While most anglers from Portland to Presque Isle have at least heard of- and in many cases have fished- the Kennebec River at Edwards Dam, Shawmut Dam and the East Outlet, as an avid trout angler it is the "other Kennebec" that excites me most. From the Great Eddy in Skowhegan to the Harris Dam in The Forks lies what I strongly believe is the most diverse and productive big river salmonid fishery north of the Delaware River in New York and Pennsylvania.

Within this approximately 25-mile stretch of river, anglers can fish for brown trout and landlocked salmon. More importantly, many of the fish caught in this stretch of river are native to the watershed or of wild origin. In The Forks, the angler will find a self-sustaining native brook trout fishery while Bingham boasts one of New England's few wild rainbow fisheries dating back to the '70s.

Starting with Great Eddy in Skowhegan, the river receives relatively little pressure and boasts a surprisingly strong population of stocked brown trout with some rather large hold-over fish caught each year. Below the dam in Madison down to what is known as "The Pines", there is arguably the finest walk-in brown trout fishery in state with a semi-remote setting, diverse and reliable hatches, phenomenal growth rates, ample parking and decent wading in all but the highest water. The river here offers almost 2 miles of continuous riffles, pools, runs and drops that, with the exception of a few popular spots, receive little if any fishing pressure.

In Solon, the river runs through a rural and semi-remote wooded area with brown, rainbow, brook trout and landlocked salmon. This section is arguably the finest float-fishery in all of New England. Although walk-in access is somewhat limited, there is wadable water located at the Evergreen Campground on U.S. Route 201A and in the vicinity of Caratunk Falls off U.S. Route 201.

Below Wyman Dam in Bingham, you will find Maine's finest trophy tailwater. With continuous deep-water dam releases, this stretch of river remains cool even during the warmest months and low-water periods. Wade-in access in this section of river is decent and can be found at Wyman dam, off the mouth of Austin Stream and off the abandoned railroad tracks (ITS87) just south of the old Gadabout Gaddis Airport.

Between Caratunk and The Forks, the river parallels U.S. Route 201, flowing through a rugged and otherwise remote valley. This section offers miles of wade-in fishing for primarily wild brook trout, landlocked salmon, the occasional brown or rainbow trout, and illegally introduced smallmouth bass. It is best if the angler here fishes very early or late in the day in order to take advantage of low-water periods.

Above the Forks, the Kennebec River flows through a remote and rugged gorge with limited and difficult access. The gorge contains populations of brook trout and landlocked salmon that can attain trophy sizes, and is best accessed via the Harris Power Station road near Indian Pond, the foot trail off the old Chase Stream Sluice Loop Road, the wooden stairs at the Carry Eddy, or by walking upriver from the baseball field in The Forks.

Like most waters in Maine, a variety of tackle and techniques can be used to catch fish. For the spin-caster, most small to medium spoons and spinners will do the trick. For the fly-fisherman, try streamers, woolly buggers and egg patterns early in the season transitioning to mayfly and caddis patterns as the season progresses.

While the river upstream of Wyman Lake is restricted to "Artificials Only" - with a 12-inch minimum length and two-fish limit on all trout and salmon - the river between Skowhegan and Wyman Dam is currently managed by the DIF&W under General Law.