Maine maintains the reputation of possessing the largest sport fishery for Landlocked Salmon in the World. They can be found in over 300 lakes in Maine. Salmon are beautiful, sleek, silvery fish with black spots, a forked tail, hooked jaw and are great jumpers when hooked.The landlocked salmon was originally an ocean fish that became trapped in inland lakes. They like the cold, deep, more oxygenated water and prefer water temperatures in the mid-50s. During summer, landlocked salmon are usually found around 40 feet below the surface, and feed about 5 to 10 feet below the ice in the winter. From the cold depths, landlocks move into shallow water in the spring, spend the summer months usually between 30 and 60 feet deep (but sometimes as deep as 100 to 150' or more), then move into natal tributaries in the fall to spawn. Though not nearly as large as seagoing Salmon, the Landlocked is a strong swimmer, and a powerful fighter pursued heavily by Maine fishermen! Most Salmon reach 14 inches, (legal size) at about 3 or 4 years of age. There is however a huge difference in the size of fish between the lakes here in Maine. One lake may have a 3 year old that is 18 inches while at another lake it may be barely legal.
Ice Fishing
In the winter fish them between 5 and 15 feet below the ice surface. I rarely put out more line than just the leader. Small hooks and smelt for bait are sure to get you a fish. In lakes that have them available, smelt are the main food. When the smelt population drops so do the salmon stocks. Salmon will also feed on alewives, shiners, worms, yellow perch, and insects. It is commonly believed that without a smelt fishery it is possible but highly unlikely you will maintain a salmon fishery. Sebago is a perfect example, sometimes you catch racers, the long skinny fish. Other times you catch the fat football shaped ones. When the laker population goes up, they eat more of the smelts, and the salmon suffer. When the laker population goes down, the salmon get more smelt to eat, and they fatten and thrive. Set your tipup so the line hangs about 5 to 10 feet down and hook the bait right before the dorsal fin, using one small split shot. I always use a tied on hook for salmon, no swivel and no flashers. Fished through the ice, Salmon are far and away my favorite. They put up a fight that you will feel through your hands, and then you can see what a fighter they are. It doesn't seem the same on rod and reel. Maine has far less salmon then she once did and I hope you will practice catch and release as many as possible.
Open Water
Early spring and late September are the best times to catch salmon. Adult Salmon at this time of year feed almost exclusively on Smelt. Certain times of the year they feed on shiners and other baitfish, as well as insects, but if Smelt are available that is what they will be eating. In the spring, they follow smelt when these bait fish spawn. From Ice out until June or so, they can be taken by surface trolling using streamers such as the Gray Ghost, Mickey Finn, Nine-Three, and Supervisor. Trolled spoons, wobblers and sewn-on bait are also effective ways of catching salmon this time of year. During the day, salmon cruise the shallow water of the lake near stream mouths. In the fall, salmon swim upstream to spawn. They run near the surface early on in the year, but then drop down deeper to get the colder water in the heat of summer before moving to spawn. Know where they are at that time of year and you can target them more effectively. Again, knowing the water temerature is helpful here.
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Always get permission from landowners and carry out more than you carry in!