Sportsman The Maine
August 2020 • $4.99
HOW BIG IS THAT
BEAR? Pages 23, 25
MONSTER TOGUE SETS RECORD Page 13
Introduce Your Wife to Hunting Page 48
Pontoon Boat — Perfect Fishing Craft? Page 65
Shotgun Choke Selection Page 28
2 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 3
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4 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Editorial
Time to Stop to Game Management by Referendum So here we go again. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife was recently required to issue a proposed regulation that would – if enacted – eventually prohibit bear baiting. Why would the department do this? Because they received a petition with 150 names on it, and the law requires that they float a proposal. And in June, the same individual who was behind the bear rulemaking petition, requested that the Maine Superior Court review and overturn DIF&W’s decision to issue more moose permits this fall. Why didn’t he like the increased numbers of permits? Among other reasons, he said he was “aggrieved because the rule as adopted will decrease my moose viewing opportunities.” Also in this individual’s sights? Coyote hunting, in which he wants to end coyote trapping and also prohibit the shooting of any of the animals that weigh over 40 pounds. On two separate occasions, the sporting community has fought – and won – referenda election battles relating to bear trapping and hunting with hounds, and there’s nothing to suggest that the same fights won’t be waged in the future. Is this the best way to manage resources as important as Maine’s wild game? We think not. Simply put, game management decisions are better left to the professionals – in this case, to a Commissioner who is appointed by an elected Governor and confirmed by the Legislature; to the department’s professional staff of wildlife biologists; and to task-force appointees and advisory council members who are tapped for their specific training, experience and knowledge. Is the threat to sportsmen and sportswomen real? We believe it is. What would be the final vote percentages of the “Yes” and “No” tally today if the folks living in certain populated areas of teh state were asked to cast binding ballots on the question, “Should hunting be banned in Maine?” 40 – 60? 50 – 50? 60 – 40? Many residents of Southern Cumberland and York Counties do not have the family or traditional ties to hunting and fishing that are the norm for the much larger geographic (but less-densely populated) Western, Northern and Eastern regions of the state. Several years ago, in the exhausted aftermath of having fought (and won) against the second effort to ban certain forms of bear hunting, advocates for Maine’s traditional outdoor sports floated the idea of a constitutional amendment removing wildlife management decisions from the referendum process. When that effort failed, a different approach was tried – to require that before a referendum question could be approved for sending to the voters, a certain percentage of the petitioners supporting the proposal must be from each of Maine’s two congressional districts. The effort was designed to prevent perceived situations in which liberal, populous Southern Mainers tried to impose rules that would predominantly affect other, less-populated areas of the state. When that effort also faltered, we were back to square one – and now we have the Department’s valuable time and resources being expended defending against petitions and appeals of agency rulemaking that nearly define the adjective “frivolous.” We are not sufficiently all-knowing to determine which of the previous efforts – or a new, yet-untested approach – would result in decision-making reverting to the biologists who’ve made such subject matter their life’s work. We applaud the advocates – including our friends at Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine – for their past activity in this area, and we are certain the need for changes will be made clear in the near future.
¶
www.MaineSportsman.com
New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication
Sportsman The Maine
ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 575 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Linda Lapointe linda@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 Fax: 207-622-4255 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Maine Sportsman, 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 12-Month Subscription: $30 • 24-Month Subscription: $49
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 12 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 71 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 44 Big Woods World by Tim Bolduc................................... 43 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 61 Downeast by Jim Lemieux............................................ 35 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie...................... 51 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 67 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 7 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 69 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding....... 42 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 5 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 48 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 19 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 47 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 34 Moosehead by Tom Seymour...................................... 65 My Maine by George Smith.......................................... 18 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 37 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 49 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 74 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith....................... 16 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 53 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 75 Saltwater by Barry Gibson............................................. 30 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 63 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 57 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 56 Smilin’ Sportsman: Adults & Kids by Will Lund.............. 75 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 58 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................... 9 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 55 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 62 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 76 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 52 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.60 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 38
GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS
ATVing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri......................... 20 Bear Hunting in Maine by Bill Graves........................... 23 Bear Hunting in Maine by Steve Carpenteri............... 25 Happily Fishing by Nolan Raymond............................. 29 Life’s Lessons from a Pigpen by Randy Randall......... 41 Ranger on the Allagash by Tim Caverly...................... 40 Saltwater Fishing in Maine by Steve Vose................... 32 Shooting Sports by Michael Browning......................... 28 Youth Writing Contest Submission by Magnolia Harms.39
Cover photo by Paul Cyr. See page 17 for details!
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 5
Letters To The Editor
Bass-Oreno?
To the Editor: The article by Bill Catherwood on topwater lures (“Bass Fishing with Classic Lures” – June 2020 issue) stimulated this recollection. Perhaps a Bass-Oreno is not literally a topwater lure, as it makes shallow irregular dives on the retrieve.
Bass-Oreno
Anyway, maybe Bill can be induced to do another one ... as he says, there’s a lot to talk about! Lloyd C. Irland – Wayne ME —
That Crazy Kayaking Sharker To the Editor: Bravo! on the incredible cover photo/headline combination in the July issue (“Shark Fishing from a Kayak.” My first reaction was, “That guy’s crazy!” And then, of course, I wanted to read all about it. Nice job! M.A. Retzlaff – Winthrop, ME —
Appreciates Historic Content To the Editor: I wanted to let you know that I thought the June issue of the Sportsman was splendid, and I hope your readership and advertisers respond the same way. The combination of knowledgeable tips (e.g., “Jon’s Jottings”), personal stories, important museum references and historical anecdotes, combined with the regular current tales, struck just the right note for a broad readership — in my view. The historic information was especially welcomed, because I think people want to be reminded about how things were, before now, and to compare those things with what they know now. I think your historical review does something similar — and I hope you will encourage your writers to write about memories, as George Smith did (Nothing Finer than Fishing with your Kid
[“My Maine”]), an article I particularly enjoyed. Name Withheld Upon Request Woolwich, ME —
Best Smallmouth Fishing in the State? To the Editor: In the opinions of your writers, where can the best smallmouth bass fishing in Maine be found? I am planning on fishing Junior/ West Grand Lakes. Do you have any specific tips for these lakes? David Reel – Malbern, PA Our writers respond: Hi, David: Big Lake, Wabassus, Third Machias, Pocumcus and West Grand all have excellent smallmouth bass populations. Among my personal favorites is Big Lake, but other lakes are exceptional as well. I recommend hiring one of the wonderful guide services that operate out of Grand Lake Stream, since that will simplify efforts to find fish. Many “secret” spots exist around the lakes (especially West Grand), and employing a guide for the day could be a real time-saver. If you’re not interested in hiring a guide, I’d stick to the smaller bodies of water, such as Pocumcus, which is easily accessible via a launch at Elsemore Landing. I have never fished Junior Lake, as access via boat and trailer always seemed more trouble than it was worth and since my base of operations was always out of Grand Lake Stream. Good luck, and be sure to send us pictures! Steve Vose David: In response to your questions, I really like West Grand Lake (WGL) for smallmouth bass. Junior Lake is connected to WGL, but I’ve not been there. Best bet is to stay at Leen’s Lodge right on WGL and use any of the fine guides working out of there. If you want to go out on your own, boats can be rented, or if you have a boat, you can launch near the dam. Are you fly-, spin- or bait-casting? Lures? Bait? Much of the fishing is over cover that’s readily apparent – rocks, drops, and vegetation. Good action on surface flies/lures, and I’ve done well with Whacky Worms. Hope this helps! King Montgomery (Continued on next page)
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6 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Letters to the Editor (Continued from page 5)
David: The late Lefty Kreh said it all the time ...go to the Sebasticook River, one of the most overlooked smallmouth waters in the state. Problem there is access. A good guide, Scott Davis, has some private access for his drift boats and does very well for his clients. He also works for DIF&W as a fisheries specialist. Fish where the experts fish. William Clunie (another Maine Sportsman writer) tells me the Androscoggin River is excellent for smallmouth. I hope to try it soon. The Upper Penobscot is hard to beat for both fish and that “big river” feeling – eagles circling over the drift boat, and great shore lunches. Also, each section of the river has its own personality. Some sections fish better than others. The upper is hard for motorboats to access, so it sees less pressure. If you can access it, the fish seem to run bigger below Weldon Dam. After the first section below the dam frequent boat ramps make access easy. West Grand Lake also has very good smallmouth fishing. See Chris Wheaton at Grand Lake Lodge for details. I only hit West Grand Lake in the spring for salmon, although this year we flipped our deposit to the third week of September – again for salmon. I’ve been told the smallmouth action is good there, and that it’s even better on neighboring Big Lake. Indian Pond has a reputation for bronzebacks ... unfortunately I haven’t made the time to try it out. Hope that helps! Bill Sheldon —
Advice for a Young Huntress To the Editor: I enjoy reading Christi Holmes’ monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman. I am writing for your input. I have a 10 – almost 11 – year old girl. She has always been aware of and around my hunting. I coached her and two other girls through Hunter Safety last year successfully. She has not quite gotten the bug yet and says she doesn’t really like going into the woods but does so because she knows I like to, which is heartwarming to hear. I want to give her the same gift of the woods and hunting that my father gave to me. I’m thinking the way to approach it may be different for daughters than for sons. I am wondering if introducing her to women and girls who hunt might help www.MaineSportsman.com
her relate better to the experience. Your thoughts and suggestions will be appreciated. Jeff LaCourse – East Boothbay, ME Christi Holmes Responds: Hi, Jeff: Please see my column in this issue, titled “How to Introduce your Wife to Hunting” (starting on page 48). I agree with you that it’s different with women and girls than with men and boys. Consider fun events, such as the indoor junior archery clubs run by the West Gardiner Rod & Gun Club, or target practice with a .22 at balloons that pop. Our readers may have additional ideas. Christi Holmes —
“Utterly Opposed” to Proposed Bear Baiting Rule To the Editor: Thank you for bringing attention to the proposed bear baiting rule DIF&W was required to publish for comment once the department received a petition circulated by John Glowa, Sr. (see “Surprise Bear-Baiting Regulation Proposed,” June Almanac). I am completely and utterly opposed to Mr. Glowa’s proposal. He is not a bear biologist and is not qualified impose his opinions. I do know that we have the best bear biologists in the entire world. They know what they are doing. Mr. Glowa, on the other hand, does not understand the consequences of which he is proposing. If a rule like this were to pass, we will have greater problems with bears. They will be in neighborhoods in the cities. And our game wardens would in turn have more nuisance issues with bears. That would mean the wardens would be in the cities, taking their resources from our woods and waters where they belong to protect the Great State of Maine. Adam Edgerly moosehunter7835@gmail.com —
How Can 150 Petitioners Propose Changing Bear Baiting Laws for the Entire State of Maine? To the Editor: Thank you for informing your readers about the proposed rule resulting from a petition from anti-hunters delivered to DIF&W.
We believe it’s important to control the bear population. Limiting or doing away with baiting would discourage the hunting community and hurt our economy and small businesses. Thank you for giving hunters a voice. The Peabody Family – Jonesport, ME peabody12@twc.com —
More Opposition to Petition-Driven Bear Rule To the Editor: These proposed changes to the baiting rule would be devastating to the bear population. The department’s biologists know what they are doing. I am dead-set against these changes. A bleeding heart who knows nothing about the control of the bear population wants the current rule changed. We have a constant bear problem now here in Aroostook County. We can’t imagine what would happen if a rule like this were to be enacted. Daniel Corey – mainebower4444@gmail.com —
Ethanol-Free Fuel Available in Fairfield To the Editor: Thanks for including information on no-ethanol fuel in the July issue (see “Where Can I get Ethanol-Free Fuel?” in the Almanac, listing locations in Newport, Guilford and Monson where the fuel is available at the pumps). I am writing to report that it’s also available at the pumps, with its own dedicated hose and nozzle, at The Big Apple store in Fairfield, ME. Donald Carter —
More on Ethanol-Free Fuel To the Editor: Regarding the Maine Sportsman’s efforts to publicize the locations where ethanol-free fuel can be obtained – last year I discovered a website, www.puregas.org. If you go to that site and click on “Maps” and then “Maine,” up pops a map or our state’s sources of ethanol-free fuel, as reported and compiled by customers. I have found it to be relatively accurate, based on where I go with my ATV near Eustis. Raynald Charest – Readfield, ME The Editor responds: Great news, Don and Raynald – thank you. To encourage the use of ethanol-free gasoline for small engines and recreational vehicles, we will continue to pass on information from our readers on the availability of the fuel.
¶
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 7
Outboard Motors I Have Known The word that Evinrude Outboard Motors Co. has quietly sunk beneath the waves came as a surprise to me, and brought up a flood of memories. The founder, a Norwegian named Ole Evinrude, was a pioneer in the design and marketing of small outboard engines. At some point early in the development, Ole sold all rights to use of the name “Evinrude,” but continued to manufacture and sell outboards under the name “Elto,” an abbreviation of the words “Evinrude Light Twin Outboard.” Elto Ace In the late 1920s, our family lived in Plattsburgh New York, where my older brother Mort and I were born. We had a primitive camp on Lake Champlain. Our first outboard was an Elto Ace, a 1-3/4 hp, single cylinder engine. Dad used to take us fishing on Lake Champlain. We would motor out, using the Elto, to a special reef off the shore of Rouses Point, and still-fish with a long bamboo pole, colorful bobber, sinker and a worm. When the bobber would dance around, we’d say the yellow perch was having its appetizer. When the bobber dove under wa-
cry from the rotating knob on the old-time Evinrude.
When the author heard that Evinrude was going out of business, the news caused him to think back on his experiences with outboards – from wrapping a pullcord around the flywheel of a 1-3/4 hp Elto Ace in the 1930s, to trolling with an original Johnson 2-1/2 hp Sea Horse, and owning many small 2-cycle Mercurys. ter, we’d hoist the pole, line, bobber and perch up in the air, and set the wiggling fish down in the boat, pounce on it and break its neck. As we got older, Mort and I were each equipped with a Bristol telescoping steel rod and a Portage Pastime level-wind reel, and we’d troll for perch and an occasional bass or wall-eyed pike. We trolled red and white feathered jigs made by J. T. Buell, which were reputed to be the most effective lures. Interestingly, the spoon rotated slowly around the feathered jig, and the jig itself rotated slowly, showing red and white feathers alternately. Top-Mounted Crank Model We occasionally saw another fisherman – an old timer – trolling with an even older outboard engine, probably an Evinrude, too. But this engine had a boxy square fuel tank, and a knob that stuck up above the flywheel. To start this engine, you didn’t wrap a rope around the flywheel, like on our Elto. Instead, you grabbed the knob with your
right hand and wound it in a clockwise circle, letting go when the engine fired up, The drawback with this design, we were told, was that if you were not careful, the rapidly-rotating knob would give your arm a painful whack. When traveling back to Plattsburgh and our camp in the summer became problematic during World War II, we summered on Lake Cobbossee, and Dad acquired a 3-1/2 hp Evinrude two-cylinder outboard. Johnson Smoother? A friend of mine, Harry, also summered
on the lake, and he had a Johnson 5-hp outboard, which I concluded to be better design than our Evinrude. It started more easily, and trolled quietly. I learned that while the Evinrude had two opposed cylinders that fired simultaneously, the Johnson had two in-line cylinders that fired alternately, running smoothly and with less vibration. Harry showed me that once his engine had warmed up, he could wrap his hand around the flywheel, give a spin and start it without a rope – a far
Original Sea Horse I later learned that Johnson made a 2-1/2 horse engine using the same two cylinder inline alternate firing design, and when it came time for me to buy a fishing motor, that was my choice. It would roll quietly all day with nary a missed pop. However, being a two cycle engine that used fuel with mixed with oil (half a cup (Continued on next page)
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Jottings (Continued from page 7)
per gallon), at trolling speed some oil collected in the cylinder, and you had to run the motor at higher speed occasionally to burn or get rid of the accumulated oil. The excess oil also lubricated the crankshaft bearings – an important process. In earlier outboards, the crankshaft bearings were what is known as journal bearings – a soft alloy upon which the steel shaft rotated smoothly. When the crankshaft bearing becomes worn, one of the results is that the feeding of fuel mixture to the cylin-
der becomes irregular, which impairs the engine’s performance. Mercury Addresses the Bearing Issue But Mercury, an upstart outboard company founded in 1939, by-passed the problem caused by worn journal bearings by incorporating roller bearings on their motors. Mercury also, I believe understated the horsepower ratings of their motors. In any event, Mercury motors appeared to be faster and more powerful than their competitors of comparable horsepower ratings.
29th Annual
SPORTING AUCTION 2020 Wildwood Function Center, Route 113, Steep Falls, ME 04085
Due to the current pandemic situation, Giguere Auction Co. must POSTPONE our Spring Sporting Auction to an, as yet, undetermined date. Rest assured, this auction has NOT been canceled – only postponed! The Spring Auction will become a Summer Auction – perhaps a Fall Auction. The ultimate date will depend on the progression of the pandemic and the relaxing of the current social distancing rules and travel restrictions. Please check our listing on www.auctionzip.com for lots of photos and info on what you will find at this auction. You will find it listed currently with a date of 5/30/2020. The actual new date will be announced on www.auctionzip.com and on our website – www.giguereauction.com – as soon as we can confidently set a final, new Date. WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING QUALITY ITEMS FOR THIS AUCTION EVENT – PLEASE CALL US! We are looking forward to seeing All of Our Friends – Old & New – again. Until that day arrives – Please Stay Safe and Be Well – See You All on the Other Side!
To promote its advertising slogan “Pulls Like an Elephant; Runs on Peanuts,” Mercury hired an elephant trainer who taught a 5,000-pound elephant to waterski behind a Mercury-powered boat, using pontoons for water skis. Mercury Motors photo
Mercury was aggressive in its stunts, which included a Mercury outboard motor powering a boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Mercury ran an ad showing an elephant being pulled on waterskis by a Mercury motor, accompanied by the caption “Pulls Like an Elephant … Runs on Peanuts.” When the claim was challenged by critics, at its annual press briefing Mercury hired a waterskiing instructor and elephant trainer, who had trained a 5,000-pound elephant to perform the trick (see above photo), using pontoons for water skis. We used Mercury engines in the six- to
Fins & Furs Adventures
TM
10-hp range to get back and forth to our lake island for years, and found them reliable and durable. Once our 6-hp Merc flipped off the boat transom and fell to the blacktop on Western Avenue in Augusta, with no serious damage. Dealing with Emissions Rules When the EPA set higher emission standards, most manufacturers turned to four-cycle designs, which raised the weight of most motors by 50 percent. Evinrude avoided the rush to fourstrokes by using a fuel injection system called E-Tec that met the new standards. It has
been used only on the larger outboards, so I have no experience with the E-Tec design. I understand the fuel injection system works well, but Evinrude dealers say customers ask for four-cycle engines. I can certainly applaud the lower emissions achieved by four cycle engines, but miss the lighter weight and portability of our old-fashioned two-cycle motors. Ole Evinrude pioneered a great idea, although probably we’d all have been happier if they’d never built bigger motors than 25 horsepower.
¶
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 9
Grant’s Kennebago Camps COVID-19 still dominates our Maine landscape, and the state, using the best scientific/medical data available, is incrementally opening things up. In the middle of May, Governor Mills allowed Maine sporting camps to open to Mainers, and those who had quarantined for at least 14 days instate. So you readily can see why I drove up north of the Rangeleys to visit historic Grant’s Kennebago Camps and check it out. I’m here to report I’m glad I did, because the experience was absolutely wonderful, and I needed it really badly. A staycation for Mainers at one of our iconic sporting camps is a very good idea. ***** If you travel to any destination in Delorme’s Maine Atlas & Gazetteer this year, let it be to Map 28, C-4. Go ahead, look it up – I’ll wait a few minutes. (By the way, there is a 2019 updated version of the Maine Gazetteer on the street.) Okay, got it? Yes, you’re looking at Ken-
If you see swallows loitering on power lines, get ready, because they seem to know when a hatch is about to occur. When you observe them swooping just over the water, the hatch is on, and you need to be there!
Grant’s Camps were started by the sons of Ed Grant along the southwestern shore of the lake in 1904. Ed eventually moved in, and he and his sons ran the successful camps for almost 45 years. All photos © King Montgomery
nebago Lake and the Kennebago River, the place you want to be for some fine landlocked salmon, brook trout, and brown trout fishing. And it’s at Grant’s Camps that you should stay. Salmon Bit Hard John Blunt made a nice cast. The Black Ghost streamer fly, originated in the earlier part of the 20th century by Herb Welch of nearby Oquossoc, plopped convincing-
The Kennebago River flows for 30 miles into, then out of, Kennebago Lake. It is loaded with landlocked salmon and brook trout.
ly in the water, and a spunky landlocked salmon took exception. It bit hard and provided a nice sport for Blunt, who’s owned Grant’s Camps with his wife Carolyn, since 1988. This was John’s first fishing outing of 2020, and I was glad to be the catalyst for getting him on the water, when he could have been back at camp fixing outboard motors, repairing Rangeley
boats, or doing one of the myriad jobs required by owners of sporting camps – it’s a tough, full-time jobplus. A Fishy History Maine sporting camps began back in the latter part of the 1800s because some people liked to hunt and fish, or just to be in beautiful, healthful natural surroundings. And today, folks visit the camps for the very same reasons.
Grant’s Kennebago Camps is following Covid-19 protocols set by the Maine CDC. Just don’t keep a social distance from the fish!
Each camp has its own unique beginnings, and all have a story to tell. Grant’s is no exception, and we can thank Ed Grant, a Maine outdoorsman, guide, entrepreneur, and apparently a pretty good story (or perhaps tall-tale) teller. Grant ventured into the Kennebago Lakes region when he and two others opened a wilderness camp complex at the head of the lake on the southeastern side. Grant eventually pulled out of the venture and started another camp at Seven Ponds, while his sons moved in and opened up Grant’s Camps along the southwestern shore of the lake in 1904. He eventually moved in, and he and his sons ran the successful camps for almost 45 years. The camps were successful because of the excellent landlocked salmon and brook trout fishing, complemented by the gorgeous natural setting, and the tranquility that only a high lake (Continued on next page)
Kunin, my cabin, is a small one-room affair with all the amenities, and very comfortable. All of the cabins are updated for the comfort of guests. www.MaineSportsman.com
10 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Tina takes the dinner order of Alden and Jane Grant, who own the Nicholson Inn in Freeport. Alden is Ed Grant’s grandson and he visits yearly.
Samantha and Tina take very good care of guests in the dining room with friendly and efficient service. It partly is the people that make Grant’s such a nice place to be.
Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 9)
surrounded by mountains and a bunch of mixed-tree forests can give. Throw in some wildlife, and you have a veritable paradise. The Blunts put together a nice brochure on the history of the camps and the lake, and it’s well worth taking it along in your Rangeley boat with outboard motor that sits at your own dock just down from your cabin. You can do the history tour while fishing, and it makes for a fun day on the water. The Camps That first evening in camp, I sat down on the back porch of my cabin and watched the sun slowly sink into the west, causing the colors and hues all around to change with the declining angle of descent. Soon the beautiful and so-visible colors were joined by the calls of sever-
al loon pairs I’d seen earlier in the day. As if on cue, the almost plaintive cries of the large, engaging birds punctuated the setting of the sun and made the event even more special, particularly given the rigors and isolation caused by the pandemic the past few months. A fire destroyed most of Grant’s Camps in spring 1977, and the cabins were rebuilt in the traditional sporting camps motif. This time they had more modern conveniences, and the amenities have been upgraded even more as time progressed. Now some 18 cabins are available, and they range in size to accommodate larger groups or single anglers. Each lakeside cabin has electric baseboard heat and/or a wood-burning stove. All have hot and cold
The sun rises over the mountains, signaling the beginning of a new day, hopefully full of big fish and many smiles. Kennebago Lake is such an engaging place, and I want to be there again. www.MaineSportsman.com
running water, showers and flush toilets, and are connected to the electrical power grid. Wi-Fi is available in the dining room, and the office and comfortable lounge next door. Three meals a day are served in the comfortable dining hall, and bag lunches are available to take fishing on request. The food is excellent, and the table service is friendly and efficient. I can’t speak highly enough of Larry and Mark’s cooking, and the wonderful attention that Samantha and Tina give to everyone in the dining room. And the view of the lake through the large windows is photo-worthy. Each camp is named, and mine was Kunin, also spelled Kunnin. No one seemed to know where the name originated or what it meant, but I’ll do some more digging.
Anglers return in their cabin’s Rangeley Boat as the sun sets to the west. At Grant’s Camps, look left in the evening for the sunset and, in the early morning, stare to the east and you catch the sun coming up in all its orange and pink splendor.
An incredibly comfortable cabin, it sat aside a small ridge running along and overlooking the lake and the cabin’s dock below. It had two twin beds, a full bathroom, a screenedin porch, and had both electric and wood heat sources. It was early June, and the evenings were cool, so the baseboard heat came in handy to warm the old bones. Every cabin has a vintage 16-foot Rangeley boat with a 6-hp outboard motor. Quiet, comfortable and stable, the boats are good platforms for fly fishing or just tooling around the lake checking out the history and watching the wildlife. I didn’t have a boat, because I’d be fishing one day with John Blunt in the camp boat – a comfy Lund aluminum model – and the other day with Bethel’s Tony Frangipane, also in the Lund. Both men are Registered Maine
This was John Blunt’s first fishing outing of 2020, and I was glad to be the catalyst for getting him on the water when he could have been back at camp doing one of the myriad jobs required by owners of sporting camps – it’s a tough, full-time job-plus.
Guides and wonderful, knowledgeable companions on the water. Another bonus is that you can see the sun rise each morning from your cabin. Kennebago Lake runs northwest to southeast on almost a 45-degree angle. Look left in the evening for the sunset and, in the early morning, stare to the east and you catch it coming up in all its orange and pink splendor. The Fishing So much water, so little time. Both the Kennebago Lake and the River fish well for much of the season, spring through fall, and brook trout, landlocked salmon, and brown trout head the list of gamefishes available. The water quality is well above average for Maine waters, and the fishing is limited to fly angling only – no trolling is permitted. Both the lake and (Continued on next page)
John Blunt made a nice cast, and the Black Ghost streamer fly plopped convincingly in the water. A spunky landlocked salmon took exception. It bit hard and provided a nice sport for Blunt, who’s owned Grant’s Camps with his wife Carolyn since 1988.
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Large brook trout like this fine specimen can be caught in both the lake and the river. The waters are in good shape and relatively fertile, ensuring good stocks of fish. (Continued from page 10)
the river support good hatches of various aquatic insects, and the river in particular is home to a number of terrestrial critters – ants, beetles, grasshoppers and the like – so there’s always something to present to the fish. This is classic still-water lake fishing and moving-water opportunities on the river. On the lake, look for changes in depth, submerged rocks and nervous water, possibly signaling underwater feeding and bubble lines. Cast streamers and dry flies to the banks, particularly if there is deeper water nearby. Keep an eye out for hatches and rising fish. The Logan is a unique part of Kennebago. It is on the far side of the causeway near camp where the Upper Kennebago River mingles with the outlet of Kenneba-
Grant’s Camp guide Tony Frangipane works an Ausable Wulff in the Logan, an engaging stretch of water just up from Grant’s Camps.
go Lake. My friend, fly fishing and casting guru Rod McGarry, wrote to me: “The Logans offers a unique escape, some solitude, wildlife sightings and fun fishing. Once you duck down and go under the bridge, you will say to yourself, ‘Well, this is different.’” (A “logan” is from Gaelic, and means “a hollow.”) “Different” indeed. I thought the place was one of the most beautiful land and waterscapes I’ve ever seen. And the Canada geese with their goslings thought so, too. My thanks to Tony Frangipane for guiding me there. He knows it well. If you see swallows loitering on power lines, get ready, because they seem to know when a hatch is about to occur. When you observe them swooping just over the water, the hatch is on, and you need to be there.
The March Brown is a fairly large mayfly, and fish love to eat them. This spinner lost its three tails in the rigor or aerial mating.
The river is a tailwater-type fishery below the dam, then progresses as a classic freestoner until it flows into Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Cast your fly into pools, tailouts and pocket water, and along undercut banks, particularly on outside bends of the stream. If I’m searching for fish with a dry fly, I use a good size Royal Coachman, and subsurface a Black or Gray Ghost, and the versatile Golden Retriever that almost always calls up fish. ***** The Kennebago area long has been more than special to the Blunts, and one of their very close friends, a Saco police officer who loved the lakes and river, asked to be interred in the cold, clean waters of the lake. The essence of avid sportsman Lee Frensco rests quietly as part of the natural glory of the place in
The Ausable Wulff is guide Tony Frangipane’s favorite searching or attracting fly for the brook trout that live in the beautiful Logan.
view of Grant’s Camps. Now the resident loons greet the dawn with their unique, almost haunting yet always uplifting, calls. They signal not just the end of a day, but also that the sun will rise on the morrow, bringing renewed life to this beautiful and sacred place where Nature has painted a masterpiece. Information: Grant’s Kennebago Camps: 1-800-6334815, grantscamps@ gmail.com, www. grantscamps.com. A very fine experience, and a wonderful representative of Maine sporting camps. I’m going back soon. Outdoor Heritage Museum: 207-8643091, www.rangeleyhistoricalsociety.org. Fly fishing exhibits including Carrie Stevens streamers, Herb Welch, and Fly Rod Crosby. One of the finest small museums
Chef Mark prepared a light breakfast for me before I headed out to fish the Logan with Tony Frangipane. Bring in your catch and the kitchen gladly will prepare it for you. The brookie was delicious!
in the country. Managed by Bill Pierce, who contributes each month’s “Snapshots in Time” piece to The Maine Sportsman. Herbert L. Welch: Black Ghosts and Art in a Maine Guide’s Wilderness: Superb book by the late Graydon Hilyard and his son Leslie on Oquossoc’s Herb Welch, tyer of the fabled Black Ghost Rangeley-style streamer fly. He was the Lefty Kreh of his day. Rangeley Region Fly Shop: 207-864-3615, www.rangeleyflyshop. com. Everything you need for fishing at Grant’s and elsewhere in the region. Guided trips. River’s Edge Sports: 207-864-5582, www. riversedgesports.com. Full-service fly shop and guide service in Oquossoc.
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The common loon is an uncommon bird, quite large and handsome. Their evening serenade was even more special, given the rigors and isolation caused by the pandemic the past few months. www.MaineSportsman.com
Almanac
12 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —
“Snapshots in Time”
Excerpts from the Annals of Maine’s Sporting Past Submitted by Bill Pierce, of the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, Maine
Maine is one of my favorite places on earth. It is getting to be an even better place to be as this crazy old world just gets crazier. For the most part, I love the type of people who dwell here, and I also love the fact that, per square mile, there are fewer of us. One of the big benefits of living here is our 32,000 miles of rivers and streams and 6,000 lakes and ponds. As the world’s fresh-water resources con-
tinue to shrink and become degraded by the earth’s mushrooming population, the Great State of Maine just gets “Greater.” When it comes to clean fresh water, Maine is blessed, and the article that follows from the July 27, 1911 edition of the “Maine Woods” provides an interesting overview of the State’s watersheds. What it does not share is how polluted many of the waterways mentioned
were becoming, due to the industrial and municipal waste being dumped daily at the time. However, it is an interesting brief overview, with some scattered “nuggets” that we Mainers should be familiar with. I encourage you to find the time to get out and enjoy one of these great waterways mentioned, and make some great outdoor history of your own.
The Lakes of Maine No other tract of country of the same extent on the continent is so well-watered – supplied with lakes and streams well distributed – as is Maine. There are five principal lake chains or systems, i.e., large lakes connected by rivers and discharging into main channels – which convey their accumulated waters to the ocean. These are, beginning on the western boundary: 1. The Umbagog-Rangeley series, with an area of ninety or more square miles, drained by the Androscoggin River; 2. The Moosehead series, forming the headwaters of Kennebec River, and the main lake, which is 120 square miles in area, and is the largest inland body of water in New England; 3. The Penobscot series, consisting of Chesuncook and its surrounding lakes on the West branch of the Penobscot, Allagash, Chamberlain and others on the East Branch, and the Sebois and others connected with it still farther east, but flowing into the East branch of the Penobscot; 4. The Schoodic lakes, in the southeastern part of the State, drained by St. Croix River; and 5. The many lakes forming the headwaters of St. John River and its tributaries. There are many other lakes in every county which, though of small area, in
from “Maine Woods” – 1911
Fly Rod Crosby, Maine’s first registered guide, understood the beauty and significance of our state’s lakes and ponds. Postcard courtesy Outdoor Heritage Museum, Oquossoc
the aggregate hold an immense amount of storage water and add much to the importance of the lake systems of the State. The total number of lakes, not including small ponds tributary to the rivers, is 1,620, and their aggregate area 2,300 square miles, making one lake to each twenty square miles of territory and one square mile of lake surface to each 14.3 square miles of land surface. The lakes of the larger systems are in the mountain region, more of them on the northern than on the southern side. The outflowing rivers in general work their way through the breaks between the mountains and flow southerly down the slopes to the Atlantic coast. The lake systems are at high elevations for lakes so near tidewater, so that the out-
flowing rivers have large falls in their courses to the ocean. The great elevation of these lakes, the short courses of the rivers outflowing to the sea, and the fact that the lakes are largely located near the headwaters of the streams, make the rivers of the State far better for the development of water powers than the streams in almost any other part of the United States. The climate of the State is highly favorable for a large and uniform runoff. The average temperature for the year is about 41 degrees F., the average in summer being from 59 degrees to 66 degrees. The evaporation is comparatively small, owing to the low temperatures, the porous soil, the extensive forests, and the prevailing fogs. The rainfall is large and well distributed. Sudden heavy storms are rare, most of the water falling in comparatively gentle rains extending over considerable time. In winter, nearly all of the precipitation is in the form of snow, which lies on the ground until late in the spring, gradually melting and adding to the volume of the rivers. The effect of the large rainfall and run-off and the small evaporation of the topography, of the forest covered areas, and above all, of the large storage reservoirs in the form of natural lakes, is very apparent in the discharge of the streams. (Almanac continued on next page)
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2020; All WMDs.
(Continued from page 12)
Hunting with Bait: (Bait Can be Placed August 1, 2020 ) First Day August 31, 2020; Last Day September 26, 2020; All WMDs.
The Maine Sportsman Certifies New State Record Togue
Bear Trapping: First Day September 1, 2020; Last Day October 31, 2020; All WMDs. Bag Limit: 2 Bear per Year (1 by Hunting, 1 by Trapping) —
An Unusual Double Ron Parent is accustomed to making big catches while fishing Gorham Lake in Ellsworth.
Maine’s new record-holder for togue, Erik Poland, reported to The Maine Sportsman that he played the 39.2-pound monster for an exhausting 90 minutes.
Andover, Maine angler Erik Poland landed a monster 44-inch, 39.2-pound lake trout on July 2, while fishing on Richardson Lake. Erik applied for his state-record status, as well as a “One that Didn’t Get Away” patch. Our staff reviewed the application, and studied the attestation by Warden Brock Clukey as to the species, the length and the weight, and we are pleased to say we have updated the record books to reflect a new state record lake trout.
Is it a tuna? No, but this photo gives you an idea of the immense size of the new state-record 39.2-lb. togue caught by Erik Poland, which stretched nearly the width of a pick-up truck gate. Here, Warden Brock Clukey inspects the monster. The Warden subsequently signed Poland’s application for record status. Photo: DIF&W
Congratulations, Erik! —
Maine Bear Season’s Nearly Here! General Bear Hunting Season: First Day August 31, 2020; Last Day November 28, 2020; All WMDs. Youth Bear Day: August 29, 2020. Hunting with Dogs: First Day September 14, 2020; Last Day October 30,
As Ron Parent was pulling in this trophy 5 1/4-lb. smallmouth, a 25-lb. turtle (shown in a net) snapped its jaws on the bass’s dorsal fin and would not let go.
But even Ron had to stop and take stock after a recent incident in early July. According to his friend Jim Lemieux, Ron was fishing and hooked a trophy smallmouth bass – 5 1/4 pounds. As he began to haul the big fish in, a snapping turtle grabbed hold of the fish’s dorsal fin, and refused to let to. So Ron did the only logical thing he could do – he reeled the entire 30-plus pounds of aquatic animal close enough to net both the bass and the turtle! (Continued on next page)
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14 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Almanac
(Continued from page 13)
Quote of the Month: Fly Fishing is Hot Again
interest in fly fishing. Many states are experiencing an increase in the sales of resident fishing licenses, and angling suppliers report brisk sales. —
Applications for 2020 Any-deer (Antlerless) Permit Lottery are Now Available Online DIF&W recently announced that hunters may enter the lottery for an any-deer permit, online. To apply, go to www.mefishwildlife. com. Applications must be completed online by 11:59 pm on August 17, 2020. It is free to apply for the any-deer permit lottery. The drawing will be held on September 11, 2020 and results will be posted on the Department’s website. —
“We’ve been doing this for 160 years, and the last time we saw a push this big was [in 1992] when Brad Pitt made ‘A River Runs Through It.’ ” – Simon Perkins, the newly appointed president of fly-fishing giant Orvis, quoted in a July 7 Washington Post article exploring how the pandemic has resulted in an incredible upsurge in
Clearly the Better Angler
“Best Northeastern Bass Lakes of the Decade” Include China Lake
Bassmaster Magazine recently named China Lake as one of the best bass-fishing lakes in the Northeast. The online version of the publication does not give away any secrets about where on the lake’s two basins to find fish – the
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The editor took his wife, Sara Holmbom, paddling in Monson on July 3rd, and she promptly reeled in a 15-inch, 1 ½-pound “humpback” white perch – a larger perch than her husband has ever caught in his lifetime of fishing. She hooked the fish on a large silver “Toby” spoon trolled behind the canoe. (Continued on next page)
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“big reveal” is that “China Lake is located northeast of the state capital, Augusta.” We hope the Bassmaster editorial staff visits China Lake and enjoys the amenities available there. For example, the lake offers anglers two great public launches – one in East Vassalboro (allowing easy access to the lake’s West Basin), and the other in China, at the north end of the East Basin. Both launches offer long, convenient floats and plenty of parking for vehicles and trailers. —
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 15 (Continued from page 14)
Update from Maine’s “Naked and Afraid” Contestant, Kate Wentworth The Sportsman: When we last heard from you, you told us that in the African episode, you decided to break away from your group and head out on your own. Your exact words were, “So I headed out into the savannah.” What happened then?
meal: a terrapin turtle, full of eggs. I had an amazing tribe that I linked up with on Day 8, and we were successful at working together how tribes should. We went out on an early morning hunt, but I was unable to get a kill-shot with my arrow on a Duiker, an African antelope. Tracking the animal in the heat affected me, and I left soon afterwards. But it changed me for the better! For one thing, I will work to be a better archer.
Mainer Kate Wentworth bowhunted for Duiker (a small African antelope) in the Discovery Channel’s most recent episodes of “Naked and Afraid XL.” Photo: Discovery channel
Kate: Africa was an amazing and life-changing experience! I know it’s reality TV, but this was as cutthroat as they could have gotten. It was like a mixture of “Big Brother” meets “Survivor” (at least that’s what I’m told – I don’t watch TV. In fact, I don’t even own a TV). The best part of Africa, for me, was having the courage to take it on solo. I spent four days and three nights alone in the African Badlands. I was stalked by lions, survived a “frog-apocalypse,” and managed to snag me an amazing
Kate is safely back in Passadumkeag, Maine, completing work on what she calls her “tiny cabin.” Wentworth photo
The Sportsman: So what have you been doing since? Kate: Spending time with family, and completing my “tiny cabin” in Passadumkeag. It’s comfortable, but some of my friends have chicken coops that are
larger than my shelter! And speaking of comfortable, in a tip of the hat to increased modern comforts, I have started building an outhouse! —
Book Review: “Allagash Explorer: A Traveling Companion for Maine’s Wilderness Waterway”
In early June, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation and the Maine Bureau of Public Lands announced the release of Allagash Explorer: A Traveling Companion for Maine’s Wilderness Waterway. The 92-page pocket guide was produced to inform and educate travelers to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Tim Caverly reviewed the new publication: (Continued on next page)
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16 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Almanac
(Continued from page 15)
Excellent Travel Companion by Tim Caverly
I have enjoyed a long experience with Maine’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The first was in 1972 when I served as the Waterway’s radio operator and managed communications between Rangers and the outside world. Then, in the winter of 1973-74, I returned to the Allagash, when I surveyed the AWW boundary line along Chamberlain and Eagle Lakes. That education was enhanced 1981 when I was appointed Supervisor of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Super-
Quotable
visor, where I served until retirement eighteen years later. During that time on the river, I reviewed many pamphlets drafted to provide information for the Allagash visitor. Recently, I received a copy of the Allagash Explorer, and I was pleased to read the excellent up to date information provided about my old stomping grounds. If folks are planning a trip on the water, or even wish to become more informed about the significance of the wilderness experience, I recommend the Allagash Explorer, published by the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation. Whether in a canoe, sitting around
Sportsman
intentionally or through negligence, illegally, and many years ago.” DIFW Fisheries Biologist Wes Ashe, May 2020 report —
“Bluegill don’t belong in Maine waters, and despite their small size and unintimidating features, they are highly invasive. Biologists studied the Sheepscot River to get a handle on the distribution of bluegill in the watershed. What we discovered was alarming. Bluegill were collected and abundant in Turner Mills Pond (Somerville), Long Pond (Windsor) and Sheepscot Pond (Palermo). In Sheepscot Pond, a deep, oligotrophic water home to wild lake trout, salmon and stocked brook trout, biologists were shocked at the findings. In just a few hundred yards of habitat, dozens of bluegill of all ages and sizes were amassed. We have no idea when or where the Sheepscot bluegill populations originated. We know it was done
It had to be one of the strangest cases of eagle death that Danielle D’Auria has ever seen. A wildlife biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, D’Auria got word of a dead eagle found at Highland Lake in Bridgton. The bird had been found with a puncture wound in its chest and, because it is illegal to kill bald eagles, D’Auria had the bird radiographed at Norway Veterinary Hospital to check for a possible bullet wound. What she eventually found astounded her. The evidence collected from the radiograph, and a pathologist’s examination at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, indicated that the big bird had been stabbed through the heart by the beak of
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a campsite, or dreaming about the Allagash on a cold winter’s days, the reader will find the Allagash Explorer an excellent companion. Maine’s Wild and Scenic River is not a dream, but a reality to be cherished and preserved. For further information, contact: Richard Barringer, AWWF board member (richard.barringer@maine.edu); 207871-7890 Bob McIntosh, AWWF board president b2mcintosh@gmail.com, 978-578-5012 Matt LaRoche, Superintendent of the Waterway, matt.laroche@maine.gov
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a loon. “We know conflicts between bald eagles and loons have soared in recent years as a result of the recovery of our eagle population,” D’Auria wrote in a blog entry for MDIFW. “We are seeing more and more eagle predation on loon chicks and even adult loon. Who would think a loon would stand a chance against such a powerful predator?” Maine Public Radio, May 21, 2020 — “I’m not sad for myself. I’m sad for the state of Maine. It is going to lose a tradition that has been an integral part of the state for more than 100 years …. We can’t survive being shut down during our high revenue period. We should be put on the endangered species list.” Wendy Silvia of Bosebuck Mountain Camps, worried that many sporting camps will go out of business due to the pandemic rules.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Check For Ticks Every Day! WARMER TEMPERATURES MEAN TICKS WILL BE ACTIVE NOW – EVEN IN SNOW! • Schools are closed so more children are active outside • Healthcare resources will be strained due to COVID-19 • Do your part to prevent tickborne diseases • CHECK EVERY DAY. Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 17
August 2020 Sunrise/Sunset
On the Cover Our cover this month features an Aroostook County black bear, captured by Paul Cyr of Presque Isle. Paul has been a photographer since the mid-1960s, beginning with aerial and landscape photography. We are pleased to feature his work on our cover. You can view more samples of Paul’s photographs on his Facebook page: www.bit.ly/PaulCyrPhoto
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Portland, ME DATE 1 Sat 2 Sun 3 Mon 4 Tue 5 Wed 6 Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat 9 Sun 10 Mon 11 Tue 12 Wed 13 Thu 14 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun
RISE 5:29 5:30 5:31 5:32 5:33 5:34 5:35 5:37 5:38 5:39 5:40 5:41 5:42 5:43 5:44 5:46
SET 8:05 8:03 8:02 8:01 8:00 7:58 7:57 7:56 7:54 7:53 7:51 7:50 7:48 7:47 7:45 7:44
DATE 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri 29 Sat 30 Sun 31 Mon
RISE 5:47 5:48 5:49 5:50 5:51 5:52 5:53 5:55 5:56 5:57 5:58 5:59 6:00 6:01 6:02
SET 7:42 7:41 7:39 7:37 7:36 7:34 7:32 7:31 7:29 7:27 7:26 7:24 7:22 7:21 7:19
August 2020 Tides DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
Portland, ME HIGH AM PM 10:08 10:19 11:02 11:10 11:51 11:58 — 12:37 12:43 1:19 1:25 1:59 2:06 2:38 2:47 3:17 3:30 3:58 4:16 4:41 5:04 5:27 5:56 6:15 6:52 7:08 7:51 8:03 8:47 8:56 9:39 9:46 10:27 10:34 11:13 11:22 11:59 — 12:11 12:45 12:59 1:32 1:49 2:19 2:41 3:10 3:37 4:04 4:37 5:02 5:41 6:03 6:48 7:08 7:56 8:13 9:00 9:14 9:56 10:08 10:46 10:57
LOW AM PM 3:55 4:01 4:48 4:53 5:38 5:42 6:23 6:28 7:06 7:12 7:45 7:54 8:23 8:36 9:01 9:19 9:40 10:05 10:21 10:53 11:05 11:44 11:52 — 12:38 12:44 1:36 1:39 2:33 2:35 3:26 3:27 4:14 4:16 5:00 5:05 5:45 5:54 6:31 6:44 7:17 7:34 8:04 8:27 8:53 9:22 9:45 10:21 10:41 11:24 11:41 — 12:30 12:45 1:39 1:52 2:45 2:56 3:43 3:52 4:35 4:42
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18 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
An Awesome Book of Moose Hunting Stories When the author heard some of Roger Lambert’s great moose-hunting stories, he urged Lambert to write them down. However, Lambert insisted he couldn’t write. So George convinced him to taperecord his stories, and their mutual friend James Cote typed them up. We all enjoy seeing moose. Even though ticks are killing some of them, we still have a high population – between 60,000 and 70,000 – so we can offer moose hunting. This year, moose hunting applications reached a 15-year high, at 65,634. And DIFW increased moose hunting permits to 3,135, 11% more than last year, with the increases coming in northern Maine. DIFW moose biologist Lee Kantar told reporter Deidre Fleming, “Perhaps people also realize what a phenomenal resource we continue to have with moose, despite struggles with winter ticks. Maine should be considered a top choice of anywhere for moose hunting.” Roger Lambert – Author, Guide Maine moose hunting guide Roger Lambert and his clients certainly know this. Roger has lots of wonderful moose hunting stories, and I am very pleased that he has published some of them in his book, The Great Maine Moose www.MaineSportsman.com
Hunt. Subtitled “Celebrating 40 Years of Modern Moose Hunting in Maine,” it is all of that and lots more. Roger would tell me some of his amazing moose hunting stories, and when I urged him to write them down, he would insist that he couldn’t write. So I convinced him to tape-record his stories, and our friend James Cote typed them up. I think Roger made a good decision when he invited some of his clients and other guides to add their best moose hunting stories to the book. And I was fascinated by all the wonderful photos in the book. One of the stories and photos is about the time more than 1,000 of us, at the Skowhegan Fair Grounds, set a Guinness world record for the most people doing a moose call together. My wife Linda and I are in the crowd and photo. And the call was organized and led (of course) by Roger Lambert. In 1980, Maine reestablished its moose hunt, and a group quickly qualified a citi-
zen petition to stop the moose hunt. I worked on the campaign to defeat that initiative and was pleased when the people of Maine did just that. The Family that Hunts Together… One of my favorite stories in this book is about Roger’s moose hunt in 1980 with his dad, Elbert Lambert, who won a permit. They shot an awesome bull moose. There’s a great photo of Roger and his dad with their moose. I can tell you that you’ll feel like you are right beside Roger as you read his stories. Fairly quickly after that hunt, Roger became a moose hunting guide, and soon earned a reputation as one of the best. Wait ’til you see all those huge moose his clients shot! Maine’s moose hunt is an amazing experience, even if you don’t get the moose you wanted. While it is never – or at least not usually – an easy hunt, we have a surprisingly high success rate. Many moose hunters hire guides like Roger Lambert, which really
“The Great Moose Hunt,” by Roger Lambert
improves their opportunity to be successful. Roger is a very busy guy, including working on his farm, and he knows the woods and just where those big bull moose roam. Anyone who hunts with him is very lucky. All About Spending Time in the Great Outdoors I’ve never won a permit, but I’ve enjoyed moose hunts with a friend who has a camp on the north end of Moosehead Lake. I hope you know that you can enjoy moose hunting with your friends even if you are not the shooter. As Lonnie Humphrey wrote in her story in the book, “Please
remember, the hunt isn’t about the trophy. It’s about the scouting, the preparation, the meals, the time around the campfire, and most importantly, the time spent with family and friends in the great outdoors.” That is so true. You may be able to find Roger’s book in your local book store, but you can also order it by emailing him at rmllambert@hotmail. com. A lot of people have been ordering a bunch of the books to give them to family and friends. I hope you enjoy a moose hunt this year. And I guarantee if you read Roger’s book, you’ll want to do that.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 19
Maine Wildlife:
Wasps & Hornets
by Tom Seymour
“Boy, he really stirred a hornets’ nest,” someone might say about a person who has, knowingly or unknowingly, initiated a negative response among a group of people. That analogy is well-founded, since it doesn’t take much to aggravate and irritate hornets in their nest. I learned my lesson about stirring up hornets’ nests when, as a youngster, I threw a stone at a low-hanging nest. Never an accurate pitcher or rock-thrower, my aim was unusually good that time, much to my chagrin. I didn’t know that flying objects leave a temporary path through the air – a path that creatures such as hornets can easily follow. And follow they did. Within seconds of throwing that stone, my hand began to burn as hornets landed on it and stung me repeatedly. Never have I ran so fast and covered so much ground in so little time as when pursued by those mad-as-ahornet hornets. The lesson was welllearned, though, and now I stay as far away from hornets as possible. Hornets’ Nests Hornets build pear-shaped paper-like nests in trees. These may be high up in the tallest white pine or they may hang from the lowest branch of a small tree or shrub. Folk wisdom dictates that the higher the hornet’s nest, the deeper will be the snow the following winter. After years of observing, though, I have concluded that the height of hornet’s nest has absolutely no bearing upon snow depth. It all sounds good on paper, but it doesn’t play out in fact. I intensely dislike hornets and don’t want their nests anywhere near my house. One year, though, hornets built a nest high up in a pine tree next to the house. The thought of living so close to these aggressive insects aggravated me to no end, so it was time to hatch a plan to get rid of them. Obviously, my plan did not include throwing stones at
Wasps and hornets don’t like the author, and he doesn’t like them. the nest. You can fool me once, but not twice. So I pondered the situation and finally, reasoned that while hornets may have the ability to follow the path of a slow-moving stone, they may not be able to track the source of a shotgun blast. So using the full-choke, left barrel of my L.C. Smith shotgun, I stood beneath the nest, aimed and pulled the trigger. The nest exploded in a mass of paper, wasps and dust. Immediately after firing, I ran in the house and watched from inside. But the hornets did not swarm, nor did any follow. It appeared that my shotgun blast had killed a large portion of the hornets in the nest. Remaining individuals flew off to better climes. They have not returned. Wasps My woodshed and storage building has become a haven for wasps. The insects build their paper-like nests in dark, hidden recesses, and their presence isn’t known until it’s time to fill the shed with wood. Then the wasps come alive. I usually get stung at least once in the process. These wasps are really nuisances, and when their nests are discovered, I will go out at night, wasp and hornet spray in hand, and give the nests a good dousing. Somehow, a few wasps always survive, and my thoughts are that they come from an as-of-yet undiscovered nest. The battle with these pests never ends. Unfortunately, paper-nest wasps aren’t my only problem. Mud dauber wasps also nest in my outbuildings. These wasps are not aggressive, and were it not for one habit of theirs, we could co-exist peacefully. The problem with mud daubers is that they routinely crawl into the motors of my outdoor equipment, filling carburetors with fine, dry, mud. It gets worse, though. Last year, my outboard motor re-
fused to run, so I left it at the shop. The service man called later and said the motor was fixed. When I got there, he told me that the fuel had somehow dried into a fine, yellowish powder. He saved some of the stuff to show me. Upon viewing the substance, I knew exactly what it was. Putting some on my finger and tasting it, I found that the powder was really clay, brought inside my motor by mud dauber wasps. Go Electric While I can find no way to stop wasps from building their nests inside my power equipment, at least I could store my boat away from the wasps. A generous neighbor offered his barn, and the problem was solved for the time being. Another way to circumvent wasp problems was to go electric. I gave my gas-powered chainsaw away and bought an electric model. I also bought an electric snow thrower. Both these electric tools serve me well, and even better – there’s no gas and oil to mix or store. A wasp relative, yellow jackets, pose yet another problem. They build nests in the ground. These are often difficult to see until it’s too late and the angry wasps pour out in droves, looking to sting. I often run across yellow jacket nests, and in doing so I’ve been badly stung numerous times. Another problem with yellow jackets – and indeed, all stinging wasps and hornets – is that as the season progresses, the venom builds up. A sting in May delivers far less venom than a sting in September. Mutual Dislike There are a few wild critters that I truly dislike. Biting insects such as mosquitoes rate at the top of my most-despised list, and wasps and hornets rate a close second. Somehow, I doubt that I’m alone in these sentiments.
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20 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Scouting with ATVs by Steve Carpenteri August is the perfect time to get out and start scouting for fall hunting expeditions, assuming you have a good understanding of Maine’s ATV access laws and plan to comply with them. Whether the focus is on deer, bear, turkeys, upland birds, waterfowl or small game, there are plenty of places to look over while cruising comfortably down remote trails during these final days of summer. As a refresher for those who may have been away from ATV
When scouting on your ATV for hunting season, ride at a slow pace so you can observe tracks and trails, rubs and scrapes, or apparent changes in game activity. Start your research in August, says the author, and by fall you’ll be well on your way to a successful hunting season. riding in recent years, current Maine law states: “A person may not operate an ATV on the land of another without the permission of the landowner or lessee. Permission is presumed on designated state-approved ATV trails or in areas open to ATVs by landowner
policy. A landowner may limit the use of a designated state-approved ATV trail on that landowner’s property through agreements with the state or an ATV club to address environmental, public safety or management concerns. “Written permission of the landowner
or lessee is required on cropland or pastureland or in an orchard. As used in this subsection, “cropland” means acreage in tillage rotation, land being cropped and land in bush fruits; and “pastureland” means acreage devoted to the production of forage plants used for animal
production. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to limit or expand a landowner’s property rights.” So Seek Permission With all this in mind, begin your scouting adventures by first acquiring the appropriate landowner’s permission to ride your ATV. Responsible riders should have no trouble gaining access to some good deer, bird or bear-hunting grounds. If not, find another way to get there or look for new (Continued on next page)
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GREENVILLE JUNCTION Moosehead Motorsports 13 Moosehead Industrial Park 207-695-2020 www.mooseheadmotorsports.com ©2020 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. *Offers valid in U.S.A. only Sunday 1st March 2020 to Thursday 30th April 2020. The terms and conditions may vary depending on your state and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. See an authorized BRP dealer for details. Some mcxlels depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or, in USA, call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. In Canada, call the Canadian Safety Council at (6131 739-1535 ext 227. Read the Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before riding. Wear appropriate protective clothing and helmet. For side-by-side vehicles, fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Side-by-side vehicles and ATVs are recommended for drivers aged 16 and older, and passengers aged 12 and older only. For off-road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always ride responsibly and remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 21
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Always follow the landowner’s instructions when scouting private property via ATV. Use approved roads and trails whenever possible. Photo courtesy of Arctic Cat (Continued from page 20)
properties where ATV access is allowed. In most cases resident landowners know who the local misfits and troublemakers are, so distance yourself from these folks whenever possible. An ATV can make any hunting adventure a more enjoyable, productive experience, so it’s worth cooperating with landowners in every way possible. Having access to prime hunting territory is a good feeling all its own. Don’t give the landowner any reason to regret his or her decision to allow you to ride on their property. Know the Boundaries Use the land, but do not abuse it! When scouting new territories, it’s important to know landowners’ physical property boundaries as well as their rules and preferences while using the property. Certainly abide by any state and local laws, but also adhere to the landowner’s desires as far as road and gate usage, speed limits, number of people allowed, noise limitations, and campsites. For example, some landowners want their property to themselves
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on weekends or holSee Your Local Polaris Dealer for Current Offers! idays, or perhaps on certain days when JACKMAN TOPSHAM family or friends are Jackman Power Sports Woody’s Performance Ctr. scheduled to utilize 549 Main Street 70 Topsham Fair Mall Road the area. Be coopera207-668-4442 207-729-1177 www.jackmanpowersports.com www.teamwoodys.com tive and understanding about such rules, LEWISTON and make every effort Central Maine Powersports to abide by them. 845 Main Street Ask in advance if 207-689-2345 any areas are off-limwww.centralmainepowersports.com its to ATV riding, such WARNING: Polaris® off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage as orchards, croplands in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ©2019 Polaris Industries Inc. or hayfields. Also, find out where other people have already placed stands, blinds or trail cameras, and do your best to avoid interfering in someone else’s hunt. Find out if you are allowed to hunt others’ stands or blinds if no one else is there, or if those areas are permanently off-limits. These issues vary from place to place and may not even crop up the majority of the time, but it’s better to ask first to avoid confrontations and misunderstandings. Tailor your scouting and hunting activities to what’s available, and make the most of the opportunities you have. Most See Your Local Arctic Cat® ATV Dealer For Current Promotions! large properties conGORHAM LEBANON SIDNEY tain hundreds of game White Rock Outboard Northeast Motorsports Kramer’s Inc. crossings and trails, as 351 Sebago Lake Road 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 2400 West River Road well as bedding, roost207-457-2225 *Offer valid at participating U.S.207-892-9606 dealers to U.S. residents on new and unused 2010–2015 Arctic Cat ATV models excluding youth, rental, government and special 207-547-3345 services models. See dealer for details and ing and feeding areas. program dates. 4.9% FINANCING FOR 60 MONTHS valid on 2010-2015 models, Financing provided through Sheffield Financial or FreedomRoad Financial and is subject to credit approval; not all applicants www.nemotorsportsofmaine.com www.kramersinc.com will qualify for credit.www.whiterockoutboard.com Financing promotions void where prohibited. 2-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY valid on 2015 models and includes six-month limited factory warranty and 18-month extended service Part of your scouting contract through Cornerstone. REBATES UP TO $1,000 valid on 2010–2014 models and varies by model purchased. Offer subject to change without notice. Excludes tax, freight and dealer setup. Only ride an ATV that is right for your age. Supervise riders younger than 16. Arctic Cat recommends that all riders take a training course and read and understand the owner’s mission is to find manual thebefore operation. For safety or training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at (800) 887-2887. ©2015 Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Thief River Falls, MN 56701.
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(Continued on next page)
ROVs can be hazardous to operate. Improper use can cause severe injury or death. For your safety, each rider must wear a seat belt, approved helmet, eye protection and protective gear. Avoid excessive speeds and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. All ROV operators must be 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license. We recommend that all riders take a training course and read and understand the owner’s manual before operation. See your dealer for safety or training information or visit http://rohva.org. ©2017 Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Thief River Falls, MN 56701.
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22 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 21)
unseen hotspots and make them your own, all without interrupting another’s hunt or causing ill will with the landowner.
Visit Your Local Yamaha ATV Dealer for Details Today! Wolverine X2 JACKMAN SKOWHEGAN TOPSHAM Jackman Power Sports Whittemore & Sons Woody’s Performance Ctr. 549 Main Street 257 Waterville Road 70 Topsham Fair Mall Road 207-668-4442 207-474-2591 207-729-1177 www.jackmanpowersports.com www.whittemoreandsons.com www.teamwoodys.com LEWISTON Central Maine Powersports 845 Main Street 207-689-2345 www.centralmainepowersports.com
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1 No payments for 90 days for qualified buyers through participating Yamaha dealers on purchase of a new 2017-2021 Yamaha Motorcycle, Scooter, ATV or Side x Side. Offer available on approved credit through Yamaha Financial Services, a DBA of Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA (YMFUS). Finance charges will accrue during deferment period on the full amount financed. No down payment or trade-in required. Must take delivery from retail stock by 8/31/20. Not all buyers will qualify. See participating dealer for complete details. 2Offer available on approved purchases of a new 2017-2021 Yamaha Motorcycle, Scooter, ATV or Side x Side made on the Yamaha Credit Card issued by WebBank, member FDIC. Offer valid 7/1/20 through 8/31/20. Account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. Promotional 0%, 5.99%, 9.99% or 16.99% APR with Minimum Payments of 2.78%, 3.05%, 3.24% or 3.57% respectively of the purchase price balance, based on your creditworthiness, are effective until the purchase is paid in full. Minimum Interest Charge $2 per month. Standard APR 15.99%-23.99%. †Customer cash offer good on select models 7/1/2020 through 8/31/2020. See dealer for additional customer cash available on prior year models. Always protect the environment and wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Read the owner’s manual and product warning labels before operation. Model shown with optional accessories. Vehicle specifications subject to change.
Tricks of the Trade When scouting a large plot of land, use GPS coordinates to mark promising trails, feeding areas, saddles, ridges, crossings and other information that you discover while riding. Certainly spend some time walking in and around these areas to determine where the most game activity occurs, placing trail cams as necessary to increase your fund of information. Keep in mind that game activity and habits will change considerably between late August and October, then again during
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the pre-rut, rut and post-rut periods, and at least once more as seasonal shifts begin to occur in late November and early December. Use your Sundays to ride each property and make note of habitat changes and other details as the season rolls on. Remember that much can be learned by riding at a slow pace. Look for tracks and trails, rubs and scrapes, abrupt changes in game activity and other signs that give away what the target species is up to. Start your research in August, and by fall you’ll be well on your way to a successful hunting season.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 23
Making Sense of Scents for Bear Hunting by Bill Graves Despite the growing numbers of black bear throughout Maine, the “Black Ghost” is seldom spotted up close by campers, anglers, hikers, or hunters seeking birds, moose or deer. Bear have good eyesight, great hearing and an acute sense of smell. Most of the time, a bruin is aware of a human, and avoids an encounter from 100 yards or more away. Black bears’ outstanding olfactory senses work as both a boon and a bane to regional hunters, guides and outfitters who can begin setting up bait sites as early as August 1st. With the first day of bear season on August 31st (youth day is the 29th ), baiters have only a few short weeks to entice a worthy-size bruin to the food source during daylight hours.
In this special section, our Aroostook County columnist, a seasoned bear hunter, provides detailed advice on use of attractants and cover scents to increase your chances of bagging a trophy bruin over bait. The Nose Knows Old-timers used to depend on liquid anise, bacon grease, frying oil or a honey burn spread on bushes or tree leaves to attract bear. Even the slightest breeze carries these pungent aromas through the forest, and a bear’s nose will pick them up even a mile away. Once an animal tracks the smell toward the bait site, then the smell of food left in a bucket or barrel takes over and draws them in. After a bear visits the food container, the attractant oils and greases get on the fur or paws, and any other bear crossing the first bear’s trail may backtrack to the bait-
From past experience, the author has found that attractant scents draw far more bear than just bait. This Bear Scents LLC bacon-flavored bait ball lasts the entire season.
ing location. Bait Balls and Aerosols While the old-style natural attractants still work to some degree, new technology offers stronger aromas in far more efficient delivery packages, and they require much less time and effort to disperse. My proven favorites, based on success for drawing multiple bear to a single location, are scented bait balls and flavored pump sprays produced by Bear Scents LLC of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. I’ve experienced great luck with the bacon flavor, but a few of my friends and area guides swear by blueberry, apple, hick-
ory smoke, honey and strawberry scented products. There are over 20 flavors available. The bait balls should be hung from a tree limb at least 10 feet high, above the reach of even the tallest bear. Warm weather and rain help the semi-soft ball to evaporate, spreading its strong aroma on the wind for well over a month. Sprays are applied to fir trees, leaves and on approach trails to attract bruin but also to rub on their fur and feet so other bear can backtrack to the bait site. The company that makes Bear Bomb aerosols actually be-
It’s a bit of extra work to hang a bait ball, but the results are well worth the effort. Greg Palm of Presque Isle suspends the attractant ball from a wire cable near the bait barrel.
gan with Deer Bomb, and has expanded to several other game attractants as a result of its widespread success. The 5-ounce scent dispersal cans may be used as a single area fog near a bait location, or spritzed in short bursts on leaves, bushes, and nearby game trails for attraction. The spray can also be used around blinds or tree stands for a cover scent. Scents are Portable, Long-lasting Bear Bomb cans fit easily in a pocket, and they put out a fairly powerful, far-reaching mist that lasts for days, not just hours. The Crofton, Maryland manufacturer offers anise oil, hickory smoked bacon, beaver castor and cake icing. Bear Bomb and Bear Scents are available at most rod and (Continued on next page)
The use of a strong attractant scent that will disperse on the wind will help traveling bruin locate the bait site. Then, the food will keep them coming back. www.MaineSportsman.com
24 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Bear Scents (Continued from page 23)
gun shops and outdoor sporting goods stores throughout Maine. There are many outlets online, as well as the two main manufacturing companies web sites where more information on styles, sizes, aromas and prices is listed. There are also many testimonials and photos to peruse – you might even see a photo of this writer with a 337-lb. brute taken with a crossbow. Cover Scents Successfully enticing bear to the location of a tree stand or ground blind is just half of the chore. The difficult trick is to mask your human scent from the bear’s sensitive nose so the animal will actually show itself while you are present.
It’s imperative to wash all your hunting clothes in one of several scent-neutralizing detergents, and then keep them in a sealed plastic bag until it’s time to dress for the hunt. Leaving jackets, hats, boots and other outerwear hanging outside in the open air assures these garments won’t pick up household odors from cooking, pets and other sources. On top of fresh clothing, use a scentfree deodorant, avoid mouthwash, cigarettes, hair care products and especially cologne. Before heading to the stand, spray each layer of clothing with scent suppressant. Don’t overlook hats, facemasks, gloves,
www.parisfarmersunion.com South Paris • Lewiston • Bridgton • Winthrop • Portland Jay • Newport • Turner • Raymond, Maine & North Conway, NH
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knapsacks or weapon cases. Light to no wind always proves an advantage, or if not, then at least a breeze from the bait site into the hunter’s face, rather than vice-versa. Secret Weapon: Cedar Oil For those outings when the prevailing winds aren’t in your favor, it’s time to engage a couple of tricks to help mask human scents a bit. One of the tactics I’ve found successful actually comes from my deer-hunting playbook. I visit the local pharmacy and have them order a small dropper bottle of cedar oil, then I place a cotton ball under one of my lower boot laces and infuse it with 2 or 3 drops of the pungent liquid, covering my scent by emitting an aroma like the surrounding forest. Cotton balls can be zip-tied to the tree stand or a nearby tree branch and recharged each visit for a fresh natural cover scent. Another option to mask human scent used in conjunction with proper clothing
Charlie Anderson of Massachusetts enjoyed success on his very first big game hunt. He was one of only eight youth hunters to bag a bear on Youth Day in Maine last fall.
care involves dousing foliage around the tree stand or ground blind with one of Bear Scent or Bear Bomb sprays I mentioned earlier. The strong aroma works as an attractant and a cover scent, but be sure to apply the same flavor as your bait ball and your spray scent used around the bait site and trails. Sporting hunters never shoot sows with cubs, and few are interested in tagging a small black bear. That said, a trophy bruin doesn’t get big by being careless, so regardless of what many inexperienced folks surmise, bagging a bear over bait is no gimme!
Last season I had over 15 different bear visit my site, and never took a shot. I got a lot of photos and genuinely enjoyed each outing, but no bear steak on the table. Using current annual statistics, there’s no way hunters can stem the current increase in Aroostook’s bear population, and some people wonder why there are bear in their back yards. There are plenty of bear throughout The County, and when it’s time to set up a hunting location, don’t just use hunting sense – use cover and attractant scents for success.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 25
Bear-Hunting Tips by Steve Carpenteri
Especially to inexperienced hunters, all bears look big when they materialize at the bait site. That’s when a hunter’s training must kick in – compare the size to a known standard, such as the height of the bait barrel. Look at the head – are the ears pointed – indicative of a young bear – or are they rounded and on the sides of the bruin’s oversized head? It is probably safe to say that no game animal in Maine generates the level of mystery, mystique and excitement as an encounter with a black bear in the wild. All hunters are awe-struck by bears, some fear them and many hunt them for the sheer thrill of being in close proximity (usually less than 25 yards) from an animal that has eaten more humans than the mighty grizzly bear. I have seen big, tough men throw down their rifles and run when a bear, being chased by hounds, came snapping
through the alders at close range. One hunter actually lost control of his bladder when a bear, ignoring a roaring pack of hounds, suddenly stood up and stared the man straight in the eye with a menacing glare. You don’t get this kind of visceral thrill from a deer, moose or wild turkey. Of course, despite the black bear’s man-eating reputation (duly noted and documented), these top-end predators are among the most furtive, elusive and suspicious game animals in the state. Ask any bait
site hunter who makes the mistake of moving – for example, merely whisking away a pesky mosquito – how quickly and quietly a bear can disappear. What confounds hunters most of all is the size of a black bear in the wild. Last time I was at bear camp, 10 of 12 hunters tagged out by week’s end. The largest bear of the bunch weighed a piddling 68 pounds dressed! This after an initial training session with the guides over how to judge a bear (based on the size of the bait barrel) and clues to look for when
Any bear whose back comes to the top of a bait barrel is a potential shooter. All photos by Steve Carpenteri
confronted with a bear at the bait. So what happened? Not one of the 10 successful hunters waited, considered, or judged their bear
– they simply shot the first black bear that walked into the bait site. One of the 10 bears weighed just over 28 pounds, pro(Continued on next page)
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Bear-Hunting Tips (Continued from page 25)
viding the hunter only 16 pounds of meat for the trip home. Wait – and Wait Some More! In most cases, the first bears that come
into a bait are the smallest ones – cubs and yearlings that may or may not be accompanied by a sow. On rare occasions a large, lone boar will
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show up first, but the odds are that the biggest bears will not approach the bait till just before or shortly after sunset. This leaves the hunter a short window of opportunity, but those who want a real trophy bruin will wait till the very last minute to make a decision. Also, keep in mind that most bear hunts last six days, and hunters may spend five hours or more per day on stand. Certainly shoot a big bear if one appears, but if
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If you genuinely want a trophy-class animal, spend some time in the stand and give your guide time to match you up with the right stand and the right bear. Judging Bears Most guides use upright barrels or hanging buckets for baiting purposes, which serve the dual (Continued on next page)
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 27 (Continued from page 26)
purpose of allowing the hunter to size up the bear when it comes in. When using upright barrels, a bear whose back comes to the second ring is considered a small bear; any bear on all fours whose back is equal to or higher than the top ring is a shooter. When using hanging buckets, any bear that can walk under the bucket is a small one. A bear whose back reaches the first opening is a yearling (100 pounds or so), while a bear whose back is higher than the top opening (or even the top of the bucket) is a shooter. All bears look big at first, but when compared to the barrel or bucket, it’s easy to see how large (or small) the bear really is. In addition, if a bear’s ears are long
and pointed, it’s probably a young one. If a bear can get on or into the bucket, he’s too small. On the other hand, if a bear can walk over to a hanging bucket and eat while standing on all fours, he’s the monster you’ve been waiting for!
Take the Shot Aim as your guide instructed, and listen to the bear’s reaction after the shot. Be truthful in talking with the guide later about where you aimed, where you think you hit the bear, and what happened immediately after the
shot. Did the animal run far? Did it make any noise? The guide needs to know every detail, because he will be following the blood trail – in the dark – on your behalf. Wait patiently for a big bear, and then
make a good shot – if you can master those two skills, you will be a successful bear hunter.
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28 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Choke and Shot Selection for Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock by Michael Browning
The author, an Orvis-endorsed wingshooting guide, walks us through proper shotshell selection – including what number shot, and what weight – as well as the choke-setting options, factoring in the species of bird, the distance of a typical shot, and even the time of year. Because I am a wing-shooting guide, specializing in ruffed grouse and woodcock, clients frequently ask me what size choke and shot they should use. I usually tell them it’s a personal preference. In the wing-shooting world, you need to adjust your shotgun to the birds you’ll be hunting. For example, wingshooting for pheasant requires different chokes and loads compared to ruffed grouse and woodcock. You can use a 12 gauge for either game, but a #5 1¼ load with a modified or full choke is going to be too much for grouse and woodcock. Different Choke for Each Barrel In the grouse covers, most of your shots are going to be 25 to 35 yards – usually with a lot of obstructions, like those pesky alders. Let’s say you’re www.MaineSportsman.com
using a double barrel shotgun in the grouse and woodcock covers. You will be lucky to get off two shots in such close quarters, particularly with grouse. In grouse and woodcock covers with my double barrel, I’ll have a skeet choke in the first barrel and improved cylinder in the second barrel. That way my first shot, skeet, will deliver 40 percent of its shot load within a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. My second shot, improved cylinder, will deliver 50 percent of its shot load within a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. But in the grouse covers, your chances at connecting at 40 yards or beyond are slim to none. Usually after 35 yards you’ll have embedded most of your shot in a tree, as a grouse will put a tree between you and your shot pattern quicker than you can blink!
Shot Size Matters Now, when it comes to shot size, that too is a personal preference. Let’s use the 12 gauge as an example. Some beginners would presume that a #9 shot is right for woodcock. They think that because a #9 shot is smaller than a #5 it won’t rip the bird apart. In some ways that’s true, but you must take into consideration your shot load and choke. Let’s break it down to a single barrel. If you’re using a 12-gauge 1-1/8-oz #9 shot with a full choke, not only will it be a tighter pattern, it will deliver 70 percent of its shot load within a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. So, if a 7-ounce woodcock comes in your line of fire at 35 yards and you connect, there won’t be much left of the bird but feathers.
This drawing depicts the effects of four different choke settings -- skeet, improved, modified and full. Illustration by Michael Browning
If you use a lighter load, 7/8-oz. #8 shot with a wide spread choke like skeet and hit a little woodcock at 25 or 35 yards, it won’t be demolished. If you’re going to use a 12 gauge for woodcock, I would use an open choke, like cylinder or skeet, with a #7-1/2 or 8 shot, with 7/8- or 1-oz. loads. That way, if you shoot at 25 to 35 yards, you’ll have woodcock for dinner, instead of feathers for tying flies. Shot Weight is Important When trying to determine the proper ammunition to use, many folks look at only the shot number
on the shotshell and nothing else. Yes, it is important to use the correct shot number, but you also must look at the shot weight. You don’t want to use #8 shot with 1½-oz. load on a little woodcock or quail. The 1½-oz load is the weight in ounces of pellets loaded in the shell. 1-1/2 oz would consist of 615 pellets. That’s a lot of pellets going into a little bird! On the other hand, if you use a #8 7/8-oz. load, that’s 359 pellets. This process would be reversed for pheasant – you’d want a heavier load for the bigger bird. Consider using a #5 1-oz load, (Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 29
— Guest Column —
Happily Fishing in the Late-Afternoon Rain by Nolan Raymond I strode out the front door of our camp at Sebago Lake in high spirits around 4:30 p.m., clad in a raincoat and shorts. It had been raining for two days, but would that stop you from pushing your boat off the beach and trolling for togue? Me neither! I was toting the essentials – one rod was equipped with the classic Pflueger Pakron reel, which was spooled with lead core line to which was tied a Mooselook Wobbler. My second, heavier rod was rigged with a Dipsy Diver, Luhr Jensen Dodger, and a Flatfish – a deadly combination for slow trolling. “The Rig” was a Mess I hiked to the beach, full of hope and completely oblivious to the steady rain that had already soaked my ball cap and sneakers. My small boat, “The Rig,” was a mess. The life jacket was soaked, and there was
There are plenty of togue in Sebago, says the young author, but to catch them, you’ve got to get deep. a pool of water off to one side of the plug. After draining the water, I inserted the plug into its housing and eased the old setup off the beach. Once I hopped over the gunwale, it was straight to the Evinrude 8-horse to get it running. It started second pull, and I was off. Setting Up – “Like Clockwork” The heavy rain and low clouds prevented me from seeing the next point, let alone the opposite shoreline nearly 6 miles away. I set out regardless – I know the area like the back of my hand, and could probably find the drop-off that starts the trolling path with my eyes closed. Setting up goes like clockwork – motor down to low idle, pick a landmark and shoot for it. Lead core goes in the water first
Shooting Sports (Continued from page 28)
consisting of 276 pellets. A larger bird at a greater distance requires a heavier load. The same goes for ruffed grouse. Even though a grouse is significantly bigger than a woodcock, you still want to use similar loads and chokes, primarily because they both occupy similar covers, with shots still maintaining 25 to 35 yards. It doesn’t take a lot of pellets to bring down either bird. But as I mentioned earlier, you must match your loads and chokes to your game. Different Tactics as the Leaves Clear Once the leaves have fallen off the
The author heads out onto Sebago Lake in “The Rig.”
– loosen the drag and let it down. The Dipsy Diver goes in the other rod holder behind me. According to the Maine IF&W’s Sebago Lake SPIN survey (a togue assessment tool first developed in Ontario; the acronym is short for “Summer Profundal Index Netting”), most togue are below 98 feet in the water column, but they get progressively smaller at deeper
depths. I put out eight colors of lead core, which only gets me to 40 or 50 feet down. I put my other rod slightly deeper, around 65 feet. I usually do alright around these depths, and catch bigger fish than the SPIN average, which was 19 inches. Trolling for togue in the rain – is there a better way to spend a summer afternoon? Hints from Nolan For the inexperienced angler targeting lake trout, I have a few suggestions: • Be sure your boat is in good working order before you head out. • Get quality rods and reels. This doesn’t mean to spend hundreds of dollars, but don’t be skimpy. Good gear lasts. • For tackle, any good line of spin-
trees, grouse will become more skittish. When this occurs, they’ll be flushing at a greater distance. This too will require choke and load adjustment. In the fall, much of their natural cover is gone, leaving them more exposed. Without foliage and ground cover, it’s more difficult for them to remain concealed. Every grouse hunter has had a grouse flush moments after they passed. The startlingly-loud beating of wings will throw your concentration off for a few seconds, which is plenty of time for a grouse to disappear, leaving your shotgun unfired and your heart pumping with adrenaline. In the fall, I reverse my usual loading pattern, and use an improved cylinder in my first barrel and a modified
ners behind a Dipsy Diver with heavy monofilament or braid should suffice. • To get into the deep water, downriggers will do the job. I have a small one that clamps to the side of my boat. • An alternative to downriggers, although it’s more labor-intensive, is lead core. Spool it on a sufficient reel, and set up a big line of spinners with a Flatfish or Mooselook Wobbler. I like this setup because unlike some other methods, it curves in the water and “snakes” behind the boat. Whatever your preferences are, there are plenty of togue in Sebago, and they make for some good eating. Nolan Raymond is a 9th-Grader from Hermon, Maine.
¶
in my second. The modified delivers a 30-inch spread at 35 yards. That way I can reach grouse at a farther distance. Now, as I said before, it doesn’t take much to bring down a grouse. But their feathers become thicker in the late fall into the winter months. So between a greater flushing distance and denser plumage, you’ll need a little more knock-down power. I would recommend a # 5 or 6, 1-oz shot. While these are what I use for grouse and woodcock, selection is a matter of personal preference. If you’re using loads and chokes that are working for you at the distances your birds are flushing, by all means, use what works for you.
¶
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30 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
The Haddock Bite’s Hot! Haddock fishing off the New England coastline has absolutely been on fire so far this season. The stock has rebounded to the point where the recreational quota (3200 metric tons, or 27% of the total commercial/ recreational allocation) is now up to a level where we couldn’t catch all the haddock available to us in 2020 if we tried. Regardless, fishery managers have kept the bag limit at 15 fish per angler per day, but the season is now open year-round except for the month of March.
The 2020 season may turn out to be the best in history for haddock anglers, as stocks of these fish in the waters off New England are at an all-time high. And they’re good eating, too: Sautéed, baked, broiled, or deep-fried, haddock are among the finest eating fish on the planet! And, in some areas, especially off Massachusetts, loads of haddock are currently being caught just two or three miles offshore! Regardless of how many haddock are out there, catching them isn’t always a sure thing. These fish have clear preferences as to habitat and feed, as well as the ability to
shake themselves off the hook while being reeled to the surface, so I’ll share a few tips I’ve picked up on my haddock trips the past couple of seasons. Lighter is Better If you’re specifically targeting haddock, you’ll want a rod that’s right for the job – lighter than your favorite cod-jigging stick. A
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good haddock rod is six to seven feet long with a fairly limber tip, as most haddock fishing is done with bait, and you’ll want to be able to feel a pickup in 200 feet of water. In addition, haddock have soft mouths, so a rod with a little “give” in the tip will help prevent the hook from pulling free as the fish is being cranked up from the bottom. And remember, haddock run much smaller than cod – generally about two to six pounds – so a light rod provides the most sport. The reel can be around 3/0 in size (such as a Penn Squall 15LW), and 50-pound superbraid line, which has the diameter of 10-pound mono, is ideal. Superbraids (e.g., Spiderwire, Spectra) have almost no stretch, which helps you feel the haddock’s bite, assists in hooking-up, and cuts the water so that the slack or “bow” in the line is minimized. Rigging Right My home-tied haddock rig starts out as a six-foot length of 50-pound mono with a six-inch loop in one
end for the sinker, which can range from 6 to 12 or more ounces in order to get down as deep as 300 feet. A four-inch dropper loop is tied in 18 inches or so above that, then a second dropper 18 inches above the first one, with a 4/0 or 5/0 Kahle or baitholder claw-style hook attached to each loop. I tie a surgeon’s loop at the top, which will go onto the snap swivel at the end of the fishing line. I’ve used the rig described above for years (and still do on occasion), but now I buy similar rigs pretied with Kahle hooks, offered by companies such as Zing Fishing Tackle and Sea Striker, available at most Maine tackle shops located near the coast for around $3 apiece. These rigs are dressed with orange and chartreuse fluorescent plastic tubing on the hooks for some added attraction, and there’s a stainless sinker snap at the bottom that makes changing weights easy as pie. Best Baits A piece of fresh, cutup sea clam is a triedand-true haddock bait, but frozen clams will normally work almost as well. Don’t gob on big hunks, though, since haddock have small mouths. A strip of clam that includes some of the purple col(Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 31 (Continued from page 30)
oration in the neck, as well as a small piece of the gooey, aromatic belly section, can be especially effective. I’ve also had great success with fresh mackerel “steaks” about a half-inch in thickness, and my haddock-fishing buddy Bob Damrell of Georgetown always
brings a bag of frozen squid that we thaw and cut into strips. Some sharpies also use shrimp, which can be also be highly effective. Haddock prefer fresh bait, and seem to shy away from an offering that’s been sitting on the bottom too long. If you don’t get a hit within ten minutes or so, reel up and put
on a new bait. When you do hook up, resist the urge to pump-and-reel like you would with most other deep-sea fish. The best technique is to hold the rod nearly horizontal and simply wind slowly and steadily. With a little experience, you’ll be able to tell a cod from (Continued on page 33)
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Gear and Lures that Should be in Every Saltwater Angler’s Tacklebox by Steve Vose Summer is the perfect time for anglers to fish the state’s sandy beaches, bays and estuaries in pursuit of striped bass. Since striped bass tend to congregate close to the Maine coast, they can easily be fished from shore. Because of the simplicity of this fishing method, anglers need not make a huge investment in lures and gear to be successful. Those looking to give saltwater angling a try can fish for striped bass with their standard freshwater angling reel and rod. (I do, however, highly recommend thoroughly cleaning your rod, reel and any non-stain-
less lures after each trip, as the marine environment is extremely tough on freshwater fishing gear.) With rod and reel in hand, anglers need only to purchase a few basic items before hitting the salt. Long Nose Hemostat Striped bass not defined by law as “keepers” must be returned immediately and unharmed to the sea. Unfortunately, many bass are killed while anglers attempt to remove the hooks that can sometimes be buried deep inside the creatures’ mouths. While many types of pliers and hook removers exist, the light-
weight hemostat is best-suited to assist with this task. Another advantage? Given the locking ability of the devices, they can be clamped onto an angler’s shirt or shorts where they are always readily accessible.
bass will get hooked in such a manner that removing the lure requires extra time and attention. While striped bass have no teeth that could seriously injure an angler, the fish have enormous strength. Hav-
A hemostat is a set of locking pliers originally designed for surgery. This stainless model sells for just $2. Photo: PJ Tool & Supply
Gloves that simply allow an angler to grip a fish can be had for $6 a pair, but if you want puncture-resistance, you’ll need a more expensive, tougher-quality glove like this Lindy “Fish Handler,” at about $26 a pair. Photo: Lindy
Tough, Grippy Gloves Occasionally, a striped
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ing on a pair of gloves that feature a textured grip and are puncture resistant, permits an angler to control the hooked fish and allows the fish to be returned to the water more quickly. Tactical Angler Clips If you are an angler who hasn’t yet thrown out their old snap swivels and switched to tactical angler clips, I strongly suggest giving them a try. These simple devices look like small paperclips and allow fishermen to connect lure to fishing line faster and with less potential for unclipping than the snap swivel. Angler clips (Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 33 (Continued from page 32)
also come in several different strengths from 25- to 175-pound test. Striped Bass Lures While I have dozens of striped bass lures, my three favorites are the Sluggo (which also caught my largest striped bass to date – 36”), the Storm Swim Shad, and the
From the author’s tackle box, assorted striped bass lures – poppers, swim shads, imitation sand worms, and a Sluggo.
classic pencil popper. With these three different types of lures,
Haddock (Continued from page 31)
a haddock as you work it to the surface. A haddock will cause the rod tip to “bounce” up and down in a lively manner, whereas a cod normally feels more like a steady weight with random yanks. Where to Find Them Most Maine offshore party and charter boat operators will put you on haddock pretty quickly, and a trip on one of these vessels is the way to go if you’re new to deep-sea fishing. If you want to try for haddock from
I am able to fish a wide array of tidal and weather conditions and match a majority of the forage the bass consume. Lure Recommendations from a Pro Every year, the fishing industry launches new lures into the market promising anglers more and
bigger fish. To get a handle on the best new fishing lures for this season, I called and spoke with Dana at The Tackle Shop on Veranda Street in Portland. Although it’s important to include some newer-style lures in your tackle box, Dana recommended that striped bass an-
your own boat, look for clay or gravel bottom in 150 to 250 feet or more, although smooth “hard” rock bottom will also hold these fish. Of course, haddock make terrific eating. Bleed them by cutting the throat latch as soon as you catch one (they have to be 17” minimum length to be legal) and place it directly on ice. You can fillet it back at the ramp or dock. Sautéed, baked, broiled, or deepfried, they’re one of the finest eating fish on the planet!
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glers not head for salt water without these six classic lures: • Bucktail Jig • Rapala X-Ray SXR10 • Cordell Pencil Popper • Daiwa SP minnow • Rebel Jumping Minnow, and • Sluggo.
¶
Bob Damrell of Georgetown displays a nice keeper haddock, taken on one of his favorite baits, a squid strip, aboard the author’s boat last summer. Steve Rubicam photo.
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Mackerel Time in Maine When I was a youngster, August was always mackerel time for me. My folks raised their own vegetables, and Grandpa and I fished and hunted to supplement our diet. Mackerel filled an important niche, and in August we ate mackerel two or three times a week. We never tired of it, either. Grandpa is no longer alive, but I keep up the tradition of having homegrown meals in August, with freshcaught mackerel as the main ingredient. As with any schooling fish, mackerel rank as totally unpredictable. Schools of mackerel come and go. Some years the bay is packed with mackerel, and other times it might take a day to land a dozen fish.
When fishing for mackerel from municipal floats, the author uses two rods – one with a tiny shrimp on a hook that drifts with the current; and the other rigged with a Swedish Pimple, for casting.
This mackerel fell to a Swedish Pimple with a red flapper tag.
That unpredictability, though, keeps us coming back, hoping that the schools are in and that they are all composed of the biggest fish around.
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rods, both with orangeand-gold Mooselook Wobblers on the ends of the lines. This gear not only takes mackerel, but striped bass and bluefish as well.
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Float Fishing When it’s just too windy to take the boat out, I turn to fishing from town floats at any of Midcoast Maine’s public landings. Surprisingly, mackerel are often more plentiful around these floats than they are out in the bay. When first setting up fishing from a float, I use two rods, one of them baited with a small bit of fresh or frozen shrimp. With no additional gear on my line such as sinkers and swivels, the shrimp swishes back and forth with the current, a presentation no mackerel can resist. The other rod I use for casting, and my favorite lure is an old favorite, the Swedish Pimple – a long, three-sided jig with a little red tag that flaps just above the treble hook. Pimples cast like bullets, and my favorite fishing method is to cast out as far as possible and then wait for the jig to settle a few feet before reeling in. When mackerel begin biting with every cast, it’s too difficult to tend two lines, so the shrimp-baited line comes in as long as the feeding frenzy lasts. And when action slows, it’s time to retire the rod with the Swedish Pimple and devote my energy to watching the shrimp-baited line for any signs of a bite. Between these two (Continued on page 36)
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Region Offers Both Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing Opportunities Downeast anglers often fish for lake trout in August. Lake trout are deep dwellers that prefer very cold water year-round. They feed mainly on smelts, but they also eat aquatic insects and small fish. Consequently, these prolific feeders can grow quite large. This time of year, the best method of fishing for togue is trolling with lead core line or downriggers using minnows or copper, white, or silver lures. In August, anglers usually catch lake trout at depths below 45 feet. Green Lake, in Dedham One favorite water to catch a few summer-fattened lake trout is Green Lake in Dedham. Refer to DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 23, C-5. Green contains nearly 3,000 acres of prime salmon and lake trout habitat. Green Lake is wellknown for its large lake trout. According to Maine Fisheries biologist Greg Burr, Green is a consistent producer of togue weighing more than 10 pounds. Green was stocked this spring with 2,000 6- to 8-inch lake trout. Winter reports from this water revealed that fewer fish than usual were caught. Poor ice conditions reduced the number of fishermen who chose to venture out onto the ice. There-
The Downeast Region offers great freshwater fishing this time of year, including for trophy lake trout. Want to try something different? Then head to the coast for mackerel and stripers.
Local angler Ron Parent holds a hefty white perch he pulled from the waters of Graham Lake in Ellsworth. Parent gets consistent results using worms and night crawlers, either with bobbers or weightless worm casting. The big perch run between a pound, and 1-1/2 pounds.
fore, more lakers are available for anglers this summer. Green Lake offers two public boat-launching facilities. One is located about midway down the south side of the lake, while the other is at the north end of the
lake. Donnell Pond (Sullivan) Another togue-producer is Donnell Pond in Sullivan (Map 24, D-5). Donnell is a 1,120-acre water with a maximum depth of 119 feet. Hatchery
trucks dropped off 250 7-inch lake trout this spring. Experimental
lake trout stocking programs have been carried out for years with marginal success. Hopefully, the more the recent stockings of togue will be successful. This lake also contains some fine smallmouth bass fishing. Recent surveys showed that bass in the 15- to 17-inch range comprise a better-than-average proportion of the population. Most years, the lake yields a few 3-1/2 to 4-pound smallmouths. According to a fishing report written by IF&W fisheries biologist Greg Burr, “August a great time Downeast for bass and white perch fishing. Bass fishing is especially good for those who love to fly fish for bass. Anglers who fish with live bait will also find success in the drop-off areas.” White perch here provide good action, especially during warm (Continued on next page)
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36 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Downeast Region (Continued from page 35)
August evenings. A fair number of 10to 12-inch perch are caught each summer, with a few extra-large 14-inch fish boated by lucky anglers. However, if fishing proves to be slow, adjacent forests and waters that comprise the Donnell Public Land Reserve offer outdoor families other great adventures. This wilderness treasure consists more than 14,000 acres of remote forested land with other clear lakes, secluded ponds, and mountains with panoramic views. Maintained forest campsites are found dotting Donnell Pond, Schoodic Bay and Tunk Lake.
Black Mountain Trail provides hikers with a backcountry experience through a forest of dense spruce and oak. Coastal Fishing for Mackerel, Stripers Saltwater fishing gets exhilarating during the month of August in Downeast Region. Anglers all along this seaside region encounter schools of mackerel and an increasing number of striped bass. Anglers will find success off Searsport around Penobscot Bay and up toward Machias. One of my most recent mackerel adventures featured 10to 12-inch mackerel swimming along the
Midcoast Report (Continued from page 34)
methods, I usually go home with a cooler filled with mackerel. Brook Fishing Back when fishing for native brook trout in brooks and streams was far more popular, many anglers made it a practice to go out one last time before the season closed – a kind of “postlude” to opening day. Today, fishing with bait is permitted through August 15, and anglers may keep 5 trout unless otherwise noted in the law book. From August 16 to September 30, fishing is limited to artificial lures and flies, with a 1-fish per day bag limit. While this late-season fishing often gets overlooked, a good number of anglers consider it a special time, and they go to lengths to go out and take a few trout while they can. I number among those anglers. Even though salmon, trout and togue continue to come to net in lakes and ponds, our fascination with and love for the little native trout that populate our brooks and streams, remains strong.
Spring Holes Fishing in the same places that pro-
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shoreline, striking everything in sight. My rod curved as one, then two silver mackerel inhaled my clam-baited hooks. I finally brought the silver-sided fish to the dock and unhooked them. Another cast and the voraciously-feeding mackerel once again attacked my offering. This feeding frenzy continued for approximately ten minutes. After a half-hour lull in the action, the mackerel swam back up the bay, and the exciting fishing escapade began all over again. I finished the day at the Searsport Town Dock, and was rewarded with a healthy catch of nice-sized mackerel. Mackerel-seekers from Penobscot Bay to Eastport will be
wetting lines from area bridges, docks and ledges, or by trolling the bay for these hard-hitting fish. Other Hancock and Washington County anglers troll for mackerel by using trolling rods or fly rods. Bucktail flies, streamers and small jigs catch most of the mackerel for August anglers. Shoreline fishers often catch good numbers by using spinning gear and a # 6 hook baited with clams, mussels or marine worms. Striper Numbers Rebounding Downeast tidal waters hold a rebounding population of striped bass. Bass anglers fishing from Bucksport to Machias often boat schoolies in the 20- to 26-inch range. The
duced so well in spring may not bring similar results now. With water almost at its warmest of the season, trout seek spring holes and areas of streams near spring seeps – places where ice-cold water trickles into the stream. While common practice is to ply the deepest holes in the brook or stream, in doing so we often overlook the best places of all. Springs don’t play favorites, and though it sounds contradictory, deep holes are often too warm for trout, while spring-fed pools only three feet deep can hold large groups of trout. The challenge, then, is to find these spring-fed pools. One thing to bear in mind is that even if the pool is spring fed, unless it has plenty of streamside vegetation to shade it, fish won’t bite during the day. So the successful angler will need to go out early and late in the day to avoid the hours when bright sunlight illuminates the stream bottom. While prospecting for spring-fed pools, remember that with typical low water of August, trout are wary to an extreme. Thus, a shadow falling across a pool can easily spook every trout. It takes them a long time to settle down after such a fright, so keep a low profile if possible, walk lightly so as not to transmit vibrations, and don’t allow your shadow to fall on the water.
past few years have been very encouraging for striped-bass anglers. In recent conversations with professional saltwater Maine Master Guide, Joe Rego of Prospect, I learned that stripers are experiencing an upward swing in population. Joe mentioned that five or six years ago he and his sports were only catching a couple hundred of stripers each year. Joe said that in the past two years, he and his clients have caught over 5,000 stripers each year from the Penobscot and the Damariscotta Rivers. Captain Joe also stated that only 80 stripers of his total catch were over 28 inches.
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Late Fishing After August 15, most anglers quit fishing the small brooks and streams. The idea of being allowed to keep only one trout probably has much to do with this. It doesn’t bother me at all, though, since I know these regulations are in place in order to protect the resource. Since two of these little brook trout are needed for a meal for one person, the 1-fish regulation gives me an incentive to fish even more, keeping the first day’s fish in the refrigerator and going the next day for the second one. Not using bait doesn’t come as a problem, either. While fly fishing in the thick cover along small streams seems an exercise in futility, my favorite lures, Trout Magnets, work well for this. I have often cast into a pool filled with trout and watched as the fish contended with each other to see which one could reach the lure first. Besides all that, Trout Magnets hook trout in the roof of the mouth, making releasing fish easy. So it is possible to have a great day afield, with lots of fish and no harm done to the population. Give it a try and see for yourself.
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Hot Action Up North in NH Lake Umbagog (pronounced “umBAY-gog,” contrary to how the visitors from flatter lands say it) is the place to be in the dead of the summer heat. When other fisheries fall lethargic in the higher temps, this one remains productive. My father, who is a registered NH hunting and fishing guide, relies on Umbagog as “Old Faithful.” When in doubt about the bite elsewhere, the safe bet is to drive north to Errol. And it doesn’t seem to matter the conditions or season – early spring, mid-summer, late fall, and even in the ice-capped dead of winter, there are fish to be caught. Old Faithful The lake, which is the second-largest in area in New Hampshire, is surprisingly shallow. It is also surprisingly – due to its famous trout tributaries – chock-full of smallmouth bass. It is not unheard of for a couple of anglers to catch over a hundred fish in a weekend—or even two hundred. Most of these smallmouth are in the one- to two-pound range. But there are also some big ones to be had. A weekend of fishing will usually produce a few threepound bronzebacks. And once in a while, a four- or five-pounder will emerge on the other end of the line.
A picturesque moment as the early morning fog burns off and a bass boat silhouette emerges on Lake Umbagog.
Even in the peak of the summer heat, there’s no secret tactic needed to catch the smaller bass. About anything and anywhere works. The lake is full of structure, with numerous boulders and small ledges. **Boaters beware of this!** The bigger bronzebacks, though, typically require some targeting. My dad and I fish several competitive tournaments here each year, so I am not at liberty to divulge the exact coordinates of the honey-holes. But without giving away too much for specifics, it’s safe to say the bigger specimens spend more time in deeper water. As most bass fishermen know, targeting the areas of steep dropoffs is crucial. That being said, there are times when the bigger fish can be caught in shallower water, even in mid-summer – and here’s how.
Big Fish in the Shallows Early in the morning or late in the evening, when the temperatures are cooler and the light is dimmer, the bigger fish move up on to the sandy-bottomed flats to feed. Typically they are cruising about, chasing baitfish. This is an excellent opportunity to catch big bass on action baits, namely suspending hard jerkbaits and topwater plugs. There is nothing quite like having a big smallmouth explode out of the water for a topwater attack. Some of my favorite fishing memories have been “walking the dog” with a black and gold Zara Spook in fog so thick you can’t see the bait, but are listening for the splash of the fish striking it. On once such morning, the splash sounded extra-aggressive, but there was little fight from the catch as I reeled it in. Then, as it came to the net,
The writer holds up two smallmouth he caught on one cast on a topwater lure on Lake Umbagog.
I started seeing double. Two bass (each about a pound and a half) had struck the Spook lure at the exact same time – one on the front treble hook, and one on the rear! With their heads so awkwardly close, they couldn’t swim efficiently enough to put up a fight. Wacky Weeds Another way of targeting larger bass takes a bit more scouting. Umbagog, though a relatively clean northern lake, does have a few small patches of milfoil scattered about. Their locations seem to migrate year-to-year and they don’t become really noticeable until mid- to late-summer. So it takes a lot of motoring around and GPS monitoring to discover them. Putting aside the invasiveness of the weed and any debate about how to control its spread, the small patches in Umbagog
make for great fish habitat. Predator fish will tuck themselves into the thick cover the milfoil supplies, darting out at unsuspecting baitfish as they go by the edge. Umbagog has a few pickerel, and I’ve heard rumors of a pike or two. But for the most part, the predator fish within the milfoil are big-bodied smallmouth and an occasional largemouth (rare to find in the lake). I like to fish the edges of the weedbeds (since there is no good way to fish the thick middle without instantly covering your bait with weeds) with spinnerbaits. A lot of times when using action baits such as spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, or topwater, you can get half-hearted strikes or “chasers” that simply follow the bait back to the boat before turning and disappearing. In these instances where a fish hasn’t been “educated” (pricked with the hook), it is typically effective to retrieve the bait as fast as possible and immediately cast out a handy “wacky-rigged” Senko worm at the site of the encounter. In my experience, more than half the time, the fish will take it on the fall or first lift. The “wacky worm” is like the lake itself – when in doubt, it’s the go-to faithful choice.
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38 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Guiding and Learning on the Androscoggin River I’ve written about guiding Bill Cope in these pages so frequently that it’s likely you readers know him as well as I do. Mr. Cope, a highly-experienced angler from Pennsylvania, made it a point to come and fish the Androscoggin River with me the first few days of August each year, and always gave me plenty to write about. His casting technique had me in awe ... rowing the drift boat, I had a front-row seat and watched as he swirled his fly in and around overhanging branches and half-submerged stumps and rocks. He didn’t mind telling me how to do what he was doing either, often stopping to explain how to get a fly in position without accidentally getting the hook stuck in the over-
Good memories -- like Bill Cope’s encounter with the “alligator smallmouth” – are never forgotten. Instead, they just blend in with all of the other great times spent in the Western Maine Mountains. And those memories keep the author going back to the water for more. hanging bushes and trees. He taught me that once launched, a fly can still be directed with a simple movement of the rod tip. If he wanted to cast a fly around something, all he did was complete the forward cast and then swing his rod tip left or right to get the fly around an object at the last minute. I use that little trick regularly and always have to give thanks to Mr. Cope for his kind and effective teaching skills. This is the same fellow who showed me how to more effective-
ly row my drift boat while fishing with him the first few years ... just an incredible person to become acquainted with. Client Turned Friend Over the years, Mr. Cope and I became fishing friends; I even got to fish with him a few years back when he hired a super guide from the Grand Lake Stream area named J. R. Mabee. This humble and quiet guide took us down the Penobscot River for a wonderful day of smallmouth bass fishing, and it
turned out to be one of my finest days of fishing. That’s because Mr. Mabee really knew how to put us onto some great Penobscot bronzebacks. Whenever we were out fishing, as Cope would cast and hook into huge smallmouth bass, we would relive the best parts of past fishing trips together and laugh all over again. There are so many stories of great times that I can hardly remember them all – I should write a book. Among my favorite fishing experiences with Cope was an Androscoggin River trip
during one of Maine’s typical hot and humid August days. We had just moved over closer to the jagged shoreline of the river, and Cope began casting. As he laid his fly down but before it had even hit the water, a huge smallmouth bass came out from under a shaded rock that only had maybe four inches of water surrounding it. Cope was so flabbergasted that he reeled back too soon and missed the big fish. On most occasions he remained calm and quiet, but this time he hollered, “William, did you see that one? He looked like an alligator! Like he grew legs, stood up in that shallow water and scrabbled to get to that fly!” Organized Angler (Continued on next page)
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2020 NEOWA Youth Writing Contest Winner: First Place Maine Junior Category
That Time in Summer by Magnolia Harms, Massabesic Middle School
It is that time of day in summer. It is that time of day in summer where the sun has set but it’s not dark yet. My face is covered in sweet juice from watermelons cut fresh from the field, still slightly warm from the sun. We are having a potluck in the farm field, close to the river. I am barefoot, my feet are nearly invisible under the layers of dirt, and the breeze sends chills through my bones. “Brrr!” someone exclaims dramatically. “I kind-of want to go, swimming?” they say, asking it more like a question.
This is the essay that won middle-schooler Magnolia Harms of Alfred first place in the “Junior” category for Maine in the New England Outdoor Writers’ Association youth writing contest. “Ohhh, that sounds fun!” I agree. “That sounds ... cold,” someone else says, skeptically. After much discussion, there are five teenagers and one adult in the old rusty farm truck bumping down the dirt road to go get swimsuits on. The air whips around our faces as we sit, legs dangling out the back of the open truck, the red paint peeling off the sides. We watch as
Western Maine (Continued from page 38)
Cope is one of the most organized anglers I have ever known. He showed up once with a new van he had decked out to keep all of his fishing gear right where he wanted it for any angling occasion. When he whipped out his fly boxes and started showing me what he had been tying all winter, I just had to call the grandkids over to have a looksee. He had arranged a slew of handtied flies in several boxes that would have every fishing situation covered. Each fly was meticulously placed according to size and color in individual fly boxes. He opened the rear hatch of the mini-van, revealing a bank of PVC tubes for carrying his fully-assembled fly rods that he could easily access from the rear of the van. On either side of the rods, which ran the length of the van from the rear door to the front console, he had laid out all of his fishing gear in an easily-accessible manner. A rod and hangers held his rain jacket, rain pants and
the truck leaves a dust storm behind us. As we drive past the pigs, they all jump up from their big mud puddle and run around their pen, chasing the farm truck up the road. After we get our bathing suits on, we get in the farm truck, and once again the truck rockets down the bumpy road to the big field of wildflowers by the water’s edge. There are fireflies everywhere, flying
around in the field. We jump out and run over the tree roots, racing to jump in the water. As my skin hits the water, I feel my muscles relax. The water is warmer than the air, but still surprising. We all swim out to the dock, jumping and splashing, then jumping and splashing some more. Above us now is a sky spotted with stars and a sliver of the moon. Everyone
is jumping off backward and doing flips, pencils, cannonballs, and cartwheels. I just run, lift my knees up and jump. The water explodes around me; engulfs me. I feel it on my eyelashes, all over my skin, all around me. My hair expands and floats around my head. Everything is quiet. Then I come up to the surface and gasp for air, surrounded once again by splashing and noise. It was that time in summer. That time in summer where I was free like a lightning bug in a big open field.
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various fishing shirts and pants. Extra boots and duffle bags lined the floor, but not completely – he conveniently left a space where he could sit and put his waders and boots on. Improved Mr. Cope surely improved my fishing life by taking me up and over any kind of learning curve. His gentle and persuasive teaching technique carried me around and past several tough spots in my journey to becoming a better angler, just like his casting technique for sending a fly around objects that might be in the way. It has been a few years now since we have fished together. Mr. Cope has stayed in Pennsylvania the past several fishing seasons for one reason or another. Even though I miss his presence in my boat on those hot August days on the Androscoggin River, whenever I toss a fly out across the rolling surface of the water I often remember back to that “alligator” smallmouth that seemed to grow legs before attacking the airborne fly. Good memories like that are never forgotten – they just blend in with all of the other great times spent in the
Pennsylvania angler Bill Cope holds a nice smallmouth bass he hooked while he and the author were being guided by J. R. Mabee on the Penobscot River. William Clunie photo
Western Maine Mountains. And those memories keep this angler going back to the water for more.
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40 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
— Guest Column —
A Ranger on the Allagash –
“All in a Day’s Work” – Part 2 by Tim Caverly My July column discussed a typical day of patrolling along the Allagash River. As Waterway Supervisor, I spent many days directing a cadre of Rangers and staff responsible for resource protection and public safety. There are six ranger districts in the Allagash that combine to cover the 92-mile canoe trip. But there’s more to a Ranger’s duties than simply spending time on the water. Management Zones The Wilderness Corridor comprises zones designed to enhance the remote experience. First is the state-held Restricted Zone. An area is managed by the Bureau of Parks and Lands and averages 500 feet in width. This “beauty strip” is the nucleus of Maine’s premiere wilderness experience. Outside this thin green line is a quarter-mile New Construction Zone, over which the Bureau reviews new development for any impact to the Restricted Zone. Beyond that is a third sector, or a OneMile Zone, an area that extends one mile from the corridor’s highwater mark. Here, Rangers work with landowners to oversee forest operations, road construction and water quality, and monitor for any result that would conflict with the www.MaineSportsman.com
Most Allagash campers, like this trio, enjoy themselves but still follow the rules that set daily trout bag limits, prohibit littering, ban using live bait (including worms) and require folks to maintain safe campfires. The two anonymous campers profiled in this month’s column, however, were not the law-abiding sorts. Photo by Maine Guide Dave Conley
region’s natural character. Allagash Lake Then there is Allagash Lake – an area so treasured that regulations exist to enhance the pristine solitude. The lake, together with the encompassing one-mile zone, is closed to power boats. Only canoes and kayaks are allowed. But on the day I wrote about in last month’s column, the restriction was eased when I radioed for a float plane to transport an injured party to a hospital. Later, it was time to visit the fishermen at the Cove Campsite. You will recall from last month that I’d seen indications they were fishing with worms in an area restricted to artificial lures. Even though sunset was drawing near, I felt I still had time to speak with the anglers.
This map illustrates the protective buffer zones around Allagash Lake. The buffer enhances the wilderness experience for users, and also serves to protect the waterway from the effects of development. Source: Bureau of Parks and Lands
Campers Leave Evidence Behind Arriving at the Cove, I found the campground empty. Scanning the lake with field glasses for any sign of canoers, I noticed two men in a red canoe rapidly paddling into upper Allagash Stream. Beaching my canoe, I walked into a place that can only be equated to a war zone. While most visitors to the Allagash leave their campsites immaculate, some don’t. The first thing I noticed was a campfire – still burning. This could pose a dangerous situation should wind fan the flames into the nearby forest. I drowned the fire and evaluated the site. Littered throughout were small discarded Styrofoam angleworm containers, empty liquor bottles, slips of papers, miscellaneous tin cans and other waste.
Among the alders there I discovered the discarded remnants of trout. On Allagash Lake the limit on brook trout is 2 a day. Minimum size is 12 inches with only one allowed over 14 inches. Poking through the innards, I counted 25 fish heads, in a variety of sizes. More Evidence Policing the site, I retrieved a scrap of crumpled paper from under the table – an AWW (Allagash Wilderness Waterway) camper registration card. Scanning the discarded document, I learned the name of the party leader, along with an address and phone number. The form also listed their scheduled date to depart, which was the same day. Calling It In Standing on shore scanning the lake, I radioed the local game warden, whose radio
call sign is 2248. Mine is 1700. “1700 to 2248.” “Go ahead, 1700,” came the response. “Are you near Allagash Lake?” “Yes, about ten miles from Johnson Pond. Do you have a situation?” “Affirmative. A party of two just left the Cove Campsite on Allagash Lake heading into the Upper Stream. The men left behind multiple violations including an unattended campfire, littering, and based on evidence here, I believe they may be carrying illegal trout.” “Do you know where they are headed?” Remembering earlier there weren’t any vehicles at the Upper Stream put-in, I theorized, “I expect Johnson Pond, where either a vehicle waits, or they’ll meet a float plane.” “Affirmative,” replied my Warden friend. “I’ll head that way.” It had been a long day, and as the sun edged towards dusk I made good time paddling calm water towards camp. Arriving at the Rangers dock, I was lugging my gear inside when I heard the radio squawk, “2248 to 1700.” “Go ahead.” “It appears the party has already left. (Continued on next page)
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— Guest Column —
Learning Life’s Lessons from Pigpen Worms by Randy Randall The best place to dig worms is in a pigpen. I know that, because Grandfather and I always dug our worms at the pig farm. The pig farm was our first stop when we headed out for a day of fishing. The farm was in the woods at the edge of town. Take the Time to Ask Permission Gramps would pull into the driveway and walk up to the side door and knock. I waited in the car while he talked to the farmer or his wife or both, for what I thought as an inordinate long length of time. “Passing the time of day,” Gramps told me later. Grandfather knew everybody, so the farmer was not surprised by his knock. After exchanging all the news, Grandfather came back to the car and opened the trunk, and we got out a garden fork, a round-point spade and an empty Chock Full o’ Nuts coffee can. The pigsty was out behind the barn. We walked through the weeds beside the weathered grey barn boards and came to the pig yard fence.
All the author needed to know in life, he learned catching worms with his grandfather in the pigpen.
Stopping to dig worms at the pig farm was a ritual for us. A day spent fishing wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t stop to dig.
There was a wobbly gate hinged to the barn that we opened and stepped through into the pigpen. The pigs were lying in the mud under a lean-to shelter and expressed no interest in us. Actually, they were penned up behind another rickety wall made from metal roofing. We were digging in what was their exercise yard. Leave Things the Way You Found Them There was a method to digging. Grand-
Ranger on the Allagash (Continued from page 40)
When I arrived at Johnson, a pontoon plane took off from the pond. But I was able to record the registration numbers from the plane. Do you have any information on the party?”
father stepped on the shovel and levered up a load of black wet dirt. He turned the shovel over and sort of threw the dirt onto the ground. If the clod didn’t break up, he’d give it another thump with the backside of the shovel, to expose the worms. And there were many. My job was to grab all I could see and transfer them into our coffee can. Share the Load So we went along, with Grandfather
lifting and bashing shovelfuls of rich soil, and me squeezing the small clods to catch wriggly worms. It didn’t take long to get our bait. Eventually, Grandfather allowed that we had enough for the day, and he went back over the row of clods and cuffed everything back into the trench, leveling the ground. “Leave it the way you found it,” he told me. We didn’t knock again when we walked back to the car and put our tools in the
Retrieving the camper registration from my right shirt pocket, I read off the contact data. “Got it, I’ll be in touch.” I was exhausted from being in a canoe all day. My growling stomach reminded me that I forgotten to eat lunch. Starved, I scurried to light propane lamps and build a hot meal. After eating, I recorded the day’s
trunk and headed out for Grant’s Brook or Goodwin’s Mill Pond. Stopping to dig worms at the pig farm was a ritual for us. A day spent fishing wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t stop to dig. Lessons Learned I look back now, and I think of the things I learned, unconsciously of course, from Grandfather. Things like: • If you’re about to dig up a person’s lawn or back forty or pigpen, you should ask permission. • There’s nothing so pressing that you can’t stand a minute or two on the granite door stoop and pass the time of day. • A simple job of work can be fun when you share the load. I was small and closer to the ground, so I picked out the worms. Gramps was taller and stronger, so he worked the shovel. • And I learned to leave things the way you found them, even if it’s just a pigpen.
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events for the official record. From out on the lake the wail of a loon predicted tomorrow’s weather. Climbing into my goose down sleeping bag, I drowsily reflected about the history of the Cove Campsite. Retired Ranger Tim Caverly has authored ten books about the northern forest.
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42 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Grilled Chili Mango Bass And the summer’s great fishing continues. I went out this morning and got strikes on 80% of my casts – pickerel and smallmouth bass were just jumping for food. I forgot my hook remover and I didn’t want to paddle back home to get
it, so I encouraged fish to throw the hook before they got to the kayak. Of course, those pickerel don’t like to hang on long anyway, which is just fine with me. We are so fortunate to live on Moose Pond where the large- and smallmouth
bass are plentiful. My husband and I love catching these fighters in our kayaks, so much closer to the action. I hope you enjoy a little fight back with this slightly spicy dish!
Ingredients • 2 smallmouth bass, fileted • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 cup mango chunks • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1 ½ teaspoons sugar • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • 2 teaspoons sweet or regular curry • 2 teaspoons smoked sea salt • ½ teaspoon cayenne chili pepper • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 1/8 teaspoon habanero chile, seeded and chopped • 1 cup mayonnaise Combine sugar, smoked paprika, curry, sea salt, cayenne, black pepper and habanero in glass jar. Shake well and save 1 tablespoon out to rub on bass. Rub olive oil lightly over bass filets, then dust with remaining chili mixture. Place bass in glass container overnight. In small chopper or blender add mango, lime juice and mayonnaise, add remaining chili powder mix and blend well. Refrigerate Chili Mango until use. Heat grill on high. Spray grill racks with cooking spray or use cast iron pan if you’ve never cooked bass on the grill before. Cook on each side until it begins to flake, about 2 minutes per side. Plate filet, top with Chili Mango sauce and a side of potato salad (see below). Enjoy!
Smokey Paprika Potato Salad If you are an avid reader of my food column you understand that I am about presentation, with color and flavor of course! It is no different here. I did go in the fridge and freezer to see what I had for color, and there were extra edamames! Ingredients • ½ cup red wine vinegar • 1/3 cup honey • 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard • 1 tablespoon lime juice • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt www.MaineSportsman.com
• 1 ¼ teaspoons Spanish Smoked Hot Paprika • 1 clove garlic • 2 tablespoons onion, chopped • ¼ teaspoon oregano • ½ cup oil Combine all ingredients except oil in blender and process until smooth. With blender on low speed, slowly drizzle in oil until thick. Store in glass jar in fridge. • 4 cups red potatoes, chopped and boiled • 1 cup sweet red onion, chopped • 1 cup red pepper, chopped
• ½ cup edamame, shelled and cooked (or peas) • ½ cup radishes, sliced thin • ½ cup garlic chives, chopped (or regular chives) Boil cut-up potatoes for 15 minutes, cool. Combine potatoes, onion, sweet pepper, edamame, radishes, and chives in medium bowl. Add half the dressing and toss. Add more dressing according to desired creaminess.
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Fall Scouting 101 by Tim Bolduc Editor’s note: Tim Bolduc has achieved a great deal of success taking trophy whitetails in Maine and New Hampshire. He is also a skilled blacksmith. With fall just around the corner, I’m sure there are plenty of us out there dreaming of putting our tag on a 200+ lb. buck this year. Unfortunately, that is sometimes easier said than done. With the Big Woods being so vast, the deer spread out in pockets, making it a challenge to locate a mature buck. In my early years, I would wander the mountains aimlessly in search of a buck. Since I’ve matured and gained experience, my system for locating bucks has changed for the better. The two factors that stand out the most are 1) understanding how the bucks use cover to their advantage; and 2) using technology to my advantage. Finding the Sign First, let’s establish what sign to look for. Pretty simple, really … rubs, scrapes and big tracks. Early fall – September and early October – can be challenging to locate sign simply because the bucks really aren’t traveling as much as they do later in the fall when they start searching for hot does.
This month’s Big Woods writer combines old-fashioned scouting with new technology that combines topo maps, satellite imagery and GPS capabilities, to put him right where the big bucks are.
When scouting likely whitetail territory, look for scrapes (left) and signpost rubs left by dominant bucks. Photos: Big Woods Outfitters
In early fall, bucks spend their time secluded in small core areas that have all the essentials to survive – food, cover, and water. What makes these spots so tough to find is that they are generally pretty small in size. Don’t be fooled though – the sign is there. Last year I shot a nice New Hampshire 8-pointer with my bow in the third week of September. I shot him over a scrape and near some rubs that the buck had made somewhere around the middle of the month. Yup, that’s right … over a scrape in September. It was the earliest that I have ever found fresh scrapes, it proved to me how early they might start marking
their territory. In that particular spot, I walked a hundred yards in each direction, and you wouldn’t have thought there was a deer for miles. All his rubs and scrapes were close to where he bedded and were in an area no bigger than an acre or two. Now put that somewhere in the middle of the big woods, and it can be a needle in a haystack to find. Step one for me in deciding where to look is searching for the right cover. Deer are naturally drawn to thick cover, not only for protection from predators, but also for protection from the elements. In the big woods, that type of cover will generally
be softwood trees such as spruce, fir and cedar. Finding this sort of cover where it abuts a food source, such as a chopping or a hardwood ridge, will usually lead to finding at least some deer. Once you find a pocket of deer in this type of terrain, if it has a nice buck in it … congratulations – that was easy! If it doesn’t, then simply move on and check the next spot. I have to note that this is not always where I find bucks – this past year I shot my Maine buck when I caught him lying down with a couple of does in the middle of a hardwood ridge, 700 yards from the type cover that I’m describing. That was on No-
vember 15th, and I’m certain that the two does played a factor in his decision to lie down out in the open like he did. I want to make the point that as the season progresses, you might find a buck almost anywhere. The point is … when it’s rutting season, “normal” buck behavior can be anything but normal, so hunt accordingly. The Technological Advantage Now let’s touch on something that has been a bit of a learning curve for me: using technology to your advantage. There are a lot of good hunting apps out there, but I have grown to really love the OnX Hunt App. It has topo maps, satellite imagery and a built-in GPS. It also has the option to show property lines and property owners – very handy for hunting up north or down south. It’s just straight up user-friendly for those of us who are “technologically challenged.” Apps like this will save you a ton of time putting on unnecessary miles just trying to locate where the deer are. While time spent in the woods is never wasted, why wander aimlessly when you can e-scout and save time and energy? Trust me…after a few days of climbing (Continued on page 45) www.MaineSportsman.com
44 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Take Steps Now to Prepare for Deer Hunting Success This Fall August may seem like an unlikely time to think of deer hunting, but this month actually provides a great opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season. From glassing fields to brief scouting missions, spending time on the right things now can make September, October and November deer hunting more enjoyable and productive. When August rolls around, bachelor groups of adult bucks, feeding in green fields, become my primary fo-
Get out of the house this month, says the author, and spend some time glassing fields and open areas. Use the month of August to get a feel for what’s in your deer-hunting future! cus. Any serious deer hunter who is fortunate enough to live and hunt in areas where agricultural practices still operate, knows that cool August evenings and mornings are great times to catch adult bucks feeding on high-protein grasses and legumes. Not only should hunters glass these fields
for big bucks, it’s important to keep an eye on the does, as well. While the subject of desire for many hunters are heavy bodied, big bucks, those does also play an important part in our hunting. If you’re anything like me, harvesting a fat doe for the freezer is nearly as satisfying as putting a good buck
on the ground. August provides me with time to identify those doe groups, and where they spend their time. The number of adult does, fawns and yearling bucks making up the groups is important information. Put a Target on the Deer You Want to Harvest Getting an idea of
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numbers is important, but putting a target (figuratively) on a few deer is always my goal. It’s particularly important to know how many adult bucks are wandering around the area you’re hunting. It’s highly unlikely you will kill an adult buck in an area where none are living. It’s also true that a big buck could wander through at any point during the rut, while searching for a doe in estrous. However, knowing which bucks are living in an area can provide a boost of confidence while hunting. Of importance to bowhunters is the fact that those bachelor groups I mentioned earlier don’t always split up in September. In fact, I’ll often see (Continued on next page)
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The author says that knowing exactly what deer are within your hunting area will give you the confidence to pass on smaller deer while you wait for your targeted trophy. (Continued from page 44)
bachelor groups still hanging out together in early October. My most memorable October bow hunt occurred on the 14th. I had five bucks come by me on their way back to bedding. Being familiar with the group gave me the confidence to pass four smaller bucks in the 80” to 130” range, because I knew there were two other bucks 140”-170” that were
part of the group. I was rewarded with a 17-yard shot at the 170-class buck, which I promptly blew ... that miss still haunts me today. The point is not that I messed up, but that familiarity gave me the confidence to pass a few bucks I would have normally shot, had I not known the other two larger bucks traveled with them.
Big Woods World (Continued from page 43)
up and over some of these mountains, you will embrace the help that OnX can give you. One last thing … try to find a stream to follow on the way in to check any one of the areas you choose. It’s where the brown ash trees grow, and you might just stumble onto some signpost rubs that may lead to that 200-pounder you are looking for. Good luck this fall! Hal’s Thoughts I have found that the best time to scout for deer in the Big Woods is the week before the season
Watching the Girls A favorite pastime of mine that’s often overlooked by other deer hunters is watching the matriarchal groups in late summer. These extended family units usually consist of a few mature does, multiple young does and fawns, and yearling bucks that were born the summer before. It’s nice to see the yearling bucks, but (Continued on next page)
opens, for two reasons. The first is that the leaves have been down for a while, and it’s easier to see tracks and droppings. The other is that the bucks have left their summer/early fall territory and settled into their fall and rut travel patterns. I, like Timmy, am technically challenged, so it’s hard for me to learn electronic gadgets. I also have embraced the OnX App. Now that I have the App on my phone, I don’t carry a GPS anymore. At my age, I have embraced the technology as a way to help shorten my walks back to the truck, at the end of a long day on the track.
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46 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Big Game Hunting (Continued from page 45)
most of them, unless their mother is killed, will leave the area in search of their own territories, by late October. The does in their group will chase them away, as will adult bucks in the area. This is Mother Nature’s way of preventing inbreeding. Becoming familiar with the makeup, numbers and habits of these groups is crucial. In years when
I draw a bonus doe tag, I try to identify at least a few does without fawns. These does will be great to harvest. Sometimes I’ll look for a doe with button-buck fawns. Taking her out will keep the fawns closer to home and offer more antlered choices down the road. 2020 should provide more hunters than normal with an antlerless tag and/or a bonus tag.
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DIF&W says they’ll be offering record numbers of antlerless tags this year. It’s important for hunters to do our part as conservationists. Taking a mature, dry doe out of the herd should be our goal. August can provide the time to identify a few of these older fawnless does and put them on the hit list. Look at white throat patches, ears or for other marks and characteristics that distinguish certain deer from other members of
the group. I realize this isn’t realistic for everyone, but for those with the time and interest in being very specific and purposeful in their harvest, this approach works well and can lead to better populations in the future. If filling the freezer with quantity isn’t a goal, consider shooting a late-born doe fawn. Studies show small fawns have the highest winter mortality in bad winters. Harvesting a 40- to 60-pound
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fawn won’t provide large amounts of meat, but the meat it offers will be of high quality and tenderness, similar to veal. Get out of the house this month and spend some time glassing fields and open areas. Use the month August to get a feel for what’s in your deer-hunting future and to dream about fun to come for the next few months. Our time is approaching fast!
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 47
— Maine Women Hunters Find Success —
More and more women each year take up hunting in Maine, and as you can see below, they have shared images of their successes with The Maine Sportsman. Sportsman.
Tom Berube and Johanna Ferland head out this past winter in pursuit of sea ducks. They returned with 2 buffleheads, 2 common goldeneye, a drake long tail and a merganser.
Virginia and Rylan Parker had a great day turkey hunting in Lincoln County during the spring season, as daughter Rylan killed a 22-pound tom, while her mom, Virginia, harvested an 18.5-pound bird a short time later. The pair was guided by Aaron Hodgkins of Bear Proof Outdoors (center), and they employed custom-made turkey calls made by the Maine company.
Marilyn McDonald Stanley reports to the Sportsman: “I started hunting 20 years ago. I am 64 now. This is my 5th deer, shot during the 2019 season.”
Jody Cunningham of Windsor got her first deer, this 125-lb., 4-pointer, on Thanksgiving Day 2018. She followed it up with a 100-lb. doe on Veteran’s Day 2019.
Kristen Arsenault Richards has had great success in her pursuit of ruffed grouse. Richards also hunts deer and bear, and is an avid angler.
MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Wasps & Hornets by Steve Vose
Maine is home to a number of biting and stinging insects, from the annoying blackfly and mosquito, to the more painful and potentially dangerous wasp and hornet. While “stinging” deaths are rare, several Mainers die every year due to anaphylactic shock caused by a severe reaction to the venom injected by these small creatures. Maine’s three most common wasps and hornets are the Yellow Jacket, Paper Wasp, and Baldfaced Hornet. Of the three, Yellow Jackets are the most easily provoked, and are responsible for onehalf of all human stings from wasps and hornets. As a small child, I once stepped into a yellow jacket nest and was stung 23 times, nearly requiring hospitalization. Unlike honeybees, wasps and hornets do not leave behind their stingers when they at-
tack, and they are therefore able to sting and inject venom multiple times. Despite their fearsome reputation, Yellow Jackets truly are beneficial insects (when properly avoided) that gather up many other insects humans consider pests, and feed them to their larvae. Paper Wasps are another beneficial insect, because they also feed on insects considered pests by humans. They commonly build nests around homes, such as underneath eaves.
Questions 1. What are the names of Maine’s three most common wasps and hornets? 2. Of Maine’s three most common wasps and hornets, which is responsible for the most
human insect stings? 3. What is a major difference between honeybees, versus wasps and hornets? 4. Why are wasps and hornets considered beneficial insects?
Nests are shaped like tiny umbrellas, with horizontal layers of six-sided cells suspended by a short stem. Nests are not enclosed by a paper-like envelope, but instead the cells are open, with the heads of the larvae exposed to view. Paper Wasps typically only attack when the nest is disturbed. Baldfaced Hornets are aggressive and will attack anything (or anyone) that invades their space. Baldfaced hornets build gray, paper-like, pear shaped nests with an entrance at the bottom. Inside the nest are a number of horizontal layers of circular combs completely enclosed by a paper-like covering build to protect the hornets from predators and the elements. Nest are frequently seen hanging from trees and other vegetation and occasionally buildings. 5. What is the major difference between the nest of Paper Wasps and that of Baldfaced Hornets?
Answers on Page 76 www.MaineSportsman.com
48 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
How to Introduce Your Wife to Hunting For some of you men out there, hunting is your coveted alone time, or time to spend with “the boys.” This article is for the rest of you. There are many benefits to hunting with your wife or girlfriend. You’ll spend more time together, and more time hunting. She will be more understanding with you spending so much time (and so much money) hunting. You can share gear, which means “you” are not spending $200 on game cameras; “we” are spending $200 on game cameras. With any luck, two hunters in the family means more meat! In sum, while I’m not a relationship counselor, drooling over game camera photos together and swapping hunting stories are great ways to strengthen a relationship. Invite Her It seems obvious, but this step is often overlooked. Do not assume she doesn’t want to go. Invite her to join you as an observer if she’s hesitant; there is a lot of pressure that goes along with car-
“Women can be both,” says Christi. Holmes photo
rying a firearm, and she might feel more comfortable just tagging along at first. If she wants to hunt, she can get her apprentice hunting license without taking hunter’s safety, and hunt with you. Start Small Small game that is. It’s easier to take the life of something that isn’t cute and fuzzy. Think ducks, squirrels or turkeys. If she’s not ready for that, start with the outdoors in general, not specifically hunting. Invite her scouting and explain why you put your tree stand where you did. Get her a game camera to watch wildlife. Go shed hunting, forag-
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The author asserts that relationships benefit if both parties hunt.
ing for fiddleheads, or skeet shooting. Call in some turkeys or ducks just to watch them. This is also a good time to share some of the less-obvious things you enjoy about hunting – watching the sunrise, seeing a hen turkey with babies. Explain how fulfilling it is for you to eat fresh, local, healthy meat. Practice, Practice, Practice A fun year-round activity is taking a group or private shooting lesson from L.L.Bean (one-hour group classes start at $25). L.L.Bean provides different types of shotguns, so she can try them and decide which she prefers. She’ll also be getting feedback from the pros, and she may learn better from them than you. Don’t forget to encourage her to practice shooting a rifle from various positions, not to just sight it in. The more comfortable she is with her firearm,
the more successful she will be while hunting. Her First Hunt When she’s ready to go on her first hunt, make the hunt about her. Do not shoot first, and do not push her to shoot if she’s not ready. Offer support and encouragement – this is all new for her. Explain what you’re doing and why (e.g., decoy placement, calls), encourage questions and be patient. Focus on having fun. If she hates waking up early, go afternoon jump-shooting ducks. If she gets a deer but doesn’t want to gut it, that’s OK – these are baby steps. Build Confidence Some success early on is key for new hunters to stay motivated and interested, and to build confidence. Here are some good entry-level hunts to consider as her first hunt: • Turkey hunting offers a ton of action. Even if she’s not successful, her heart will
be pounding when she sees and hears gobblers respond to your calls. • Hunting at a privately stocked pheasant release site is excellent for a first hunt. At Setter’s Point in Albany Township, owner Dennis Jellison will plant some live pheasants, leash up his Llewellin setters, and serve as her guide in the field. Hunting on Sundays is permitted at his site, and no license is required. • She will have to bundle up, but sea duck hunting probably has the highest hunting success rate. Sea ducks are big targets, slow to take off, and will often come right into your decoys. • Bear hunting over bait is great because it is during a warm time of year, and it provides an opportunity to bring home a lot of meat. A bear usually sticks around the bait for a few minutes, so your wife or girlfriend can take her time with her shot. • Last but not least is the ultimate beginner hunt- driving around backroads up north and looking for grouse. Hire a Guide Another way to ensure a comfortable, positive hunt is to hire a guide. Just as you teach your kid the basics of driving a car but enroll them in driver’s ed to learn the details, she will gain tremendous knowledge from (Continued on page 50)
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Safe and Enjoyable Off-Road Traveling with a Dog Years ago, my father would wake me up well before daylight to go hunting and one of my chores was gathering the dogs as we loaded up the car for the drive to our hunting location. After a huge breakfast of oatmeal, Dad would say, “Bill, get dressed and put the dogs in the trunk with a few blankets. I’ll be right out.” I just did as I was told and put the dogs in the trunk of the vehicle, after placing a few old and tattered blankets on the floor of the trunk. The dogs
knew their place, so excited to go hunting that they jumped right into the dark trunks of the old Chevrolet sedans my parents always owned. The dogs never minded riding in the trunk – the trips usually lasted less than two hours, with the dogs sleeping most of the way to our hunting location. Nowadays, I’m sure this would be frowned upon, and some organization would surely want to ban this kind of activity, calling it “abusive treatment.” Oh, my goodness ... what am
I talking about? There are groups out there right now that want to ban hunting with dogs altogether. Well anyway, times have certainly changed, and traveling with dogs has become more like taking the children along for a ride. I just remember how comfy those dogs always looked when I opened the trunk hood, all snuggled next to each other, deep into the blankets. Sometimes I had to encourage them to get out of the trunk – and after a day of hunting, the dogs always were
Ginger, the author’s Hungarian pointer, would actually attempt to drive the truck if given the opportunity. William Clunie photo
happy to return to the pile of blankets in the trunk. Nowadays I can’t say that I will ever return to carrying my dogs in
the trunk of the car. Nowadays, any dog I own (presently Ginger, the Hungarian pointer) rides with the rest of the passengers, just like a human be(Continued on next page)
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50 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Off-Road Traveler (Continued from page 49) ing. My wife and I try and outfit each vehicle with dog-traveling gear so we are ready to go at a moment’s notice. We don’t have to think of a thing before we head out ... simply call the dog, and away we go. Each vehicle has its own doggy items – leash, treats, water and feed dishes, extra food, handywipes and towels, toys, pillow pads, bags for picking up stool, paper towels, blankets, and balls and chewy toys. Seat belts for dogs are the latest thing ... after all, you can’t have your dog flailing about during a fast stop or a collision. Ha, when I was a kid, cars never even came with seat belts. My dad’s strong arm was all that was needed back then. I bought a seat belt extension for the front
seat of each vehicle for our dog. When the dog is riding up front, she has to wear the extension. The convenient unit clips into the seat belt slot, and the other end attaches to the dog’s collar. This way, the dog stays safe and the seat belt alarm is also deactivated, which is good, because otherwise the noise from that alarm will drive you nuts. When the dog rides in the rear of the vehicles, we don’t use the extensions – we simply have her lie down in the back seat. The back seat is outfitted with a tough kind of material to protect the area that runs from the front seat headrests to the back-seat headrests. The padded material cradles the dog like a hammock and won’t allow the dogs to fly around
during fast stops or the unlikely collision. Another item that I feel should be a necessity would be a well-supplied pet medical kit. Kits can be found on the internet at reasonable prices. They could be assembled by purchasing the individual items separately, but I don’t think that would save much money and certain items might get overlooked. Avoiding Trouble Afield I always like to plan ahead for off-road travel with the dog to reduce the chances that problems might occur – I don’t want to be blindsided by something that could have been avoided by simply preparing. Planning ahead also frees me from worrying about something at the last minute – I try and have all bases covered. I have an emer-
gency veterinarian on speed-dial, just in case the dog gets into something I can’t handle in the field. I have been extensively trained for human medical emergencies as a U. S. Navy Hospital Corpsman with the Marine Corps, but this doesn’t cover animals as completely as I’d like, so I have the emergency vet at my fingertips. I also like to take my dog’s e-collar along on every trip, just in case we somehow find ourselves in a situation where I need complete control of the dog. My dog gets crazy around other dogs, running like a mad animal playing and romping, and the e-collar is sometimes needed to curb this excessive activity. I like to sometimes leave my dog in the truck with the air-conditioning or heater on, depending on the weather. I certainly don’t want to
Maine Sportswoman
accidentally lock the dog in the vehicle, so I always carry a spare key in my wallet that is always in my pocket ... always. I’d hate to lock her in the truck and have to wait however long it would take to get the truck opened again. Leaving a dog in the vehicle can also be dangerous if the dog bumped it into gear and caused it to start moving. I always put the parking brake on when I leave it running, just in case. I know these things sometimes sound far-fetched or rare, but I don’t want to be that guy who left the truck running and had my dog slam the truck into somebody. If anyone took one look at my dog, they’d understand my concern – she has that teenage, innocent-kid look – with no clue how dangerous she could really be.
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(Continued from page 48)
hunting with a guide. Hire a guide to hunt something you’ve never hunted before, so you’ll both be enjoying a new experience. Encourage Her to Join a Community It is really hard to try something new if you don’t see anyone who looks like you doing it. It’s intimidating to ask basic questions of people who have been hunting their entire lives. In the private Facebook group “Maine Women Hunters,” she will gain inspiration, ask questions specific to females (e.g., how to pee from a self-climbing tree stand) and share her own successes and frustrations with other women on the same journey. The group also organizes small female-only guided hunting and fishing trips across Maine. The most important take-away is not to make assumptions. You won’t know if she’s willing to wake up at 3 a.m., sit all day in the snow or crawl all day through the mud, unless you ask her.
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Sonya Corbett and the author enjoying a successful day sea-duck hunting. Troy Fields photo
Kysta West and Andrea Murch found the mark with these ring-necked pheasants.
Andrea Kelly at the range, confirming the adage that practice makes perfect.
These Maine Women Hunters took part in a goose hunt together. The author asserts that group support is important for all new hunters.
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Fly Casting Made Easy Before I even start this month’s column, let me be clear ... no one will ever get past the beginner stage of becoming proficient with a fly rod by reading any kind of written instruction only. Becoming better with a fly rod involves many hours of hands-on, practical application. The best instruction you will ever receive comes from time spent fly fishing on the water, but only after some solid instruction from a competent casting instructor. I know this is true, because I wasted a few years trying to teach myself. It almost had me so frustrated that I really thought about giving up and going back to lures and worms for good. Without proper instruction from a trained and competent instructor, I found myself stuck in the beginner stage of casting. I could only flounder around with a fly rod – I never knew how to correct the errors I was making. After making the same common mistakes repeatedly, I became very frustrated, often ending my day of fishing early with a ball of knotted leader material and no fish. As far as finding a competent fly-casting instructor, I’d have to go with what Lefty Kreh once told me. Kreh, probably the best-known casting instructor of his time, said, “Some guys can
really throw a line out there like it’s nothing. They are professionals, and they take home casting trophies all the time. But let me tell you this ... there are a lot of them who cannot teach that skill to anyone else. Some of them can’t even catch a fish – all they know how to do is cast a line at extreme distance. That, my friend, is not going to help anyone else learn how to cast a fly line.” Learning Curve Let me explain my perspective on how the learning curve goes when attempting to reach the intermediate level of casting with a fly rod. Everyone learns things in a different way, but this is how it went for me. Without instruction, most folks could read a little and watch a few videos and maybe learn enough to catch an occasional fish. The problem is what I call the “tangled zone of frustration.” When an untrained
beginner starts out, they cast twenty lousy casts before accidentally tossing the line in a decent fashion – good enough to catch a fish. The excited beginner then makes thirty terrible casts the next attempt before finally getting in one decent cast. All of this poor casting usually results in unwanted knots that take precious minutes to untangle and certainly scatters the fish far and wide. These beginner problems don’t get fixed without a good set of eyes to see the cause of the problem, and a follow-up of quality solutions from a knowledgeable teacher. Without an instructor, most beginners give up in frustration or limit their fly fishing to a minimum to avoid trouble. With good instruction, a beginner will start to notice the number of good casts increase and the poor casts become rarer. When a bad cast does happen, the construc-
Gene Bahr
tive words of the instructor play like an internal audio in the head of the beginner – “Don’t bend your wrist; slow down and get into the rhythm of the cast; let your back cast hang a little longer; stop at the ten o’clock position when releasing the line.” Error vs. Success A beginning fly caster who has had good instruction knows when they goofed up and also knows what it takes to fix that problem. The non-instructed angler, by contrast, continues to flounder and flail in frustration. As beginners approach the intermediate level, they start to notice that bad casts become rare and are
Bob Clouser, a fishing buddy of Lefty Kreh, shows the crowd at the Marlboro Fly Fishing Show how to cast. William Clunie photo
easily fixed. The fixing suddenly becomes natural and happens immediately following (Continued on page 54)
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52 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Jigging for Togue A particularly effective togue-fishing method, jigging, pretty much goes begging because most people prefer to troll. As a dedicated troller, that’s how I spend most of my time on the water. On the other hand, jigging sounds more and more interesting. For me, jigging was mostly restricted to panfish such as white perch and black crappie. And then a brown trout hit my Squirmin’ Squirt crappie jig. This jig had a reddish-brown body, and it seemed to me that the trout mistook it for a crayfish. Or perhaps not. Something about the eccentric action of a jig awakens the strike instinct in fish. This would explain why fish take jigs with other than natural-appearing color schemes. The color attracts fish in the first place, and the squirrely action triggers their strike instinct. After the incident with the brown trout on the crappie jig, I
gave a few half-hearted attempts at jigging for trout. I caught some white perch and some bass, but no more trout. It only now occurs to me that the brown trout on the jig bit in early June, while the water was still cold. During my subsequent trips, water had warmed considerably, and this no doubt drove the trout to deeper water. So it was not that the fish wouldn’t take jigs, but rather, that they had moved to a different location. Togue Jigging When I was younger, I listened as old-timers related stories about jigging for togue with long strips of flesh cut from sucker bellies. These stories seemed like pure folklore, and I never gave the method a fair try. I did save strips of sucker belly, but instead of jigging with them I used them for trolling, for which they worked wonderfully. The trick is to scale the
sucker and leave the skin on, and then cut into long, thin strips, with one end tapered so as to imitate a fish. Hooking the strip at the wide end allows the strip to wriggle when trolled. I gave jigging with sucker strips one try, and when the fish didn’t bite, that ended my togue-jigging experience. That was a big mistake. Last season I encountered an angler who fished a local lake for togue, and his season total was staggering. My trolling didn’t account for anywhere near the number of fish this guy took, and the amazing part of it was that he caught every single fish by jigging. His jig of choice was a medium-sized Swedish Pimple, with one red side. Comes Natural I plan on doing some serious jigging for togue during August. Fish are congregated in deep water, so drifting over them will give the togue a better
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opportunity to see, and strike, the jig. Trolling over suspended togue gives fish a passing shot at striking, but in order to ensure thorough coverage of the area, the angler must troll over the same spot, again and again. Jigging, though, allows your offering to stay down by the fish for a far longer time. The connection between jigging for togue and jigging for panfish becomes clear, since methods differ little from one to the other. Jigging comes natural for most people. I have introduced numbers of anglers to the art of jigging for crappies. Each time, it was plain that after catching the first few fish, the knack of jigging just came naturally. Anyone who has developed a proficiency at jigging for panfish can
transfer that ability to jigging for togue. Here’s something else about jigging for togue that excites me. Instead of using a lead-core outfit, or a long, powerful downrigger rod, we can use any kind of outfit we like for jigging. I have a medium-weight baitcasting outfit that, while powerful enough to land any fish around, is also light and flexible enough to allow even medium-sized fish to put up a good account of themselves. Almost any rod will serve for jigging, but just make sure it has enough stiffness to drive the hook home in a togue’s toothy mouth. Jig Choices As a rule, don’t expect to do too well with panfish jigs. In(Continued on page 54)
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Sneak Up on Remote Brookies with the Gear I found myself actually stalking the trout that resided in the fairly large pool in the little brook. I carefully threaded the sixfoot, six-inch fly rod through the alders at the water’s edge, making sure to stay low in a crawl position so the brookies wouldn’t see my profile on the skyline. When I finally reached a position that gave me room to cast, I noticed I still needed to low-crawl another 20 feet to reach the prime location for a cast ... on my belly through shallow wa-
ter with a bottom like quicksand. I decided a duckwalk approach might work better, and it would keep my vest dry and mud-free, so I squatted my way through the swampy section of the brook. Reaching the stream bank, I put the little three-weight, fiberglass Fenwick rod to work and laid some of Rio Product’s “Specialty Light” line (RioProducts.com) at the top of the pool and let the caddis imitation slowly skitter across the current. Wham! – the ten-
inch brook trout’s attack on the fly caused me to jump, even though I was waiting for it. The gorgeous fish inhaled my fly, and just as quickly disappeared below the surface of the pool. After a brief fight I netted the muscular brookie and immediately released it back into the water. The fish quickly dove to the bottom of the darkest part of the little brook, hiding beneath the undercut bank. I stood and gave thanks for the stark beauty of the brief encounter and the excitement of the
intense stalk – for me, it doesn’t get much better than that kind of fishing experience. Crawling to Beauty
Sneaking and crawling my way to hidden fishing locations like that has been a passion for me (Continued on next page)
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54 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Rangeley Region (Continued from page 53)
over the years. I keep improving my technique by changing little things each year, and this year has been no exception. I found several techniques that helped me reach new fishing areas that have been hard to get to in the past. Some changes didn’t work out at first, but with a little modification helped in my search for new fishing locations. At first, I thought Chota’s hip waders (ChotaOutdoorGear. com) would work better than heavier chest waders for crawling along the banks of a brook. The boots tended to slip down, until I figured out I could attach the loops at the top of the waders to my vest belt, thereby easily keeping them in place. Next, I purchased a wheeled carrier to al-
low me to haul my kayak, canoe or raft into remote ponds – it immediately collapsed in the middle of a portage on the first trip out. It had small wheels, and the system to attach it to the boat failed. I then purchased a similar product that worked better – it was built stronger and featured larger wheels and tires. It works perfectly, and I can carry plenty of gear easily. I also got a trailer hitch extension (see photo) that supports my canoe or kayak out beyond the tailgate when I’m carrying them in the short bed of the truck. This hitch extension helps me avoid having to lift heavy canoes or kayaks up to the extremely-high position of the overhead racks I had used last year. I think this is going to work out great – I just
Fly Fishing (Continued from page 51)
the error, so that the next fifty casts are presentations worthy of catching a fish. Once this intermediate level becomes second nature, the enlightened angler finds extra time on their hands during a day of fishing – extra time for changing flies to match the hatch, or time to change a frayed leader, or time to spruce up a used-up fly. In other words, more efficient casting gives the
Trout Fishing (Continued from page 52)
stead, go for larger-size offerings. As mentioned above, Swedish Pimples deserve a place in your tackle box. Some ice-fishing jigs should work, too. Williams Ice Jig, made by Breck’s, the same company that gives us Mooselook Wobblers, look promising. A while back I purchased a collection of Airplane Jigs, but seldom used www.MaineSportsman.com
need to wrap the crossbar with some kind of material to protect the bottom of the boats from abrasion. Stealthy Sneaking Anglers will find their own method of carrying gear on these stealthy outings. At first, I used a large backpack filled with too much extra gear. I found myself leaving it on the bank while I fished, only to have to return to the location to retrieve the heavy pack. I purchased a vest from L.L.Bean (LLBean.com), the “Rapid River” vest pack, and think it’s just about perfect for stealthy sneaking on small, remote brooks. A small space in the rear of the vest acts as a kind of backpack pouch and allows enough room to carry extra gear for spending a day of fishing back in the woods on a pond or little brook. I make sure the
A hitch extension helps the author carry canoes, kayaks, and small boats in his truck’s relatively-short bed, without having to lift the boats up to the height of a roof rack. Clunie photo
vest is loaded with all of the fly fishing gear I’ll need, as well as a sandwich and drinks in a cooler bag, bug dope, sunscreen, rain poncho, sunglasses, and gallon-size Ziplock bags if I’m going to keep a few fish for a meal. The shorter and lighter rod works great for lightening the load and ease of carry through thick brush, while still allowing me to easily fling flies across the small brooks I fish. I also always use a walking stick for sure footing – one that folds up and stores on my vest belt. I have ongoing
back trouble, so this year I purchased a supportive waist belt that I’m going to try out. I’m thinking that it will work fine for helping to hold up my hip waders, carrying my net and wading staff, and keeping my back out of trouble. I’m all for doing what it takes to keep me on the water, fishing as much as possible, for as long as I can. Keep your eyes open to new possibilities for doing the same ... it seems like every new season brings more great ideas for helping anglers stay in the fishing mode.
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angler extra time to enjoy the moment and relax – the way fishing should be. At this stage, an angler starts to wonder what else they can do to improve their fishing. Confident in their casting skills, they turn to the rest of the game and really begin to improve by learning more about tying flies, what flies to use, and how to read water. Soon, they will begin to search out new casting techniques specific to certain conditions, including high winds, fast water, super clear water, casting in confined spaces, or really reaching
out for long-distance casts. For me, this is the most fun period of learning how to fly fish – you are pretty good, but you still have so much more to learn. The learning part is so much fun for me – almost as enjoyable as catching fish. At this point it seems this learning stage will go on forever: so many insects to understand, so many various techniques to employ, so many variables in weather and water conditions to work with ... and the learning list goes on. I love it.
them, and for a strange reason. These had so many treble hooks dangling from them that they gave me pause. The thought of unhooking a struggling togue that had hit one of these was daunting. Now, though, with the advent of fish-grippers – devices that immobilize fish by locking on to their lower jaw – releasing an Airplane Jig-caught togue shouldn’t involve the same terrors as before.
Marabou Jigs, in large sizes, ought to work well too. Perhaps adding a small minnow or strip of sucker belly would enhance their fish-catching ability. Finally, jigging may represent our ticket to taking those fish we see on our fish locators – the ones that we troll over but can’t convince to bite. Either way you look at it, jigging gives us yet another tool in our togue-slaying war chest.
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How to Catch Spooky Southern Maine Trout The author has fished with many great anglers, and he has learned something on every outing. Here, he recounts “lessons learned” – lessons such as 1) a fly must be in the water if you are to catch fish; 2) if you’re going to cast for distance, you’ve got to practice in order to strengthen your arm; and 3) let the trout fly do its job. Locating good trout water in this region is easy – just check DIFW’s stocking list on their web page, or review the April 2020 issue (the “Bigfoot Issue”) of The Maine Sportsman. You should look for waters that are catchand-release, like the section of the Little Ossipee River from the first stone dam upstream of Route 11 in North Shapleigh downstream to Bridge Street in Newfield. This section is stocked with browns and brookies each year, and with catch and release restrictions (S-7) and artificial lures only (ALO) in place, you know that you are fishing over trout. Locating good trout water is easy, but having the skills to catch them is another matter. The best way to learn how to catch spooky trout is by fishing and watching experienced trout fisherman. Fishing with Pros I’ve fished with many excellent fishermen – Dan Bonville from Porter, Bill Hutchins from Shapleigh, and Ken
Allen, past editor for this magazine. All of them have their own systems. They have learned to make the proper decisions, and then they developed the skills to catch trout consistently. Here are some things I’ve learned from them. Generally, anglers should move upstream in rivers, brooks and streams. That’s because trout face upstream into the current while feeding, so it’s wise to come up behind them and keep your shadow from them. However, I’ve watched Bill Hutchins catch trout by wading well above feeding trout and floating his fly downstream to the trout with great success. This lesson learned has put trout in my frying pan. I’ve watched Dan Bonville cast a dry fly into an eddy and let it float around for what seem like forever. He manipulates the line to keep it floating naturally. I would have retrieved and recast to the water five times, spooking every trout in the pool. Lesson learned – let the fly do its job. I became more
patient that day. Dan is a Maine Guide, and I watched him with a client fishing for sea run trout in the Ogunquit River on a cool, overcast day. Tide was high ebb, and the water was tranquil, still and soon to begin its surge back out to sea. Trout were rising in the center of the large pool. Dan’s sport couldn’t reach the trout with his fly rod – I couldn’t either. Dan calmly took the rod from the client’s hand, took two false casts, and dropped the fly gently in the distant rising trout. A silver trout hit the fly. Dan just handed the rod back to the sport and let him land the fish for a trophy photo. Later that summer I stopped by Dan’s house in Porter and found him outback practicing with his fly rod. Lesson learned – I need to spend less time shooting arrows, and more time working on my casting skills. Ken Allen and I fished the Ossipee River in Cornish on a sunny morning. That’s when I learned to fish with a nymph fly. At
No matter how long you’ve fished Maine trout you still will get hooked up in limbs. Here’s Val working on a “red-neck bowtie” on the Little Ossipee River. Photo by Doris Marquez
the time, I was spending more time casting then actually fishing. Like a madman on steroids, I would false cast too much, and fish the nymph with quick jolts and flicks of the wrist. Then I watched Ken let his fly just flow with the current. He spent more time with his line in the water, while my fly was mostly in the air. Lesson learned – let the nymph drift naturally. Proper Decisions “You got to know when to hold them, and know when to fold them” – classic lyrics from Kenny Roger’s block-buster song in the ’70s. The words can apply to many things in life, in addition to beating the odds in Vegas. I find myself singing these lines in my mind quite often while fishing. When you are fishing, you make hundreds of choices each day. Your decision which water to fish or
which fly to use determines the outcome of the adventure. In everyday life, your decisions can lead to disaster or they can lead to success and happiness. When fishing, it can mean the difference between catching your limit of trout, or going home empty-handed. When I’m standing knee deep in a trout stream my first question is “What fly should I use? Should I try a searching pattern, like a gray-ghost streamer or a hare’s ear nymph, or try to match the hatch if there’s insect activity?” But then the decisions start becoming more difficult, at least for me – How long should I keep casting the same fly? (I hate changing flies, since my aging eyes no longer work as well as they used to.) Other Considerations Here’s another question you’ll need to answer as you start (Continued on page 59) www.MaineSportsman.com
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Sometimes Moving Forward Means Looking Back The author re-discovered an old friend in the dark recesses of his gun safe, and he’s decided to get reacquainted. Sure, the 12-gauge kicks more than the several 20s he’s been using in recent years, but when a partridge flushes ahead of the dog, he says he won’t feel a thing. The popular and overused phrase “the new normal” needs to be retired. When future scholars enter the year 2020 into the history books, they will record little that is new and almost nothing that comes across as normal. Amid illness and death, forced isolation and fear, protest and recriminations, 2020 stands as an exception among the years of our lives. With excessive hand washing and hand wringing, we go about masked like bandits moving in a 12-foot diameter bubble of social distancing. Nothing normal to see in this reality! Yet sportsmen hold an advantage in this situation that’s out of the reach of ordinary humans – the woods and waters offer respite, safely distant from pandemic dangers and the challenges of society on edge. As the summer deepens, the activities of
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sportsmen and sportswomen slide smoothly toward fall. Time for Fly-tying, Shooting Enduring an epidemiological house arrest, many sportsmen exercise at the fringes of their passion. Some learn to tie a new trout fly. Others concoct a new hand load for the upcoming deer season. I fought the hours of confinement by rereading favorite hunting and fishing tales and by poking around at the back of the gun safe, where the door lights fail to reach. Some time ago, most of my wing shooting gave way to 16- and 20-bores – mostly light weight side-by-sides. The 12-gauges stayed cooped up, except for trap shooting or rare forays after waterfowl. I last used a 12-gauge on upland birds more than ten years ago.
Renewed Friendship The 12-gauge hia-
tus may end this fall with the renewed acquaintance of an old friend that resides in the back corner of the gun safe. Purchased 35 years ago in Stuttgart, Germany, the Rottweil 650 was my first over/ under shotgun. Named for a city that hugs the Neckar River Valley between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alps, these guns are almost unknown in North America. The Blue Book of Gun Values indicates that importation lasted just two years, between 1985 and 1987. For G.I.s stationed in Germany during the 1980s, when the German Mark flirted with four-to-one U.S. dollar, the Rottweil 650 was a great buy. The Status of Forces Agreement also exempted American service members from all German sales taxes. Priced at a fraction of the cost of a Merkel or a Krieghoff, the Rottweil 650 fulfilled a soldier’s dream. Features of the 650 include a checkered, oil-finished Turkish walnut stock and forearm; and 28-inch barrels with five choke tubes, including improved modified and skeet.
Finley takes a training break alongside a long-ignored Rottweil 650 12-gauge. Photo: Gail S. Allard
The list of features also includes a coin-finished, handsomely engraved receiver, tang-mounted safety, and a single selective trigger. The 650’s chambers accommodate 2¾ -inch shot shells. Soon after acquiring the Rottweil, a German gunsmith in the Neckar River city of Esslingen added some personal touches. He extended the length of pull by replacing the buttplate with a black recoil pad. He then added a silver bead at the mid-point of the ventilated rib, and an oversized fluorescent orange bead at the muzzle. Golden BB Sometime before the end of the 1980s, Rottweil Shotguns went out of business. My 650 returned stateside with me, passing through our Customs wickets at Logan Airport in Boston. It hunted pheasant in Kansas, Blue
Grouse in Washington State, dove in Kentucky and partridge in Maine. In between, it broke a lot of clay targets at skeet and held its own on a few rounds of trap. For a long time, it served as my go-to shotgun. Once, during an informal Kansas skeet competition, I made a lucky hit at the absolute maximum range from the low house at station six. One pellet must have reached across the field with just enough oomph to break a chip off the target – the fabled “Golden BB.” When the shouting subsided, an older gentleman in my group immediately said, “I’ll give you $800 for that gun right now.” Flushed with the success of the shot and happy with the gun, I declined the offer, even though well aware that $800 was twice what I had paid for the Rottweil. Other shotguns (Continued on page 59)
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A Scare at Telos Dam Guiding paddling clients can go suddenly wrong in the most unexpected ways. Sometimes, avoiding dangerous whitewater is the least of a guide’s worries. High Bank campsite on Telos Lake (DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 50, A-2) is a favorite of many Allagash Wilderness Waterway veterans. The site sits up well above lake level and offers distant views of the Traveler Range and other peaks in Baxter State Park. It was the perfect spot for a half-dozen members of a non-profit conservation group to set up camp one evening last July. We had paddled from Chamberlain Bridge and were on our way to Webster Lake via a long portage trail that circumvented Telos Dam and the rapids below it. Our evening at High Bank gave our group a chance to get to know one another. Most of us had never met before launching our boats earlier that day at Chamberlain. Conversation around the campfire revealed a familiar mix of very experienced and complete novice wilderness travelers that often attend these group outings. I had planned the trip with that mixture in mind. Using the portage trail, as opposed to running the rapids, was a nod to the newbies in our group. The campsite I had chosen on Webster Lake was remote enough to appeal to even the most
experienced among us. We enjoyed a spectacular sunset that lit up the mountains in Baxter. It was a soft, warm evening that foretold heat and humidity for the next day. After the long drive and the lengthy paddle on Telos, everyone turned in early. Telos Dam The short paddle to the dam the next morning was uneventful. But it was becoming uncomfortably hot by the time we arrived – in the 90-degree range. The plan was to meet two additional members of our group at Telos Dam. The couple had decided to forego the night at High Bank and paddle directly from Chamberlain Bridge to the dam. Telos Dam (Delorme, Map 50, A-3) is the site of a large overgrown field that was once the gardens and orchards of a dam keeper’s residence. The remote farm served as a sort of supply depot for the local woodcutting and river-driver crews. The buildings are gone now, but there is still a gated, gravel service road that comes in to the dam from the logging road network to the east. We arrived before noon, and unloaded the boats to prepare
for portaging. The trail from the dam to Webster Lake is along an old tote road and nearly a mile long. It begins on the edge of the field and follows the course of the river along a well-shaded – but wet and buggy – descent. Our fellow travelers had not yet arrived, but I was anxious to get the portage started. Act in Haste… While others gathered their gear, I shouldered a pack, grabbed my canoe and started quickly down the portage trail. My thinking was that I would meet the others mid-way on the return trip and help them with their gear transport. I made good time down to the landing on Webster Lake, dropped my load and headed back up the trail. A sick feeling in the pit of my stomach began as I approached the top end of the portage trail. Two of our paddlers were missing – I had met the others on my return trip along the portage trail. The two missing travelers were retired women who were determined to maintain their adventurous outdoor lifestyle. But they were both novices in navigating the big woods. I quickly checked the canoe landing above the dam and saw no
View of Baxter State Park from the Allagash Waterway’s High Bank campsite. Photos by Jim Andrews
Traveler Range as viewed from Telos Lake.
The red line shows the incorrect route taken by the lost paddlers who veered away from the river during the portage. The yellow line depicts the correct route of the Webster portage trail.
sign of them. …and Repent at your Leisure The mid-day sun was now blazing. The forecast had called for temperatures in the upper 90s in the early afternoon. My best guess was that the ladies had been the last two paddlers to leave the canoe landing, and that they mistakenly followed the gravel
service road that fishhooked away from the river, rather than the portage trail. I wasn’t sure when they left the dam – but if it was shortly after I did, they now had a great head start in the wrong direction. I also had no idea if they were carrying water or even if they were still together. (Continued on page 59) www.MaineSportsman.com
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It’s Never Too Late to Learn Your Ferns This spring, I took my young Llewellin setter for daily walks in the woods behind our house. As the last patches of snow melted, I enjoyed observing the changes in woods, while she ran to her heart’s content. At first, nothing was green except moss on stumps, logs and rocks. A few evergreen ferns had survived the winter under the snow. As the weather warmed, fiddleheads sprouted directly through the leaf litter – some fuzzy, some smooth. New shoots emerged from the center of the old evergreen fronds that were plastered to the ground from the weight of the snow. Down along the stream, it wasn’t difficult to recognize the familiar shiny green fiddleheads growing in the floodplains. The wide variety of fiddleheads opened at different rates, with the smaller ferns opening first to reveal delicate fronds, while the taller ones continued to push skyward
Sensitive Fern once-cut fern.
is
a
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For years, the author didn’t pay much attention to ferns. They were just, well, ferns. Then he learned they are some of the oldest types of plant life; that prehistoric ferns grew as large as trees; and that 61 different species of fern are native to Maine. before unfurling. Shapes and Variations Walking the same trails each day, I started to notice the complex shapes and variations in the fronds, leaflets and sub-leaflets. I became curious to know the different species. I took photos, and tried to compare them to pictures in several fern guides online. In the summer before graduate school, I completed a weeklong plant identification seminar, where I learned to distinguish a red maple from a silver maple, or wood sorrel from barren strawberry. I still remember the scientific names of many trees and wildflowers. But that class completely ignored ferns, and for years I never paid much attention to them. They were
Cinnamon Fern is a twice-cut fern.
just, well, ferns. Like my city friend who thinks all evergreens are “pine trees,” I was blind to the differences among these magnificent plants. But now I was hooked. It was time to learn my ferns. Helpful Guide Lynn Levine, a retired forester, recently published a guide that explains the life history of ferns and some simple short-cuts for identifying different ferns. Her book, Identifying Ferns the Easy Way – A Pocket Guide to Common Ferns of the Northeast (Heartwood Press 2019), includes 28 common ferns native to Maine and New England. I ordered a copy, and contacted Lynn to find out more about her passion for ferns. Lynn first became interested in ferns as
Long Beech Fern is also twice-cut.
Interrupted Fern and the Royal Fern – have remained unchanged for 200+ million years. Life Stages Lynn explained that ferns have a complicated life cycle, with two different stages of reproduction. The tall fronds we see are the sporophyte phase. Those fronds produce tiny spores that spread through the air and travel long distances, even around the globe. Some species, like Bracken Ferns, are common on several continents. The other phase is the gametophyte, which few of us notice. Fern spores grow into a tiny plant called a prothallus that looks like a miniature lily pad on the forest floor. This phase produces eggs and sperm, which swim through drops of water to fertilize the eggs. The fertilized eggs then take root and grow into the sporophyte fronds.
an indicator of soil conditions and micro-habitat in the forest. She learned, for example, that the beautiful and unique Maidenhair Ferns grow in calcium-rich soils on highly productive sites that will grow the tallest trees. She also noted that an abundance of ferns in the understory usually means there are lots of deer around. The deer browse down the competing understory shrubs, allowing ferns to thrive. I had read that ferns are some of the oldest plants, dating back 400 million years, long before flowering plants evolved. Lynn noted that ferns have survived at least four global mass extinctions. The ferns we see today have reevolved from the giant ferns that were once as large as modern trees. But some – like the
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Maidenhair Fern is unique – in its own category – with crescent-shaped stems.
Evergreen Wood Fern is thrice-cut.
Leaf Shapes There are over twelve thousand species of ferns, with
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about 380 species of ferns in North America. Sixty-one fern species are native to Maine. One of the best ways to identify ferns is by the shape of the fronds and leaflets. The shapes of the stems and the types
of fruiting structures are also helpful. Evergreen ferns like Christmas Ferns and Evergreen Wood Ferns are easy to identify in early spring. Most ferns fall into three categories: oncecut, twice-cut and thrice-cut ferns. Once-cut fronds are the simplest – a main
Southern Maine (Continued from page 55)
fishing – should you start deep in the water column and work your fly higher in the current with each cast? This can and should be determined after considering the water and weather conditions – is the water clear and shallow, or deep and dark? Is the water fast, or is it still? These are “Hold them or fold them” decisions, because trout, especially brown trout, are spooky, and casting over them will send them into their
Shooter’s Bench (Continued from page 56)
joined the mix, and interest in the Rottweil faded. Cased and closeted and finally confined to the back of the gun safe, the Rottweil remained unused. Once in a while, regretful thoughts of turning down the $800 offer crept in. Then along came the Corona Virus.
Self-Propelled (Continued from page 57)
I quickly started out the gravel road, calling the paddlers’ names and hoping to catch up to them before they got too far. The cutover area offered no shade. The terrain was rolling but mostly uphill as I left the river behind. Faint footprints in the dust of the hardpan road suggested I was right about their direction of travel. I crested a rise and saw in the distance one of the ladies pulling her solo canoe on a cart. After catching up and setting her straight on directions back to the portage trail, I continued on. I alternately speed-hiked or jogged for another mile or more with no sign of the missing paddler. Calling in the Calvary I reluctantly turned back. The conditions were brutally hot. I was worried that our lost soul might wander on to an intersecting harvest road or
stem directly supports individual leaves with smooth or wavy edges. Christmas Fern and the Sensitive Fern are two examples. Twice-cut ferns either have large leaves on the main stem with deep cuts or lobes in the leaf edge, or have smaller stems off of the main stem, each
with multiple simple leaves. The Cinnamon Fern and Royal Fern are good examples. Thrice-cut fern have multiple leaves on stems, each with leaflets and sub-leaflets that also have deep lobes along the edges or sub-sub-leaflets. The Lady Fern and the Hay-scented
Fern are thrice-cut. Find A Favorite On your next walk in the woods, find a fern and see if it is once-, twice- or thricecut. You’ll enjoy getting to know these friendly fronds. It’s never too late to learn your ferns.
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bomb shelters. So how you make that first cast, and where and how you present the offering on that first cast, is important – it’s a fork in the road you need to consider carefully. Another “Kenny Rogers” decision is: when should you change fly patterns or lures? And yet another – how long should you fish the pool or stream section before moving? There’s some great information on the internet, books and CDs out there. Also read Tom Seymour’s “Trout Fishing” monthly column here in The Maine Sportsman – it’s a great resource on Maine trout
fishing. Trout fishing in August can be difficult – water levels are generally low and warm. Stocked trout have dispersed throughout the river system, and trout have been educated and overfished in many cases. However, when you combine sound, educated decisions with the proper skills and techniques, it equals more success while fishing. Successful trout fishing this month requires experience and attention to details.
Time spent staying home. Time to tinker in the gun room. Time for reflection. Time to reconsider and get some of the old-timers back in action. Bird season still lies several weeks down the road (ruffed grouse season in Maine starts September 26), but that leaves plenty of opportunities to get familiar with the old gun before taking it back into the field.
Full Circle Holding the Rottweil feels good. Walking around the pond with the dogs feels more like the old normal than any new normal. Yes, the 12-bore kicks more than the several 20s I’ve been using in recent years, but with rising partridge out in front, I will not feel a thing.
get disoriented in the heat. I needed help, water, and different footwear. My paddling shoes had turned my feet to bloody shreds as I ran in them. Back at the dam, I gathered the other group members and explained the situation. The couple who had paddled directly from Chamberlain to Telos Dam that morning had arrived. They were young, strong and eager to help. I sent them paddling back to Chamberlain Bridge to alert the waterway ranger, and to ask them to approach the dam by truck to intercept our wayward traveler. I grabbed a gallon jug of water, and accompanied by another paddler, headed back out the service road. My companion, Peter, was not only an experienced outdoorsman, but also an ER doctor and in great shape. We hiked and jogged together for several miles, and then he jogged ahead of me with his fresher legs and an agreed upon turn-around time. I followed more slowly with the gallon jug
of water. More than an hour later, I had nearly given up hope. As I struggled along, I repeatedly cursed myself for letting such a thing happen. Just then, I came around a corner to find Peter and our exhausted – but otherwise fine – paddling companion sharing a scant piece of shade as they rested on the roadside. Our lost sheep turned out to be a lion. She had hiked for more than three hours along the road network. Peter found her still hiking determinedly away from the river. She carried two heavy packs, and almost no water. She reported that her recent physical training regimen had helped tremendously. And to her great credit, she never panicked or lost hope that the other paddlers were just around the next corner. I have honestly never been more relieved. Maybe next time we’ll just try the whitewater.
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Just Watch This House for Me The author was asked to do a favor for a fellow warden – hunker down in the woods and keep an eye on a poaching suspect’s home while a search warrant was issued. What could possibly go wrong? It was one day in the early fall of 1979, before deer season started, when Warden Bill Pidgeon called me and asked me to give him a hand with something. I met up with him at his house in Newport, and he explained the situation. Bill was often short on details – you could say he was a man of action, no words – and it seemed like he could get me in some sort of mess without even trying. However, as he explained it to me, this operation seemed pretty straightforward. He said he’d received information about a guy in Plymouth who had recently shot a deer. Bill wanted to get a search warrant for the fellow’s residence, but there was a problem. Bill was afraid the guy was going to get tipped off that Bill was onto him, and would dispose of the evidence before Bill could get the warrant. That being the case Bill had, in his words, a simple job for me. “I need to get you down to Plymouth in a hurry,” he said, “so I can drop you off to watch his house in case he starts hiding the deer meat.” We got down to Plymouth, and just www.MaineSportsman.com
before I got out of the car, Bill did remember to mention that this guy was a little unbalanced. Stake-out in the Woods There really wasn’t a lot of good cover where I could observe the house without someone from the house seeing me. I expressed that concern to Bill, and he replied, “We don’t have time to worry about that right now.” I took my portable radio and got into a position along the wood line where I could see the rear area of the residence. It was late morning. Nothing seemed to be happening. There was a Ford pick-up in the yard but no sign of people around, so I cautiously moved my position a little, in order to get a better view of the area. After an hour, or so, a man emerged from the house and looked around suspiciously before getting into the pick-up truck and leaving. He was only gone about 15 minutes before returning and going back into the house. Warden Pidgeon Arrives on Scene Nothing happened the rest of the afternoon. Finally, Bill called and said he was
all set and would be pulling in shortly. Bill drove up the driveway, got out and went into the house. At that point, I decided it was time for me to make an appearance. I came out of the woods, and as I arrived next to Bill’s truck, both the man I had seen earlier and Bill came out of the house. Everything seemed to be going smoothly – the guy admitted he had shot a deer illegally, and then took us to the basement. He opened a chest freezer and showed the cut-up meat to us. We asked where the remains were, and he offered to show us a place in the woods, near the house, where he had disposed of them. The three of us walked out there. We were gone about fifteen minutes while he showed us what was left from the carcass, and told us more about how he killed the deer. Vanishing Evidence When we returned to the house, we encountered his wife, and the four of us went into the basement to retrieve the meat from the freezer. When we opened the freezer, we were astonished to find all the deer meat gone. As you readers can imagine, this gener-
While my partner Bill went to secure a search warrant, I got into position along the wood line so I could observe the suspected poacher’s residence.
ated some discussion, whereupon the wife informed us that she had called a female associate to come there on her moped, while we were up in the woods, and carry off the meat. Bill and I informed her that the only thing that was going to accomplish was to get a lot more people in trouble. The husband then instructed her to call the woman and tell her to bring the meat back. In about ten minutes, a woman arrived on a moped that was equipped with wire baskets on the sides and front. All the baskets were stuffed full of the frozen deer meat, which we transferred to Bill’s truck. We then took care of some paperwork with this man, who I had found to be very easy to deal with. Nearly a Bad Outcome As soon as we had gotten into Bill’s truck and were leaving, I commented to Bill on how things worked out really well. Bill replied, “Well,
they almost didn’t, before I arrived at the suspect’s house with the warrant.” I asked, “What do you mean?” He replied: “Do you have any idea where the guy went when he left earlier in the day in his truck?” “No,” I said. “Let me explain,” he offered. “When I got to the house, the homeowner was agitated and had a loaded rifle on the kitchen table. He told me he had seen someone sneaking around the woods near his house earlier in the day, and he was going to shoot him. However, he didn’t have any ammunition, so he went to the Plymouth General Store to buy some. He told me he’d had been watching ever since, but hadn’t seen the guy in the woods again. “So,” concluded Bill, “it looks like I saved your life.” “I really appreciate that, Bill,” I said. “You just be sure to let me know when I can help you out again.”
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Great Central Maine Boating Ponds, and the Costs of Big Boat Ownership In the summer of 2019, I acquired a new-to-me 16-foot Lund with a 30-h.p. Honda 4-stroke. This was of course a huge upgrade from my previous boat, a 14 foot “Portaboat” propelled by a 3.5 hp Nissan. What I soon came to find out, however, about owning a “big boat” is that with it comes big problems. Now, I am not saying that I don’t enjoy the new boat, but whenever more complexity is added to any situation, the higher the chance that something will ultimately go wrong. Plan for the Worst When I inherited this boat, I also inherited a sizable trailer. For those unaccustomed to towing a long trailer with a heavy boat, this is not a task that should be entered into lightly. Backing up such a rig and navigating around town is enough to make a novice queasy. I attempted to address my many and varied worst-case scenarios and in the end, determined that I needed a spare tire. I had, after all, seen through the years many a boat owner stranded on the side of the road, unfortunate victims of flat trailer tires. Hope for the Best It was weeks before I finally managed to get all of the boat’s critical parts operational, but ultimately the day came when I was prepared to take it out on its maiden
voyage. I made sure I didn’t encounter any issues that I couldn’t effectively handle. I even invited along two friends to make sure that if I need additional horsepower (help paddling home) I would be ready. Unfortunately, the boat didn’t even make it to the water before I encountered my first issue. Remember, my innate fear of towing a trailer? As my friends and I motored into the boat launch, I have to admit I was excited. In moments, I would be enjoying a relaxing day of fishing, in my new boat with my good friends. In my brief few seconds of inattention, I neglected to properly negotiate the sharp turn into the landing, and the trailer tire tapped the edge of a large granite boulder. After the large “bang”, the next sound I heard was the rapid high pitch squeal of air escaping through the tire’s sidewall. Thankfully, the day was saved due to my forethought at having purchased a spare. Get Back on That Horse I determined that this little setback wasn’t going to ruin my excitement about being a new boat owner, and through the course of the summer, my boating experiences were relatively free of drama. Sometimes you can’t sweat the small stuff, and remember – it’s all small stuff.
Great Pond, Belgrade Great Pond (DeLorme Map, 20 E-5) is the largest body of water in the famed Belgrade Chain of Lakes. For a new boat owner, its grand size can be intimidating. On my first outing on the lake, however, all of these initial fears were dispelled. The boat launch, located on Boat Way Lane off of Sahagian Road in Belgrade, is fantastic. The launch has ample parking and a beautiful dock. The launch can get very busy during the summer, but most of the traffic can be avoided if anglers get an early start. What also impressed me about Great Pond is that almost every single rock, submerged point and potential boating hazard is well labeled with buoys. As long as even a novice boater, new to the pond, navigates with caution, it’s easy to avoid problem areas. Three Mile Pond, Vassalboro Three Mile Pond (Map 13, B-2) is another of my favorite drama-free boating destinations. The pond’s boat launch, located off Route 202 in South Vassalboro, is well maintained, has a large concrete launch, ample parking and a sizable dock. Although the pond’s hazards are not quite as well marked as on Great Pond, as long as the lake is navigated at slow speeds, boat-
The author and his family enjoy a day on Great Pond.
ers shouldn’t have any rocky encounters. The center of the lake has between 25 and 37 feet of water, so if the path is clear and you feel the need to “open’r up,” go right ahead. Sheepscot Pond, Palermo Sheepscot Pond in Palermo (Map 13, B-4) is an expansive (1,193 acre) pond situated among the rolling, wooded hills of southeastern Waldo County. A lake with only moderate shoreside development (unusual for Central Maine), it remains an attractive setting for anglers and boaters alike. A state-owned boat ramp, located off Rt. 3 on the lake’s north shore, provides access for anglers and other recreational users. Anglers who believe that variety is the spice of life will find no better thrill than a day spent fishing Sheepscot Pond. On previous trips to the lake, I managed to pull up seven different species of fish, including, salmon, largemouth bass, pickerel, white perch, yellow perch, lake trout and brook trout.
According to the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, the lake also contains brown trout, smallmouth bass and even splake, which were originally introduced to the lake in 1993. While we were unsuccessful in catching any of these additional species, the possibility of going to a lake and catching 10 different species of fish is exciting! Other Suggestions for New Boaters Something that helped me immensely in increasing my confidence in navigating new bodies of water was a good quality depth finder. I also carry a lake/pond survey map (available through the state’s website – go to www. maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/, and click on “Lake Survey Maps”) of the bodies of water I am navigating. As long as I am always sure of my position, these simple maps can really take the guesswork out of navigating unfamiliar bodies of water.
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The Trap Line Firearm A .22-caliber rimfire gun is the firearm of choice for trappers, and it has been for more than a century. These guns are capable of dispatching all the animals trapped for their fur, and are also one of the best survival tools a man can possess. The .22 is capable of taking all small game, and with extreme care in shot placement will even take game as large as a deer if needed, although it’s not legal to hunt deer with a rimfire .22. The choice of bullet type varies by trapper and the species of furbearer pursued. No matter what the choice for dispatching furbearers, if they’re trapping in the wilder places or wilderness, they’d be wise to carry some standard .22
long rifle cartridges for survival use if the need ever arises. A look at the different choice of cartridges reveals the difference in the power of the bullets. .22 Short Does Most Jobs I have used the standard velocity round for comparison in the chart on page 64. Yes, the high velocity and super-duper rounds sold today have more speed, but that does not necessarily mean they penetrate better. In fact, my personal opinion is the standard velocity with a plain bullet does 90% of the jobs we use the round for. Most canine trappers use a high velocity hollow point long rifle cartridge or the .22 short, as those bullets are not so apt to
BEAR TRAPPERS
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pass through the animal, thus reducing fur damage. If a head (brain) shot is taken, the .22 short will take care of things. However, we trappers must also protect ourselves from rabies. As we know or should know, the rabies virus is strongest in – and lives longest in – the brain and spinal fluids. The animals most susceptible to rabies, and those we should take all cautions with (including the wearing of rubber gloves), are the canines, as well as raccoon and skunk. Many trappers shoot the larger canines through the heart from the side to reduce exposure to rabies and to achieve a humane kill. Fox, raccoon and skunk can be dispatched by various means. Are you new to trapping? If so, I rec-
For trappers who carry handguns, the .22 revolver offers simplicity and reliability.
ommend you check your National Trappers Association Trappers Handbook or other related trapper training documents to learn about the dispatching of the various furbearers. Ballistics A comparison of standard rounds utilizing average ballistics is shown in the chart on page 64. The ballistics will vary somewhat, depending on manufacturer, barrel length and type firearm utilized.
Gun safety should be of the upmost importance to trappers, as they carry the firearm many hours a day, day after day while on the trap line. There is really no need to carry a loaded firearm, unless you are hunting small game at the same time. Always be aware of firearm safety. The expression “Keep it Simple” applies to the gun you chose. A single shot rifle is probably the most practical. (Continued on page 64)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 63
Togue, Salmon, Crappies, Pike and Bass — Sebago Produces This Month It never ceases to amaze me how one day the lake is frigidly cold and the next I am swimming in refreshing yet warm water. Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1) is fed by thousands of underwater springs, and you always know when you swim over one – the bone-chilling ribbon of water takes your breath away – but just as quickly you are back in warmer water. The shallows heat up quickly, but the deeper water stays cool – a perfect combination to support a variety of fish. This month, despite warm temperatures, the region’s largest lake provides myriad angling opportunities. Keeping Togue to Help Salmon Of course lake trout are on my mind, and I troll for them
every chance I can. Living on the water makes it easy to head out after work or early in the morning. Sometimes I am accompanied by clients I am guiding, other times I am with friends, while there are also occasions when it’s just me and my thermos of hot coffee out there. Sadly, Sebago’s salmon are on a decline due primarily to the increase in the lake trout population. Most of the ardent salmon anglers have switched to targeting togue, for two reasons: • First, they are abundant and relatively easy to catch; and • Second, by culling out togue, we are hopefully helping the salmon to rebound. Even the state biologists want us to kill and remove every laker we catch. This year, the slot limit was
removed, and anglers can now keep as many lakers under 26 inches as they catch, and may keep one over 26 inches. I’m not usually a fan of killing fish, but I’ve taken to smoking togue and making lake trout chowder, both of which are quite tasty. What Gear to Use? Most anglers troll for lakers, and downrigger fishermen do it best. Trolling just off bottom with frozen or pickled smelt works wonders. I have found that using some of the realistic smelt imita-
The author put angler Jim Bell onto a hefty Sebago lake trout last summer – proof of the lake’s summer bounty. Photo by Tom Roth
tion lures do as well, if not better, than using the real thing.
I’ve had very good results on togue with (Continued on next page)
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64 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 63)
the new Live Action Twitch Minnows in the purple smelt color. These baits are incredibly realistic and really hold up. Plus they don’t dry up like some of the soft baits. (And no, I’m not a paid spokesmodel for the company!) Other anglers like to drag leadcore line for lakers, using classic lures such as the Flatfish. A skilled leadcore angler can do just as well as a downrigger angler on the lake – just find one and have them show you how. Some anglers like to still-fish for lake trout, although I’d say they are definitely the minority. By motoring slowly and locating fish on bottom with your fish-finder, you can easily set anchor and drop a live shiner or
sucker on a slip-sinker rig to the bottom. Leave the bail open on your reel, and wait for the line to start peeling away. “Stacking” Lines for Salmon Salmon can still be caught on Sebago – they just aren’t as abundant as they used to be, making them harder to find. While trolling for lakers, you will see fish in the water column, not on bottom. These are likely salmon. Adjust your downrigger appropriately, or do as I do and throw a stacker release on your line at that depth and you may latch onto a salmon. (“Stacking” refers to running a second line at a shallower depth off the same downrigger cable, with the help of a device called a stacker
Trapping Although we all have our favorites, the guns most commonly seen on the trap line are single shot and repeater .22 rifles. Another firearm frequently utilized is the handgun, which may be a semi-auto pistol, a single action or double action revolver. The use of handguns on the trap line is common because of their lighter weight. Also, the fact that they are carried in holsters has another great advantage – leaving the trapper’s hands free to do all that we do on the trap line. Ballistics for Different .22 Rounds Muzzle Velocity (ft. per sec.)
Muzzle Energy (ft. lbs.)
725 725 1045 1180 1140
34 34 70 90 116
Handgun
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introduced species, the northern pike, has made its way into Sebago Lake by some uninformed angler(s) who thought it wise to mess with mother-nature. First documented in the lake in 2003, pike now pop up during the Sebago derby each winter. One lunker pike was caught a few years ago, and it had a 13-inch salmon in its stomach. So don’t say they don’t impact the salmon fishing! You can do your part by targeting and removing these invasive fish. Concentrate on shallow spots, such as the weed bed next to Raymond Beach. Place a large live shiner on a bobber, cast it right up to the weeds and cattails, and let it sit. Any pike that is lurking in the shallows will likely be drawn to the squirming of the impaled baitfish. Be sure to use steel
Crappie Fishing Some say the fishing is crappie on Sebago. They mean the black crappie, and if you know where to find them, they can provide the makings for a good fish fry. These illegally-introduced fish haven’t taken over the lake, but they do hold in a few locations on the lake, and anglers inthe-know get in some good angling. Without mentioning specific spots and earning the ire of the angling community, let me just say that if you do some research and can find an obliging local angler, you will find them, too. Pesky Pike Another illegally
.22 Short (29) .22 Long Rifle (40)
(Continued from page 62)
Type Weight & Bullet (grains) Rifle .22 CB Short (30) .22 CB Long (30) .22 Short (29) .22 Long (29) .22 Long rifle (40)
release.) Frye’s Gut, the stretch of water between Frye Island and Raymond Cape is a good spot to try, especially early in the morning.
865 1027
48 93
I highly recommend that younger trappers stick to the rifle, as handguns increase the dangers associated with firearms. For those trappers who use handguns, the most common ones include the Ruger Mk II pistol, Ruger Single Six (.22 rimfire version) revolver, Ruger Bearcat revolver, High Standard Pistol, Browning Buck Mark pistol, various Rossi & Taurus revolvers, and Smith & Wessons. I have carried an H&R revolver, a Model 999, for many years, and I find it to be highly accurate. Mine was manufactured in 1956 and is a single action. Many of the Model 999 revolvers that you run across are double actions. I have frequently collected grouse and snowshoe rabbits with mine over the years. Another well-made .22 revolver that is currently being manufactured is the Ruger Single Six. It is fairly heavy for a .22 revolver. It may be purchased as a .22 rimfire only, or as a convert-
leaders and braided line when fishing for these brutes. Bass Angling Although the bass go deeper in the warm months, you can still do well angling for smallmouth and the occasional largemouth bass. Early in the morning, you will find the bass close to shore and in shallow water near structure. Look for the wellmarked hazard areas in the lake. But the rocks and shallows that pose risk for outboards also present opportunities for bass anglers. Cautiously motor close to the rocks, and cast toward them with tube jigs, spinner baits or crank baits. Try to work where large rocks sit on the bottom as these spots often hold bass looking for shade and concealment.
¶
ible, which means it can shoot both the conventional .22 rimfire cartridge or the .22 magnum depending on which cylinder is utilized. The rifles used by trappers may be made by many different manufacturers. Remington, Winchester, Marlin, and Savage are the most common and vary in style from semi-automatics, pumps, bolt actions (single and multishot versions) and even some old rolling block types. I had a friend who used an old Winchester single shot without sights that was his grandfather’s. He said, “Who needs sights? I am never more than two feet from anything I dispatch.” A trap line firearm is like an old dog. Always there, always needed, and only requires some loving care to keep it happy. Do not forget to always keep your firearm well maintained.
¶
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 65
Pontoon Boats — Perfect Fishing Vehicles My ice-out trip to the mouth of Moose River this past spring saw the usual assortment of watercraft, along with some non-traditional boats. These were pontoon boats, set up for trolling, and they were numerous. Pontoon boats have become increasingly popular in recent years. At first, they were mostly used for purely recreational purposes, but lately anglers have gotten in on the action too. Where once sport-fishing boats comprised the bulk of lake traffic, pontoon or “party” boats now dot the surface, many of them equipped with downriggers and other angling necessities. Indeed, my ice-out trip was courtesy of my friend, Moosehead guide and lodge owner, Bob Lawrence, and his pontoon boat. This was a first for me and it was indeed a memorable experience. Creature Comforts One of the great things about fishing from a pontoon boat is the mobility they offer. Instead of requiring anglers to sit on somewhat cramped standard boat seats, pontoon boats offer padded seats that rival indoor couches for comfort. I found this akin to fishing in my living room – all the comforts of home while out on the water catching salmon and togue. Pontoon boats may appear sluggish be-
Pontoon boats offer anglers living-room comfort, fast speeds to the fishing ground, and the ability to walk all the way around the boat while playing a big fish. What’s not to like? cause of their rectangular shape, but the opposite is true. These vessels, when powered by a motor of appropriate size, take a back seat to no other watercraft. Another bonus regarding fishing from a pontoon boat is that the angler can stand in the stern and experience the same effect as when fishing from shore. By opening a swinging gate, anglers can find almost unlimited room to walk about and maneuver while fighting a fish. For me, that’s a big deal. Some pontoon boats come with an enclosure that helps keep the occupants warm on cool days and dry during rainy times. Combine that with the sheer comfort available from these boats, and you have the perfect fishing craft. Given my pleasant experience with my friend Bob’s pontoon boat, I’m sold on their efficiency and comfort. Pontoon boats
have come to the forefront and are growing in popularity each year. If you have the opportunity to try one out, by all means do so – it just might change the way you fish. Hebron Sleeper While Moosehead Lake stands as the best chance around for success on coldwater game fish, other lakes in the region have their solid points too. Hebron Lake, for example, holds both salmon and togue, and these grow to respectable sizes. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocks Hebron with large numbers of brook trout each spring and fall, and these offer some opportunities for the next few weeks after stocking. Stocked brook trout, though, are not the draw for this 525-acre lake. Instead, anglers in the know hit the water here in search of togue and the occasional salmon. My buddy Andy Collar began fishing
Hebron Lake only last year. Andy’s first trip was a huge success, with salmon and togue in the 20-plus-inch range. Andy took me to Hebron shortly after his initial trip, but it was so windy that day that we couldn’t fish effectively and quit after a few hours. Wind, that bugaboo of all anglers, has a way of spoiling a perfectly nice day on the water. This points out the importance of consulting the local weather forecast before heading out. Even with that, though, forecasters sometimes get it wrong. But it’s better to have at least some kind of idea of upcoming wind velocity before heading out. Andy hit Hebron Lake again, just re-
Bob Lawrence releases a Moosehead Lake salmon from the stern of his pontoon boat. Seymour photo
cently, and caught an 8-pound togue. This more than made up for the windy experience of last year. Moosehead Rocks No matter what kind of boat I go out in, Moosehead Lake rates as my go-to place for success on togue and salmon. While some people eschew trolling in August because the fish are too deep, that isn’t always the case. This year’s late spring and lingering cold wa(Continued on next page)
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66 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Moosehead (Continued from page 65)
ter pushed the season back by several weeks at least. That means that by August, coldwater species may remain no deeper than the 50-foot mark. Anglers heading out early in the day can do well with leadcore lines, since fish are closer to the surface at those times.
During the heat of the day when salmon and togue go deeper, downriggers are a great help. Downriggers have several advantages over lead-core. Among them is the ability to troll at a relatively fast clip without the bait or lure riding up. With lead-core line,
the faster the speed, the more friction between line and water. Consequently, the line cannot get down as far as we might like. I suspect this August will see warm temperatures and red-hot fishing. August ranks among my favorite times to be on Moosehead, given usually-comfortable conditions and willing game fish. Also, far fewer boats are on the
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 67
Bingham to Solon by Land and Water As I towed my homemade wood drift boat (a/k/a the East Coast Drifter) into the Bingham boat launch, the sun splashed across the parking lot. I noticed it was completely empty of cars or trailers. “Hmmmm,” I thought to myself. I have mixed emotions whenever I pull into a boat ramp parking lot that’s empty. On the one hand, it’s great not to have to listen to the knucklehead in front of me yelling profane instructions at his fishing partners as they jackknife the trailer halfway down the ramp. In fact, if I ever had a need to write comedy, a crowded boat ramp would provide endless material, especially when spouses try launching a boat. The national divorce rate hovers at over 50 percent. I suspect it’s
closer to 85 percent for those couples who launch at many boat ramps. On the other hand, it’s easy to wonder, “How come I’m the only one here? Did something happen? Is the season already closed?” I checked the rule book and was relieved to see that the water was open to legal fishing. This Couple Works Well Together Like a well-oiled machine, my wife Denise and I worked together to prepare the boat for launch. Smoothly, we slid the
drifter into the rolling current of the Kennebec River. We have it down to a science – no threepoint turns, no fancy backing-up maneuvers, and – most importantly – no shouting instructions. Denise held onto the boat, while I parked the Jeep. Bingham to Solon The day’s itinerary involved drifting from the boat ramp located just upstream from the Route 16 bridge, to another ramp located north of the dam in Solon. Anytime I float a new-to-me section of
river, I diligently gather all the information available. Surprises can ruin a trip. Fortunately, technology and a few phone calls can ease any concerns. I’m a big fan of the Earthmate GPS software that I have loaded on my smartphone. This allows me to map the route down the river and calculate the mileage accurately. I’ve learned that around seven miles works well for me, allowing enough time to wet the water with a fly line as I work my
way along. The day’s drift charted out at 7.2-miles – perfect. When I run the river, I’ll put my GPS in “track” mode and get a real time mileage recording. Usually when I compare my projected miles to actual, they are remarkably close. Next, I scout out the ramps. In a perfect world I visit the ramp in person to check it out. If time doesn’t allow, however, I use my friend Google Earth. Most ramps show up well from the satellite (Continued on next page)
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Jackman Region (Continued from page 67)
view. Google Earth also does a good job of showing sections of turbulent water. Moderate Class II water just reveals some scattered suds. Class III or greater shows as solid
white. Anything that looks too rough for the East Coast Drifter gets delegated to my whitewater fishing raft. Before making the decision to use the true whitewater raft instead of the wood
drift boat, I’ll call some local guides or lodges and get some real time intel. I’ve found most of these folks more than willing to share information. Easy Shuttle Before long, the current took us under the Route 16 bridge, and the lone Jeep in the parking lot got smaller and smaller. For the sake of everyone on board, that Jeep will somehow have to make the trip to the Solon ramp also. Lining up a shuttle happens weeks before the boat hits the water. In this section of the Kennebec River, Joe and Lorena Albuit, owners of Evergreen Campground, have this process down to a science. All I do is call ahead, let them know when I’m coming, my launch point and my end destination. All I
Here, the author’s wife, Denise, prevents the “East Coast Drifter” from making an early departure downriver. After 37 years, the couple can still launch a boat together without needing a divorce lawyer. A pleasant day on the river starts with a smooth launch and a pre-arranged shuttle. Bill Sheldon photo
have to do is drop off my spare keys at the campground and pay a reasonable fee, and my Jeep magically appears on time at the takeout ramp. Otherwise it takes two vehicles to work a do-it-yourself shuttle. I’ve witnessed some river runners use a bicycle and even a small motorcycle. I know one guide on the East Outlet who parks halfway between ramps. He
walks halfway back to the put-in. At the end of the day he walks half-way to his truck. He likes the quick walk in the morning and really appreciates stretching his legs at the end of the day. Many guides, lodges, sporting stores and campgrounds will assist with shuttles. The important thing revolves around calling ahead. Don’t try dialing from the ramp. A (Continued on page 70)
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 69
Old Rods for Memories; New Poles for Catchin’ I handed my seven-year-old son my cherished, classic St. Croix rod, nicknamed “Old Red,” complete with Zebco 33 reel. I then provided him with a quick lesson on how to cast. However, I forgot to emphasize one important detail. Fishing rods have a way of accumulating. My garage ceiling has a specially made rack that holds every Sheldon-owned fishing pole for the last three generations. My sporting career started with a solid fiberglass hand-medown with a curved metal handle. Looking back, it had less “action” than the family broom. Eventually, I saved up enough money to purchase a St. Croix fiberglass rod. Yup, six feet of red beauty and whip-like action. It was pared with an entry-level Zebco 33, and no fish stood a chance. “Old Red” and I spent a lot of time together. When I look up toward that ceiling, every one of those rods – at least to me – tells a story or two. Even the few blank spots speak
volumes. One particularly empty hole tells a comical tale of woe. By the early 1990s I had updated my gear considerably, sporting some of the graphite rods that were then new to hit the market. However, that didn’t mean I’d throw Old Red to the curb. “Red” Meets Generation Y A day of fishing with my young son Willie at Little Narrows in Winthrop, Maine took a classic turn. We had taken a small, oar-powered “car topper” across the lake to fish a particularly good-looking shoreline. Now, a seven-yearold kid starts out with his father’s old rod, right? Well, anyway, I had brought Old Red along for just such an occasion. And, of
Discover the
course, before handing it to him I gave him the “story” of the rod. No pressure son, just dad’s favorite childhood rod, all yours now. Somewhere in there I exaggerated just how many fish Old Red may have caught. It was a father/son moment caught in time. A few quick casting lessons, and it was time to see what the boy could do with outdated equipment. Apparently, my instructions were incomplete. Lost in all the glory stories of fishing with a legendary family rod was one important detail – hang on to the handle. “Kaploop” went Old Red. Yup, a 15foot cast, rod and all. She went straight to the bottom. It got a little tense in that 12-foot boat. I saw Willie glance
Brian Vandal shows off a healthy Penobscot River bronze-back. Notice the seven-weight rod with the fighting butt. The seven-weight works exceptionally well when throwing large flies on windy days. The fighting butt also gives Vandal an advantage when hard fighting smallies leverage the current. Bill Sheldon photo
at the shoreline, calculating his chances of making it to shore versus certain assault by a wayward oar. Instead of fishing, we spent a few hours
dredging the bottom with a grapple, to no avail. I never refilled that empty rod holder on the garage ceiling. (Continued on next page)
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70 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Katahdin Country (Continued from page 69)
New Memories Despite having at least 37 fishing rods (one for each year of marriage), recently a new one followed me home from L.L.Bean. I normally don’t like excessively long rods, but old dogs can sometimes learn new tricks. For the last few years, I’ve contemplated purchasing a seven-weight rod, specifically for smallmouth bass and some salmon trolling on Grand Lake.
It wasn’t until I was fishing for steelhead on the Salmon River in New York that the seven-weight bug hit me. I had borrowed a nine-foot seven weight for the trip, and it went okay … nothing special. Then, on a whim, I picked up the guide’s 10-foot seven weight. Unbelievable. Let the search begin.
Bronze Back Weaponry The stretch of the
Penobscot River from Medway to Bangor has some storied smallmouth bass populations. I’ve heard tales of guys catching 100plus bass a day. My personal best hovers closer to 40 bass a day, with an admittedly relaxed pace and a fly rod. Sizing up a new rod for this iconic river led me to jump from my old faithful six weight to a seven weight. After trying out the longer rod in New York, I committed to a 10-foot length. The heavier weight
rod allows me to throw big flies effortlessly, regardless of the wind. Also, seven-weight rods come with a fighting butt – a nice feature when battling bass or salmon in the fast current below the Weldon Dam in Mattawamkeag. We fish below the dam with my fishing raft. I also think the extra 12 inches of rod length helps when casting from the sitting position. I picked up an inexpensive reel with two spools. One spool holds a floating line, perfect
Jackman Region (Continued from page 68)
little advance notice goes a long way.
Now offering Guided Bear and Moose Hunts around Chamberlain Lake
(207) 944-5991 info@nugentscamps.com 422 Perry Road, Bangor, ME
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Show Your Appreciation I’ve also found Dunkin Donuts gift cards come in handy for folks who help me shuttle but didn’t want renumeration. That sometimes happens. I always compensate in one form or another. It pays huge dividends when asking a second time. At certain points, the Kennebec River parallels Route 201 in Bingham close enough so we can see traffic from the river. It was nice to look up and catch a glimpse of a green Jeep with an empty drift boat trailer, tooling south as we casually meandered south with the current. Another flawless day on Maine’s iconic river.
¶
for casting bushy poppers in moving water. If I feel the need to get down a bit, my second spool has a sinking tip locked and ready to roll. And, as an added bonus, the new, heavier, longer rig has increased my casting distance a notable amount. Some of that extra yardage can be attributed to following Maine Sportsman Fly Fishing writer William Clunie’s advice on employing the Lefty Kreh casting method. August Bass Busters The Penobscot River has excellent access from Medway to Bangor. At my last count, 13 boat ramps make float trips of varying distances easily executed. Don’t overlook smaller rivers that feed the Penobscot. The Mattawamkeag River (DeLorme Atlas, Map 44, C-2) and the Passadumkeag River (Map 33, B-4) both have good access points. The low summertime water levels make navigation by canoe or kayak an ideal choice. A few years ago, On the Water TV did a piece on Pushaw Stream (Map 33, E-3). They effectively fished it with spinning rods from sit-on-top kayaks. Just for the record, the emotional scarring from losing the first rod I ever purchased didn’t last too long. Other than sending my brother-in-law up to Little Narrows with scuba gear a few weeks later, I was able to let it go. If anyone finds a red St Croix with a Zebco 33, we can discuss a reward.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 71
Think Bear, Bass and Brookies This Month Although Maine’s black bear season won’t actually begin until August 31st, the journey to success can begin exactly 30 days prior. Experienced bear baiters will set up sites August 1st and maintain them throughout the season’s end on September 26th or when a bruin is bagged and tagged. Despite the fact that Aroostook forests and fields are home to thousands of black ghosts, they don’t become large by being foolish. Even with a well situated and steadily overseen bait site, it’s no simple chore to down a 200-pound or larger bear. Location and Set Up Bear are plentiful as down on a duck’s belly throughout the Crown of Maine, so selecting a likely set-up location isn’t the problem – it’s avoiding other hunters. Outfitters and guides are spread far and wide, and a slew of independent hunters like myself annually set up a bait or two. A lot of the professionals favor the deep north woods and far-removed logging roads where bear are seldom bothered, but there are plenty of much closer, usable locales around urban edge farm fields and smaller wood lots for individual sportsmen. Most County famers enjoy hunting themselves so are
agreeable to giving permission for a bait site to be set up well away from farm buildings and land where harvesting and machinery operate. I recommend suspending a barrel or bucket from a cable running between two trees. The height keeps pests and small bear out of the container, saving bait, and allows a hunter to better judge the size and sex of a bruin as it stands to reach food. A laterally hung barrel also needs no top to keep the bait dry and prevent spoilage due to rain. Step two is to select a tree to place a stand in or clear a ground space and shooting lane for a ground blind. I continue to favor the expanded field of vision and ease of weapon mounting and sighting of a lofty perch.
I also believe the quarry seldom expects danger from above, and my scent is less likely to be detected. The upsides to portable blinds include less insect annoyance, cover from rain or bright sun, and reduced likelihood of any movement spooking an approaching bear. Cons include reduced vision and the expense of replacement or repair when a wandering moose or inquisitive bear trashes the lightweight portable hiding place. It happens way more often than you’d expect. Win by a Nose It’s been my experience that while the smell of the bait alone will entice a bear or two, utilizing a strong, aromatic attractant scent that can disperse on the wind will draw several bear from as far as a mile away to
Writer Bill Graves sets up a couple of individual bear baits annually. He says he’s noticed a significant increase in numbers and size of animals visiting the sites when he uses an attractant scent. Proof is in the picture of a recent trophy taken with a crossbow. All photos by Bill Graves
investigate. See more details on my suggestions for use of scents in this issue’s special bear-hunting section starting on page 23. For newcomers to the hands-on excitement and accomplish-
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ment of establishing and maintaining a bait, save gas and time by selecting a spot no more than 30 minutes from home – 20 is even better. Check out the area (Continued on next page)
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72 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Topwater baits are perfect for August fishing on Pleasant Pond in Island Falls. Tried-andtrue favorites like the Hula Popper in the center for spin casting, or the poppers and hair bugs for fly rodders, will all entice action.
Even young anglers like Conner Cushman of Mars Hill can enjoy brook trout action on County creeks and supply the main course for breakfast.
The County (Continued from page 71)
along Forrest Avenue and the Dorsey Road; see Delorme’s Atlas, Map 65, grid D-4 for an overview, and use Route 1A for access. There’s lots of woods, some dark growth wetland, and several lakes, ponds and streams. I used to hunt this region with great success before I had my own land. It’s close to Fort Fairfield, Easton, Mars Hill, Caribou and Presque Isle. Folks to the north should travel Route 161 and turn west onto the Westmanland Road, then north to the spider web of
backroads in Blackstone and towards Little Madawaska Lake. This woodland abounds with black bear and is just far enough from the towns to receive only moderate pressure. Peruse DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 64, sectors A-3 & 4, and then spend an afternoon scouting. Bear are so populous throughout Aroostook County, it’s possible to postpone baiting until a week or two before opening day and still enjoy success. Pleasant Bronzebacks I’ve often touted the top rate winter smelt
Booking for the 2020 Bear Seasons! Hunts Over Bait and/or with Hounds
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jigging on Pleasant Pond in Island Falls and lauded the consistent spring salmon trolling, but too often I overlook just how good the smallmouth bass fishing can be in late summer and early fall. Topwater action along the rocky shorelines offers consistent acrobatic and aerobatic battles for even rookie casters and youngsters. During warm, sunny days, tossing a single gold leaf Colorado spinner with a 3” plastic grub, a Ned rig on a 5” Senko worm on a wacky rig regularly coaxes strikes. But at dawn or sunset, tie on a Heddon Tiny Torpedo, Hula Popper, Jitterbug or Rebel Pop-R, then reel in with intermittent pauses between noisy splashes, and hang on! I have also had some luck with my 5-weight fly rod tossing feather-tailed plastic and trimmed hair
Smaller feeder brooks like Whitney in Bridgewater benefit from hot weather as larger trout leave the main stream for cooler water. Grasshopper flies draw big trout from small pools.
body poppers with a weight-forward line. There is a maintained boat launch just off Pond Road which is reached via Route 2, and Birch Point Lodge has a ramp as well. I’m not sure how the Covid 19 rules will affect visiting anglers, but Birch Point Lodge has lakeside cabins, campsites and trailer hook ups as well as a lunch counter, bowling alley, sundry supplies and up to date fishing info. Call ahead before making plans. Birch Point Cove, Dinsmore Cove, Sand Cove Point and the rock-strewn region in Outlook Mountain Cove are likely casting venues. ’Hopper Heaven – Whitney Brook A lot of fishermen limit August outings to sunrise and sunset hatches floating a dry fly. I’m here to testify that heat and high sun won’t deter brook trout action on the right wa-
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terways. Whitney Brook in Bridgewater wanders through forest and field edges, and a good portion has a canopy of shading trees and bushes. Casting is tight but doable, and with a swept-wing yellow or orange bodied grasshopper fly, the trout will respond. Either the wool body or foam work, while a sparse red hackle barb tail and a thick brown hackle accent the dressing. As the Prestile Stream warms, trout move into the spring and creek fed Whitney water and the 10- to 16-inch brookies inhale hoppers. Lots of real ones fall from the waterside foliage, so fish are primed to pounce. Get off Route 1 at the Boundary Line Road, and there are dozens of farm field roads and two-tracks right to water’s edge. Hip boots are fine; very uneven rocky bottom structure prevails, so felt soles or metal sole inserts aid stability. It’s rare to see another fisherman. Check Delorme, Map 59, B-4 and leave any rod over 7 feet home.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 73
Weekend & Weekly Rentals
Aroostook County — The Crown of Maine —
38 Swift Brook Road Stacyville, ME (207) 794-5934 (207) 944-3551
When Mike Moreau is not busy promoting The Maine Sportsman, he gets a little fishing in. Here, he holds a 34-inch, 13-pound muskie, caught last season in the far northwest corner of Maine.
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74 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Glancing at Glamping He walked along the road, feeling the ache from the pull of the heavy pack. The road climbed steadily. It was hard work walking uphill. His muscles ached and the day was hot, but Nick felt happy. He felt he had left everything behind – the need for thinking, the need to write, other needs. It was all back of him. Ernest Hemingway, “Big Two-Hearted River” I think we can safely assume Papa Hemingway wouldn’t have appreciated glamping. What’s glamping? When I first came across the term, I thought it might relate to “galumphing,” as in Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwock-slayer who “left it dead, and with its head, he went galumphing back”. As usual, I was wrong. According to an infallible source (the internet), glamping is a contraction of the words “glamorous” and “camping,” and refers to a trendy activity that involves replacing everything about camping that’s even the slightest bit
inconvenient or unpleasant, with a cultivated alternative. And since everything about camping is either inconvenient or unpleasant, the end product bears roughly the same resemblance to actual camping as spending a weekend at the Ritz Carlton. “Embrace the Immersive Cultural Environment” The website glamping.com gushes about it thusly: “Glamping is where stunning nature meets modern luxury. Experiential travel is an authentic way to connect with nature. Together, the experience is about stepping off the beaten path, walking away from superficial tourist activities and embracing an immersive cultural environment. By pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, experiential travelers experience a shift in perspective that improves the way they connect with the world.” I assume that wasn’t written by Hemingway. Allow me to help out the anonymous author by translating this gibberish
Rugged outdoorsman, woodsman and Portland resident John McLoughlin models what the well-dressed glamper is wearing this season. Note the hiking boots with spats, and the rustic ascot. Al Diamon photo
into English: Glamping is camping for rich people who hate camping, but don’t want to admit it. Electricity. Running Water. Air Conditioning. Some glamping sites put up guests in fancy cabins. Some have yurts. But for the real glamping experience, you have to stay in a tent. Not an ordinary tent. To be a true glamper, you need a big tent erected on a raised platform and supported by a
complex infrastructure that can withstand wind, rain and sunshine. All that’s missing in this canvas wonderland is a ringmaster, a trapeze act and some clowns. Glamping offers a few other amenities not often found during actual forays into the wild: Electricity. Air conditioning. Running water. Gourmet meals. Servants. It allows its customers to experience life in the woods in much the same way that reading Hemingway transforms you into a tragic anti-hero. Except Hemingway books don’t come with a bartender who mixes craft cocktails especially designed to enhance your wilderness experience. S’mores Made with Organic Graham Crackers It doesn’t appear from various websites, that glampoids engage in this activity in order to hunt or fish. That would put them at risk of unsightly stains on their ascots. But that shouldn’t be interpreted as meaning they aren’t “embracing an immersive cultural en-
vironment.” In between gourmet picnic lunches and naps in custom-designed hammocks, these “experiential travelers” might hike a short distance over perfectly level ground, or kayak the length of a swimming pool. If they want to birdwatch, special aviary assistants capture elusive species and present them for the guests to observe from the comfort and safety of plush chaise lounges while nibbling on s’mores made from organic graham crackers, craft marshmallows and imported chocolates, melted over campfires fueled exclusively by sustainably raised rock-maple logs, cut by master craftsmen and carved into shapes resembling poor people in the pits of hell begging for mercy. But don’t think for a minute that glampers are entirely deprived of contact with nature. Many sites keep a moose under contract to make scheduled visits. Some employ a bald eagle to swoop down and pluck a fish from a pond. The fish is also on the pay(Continued on page 76)
Check out more cartoons and jokes on the next page! www.MaineSportsman.com
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 75
Smilin’
Sportsman Youth Edition
Q: What do you do if you find a bear in the outhouse? A: Let him finish! ••••••••••••••••••• Teacher: “Johnny, what are you and Billy going to do after school?” Johnny: “We’re going to go to Reny’s to buy some eyeglasses.” Teacher: “Then what?” Johnny: “Then we’ll see!” ••••••••••••••••••• A minister was walking down the street one day when he noticed Little Johnny trying unsuccessfully to press a
Adults Only
I read a book on how to improve your marriage. It said I was supposed to treat my wife the same way I treated her on our first date. So after dinner tonight, I’m dropping her off at her parents’ house. ••••••••••••••••••• Q: Why did the Amish woman holler at her husband? A: He was driving her buggy. ••••••••••••••••••• Taking a seat in his chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers. “So,” he said, “both of you presented me with cash bribes over the weekend.” The lawyers glanced at each other accusingly, and squirmed uncomfortably. “You, Attorney Bartles, gave me $15,000,” continued the judge. “And you, Attorney James, gave me $10,000.” The judge reached into his pocket, pulled out $5,000 and gave it to Bartles.
Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com!
doorbell on a house across the street. After watching the boy’s efforts for some time, the minister decided to help, so he walked over and gave the doorbell a long, hard push. Then he looked down at Little Johnny and said, “Now, what do we do?” Johnny smiled and said, “Now, we run!” ••••••••••••••••••• Teacher: “Little Johnny – what did you do this weekend?” Johnny (nervously): “Why – what did you hear?”
“Here you go, Bartles,” he concluded. “I’m returning $5,000 to you. And now we’re going to decide this case solely on its merits.” ••••••••••••••••••• On hearing that her elderly grandfather had passed away, Jenny rushed to her grandmother’s side. She asked how her grandfather had died, and her grandmother explained that Gramps had a heart attack when they were making love on Sunday morning. Surprised, Jenny suggested that making love at age 94 was surely asking for trouble. “Oh, no,” her grandmother replied, “we make love every Sunday morning, in time with the church bells.” She paused and wiped away a tear. “If it hadn’t been for that darn ice cream truck going by, he’d still be alive!”
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76 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
— TRADING POST — • Subscribers may place one free 20-word line classified ad per month (2-month limit) • Items for sale must include a price • Real estate ads must include an address or location
• The regular rates are $15 for up to 20 words and 50¢ for each additional word • Check, money order, MasterCard or VISA (Credit or Debit) are accepted
• You may submit your ads by: Phone: 207-357-2702 E-mail: ads@mainesportsman.com Mail: 183 State Street, Suite 101 Augusta ME 04330
SUBMIT AD AND PAYMENT BY THE 30TH OF EACH MONTH AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. looking for five new deer than people on or 207-573-2931 Floor, Stage and BalBOATS VINTAGE 1950s MAINE GUIDE 20' OLD TOWN CANOE Wood/Canvas. Excellent Condition. Stable, high gunnel, a real work horse! $4900. Call 603-359-4420 —————————
CAMPS FOR RENT PARKMAN, MEBUCKS CROSSING WMD 17 RENTAL CABINS Turkey, deer, moose, upland game. All amenities included. Great rates- nightly, weekly, monthly. $75/night for two people. 207-2773183 CAMP ON SMALL POND IN SHIRLEY $500/wk. Great hunting, fishing & ATV trails nearby. Also, local hunting club 1/4 mi. away is actively
members. No Quarantine Required. 207636-3689
DEAD RIVER CAFE Year-round home for rent on the North Branch of the Dead River. Sleeps up to 9. Four bedrooms, 1/1/2 baths, 2 car garage. 3 1/2 miles North of Pines Market in Eustis. $250/day up to 6 people- 2 day min. $50/pp extra up to 9. $1,200/wk up to 6 people, $200/pp extra up to 9. Contact Jamie: 207-577-6516 —————————
CAMPS & CABINS FOR SALE SMALL COTTAGE ON 10 ACRES Completely isolated, yet only 10 miles from Belfast. More
land. Great for hunting camp or yearround living. $80,000. For more information, go to: www.masiello. com. Call Judy Brossmer at 207-322-3392. WESTERN MAINE COTTAGE On 32 acres of woodland and field with 1/2 mile frontage on the Magalloway River, known for its excellent native trout and salmon fishing. Cottage has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two outbuildings and hobby greenhouse. $489,000. 207.486.3306 or amiles004@yahoo.com FOUR SEASON CAMP IN LEE, ME Sleeps up to 9. Well & septic. Access to Silver Lake. Access to ATV & Snowmobile trails. FURNISHED. $75,000. 207-217-0793
HUNTING/ TRAPPING CABIN In the North Maine Woods T13R10. Great Moose hunting Zone 2, also bird, bear, deer. Furnished, sleeps 6, shower, propane fixtures, finished in Cedar, P&C lease, $39,900. 207-944-0873 —————————
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DEVELOPER'S DREAM 6.6 ACRES, 370ft. road frontage on Whittier Road in Farmington, Maine, just off Routes 2 & 4. Electricity on site, 4 water hookups and 4 sewer hookups, Tax Incentives possible. 207-474-0778 COMMERCIAL BUILDING In Western ME -US Rt 2. Remodeled Main
cony. Restaurant with some equipment, furniture, more. Potential wedding venue, fishing lodge, etc. Grassy boat launch on Androscoggin, paved parking lot on Webb. $137,500. 207-562-7564 —————————
DOGS GUN DOG TRAINING At Spruce Meadow Kennel in Rangeley, Maine. Experienced with pointing and flushing upland bird hunting dogs. Contact Jeff Hawksley 207 864 3610 or 207 670 8010 STARTED BRITTANYS Worked on Woodcock. Prices from $1,800 to $3,000.00 Orvis Endorsed Breeder. Quail Hollow Ken(Continued on next page)
Wildlife Quiz Answers: Wasps & Hornets
1. Maine’s three most common wasps and hornets include the Yellow Jacket, Paper Wasp and Baldfaced Hornet. 2. Yellow Jackets are the most easily provoked, and are responsible for onehalf of all wasp and hornet stings.
Outdoors & Other Mistakes (Continued from page 74)
roll. Other sorts of wildlife are less welcome. Glamping sites are kept free of mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, bears, coyotes, murder hornets and hobos because they’re surrounded by impenetrable shields of privilege.
I Am Hemmingway As with every subject I write about
www.MaineSportsman.com
(Quiz on Page 47)
3. Honeybees can only sting once, while wasps and hornets are capable of stinging multiple times. 4. Wasps and hornets are considered beneficial insect, because they feed on insects considered pests by humans.
5. The major difference between a Paper Wasp nest and a Baldfaced Hornet nest is that the larvae in a Paper Wasp nest are exposed, while the larvae of the Baldfaced Hornet are enclosed.
for this esteemed publication, I have no first-hand knowledge of glamping. But I live in a house in the mountains of western Maine that’s more or less surrounded by forest. So, except for not having a butler, a maid and a chef, my day-to-day existence isn’t all that far from glamping. Full kitchen. Private bath. Soft bed. Of course, by choosing to glamp at home, I’m making some sacrifices. I’m giving up what one operation terms “locally-curated breakfast” and a dinner that’s a “chef-inspired grilling experi-
ence.” But I’m not paying a nightly fee that’s nearly as much as my mortgage. Although, I do have to take out my own garbage and pick up the empty whiskey bottles. I find that sorta connects me with Hemingway. When not pretending to glamp, Al Diamon writes the weekly column Politics & Other Mistakes for the Portland Phoenix and the Daily Bulldog. He can be emailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • August 2020 • 77 (Continued from page 76)
nel 856-935-3459. —————————
FOR SALE MAINE MOOSE SHOULDER MOUNT Masardis- Fine specimen from 1992 hunt. 50+" spread on antlers. Pics available. $5000. Contact: sisu51@ icloud.com ZEISS BINOCULARS CONQUEST HD 10X42 New in Box. Fog, water and shockproof . Adjustable eyepieces, perfect for hunting or birding, amazing clarity. Retail for $1,000
plus tax and shipping. Selling for $800. Bill Graves 207-551-5777. EXCALIBER EQUINOX CROSSBOW NEW. Camo. Variable power Scope. Bolts field and broadheads, lighted nocks, quiver mount, soft, padded travel camo case, extra strings and multiple accessories $1000. Bill Graves 207-5515777. —————————
WANTED DEER/MOOSE ANTLERS BUYING any size deer & moose shed antlers/racks or antlered skulls. All grades
bought by the pound. 802-875-3206 SKI DOO, ELAN OR TUNDRA Any Condition. Have Cash. Will Travel. Call Or Text 207-522-6940 NEWLY ESTABLISHED SPORTING CAMP In NW Maine seeks Single, Female caretaker for life-changing opportunity, year round work. Excellent benefits package. Call 207-491-8684
share life on a homestead in a very country location in Mid-western Maine. If you, or
someone you know, wants to get out of a town or city and has (Continued on next page)
Incredible opportunity to own one of the oldest sporting camps in the Greater Moosehead Lake Region. This wilderness complex with 8 fully equipped rustic cabins and main lodge is nestled among 70 acres of pine, spruce, cedar and birch, and a half mile of frontage on a pristine pond known for brook trout and small mouth bass fishing. Fish, hunt, swim, boat and hike the extensive trail system. Direct access to snowmobile and ATV trails. Rich in history and natural beauty, the complex is still run today as a commercial sporting camp business. Potential for expansion for the outdoor recreation investor or an ideal retreat for a private family compound. $400,000. Serious inquiries only.
Contact Amy Wilbur for more information 207-650-9511 mainewoodswaters@gmail.com 32 Pritham Ave. Greenville, ME 04441
SINGLE MALE OUTDOORSMAN SEEKING SINGLE FEMALE OUTDOORSWOMAN Or would like to be- to
(207) 564-8073
11 North Street, Dover-Foxcroft, ME
www.mallettrealestate.com
Avon – Mountain views and 6000’ on Mt. Blue stream. Views of Saddleback, Mt. Abraham and Mt. Blue are great. Good access and public road frontage. 445 acres for $249,000.
Milo - Recreational opportunities abound on this well-wooded 20 acre lot. Immediate access to ITS 82 and locally maintained ATV trail. Good views. $24,900
Rangeley – Approx 3,000’ on Round Pond, improved internal access roads and spectacular views make this 325 acre kingdom lot one of a kind. $799,900
Palmyra – Palmyra 18 hole Golf Course and RV Campground are situated on 433 acres. This is a turn-key business with buildings and infrastructure pristine. $1,500,000
Hancock County - Over 800 acres with 5,400 sq. ft log cabin completely surrounding Fox Pond. Miles of maintained trails. Adjacent to 20,000 acres of conservation lands. www.foxpondestate. com. $4,300,000
83+/- ACRES Wilton – Diverse lot with mountain views, wildlife and stone walls. Year round stream with waterfall. Rolling topo. Good access. Small cabin, as-is. Many locations for house. $119,000 New Sharon - 678 +/- acres with abundant wildlife including deer and upland game birds. Diverse land with Bragdon Brook and Salt Marsh Creek running through the lot. Over 900’ of frontage on Weeks Mills Road. $299,000 or only $441 per acre.
Woolwich - 148 +/- acres. Remarkable lot with small camp. Hunt, hike, bike, sightsee, harvest some of the large oak and pine. Great westerly distant views from Bigelow Knoll. $150,000.
King & Bartlett TWP - 770 +/acres surrounding the majority of the 538 acre 159’ deep King and Bartlett lake that supports wild brook trout, salmon and togue. Remote unique parcel.
Bowerbank
Medford
Dexter
Historic sporting lodge on beautiful Sebec Lake with four guest cottages. 335 feet of nice water frontage on 3.94 acres of land. New bath and kitchen currently being installed in lodge, large living room with fireplace, dining area, four bedrooms, glassed-in porch, new deck under construction. Year round lodge has oil forced hot air heat, natural wood floors, partial basement with walk-out to the lawn. Four rustic cabins with plumbing. Very nice setting on the lake. MLS #1458488 $495,000
Beautiful, immaculate 3 bedroom cape with two full baths, large pine familyroom with gas stove, Livingroom,kitchen diningroom combination, 2-car garage,plus attached shed.excellent concrete patio. very close to ATV trails. Beautiul setting with tall pines, and private location. House comes fully furnished. More land available. MLS #1454110 $289,000
Nice country farm home with approx. 56 acres, cape style farmhouse with lots of work recently done, two large barns in nice condition (40’x96’ and 58’x80’ with heated milk room). House has had recent siding, windows, furnace and roof. Property sits on nice elevated location with 56 acres of land next to the municipal airport.. Lots of fields and pasture. Great opportunity on a good road. MLS #1438730 $249,000
SCREEN PRINTING & EMBROIDERY T-Shirts $6.00 Heavyweight 100% Cotton Pre-shrunk
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John Colannino – Broker & Forester American Forest Management, Inc. 40 Champion Lane | Milford, Maine | 04461 O: 207.817.9079 | C: 207.266.7355 John.Colannino@afmforest.com
FREE set-up on orders of 72 pieces or more! Prices on 36 pieces ($20 set-up) Price includes garment and 1 color 1 location screen print Rush Service Available ~ Call for free catalog
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78 • August 2020 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————— (Continued from page 77)
a love of the outdoors and all the activities it provides, it can be
at your doorstep! Call: 207-717-6094
¶
Western Maine Land for Sale!
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352 acres in Western Maine Mountains. Fantastic investment and recreational opportunity. Mountain views, paved road frontage with power, good interior roads, high knolls, brook frontage, beaver ponds and much more. Approximately 45 minutes south of Rangeley and 30 minutes from Bethel/ Sunday River. Professionally managed woodlot with mixed age stands of hardwoods and softwoods, including harvestable timber. $228,000
Swift River Properties 207-329-9728
— EBEEMEE TWP —
(207) 943-5225 www.dewittjonesrealty.com BROWNVILLE - 61.5 acres. Short drive to Schoodic Lake with access to recreational trails from the property. Power at roadside. Possible ower financing. MLS #1427857 - $55,000 SEBEC - Recreational 93+/-wooded acre lot close to Sebec Lake. Ideal location for a 4 seasons cabin or house. Plenty of privacy. Power at roadside. Great views and small brook runs through the property. Lots of wildlife for that outdoor enthusiast. MLS #1428927 $77,000 LAGRANGE - Improved 3.07+/-acre lot with 30’x45’ concrete pad, drilled well, septic system and power. Nice level lot with year round access. MLS #1455739 - $39,900 OLD TOWN - 10 acres close to town, Stillwater and Penobscot River, and I-95. The property is wooded and in a rural setting. Power is roadside. MLS #1368178 - $30,000
Main camp will sleep six and the bunkhouse will sleep 6 or more. Screen house down by the water frontage. Large storage building. 138’+/- of gradual water frontage and plenty of privacy. Located in the 4 seasons recreational area. Go snowmobiling or 4 wheeling right from the property. Low taxes. MLS #1458373 $220,000
— MEDFORD —
5+/-acres with 325’+/frontage on the Piscataquis River. Recreational trails accessible right from the driveway, go kayaking or canoeing out your front door! Great hunting area and lots of privacy. Private well, septic system, power, full bath, and 24’x8’ enclosed porch. This property is move in ready! MLS #1455506 - $129,000
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EAST MOXIE - Sportsman’s Paradise! Here is your chance to own a very unique property on beautiful Caribou Island on Moxie Pond. This property consists of 1.17 acres with 647 feet of owned water frontage on both sides of the island. There is an exclusive boat launch and parking area just for residents of Caribou Island. Enjoy a brief 5 minute paddle or 2 minute boat ride to your island retreat. This property also benefits from a deeded common area of 3.54 acres and an additional 1,000 feet of water frontage on the island for your enjoyment. This rustic log cabin comes fully furnished with a wood stove, a cook stove, gas range, and gas refrigerator. There is plenty of room for you and your guests with a sleeping area and a loft. Enjoyed unparalleled lake views and your own private dock for fishing, hunting, boating, canoeing, and kayaking. This camp is turn-key and ready for summer recreation. MLS #1456663 - $149,000 SOLON - Great getaway on 5 acres in Solon. Located just off a town maintained paved road and nicely nestled in the woods sits a well kept 1953 camper with an addition that was added in 1976. There is a pounded well, gray water system and privy as well as a shed for storage. All of the appliances and furniture are included. Come take a look and enjoy your summer in Maine. MLS #1455545 - $52,500 TROY - If you are looking for a turnkey getaway retreat camp with 100 plus acres, this is it. The camp is insulated, wired for a generator and finished. The property is located in the Chain of meadows in the heart of Central Maine. Privacy, seasonal road, drive a 4 wheel drive vehicle to your doorstep. This is the property you have been waiting for. MLS #1370873 - $84,999 THE FORKS PLT - Lake Moxie is located in the heart of Maine. Moxie falls, a tons of recreational opportunities surround you. The camp offers all the amenities of home, first floor master bedroom and bath, open concept living. Spend the summer, fall or stay year round - its up to you. Enjoy boating, swimming, wildlife, while the sun crests the shore every morning, and the full moon needs to be seen to be appreciated. Fully furnished, turnkey, boat included and ready for the next adventure. MLS #1428449 - $216,000 KINGSBURY PLT - Outdoor opportunities galore await you with this beautiful, spacious camp on 5 private acres in the Kingsbury countryside. Just a short drive to Kingsbury pond with thousands of acres of wilderness at your doorstep. Convenient access to ATV and snowmobile trails. Enjoy many of the comforts of home in this three-bedroom camp with an indoor bathroom, drilled well, and solar powered lights. Call today to schedule a showing. MLS #1443419 - $74,000 RIPLEY - Here is a nice, well-wooded parcel located out in the country yest only a few minutes from town. Great place to build your dream home, vacation retreat, or hunting cabin. Easy access off Route 154 with power at the road. This parcel also has the benefit of a ROW on an old woods road at the back of the property. ATV and snowmobile trails close by. MLS #1435264 - $17,900 CORNVILLE - Major road access to this 65.83 acre parcel. Mostly wooded, power at the road and approximately 450 feet of road frontage on Route 150 (Beckwith Road). Snowmobile from this site to ITS trails. A little piece of peace and quiet paradise just waiting for you! Currently in tree growth for tax purposes. (23025Hb394) MLS #1331961 - $53,000 DETROIT - Approximately 190 acres of land on a year round road with utilities at the road and an entrance road onto the property and approximately 700 feet of road frontage on this cut over woodland. There is about 1500 feet of an unnamed stream - great area for hunting. Property is in tree growth for tax purposes. (Sa006) MLS #1435922 - $97,000 08/20
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Lincoln - 3 bedrooms with 1 full bath downstairs and both a ¾ master bath and ½ bath upstairs. Paved drive, attached 2 car garage, enclosed porch, covered porch, and patio all overlooking 191’ frontage on Cold Stream Pond. $299,000
Pukakon - Lakefront paradise cabin on one of Maine’s most desirable lakes, Junior Lake. Fabulous fishing. Hunting, Snowmobiling and ATVing are just some activities out your door. Lake views through many windows. $345,000
Lee - Privately plowed, seaonal road. Electricity and nice frontage on a beautiful, clean Silver Lake. Two lots being sold, could potentially sell one lot and keep the other. The well is on lot 14 while the buildings and septic are on lot 15. $139,000
Grand Falls - End of road privacy with power and great fishing pond on Saponac Pond. Cabin needs some luvin’ but its cute, and taxes are cheap. Wonderful location that could be yours, on prime outdoor recreational area in Maine. $79,000
Burlington - Well-built cute cabin tucked away in the woods with access to Madagascal’s gorgeous private sand beach. ATVing and snowmobiling and POSSIBLE OWNER FINANCING. Take a look today on W. Madagascal Pond Road. $49,900
Grand Falls - This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use. This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Road. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000
Mattamiscontis -1.6 and 2.4 acre lots, year round access, close to I-95 and Lincoln’s amenities, owner financing, enjoy fishing, paddling and hunting along the Penobscot River. $21,900 Lincoln - Nice 1.77/2.78 acre lots with 240’+/- of frontage, driveway in, electricity available and owner financing. Enjoy 800 acres of water to play on and snowmobile trails for winter fun on Long Pond. Reduced to $59,900 Cooper - Electricity available at the road, wonderful frontage on a high quality lake well-known salmon fishing in Maine. The view from this lot is known as Deep Cove Forest and will be maintained as forever wild. A must see Cathance Lake lot! $89,000 Cooper - Electricity available at the road, wonderful frontage on a high quality lake well-known salmon fishing in Maine. The view from this lot is known as Deep Cove Forest and will be maintained as forever wild. A must see Cathance Lake lot! $79,000
R E A L
E S T A T E
5 LAKE STREET, P.O. BOX 66, LINCOLN 207-794-2460 www.cwalakestreet.com E-mail: cwa@cwalakestreet.com
1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you! “Tate” Aylward ............. 794-2460 Peter Phinney............... 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie................... 290-1554
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM
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