Autumn in Maine

Autumn has arrived early this year. At least it has here in northern
Maine. The daytime temps are in the low to mid 70s, while it dips into
the mid 40s at night. Great sleeping temps. Whit has offered me a
portable generator so that I can sleep using my cpap mask. With the
good night's sleep it allows me, I can fish all day. No noon time
naps. However, on this trip I don't need the generator; I bought two 12
v car-jumping batteries. Fully charged, one will last about 8 hours.
With its trickle charger, however, it takes awhile to get a full
charge. A good night's sleep means a good day of fishing (regardless
the "catching").

Surprisingly the river is running cool, in the mid 60s. Pretty good
for this time of the year. Fishing is just so so, but it is fishing.
The day time temps are better than the high 80s in Massachusetts. Best
time to fish is early in the morning or early evening. The river temp
gets to about 71 during the day - much too warm for brook trout to
flourish.

No big brookies yet, but I did catch a couple of 17 inch salmon on
Harry's Killer Caddis. I brought along my waterproof colored pens and
have experimented with the body color of the fly. The body is Rainy's
caddis body material and the ones I have are all brownish. I tried
coloring some black and others green, but the fish took only the ones I
did not alter. Go figure. I think, however, that when I begin tying
my stuff this winter I will tie using different colored cdc.
Especially black. There is a black caddis that comes off on the river.
It's a small hatch, but if you can match it (usually a Goddard Caddis
in black, size 16) you will rack up a number of hook-ups. Harry's
caddis in black would truly be a killer. However, it will be difficult
for these old eyes to see. Things to do this winter.........

I tossed a Grey Ghost in the first pool below the dam, Harbeck's Pool.
I can never resist tossing a few streamers here, for it is a classical
streamer pool, casting at 10 o'clock and retrieving at 2 o'clock. It
has been years since I've taken a fish at Harbeck's with a streamer,
but it calls and I answer. I didn't have a sinking line with me, so I
used a sinking leader instead. Not as good as the line, but it did get
the fly down. This is only the second time I've fished Harbeck's this
year. I fished the head of the pool with a soft hackle and managed a
small salmon. Joanne used to have a framed picture of me waist deep in
water at the head of Harbeck, with a big bend in the rod. It looks
like I am superman wading and fighting a big fish. Truth be told, I
was on my knees and I had snagged a rock. Jo snapped the picture and
it hung in her office for years. If anyone mentioned the picture, she
would tell the truth about it. d;o)

The iddy biddies are still working. PT and Ice Caddis with soft
hackles (size 20) have been good at the dam pool. I haven't seen a
Mayfly hatch on this trip, but the caddis are still coming off - tan
mostly, early morning and evening. You can count on it, and the fish
are feeding off of them. Harry's killer in size 16 is fish candy.

No yahoos on the river, and not too many fly fishermen in camp.
Instead of riding my bike down hill to the lower river tomorrow, I will
borrow the camp pick-up. Better to do it that way. The last two times
I went down river by bike, Whit had to come and get me. Bummer.

Well, I take back what I wrote yesterday about yahoos. I used the
boat/motor to get out to the Island at Pond in the River. It was a
beautiful morning, cool with patches of fog on the river and pond. I
fished both First and Second Currents without much luck. When I fish I
usually get "the urge" somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. The urge
struck me, so I reeled in, secured my rod, and peed in the bushes.
Time for a hot cup of coffee.

There was an older man, younger than me, fishing upstream at the
Wingdam. While enjoying my coffee and just being there watching the
fog slowly lift from the pond, he walked up, greeted me and pulled out
his own thermos. We sat and talked about the river and the fish. Nice
guy. He said he has been fishing the river for a some 20 years and
usually comes in on his bike from the gate. I had never met the man,
but noticed he was a pretty good fisherman, well equipped and obviously
in love with this river. After shooting the bull for 15 or so minutes
and a couple of cups of hot coffee, we got back to fishing. He drifted
a nymph in the First Current while I continued to do my best in Second
Current. He was into a nice salmon and played the hell out of it. The
fish was probably 16+ inches, but he played it for five minutes. He
did the same with his second fish, an even smaller landlock. I bit my
tongue and said nothing. Good fisherman he, but I imagine his fish
mortality rate is pretty high. Some people have their pet projects; I
have a pet peeve - over-playing trout and salmon. I got in the boat
and putt-putted up to the X rock in Second Current. He caught three to
my miserable one, but I know that my fish lived.

I didn't fish after lunch today. When the water temp gets to 70, I
back off. I sat in the shade by the beach and watched the Polish girls
swimming. You should be here, wayno. Eye candy a bunch! Only three
of them in the water. Apparently the water made them cold. d;o) The
fourth was out on the lake kayaking. With all the unemployment in the
States, especially in Maine, it is a pity that Lakewood has to go
overseas to get girls for waitstaff, dishwasher, and cabin girl.
This year they came from Poland. Last year from Russia. Youth
unemployment in the states is at an all-time high, yet Whit and Maureen
can't find local help. Years ago it was common for the children of
Lakewood guests to spend the summers during high school working at
Lakewood, usually as a waitress/waiter. One of the best fishermen
(actually a young lady) on the river is the daughter of an old time
Lakewooder. I've watched her in her canoe anchored off the Island
catching big salmon and brookies while those around her remained
fishless. When Susan Mary fished the Currents, everyone watched. Some
took notes. She knew that section of the river as well as anyone and
her knowledge of streamer fishing is unmatched by anyone I know,
including Peter Charles (and that is saying a hell of a lot!). She is
now married, lives two towns over from me, with children, and has
taught her husband how to fish. Her dad is a Lakewood legend, still
alive, but too old for the rigors of fishing this special river His
sons and daughter will carry on in his stead. What a legacy! If only
my grandsons would come back to the sport.......

Another good night's sleep. The cpap is amazing. Fished the dam this
morning. It was a cool overcast day and the fish were cooperative.
Killer Caddis on top and soft hackles on the bottom. Nothing real big
- a couple of salmon in the 16 inch range and finally a fair brookie
about 15 inches, and lots of "rat fish" (salmon about 10 inches). At
400 cfs the wade out to "flat top" is easy and this special spot gives
a great command of many fishing lanes. Surprisingly, however, it
didn't fish that well. About 10 a.m. a Lakewood guest and his two
adult sons departed and I had the dam to myself. I jumped around a bit
(mostly because I could!) and had a pretty good morning.

Back to camp around noon for salad and a cheeseburger, and a cold
Heinekens. Why is it that a ice cold beer tastes so good after a few
hours of fishing. I'm not a beer drinking man, but even a Budweiser
tastes good up here.

It was cool in the cabin and I laid down for a short nap.
Unfortunately that nap lasted 3 hours until 4 pm. I leave on the first
bus in the morning, but Joanne and I will be back in a couple of weeks
for our last trip this year. Some of the maples have changed color
since I've been in camp and there is that old familiar chill in the
air. It is indeed an early autumn.

Dave