Char Ponds - Maine
Remote kettle ponds in Maine hold a rare fishing resource unique to the lower 48. Arctic char, probably best known for their anadromous phenotypes in Alaska and Canada, have a rare holdout in 14 ponds in the Pine Tree State. 10 of these ponds have survived naturally, and not all are open to public fishing. The ponds are remote and difficult to reach, an investment on the part of the angler that is reflected in the accomplishment of landing the elusive quarry.
This is a unique opportunity to land one of the rarest fish in the continental United States. Once known across the region by several names, Sunapee or blueback being the most common, the salvelinus alpinus is one of the most beautiful and aesthetic fish in our region. This challenging fish resides in deep, cold, and rather barren waters that have limited competition for food. These slow growing fish need very specific circumstances to survive and proliferate, which also makes the environments we fish equally aesthetic.
In order to maximize our success, we have identified two successful windows to operate our guided trips to these ponds - spring ice out and the end of open water season. During spring ice out, the water columns are not thermally stratified, meaning that the fish and their food are spread more evenly throughout the pond. This also means that the fish are extra hungry from being under ice, and they probably haven’t seen a fly for over 6 months! This is a great opportunity to get close and personal with these ice age relics.
Our fall trips capitalize on the next most important stage in the blueback’s lifecycle - staging for their spawn. Similar to togue, another of our native char species, our wild landlocked arctic charr spawn on gravel shoals 10-30 feet below the surface of the kettle ponds. Prior to spawning, they need to bulk up on high calorie food sources, making streamer fishing a fun and exciting way to target these piscivorous fish. This predatory and territorial instinct also draws out some of the bigger fish. Most importantly, it allows you to capture the splendid chrome and orange colorations that exceed even the brightest brook trout.
Speaking of brook trout, these pond trips usually result in trophy squaretail bycatch. Not a bad consolation prize! Given the limited forage available, we typically fish streamers such as the golden retriever, our black retriever variation, a beadhead maple syrup, or even a balanced leech. On the morning or evening hatches, large green drakes, griffiths gnats, and various midge patterns have fooled hungry brook trout.
