Don’t knock Maine fisheries

A guest column by James Lynch (BDN, April 7) about the quality, or lack of quality, of fresh-water fishing in Maine calls for a response. Lynch, the owner of Fish River Lodge in Eagle Lake, took nearly half a page to slam-dunk biologists with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. If you believe Lynch, these biologists are to blame for poor fishing statewide, a decline in the number of Maine fishing licenses sold and possibly even El Nino.

I fish Maine waters from April through October, for fun as well as when I’m guiding clients on several excellent Maine waters. The quality of the fishing is right up there with any other state.

Let’s take a look at some of Lynch’s complaints:

“Maine has gone from the premier landlocked salmon state in the country to the poorest.”

Fact: If it weren’t for Maine, no state would have a landlocked salmon fishery. All the eggs that developed these programs came from Maine brood stock. Maine has 201 water bodies, with a total of 533,905 surface acres of water, whose principal fishery is landlocked salmon. This is more than any other state, and quality salmon are caught here on a regular basis.

“Salmon from 10 to 21 pounds were reportedly common nine years after their introduction into the Fish River Chain.”

Fact: Lake trout were native to Eagle Lake, and still do well today. The big salmon Lynch refers to were first stocked in 1894. It is natural for a first stocking to do well since there is no competition for forage. It’s also doubtful that there was much fishing pressure 100 years ago, so fish grew large and old before they were caught.

“The salmon fisheries on the Fish River Chain of Lakes, like that of most Maine lakes, has been going downhill since (1953).”

Fact: Since 1953, thousands more people are fishing, and snowmobiles have given ice fishermen access to lakes that were seldom fished in the winter.

In an attempt to alleviate this added pressure, the ice-fishing season in the Fish River Chain was reduced to a two-month season, Jan. 15-March 15, in the 1980s. But the added pressure of winter fishing alone assures things will not be “like the ’50s.”

“It is abundantly clear that they (biologists) have done nothing in the past 25 to 30 years to maintain the fisheries at a level at least equal to fishing 50 years ago.”

Fact: Angler census information, creel surveys and fall trap netting are done on a regular basis on these lakes, especially Eagle. Even as I write, biologists are examining stomach contents of brook trout, salmon and lake trout taken from these waters to determine what they are eating, the health of the population and how to improve the situation.

Biologists do know the problem: There are too many salmon and not enough forage (smelts). Two things could improve this situation. First, reduce the salmon population by increasing bag limits or reducing length limits. This may be considered for the next rule book. Second, transplant smelt eggs into the lake to boost the forage population. This is also being planned. If Lynch really wants the kind of fishing that was available 50 years ago, let him suggest to his friends, neighbors and guests that ice fishing be eliminated and open-water fishing be catch and release until July 1.

At the recent state of Maine Sportsman’s show in Augusta, Lynch and his Fish River Lodge had an attractive booth and display. There were pictures of some very nice fish caught in Eagle Lake, and the people at the booth were working very hard to sign up guests to come and fish.

According to the Website for Lynch’s Fish River Lodge, “Fish caught in Eagle and surrounding lakes are landlocked salmon, brook trout and lake trout. Eagle Lake is renowned in its production of fish. The average run on trout is 2 pounds and salmon 3 pounds.”

I’m confused. Is fishing on Eagle Lake good or bad?

Most things will never be what they were 50 years ago. Fishing in Maine is very good. But with some patience and cooperation, and if we let the state’s biologists to do their work, it can be great. Kenneth E. Bailey is a registered Maine guide who lives in Camden. Readers are invited to respond to Maine fisheries issues through this series.

Kenneth E. Bailey lives in Camden. Readers are invited to send commentary on fisheries topics for this series.