Column: An ode to a hidden river and a giant brook trout

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 28, 2026

Shrouded in mystery, the river’s name is rarely mentioned by local guides. Its reputation for large fish is only whispered. I chose a favorite fly pattern. My initial trepidation was quickly replaced by confidence when the line slid smoothly through the guides, the little wet fly wafting down like a bit of pollen onto a dark seam that slipped shyly beside the far bank. I watched as a fish’s maw rose through the tannin-stained surface. When I set the hook, the trout’s massive shoulder turned, its raw power transmitted from the frail tippet up the line and through the throbbing graphite. A fish whose ancestors have called these waters home for more than 10,000 years. ~ Bob Romano