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From September 15 to October 15, 2006 , anglers began fishing for Atlantic salmon in the United States for the first time in seven years. The state of Maine opened this experimental season this fall. The first fish caught and released was hooked during the second week of the season.
Anglers have demonstrated considerable support for the program. During the opening weekend, there were more than a dozen fishermen on the river. The following Friday, over the course of the entire day, a dozen anglers were seen fishing various pools. As of September 23, 2006 , the trap count for returning fish was 1,031. The Penobscot River is not known as a fall river , and the trap count over the first week of the season demonstrated that fact. Only five fish were in the trap, all of them dark, indicating that they had probably been in the river all summer. Biologists will be studying the results of the fall season and angler response and impact on the fish, to determine if and when a more traditional spring season will open.