There are many places to fly fish in Maine. Through the years, I have covered allot of ground, studied allot of water and still barely scratched the surface. As with all things, I am constantly learning. As time passes, I realize more and more that though it is important to know where to fish, it is equally as important to know when to fish. So many rivers, lakes and streams have their time and place. Many of the waters I fish produce well, but the timing has to be right. A week or two and sometimes just a couple days can make all the difference in the world. Water levels, water temperature, bait fish, bugs and other things need to be factored into the equation. And, Bob ‘Flymaker’Thorne once gave me some simple but wise advice. He said, “Fish where the fish are because ya can’t catch fish if they are not there.” Every year brings a cycle of anticipation, excitement and dissapointment. The early spring anticipation of wondering when a river will fire up, the excitement when things do and the disappointment when that same river dies down. It’s bound to happen, its natures way. Nonetheless, it is always bittersweet. I wish all the rivers and all the spots were chock full of beautiful Salmon and Brook Trout all the time. But, just like any other fishery anywhere in the world that simply can not be. Everything has its time and place. And, that is why when we hit it right, we fully appreciate the experience. So with that said, many of my Trout and Salmon stomping grounds are fizzling out. The fish I love so much are heading back into the lakes and ponds in search of cooler water. I am not saying that all of my spots are dead and I am not suggesting that there won’t be fish to be had in the rivers of which I speak. I am merely saying that it is not “prime time” any longer on many river systems that I fish and cherish. Conversely, it is just getting into “prime time” on other river systems. Either way, the point is this. I used to focus so much of my attention on “where.” As more time passes, I seem to be focusing more of my attention on “when.” So, Fisherboy and I caught a couple rivers perfectly. The water levels were a little high but not too bad and the water temperatures were on the rise but not too warm. We each caught some beautiful Salmon and Brooktrout and the rivers did not dissapoint. However, I don’t even bother hoping that those same rivers would produce as good as they did just a few short days ago, because I just know the fish won’t be there. So, I consider myself fortunate for having been able to “catch it right” and move on to new waters. But, just as many rivers get dissapointing, a little bit of anticipation begins to emerge and I find myself wondering when things will start to fire up again in the fall.