First Guided Trip of '18

We don't typically guide much before Memorial Day, but when the weather and flows cooperate, there can be some great fishing.  Not to mention, the weather has been great and it just feels great to get out there.  Vince had a half day trip for the first trip of the year for Headin' North.  And what better way to kick off the season than to take a kid fishing? I think the smile says it all.  Dad was able to take some great photos and make some awesome memories.  A very fun day for all!

Southern Maine Update

Rivers and ponds are being stocked with trout.  They're starting to look up for dries.  When people think of stocked fish, they think it's easy peasy.  Not always the case, as they can smarten up and become selective quick.  The other day we fished for holdover brown trout in a river that had also been recently stocked with small brown trout.  It was a bright sunny day, so the big fish weren't really willing to play.  The stockies were rising everywhere, so we decided to target them for a while.  After about 10 different dry/emerger combos, we finally figured out that they wanted a small midge emerger with a downstream presentation being stripped back upstream.  The trout fishing will remain good until mid-June, so if you're looking for an opportunity to fish for trout near Portland, give us a call!

The bass are starting to pre-spawn and will be more active in the next couple of weeks in the bigger rivers.  In the smaller rivers, a large white fly (about 5 inches long) will bring up some big boys.  We caught a few the other day when we noticed large fish attacking small suckers that were taking our nymphs.  A quick change to a streamer and the bass came to hand easily.  No pictures, so you'll just have to believe us!

Western Maine Update

Brook trout and salmon are starting to enter the rivers in larger numbers as flows come down.  They've been chasing smelt and that will peter off in the next couple of weeks.  The sucker spawn is the next major event that will be hot for the next week or two, also.  Then, we're on to the first big dry fly hatches of the season seeing Hendricksons and then lots of caddis!  We'll be out on the water this weekend, so a report will soon follow.