50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast. Bob Mallard

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50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast - Bob Mallard

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salmon in this section. They run from 12 to 16 inches. Trout over 18 inches are caught on a fairly regular basis. Landlocked salmon range from 12 to 16 inches, with fish over 20 inches sometimes taken. Fishing usually starts by the April 1 season opener. The fishing drops off for a week or two during spring runoff. Hatches are similar to those upriver, but occur a couple weeks earlier on the lower river.

      Jake Borgeson with spring brook trout.

      Pond in the River Guide Service

      Flows on the middle and upper Magalloway River run between 50 and 150 cfs. Flows on the lower river typically run in the 300–600 cfs range. All sections are subject to spikes during ice-out and after rainstorms. Scheduled whitewater releases on the lower river in the summer run from 900–1,200 cfs. The entire river is wadable—albeit not always easily. Occasionally, boats and canoes are used in large pools, and where the river enters the lakes.

       Hatches: The trout and salmon in the Magalloway feed on insects, baitfish, crayfish, leeches, and fish eggs. Insects include mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges, and aquatic worms. The primary baitfish species is smelt (during both the seasonal spawning runs and intermittently through the season as they slip through the dam) as well as sculpins, and dace. The first major insect hatches—Quill Gordons and Hendrickons—occur in early to mid-May. Stoneflies hatch in the late spring and early summer, with Yellow Sallies and the larger Golden Stones. Caddis hatches start in mid- to late May, and continue through September.

      Fish in the Magalloway are very migratory. They tend to congregate in certain places at specific times of year. Hiring a guide—at least for your first trip—is never a bad idea. A guide can show you the safest places to cross the river, where the fish are at any given time, and the best flies to use. This is most important to the traveling angler who has a limited amount of time to fish.

       Regulations: The Magalloway River is restricted to fly fishing only. Above Aziscohos Lake, all brook trout less than 6 inches and longer than 12 inches must be released at once. This helps protect the larger fish. There is a two-fish limit on brook trout. Below Aziscohos Lake, it is catch-and release on brook trout, with barbless hooks required. Salmon are managed under a one-fish, 14-inch-minimum-length restriction. The river is open from April 1 through the end of September. Starting August 15 and running through the end of the season, all brook trout and salmon must be released.

      If big wild brook trout in moving water are what you are looking for, the Magalloway River is one of the best places to find them.

       Tackle: A 9-foot 5-weight rod with a floating line is the best all-around choice for most sections of the Magalloway River. A sink-tip can be helpful on the middle and lower sections if you wish to fish streamers. Lighter 3- or 4-weight rods can be used effectively in the upper river at certain times of the year. Fluorocarbon leaders and tippet are important on the lower river, as fish see a lot of flies, but it is not necessary on the middle and upper river. Large strike indicators are needed to

      Large fall spawn male brookie. Pond in the River Guide Service

      fish a pair of flies, and sufficient weight to get the flies down quickly in the fast-moving water. Flies should include smelt, minnow, and sculpin streamer patterns; mayfly and stonefly dries and nymphs; all stages of caddis in varying sizes and colors; as well as egg and worm patterns.

      KRIS THOMPSON resides in the Rangeley area— including maintaining a home on the lower Magalloway. He is co-owner of Pond In The River Guide Service in Rangeley, Maine. Kris is a Registered Maine Guide and has guided the Magalloway River for more than 15 years. He can be reached at 207-864-9140, [email protected], or www.rangeleyflyfishing.com.

      Closest fly shops

      Rangeley Region Sport Shop

      2529 Main Street

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-5615

      www.rangeleysportshop.com [email protected]

      Closest guides/outfitters

      Pond In The River Guide Service

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-9140

      www.rangeleyflyfishing.com [email protected]

      Closest lodging

      Pleasant Street Inn Bed & Breakfast

      104 Pleasant Street

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-5916

      www.pleasantstreetinnbb.com [email protected]

      Bosebuck Mountain Camps (rustic cabins)

      2013 Parmachenee Road

      Lynchtown, Maine 04970

      207-670-0013

      [email protected] www.bosebuck.com

      Morton & Furbish (vacation rentals)

      2478 Main Street

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      855-218-4882

      www.rangeleyrentals.com [email protected]

      The Rangeley Inn

      Rooms

      2443 Main Street

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-3341

      www.therangeleyinn.com [email protected]

      Country Club Inn

      56 Country Club Road

      P.O. Box 680

      Rangeley, Maine 04970

      207-864-3831

      www.countryclubinnrangeley.com

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