Cooler, higher water means more abundant fishing opportunities in Maine this month

By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News Staff

As the cooler, soggy conditions in Maine extend into the early part of summer, anglers can expect waters to begin warming up significantly this month.

In the meantime, brook trout anglers ought to be able to take advantage of higher, cooler waters in some rivers and streams while bass anglers target more shallow rivers and streams in search of hungry fish. The Penobscot River watershed is home to a wealth of excellent bass habitat, even as the waters warm.

When temperatures heat up and fish such as salmon and lake trout head deeper for more comfortable waters, anglers will likewise have to take measures to get their bait and lures farther below the surface.

Here is the July/August regional fishing report from the folks at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, who are always working to educate anglers while providing productive fishing opportunities across the state.

Penobscot Region

From Fisheries Resource Technician Zachary Glidden: After what feels like weeks of never-ending rain, summer has finally arrived. With the arrival of warmer weather an angler’s thoughts often switch from spring trout fishing to summer bass fishing and the Penobscot Region is home to one of the Northeast’s premier smallmouth rivers. 

The main stem of the Penobscot River stretches from Medway to Bucksport with excellent smallmouth fishing at almost every bend. Pickerel, fallfish and sunfish are also readily caught. Anyone who has had the pleasure of fighting a river smallmouth on a fly rod or spinning rod knows how fun it is to catch these hard-fighting fish. The Penobscot River is a great place to take a child fishing; the main stem is very calm, easy to fish, and smallmouth bass are willing to go after a wide range of lures. There are many places to access the Penobscot River including trailered boat launches in Old Town, Costigan, Greenbush, Passadumkeag, Howland, Lincoln and Winn.

For those diehard trout anglers all is not lost. Titcomb Pond in T32 MD, Trout Pond in Lowell and Mitchell Pond in T7 R9 WELS are stocked brook trout fisheries that produce very nice trout well into the summer. 

Looking for opportunities for lake trout and landlocked salmon trolling? Schoodic Lake, Lakeview Plantation; Cold Stream Pond, Enfield; and East Grand Lake, Danforth; are perennial favorites. Just remember to target below the thermocline using lead core or downriggers.

Fishing Tip: For the greatest success on the Penobscot River, fish in and around structure. Centuries of log driving has created ample cover for smallmouth bass in the form of rock piles and sunken timber. Fishing drop offs and flow seams are another place to look for hungry smallmouth bass chasing crayfish, baitfish and insects.

Reminder: Keep an eye on the weather when out on the water as it can change quickly here in Maine. Wear your life jacket and remember to recreate responsibly.

Moosehead Region

From Seasonal Fisheries Assistant Noah Frost: Just when we thought warmer weather was here to stay, spring decided it was time for round two. Though these wet and cool temperatures can make it difficult to sit out on the water, June-like fishing should persist into July this summer. Also, a cool, windy spring sets our ponds and lakes up with their best water quality for the summer months. That’s good news for anglers and fish alike!

With water temperatures remaining in the low-to-mid 60s, local ponds and rivers will be a productive place to spend your time. In the absence of a hatch, try stripping stimulator flies or Muddler Minnows to grab attention from below. 

Many folks know of the locally famous green drake, or “Hex hatch” that occurs early in July. These are burrowing mayflies that, upon hatching, can invoke a feeding frenzy among local fishes. They thrive in ponds and lakes with silty bottoms and good water quality. Spend an afternoon on such a water and you may see one of these impressive hatches.

I might recommend trying the Greenville Junction Wharf on Moosehead, either early in the morning or late afternoon. Salmon, brook trout and lake trout will still be cruising the shoreline and can be casted to. Or head over to Spencer Pond off the Spencer Bay Road and try your luck for warm water species or stocked brook trout. Here you can fish from shore or throw a kayak or canoe in to fish the rest of the shoreline.

The latter half of July typically lends to warmer water and decreased catch rates of trout in rivers and ponds. This is a great time to take the pressure off these smaller waters and focus on larger lakes with abundant cool water below the surface. Don’t have the fancy gadgets to get down deep? All you need is an anchor and a heavy spoon for jigging. This method can be quite productive on waters like Moosehead Lake, where the lake trout population is robust. And remember to support our effort in balancing Moosehead’s lake trout and smelt populations by taking advantage of the five-fish limit (only one over 18 inches) on togue.

Reminder: Warm water species such as bass can offer an attractive fishery throughout the summer. However, their presence can change an ecosystem forever. If you take advantage of warm water fish species in the Moosehead Lake Region, do your part to help stop the spread of invasive species where they are.

Always consult a law book before venturing out. Fishing laws can be found online, or try out the map-based FLOAT (Fishing Laws Online Angling) tool.