The Great Outdoors - Fly-In Fishing

Story by Tim Jones
Photography by Stephen O. Muskie

Flying to a remote lake to fish
Map of New England
ainbow Lake, near Baxter State Park deep in the Maine woods, is accessible only by foot or airplane. Here you can get a taste of real wilderness and solitude. Going in by float plane makes it feel even more adventurous.
The attraction for most people who visit Rainbow Lake is the fishing for large, wild brook trout. At the height of spring fishing in May and early June, you may have to share the five-mile-long lake with a couple million blackflies and a few other people, especially on weekends. But in summer you can almost have it to yourself -- and the fishing can still be good if you know what you're doing and are willing to fish deeper.
My wife and kids fish, but they are nowhere near as dedicated to piscatorial pursuits as I am. Rainbow Lake keeps all of us equally happy. If the fishing is slow, there's time and space for a leisurely canoe ride to watch soaring ospreys and herons, diving loons, feeding moose, and the occasional playful otter. The view of Mount Katahdin is spectacular. We might pull ashore for an easy day hike (the Appalachian Trail runs right by the lake) and a quiet picnic. Rainbow Lake is private enough for sun-warmed skinny-dipping, even for the terminally shy.
And then there's the plane ride. Any flight in a small plane is a thrill; flying in one that takes off and lands on the water is even more so.
To fly in to Rainbow Lake, contact Currier Air Service (207-695-2778) in nearby Greenville. The flight one way takes 20 minutes; the round-trip fare per person is $80. If you are serious about fishing, it might be a good idea to hire registered Maine Guide Bruce Pelletier, who runs Gentle Ben's Lodge (Rockwood; 207-534-2201). He supplies boat, motor, equipment, and know-how for $225 a day, and he will significantly increase your chances of taking fish.