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MFF US Northeast => Maine => Topic started by: Jim C. on Dec 05, 2017, 08:49 AM

Title: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 05, 2017, 08:49 AM
The first half of November continued the trend of splake, splake, and more splake.  My son and I seemed to have these guys on speed dial.  They were the dominant species in my catch for both October and November.  A definite first.  A typical outing consisted of working the steep drop-offs until the sun started to drop, then sneaking back into the coves to hit fish that had either turned on or moved in shallow, or both ;D

(https://i.imgur.com/sJJl7YI.jpg)

The splake's numbers dwindled and their colors faded late month, but my son did get this guy after Thanksgiving.  The photos never seem to catch all the color.

(https://i.imgur.com/CRiMGri.jpg?1)

Late month and early December so far, it's been about the brookies.  Mostly sight fishing in the shallows, with the evening bite being replaced by the best action at mid-day.

(https://i.imgur.com/ArJxUs6.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/CVmSBMu.jpg?1)

(https://i.imgur.com/sIz3mxO.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/7ZeJF3y.jpg?1)

(https://i.imgur.com/UaympcR.jpg)

As the water temps dropped into the 30's, crankbaits, streamers, and egg patterns have fallen out of favor.  Small nymphs have proven to trigger fish in the ice water around the skim ice.

(https://i.imgur.com/LfECjB5.jpg?2)

Cold weather appears to be ready to settle in.  I'll see if I can keep my open water streak going in the challenging 3 months ahead.







Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: TightLinesMaine on Dec 05, 2017, 09:59 AM
awesome Jim, you're right about the cold weather coming up, night temps in the 'teens aren't far away, I'm not happy about it!  ;D  Looks like we have one more week or so from now of good fishing than things are going to get tough.  I'm gonna make the most of it. 

Great pictures, Like the brookie & fly rod pic especially.

Is that a caddis larva nymph you have there in the last picture? can't tell. 
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: zwiggles on Dec 05, 2017, 12:48 PM
Very nice!
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 05, 2017, 02:41 PM
Thanks, Randall. 

It is the overall fly pattern you mention, but tied with a lot of tinsel.


awesome Jim, you're right about the cold weather coming up, night temps in the 'teens aren't far away, I'm not happy about it!  ;D  Looks like we have one more week or so from now of good fishing than things are going to get tough.  I'm gonna make the most of it. 

Great pictures, Like the brookie & fly rod pic especially.

Is that a caddis larva nymph you have there in the last picture? can't tell.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: fishnmachine on Dec 05, 2017, 05:34 PM
Those are some beautiful fish, Jim. Good job and thanks for sharing.   ;D
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: MG39 on Dec 05, 2017, 06:02 PM
You've had another banner year Jim. You certainly had a variety of species and covered a lot of territory, even leaving the state a few times. I enjoyed your great camera work.
Save a date this winter for a smelt trip to my tidal shack. :)
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 05, 2017, 06:57 PM
Thanks, Bob.

Smelting sounds good. I will have a lot more time by February  ;) 8)


You've had another banner year Jim. You certainly had a variety of species and covered a lot of territory, even leaving the state a few times. I enjoyed your great camera work.
Save a date this winter for a smelt trip to my tidal shack. :)
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: franklin fisher on Dec 06, 2017, 05:56 PM
  Nice post.  Good luck keeping the streak alive.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: PIKE FISHERMAN on Dec 06, 2017, 07:40 PM
Some more great fish Jim. Nice work!!
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Loves To Fish on Dec 07, 2017, 07:21 AM
Wow great pics Jim.
And impressive fish too.
Congrats.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: fish wayniac on Dec 07, 2017, 05:46 PM
Jim, Way to keep the open water season going. I hope to see more of your beautiful fish before the freeze up. Awesome!
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: taxid on Dec 07, 2017, 09:56 PM
Thank you for sharing the pictures.

I always wondered since splake are not sterile if there is any worry about backcrossing with native brook trout?
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: NBourque on Dec 08, 2017, 04:28 PM
Nice fish Jim. I think we fished the same spot a time or two late last month.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 08, 2017, 07:27 PM
Small world sometimes, Nick!  I hit the close spots when I'm short on time  :laugh: 

Nice fish Jim. I think we fished the same spot a time or two late last month.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 08, 2017, 07:31 PM
I believe the biologists here consider the splake to be sterile.  I've always been curious though because the Great Lakes seem to have reproducing splake in Copper Harbor and other spots. 


Thank you for sharing the pictures.

I always wondered since splake are not sterile if there is any worry about backcrossing with native brook trout?
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: taxid on Dec 08, 2017, 07:56 PM
I believe the biologists here consider the splake to be sterile.  I've always been curious though because the Great Lakes seem to have reproducing splake in Copper Harbor and other spots.

All the literature I have seen says they are NOT sterile.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 09, 2017, 09:17 AM
Interesting.  Something for me to review.  I don't believe splake are being stocked here in waters that have any number of native brookies.  On the other hand, the splake do move to waters where they aren't stocked.....like the Kennebec R.


All the literature I have seen says they are NOT sterile.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: TightLinesMaine on Dec 09, 2017, 10:11 AM
Splake can reproduce, but has never been documented in the wild in Maine (according to the Maine IFW's page on splake).  I swear I read somewhere (maybe wikipedia?) in Canada it's happened in the wild.  There is at least one body of water in Maine where splake are stocked where native/wild brook trout occur (also according to Maine IFW's page). 
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: taxid on Dec 09, 2017, 10:25 AM
I stand corrected. You guys are essentially correct. Although they can theoretically successfully reproduce the success rate is nil to none.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splake
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: saltyshores on Dec 15, 2017, 05:01 PM
Splake are not sterile. I have seen lots of splake that produced viable eggs and sperm, but have never found anywhere in Maine where they actually reproduced. We had about 15 splake lakes in my region of eastern Maine which we trapnetted, gillnetted, and creel surveyed without finding any "wild" splake. We checked with several Canadian biologists who stocked splake and none had found any natural reproduction. Some told us that although the stocked splake produced viable sex products, their differing habits in the fall did not result in any spawning.
Title: Re: November Wrap Up and December in the Books
Post by: Jim C. on Dec 16, 2017, 11:56 AM
Thanks for the details and science, Rick 8)

Splake are not sterile. I have seen lots of splake that produced viable eggs and sperm, but have never found anywhere in Maine where they actually reproduced. We had about 15 splake lakes in my region of eastern Maine which we trapnetted, gillnetted, and creel surveyed without finding any "wild" splake. We checked with several Canadian biologists who stocked splake and none had found any natural reproduction. Some told us that although the stocked splake produced viable sex products, their differing habits in the fall did not result in any spawning.