50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast. Bob Mallard

Location: Northwestern Maine, about a 3-hour ride from Portland and Bangor; a 3-hour ride from Manchester, New Hampshire; and a 4-hour ride from Boston, Massachusetts. Full-service airports are available in all four cities.

      The Rangeley Lakes Region is rich in history and lore, and the Kennebago River is part of the reason. In the 1860s, word began to spread about the giant brook trout that inhabited the waters of this wild and remote corner of New England. In 1868, the Oquossoc Anglers Association was founded at the mouth of the Kennebago River, and fly-fishing exploration of the river began. Ed Grant founded Grant’s Kennebago Camps on Kennebago Lake in 1906. The camps are still in operation today.

      Kennebago is the name of a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the area around Kennebago Lake. It translates to “people of the land of sweet flowing waters.” They were the first to recognize the commercial potential of the area, guiding sportsmen from Boston and New York.

      The Kennebago begins at Big Island Pond along the Maine-Quebec border. The river is roughly 25 miles long. It is a diverse mix of slow, meandering stretches, short riffles, and pocketwater. Several miles below Big Island Pond, the river is interrupted by Long Pond. From there it flows roughly 8 miles before entering Little Kennebago Lake. A couple of miles after exiting Little Kennebago, the river is joined by the outlet of Kennebago Lake—the largest fly-fishing- only lake in Maine. From here

      the Kennebago flows unbroken for roughly 8 miles before terminating at Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Both Kennebago and Little Kennebago Lakes offer outstanding fishing for brook trout and the occasional landlocked salmon. Kennebago Lake is gated against public access. Little Kennebago Lake is accessible to the general public. The latter is restricted to nonmotorized boats only.

      The Kennebago is divided into four sections. The first, and least fished, is between Big Island Pond and Little

      Kennebago Lake. This section has a resident population of brook trout. The second is from Little Kennebago Lake to Kennebago Lake. Most of the fish here come from the two lakes. The third section is from Kennebago Lake to the bridge on Kennebago River Road. Fish from Mooselookmeguntic Lake reach the lower end of this section. There are also resident brook trout. The last section is from the bridge to Mooselookmeguntic Lake—including fabled Steep Bank Pool. Large brook trout move up into the river from the lake in late May and again in early fall. Landlocked salmon move in soon after the brook trout.

      There is good public access to the Kennebago between Steep Bank Pool and Mooselookmeguntic Lake. A gate just above Steep Bank prevents motorized traffic. You can,

      Fall fishing on middle river. Diana Mallard

      how ever, fish above Steep Bank if you walk, or have permission to go beyond the gate, usually associated with stays at one of the sporting camps. From Steep Bank to Kennebago Lake, the river is mostly riffles, fast water, pocketwater, and pools. Many fly fishers do use the road for walk-in access. This section provides a level of solitude not found on the easy-to-ac- cess water downstream of the gate. Fishing can be quite good in this section—possibly the best on the river.

      Fall brook trout. Tim Ervin

      Upper river. Rangeley Region Sport Shop

      You can also access the river by vehicle from the bridge located just below Little Kennebago Lake. From here you can fish down to the outlet of Kennebago Lake. This section is mostly riffles and runs. It also warms up quickly in the spring, resulting in the fish moving back into the lakes.

      The Kennebago is a wild fishery. The brook trout are native. The landlocked salmon are introduced. There is no stocking on the river. The Kennebago strain of brook trout is, however, used by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as brood stock for stocking programs else-where—a testimony to the strength of the genetics of these fish. Brook trout average 10 to 12 inches. However, fish over 4 pounds are caught in the Kennebago. They are as beautiful as any brook trout found anywhere. Fall fish demonstrate the vibrant colors, pronounced kype, and humped backs that make wild brook trout some of the—if not the—most beautiful fish in the world. Salmon average 12 to 16 inches, with much larger fish encountered. Fishing in the spring when fresh salmon have entered the river from the Mooselookmeguntic Lake can be very rewarding. Like all salmon, these fish usually go airborne immediately after they are hooked.

       Hatches: Trout and salmon in the Kennebago gorge themselves on spawning smelt as soon as the ice goes off the lakes. As the water warms, insects become more active and fish will switch their focus to them. Caddis—green or olive—and Hendricksons are the predominant hatches in the spring. Black stoneflies, dragonflies, and ants can provide food for the fish as well. Tan-colored caddis are the most consistent hatch, and extend through most of the summer.

      Streamers can be fished effectively on the Kennebago in the spring and again in the fall. Spring streamers

      should imitate smelt—fall streamers should be of the attractor variety. Streamers can also be effective in the deeper pools and when the river is running high or off-colored. Dry-fly fishing can be effective during a hatch, and when using attractors or terrestrials. As is often the case, when the fish are not looking up, and refuse streamers, nymphing is your best bet.

       Regulations: The Kennebago River is open to fishing from April 1 through September 30. The river and its tributaries are restricted to fly fishing only. There is a two-fish limit on trout. The minimum length limit is 10 inches; only one fish may be larger than 12 inches. The limit on salmon is one fish. The river is catch-and-release after August 15. The tributaries are closed to fishing after August 15. One short section of the river closes September 15 to protect spawning fish.

      The Kennebago is one of the top three native brook trout rivers in the country. The other two, Rapid and Magalloway, are within striking distance. The Kennebago should be near the top of every fly fisher’s list of places to go.

      The Logans. Tim Ervin

       Tackle: A 9-foot 5-weight rod with a floating line is the best all-around choice for most sections of the Kennebago River. A 9-foot 6-weight with a sink-tip or full sinking line can be helpful on the middle and lower sections if you wish to fish streamers. Lighter rods in the 4-weight range can be used effectively in the upper river at certain times of the year. Large strike indicators are needed to fish a pair of flies and sufficient weight to get the flies down quickly in the fast-moving water in the lower river. Flies should include smelt, minnow, and sculpin streamer patterns; mayfly and stonefly dries and nymphs; all stages of caddis in varying sizes and colors; as well as egg patterns.

      BRETT DAMM is a Master Maine Guide. He owns and operates Rangeley Region Sport Shop and River To Ridge Guide Service. He can be reached at 207-864-5615, [email protected], or www.rangeleysportshop.com.

      Closest fly shops

      Rangeley Region Sport Shop

      2529 Main Street

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-5615

      www.rangeleysportshop.com [email protected]

      Closest guides and outfitters

      Pond In The River Guide Service

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-9140

      www.rangeleyflyfishing.com