| Aroostook Outdoors
by Wayne Selfridge, Caribou
Fish River Lakes
 Each impoundment possesses its own
fishing character. For instance, Square is known for its brook trout, Eagle for togue and
Long for salmon.
Southern Maine is proud of its Sebago.
The Western Mountain region boasts of Rangeley and Moosehead. Central Maine centerpieces the Belgrades, and Down East and Coastal sections have
ocean-bragging rights. With most of these fishable
waters in the lower two-thirds of the Pine Tree State, with reachable access by the
population centers and tourists, Aroostook's Fish River Lakes
Region is comparatively unknown.
To citizens of The County, this huge
watershed is a cultural shrine. Encompassing eight lakes; Fish, Portage, Eagle, St. Froid,
Square, Cross, Mud and Long Lakes, interconnected by thoroughfares and the Fish River,
there's 30,735 acres of water teeming with fish. The Fish River drainage has a quality
habitat one-and-a-third the size of the state of Connecticut with a matchless environment
that promotes and sustains spawning. These are not just stock-and-take waters.
The planted cold-water species do grow to
reproductive size here. In the fall, observers can experience the spawning run in
Guerrette on the Rt. 161 bridge over the thoroughfare between Mud and Cross Lakes. Seeing
the size of these mating fish give evidence to the productivity of the Fish River chain.
With this much water, comparatively little fishing pressure, and 7400 landocked salmon and
4500 lake trout stocked last year joining native inhabitants of the same species, the odds
of catching large numbers of lunker fish should encourage one to wet a line here. Although
brook trout are not stocked, there are sizable populations of the squaretail, too.
Each impoundment possesses its own
fishing character. For instance, Square is known for its brook trout, Eagle for togue and
Long for salmon. Few bother fishing Mud. St. Froid and Portage, all of which have sleeper
reputations. And yet, lake trout and salmon are routinely hooked in these two scenic
waters. Although there may be a preponderance of gamefish on any one waterway, there's
still mystery at line's end because of the diversity of species. The health of the fishery
is closely watched by Regional Fishery Biologist Dave Basley.
I spoke with Dave, who has been our
Fisheries Management Region G biologist for 21years. He credits the willingness of
sportsman in accepting biologically sound creel and size limits as a leading factor in
establishing a sustainable fishery. As an example of this, Dave explained that a female
brook trout has to attain a 12-inch length before sexually mature enough to reproduce,
thus the 12-inch minimum limit. The brookies now grow to bragging proportions, evidenced
by the three 18 inchers I pulled through the ice of Long Lake this winter.
Knowing that the Fish River Lakes'
anglers are not inclined to break from species tradition, he confirmed that there are no
plans to stock splake in these waters. As for future goals, Dave and his crew are
attempting to inspire landlocked salmon numbers in Eagle Lake by eliminating the stocking
of togue and boosting forage by artificially depositing smelt eggs.
Finally, Dave asks that we continue
to enhance the Department's efforts by supporting established limits, which he monitors
closely by trap netting to gauge a lake's health. He also asks that live-bait fishermen
cut their lines instead of using pliers to dislodge a hook, which allows for increased
likelihood of survival.
Professional stewardship, stocking, low
fishing pressure and spawning habitat have borne out high concentrations of fish in the
Fish River Lakes, an opportunity that should be on your destination list for this summer.
________________________
Wayne Selfridge is a seasoned outdoorsman
who has hunted and fished throughout the world as a military veteran. He works in law
enforcement and also serves as the Sporting Journal's Northern Sales Manager. Wayne is
also a member of the Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge.
© 2000 Northwoods Sporting Journal
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