Fly fishing, for me, represents a series of fleeting opportunities. In my lifetime, there are a finite number of spring salmon runs, hendrickson hatches, fall steelhead runs, albie runs, herring runs, bluefin tuna runs, hex hatches and so on and so forth. From a global perspective, there are so many opportunities and destinations that I would love to, but probably never will get to experience. My home state of Maine offers so many opportunities that I will probably never get a chance to experience. With 35,000 miles of rivers and streams it is simply not possible to be everywhere at the same time. Maine’s winters can be long and it is no wonder that when the ice goes out on Maine’s 5,000 or so lakes; it is cause for celebration. Seriously, “ice-out” in Maine is a big event and folks even have bets on exactly what day the ice will go out on a lake. Ice-out for me, as a fly fisherman, offers a fly fishing experience that I really enjoy and try to take advantage of every year. During the winter when the ice is on the lake, the big Salmon cruise just below the surface in all different water depths. During the summer, the big lake run salmon tend to hang out in deep waters of the lake. So, ice-out offers a fleeting and somewhat transitional period of time where the water is cold enough and the smelt are in the rivers and close to shore and the salmon are right there with them. It is a different kind of experience, but one that I have truly come to enjoy and I try my best to take advantage of the little opportunities that arise. So, the ice was out, it was 5pm and another work day came to an end. I hopped in my car and drove to the lake. I arrived and there was still a fair amount of sun in the sky. I rigged up my fly rod with a sinking line and a white bunny strip smelt type fly pattern. The water was very cold and little ice chunks still hanging around, as portions of the lake were still frozen. I was not too optimistic but started to make a few casts anyway. After a very long and cold and snowy winter in Maine; it felt great to be outside. I made a cast as far as I could into the lake and let the line sink. I slowly stripped back the streamer fly and just when I was losing hope, fish on! I landed and released my first lake run salmon of the year, and the smelt run is not even in full swing yet. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come and the first of many great fly fishing experiences in Maine this year. This fish and this experience taught me that not all fly fishing experiences have to be big long excursions. Even if I can just get out after work and take a few casts with my work clothes still on; it is better than watching TV or sitting on the couch and definitely better than not fishing at all that day.
nice salmon jeremy you always seem to get it done
Great job Jeremy! Quick question for ya…do they get bigger than that or is that about average? Great job again!
thanks man!
Well it depends how you look at it .. these are Atlantic Salmon .. identical genetic strain …. so, yes they get much bigger 30 pounds or so if they go out to sea. So, in rivers in Maine and Canada that have access to the ocean … the ocean run atlantic salmon get 30 pounds or maybe bigger … then there are the “landlocked atlantic salmon” who live much like great lakes steelhead or salmon .. they are lake run fish, going up rivers to spawn and follow the smelt during different times of year .. and then spending time in the deap waters of big clear and deep lakes such as moosehead lake, rangeley lake, sebago lake etc.. … the record “landlocked atlantic salmon” is 22 pounds…..
so, that’s it in a nutshell and the “nuts and bolts” … and basic concept of Maine Atlantic Landlocked Salmon ..
They are spectacular fish though .. leapers for sure … it’s very rare to catch a Salmon that does not leap and jump and tailwalk across the river and/or lake .. streamers are built for these fish really .. as big part of their diet is “smelt” .. so swinging classic salmon streamers and even big leaches works well .. many traditional flies such as the grey ghost, black ghost etc.. were originated in maine … but, if streamers aren’t your game these fish definately feed on bugs too when they are in the rivers .. so nymphing and/or dry flies are often the best methods .. some of my best salmon have been caught on dry flies … just depends on time of year .. right now they are feeding on smelts, big time ..
That’s is awesome! I would love to catch a landlocked. Great job again!
nice! nothing like ending your work day with a quick trip to the water. i’ve been doing the same at a small tidal river near my job.
J-
This is the first “Maine” fish posted for the year…and a big Bastard at that. Congrats.
If that’s any indication of the year ahead…It’s gonna be another killer season.
Sweet! I went down on sat. no such luck. The suckers have moved into the streams though.
awsome fish jeremy! i think it’s impossible to not love the spring landlocks…they are some legendary fish for sure. i feel privileged to fish for them, because it is intresting to see how only a few states in the country have them!
jeremy
Do you still like that Orvis sling pack. Do you have a recommendation on a small chest pack?
ya i do still like it .. i have been using it for the last couple years .. and i like it cuz it keeps the front side of me free of any unwanted obstructions and any big bulky pouches and whatnot getting in my way. and if i need to access it, i just whip it around to my front .. quick. simple too with only 2 zippers, 1 big pouch and 1 smaller pouch .. that’s it. i keep my camera in the smaller pouch (fits perfectly) .. and all my tippet, fly boxes etc in the bigger pouch … i am not one for over organization ya know .. i’ve tried but it’s just not me … so basically i just throw everything in the pouch, and that’s enough organization for me .. they are pretty cheap too .. don’t know where you live .. but, i live in maine and do equally as much saltwater and freswhater fly fishing .. so, i got 2 of these .. i keep all my saltwater stuff in one of them and all my freshwater stuff in the other one .. that way i just grab whichever one i need and i am ready to roll ….. so, i’ve been through vests and all sorts of packs with crazy things hanging off them and to date this is the best thing i have found for my style … it’s just simple and out of my way, i guess that’s why i like it …. hope this helps.
Nice Fish Jeremy! I was out up here in NB on the Miramichi this past weekend fishing for black Salmon. Same sort of deal where everyone gets super stoked when the ice finially leaves the river and opens up a new season of fishing. Nice to be back on the water, with fish on the end of a line.
Sweet … Your just “up the road” from me then. I am actually planning on fly fishing this year in New Brunswick on the Miramichi .. Looking forward to experiencing that famed river and swinging a few flies to some hopefully hungry Atlantic Salmon, What are some patterns that you would recommend. Let’s say that you could only fish 1 fly (ok 2 flies) .. what would they be? Thanks! Maybe we will bump into each other up there … I very much look forward to fly fishing for “The King Of Fish” on the legendary waters of the Miramichi and experiencing some of the New Brunswick, scenery and culture.
Nice fish jer, that is a beast. good to see a big fish like that made it through the winter ice fishing gauntlet. good luck this spring.
Nice… glad to hear you’re coming up this way, lots to see in the province. As for Flies if I had to choose two my first choice would be a Green Machine and second would be a tie between a silver doctor and blue charm. Those being my choices you can never go wrong with green… it’s a hot colour on that river system. What stretch are you fishing??
Nice! That is exactly what I was looking for .. no doubt I will have plenty of “Green Machines”, “Silver Doctors” and “Blue Charms” .. I have seen that blue charm fly before and it is a beautiful pattern. I think I would love to catch an Atlantic Salmon on the Blue Charm fly .. for the mere fact that it such a beautiful fly and has such a cool name. I will be fly fishing the Main Southwest Miramichi .. and, yes, very much looking forward to experiencing the New Brunswick province of Canada. I have been to several other provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan .. but never New Brunswick … Canada is an amazing country, in the sense that every province is really unique .. and the culture from province to province can be so very different; in some instance almost like different countries … For example the Quebec experience is inherently different than the Alberta experience … and the Ontario experience is so inherently different from the Bristish Columbia experience .. and the Nova Scotia experience is different from all of those. Canada is a massive country with so much diversity on so many different levels; that I have always been amazed on each one of my travels with how much I did not know about Canada … And then we could get into THE FLY FISHING .. endless opportunities and diversity there as well … An amazing country, Canada is .. And, I think that because our boarders are so close it’s often easy for both USA citizens and Candadian citizens to overlook the many different opportunities that exist respectively on both sides of the boarders. Looking forward to the visiting New Brunswick and hopefully crossing paths with an Atlantic Salmon … Thanks for the help!
Ya man … looking forward to fishing with you when you come home to Maine .. Even though you got all of those beautiful Colorado rivers that are chock full of nice rainbows and browns .. I know that a certain part of you must miss the Salmon and Brook Trout … you better make it home to fish this season!
jeremy, i couldn’t agree with you more, man. its pretty hard to get out knowin’ the old lady and the kids need tending to. but, when they are occupied, i cherish the opportunity to even get out for an hour of light. tight lines to you!
Hey Jeremy, nice to meet you the other day,(Shawn==Steven Sparaco’s friend) what a day of fishing that was huh?
I have to tell you that fish you landed in the kayak had to be one of the funniest fishing moments ever, this guy hooks a salmon in his stand up kayak, the damn thing is literally towing him around, so he aborts trying to land it from the small boat, puts the rod in his mouth and paddles to shore with a fish fighting on the other end!!! He makes it to shore and lands the fish,…. Totally classic, I wish you had a vid clip of that one! Steve and I were busting a gut watching the struggle! This guy IS extreme fishing! Hey the offer stands for that little spawning river in October( when you want to be there I assure you) Gonna be big,big salmon this fall, action should be hot! I’m taking 2nd week in October off for this fishing so get in touch with me and I’ll get us into some monsters!
hey shawn .. great to hear from ya! that was quite a show the other day in the kayak huh? … Believe me, I was thinking the whole time, “If I lose my balance here and tip over or something … I will be the laughing stock of Maine.” .. So, I went big and it luckily panned out. That salmon was really giving me a run for my money.. just awesome beautiful fish this year. I will definately be in touch .. and, as I told Steve … I know that offer isn’t extended to just anyone .. and I appreciate that. It has always been a very difficult body of water to figure out for me. Hence, I haven’t spent much time on it .. hopefully this fall, that will change. Looking forward to it! ….
Landlocks and Browns = a great combo. Nice landlock jeremy. You have no idea how many letters I mailed to the Inland Fisheries about introducing Browns and getting rid of the trash species over the past 40yrs..LOL.