Well the trip got off to a slow start, we had a storm rip through Forest the night before we were supposed to leave. I had to run the chain saw for an hour and half to get out of the driveway. We got lucky, the trees that were down a mixture of locust and maple were ones I wanted cut down anyway. Our neighbors got it worse, as we were leaving for Maine the camera crews were rolling in. Anyway we (daughter and I, left the wife to stack firewood and pull slash to the burn pile) began our time in Maine with a nice bowl of lobster bisque. (http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7937_zpsrrg4ev75.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7937_zpsrrg4ev75.jpg.html)
Good lordy it was good, rich as heck and full of Lobster meat. well the next morning we left Portland, swung by here
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7939_zpsl5f9gdvr.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7939_zpsl5f9gdvr.jpg.html)
picked up some flies I didn't need and got some information that was useless. My daughter still thinks LL bean is only a flyshop. Finally, after dropping her off at camp I was headed to my destination. I do remember I querried the members of this fine forum for info on fishing Maine, and got a bunch of useless info and a couple of Bah Haboh comments. Maine is a big state, so I settled on Grand Lake Stream, a tiny village between two lakes with a 3 mile river filled with Land Locked Salmon and Brook Trout.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6232785_zpsnk5mzvsb.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6232785_zpsnk5mzvsb.jpg.html)
This is what I found.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6192711_zps7q1txxm4.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6192711_zps7q1txxm4.jpg.html)
When I rolled into the parking lot and started getting I ready I figured out I left my 5 weight at home, (thanks storm). So I made the best of it and used my Superfine 2 weight. A PIA but what could I do. I rigged up a nymph rig and caught my first LL in a long dang time.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6202720_zpscpexocep.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6202720_zpscpexocep.jpg.html)
Things got bigger
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6202726_zpsl68x4edw.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6202726_zpsl68x4edw.jpg.html)
After catching some fish, I commenced to exploring GLS. GLS connects two lakes, its a approximetly 3 mile FF only stream. Here is the picture of the dam at the head of GLS and the fish ladder. See if you can spot any fish.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7945_zpsq0jwvqvx.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7945_zpsq0jwvqvx.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7949_zpsrunxekp0.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7949_zpsrunxekp0.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7950_zpsgbi2shec.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7950_zpsgbi2shec.jpg.html)
Finally after two days, the wind layed down and a slight BWO hatch started to occur.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6212762_zpsmiduiytp.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6212762_zpsmiduiytp.jpg.html)
The LL were pretty selective and I had to rotate through all my BWO patterns before I could find the one they wanted. And the next fish would want a different one. Emergers, polly wing spinners, CDC I used 'em all.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6212745_zpsnioj70pq.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6212745_zpsnioj70pq.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6212741_zpsuz4qrpyx.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6212741_zpsuz4qrpyx.jpg.html)
The neat thing I liked about the LL was how they would just squirt out of the water like you were spitting a watermelon seed. They jump a lot. I even caught a southern salmon. He tried to jump.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6212748_zpsqe6wofms.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6212748_zpsqe6wofms.jpg.html)
After eating sardines and crackers out of the car for a couple of days, I decided to check out one of the lodges and see if I could get a dinner resevation. I pulled into Weatherbys.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6232797_zpsczixlhnx.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6232797_zpsczixlhnx.jpg.html)
Even bumped into an old friend who I used to train my Gordon Setter with. He still runs gordons. As my wife said, "you hang out in weird places, where only weird people hang out." Still amazed I knew someone up in GLS. Explored the camp and really liked what I saw.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7963_zpsch8qrosp.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7963_zpsch8qrosp.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7953_zpsmdthcyaz.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7953_zpsmdthcyaz.jpg.html)
They got bird dogs running all over the place. Fisherman talking about fishing, drinks on the porch and fly shop. An amazing place and I wished I stayed their. I thinks its about 160 a nite meals included. I stayed in a B&B without breakfast for 45 bucks nite. But I had to drive through an Indian Reservation about the time it took me to drink a large coffee. And all I ate were tuna pouches, sardines, crackers, powerbars and coffee.
Saw one of these swim across when I was fishing
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6212768_zps5zsnvh42.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6212768_zps5zsnvh42.jpg.html)
And these ducks were around me all the time I have no idea what they were.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6222772_zpskhwzaqez.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6222772_zpskhwzaqez.jpg.html)
Went Brook trout fishing on Thursday and all I caught were these.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6222783_zpslue5lviu.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6222783_zpslue5lviu.jpg.html)
Finally GLS was warming up (4 degrees in 4 days) and I was catching less LL and it was time to head down east to Acadia, pick up the wife in Bangor and th daughter at camp. GLS was one of the more amazing places I have been to, and I would love to return.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6232796_zpsi33jr8eq.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6232796_zpsi33jr8eq.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP7964_zpsnytihyzl.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP7964_zpsnytihyzl.jpg.html)
I find Acadia beautiful but full of ijits. The lobsters were good.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/P6262844_zpsvrzc8wtk.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/P6262844_zpsvrzc8wtk.jpg.html)
And the sunrises were nice but early.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP8054_zpsfq8wgthb.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP8054_zpsfq8wgthb.jpg.html)
'c; bd;0 'c; bd;0 'c; bd;0 I think that was a damn fine report - great photos as well.
Sweet man, how big do the land locked get?
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Awesome trip.
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Good shit! Looks like a good time for sure.
Well that kicked ass
The Can. bd;0 -0-
I failed to catch a LL last time I was up that way. I bet that was a ball with the 2wt.
Those ducks were Golden-Eyes
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Cool. Always wanted to go to GlS n!n
Quote from: NCsporksman on July 03, 2016, 16:03:20 PM
Sweet man, how big do the land locked get?
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The biggest I reckon were 18 inches. Slimey sons of b!tches. They get bigger and in the fall they are fatter. The fall is supposed to be awesome, the LL show color and you can bird hunt your brains out.
Maine treated you well /'/
Really cool! thank you for sharing those pics.
What an awesome trip. I can imagine what a fall bird and trout trip would be like, and I'm going to continue to daydream about that all afternoon.
GLS is an awesome place. Weatherbys is a great location as you can walk to the stream. Did you fish for smallmouth? West Grand and Big Lake are incredible smallmouth fisheries. You can fish the stream in the morning and evening and fish for smallmouth bass in between. I think the St. Croix River is also a great smallmouth fishery. Guides are cheap only around $300 per day including lunch.
I hit GLS earlier in June. Did terrible one day and good the next. Later fished and floated the West Branch of the Penobscot another great fishery. Glad you had a great trip.
Quote from: bmadd on July 05, 2016, 13:24:53 PM
What an awesome trip. I can imagine what a fall bird and trout trip would be like, and I'm going to continue to daydream about that all afternoon.
bmadd it wouldn't be terribly expensive. Great place to take a dog for grouse and timberdoodles. Tons of bird contact for a dog. Heck I stayed at the Belmard Inn for 45 dollars a nite. The drive would be a little ruff but doable.
24 hours and 0 minutes from my location. Think I'm out on that driving part
Bah Hahbuh :banana011: