The boat launch by the dam. The launch is on the right (note the marked chain) and the dam is on the left.

Keewaydin Lake is a 307-acre body of water located in Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 C3). The public access is located at the outlet by the dam right next to Route 5 at the southern tip of the lake. Plenty of parking area is available around the launch. I notice that the entrance to the boat launch is chained off and therefore inaccessible to watercraft. Fortunately, that does not affect me because I will be fishing in my a waders by the dam.

I love the conditions this morning: fishy, with a low cloud deck, and no wind!

Keewaydin Lake is a moderately developed body of water that abuts the White Mountain National Forest. The forested hills along the northern horizon provide a beautiful backdrop. The weather conditions are to my liking: a low cloud deck, an air temperature of 47°F, and no wind. The lake supports a two-species salmonid fishery consisting of landlocked Atlantic salmon and brook trout. What draws me to this spot this morning are the 250 13-inch brookies that were stocked earlier this fall in anticipation of the upcoming ice fishing season. Fall fishing in Keewaydin Lake occurs under the general fishing laws applicable to the South Zone, except that the lake is open to fishing from October 1 to December 31 using artificial lures only and with the stipulation that all salmonids must be released alive at once. This body of water has an average and maximum depth of 17 ft. and 52 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

Note the dam on the left. One could easily fish from this structure without the need to enter the water.

I reach the launch area at 7 am. I am already in my waders and dressed up warmly and therefore waste no time getting into the water. I note for the record that all the fishing I describe below could have been done from the dam structure itself without entering the water, which is a real plus. I like being in waders because it gives me a bit more flexibility. The substrate in front of the dam consists of a firm sandy bottom interspersed by a few large, submerged boulders. The water is clear and gains depth gradually, creating ideal wading conditions similar to those I have encountered in Crystal Lake and Worthley Pond. I also notice several splashy rises in front of the dam. I start casting out a trusted copper-colored #2 Mepps spinner using my ultralight spinning rod and small reel spooled with 6 pound test monofilament. That combination allows my to get that spinner way out. I also removed one of the three hooks from the treble and flattened the barb on one of the two remaining hooks to minimize harm to the fish. I let the lure sink for a few second, start the retrieve, and constantly twitch the tip of the rod to cause a random flicker in the blade. That triggers the killer instinct of the trout.

And the trout just keep on falling for that magic spinner!

The action starts immediately. I hook and land two brookies in the first 5 minutes. Yes, that is how I like my fishing! Every time I hook a trout when wading, I make it a point to move back to shore to remove the struggling fish to avoid spooking any other trout that may be present in the vicinity. The right lens suddenly pops out of my glasses and disappears in the water as I struggle with the third fish in. Are you kidding me?! I try to locate the lens on the bottom, but it is a lost cause. I leave my busted glasses by the dam and continue fishing half-blind, landing and releasing three more trout. I have been at it for 30 minutes and have caught six brookies so far. I have essentially not moved, except for walking to and from the dam, and have yet to spook the school. I am fully satisfied with this morning’s action and call it good in order to check the next lake on my list. Life is really good, except that I have to get a new lens for my glasses…

I have caught six brookies in 30 minutes and it is time to move on. I suspect that I could easily have doubled the catch if I stayed longer.

The results: I caught six 12- to 14-inch brookies in 30 minutes of fast and furious fishing.

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