spring fishing. Light tackle trolling with smelts, streamer flies or hardware will all produce early-season action. But once the smelts have stopped running and the surface water warms to around 60oF, many fish will abandon these shoreline areas and head for the deep holes that lie around Hog Island and the Narrows. Catching them at this time of year is more difficult because it requires lead-core line or a downrigger to get your offerings down to where they are feeding. And since Eagle lake has a canoes-only regulation, you have the further complication of fitting all this heavy trolling gear into a fairly small watercraft. As a result, most serious fishermen visit here either early in the spring, or during the last few weeks of September, when cooling waters draw fish back up near the surface.

ALLAGASH RIVER
The moving water section of the Allagash River begins at Churchill Dam, and aside from minor interruptions at Umsaskis Lake, Long Lake and Round Pond, flows for over 60 miles before entering the St. John River at Allagash Village. My first experience here was on a week-long canoe trip that I took with my wife Cheryl in September 1981. The delightful sunny days filled with moose, loons and brilliant autumn colors caused me to fall in love with this section of river. I’m sure that the big brook trout that we caught along the way also added significantly to these positive feelings.

In the years that have past, I’ve come to realize that trout over 3 pounds, like the ones we encountered on that first trip, are really quite unusual on the lower river. Of course there are a few places, like the pool below Churchill Dam and the Big Eddy near the end of Chase Rapids, where large fish are occasionally taken in the spring. And each fall, a few monsters can be found off the mouths of spawning tributaries such as Ross Stream. Generally however, most of the brook trout that I catch in the moving sections of the Allagash River are less than 16 inches.

Churchill Dam to Long Lake
Some of my most enjoyable fishing on the Allagash has taken place on the Chase Rapids section of river below Churchill Dam. A trail runs along much of the west bank, but you could rock-hop your way through the pocket water on either side of the river. Although fishing is best in late spring and fall, this area holds trout throughout the season. Muddlers, Hornbergs and a variety of nymphs will draw strikes from 10-inch brookies all day long. Al’s Goldfish, Daredevils and small Swedish Pimples also account for many of the trout here.

Four miles downstream, the river widens and braids into a number of channels as it approaches Umsaskis Lake. The roar of the Chase Rapids is replaced by the sounds of the birds, frogs and insects that inhabit Umsaskis Marsh. This interesting stretch of river can be reached by either floating down from Churchill Dam or by motoring up Umsaskis Lake from the Thoroughfare. Neither is a simple option, so anglers planning to fish here should spend a few days thoroughly exploring the different channels and runs that are formed among the grass covered islands. Dry fly fishing can be good in the evening, and if you hit it right, the trout can run larger than average. Black flies and mosquitos can be a problem though, so be sure to bring your bug dope here.

Umsaskis is connected to Long Lake by a 300-yard section of moving water known as the Thoroughfare. In early spring, it attracts smelts along with brook trout and togue from the adjoining lakes. Since it is one of the only places in the region that is ice-free, it also draws lots of anglers who are eager to catch their first fish of the season. By late May, the action dies down and the fishermen disperse. A few smaller trout remain in the area throughout the season and can be caught in the evening by casting dry flies off the bridge.

Long Lake Dam to Allagash Village
The campsite at the old Long Lake Dam serves as a good central location for fishermen to sample the opportunities that are available in both Long Lake and the river. A couple miles upstream, trout can be found at the mouth of Ross Stream or near Shepherd Brook, which enters almost directly across the lake. And there are many good runs in the 7 miles of picturesque fast water below Long Lake. Good fish can also often be found in the moving water adjacent to the old dam. This spot is a particularly popular with people camped here who can fish very early in the morning or late evening.

Round Pond is the last semi-accessible piece of flat water on the lower Allagash, so many people like to camp and fish here. The braided channels at the inlet and rips at the outlet are good places to wade and fly fish. The pond itself also supports a healthy population of brook trout that can be taken on everything from dry flies to deep-trolled hardware. Round Pond looks like a place that should produce some monster trout, but I never seem to catch anything much over 12 inches. When I spoke with local warden Jim Fahey about this, he thought that competition from the large number of trout in the pond might be the factor that was limiting their individual size.

The 18 miles of river that extends from Round Pond to Allagash Falls is the most unspoiled and picturesque section of the Waterway. Fishing can be good around many of the brooks that enter the river in this area. In fact, it was just upstream from the Five Finger Brook campsite that I caught my largest Allagash brook trout ever on a black Hornberg. Following its 40-foot tumble over Allagash Falls, the river flows for another 12 miles to its confluence with the St. John. Several deep pools can be found in the vicinity of the falls, but since this spot is a mandatory portage for all canoeists, this area tends to get fished fairly heavily. Beyond the falls, the river broadens out, and I have heard stories about people from the village who catch lots of trout in this part of the river, but it has never been very good for me.

HEADWATER LAKES AND TRIBUTARIES
There are many other large waters in the Allagash drainage that also have good fishing. West of the river, Ross and Priestly lakes both provide anglers with an opportunity to catch native brook trout and togue in a remote setting. With its sporting camps and road-accessible campsites, Ross usually gets more fishing pressure than Priestly. But at just over 3,000 acres and 100 feet deep, this lake consistently produces nice fish for anglers who endure the long trip over rough roads to get here. Smelt runs are heavy just after ice-out, and trolling the rocky east shore between Boucher and Gannett Brooks with streamers or sewn-bait is usually a good bet. Ross’s size and orientation make it prone to strong winds in the spring, so fishermen venturing up here should bring a large boat. Conditions are usually much more pleasant in the fall, and good fishing can sometimes be found on the north end of the lake around Fool Brook and the outlet. Because of its depth, the water in Ross is slow to cool down in the fall, and I have been plagued by chubs here on a couple of trips in September. One pleasant surprise I’ve encountered on this lake is surprising number of Green Drakes that hatch sporadically throughout the summer. Well-known Maine outdoor writer Gene LeTourneau had a camp here for many years and caught countless brook trout and whitefish on Green Drake dry flies and wiggle-nymphs fished in the shallows along the perimeter of the lake.

Since my passion is casting flies to rising trout in moving water, I try to time visits to coincide with the peak of mayfly activity on Ross Stream, which usually occurs in mid-June. By this time, many other streams in Maine have already begun to suffer from a lack of water or warm temperatures. But Ross Stream has a number of springs and cool tributaries that usually keep it in prime condition until the dog days of summer. This 20-mile long gem can be accessed from a number of logging roads or floated in high water from one end to the other. The small settlement of Clayton Lake is located about mid-way and serves as a convenient access point. Several miles of alder-lined flats are a popular destination for anglers who motor upstream from the lake. And a number of nice pools between Holmes and Harvey Brooks can be reached by bushwhacking through the woods from the road that follows the north bank. Most resident trout in Ross Stream are less than 12 inches, but larger fish that run out of the lakes are always possible, especially on the upper and lower ends in spring and fall.

Many good lakes can also be found east of the Allagash River. Clear Lake, with its dramatic mountain backdrop, and light-colored strains of brook trout and togue, is probably my personal favorite. But Spider, Haymock, Indian, Pleasant, Cliff and the Musquacook Lakes all have their own disciples. If you spend a couple of hours trolling around with a fish finder, you will see that all these lakes have plenty of fish. The problem for anglers, is that these fish are often so well fed that they refuse to bite. As a result, I’ve seen experienced fishermen get shut-out a number of times. Usually though, just when you’re about ready to give up, someone will catch an eye-popping 4 ½ pound brook trout, like the one I saw taken on an orange Mooselook Wobbler in Indian Pond recently, or land a beautiful 10-pound Haymock Lake togue. Faith restored, you then find yourself returning to these remote places time and time again in search of a trophy fish.

ST. JOHN RIVER WATERSHED
From its humble beginning in the tiny brooks that drain Truesdale Mountain, the upper St. John River collects water from dozens of tributaries along its 140-mile journey to Allagash Village. Since the St. John watershed has few large lakes and limited water storage capacity, its flow and temperature are dependent on rainfall and local weather. For fishermen and canoeists, this means that good timing is critical. So before making the long journey, all visitors should obtain up-to-date information on water flow from the North Maine Woods headquarters in Ashland. At least 3,000 CFS of water are needed for good canoeing, and water temperatures around 60oF are ideal for fishing.

Recreationalists who travel along the upper St. John River today encounter few buildings, automobiles or people and often think that this area has always been uninhabited. In reality however, French Canadians from New Brunswick traveled to the upper St. John in the 1840’s in search of timber. During the 80-years that followed, lots of development and a rich lumbering history was established on the river. Today, all of the designated campsites on the St. John are places of historical interest, where logging depots or homesteads once stood. And almost every tributary that enters the river is named after a well-known woodsman or river-driver from that by-gone era.

The upper St. John is the longest free-flowing river in the eastern United States. During the energy-crisis of the 1970’s however, a massive hydroelectric development program called the Dickey-Lincoln Project was proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Dickey-Lincoln threatened to inundate more than 45 miles of the St. John River and nearly 80 miles of tributary streams. Fortunately, a number of elements, including economics, fisheries, and the fact that nearly all of the electricity would be sent out-of-state, contributed to the cancellation of the project in 1983. According to Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Mike Keegan, “it was the need to protect the Furbish Lousewort, an endangered species of plant that only grows near the banks of the St. John River, that ultimately caused the project to be dropped.” This was one of the few times in the history of Maine politics that conservation won out over big business. And many believe that Dickey-Lincoln set a precedent which contributed to a number of the other fish-friendly decisions, such as the defeat of two proposed dams on the Penobscot (Big A and Basin’s Mills), and the removal of existing dams on the Kennebec River and Souadabscook Stream. Currently, the St. John River is overseen by a Resource Protection Committee that regulates timber harvesting and development along its entire corridor. This should help insure that this great river will remain a valuable resource for anglers and other outdoorsman into the foreseeable future.

St. John River
Because of its length, limited access and distance from civilization, the St. John is one of the most difficult rivers in Maine for anglers to become acquainted with. In fact, I have fished here on a number of occasions, and still feel like a novice whenever I venture onto a new stretch. Over the years however, I have developed a few general rules that may help improve your success here. Trout are generally easiest to catch in late spring, when the runoff is receding and the water temperature is in the mid-50’s. Good fish often congregate along the edges of rapids or in quiet pools behind large boulders. The St. John is over 150 feet wide in many places and can be intimidating to newcomers. I find the best way to approach this river is to only cast about 25 feet out into the current, and then slowly work your offering down and across until it ends up tight against the bank. Many strikes will occur in the slack water within 5 feet of the shore. Traditionally, worms have been very popular on the St. John, but a recent survey revealed that nearly 35% of the anglers here are now fly fishing. I find high-floating dry flies like grasshoppers and Stimulators, or meaty looking wet fly such as Muddlers and woolly-worms to be most productive. Small, copper-colored Mepps spinners and Roostertails can also be deadly.
 

Prime stretches on many of Maine’s top rivers are often only a few miles long and can be quite crowded. But during the spring season on the St. John, trout can be found almost anywhere along its entire 140-mile length and relatively few people fish here. The recent introduction of muskies has caused the average number of trout per mile to decline in a number of areas. Surveys show that nearly 70% of the trout fishing on this river is done by shore-bound anglers who venture less than 1-mile from their vehicle. Therefore, road accessible places such as Poplar Island and School House Rapids, tend to get the bulk of the fishing pressure. Other popular spots that require a bit more effort to reach are Longs, Big Black and Priestly Rapids, and a section of the Northwest Branch that extends from the Daaquam Checkpoint to Moody Bridge. My favorite way to fish the St. John is to use a motorized canoe to explore inaccessible places such as Short Rapids and Seven-Islands.

A big problem on the St. John is that the riverbed is very wide and shallow in many places. This profile results from the countless number of times that it has been scoured by ice flows and spring floods. During low flow periods, this presents anglers with the challenge of finding pools that provide enough depth and cover to hold fish. A lack of riparian vegetation also leaves long stretches of the riverbed exposed to the sun, and results in water temperatures that can run up into the 70’s for extended periods.

Arlo Caron grew up at 9-Mile Bridge and has spent the past 35 years guiding in this area. He says, “the key to catching good trout in the summer is finding spring holes in the riverbed or deep, sheltered pools where fish can hide.” Two examples of such refuges are the ledge pool across the river from the 9-Mile Bridge campsite, and the large spring-fed corner pool a few miles below Priestly Bridge. In the old days, the prevailing thought was that most of the good trout in the St. John headed up into the smaller feeder brooks when the weather got hot. And according to Caron, “Years ago, this probably did occur. But with all the clear-cutting that has taken place on this watershed, many of these tributaries have been laid open to the sun and don’t provide the quality cold water habitats that they once did. As a result, the bigger trout don’t use them anymore.” My experiences, and much of the stream survey work done in conjunction with the Dickey-Lincoln project indicate that nowadays, brook trout over 10 inches long are fairly rare in most St. John tributaries.

Muskellunge Fishery
With the exception of Wadleigh and Desolation, few other lakes and ponds in the St. John drainage support good cold water fisheries. Muskellunge are found in Baker Lake however, and provide lots of excitement. Casting large spoons and plugs in areas where weed beds drop off into deeper water provides your best chance of catching one of these powerful fish that can reach 10 pounds. The area around the inlet on the south end of the lake is popular, especially in the early morning and evening.

Muskies are an introduced species that entered Maine from a stocking done in Lac Frontiere, Quebec during the early 1970’s. To reach Baker Lake, these fish traveled through more than 25 miles of the St. John and its tributaries. And today, although not everyone is quick to acknowledge it, they are established throughout the river. In fact, muskies have become so plentiful in places like Moody Bridge, that during low water you can look into the river with polarized glasses and see them holding in the deep pools.

Some local anglers are pleased with this turn of events and have asked the state to introduce muskies into several other area lakes. Most people however, place a higher priority on the native brook trout fishery and fear the eventual impact that these voracious predators will have. Personally, I think that the introduction of muskies to the St. John is a tragedy. But since they are here, fishermen may as well take advantage of them.

UPPER AROOSTOOK WATERSHED
The upper Aroostook River begins at the junction of Munsungan and Millinocket streams and travels east for about 30 miles until it reaches the village of Masardis. Along the way, it receives water from tributaries such as Mooseleuk and LaPomkeag streams, and leaves the North Maine Woods as a large river. Some great fishing is available in this drainage, but this is big, remote country that takes quite a bit of time and effort to figure out.

Headwater Lakes
Munsungan, Millinocket and Millimagassett are three large lakes that make up the headwaters of the Aroostook River. All are roughly the same size and depth, and provide opportunities for quality fishing in a wild setting. Access and boat launching facilities are limited though, so many people who fish here stay at Libby’s camps on Millinocket Lake or at one of the two sets of sporting camps on Munsungan. I try to visit this area twice a year, and depending on what type of fish I want to catch, often split my time among the three lakes.

One of my fondest memories of this area is from a day in late September when salmon were stacked up at one of the inlets to Munsungan Lake. Although the largest of these fish were only around 16 inches, they eagerly slashed at a small Mickey Finn or just about any other bright streamer that I tossed at them. During the course of that day I probably caught more than 40 salmon and this made a lifetime memory. Trips to Munsungan in the spring can also provide good fishing along the rocky shore between Bluffer and Reed brooks, and near the mouth of the stream flowing from Chase Lake.

Millinocket is one of the few lakes in the North Maine Woods that contains splake, and a couple of winters ago, my kids and I snowmobiled in and caught several thick-bodied specimens in the 18 inch range. And Matt Libby also told me that the sports at his camps were catching nice splake along with salmon, on trolled baits during the open water season. He was particularly pleased with the fishability of these Millinocket Lake splake and said, “They act a lot more like brook trout than togue”, a reference to the fact that they are a sterile hybrid of these two species.

Millimagassett is the most difficult lake in this region to get a vehicle into, so people often fish during the winter, when snowmobile trails provide better access. Open water fishing is good though, with togue being the preferred target for a number of local anglers who keep boats here. Local guide Dan LaPointe fishes this lake regularly and feels the best way to catch togue here is to work large spoons with sewn-bait along the bottom in the vicinity of the deep hole located south of the islands in the middle of the lake. He also says, “some nice salmon and brook trout are also taken by trolling Rapalas and tandem streamers along the northeast shoreline, and around the brooks that enter on the southwest corner.”

Aroostook River and Tributaries
When conditions are right, the Aroostook can be a delightful river to fish. But since it is not a tailwater that has a large dam to supply it with cold water, many of the fish disappear after the spring runoff subsides. Frank Frost is a biologist who has studied the movements of brook trout in the Aroostook watershed for a number of years. He has found that nearly all the trout here are wild fish that move into the tributaries to search for cold water during hot weather. He is currently trying to identify many of these refuges, so that they can be protected from disturbance during logging and other potentially damaging operations. For the average person though, looking for a few limited concentrations of fish among hundreds of square miles of streams, bogs and deadwaters, is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. So for practical purposes, the Aroostook must be considered a seasonal fishery that is most productive in the spring and fall.

A quick glance at a map makes it look like the Oxbow Road runs along the south bank of the upper Aroostook for many miles. This can mislead newcomers into thinking that access to this fishery is good. In reality, the river is almost always separated from the road by at least 100 yards of thick woods, and completely out of sight. A few road accessible spots can be found near the Oxbow Checkpoint, and a few miles upstream where a tote road leads to an old bridge abutment near the Salmon Pool. Generally though, unless you’re familiar with how to reach the best holding water, trying to fish this river from the road can be difficult.

Fortunately though, the upper Aroostook is a good river to fish from a canoe, and a number of different floats are possible. Bridges that cross Millinocket and Munsungan streams make good starting points for one or multi-day trips that can extend all the way down to Masardis. And if you stash your running shoes in the woods near the take-out spot, you can get back to your vehicle without having to worry about arranging a shuttle. I have never had trouble with the water levels here, but it’s a good idea to check with the North Maine Woods office in Ashland before embarking on your trip.

When water temperatures are good, trout and salmon can be found in most of the upper Aroostook’s deep runs and corner pools. Hotspots include the Junction Pool area near the confluence of Millinocket and Munsungan streams, and the alder-lined runs around the mouths of Mooseleuk and LaPomkeag streams. Various nymphs, along with Hornbergs, small Woolly Buggers and marabou streamers have all produced fish for me. Other anglers also do well with lures like Daredevils, Super-Dupers and Roostertails. This wide range of productive methods indicates that when the fish are in the river, they aren’t very selective and makes proper timing the key to a successful trip here.

Mooseleuk Stream is an important tributary that joins the upper Aroostook about 7 miles below Junction Pool. This is another seasonal fishery that is best fished with a canoe. For wading anglers, access is also available at the Pinkham Road bridge and Mooseleuk Lake dam, or by following tributaries like Smith, Middle and Rocky brooks down to the river. The Department of Inland Fisheries thinks enough of Mooseleuk Stream to have it designated as a fly-fishing only water with a 2-fish limit. Although I have never caught any big trout here, I find Mooseleuk to be a uncrowded, pleasant stream to spend time on.

Another upper Aroostook tributary worth investigating is the Machais River. Several deadwaters in this watershed provide fly fishermen with an opportunity to catch trout from a canoe, but much of the upper river is too rocky and steep to float during most of the year. Road access ranges from quite good in some places to almost non-existent in others. I have only fished here a couple times early in the season without much success. However, there are a number of good pools near the mouths of cold brooks that hold trout during the warm weather.

Trout Ponds
Maine has more than 1,100 lakes and ponds that contain brook trout. Nearly 500 have never been stocked, and about 20% of these wild fisheries are located in the North Maine Woods. These ponds are significant because in addition to providing prime habitat, each also contains a genetically unique strain of fish that have become adapted to their environment over centuries. Numerous scientific studies have shown that wild trout are superior to their hatchery-reared counterparts because they grow faster and live longer. Thus, when the gene pool from a wild trout pond is lost, or compromised by the addition of hatchery fish, the overall viability of the species is diminished.

During the 50 years since log driving has been phased-out on Maine rivers, hundreds of logging roads have been built throughout the North Maine Woods. The early roads opened-up vast tracts of virgin country and allowed many of the largest trout in previously inaccessible ponds to be caught and killed. As road building continued, fishing pressure in some remote ponds increased to a point that threatened the survivorship of these wild populations. In order to protect the older, larger trout that are vital as brood stock, Department of Inland Fisheries Commissioner Bucky Owen devised and implemented a set of ‘Quality Fishing Initiatives’ in 1996. These new regulations increased the length, and decreased the bag limit on more than 450 of the state’s best waters. Since then, the consensus among both anglers and biologists is that these new regulations are working effectively toward making Commissioner Owen’s dream of, “providing all anglers in the state of Maine with a realistic chance to catch a four-pound native brook trout” into a reality.

What I like most about North Maine Woods trout ponds is that they provide anglers with an opportunity to catch fish throughout the entire season. And over the years, ponds such as Elbow, Crescent and Little Pleasant have provided action from ice-out until the last day of September. Well-known guide Mike Langley once told me, “it’s not unusual for one of my clients to catch and release 20 trout from one of our local ponds right during the middle of a July or August day.” Of course, it helps to know where all the spring holes are like Mike does. But even if you have never been to a particular pond before, you can still catch trout in the summer by following time-proven rules such as, fish early morning and late evening, use fast-sinking fly lines, and concentrate your efforts around cold water sources and weed beds. Big meaty-looking nymphs and woolly buggers are my favorite flies for North Maine Woods pond fishing.