Welcome to historic Damariscotta Mills, Maine – home to one of Maine’s oldest and most productive alewife fisheries. The stone fish ladder that is the centerpiece of Damariscotta Mills was constructed in 1807 by the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle because, for nearly a century, mills blocked access for fish to the freshwater falls. In 2007, after two centuries of use, the fish ladder was in poor condition so a restoration project was initiated by a strong community group working with the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle and the Nobleboro Historical Society.
Upper pool from the alewives’ point of view. May, 2020
Fish Happenings
Gifts for the Holidays
Hello Everyone, When you are thinking about stocking stuffers and Hanukah gifts for the Holidays, think about the Fish Ladder Goods & Gear! A new crop of ball caps has arrived and T-shirts are available in most every size and color. Visit our website, www.damariscottamills.org under “Support Us” to view the 2022 design. Caps and […]
2022 Fish Count
2022 was another banner year for alewives at Damariscotta Mills! The count of fish going into the lake to spawn was 1,103,346. Hooray! Another year with a count over 1 million….our fish ladder is really working well!
Quilt raffle winning ticket is #1265
The draw took place today a little after 9:30am at the Nobleboro Historical Society. The star of the show was the three year old granddaughter of one of our committee members. She boldly reached into the Big Jug containing 620 ticket stubs and took out #1265. In her audience was a Mr Bryant of Pennsylvania […]
Raffle Quilt Draw
9:30am on Labor Day at Nobleboro Historical Center (small building next to Nobleboro Central High School). Public welcome.
Raffle Quilt Draw Imminent
The draw for the quilt raffle takes place on Labor Day September 5 at the Nobleboro Historical Society — Last days to view the quilt or buy tickets. See photo and information at https://damariscottamills.org/quilt-raffle/
May 31 The run is slowing down….but it’s not over yet!
Fewer fish came in this morning than in previous mornings but there are still plenty of alewives to see if you visit the fish ladder today (and for the next few days). As the run comes to an end, smaller alewives tend to bring up the rear. Most alewives during the run are 4 years […]
May 28 Come join the fun!
The 5k road race is underway as I write this and, despite the predicted showers, several of our volunteers will be at the fish house today selling fish ladder t-shirts and other fish ladder swag. Look for even more fun tomorrow, when our famous fisheye pudding ice cream will be available. Not a whole festival […]
May 25 So many fish this year!
It is truly a banner year for alewives! They are in by the thousands — everywhere you look, there are fish! They are streaming in by the fish house, the fish ladder is full, and they are passing into Damariscotta Lake by the thousands. It’s an amazing time to visit the fish ladder! If you […]
May 19 What an amazing year!
Alewives are in thick! If you stand on the Route 215 bridge and look into the water in either direction you’ll see solid alewives. The same is true in the waters by the fish house and the run leading up to the fish ladder entrance and the harvesting area. Most importantly, alewives by the thousands […]
May 13 We have alewives….and more alewives!
The run is fully underway now. Alewives have moved up into every pool in the fish ladder and many are passing into the lake to spawn. We’ve been harvesting since Wednesday and many lobstermen have left with totes full of fish, which are the very best bait! Osprey are diving for fish right by the fish […]
