Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 8 : Spring 2011 | Page 18

natural barriers and possibly contaminate and destroy two
of the last wild and native fisheries left in Maine.
Muskie have found their way into the entire St. John
River and three of its major tributaries. Today, they inhabit
almost 300 linear miles of water and can be found in Baker,
Beau, Glazier and Depot Lakes and Fifth St. John Pond.
Much of this water is hard to access, and some stretches may
not see a fisherman during an average year.
With the spread of muskie, local anglers took an
interest in catching these fish that can reach weights of over
forty pounds or more in waters to our west. The old adage
“if you can’t beat them, join them” came into play. A group
of local businesses and civic minded individuals decided to
hold its first muskie derby in 2004. While the first turnout
was mainly made up of local anglers, word quickly spread
of this event. Today, anglers from throughout Maine and
New England, as well as across the country, register for the
event each year.
Darlene Dumond-Kelly, owner of Bee-Jay’s Tavern,
offers her establishment in the center of Fort Kent as its
official headquarters, or “Muskie Central” as it is called.
From the Friday morning opening of the event to the final
bell on Sunday, spectators, gathered at times four and five
deep, are alerted by the ringing of an old school bell when a
fish is being brought in to be weighed and measured.
While fishing is the focus of the Muskie Derby,
other events and activities are planned around it. The Ploy
Festival is going on the same weekend. Street dances are
held Friday and Saturday night as well as a fireworks display
and parade on Saturday.
Many anglers have never caught a muskie. Maine is
the only state that has muskie north of the Great Lakes and
Lake Champlain. They have a reputation of being hard to
catch. Many fishermen that frequent the St. John will tell
you that this is not the case here. The muskie has no natural
predators, as they do in other western waters, so they are
abundant.
Anglers heading here to fish should have most of
their tackle before they arrive. It’s no problem with the mail
16 Muskie Derby SPRING 2011

order fishing catalogs out there. Maine businesses are
starting to cater to the muskie crowd. Old Town Trading
Post in Old Town, Ben’s Trading Post in Presque Isle, as well
as Joe’s Country Store in St Francis will have some or all of
the tackle you might need.
To find a muskie is easy. Find deep spots in the
Main River or tributaries and odds are it holds a fish or two
or more! Good fishing with easy access can be found from
Allagash to Van Buren on the main river and Glazier and
Beau Lakes on the St Francis River. Just about every town
on the river has an access point.
Some anglers want to explore the upper reaches of
the river and head through the North Maine Woods gates at
Allagash. These sections of the St. John and Big Black Rivers
have some easily accessed hot spots. Other holes are reached
by canoe, kayak, or on foot depending on the water height.
It’s in these back-country locations anglers have reported
catching up to ten muskie a day.
Additional information is only a click away on the
internet. This year’s derby is going to be held August 12-14.
(Traditionally the derby is always the second weekend of
August). Rules and registration information can be found
at www.fortkent-muskie.com. This site also will have a list
of local services for the visiting angler as well.
Fishing information can be found at http://
muskiemoose.com/our-blog.html. Dave and Linda keep a
detailed fishing report during the season.
Water flow information for the St. John, Allagash,
and St Francis Rivers can be found at http://northerndoorinn.
com/canoeing.html. This information can be invaluable to
plan your trip.
The Fort Kent International Muskie Derby is a
family affair. Local anglers as well as those from away take
home prize money each year. The payout for the derby is
based on a $10,000.00 purse but goes up with the amount
of entries received. In 2010 derby officials paid out 15
places to the more than 350 adult contestants and had three
places for the youth category. They also have a daily big
muskie prize and for the angler traveling the furthest and
registering a fish of legal length. Make your plans now to
attend!