Maine Fly Fish
Introduce yourself:
My name is Jesse Rochester; I’m a 28-year-old Maine native born in Fort Kent, locally called “The Valley.” However, I’m currently based in Ellsworth, Maine, wrapping up my Ph.D. in biomedical science and engineering at the University of Maine. I also create instructional fly-tying videos on my channel, Mainly Flies, while the channel is like a catalog of fly patterns to draw inspiration. My focus of the channel is to introduce the hobby to new people. You can find my content across all major social media platforms.
How old were you when you started tying?
I first started tying flies when I was about 7 years old. My grandfather tied flies almost every night in his workshop on the shore of Saint Froid Lake. He specialized in classic trolling patterns, as many in the County did. He taught me my favorite patterns at the time: the Black ghost, Royal wolf, Gray ghost, Black nose dace, and the Parachute Adams.
What made you start tying flies?
I was always inspired to tie by my grandfather. However, I tied very little in my teen years, only occasionally filling a fly box. When I started college in Fort Kent, I would spend a bit too much time out on the local rivers and exploring the North Maine Woods for seldomly visited rivers and ponds. Since I was essentially broke during that time, I thought It would be a good idea to tie my own flies. I certainly didn’t save any money! But found a new passion in fly tying and have been tying just about daily ever since.
Why do you enjoy fly tying?
When you tie your own flies, your fly-fishing trips start at the vice and end on the stream. For me, tying flies is just as enjoyable and meditative as fishing. It’s a way for me to disconnect from everything else in my life and focus entirely on the task at hand.
What made you want to start a fly-tying business?
I never really considered starting a fly-tying business; I more or less just fell into it. It all began when I created a YouTube channel called MainelyOutDoors during my undergraduate studies. I started sharing my outdoor experiences with my grandfather, who could not join me due to his health. As I shared my videos with others, some viewers asked if they could buy the fly patterns I used. Although my flies were not particularly unique, I had been adjusting the colors and proportions to better match the fish species found in Maine waters. As more and more people began requesting my patterns, I found myself taking on fly-tying orders as a side job to help support myself through school. Now, because of my new channel Mainely Flies, fly tying has become my primary source of income.
What patterns do you specialize in, and what are your favorite patterns to tie?
I have specialized in classic streamer and dry fly patterns since I was first introduced to fly tying. However, my interest has expanded over time, and for the last five years, I have been particularly interested in creating nymphs, especially euro nymphs. Recently, I have started to become increasingly focused on designing micro spey patterns specifically for fishing in Maine.
What are your least favorite patterns to tie?
While the muddler minnows are highly effective in the water, I have never really enjoyed tying them. For me, spun deer hair doesn’t offer the same satisfaction as tying other patterns. However, I still love to fish these patterns and often trade flies with other tyers to add them to my boxes. Perhaps I’ll develop a greater appreciation for tying with deer hair in the future, but for now, it’s just not my favorite material to work with.
Is it more important that your flies catch fisherman, fish, or both?
I’ve always been more concerned with creating flies for fish rather than the fisherman. That’s why most of the patterns in my personal fly box are what some might call “buggy”, with all kinds of random hairs sticking out in every direction. But those scruffy general-looking flies work wonders on the fish! That being said, all flies have to catch a fisherman first. Thankfully, many people asking for great patterns for Maine waters trust my opinions and are willing to try new buggier patterns rather than those that look pretty in the fly box.
What is the most important part of fly tying?
Thread tension is the most important thing, in my opinion. It’s the foundation upon which all other fly-tying elements are built. If you can master the art of applying the correct tension, you’ll be well on your way to creating durable and effective flies that won’t fall apart after a few casts. While getting the proportions and materials right is essential for looks, these skills will come with time and practice. However, if you neglect proper thread tension, even the most beautifully crafted fly won’t be of much use – after all, fish don’t care about looks, but they certainly won’t take a fly that falls apart in the water!
Any advice for new fly tyers?
Start cheap! If you’re considering getting into fly tying, starting with a basic kit can be an excellent way to dip your toes in the water without breaking the bank. Fly tying isn’t for everyone; some enjoy it, while others would much rather buy the flies. If you know someone who already has a travel vice, you could ask to borrow it and try it out. However, if that’s not an option, you can purchase a starter kit with a vice, tools, and materials to tie a single pattern for around $100-150. This way, you can experiment with fly tying and see if it’s something you enjoy before committing to more expensive equipment. If you like it and upgrade your vice later, you can still use your starter kit as a backup or a portable option for fishing trips.
What challenges do Maine fisheries face that are important to you?
In Maine, like many parts of New England, outdated dams pose a significant challenge to our fisheries. These dams obstruct the natural flow of rivers and have a particularly detrimental impact on sea-run species such as Atlantic salmon, American Shad, Alewife, striped bass, and Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon. The issue of dams is prevalent throughout the state, but it’s important to draw attention to the St. John River basin, which spans an expansive area of over 55,000 km2 across various regions, including Maine (36%), Quebec (13%), and New Brunswick (51%) (Kidd, Curry, & Munkittrick, 2011).
Unfortunately, the construction of three Canadian dams has devastated the waterway, eliminating Atlantic salmon and Striped bass from much of their native habitat in northern Maine, Quebec, and New Brunswick (Andrews et al., 2017; Babin et al., 2020). However, there are some silver linings. For example, Furbish’s Lousewort, an extreme endemic plant species, has prevented further dam construction on the US portion of the St. John River (Rochester, J. 2018). Furthermore, the Allagash River, one of the primary waterways flowing into the St. John River, is undeveloped and protected by the state of Maine. Leaving the upper portions of the St. John River basin largely intact and untouched.
Despite these positive developments, efforts to restore sea-run species to their native ranges have failed due to the ongoing presence of dams and the recent introduction of invasive species such as muskie and smallmouth bass, which threaten the cold-water fisheries of the fish river chain, Allagash wilderness waterway, and the St. John River. Removing these three dams offers one of the highest potential impacts on restoring habitat in our state and Canadian rivers.
Although there has been some progress in removing dams in the southern parts of the state, addressing dams both within the state and international collaboration efforts for Canadian waterways will remain a significant challenge for Maine’s fisheries in the years to come. After completing my graduate studies, I plan to dedicate more time to aiding Maine’s habitat restoration and conservation efforts.
Andrews, S. N., Linnansaari, T., Curry, R. A., & Dadswell, M. J. (2017). The Misunderstood Striped Bass of the Saint John River, New Brunswick: Past, Present, and Future. Changed Publisher: Wiley, 37(1), 235–254.
Babin, A. B., Ndong, M., Haralampides, K., Peake, S., Jones, R., Curry, R. A., & Linnansaari, T. (2020). Migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts in a large hydropower reservoir. Https://Doi.Org/10.1139/Cjfas-2019-0395, 77(9), 1463–1476.
Kidd, S D, R A Curry, and K R Munkittrick. The Saint John River: A State of the Environment Report. Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada: Canadian River Institute – University of New Brunswick, 2011.
Rochester, J. 2018. Pedicularis furbishiae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T81441044A132760345
How can people buy your flies?
To find my patterns, be sure to check out my YouTube channels: Mainely Flies and MainelyOutdoors, and for more in-depth information about fly tying, you can visit my new Mainely Flies Podcast, currently only available on YouTube. Links to the patterns on my website can be found in the description section of each video. I hope everyone has a fantastic spring season!
Jesse D. Rochester
Registered Maine Guide
