Landlocked Salmon – Poster Fish for Sebago Lake Region Anglers

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May 28, 2009

Landlocked Salmon – Poster Fish for Sebago Lake Region Anglers


When it comes to fishing in the Sebago Lake Region, the landlocked salmon has to be the #1 cold water gamefish in the area. I say cold water, because there’s a pretty strident group out there that would stick up for small and largemouth bass and they’re a warm water fish.
If you’ve ever sat in a boat and seen a salmon break the surface, jumping clear out of the water, a silver flash in the air, electrifying the fishpole doubled over in your hands, you know why it’s #1.
Sebago Lake holds the record for a landlocked salmon caught on a pole and line: 22 lbs. 8 oz. taken on August 1st of 1907. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything that size these days. In fact, a salmon over ten pounds is uncommon, but many are taken every year in the five pound category.
Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Game conducts an ongoing program of salmon stocking to keep the supplies fortified. In southwestern Maine this year they are releasing 9,800 salmon into area lakes and ponds.
All anglers have their tricks of the trade, but for some pretty good pointers on how to land that exceptional fish you might want to try the advice of Mike Christy of the New England Sportsmen’s Network.
Jim Pellerin, the state’s regional fishery biologist in Gray, says you might want to try other lakes and ponds besides Sebago for landlocked salmon. He suggests Moose Pond in Bridgton, Kezar Lake in Lovell, Colcord Pond in Porter, and South Pond in Greenwood. Other traditionally good places to try are Thompson Lake in Poland, Bryant Pond in Woodstock, Trickey Pond in Naples, Panther Pond in Raymond, Pleasant Lake in Casco, and Auburn Lake in Auburn.
June is one of the more productive months to fish for salmon as the water is still pretty cold. Trolling live smelts is one of the preferred methods used, as well as trolling streamer flies. Favorites include Joe’s Smelt, Gray Ghost, and Barne’s Special. I’m told that you should troll the flies at a higher rate of speed and live bait at a lower rate of speed. As the summer progresses and waters get warmer, you’ll need to troll deeper.
Good luck to all you fishermen and women out there!

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