It's that time again. The early season fishing (right after ice out) produced some nice fish. 51/2 to 61/2lb. salmon were reported along with a 6lb 7oz. BROOK TROUT, quite a fish. The fishing then slowed down on Rangeley and Mooselook due to a flying ant hatch. When the fish are into those ants they are very picky and refuse other lures and bait. The fishing is starting to pick back up again as of 5/22/03. We landed 5 salmon on the 22nd the largest 221/2". There are more trout being caught this year than I have seen in quite a few years. Good to see. Good reports from the Rapid River. I spoke to 3 different parties who reported good fishing with brokies up to 4lbs. We could use a little rain to keep the rivers in good shape.

Tight lines

Ray

Androscoggin River Report
Flow rate 3690 CFS Water Temp 72 F

A 17-inch Rainbow hit the Fly on the second cast! It pulled hard and worked in under the Alders along shore. I saw the colors and could see it was a very nice trout, as the fish rolled just before landing and I was very pleased. Not just because I had caught a good fish, but it was caught on a new fly I had tied up two hours before!
Sometimes fishing is more dependent on a different Fly design than anything else. We should always be trying out new patterns. New color combinations. Whether it’s tying an old standard pattern with a different and new tying technique. An example of this is I tie some classic streamer patterns now as clousers with great success.
I started out the evening I took the Rainbow using a sinking line with wooly buggers. Then I went to streamers nothing worked. I changed to a dry line and used terrestrials and dries, again nothing. After 45 minutes with no luck I changed back to a sinking line and the new diving foam fly. It made all the difference! After the Rainbow I picked up six smaller fish. All I had to do was cast let the fly sink the fish did the rest!
I have tried the new pattern twice more with the same results. The difference with this pattern is the fact it wiggles in the current. It is as simple as that!
“A man should believe in something… I believe I’ll go fishing”