Fly Fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot River. Greg Bostater

      3 . West Branch Penobscot River

       Location: North-central Maine, about a 2-hour ride from Bangor, a 4-hour ride from Portland; and a 5½-hour ride from Boston, Massachusetts. Full-service airports are available in all three cities.

      The West Branch Penobscot is the finest self-sustaining, river-dwelling landlocked Atlantic salmon fishery in Maine—and arguably the finest in the country. While not native to the river, landlocked salmon have thrived in the West Branch since their introduction in the

      late 1800s. This is due largely to an abundance of spawning habitat, a diverse forage base, and coolwater releases. The river also holds a significant population of wild native brook trout. However, salmon far outnumber the trout.

      The West Branch flows 117 miles before emptying into the Penobscot River. It begins at Seboomook Lake northwest of Moosehead Lake. The river runs roughly 25 miles before entering Chesuncook Lake. Below the lake, it flows approximately 20 miles before entering Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes. It drops roughly 1,775 feet from its headwaters to Medway. The river was once host to runs of Atlantic salmon. This ended with the construction of a series of dams that blocked passage.

      The West Branch has a rich history. It once served as a route of travel and reflection for author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. His book The Maine Woods chronicles his exploration of the river and the Mount Katahdin region. The river

      also served as a conduit for “driving,” the hazardous work of moving logs downstream to mills, which finally ended in the 1970s when trucking became the transportation mode of choice. The dangerous task of moving wood down the rough waters of the West Branch fell to teams of river drivers. Many lost their lives while working the river. Their tales live on around flickering campfires.