Unlike this past winter, spring has been a fairly docile season thus far, and a good thing too, with all the snow cover, prolonged heavy rain would have been disastrous. Moderate temperatures during the day and cool nights have yielded a slow steady melt that has reduced snow depths at a regular rate.
Unfortunately for April anglers local rivers and streams have risen a foot for every two or three feet of snow melt and are now in freshet condition; high, dirty and debris-filled.
Since most large lakes won’t shed their winter coat of ice and be fishable until around Mother’s Day, bait casters must patiently wait a few days and then pick and chose the best trout pools on flowing waterways. Offering not only brook trout but a hearty population of brown trout over a dozen runs, the Meduxnekeag River above and below the main bridge in Houlton deserve attention.
Since spring fish avoid runs with heavy current, preferring bogans, backwaters and eddies along shore or below islands, casting from the bank or using chest waders in slow runs is the easiest option. Boats aren’t worth the extra effort on the fast flowing Meduxnekeag—unless you’re into white water canoeing. There is a stretch of stream behind the old starch factory and another down river at Cary’s Mills that offer dependable April action every year, and both spots are simple to reach and easy to fish with worms or lures.
Above Houlton toward Littleton, the old covered bridge and a small metal bridge span the Meduxnekeag, and at each site a productive holding pool for brown trout is located. Another excellent run can be seen and easily reached from the Bell Road which parallels the stream closely for a fair distance. Angleworms slowly bottom-bounced through the placid runs will elicit strikes from both species of trout. A medium size Dardevle, Al’s goldfish, or copper Sutton spoon are proven fish takers for anglers who prefer to toss hardware.
Prestile Stream is another productive April waterway, especially the pools between the dams and bridges in Mars Hill and Robinson. Both spots can be fished from either shoreline and each can be waded. Worms are still the bait of choice, but fly casters will often entice a few strikes fishing streamer flies deep and slow. If a sinking line isn’t available, a weighted fly will suffice, and a black nose dace, gray ghost, black Woolly bugger or a jasbo ought to stir some interest.
Early season casters in the Crown of Aroostook would be wise to investigate the Fish River near Soldier Pond village. Another early hot spot after the freshet conditions recede the pond as well as the river above and below can be cast to from shore or even trolled for trout and landlocked salmon. Worms, sewn smelt, size 8 silver Sutton spoons, orange Rapalas, and a variety of tandem streamers will all take both varieties of fish.
By the end of the month, depending on weather, the Aroostook River may be trollable, but more than likely it will be early May. Thanks to its long and convoluted course, the Aroostook passes through or near almost two dozen villages and towns with many boat launch sites available. Spring trout trolling has been extremely productive the last few years with lots of 14- to 18-inch brookies hooked on flies and lures. To break up the fishing trip, many sportsmen opt to pull ashore and fill a plastic pail or bag with fiddleheads from along the bank. Fresh fish and ferns are a County spring treat.
Some years when the streams and rivers remain high and unfishable for most of April, it is possible to dunk a worm near the inlets or outlets of small lakes and ponds, even if part of the waterway is still covered in ice. Keep an eye on Monson in Fort Fairfield, Durepo in Limestone, Black Lake in Fort Kent, Echo and Hansen Lakes in Presque Isle Monticello, Conroy in Monticello and Cary in Littleton. Many were stocked late last fall with some very large trout and early fishing can be very rewarding.
Spring fishing is always a matter of timing, water conditions and temperatures have to be just right and you may suffer through two slow action days to enjoy an outing to really brag about. Keep checking out those favorite spots, they will get better and better over the next week or two and then by moving from one waterway to another anglers can experience steady spring action for a full month.
