Moosehead Lake fishing report

By Tim Obrey
Regional Fisheries Biologist

Wild lake trout (or togue) spawn on rocky shoals or shoreline in mid to late October. They scatter their eggs in the crevices in 4-8 feet of water and the eggs incubate until they hatch in late April/early May. Therefore, on waters with significant wild lake trout populations, IFW routinely requests dam operators to drop impoundment water levels in September and early October so that when the lake trout spawn, the lake is at a low elevation. This ensures that the fish will spawn at the low water mark and protect the eggs during the overwinter period when inflow into the lake is typically low and the dam operators again draw the lake down to provide room to catch the spring run-off.

In 1971, Regional Fisheries Biologist Roger AuClair reached a gentleman’s agreement with the Wilson Pond dam operator to manipulate the lake elevations in this fashion. This agreement continued throughout the ownerships of Consolidated Hydro, Ridgewood, and now Kruger.

Since 1993, IFW has also asked the hydro operators to provide specific flows in September to assist the native landlocked salmon population in Sebec Lake that spawn in the lower reaches of Wilson Stream. We request a release of water beginning in early September to attract salmon into the mouth of the stream where they begin their spawning run. When we see salmon jumping at the falls, we then request a lower flow from Wilson Pond dam so the salmon may ascend a serious set of waterfalls that can be impassable under high flows. The dam operators are already drawing the lake down in September, we just ask for specific flows during specific periods to make sure salmon can reach their spawning grounds.

We also ask the dam operators at Sebec Lake to keep that lake as full as possible. This also helps the salmon navigate the 4 foot set of falls. In wet years, the natural flow in the stream can severely reduce and perhaps completely eliminate adult passage over Earley’s Falls. This is a very serious situation. It causes high mortality rates on the adults since they continue to try to ascend the falls even under impassable conditions. It also severely reduces the reproduction for that year and we estimate that around 90-95 percent of the wild salmon from Sebec Lake are reared in Wilson Steam.

We average around three inches of rain in September, but it can fluctuate. In average or wet years, there is enough inflow from rain to buffer the effects of the drawdown and the lake elevation on Wilson Pond drops slowly. Most water management agreements include language to hold impoundments near full from Memorial Day to Labor Day, to provide for the recreational boating/fishing season, then the drawdown begins soon after Labor Day to provide sufficient time to draw the lake down before the lake trout spawning begins in October. In dry years, we may see the lake drop more quickly. It all depends on Mother Nature.