Fishing in Maine

The Winning Fish!
Steve Craig - 21Ľ Inches
Guide: Steve Whitman

FISHING 2012

Ice out was early this year and our waters warmed quickly. The bass and salmon were off and running in early to mid May This was the story in our water and the neighboring lakes and it only increased the length of the season since the bite was on the whole summer!

Steve Craig won the 2012 Big Fish of the Year award with a 21Ľ inch smallmouth. He also won in 2009 with a 21˝ inch smallmouth. He will receive a free day of guiding for two with shore lunch next season, an engraved case guide knife, and his picture will be place in the lodge. Congratulations Steve!

Catching a smallmouth larger than 20 inches is no easy task and several of our guests were lucky to have this experience. A very large majority of our guests practice "catch and release" which protects our resource for generations to come. Fishing will remain strong and healthy giving anglers the opportunity to break the 20 inch barrier which has become the "holy grail" of bass fishing. My staff and I wish to congratulate all of our anglers for a job well done!

Fishing 2012

2012 Standings

Steve Craig 21 1/4"
Jim Solka 21"
Conor Nee 21"
Tom Korzec 20 1/4"
Rick Rheinberger 20 1/8"

Many guests have asked me about what to use for lures in our waters. As a general rule in the Spring, in-line spinners, crank baits and spinner baits are a pretty good bet. As summer warms our waters, fishing speeds need to slow down and plastics become a good choice. Grub tails, jigs, worms, top water baits are all really good. As fall approaches it is a mixed bag. As I tell everyone there is no lure that is best and above all to be flexible depending upon the conditions! There is nothing worse than getting into a rut and using only one type of lure. There is a lot of stuff on the market and each lure has its place in our tackle box!

All fish pictured were caught during the 2012 season

Oh noooo...what do I do now!

Smallmouth Bass

This area has some of the best smallie fishing you will find anywhere. From the middle of May until mid-July it is not unusual to catch and release 100 bass in the watershed here. The fishing then slows down a bit but you can still catch some nice size bass and have a great time. In September, fishing becomes fast once again, usually in the first couple of weeks.

The average smallie is about 2 pounds but you will find the 3 to 4 pounder not that unusual. Of course, we have our big fish stories with some over 6 pounds.

Largemouth Bass

Crawford and Pocomoonshine can provide outstanding largemouth bass fishing. The fish average 3 pounds but can go as high as 8 pounds and can be caught for our entire season. There is also good smallmouth fishing.

Landlocked Salmon

The waters from West Grand and Big Lake watersheds drain down through a relatively narrow channel near the east end of Long Lake. It is through these narrows, just in front of Long Lake camps, that significant number of landlocked salmon pass each May. During September and October, as the waters cool, salmon once again journey through the Long Lake narrows and the spectacular fall foliage makes this a truly special fishing experience.

Our facilities in Maine

Grand Lake Stream offers river fishing for landlocked salmon as well as brook trout. From the third week of May through June, two to three pound salmon are common. This is a dam controlled area and fly fishing only.

Our Facilities

At Long Lake, we have our own boat launch and docking facilities with electricity. You may bring your own boat or rent one of our boats--14 - 15 foot aluminum with 8 horsepower motors.

Also note that we sell non-resident fishing licenses.

Guides

Steve preparing shore lunch

Our traditional Maine guided trips can be a great experience. This experience not only offers fishing our lake and different lakes that surround us, our guides can teach and show you some tactics on getting more and bigger fish!

A great part of our guided trips is the shore side dinner that proves to be a highlight here at Long Lake Camps. Our camp provides one of the best shore side dinners with some quality guides who know how to cook. The meals offer steaks, ribs, chicken, ham steaks, hamburgers, and lobsters as our main course. With the main course we provide potatoes, onions, carrots, and much more. Finally, we provide homemade desserts which include cookies, brownies and pie, as well as, a few secret surprises. There is nothing like enjoying a great day of fishing with a meal cooked over an open fire, and experiencing some of the most memorable scenery found in the Northeast.

Throughout the area here, you may see eagles, moose, loons, and many species of water fowl. Your guide will try to tailor your trip to what you want to do. The type of fishing whether you like fly fishing, spin casting, or bait fishing is all possible depending on local conditions and weather. Your guide will try and bring you to where the fish are working and give you the best chance of landing that trophy!

Our guides can take two people per guide in a grand laker canoe, powered with an outboard motor. The canoes have been used by guides since the early 1900 and provides an opportunity "to step back into time" when the world was at a much slower place.

I highly recommend to everyone, even if you have been coming to the north country for years, to experience a guided trip first hand and catch the true feeling on what our area really has to offer.

Fishing Season

Smallmouth Bass/Landlocked Salmon
Ice out to September 30
October 1 - November 30 is catch & release

Grand Lake Stream (Fly Fishing Only)
4/1 - 9/30; 10/1 -10/20 (Catch and release)

Steve on the flowage!

Long Lake Camps

239 Long Lake Camp Road
PO Box 817
Princeton Maine 04668
Telephone: (207)796-2051