August....A Little Salt, then Far Afield and Way Uphill

[Jim C.]

August was way too hot and humid for my taste.  Maybe this next heat wave will be the last, and I'm excited about fall......but I had scrape up some action while I waited.

I found an inviting salt water rocky drop off while on a hike with my wife early in the month.  I didn't fish then, but was back in a few days to cash in on some schoolies.  Not the 30" plus stripers that Fish Wayniac and Stickbait put on here, but  a decent scrap on light gear.





A few bumps in stream flows inland gave me a chance to hit a few small to medium waters that I'd never or only rarely fished.  Multi-species trout waters were the focus and I got to fish a bunch of different ones, each with it's own special character.  It was fun dissecting them from their headwaters down to their confluence with a major river.  The streams typically began where springs merged in ledge rock pools over 2,000 feet in the air.  Felt cold as ice with 55* water, but I didn't mind an unplanned slip and dip on an 85* day. 



High elevation pools like this were full of 4" to 6" native brookies, but after an hour or so I was ready to descend to where the streams gathered some flow.  There were sharp elevation drops on the way down that must end the upstream movement by fish from below.  Below the drops, these waters had fewer native brookies (maybe even a few stockers), but the bonus of mainly wild 'bows that spend more time in the air than water when hooked and wild browns...definite hat trick territory .   The fish were scattered so I had to cover a lot of ground and fish each holding area thoroughly.  More like panning for gold than casting.  All I used was Parachute Adams or EHC's.



















I also hit a few tribs that are part of the Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program.  These tribs feed significant brown trout rivers, and wild browns were my target.  The waters were full of salmon parr to the point that it was hard to catch anything else. 





But I did manage to get a few brookies and dark wild browns.



Hopefully, this next hot spell is short-lived and we can get on with the fall routine 

[Swampking89]

Way to go Jim!! Love reading your posts.nice job.congrats!!

[Jim C.]

Thanks.  I was out your way in June and did a little fishing in the Oriskany

Way to go Jim!! Love reading your posts.nice job.congrats!!

[oatkasut]

I sure do miss the  Atlantic coast(NJ) but have to due with Lake Ontario and the trout streams of Western NY.Nice report! I have only fished Rangley and Mooslecmaguntic (sp?) lakes in Maine.great place.

[franklin fisher]

  Nice post and update Jim.  Great job.

[filetandrelease]

Great post and super pics thanks for sharing

[TightLinesMaine]

wow, great report! love the "hat trick" waters they are my favorite! those rainbows are gems, pretty pink & red stripes! Interesting looking browns, and you're right, those salmon parr can be aggressive little buggers.

I have a hunch I know where that is, that general area is on my bucket list.  Far drive though 

[fish wayniac]

Jim, Great post as always! Beautiful markings on the trout. Don’t feel bad on the schoolie Stripers. Now that the water warmed up I haven’t caught anything bigger then 24”. The pollack and mackerel are hard to find but the poggies are thick. I Foul hooked some and are tough to reel in on light tackle. This was the first time I have seen a Cunner. They have quite a smile.
I will be glad when the water cools also. The bite has been slow in Lakes and the salt for me.

[Jim C.]

Thanks, Wayne.

I have jigged quite a few of those cunner in Rockland in the fall.  As well as the full smile, they come in a bunch of different colors.

Jim, Great post as always! Beautiful markings on the trout. Don’t feel bad on the schoolie Stripers. Now that the water warmed up I haven’t caught anything bigger then 24”. The pollack and mackerel are hard to find but the poggies are thick. I Foul hooked some and are tough to reel in on light tackle. This was the first time I have seen a Cunner. They have quite a smile.
I will be glad when the water cools also. The bite has been slow in Lakes and the salt for me.

[Stickbait]

Great post. Nice scenery, and the lil natives sure are beautiful!
Thx for sharing.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Awesome Jim!