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Forest and Stream Letters 

Fishing Around Mt. Desert 
DEAR FOREST AND STREAM: 
[t would be hard to conceive of a 
more beautiful setting for a fishing 
trip, at least in the eastern states, than 
that afforded by the Mt. Desert region 
of eastern Maine. The magnificent 
views of sea and mountains, the many 
beautiful ponds and lakes with which 
the island is dotted, and the streams 
which are found in practically every 
valley, are all a never-failing source of 
joy to the angler who is also a nature 
lover. 
Jordan Pond, two miles from Seal 
Harbor, was originally one of the best 
trout ponds on the island, but a number 
of years ago landlocked salmon were 
planted in Jordan, and since then these 
fish have increased in numbers tre- 
mendously, while Fontanalis has de- 
creased in proportion. The salmon take 
the fly freely and occasionally a good 
trout is taken in the same manner. 
In Eagle Lake much the same con- 
ditions prevail as in Jordan except that 
the percentage of trout is much 
greater; but in Bubble Pond, lying in 
the gorge between Green Mountain in 
Pemetic, the salmon seem to be entirely 
lacking. The trout in this pond are 
very plentiful, are hard fighters and 
average well in size, an occasional two 
pounder or better being taken. 
Great Pond, two miles back from 
Southwest Harbor, is the largest lake 
on the island, and also seems to con- 
tain the largest fish. I have one au- 
Page 477 
thentic record of a salmon taken during 
the spring trolling which weighed 
over twelve pounds while two-or-five 
pounders seem to be no great rarities. 
Trout up to five pounds are taken every 
year in Great Pond through the ice, 
also very large smelt. I have seen 
many of these smelt over a foot in 
length. 
The trout streams of Mt. Desert are 
of three general kinds, those that flow 
from springs into ponds, those that flow 
from springs directly into salt water, 
and those that rise. in the mountain 
encircled lakes and find their outlet in 
the sea. Mostly they are very small 
streams and range from two to four 
miles in length, but in spite of their 
small size they abound in trout. 
Naturally under such conditions many 
of the trout are of small size; but in the 
past few years I have taken many fish 
from these lovely little brooks that have 
proved to be from nine to thirteen 
inches long. Unfortunately most of 
this fishing is so brushy that bait fishing 
is a necessity, but there will always be 
found a few stretches where a fly can 
be used to advantage. 
The saltwater fishing of this region 
is practically all of the variety known 
as “deep-sea” fishing, in which a com- 
mon hand line is used, and the luckless 
cod, haddock, hake, etc., are hauled up 
from deep water with scant ceremony. 
Nevertheless, a day spent off shore 
hauling in an occasional forty to sixty 
pound codfish among the smaller fry 
which are always present, breathing in 
the glorious salt air, and watching the 
everchanging panorama of the moun- 
tains, is a day well spent. 
Another deep water fish of which a 
few are taken annually in these waters 
is the halibut; these range in size from 
the chicken halibut of five or six 
pounds to the adult specimens of from 
fifty to three hundred pounds. Most 
of these are taken by market fishermen 
on what is known as a trawl line, which 
is really a set line carrying from three 
hundred to eight hundred baited hooks. 
This method is also largely used by 
market men in the taking of cod, had- 
dock and hake. 
About the only fish that can be called 
a game fish to be had on these off-shore 
trips is the sea pollock. Fortunately 
this is a very common species, and the 
light tackle enthusiast who takes speci- 
mens of from five to fifteen pounds will 
find that he has encountered quite a 
sporty proposition. Last summer a 
member of the Otter Creek handline 
fleet while jigging for pollock caught 
two fine specimens of the Atlantic 
salmon; of course these were accidental 
captures, but they at least show the 
possibilities of this kind of fishing. 
These salmon each weighed nearly 
thirty pounds. 
For those who prefer to angle for 
smaller game in the salt water, the 
cunner will be found to furnish excel- 
lent sport. This fish is found very 
plentifully around the rocky shores and 
ledges, run from half a pound to two 
pounds in weight, and when hooked 
plays much after the fashion of a small 
sheepshead. The flounder, which is 
also very plentiful, is found on sandy 
or muddy bottom, and numbers of these 
fish can always be taken by fishing 
the flood tide from the various wharves 
and docks. Clams make the best bait, 
and it will be found that small rock 
cod and harbor pollock are often in- 
cluded in the catch. 
As happens in most salt water fish- 
ing, the angler is frequently bothered 
by. utterly worthless species, and the 
one of these that causes the most 
annoyance is the small shark known as 
the dogfish. These brutes are so vora- 
cious that when they are encountered 
the best. plan for the fisherman is to 
move to some entirely different ground. 
I have frequently had cod and haddock 
