Early each spring the Aroostook River offers a couple of weeks of top rate trolling and shoreline bait fishing for trout and then a week or 10 days of surface casting with dry flies while wading. Since this bountiful waterway meanders through a dozen villages and towns many local sportsmen live just minutes away from a short pre-work or post supper fishing foray. Proper planning also allows for the opportunity to fill a hat or plastic bag with fresh fiddleheads from the bank along the stream. Fresh trout and fiddleheads —mmm-mmm, good!
This year, not only did the ice break up abnormally early, but weekly rain storms prolonged fishing and seemed to invigorate the brookies. Unfortunately some of the storms were so heavy that the Aroostook and most of its tributaries turned to torrents of mud becoming too high and fast to be safely accessible for three or four days at a time. But when the water began to recede and clear the trout took baits steadily, and some of the speckled-sided beauties were bragging size.
Usually by mid-June the Aroostook River dwindles in depth and warms notably, sending most of the fish into deep holes or schooling up near brook inlets. This year however many stretches are deep enough to allow trolling from canoes and small 12- to 14-foot V-hull or Jon boats, and chest waders allow access to many fly fishing runs. The trout continue to be well spread out and are receptive to streamer patterns in fast runs and usually there are hatches every day so dry fly casters can enjoy top water fun.
Boat fishermen who prefer trolling will find metal lures work far better than plastic or wooden plugs that resemble bait fish. Size 44 or 8 Sutton spoons with silver on one side and copper on the other are sure fish takers. Small Phoebes, narrow Mooselook wobblers, silver super dupers and red and white Dardevles with copper, not silver on the opposite side have all been dependable so far this season.
Be sure to use a snap swivel to secure the line or have a small barrel swivel a few feet up the monofilament to prevent line twist and assure proper lure action through the water. Most sports use spinning rods to troll lures, but I’ve used a 5-weight fly rod for years with a 12- to 15-foot leader so as to enjoy the fight a bit more. I can also quickly switch to streamer fly when the trout are ignoring lures.
Single-hook, long shank, streamers in size 2, 4 and 6 work all spring and early summer. When the river is off-color try a bright pattern such as a red and white bucktail, Mickey Finn, or Magog smelt. Proven streamers for clear water conditions include a black nose dace, nine-three, gray ghost, hornberg or Herb Johnson Special.
Troll lures and flies downstream just a bit faster than the current. I’ve experimented for several years trolling both ways, with and against the current. I catch eight fish going downstream to every two motoring upstream! My theory is that the heavy water flow changes the lure action, making it too erratic and unnatural.
Those anglers who don’t own boats, or prefer to cast rather than troll, can still enjoy plenty of trout action. Tossing out worm rigs from the river bank or casting and retrieving lures both work. Find a slow moving pool; an eddy below an island or a cove out of the fast current, or locate a spot where a creek or small brook flows into the Aroostook. All of these spots attract fish in fast, cold water conditions. The trout don’t have to fight the river and the flow brings food right into their holding pool. Shoreline casters just have to toss their baits into the natural flow and hang on.
Finally, and my favorite style of Aroostook River fishing this month, is dry fly casting during the sporadic spring fly hatches. These may occur at any time of day, but usually late afternoon or evening on warm, sunny days. I’ve sat on the river bank for an hour some evenings waiting for a hatch to occur, sometimes it never does. But when one begins, the surface fishing is fabulous, but get out there quick, it may last an hour or just fifteen minutes.
Wade out and take up a station near the rising fish then strip out line and wait. When a fish rises to take a floating insect, cast your dry fly two or three feet above and let it float over the feeding site. So far this spring a size 14 or 16 Henryville special, blue dun, Hendrickson, light Cahill and a gray Slim Jim have worked every hatch. Most trout averaged 10- to 14-inches, but a surprising number of battling brookies measured upwards of 18 inches.
It’s likely you can drive to a productive fishing hole on the Aroostook river within 10 or 15 minutes whether you live in Masardis, Castle Hill, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield or any other Crown of Maine community near this great trout stream. Even if you have to drive for half an hour the current fishing conditions are well worth the effort. Don’t wait, the fish are taking, the water level and temperature is just right and you can mow the lawn and plant the garden tomorrow — or the next day.
