The last two weeks of September provide some of the best fishing of the year. Temperatures are cool, there are few biting bugs to contend with, and the scenery is increasingly spectacular. But, best of all, salmon and trout respond to the cooler temperatures with increased activity in preparation for their spawning runs. They frequently congregate at the mouths of streams, waiting for a flush of water to induce them to move upstream. It’s not the time of year to harvest many of these fish, as their true value is in reproduction. That fact is reflected in regulations which limit the number kept or restrict fishing to catch and release only. Nonetheless, anglers have a great time catching and releasing these fish, which tend to be highly colored and full of fight.

And so the season changes for us also. During the summer months much of our sampling is done by gillnet; more recently we have been electrofishing streams to make annual comparisons of population abundance. Not surprisingly, with several good water years behind us, fish populations in streams are thriving. Soon we'll be turning our efforts to fall trapnetting, wherein we're able to sample large numbers of trout and salmon, collect our information, and release them unharmed. This fall we plan to work on Rangeley Lake, the Richardson Lakes, Varnum Pond in Temple, and Little Jim Pond in Jim Pond Township. We’ll let you know how we do.