We’ve been looking forward to fishing Maine during the fall since we first started planning our “River Ramble”. We experienced New England, already fishing the Battenkill and White in Vermont as well as the Upper Connecticut in New Hampshire, but this was Maine. Furthermore, our first stop in Maine was the West Branch of the Penobscot River, famed for its landlocked salmon. But first, we had to get there.
The SaraLinda has taken us over 25,000 miles around the country almost twice now, but she’s never been on a road like the “Golden Road” from Millinocket (ME) to our campsite at the Big Eddy Campground. You know you’re in for a ride when the address of the campsite is “Mile 28.5 of the Golden Road”. We talked with Don at the campsite about the road and he alerted us to the fact it was somewhat potholed where it is paved and a washboard when it’s gravel. The RV sites we’d read indicated that you’d better be ready for repairs after taking your rig on this road. However, our guide, Greg “Boz” Bostater repeatedly told us we HAD to stay at the Big Eddy Campground. So… we left Millinocket on a wild ride to our campsite… logging trucks beware, the SaraLinda was on the road.
When we arrived, the campsite was in the most spectacular area you can imagine. Right on the West Branch, beautiful surrounding forests, the Big Eddy Rapid making itself known by the sounds of crashing waves and fishing right out our back door. We were in fly fishing heaven for sure.
We met Greg, the owner and head guide for Maine River Guides right at the campground and proceeded to get in his drift boat right at the campground. We fished the Big Eddy Pool until lunch, which was a great stream side lunch cooked by Greg himself. Before heading downstream, we took the time to do our “Guide Talk” with Greg right in our campsite with the Big Eddy Pool in the background.
It was a great day of fishing with Greg who was not only an incredible guide, but also knew the history of the river, especially its rich history in logging. We hope you enjoy our “Guide Talk” with Boz as much as we enjoyed our day on the river with him. And yes, if you plan to go to this area, take the Golden Road to mile marker 28.5 and stay at the Big Eddy Campground. Your teeth will eventually stop chattering from the bumpy road and you’ll have an incredible time.