Tons of Fishing
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A no-frills vacationland once you leave Eastport and the Atlantic coast, Washington County has been attracting sportsmen to its sparkling lakes and secluded ponds for decades. Timber companies own a big portion of this spruce and pine forested inland region, which is filled with pristine brooks and wild lakeshores. You won't find any tony resorts or shopping malls at the remote little village of Grand Lake Stream in the heart of Washington County. What you will find is great fishing, hunting and canoeing. As anglers head for West Grand Lake and its neighboring lakes during the fishing season, Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife must keep the waters stocked with healthy fish without pushing any river or lake ecosystem beyond its natural carrying capacity. Late spring is the time to reel in whitefish and small mouth bass at West Grand Lake. Most years, fly-fishers regularly bag 18-inch salmon. Thanks to good fishery management, the icy depths of West Grand Lake also have started to produce record numbers of "lunker" togue - 10 to 20 pounders being common. An idyllic, tree-shaded river called Grand Lake Stream flows out of West Grand Lake. Strict fishing rules help make this swift-water habitat an outstanding fishery. During May and June, only fly-fishing is allowed. There's also a one-fish limit on salmon. The stream's Oct. 1-20 fishing season is catch-and-release only. You can buy a Maine fishing license in most stores that sell fishing equipment. A short drive east of the village of Grand Lake Stream lies Big Lake and Grand Falls Flowage. June is the season here for 15-inch small mouth bass, which give sportfishers a good fight on the line. Come August and September, anglers go looking for Maine's tastiest freshwater fish, the white perch, in out-of-the-way little ponds ("perch holes") that are scattered all over the region. National Fishing Week was begun to introduce youngsters to the fun and responsibilities of sportfishing. To build on this awareness, Washington County's Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge offers summer programs: June 6 is Family Fishing Day at refuge headquarters, located outside the town of Calais on Route 191. Deputy refuge manager Bob Peyton will lead a "pathways to fishing" program at 1 .; staff members will spend the rest of the afternoon helping young beginners bait hooks and reel in fish. There's also a series of free weekend guided nature hikes through Moosehorn's 22,000-acre holdings. Accommodations in the village of Grand Lake Stream are rustic, mom-and-pop operations such as Indian Rock Camps, where owners Ken and Joanne Cannell provide hearty, home-cooked meals in their lodge home. Guests stay in the camp's five housekeeping log cabins; each cabin is equipped with a full kitchen, hot water, wood heat and two twin-bed bedrooms. The Cannells will put interested guests in touch with licensed Maine guides. The guides not only provide expert knowledge of the area and habitats of the gamefish sought, they also cook up a delicious shoreside lunch for their clients. Popular nonfishing activities at Grand Lake Stream include swimming at the town beach, visiting a nearby landlocked salmon hatchery, bird and moose- watching, and tennis or basketball on the town's public courts. Grand lake Stream Historical Society runs a small musuem with displays on local hunting and fishing history, logging camps, fish hatcheries, and tanneries. A life-sized Laker canoe highlights the collection. The museum is open by appointment; call (207) 796-2611. IF YOU GO Getting there: Take I-95 to Bangor, then Route 9 to Route 1; one mile after Princeton take Grand Lake Road to the village of Grand Lake Stream. Staying there: Indian Rock Camps, call (800) 498-2821. Excursions: Moosehead National Wildlife Refuge, call (207) 454- 3521. Guides: Dave Tobey, call (207) 796-2684. Information: Maine Department of Fish & Wildlife, 284 State Street, Station 4, Augusta, ME 04333; Log on: ./ifw/