Quality & Quantity

We have been finding plenty of fish on the Upper Andro this year, averaging about 15 fish/angler on half day trips. I have been measuring each fish this year, keeping a detailed log book for IF&W, and have caught quite a few fish in the 12″-14″ range, and a few 14″-16″ fish, including a few nice browns. Streamers and nymphs are still the best bet. There are plenty of caddis around, and a few mayflies, but not much as far as rising fish, but they should start to look up soon.

The water is as low as it was all last summer, and it is bound to warm up quick if we don’t get any rain. The next month should be the best fishing until fall, so get after it!

Here are some the highlights from the past week..

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14″ Brook Trout

 

Unicorn

Unicorn

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2014 still going…

Spent the last two days on the upper Andro, water temps range from high 40’s to low 50’s, with some of the lowest water conditions of the year (1,300 cfs in Gorham, NH yesterday). Didn’t see a singe rise, but the sub surface bite was good, with some nice browns, brookies, and bows coming to the net each day. Catching some of the biggest fish of the year, so now is not the time to give up! Still have a few more trips, and will be out until the snow flies! Here a few pics from this weekend

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Androscoggin Two Fly

Well another year, but unlike the last two, no Turtle Water trophy for us, as we took runner up. Although we didn’t win the coveted oarsman trophy, we placed in every category, took home some great prizes, and most importantly, had a great time. Thanks to all that made it happen, and congrats to my team, Dan and Sean. Btw, we will be seeking some redemption from Northern Lights/Schiavi Homes next year so be ready boys!

And the results are;

Pete Bilafer of Mansfield, Massachusetts, won the trophy for the biggest trout caught during the annual Upper Andro 2-Fly Contest in Bethel held Saturday, September 21. Pete netted a 14 ¾” brook trout. Second place went to Todd Richard of Farmington, MEwith a 14 inch brown trout and third place to Dan Reader of Dover, NH who caught a 13 3/4” brook trout.

The award for the largest catch went to Pete Smith of Farmington, ME who caught 21 trout. Tied for second place with 13 fish each were Todd Richard and Dan Reader. Third place honors went to Sean Libbey of Deerfield, MA, netting 11 trout.

The Rocky Freda Turtle Water Trophy presented to the oarsman of the team who caught the most fish was awarded to Bob Dionne of Farmington, rowing the Northern Lights/Schiavi Homes drift boat, catching a total of 34 trout.

Maineflyfish.com’s “Chubasaurus” trophy for the largest chub caught went to Michael Jones of Bowdoinham, ME who caught a 17 3/4 inch chub.

Eight teams of two anglers and an oarsman fished the Upper Androscoggin River from Shelburne, NH to Rumford Center, Maine. The anglers were restricted to using only two flies to catch the biggest and the most trout over a nine hour time period from 6 am to 3 pm.

Friday afternoon’s Northeast Drift Boat Championship, testing the rowing skills of the oarsmen, pitted two veteran oarsmen against a neophyte. Winner with a time of 9 minutes 58 seconds was Michael Jones of Bowdoinham. Second Place went to Brian Reader of North Waterboro, ME with a time of 11 minutes 41 seconds and third place to Paul Chaisson of Bethel, ME with a time of 28 minutes 43 seconds. The quarter mile race course from Bethel Outdoor Adventures to Davis Park featured rowing around buoys, an anchor drop and sprint to the finish.

Awards were presented at the Bethel Inn Resort immediately following the competition. Along with trophies, winners received merchandise prizes from Orvis, L.L. Bean, Kittery Trading Post, Patagonia, Solitude Flies and The Bethel Inn.

The contest was a fund raising event for the Mollyockett Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Organizers Brad Jerome and Carter Davidson of the Bethel Inn Resort presented a check for $750 to Scott Stone, TU member, at the conclusion of the awards ceremony.

Mixed Bag

Although some folks might have hung up their rods last month, nobody told the fish! The bass fishing has been good, but the weekly rains and nighttime lows in the 50’s have keep the waters cool and at normal levels, and we have also been getting after some trout. The Upper Andro was 68 degrees last week, and as long as we don’t get any more real hot temps, the fishing should only pick up. I saw a surprising amounts of rises last week, and though we had to go to size 20 and 7x tippet to entice some of the fish, there was more than enough action to keep us interested. Its not every August that you can use dries, nymphs, and streamers, so dust off your rods and get after it, fall fishing is right on the doorstep…. Here are a few highlights from the last few weeks.

3 lb.+ smallie

 

This first time fly fisherwoman got the Andro hat trick- brookie, brown, and bow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lights out…

the Upper Andro is! Guided Friday and Saturday on the river and the fishing was top notch, easily boated 30-40 fish on a half day trip on Saturday; browns, brookies and bows. Got a chunky bow, and a few nice brookies 12″-13″. Better yet, they were eager to bite! Got a chance to get out on father’s day with my daughter and wife, and even Milo! I managed 7 fish, and missed a few more, in about an hour. The next few weeks should be the best fishing of the year on the Andro, still some dates open, so book asap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Androscoggin Two Fly

Well another year, and another throphy, plus a few for the guys to take home. Here is how it went down:

Pete Smith of Farmington, Maine successfully defending his 2012 title, won the trophy for the biggest trout caught during the annual Upper Andro 2-Fly Contest in Bethel held Saturday, September 21. Pete netted a 16” brook trout. Second place went to Jerry Miller of Marblehead, MAwith a 15 1/4 inch rainbow trout and third place to Justin Snow of Plymouth, MEwho caught a 14” brook trout.
The award for the largest catch went to Kate Farnham of Bath, ME who caught 7 brown trout and a brook trout. Tied for second place with 7 fish were Jerry Miller, Dan Reader of Dover, NH and Todd Richard of Farmington, ME. Third place honors went to Sean Libbey of Deerfield, MA, Justin Snow, and Chandler Woodcock of Farmington each betting 6 trout.
The Rocky Freda Turtle Water Trophy presented to the oarsman of the team who caught the most fish was awarded to Brian Reader, Cornish, ME of the Western Maine Drifters/Patagonia team. Anglers Sean Libbey and Dan Reader caught a total of 13 fish.
Maineflyfish.com’s “Chubnado” trophy for the largest chub caught went to Hakan Adams of Mason Township, ME who caught a 12 inch chub.
Twelve teams of two anglers and an oarsman fished theUpperAndroscogginRiver fromShelburne,NH toRumford Center,Maine. The anglers were restricted to using only two flies to catch the biggest and the most trout for an eight hour time period from 6 am to 2 pm.

Wanna know what flies we were using? You’ll have to book a trip and find out!

Androscoggin Two Fly

This is my second year at the Upper Androscoggin Two Fly Tournament, both as an oarsman, this year with a new team; brother Dan and my buddy Sean, as Western Maine Drifters/Skinny Moose Media. Happy to report we had a great day; the fish cooperated and we hooked fish everywhere I hoped to. Boated 9 rainbows, a brown and a brookie. Here are the results:

Pete Smith of Farmington, Maine won the trophy for the biggest trout caught during the annual Upper Andro 2-Fly Contest in Bethel held Saturday, September 15. Pete netted a 15” brook trout in the river near Gilead. Second place went to Jerry Miller of Marblehead, MA with a 14 1/8th inch brook trout and third place to Sean Libbey of Deerfield, MA who caught two 14” rainbow trout.

The award for the largest catch went to Dan Reader of Rochester, NH who caught six rainbows and a brook trout. Second place went to Todd Richard of Farmington, ME who caught five rainbows and a brown trout and third place went to Amy Grant-Trefethen of Mt. Vernon, Maine who caught 3 rainbows, a brook trout and a brown trout.

The Rocky Freda Turtle Water Trophy presented to the oarsman of the team who caught the most fish was shared between the teams from Schiavi Homes/Northern Lights, Scott Stone from Norway, ME as oarsman, and Skinny Moose Media’s Western Maine Drifters team rowed by Brian Reader of Cornish, ME.

Maineflyfish.com’s “Big ol’ Chub” trophy went to Stoo Mason of Bethel who caught a 15 ½ inch chub and a total of fifteen of these “mountain” trout.

Thirteen teams of two anglers and an oarsman fished the Upper Androscoggin River from Shelburne, NH to Rumford Center, Maine. The anglers were restricted to using only two flies to catch the biggest and the most trout for an eight hour time period from 6 am to 2 pm.

The real second place fish?