The fish could quickly be getting greater in Inexperienced Lake.
The Hancock County lake is among the many waters up for fishing rule adjustments underneath the most recent proposals rolled out by the Maine Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
If enacted, the proposed adjustments might present anglers with the chance to catch bigger landlocked salmon sooner or later, one thing avid fishermen within the space say is lengthy overdue.
The two,989-acre Inexperienced Lake — situated in Dedham and Ellsworth — experiences the very best ranges of angler use per acre within the area throughout each the open water and ice fishing seasons, in accordance with a DIF&W report. That’s spectacular contemplating the close by proximity of in style waters corresponding to Phillips Lake, Beech Hill Pond and Department Lake.
The Inexperienced Lake initiative, which is listed in DIF&W’s “Particular Want” class, would require that every one landlocked salmon between 17 and 20 inches should instantly be launched alive. It additionally proposes a each day bag restrict on salmon to 2 fish, solely one among which can be better than 20 inches.
The present legislation permits anglers to reap salmon measuring at the least 14 inches, with a each day restrict of two fish.
Justin Gott is among the many anglers who assume the proposed new rule is lengthy overdue.
“Dimension of salmon has been a problem for some time in there,” Gott mentioned. “Something that can assist defend and enhance the general measurement and well being of the salmon in there wouldn’t damage.”
Gott mentioned this can be very uncommon to catch a salmon of greater than 20 inches in Inexperienced Lake and that even 18-inchers usually are not widespread.
Chris Kane of Bass Harbor proposed one other tweak to the salmon measurement restrict.
“Inexperienced’s all the time had ample salmon however not a number of measurement to them. I believe they need to simply go to a straight 20-inch minimal,” he mentioned.
The aim of its proposal is to extend measurement, high quality and proportion of older landlocked salmon within the fishery by making use of a protecting slot restrict, DIF&W mentioned.
“Traditionally, Inexperienced Lake has been managed for average-sized salmon with an above-average catch charge,” DIF&W mentioned. “Nevertheless, stakeholders of the Inexperienced Lake Focus Group and native anglers have expressed an curiosity in having the lake managed for elevated numbers of bigger salmon.”
The state’s objective is to extend the variety of 4-year-old salmon caught from the roughly 10 p.c that exists to the specified proportion of 20 p.c of the catch.
The salmon restrict is just one side of the Inexperienced Lake fishery. Biologists additionally need to keep the present native Arctic charr inhabitants and handle quality-sized stocked lake trout and smallmouth bass.
Inexperienced Lake is stocked with 1,350 lake trout yearly, and in the course of the previous 12 years DIF&W has lowered salmon stocking from 1,000 spring yearlings every year to 500 fall yearlings in an try to extend progress and well being.
These Inexperienced Lake anglers who’re extra curious about catching salmon than different species say the well being of the inhabitants is tied on to the supply of smelts as forage.
“The white perch inhabitants has gotten out of hand in Inexperienced. Smelts don’t stand an opportunity,” Gott mentioned.
Smallmouth bass additionally incurred the wrath of anglers who imagine they, too, are taking a chew out of the bait provide.
Regardless of the challenges, some anglers nonetheless often land a pleasant salmon at Inexperienced Lake.
“I did handle an 18 1/2-inch salmon there a couple of week in the past,” mentioned Chester Kimble of Otis, “however proper earlier than that, trolling a DB Smelt in 101 ft of water, seven colours down, I caught a 22-inch pickerel. So bizarre issues can occur.”
If the rule is handed, that development might change for the higher within the coming years.
The entire itemizing of proposed fishing rule adjustments for 2023 might be discovered on the DIF&W web site. The company is now accepting feedback on that plan.
