Maine/New Hampshire Trip

Looking forward to hearing about it AFISHN!

DocPow - completely agree about the attitude. I loved my time living and working up there (I was a trail crew leader for Baxter State Park for a few seasons). Mainers are solid. As long as you aren't being a jerk, you're cool. Great vibe all around and very different from the rest of New England.

I mean, just look on the counter of all the mom & pop gas stations and you'll find a nice selection of local flies for sale. That's a good indicator as to what's important up there.

The winters are tough and you're absolutely right, making a living can be difficult up there. Also, coming home every day in June with blood running down your face from all the black fly bites also isn't too much fun. Hahaha.
 
Great PE raftman, thanks for sharing. Maine is awesome, spent a week hunting grouse & woodcock with my Drahthaar in the Jackman area- loved every second of it. Beautiful, rugged and very wild- though I never needed it I did not leave the vehicle without my first aid kit, knife, and fire starter in my pack. I love hunting up there and want to return to fish it as well.

I actually went to college at Plymouth State in NH, which is situated right between the White Mountains region and the upper end of the Lakes Region. Spent lots of time exploring, hunting & fishing the White Mountains Nat'l Forest. I've also been fortunate to have made several trips to the Great North Woods region to fish fod trout & landlocked sakmon in the Upper Connecticut River headwaters. Much of NH shares the same vibe and attitude as most of Maine does- real New Englanders!

What many don't realize about Maine is that most of the state (the Unorganized Territory or Townships) is inhabitated by less than 10,000 people!
 
@raftman... I am jealous, BSP!! We have hiked Katahdin twice, once in 2007 from roaring brook up over pamola and the knife's edge back to roaring brook. In 2011, our older two sons hiked the AT (SOBO) and we started them off at Baxter Peak on the Hunt Trail. Last year we hiked Doubletop.

We go every June, but miraculously we have not had any significant black fly incidents... yet.

Yep, and Mainers do not suffer fools well. The Maine wilderness humbles most people at some point... for many different reasons some good, some not so much.
 
DocPow, I was leading a crew during 2007 and we were actually building rock staircases up on the tablelands. If you saw anyone heaving big rocks across elevated steel cable and trying to swing them into staircases, that was us. Doubletop is great. I lived in a tent at Kidney Pond so I was right at the base of that mountain and would hike it quite a bit. I think I summited Katahdin over 20 times during my tenure there, mostly caring a 40 pound pack and a rock bar over my shoulders. Ah, to be young and not care about your back...

BSP is a special place, for sure.

RyanR - next time I head up there, the headwaters of the Connecticut are on my list... I may send you a PM in the future.
 
:)
 
Well very bad news on my Rangeley Area Maine fishing Trip.So bad,I cut the trip short by 3 days.The problem....very low and warm water EVERYWHERE!!!!

I fished with famous Guide,Cy Eastlak 3 days straight and we both did very poorly.Since I stayed with him and his wife at their house on Richardson Lake,I had a chance to have detailed discussions at dinner about the situation:
Some observations
1)most likely the worst or second worse drought in 40 years
2)Locals are pulling their docks NOW vs the 1st week in September because of the very low water.
3)Upper dam...4 hours.Both skunked
4)Middle Dam 3 hours.Me skunked;Cy an 8 "brookie
5)Bath Tub:total of 2 trips of 3 hours each:COMBINED:no salmon;9 brook trout all between 4 and 6 inches,bunch of junk fish
6)Magalloway...nada
7)Mail Box:2 brookies in 4 hours both 10"

My advice to anyone considering a trip between now and end of September:Check rain fall levels.IMO barring a september deluge storm...pass!!!!

I'm glad I went on this trip primarily because I was thinking of putting together a week long trip the 2nd or 3rd week of September.Obviously,this trip is not going to happen
 
Thanks for the wonderful story. Let's us all live vicariously for a bit...

Cheers!
 
Thanks flyflicker... really appreciate the feedback.

Bummer to hear about your trip AFISHN. It's crazy how badly we all need water.
 
that sucks for you Afish, i've skunked on the magalloway and Upper Dam too.

luckily the scenary made up for it - what about the white water releases this summer, did they cancel them on the magalloway etc ?

I know Upstate NY is due a lot of rain this week, hopefully it will go over Southern ME.

cheers

Mark
 
Water was flowing well at all 3 dams I went to;the problem was it was in the temps :low 70s.Not even close to fishable...
The forecast in the NE the next week looks like plenty of rain....so maybe a quick trip to someplace in NYS this week is in the cards.Just have to wait and see what falls and where
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top