A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5 G A F F 5 3 g a f f l i f e . c o mg a f f l i f e . c o m5 2 G A F F A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5

Fishing withLefty Kreh

Joe Brooks, the great sportsman and outdoors writer of the mid-20th cen-tury, was Lefty Kreh’s mentor and in-

troduced Lefty to the fly rod shortly after World War II. Brooks was a regular at the famous Weatherby’s Lodge in Grand Lake Stream (GLS), Maine, and Lefty heard sto-ries from Joe of gorgeous brook trout and large landlocked salmon in the stream, and of endless, nice smallmouth bass in some of the lakes and the nearby St. Croix River that forms the boundary between the USA and Canada’s New Brunswick. Lefty always wanted to visit here, and I made it happen in late summer less than two years ago. Lefty was 88 years old.

“Sports” have been coming to the bucolic 125-person village and the unique stream both named Grand Lake Stream since the early 1800s and in real force since the turn of the 20th century when railroads pushed through to the more far flung reaches of Maine. Once GLS, located about 90-min-utes northeast of Bangor, was home to the largest tannery in the world, and was in the heart of serious logging operations.

By the late 1800s, after the tannery closed and logging slowed greatly, the town was reachable by boat from Princeton, some 10 miles from GLS at the headwaters of the West Branch of the St. Croix River. Thus, ever increasing numbers of anglers and hunters could train to nearby Prince-ton from the more developed New England states, hop on a small steamer, and head to GLS where sporting camps began to flour-

ish. A rough road from the Princeton area to GLS eventually was completed as well.

Now there are about 15 camps in the vicinity of GLS that provide accommo-dations of one sort or another, and some have in-house guides or can tap the large reservoir of Registered Maine Guides that operate here. It is said that GLS is home to more Maine guides than other location in Maine—about 50 fishing, hunting, and recreational guides work here.

These guides, some members of the native Passamaquoddy tribe, ply GLS for landlocks, cruise and float the smallmouth bass rives and lakes, troll for togue (lake trout) in their beautiful and stable square-stern, outboard-driven Grand Lake Ca-noes, or chase brook trout in the clear, cool streams. The angling possibilities are such that modern sports, like their predecessors of old, can fish for different species during a visit.

“So this is where Joe Brooks stayed and fished,” said Lefty, as I introduced him to Jeff McEvoy, owner of Weatherby’s. Jeff, his daughter Keaton and son Carson, would fish with Lefty and me over the next sev-eral days, along with guides Mike May, Dan Emidy, and seasonal employees Dragomir and Toma, young folks from Moldova and Russia, respectively. Molly, a brown Eng-lish cocker, went along to find and flush fish much like she does ruffed grouse and American woodcock in the fall and win-ter. On shore, Weatherby’s manager (and my bird hunting buddy) Frank Lepore and Chef Dean Tsantilas took great care of us.

5 4 by King Montgomery

Lefty Kreh and King Montgomery

often fish together a couple of times

a year and have done a number of

Maine trips together. Lefty enjoys the

friendly people of the Pine Tree State,

the fresh air, and the fine fishing.

A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5 G A F F 5 5 g a f f l i f e . c o mg a f f l i f e . c o m5 4 G A F F A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5

The ST. Croix riverWe looked like the Washington County 6th fleet as we

launched from various sites along the river with Lefty, Mike or Jeff, and me in the comfy Clackacraft Drift Boat; and Keaton and Carson in L. L. Bean kayaks; and Dan, Toma, and Drago in a hand-made Grand Laker, the square-stern canoe that originated in the area almost a century ago. We looked like a flotilla of gentle buccaneers as the varied craft flitted over the river.

The river is lined with pines, spruce, balsam fir, mixed hardwoods including river birch, and some occasional grassland. Over 80 percent of Maine is covered by forests, and when you look down from high ground or see an aer-ial photograph, just about everywhere are green forests occupying most of your view. Shades of reds, oranges, and yellows greet the eye in the fall as the year gives way to winter. We had color in some of the hardwoods during our August visit.

The river valley was settled by Europeans, mostly French, over 400 years ago. In fact, St. Croix Island was the first capital of Acadia, three years before the English reached Jamestown in Virginia. Eventually the Acadians were forced to flee by other encroaching Europeans and the English, and settled in what now is Louisiana. “Ca-jun” is a mispronunciation of “Acadian”, and “Cajun” en-

dures in the 22 Louisiana perishes where the Acadians settled in the 17th century.

The river, like most in our country, is broken into sec-tions by a series of dams that influence the character of the waters above and below the structure. The river once carried rafts of logs during the lumbering heyday of the 1800s into the 1900s, but now flood control and genera-tion of electricity are the big reasons why the river is seg-mented.

The short growing season in Downeast Maine and the North Country affects the growth rate of the smallmouth bass. A 12-inch fish is almost an old timer at 4 or 5 years of age or more, and a lunker at four pounds or higher is over 10-years old. Some fishes may be legally kept—check the current sportfishing regulations—but most anglers practice catch and release.

PiCKing The SPoTS To fiShLefty is a master at reading water, and he learned some

of that lore from Joe Brooks over a half-century ago, and he can teach a local guide a thing or two about where and

a lifetime with lefty

received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the American Sportfishing Association

“iT iS SAid ThAT gLS iS hoMe To More MAine guideS ThAn Any oTher LoCATion in MAine”

5 4

received the “Lifetime Contribution

Award” by the north American fly Tackle Trade

Association

he is in the freshwater fishing hall of fame. in 1997 he was named

“Angler of the year” by fly rod and reel Magazine.

in 2003 Lefty Kreh was inducted to the international game fish Association

hall of fame.

A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5 G A F F 5 7 g a f f l i f e . c o mg a f f l i f e . c o m5 6 G A F F A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 5

St. Croix River

The best times to fish are April through november,

with prime time in June through August.

We stayed at Weath-erby’s: A fisherman’s

resort,weatherbys.com, 1-877-796-5558.

visitors can get a nonresident fishing license or

multiple-day permits online at mefishwildlife.com or buy

one at the lodge.

fly into Bangor and either rent a car and drive to the

lodge or arrange for an airport pickup by

Weatherby’s.

Maps: Maine Atlas & gazetteer by deLorme

Mapping, 1-800-561-5105, delorme.com.

why smallies should be in the expanse of river. He is a fishing - as well as a casting -machine in a myriad of watery environs, and I always learn a few new things whenever we fish together.

Smallmouth bass and other river fishes usually spawn in June and afterwards enjoy a brief time of plenty. They eat crayfish, terrestrial and aquatic in-sects, amphibians, and the occasional small rodents. (Yes, mouse patterns work here.) Take a look around once you are on the water, and see what life activities are going on. Find the submerged aquatic vegetation, the rock ledges and boulders, the downed trees, and changes in depth. Throw your fly in and near those places, and they will come.

I like to start fishing topwater because it’s the most fun for me. No, I’m not a dry fly only snob, but it makes more sense to me to start fishing on top and working down until reaching bottom with the bait. I might begin with a damsel pattern if they are on the water and I see bass splashing after them, or a mouse pattern that is a hoot to fish. Lefty begins with a dif-ferent type of fly, often one that shimmies just below the surface. Once we find something that catches fish, we’ll stay with it for a while.

If top and just under the water retrieves don’t pro-duce, we’ll fish streamers down and across and bring them back slowly. Smallmouth can hit at any time dur-ing a drift or retrieve. I like Clouser deep minnows in several weights (depending on depths), and in the fol-lowing colors: chartreuse/white, green or olive/white, black/white, and in olive/yellow.

If the bronzebacks aren’t biting your surface or sub-surface offerings, try bouncing the bottom with a cray-fish pattern in black, brown and/or olive. A little or-ange or red color in the fly also seems to help. Use the lightest weight that will bounce on the bottom much of the time. If nothing works, eat a sandwich or some-thing and try again later.

A great institution is a traditional Maine shore lunch. For well over a century Maine angling guides, who by the way, are schooled and registered by the state, have provided sports with a hearty lunch cooked over a wood fire or a portable propane grill. The main course once consisted of fresh caught fish, but most guides now bring along chicken, pork, or beef to go along with potatoes and onions, and tasty baked beans. If you have a preference, make sure you tell the guide plenty of time before the fishing trip. Or bring a lunch in a basket prepared by the lodge.

The water runs clear in the St. Croix as it has since the last Ice Age, and it holds an abundance of fishes just waiting for the angler to present the right fly or lure at the right place and at the right time; and you will be surprised at how often that can happen on this river named for a cross.

5 6

Lefty Kreh is flanked by Carson and Keaton Mcevoy, while father Jeff Mcevoy and Bridget occupy the

lower step at one of Weatherby’s cabins.

Carson Mcevoy holds up a smallmouth bass he caught on spinning gear while sister Keaton takes a break. father Jeff mans the paddle on the grand Laker he built by hand.

A St. Croix river bronzeback. Smallmouth bass are Lefty’s favorite freshwater fish to catch.