Maine Fly Fishing: It Will Blow You Away

by | Fresh Water

Maine Experience Video

I touched down at Portland International at 4pm. Jeremy had me out on the ledges, probing the surf with my sink tip by 4:30. Everything seemed so surreal, rollers breaking in front of me, the taste of the ocean on my lips and a bent rod heavy with the weight of a striper. It would be a three day bender, I had a vague idea of what was going to transpire, but not until the end would I realize the uniqueness of the experience. It was a bite to eat and off to bed, 4am would come early and there was a significant drive north involved.When we made the left turn onto the logging road the anticipation was unbearable. New state, new water, new species and new scenery, my mind was going a thousand miles per hour. I raised my coffee cup to eye level while Jeremy zigged and zagged around the potholes of the old paper company road. I caught glimpses of the river through the pines every once in a while, it was like some kind of exotic foreplay.We reached the pull off, Jeremy and Austin were geared up in record time. I was out of my element and it took me a couple minutes of checking and double checking before I was willing to leave the security of the car. When we broke through the tree line and I saw the river for the first time, I was speechless, pure unspoiled splendor.The tail-out we stepped into was thick with greedy salmon, feeding and rolling on the surface. For a moment I thought I stepped into the land of make believe. We began to make drifts in the slick and coaxed up a great number of fish, bringing them to the fly was not the problem, hooking them was. They are extremely quick and your hook sets need to be also. We landed and released many salmon that morning. I spent a little more time during the release with these acrobats, their striking markings held me captive.We fished miles and miles of unmolested water without another angler in sight. The water was tannic, well oxygenated and very well defined. Each run was more productive than the last, it was truly unbelievable. We met up with Boz from the site and he was more than willing to show us his home water from behind the oars of his commercial grade raft, an experience I will never forget!The return trip would take us West before heading back South. Austin and Jeremy were kind enough to show me some premier Rainbow and Salmon fisheries that they had paid their dues on, always giving me the first drift. Again I was amazed at the numbers of trophy fish to be had in the great north woods. It would take 50 lifetimes to even scratch the surface of Northern Maine. Without question one of the finest destinations in the lower 48. Anyone who pursues fish with a fly rod has to see this country it will blow you away. Special thanks to Keely for the hospitality, that sauce is phenomenal.

9 Comments

  1. RickW on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Great article, awsome video!

    Who’s the guy with the skinny legs?? ;-)~

  2. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    whip … i could just as well say … “the great lakes: they will blow you away” … and if not for you … i would still be bound to the limited knowledge i had of the area, as it relates to steelhead and trout fishing .. and i would have never had the chance to experience all of the world class fly fishing locations that you have introduced me to …. prior to meeting you … i thought that steelhead = salmon river … and that is certainly true .. but when you showed me all of the tribs and rivers that you have spent your lifetime on …i saw the great lakes fisheries from a whole new perspective…

    so .. this was just my kinda way to say .. thank you … for sharing all your great lakes knowledge with me .. and … i know there is so much more to see .. because as i always say … maine’s biggest lake (moosehead) is just a tiny little cove .. in comparison to the lakes in your neck of the woods .. glad you had a good time. come again anytime.

  3. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Jer, I’m glad we have had the opportunity to show each other our cherished fishing grounds. We both know how many hours of driving, scouting, learning and fishing it can take (sometimes years) to dial into specific fisheries. The beauty of it is, the homework is already done, all we have to do is show up, suit up and let the games begin. It’s a wonderful thing. Thanks again…

    ps The Steelhead are coming

  4. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    great job WHippa, what a trip and quite the gracious host. See you soion I’m sure, keep tying the egg sucking leeches, they’ll be in soon!!!

  5. wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    This video is a perfect example of the incredible variety of angling available to us here in the NE. I am continually blown away by these fish tales and video of what is available to us within a days drive. I did not know that Maine has such good trout and salmon fishing. Thanks for sharing.

  6. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    wrh – would love to show you around … come on up sometime … maybe this fall, if our schedules allow for it … you would appreciate maine .. and i would be honored to help you add “maine” to your list of the other impressive destinations you have already charted in your lifetime…. send me a pm — but i am a horrible planner when it comes to fly fishing…. i operate much better with “tentative” timeframes and then going “last minute” … as i am a firm believer that air temps, water temps and all other environmental factors (which are not conducive to planning) play a big roll determining the “success” of any fly fishing trip… … but whatever … shoot me a pm with a “tentative” timeframe (2 days) that might work for you … if you are interested.

  7. greg on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I haven’t fished in a few and was trying to figure what options I might have. Just as you think theres no place to fish, due to water temps, levels etc., A movie comes up on the front page and reminds me of the myriad of choices there are. Theres thousands of miles of coast line giving access to stripers, Blues and from a boat tuna. The jumping Landlocked Salmon shows there is water levels and Temps available in the State of Maine. Thanks, I,m going fishing.

  8. gilly09 on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    nice vid. it culminates summer in maine.

    Now get rid of those shots with that island in the background 😉 !!

  9. kennebecfly on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Man, all the things I live for somethig great to watch on a cold Jan. night