Brook Trout Article

[pikehater]

This article just begins to touch on how unique maine is and how lucky we are to get to fish for native brook trout.  Personally I hold this unique opportunity we have that is unlike anywhere else in the country in very high regard.  This is why I get so pi$$ed about these invasive species taking over our waters and threatening this uniqueness.  Interesting read whichever side of the fence you are on.  I dont see pike bringing in $114 million a year.




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FARMINGTON - Got brookies, need anglers.

Getting that message out to the world about Maine's wild brook trout fishing experience is what state fisheries biologist Forrest Bonney and Maine guides are attempting this winter.

"It's really about the fact that we have about 600 wild brook trout waters in the state when nobody else on the East Coast has any to speak of," Bonney said Tuesday at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries

and Wildlife office in Strong.

"There's an opportunity to kind of advertise this resource and maybe bring in more tourists from out of state who might appreciate fishing for wild brook trout, because I don't think a lot of people know what we have here in Maine," he said.

What Maine has for wild brookie fishing opportunities was discovered through the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, the nation's first pilot project under the National Fish Habitat Initiative.

The federally funded program was launched in 2005 to address regional and range-wide threats to brook trout from Maine to Georgia by building private and public partnerships to improve fish habitat and conserve wild brook trout.

Venture data revealed that Maine is the only state with extensive intact populations of wild, self-reproducing brook trout in lakes and ponds, including some lakes more than 5,000 acres big.

In comparison to only six intact subwatersheds among the 16 other states, Maine's lake populations are intact in 185 subwatersheds.

Brookies are in 1,135 lakes and ponds, of which, 627 are supported by natural reproduction in the wild. Additionally, 295 waters have been stocked in the past but not within the past 25 years and 127 lakes and ponds have never been stocked. Therefore, they support pure genetic strains.

Maine also has 22,250 miles of streams that support brookies, virtually all of which are wild, and a brook trout fishery valued annually at $114 million.

Last week, Bonney and fisheries Director John Boland met at the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension office in Farmington to figure out how to promote Maine's wild brook trout fishery as a world-class fishery to attract anglers as a form of tourism-based economic development.

Between Bonney and Boland, guides and Marc Edwards of the cooperative extension, an idea was floated to create a Web site where anglers could find accommodations, restaurants, guiding services and information about brookie fishing locations.

"We're focusing on brook trout at this time. There seems to be a lot of waters in the state, especially the backcountry ponds, that are not fished. Well, they might be fished in the spring, just a local flurry of activity, and then there's really not many fishermen there.

"We're talking about extending the season and getting people in to those ponds for, you know, a remote fishing opportunity where you might see a moose," Bonney said.

Despite the downturn in the economy, he said now is a good time to get things organized and operational.

The state's job is to publicize the availability of ponds and size of brookies anglers can expect to catch, determine regulations and possibly establish some catch-and-release fisheries.

"It may take a while to bring this together on a statewide level and, by then, maybe the economy will be on the rebound. We're just starting with this Franklin County group with the intention of expanding it statewide ... to see if we can make it here on a small level," Bonney said

[SilverSides]

Excellent article. It seems alot of people have no idea just how lucky we are, and think it is no big deal that the invasives are wiping it out little by little every day.

[nbourque]

While I agree that we do have it pretty good here in Maine concerning brook trout I think an even bigger issue on protecting native brookies is habitat, development and urbanization NOT invasive species.

Many small, "trickles" of water hold some of the most native fish and are looked upon as just a stream with no fish in it. When we start building roads and houses too close to these streams we lose the precious habitat for these fish and all of a sudden we lose the natives period.

I'm all for stocking but I question the logic that goes into the decisions on where brookies are stocked and the amount of fish being put in at particular spots. Some of the places and the amount of fish being put in is completely asinine. I think the state needs to do a much better job putting brookies where they can holdover if not caught the same year they are stocked.

[dalesnow]

I agree with the article. I'm from Mass, but I'll be visiting Maine this weekend because the fishing is so different than in MA.  As for the invasive species, that could have an effect on the tourism, because if i wanted to fish for bass or pickeral I'd just stay in MA.

[JigChaser08]

Maine has the BEST brook trout fishing.  Im from NH and I thought the trout fishing was good, till I came to school up here 3 years ago.

[SilverSides]

As for the invasive species, that could have an effect on the tourism, because if i wanted to fish for bass or pickeral I'd just stay in MA.

Unfortunately some like to bring the fish with them.

[Jim_C.]

Well said, Nick.  Many of the small waters I fish are hanging by a thread.  And it seems like the almighty dollar and development often takes priority over resource protection.  People want to build right to the water's edge

While I agree that we do have it pretty good here in Maine concerning brook trout I think an even bigger issue on protecting native brookies is habitat, development and urbanization NOT invasive species.

Many small, "trickles" of water hold some of the most native fish and are looked upon as just a stream with no fish in it. When we start building roads and houses too close to these streams we lose the precious habitat for these fish and all of a sudden we lose the natives period.

I'm all for stocking but I question the logic that goes into the decisions on where brookies are stocked and the amount of fish being put in at particular spots. Some of the places and the amount of fish being put in is completely asinine. I think the state needs to do a much better job putting brookies where they can holdover if not caught the same year they are stocked.

[Fish Monger]

I pretty much agree with everything written here.
Unfortunately I think many anglers loose perspective on this sport. Sure a 20 pound Pike is fun, but to me a 5 pound Brook Trout is as rewarding.... even more so should this be a native fish! Perspective.....
I think fishing is being swept up with the rest of life, bigger is better and we need instant gratification.
"I want to catch fish over 20 pounds and I want to catch one ever hour on the hour"
There is definately a feeling of pride for putting in the time and energy to be a successful angler in Maine waters.

[Jim_C.]

Very true. 

I'm a multi-species angler, but I definitely get the biggest charge from putting in the time and being rewarded with a trout or salmon.

I pretty much agree with everything written here.
Unfortunately I think many anglers loose perspective on this sport. Sure a 20 pound Pike is fun, but to me a 5 pound Brook Trout is as rewarding.... even more so should this be a native fish!

[Wellsy]

No fish in the northeast deserves more respect than a brookie.
I know NY jokes on Maine all the time about perch and pike but the reality is true like fish monger said everybody wants an all in one experience wherever they go.
Unfortunately the Super Wal Mart life were all growing use too doesn't work in nature.

By the way those are some pretty impressive numbers on natural brook trout reproduction.     

[salmon44]

Pikehater,
   Thank you for posting this informative article.  I wish everyone on this forum would take the time to read about how precious the Maine fishery is and not be so lackadaisical about our current invasive situation.  Love those brookies!!!

[pfd168]

Trout are definitely tops on my list of fish to catch, probably because they are native to Maine and they taste great!

[buddah]

I pretty much agree with everything written here.
Unfortunately I think many anglers loose perspective on this sport. Sure a 20 pound Pike is fun, but to me a 5 pound Brook Trout is as rewarding.... even more so should this be a native fish! Perspective.....
I think fishing is being swept up with the rest of life, bigger is better and we need instant gratification.
"I want to catch fish over 20 pounds and I want to catch one ever hour on the hour"
There is definately a feeling of pride for putting in the time and energy to be a successful angler in Maine waters.

Good post!..............I've been fishing for 28 years and i've never caught a 5lb native brookie,on the other hand it took me less than one ice fishing season to catch a 22# pike.I'd trade the pike for a trophy brookie any day.

[buddah]

I think this search says it all,second hit................... ..


http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS308US308&q=biggest+threat+to+maine+brook+trout

[Webbicefisher]

When I think of Maine fishing, or when anyone asks me about fishing in Maine the first thing that comes to mind is brook trout fishing. Growing up in the western Mountains my first fishing experience was fishing with grasshoppers and worms on a brook in the hills for brook trout.  I do not go into those backwoods streams as much anymore because of all the other fishing I do, but when I do, and when I catch even an 8 inch brookie from a stream 2 feet wide, the excitement is still there.

[oletimer]

I may not be from Maine, but I for one hope they keep your Brook trout population strong and healthy. I get so pumped when you guys post pics of these beauties of the water. NY has tried to limit ice fishing in brook trout waters to try to help keep what we have. Although at this time I seriously doubt any real natives are in our waters. Hope all of the fishermen in Maine stand up for what they have and fight to keep it.

[taxi1]

I've actually flown from Indiana to the backwoods of Maine to catch brook trout. And I'll take a wild brook trout over your mostly non-native landlocked salmon (yes they are not native to most of Maine's waters). To me those landlocks look like undernourished brown trout. LOL

[Dags Bait Maine]

Looks like Maine already has some national noteriety for its Brookies by the percentage of non-maine members posting on this thread. It's good to know that people from all over are getting enjoyment from these pretty little fish.

-Dylan

[Eaglecrg]

Invasive species are a big threat.  As a New Yorker I can attest to that.  Once another species, whether bass, pike, or even perch are introduced, the brook trout population will be wiped out within years.  The threat from other invasives such as eurasian millfoil, zebra mussels etc is not to be overlooked either and the list of invasives keeps growing.  New York did not act fast enough when eurasian millfoil was introduced and it now exists in nearly every water where there is a state boat launch.  We have lost much of our native brook trout populations but are making some inroads thanks to some of the ponds whose PH has improved and some good science being practiced by our DEC.  Once a water body is lost though, its usually lost forever.  The only exception are ponds that are small enough to be reclaimed.  I wish Maine luck with preserving your fishery.  There is no fish more beautiful that a brook trout.  Somehow I feel like I'm preaching to the choir here though!

[Eaglecrg]

pikehater:  Can you send me a link to wherever you found that article? 

[taxi1]

Speaking of invasives I was fishing a really cool pond called Rainbow Deadwaters with my dad in a canoe which is just downstream from Rainbow Lake. This was a good 10 to 15 years ago. I'm sure many of the Mainer's here are familiar wirh it.

Our camp was on Nahmakanta lake and we had to hike up there. Anyway are are fishing artifical baits and doing pretty decent and a float plane comes in on Rainbow Lake. Three or four guys get out and start fishing on the pond we're on with some kind of minnows as I coukd see a minnow bucket. Our camp owner told us minniws were strictly forbidden. After they leave I check out a few of the minnows left dead on the ground and they appear to be some kind of Dace. At least they weren't chubs and I think the dace are native, but the pilot that flew them in had to know they had minnows. Our camp owner was not a happy camper (no pun intended) when we told him and said he was going to have a talk with someone. God I hate slobs that don't follow the rules!

We fished another pond up there that had nothing but chubs up to about 8 inches including a stream that fed it. I doubt the brook trout in the pond could compete with them if there were any. There was one cabin on the pond and the owner was said to have his own float plane. He wasn't there but it looked like he threw his trash out the windows. Maybe he was a Masshole. LOL

[The3Ps]

Good thread! From relocaters on an elk hair cadis out of that trickle stream to big pigs on #18 flash back pheasant tails like the one in my users photo. Our brook trout need to be protected. Biggest invasive problem we have is ourselves. Have seen many native streams choked out by bad habit stockies and carnivorous brown stockings. Need a Native= 0 policy....meaning.. If it has natives add nothing but better habitat!