Feature Articles on Recent Bass Fishing Seasons at Rideout's Lodge 

1. A Smallmouth Dream

Tips From Rideout's Customer and Fishing Guide Piers Hackley  (2010)

The smell of fresh-brewed coffee and home-cooked food drifts through the air as I make last minute changes to my fishing gear. It’s mid June at “Rideout’s Lodge”, Maine, and the anticipation of lunker smallmouth bass on East Grand Lake tempt me to skip breakfast. I had better eat - I will need all the strength I can muster for the long day ahead of me. Besides, the food here is the best, better than home. Practically everything at Rideout’s is better than home, the people are friendly, the cabins are clean and comfortable, the scenery is out of this world, and the food “is to die for.” The goal of their staff is to make your stay a memorable one, and they score high in every aspect.

After breakfast, I walk down the long t-dock and load my gear into a sturdy Lund boat equipped with a fuel miser 4-stroke motor, depth finder, trolling motor, and a full tank of gas. When I made our reservation I requested the trolling motor as an option, and brought my own portable depth finder - both of which are a must for a successful trip. I know the bigger fish are going to be on or around their beds in water that is too deep for my polarized glasses to spot them. It is critical that I keep my boat in 15’ of water on the drop so I use the trolling motor and depth finder to keep me in those magical areas. I could be lazy today and catch 50-100 shallow bedding fish that are aggressively guarding their beds in shallow water in the back of most of the coves on either side of the lake, but that is too easy, and gets boring after you have flipped to 20 fish and caught them all. A smallmouth bass will attack most anything that comes close to their bed unlike it’s cousin the largemouth that needs to be coaxed into hitting your offering. I do have my weighted soft plastic crawfish bait tied on to a 7’ medium heavy St. Croix legend baitcasting rod, with 10 lb. fluorocarbon line on the reel just in case I change my mind. I like to use fluorocarbon line because it is practically invisible underwater and doesn’t have the stretch that monofilament does. With quality polarized sunglasses finding the beds is easy, just go to the backs of the coves such as Dark Cove on the Maine side or Haley Cove on the New Brunswick side and look for the beds that look like the surface of the moon. You will see the dark object hovering around the crater. That will be a smallmouth, guarding its bed. Once you hook one, land it, take picture of it, and release it, look how quickly it goes right back to its post on the bed.

Today my destination is Balm of Gilead Cove where I will find chunk gravel all along the shore of secondary points. This is my honey hole, the area which I will use my favorite technique to catch lunker smallies using a Carolina rigged lizard preferably black and blue purchased from the outfitter store at Rideout’s, their price is comparable to what I pay at Bass Pro Shops. I pull up to the first interior point I see, lower the trolling motor, and find 15’ of water, and start fishing. My cast is parallel to the bank, I let the 1 ounce weight take my lizard on a 3’ leader and 2/0 Owner hook to the bottom, take up loose line and gently probe the depths waiting for the heavy feeling on the end of my line. Nothing on the first cast, so I angle my cast a little closer to the bank, this method gives me 180 degrees of coverage. It is a must to watch your line, because now my line is 5’ away from where I cast it. I set the hook with a sweeping side-to-side motion. The line goes taught and from the depths comes a healthy 4 lb. smallie making acrobatic leaps, giving me quite the show. I land the fish, take out the hook firmly imbedded in its upper jaw, and admire its bronze colors. Wow, what a beauty! I move the boat slightly closer to the point, make a long cast, and as soon as the lure hits the water I feel a strike that almost jerks my rod out of my hand. I expertly play the fish adjusting the drag so as not to lose the giant bronzeback on the end of my line. This easily has to be the largest smallmouth I have ever hooked. As I reach down to lip my trophy, my alarm goes off. Much to my dismay, I’m still in Kensington, Maryland, mid winter, buried in 2’ of snow. What a bummer, however my reservations are made and I’ll be at Rideout’s this June making this dream come true!

1. Senko baits rigged wacky style on an Owner wacky #1 hook weightless. My favorite color is pearl with gold and black flecks.

2. Carolina rigged lizards black and blue.

3. Crawfish imitation baits natural colors i.e. Gene Larew Salt Craw 4” pumpkin orange.

4. The early morning and evening top water action is great with a Zara Spook or like kind.

1. Use fluorocarbon line as light as you feel comfortable with.

2. Look for banks that have lots of small gravel chunks.

3. Concentrate on points whether they are primary or secondary for deep fish.

4. Backs of big coves for shallow fish.

5. Always practice catch (photo) and release so our sons and daughters can enjoy this sport.

1. Haley Point, Balm of Gilead and Dark coves.

2. The inside shores of Bear and Half Moon Islands.

2. A Primer on East Grand Bass Fishing

Tips From Veteran Bass Guide and Science Teacher Andy Latvis (2009)

Micropterus dolomieui – To some known as the tiger of the sunfish family!

Bronzeback, smallie, redeye, whatever you call it, the fight from what scientists call Micropterus dolomieui, and we call smallmouth bass, pound for pound, ranks very high amongst game fish. The smallmouth, which is actually in the sunfish family, is renowned for its pole bending and aerial action. It can be found throughout the United States and North into Canada.

A smallmouth is well adapted for ambush, possessing a stout body and camouflaged with a pattern of vertical bars and stripes. They are also counter shaded to keep predators from spying them from above.

East Grand Lake, located in eastern Maine, is a beautiful and productive smallie hatchery. The lake bottom naturally supports reproduction with a myriad of points, flats, and drop-offs, and yes, clear H₂O loaded with structure in the form of rocks and boulders.

I have the pleasure to fish this lake pretty hard from April to September, and with my limited literary skills, would like to summarize a typical open water season on East Grand in pursuit of the smallies!

I generally think in terms of stages, these being: a) pre-spawn, b) spawn, c) post- spawn, and d) summer patterns. Let’s elaborate; during our usual April ice-outs, the dense ice cold water sinks, displacing deeper H₂O, and the result is a spring water turnover. True fishermen anxiously await this natural occurrence because this kicks the fishing season into a higher gear. As the H₂O temperature climbs above 50°, smallmouths are staying in deeper water, usually handy to spawning grounds. The fishing can be a little slow, but many of the largest females are caught while gorging on baitfish before the arduous task of spawn begins.

As June arrives and the temperature of the water nears the high 50°, the males (redeyes) will fan out a bed. These are almost always next to a landmark, like a submerged log or boulder. On a calm sunny morning, you will readily find these beds in gravel/sand mix back in coves where the warmer H₂O is. This is sight fishing time, and a good pair of polarized glasses and a wide brimmed hat is a must. As for the ethics involved of fishing spawning bass, I have no problem with it as long as a couple of simple rules are followed. They are: 1) don’t overplay fish—get them in and quickly release them, 2) release them near the bed from which he came, this causes less stress and more production of eggs, 3) use flies with barbless hooks, and 4) catch and release. Remember, spawning bass are not eating, they are defending and protecting. Almost any lure or bushy fly that can be slowly, I repeat, slowly worked through these bedding areas will produce hook-ups. I prefer highly visible offerings so that I know when that un-seen bass has it. Usually around a week later, the bass fry hatch out. The male will remain until the fry start to scatter, his paternal instincts are tested to the max, and it gets to be too much of a hassle. Remember, if you notice a lot of abandoned beds, those fish are nearby, usually in a little deeper water. Smallmouths use the same bedding location year after year until they pass on. Prime spots will be taken up next year with a new tenant. Your bigger bass are usually found in the deeper, harder to spot beds in 8-10 feet of water, I have had days where, after staring through H₂O all day at these beds, I see them when I close my eyes at night.

As we enter the post-spawn section of the season, bass are readily taken with cranks and spinner baits, as well as top water lures. This time of year is when you can really pile up the numbers, and with nice size bass.

As the water continues warming up, the bass react by finding deeper, cooler H₂O. Try deeper crankbaits, tube jigs, and of course, your Texas or Carolina style rigged worms. With East Grand water clarity, I prefer Lo Vis line and natural colored baits. Smallmouths are very fond of crayfish, and crayfish like areas with lots of rocks to hide. A tube jig or Brush Hawg twitched along the bottom is a great imitation of these small crustaceans.

Your biggest bass tend to feed in low light conditions, which means an early departure from Rideout’s 200 foot dock. The last couple of hours of daylight are also hard to beat.

Fishing is just what it is “Fishing!” and as July turns into August, the bass are hard into warm H₂O patterns and are seeking shade and cooler water. Pounding the bottom of rocky areas in 15-30 feet of water is the norm. Often, a slower presentation is needed due to the sluggishness of the bass in this warm H₂O. August can test an angler’s patience, but trying a few different colors of above mentioned soft baits and giving different presentations can help August anglers put some beauties or beasts into the boat.

I have to admit that come September, I am usually dragging homespun streamers for salmon. But bass enthusiasts are readily delighted as the temperature of the water cools down and bass are moving back into shallower haunts, eating what they can before settling in for another Maine winter.

On a final note, most people are surprised to hear that the nice bass they just caught could be ten years old or better due to our slow growing conditions. Take pictures and let the big ones go. These are the genetic carriers of superior genes and are the best breeders. Enjoy the scenery! Take a kid fishing! Tight lines!

3. Great Spring Bronzebacks at Rideout's

Local Guide Paul Cain Finds Lunker Smallmouths on East Grand Lake (2008)

Around 15 years ago, I asked my father to take me bass fishing. We ended up on East Grand Lake, with no idea what we were really doing, but we had fun anyway. We caught a few bass and that was my first taste of bass fishing, I was around 10 years old then. Now here I sit 15 years later, fresh off my first season on the local bass tournament circuit, waiting not so patiently for spring to come so I can once again dig out my fishing gear and feel the fight of a 3 pound smallmouth on the end of my rod. Nothing really compares to that, pound for pound there is almost no better fighting fish in the world today.

Spring fishing offers some of the best chances at larger smallmouth, as the bigger ones seem to become active first.  Of course I use the term spring loosely because this is Maine and the bass is a warmer water fish by nature, so spring is mid to late May. My favorite way to catch smallmouth in the spring is on what is known as a tube bait. The tube baits I prefer are generally made by “Strike King” or “Yum” and my favorite color to use almost anywhere is black with blue flake.

There are a couple of ways to rig tube baits, but I mostly use just one way. I like to slide a small bullet head weight on the line, usually ¼ ounce, and then I tie a 1/0 or 2/0 wide gap hook to the line with a Palomar knot, one of the strongest fishing knots out there. I rig the tube bait on the hook in what is known as “Texas style”. This allows for the best action on the tails of the tube bait. Tube baits I use generally are 3 to 4 inches in length.

For fishing in the spring with this bait, you need to remember to fish it very slow. Cast out and do nothing but watch your line for at least 30 seconds. You may get a strike on the initial fall of the bait, but this is more common later in the year. Spring bass are just becoming active so they are likely to pick up the bait while it is sitting on the bottom doing next to nothing. After you have let it sit for 30 seconds reel up your slack line and then begin slowly picking up your rod tip, then dropping it again and reeling up your slack. This allows the bait to bounce slowly off the bottom, and while the bait moves slowly the tails have plenty of action that bass really love. On East Grand I like to look for 5-10 feet of water, and places with large rocks that form good cover for the bass to feed from. Also look for small brooks that flow into the main lake, these places can often be holding areas for multiple fish. This can be done at almost any time of day really, as long as it is in the spring. On very good days I have caught upwards of 50 fish, with the largest fish ranging from 3 to 5 lbs.

Later in the year this will still work, you just need to move to deeper water and use a bigger weight, in East Grand 20-40 feet of water works best in the summer. Places like Hayes’ point and the deeper water off Five Islands work well. Oh, and remember to use at least 15 lb test line. Anything less, and a good smallmouth will leave you with nothing more than a minute or two of good fighting, and the hassle of having to redo your rigging with not even a picture to show for it.

4. Amazing Bassin' At Rideout's

Catching Big Bronzebacks on East Grand Lake (2007)

What a great web site! That was my first impression of Rideout’s Lodge. I told my wife Sandy that maybe we should give this place a try. We had been looking for something that would be fun for both of us. The fact that Sandy, while not hard core, really liked to fish made the decision to drive 950 miles from West Virginia to Rideout’s a lot easier. We had vacation scheduled for the second week of June and when I talked to Jami on the phone she assured me that this would be a great time to fish the lake. That phone call was six years ago and except for one year that Sandy had shoulder surgery we have made Rideout’s a yearly adventure.

Arriving at Rideout’s after a two day drive we were pleased to find the lodge, dock, boats, and all other equipment were every bit as nice as they had been portrayed on the web site. The cabin was clean, comfortable, and cozy. The fact that each cabin has its own shower and bath room, a feature not found at all lodges, made Sandy feel right at home. Another thing that has made her trips more enjoyable is the behavior of the other guests. There really is a family atmosphere and unruly behavior just never seems to appear.

I have been fishing for smallmouth bass my entire life but nothing had prepared me for the type of action we would find on East Grand Lake. Not only the numbers of fish but the strength and the aerobatics they sometimes display is nothing short of amazing. At times hooked fish will dive for the bottom and try to take your rod with them, other times they may jump out of the water five or six times or even come up and dance across the top for several feet.

Over the years we have tried many different lures of various types and colors. We started with white grubs, white flukes, small crank baits and pop “R” type lures. These lures always seem to work no matter what. Sandy’s favorite quickly became a PINK fluke. “IT MUST BE A WOMAN THING!” Last year we had great success with 5 inch, baby bass colored, Senko style worms. We fished these “whacky” style inserting the hook under shrink tubing through which we had threaded the worm. This was something shown me by one of Rideout’s regulars.

As for where to fish. Gravel bottoms and drop offs seem to be the key for us and don’t overlook gravel bars running out into the main lake. Some of these are real sleepers with some of our largest bass coming from these overlooked areas. Eighty bass a day, most weighing three to five pounds is not out of the question. We have done it and so can you. One more thing to remember, if you bring your wife to Rideout’s prepare to have a “hard core” fishing buddy from then on.

5. Bass Bonanza At Rideout's!

Rich Moore Finds Big Bronzebacks on East Grand Lake (2006)

It was early during a clear, still evening, and my steady traveling companion Al Lewis had just stopped his Lund rental boat in the middle of Work Cove on East Grand Lake. It was his intention to demonstrate the fine art of using a popper for a young member of our party, and then move closer to the shoreline. Al made his cast and after just one twitch of his rod the water exploded as a bronze blur leapt at his lure. Instantly fish and popper disappeared as his line snapped and then went limp. Lesson learned; always be ready, smallmouth bass are everywhere in this lake!

I am a schoolteacher near Lansdale, PA, and am a travel agent for Moore Fun Travel at www.moorefuntravel.com. My father and I have been taking annual fishing trips to the North shortly after the school year for almost 15 years. We have driven and taken floatplanes to lodges in Ontario and Quebec. However, Rideout’s has become our sole destination ever since discovering their excellent website. Now we have additional family and friends join us each year.

Smallmouth bass are my absolute favorite freshwater fish to catch, and East Grand Lake is loaded with them. The bass population is healthy as the lake is large, fishing pressure is minimal, and most people practice catch-and-release conservation. During our trips we usually find the fish in various areas. Some are finishing spawning on or near sandy beaches, many are in a post-spawn feeding frenzy over shallow rock piles, and a few are staging on points preparing for their summer trek into deeper water. I like fishing Birch and Norway Points near the lodge, and the rocky southern shorelines in the Balm of Gilead and Haley coves on the Canadian side. For summer pattern fish I really like the Five Islands area. Wherever they are we catch plenty of bass each year, at least 50 per boat each day, and often many more! We have even caught brook trout, lake trout, and pickerel (one over 24”) by accident!

Several lures and techniques have produced for us, including size 4 bronze blade Panther Martin spinners with hair, pumpkin colored tubes and grubs, Ratlin Chug-Bug poppers, and Senko or Kinami Flash worms. Our favorite method is to “whacky rig” Senkos. We put a size 4 circle hook through the middle of the worm leaving the point exposed and the two ends of the worm dangling freely. After casting we watch the line closely as it sinks. If the line suddenly goes straight or moves sideways, all we do is begin reeling rapidly and the circle hook turns and sticks in the corner of the fish’s mouth. With circle hooks you DO NOT try to set the hook by jerking the rod back as it will only pull the hook out of their mouth. We release all our fish and prefer circle hooks as they help prevent deep hook sets. Also, Senkos tend to tear easily so we often only use half a worm. Although color choice seems to matter little, we use darker colors such as pumpkin or watermelon on cloudy days, and chartreuse or shad colors for sunny days.

Rideout’s is easy to find and we think it offers everything for a great fishing trip. The fantastic fishing is only one of the reasons we have chosen Rideout's over all the others; the friendly service, the comfortable accommodations, and the delicious meals are great too. Each year we reserve our week for next year before leaving. If you see a group of guys with smiles on their faces and pieces of plastic with a hook in the middle, say hi because it just might be us!

6. Bass Fishing Tops In 2004!

Fritz Family Finds Big Bronzebacks on East Grand Lake (2005)