Rangeley Region Fishing Report - April 22 2021

The open water fishing season started here on April first with some nice early spring weather. Right now we have 6 inches of new snow on the ground with a high temp of 28 degrees. April weather can be very fickle here in the mountains and so can April fishing. Things really don't get going here till May as the flows and water temps rise. With very little run off from the winter's snow pack, lake and river levels are very low for this time of year. The ice went out on Rangeley Lake on Saturday April 17th. The only place that holds trout this time of year is the Magalloway from the Wilsons Mill bridge down river. Some nice trout have been caught this season and the water temps are in the 38-42 degree range. Another good place to try this time of year is the mouths of brooks and stream where they empty into a body of water. Spawning smelt are the main attraction for the trout and salmon. Use smelt patterns like the Black and Gray Ghost. On the Magalloway effective nymphs are pink San Juan worm, small pheasant tails, zebra midge.