MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Northeast => Maine => Topic started by: SHaRPS on Jun 10, 2019, 08:46 AM
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Good morning,
Does anyone have any intel on this general area? I will be heading up here for a few days mid July and I am wondering what this general area has to offer for fishing. Any help or intel would be appreciated. Its a 7 hour ride for me so packing the right gear is essential. I am guessing trout, salmon maybe, smallmouth?
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Depending on where you are going, there may be special regulations in place.
https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/laws-rules/special-laws.html#p
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The little Eddy has always been a favorite for Trout Salmon
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Bring a kayak and have some whitewater fun. If you're not that adventurous there are rafting companies that will bring you down the river. There's a lot of nonfishing fun on that river.
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I am staying at the Big Eddy Campground right on the river which I believe is about 20 miles from the town of Milinocket. Only up there to fish for 2 full days.
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I have only white water rafted . When I stayed at the big eddy campground it was a popular spot to fish. People would anchor there canoe and fly fish for salmon right there.
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I am staying at the Big Eddy Campground right on the river which I believe is about 20 miles from the town of Milinocket. Only up there to fish for 2 full days.
On the opposite side of the river from the Golden Road is good fishing at Big Eddy. Did you bring a boat or canoe?
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Right off the west shore at little eddy Ive seen some great Salmon caught over the years.
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On the opposite side of the river from the Golden Road is good fishing at Big Eddy. Did you bring a boat or canoe?
This is exactly where I will be. Opposite side of the golden road and all the way east. I am bringing some spinning gear and a 5W fly rod with floating line. Any suggestions for flies and or lures? From my understanding, salmon 16" or less have no limit on them. Maybe toss one or 2 on the fire.
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This is exactly where I will be. Opposite side of the golden road and all the way east. I am bringing some spinning gear and a 5W fly rod with floating line. Any suggestions for flies and or lures? From my understanding, salmon 16" or less have no limit on them. Maybe toss one or 2 on the fire.
Read the rule book first. Rules are different depending on where you are on the river. Wardens have a strong presence there so if you are in the wrong, they will write you up.
At the campground (East of Telos Rd) you can use lures with only 1 hook (1 treble is OK)
1 salmon 18" or longer.
West of Telos Rd is Fly Fishing Only
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This is exactly where I will be. Opposite side of the golden road and all the way east. I am bringing some spinning gear and a 5W fly rod with floating line. Any suggestions for flies and or lures? From my understanding, salmon 16" or less have no limit on them. Maybe toss one or 2 on the fire.
I always use a smelt imitation lure or fly. Every one in a while a big native brook trout comes out of there.
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I've never fished it but i know the salmon up here usually move into the lakes by mid july. bring your bass gear. they're are lots of smallies in there. i can bring you a hr. west of there and get you some whitefish, brookies and togue.
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Jack smelt thank you for the offer and the tips on the smallies.
After dong some additional research i did find a few fly patterns worth trying. Its almost that time!
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One of my best fish stories happened on the West Branch when I wasn't fishing. I had just kayaked the second drop at Big Amberjackmockamus and was in calm water when my friend decided to flip me. In that second while I was upside down before rolling upright a big salmon swam about 6 inches in front of my face. It was my most memorable moment of hundreds of hours on that river.
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I’ve fished the river on and off for years. It can be big and intimidating, just break it down and fish the pocket water. Big Brooke’s have made a come back and the salmon depending on year can be incredible. Look for resting spots for fish between long hard runs of rapids. I’ll be heading up to camp at the Eddy for 4 days in a couple weeks.
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ON the banks of West Branch .( it goes bank of the west brings home the best)
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9 huskies thats funny!
Turnbuckle - I have to throw some spoons and try to land a fish on that before I can switch over to the fly rod. Any recommendation for colors? I will be up there next weekend (July 19-21. Is the big eddy deep and are these fish sitting on the bottom? Any info would be great, PM me if need be.
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9 huskies thats funny!
Turnbuckle - I have to throw some spoons and try to land a fish on that before I can switch over to the fly rod. Any recommendation for colors? I will be up there next weekend (July 19-21. Is the big eddy deep and are these fish sitting on the bottom? Any info would be great, PM me if need be.
Fish lay on the bottom, but move for dry flies closer to dark. Tan and dark(black) caddis. For nymphs focus on green ones and maybe some streamers in the morning. Fish the slower water.
I’m not much of a spin fisherman, so no advice to give.
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9 huskies thats funny!
It was a little scary until I realized it was a fish. The fish on that river don't seem spooked by rafts. If you're wading or splashing they scatter.
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The one reason I stopped fishing the upper west branch was all the rafts coming by. Peace and quite and wildlife are what I enjoy not noisy groups of rafts.
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The one reason I stopped fishing the upper west branch was all the rafts coming by. Peace and quite and wildlife are what I enjoy not noisy groups of rafts.
The best fishing up there is in the morning and late afternoon and evening and those flatties are back at base camp drinking their hipster beers and picking lice from their beards. 8)
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LMAO!
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I have seen Mayfly hatches in evenings so thick along river and in road so thick headlights did not help. a smelt out the truck window would have caught gallons.
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Another spot upstream using smelt pattern
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Big Eddy is an amazing place to be, regardless if the fish are biting or not. If you're there during one of their epic caddis hatches the water will be boiling with salmon just before dark. One of my favorite places in all of Maine.
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How was your trip? Hope the info I PM'ed you helped out some.
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Well I am back and what an amazing place it is! Fishing was pretty slow for salmon due to the heat but I still managed well over 20. Lots of 10" fish but a few larger ones were also caught, lots were missed on the surface bite. The scenery is just absolutely breath taking! Steve, Caddis were key, they did not want anything else at all. White/tan caddis outproduced all other colors (black, olive, black/tan). I did manage 2 salmon and a few small brookies on a tan emerger with a pheasant tail as the point and only 2 on a spoon. water flows were up and down as well so the bite was all over the place. Drift boats were not an issue, there were fish all over the place, even rising 5 feet from me. I also fished in Millinocket for smallmouth and that was a blast as well. Here are some photos from the trip. Thanks to everyone who helped me out! Enjoy!
(https://i.postimg.cc/N5P8Sp2j/2019-July-Maine-Als-009.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/N5P8Sp2j)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cgZfwz2X/2019-July-Maine-Als-022.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cgZfwz2X)
(https://i.postimg.cc/F713y3C5/2019-July-Maine-Als-025.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F713y3C5)
(https://i.postimg.cc/30N4ZQBC/2019-July-Maine-Als-047.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/30N4ZQBC)
(https://i.postimg.cc/CRkZ7Njt/2019-July-Maine-Als-050.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CRkZ7Njt)
(https://i.postimg.cc/WFHbTFGg/2019-July-Maine-Als-080.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WFHbTFGg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/YvzrjyNp/2019-July-Maine-Als-128.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YvzrjyNp)
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Nice photos, who's the photographer? They did well!
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Nice photos, who's the photographer? They did well!
My buddy Eddy took all of these so thumbs up to him. I have 1 photo that is worth a magazine cover so I am holding onto that for now. LOL
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Looks like fun
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Little eddy
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Thanks for sharing!
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glad you had a good time. its tough getting into the salmon this time of year. you did well. caddis is one of the best patterns here as well. you ever come up again june is the best time for the rivers.
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Thanks for sharing the pics. That photo of the airborne salmon is a great one 8)
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glad you had a good time. its tough getting into the salmon this time of year. you did well. caddis is one of the best patterns here as well. you ever come up again june is the best time for the rivers.
Thank you Steve! Also, not sure if they were female dobsonfly's or not but holly crap there were some LARGE flies up there at night. I'd say 4-5" but no pincers. Kinda looked like giant cockroaches.
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Nice job Mike.
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Thanks Jon. Beautiful area thats for sure. Blue berries for breakfast were nice too. lol
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Thank you Steve! Also, not sure if they were female dobsonfly's or not but holly crap there were some LARGE flies up there at night. I'd say 4-5" but no pincers. Kinda looked like giant cockroaches.
could they be stoneflies? pretty early for them though.
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could they be stoneflies? pretty early for them though.
I think you are right! But no joke they were 4" long!
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yeah. they're big enough if your cruising in the boat and they hit you they hurt! they usually hatch right at dark. if they were yellow/ green they could be green drakes. they get pretty big too. the king of mayflies!
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not sure if they were female dobsonfly's or not but holly crap there were some LARGE flies up there at night. I'd say 4-5" but no pincers.
At 4-5", they probably were female dobsonflies. I've seen a ton of stoneflies in my day; black, golden and otherwise. But I've never seen one THAT big. But I have seen 4-5" dobsonflies. And you're right, no obvious pincers on the females.
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/eastern_dobsonfly.htm
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could they be stoneflies? pretty early for them though.
Helgramittes most likely. Stoneflies are a constant in New England streams year round.
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At 4-5", they probably were female dobsonflies. I've seen a ton of stoneflies in my day; black, golden and otherwise. But I've never seen one THAT big. But I have seen 4-5" dobsonflies. And you're right, no obvious pincers on the females.
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/eastern_dobsonfly.htm
Pretty sure this is what they were. TY!