50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast. Bob Mallard

Maine 04441

      207-695-2369

      www.captainsawyerhouse.com [email protected]

      Kineo View Motor Lodge

      50 Overlook Drive

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      800-659-8439

      www.kineoview.com [email protected]

      Closest restaurants

      Blair Hill Inn

      351 Lily Bay Road

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      207-695-0224

      www.blairhill.com [email protected]

      Black Frog (pub-style food)

      17 Pritham Avenue

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      207-695-1100

      www.theblackfrog.com

      Kelly’s Landing

      West Cove, Moosehead Lake

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      207-695-4438

      www.kellysatmoosehead.com [email protected]

      Flatlanders (pub-style food)

      36 Pritham Avenue

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      207-695-3373

      Auntie M’s (breakfast)

      Lilly Bay Road

      Greenville, Maine 04441

      207-695-2238

      5 . Kennebec River

       Location: Central Maine, about a 1-hour ride from Bangor, a 2-hour ride from Portland, Maine; a 3½-hour ride from Boston, Massachusetts; and a 3½-hour ride from Manchester, New Hampshire. Full-service airports are available in all four cities.

      The Kennebec Valley is rich in fly-fishing lore. Arthur R. Macdougall’s fictional character Dud Dean, Maine Guide, plied his trade on the Kennebec River and surrounding waters during the golden age of sporting.

      Gadabout Gaddis, aka The Flying Fisherman, filmed his TV show in the 1960s and 1970s on the banks of the river—a small grass airport bears his name. The Kennebec was also the site of one of the first major dam removal projects in the country. The removal of Edwards Dam in Augusta opened up 17 miles of river to anadromous alewives, striped bass, sturgeon, and endangered Atlantic salmon.

      The section of Kennebec of most interest to fly fishers lies between Harris Dam and Madison. Here the Kennebec is basically four rivers in one. In a stretch of roughly 50 miles—interrupted by several impoundments—there are four dams: Harris, Wyman, Williams, and Abnaki. Below each is a tailwater. Each tailwater is significantly different. The topography, size, flow regime, insect life, and even species of salmonids change.

      Below Harris near The Forks, in what is called the Gorge, lies the most rugged and remote stretch of salmonid river in the Northeast. Best known for its whitewater rafting, it is also a great wild brook trout and landlocked salmon fishery. Brook trout can reach 18 inches. Salmon get even larger. Nowhere in the Northeast can you float a river while fly fishing for wild trout and salmon, and feel more remote.

      The Wyman tailwater in Bingham is home to one of the few—and by far the finest—wild rainbow trout fisheries north of New York. Fish over 20 inches are

      encountered. These are remnants of a stocking program that’s been defunct for more than 30 years. There are also wild landlocked salmon and brook trout, with the former outnumbering the latter. Here the river meanders lazily through riffles, runs, and pools.

      Below Williams Dam in Solon, the river is predominantly a stocked brown trout fishery. Brown trout over 20 inches are caught here. There are also wild landlocked salmon. Brook trout and rainbow trout are present as well. This section gives you the best chance at a four-species outing—referred to as the

      “Kennebec Slam.” Not only is this a great dry-fly fishery, it is also the best streamer water on the river. A day in the bow of a drift boat throwing large streamers tight to the bank is your best way to catch a large brown trout here.

      Diana Mallard fishing in Solon. Bob Mallard

      The Abnaki tailwater in Madison is a stocked brown trout fishery. Brook trout and salmon are also stocked. This is a wade fishery with no viable downriver access. It does, however, boast the strongest and most diverse hatches on the river. Here the river is made up of long riffles, runs, a few pools, and some large rapids.

      John Vacca fishing below Wyman Dam. Bob Mallard

      Bob Mallard with Kennebec Gorge brook trout. Chris Russell

      Much of the Kennebec River can be accessed from Route 201, which parallels the river for much of its length. Public access is limited in some areas. There is, however, walk-in access at three bridges, some boat launches, a multiple-use trail on the east shore in Bingham, a small ball field in The Forks, The Pines in Madison, and several private businesses.

      The Kennebec is a large river by any standards. In many places the river is 200 to 300 feet wide. The two middle tailwaters are braided, giving you more water than you can fish in a single outing. The three upper tailwaters average roughly 8 miles in length, the lower about 2 miles.

      Flows in the Gorge are feast-or-famine. Low flows are in the 325 cfs range—mandated morning and evening fish flows—and high flows are in the 5,000+ cfs range. There are very few flows in between, as the water is reserved for power generation and whitewater rafting. Several feeder streams add to the flow and can impact this section during runoff. Wyman flows are similar to those at Harris. Low flows run at 1,000 to 1,200cfs. Power-generating flows run at 5,000 cfs or more. When there’s no power generation, flows drop to 2,500 to 3,500 cfs. There is only one significant tributary, Austin Stream, less than a mile below the dam. After it rains, this can have a significant—but temporary—impact on the river. Below Williams and Abnaki, flows become more consistent. Flows usually run in the 3,000 to 4,000 cfs range and are not subject to the daily, and even hourly, changes experienced below the two upper tailwaters.

      The Kennebec can be waded during low flows. It is tough to wade during high water. Fishing from a drift boat—or raft where appropriate—whenever possible is often the best way to fish regardless of flows. This allows you to cover more water. It also addresses some of the access issues noted above.

      The three upper tailwaters are open from April 1 through October—the lower year-round. Prime time is May

      and June and September and October. In July and August fishing is best below Harris and Wyman Dams. All four tailwaters are restricted to artificial lures only. Below Wyman, Williams, and Abnaki there is a one-fish limit and a minimum length limit of 16 inches on rainbows, browns, and salmon. The limit on brook trout is 12 inches. Below Harris Dam there is a two-fish, 12-inch minimum on all trout and salmon.

      The trout in the Kennebec feed on minnows and insects. The predominant