Some lakes to be managed for bigger salmon

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Anglers can be a pretty particular bunch. Ask a few why the fish aren’t biting on their favorite lake or pond, and you’re likely to get all kinds of answers.

The water’s too warm … or too cold. The smelts are too plentiful … or nonexistent. The fish are feeding elsewhere … or not feeding at all. The moon phase is wrong. The sun is out. Take your pick.

Or (here’s the great catchall excuse for substandard fishing everywhere), it’s just the biologist’s fault.

The biologists, of course, go by different names. Many times, they’re just “The State.”

As in, “The State won’t give us as many fish as we need in this lake.” Or, “The State says we can’t keep as many fish as we used to, because they’re trying to fix their own screw-ups.”

Or, “The State doesn’t know what it’s doing, because The State doesn’t fish here. We do.”

Well, sit back and listen for a bit. The State (along with the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine) have come up with a plan to improve your fishing on a few select lakes across the state.

Let me start by saying that I enthusiastically support the Classic Salmon Program and the steps that state fisheries biologists are taking.

“[We want] to advance the management programs necessary on a select group of waters, and this is a key point, on a select group of waters, to enable salmon to reach their water-specific size,” says John Hunt, a SAM member and the project coordinator.

More directly, here’s the goal: Find a few lakes (one per region per year) that can support big fish and manage those lakes to help that happen.

Period.

The DIF&W and SAM hope to manage about 15 percent of the state’s 180 or so salmon waters in this fashion.

About 21/2 years ago, the state surveyed license holders and found that about 95 percent of anglers supported the idea of a Classic Salmon Program, Hunt says.

Even with the caveats attached, 50 percent approved.

Among the ways salmon fishing may change on the targeted lakes:

. Your catch rate may decrease.

. Smelt fishing may be curtailed.

. Fewer salmon will likely be stocked.

. Live fish may not be used as bait in some situations.

. Catch-and-release may be mandated in others.

In return, anglers will gain several waters where they’ll likely catch larger fish than they did in the past.

In some lakes, that means that fisherman might end up tussling with a 5- or 6- or 7-pound landlocked salmon instead of a 2- or 3-pounder.

Is it worth it? SAM and the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife think so.

So do I.

As you might expect, there are some anglers who disagree. You might even hear from a few of them in the days ahead, if you keep watching this space.

But there are a few things to remember.

First, while SAM is a partner in the program, the actual management decisions are coming from the trained biologists.

Hunt said that was something he insisted on early in the process.

“There are a lot of people who think they have the magic pill for creating a quality salmon fishery,” he says. “There is no magic pill. Every water is different.”

And even if you don’t generally trust the state (or biologists who say things that you don’t agree with), having trained professionals making those management decisions is a good idea.

We anglers often feel like we’ve got it all figured out. But the things that we view as gospel truth are sometimes just anecdotal tidbits that we simply place too much faith in … whether we want to believe that or not.

The scientists know the science. And (believe it or not) they’re right a lot more than you and I are.

Still, it can be tough to make the step from agreeing with the Classic Salmon Program as a generic concept to actually watching as your own favorite lake is targeted.

Case in point: Cathance Lake in Cooper.

That’s this year’s target lake in the Down East region (last year’s was Tunk Lake), and that’s where biologist Ron Brokaw is encountering a bit of resistance.

“I am having some difficulty at Cathance getting that local support,” Brokaw says.

Brokaw estimates that six out of every 10 anglers he has spoken with are against the plan to manage the lake for large fish.

Brokaw, who enjoys fishing the lake himself, says Cathance is a natural lake for the program because it has proven able to produce large fish in the past. His data proves that by decreasing the number of salmon stocked in Cathance each year, anglers benefit by catching more large (20 inches or longer) fish.

Still, some aren’t convinced. And that’s too bad.

The difference in stocking that Brokaw is talking about isn’t very big: It averages about 140 fewer fish a year being dumped into the lake (2,250 fish for the three years from 2005-2007, as compared to the 2,675 fish stocked from 2002-2004).

And according to Brokaw’s data gathered at West Grand Lake a few years back, a 30 percent reduction in stocking only resulted in a 15 percent reduction in catch rate.

Brokaw says that stocking fewer landlocked salmon year after year means that smelt populations in a lake increase, and as a result the fish grow larger and constantly cruise for food.

That makes them more apt to be caught by anglers … and makes them more of a challenge when actually hooked.

“If they’re always cruising and feeding, we have a better chance of actually catching the fish when they’re actively cruising like that,” he says.

The reasons for any resistance to the Classic Salmon Project are varied, according to Hunt.

But here’s some proof that the project is destined to be a winner.

Hunt admits that some anglers bemoan the fact that their favorite fishing hole will be managed differently. But he has also heard from several irate anglers who were disappointed that their own home water was left off the list … and that someone else will get to fish for those big salmon in the future.

Should have bought it …

With advance apologies to the BDN’s ShopGirl, Kristen Andresen, earlier this week I stumbled across some outdoor supplies you may be interested in.

Shopping isn’t my typical niche, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

If you’re a fly fisher who hasn’t taken up tying your own flies, or if you’re like me, and you’re a novice who goes through flies far quicker than you tend to tie them, Marden’s in Brewer has a deal for you.

At least they did as of Wednesday.

The discount emporium had a rack of flies – everything from nymphs to streamers to dries – that looked pretty good, and cost next to nothing.

Best of all, the flies weren’t obscure ones that are designed to work on western streams. The rack contained plenty of our eastern standards, including the blue-winged olive, caddis, and Adams.

Many of the flies come in two-packs for 88 cents, while other larger lots are on sale for about $4 for 10 flies.

Seeing as how the going rate is usually $1.50 or so per fly, I couldn’t resist the bargain, and stocked up on a few that I tend to use more often than others.

Coming up on ‘Going Outdoors’

On Monday I’ll take you to the Penobscot Salmon Club’s annual breakfast during our ‘Going Outdoors’ segment on the 6 p.m. ABC-7 newscast.

Some of the area’s most avid Atlantic salmon anglers will be at the clubhouse this morning, and most have equipment to show off or memories to share.

I look forward to introducing you to some of those fishermen, and to telling you a bit more about the rich tradition of the Penobscot Salmon Club.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.