BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 7, 2025
Even as December chills the air, Maine anglers can’t stop thinking about landlocked salmon. Though the fish may be deep in the lake, their presence drives dreams of the next season and the thrill of trolling a streamer across a glassy surface. Most years, ice-out on Aziscohos Lake doesn’t happen until early May. My wife, Trish, and I head to our cabin soon after word spreads that the lake is clear. Weather conditions vary drastically. Sometimes we arrive under bright blue skies, with temperatures climbing into the fifties. More often, overcast skies, rain squalls, or even a stray snowflake greet us — the type of harsh conditions favored by landlocked salmon and brook trout. After a long winter of inactivity, these fish are ravenous, often chasing schools of smelt across the lake. ~ Bob Romano