50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast. Bob Mallard
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Wilsons on Moosehead Lake (cabins)
Route 15
Greenville Junction, Maine 04442
800-817-2549
www.wilsonsonmooseheadlake.com [email protected]
Closest lodging
The Captain Sawyer House Bed & Breakfast
18 Lakeview Street
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-2369
www.captainsawyerhouse.com [email protected]
Kineo View Motor Lodge
50 Overlook Drive
Greenville, Maine 04441
800-659-8439
www.kineoview.com [email protected]
Closest restaurants
Blair Hill Inn
351 Lily Bay Road
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-0224
www.blairhill.com [email protected]
Black Frog (pub-style food)
17 Pritham Avenue
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-1100
Kelly’s Landing
West Cove, Moosehead Lake
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-4438
www.kellysatmoosehead.com [email protected]
Flatlanders (pub-style food)
36 Pritham Avenue
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-3373
Auntie M’s (breakfast)
Lilly Bay Road
Greenville, Maine 04441
207-695-2238
5 . Kennebec River
The Kennebec Valley is rich in fly-fishing lore. Arthur R. Macdougall’s fictional character Dud Dean, Maine Guide, plied his trade on the Kennebec River and surrounding waters during the golden age of sporting.
Gadabout Gaddis, aka The Flying Fisherman, filmed his TV show in the 1960s and 1970s on the banks of the river—a small grass airport bears his name. The Kennebec was also the site of one of the first major dam removal projects in the country. The removal of Edwards Dam in Augusta opened up 17 miles of river to anadromous alewives, striped bass, sturgeon, and endangered Atlantic salmon.
The section of Kennebec of most interest to fly fishers lies between Harris Dam and Madison. Here the Kennebec is basically four rivers in one. In a stretch of roughly 50 miles—interrupted by several impoundments—there are four dams: Harris, Wyman, Williams, and Abnaki. Below each is a tailwater. Each tailwater is significantly different. The topography, size, flow regime, insect life, and even species of salmonids change.
Below Harris near The Forks, in what is called the Gorge, lies the most rugged and remote stretch of salmonid river in the Northeast. Best known for its whitewater rafting, it is also a great wild brook trout and landlocked salmon fishery. Brook trout can reach 18 inches. Salmon get even larger. Nowhere in the Northeast can you float a river while fly fishing for wild trout and salmon, and feel more remote.
The Wyman tailwater in Bingham is home to one of the few—and by far the finest—wild rainbow trout fisheries north of New York. Fish over 20 inches are
encountered. These are remnants of a stocking program that’s been defunct for more than 30 years. There are also wild landlocked salmon and brook trout, with the former outnumbering the latter. Here the river meanders lazily through riffles, runs, and pools.
Below Williams Dam in Solon, the river is predominantly a stocked brown trout fishery. Brown trout over 20 inches are caught here. There are also wild landlocked salmon. Brook trout and rainbow trout are present as well. This section gives you the best chance at a four-species outing—referred to as the
“Kennebec Slam.” Not only is this a great dry-fly fishery, it is also the best streamer water on the river. A day in the bow of a drift boat throwing large streamers tight to the bank is your best way to catch a large brown trout here.
Diana Mallard fishing in Solon. Bob Mallard
The Abnaki tailwater in Madison is a stocked brown trout fishery. Brook trout and salmon are also stocked. This is a wade fishery with no viable downriver access. It does, however, boast the strongest and most diverse hatches on the river. Here the river is made up of long riffles, runs, a few pools, and some large rapids.
John Vacca fishing below Wyman Dam. Bob Mallard
Bob Mallard with Kennebec Gorge brook trout. Chris Russell
Much of the Kennebec River can be accessed from Route 201, which parallels the river for much of its length. Public access is limited in some areas. There is, however, walk-in access at three bridges, some boat launches, a multiple-use trail on the east shore in Bingham, a small ball field in The Forks, The Pines in Madison, and several private businesses.