I had the pleasure of guiding Tobin and Tallie. It was a day of big fish and a ton of laughs. We had action all day long and my thumb has scares to prove it. We landed many fish over 16 inches and three or more over 18. Here are some highlights from the day.

I found this cool damsel fly pattern, after finding this new blogs sites called: On Line Fly central

Link

A fellow guide met me at the boat launch after a day of guiding and told me that one of his clients caught a large mouth bass. The Penobscot river is know for its small mouth bass fishing and its past history of Atlantic salmon but not large mouth bass. In the 10 years I have been fishing there and in my buddies 17 years, we have never seen or heard of a large mouth bass being caught. This lower section of the river is also in threat of having Northern Pike invade this section because of illegal stocking of pike in Pushaw lake.

I had the pleasure to get out with my cousins and fish for smallmouth bass. We put in about four hours and the sun came out and very little to no wind, a perfect day to be on the water. We got some nice fish 17 to 19 inch ones, all on fly rods.

I just bought Tait and Jax new Scott A3 fly rods. So we headed to a small brook to break them in.

I had the rare weekend off from guiding and it happened to be the 4th of July weekend and my wedding anniversary. I knew I wanted to get the family fishing, but where? I remembered I had met Bob Blunt, the son of the owner of Grant’s Camps in Rangeley, and he had invited me to come up, so I gave him a call and booked a couple of nights.

I have been very skeptical about all the gates in Rangeley and that you need to stay at a lodge or know the right person, but I have to say there was something very special about the idea of hooking a fish that might not have ever seen a fly or have been hooked.

I wasn’t there ten minutes and Bob was convincing me to go hit the river. My wife, being the best wife ever, unpacked the truck and got us settled. Bob, his dad, and I, hit the Kennebago river and within minutes I was onto my first Kennebago salmon.

I am not sure what it was, but there was a different look to this fish from other salmon I have caught.The spots seemed bigger and blacker and the cheek color was unique.

While the weather was cool and rainy, we were able to hike into a remote pond where canoes and boats are stashed. They packed us a lunch and we had a shore side lunch after our hike in. Jen and the boys got a bunch of small brook trout but Bob’s wife got a 19 inch brook trout right up to the boat before it got away.

Jen also had the opportunity to get out with the boys and I and fished for wild brook trout in the Logans, which is part of Kennebago lake. As far as we could see there were rising fish, I sat there and watched them catch brook trout, it was very special to watch my wife and kids have fun catch trout on dries and laughing when they missed one and giggling like kids when they were able to hook one.

When we weren’t out fishing the lake, the boys were casting off the dock or lazing in the hammock.

Grant’s is a real special place. The owners, the food, the fish, the location and the guests really make it a great place to experience. You can truly sense the history of the cabins and the lake. You can only imagine all the fishing tales that unfolded once upon a time, on those cool Rangely boats. Not to mention the happy hours spent on each dock in front of the quaint cabins while guests shared times past and thoughts for the day. Perhaps generations of anglers pay this place a visit. We can’t wait to return!

Jim has been coming to Grant’s for 22 years.

Rangely boat parked in front of the camp.

The food was homemade goodness! The wait staff, in particular, Mark, made it a welcoming experience.

The crew

I had a day off and the family wanted to go fishing. They decided smallmouth bass, so we got to fish an hour before getting forced off the water do to high winds and rain.

By DEIRDRE FLEMING

SOLON — As dusk fell and rain poured on the Kennebec River, a dozen diminutive fishermen were still, save for the stripping of line and the occasional back cast.

This group, ages 13 to 17, wasn’t bothered by the downpour. These fishermen knew what they were doing.
That, of course, is why they were at the sixth annual Maine Trout Unlimited Camp at Evergreen Campground, where young conservationists from across the country are brought each year.
The fishermen came from as far as Pennsylvania and Illinois, as well as from around Maine — from Caribou to Gorham.  read more……

Warning: some swearing, PG 13

I guided Russ and his wife for trout and salmon. I think this is the third year, the first two years we did bass on the penobscot but this year they wanted to do a drift boat trip. We had a beautiful day with blue skies and sun but could of done with out the wind. They hooked into many fish with most of them on dry flies and a few on nymphs.