sebago salmon

[joefishmore]

I think there are so many togue hanging around the schools of smelt that the small salmon don't go near to feed for fear they will be eaten.
Consequently they don't get enough to eat.

[woodchip1]

Its time to up grade the genetics of Atlantic Salmon.

[MG39]

Fake news.

You two are always good for a laugh, hopefully he gets a break when he sails.

[seamonkey84]

Well I didn't catch anything trolling sebago today, but ended with a dozen slab crappie. my friend landed one 23" togue. We trolled a few hours before it got too windy.

[Turnbuckle]

Sebago this morning. One small salmon  and 13 togue. One togue that was 28 inches and 7 pounds was absolutely filled with YOY smelt 1-1.5 inches in length. Filled.

[saltyshores]

Agreed, they should hold off on stocking, as I've read the stocked fish aren't usually sebago strain (if the true sebago strain is still around) anyway. Spread those salmon out in places that don't normally get as many, even if it's more of a put and take lake.

Of the 4 original strains of landlocked salmon in Maine, only the West Grand strain remains. It is a highly important strain to Maine fisheries.

Back in the DDT era, Sebago was stocked with West Grand salmon strain. Lakes in the Penobscot River have been stocked with West Grand strain salmon for decades now. Similarly, lakes like Green Lake,  Branch Lake, Beech Hill, Alligator Lake, and others have been stocked with the Union River strain for decades.

[fish wayniac]

Sebago this morning. One small salmon  and 13 togue. One togue that was 28 inches and 7 pounds was absolutely filled with YOY smelt 1-1.5 inches in length. Filled.

Jeremy, Good report, was that 28" togue puking smelt on the deck or was that what you found when you cleaned it?😬

[BigHookem]

Sebago this morning. One small salmon  and 13 togue. One togue that was 28 inches and 7 pounds was absolutely filled with YOY smelt 1-1.5 inches in length. Filled.

I'd be interested to hear how you know that 28" togue was filled with smelt also...

[Turnbuckle]

Jeremy, Good report, was that 28" togue puking smelt on the deck or was that what you found when you cleaned it?😬

Puking smelt in the net and all over the deck. Tons of them. I don't keep any fish of any size from Sebago if anyone is implying I did something illegally. 

[sebagosalmo]

So after reading this post this week ,decided to make a effort to see for myself if the salmon are really small and if all you can catch is Lakers ?

So Monday went out with wife and did a little recon & found some serous baby smelt schools in two location on Sebago , so the wife and I put out some fly rods at about 6:00 pm , didn't take long and we had our first Laker , Ended up with 7 lakers btween 20 -28 inches , that evening & no Salmon
So I thought oh boy maybe these guys posting are right , cause I usually catch lots of Salmon & as well as Lakers at this time of year and location .

So Tuesday went out again at about 6:00 pm different location , set out the fly rods with the wife and boom within, 5 minutes had my first 20 inch 3 lb salmon not the fastest Salmon but not skinny either just a average shape Salmon , well put rods in and 10 min later. Salmon No 2 about 18 inches and 2.5 lbs not overly fat but fair condition , so put out rods again and caught only 3 Lakers all 20 -25 inches

Wens didnt go

Thursday went to first location where had only caught mostly Lakers with a friend and his friend from Texas , so went out about 5 pm put rods out and weren't 5 min and a salmon about 20 inches again not super fat but nor skinny either , we ended up with 5 Lakers 20 - 26 inches and 5 salmon all 18 - 23 inches biggest weighed 3.25 lbs

Fri didn't go

Sat went out solo , about 5.30 pm
About ten minutes in fly rod screams and I land a 24 inch beautiful native male salmon in great shape weighed in around 4 - 4.25 lbs , ended up with 6 salmon all above 20 inches biggest was the male , but I did get a 21 inch female that was about 3.75 lbs , and 2 lakers 1 20 inch and 1 28 inch both fat

All fish above were quickly measured, none were weighed with a weighing device just my personal knowledge of catching fish and there weights by guessing which is usually very close

All fish were full of baby smelts about 1/4 - 1/2 inch long
With the results I have seen the Sebago Lake Salmon  fishery isn't the best I have ever seen,  but it's by far not the worst I have ever seen !

It's just a average year to me so far , but come Sept will be the real tell tale for me as the fish fatten up and start their fall migration

Tight lines everyone


 

[woodchip1]

The years that have passed since the record salmon was caught in Sebago. We have been taking the large salmon. the Salmon are a lot smaller .Genetics need to be brought up to what Atlantic salmon size should be . If King Salmon or Cohos were  introduced We  would definitely se a size increase in a couple of years. Am I wrong in thinking that way Salty?

[sebagosalmo]

You may be right woodchip about genetics , just think Sebago still has some fairly good salmon fishing for Southern ME , do I believe , I will ever see days of old with 10 lbs - 20 lbs salmon in Sebago again the answer would be no !
But I do believe the Lake will produce Salmon of size in the 5 lbs to 8 lbs range again like it has in past years.
For now the Lake seems to be producing plenty of Smelts & Salmon . Time will tell what the future holds for Sebago

[seamonkey84]

Sebagosalmo- if you don't mind, how many colors did you have out?

[sebagosalmo]

Sebagosalmo- if you don't mind, how many colors did you have out?

None , only fast sinking fly line 👍

[seamonkey84]

Oh really... maybe we were overdoing it with 3-5 colors out lol