Since 1897, Maine has had a Guide Licensing procedure thanks to Fly Rod Crosby, that gives the sports hiring them a piece of mind that they are in the hands of a responsible, knowledgeable, and a safe person that will have prepared to give them an outing worth remembering.
TRips available from Selene’s Fly Shop
Drift the Kennebec
The drift boat trip, on sections of the Kennebec, can provide access to parts of the river inaccessible by wading. A drift boat provides a stable platform from which to cast while standing or sitting. The guide can anchor in current or glide through the shallows, spending the day relaxing on the river.
Trips available either in Solon for trout and salmon and an occasional smallmouth bass or in Fairfield below the Shawmut Dam for smallmouth bass, and rainbow trout.
The Solon trip is a full day of fishing from sun-up to sundown. This trip includes a full shore lunch, drinks and snacks guided by Jeff Ireland. The Shawmut drift can be done as either a half day or as a full day trip and is led by either Dave Tyrol or Mike Tumirano from Maine Upland Guide Service.
Trout
The main stem of the Dead River starts at Long Falls Dam at the outlet of Flagstaff Lake. It flows freely and through remote territory until it reaches The Forks. Rainbow Trout, Landlocked Salmon and Brook Trout are the primary species found here. Trophy sized fish can still be found. The Dead features both easily accessed and remote sections, offering something for anglers of varying abilities and interests. The North Branch of the Dead River flows from Chain of Ponds into Flagstaff. It’s a smaller body of water, but a beautiful stretch featuring Sarampas Falls. The Dead River drainage also features many tributaries that are great to explore.
The northwestern and central parts of our state host numerous small mountain streams and brooks that hold wild Maine fish eager to take a fly. These brooks and streams are crystal clear and free flowing. Many offer small waterfalls and plunge pools ready to be explored for the angler willing to hike for solitude.
The Kennebec River offers many different options. The river is known for its sections. The Forks, Bingham, Solon and Madison are our main focus. Each section has its own unique personality that can add to a client’s experience. Choosing which section to fish depends on the client’s goals, species sought, individual skill levels and current conditions. The fact that each section is dam controlled means these sections are often a place to find cooler waters in warmer and drier months.
Book a time to fish with professional Maine Guide, Jeff Ireland, and he will take you to the best waters for the time slot you choose.
Stripers -Capt. Don Kleiner
Experience Maine saltwater striper fishing like never before: with a Master Maine Guide and US Coast Guard Licensed Captain who’s an expert on the area’s geography, wildlife, and history.
We’ll fish the Saint George River in Thomaston Harbor, then onto the hidden fishing spots that are only known to locals. You’ll see the beauty of Maine’s rockbound coast painted by the Wyeth family not far from Camden, Rockport, and Rockland.
Striper fishing is best in the early morning or evening when the light is low since this is when the stripers are most active near the surface of the water. Mostly, we’ll catch school fish and occasionally find one over five pounds.
Use the code FLYSHOP when booking a trip with Master Guide Don Kleiner to let him know how you heard about him.
don recommends the two outfits below:
Bass on the Fly
Enjoy a trip in a grand laker canoe, which is a large stable motor-driven craft that makes a great fishing platform and gets sports into those “hard to reach” places. These boats are traditional to Maine waters and are a pleasure to fish from. Grand laker trips are mostly for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pickerel and pike. We like to incorporate a shore lunch with those trips and cook your catch shoreside. In case you feel more comfortable with traditional spinning gear, you’ll be happy to know that we have a full array of tackle for this type of fishing as well! Mike Tuminaro and David Tyrol of Maine Upland Guide Service specialize in guiding from a grand laker.
Shad and Stripers all in one Day
The recovery of the Kennebec River and its fisheries is truly a great success story. With a range from Newfoundland to Florida, American shad and stripers used to run up numerous tidal rivers along the East Coast. However, with industrialization and dams came the extirpation of shad from much of their historic habitat. Both species have made their return to the Kennebec.
Our combo striper and shad fishing trip is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of the Maine outdoors. Available May 1 to June 15. Starting and ending at the Gardiner Maine waterfront park, you’ll have the chance to reel in both striped bass and shad, making it a diverse and exciting fishing excursion.
Use either spin or fly fishing gear to try this unique opportunity.
We will take you to the best spots along the Kennebec River, where these fish are abundant. Whether you’re an avid angler or a beginner, this trip offers a great opportunity to connect with nature and enjoy the thrill of catching these impressive migratory species.
Book your trip with Don Kleiner and get ready for a memorable day of fishing in the heart of mid-coast Maine!
Pike on the Fly
Ryan offers trips targeting northern pike in the beautiful Belgrade Lakes region and Androscoggin River, fishing from his shallow-drafting, comfortable skiff. Pike are large predators with sensitive lateral lines meaning stealth is essential to get close enough for fly shots. Trolling motors are easy, but poling lets guide and angler work quietly without worrying about battery life or noise. Prime time for post-spawn spring pike is late April through May. Fall fishing picks up in late September with the onset of cool nights and shorter days. Mid-to-late October provides some of the best pike fly fishing of the year, when fish cruise the shallows looking to pack on weight before winter. In these cooler periods we’ll find pike in five feet of water or less.
On a pike trip, we’ll fish shallow water zones using large-profile flies and intermediate lines (not the heavy sinking stuff if we can avoid it). We’re targeting big fish known to eat prey up to half their body weight, so patience and persistence are key. This is not a numbers game, but rather a kind of big game hunting with payoffs if you’re willing to put in the time. Bites are almost always vicious and visible to the angler. Watching a pike stalk and then inhale a fly is one of the most exciting freshwater fishing experiences Maine has to offer.
Pike trips are perfect for intermediate to advanced fly anglers looking to sharpen casting skills and work on fighting larger fish efficiently. Lunch and waters included. 1-2 anglers.
Meet the guides @Selene’s Fly Shop
Mike Tuminaro
Mike has been hunting and fishing in the US and Canada for 30+ years. He is a Registered Maine Guide for hunting, fishing and recreational trips. Mike is the Deputy Director for the Maine Professional Guides Association, the oldest guide association in Maine representing over 1200 guides. Mike occasionally writes stories for the Maine Sportsman, the Virginia Sportsman, and several other upland publications. Mike is Wilderness First Aid certified through www.soloschools.com
Don Kleiner
Don is also a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain who has a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science and has spent a lifetime learning outdoors. Don Kleiner is a Master Maine Guide who has been creating delightful outdoor memories for clients for 37 years. Don is the owner and operator of Maine Outdoors in Union, Maine offering guided fishing and canoe trips in the area for primarily families and beginners. If you visit Don’s website and use the code FLYSHOP, it let’s Don know that you learned about him from us. Maine Outdoors collaborates with Selene’s Fly Shop.
David Tyrol
Dave is a native Mainer and has hunted and fished throughout North America for over 30 years. A Registered Maine Guide for hunting, fishing, and recreation, Dave is also a great cook that loves to prepare meals, including wild game for our guests at camp. Dave is Wilderness First Aid certified through www.soloschools.com
Jeff Ireland
Becoming a Registered Maine Guide has allowed my two passions of teaching and fly fishing to intersect. I have learned from and taught with the best educators throughout my 20 years in the teaching profession. My time with these incredible people helped me realize that guiding is about forming relationships and providing unforgettable experiences. Ironically, for me, teaching is about the same thing. I will work hard to help you achieve your goals while on Maine’s incredible and varied waters.
Ryan Brod
Ryan Brod is a Registered Maine Guide, outdoors writer, and (soon to be) captain who grew up fishing in central and western Maine. He provides custom fly- and spin-fishing trips for trout, salmon, bass, pike, and muskie, but his passion is sight fishing for Maine’s toughest species to fool on fly: tidal carp. Brod fishes from a 17′ technical poling skiff that drafts seven inches and allows anglers to fish zones they couldn’t access in other vessels.
Kate Farnham
Kate Farnham is a Maine native, she cut her teeth fishing stripers on the Kennebec River with her Dad as youngster and in the Moosehead area with her late grandfather. She’s a Registered Maine Fishing, Kayaking, and Recreational Guide. Kate is a Certified Casting Instructor with the International Federation of Fly Fishers (IFFF CCI). Kate taught and guided at the LL Bean Fly Fishing School for 12 seasons and was inspired to learn from some of the most gifted mentors. Kate teaches fly casting, and guides part-time out of a drift boat. During the academic year she teaches at Bowdoin College and wishes she was fishing!
Kate will be guiding inland waters throughout the season for a variety of species via wade as well a drift boat trips when not on her own adventures. She is a certified FFI casting instructor and will be teaching classes and clinics as she did last year for the shop. Kate can get both newbies to cast a line in minutes as well as established anglers to perfect casting problems that have plagued them for years. She has the tools and techniques to work out the kinks with patience.
Kate is currently offering a very limited number of drift boat trips for landlock salmon on the West Branch of the Penobscot on May 30 and 31, and June 1 and 2. Trip will start at Big Eddy on the West branch of Penobscot. It includes Eight hours of fishing for 2 people, shore lunch, gear and flies provided for $600.
To book a trip or schedule a casting lesson with Kate, please call her at 207-522-6200 or send an email to fishafly207@gmail.com.