Baxter State Park is located to the north. In the 19th century the river was a conduit for the transport of logs from Maine's Great North Woods, to be sawn into lumber at mills around Old Town and Orono, and transported on ships from Bangor, at the head of tide. 815 likes. One of Maine's premier land locked salmon fisheries, the west branch of the Penobscot is also one of Maine's most beautiful and rugged rivers. In 1669, the Mohawk tribe made raids from the west that were very destructive to the Penobscot people. This we proved after anchoring near the head of the pool and tempting several large fish into checking out my fly, only to turn away at the last moment. Caddisflies also start their massive hatch around this time, but it can extend into the fall at times. Flow here has ranged from 400 to 1,300 cubic feet per second (37 m3/s). PENOBSCOT RIVER. In fact, Maine has 97% of the wild brook trout waters east of the Mississippi River! We spent another hour prospecting various parts of the Big Eddy while I picked Dan’s brain about this unique fishery and what makes it so productive all season. Our first night is on Lobster Lake, possibly the most beautiful lake in Maine. Throughout the first half of the 17th centuries, these were likely the only permanent settlements on the river, although the Penobscots considered the entire river and bay their hunting ground and maintained other seasonal villages along its banks. After our meal, I was ready to stretch out in the sunshine and take a nap. The cost is $550 for one or two people. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Penobscot Bay. The West Branch holds some of the largest wild land lock salmon left in Maine.Typically they are found chasing your big streamer or rising to your dry fly. This has led to an increase in the number of Atlantic Salmon, Shad, and other fish species in the river. The fort never fired a shot in anger, but remains one of the Penobscot's major man-made landmarks. These days, when people say "I fished the West Branch," they usually mean the reach below Ripogenus Dam, quite a few miles downstream from Seboomook. It is the only bridge observatory in the United States, and only one of four bridge observatories in the world. The cities of Rockland, Belfast, Brewer and Bangor, and the towns of Rockport, Camden, Northport, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Castine, Bucksport, Frankfort, Winterport, Orrington, and Hampden developed adjacent to the Penobscot River estuary. The West Branch of the Penobscot River falls under Artificial Lure Only rules, daily bag limit 2 trout / 1 salmon, April through August 15. The West Branch is well knows throughout the land for its great fishing. The region offers a myriad of fishing opportunities for high quality landlocked salmon, lake trout, brook trout, and smallmouth bass. The variety of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, nestled in a stunningly beautiful setting, are sure to create a memorable fishing experience. Water temps were right around the magic 50 … John Fiske, The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America (NY: 1899) p. 70: “the most common opinion is that the Penobscot was the River of Norumbega, with a village on its bank somewhere up country, where European skippers traded with the natives for furs”. In the 21st century, with the continuing decline of the Maine paper industry, and the divestiture of its woodlands, the Penobscot watershed is becoming more and more associated with recreational use (fishing, hunting, boating, and tourism) and less with manufacturing. Fly fishing the Penobscot River for trout in the state of Maine. This substance was discharged from seven mills located close to the Tribal community of Penobscot people, along the Penobscot river. [8]) A secondary economic use made of the river late in the century was as a source of sawn ice for urban markets. That same lake water contains smelt, which provide a fat- and protein-packed food source for large salmon. The largest mountain in Maine, Mount Kathadin, provides wonderful scenery. A fish bypass was installed at Howland Dam. The West Branch Penobscot flows from Seboomook downstream for about 200 miles to its confluence with the East Branch Penobscot in Medway. Rebecca Sockbeson, a Penobscot, is quoted saying that her people have survived on fish from this river, but "now we are dying from it. During the American Revolutionary War, the river and bay were the site of the disastrous 1779 Penobscot Expedition, where an entire American fleet was destroyed in a botched attempt to retake Maine from the British. During the War of 1812, the British again invaded Maine and defeated an American force at the Battle of Hampden, sacking the town of Bangor in the process. We spent the remainder of the trip working our way downriver, stopping to take a few small but exquisite brook trout from some quieter water near a creek mouth. Millinocket is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The first European known to have explored the river was the Portuguese Estêvão Gomes in 1524, followed by the Frenchman Samuel de Champlain in 1605. That bridge was closed and replaced in 2006 by the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, a 2,120 foot long, $85,000,000 structure with 135 feet between the water and the bridge’s deck, and the original bridge was subsequently demolished in 2013. This cold, clear, fast-flowing stretch is Blue Ribbon fly fishing water for landlocked salmon, and is also popular among whitewater rafters and kayakers, as it boasts some Class 5 rapids. It is probably the best dry fly fishing Maine has to offer with blue wing olives, stone flies, Hendricksons and caddis hatches from May to September. That same lake water contains smelt, which provide a fat- and protein-packed food source for large salmon. This turned out to be stretch of shaded bank bordered by deep water and large boulders. There are many deep pools within the river, due to the many slate ledges, making the river ideal for fishing from shore, though there are still areas that are good for canoe fishing. However, the salmon awaited, so I roused myself and we set off once again in the drift boat. After the uniting of the West Branch with the East Branch at Medway (45°36′14″N 68°31′52″W / 45.604°N 68.531°W / 45.604; -68.531 (Penobscot River source)), the Penobscot flows 109 miles (175 km) south, past the city of Bangor, where it becomes navigable. West Branch Penobscot River, Maine. The river upstream of Bangor became an important transportation corridor for log driving to bring wooden logs and pulpwood from interior forests to sawmills and paper mills built to use water power where the city of Howland and the towns of Veazie, Orono, Old Town, Milford, Passadumkeag, West Enfield, Lincoln, Winn, Mattawamkeag, Medway, and Millinocket developed.[7]. Avid outdoorsman, Registered Maine Guide, editor of the Maine Northwoods Sporting Journal, and co-host of “The Maine Outdoors” radio program, V. Paul Reynolds pens a column for The Piscataquis Observer on Penobscot River Whitewater Guides — featuring Northern Outdoors’ icon Todd “Penobscotman” Mercer. The West Branch is a high quality large volume white water river which contains significant Class V … This is a great river to fish for trout. The first is on the East Branch in Grindstone (an unincorporated settlement approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Stacyville) (45°43′49″N 68°35′22″W / 45.73028°N 68.58944°W / 45.73028; -68.58944 (Grindstone)) where the rivershed is 1,086 square miles (2,810 km2). [6], The Penobscot River was an early trade corridor to interior Maine from the Atlantic coast. [citation needed] With the Ripogenus Dam by Chesuncook Lake, the West Branch is able to sustain the large landlocked salmon found there, with twelve miles of heavy rapids, deep runs, large pools, and slower moving water in some sections. At noon, Dan secured the drift boat alongside the bank and produced a table, grill, chairs and the fixings for an elaborate shore lunch. miles in Somerset, Piscataquis, and Penobscot counties. The West Branch of the Penobscot River just below Ripogenus Dam if fabled in Maine to be the best landlocked Salmon water in the world. The Penobscot River is a great place to find landlocked Salmon that you can fish for all year. West Branch Penobscot River Near Telos Road Today was one of those bitter, cold, I want to stay inside kind of days in Maine. The West Branch of the Penobscot River, Maine, is overrated for fishing. [13] In 2008, the Atlantic Salmon Commission opened the main stem of the river to catch and release fly fishing for Atlantic salmon.[14]. Wood pulp and paper mills create dioxins as a byproduct of the chlorine bleaching process in making paper. Spent a few days fly fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot River this week, skies were blue, black flies were hungry, and I was happy to fish in the wind. It is home to the Penobscot people that live on Indian Island. [11], In 1931 the Waldo-Hancock Bridge was opened to carry US Route 1 across the river at the Penobscot Narrows between Prospect, in Waldo County, and Verona Island just below Bucksport. We will be fishing for mature landlocked salmon on the fly using streamer and nymphing techniques during the … "[9] She continued on to say that "neither dioxin nor cancer is indigenous to the Penobscot people, however they are both pervasive in my tribal community. The Big Eddy is one of the most famous salmon pools in the world, and has a reputation for holding large but well educated fish. In 1971 Great Northern opened the Golden Road (Maine) for transporting the logs. Dan Legere displays a healthy West Branch salmon. The West Branch of the Penobscot is one of the few rivers remaining where landlocked salmon still grow to trophy size. The United States government maintains three river flow gages on the Penobscot river. Fishermen will find a variety of … 2014 West Branch, Penobscot River, Leisure Lobster Lake Trip The West Branch is soft adventure and a good choice for families, adult, youth and scout groups looking for an easy calm-water canoe trip. Sep 29, 2017 - West Branch Penobscot River, Maine fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. No stars. The mainstem of the Penobscot is a very large river (average width 75-150 yards) which maintains an adequate flow for float fishing throughout the summer. A wild piece of water, it's probably the finest landlocked salmon river fishery in the United States, and also home to lots of native brook trout. Dan instructed me to drift my orange-bodied elk hair caddis close to the rocks, and two casts later I was rewarded by an energetic take. While many rivers grow too warm in midsummer to support viable fly fishing opportunities, the West Branch remains cold thanks to the Ripogenus Dam, which releases water from the lower portion of Lake Chesuncook. Dioxins, which are highly potent toxic chemicals that may cause cancer and other health problems, were being poured daily into this adjacent river, the Penobscot. Angling, including fly fishing, is common on the river. $4.99. In the West Branch, fishermen are often required to use a variety of different techniques.[18][19]. In my 20-plus years of fishing the West Branch for landlocked salmon, I had only done so from shore, so it was an eye-opening experience to finally fish it in a drift boat. [15] Until 1971 the West Branch was a main thoroughfare for the Great Northern Paper Company to sluice its logs to its mill in Millinocket, Maine. The West Branch is known as a world class landlocked salmon river, while the East Branch is known for its smallmouth bass fishery. The population was 4, 506 at the 2010 census. Also at Bangor is the tributary Kenduskeag Stream. Stoneflies tend to hatch throughout the season. Insect life is also abundant, and includes everything from stoneflies to mayflies to caddis. $4.99. [4] The third is in Eddington (45°14′12″N 68°38′57″W / 45.23667°N 68.64917°W / 45.23667; -68.64917 (Eddington)), 0.4 miles (0.64 km) downstream from the Veazie Dam where the rivershed is 7,764 square miles (20,110 km2). Lakes such as Seboomook, Chesuncook and Pemadumcook are located along its course. It measured 18 inches—a fine salmon in anyone’s book, although they grow much bigger on the West Branch. The West Branch drains approximately 2,000 sq. [12], Angling, including fly fishing, is common on the river. USGS 01029500 East Branch Penobscot River at Grindstone, Maine, USGS 01034500 Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine, "Water Resources Data – Maine, Water Year 2001", "Taking Down Dams and Letting the Fish Flow", "Whitewater rafting on the West Branch of the Penobscot is one of the wildest things I've ever done", "Millinocket Great Northern Paper buildings to be torn down to make way for industrial park", http://www.visitmaine.com/attractions/outdoor_recreation_sports_adventure/fishing/river_country/rivers/penobscot_river/, http://www.maineriverguides.com/penobscot-river-fishing, "Joshua Treat, The Pioneer Settler on Penobscot River. This signaled the beginning of English domination, and the incorporation of the Penobscot River valley into New England. [16] The Golden Road, still a private road, continues to be used by logging trucks and also people using the Penobscot. Wow! Some of the river's rapids are class IV or even V, making this one of the roughest rivers in the area, and attracting whitewater rafters. Still, after changing patterns a few times we cracked the code with a salmon of around 15 inches. The Penobscot River is Maine's largest river. Mass. During Father Rale's War, the English settlers in Massachusetts also sent periodic raiding parties to the Penobscot, destroying the primary native village in 1723. West Branch Bear Hunters take Note Maine is famous for its wild brook trout fishing. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to 264 miles (425 km),[2] making it the second-longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. A 50% deposit is required to confirm any trip. From its source at the outlet of Little Bog about 10 miles (16 km) east of the Canada–United States border in Maine Township 6, Range 17, WELS, the river runs 27.8 miles (44.7 km) southwest and southeast to its drowned confluence with the South Branch of the Penobscot River in Seboomook Lake in Pittston Academy Grant (T.2 R The first permanent English settler on the river was Joshua Treat (1726–1802), who was initially the armorer and translator at Fort Pownall. 207-749-1593 The eleven miles of river from Ripogenus Dam to the Abol Bridge holds some of the most productive and captivating fly fishing water in the state of Maine. A fish ladder has also been installed at Milford Dam. As if to prove the point, just as we were preparing to haul Dan’s boat, I decided to make a few final casts and was rewarded with another fish in the 15-inch range. The West Branch is home to landlocked salmon and Brook Trout. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. West Branch Penobscot River is a stream located just .3 miles from Medway, in Penobscot County, in the state of Maine, United States. I took a trip here last summer in August and the fishing was still great. Its hard being the bearer of bad news, but it is bad out there! You won’t be disappointed. U.S. Geological Survey. His oldest son, Joshua Treat, Jr., built a log house and sawmill at Marsh Bay in what is now Frankfort, and other members of their extended family, joined by additional settlers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, pushed ever further up-river, eventually restricting the Penobscot people to Indian Island Old Town, Maine, the present Penobscot Indian Reservation. Brookies, which are native to the upper Penobscot, are not a common catch, although Dan said that their numbers seem to be growing. The new bridge also features an observatory open to the public located 420 feet above the surface of the river in the support tower on the Waldo County side. "[9] The health and survival of the Penobscot people is further threatened by the impact that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have on reproduction and the health of their children. [5], Most historians have accepted the Penobscot region as Jean Allefonsce's source for Norumbega, though the matter was hotly contested by some nineteenth century antiquarians, who argued that the name should be identified with their own river or region. This includes a Penobscot River fishing report. If you’re interested in booking a trip with Dan Legere, who also guides on the Kennebec River, give him a call at the Maine Guide Fly Shop. From August 15 until the end of September is Fly Fishing Only, daily bag limit 1 trout or salmon. East Branch Penobscot River, Maine fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. To find West Branch Penobscot River enter the 45.604221 latitude, and -68.531975 longitude coordinates into your GPS device or smart phone. Seasons, species, hatches, access and other facts about the Penobscot River are included. Book your Penobscot River Fishing Trip Today! As part of the Penobscot River Restoration Project, several dams were modified or removed to improve river conditions. And those who have fished it know why. Spectacular views of the majestic Mt. It seemed a pretty good way to end a pretty good fishing trip with one of Maine’s finest guides. West Branch of the Penobscot River: Maine Salmon Fishing Report. Maritime 2013 Auction Boat: Cabriolet Royale 34, Harwich, MA, Artificial Reef Project Underway, Irene Boat Damage Assessed at $500 Million, Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Designed & Developed by Visit New England, New England Fishing TV: West Branch Penobscot Salmon, Designed & Developed by Visit New England. 3.0 • 2 Ratings. The two 447 foot tall granite towers of the bridge are patterned after the Washington Monument which had been largely built with granite quarried from nearby Mt. Greg Bostater. Join us in September on a unique and coveted wilderness back-country trip to fish for landlocked Atlantic salmon on the storied waters of the West Branch of the Penobscot river! The season opens on April 1st but … After drifting out of the Big Eddy, we spent the rest of the morning working various seams and edges along the High Bank Pool, picking away at salmon that had a hankering for dry flies, specifically caddis patterns. My guide was Dan Legere, owner of the Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville, who met me at the Chewonki Big Eddy Campground, just below the Telos Road bridge. While many rivers grow too warm in midsummer to support viable fly fishing opportunities, the West Branch remains cold thanks to the Ripogenus Dam, which releases water from the lower portion of Lake Chesuncook. Ocean ships could navigate upstream to Bangor. The Penobscot River /pəˈnɒbskət/ is a 109-mile-long (175 km)[2] river in the U.S. state of Maine. In the 20th century, lumbering was largely supplanted by papermaking, in the form of large wood pulp and paper mills located all along the river from Millinocket and East Millinocket in the north, to South Brewer and Bucksport in the south. The salmon cleared the water at least six times, putting on an incredible show for the camera, before Dan scooped it up in his net. Its drainage basin contains 8,610 square miles (22,300 km2). A few years later French Jesuit priests came among the Penobscot people as missionaries and converted them to Catholicism. The development of cheap hydropower also attracted other types of light manufacturing, like textiles and shoes. • The upper reaches of the Penobscot River Corridor lie within Current fly fishing conditions are terrible. A Twin Maple Outdoors Fishing Destination Fly Fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot River. So I had a little day dream of one of my favorite places, the West Branch of the Penobscot River. In a treaty of 1752, however, Massachusetts laid claim to the entire Penobscot watershed, and in 1759 the Pownall Expedition, led by Governor Thomas Pownall, established Fort Pownall on Cape Jellison in what is now Stockton Springs. Still, it’s salmon that dominate on the West Branch, and salmon you can expect in good numbers, whether fishing dry flies, streamers or nymphs. Our West Branch bear hunts are based at a lodge that is located at the confluence of … If you need fishing tackle, or are looking for a fishing guide or fishing charter please visit Tackle, Guides, Charters Sockbeson concludes that a treaty is required to ensure that "the breast and spoon we feed our babies with is not filled with cancer, diabetes, learning disabilities, and attention deficit [disorder]."[9]. Perhaps the section of the West Branch that is best known for its excellent salmon fishing and white-water rafting opportunities is the stretch that flows from Rip Dam to Abol Bridge. Katahdin and Big Spencer Mountain make this lake most memorable. [17], May to June are usually when mayflies begin their first hatch. It arises from four branches in several lakes in north-central Maine, which flow generally east. [3] The second is in West Enfield (45°14′12″N 68°38′57″W / 45.23667°N 68.64917°W / 45.23667; -68.64917 (West Enfield)) where the rivershed is 6,671 square miles (17,280 km2). To prevent this from happening a third time, and because the nearby boundary between the United States and British Canada was still contested into the 1840s, the Federal government in 1844 began constructing a huge granite fort, Fort Knox, opposite the town of Bucksport, near the mouth of the river. Featuring excellent opportunities to spot wildlife, fish for trout and salmon, and visit the noted locales of Chesuncook Village and Lobster Lake. This trip begins at Lobster Stream on the banks of the scenic West Branch of the Penobscot River. I had a sneaking suspicion that Dan, like many guides, had a secret spot up his sleeve, one that likely held an especially noteworthy fish or two. Penobscot River Corridor & Seboomook Public Lands B ackcountry canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing along the scenic West Branch, Seboomook, Lobster and Chesuncook Lakes Special Considerations Fees are required to access the North Maine Woods.