Bass-1

IT'S still going up here in MAINE... I fished a tournament yesterday, and we caught largemouth with fresh bloody tails. I told my partner that even if it's in July, the water temps were only 67-69, and the l/m WERE spawning. At a lake that usually takes 18-20+ pounds to win, we won with 16.3, and the big fish were no where to be found. We had lunker at 4.92, but there are bigger bass in there. Last week a two day tournament was won with spawning l/m here... go figure, in July... Cold weather and water temps = spawning whenever the temps get up there. Maybe next year I'll be fishing smallies on beds in August... ;D

Between just fun fishing, guiding and tournament fishing, the least I "ever" carry is 6, and the most is 10. I alway carry two spinning outfits and the rest baitcasting. You never know when the fish are going to change and you really need to be prepared to change with them, or get left behind...

That is the one I bought John. All you carry to a tournament is a set of cull tags and this board. How much easier is that....

Check out ACCU CULL on Tackle warehouse. You don't have to write down anything anymore, very easy to use. I just used mine this past Saturday and LOVE IT... Weather doesn't affect it. It's not cheap ($40.00) but worth it to anyone who tournament fishes...

Can't beat the fall fishing up here in MAINE. Leaves are all colored, frosty in the mornings and warm in the afternoons, and not many if any other boats on the water. Fishing is great from early fall right up to Thanksgiving, if we don't get ice by then.

Myself and some friends from Conn. and R.I. just finished a one week trip to southern Maine around the little Sebago area. We fished about 16 different bodies of water with 6 boats, and by weeks end, most boats averaged 300+ fish. The majority was smallmouth with several nice largemouth mixed in. Biggest l/m were 6.4,5.2 and 5 with a few in the 3-4 range and smallies were 5.5, 5.2 and several 3-4's. Because of the mixed up weather we had this spring, fish were in a 3 stages of pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn. We found both smallies and l/m activly spawing right in the middle of the day and also lots of empty beds. Water temps ranged from 62-72. A normal year with the group would average about 500 fish for the week, so it was good, but not great.

Your line may have been to big to start with, and you may have had the wrong colors. In very clear water, you want to use 4-6 lb. test, and throw natural colors in brown or green. Try a small spider grub in green pumpkin with an 1/8 oz. head. And also remember, if you can see them, they can see you. Good luck....

From Greenbush to Costigan won't take to long. (depending on how long you stop and fish) The river is not flowing to fast up there. I would fish around the islands right across from the ramp at both places. From Costigan to Old Town the river picks up just a little, but you wouldn't have any problems until you get below. You will be drifting down past some pilings, don't pass these areas up, then as you get to the end of them, you will see some fast water. It's not a problem to run in a canoe as it is only for a quick second, then back to fishing and your looking at Orson Island and Indian Island. The trip around Orson is also a good place to hit. You'll see lots of wildlife, and catch lots of bass. I would really plan to launch at Greenbush and end up at Old Town. You'll be ready for a cold beer and bed after that trip. Good luck and happy fishing....

I talked to a warden right after they found pike in Pushaw and asked him if caught, do we kill them or let them go. He said the lake association wanted to keep the pike in there. I haven't heard of anything differant since.

I used to guide out of Long Lake camps. You can't go wrong if you get a good map of Big lake as it is "full" of rock piles and shallow water out in the middle. First place I would head to is the inlet where West Grand Lake dumps into big Lake. Current and cabbage in that area hold smallies and it is clear water. Watermelon senko's and lizards, spinner baits burned just under the surface and top water should work real nice then. Good luck and have fun...

Maine bassman, most all waters up my way are combo waters. Pushaw used to be a real good water for big smallies, but since 3 years ago when someone put Pike in it, the fishing hasn't been the great. imo. As far as bass being protected in Maine, they have better protection then trout, salmon and togue. Check out the regs on them, you can only keep 1 bass from April 1st until July 1st, that is just so funny, I love it.... ;D ;D

If it's big bass you want, then I agree with alot of you for Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the south, but for numbers, MAINE can't be beat. A good day on the water in those states are 20-30 bass, MAINE can see upward of 50+ daily with some nice size as well. We don't have "hugh" bass due to the short season, but there are a lot of them in just about every pond, lake and river system here, both smallies and l/m, and up in the Bangor area in central Maine, a pond is considered to be 500+ acres and lakes are 2000+ on avg. with little to no boats on them during the summer. I fish all the time I can, and usually I'm one of 3 boats out there during the week. Lots of water, not lots of "noise"...

really??? i usually have pretty good luck...any other waters locally you can recommend? i wanna really start fishing lakes this year...thanks You have a couple of good fishermen in your own back yard on Indian Island. Look up Chris Francis or Wane Loring, they can help you out. Mainebassman, I used to live in Washington County in Woodland. I thought the fishing there was second to none until I moved up to the Bangor area and WOW!!! Even in this area the fish are un-pressured with very few boats on the lakes and ponds. I don't think bass fishing has totally caught on in MAINE yet...

CONGRATS TUCKMAN, I thought for sure that one would have broken 7. What a big smallie...Anytime you have an open seat and need a partner, look me up...LOL

I know up here in the N.E. that after a couple of days of warm weather after ice out I will fish the wind blown shores as the warm top water piles up against it and the fish are stacked on it.

Fished it every chance I had, usually out of Costigan. Hasn't been that great over the last 4-5 years, don't know what happened...

I guide for bass fishing in my area, and have guided for about 14 years. I never expect to get a tip, but am very thankful for getting one. Sometimes the tip is for all the hard work put into the trip, other times it's for all the action I was able to put my clients on. I've gotten tips after a bad day due to weather problems, and to those clients I offer some free time on the water if they come back just because they understand I CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER. Some people think because they hired a guide that the fishing is going to be "easy". "THINK AGAIN" So when your thinking on a tip for a guide, just keep these things in mind, and also how well your guide "cater's" to you while on and off the water.

I live up in the Bangor area.

I'm a "hugh" fan of spinnerbaits. It's not a color question with stained water, but vibration. The darker the water, the slower you want your bait to be moving to keep it in the strike-zone longer, and also cover. I love to throw big, gold #8 Indiana blades in stained water on 1/2 -3/4 oz. spinnerbaits. It''s quite enough not to spook them, but it also lets them know "something" is there and need to be looked at. I use smelly jelly as a deal maker and a 3/0 "red" trailer hook for when it gets close. As far as jigs, I love a big jig with rattles worked slow through the worst tangles and mess you can find. If your not getting hung up and loosing a few, your not fishing in the right places... I hope this helps you out...

Go BIG.. and use suspending models. 4 to 5 inch baits are what the smallies are looking for. The clearer the water, the more natural you want your bait to be. Jerk, jerk, pause is a good place to start. Let your bait sit for a few seconds and let the fish tell you what "they" want. Always watch behind your bait, as smallies will follow it right back to the boat or shore. If this happens, pause your bait longer and make a quick jerk and pause and hold on. Smallies will be feeding up for the spawn as soon as the ice goes out, so they want a big, easy meal right off. Keep an eye on water temps. As the water gets warm, you can move your bait a little faster and not pause quite as long.

18"of ice, try 32" up my way. But every year mother nature seem to have a way with melting it all by the last week-end in April and I'm on the water again. BUT THIS WAITING IS KILLING ME!!!!!

I just went out to shovel off my boats this morning "after" it warmed up from -7. The only thing I can smell is the price of oil running through the heating system to stay warm inside.....

IMO, anyone who loves the sport and will take the time to show it to someone who has never done it. Taking someone fishing and teaching them the fine points of top waters to jigs is a way to look at that person as a great bass fisherman. Someone who goes out and catches a pile of fish IS NOT a great fisherman, it's the person who teaches HOW and WHY they catch these fish that are great.

DAN, WHAT'S UP BROTHER..... Ain't this a great site. Lots of great people like us that want to fish better. Hey Dan, give me a call... 207-356-5937... BTW, The javelin is "under" to much snow right now. Hope your boat is ready to go buddy...Lets plan to fish this season....

You could check with someone at Northern Bass Supply. They are right in New Hampshire and they could help you out, and they might have a map of the lake. That would save you both time and money. Good luck when you go......