Far East Maine Exploration

 A new part time job of mine involves driving a truck loaded with live American eels around, sometimes to places quite far away. Recently this job took me to a part of Maine I would probably never have fished otherwise. The area immediately surrounding where I-95 leave the US, right on the Canadian border, isn't exactly a known fishing hot spot. Really, when you look at everything Maine has to offer, it isn't a hot spot at all. Grand Lake and Moosehead aren't far away and vastly overshadow the region around Houlton. But I was there, had a rod, and had time to kill, so why not explore while waiting for the other truck to get back across the border with a load of big eels? 

Some quick research suggested there were smallmouth rivers and a few brook trout streams in the area, though probably nothing really spectacular. Wherever smallmouth have ended up in brook trout rivers in Maine they've wreaked havoc. It has destroyed many good fisheries, and probably the big brook trout in this area as well.

At least the native fallfish don't seem to be suffering the same fate.

In one secluded pool I found some actively rising fish. I couldn't tell what the insect of choice was, but it was quite small. I got one of the risers to eat a parachute Adams though, and it was a smallmouth.

Moving on to smaller water I finally found brook trout. They were small fish, but very pretty and very aggressive. Reaching them required navigating a brushed in, very braided stream to get to the larger one it flowed into. It was worth the effort.

I've certainly caught larger brook trout in Maine, much larger. This was a completely unfamiliar territory though and could just as easily have been nearly barren of wild brookies. I wouldn't go back there specifically to fish, but if I'm ever in the area again I know some spots. 

Until next time, 

Fish for the love of fish.

Fish for the love of places fish live.

Fish for you.

And stay safe and healthy.

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