The best places to fish in Maine before you die

If I were to die tomorrow, the fly fisherman in me would go with a smile on his face. I’ve cast flies in some remarkable places around the world, and although I know life’s journey can end at any moment, and without warning, I hope I have a few years left. I’m selfish enough to want my angling adventures to continue.

That includes a few destinations right here in Maine. Some I’ve fished. Some I haven’t in years. A few I’ve only heard about.

Here’s a short list.

Upper Androscoggin River

There was a time when the Androscoggin was one of Maine’s most polluted waterways. Thanks to the Clean Water Act, the river’s upper section, from the Maine-New Hampshire border downstream to Bethel, now offers some of the best fly-fishing for brook trout, along with brown and rainbow trout up to 20 inches, in the southern half of the state.

This is a big river. Some areas can be waded, with access from Route 2, but floating allows anglers to reach water that is difficult to access on foot. Depending on flows, good fishing starts in May and continues into late June or early July, when mayfly and caddis hatches are most active.

Upper Dam

I don’t actually have to wet a line to be satisfied when I visit Upper Dam. I always do, but I also take several minutes to gaze down at the moving water in the tailrace and wonder what it was like to fish this famous pool in its heyday.

This is hallowed water that once produced native brook trout and landlocked salmon measured in pounds rather than inches. The old dam and its famous fishing piers, which stood for more than a century, have been replaced by a modern structure, but the water below remains worth fishing.

It is also where Carrie Stevens gave us dozens of streamer patterns, including the Gray Ghost. Stevens’ husband, Wallace, was a guide in the area, and they lived at Midway Cottage, which was still standing on my last visit just past the dam.

Rapid River

The Rapid River exits Lower Richardson Lake at Middle Dam and flows a little more than three miles before emptying into Umbagog Lake on the Maine-New Hampshire border west of Rangeley.

From start to finish, except for a brief stretch at Pond-in-the-River, it is a continuous series of pocket water, deep pools, riffles, rapids and runs.

I first fished the Rapid River in the late 1970s, when remnants of a lower dam were still visible below the pond, and before the river became synonymous with large wild brook trout. Back then, catching landlocked salmon, which are also present, was just as exciting.

I haven’t fished it in a while, but in recent years the river has gained a reputation as one of the last places where it’s still possible to entice trophy-size wild brook trout. I want to find out for myself, which is why it’s on my list.

Deboullie Ponds

It’s a long road trip from just about anywhere to the wilds of far northern Maine, but the trout ponds within the Deboullie Public Reserve Land make the drive worthwhile.

The first time I visited, I felt like I had stepped back in time. As special as northern Maine is, few places compare to the nearly 22,000 acres within the Deboullie unit.

There are 17 ponds on the property, 13 of which are State Heritage Fish waters, meaning they hold wild or native brook trout. Some of the smaller, more secluded ponds are fly-fishing only, others are artificial-lures only, and some fall under general law.

Daily bag limits vary, so checking the regulations is important.

Primitive camping is available at more than 30 sites. Nearly two dozen first-come, first-served sites are accessible by vehicle and located on or near water.

As memorable as the trout fishing can be, it is the solitude that makes Deboullie special. Even in June, when fishing is at its best, it is not unusual to have a pond to yourself. The night sky can be just as impressive.

The Deboullie Ponds are within the North Maine Woods, behind gates that require a daily or camping fee, but it is worth every penny.

Baxter State Park’s southwest trout ponds

There are more than 40 State Heritage Fish waters within Baxter State Park, with the greatest concentration in the southwest corner.

Only Daicey and Kidney ponds are accessible by vehicle. The park offers cabins at both, which often serve as base camps. The remaining ponds are reached by hiking trails and are typically fished as day trips.

Reservations should be made well in advance, especially during peak periods in June, July and September.

The southwest corner of Baxter State Park offers access to a number of hike-in trout ponds. Credit: Courtesy of Al Raychard

Canoes are available for rent on many of the backcountry ponds. Check with rangers at Kidney or Daicey Pond for availability.

Trail length and hiking time vary, and anglers should be prepared for black flies and mosquitoes.

Grand Lake Stream

As much as I enjoy fishing for brook trout, I also enjoy targeting landlocked salmon, especially in moving water.

One of Maine’s premier places to do that is Grand Lake Stream in Washington County.

I like this water because, unlike some of Maine’s larger salmon rivers, it is smaller, more intimate and, for me, more enjoyable to fish.

It runs about three miles from the dam at West Grand Lake to Big Lake. It produces fish throughout the season, but the pools, riffles and runs are especially productive during the smelt and white sucker runs in April and May into early June, and again during the fall spawning run beginning in September.

I particularly enjoy fishing it from Oct. 1 through Oct. 25. The water is catch-and-release only then, but it can produce some of its biggest fish, and there are often fewer anglers. The fall colors don’t hurt either.