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Fishing above the power station. Pond in the River Guide Service

Most of the flow from the lake is diverted into a power-generating facility that releases water roughly ¼ mile downstream from the dam. The section between the dam and the power station is a series of falls, plunge pools, and pocketwater that does hold some fish. However, the best fishing starts downstream of the power station. Downstream at Wilsons Mills, the Magalloway changes from a rugged freestone river to a meandering meadow stream. From there it flows toward its termination at Umbagog Lake, near the Maine–New Hampshire border. Brook trout outnumber salmon in this section. They run from 12 to 16 inches. Trout over 18 inches are caught on a fairly regular basis. Landlocked salmon range from 12 to 16 inches, with fish over 20 inches sometimes taken. Fishing usually starts by the April 1 season opener. The fishing drops off for a week or two during spring runoff. Hatches are similar to those upriver, but occur a couple weeks earlier on the lower river.

Jake Borgeson with spring brook trout.

Pond in the River Guide Service

Flows on the middle and upper Magalloway River run between 50 and 150 cfs. Flows on the lower river typically run in the 300–600 cfs range. All sections are subject to spikes during ice-out and after rainstorms. Scheduled whitewater releases on the lower river in the summer run from 900–1,200 cfs. The entire river is wadable—albeit not always easily. Occasionally, boats and canoes are used in large pools, and where the river enters the lakes.

Hatches: The trout and salmon in the Magalloway feed on insects, baitfish, crayfish, leeches, and fish eggs. Insects include mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges, and aquatic worms. The primary baitfish species is smelt (during both the seasonal spawning runs and intermittently through the season as they slip through the dam) as well as sculpins, and dace. The first major insect hatches—Quill Gordons and Hendrickons—occur in early to mid-May. Stoneflies hatch in the late spring and early summer, with Yellow Sallies and the larger Golden Stones. Caddis hatches start in mid- to late May, and continue through September.

Fish in the Magalloway are very migratory. They tend to congregate in certain places at specific times of year. Hiring a guide—at least for your first trip—is never a bad idea. A guide can show you the safest places to cross the river, where the fish are at any given time, and the best flies to use. This is most important to the traveling angler who has a limited amount of time to fish.

Regulations: The Magalloway River is restricted to fly fishing only. Above Aziscohos Lake, all brook trout less than 6 inches and longer than 12 inches must be released at once. This helps protect the larger fish. There is a two-fish limit on brook trout. Below Aziscohos Lake, it is catch-and release on brook trout, with barbless hooks required. Salmon are managed under a one-fish, 14-inch-minimum-length restriction. The river is open from April 1 through the end of September. Starting August 15 and running through the end of the season, all brook trout and salmon must be released.

If big wild brook trout in moving water are what you are looking for, the Magalloway River is one of the best places to find them.

Tackle: A 9-foot 5-weight rod with a floating line is the best all-around choice for most sections of the Magalloway River. A sink-tip can be helpful on the middle and lower sections if you wish to fish streamers. Lighter 3- or 4-weight rods can be used effectively in the upper river at certain times of the year. Fluorocarbon leaders and tippet are important on the lower river, as fish see a lot of flies, but it is not necessary on the middle and upper river. Large strike indicators are needed to