Fishing tips for October
A Maine state biologist shares his advice on fishing in October in Region C, which encompasses Hancock and Washington Counties.
As the temeperatures drop, brook trout and salmon in our area will be on the move.
By Jake Scoville, Maine Fisheries Resource Supervisor
Well, if you read the September fishing report from Region C, I hope you weren’t holding your breath for those fall rains… It was a dry month, and I’m sure that affected the fishing in some of the smaller waters on your go-to list. October is a great month in the Downeast Region, and if the weather cooperates, you might get a mulligan to make up for a less than ideal September.
Where to fish:
The water temperatures throughout the region will be dropping and will fall below the 60°F mark, indicating that the peak movement for coldwater fish is approaching. Many salmon and trout waters remain open in October here in Downeast, but it's important to check the lawbook to confirm. I recommend taking a drive to Echo Lake in Mt. Desert on MDI. This water remains open for fishing in October and supports healthy populations of salmon and brook trout. The brook trout will likely bite first, but if you manage to hook a salmon, you'd better hold on.
Another lake worth fishing this time of year is none other than the largest lake in the region, West Grand Lake. Fishing at West Grand is open through Oct. 20. Recent surveys indicate that the lake trout population is trending upward, suggesting that anglers should have no trouble catching several in a single outing. West Grand salmon should be in peak condition, consistently providing anglers with fish between 16 and 19 inches.
Tips:
If you’re going out to troll for some fall lake trout, not only should you be trolling in shallower water near shore, but you should also try to identify and spend time near any shoals. This could be off mainland points, islands, or outcroppings in the main portion of a lake. Lake trout may be concentrated near these locations in hopes of finding adequate spawning substrate. Also, do yourself a favor and be sure to dry those fly and tackle boxes out if you have traded in your fishing rods for shotguns already. There are few things more discouraging than a bunch of rusty hooks when April 1 arrives.
Reminder:
A hot topic across the state this fall has been water levels. This isn't new information, but we are in a drought. Historically, stable fishing flows at Grand Lake Stream could be expected in October. This year, flows will be lower than in previous years. That said, watch the USGS flow gauge starting in October. Although flows are currently at 125cfs, an increase is expected to attract fish to the stream and provide anglers with satisfactory fishing conditions, given the circumstances Mother Nature has presented us with.
—This article has been reprinted with the author’s permission.
