Acadia National Park in Maine

[BigHink66]

I am headed to Acadia over the 4th of July.

Has anyone ever been there that could offer some advice on where to fish? I am looking to spend a few hours on a small stream fishing native brooks or maybe a secluded pond with trout or smallmouth. I am hoping to get out a couple of times for a few hours and don't want to waste time searching or exploring.

I was gonna fish the ocean in the hopes of a striper, but don't know if the salt water would ruin my equipment.

Please feel free to voice suggestions as to where, what, and how.

 

[live2fish]

Make sure you rinse your gear real good with fresh water when done fishing. It's not so much the salt water that kills gear as the salt when it dries. Not only does it corrode and acts like sand grinding away at things.

 

[jayL]

Bug spray! Tons of it.


Seriously.

I don't know if there are trout there. I was like 12 when I went there. I'd recommend whale watching though.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've vacationed in Acadia Park quite a few times - around Bar Harbor.
It's on Mount Desert Island - very beautiful place.
But there is no trout fishing that I know of in that area- stream fishing anyway.
there are a few lakes there that I believe have trout in them.
the steams on the island are all small - if any do have trout, they would probably be brookies.
There are a lot better places in Maine to fly fish from what I've read - all on the mainland though.
I remember reading about a limestoner not too far from Bangor - can't remember the name - but I considered trying it the last time I was there, but never got there

 

[TheAnglerJosieWales]

BigHink66,

Technically speaking, there is "trout fishing" (put that in big quotes) in Acadia, but the streams are skinny, low volume waters. Some I came across ranged from trickles to smallish mountain streams -Stanley Brook for one. Dryflyguy is right, all the fish are small brookies. A large one would be six inches.

 

[bede]

Acadia has a road that loops around the park that can be done in a few hours.

Park the car and get off the road, the place is simply amazing.

The beaches are unreal. I have pictures of a cliff, about 6-8'. Every time a big enough series of waves would come in the cliff would be covered but the water would sit in a big rock pool right behind the cliff. As the waves receded there would be a waterfall cascading back over the little cliff into the ocean. A different looking waterfall every time. Sweet.

The bald mountians are not any taller than those here in PA, but the vertical footage is unreal. A 2000 foot mountian in PA might have a base that is 600'. In acadia a 2000' mountain drops all the way to 0', right into the see. Awesome 360degree views from the top.

I would advise you to leave the trout rod at home and just enjoy the place if it is your first visit. If I was going back in the summer I would take the time to try kayaking around.

Enjoy it man the place is awe inspiring.

 

[jersey_guy]

bede
i think you are referring to thunder hole on the loop.

big hink
like he said it really is amazing. if you get a chance check out the precipice, its a trail up a cliff. last couple of times i was there it was closed bc of nesting perigrine falcons. if you are thinking about easy hikes try the bubbles, i believe south bubble is the one with the balanced boulder. jordan pond is at the base its about 3 miles around jordan pond and if the wife and fam is going to they have a nice lunch at the jordan pond house. the beehive is nice too. to get there you park at sand beach and walk across it. its not really sand but rather crushed sea shells. the beehive does have some rungs to climb but they are only maybe 4 or 5 at a time. if a brew is what youre after, there is the bar harbor brewery (i think) they have a wicked blueberry ale. im jealous i wish i was going to acadia.

mark

 

[tomgamber]

Sounds like you should take your rod but don't be surprised if you have a good time and never use it. THIS ARTICLE what has been said in the posts above.

With just one big suggestion...ignore the advice from bede where he says "I would advise you to leave the trout rod at home ".

Man, I wouldn't go to the Mohave Desert without a 4pc and a box of flies. :-D

OK, the link doesn,t work..just google "acadia park fishing" and its the 1st thing that comes up...

 

[bede]

Jersey Guy and Hink,

To clarify I didn't see Thunder Hold. What I just saw was one of the plain old everday wonders unfolding.

I have seen pictures of Thunder Hole. It was a pretty calm day overall when I was in the park and we didn't have time so we didn't do Thunder Hole, which I heard is really amazing in rough surf.

Enjoy the trip.

 

[dryflyguy]

The last time i was there - about 5 years ago - my wife and i stayed at a B&B by the entrance to the island for a week. Even though i didn't fish , we had plenty of things to do.
As jersey guy has said, those hikes up the precipice and beehive are really something. And be sure to go up cadillac mountain
I did stop and fish a little at the delaware river on the way up or back.
If i ever go back to maine, I want to fish the rapid river.
I've read a few articles about the big brook trout there

 

[JeffK]

I used to go to that area a fair amount. Most of the fishing is in lakes and ponds on Mt Desert Island and they may be a touch warm by July 4 for fly fishing for trout, but you never know. It has been cold this year so far. The coastal area streams and ponds are shallow, dark bottomed and summer is not the peak trout time. Over on the mainland Little Tunk Lake used to be a hot spot with good evening action (ask around - some hike-in mountain ponds in the coastal area had a longer season). Many of the tiny brookie streams also warm early, but once again it has been cold this year with a late, heavy snowpack so I wouldn't write them off (I was there one July 4 when the highs were in the 50s!). Just about every little stream will hold some brookies, but not many of bragging size. At Memorial Day the fishing is good, but by July 4 it can be warm and the chubs can take over. The mountains around Jackman used to be the place most people who were serious about trout went in the summer.

Warm water action may be an option. Some ponds are loaded with white perch, which is a panfish I don't see much. Also, there is good bass fishing in many of the ponds once they warm and not many Maine guys used to do the bass thing. This is an area where introduced smallies can take over from the native brookies.


Enjoy! The place is beautiful and a sunrise/sunset viewed from Cadillac Mtn is a very cool thing.

 

[Chaz]

I've been to Maine about 15 times, and the one time I was at Acadia was after the road was closed for the fall and winter. It was cold and there was some snow during that stay, though I suppose the snow would be out of the question in July on the Coast. The coast of Maine is beautiful and deservse a look while you are there. I know from guys that live in Maine that FFing at Acadia is limited. However you can explore some of the coastal streams and find some trout fishing in them.
Andre' who visits the board on occasion live in Bar Harbor for some time and would be able to steer you in the direction of fishing for trout at Acadia. If I were going there I'd shoot over to the Penobscot River and fish there for LL Salmon up above Baxter SP.

 

[BigHink66]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Keep it coming if you have any please.

This trip will be a camping trip with my wife and my sister and her husband. I have lots of activities planned while I am there. I just intended to throw the rods in the car just in case. If its better fishing in a lake for bass, then so be it. I don't intend on fishing much.

Thanks

 

[jersey_guy]

chaz
i was up at moosehead lake this past summer and that was when i took up fly fishing. the first stream i was ever on was the penobscot and moose river. bighink if you do get the chance, try for the land locked salmon. i remember the area i was in was a three hour drive from portland and we didnt have cell phone service. but stop by llbean in freeport, its right off of 95. im sure they would be able to direct you to some good streams.

mark