Most people think fishing season is from April 1 to Sept. 30. That is true for most places but there are a few exceptions. Grand Lake stream is open from April 1 to Oct. 20. East Outlet of the Kennebec River, from Moosehead Lake down to red markers on Indian Pond, is open until Oct. 31. The Central Power Company Dam in Skowhegan to tidewater is open year- round! There are others open year-round also, just look through the law book. If you look through the law book you will see every county has extended seasons on fishing in laws S-23 and S-24. This can be the best fishing of the year, with less crowds, leaves changing colors, comfortable, warm days and fish willing to chase a fly.

This time of year you will find me on a river chasing salmon. My typical day is to be on a river an hour before daylight. This time of day I will be fishing crystal buggers and white marabou streamers on a fluorocarbon leader. It is an easier way to fish in the dark and I can fish the entire pool. As it gets light I will switch to my nymphing rig, fluorocarbon leader and a big stone fly nymph and as a trailer a No. 18 or No. 20 nymph to try to match the hatch, pheasant tail, hare’s ear, or midge pattern.

If I have the pool to myself I will start at the head and work my way down to the tail then around the other side back up. If I am fishing a body of water with both salmon and trout, I will fish the slower water for the brook trout and the faster water for salmon. If I had only one choice of a pool it would be the tail end. This is a great place for food and usually has places for the fish to rest, like rocks.

Practice makes perfect. Find a piece of water you really enjoy and fish it all year from spring to fall. What you learn from fishing one section of water will help you catch more fish the next year, but you will be able to take that experience to any body of water and catch fish.

Kevin McKay, master Maine Guide, owner of www.themaineflyfishingjournal.com.