Fly Fishing Road Trips
Good People      Good Water       Good Fish

What an ordeal! First, we headed on a gravel park forest road from our cabin in New Hampshire that crossed the mountain into Maine. The road was closed when we got about halfway, 45 minutes of driving. UGH! Google Maps is usually excellent for these things. My wife was already not thrilled about driving to Maine for a damn fish. So we backtracked and went around the mountain to the spot I researched. I was hoping to sit at the mountain lake to picnic and relax before fishing, but it was too late; nothing is worse than a woman with bug bits driving around God's earth for a fish. The car was full of tension.

​

We drove to the small stream, Cold River ( 44.26694, -71.00698), which was at the bottom of a valley with low tree cover and dampness. The environment was perfect for more biting bugs; thank God she didn't have a gun. I made a deal to fish for only 30 minutes. The stream reminded me of Wisconsin and the Driftless Area, so I was in my element. I moved upstream and, in the process, scared some large fish hidden in some leaves. I didn't know if it was a trout. After 25 minutes, I knew I needed to head back. I was on my way around; I couldn't believe what I saw. The slower part of the creek held too huge Brook Trout. I could even imagine the colors if I could land one, but I was missing my dropper and didn't see anything rise. As I started my tie exercise, the horn of my Acura MDX began to play, and I was doomed. I would love to come back to this place!

​

We drove up and across the pass where the water downstream was heading north on Evans Brook. It looks like East Branch Saco River, NH, where I caught a little Brookie early in the day, but the river is not as dull. I got a couple of hits at my Caddis dry, so I felt confident. Lauren was reading her book on a big rock, most likely being bit again. So I found a big rock to hide behind and threw my fly around the boulder while imagining it floating. Sri e! A nice Wild Brook Trout gripped it!

​

Maine Done!

 

We didn't mention fishing the rest of the day and went on three fantastic hikes.