MAINE - Life in the Slow Lane
Hey Scott welcome aboard . I have driven though your home town several times going from Loring AFB to my home town on Winslow and back. I fished the Aroostook allot but never hooked a Salmon. but I did manage to land some really nice Brook Trout . I miss them waters up there. I have to get back that way again some day, Well glad you found Lee's site enjoy the folks here are all very nice and willing to share their stories. Hope to see some pictures of that area would bring back some good memories Dave V
Scott Welcome aboard and you now can see the whole forum.
Lee
Welcome Scott. Hope you enjoy the site. We're getting more guys involved and thats a good thing and nice that they are from different areas. Some guys just fish and others also tie. Me I tie, fish and talk about it. I also went to the two hander 2 years ago. But I do my fair share of small stream fishing and salt fishing with members from this site as well as others. Anyway welcome aboard.
Thanks Everyone. Dave, hooking a Salmon of any size in the Aroostook is fairly rare I think. I'll get a few 10 inch ones trolling each year which, I assume, are the fruits of our stocking program. If it's been more then 15 years that you fished that river, you'll be please to know it's been cleaned up considerably. The State built a bunch of boat landings in that time frame as well. (at least 6 or 7) The brook trout fishing has improved tenfold. Wild fish 12-16 inches, 18-22 inch fish can be had. I think I've only caught 2 ever that were 18 inch though. It's one of the best kept fishing secrets in northern Maine. IMO.
Scott it has been sense 1992 that I wet a fly in them waters , I do miss it for sure. I am really glad to hear that they have put the effort to clean her up. I think this summer when I head home I might take a day trip up there. Have you ever fished the little Madawaska where it goes into the Aroostook ever. That stream held some really nice Brooke's when I was there in the 4 pound class. Give it a try if you haven't fished it. Very nice pockets and pools. Fish the culverts where the water meets the stream . Caught and released over 60 fish in 3 hrs . Was a great day . Dave V
Lee, thanks for the invite. You have a nice site going here. My name is Scott Bernard and I live in Mars Hill, ME. I enjoy fly tying and fishing. I can also be seen carrying a shot gun in the fall hunting grouse. I've been a fly tier for 20 years. Like a lot of people, I started tying to save money, and everyone knows how that turns out. I soon learned that the real advantage was the ability to manipulate patterns, and not be at the mercy of what the outfitters had in their trays. Now, I guess you'd pretty much call it pure addiction. I like to tie streamer flies and hair wing and classic salmon flies but tied dry flies for most of those 20 years. My favorite fishing is spring trolling for Land Locked Salmon, but I also fly fish for brook trout all season long. My newest undertaking for this year is spey rod fishing. I plan to use it in the Aroostook River which I guess would be considered my "home water". I am on the board of directors of Atlantic Salmon for Northern Maine. We operate a private, nonprofit salmon hatchery that we stock in the Aroostook annually. Other then the above, I still get a game of golf in once in awhile when the fish won't bite.
Take Care,
SB