Androscoggin River Report


Water Temp 56.82 Flow Rate 3510 C.F.S. @ Mead Westvaco in Rumford, Maine


Memorial Day, I fished the upper River last evening and we caught half a dozen Rainbows and Two Brook Trout. We watched an angler, who could cast very well catch an excellent Rainbow that was over twenty inches! I got the action on video and when I saw him handle the fish I thought he was going to keep it. To my surprise, after not wetting his hands to hold the fish and laying it down on the rocks to get a picture he picked it up with both hands and threw this big fish back in the river! It was a prefect example of how HOW NOT TO HANDLE A FISH FOR RELEASE!!!! I had no opportunity to correct his ignorance. Yelling across the River to him wasn’t going to teach him anything. I wonder how he could have learned to cast so well and yet not be aware of proper fish handling? PLEASE wet your hands before touching a fish. Not doing so causes the fish to loose it’s protective slime coating. This makes the fish susceptable to fish fungus which stresses the fish greatly.




A young angler we met as we were putting my raft in the water, said he had called the Warden Hot Line last week. He had encountered a worm fisherman with TWO FULL stringers of Trout! The game wardens came within a few minutes and the poacher had gotten away. Fortunately the angler had given them the poacher’s vehicle plate number. Hopefully the poacher was apprehended and will meet his due.




These two examples show a need to educate people across the fishing spectrum. The Androscoggin River fishery will not grow or prosper if incidents like these examples continue.




The Fishing is peaking. The water temp is perfect. Now is the time to fish. Get out and enjoy!!! USE IT…. BUT DON”T ABUSE IT! www.mountainranger.com