When I signed myself up to fish open water in Maine all year, I knew it would be a tough journey in the winters. March was all that and then some. There was more than one time when I felt that my back was against the wall due to borderline conditions and water that seemed to be devoid of anything with fins. My father-in-law passed away on the 8th. He was 89 and in somewhat brittle health, but as a tough as nails, retired army colonel he never really let on how lousy he probably felt, making his passing feel sudden. At first, it made things like a fishing streak seem petty and something I should let go. Then, it made me confront my own mortality. I realized that with the streak nipping at 11 years, I would be pushing 80 to get back to that point if I had to start over. (asking a bit much
) Strike up Seals & Crofts
I fought on and put a fish in the net on the 17th, extending my Maine open water trout/salmon streak to 11 years (132 months).
To say that conditions in March were changeable would a serious under statement. No more tip toeing over many feet of shelf ice, but remaining floe ice was a definite obstacle. Couldn't walk over it, but it was surely in the way is some prime holding spots.
Shore ice was abundant in many places and obscured the rocky terrain. A recipe for ankle sprains and I ended up with both legs getting tweaked. The one with a prior surgery bounced back OK, and the other one is at least "fishable."
There was enough open, clear water on the big river for good drifts with my favored bobber and jig combo.
The bobber only got pulled under once that day and it wasn't by a big fish, but it still took a lot of pressure off.
Smaller water remained pretty much locked up or, at best, with open runs that couldn't be reached until the last week of the month.
In my searches, I did find an interesting track in the snow. I'm left to wonder about this one
The month ended with a melt down and high water. Water was up in the trees or ripping in many spots.
Even with a wading staff, options were limited. Tail waters were high, but resulted in my 3rd and 4th hits of the month. I put a decent 4 year old salmon in the net.
As a wrap-up, March and February were extremely slow. I got on the water 18 times and compiled a 3-15 record. A grand total of 5 hits. Granted, hook and line fishing isn't the most effective sampling technique. However, a steep decline over recent years is noted. In previous January/February's, I went 10-0 in 2018, 13-0 in 2019, 10-2 in 2020, and 6-5 in 2021. That says something, and the drop off was particularly dramatic in brown trout. The State shifted over to stocking the Seeforellen strain of browns in the past few years. I am a bit haunted by this wording from their report on the Experimental Brown Trout Program - Brown Trout Strain Field Comparisons......"BNT strain evaluations in riverine environments would also prove beneficial". I've heard some positive things about the Seeforellens in lakes, but all I can do in flowing water is to keep casting and hoping.
On to April, waiting on the Opener and more available options.
