Please note: My next virtual presentation will be on November 10 to the Merrimack Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited. The subject will be my book, :In Pursuit of Trophy Brook Trout” and I will discuss locations, tactics, and patterns for you to catch your trout of a lifetime. Go to their website or contact Bob via email at bbbluhmmm1953@gmail.com and I am sure they will give you the zoom information so you can participate.
Now as for the fishing report for October….
Of course, the rain for which anglers were rain dancing and praying finally arrived the last day of fishing season in some parts of New England. It raised water levels and fresh fish moved into rivers and streams the first day the season was closed. Subsequent rain raised water levels significantly with certain areas receiving four inches of rain in one storm. Good for the ecosystem, not much help to anglers with many prime waters already closed.
October temperatures were seasonable with some cold snaps and the waters still open continued to fish well with water temps slowly falling through the upper 50’s into the mid to upper 40s (generally) by the end of the month. Trout and salmon stayed active. I even saw some trout still spawning in the Rangeley area on October 23rd.
I didn’t get a lot of New England fishing in because I spent three weeks in Florida. Returned home to snow (only five months since the last snow – not long enough!) But I did eke out a little angling time.
Did catch a nice bass or two in Florida
In my winter home in Windham, fished the Pleasant River, the last week of the season and saw lots of rising trout, both newly stocked and holdovers that survived the drought and heat. Dry flies or small nymphs raised smaller fish while bigger browns banged streamers that imitated the local bait fish. The streamers had to be drifted downstream naturally; normal retrieves were laughed at (in my imagination anyway). Hard to hook the bigger fish; they spit the fly so quick and it is difficult to keep a tight line when casting upstream
This section of Pleasant River is walkable from my house.
Cute little brown trout caught from my neighborhood stream
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Made it up to Kennebago Lake to close up camp for a few days and did catch some trout on the lake (open until end of October) on October 29th under calm conditions and light to moderate snow.
End of October sunrise
Last Kennebago trout for the year.
Also braved the crowd at Upper Dam one warmish Saturday (15 anglers) and managed to hook a half dozen salmon, probably by fishing flies they hadn’t seen from other anglers. Either high-stick nymphing or swinging size-18 pheasant tail nymphs, or casting Lou’s Brookie Sculpln streamer. Those of you who have read my book, “In Pursuit of Trophy Brook Trout”, may recall that this fly was specifically tied to attract the attention of big brook trout, but what do you know…good- size salmon crush it as well. Good to know.
My wife and I returned to upper Dam on the last day of the season it is open (Halloween). Cold (14 degrees at first light, warming to around freezing by 2 pm with water temps around 43. Again, many anglers, but still crushed the fish with the same flies I did the week before.
Small salmons nailed Lou’s Brookie Sculpin pattern.
Large salmon took the same fly. This old 4-pound salmon was missing part of a gill cover but he fought well with spectacular jumps. Photo doesn’t show it because of top down angle, but a very deep and fat fish.
For the month of November, I will probably try different parts of the Presumpscot River (open all year) or head to southeast New Hampshire to fish rivers such as Lamprey, Concheco, Isinglass, and Exeter. This waters continue to fish well in November and are stocked by the Three Rivers Stocking organization with quality large fish, supported by restrictive catch and release restrictions.
Stay safe everyone. At least a fly rod length away unless you are wearing a mask, Covid cases are rising rapidly, even in New England.