Too many salmon in Chesuncook? 3 salmon limit.

[Ed in Chesuncook]

Noticed in the rule book that you can keep 3 and the min length is 14".  Heard from a friend that they are trying to thin out the population?   Fishing was awesome, must have caught at least a dozen in the 4hrs ish that we fished over the weekend (was a camp work weekend mostly),  just couldn't bring myself to keep more than the one I did for lunch, was 19" and put up a heck of a fight on a fly rod!

Chesuncook Lake (including Moose Pond), T3R12&13 WELS, T4R12&13 WELS, T5R12 WELS, Chesuncook Twp. S-2. S-3. Minimum length limit on salmon: 14 inches except that only 1 may exceed 18 inches. Daily bag limit on salmon 3 fish.

Ed

[BOOB]

Hey Ed talked with a bio. this past winter. He said please keep em. Stated they have been steadily declining in size and increasing in numbers since 1998. As we have also have noticed. Dont know about summer traffric but winter use has slowed unreal. Used to be hard to find a place to park at the Boom House. The last 2 winters lucky if 5 trucks there. And he confimed that also.  He said that the spawn has been real strong on the river dumping in. The guy had a ton of numbers and info that I have forgot that he seemed so passionate about and I thanked him for that. Had a great visit with him that day and I got a sense of what this guy is doing for us. I truly love this lake. As im positive you do to. Whenever I see your name thats the first thread I read Sorry for the long story Catch ya later.

[gamefisher]

Agree with you guys about what a pretty spot.  Any time you can fish all day with Mt. Katahdin as your backdrop, wow.  If we can all bring ourselves to actually keep more fish out of there, coupled with the closing of the tribs. to smelting, that pond will be back to its heydays in terms of quaility.  Sounds funny to say about having to keep more fish compared to how we all fished twenty years ago doesn't it.  There are so many small salmon in there its amazing.  We spent 4 days up there last spring and one night caught 16 trolling right over the top of the old dam heading into Rip. as water was really high, in a two hour period. If you want to have some fun, great spot for sure.   My guess is that within 5 years, you'll be hearing that the old 'Cook is back!

[Ed in Chesuncook]

No place like Chesuncook, that's for sure.  Guess I'll have to start surfing for some good salmon recipes!  All I have ever done is throw them on the grill covered with butter and hot sauce.  Pic below is taken from the dock at camp, Katahdin is in the background.  Was unbelievable weather up there this past weekend.  Will have to try the old dam, I know right where you are talking about.  Will have a group of us up there for the entire 1st week of June, I'm already counting the days.   Water temp was already warming up, was in the mid to low 50's, dropped to 44 when a storm rolled through Sat night.

[tbtool]

Ive been going to chesuncook since i was 3, im 30 now and have seen the fishing get better and better but small er just like you stated.  I caught fish in the 5 to 8 pound range as a kid all the time.  Now i cant catch them over 21 inches.  Great lake. 

[gamefisher]

Ed - Bill at Allagash Gateway showed me a picture of what we were actually able to troll over given the high water last spring... wow!  Found this one spot that would go from like 12 - 50ft in the blink of an eye, as soon as that weeping willow started fluttering down the back side of the drop, bam, everytime.  Pretty spot. 

[MaineFisherMan05]

Ed - Bill at Allagash Gateway showed me a picture of what we were actually able to troll over given the high water last spring... wow!  Found this one spot that would go from like 12 - 50ft in the blink of an eye, as soon as that weeping willow started fluttering down the back side of the drop, bam, everytime.  Pretty spot. 

This wouldn't happen to be togue ledge?  I have ice fished chesuncook for many years.  Annual trip until last winter.  We tryed a new place.  Winter before last one of my fishing party.  Actually it was my friend son.  He was I believe 6 years old caught a nice 14lb togue out of there.  Biologist was happy to see it gone.  Said it must have been from the original stocking they put in of togue can't remember the year.  Anyway salmon have been getting smaller and smaller in the last 12 years or so.

[ifishhi]

i'd love to get up there sometime. i hear alot about it.

[Morin88]

 I was supposed to fish it this past winter, but it was a weekend full of rain so i never made it up. hopefully next year.

[Tougeslayer]

We went up there last year and did real good but the fish were short and skinny.  We are planing a return trip but we are going to focus on fly fishing the small ponds. 

[Ed in Chesuncook]

MaineFisher, the dam he is talking about with the drop off is about 7mi south of togue ledge.  It is right out is the middle nearer the caribou side, can't even tell the old dam was there unless you look at the depth finder.  Have never fished it but will give it a shot when about 10 of us head up in June.

Ice fished it about 4 weekends this past winter, nothing over 15".    Lots of chub and perch even closer to shore.

Planning to get into the ponds, like you said togueslayer, and take the 14 footer up the W branch and into pine stream for brookies on the next trip.   The 19" one I got was almost at the mouth of the W branch, dumping into suncook.  It could rain everyday up there and it would still be a much better day than here in the office....

Ed

[gamefisher]

What Ed said.  Don't know how much an option it is if the water is low but otherwise it is a sure bet.  It was also the first week in June last year.  All the brighter colored weeping willows produced fish. 

[Ed in Chesuncook]

Thanks for the lure tip gamefisher, will be sure I have some bright WW's in my box.  We had good luck this past weekend on floating rapala's, small size, with bright orange bottoms and dark tops, that's in the river mostly though.  The chubs we caught for fun off the dock were very very shiny, always good to imitate the real thing on the lures.

Will definitely start a new post with pics when I get back from the big trip,
Ed

[where R U ?]

Does anyone know if there is still a boat launch at the campsites on Umbazooksus stream on the northern end of Chesuncook?  We launched there years ago but I do not see it on the Delorme map.  Hoping to get up there soon and don't feel like having to turn around.  Any info would be great, thanks
ED

[Hoppes]

Boat launch is still there.     I've used it several times kayaking, canoeing and motoring.   Jeesh I like that lake, wish it wasn't such a drive.
Hoppes