September 4, 2015
We hate to wish away summer but cooler weather can come any time. Key ingredients to good fall river fishing is rising water levels and falling water temperatures.
Here’s the word about the Roach River straight from the fisheries guys.
“We typically get a lot of calls this time of year asking about the September flows in the Roach River. Our water management plan states that we will open the gates on the dam on the Tuesday after Labor Day. In years where we have had excess water (i.e. the lake is above 6.5 feet), we’ve been able to let water go a little early. This year we are at 6.0 feet and will wait until Sept 8th to start the release to ensure we have enough water to keep the high flows in the river through the entire month.”
After the increase in flow it does take long to fill the Roach with salmon and brookies.
This is also a draw down year for Moosehead to insure a successful lake trout spawning period. We don’t know just yet but some time next week the East Outlet will see an increase from the current 1200 cfs level. Any substantial increase will begin to draw salmon up from Indian Pond.
As soon as cooler fall weather settles in trout fishing on the ponds will perk up as well. When water temps drop into the low 60’s trout that have been held up in spring holes during the heat of summer and gone a long time without a square meal will begin cruising around a pond in search of a meal. They’ll eat just about anything they can find. It’s the time of season when all you have to do is twitch a Royal Wulff or orange grasshopper on the surface and trout will find and eat it.
Trout are already colored up nicely. We like to say they have all the right spots in all the right places.
Everyone’s talking fall fishing and we are ready to get things rolling. Keep your fingers crossed for a good cold rain to blow through. That always brings in lots of spawners.
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