Don’t overlook September angling

Many Aroostook outdoorsmen have put in enough seasons to remember when September was little more than a change-over month. Fishing season was over, partridge hunting was a month away, the State Fair had come and gone and chilly nights pointed toward digging potatoes and banking the house. Oh how things have changed in the last 25 years. Hunters this month can enjoy early goose season, the first part of moose season, and bear hunting is in full swing too. On top of that, fishing season is still open and on-going, and on several waterways will remain open clear through October.
Weather conditions have been odd this summer, and fishing for all species has been sporadic at best.  Over the last two weeks however, thanks to a few nights in the 40s, angling action has picked up notably. Just last weekend for example, I enjoyed my best bass outing of the year, and the smallmouth weren’t just plentiful, they were above average in size too.
Roger Shaw and I drove to Medway and fished the Penobscot River from about 3 P.M. until dusk. We used plastic worms and crayfish, as well as a selection of top water plugs, especially poppers and chuggers. Bass were feeding from our very first cast and we were still getting strikes when evening closed in making it difficult to see our baits. In all we boated 29 fish, four of which were pickerel, and lost more than a dozen other bass at some point during the fight.
I boated my largest smallie in the last 10 years, a 4 pound 6 ounce football shaped brute of 18 inches that would have made my trip if it were the only fish landed. It turned out to be just the frosting on the cake however, since two other bass topped three pounds and four more weighed in excess of 2 ? pounds. I see no reason for this fast fishing trend to change so I’ll be back after bass this weekend too, and so should you. Since you can’t hunt on Sunday, visits to the Penobscot River below Medway can continue all the way through November if the weather cooperates.
If rivers aren’t your cup of tea, consider a trip to Baskahegan, Upper or Lower Hot Brook or Crooked Brook Flowage; a big fish on these waters would run 2 1/2 pounds and most are around a pound, but they are plentiful. All four of these waters are easy to reach, simple to fish and best of all every one of these lakes also remains open until the last day of November.
Should there be any doubt about local trout fishing, that’s picking up as well. A friend called a few days ago to relate an evening spent casting dry flies on a regional beaver pond during which over three dozen 6- to 10-inch brookies were caught and released. Last week’s dose of very warm days should further perk up the surface action. Check out the Prestile, Meduxnekeag, and Aroostook, some pools will still have good sized schools of trout and most runs will attract a few brookies as they start to spread out for the upcoming spawning season. All of these waterways close for the season at the end of September, so get out soon and often this month.
If large, leaping landlocks peak your fancy, consider a trip to any of the Fish River Lake thoroughfares. Open through September 30th, most of these thoroughfares have sections which are wadeable with hip or chest waders, and there are several runs perfect for canoeing and casting. Only artificial lures are legal this month, and streamer flies are extremely effective, especially brightly colored patterns such as a Miss Sharon, Mickey Finn, or Ouananiche Sunset.
Along with salmon, large brook trout are joining the spawning spectacle taking place all along the thoroughfares, and these brookies are very susceptible to bait fish imitations. Proven patterns include a red gray ghost, black nose dace, a blue devil or a  Liggett Special. Anglers who favor lures might try casting an Al’s Goldfish, a bronze mooselook wobbler or a silver Sutton spoon, and productive plugs include size 7 floating Rapalas in peach, orange and blue/silver, a purple-hued silver Mirror Minnow and a red and white Rebel.
Remember to check the 2007 open water fishing regulations if you have a favorite waterway in mind for a day of autumn angling. On the plus side, many lakes and ponds are open later than September 30th, but in most cases there are changes in daily bag limits. Often there’s a one fish limit, and on some waters fish must be released immediately as new fall regulations come into effect this month and next. Since many species are in spawning mode it’s not a bad idea to set all hooked fish free quickly, and if you land a trophy that deserves to be taken to a taxidermist, have a camera at hand for a fast photo session so the fish can be let go to fight again.
Don’t put fishing on the back burner due to the wide variety of September gunning opportunities, fall fishing can yield some of the fastest action and largest bass, trout and salmon of the season. While you’re out and about it’s a good chance to do a bit of pre-season duck, grouse and deer scouting too. I remember when September had too much slack time to suit me, now there are too few days to enjoy all the outdoor opportunities; but I’ll try, believe me I’ll try!