I track the USGS web site for 10 different watersheds in a 5-county area. For nearly the entire month of September, all were at or near record low flows. There may be some rain coming in with this next front, but it's "too little, too late" for Maine's general law open water season, which closes after tomorrow.
This small brook has harbored brightly colored native brookies in past years.
And normally "bigger water" grew tiny as the drought wore on. The staining on the rocks shows high the water normally is.
Bare gravel was abundant on this northern river.
Flowing water was joined by lakes and ponds in being moisture-starved. I tried my first splakin' of the fall at this spot and didn't get a bump.
Even the snapping turtles seemed to be short on water. I often encounter them on the move in the spring during nesting season, but rarely are they out and about in the fall. This week alone, I slowed down traffic to allow one to cross Rt. 32 and then crossed paths with this one making its way down a logging road.
As difficult as the conditions were, all was not lost in the fishing department. Covering some ground provided some opportunities and nice surprises. Holes around old mill dams held ample cool water and a variety of species, with redbreast sunnies as equally likely as browns to take dries off the top. The browns were really picky in the slow flows, with half rises and refusals being common. Only tiny dries would trigger them. I have a hard time tracking the real small dries and had to use a bigger EHC or something similar in the lead as a strike indicator.
As I mentioned, native brookies took a beating with the lack of moisture. The few I got were caught by accident where they had dropped out of the brooks into the confluence with a bigger river.
On one outing, I put an unreal amount of mileage on my wading boots (even by my standards
). The good news was that the bony water made it easy to get around and see spots that I'd never seen! No sign of life until I came upon an old bridge site with a rocky hole. The origin and purpose of this former bridge escape me, but I do know that these browns were fighting mad when I found them in the 53* water flowing around it.
The craziness of Weather 2020 continued with a big warm up and water temps bouncing back to the the mid-60's to end the month. Awaiting the rain and cooler weather, I chased warm water species. I even encountered a milk snake slithering off in the top/center of the 3rd pic.
The highlight of the month was my visit down to NY to see Dad and take in some salt water fishing. A strong front crossed the area on the night we arrived, and before too long L.I. Sound was too churned up for decent fishing.
So I went over to the Peconic Bay side to get out of the wind. I prowled these tidal bridges and banks nearly daily as a kid. Have beat up blue bike with a skull on the handle bars will travel
. It's changed quite a bit.....more people and more posted signs. Most of them don't even seem to fish....as far as I'm concerned if you don't fish, you're taking up too much space
Anyway, I found enough legal or at least uncontested access to get into some salt water fish....not giant, but fun on the 5-weight or UL spinning. Here's a few pics, complete with a great egret in a tree and a blue claw crab....an early money maker for me. A true trip down memory lane. Where have the last 6 decades gone?
When L.I. Sound calmed down enough, scup and sea bass cooperated. The scup were scrappers and the sea bass lacked in size, but were fun on a 5-weight, sinking line and streamers or on small jigs.
On to October......how it goes will depend on whether we get enough soakers to beat this drought.
