Summer Report

If you haven’t taken advantage of the awesome fishing this summer has provided you still have time.  We have been on pretty consistent lake trout fishing for the duration of the summer and bass fishing is providing fast action on the many bodies of water our state provides.  Fall is right around the corner and the cooler mornings have reminded me of that with temperatures in the low 50s.  Even after spectacular summer fishing the angling opportunities abound in the fall.  The important thing to watch for during the later part of August is a heavy rainfall.  If we get a substantial rainfall this could bring some early fish out of the lakes and ponds and could offer early opportunities in our rivers and streams.  It would also help alleviate the drought conditions that have returned in the southern part of the state.

What was a wet spring has turned into drought conditions in the southern part of the state. This has been a different story in the northern parts of our state where there has been much more rain and we were unable to get onto our favorite river more than a few times as the water releases were near flood levels. Regardless we made things work and we were pleased with the outcome when we made it on that body of water for a few trips. I have been very happy this summer with bodies of water that hold salmon, trout and bass as this ensures that at any point we can change the species we are targeting. This has been helpful when we are on bigger bodies of water when the wind and waves force us to find shelter. Many of the coves and islands are home to smallmouth bass, which allows us to extend our day as we can find shelter from the wind and not give up due to weather.  It is also a great feeling to not lose a whole day of fishing due to poor weather.  I always preach having a back-up plan and it has paid dividends already.

Sometimes a back-up plan is not necessarily due to weather.  It could be due to the targeted species not cooperating.  Also a change of pace is not a bad thing when you spend hours and days on the same body of water.  Exploring a little bit or trying a new technique is always a good idea.  Sebago is a prime example of this.  Lake trout fishing has been great all summer with the occasional salmon showing up.  Everyone knows that this lake can become very dangerous very quickly and if you are not careful you could get hurt.  When this happens there are plenty of opportunities in the calmer coves and inlets to pursue bass, pickerel and crappie.  Just make sure that you have the right equipment and lures or flies to get the job done.  With crappie fishing I love that when you find one you will be able to catch plenty afterward as they are found in schools.  With the crappie that we have been catching this summer the size of these fish is important to note.  We were consistently catching 15 inch crappie with an impressive girth that put up a great fight on light tackle.  Also, as they are an invasive species, do not worry if you wanted to take a few home to eat as they are good table fare.

We love when we get to take a family out fishing and this summer has been no exception.  When young kids are involved I always try to make sure we are in an area where there are a lot fish so that they have a higher chance of catching fish.  There is nothing worse than waiting in between fish to keep a kids attention.  There is only so much you can do.  Also make sure that you have plenty of snacks, drinks, sunblock and bug spray to last a long day.  When a day goes well with kids it is incredibly rewarding.  On one specific trip one of the youngest anglers in the group was getting frustrated that he would lose his fish before we could put it in the net.  He had caught a few nice ones, but for some reason we couldn’t close the deal.  That all changed after a hearty meal of chicken and steak fajitas.  We were making our way back up the river when a nice bass hit his lure.  I do not know if he was more focused on catching this fish or if I was.  I helped him keep the rod steady as we reeled as quickly as he could.  The others could have been catching fish, but that was not on my mind at that moment.  When that bass landed in the net he was beyond excited.  That is one memory that I will remember for a long time.

There are also times when a trip that includes a little family competition can turn out differently than what was expected.  I was lucky to be involved in a trip with two other guides that had a last minute request for an additional two and I was able to help them out.  I love working with other guides, especially those that are like minded.  All of the guides I associate with will work their tails off to ensure that their clients have a great time and as long as they are happy we are as well.  As we were pushing off into the river there was talk of money for most fish, biggest fish and some sort of fun prize for smallest fish.  This family wanted to fly fish, but my two clients had only tried it once.  After around 20 to 30 minutes of casting practice I was moving closer to another likely holding spot amongst the rocks when my clients said can we just leave our lines out and you motor around.  Of course I made that work as I love trolling and I find it deadly effective.  The key here is your lines very rarely leave the water and you are covering a ton of water.  With that we began catching a lot of fish and even landed a 17″ and 15 1/2″ bass.  Good natured teasing abounded as we did catch more fish, but everyone had a great day and the weather was just perfect.  What this last trip showed me was that you need to play to your strengths and listen to your clients.  I am sure we wouldn’t have caught as many fish casting and retrieving just based on not covering as much water as trolling.  It really does depend on your perspective.