BUCKTAIL GUIDE SERVICE BOOTH UPDATE

January 5th -7th, Marlborough, MA.

Friday:10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday:  9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

        https://flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/


Q&A Sessions on Montana & Yellowstone Flyfishing Adventures


As an added benefit to our clients who may be considering a trip with Bucktail Guide Service to Montana or Yellowstone, we are offering three Q&A sessions in our booth during the Fly Fishing show. Maine & Montana registered guide Robert Duport and I will be available to field the questions that you may have about this adventure. Session times are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 1:00 PM. No registration is needed, just swing by.

New England Flyfishing Show Update

January 5th -7th, Marlborough, MA.

Friday:10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday:  9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM


https://flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/

Just a reminder that the New England Flyfishing show is just around the corner. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of flyfishing. Whether a beginner or an experienced angler, there is something for everyone. There are lots of gear, equipment, and books for sale, as well as films & seminars from lodges, outfitters, experts, and guides.
 
Stop by Bucktail Guides Services' new booth and hear about our new guiding adventures on E-Bikes and our latest adventures out west. Enter our no-obligation raffle for your chance to win one of the following very cool items!

6 wt. 9' Orvis Clearwater Rod & Reel Set

Everything has changed except the value. The new Clearwater Rod Series is a complete overhaul from the ground up by our Vermont rod designers. Each rod is designed with a purpose-built profile and action to handle the fishing the rod would be traditionally used for, from medium-action small stream rods to medium-fast freshwater rods and fast-action big game rods. Designed in Vermont for anglers worldwide.

Retail Value:$430.00

Maine author Lou Zambello is a former LLBean executive who has been a registered Maine Guide in the Rangeley, Maine area for many years. He is a Maine Sportsman columnist and has authored, many New England-based fly fishing books. Lou has been flyfishing in northern New England for 50 years and has traveled to Canada, Russia, and across the U.S. to pursue his passion. He speaks regularly at flyfishing forums and events around the country. Lou and his wife Lindsey spend the fishing season at their home on Kennebago Lake.

Show Door Prizes Donated by Bucktail Guide Service

Helios 3D Rod

Orvis designed the Helios 3D fly rod to cast at impressive distances without sacrificing power—and it hits the mark every time. They have reduced the variables at the point of release to focus the energy behind every cast. Increased hoop strength means reduced vibration for a consistently crisp release because they know accuracy is paramount. The H3D rod churns out precise casts that are the stuff of legend—because it’s the pinpoint delivery of flies that takes you from a quiet day on the water to battling predator fish ripping down the flats. Pushing through a gusty saltwater wind is no big deal—the Helios 3D has the power to get your fly there, and the accuracy to drop it right where you want it. Whatever the location, whatever the fish, the H3D is ready for it: Big rivers or saltwater, bonefish or bass—those accurate drops earn more bends in the rod, it’s as simple as that. Get the most accurate fly rod in existence and land more fish on every trip.

Retail Value $800.00

There are times when less is more—the new Mirage LT fly reel is everything its big brother is, but designed to balance perfectly with lighter rods and yet still offer legendary Mirage engineering and performance. Mirage LT features a lighter version of the sealed and maintenance-free carbon and stainless steel disc drag system that adjusts from zero to full drag in a single drag knob rotation. With zero start-up inertia and precise low-end control it eliminates line shock and protects light tippets with the same silky smooth drag, and yet offers more stopping power than you will ever need for trout, bass, pike, musky, or carp. 30% lighter and 30% narrower, the Mirage LT is made in New Hampshire by the same skilled American craftsmen that build the Mirage. The LT offers the same increased retrieve rates, reduction in line coil, and is machined from the same strong, yet lightweight, 6061 T6 aluminum barstock as the Mirage. Ergonomically designed, machined aluminum handle. Quick-release spool easily converts from left- to right-hand retrieve. Type II anodizing. Titanium shaft reduces weight and adds durable power transmission. Fully radiused reel foot prevents kinked leaders. Low-profile counterweight won't catch fingers or fly lines. In midnight with silver accents, olive with silver accents, and red/white/blue.

Made in USA.

Retail Value $480.00

Seasonal Rental in Rangeley

If you are traveling to the Rangeley area of Maine this year to fish, hike, ski, or enjoy the foliage and you need a place to stay, check our link to the Quilt House. Located in town with a short walk to downtown Rangeley, this newly renovated, spacious house offers 4 bedrooms, an open kitchen large living room, and a sitting room. 

Closing out the Season

closing out the Season

Well, once again, another season has come and gone here at Bucktail Guide Service. Challenged by an exceptionally wet spring and summer, we managed to have many great fishing adventures resulting in some excellent fish being netted. However, Mother Nature has once again reminded us of who is in charge, and over the past few days, we experienced much colder overnight temperatures in the western mountains of Maine. Let's hope these temperatures result in an ever-increasing snowpack. 

I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all those who fished with us this year. For those who were first-time clients, I hope you enjoyed your experience with us and will contact us again if we can help you out with a future fly-fishing adventure. For our repeat and long-term clients, thank you again for your patronage and loyalty to our business and brand. It is much appreciated. 

I would also like to acknowledge my clients who weathered having their trips changed in the fall due to a health issue I needed to address quickly. I appreciate your flexibility and understanding and for each of you checking back in with me to tell me how your revised trip went. Those check-ins were a great gift to me.......

So, as the traditional guiding season closes and we are ready for the long Maine winter, keep an eye out for additional newsletters and emails. My hope is they will make the time pass quicker until the start of next year's fishing season. 

bucktail news

New England Fly Fishing Show
January 5th -7th, Marlborough, MA.

https://flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/

This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of flyfishing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced angler, there is something for everyone. Lots of gear, equipment, and books for sale, as well as films & seminars from lodges, outfitters, experts, and guides.
 
Stop by Bucktail Guides Services' new booth and hear about our new guiding adventures on E-Bikes, and our latest adventures out west, and enter a raffle to win an Orvis Fly Rod setup, fly fishing books, and a free trip. 

Introduction to Fly Fishing
January 9th -February 13th, Portland, ME.

https://www.portlandadulted.org/programs

So, you want to learn how to flyfish?  Or, you are looking for a great Christmas gift. I am offering an Introduction to Fly Fishing course through the Portland Adult Education program.  This six-session (2 hours per week) class will cover all the topics needed to get you started in the great sport. I will cover the basic equipment needed to get started, parts of a fly rod, setting up your fly rod, fly lines, tippets, casting, understanding flies, entomology 101, reading water, what flies should you use, setting up basic rigs, and knots.

Each class participant will receive an Orvis Encounter Fly Rod set-up with Orvis's Guide to Beginning Fly Fishing (by Tom Rosenbaurer. A course fee of $200 per person will be charged. 

Registration begins December 11th at the embedded link above. Only 10 slots will be made available. If you would like to be put on my reserve list, please email me at

Bucktailguideservice@gmail.com

Great Stocking Stuffers
Bucktail Guide Service E-Gift Card

If you are looking for a great stocking stuffer, consider the Bucktail Guide Service E-Gift Card. Purchase in amounts of $10, $20, $25, $50, or a custom amount, this E-Gift may be the best gift for the fly angler on your "nice" list.

Seasonal Rental in Rangeley

If you are traveling to the Rangeley area of Maine this year to fish, hike, ski, or enjoy the foliage and you need a place to stay, check our link to the Quilt House. Located in town with a short walk to downtown Rangeley, this newly renovated, spacious house offers 4 bedrooms, an open kitchen large living room, and a sitting room. 

Knowing Rise Forms

So, it's winter, most fishing has stopped and you are wondering how many more cribbage games you can play on your phone. Maybe you are tieing flies and readying your fly box for the spring, or perhaps you are taking a break from fly fishing conversations altogether and reading about the Royals.

Let's get BACK TO BASICS. It's time to reconnect with understanding rise forms. 

The Classic Rise

 Photo by Tom Rosenbauer

In Frame 1, a trout is feeding on an insect on the water's surface. The insect is inhaled just as the fish's head breaks the surface film. That inhaling process includes the insect and a small amount of air as the fish rose for the take.

After the insect is inhaled in Frame 2, the fish submerges with a wag of its tail and you can clearly see a large bubble of air released through the fish's gills. This bubble remains on the water's surface. As the fish retreats into deeper water, the bubble remains behind for a few seconds in most cases. However, I have seen some bubbles last 10 to 15 seconds when the water is flat on a pond. 

How to fish this type of rise? This is the time to get out those dry flies!

The Surface Swirl Rise

This rise can trick you. You might think, it's dry fly time. But wait, look closer, no head, and no bubbles, but you are seeing the fish's dorsal fin and tail which is what is making the swirl. What is the fish doing? It's feeding on emerging insects just below the water's surface. 

How to fish this type of rise? Fish unweighted nymphs, soft hackles, or emerger like a Klinkhammer. They need to be fished just under the surface so NO floatant should be applied to your flies. 

The Sipping Rise

Sipping rises are often accompanied by the trout's head breaking the water's surface. The resulting "bull's eye" shape is produced by slow and unhurried feeding defined by the absence of a splash and bubbles. This gentle rise form is hard to spot on flat water, in low light conditions, or when the "surface chop" disrupts a clear understanding of the water surface such as in riffles. What is the fish doing? The trout is drawing the insect into its mouth through (as the name implies) a sipping action.  The insect is likely stuck in the surface film or just under the water's surface. Its movement is limited, so the trout's feeding is focused and not hurried. This indicates the fish is feeding on very small insects, likely size 18 and smaller. 

How to fish this type of rise? Fish small, unweighted flies on the surface such as midge, caddis pupa, and an emerger. 

The Deep Rise

 Photo by Tom Rosenbauer

Frames 3 and 4 show the rise form of a trout rocketing from a deeper water lie to the surface to pull in its meal. Because of the fish's momentum, the rise form is defined with a peak instead of a classic "bull's eye" shape. 

How to fish this type of rise? Observe what the fish is taking. Throw dries or unweighted flies on the surface such as midge, caddis pupa, and an emerger.


The Jump Rise

This could be the image from some vintage LL Bean catalogs. The monster trout shoots like a trident missile out of the pond while grampa can't find his glasses to tie the "right" fly on. Fish that are repeatedly jumping out of the water are trying to catch insects hovering just above the water's surface, or skating across the water's surface. But remember, the fish is nailing that air-born insect on the way back DOWN to the water, not on the way up. I know! But here is the unfortunate truth. It is usually smallish fish that do this, not the trophy trout that is wiser. I am not saying this doesn't happen with larger fish, but it is a function of calorie expenditure versus calorie gain. Small fly...... low-calorie gain. 

How to fish this type of rise? This is the time to get out those dry flies again, but this time skitter them across the water's surface. That action triggers strikes. 

Hope you enjoyed the refresher course.

Western Maine 2022 Season

April 2022

Well, the fishing started off slow in April with the water temperatures down in the 30s and 40s. Most ponds remained ice-covered until early May. Due to the melting of the snowpack, rivers and streams were flowing high and strong with smaller streams over their banks. I fished the Swift River a few times and came home with only cold feet and hands.

 

May 13-15, 2022

However, as May unfolds, the snowpack is lessening, and the waters are warming up. Over the past weekend May 13-15, the lower Magalloway River below the Rt 16 bridge was active with many reports of great fishing. On Friday, I scouted the Rapid River at or below Lower Dam. Water levels were around 1000 CFS which yielded no fish from the folks I spoke to. No reports of a sucker spawn. In another area, I did find a small stream that spilled into a pond (secret location) and netted 6 trout and 1 salmon. The salmon was about 14” and the two trout were 14” and 16”. Joes Smelt and Black Ghost were the flies for the evening. Suckers were up in the stream at that time.

On a Saturday scouting mission, the upper Magalloway at #10 bridge was at a good level with fish being caught at the bridge. Aziscohos Lake was at a perfect level and several fishers told me there were catching salmon in the lake. The Little Kennebago watershed (pond & river) was high but fishable. Watched fish rise i=at the Wire Pool in the morning. Saturday evening, I went back to the small stream and netted another 6 trout ranging from 8” to 10”. great way to cap off a day.

Other information I heard was the smaller ponds have started to fish well and the upper Kennebec River was yielding nice fish as well.

May 20-21,2022

Rain early in the week swelled many of the streams in the area so the dam operators were opening the gates up to regulate the lake levels. Flows on the Rapid and Mag were strong but fishable. Fishers were out in force but with scouting, solitude could be found. Reports of solid fishing and nice catches came in from all over the area. I fished the Kennebago River Saturday Friday afternoon with several nice 10”-12” brookies in the net.

Sunday morning found myself fishing the flat water on a windless pond. As mid-morning hit, bullseyes appeared all around my canoe and the game was on. Fish were moving across the pond, 4 or 5 abreast, surfacing about every 5’ to 7’ feet. Easy targets!

Saturday morning salmon.

May 27-28, 2022

Another solid weekend for fishing. River and stream levels dropped and the flows out of the dams were adjusted to down around 600 cfs. Friday found me at the Rapid where fishing was strong. Reports from other guides yielded many fish were netted to include a few of the legendary ones on the hook. My fisher did very well with 4 NICE trout netted and one 13”. Hatches were strong all morning, so heavy nymph rigs were the name of the game.

Saturday morning found on the Mag nymphing in a few of the pools below the dam. Netted a nice 12” brookie, but a fisher across the river from me was netting fish about every 15 minutes. With the weather coming in, we jumped from spot to spot looking for fewer people or good water conditions. Settled onto a pond for the afternoon where we battled gusty winds from the approaching storms. Between the gusts, the water turned flat and a few trout were netted.

After my guides, the evenings found me in my canoe fishing smaller ponds around the area. As the breeze lessened towards sunset, surface activity increased and the fishing was on. Netted around 10 brookies ranging from 8” to 12”. Not a bad way to wrap up another weekend in Rangeley.

Rapid River Monster.

June 3-4, 2022

The fishing was great over the weekend. Water levels and flows were slightly lower than the Memorial Day weekend, but plenty of water to fish in.

Early Friday morning found me guiding on the Magalloway at Mail Box Pool. I was surprised to find, my client and I were the only ones at the pool. Fishing was solid, with a nice salmon on the hook jumping about 4’ straight out of the water. The 1/2 day guided wrapped up with a few additional strikes, but nothing in the net.

No guides Friday afternoon, so I hit the water. weather in the afternoon was a mixed bag with showers and sunny breaks. Hendricks hatches during the sunny breaks yeilded a few nice fish hooked on the surface with grey Klinkhammers. What a great afternoon!

Guides day off.

Saturday started with an early guide on another local river. Long, heavy rigs with nymphs were the ticket to success. Two nice trout started the morning and a couple of salmon with wet flies in the afternoon. Reports from the upper Kennebago were positive as well with fish being caught in the upper part of the river and the pond.

Nice fish Scott!

June 10-11, 2022

The fishing was again great over the weekend. Water levels and flows were slightly lower than the previous weekend, but plenty of water to fish in. However, rain would be nice, but not what they got in Montana.

Friday found me scouting areas for my guide on Saturday. Headed to the upper Kennebago region between the two lakes. Water levels were good in the river at the bridge with a few fish surfacing up-stream. Water levels in Little Kennebago were high with little to no shore visible. Went upstream to the Wiggle Brook bridge, good water levels to wade in, but would need to fish the undercut banks or under the over hanging brush because the center of the river was shallow.

Saturday morning started at 6:00 am with client pick-up. We headed to the area of the Kennebago I scouted on Friday. Started the day at Wiggle Brook bridge. Worked upstream with a few strikes but no fish. At the location where Wiggle Brook joins the Kennebago, fishing was better. Netted 2 trout on a nymph rig but missed another 2 or 3 others. After lunch, we moved down steam and fished the banks. Netted 2 on the way down stream to the deep pool at the bend in the river. Nothing there. Headed back down the road to the base of Little Kennebago. Ended the day fishing in the lake and outlet. Netted many brookies from 6” to 10”. Great way to end the day.

Great time on a brothers fishing weekend.

June 17, 2022

Friday morning started with a full truck of fishers (Patty & Jenn) headed into the lower section of the Rapid River. Noted for having its fair share of bass in the river this time of year, I thought it was worth the risk in hope of landing a trout or salmon. After a 2 hour drive and hike, we were river side ready for the adventure.

After a few bass to get us warmed up, Patty hooked up first with a killer trout. It fought hard and spit the hook. Then Jenn delivered with a nice trout, and then another. Patty answered with a salmon. By the end of the day, we caught a few bass but did very well with trout and salmons. Good job ladies!

Ready to fish!

June 21, 2022

Today was a great day. I spent the day with Mary and Phillip. They were winners of a silent raffle which offered them a one day guide with Bucktail Guide Service. Both beginners, they worked hard learning the art of casting, mending, reading the water and patience. Focus fishing in one near by area of the Magalloway River, they both landed fish. Phillip netting the big one for the day at 16”!

Nice fish Phillip!

June 23-24, 2022

Well the last two days have been guiding Frank and Paul, brother in laws from New York.

We fished the Kennebec hard on Wednesday. Changing rigs frequently to adjust to conditions. We fought the wind all day and had one hooked up, but shook the hook. Great scenery that is why it is called “The Yellowstone of the East…..”Frank, keep working on those rowing skills, I need help next year.

Now the second day was a different story. Took to the upper Magalloway region by storm. Fish, fish, fish. Pools, pocket water, flat water, we hit it all. By the end of the day we had a nice spread of 6” to 16” Brookies and a few salmon. Lost count of how many. Paul ended the day strong with 9 fish in 40 minutes!

Thank you guys for the fun and excitement. It was a pleasure guiding you guys.

June 25, 2022

Big day on a remote Maine stream. Nathaniel started out as a beginner and ended the day with a great tool bag of fly fishing skills. He netted around 10 fish to include a large trout that teased him all morning. Thank you Nathaniel for a fun day of learning, practice, and patience! Good job!

June 26, 2022

First time fly fishers Tara and Mike ricked it over this week. With much patience and grace, Tara netted her first trout. Mike on the other hand was a "Steady Eddie". He netted a few trout and one salmon over the day. Great job guys!

July 23, 2022

After inheriting flyfishing equipment from an uncle, she decided to pay her respects by learning how to fly fish. Last Saturday morning started with casting lessons for Kim on the waters of the upper Magalloway. After a few hours of overhead and roll casting instruction, she was ready to FISH. Temps were high, water was coolish, and the fish were biting. The day ended with 8 fish total, 6 for Kim. 2 for the guide (I hate it when that happens). Great job Kim. Hope to see you next year!

FISH SMARTER, FISH BETTER