Most devoted fishermen agree that angling is not just about catching fish.

For example, when I look for a good fishing spot, I shop around for solitude as well as good fishing. As a rule, crowded fishing holes with wall-to-wall fishermen are places I try to avoid.

Among those traditional fishing hot spots I have steered clear of over the years are the Bangor Salmon Pool, Grand Lake Stream, the Roach River, the Rapid River, and the Big Eddy on the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

When the fishing gets hot enough, though, it’s tough to resist.

I have a few times traded solitude for exceptional fishing. In Alaska, where so-called “combat fishing” is the norm during sockeye salmon runs that you have to see to believe, I begrudgingly joined the fray. Fishing elbow-to-elbow with fishermen lining the river banks as far as the eye can see is hardly restful, but it is fun! You do get caught up in the frenzy.

Last week, in a weak moment, I agreed to spend a few days fishing and camping on the West Branch of the Penobscot River with one of my favorite fishing buddies’ eldest son, Scott. Upon arriving at the Big Eddy campground, we were surprised to learn that a statewide Fly-Fishing Conclave was about to get underway with 65 anglers expected to bivouac there for the weekend. So much for solitude in the Great Outdoors.

But, as we would soon learn, it would take more than a crowd of anglers to dampen the power and beauty of the fast-flowing West Branch.

Friday night, we counted 17 boats on the eddy, not to mention a number of shoreside anglers. Salmon were rising everywhere – in the middle of the river, along the seams, and up in the eddy from which the campground took its name. Despite the constant riseforms, the salmon were playing it coy. Fish were being boated, but not even the veteran eddy regulars were bending their rods that much. After trying a lot of different flies and changing tippet sizes, Scott and I managed to boat a salmon or two.

On our way home, a friend, who knows the West Branch salmon tactics well, suggested that we might have done better with a big dry fly on top hooked to a “dropper” (he recommended a LaFontaine Caddis.) We made a mental note for next time.

For my money, the campground itself is most impressive. There’s a story here, too. When the Big Eddy campground and adjoining river frontage was purchased from the Pray family by the Chewonki Foundation, the rumors and rancor kept things churned up. Many Millinocket folks, as well as Big Eddy regulars from downstate, were convinced that the sky was falling, that traditional use was in peril.

On the contrary, Chewonki has done wonderful things since its acquisition. Under the leadership of Greg Shute and Big Eddy managers Mark and Susan Adams, this campground has been transformed into a class act. Tenting areas are well dispersed. The fire pits are large and safe. Many tent spots have two picnic tables (and they are not chained down). There are fireside log stools. The toilet vaults are new, immaculate and odorless. Daily fees for camping are reasonable, too. Tent sites on the river cost a little more than tent sites back in the woods. There are hot showers and, in the main lodge, the coffee pot is always on. Homecooked bran and apple muffins, too.

Couple all of these amenities with the seductive splendor of the West Branch spilling below Rip Dam, not far from the Big Eddy, and you have the makings of a memorable outdoor experience. As my fishing partner and I discovered, the Big Eddy campground is also an ideal “jumping off” spot for fishing area trout ponds.

From all reports, the annual June Fly-Fishing Conclave was a success. Among the speakers were state fisheries biologist Tim Obrey, who talked about Chensuncook salmon issues, and sporting camp operator Matt Libby, who talked about fishing Labrador. A spokesman from the Northern Forest Alliance also talked about Plum Creek’s proposal for the Moosehead area.

You can contact Chewonki’s Big Eddy Campground at 207 350- 1599. Camping reservations can also be made online at www.bigeddy.org.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WCME-FM 96.7) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].