Anglers are invited and encouraged to make Grand Falls Hut their new fishing destination. Grand Falls Hut is situated above the banks of the Dead River, renowned for its trout and salmon fishing.
UPPER RIVER
The main stem of the Dead River begins at the outlet of Flagstaff Lake, not far from our Flagstaff Hut. It flows for 20-miles before entering the Kennebec River at The Forks. Grand Falls is located about 6-miles below the dam and separates the river into two distinct sections. The upper river is often referred to as Grand Falls Flowage and is fairly deep and smooth-flowing. This area is best known for its rainbow trout that can reach over 20 inches. This is a naturally reproducing, local population that probably began from an illegal stocking years ago. The density of rainbows isn’t high here, but they grow well on the smelts that wash into the river from Flagstaff Lake. Along with the rainbows, brook trout and a few salmon are also available in Grand Falls Flowage. Most fishing occurs within one-mile of the dam where anglers can wade the riffles in the vicinity of the Big Eddy. A boat is needed to fish the lower part of this flowage. Small spoons and Rapalas account for many of the larger fish that are taken in the spring. Smelt-imitating streamers like the Grey Ghost, Black Ghost and Thunder Creek are also popular here.
LOWER RIVER
Below Grand Falls and within easy walking distance from Grand Falls Hut, the lower river provides anglers with nearly 15-miles of riffles and pools to explore. The section of stream from Grand Falls to Spencer stream is catch & release only and provides for a dense population of trout and salmon. Access is limited to a handful of places where a road extends down to the water, so if you are looking for solitude, you can find it on the middle section of the lower Dead. Areas that are easier to reach like Grand Falls, Spencer Rips and Poplar Hill Falls get much more fishing pressure. Most fishing on the lower river is for wild brook trout and salmon with an occasional rainbow, brown trout or splake (from Wyman Lake) mixed in. Generally, fish don’t get as large here as on the upper river, but there are exceptions.
TACTICS
Since the lower Dead runs warm in the summer, salmonids are often found near the mouths of cool inlets like Spencer or Enchanted Stream. Fish also congregate around spring seeps located on the bottom of some of the larger pools. Spin fishing with artificial lures is legal here, but many anglers like to float nymphs, small streamers or wet flies through the good-looking pools and riffles. Dry flies become popular once the hatches begin in mid to late May and fish are caught here on everything from Grasshoppers to Elk-hair Caddis. There are many fishing guides (Kingfisher River Guides or Kennebec River Guides) available with lots of experience with the Dead River that can show you some useful tactics for success on the Dead. You can even arrange a two day guided drift fishing adventure from Grand Falls to The Forks with 15 miles of wilderness fishing and an overnightnight at Grand Falls Hut.
EXTENDED SEASON
The Dead River has a special extended fishing season. The extended season is for catch & release only and goes from October 1st and ends November 30th.
PARKING
Overnight guests are discouraged from leaving vehicles near the Spencer Stream access area as overnight parking is not allowed there. Instead, we recommend using a local guide service from The Forks where there is a safe parking area for your vehicle. When making reservations, we can direct you to that service.
FLY FISHING SCHOOL
If you have ever wanted to learn how to fly fish, we will be presenting two fly fishing clinics at our Grand Falls Hut in July. Click here for details about learning to fly fish at Grand Falls.
