It has been way too long since we've posted a report. We have been busy on the water keeping our clients on fish. Funny to say the fishing on the Saco and Ellis rivers is much better right now than it was in mid-June. The Androscoggin also continues to fish very well.
Saco:
The Saco has truly turned on over the past few weeks. We had some very successful floats in late June and Early July with a lot of surface activity and some ridiculous streamer bites. Right now the terrestrial season is underway. We had a great trip with our Client Tory Cardinal on Wednesday morning fishing a red hippie stomper. Tory landed three solid browns and a rainbow and missed a few more good fish. The Saco should continue to fish well through July with ants and beetles becoming even more important. Slower pools will get an early morning black caddis hatch as well. Please be sure to release your fish and handle lightly. Our rivers could use some better regulations but we are happy that most anglers choose to catch and release.
Ate the Hippie Stomper
Ate Big!
Terrestrial eater.
One of many doubles we saw over the past few weeks. Fish ate gray drake emergers.
Ellis and smaller streams:
The smaller streams are fishing very well right now. I've done well with the red hippie stomper and other mid sized attractor patterns. If you aren't getting surface bites don't be afraid to drop a nymph off the back. We have had some higher flows on small streams as of late. In this case fish streamers like baby brook trout, muddler minnows, herron flies, and zoo cougars.
Androscoggin River:
I was on the Andro yesterday and was happy to see fish rising throughout the float. With cooler temps the black caddis hatch was on fire. This is a tricky hatch to fish as the dark flies hatch in dark water on dark days. If you can't get fish on top fish subsurface with a light colored nymph in orange or yellow size 18-20. Along with black caddis there was also a good Isonychia hatch and BWO hatch yesterday. In this case I typically fish the bigger Isonychia. An adams dry or purple haze works well to imitate this bug. I will also fish a size 12 PT nymph as a dropper to up my chances. This fishing will continue as long as the cooler temps and clouds are around. On the warmer days, switch to bigger and smaller bugs. Midges, or stoneflies, and dragonfly nymphs work well. We have hooked many big fish on dragonfly nymphs this season.
Netting an Androscoggin River brook Trout.
Wild bow taken on a dragonfly nymph.
Right now we are booking dates for late July and August as well as September and October. Late July and August are filling fast so please let us know asap if you want to enjoy some of this excellent summer fishing. We'll try to keep you posted more often for the rest of the season. If you haven't heard from us in a while it is probably because we are very busy getting our clients into fish!
Tight Lines,
Nate