The Maine Sportsman - June 2017 by The Maine Sportsman - Digital Edition

The Maine

June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ $4.99

Bass! Bass! Bass!

Pages 38, 54, 69

Kid Denied Salmon Prize Page 12

Caribou Hosts Moose Lottery Page 19

Choosing a Small Powerboat Page 25

Photograph and Release Trophy Fish?

Page 6

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— The Maine Sportsman’s Featured Maine Sporting Camps —

Cedar Ridge Outfitters Cedar Ridge Outfitters is located in the beautiful mountains of northwest Maine in the town of Jackman. Near the edge of the North Woods and the Quebec border, 17 miles away. This area offers unlimited opportunities for enjoying nature at its best. We are a state registered, fully insured year round sporting camp. Our cozy cabins are fully equipped housekeeping units. Truly a home away. There is satellite TV and Wi-fi for those who need to be connected. Soak up the sun enjoying our outdoor swimming pool and hot tubs. Perhaps you want to be more adventurous — use one of our canoes to explore Attean Pond located at the end of our road. Don’t let the name fool you; it covers over 2,745 acres. You can fish for trout and salmon, explore its islands, enjoy the sandy beaches, or climb Sal-

ly Mountain right from the shore. There are several other mountains to hike, while enjoying beautiful waterfalls and vistas. Maybe fishing for our native brook trout in the clear, cool streams and brooks in mountains appeals to you. In the winter, Big Wood Pond minutes away offers the best in ice fishing. Fishing is excellent year round, whether from its shore or from one of our canoes. For the hunters, we offer fully guided, 6-day black bear or moose hunts, as well as fully guided and assisted deer and grouse hunts. All of these packages include your private cabin, three meals per day and more. Meals are home cooked, including pastries and breads baked daily and served family style in our lodge. For the remote deer and moose hunts, you are housed in comfortable Davis wall tents and enjoy the same quality of

food. In each case you will be treated as family, enjoying the camaraderie of staff and other guests. Jackman is noted for having the first and last snow of the season. Leave from your cabin to enjoy the hundreds of miles of well groomed trails. Do the same in the summer with your ATVs. Come and play, relax, enjoy the wildlife, the water, the forest and all its beauty and bounty. Cedar Ridge tries to give all our guests an unique experience filled with great memories and stories. Come be part of our family. Please check out our web site at www.cedarridgeoutfitters.com or call us anytime at 207-668-4169.

Spencer Pond Camps Established in 1901 by Mose Duty, a trapper and guide for the William Tell Hunting Club, the Spencer Pond Camps are operated May-November and staffed 24/7 by husband and wife, Dana Black and Christine Howe, who are both registered Maine Guides. They provide a family- and pet-friendly atmosphere in remote, quiet and extremely scenic location. The camps are located on the north shore of Spencer Pond, just north of Spencer Bay on Moosehead Lake. To the east, rising majestically out of the pond is Little Spencer Mountain. Behind the camps are logging roads to Little Spencer Pond, Lobster Mountain, Eagle Mountain, Big and Little Kineo, Moosehead Lake, Big Duck and Little Duck, Golden Road, and Tom Young and Kidney Ponds. The remoteness of the area provides al-

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most private fishing and hunting, with proximity to thousands of acres of forestland and Moosehead Lake. The pond has perch, bass, bullhead and brook trout. The Roach River and Moosehead Lake are minutes away, offering trout, salmon, bass, and togue fishing. Numerous brooks and beaver flowages provide plenty of opportunities, as does the West Branch of the Penobscot River. For hunters, game abounds in the area’s ridges, mountains and swamps, with little pressure from competing hunters. Bear, moose, deer, grouse, and spring turkey hunters are welcome. Photographers enjoy frequent sightings of moose, bear, loons and eagles. For hikers, more than five miles of trails extend from the camp yard. Both of the Spencer Mountains, White Cap, and Kineo provide a challenge for the more avid hiker. Six fully furnished cabins do not have electricity and are non-modernized; however, they are completely comfortable and functional. Cabin rentals include a fully furnished housekeeping cabin,

canoe, kayaks, sailboat, row boat, mountain bikes, all linens, seasoned dry firewood for your woodstove, “camp” wood for the fire pits, dishwashing soap, matches and toilet paper. Homemade quilts are on each bed, and every cabin has rocking chairs, games, a library, woodstoves, screened porches, and a charcoal grill. Life here comes at a slower, simpler pace. There is no Wi-Fi service, and the owners pride themselves on an electronic-free camp yard. Cell phone coverage is sporadic at best. Plumbing is “out back,” and relaxation is everywhere. In the spring, fisherman, hikers, and bird watchers abound. In the summer, guests swim along the shore during the day, and toast marshmallows at night. Seaplanes take guests up for rides. Depending on schedules, guests can also be treated to lobster fresh from the boat, as Dana is also a commercial fisherman. (Frozen scallops can also be ordered in advance.) Autumn brings couples, those who enjoy the foliage and hiking in cooler weather, along with the loyal hunting clientele. Reservations and more information can be found at www.spencerpond.com; 207-7451599; spc@spencerpond.com

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— The Maine Sportsman’s Featured Maine Sporting Camps —

Sturtevant Pond Camps Originally known as Big Buck Camps, Sturtevant Pond Camps were founded in the early 1920s as a classic sporting camp. Situated on the eastern shore of 700acre Sturtevant Pond, the three comfortable housekeeping cabins provide guests with spectacular views of panoramic sunsets over the Diamond Peaks region of New Hampshire. The camps are ideally located to offer unlimited outdoor opportunities, whether fishing, hunting, hiking, paddling or just relaxing and enjoying nature’s beauty. For anglers, the pond offers excellent coldwater and warmwater fisheries. With a maximum depth of 58 feet, the pond holds abundant populations of landlocked salmon, but many of the camps’ anglers target the feisty

smallmouth bass that can be found along the pond’s rocky and undeveloped shoreline. Others take advantage of some of western Maine’s premier flyfishing waters. The Magalloway River is right nearby, Upper Dam Pool is within a 20-minute drive, and the lower end of the Rapid River is but a 20-minute boat ride across Umbagog Lake. But the best keep secret is the several isolated trout ponds and streams within 10 miles of the camps. Commercial timberlands surround the camps, offering excellent hunting for whitetail deer and ruffed grouse. Guide service is available on request. Our proximity to New Hampshire allows hunting parties to hunt in both states. Paddlers can leave directly from the dock

onto the pond and down the outlet to the Magalloway River. From there, they have access to Umbagog Lake, the Androscoggin River and the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Maine fishing licenses are valid throughout Lower Magalloway and Umbagog waters, even along the New Hampshire side. The three housekeeping cabins are fully equipped, have screened-in porches and outdoor spaces. Use of boats is included in cabin rental. For more information on the camps, go to www.SturtevantPondCamps.com, or call 207486-9308.

Chandler Lake Camps Chandler Lake Camps: A traditional Maine sporting camp dating back to 1902 located in Twp. 9 R8, offering American plan accommodations with 5 shorefront log guest cabins. Each cabin with private bath, comfortable furnishings and privacy. Electricity is available 24 hours in each cabin along with propane lights. Cell phone and internet service available as needed. Catering to private and corporate groups looking for exceptional accommodations in the pursuit of great fly fishing for native brook trout and landlocked salmon. October offers exceptional grouse and woodcock hunting. We offer experienced upland guides with and without dogs. Big Woods hunting for trophy whitetail and moose in Zones 5, 4 and 2. Dedicated guides with exceptional experience. Enjoy bird watching or nature tours, or just relax with what Northern Maine has to offer. 4th Musquacook Lodge: Located in Twp. 10 R11 approx. 30 miles north of Baxter state Park in the famous Allagash Lakes region of Northern Maine. Only 17 miles from Churchill Dam. The exceptional facility was built in 1969 as the VIP lodge for International Paper Co. and is located on a prominent sand point overlooking 4th Musquacook.

Offering deluxe accommodations for up to 10 guests, 4 private guest rooms with 3 full baths, a great room with comfortable seating, grand fireplace and panoramic windows for viewing a large screened in porch. Satellite phone and internet available as needed. Electricity provided by generator 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Specializing in fly fishing for wild native Brook Trout on lakes, ponds, and the vast waters in the Allagash region. With the option to fish a different water every day. Upland hunting for grouse and woodcock. Day and overnight trips on the Allagash River. Exploring its historic past, ghost trains and more. Both locations offer abundant wildlife viewing, moose, deer, bear, bald eagles, osprey and numerous others. Hiking, canoeing, and swimming. Quiet, rest and relaxation. *Your advantage at our facility: Your schedule is our schedule. Fly fishing and upland hunting is our passion. Fly fishing early or late, we are dedicated to your successful trip. We will fish when it is at its best and adjust schedules and meals as needed. AFFORDABLE RATES!!!! 1) Quality experienced guides for fly fishing, upland and big game. With and without upland dogs. Fly fishing instruction and equipment is available at no charge. Fish all the best waters Northern Maine has to offer.

2) All inclusive rates. Boats/motors, canoes and kayaks. 3) No expensive endorsements 4) No fly-outs needed 5) Seaplane service from Bangor and Presque Isle Maine, to both locations, provided by Katahdin Air Service 6) Family vacations, canoe trips and overnights. Fully outfitted with all-inclusive rates. Experience the Allagash River! ALL YOUTHS UNDER 16 STAY FREE WITH A PAID ADULT. References available upon request. Contact us by phone, 1-207-290-1424. Chandlerlakecamps.com, or e-mail at info@ chandlerlakecamps.com

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New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication Readership The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 537 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund

Is it Time to Establish a Women’s-Only Hunting Day? Women are the fastest-growing segment of the hunting population, and we believe it’s time to recognize that fact with the nation’s first women’s-only hunting day. Many sporting camps, lodges and guides already understand the importance of focusing attention on women hunters. In fact, from the West Forks to Warren and south to Bethel, at least 12 different Maine outfitters offer women-only adventures, featuring female guides. Clothing and equipment manufacturers are also climbing on the bandwagon, fashioning better-fitting hunting gear and right-sized rifles, pistols and compound bows for women who in the past have often had to settle for junior-size garb and equipment designed by and for men. Maine is an especially apt location for a women’s-only hunting day, given that after our state’s Legislature required hunting guides to register with the state in 1897, the very first Maine Guide was Cornelia Thurza “Fly Rod” Crosby, who grew up in Phillips. Fly Rod Crosby went on to encourage thousands of sportsmen and -women to visit Maine’s woods, lakes and streams as the result of her columns printed in national publications, and her appearances at sporting shows in major cities around the United States. The state should do what it can to encourage more women to learn the skills of the sport, including the ethics of hunting, gaining landowner permission, learning to use a compass and GPS, dressing comfortably and warmly, firearms safety, tree stand safety, shot placement, cleaning wild game and proper care for game meat. The best mentors for many women may be other women, and so there’s a real need for enlisting, enrolling and training more women as Maine Guides. In 2016, a group called “Women in the Maine Outdoors” partnered with Sportsmans Alliance of Maine to offer guide scholarships to qualified candidates. What is the value of a designation such as a women’s-only hunting day? It’s the same reasons that we have youth hunting days, kid’s-only fishing ponds, free-fishing weekends throughout the year and other promotions – it would provide an opportunity for the world to witness just how many women are enjoying the sport. We predict newspaper, television and online social media publicity surrounding mother-daughter hunting stories and college sorority hunting clubs. We can envision the fun (and perhaps discomfort) that would come when the womenfolk offer to head north a few days early to open up the hunting camp – that traditional male bastion – for the men. This idea of encouraging and training women in outdoor skills is not new – in fact, the best-known program, “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” (BOW), began more than 25 years ago. The founder, Professor Christine Thomas, determined that many women prefer to learn hunting and fishing in a non-competitive atmosphere and in the company of other like-minded women. The organization now hosts more than 80 weekend-long workshops in the U.S., and has introduced outdoor skills to nearly one-half million women. Although it started in Wisconsin, it has expanded to many states, including Maine. Here, the program is sponsored by DIF&W (Brittany Humphrey, former Miss Maine Sportswoman, is the current coordinator), and is held at UMaine’s learning center at Bryant Pond. Events are scheduled in the fall, winter and spring, and training includes use of rifles, shotgun sporting clays, pistol shooting, muzzleloaders, bow hunting, wild game cooking, use of a map and compass, and ATV safety. About 15% of hunters are women – and that number has doubled in the last few decades. We believe if Maine hosted the first women’s-only hunting day, our state would be a pioneer, and we expect other states would quickly follow suit. The goal of a Women’s-Only Hunting Day would be to eventually do away with the term “woman hunter,” and replace it with simply “hunter.” www.MaineSportsman.com

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 ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER:Mike Moreau mike@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER:Chris Brawn chris@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Advertising and business information: 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 ........................ 60 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia ..................... 56 Bird of the Month, by Erika Zambello .............................. 14 Bowhunting by Chris “Bubba” Johnson ......................... 59 Capitol Report by George Smith .................................... 17 Danger in the Outdoors by David Van Wie ................... 65 Editorial ................................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by Lou Zambello .......................... 63 Greater Penobscot Bay by Jim Lemieux ........................ 45 Jackman by William Sheldon .......................................... 46 Jottings by Jon Lund ........................................................... 8 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon ............................ 54 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding .......... 58 Letters to the Editor ............................................................. 6 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour ...................................... 32 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose .................................. 36 Midcoast Report by Tom Seymour .................................. 42 Mid-Kennebec Valley by Shawn Simpson ..................... 41 Moosehead by Tom Seymour ......................................... 50 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson ................................. 33 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie ............................... 52 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith .......................... 24 Rangeley Region by William Clunie ................................ 36 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers ................................ 53 Saltwater by Barry Gibson ................................................ 30 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth ........................ 38 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews ..................... 48 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard ................................ 68 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund ......................................... 57 Smilin’ Sportsman - Kids Edition by Will Lund .................. 66 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery .................... 10 Southern Maine by Val Marquez..................................... 40 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller ..................... 62 Trading Post (Classifieds) .................................................. 69 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour .......................................... 67 Washington County by Steve Vose ................................ 43 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie................. 34 Young Maine Sportsman by Luke Giampetruzzi ........... 69 Young Maine Sportswoman by Alyssa Sansoucy .......... 66

SPECIAL SECTIONS ATVing in Maine by JP Falzone ........................................ 21 Boating in Maine by Benny Holloway ............................. 25 Maine Moose Lottery Special by Will Lund ................... 19 Saltwater Fishing in Maine by Benny Holloway.............. 27 On the Cover: Maine Sportsman columnist Ethan Emerson is an expert at boating trophy-size smallmouth bass. Brian Emerson photo.

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giving an old geezer like me something additional to look forward to! Joel Wilkerson - Atlanta, Georgia —

To The Editor Enough with the Men, Already! To the Editor: My brother bought me a subscription to your normally-excellent Maine Sportsman magazine. I have one complaint about the May issue. In the two previous issues, your covers were graced by pictures of gorgeous young lady sportswomen. They obviously love the outdoors and are extremely competent in their outdoor pursuits.

Tough Guides Not Fazed When Cook’s Hair Catches on Fire To the Editor: I totally agree with Chris Johnson’s “Bowhunting” article in the June issue in which he salutes the toughness of Maine hunters. A few years ago, I was moose hunting at Bob Lawrence’s spike camp when at dinner time, the cook tent caught on fire. The cook ran out of the tent with his clothes and beard in flames. None of the hunting guides appeared too concerned. One guide, clearly irritated, said “Get back in the tent and cook our food. Stuff like this happens in the great outdoors.” Those are tough guys! Joe Weiss - Clarence, New York —

Other States Have Adopted CPR (Catch, Photograph and Release) for Record Fish – Why Not Maine? The May cover, however, featured a male turkey hunter. The photo omitted young ladies entirely. Please return to the sensible practice of

To the Editor: My name is Sam Cushing. I am a longtime resident of Scarborough, Maine, a fulltime pharmacy student at the University of New England, and competitive kayak angler.

Competitive kayak fishing is all done by the length of a fish in a format referred to as Catch-Photo-Release (CPR). Simply put, we catch a fish, place on a standardized measuring board, snap a photo, and release the fish immediately. Not only does this method allow us to compete in a standardized format, but it also promotes proper fish care and the growth of fisheries. Outside of the competitive scene, where anglers must release fish alive, anglers are often commended highly for their choice to release a large fish after a photo shoot, instead of keeping the fish in order that they may claim its size or submit it for some trophy fish recognition. This is the reason I am writing this letter: Why is there no recognition of trophy fish with length requirement in a catch-measure-release category? It is common knowledge that although The Maine Sportsman’s “The One That Didn’t Get Away” patch club does allow for fish to be caught, weighed on a verified scale and released by not explicitly requiring a fish to be kept, the requirement of a warden’s signature realistically prevents a fish from being released alive. It is great to recognize anglers for their trophy catches, but why not provide an avenue that also promotes the growth of Maine fisheries and the release of trophy fish capable of breaking state records in the future? This recommendation is supported by other state fisheries in New England. New Hampshire has a program recognizing both weight and length for each qualifying fish caught. Massachusetts has a similar program recognizing both weight and length, with the awarding of pins instead of patches. Connecticut too has a similar program, as does Vermont. I suggest that Maine’s program be modified to include a catch-and-release option utilizing length in the form of a “The One I Released Unharmed.” I hope such a change can be implemented in the near future in order to promote fish care and the growth of Maine’s trophy fish. Samuel Grant (“Sam”) Cushing Director, Maine Kayak Fishing Tournament Several Maine Sportsman fishing writers react to Mr. Grant’s letter: William Clunie: “This is an idea that’s long overdue. I hope we can also adopt this version of CPR to allow anglers a chance to release their trophy fish alive and well. Let me know how this idea progresses. I’d be very interested in helping this along in any way I can. Tom Seymour: “It seems to me that there are landing nets out there that weigh the fish in the net. The weight of the net is accounted for. That, it seems to me, would be one way to accomplish this reader’s goal.” King Montgomery: “Some states have catch-and-release (C & R) citation programs based solely on length. A photo on a measur(Continued on next page)

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ing board or a witness signature on citation form (online) is sufficient for recognition. Virginia and West Virginia come to mind.” Editor’s note: The editorial staff will take up this issue at our next meeting. —

The bass made one memorable jump before Tim eased the 7-1/2 pound monster to the stern of the canoe. After weighing the big fish with my Boga Grip, I handed the fish to Tim for a quick photo before he gently released it back into the water. As you can see from the photo, our success that day permitted Tim to forget all about the challenges he faced.

A Day on the Water – the Best Medicine

Capt. Harvey B. Wheeler - Cumberland Foreside

To the Editor: Please let me share a largemouth bass story from fall. My close friend, Tim Hill, who is dealing with several forms of cancer, was in need of a day on the water. We headed to Moose Pond, near Bridgton, without high expectations, but knowing that the weather forecast was perfect. The water temperature had cooled, so we agreed that a slow presentation would give us a shot at a big bass that might be in the mood for its last meal before winter. At 11:30 a.m., I dragged a jig past a log and hooked a nice 4-pound largemouth. An hour later, Tim lobbed a plastic worm to a rock pile, felt a “tap tap” on the bait, and happily pulled a nice 3-pounder to the gunwale of the canoe. Things slowed down briefly after that, as we tried other areas of the pond. At 1 p.m. I suggested that we go back to the spot where Tim had landed his 3-pounder. Once there, Tim dropped his Senko near a large boulder, and was tight to his trophy. The fish swam directly at the canoe, causing Tim to proclaim, “It’s off!” but his spinning rod promptly arched again.

If You’re Pretending to be a Turkey, Make Sure You’re the Only Hunter Around

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To the Editor: I just read Joe Saltalamachia’s article on Turkey “fanning,” and found it interesting. I would worry that even though hunters THINK they might be the only ones there, they might not be. Some years ago, a company came out with an outfit called “vistoflage” which consisted of clothing in bright colors but in camouflage pattern. I don’t know if it still exists, perhaps it might be viable for turkey hunting. Wayne Dengler - Danbury, CT

me know when you don’t like something. I actually like to hear from readers. And yes, I hope to continue hunting Iowa. It’s an amazing place ... and so is the North Maine Woods. —

Another Reason to Retrieve Fishing Line To the Editor: I took this photo late this winter at the Pleasant River in Windham, just upstream from Pope Road. It’s an owl that died after becoming ensnarled in discarded monofilament line. Where the owl picked up the fishing line

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Begs to Differ with Joe’s Deer Season Strategy To the Editor: [Regarding Joe Saltalamachia’s ideas to shorten seasons in southern Maine to achieve bigger deer,] what kind of drugs is he doing? His idea SUCKS. It would hurt deer hunting. Has he ever hunted up north, or just out of state? Those states are totally different from Maine. They are farmland; we are forest land. Joe needs to stay down in Unity, and he needs to keep going hunting in Iowa. Name withheld Joe responds: Thank you for your note. It’s apparent to me that you didn’t read the article carefully, since I actually have no interest in doing something like this in northern or western Maine – I agree with you: it wouldn’t work. Keep reading, please, and continue to let

I’m not sure, but as you can see in photo, the wing ended up being wrapped in it and the other end was wrapped around the brush and the branch of a nearby tree. This avoidable outcome points out the importance of anglers not discarding their line improperly. I’m sure if the person who left the line by the banks of the river had been able to see into the future, they would have taken the time to wind up the line and take it home in their pocket or backpack.

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Bad Timing; Good Books The mink was fast, but paid the ultimate penalty for bad timing. The little critter tried to cross Interstate 95 in front of the vehicle ahead of our car, but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite make it. It was right under the car and between the wheels when the car churned by. The turbulent air under the car picked up the little bugger and tossed it at least eight feet into the air, before it slammed it down onto the blacktop. We could see its shape silhouetted against the sky for a brief moment before it hit the pavement. The critter didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t move. We drove past it and then carefully backed up, staying on the shoulder, and keeping an eye out for any oncoming cars. The animal was dead, but showed no

signs of having been hit by the car. I carefully laid the little body in the rear deck of our vehicle. Later that day, I called Dorcas Miller, a founder and past president of the Maine Master Naturalist Program. She was happy to have the minkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body, since it was undamaged. She would skin it, reduce it to a skeleton, and add the skeleton to the collection she uses in her work. In return, she gave me a mink pelt that I plan to use in tying flies. Book Review #1: Tracking Guide Dorcas Miller has recently completed the second edition of her pocket sized soft cover book, Track Finder: A guide to mammal tracks of eastern North America (Wilderness Press; $5.95).

Take a trip youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget

This 62-page booklet is a guide for people who are serious about identification of animal tracks, from bears to mice. It starts with a definition of terms, some of which were not familiar to this writer. It features lifesized illustrations of

each animal print, and includes measurements of the track itself, the toeto-toe measurements of tracks to get the length of stride, and the trail width of zigzag-pattern tracks. Hunters and others who puzzle over tracks and try to figure out what

critter made them will find this book a valuable resource. As with â&#x20AC;&#x2122;most all technical material today, the measurements are metric, so having a tape marked in centimeters will be helpful in using (Continued on next page)

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salmon caught in the Penobscot River was presented to the President of the United States. That tradition ended with the gift in 1992 of a salmon to President George H. W. Bush. That year, although the Penobscot salmon returns made up 70 per cent of the returns on the entire eastern seaboard, the returning salmon were a mere two per cent of the historic runs. Commercial overharvesting, dams and environmental deterioration had taken its toll of the king of sport fish. This book chronicles the biological and cultural history of the efforts of humans to restore the Atlantic salmon to its place

(Continued from page 8)

this book. Book Review #2: Schmitt on Salmon The President’s Salmon – Restoring the King of Fish and its Home Waters, by Catherine Schmitt (Down East Books; $22.95). Each spring for thousands of years, Atlantic salmon were among the crowds of silvery fish that migrated into the rivers that drained the North Atlantic. The salmon were guided by instinct to search out the river from which they hatched. The rivers and salmon pools of Maine gained legendary reputations among anglers, and starting in 1912, the first

in the Penobscot, the final bastion of the king of sport fish in the United States. This informative and highly readable volume tells of the ineffective efforts to regulate and protect the fishery resource and resistance of the dam owners to regulation. It identifies by name the individuals and organizations that persisted tirelessly in the battle to open up the watershed to anadromous species. The book was meticulously researched, and incudes 43 pages of notes, an extensive bibliography and a useful index.

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10 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Tomorrow’s Anglers Children who learn to respect the outdoors will grow up to be responsible stewards of our natural resources. So take a kid fishing – your investment of time will improve their world in the future. Story & photos by King Montgomery Fishing is at least as much about people as it is about fish. Fishing is a synergy of people, places, things and values. A microcosm of the larger society, the fishing world provides a meaningful opportunity to practice and teach the ancient but seemingly-forgotten Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated. Live by the rule, lead by example and impart it to an important segment of our wonderfully-diverse population—the children. For they are the ones who must face the future, and be the users and protectors of our land, air and water, and of one another. Sport fishing is a wholesome, family recreation that is fun, interesting, stimulating and is enjoyed in some beautiful places where we can appreciate the wonders of nature. Water is the source

of all life, and on it and around the edges where it meets the earth and the sky, it is a friendly place to spend time with youngsters, to get to know them, and them you. And most important, it’s a great place for children to learn to feel good about themselves and their places in life. Teach Your Children Well The small red-andwhite plastic bobber rests quietly on the calm water. It opens a doorway into another world, where unseen creatures swim, burrow, creep and float; some large, many medium-size, others quite small, even microscopic. The early morning sun is just below the trees on the far side of the pond, and the sky is painted in impressionistic hues of pink, orange and gray, with a hint of blue. A small flock of Canada geese in a loose V-formation flies low over

the quiet water, and the geese flare their wings for a landing. Birds sing in the trees at water’s edge, occasionally darting from their perches to catch an insect on the wing. The fish in the pond stir, too, and the bobber moves ever so slightly, gently rippling the water around it. “Watch your bobber, Sally!” The young girl changes the focus of her attention from the geese to the plastic float, just as the top of it disappears from the surface into the depths of the water world. She raises the rod tip and is fast to a scrappy pumpkinseed, one of the many freshwater sunfishes prevalent in almost every warmwater pond, lake, reservoir and river in our region. “That’s a beauty!” exclaims her proud father, as Sally lifts the gleaming creature into the boat. Fishing Skills She has learned how to hold the fish so the spines on the back don’t

Two sisters with their father on a fishing pier hopefully begins a lifetime of angling. The young father, an avid fishermen, wanted his girls to experience his favorite sport, so they could always go with him.

prick her fingers while she removes the hook. The fish is fat-bodied, healthy and colored like the rainbow with blues, yellows, greens and some orange flecks on the belly, part of the color of the morning sky. She releases this one, although these panfishes are so plentiful in many waters that anglers may keep some for the dinner

table without disturbing the population. “That was fun,” she says, putting another wiggling nightcrawler onto the hook. “Nice job. You’re getting pretty good at this,” says her father. They watch their bobbers together while taking in the surroundings. A mallard pair flies fast (Continued on next page)

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This young lass is stylish in her pink ensemble and holding a pink/lilac fishing rod. She persisted, and caught some small bass.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 11 (Continued from page 10)

down the center of the pond, and red-winged blackbirds cavort in the rushes along the bank. The chattering of squirrels echoes from the trees. And they talk about a lot of things: her school and the friends she has made; how she likes science class the best, but geography is fun, too. Learning About Nature But, just as important, they talk about the relationship between and among the air, land and water, and the plants and animals that are all part of the whole, one depending on the other. And how people are the only animals with the power and, all too often, the inclination, to damage or destroy this fragile interdependent web of life. We all do live downstream, and must find a balance in our actions to preserve the “tomorrows” in addition to enjoying the “todays.” “She’s ready for a good spinning rod,” thinks the father, anticipating her birthday next month. The child’s spincasting outfit has served its purpose, and now it’s time to replace the worms with artificial lures and plastic baits, stepping up to the next skill level of the challenges of catching fish. Her younger brother

is about ready to use the spincasting rig and old enough to spend at least a few hours on the water. The children’s mother can join us and the foursome can make time on the pond or at the nearby lake a real family affair. And eventually add some streamside camping too. Sally is onto another sunfish and squeals with delight as the powerful little fish pulls against the bent rod. Can we start keeping some and have a fish-fry tonight?” she asks. “Sure,” he replies. “We’ll need at least 12 or 14 of that size or larger.” Fortunately, she is getting nearly as good at cleaning fish as she is at catching them. She is learning to properly cook them as well—panseared, breaded and deep fried, grilled or baked. One Species Feeds Another The sun is higher now, and the day creatures have taken over from those of the night. A great blue heron silently and deliberately prowls the shoreline near the tree that had fallen into the water. A regal osprey dives headlong into the water at the far end of the pond, struggles a few seconds on the surface, then slowly lifts back into the sky, clutching a wriggling fish – breakfast for its chicks in the nest

Living Classrooms, a nonprofit organization in the Washington, DC area, gets inner-city kids out of the classroom and into the outdoors to try activities like fishing. The children had an event-filled tournament on the Tidal Potomac River.

of sticks at the top of an old dead tree near water’s edge. Fishing can teach a lot about life—and death. Both are part of the same equation; you can’t have one without the other. The fish in the bucket will serve the same purpose as the fish clutched in the osprey’s talons. The cycle continues — if we let it flow as naturally as possible. The World We Share The father pulls two frosty plastic mugs from the ice chest. “Want some lemonade, Sally? “Yeah,” she answers, taking the proffered glass. As he

A bass fishing guide and a volunteer mentor assisted this young lad on his first bass fishing trip, and he scored nicely. He’s part of a program in Washington, DC that takes inner-city kids on outdoors adventures for the day.

raises his mug of clean, cool water, he pauses to read the inscription etched in the plastic, even though he already knows it by heart: “The world we share is only given to us in trust. Every choice we make about the earth, air and water around us must be made with the objective of preserving it for generations to come. This is how we will be judged.” --- Unknown ******* I believe that children who learn about

and respect the outdoors and our place in it, can become responsible stewards of our vital and often fragile natural resources. Help them shut down their electronic doodads and take them fishing, camping, canoeing, or just walking in the woods along the water. Start them easy on the water with cane poles or Snoopy and Peanuts spincasters; add some worms, a small piece of split shot and a red &white bobber .and let nature do the rest. Hopefully not only the fish will be hooked!

A tournament on the Tidal Potomac River for inner-city children produced a winner in the largest fish category and overall winner -- a young lady who caught the biggest fish of her life, a nice largemouth bass. www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Compiled and Edited by Will Lund This Month When is a Lake-Caught Salmon Not a PrizeWinning Landlocked Salmon? Just Ask 8-Year-Old Pete Vicneire This story begins in Schoodic Lake, which is located about 10 miles north of Milo, in Piscataquis County. According the DIF&W’s official fish management maps, the 389-acre lake has been managed for years for a “principal fishery” of landlocked salmon. On Saturday February 18, 2017, Pete Vicneire, who was then 8 years old, entered the Schoodic Lake Fishing Derby, organized to benefit the Milo Fire Department. His mother purchased a ticket to the event early in the morning. They read the rules of the tournament, and were excited to learn that organizers were offering a $100 savings account at a local credit union to the person younger than 16 who caught the biggest fish. Pete caught the biggest fish of any kid. He pulled a 25-inch, 5-pound, 6-ounce salmon out through the ice. In fact, his fish was the second-largest salmon overall, which in the

Eight-year-old Pete Vicneire was thrilled to catch what would have been a prize-winning salmon at the Schoodic Lake Derby. The thrill did not last long, when derby organizers said even though Pete caught the salmon in the lake, the fish was apparently not “landlocked” enough. www.MaineSportsman.com

adult category could have netted him a cash award of $200. He posed for photos, including one of him struggling to lift the huge fish, and another with a Game Warden who was patrolling the ice. The warden smiled and offered his congratulations.

Eight-year-old Pete Vicneire, Pete’s salmon, and Warden Paul Mason.

But Pete did not win a prize. When Pete went to register his fish at the end of the day, he was turned away. The fish, explained the judges, was an “unidentifiable” salmon. What the judges meant, but apparently did not fully explain to the crestfallen youngster, was that the fish was likely an Atlantic salmon, protected under federal law since 2000, that had made its way into the lake. How did it get there, and what does this mean for anglers (and tournament judges) on any lakes with outlets that eventually lead to salt water? Clear Path When salmon enter the Penobscot River, they can now swim by the remains of the Great Works Dam and the Veazie Dam. Then, if they are lucky and determined, they enter a fish elevator at the Milford Dam that was completed in 2014, where they are lifted up, inspected, and either hustled off to a hatchery to produce or fertilize eggs, or released on the upstream side of the dam. In 2016, some Atlantic salmon were lifted and inspected. Biologists took note that the fish displayed a clipped adipose fin, the tiny fin on the top of the fish just before the tail. Usually that means a hatchery fish; in this case it’s not clear who may have clipped the

fins, when or why. If Pete’s fish was one of the ones that made it this far, then it was already more than half-way to Schoodic Lake. The remaining legs of the trip would have required that it swim due north up the Penobscot River 26 miles to Howland, then take a left turn into the Piscataquis River utilizing the newly-completed Howland bypass, and finally travel 13 more miles to Medford. In Medford, Schoodic Stream pours into the Piscataquis, and – if this seemingly improbable tale is true – Pete’s fish navigated 5 miles upstream and arrived at Schoodic Lake, where it mingled with the local landlocked salmon population. So What’s the Law Here? The official line is that Pete’s fish had a clipped adipose fin, leading to suspicion that it was among the Atlantic salmon seen in 2016 at the fish lift, and the organizers wanted no part of rewarding an angler who had a salmon that might be an Atlantic salmon. So why not do a DNA test, to solve the mystery? It’s because, by all modern measures, a landlocked salmon is the same as an Atlantic salmon. Identical. In fact, the proper, full name of the salmon caught in Maine lakes is the “Landlocked Atlantic Salmon.” Large size of a fish caught in a lake itself is not an indication, at least judging by the overall results of the adult angler category at the Schoodic Tourney – a 5.65-pound, 28-inch salmon qualified to win first prize in that category. Streams, brooks and rivers have a 25inch maximum limit on salmon under the S-33 regulation, but lakes are exempt from that rule. So if this was an Atlantic salmon, could young Pete have been charged, and the fish confiscated? A Lieutenant in the Warden Service told The Maine Sportsman that to make a case in court, his agency must “prove the identity/species of the fish, the intent of the fishermen and the prior history of Atlantic salmon in a particular inland water body,” and that in this case, those elements could not have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. So what’s the moral of this story? There really isn’t one, except, perhaps that this is another example of The Law of Unintended Consequences. As a helpful regional fisheries biologist from Enfield told us, “More and more anglers are becoming aware of the impacts on inland sport fishing of listing searun Atlantic salmon.” —

“Sneaky Pat” Provides an Opportunity for Kids to See Wildlife Up Close At Maine Audubon’s Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath, kids have the birds feeding out of their hands. This is thanks to a brightly-garbed scarecrow nicknamed “Sneaky Pat,” which is stuffed with hay by caretak(Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 13 (Continued from page 12)

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This colorful scarecrow, nicknamed “Sneaky Pat,” gets birds accustomed to eating seeds out of a tray held by a figure wearing a red plaid shirt and baseball cap ...

ate Libby Camps, located in T8, R9. The camps were most recently profiled in The Maine Sportsman’s “Sporting Camps” feature in the April, 2017 issue. Guests enjoy guide service, seaplane flyouts, brook trout and salmon fishing, and bear, deer and moose hunts. Matt is a Master Maine guide and a pilot, and served for many years on DIF&W’s advisory committee.

... so when a real kid gets into the chair wearing the same outfit, the birds provide an up-close experience. Glenn Evans photos

er Glenn Evans, then dressed in jeans, a plaid shirt and a baseball cap. “Pat” holds a container of sunflower seeds. When kids want to be up close and personal with the birds, they dress up like the scarecrow, and take its place in the big chair. As the photos show, it’s an enlightening and delightful experience. —

Matt Libby of Libby Camps Wins Orvis “Lifetime Achievement” Award Matt Libby was recently recognized as winner of the 2017 Orvis Lifetime Achievement Award. A longtime friend of The Maine Sportsman, Libby and his family oper-

y Matt Libby, Orvis “Lifetime Achievement” winner.

ATV Trail Grant Applications Accepted Now Brian Bronson, ATV Coordinator in the off-road vehicle division of the Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands, recently announced that the Trail Grant Program is now available to ATV clubs for the 2017 season. Applicants must submit a map of the entire proposed trail, and must provide proof of landowner permission. Any required environmental permits must also be obtained. Reimbursements are based on trail length, with a 5-mile minimum length. Funding is available as follows: $3,500 up to 10 miles of new trail; $4,000 for 11 to 20 miles; $4,500 for 21 to 30 miles; $5,000 for 31 to 40; $5,500 for 41 to 50 miles; $6,000 for 51 to 70 miles; and $7,000 for over 70 miles. Landowner relations activities can also be reimbursed, such as recognition dinners, trash pickup or installation of approved landowner relation signs. Applications must be submitted before July 1, but those applications can seek reimbursement for expenses starting January 1 of this year. Municipal grants are also available. For more information, or for assistance from Trail Coordinators, contact Bronson at 207-287-4958. —

Bowhunting for Turkeys – A Quiet Alternative In much of Maine, wild turkey hunting is done in relative proximity to houses, farms and businesses. One way to minimize negative reactions that may result from loud shotgun discharges near settled areas, is for turkey hunters to become proficient at bowhunting. A ground blind is nearly a necessity, since the act of drawing back the bow is otherwise difficult to perform without being seen by the wary birds. Many blinds now have shoot-through netting that does not greatly affect the flight of the arrow. There’s another advantage to bowhunting, and that is that turkeys appear to have short memories. In the case of the (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

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14 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 13)

fact a piebald deer. According to information from “Buck Manager,” this condition is the result of genetic variation, rather than any sort of disease, and it’s found in less than 1% of all animals. —

Maine Sportsman Writer in the News The Virginia Outdoor Writers Association recently awarded King Montgomery an “Excellence in Craft” award for the Best Conservation Article of 2016. The winning submission was titled “Is it Time to Liberate the Mousam River?”, and it appeared in the March, 2016 issue of The Maine Sportsman. Congratulations from our entire staff, King.

The editor with a bowhunting turkey from the fall, 2016 season. Ryan Leach photo.

turkey shown here (from the fall, 2016 hunt), the remaining turkeys in the flock were back in the field within 15 minutes of the taking of this turkey. The noise of a shotgun at close range would undoubtedly have made far more of an impression on them, than did the flight of a broadhead-tipped arrow propelled by a compound bow. —

Piebald Deer Makes an Appearance in Falmouth A Maine Sportsman reader reported seeing what at first looked like a cow in a field in Falmouth. The animal was brown with large white patches. Once the “cow” was spooked and began leaping away and sporting an uplifted white tail, it became clear that the animal was in

King Montgomery won an award in Virginia for a story about the Mousam River that appeared in the pages of The Maine Sportsman.

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Bird of the Month -Barn Swallow by Erika Zambello

Piebald Deer. Photo by J. Todd Poling

In an instant, the Barn Swallows zipped past me, twisting and turning in aerial acrobatics until they hit a breeze and soared on the wind. From my vantage point paddling a kayak on Kennebago Lake, they seemed mere specks in air, dots with feathers that torpedoed their way to and fro in search of food for hungry chicks. Barn Swallows winter in Central and

The Maine

Barn swallowchicks hungrily await the return of their parents, who are out catching bugs for dinner. Erika Zambello photo

South America, but migrate north across the United States and into Canada to breed. They are fun to watch not only for their incredible flight patterns, but their bold colors as well. Both males and females have blue backs, orange faces and throats, as well as buffy white chests and stomachs. Outer feathers give their tails a deeply forked appearance, which is a great way to identify them. These songbirds need to be nimble in flight because they eat flying insects, and must catch them in midair. They have a wide range of prey, including moths and butterflies, wasps and bees. On Kennebago Lake, the swallows come out in full force when a summer hatch emerges, foraging for the flying inspects with other swallows and in mixed flocks. Because of their flying pattern, they need open habitat areas, including fields, parks, beaches, and lakes. In the past, Barn Swallows used caves for nesting. However, today they use man-made structures like bridges to raise their young. My favorite pair builds a nest beneath the wooden beams that allow cars to cross the Kennebago Lake Causeway; in a kayak, it’s easy to look up beneath the bridge and spot the tiny babies! Though Partners in Flight estimates that there are around 120 million breeding Barn Swallows, their numbers have decreased about 1% each year since surveys began in 1966. Their populations suffered when the hat trade reached its crescendo in the 1800s, and today are vulnerable to fishing line, which they sometimes use while nesting and which in turn can kill both young and parents if they become entangled. However, because the swallows now nest in man-made structures, they have expanded their breeding range throughout the United States.

Want to See Your Trophy Photo or Outdoor Tale Published in The Maine Sportsman? Send your photo with details or your story to us and you might see it in an upcoming issue!

www.MaineSportsman.com www.MaineSportsman.com

Email: will@mainesportsman.com • Mail: 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 Photos to be published at Editor’s discretion. Not all photos may be published.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 15

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16 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

June 2017 Hunting & Fishing Information Hunting Seasons and Rules Spring Turkey Season ends June 3, 2017 in all WMDs. Limit 1 bearded turkey in WMDs 1 – 6, 8*; 2 bearded turkeys in WMDs 7, 9 – 29. In WMDs 1 – 6, hunters born in an “odd” year can hunt in Season A (May 1 – May 6, 2017 and May 15 – May 20, 2017), while hunters born in an “even” year can hunt in Season B (May 8 – May 13, 2017 and May 22 – May 27, 2017). All hunters can hunt May 29 – June 3, 2017. *Hunters may take a second turkey during the season, but the second turkey must come from a WMD that permits the taking of two birds. Note: Turkeys must have a securely-attached tag containing the hunter’s name, address and hunting license number. Hunters must then proceed to a registration location and pay a $2 fee for registration. Night Hunting for Coyote: Night hunting started December 16 and runs through August 31, 2017. To avoid violating Maine’s prohibition on Sunday hunting, night hunting for coyotes must cease at midnight each Saturday, and can resume at 12:01 a.m. on Monday. Others: There is no closed season for coyotes (daytime hunting), red squirrels, porcupines and woodchucks. Hunting is prohibited at all times for

cottontail rabbits, lynx, spruce grouse and ravens. HOURS: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, except for migratory game birds (1/2 hour before sunrise, to sunset) and raccoons (night hunting allowed in season). See “Night Hunting for Coyotes” section above for applicable coyote rules. Ammunition: Non-toxic shot only for migratory waterfowl. Looking Ahead Through September Crow season starts August 1 in all WMDs; Youth Bear Day is August 26; Hunting Bear with bait (general season) starts August 28; Expanded Archery for deer begins September 9 (designated areas); Hunting bear with dogs starts September 11; Moose in WMDs 1 – 6, 11 and 19 begins September 25; Deer Archery season starts September 28. ———————

Fishing Seasons and Rules Free Fishing Days occur June 3 & 4, 2017. Minimum size for brook trout, splake and arctic char: 6 inches; for landlocked salmon: 14 inches (with a maximum size for salmon and brown trout of 25 inches in much of Washington and Hancock Counties); for togue: 18 inches; for brown trout:

14 inches in lakes; 6 inches in streams and rivers; for rainbow trout: 12 inches in lakes; 6 inches in streams and rivers. Brook Trout: Daily bag limit 2 trout on lakes and ponds in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington and York Counties. Other daily bag limits and minimum lengths (if any): Bass (2 fish; 10 inch minimum; only one longer than 14 inches); Whitefish (3 fish); Smelts (2 quarts); Pickerel (10 fish); Northern Pike and Muskies (no size or bag limit); Eel (25 fish); Shad (2 fish); Striped bass (one fish; minimum 28 inches); Alewives (25 fish). Go to www.eregulations.com/maine/fishing/general-law-information/ , find the lake, pond, river or stream you want to fish, and interpret the codes that apply. Look up the “S” (special rules) Codes. Learn the open-water season, the ice fishing season (if any), whether you are limited to artificial lures, or catch-and-release, and whether there’s a slot limit. ***** Atlantic Salmon can’t be targeted, and if caught they must be released immediately. Current saltwater fishing regulations are found at www.Maine.gov/dmr/recreational-fishing/regs-tips/index.html.

June 2017 Sunrise/Sunset

June 2017 Tidal Chart

Portland, ME

DATE 1 Thu 2 Fri 3 Sat 4 Sun 5 Mon 6 Tue 7 Wed 8 Thu 9 Fri 10 Sat 11 Sun 12 Mon 13 Tue 14 Wed 15 Thu

RISE 5:00 4:59 4:59 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57

SET 8:17 8:18 8:19 8:20 8:20 8:21 8:22 8:22 8:23 8:24 8:24 8:25 8:25 8:25 8:26

www.MaineSportsman.com

DATE 16 Fri 17 Sat 18 Sun 19 Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 Sat 25 Sun 26 Mon 27 Tue 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri

RISE 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:59 4:59 5:00 5:00 5:01 5:01

SET 8:26 8:27 8:27 8:27 8:27 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28

DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

HIGH AM PM 5:12 5:58 6:16 6:58 7:20 7:56 8:20 8:48 9:16 9:36 10:06 10:19 10:51 10:59 11:33 11:36 — 12:11 12:11 12:49 12:46 1:25 1:22 2:02 2:00 2:40 2:40 3:21 3:23 4:04

LOW AM PM 11:35 — 12:03 12:35 1:08 1:34 2:09 2:28 3:05 3:19 3:55 4:04 4:41 4:46 5:22 5:24 6:00 6:00 6:36 6:36 7:11 7:12 7:47 7:50 8:24 8:30 9:03 9:13 9:45 10:00

DATE 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

HIGH AM PM 4:10 4:50 5:01 5:40 5:57 6:33 6:56 7:28 7:58 8:24 8:59 9:20 9:59 10:16 10:57 11:11 11:53 — 12:05 12:48 1:00 1:44 1:55 2:39 2:51 3:35 3:48 4:31 4:46 5:27

LOW AM PM 10:30 10:52 11:19 11:48 — 12:12 12:47 1:08 1:48 2:05 2:48 3:02 3:47 3:59 4:43 4:54 5:38 5:49 6:32 6:44 7:26 7:40 8:20 8:36 9:15 9:35 10:10 10:34 11:05 11:35

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 17

Legislature Accomplishes Little on Outdoor Issues This year’s legislative session was disappointing in many respects. On hunting, fishing, and wildlife issues, not much got accomplished, partly because the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife opposed most of the bills. And because the IFW Committee had a lot of new members, the department’s position determined a lot of their votes. But a few bills did get enacted, including one that made important changes to the turkey hunting laws. Turkey Laws Amended Turkey bag limits and seasons were set in law, but the Legislature changed that this year. My turkey bill, LD 98, sponsored by Senator Paul Davis, was amended by the Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee to give the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife full authority to set bag limits and seasons, including the opportunity to schedule special hunts in areas where turkeys are causing problems. However, three sections of my turkey bill were removed. One called for elimination of the turkey hunting permit and fee, to encourage more hunters to try turkey hunting. The department and several IFW Committee members were skeptical that this would actually attract a lot more turkey hunters, and the committee felt that DIF&W needed the permit and fee money for turkey research and oth-

DIF&W was granted flexibility to set rules for turkey hunts; Sunday hunting was shot down (for the 34th time); and stocked fish – not native ones – will continue to receive the bulk of the Fisheries Division’s time and money. er purposes. Another part of the original bill would have allowed turkeys to be registered online or by phone. I think a lot of turkey hunters don’t bother to register their birds, because there is no tagging station nearby. But DIF&W objected strongly, stating that they thought online tagging would actually result in fewer turkeys being tagged. The bill would not have eliminated tagging stations – it just would have given hunters another option for tagging their turkeys. At the IFW Committee work session on the bill, I urged the committee to use my bill to give the department the authority to set bag limits and seasons, something the agency called for in their new draft turkey management plan. If the committee hadn’t used my bill to achieve this change, it would not have been possible until next year. Both Wildlife Division Director Judy Camuso and IFW Deputy Commissioner Tim Peabody joined me in asking the committee to give their agency this authority. So now the department has all the authority it needs to make significant changes in the turkey hunt and their management of turkeys throughout the state. At the end of the long afternoon of consider-

ation of the amended bill, there was some discussion focused on complaints about turkeys from farmers, landowners and others. Peabody reported that the agency received fewer than 60 complaints last year. Several IFW Committee members said they got lots of complaints, but didn’t forward them to DIF&W. Both Peabody and Camuso urged anyone with a complaint about turkeys to call their agency at 207-287-8000.

And they promised to respond to all complaints. Sunday Hunting There’s no bag limit on Sunday hunting bills in the Maine Legislature. Legislators can shoot them all down, and they always do. LD 424, sponsored by Representative Jeff Pierce of Dresden, would have allowed hunting on five Sundays for bear, moose, deer and wild turkey in coastal wildlife management areas on public land and private land of 5 acres of

more with the landowner’s permission. I was surprised when Deputy Commissioner Tim Peabody of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife testified “neither-for-noragainst” the bill. He noted that “Sunday hunting could provide potential economic growth and additional opportunity for hunters,” but warned that the agency would have to reduce the season length and worried that this “would cause a significantly higher amount of hunting pressure.” The only proponent of the bill was the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. (Continued on next page)

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Capitol Report (Continued from page 17)

SAM’s executive director, David Trahan, testified, “Our organization has consistently supported Sunday hunting as a way to expand hunting opportunities and aid economically-depressed areas in rural Maine.” Recognizing that landowners want one day a week without hunting, Dave said, “We would gladly give them Wednesday in exchange for Sunday.” That drew some laughs from committee members and the audience. Dave also argued that concern this would increase hunting pressure “makes the case to support this new opportunity... this legislation supports Maine’s working men and women and brings equality to hunting opportunity.” I joked with Dave after he spoke that he and I have swapped positions. As a State Senator, Dave was a very vocal and effective opponent of Sunday hunting, while I tried for 18 years as SAM’s executive director to win some Sunday hunting opportunities. For the first time, I testified against Sunday

hunting, giving the committee some history of the proposals I’d offered over the years, including Sunday hunting on your own land, without success. I recognized that we hunters are a minority, and we must get along with landowners and the public, and as long as they don’t want us hunting on Sunday, we must respect that. I also noted that sportsmen and -women are divided on this issue. In general, on SAM membership surveys, 60% supported Sunday hunting and 40% opposed it. While I’ve always felt that the lack of Sunday hunting hurts our economy – because hunters have that opportunity in most states including New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York – the truth is that except for SAM, all other outdoor organizations have opposed Sunday hunting, including guides and sporting camp owners. And sure enough, Don Kleiner of the Maine Professional Guides Association testified against this bill, noting “We all own the wildlife, but the problem is the wildlife lives

on someone’s land.” He emphasized, as did I, the need to respect and get along with private landowners. Two major organizations representing those landowners also testified against the bill. Alicyn Smart, Executive Director of the Maine Farm Bureau, said that while farmers have lengthy debates about some issues, “when the policy of Sunday hunting comes up, no matter where in the state the farmers live, there is little debate on Sunday hunting. Farmers are in agreement. They are opposed to Sunday hunting.” Alicyn noted that her predecessor, Jon Olson, “had been lobbying for the Maine Farm Bureau since the 110th Legislature back in 1981. Since then, 34 Sunday hunting bills were introduced and defeated.” And she listed them all. Ironically, I started working for SAM in 1981, so a lot of those bills were ours. But I am happy to report that Jon Olson remains one of my good friends. Yes, you can disagree and still be friends. Tom Doak, Executive Director of the Maine Woodland Owners, testified, “There is no single

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issue that would change the relationship more dramatically between Maine landowners and hunters; between hunters and the general public; and among hunters themselves, than Sunday hunting. There is no single issue that would result in more loss of access to private land, for all purposes, than Sunday hunting.” Hatchery Commission Bill Killed I didn’t catch much with my bill to create a Hatchery Commission. The Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee gave the bill a unanimous ought-notto-pass vote, although they did direct DIF&W to report back to them on what the agency has accomplished of the recommendations issued in 2004 by another Hatchery Commission. I can tell you that will be a short report. I served on that Hatchery Commission, which worked for nearly four years, utilized the services of a national consulting firm, and issued many recommendations in a lengthy report in 2002, many of which have been ignored. I was particularly disappointed in the vote, given that Sebastian Belle of the Maine Aquaculture Association testified in support of the bill, telling the committee that his group “could help DIF&W by cutting costs.” Sebastian emphasized his belief that DIF&W’s technology is outdated. In DIF&W’s testimony against the bill, Francis Brautigam, Fisheries Division Director, said, “The Department remains committed to engaging the public and others in developing future management and stocking programs. The proposed creation of another commission as proposed under LD 471 is

unnecessary, given the initiatives and investments completed to date. Under the circumstances, this resolve would create an unnecessary diversion of staff time and resources.” One thing I had hoped the new commission would examine is the high percentage of the Fisheries Division budget that is spent on hatchery fish – growing, stocking, researching and managing them. I believe more than 90 percent of their budget is spent on hatchery fish, leaving little money and time to be spent on our native fisheries. That issue will continue to be ignored. As I told the IFW Committee, we are not competitive with other states that focus on stocked fisheries. It might be time to look at what other states are doing and figure out a better strategy – one that might, I think, focus more of our limited resources on protecting, enhancing, and marketing our self-sustaining populations of wild fish. Consider this: we catch twice as many smallmouth bass each year as brook trout. And I probably don’t have to tell you that none of those bass came from a hatchery, nor did any of our native brook trout that are now protected in hundreds of ponds. I believe Maine’s fishing economy and future lies in self-sustaining populations of wild fish, from brook trout to bass. Stocked fish can supplement wild populations, but should never be used to supplant them. On a cost basis alone, self-sustained fisheries are the most sensible approach, particularly given Maine’s very limited financial capability to support an expensive stocking program.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 19

Caribou Prepares to Host Moose Lottery June 17th by Will Lund Caribou bills itself as “the most northeastern city in the United States,” but it will be the center of attention for all of New England on Saturday, June 17 when it hosts Maine’s moose lottery drawing. City planners are pulling out all the stops to entertain and educate the hundreds of visitors

who are expected to make the trek and to witness the drawing. Vendors, craftspeople and guides are being encouraged to contact Christina.Kane-Gibson@ CaribouMaine.org for information and vendor forms. The center of commercial activity is likely to be Sweden Street, which is

the twice-monthly site of “Thursdays on Sweden,” featuring live music, many food options, vendors, guides, craftsmen and -women, and a festival-like atmosphere. Programs will start on Thursday for early-arrivers, then continue through the day Friday, into the drawing Saturday and winding down on

Sunday. Caribou’s Facebook page promises “a number of activities for all ages” on Saturday. The event, officially titled “the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Moose Permit Lottery,” will be held at the Caribou Parks & Recreation Department facility, 55 Bennett Dr, Caribou, Maine 04736. State

biologists will be present, as will representatives of the Maine Warden Service. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m., with the drawing scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The reading of the winners’ names will take about three hours. Details of the Lottery Three year waiting (Continued on next page)

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20 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Moose Lottery Special (Continued from page 19)

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permit must wait three years before being eligible to win another permit. Therefore, those hunters who received a permit in 2014, 2015, or 2016 are not eligible to win in 2017, but they may apply for bonus points. Number of permits drawn. 2,080 permits will be issued in 2017. No more than 10% of the permits in each district will be issued to nonresidents. Application Fees Maine Residents: $15 – One chance (or bonus point only) Nonresidents: $15 – Onechance (or bonus point only) $25.00 = Three-chances

$35.00 = Six-chances $55.00 = Ten-chances** ** Nonresidents may purchase multiples of 10 chances at $55.00 each; for example, 5 multiples of 10 chances would cost $275.00 (5 x $55.00 = $275.00) Details of the Hunt According to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, hunters holding valid moose permits – and their designated subpermittee – may hunt moose in one of twenty five wildlife management districts (WMDs) that cover over 21,000 square miles. The 2017 season dates are as follows: September 25, 2017 through September 30, 2017 – WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 19. October 9, 2017 through October 14, 2017 – WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 27 and 28 October 23, 2017 through October 28, 2017 – WMDs 1, 2, 4, 4 and 19 October 28, 2017 (Maine Residents Only) –WMDs 15, 16, 23, 25 and 26 October 30, 2017 through November 25, 2017 – WMDs 15, 16, 23, 25 and

26. Subpermittee Rules Since only one moose can be killed per permit, the permittee and subpermittee must be physically in the presence of each other without the aid of radios or similar devices so that they don’t each kill a moose. The permittee must always be present – a subpermittee cannot hunt alone. Moose permit winners are allowed to change their subpermittees or their alternate subpermittees until 30 days prior to the start of the moose season. It is now illegal, according to DIF&W, to sell a subpermittee or alternate subpermittee designation. Being a subpermittee one year does not limit an individual’s ability to enter the lottery the following year. A subpermittee can be listed on many different applications. Health of the Herd State wildlife biologists estimate Maine’s moose herd consists of between 60,000 and 70,000 animals. During the 2016 season, the overall suc-

cess rate for hunters was 75%. Success depended greatly on location – only 19% of the hunters in the southern end of the WMDs bagged a moose, while the rate in northern Maine approached 80%. Statewide, of the 2,140 permits issued, 1,609 moose were harvested. How Big Were the 2016 Bulls? Bulls lose weight during the rut, so those shot earlier in the season, on average, weigh more. The average bull weight in the 2016 harvest for September was 741 pounds, versus 678 pounds (8.5% lower) for those taken in the October harvest. The heaviest bull weighed in at 1,061 dressed. It was killed in WMD 1 during the September season, and its age was estimated at 7-1/2 years. The largest antler spread was 64.5 inches, on a 9-1/2 year old bull with antlers featuring 20 legal points.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 21

ATV Safety Course Required for Kids 10 – 15 Years Old; Recommended for All New Riders Part 1

by JP Falzone An exam? I needed to pass an exam? This was my initial thought as I reviewed the Maine Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website in search of an ATV course in my area. The “Education” section of the site details the ATV Education Course, including the requirement that participants must pass an exam to obtain final certification. It has been many years since I’ve had to pass any sort of written exam, so this requirement got my undivided attention. However, I understand that such a requirement is a good idea, since it’s a measure of

whether someone understands the concepts they are supposed to be learning. ATV Education courses are available throughout the state, from “The County” all the way down to York County, with many dates and locations to choose from. Most classes are held in one day, and take about 7 hours to complete. Other classes take place over a couple of days, with each class of shorter duration. Heading Back to School I attended a one-day class sponsored by the Southern Maine ATV Club, which was held at the South Berwick

Community Center on a Saturday morning in April. As I arrived, I was pleased to see so many parents with their kids, excited to be spending the day together learning about a sport and outdoor activity they truly enjoy. “The class is really geared towards teaching the younger generation how to enjoy the sport safely, but it’s also to educate the parents so that they can reinforce what we learn here today once they are out on the trails,” said Instructor Ed Coleman, President of the Southern Maine ATV

Club. An ATV Education course is required by law for youngsters under the age of 16 who ride on public trails. (Kids younger than 10 cannot ride except on their family’s property.) Once they take the course and pass the written exam with a score of 70% or better, they will earn a Maine ATV Safety & Conservation Program Card. This card must be carried with them while riding an ATV. Young riders must also be within sight and sound of an adult at all times.

“The card must be presented by anyone under 16 years of age upon request to any law enforcement officer in the State of Maine,” explained Coleman. “If you cannot produce this card, or proof that you have taken and passed this course, you may get a ticket.” Everywhere a Sign The class began with lessons on signs displayed along trails, and their meanings. For example, such signs indicate legal ATV trails, areas where ATVs are prohibited, and (Continued on next page)

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temporary trail closings. Instructors then distributed booklets with all the material to be covered throughout the day. Students were directed to take turns reading passages aloud from the course material. This made for a very interactive session and kept everyone on their toes, as it would soon be each participantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn to read aloud. We started by learning some basic history of the machines, as well as the importance of safety equipment, and basic handling techniques. History of ATVs ATVs originated in Japan, and were created for farmers residing in remote areas so that they could haul their products to market over rugged, muddy areas. These machines soon gained a following in the

U.S. and Canada. However, the early, unregulated years saw many rider and passenger accidents and injuries. This brought some unwanted attention to the industry. Studies of the accidents revealed that most were due to the operatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lack of experience, as well as the absence of formal safety education courses. Compared to the early models, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ATVs are engineered with an emphasis on safety. Rider education is another current focus, with operators learning how to participate safely in the sport, utilizing trail etiquette. Clubs play a major role in communicating this information, as do education courses such as the one I took. Safety Equipment Proper equipment is essential when operating (Continued on next page)

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ 23

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The Maine Warden Service helps promote ATV education in the classroom, as well as enforcing safe and responsible riding on the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trail systems. Photo: Maine DIF&W (Continued from page 22)

an ATV. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A helmet is the most important piece of safety equipment there is,â&#x20AC;? emphasized club president Coleman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When our club was helping with a filming of the show North Woods Law,â&#x20AC;? he reported, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there was an individual along with us for the shoot who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to wear a helmet on the ride, but we insisted. As a result of our insistence, he borrowed and wore a helmet.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He ended up having an accident along the way in which the ATV rolled over his head. Luckily, he sustained only minor injuries. Borrowing and wearing a helmet saved his life.â&#x20AC;? Those attending the class were told to always wear a helmet with a safety approved label such as SNELL (Snell Memorial Foundation), ANSI (The American National Standards Institute) or DOT (Department of Transportation). Bicycle hel-

mets are not approved. Coleman was personally affected by a family tragedy years ago when his brother lost his life while operating an older-style 3-wheel ATC. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After that accident, when I told my mother I was purchasing an ATV, she was not very happy with me,â&#x20AC;? said Coleman, but wearing a helmet and operating his machine safely at all times gives him the confidence to enjoy the sport. Coleman has been teaching ATV safety course in Maine for more than five years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My getting into teaching these safety courses is partially because of what happened to my brother. If I can prevent rider injuries because of the information associated with this course, then I can feel as though I have done something worthwhile,â&#x20AC;? said Coleman. In addition to helmets, other critical gear includes goggles or a face shield, boots, gloves, and clothing that will help

protect you from falls as well as the elements. Weather can change quickly in New England, especially when traveling long distances. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can go a long way in several hours on an ATV,â&#x20AC;? said Coleman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact, you can go farther than you would be ever be able to walk back in one day. Carry additional gear to help protect you from the elements, including wind, rain, and sudden temperature changes. Always be well-prepared, and use common sense.â&#x20AC;? Basic Handling of an ATV Statistics tell the story: Compared to seasoned riders, those new to the sport are ten times more

likely to get into an accident, and the first month is the worst of all. With respect to techniques, the course covered different riding positions, how to accurately lean your body when heading into turns, riding up and downhill (and how to shift your weight for each situation) and how to traverse a slope, as well as how to correctly execute the â&#x20AC;&#x153;K Turn. (We discussed in detail the specifics of this maneuver on how to turn your ATV around if you lose momentum on a steep hill when the machine comes to a sudden stop, which can be a potentially dangerous situation, espe(Continued on next page)

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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 driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ÂŠ2014 Polaris Industries Inc.

www.MaineSportsman.com

24 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ATV Special (Continued from page 23)

cially with other riders close behind.) Practice, Practice Those new to the sport should begin practicing in a safe location away from

others. Parents or caretakers of young children must keep a watchful eye as young riders practice their riding skills. Some key exercises

to start off with are: 1) braking in a straight line; 2) riding in a figure eight pattern; and 3) making slow turns, followed by slightly quicker turns (once slow turns are successful). After these drills are mastered, a gradual pro-

gression can be made towards riding on different types of terrain, as well as public trails, all the while using an abundance of caution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Walk before you can run,â&#x20AC;? was the message conveyed by the instructors.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Next month: Unexpected events happen on the trail or off-trail, so plan for the worst; and Maine lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ts for ATV riders.

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AUBURN JACKMAN SIDNEY SKOWHEGAN Ames Sport Shop Jackman Power Sports Kramerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inc. Whittemore & Sons /LWWOHĂ&#x20AC;HOG 5RDG 0DLQ 6WUHHW :HVW 5LYHU 5RDG :DWHUYLOOH 5RDG 207-782-4917 207-668-4442 207-547-3345 207-474-2591 6HH 8V RQ )DFHERRN MDFNPDQSRZHUVSRUWV FRP NUDPHUVLQF FRP ZKLWWHPRUHDQGVRQV FRP *Offer valid April 4, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 30, 2017 at participating U.S. dealers to U.S. residents on new 2015-2017 Arctic Cat ROV models excluding government, rental and special services models. See dealer for details and program dates. 0% FINANCING FOR 60 MONTHS valid on 2015-2016 models. FINANCING AS LOW AS 3.9% FOR 60 MONTHS AND FINANCING ETCCCCC ATVs can be hazardous to operate. We recommend that all riders take a training course and read and understand the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manual before operation. For safety or training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at (800) 887-2887.ÂŠ2017 Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Thief River Falls, MN 56701.

Instructor Ed Coleman holds up the helmet of a rider whose ATV rolled over his head in an accident. The only damage to the helmet was a torn visor, and the helmet was still structurally sound and intact. Falzone photo

Quotable by George Smith

they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t move. Rep. Bob Duchesne, House Chair of the IFW Committee, joking about DIF&Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal to cut warden mileage by 321,000 miles. The committee rejected that proposal. March 23, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The department supports LD 426, as it provides visibility for a hunter and a choice for persons who have a religious opposition to wearing orange. Tim Peabody, DIF&Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Deputy Commissioner, testifying in favor of a bill that would let the Amish wear red instead of orange while hunting. March 16, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

I want to remind the committee that Governor LePage promised to fund 20% of DIF&Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget with tax money, but he has never done that. Rep. Steve Wood, another IFW Committee member, during a work session on DIF&Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed budget cuts. March 23, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

There is no single issue that would change the relationship more dramatically between Maine landowners and hunters; between hunters and the general public; and among hunters themselves, than Sunday hunting. There is no single issue that would result in more loss of access to private land, for all purposes, than Sunday hunting. Tom Doak of the Maine Woodland Owners, testifying against a Sunday hunting bill, March 16, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

It has been a common practice to throw out fish and have eagles come in â&#x20AC;Ś. Fishermen should take care not to leave hooks and tackle on the ice. Erynn Call, Maine raptor specialist, Deirdre Fleming story, Maine Sunday Telegram, March 19, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The warden vehicles will last longer if www.MaineSportsman.com

Five hunters from Massachusetts and one from Maine were apprehended Saturday, March 18 for killing 67 snowshoe hares over their limit. Working on a tip, a team of Maine game wardens, Maine marine patrol

officers and USF&W agents closed in on the group who had been hunting on Great Duck Island during the day Saturday. Maine Warden Service press release, March 20, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The stakes are pretty high, and for us itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about prevention. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reptile or an amphibian or a bird or a fish, trying to prevent those species from becoming established, either by preventing the importation in general or by just being very careful about whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allowed to import them. Nate Webb, DIF&W biologist. Charles Eichacker story, Kennebec Journal, March 23, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a million-dollar range. A laser beam and pellets are more benign and better suited to kids. David Trahan, Sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alliance of Maine, on the new kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shooting range at SAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Augusta headquarters. All of the equipment there is available on loan to other organizations. Deirdre Fleming story, Maine Sunday Telegram, March 26, 2017.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 25

Deciding on the Perfect Small Power Boat Part 1

by Benny Holloway I have worked in retail boating since 2005. Every day I talk to customers about what type of small power boat will meet their needs. During that time, I’ve gained an appreciation for many different styles of boats. Each boat is designed for specific purposes – fishing; family fun; towing water skiers; enjoying island picnics; staying in calm, sheltered coves or heading offshore where the weather is rough. A prospective pur-

The goal is to find a boat that allows you and your family to do what you want, and – most important – to have fun doing it. chaser must determine his or her needs and then select the boat that offers the closest match. Comfort versus speed; stability versus ease of trailering – each choice offer advantages and tradeoffs. The end goal is the same – to find a boat that allows you to do what you want, and – most import-

ant – to have fun doing it. Describing and evaluating the features of the most popular small power boats found in Maine will help buyers select the right boat for them. 22-Foot Deep-Vee Among the most sought-after boats these days are 22-foot center consoles, with deep-vee hulls. The deep-vee is

great for slicing through rough water. Its ability to climb up out of the water, and get on a plane, makes this the fastest fiberglass hull design. However, even with a vee hull, a lightweight fiberglass center console will subject the captain and crew to a pounding when the boat encounters three-foot swells at 25

knots. Vee hulls will also roll when side-to or in a wave’s trough, and when drift-fishing. Bottom line? The vee hull sacrifices comfort for speed. Outfitting a Center Console The majority of boating enthusiasts consider themselves fair-weather boaters. A center console boat from 15-20 feet will get you on the water in comfort on a calm summer day. (Continued on next page)

Contact Your Local Tohatsu Dealer Today! BAR HARBOR Lake & Sea Boatworks 204 Knox Road 207-288-8961 lakeandsea.com

PORTLAND 1RUWK $WODQWLF ,QÀDWDEOHV 400 Commercial St. 207-844-1742 QRUWKDWODQWLFLQÀDWDEOHV FRP

STOCKTON SPRINGS Stockton Springs Marine 4 McKenny Road 207-567-3200 stocktonspringsmarine.com

www.MaineSportsman.com

26 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Boating Special (Continued from page 25)

Even fair weather requires protection of the occupants. With that in mind, many owners upgrade their center console boats by adding a high quality fixed aluminum tee-top or removable stainless steel bimini. It’s important to offer shade from the sun. There’s nothing less pleasant than having to cut your day short and head home sunburned or overheated. Again, it helps when the seas are calm. The 15-20 foot class is really designed for running in bays or rivers, and most likely won’t be comfortable heading offshore in a three-foot swell. But that doesn’t mean you can’t! One of my favorite customers, Joe Hall, from Albuquerque, New Mexico sent me a picture taken from his classic 16’ Sakanet Whaler. The photo is of a lighthouse called Halfway Rock, fifteen miles south of Boothbay. He traveled from Rockport, covering more than 25 miles each way. Joe uses his center

console rain or shine, and always brings his foul weather gear! Standard Walk-Around Set-Up A 20 foot walk-around is a great layout, and good general-purpose boat. The standard set-up features a cockpit area with side-by-side helm and navigation seats tucked behind a full windshield. A small cuddy cabin below the forward deck will give you, or the little ones, a place to hide from the sun. Equipping it with porta potty or marine head, is a key feature when boating with the family. Walk around (W/A) models have space to step around the cockpit, enabling easy access to the forward deck and anchor locker. Usually equipped with rod holders and live wells, W/As are easy to fish from. These boats can even make for good all-weather boats when a full bimini enclosure is added. It keeps the spray and wind off your otherwise

Center console boat at anchor after a typical fair-weather day on Big Sebago. Holloway photo

salt-covered, face.

smiling

Hard-Top Cabin Boat Another good all-’rounder is the 20-foot hard top cabin boat. This model is similar to the walk around, with a cuddy and porta potty, but boasts a fiberglass house and roof. A fully enclosed cockpit area will definitely keep you on the water during an unexpected rain shower, or windy day when spray covers the windshield with every wave. Heaters can also be added to extend your season, starting in the cool days of May and lasting well into the leaf-peeping chilly days of October. Bow Riders

If you are into fair weather cruising or day tripping, check out a bow rider, or deck boat. Although the boats rarely exceed 22 feet in length, the open design of these boats will accommodate more people compared to a cuddy-cabin craft. Those who plan on boating with a large family often look to bow riders. And although all members of a family may want to fish at the same time, the fact is that four or more rods swinging around are too much on any small boat. Make sure to find model with a head or porta-potty on board, since lack of facilities will equal shorter trips. Bow riders or deck boats equipped with

outboards will give you freedom of running in the salt or fresh water. Inboard/outboards (I/O), or stern drives) can also be used in lakes and the ocean; however, staying with just fresh water will result in less frequent maintenance, given the corrosive qualities of salt water and the need to flush sea water out of cooling areas. Next month: Choosing a keel boat for stability; the growing popularity of pontoon boats and “fishand-skis”; and the old standby – the aluminum hull. Benny Holloway works with Coastal Boatworks, Inc. in Newcastle.

Halfway Rock, now privately owned, so-called because it sits approximately half-was between Cape Elizabeth and Cape Small, in Casco Bay. An area with good striper and bluefish angling, it’s within reach of most southern Maine ports -- so long as you carry foul weather gear and keep track of weather patterns. Joe Hall photo www.MaineSportsman.com

—

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 27

Pursuing Bluefin Tuna off the Maine Coast with Rod and Reel — “Paid to Fish” Part 2 by Benny Holloway Last month: Captain Dan and the author are offshore aboard Dan’s fishing vessel, High Test, in search of rod-and-reel bluefin tuna. I woke to a commotion, with Dan yelling, “We’re on, we’re on!” I rushed to the rail to reel in the two slack rods. Dan set the hook hard, and we both amped up for a fight. It was short-lived, and we lost a baited hook to a big blue shark. W e worked for another half hour getting re-rigged and freshly baited. It was 1:30 a.m. when I went back below deck and passed out. I woke to a 5 a.m. sunrise when I heard Dan hauling the anchor. When I popped up on deck, he told me we were moving around to reset for the next tide. The fishing was slow, the air was hot, and

I found my head nodding off in a deck chair. I thought to myself, “Of the 30 or so boats fishing, someone is going home empty, and I pray that it isn’t us.” Just before I would have dozed off, the sounder found a mark and buzzed. I ran to the screen and told Dan we’d marked a nice fish, and then it happened. Arched Rod; Screaming Reel The rod slammed into shape, almost kissing the water, and the reel began dumping line. Our work had paid off – this was definitely a tuna fish. A Penn International 80 peeling off line is the kind of sound that’s hard to describe. It would make a great ringtone for my phone. At that moment, silently, I knew we both prayed for that good hook set. We reeled in the slack

rods, and got off of the anchor. Free to engage in fish-ticuffs, we now had to navigate through the fleet without getting hung up or cut off. Dan remained cool, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins threatened to cause me to lose control. I choked back some joyful emotion, all the while following Dan’s instructions to keep the line tight without being too bully with it. After each run made by the fish, I tried to recover, but the line sounded like an untuned guitar hitting high notes. Dan told me long ago that winning these fights takes a balance of patience and finesse. An adjacent boat came off its anchor to allow us through unscathed. 45 minutes into the fight, and my time on the rod (Continued on next page)

My first giant tuna, and a smile that lasted for the next three weeks .

BAIT DEALERS DIRECTORY JOHNSON’S SPORTING GOODS

Dag’s Bait & Tackle 559 Minot Avenue • 783-0388 • Open 7 Days

Auburn

Brunswick

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Portland

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Webhannet River Bait & Tackle

LIVE BAIT

345 Harbor Road • 207-646-9649

Shiners • Bloodworms • Night Crawlers Worms • Jiffy Ice Augers • Ice Fishing Supplies

JOHNSON’S SPORTING GOODS

206 Bath Road • 725-7531 • 7 Days

51 Park Street • 207-594-2916 • 7 Days

LIVE BAIT

Shiners • Bloodworms • Night Crawlers Worms • Jiffy Ice Augers • Ice Fishing Supplies

Rockland

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Shiners • Bloodworms • Night Crawlers Worms • Jiffy Ice Augers • Ice Fishing Supplies

Wells

Frozen Bait, Seaworms & Live Eels Kayak & Fishing Rod Rentals

www.FishWells.com

Want to Join Our Directory? Call Nancy Carpenter at 207-357-2702 or Mike Moreau at 207-212-7670

www.MaineSportsman.com

28 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Saltwater Fishing Special (Continued from page 27)

was up. When we saw color, Dan took over to pursue the landing. Capt. Benny Now at the boats controls, I worked the gears forward and reverse, complying with Tuna Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commands. We tried to keep the fish out from under the boat, until we got a chance to throw the harpoon. We had one close call as the fish swam the circle of death. Dan has told me that when the tuna starts to circle below the boat, the fight is nearing its end. The fish made a last attempt to cut the line off at the prop. Dan yelled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forward right,â&#x20AC;? and I throttled the stern away

from the leader line. Every good tuna boat is equipped with swiveling rod holders. They allow you to rotate the tip of the rod out to avoid chaffing the line on the side of the boat. Dan swung the rod out and held the leader away with an outstretched arm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a narrow miss. A few more circles, and then Dan threw the harpoon, making it count. After-party We hustled on a couple tail ropes, and tied them off to a cleat. High fives and big grins on the F/V High Test, and we celebrated with a toast of rocky mountain champagne in a 12 oz can. My favorite IPA sure would

have tasted good, but light beer beat no beer at all. We circled the boat back to the bag and anchored up. Dan raked the gills, by scraping them with a knife fixed to a gaff. We let the fish bleed out then hauled it on board. A tape measure shows 88 inches. Dan demonstrated how to clean the fish, and within 30 minutes after it was pulled from the water, we put the fish on ice. As any fisherman would do, we made another go at it, sending out three more lines with fresh bait. Dan would really like to fill another body bag. We fished out our bait, hoping for another hookup, but around 11:00 a.m. Dan commanded,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reel â&#x20AC;&#x2122;em in.â&#x20AC;? We were both exhausted from the 21-hour session. Sharing the Good Fortune As we steamed back to port, I realized the giant plumes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been seeing on the horizon were spouts from humpbacks surfacing to breathe. The spouts had to be a hundred feet tall, and were truly awesome to see. Dan got things all set up at the freezer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a truck would drive the catch to a buyer in Massachusetts. We motored through the harbor and tied up to the dock. Dan removed the tuna from the insulated tuna bag, and I thanked the fish gods for their sacrifice. As the fish hung from the crane during the offload, I got an epic picture for my collection. Dan and I posed with the fish, shared a fist bump, and a blue fin tuna-sized grin. Dan cut off the tail and put in a five gallon bucket of ice to give to his friends at the marina. I was told the big fish weighed about 390 pounds with the head and guts removed, and the fat content was average for what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been catching this year. Back at his slip, Dan told me itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a three day event: prep day; work day; and cleanup day.

Dan and I with the giant tuna. A giant tuna is classiďŹ ed as one measuring more than 81 inches. This giant made the grade at 88 inches.

I admired his process, since my motto has always been, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Proper planning prevents piss-poor performance.â&#x20AC;? A few weeks later, the Tuna Man showed up at my shop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Got somethinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for ya,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that?â&#x20AC;? I asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tuna check!â&#x20AC;? he responded, with an outstretched hand. I smiled, took the check, and realized Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d just been paid to do something I love. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, this makes it a lot easier to blow off work for fishing,â&#x20AC;? I told him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks, Tuna Man â&#x20AC;&#x201C; call me any time!â&#x20AC;?

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 29

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30 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Seven Salty Skills Every Maine Angler Should Master There are a few basic skills in which a Maine saltwater angler should be reasonably proficient in order to be successful on the fishing grounds. None of the seven below are particularly difficult to master, but each will help ensure a productive outing. 1) Tie a Uni-Knot The uni-knot, or uniknot “system,” was popularized years ago by the late Vic Dunaway, long-time editor of Florida Sportsman magazine. Basically it’s a single knot that can be used to tie a line to a hook or lure, tie a loop, “snell” a hook, or tie two lines together, even two of totally different diameter such as a heavy leader to a light line. This is about the only knot I use (except for the uni-snell, which is easy to tie but can fail) and it’s basically bulletproof. For instructions on tying the various uniknots, go to YouTube and key in “uni-knot.” There are 27,700 videos on the subject. Seriously!

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2) Release a Tired Striper Remove the hook. Then grasp the striper by the lower jaw with your thumb and forefinger while holding it just ahead of its tail with your other hand. Move the fish slowly back and forth underwater to force water through its gills. After ten seconds or so, give a good hard squeeze with the hand holding the tail. For some reason this activates the fish, and it will squirt forward under its own power and disappear into the depths. Works like a charm. 3) Handle a Seaworm Sandworms and bloodworms make great bait for stripers, flounder, and a myriad of other species, but they are icky and slimy to handle, especially when wet. And Good Lord, they bite! Solution? Bring along a shallow plastic food-storage container half-full of corn meal or commercial bread crumbs. Drop a few worms at a time into the meal, and they’ll quickly become coated with the

dry stuff and will be ohso easy to grasp and put on the hook. Resist the urge to lick your fingers afterwards. 4) True-Snell a Hook If you’re using bait of any type, the true or traditional snell (not the uni-snell mentioned above) is the best way to connect a hook to a leader. It works particularly well on a circle hook with a turned-down eye. As this connection is a bit more complicated to tie than most common fishing knots, I again suggest going to YouTube. Key in “snell a hook” and you will find 23,600 results for this one. However, be advised that many of the videos show the simple unisnell. Find a video on the “traditional” snell. Best connection to a hook there is, and I’ve never had one fail. 5) Bleed a Fish to be Kept If you plan to keep a fish such as a striper, pollock or haddock to take home and eat, you should bleed it right away. If you

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do this while the fish is still alive, the heart will pump out all the blood so there’s little chance the meat will be tainted by it when you go to cut your fillets from the carcass. The safest way (assuming you’re right-handed) is to grasp the fish with your left hand by inserting your thumb and index finger into its eye sockets. Then with a very sharp knife, make a single cut down through the throat latch, the narrow fleshy part on its underside between the gills. This will sever a major artery and the blood should come spurting out. When the fish is dead and has bled out, rinse it off and place it in your cooler. You can fillet or gut it later. The best part is that your left hand was completely out of the way of the knife blade, thus negating the need for a trip to the emergency room! 6) Read a Tide Chart A pocket-size paper tide table, available for free at many marinas and tackle shops, is extremely handy, but you need to know how to read it. First thing to do is find out the time difference between the location the table is actually

Cutting through the throat latch of a live haddock, striper or other fish that is to be kept for food will allow it to quickly bleed out. This will prevent blood from tainting the meat when the fish is filleted or gutted, leaving the flesh nice and white like the fillet pictured here. Barry Gibson photo

printed for (Portland is popular) and the locale where you plan to fish. At the back of the pad is a list of towns, bays, and islands and the amount of time you need to add or subtract from the Portland times to get the correct time of tides for your particular area. Simple. Each day of the year is displayed, giving you the time of high tide in the morning (midnight to noon), and afternoon (noon to midnight), as well as the height of that (Continued on next page)

—

tide in feet and tenths of a foot (e.g., 9.3 feet). Times of low tides in the morning and afternoon are also given, but the â&#x20AC;&#x153;heightâ&#x20AC;? here is how many feet and tenths they will be above or below the normal low tide mark. So if the low is listed at 0.6, low tide will be six-tenths of a foot above normal. Likewise, if it says -1.1, it will be a very low â&#x20AC;&#x153;minusâ&#x20AC;? tide, one and one-tenth foot below normal. Good to know! 7) Untangle a Sabiki Rig Those multi-hook Sabiki rigs we use to catch mackerel are very effective, but Japanese engi-

neers worked tirelessly for years to be sure that Sabikis would tangle hopelessly from the tiniest bit of mishandling. They cannot be untangled in the field. When one does tangle, unsnap it from your line, take it home, and set it on the kitchen table. To untangle it, you will need a magnifying glass, a quart of Jack Daniels and a box of band-aids. Remove all persons and pets from the premises. Take a good honk of JD, and start picking at the knotted mess of mono and needle-sharp hooks. Good luck!

To release a tired striper, grasp its jaw with thumb and forefinger of one hand, and grip the fish just ahead of the tail with the other. Work the bass slowly back and forth under water, then squeeze the tail hard, and the fish will swim off. This oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been tagged with an American Littoral Society â&#x20AC;&#x153;spaghettiâ&#x20AC;? tag. Barry Gibson photo

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DIrections for Uni-knot 1. Run line through eye of hook, swivel or lure at least 6,â&#x20AC;? and fold to make two parallel lines. Bring end of line back in a circle towards hook. 2. Make six turns with the tag end around the double line and through the circle. Hold double line at point where it passes through the eye and pull tag to snug up turns. 3. Now pull standing line to slide knot up against eye. 4. Continue pulling until knot is tight. Trim tag end flush with closest coil of knot. The uni-knot will not slip.

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32 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Wildlife: Dragonflies

by Tom Seymour

A lazy day on some small pond, fishing for white perch with worms or shiners, usually means one or more dragonflies buzzing about and perhaps even taking a break by perching on the fishing rod. Indeed, dragonflies are part and parcel of our outdoor experience. While these magnificent insects are less obvious on the large lakes where wind deters them, they show up in abundance on the shallower, warmwater lakes and ponds. While dragonflies often amuse us with their aerial antics, they perform a valuable service to warm-blooded creatures, including humans. That is, dragonflies catch and eat vast numbers of biting insects. And it’s not only the adults that perform this valuable service. Dragonfly nymphs are consummate predators, consuming prodigious numbers of mosquito larvae and other immature pests. The nymphs don’t just stick to feeding on other insects, either. Dragonfly nymphs, with their underslung lower jaw, or “scoop,” which, like the monster in the movie “Alien,” can pop out like a Jack-in-the-box, also tackle small fish and other aquatic creatures. Formidable critters, these! Dragonfly Squadron One of my favorite early evening pastimes in summer is to sit on a bench by my little trout pond and feed the fish. But as shadows lengthen, mosquitoes begin biting with a ferocity that’s enough to drive me back in the house. But as often as not, the mosquitoes disappear, as if on cue. The reason for this soon becomes clear – swarms of dragonflies, drawn by the mosquito hordes, begin circling just a few feet above the pond’s surface. I have sat and watched dragonflies grab mosquitoes from the air, eating them on the fly. And every mosquito the dragonflies catch means one fewer to harass me. Because of their mosquito-eating prowess, dragonflies are my friends and indeed, should be friends to all who recreate outdoors. Without them, biting insects would make our lives absolutely miserable. If I remain to watch dragonflies as dusk sets in, I will see that, after they wipe out the low-flying mosquitoes, they ascend, en masse, to a higher altitude where they again have a field day with pesky mosquitoes. And then, all of a sudden, they are gone. But this scenario will repeat itself, the next day and the day after that. Dragonfly Tidbits www.MaineSportsman.com

The author celebrates the king of mosquito-slayers, and tells the back-story behind Ty Coates’s latest trout fly, the “Tom Seymour Dragonfly Nymph.” Maine is home to various members of the order Odonata, collectively known as Odonates, otherwise known as dragonflies. A number of these, according to the Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey, are listed as Endangered, Threatened or “Species of Special Concern.” Many dragonflies are at the very edge of their range in Maine. So a dragonfly that we consider rare may well be common in areas to our south. Readers wishing to learn more about dragonflies and damselflies can visit the online site titled “The Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey.” Just type “Maine Dragonfly Survey” into a search engine. There, everything known about Odonates in Maine is at our fingertips. According to the survey, Maine has 158 odonate species, which represents almost 36 percent of the total North American odonate fauna. The Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey also suggests that between five and 10 additional species await discovery. Dragonflies and damselflies both exhibit brilliant colors on their body parts. Some of these blues, greens and yellows appear exceedingly bright, almost blazing. So dragonfly-watching, even without knowing the various species, becomes an exercise in appreciating nature’s beauty. Damselflies, by the way, are smaller than dragonflies and hold their wings folded when at rest, while dragonflies, when at rest, hold their wings outstretched. These two attributes are sufficient to distinguish between dragonflies and damselflies. Valuable Nymphs While dragonfly nymphs eat lots of insect larvae and even small fish, they, in turn, are an important food item for larger fish. Anglers, aware of trout’s fondness for dragonfly nymphs, often use dragonfly nymph imitations to good effect. These, when fished slowly near bottom, often bring smashing strikes. Dragonfly nymphs also stand as a major trout forage species in winter, when other of-

ferings are quite scarce. I have taken trout from small streams in very early spring that have stomachs filled with dragonfly nymphs and nothing else. As a young angler, I used to harvest dragonfly nymphs by raking debris from the bottom of shallow ponds and watching as the nymphs extricated themselves. These made the very best live bait for just about every kind of freshwater fish. However, considering the endangered and threatened nature of so many of our dragonflies, today this practice should be soundly condemned. But that was back then, and we knew no different. So for all Mainers, it’s dragonfly nymph imitations only. And one of the best I’ve ever seen was conceived by legendary Maine master fly tier, Ty Coates. In a completely unexpected move, Ty has named his highly-productive dragonfly nymph pattern after me. All of us who tie flies have felt the urge to develop our own pattern and even to name it after a friend. But for such a Maine fly-tying icon to name a pattern after me is the greatest honor anyone could bestow. So if you ever hear of the Tom Seymour Dragonfly Nymph by Ty Coates, now you know the rest of the story. Personable Insects It’s probably a misnomer to assign the word “personable” to an insect. And yet dragonflies appear to have some kind of thought process going on. Are the dragonflies that buzz so near my head at my little pond playing games with me? And those dragonflies that rest on my fishing rod, the ones that fly away when the rod is moved, only to return when the rod again comes to rest, seem to understand that the being at the other end of that rod isn’t going to harm them. Long live the order Odonata, I say. May we always have these pleasant, little mosquito-slayers to keep biting insects at bay while they amuse us with their incredible aerial feats.

Black-tipped Darner

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 33

Put Another Notch in Your Belt: Franconia The iconic New Hampshire locale, Franconia Notch, is home to much more than just the late Old Man of the Mountain viewing site; it is its own little world for the enthusiastic outdoorsman. Franconia Notch is one of New Hampshire’s seven notches, and arguably the most beautiful. Carved from glaciers millions of years ago, it stretches approximately eight miles between the towns of Franconia (in the north) and Lincoln (in the south). Within the notch are two lakes: Echo (in the north) and Profile (in the south). Both lakes are stocked with beautiful eastern brook trout. These lakes are a fly fisherman’s paradise; one couldn’t ask for a more picturesque backdrop. Echo Lake is the larger and deeper of the two lakes, reaching a maximum depth of about forty feet. Profile only reaches about fifteen feet, with much of it shallow enough to wade out into. Echo Lake has a ramp where small motorboats can be launched; Profile has a car-top boat launch. Profile is fly-fishing only and only two trout can be kept: only one trout may exceed sixteen inches, and all trout between twelve and sixteen inches must be released immediately. For those beach bums just looking to bask in the sun and glimmeringly clear mountain-water, Echo Lake has one of the most magnificent beaches in the state. Fantastic Flume Gorge Profile Lake is the headwaters of the Pemigewasset River—

among the most pristine waterbodies in New England. The “Pemi” flows south through the Flume Gorge, a unique natural wonder. The Flume is home to a series of breathtaking waterfalls and granite cliffs. One location boasts opposing ninety-foot granite cliffs with only a fifteen-footwide chasm where the water gushes through. Another location has water that plunges forty-five feet; another has a seventy-foot cascade. The Pool, as it’s creatively named, features a forty five-foot deep pool, 150 feet in diameter, and surrounded by 130-foot cliffs! If it weren’t off-limits, this would probably be the best swimming hole in all of New England. In addition to the above-described locations, there is also a 500-foot-long gradual waterfall slide on exposed granite bedrock. For adventurers young and old, there are even some tight-squeezing glacial caves. The only “downfall” to the Flume area is that it is operated by the state park, and therefore a fairly steep entrance fee is charged. It is worth the price at least once, though, as there is no other place in New England quite like it in magnitude. If waterfalls are what you desire, but you would rather forego the crowds and fees of the Flume, there are plenty of other options available to you— if you are willing to hike. Basin, Cascade Brook & Lonesome Loon One of the more popular trailheads of the notch starts at the Basin, a glacially-formed and

constantly eroding giant “pothole.” It has a small waterfall entering a tumultuous pool of swirling water, slowly grinding away and smoothing out the granite bedrock. Again, it would be a perfect swimming hole, but the state takes all of the fun out of everything with their regulations. From the Basin, a couple of different trails are available. The Cascade Brook trail follows a guzzling stream over the course of about a mille, in which the brook drops 600 feet in elevation. In this relatively short stretch, there are several large waterfalls and a plethora of smaller (but still decent-sized) cascades, and dozens of submergible pools. Even though this trail receives moderate traffic, there are enough locations that folks can find their own private picnic spot. Fly-fisherman may want to follow this trail as well and try their luck in some of the deeper pools. Or, they may continue on in elevation to the more level terrain atop the arm of Cannon Mountain, to Lonesome Lake. Lonesome Lake is one of the remote trout ponds that NH Fish and Game stocks with brook trout fingerlings via helicopter. There is also a hut located on Lonesome Lake for through hikers and other passers-by. Linked to the AT The Franconia Notch trail system is linked to several other larger trail systems, including the Appalachian Trail, allowing adventurous hikers to access just about anywhere they desire. There are too many attractive mountaintops and cliffs

At the Flume Gorge, water funnels through a narrow chasm of 90-foot tall granite slabs. Brian Emerson photo

within reach to name, let alone visit. The opportunities are endless. Because of the narrow, near vertical terrain, there is only one road to reach the notch: I-93. There are a few brief exits along the interstate with access to trailheads, the lakes, and viewing locations, but given the limited parking, I suggest you arrive early on beautiful summer days— especially the weekends. It is not unusual to find a string of cars parked along the edge of the interstate for several hundred yards on gorgeous summer Saturdays. If you are looking for a local place to stay, you can’t get any closer than Lafayette Place Camp-

ground, located right in the heart of the notch. Because it’s right next to the interstate (it has to be, given the terrain), the campground could best be described as “bustling,” and it features many hiking trails starting, ending, or passing through. If seclusion is what you are looking for in a campground, the Lincoln-Woodstock area has several options in appealing locales, just a short drive away from the notch. Franconia Notch is a wonder that many travelers see, but never really explore. Put it on your bucket list – you won’t be disappointed.

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34 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Wet-Wade to Fish in Warm Western Maine Mountain Waters For me, water temperatures in June start to approach warmth conducive to swimming. However, some small mountain-fed brooks in the Western Maine Mountains (WMM) never reach swimmable temperatures, as far as I’m concerned. But don’t get me wrong – swimming and fishing go together like peanut butter and jelly, or fried brook trout and wild rice with sautéed mushrooms. To combine the two activities, I wear a pair of shorts, good wading boots with wool socks, a lightweight shirt, and my fishing vest. I wet-wade and fish throughout the warm summer months. Standing in the water, I never seem to notice when the temperatures get so high that folks complain of the sweltering, humid heat of summer. I also wear a widebrimmed hat to keep out the burning rays of the sun. If it gets hot enough, I dip the hat in the water, wring it out a little, and place it back on my head to cool off. I never forget an ice-cold bottle of water that I slip into the back pouch of my vest. If I plan on fishing all day, I make sure to take a sandwich and apple in an insulated bag with one of those blue ice things that you can re-freeze. Folks would not believe how refreshing a cool apple on a hot summer day can be unless they’ve tried it themselves. Beginning Anglers So where do you take someone in this region who might be new to fishing? The WMM contain plenty of great fishing waters, but these next www.MaineSportsman.com

few ponds offer perfect fishing locations for new anglers, for several good reasons. Worthley Pond (DeLorme Atlas, Map 11, A-3) is a great spot for new anglers because of the wideopen spaces it provides. Don’t take a new angler anywhere they might snag or tangle their lines on shoreline obstructions. The shoreline at Worthley Pond, uncluttered by heavy brush, won’t tie up a new angler’s line. Beginners can fish all day without the frustration of hooking shoreline trees and bushes. Groomed camp lawns line much of the shoreline on this big pond. Most anglers put their boats in at the public launch on the East Shore Road, toward the south end of the lake. The best fishing can be found along the same eastern shoreline, all the way to the south end of the pond. North Pond and South Pond (Map 10, B-4), actually one body of water divided by Route 26 in Locke Mills, offer new anglers plenty of clear shorelines and a mixed bag of fish to target. This body of water contains a variety of fish species to keep the angling action at a peak. Most beginners have a limited amount of patience, but this fishing location will keep them active and interested because of all the different types of fish available. The ponds are stocked with trout and salmon, and anglers can also catch smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white perch and sunfish in either pond (North or South). Both North and South Ponds can be accessed

by dropping the boat in at the launch in Locke Mills, just a few hundred feet south of Route 26. Anglers must float their boat under the Route 26 Bridge in Locke Mills to reach North Pond. WMM Hikes Hikers enjoy the awesome WMM trails during the month of June. Most of the black flies have disappeared and sunny days rule the sixth month, making for excellent trail-walking in the region. One pleasant little hike takes trail walkers to an overlook of Howard Pond (Map 18, E-4) that locals have named Woodsman’s Peak. After a surprisingly short jaunt to the top, hikers are rewarded with an expansive view of the pond and the surrounding, bluegreen peaks – scenery that impresses even the most experienced of hikers. Howard Pond Road begins near the Hanover General Store on Route 2. Go north for about one mile to the pond’s shoreline, and park in the small gravel lot to the right. Follow the dirt road that heads into the woods from the parking area, and notice the trail that starts fifty feet before the gate on the road, to the left (uphill). After jumping the small ditch, follow a well-worn (but poorly-marked) trail to the top. Step Falls (Map 18, E-2), another hike that doesn’t require too much exertion, offers the added bonus of refreshing swimming holes at several points along the trail. Follow Route 26 north from Route 2, and look for a bridge that crosses

Young and old alike enjoy the cooling waters of Step Falls in Newry. William Clunie photo

Wight Brook, two miles after traveling through North Newry. Park on the right side of the road, in the field before the brook. A few signs show hikers where to park, but they aren’t clearly marked. The trail leads hikers up a slight incline, parallels Wight Brook, and remains worn and easy to follow. Bring a swim suit on this hike. Every so often the trail leads to a deep swimming pool formed by the brook, with water flowing over huge boulders – thus the name Step Falls. During the warmer months, these swimming pools can’t be missed – the cheerful sounds of happy children splashing in the cool brook greet approaching hikers. ATV-ing and Fishing ATV riding in this region involves several trail systems, each maintained by separate ATV clubs. Contact Maine’s state ATV organization, ATV Maine (atvmaine.

org), for local club contacts. Through these local clubs, ATV riders can obtain maps of local trail systems. Two trail systems within the WMM connect, forming a link between two campgrounds. Riders can camp at Mountain View Campground, one mile north of Dixfield (Map 19, E-2), and follow the trail system west towards Mexico (Map 19, E-1). In Mexico, the trail connects with a multi-use trail (Corridor 17) that parallels Route 17, all the way to Coos Canyon Campground in Byron (Map 18, C-5). Great fishing can be found at either of the camping areas. Mountain View Campground offers miles of fishing on the Webb River, and Coos Canyon Campground gives ATV-riding anglers loads of fishing action on the Swift River.

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36 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

June Brings an Angling Wanderlust to Rangeley As the water temperatures warm up and insect life begins emerging at a rapid rate, the Rangeley Region also emerges as one of New England’s premier fishing destinations. Carrie Stevens, Fly Rod Crosby, Herb Welch and other famous fly fishing legends knew about the angling wonders of this region centuries ago, and some forward-thinking folks in Maine have also figured it out. They hope to promote the Rangeley Region as one of the top five angling destinations on any sportsman’s bucket list. While local anglers try to keep the wonders of fishing in this region a secret, there are several traditional fishing locations that can’t get ruined by a little extra fishing pressure because they have been designat-

ed as “Fly Fishing Only” waters – folks catch a fish, take a photo, and return the specimen back to grow some more. Another factor keeps fishing holes in this region special; namely, there are so many high-quality fishing locations, the sheer number of excellent fishing hotspots spreads the fishing pressure around enough to avoid problems. I hoping many anglers in this region do what I do – I only take brook trout only from stocked waters. Rangeley’s native brookies remain sacred to me, so I turn them all back. Fly Fishing Only Some traditional salmonid haunts around Rangeley have been producing angling success since they were first promoted by those noted anglers above. Not hidden,

but certainly remote, these hotspots contain many deep pools to keep a searching angler quite busy and content. The Rangeley Region boasts several historic fishing locations that overflow with angling nostalgia from days gone by. The Kennebago River meanders all the way from Big Island Pond (DeLorme Atlas, Map 28, A-3 and -4) to where it pours out into Cupsuptic Lake (Map 28, E-3). Brook trout and salmon inhabit the pristine pools and sparkling riffles that make up the famous river. The bridge on Tim Pond Road (Map 28, C-3) offers anglers access, but much of the lower portion of the stream is gated. The Magalloway River watershed offers anglers storied fishing holes from its beginnings near the Canadian border

(Map 28, A-1), to where it meets Aziscohos Lake (Map 28, C-1). Anglers can access the Little Magalloway by turning north on Parmachenee Road where it connects with Route 16 in Wilson’s Mills (Map 27, E-5). The Big Magalloway River offers limited backwoods access from active logging roads, with most of the upper sections gated. For information about the gated areas and fishing in this region, anglers can call Brett Damm, owner of the Rangeley Region Sports Shop in downtown Rangeley, at (207) 864-5615, or check out the fishing report on his blog page at rangeleyflyshop.com. Certain reaches of these two river systems take anglers to very distant parts of Maine. Sometimes anglers won’t see another human while

casting about in these remote regions. However, moose, ducks and huge fish make plenty of appearances. Upper Dam Modern fly anglers can fish the same waters that Carrie Stevens and other well-known anglers fished by visiting the Upper Dam (Map 18, A-2), an impediment that controls water levels in both Mooselookmeguntic Lake and the Upper and Lower Richardson Lakes. Anglers can drive in to the dam on Upper Dam Road, off Route 16 (Map 28, E-2), and follow the logging road to the construction trailers near the dam. Construction crews will be continuing work on the new dam this year, so follow their instructions – they usually want (Continued on next page)

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: DRAGONFLIES by Steve Vose Dragonflies belong to the “insect” family of creatures and as such, possess segmented bodies divided into a head, thorax and abdomen. Each of the divided sections houses specialized organs – the head has the compound eyes and antenna; the thorax features the three pairs of jointed legs and transparent wings; and the abdomen has the dragonfly’s reproductive and execratory organs. Dragonflies exist within the order Odonata, a Greek word meaning “uneven wing.” This nickname was given to the dragonfly because their hind wings are broader than their fore-wings. This adaptation allows their two sets of wings to work independently, enabling dragonflies to maneuver effortlessly through the air in pursuit of prey. A voracious eater, a dragonfly can eat

food equal to its own weight in about 30 minutes. Dragonflies consume a wide variety of insects, including house flies, butterflies, moths and even bees. One scientific study showed that a single dragonfly can consume more than 100 mosquitoes a day! Fossil evidence indicates that dragonflies inhabited the earth over 325 million years ago. These prehistoric relatives were monstrous compared to modern-day dragonflies, with some having wingspans over 2-1/2 feet. Dragonflies undergo a three-stage life cycle (egg, nymph, adult) which is classified as incomplete metamorphosis. Most other insects undergo a four-stage life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, adult). During its life cycle, a dragonfly actually spends very little of its life as an adult dragonfly. Most of its life it’s in the nymph stage

Questions 1. To which family of creatures do dragonflies belong? 2. What three parts is a dragonfly’s body divided into? 3. What does the Greek word Odonata mean? 4. How many mosquitoes can a dragonfly eat in a single day? www.MaineSportsman.com

underwater. Only after living this underwater existence for a period of several years, does the nymph complete its final molt and emerge from the shallows as a winged adult. Upon emerging, adults typically survive for just a few weeks, long enough to find a mate and reproduce. During mating, the male grasps the female at the back of the head and the female curls her abdomen under her body to pick up sperm from the front of the male’s abdomen. This is typically called the “heart” or “wheel” posture. After mating, the female dragonfly will find a calm body water where she will deposit her eggs on a plant in the water. The following spring, the eggs hatch, and the life cycle of the dragonfly begins again.

5. How long ago does fossil evidence indicate dragonflies existed on earth? 6. How wide was the wingspan of the prehistoric dragonflies? 7. What are the three stages of the dragonfly cycle of “incomplete metamorphosis”?

Answers on Page 39

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you to park in their lot by the trailers and walk in the last few hundred yards. Some folks wade in the lower part of the pool formed by the dam, while others fish right off the dam itself. The problem with fishing off the dam becomes apparent when an angler hooks a fish and then has to reel it up to the elevated position on the dam â&#x20AC;&#x201C; too much strain on light tippets, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like flopping a fish out of water that way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be releasing it back to the river. A few years ago, I saw someone with a boat out in the current, and he was catching quite a few fish. The fellow rowed an old 12-foot aluminum boat out to the middle of the flow and anchored it

there, and then proceeded to cast and catch a good number of fish. He was an older gentleman, and never did have to get up from his seated position in the boat during his time on the water. Shifting Waters If an angler fishes a particular river or stream over the course of several years, one thing becomes obvious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; moving water nearly always changes its course from year to year; cut banks become deeper; new pools form; and new shallows fill in traditional fishing holes. Larger rivers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to show this phenomenon as obviously, with some traditional pools remaining for many years. However, smaller brooks and streams often show change from one year to the next, offering anglers â&#x20AC;&#x153;newâ&#x20AC;? pools at ev-

ery turn. The grass may not be greener at these â&#x20AC;&#x153;newâ&#x20AC;? pools, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll surely be fresher. Laying a line out across one of these deep pools gives an angler the impression that it has never been done here before. Gently dropping a fly on the nose of the finicky trout that hide there and being denied reveals the truth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; other anglers have also been successful in their search for these new, hidden pools. This summer Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be camping again at my old Rangeley favorite, Secret Pond, searching for those big brookies that got away last year. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll hit as many of the secluded brooks and streams as I can in the area, as well as the remote stocked ponds that dot the region. A person could take a fly rod and vest, with

The author, William Clunie, proves that anglers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to follow high-fashion rules to maintain adequate campďŹ re etiquette. He writes that he dreams of staying out camping and ďŹ shing all entire summer, returning to civilization only when he has lost all his tied ďŹ&#x201A;ies. William Clunie photo

a small backpack, and wander for days fishing one excellent location to the next â&#x20AC;Ś we would find them at the end of the summer with a huge smile on their face and a

happy but searching look in their eyes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they would be searching for more flies to replace the ones lost to a host of Rangeleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dreamy salmonids.

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38 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Bassing Action Heats Up This Month Twelve-year-old Anthony Correa of Freeport has been spending the past several summers at our camp on Sebago Lake (Delorme Atlas, Map 5, C-2). He is already an accomplished fly-fisherman, learning under the tutelage of Jim Dunbar of Winslow. But when he’s at the lake, he focuses on bass. He approaches fishing like his other passion – robotics. Anthony studies

up on where the fish are, tries new methods, and puts in the time. We have to call him in for supper when he promises, “Just one more cast.” He reminds me of a kid I knew well at his age. Last summer, Anthony caught his share of bass off the dock in early June. He even paddled around the cove in his inflatable fishing boat. But when the fish shut down, Anthony took the battle

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to them! Skin-Diving Angler When I saw him readying his snorkel gear, I assumed he was going out to look for lures or other treasures from the rocky bottom. Then he went over to the fire pit and grabbed an alder branch we had used to toast marshmallows the previous night. Into the boathouse he went, and when he emerged he had rigged the alder pole with a section of line, a hook and a worm for bait. At his age, I loved to fish for bass with my Dad’s old cane pole, à la

Tom Sawyer, but he had another plan. He waded into the warm water, put on his flippers, mask and snorkel, and swam around the shoreline in search of bass. I watched as he made his way around the shoreline, poking into crevices that typically held fish. In no time, he teased a small bass out of hiding and caught it with his underwater fishing apparatus. The next day, he tried a new challenge. Spying a few sunfish around the dock, he went out in his snorkeling gear and this time only armed him-

self with a landing net. I remarked that the fish were too fast for his net, especially underwater, but he pushed on, determined to prove me wrong. Well, he did. After a few misses, he finally coaxed a sunfish into the net and held up his prize before releasing it. This kid is hooked on fishing! June Bass As Anthony will attest, June is a great time to target spawning bass on the shorelines of our area lakes and ponds. Warming waters trigger spawning action, and bass hold tight to their (Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 39 (Continued from page 38)

nests, making them easy targets. Bass also protect their nests fiercely, so any wayward lure dragged too close will likely be hit, more out of anger than hunger. Anglers targeting spawning bed areas, often traditionally year after year, do well this month. Just be sure to release the fish where you caught it, to ensure continuity of the species. Sebago Lake is this region’s top bass destination. Holding both largemouth and smallmouth bass, the lake often surprises anglers with each landing. Generally, we get smallmouth bass off of our dock, as we have for the past 25 years. My dad would sit in his chair, smoke a cigar and catch smallies at sunset, after supper. We would also take our small boat out and work the shoreline, casting toward docks, rocks and any other structure we knew. Mepp’s spinners were a big hit for smallmouth bass on our cove. Occasionally, when trolling leadcore for togue and salmon this month, I will pick up an errant bass cruising the depths. Last year I caught more bass trolling hardware than I did my target species, but any fish is exciting to play. All of Sebago’s shoreline can be good bass habitat this time of year, with largemouth generally found in the weedier areas. Sandy locations like the shallow water in front of the Route 302 boat launch holds spawning fish that fan their sandy nests. The sandbar by the State Park is another top June spot. Little Sebago The Big Lake’s smaller cousin, Little Sebago Lake (Map 5, C-3), is another top bass destina-

tion. Work the docks and rock jetties with a plug or spinner bait. A tube jig or rubber work works well, too. Little Sebago has a very rocky bottom, so be on the lookout for sandy locations for spawning beds. After the spawn, those rocky spots hold fish like a magnet, but a well-placed lure can often drive them to strike. Other Bass Spots Thomas Pond (Map 5, B-1) in Casco holds both bass species, and is much quieter than the aforementioned Sebagos. Weedy spots abound and hold bass right after the spawn. Anglers can launch small boats at the outlet launch on Route 302 and then motor under the roadway to the pond. Thomas Pond is a great spot to fish from canoe or kayak. To the north, the Range (pronounced “rang”) Pond chain (Map 5, A-3) is a top bass destination. Concentrate on the shoreline of Middle Range and Upper Range Ponds for smallies, and work the shallow, weedy spots found on Lower Range Pond. One bonus that June

anglers have on the Range Pond chain is the ability to catch brook trout, brown trout or rainbow trout while fishing for bass. All three have been stocked in one or all of the three ponds, and the variety spices up the spring and summer fishing. I fished Upper Range Pond heavily this winter, and we hauled some really decent bass onto the ice. Lake Auburn Lake Auburn (Map 11, E-4) is hopping at ice-out, but generally activity on the lake slows in June. With no water contact allowed, the usual lake activities such as swimming, water-skiing, tubing and wake-boarding along with pleasure boating are prohibited, so this lake is a ghost town except for a few diehard togue anglers. Bass anglers have it great, and occasionally a tournament will draw anglers in for the weekend. Aside from that, as a bass angler, you may have the whole lake to yourself. Fish the sandy shallows at the foot of Taber’s Driving Range and you will likely dredge up a spawning bass. Work

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ ANSWERS

Anthony Correa of Freeport, now 12 years old, displays his snorkel-caught sunfish from Sebago Lake. Photo by Tom Roth

the rocky shoreline along Lake Shore Drive, and you may pull a lunker out of its rocky den. No matter where you fish this month, the region has some top bass waters. Some lakes are

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258

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40 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Catch Many Different Species of Fish by Fly Rod This Month This is the best month for fishing in southern Maine. Saltwater angling for striped-bass is excellent; shad are still in tidal rivers recovering from their spring migrations upstream; lakes and ponds in southern Maine offers excellent bass and other warm water fishing; and streams and brooks are teeming with trout because the state’s fish stocking operations are well underway. This is a grand time to fly fish in southern regions – few places offer fly fishermen the opportunity to catch stripers, trout and a host of other species, all within a 20mile radius, and all with a fly rod. As aquatic insects hatch and emerge, fly fishing top water flies like Caddis and Mayfly patterns take aggressive trout. Streams boil with rising trout during evening hatches. Trout hammer emerge patterns as they reach the surface. Folks who want to escape the woods and black flies travel to the coast for saltwater action – always a great change of pace for outdoorsmen in this region. To match the bait on salt water, many coastal fly fishermen use small, colorful mackerel imitations. Littlefield Pond This crystal-clear pond is located in Sanford (DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 2, C-3). Follow the Littlefield Road to Emmons Road, off which a gravel road leads to the pond. The surface area is 19 acres, with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Access at the end of Emmons Road is hand-carry craft only; www.MaineSportsman.com

bottom – eithere is no ther tied ramp. Parking into the fly is along the or using a road. weight atLittlefield tached on has a gravthe line. Use el-laced bottin or tungtom with small sten instead stones; however, many large You don’t need a huge selection of flies to attract a of lead sinkboulders also wide variety of fish in Southern Maine’s streams, ponds ers, and also be certain to make the wa- and rivers. Marquez photo comply with ter interestSmall Streams the rules of fly fishing if ing. Typically, the pond Last year’s drought angling in FFO waters. has weeds along some devastated trout populashore lines, in places Fly Fishing for Bass tions in small streams. where sunlight is able You will not forget Feeder brooks were boneto reach bottom depths. the first time you catch a dry – raccoons fattened Largemouth bass hold in bass with a fly rod and a up on dead fish along these areas. floating frog in lily pads. them – but some trout Smallmouth bass, The deer hair frog patsurvived, later supplesome in the 2-pound tern tied with a weedless mented by several spring range, can be caught near hook should be dragged stockings. Deep pools large, submerged bouland popped over pads and beaver dams allowed ders in the pond. and weeds. A largemouth some trout to hold over; Littlefield receives will attack it with a venbrown and rainbow trout an annual stocking of geance, and when the big seemed to do better than around 800 brook trout, fish hits it will send pads fragile brookies. generally in October. Reand weed – along with the My fly patterns for cent stocking included bass itself – flying in the small streams are the hundreds that were in air is like an explosion. Muddler Minnow, Gray the 13-inches range. Big Largemouth then Ghost streamer, Hare’s brookies cruise shorelines take the fi ght deep, wrapEar nymph, and Black searching for bait fish ping your line around Stone Fly, in assorted sizin the evenings. During brush and weeds. Smalles. The time-tested Muddaylight hours, they hide mouth bass, on the other dler, size 4 to 6, works in deep, cooler water. hand, will generally fight well for bass. It mimics a Anglers stripping a an aerial battle. sculpin or bullhead minstreamer or bushy nymph During summertime now. It must look like a deep or running a shinheat, anglers can catch turkey dinner with all the ny lure near bottom, do largemouth bass in lily fixings floating by, and as well. Bait fished on botpads and other aquatic a result, large bass and tom works, as well. Trollplants. Largemouth bass browns can’t help but ing streamers, lures and lay in ambush in shadows slam it. even a worm along shore under pads. In contrast, The Woolly Bugger is at dawn and dusk will smallmouth hang out another classic pattern also generally take trout near rocks and cover. that imitates anything and bass. from immature frogs to Bass Meccas Caddis and mayfly leaches and hellgramProvince Lake (Map hatches generally start mites. I use it as search4) in Parsonsfield, a 90around sundown; howevand-destroy pattern that acre border water beer, on overcast days the I tie with a hint of orange tween Maine and New pond can come alive with or olive. Who knows what Hampshire, is a perfect a mid-day hatch. When fi sh see under water, but water to fish for both there’s no top water achellgrammites do have a small- and largemouth. tion, bumping a large slight tinge or olive and This productive lake has Stonefly nymph along orange. rocks and boulders along bottom can produce a fat These patterns need its west shore, weeds and trout. weight to fish them near pads on the north shore

and a long sandy beach running along Route 153. Fishing rivers like the Ossipee River (Big) that flows from Effingham, New Hampshire to Cornish, Maine has smallmouth bass and brown trout, along with other warm-water species. It is a good river for a daylong float trip casting a fly-rod along shores and structure, paying attention to calm areas just downstream of fast water. A large Muddler Minnow with a yellow tail has worked for me in the past. Casting cross current and swimming it with quick jerks can result in strikes you will remember for a long time. Also you can try an Olive Wooly Bugger. Top-water patterns like Caddis and Mayfly add to the excitement. Little Ossipee River from the dam on Bridge Street in Newfield to Lake Arrowhead in Waterboro has smallmouth bass. The slow sections feature large boulders – a perfect environment for smallmouth bass. Meanwhile, some back-waters with pads and weeds also harbor largemouth. Finally, fat, lazy brown trout can also be found in these slow-water stretches and deep pools. June is a transition time between spring and mid-summer. It’s a great time of year to fly fish for different fish species. Whatever you prefer salt water, the solitude of a trout pond, raging rivers, or calm backwaters with bass waiting in ambush, this is the time when they are all available.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 41

Annabessacook Lake Boasts Trophy Largemouth Bass Annabessacook Lake in Monmouth and Winthrop (Delorme Atlas Map 12, C-3) ranks among the very best bass fishing destinations in the Mid-Kennebec Valley Region (MKVR). The lake not only boasts lots of fish for fast action, but also offers anglers the opportunity to take lunker bass and in some cases, the fish of a lifetime. June is a great month to fish Annabessacook. Spanning 1,420 acres and reaching depths of 49 feet, Annabessacook doesn’t rank among the largest Central Maine lakes, yet it still holds plenty of water to enable fish to elude angler offerings and grow to trophy sizes. And while anglers occasionally take brown trout and brook trout here – migrants from nearby Maranacook Lake – Annabessacook isn’t stocked directly with trout, which reduces fishing pressure a little compared to many nearby waters. Really Big Bass Annabessacook’s claim to fame lies with its largemouth bass fishing. The lake holds BIG bass, and anglers have a real chance to hook a trophy on every cast. The fishing is so good that the lake is a regular stop for various organizations holding bass tournaments, and the results of those contests provide an excellent indication of what the Annabessacook holds. In recent years, the averages of all bass weighed in a number of these tournaments has been around the 3-pound mark, and the winning anglers have hit the

The author asserts that Annabessacook gives up 7- and 8-pound largemouths every year, and that the local pros speak of seeing even bigger specimens. weigh-ins with a 4- or 5-fish limit averaging a pound or two heavier than their fellow competitors. The lake gives up 7and 8-pound largemouths every year, and veterans speak of seeing even bigger specimens, including one very credible individual who shared a story with this writer of a bucketmouth that he was certain topped the 10-pound mark. Wow! Annabessacook holds smallmouth bass as well, albeit in far smaller numbers than largemouths. Still, when anglers take smallmouths, many of them run in the 2- to 3-pound range, and the lake has produced 5-pound bronzebacks in the past. Northern Pike – What Effect? On a controversial note, northern pike have become established in Annabessacook. Some anglers are thrilled to have take pike in topping 15 pounds here, and the lake certainly holds the potential to grow even larger northerns, but other anglers worry about the lake’s storied bass fishery suffering at the hands of the voracious pike. In a hopeful view, though, bass have competed better than salmonids on other waters where pike were illegally introduced and in some cases, the pike have actually help bass fisheries by culling overpopulations of stunted fish that overtaxed the available feed

sources. Only time will tell how Annabessacook bass fare with the pike as the northerns are – unfortunately – here to stay. Early this month, look for both species of bass in shallow depths as they complete their annual spawning activities. We endured a cold, snowy winter and somewhat late arrival of spring weather in the MKVR, so expect spawning activities to run a week or two behind “normal.” Bass spawn when water temperatures hit the 60- to 65-degree range, but the males continue guarding the nests for several weeks thereafter, so anglers can expect good action targeting nests for the first couple weeks of June this year. Just remember, to ensure good stocks of bass in future years, catch and release practices are essential for this type of fishing. Spectacle Pond Anglers looking for a smaller, quieter water on which to fish this month might consider Spectacle Pond in Vassalboro (Map 13, B-1). Regulations limit motorboats to 10 horsepower or less here – a reasonable rule that ensures an enjoyable outing afloat on this tiny, 139-acre pond. Surprising for such a small pond, Spectacle reaches depths of 100 feet. Its waters remain very clear and its depths cold even during the peak of summer’s heat, so trout

do very well here. In fact, they do so well that special regulations are in place to help them reach their trophy potential, including an artificial-lures-only rule, long length limits and low bag limits. Anglers can only keep two trout here, including just one brown trout. Browns must measure 18 inches at a minimum and brookies 12 inches, but only one longer than 14 inches. Annual stocking has been a model of consistency on Spectacle, with plantings of 500 brookies and 150 browns every year for at least the last decade. Most of the brookies taken here run in the 10- to 14-inch range, although anglers take 16- to 18-inch specimens every year. Most browns measure in the 12- to 18-inch range, but a fair number of 20- to 24-inch fish weighing three to six pounds swim here and over the years, Spectacle has produced brown in the 8- to 12-pound range. While many anglers target trout, Spectacle boasts an impressive largemouth bass fishery as well, another surprise from such a deep, cold pond. Small fish in the 12- to 16-inch range dominate the catch, but anglers can find 3- to 5-pound specimens with a little effort and even larger bucketmouths exist here as well. The state-owned Alonzo H. Garcelon Wildlife Management Area

abuts most of the western and northern shores of Spectacle, giving anglers certain access, albeit via a road that at times can prove challenging for low-riding passenger cars. The road was in good shape at last check, however. Wesserunsett Stream June is a great month to hit brooks and streams in the MKVR. Many support wild populations of brook trout, and a handful are stocked with hatchery brookies as well. Streams stocked with brown trout prove rarer hereabouts, but they do exist, including Wesserunsett Stream in Athens (Map 31, E-1). In the last several years, usually in May, this stream has received annual stockings of 500 brown trout per year. The browns measure around eight inches when stocked, but the real interest lies with holdover fish that hit the 12- to 14inch range and occasionally larger. Wesserunsett is a tributary of the Kennebec River, so its lower stretches in Cornville and Skowhegan sometimes produce whopper browns (by stream standards) – fish in the 3- to 5-pound class. Such catches prove very rare, but are nevertheless possible!

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42 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

It’s June — Time for Tom to Go Fishing! James Russell Lowell’s famous line, “What is so rare as a day in June?” went through my mind while hooking up the boat for a morning’s salmon fishing on Swan Lake. Indeed, early June, while often rainy, also brings some of the most perfectly clear and comfortable days of the year. And being out on the placid surface of a trout and salmon lake in the early morning, watching salmon swirling on top as little mists rise from the water, is indeed a rare thing. On early June mornings, salmon don’t need to seek comfort in the cool depths. Instead, they spend the first part of the day in relatively shallow water – sometimes only 30 feet. Later in the day, when the sun raises surface temperatures, salmon head down deeper. But now, in the quiet morning, before jet-skis and powerful speedboats churn the water to a froth, the lake belongs to anglers. Swan Tactics Swan Lake attracts a number of veteran anglers – folks who know the lake well and who typically land lots of salmon and togue. Most of these anglers use frozen smelt for bait, and that accounts for much of their success. But getting out early, in the morning and in the season, has considerable bearing on success rates too. Every winter I threaten to buy several dozen live smelt and freeze them individually in aluminum foil for use in early summer. But somehow that never happens, and golden shiners and www.MaineSportsman.com

small suckers become my bait of choice, mostly by default. A deep hole on a local stream gives me all the bait I need for several days’ worth of fishing. These I fish behind a small, chrome Top: Chrome, size 00 dodger. Bottom left, dodger, using cial; right, Li’l Jake. sinking fly shoreline rocks. Find line and sometimes leadSwan Lake on DeLorme core line. And my way of Atlas, Map 22, E-5. fishing baitfish departs Killer Jake somewhat from the norm. Li’l Jake, a fishing One June morning lure offered by Spin-Asome years ago anothLure company, comes er angler had taken his into its own in June. I frelimit of salmon and togue quently employ this lure and was headed home. when trolling for brown We chatted for a while trout and rainbow trout. and he revealed the seWell, my basic trollcret to his success. ing armament consists of He fished a Wood two rods – one a spinning Special bucktail behind rod with a Li’l Jake on the his dodger and on the sinend, and the other a leadgle hook of that venerable core rig with a dodger fly he attached a shiner, and golden shiner behind hooking the baitfish just it. Li’l Jake is one of the behind the lips so that it few lures that we can use could swim in a perfectly for trolling with spinning natural manner. tackle that won’t twist My new mentor gave monofilament line into a me a Woods Special and springy tangle. some shiners, about half Megunticook Lake in as long as the ones I was Lincolnville and Camden using. The lesson he rates as one of the better taught me was that the rainbow trout and brown best results are obtained trout waters around. by using just the smallest Alford Lake ranks shiners. I followed suit even higher, according to and immediately began Maine Department of Incatching fish. land Fisheries and WildSo for salmon, hit life (DIF&W) fisheries biSwan Lake early, and ologists in Region B, but try using the above-menI haven’t fished it. But I tioned terminal gear. will get there this month, Later in the morning it and I’ll report on it later. might pay to go deepMeanwhile, Meguntier, 40 feet and more, for cook routinely gives up togue. 16- to 20-inch (and often And for brook trout, far larger) trout. anglers in the know head Half the strikes come for the north end of the on the dodger-and-shinlake where carryover er setup, and the other brook trout forage among

half come on the Li’l Jake. Li’l Jake superficially resembles the famous Super-Duper lure, except that Jake is thicker and wider and rides much deepWoods Spe- er. It has a fluttering action that drives trout, salmon and togue wild. Anyway, using a Li’l Jake with a brass body with red dots almost guarantees success on salmonids anywhere it is fished. In June, trout in Megunticook hang in only 20 to 30 feet of water, and going deeper than that means fishing beneath the fish. Go fairly slow, since Li’l Jake doesn’t require much speed to function properly, and a dodger-and-bait rig absolutely requires a relatively slow speed. As with Swan Lake, it pays to get out early, before the onshore winds pick up, as they most always do, and before speedboats hit the water. Look for Megunticook Lake on Map 14, C-3 and D-3. New Predator According to DIF&W, northern pike in the St. George River system have ascended the river as far as Sennebec Pond in Appleton. Already firmly established in downstream waters such as Seven Tree Pond and Round Pond, pike will eventually, DIF&W fisheries biologists predict, reach Quantabacook Lake in Searsmont. Quantabacook has a

relatively low dam that in times of high water, allows fish from downstream to swim up and over the dam, and into the lake. Perhaps pike have already made it to Quantabacook. We’ll see. These warmwater ponds and lakes on the St. George River system have long been managed as put-and-take trout fisheries. It remains to be seen how pike will impact the stocked trout populations in these waters. It is entirely possible that the different species will stake out separate sections of lake, and trout will still be able to grow to good sizes before getting caught. It is also possible that with the advent of a new predator, the average size of white perch, common throughout the system, will increase. The only pike I ever caught were in Canada, and that was almost 60 years ago. While I and every other responsible angler decry the illegal stocking of non-native fish species in Maine waters, a certain anticipation has affected me. To catch double-digit weight fish other than togue, in local waters, has a definite appeal. So this year I plan to try for pike in Sennebec Lake. And believe it or not, I still have some of the pike lures we used so long ago on that fishing trip to Canada. The secret there was to cast out and let the huge spinner sink, all the while counting the seconds. When the lure hit bottom we cast out again and still counting, began reeling two or three seconds before the lure hit bottom. No one in my circle (Continued page 44)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 43

Catching and Eating a Snapping Turtle Have you ever wondered how you would go about catching a snapping turtle, or what it would taste like? Well, students, here’s this month’s lesson from Professor Vose, including the ingredients for turkey casserole. A large percentage of Americans feel that the consumption of anything not found on a grocery store shelf, sitting on a sterilized bed of Styrofoam and double-wrapped in plastic, is unfit for human consumption. Travel to most other countries in this world and you’ll quickly realize that many cultures on this planet have a much more open view of what is considered “fit for human consumption.” However, there are hardcore folks who are willing to consume just about anything. I have watched sportsmen eat alligator, snake, kangaroo, wild hog and even camel. I encourage readers to be more open to trying new foodstuffs, as in the

end, many will be pleasantly surprised. This long rather long introduction leads me to my latest outdoor adventure – the trapping, cleaning and eating of a snapping turtle. Yes, you heard that right, those scary-looking dinosaurs of the depths that many swimmer and anglers see lurking in the waters of Maine’s various lakes, and ponds. The Plan Forms This adventure started, as many do, with an alcohol-fueled late-night discussion between my brother and me on how a person would go about trapping, cleaning, preparing, eating and preserving the shell of a snapping turtle. With all of the unknowns and the added possibility of an

unscheduled finger amputation, this escapade had all the important elements needed for a truly grand time. Arriving upta camp, we were encouraged by several turtle sightings as the sun dipped below the horizon. We watched with particular attention, as an enormous prehistoric head protruded out of the lake – a massive snapping turtle, beginning its nightly ritual of searching for food in the lake’s quiet shallows. My fishing tackle consisted of a handful of large hooks, 45-pound test steel leader, and 20lb. monofilament fishing line. However, even with this gear, we predicted our chances of actually catching one of these beasts, were zero.

The author butchers a snapping turtle in preparation for the dinner table.

Well before sunrise the next morning, we baited our hooks with chicken livers, then secured the hook to a steel leader and the fishing line. To suspend the chicken liver about 2 feet under the surface, we used an empty bleach bottle as a bobber.

About 30 minutes after sunrise, I noticed a sizeable turtle head protrude from the lake’s mirror smooth surface about 10 yards from our “bobber.” Not even a minute later, the beast struck! I firmly set the hook, and after about a 10-min(Continued on next page)

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Washington County (Continued from page 43)

ute battle we had the hissing and very angry snapping turtle on the shore. With any animal, it is always a sportsman’s desire to dispatch it as quickly and humanely as possible. With snapping turtles, some folks use a .22 to the head; our approach was to deliver three hard blows to the back of the turtle’s neck with a sharp axe, completely removing the head. Then we got to work with our fillet knives, separating the meat from the shell. Eating Turtle Turtle meat is somewhat tough, so it is best to parboil it for an hour or so before incorporating it into any recipe. One of

the favorite methods of preparing is including the delicate bits in a soup. In our “experiment,” the turtle parts were boiled and then allowed to cool. The bones were picked of meat and placed in a shallow casserole dish, then lightly sprinkled with pineapple chunks and a small handful of diced summer sausage. The end result was predictably as described in most of the literature – each of the different turtle parts having a uniquely different taste. My favorite was the white, rubbery neck meat, with a texture and taste similar to lobster. Also, the dark leg meat was what one would expect were it possible to

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combine beef with chicken. All in all an enjoyable eating experience, albeit a tough sell among the rest of the tribe. While everyone was willing to “try” a small morsel of the final meal, few were willing to make the commitment to fill their plate. In the land of plenty, the snapping turtle has little worry about becoming extinct due to overharvesting. Preserving the Turtle Shells The shell of the turtle we harvested was gorgeous. In order to preserve it, a fair amount of work had to be done to make sure that the connective cartilage between the turtle’s plates did not decompose and cause the shell to crumble. Of prime importance was the removal from the shell of all flesh. This was done initially during the cleaning process and repeated in more details once the shell was allowed to dry in the sun for a few days. The beef jerky texture of the flesh that remained was easy to scrape out of the shells with a sharp knife. Next, the shell

was washed in soap and scrubbed with Comet cleaner to help remove the dried-on algae. If we had things to do over again, this step would have been done before the drying, as the algae would have been easier to remove. Lastly, the shell was again set aside to dry, and we dusted a good heap of Borax inside. After about a week of drying in a cool dry spot, the shell was ready to begin accepting coats of lacquer. About eight coats provided a beautiful “wet” look to the shell and preserved it for future mounting on the wall of the man cave. Final Thoughts Since snapping turtles are not considered endangered, and because they are not a game or a sport fish, there are no specific laws related to harvest regulations, gear and season. The gray area arises when considering the potential by-catch of fish that do have rules and regulations associated with them. So, while personal snapping turtle trapping is legal without specific permits or licens-

Mid-Coast (Continued from page 42)

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of acquaintances ever considered pike becoming established in our local waters. But as I have said with other illegally-introduced fish, we can’t get rid of them, so we may as well fish for them.

es, anglers must consider the anticipated methods and whether or not they could potentially take other species (by-catch) that do have laws/rules associated with them. So while a fishing license isn’t “required” to fish for snapping turtles, it’s a good idea to have one in case you accidentally catch a regulated fish species. Snapping turtles are top level predators in most of the water bodies in which they live, so they carry high levels of mercury, PCBs and other bio-accumulates. Therefore limiting consumption of snapping turtle meat (and avoiding it altogether if you’re pregnant) is a good practice to follow. Snapping turtles take years to reach sexual maturity (18+ years). They have very low hatching success, and therefore need to live a long time in order to replace themselves. While limited personal take should allow populations to sustain, commercial harvesting of snapping turtles in Maine would quickly decimate the population.

Besides all that, pike fight well and taste great. So perhaps a new generation of Midcoast anglers will grow up catching pike from local waters, something their ancestors never dreamed possible. Look for Sennebec Lake on Map 14, C-1 and D-1; Seven Tree Pond on Map 14, D-1; and Quantabacook Pond on Map 14, B-2.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 45

60 of Memories-Past and Present Fishing Opportunities Many of my brother’s 8 grade fishing friends had their own boats on “the Brook,” a.k.a. China Lake Outlet, in North Vassalboro. My brother Jerry and I began lobbying my father to get us a boat, too, telling him that “We are the only two boys in town without a boat.” My Dad was an accomplished carpenter, and in the spring of 1956, rather than purchasing a boat he decided to build my brother and me a 12-foot wooden boat. The three of us spent many evenings in our garage designing, cutting, sanding and screwing the pine boards into a beautifully-crafted V- hulled boat. After we finished building our magnificent vessel, we painted it a forest-green color. Later that week, we brought it up to “the Brook” and put it in the water. It leaked everywhere. Dad told us not to worry. He then placed 4 or 5 heavy rocks onto the floor of the boat until it sank. He told us that we were going to leave it submerged for three days. Sure enough, three days later we removed the rocks and bailed all the water out of the boat. The handcrafted, green boat floated like a cork stopper on the water. Perfecting the Art of Pickerel-Catching The following week, Dad took us to Montgomery-Wards in Waterville and bought a 3-horse Sea King outboard motor for the boat. Even though we used the motor to explore the far reaches of the waterway, I more frequentth

of the 7- to ly rowed our 12-inch vanew craft. At 8 riety and years old, I beshould procame a master vide for at rowing. plenty of We also excitement mastered the this spring. art of hooking If stocking pickerel. We numbers would sneak are equal to up close to a those of last finning pickyear’s, then erel. Jerry Fox Pond would place should rea worm right ceive anothin front of the er 400 brook fish’s mouth. trout to comWham!, and plement its the streampresent poplined trophy ulation of would spool off brook trout. yards of line. According After he to Cliff Gray caught and reof East Orleased about land, bait 20 fish, my fishers often brother would The author’s nephew, Kevin Pendexter of Auburn, holds offer to row so a 4-pound brown trout caught in Central Maine last use worms and bobbers I could catch spring. Lemieux photo to fish for “a” fish. Then, Take a kid fishing trout along he was back in this spring – it just may the shorelines. Once Fox the bow for another 15 or change his or her life forwarms up, fly-rod trollers so pickerel. ever. Even if it doesn’t, use small streamers such My brother and I they will have some outas a Jerry’s smelt, a Ninefished out of our boat for door memories that will Three or a Gray Ghost to many more summers on last a lifetime. catch brookies. “the Brook.” To this day I Spring Fishing 2017 Wet flies such as the have never let my brothSpin-casters and flyMickey Finn or a Wooler forget how many exrod anglers can find plenly Bugger, when fished hilarating hours I spent ty of trout action on a slowly on a wet line, can rowing, while he had the multitude of local waters produce brookies in the lowly task of catching trothis month. Two Han10- to 12-inch range. phy pickerel. cock County ponds that Fox Pond offers a boat Thus began my lifeoffer fast trout action are launching site and ample long passion of fishing Fox Pond in T10 SD, and off- road parking. Since from a boat. Six decades Jones Pond in Sullivan. the north side of the pond later, I still experience 1) Fox Pond: Fox is bordered by Route 182, the thrill of catching and Pond provides an excelmany anglers cast from releasing any species of lent bet for catching brook the shore, while other fish. trout. This water is found sports prefer to fish the The memories of my along Route 182 between pond with a canoe. dad, my brother and me Hancock and Cherryfield, According to Region building our green woodRefer to Delorme’s Atlas C fisheries biologist, Greg en boat are among the Map 24, D-5. Burr, “With this winter’s highlights of my youth. This small 77- acre poor ice conditions, there My hope today is that brook-trout water was will again be more trout many other families are stocked last fall with and salmon held over to creating similar outdoor 3,050 hatchery brookies the spring fishery. Wamemories.

ters such as Jones Pond in Gouldsboro, (Map 17, A-1) will hold over more rainbow trout and should be excellent trolling for ’bows up to 22 inches.” Hatchery personnel stocked 500 rainbow trout and 100 brown trout last fall. 2) Jones Pond: Jones Pond is a medium-size, 467-acre body of water with a maximum depth of 48 feet. The principal fishery is for brown trout and rainbow trout. An experimental brown trout stocking program was initiated in 1980. This species and rainbow trout now provide a consistent fishery for anglers. One of the best ways to entice rainbows is by trolling lures about 10 feet down and 75 to 100 feet behind the boat. One of my nephews, Kevin Pendexter of Auburn, catches his fair share of “’bows and browns” every summer. His most productive trolling lure is an orange and copper Speedy Shiner. Kevin also recommends slowly trolling sewn-on shiners to entice brown trout. I’ve had excellent results catching brown trout by still-fishing with smelts in the deepest parts of a lake. Another exciting possibility to try is to cast a dry fly, especially a size 12 White Wulff, close to the shoreline as dusk approaches. A good public boat-launching site is maintained by the town of Gouldsboro along the northeastern shore.

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46 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beaterâ&#x20AC;? Canoes and Green Drakes We followed our guide down one of the Jackman Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minimum maintenance roads at a lot faster speed than I like driving. One thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve picked up on over the years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; guides drive fast on paper company roads. And, as one guide recently told me, never, under any circumstance, buy a used vehicle from a guide. Between the dirt, dust and perpetual pounding these road warriors put their rigs through trying to gain ac-

let the cat out of the bag.

Once we arrived at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;secretâ&#x20AC;? trout pond, I counted 75 canoes stashed in the woods near the shoreline. Apparently it was not a well-kept secret. Our canoe was a real beater, having fallen off a car-top rack at turnpike speed. cess some of the regions hidden jewels, a vehicle just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand a chance of lasting too long. Steve Carter and I were to fish the Green Drake hatch on a remote pond. The guide made me promise not to reveal its location. Fair enough, I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mention his name either. Guides get a lit-

tle sensitive about prime fishing spot locations leaking out to the general public. Because the hatch would start at dusk, we hung some reflective tape along the trail so our return trip in the dark would go smoothly. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d guess that we hiked about one and a half miles each

way. The reflective flagging was a trick Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d file away and use again. Once we arrived at this â&#x20AC;&#x153;secretâ&#x20AC;? pond, I counted over 75 canoes stashed in the woods near the shoreline. Apparently, news of this â&#x20AC;&#x153;secretâ&#x20AC;? spot had leaked out over the years. But for the record Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not the one who

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beaterâ&#x20AC;? Canoe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never actually fished an official â&#x20AC;&#x153;Green Drakeâ&#x20AC;? hatch up to that point. With the twist of a key, a rusty padlock released what they call a â&#x20AC;&#x153;beaterâ&#x20AC;? canoe. Guides often drag â&#x20AC;&#x153;beaterâ&#x20AC;? canoes into remote ponds and leave them there until what looked to me like forever. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;beaterâ&#x20AC;? canoe has dropped in value to the point where no one in their right mind would (Continued on next page)

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steal it. Our beater had a distinctive hook about mid-beam. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d guess in its earlier life some malfunctioning straps contributed to a sooner-thananticipated launch directly from the roof of a car traveling 70 miles an hour on a paved road. We soon figured out how to paddle a bent canoe and glided to the opposite shore where the legendary â&#x20AC;&#x153;Green Drakeâ&#x20AC;? came off the water with reckless abandon. Soon I spotted a cripple struggling on the water. The female bug looked a lot like our beater canoe, kind of bent in the middle. This seemed perfect. I threw my best imitation near the cripple and waited for a big brook

trout to slam either the real drake or my feathered imitation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waitedâ&#x20AC;? turned into the theme of the night. Well after dark, after way too much waiting, we pointed our crooked canoe towards the reflective flagging weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d left hanging on the tree that secured this prized vessel. As we followed our flagging back to the road I wanted to ask the guide a few questions. Like how these cream colored mayfly got the name â&#x20AC;&#x153;Green

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Drakeâ&#x20AC;?? And why a canoe worth $25 or less needed at least that much money tied up in chain and padlocks? And, most of all, why did every brook trout in that â&#x20AC;&#x153;secretâ&#x20AC;? pond ignore my professionally-tied imitations? Anglers looking for a challenge need to experience the mystical â&#x20AC;&#x153;Green Drakeâ&#x20AC;? hatch at least once. While frustrating at times, these large mayfly duns put on an amazing show. Just their size and the occasional â&#x20AC;&#x153;gulpâ&#x20AC;? of a

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48 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Four Great Mountain Bike Destinations in Maine Maine is quickly becoming a destination for mountain bikers from all over New England and beyond. Comfortable huts, a national park, a national monument and a wilderness area each make for an outstanding single-track experience. Mountain bikes are like cross-country skis – they spend a lot of time taking up space in your garage or barn. But then when you actually use them for their intended purpose, you wonder to yourself – why don’t I spend all my time doing this? It’s great to take some rides starting right out of your driveway – but it’s better to load the bike on a vehicle and hit the road before you hit the trail. Maine is quickly becoming a destination for mountain bikers from all over New England and beyond. Acadia National Park Acadia’s 45 miles of

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historic carriage roads are a favorite early-spring venue for the first serious rides of the year. These crushed-stone roads were specifically built for horse and carriage travel by John D. Rockefeller between 1913 and 1940. His idea was to travel on motor-free roads into the heart of Mount Desert Island’s most spectacular interior landscape. He could not have known then that his vision was a prescription for mountain bike heaven. Rockefeller never foresaw the advent of fat-tired, eighteen-speed bikes with front and rear suspension shocks. But these bikes have almost

completely replaced the equestrian traffic on the scenic roads built by the famous philanthropist. The crushed gravel stays firm even in wet spring conditions, and the crowds that will invade the high summer months are much thinner in early June. I have ridden from the Hull’s Cove visitor center (DeLorme Atlas Map 16, A-3) all the way to Seal Harbor (Map 16, C-4) in almost complete solitude. This route offers as much spectacular scenery as the average person can tolerate in a single day. Maine Huts & Trails Over the last few years Maine Huts & Trails has developed more than 50 miles of trail corridor in western Maine – part of a proposed 180-mile trail system that will ultimately reach from Bethel to the Moosehead Lake area. Four full-service eco-lodges have been built along the trail so far – at Stratton Brook near Bigelow Mountain, at Poplar Falls in Carrabassett Valley, on the east shore of Flagstaff Lake, and at Grand Falls on the Dead River. The lodges – or “huts,” as they are called – are perfectly spaced to be an easy bike ride from each other along the trail corridor. So, a four-day hutto-hut tour is one option. MH&T offers a gear shuttle, and the lodges are fully equipped to pamper long distance riders.

Mountain bikers’ heaven at Little Lyford Pond Camps.

But the best biking is concentrated at the western end of the current system – near the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center (Map 29, D-4). During the summer, the Nordic ski trails at Sugarloaf serve as a playground for mountain bikes. An extensive single-track system surrounds the Nordic ski lodge at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain, and the trails cross Route 27 to connect with the trailhead for Maine Huts & Trails. There are trails here for every level of mountain biker, from first-timer to expert. The Outdoor Center has a bike shop for repairs and rental bikes, and they also provide trail maps of the entire system. Best of all – no trail fees are required for ether the Outdoor Center or the MH&T system. The MH&T lodges themselves are open to the public at all times – safe drinking water is available to all travelers, as well as use of the bathroom facilities and indoor dining area – again, at no charge to day-trippers. The Hundred-Mile Wilderness The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)

has been purchasing and developing land in this remote area at a furious rate for several years now. The result is 100 square miles of woods roads, rehabilitated and rebuilt sporting camps, hiking trails, trout ponds, mountain vistas, and – yes! – mountain biking opportunities. This summer, AMC will reopen Medawisla Lodge and Cabins on Second Roach Pond (Map 42, A-1) following an extensive renovation. If past experience is any guide, the facility will combine the rustic feel of a nineteenth-century sporting camp with the comfort and quality of a modern-day eco-lodge. When I biked through this area on a long self-propelled trip in 2012, I stuck to the roads – including some that are off-limits to motorized traffic. But AMC is promising that single-track trails have been developed near Medawisla. In addition, they say the future will include off-road, lodge-to-lodge biking options. The AMC lands offer a bike route that parallels the Appalachian Trail on the final 100-mile ap(Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 49 (Continued from page 48)

proach to Mount Katahdin. In 2012, I stayed at Little Lyford Pond Camps as well as West Branch Pond Camps during my trip. It’s hard to overestimate how much a hot meal and a warm shower can mean to a weary traveler after a long day on the trail. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Mountain bikers discovered this huge, remote area even before

last summer’s designation as a national monument. Two summers ago, my daughter and I biked with a group along deserted woods roads to Orin Falls (Map 51, C-2) on Wassataquoik Stream. The tote road that parallels the stream here is part of the International Appalachian Trail. If there is a better way to explore this newly-minted federal property, I can’t imagine what it would be. Bikes are currently welcome on all of the monument’s roads

Jackman

and trails – and future bike access will be part of the ongoing planning process. A north-to-south bike trip from Grand Lake Road, near Baxter State Park’s north entrance, and all the way down to the bridge at Whetstone Falls would make for a full weekend helping of wilderness. Check out the monument’s new website (www.nps.gov/kaww/index.htm) before planning your trip.

Biking toward Katahdin.

healthy hiking habits.

(Continued from page 47)

On overnight hikes, I usually cook pancakes for breakfast. However, cooking a quality pancake in my titanium pan has proved challenging for me. I just can’t seem to get that perfect pancake with the golden brown edges. I’m hoping this new lightweight Teflon frying pan will help keep things light and fluffy. Folks getting introduced to hiking should consider a series of day hikes before venturing out on multi-day hikes. The Jackman Region has a variety of well-marked hikes that range from easy to strenuous. The Jackman Chamber of Commerce website (www.jackmanmaine.org) has some initial information on hiking in the Jackman Region. These hikes range from just over half-a-mile to a tick under five miles. Many trail guides, available in bookstores or on the internet, also document these same trails in detail. Hiking requires very little investment. A day pack with some basic navigation tools (compass, GPS), a small first aid kit, lunch, power bars, and most importantly plenty of water, will launch an adventure. Staying hydrated plays a key role in practicing

ATVs Rolling ATVs really start hitting the trails this month. The Jackman Region supports over 300 miles of official trails that make trail running a big hit here in the North Country. A few years ago a national publication hailed Jackman as a go-to destination for ATV riding. What attracted all this attention? For those willing to stop and smell the roses along the way, the mountainous Jackman Region has plenty of places to cut the throttle and enjoy the scenery. Remember,

it’s not the destination; it’s the journey that counts. The lodging vendors in downtown Jackman can help point ATV riders in the right direction. The Border Riders Sportsman’s Club (www.borderridersclub.com), which services the extensive trail system, has a good online presence as well as a clubhouse just north of the hamlet of Jackman on Route 201. They also allow parking at the clubhouse for folks towing trailers loaded with ATVs.

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50 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Moosehead’s Lake Trout and Salmon are Fat and Sassy Tim Obrey, regional fisheries biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) has released a report on Moosehead Lake’s salmon and togue (lake trout) that should cheer anyone with a desire to take some good fish from Maine’s largest lake this spring and early summer. Fantastic News Obrey said, “We are right where we need to be for good growth and good catch rates. Currently, the salmon and lake trout are the fattest we have seen in over 30 years on Moosehead Lake. It should be a great spring!” That statement bears

repeating. The fattest salmon and togue in over 30 years. Now that’s impressive. Heading into June, fishing should be sizzling-hot. The prospect of taking a togue that has a girth that rivals its length means more bang for time spent on the water. Such prime-condition fish fight harder than fish of the same length that are slimmer. Tim Obrey’s report didn’t highlight brook trout growth, but it didn’t need to. Wild brook trout, native to the lake, have experienced an upsurge in both numbers and size. Want to take a 3- to 4-pound brookie? Then head to Moosehead. In

fact, that’s exactly what one reader, a non-resident, plans on doing. He has read my glowing reports of giant brookies and plans to hit the big lake with his sights set solely upon brook trout. Likewise, Alan Gallant, a long-time friend and fishing companion, has never fished Moosehead Lake but, upon learning of the big brook trout there, plans on hitting Moosehead for the first time this year. And while Alan loves salmon and togue as much as anyone else, those big, wild brookies clearly have him excited. Where else in Maine – or anywhere else, for that

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stable for the foreseeable future. But even so, it pays to strike while the iron, or perhaps I should say while the “frying pan” is hot. For a shot at some huge, football-shaped togue, trout and salmon, make plans now for a Moosehead Lake fishing trip. Killer Award Brecks, the Canada-based company that manufactures the famous Mooselook Wobbler, has changed everything except for the shape of that venerable trout and salmon killer. Sure, the old favorite copper, gold and chrome finishes are still (Continued on next page)

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available, but it seems each year Brecks adds a new finish to the Mooselook Wobbler line. The most recent incarnation of the Mooselook Wobbler was a two-toned model, featuring orange and mustard-yellow. But wait, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more! If these lures were any brighter, they would hurt our eyes. On top of that, these new patterns come with an ultraviolet finish. So even when fish go deep later in summer, they have absolutely no problem finding and latching on to one of these lures as it wobbles by. These lures did so well on Moosehead Lake last summer that, according to the folks at Indian Hill Trading Post in Greenville, area guides bought them up so fast it was impossible to keep up with demand. But a long winter has given more than ample time for tackle shops to stock up

for the upcoming season. I was lucky enough to find one of these new Mooselooks last summer and immediately went out on Moosehead Lake with area guide Bob Lawrence, who operates a sporting lodge in Rockwood. Our trip was cut short by a stiff wind, but while on the water I landed two salmon on the new wobbler pattern. In fact, it outfished other tried-and-true lures, which amazed me. Consequently, I give the 2017 Moosehead Lake â&#x20AC;&#x153;Killer Lure of The Yearâ&#x20AC;? award to these new Mooselook patterns. Other Choices Those hitting Moosehead Lake this season should have at least a few of these new Mooselooks. But as every serious troller knows, some lures work better on some days and not so well on others. For that reason, let me offer some choices of what I plan on using

next time out on Moosehead. As mentioned in my Trout Fishing column this month, a Super-Duper look-alike called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Jakeâ&#x20AC;? continues to take trout, salmon and togue. Several of these lures, preferably models with a brass finish and red dots, should be in every Moosehead Lake anglerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tackle box. Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Jake takes all coldwater game fish, but it excels on togue. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave home without several of these highly effective lures. Next, some Mooselook Wobbler patterns from previous years remain excellent choices. Among these are Wonderbread Mooselooks. The Wonderbread pattern has a white front with pink, blue and yellow polka-dots, just like on the famous bread wrapper. Another good salmonid slayer is a Mooselook Wobbler with a white body and various color polka-dots. These, too,

are UV treated, and even on dark days and in deep water, fish gobble them up. And for those targeting brook trout, Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Goldfish in the standard gold pattern retains its place atop the list of excellent brook trout lures. These come in various sizes, and it pays to have a few of each. Also, Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has come out, just this year, with a two-tone Goldfish. This has a half-gold, half-orange finish. As such, it should rival the old, now out-of-production Flash King Wobbler as a fish taker. While Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Goldfish will certainly take salm-

on and togue, those targeting brook trout should also have a line out with a Goldfish on the other end. And finally, live bait always performs well. I like to go with a size 00 dodger about 20 inches or so ahead of my bait. And for bait, either frozen smelts or golden shiners take fish when used in conjunction with a chrome-colored dodger. It looks like we have an exciting year ahead of us on Moosehead Lake. I hope you are able to get out and take part in the action.

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When “Car Camping,” the Right Gear Makes a Happy Camper Readers of the last few columns may have gotten the idea that I am interesting in switching from spending overnights in the woods, to staying solely in lodges or motels. That’s not quite true. I do enjoy lodge life, waking completely rested from a good night’s sleep to a fully-prepared breakfast. A comfortable night and good breakfast at a nice lodge gives the well-rested sport a better chance at a successful day of fishing, hunting or boating. For some, outdoor adventures can only be appreciated with this kind of luxury. Those

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lodge-loving outdoors folks don’t want to rough it, preferring to experience the wild outdoors from the more civilized perspective of a fully-outfitted lodge. I’ve never truly appreciated lodge life until the past few years. The older I get, the more I seek the comfort of a soft mattress and cooked breakfast provided by lodge owners. A well-outfitted lodge allows a traveler of remote parts of Maine to experience wild woods and waters without any of the discomfort that can often times overshadow what should be a marvelous adventure.

Although I have for all my life enjoyed and preferred camping in the woods, I certainly do enjoy the times I am able to experience outdoor adventures while staying at a lodge rather than camping out. Something Missing A certain percentage of folks will never enjoy camping out, always choosing the comforts of a lodge. I prefer camping out, but let me tell you – roughing it in a tent with a sleeping bag has its problems. But let me also explain here several ways to make camping more comfortable.

Some lodges create a truly wonderful outdoor experience in the way they set up their camps. Screened porches give the guests a chance to sit around and relax in the outdoors without troublesome insects bothering them. Others allow guests the opportunity to relax around a blazing campfire at night, creating a “woodsy” atmosphere with outdoor grilling possibilities. Lodges that take this extra effort to create a luxurious and comfortable wilderness experience really attract me – they make me feel like I never want to return

home. I will always enjoy staying at lodges as described above, but probably will also yearn for a few camping adventures each year as long as I live. A true wilderness can only be experienced by sleeping directly on the chosen spot in the woods, surrounding yourself with the complete package that comes with camping in the woods. It doesn’t matter if you are hunting, fishing or just camping…simply being there in the woods for a few nights connects you to the natural world in a close and personal (Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 53 (Continued from page 52)

way that can’t be realized otherwise. Dust in the Wind Although I still backpack in to remote ponds and fish occasionally, over the years I have slowly gravitated towards what folks refer to as “car camping.” Backpacking in requires lightweight gear and that can equate to discomfort for young and old alike – carrying in heavier items that make camping more comfortable creates a grueling hike that can feel like a death march rather than a pleasant walk in the woods. My version of car camping involves sleeping in a truck that has been outfitted for camping, but we can still call it car camping. In my younger days I owned vans that were set up for camping, but lately it has been a pickup with a cap on the bed to provide a dry sleeping space. Some folks go even further by sliding a camper onto the truck bed or by hauling around a camper behind their vehicle. No matter which level of camping rig one chooses, there are some specific items that can make an overnight trip in the woods a better experience. One of the biggest things folks forget to consider when heading out into remote areas

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of Maine in their camping rigs is the massive amounts of airborne dust created by the dry gravel used on logging roads. I have had trips where the road dust from logging roads has been so bad that my nostrils and eyes get caked up with the stuff. Take a few minutes while loading up gear for the trip to seal camping items in heavy-duty bags. I also have installed specially-created rubber seals around my pickup tailgate and windows to stop the dust from filling the bed of the truck as I drive along and covering all the gear with microscopic, dirty powder. Creature Comforts Getting a good night’s sleep has to be a top priority for any outdoor overnight experience. Stay away from air mattresses, and instead look at a top-quality foam mattress – even a conventional mattress with a top-quality foam mattress cover

would work. The better foam mattresses cushion evenly and don’t create a moisture problem that results from holding too much heat and perspiration next to the sleeper’s body. A good meal also rates right up there with most campers, but the food doesn’t have to be on par with a high-end restaurant. I get by just fine on some of the better freeze-dried meals produced nowadays – some of them actually taste pretty good. They are easily prepared, don’t take up a lot of time, and allow me to get on to other fun stuff rather than wasting time on meal preparation. Several companies make cooking kits for camping that conveniently come in one bag containing the stove, fuel, a pot, pan and spork. Look on the Internet for companies like snowpeak.com, msrgear. com or jetboil.com. Folks not concerned with saving space can simply go

Off-road travelers carry the proper cookstove and are always prepared for a fresh meal of brook trout. William Clunie photo

with the standby Coleman cook stove found at coleman.com. Keeping things cool also remains a top-priority for comfortable camping, but also requires good equipment. At some point I’d like to outfit my truck with an AC/DC converter so I can run a small refrigerator. Until then, I’ll have to go with a top-quality chest cooler and ice from companies like Yeti (yeti.com) and Igloo (igloocoolers.com). Nobody can stay happy for long while getting

chewed on by insects. Take precautions to cover yourself with insect repellent, or get a unit like the one from Thermacell (thermacell.com). Above all, remember that comfort while doing anything in remote parts of Maine comes from knowing that you have all the safety issues covered – then the happy camper can relax and enjoy the beauty of a grand and fulfilling wilderness experience deep in the Maine woods.

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54 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Penobscot River Smallies Wreak Havoc on Woolly Buggers With only a vague plan and a fully inflated fishing raft, Brian Vandal and I rolled into Penobscot River Cabins located in Howland. This riverside retreat seemed like the ideal spot to kick off two days of uninterrupted fishing. I’d heard tales of 100fish days on this legendary river, although other estimates seemed more realistic at 25 to 35 fish per day. I’d soon learn that the section of river from Old Town to Medway could easily adopt the slogan, “Home of the Fighting Bronzebacks,” given the size and quantity of its smallmouth bass population. Originally we thought we’d try floating from South Lincoln to Howland one day and from Howland to Passadumkeag the next. However, when Jeff Arrants, own-

er of the Penobscot River Cabins, glanced at my fishing raft, he quickly offered what turned out excellent advice. “We can get you in below the dam,” he said. Vandal and I looked at each other and, not ones to ignore local advice, decided to adopt Arrants’s helpful suggestion. Our host had agreed to shuttle my vehicle for me, so in a blink we headed north to the Mattaseunk Dam, located just north of Mattawamkeag (DeLorme Atlas, Map 44, C-2). Long Way Down Well, there’s not exactly a boat ramp just below the dam. A wide set of steps leads down to the water. I never did count them, but I’d guess at 50 or so steps based on my elevated heart rate. We slid the raft off the trailer and pointed it

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down one of the longest set of stairs I’ve ever encountered. It was just steep enough that we actually had to hold it back from becoming a runaway raft. After seeing us safely to the shoreline, Arrants drove my Jeep and trailer to a downstream boat ramp located in the town of Winn. Thank goodness the Winn boat ramp had no stairs. This state-operated ramp has plenty of parking, some sanitary facilities and of course a very serviceable boat ramp. Before leaving on this two day smallie trip, I had loaded no fewer than 13 official boat ramp coordinates into my GPS, and the Winn ramp was one of them. When floating a river, I always like knowing just how far to the take-out. That allows me to manage my time on the water efficiently. Good time management means using every available minute for wetting a line. I’ve found that float-

ing four to seven river miles a day allows me adequate time to fish, stop along the river for lunch and still end up at the take-out in broad daylight. Of course, river conditions, flow rates and weather all play a part in that calculation. River Tips The real good fishing starts in June and remains solid well into August. By now the spring run-off has dissipated, and flows have slowed enough for safe river travel. The Penobscot holds floatable water levels throughout the summer. It’s a broad river with plenty of room for everyone. With that said, in two days we only saw one other boat, so it’s safe to say that solitude ruled this trip. It’s also a very boney river. A surplus of boulders and stones makes navigating the Penobscot extremely tricky. In fact, the anglers in the one boat we saw gave us a wave, twisted

Brian Vandal displays a Penobscot River smallmouth bass before releasing it back into the iconic river. Bill Sheldon photo

the throttle, and went up on plane. I commented to Vandal that those folks “must really know the river” in order to cruise along like that. At mid-river, they met the Penobscot with a loud thud. After re-firing the engine, they limped home with a badly vibrating motor. I was glad to have chosen my more forgiving raft. Use extreme caution when navigating the Penobscot. The plus side of all those prop-eating stones is that they create great smallie structure. Often we found hungry bronzebacks just in front or just behind large underwater “bones” located in the faster water. The Penobscot also has a surplus of islands and backwater channels that hold eager smallies. This wide, diverse river offers smallmouth bass an ideal habitat to thrive, (Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 55 (Continued from page 54)

and gives astute fishermen ample opportunities to enjoy the fishery. And, most important, those islands offer hungry anglers countless spots to pull over for a shore lunch. A small two-burner stove stays in my raft for heating up some cod, potatoes and rice pilaf. A combination of good fishing and good food make for a great day on any river.

fish on the other end of the line average between one-and-a half and three pounds, not counting the extra pull added by the serious current. This recipe creates quite a battle. Spin fishermen have success using spinner baits and crayfish imitations. Flashing blades and contrasting colors seem to wake up sleep-

Tackle Tips For tackle, I used a six-weight fly rod, while Vandal used his seven-weight. I’d recommend no less than a six weight. Smallmouth bass not only put up a stellar battle, but in the faster water below the dam they effectively use the current to multiply their strength. The spin-cast crowd should have at least a sixpound test line. Both fly fishermen and traditional fishermen need to have a reel with a good working drag system. The

ing smallies. By utilizing a casting bubble, it’s also possible to cast small poppers and other “fly” type offerings. Our most successful fly on the two day trip went to the tried-andtrue Woolly Bugger. But not just any bugger – the all-black version. Try other patterns as we may, on those two days black

buggers ruled. Vandal did catch a few on surface poppers but quickly switched back to the highly effective black buggers. While the river flattens out as it flows south, fishermen need to stay diligent for the riffles and rapids that pop up along the river’s descent. For the most part, the faster,

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Maine does, I’m not sure I’d have developed the same passion for hunting I have today. If New York Could Change, What’s Holding Maine Back? Maybe my love for bowhunting deer – as well as grouse hunting, waterfowl hunting and rabbit hunting – was born from not being able to hunt deer on Sundays with my shotgun (much of NY was shotgun-only for deer when I grew up). Because Sunday firearms deer hunting was illegal when I grew up in NY, we’d hunt other critters on Sunday at that time of year. Because we had other alternatives, I rarely heard people complain. Which brings us to 1996. I’d been out of college for over a year and had legally changed my state of residence to Maine. NY passed legislation allowing hunters to pursue deer on three Sundays during gun season in a “test area.” After a five-year experiment, most of the state was opened to Sunday deer hunting, with few exceptions. Other states followed (Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 57 (Continued from page 56)

suit: In Ohio, a three year trial period for Sunday hunting was initiated in 1998, and in 2002 it became permanent. Prior to 2003, Sunday hunting in Michigan was banned, but all Sunday hunting closures were repealed that year. I eagerly waited for Maine to follow suit. It never happened. Get Thee to Church on Sunday! When Sunday hunting bans were initially put into place across our country, the purpose was to increase church attendance. At the time hunting restrictions were enacted, other activities were also illegal on Sunday. Stores weren’t allowed to open; purchasing alcohol (or drinking it) was illegal; even tilling fields was outlawed. Today, most of these so-called blue laws have

Smilin’

been repealed. So why not Sunday hunting? Currently, 11 states still have some sort of Sunday hunting restrictions in place. Three of them (ME, MA and PA) severely restrict or prohibit Sunday hunting entirely. Since the early 1980s, Maine has had Sunday hunting bills proposed and shot down at least 30 times by our state legislature. Might Maine be the last state to prohibit Sunday hunting? Why So Resistant? In observing recent debate on the issue, I continually witness groups like Maine Woodland Owners, Maine Farm Bureau, and even the Maine Professional Guides Association coming out against Sunday hunting. In fact, these groups seem to all be on the same page – they’re not in favor of Maine hunters having the opportunity to har-

vest animals on Sunday. Respecting the wishes of the landowners is first on my list of priorities. I agree that anything that might upset the sound relationship hunters currently have with landowners, might do more harm than good. However, my question to our readers is: How long would Sunday hunting “harm” our relationship? Landowners tell us Sundays are used to enjoy their property without the concern of encountering hunters. Are landowners concerned about encountering hikers, ATV riders, snowmobilers, mountain bikers, fishermen, or even trappers? Do landowners have an unwarranted fear of hunters? If so, where does this come from? We’ve all seen the statistics – hunting is far safer than driving, biking and even going to the doctor’s office.

Consider the arguments against Sunday hunting that were raised in the last five states that changed their laws. Many of the same fears voiced there are being cited as reasons not to allow Sunday hunting in Maine. In those other states, some said it would harm game populations; others said it would pose safety issues; still others claimed access would be denied and opportunities lost. None of these concerns materialized after the rule changes went into effect. Biggest Concern – Loss of Access to Land In Maine, I believe many people fear the loss of access to private land. In our case, these fears might be substantiated. Current laws allow any hunter or person pursuing outdoor activities to access private land without permission, as

long as that property is not posted. Sunday hunting might cause landowners to post more land or shut it down entirely for recreational use. The last thing I want to do as a hunter who doesn’t own land, is upset the landowners whom I rely on for access. People ask me all the time if I’m in favor of Sunday hunting. My answer has been consistent: “Yes, as long as landowners are in favor of it.” Until Maine landowners get on board, I’ll continue to use Sundays as family time, football-watching time and as a day to catch up on sleep. Ultimately, we’ll never have Sunday hunting without the blessing of landowners. The discussion will continue, I’m certain. I hope it does.

Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com

Two older gentlemen were talking, and one was boasting about his new hearing aid. “Now I can hear EVERYTHING!” he said. The other gent said, “That’s amazing! What kind is it?” “Oh, about half past twelve!” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• A young lady visiting from Nova Scotia lost her purse along Commercial Street on Portland. She panicked, because she had no money and would not be able to return home. Then she met a very nice sailor. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I can stow you aboard my ship, and bring you food every few hours, and before you know it you’ll be home.” True to his word, he brought her aboard and found her a small, cozy cabin. After the boat got underway, every hour on the hour he brought her some bread and wine. She invited him to stay awhile, and they enjoyed each other’s company. During one of the sailor’s absences, the young lady peeked out of her cabin, and was spotted by the captain, who was doing his rounds. Embarrassed, she explained her circumstances, and then admitted that the sailor had been visiting her cabin, and they had been taking full advantage of the situation. “He certainly is taking full advantage,” responded the captain. “This is the Casco Bay Lines ferry to Peaks Island.” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• A man walked into the proctologist’s office with a piece of lettuce hanging out the back of his pants. The doctor performed an examination, and declared: “We have a real problem here – this is just the tip of the iceberg!” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• An older gentleman, a former Army officer, was being interviewed one evening for a vacant warden’s position. A younger member of the interview panel, unnerved by the outwardly calm demeanor of the job candidate, tried to rattle him. “I see from your resume you are not married,” he said to the candidate. “How long has it been since you were with a woman?” “Nineteen fifty-nine,” said the veteran. The interviewer, seeing an opportunity to unsettle the candidate, demanded, “And don’t you think that’s a little unusual?” “Not really,” replied the candidate, casually looking at his military watch. “It’s only 20:24 right now.”

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58 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Turkey, Duck, Chicken and Rabbit — Turduckenit All Maine Sportsman recipes can be found online at www.blackflystew.com Before we go out and spend the rest of the summer on our grills, I wanted to give you one more recipe for the oven -- Turduckenit. I was served this dish once and really enjoyed it, but when John Allgood explained the process he used, it sounded too daunting. I have never made it until now – and of

course, I had to simplify it. Turduckenit: Turkey, Duck, Chicken and Rabbit – YES! Dare to be different! If you are familiar with Turducken – turkey, duck and chicken – then adding a rabbit isn’t a stretch. If you haven’t heard of this layered dish, you will just have to make it.

Since I don’t have space in these pages for all my stuffings, I will include only the Sage Stuffing, as it goes well through all layers. My stuffings and other recipes can be found on my website, blackflystew.com.

In edi Ingr dients: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 cups Cranberry Apple Bread stufffing, at room temperature 1 ½ cups Cornbread Shiitake Pecan n stuffing, at room temperature 1 cup Sage Stuffing, at room tempeerature 1 cup cranberry sauce (or Cranberrry Zinfandel Port Relish) 1, 14-pound turkey, debone breast;; keep both breasts attached 1, 6-pound duck, debone breast; keep both breasts attached 1, 4-pound chicken, debone breast; keep both breasts attached 1 rabbit leg, deboned 4 tablespoons butter 3 cloves garlic, cut in quarters 6 fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground bla ack pepper 1 cup Chardonnay 1 cup chicken broth 1 Sa Sage g Stu ge tuffi ffin ng re reci cipe p (be pe belo low) w))

Debone turkey, duck, and chicken breasts (keep breasts attached) and rabbit leg. Save bones for stock and other parts to cook another time. Keep all meat refrigerated and do not assemble until you are ready to bake, in order to avoid foodborne illness from contaminated stuffing. Make your stuffing according to recipe; Sage Stuffing below. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Coat large roasting pan with cooking spray. Rub turkey skin with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.

Flip turkey breast over with skin side down. Spread cranberry sauce and CranApple Stuffing evenly over turkey cavity. Place duck on top of CranApple Stuffing. Spread Cornbread stuffing on top of open duck cavity. Top with chicken, spread Sage stuffing on top of open chicken cavity and top with rabbit leg. Run 3 or 4 lines of kitchen twine under turkey to secure from top to bottom of breast. Tightly tie twine to hold meats together. Carefully turn Turduckenit over, seam-side down and breast-side up. Pour wine and stock in roasting pan and

Sage Stuffing:

• • •

• • • • • • • •

2 cups good bread, cubed 2 tablespoons butter ¼ pound sage sausage, remove casing 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried Sage Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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1 cup homemade chicken or turkey broth ½ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons parsley leaves, minced

Preheat oven 275°F. Adjust oven racks to middle position. Spread bread evenly over baking sheet and bake until completely dried, 1 hour; stir bread cubes several times during baking. Remove from oven and cool. In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat until foaming subsides, about

stir. Place Turduckenit in pan. Roast 3 to 4 hours, uncovered, until meat thermometer inserted in center reaches 165 degrees F. Baste every hour with pan juices. If Turduckenit begins to get too brown, tent loosely with heavy-duty aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Let Turduckenit rest 30 minutes before carving. To serve, slice Turduckenit across breast to show off each layer.

2 minutes. Add sausage and mash to break into fine pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until some pink remains — about 8 minutes. Add onion, garlic, salt and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add broth, pepper and heat through. Remove from heat and add bread cubes, parsley and toss.

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 59

Top 5 Archery Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them Many folks do not understand just how many things can go wrong when you’re trying to shoot an arrow. The February issue of this magazine included an entertaining column penned by our editor Will Lund, titled “The Top 5 Lessons Learned from ‘Ice Fishing Fails’ Videos.” That piece inspired me to list the top five archery mistakes. Of those on the list, I have experienced three of the five first-hand. Non-archers, or those new to the sport, may not realize how much can go wrong during what seems to me the simple act of shooting a bow. 1) Never Draw Back without Nocking an Arrow Compound bows are complex machines and are constructed specifically to push an arrow forward. A heavy hunting arrow weighs about 500 grains, which is just 0.07 of one pound. It may not seem like much, but to a bow it’s everything, because the consequences of firing a bow without one—called “dry-firing”— may be deadly for the bow and also painful for the shooter. It’s for this reason— even if you have no intention of shooting an arrow—that you should never draw back without having first nocked one. I wrote a column awhile back remembering a friendly competition with a Maine state champion and the head of the archery department at Cabela’s. In my eagerness, I unknowingly drew back

and fired without having nocked an arrow. It was the first time I had ever made that mistake in my many years of shooting bows. Without the smidgeon of mass from the arrow, the strings blew through the suppressor and welted the inside of my left forearm, warped my cams and bent the axles that hold the cams to the bow limbs. It was a costly mistake. 2) Check Nocks After Each Practice Round If folks shoot enough arrows at the same target, you’re bound to hit one arrow with another. Outside of “Robin Hooding” an arrow, the nocks will often protect the arrow shaft, but by doing so they will sometimes break. Thankfully, they are very cheap but it’s important to inspect the nocks before returning to the line to shoot again. Once, after shooting a few rounds and inspecting the arrows before returning for another, I failed to notice one nock was compromised. It looked fine, but the “wings” of the nock that hold the arrow to the string had actually splintered and didn’t function properly. Nevertheless, I re-nocked it, drew back… and BAM! As I released, the force of the strings broke what was left of the nock and the arrow fell off the string to its left—which was toward me, as I shoot right handed. As the strings flew forward,

they ran up the right side of the arrow, essentially pushing it perpendicular through my bow, thereby wreaking havoc on my forearm. Needless to say, it ruined my release and cut the arrow in two. In addition, I had essentially dry-fired my bow because the arrow fell off at the beginning of the release cycle. It took new cams, new strings and stitch job on my arm before I was back in business. 3) Invest in a Full Containment Rest How many times have you pulled back to full draw and in doing so, the arrow tip falls from the rest onto the bow shelf? When I was younger, this happened to me constantly. I remember using my index finger from my bow hand to manipulate the arrow back onto the rest while still at full draw. Not good, particularly if there’s a broadhead on the end and folks are holding a heavy draw weight. What can go wrong? It’s pretty easy to accidentally release an arrow while moving the body trying to get the stupid thing back up, and releasing an arrow when it’s not on the bow rest can bring on a case of instant, painful regret (see photo). The solution is to invest in a full containment rest. They are more expensive but are worth their weight in gold, as the arrow will always stay in place at full draw. This is particularly im-

This shooter’s arrow fell off its rest at release and impaled his bow hand. He also made the mistake of using arrows that didn’t extend well past the bow. Using longer arrows and a full-containment rest will help avoid accidents like this. Photo: ArcheryTalk.com

portant for bowhunters, because shooting from a stand requires angled shots. A hunter must think about a lot of things in order to execute a perfect shot, and worrying about an arrow falling off the rest should not be one of those things.

but worse, my arrow flew like the Persians fighting the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae. Nothing bad transpired, but it was a clear reminder to draw straight. Instead of hitting my bag at 20 yards, my arrow landed 80 yards beyond.

4) When Drawing, Draw Straight!! One of the NRA’s many firearm safety rules is to know your target and what is beyond. This decree isn’t an idea that naturally occurs to an archer, but it should. A few years back I went out and tried a new back tension release which was set at “hot,” meaning it took little tension for it to fire. I hadn’t shot in a while and my form was off, but my focus was on the release as I wanted to see how it performed and if should purchase it. I drew back but drew upward instead of straight. Wouldn’t you know – that release let go half way into my draw. It scared me, as I wasn’t prepared for it,

5) Lastly, Don’t Learn Archery from Hollywood If you are trying to learn about archery from watching Hollywood movies featuring archery, here’s some advice – DON’T. The fact is that actors and actresses make a number of embarrassing mistakes when shooting. As they say, “Don’t try this at home.” I have seen actors overdraw, draw up and away from the face, and even shoot with the arrow on the wrong side of the bow. If you’re new to archery, get a lesson first, and stay away from movies. It will do a world of good.

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60 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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June Perfect for County Canoe Ventures When I take time to reminisce about my last half-century of outdoor ventures, it seems I’ve spent a great deal of time in blinds and boats of one type or another. Topping the list of comfortable, pleasant memories are the periods I’ve spent fishing a regional river or stream from the serene ambience of a solid, comfortable canoe. June is my favorite time for this activity, with excellent water conditions for trolling and casting Aroostook’s winding waterways for trout and salmon.

Beautiful River Aroostook translates from a Native American word meaning “beautiful river,” and the serpentine blue ribbon that threads through over a dozen towns and villages in the Crown of Maine certainly fits that description. During late May and most of June, mild temperatures and occasional rain assure many miles of top-rate trout trolling, while sporadic but frequent hatches lead to exciting top-water dry fly action. As summer progresses, the river warms and

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ebbs, notably forcing the fish to congregate, and making wading the sole method of access. That’s why June yields the most consistent action and largest trout along the overall length of the river. Public, well-maintained boat ramps are plentiful all along the waterway, and there are just as many launch sites on private land where farmers are generally agreeable to requests for access. While 12- to 16- foot metal or fiberglass V-hull or jon boats certainly work, most anglers use canoes because of their shallow-running abilities. Personally I just like the look, feel and aesthetics of fishing from a stable double-ender or square stern canoe. I have a brand new 21-foot, Two

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Rivers model pushed by a 4-stroke 15 HP Honda that I can’t wait to float and fish from this month. One of the most overlooked stretches on the Aroostook River lies between Presque Isle and Caribou, with easy access and plenty of parking area at the ramp. Access to the launch site is just off Route 1 onto a side road that parallels the river toward the old hydro buildings above the dam. Delorme’s Atlas, Map 65, B-2 offers an overview, and anglers should begin trolling upriver immediately as the trout are spread out everywhere. There are a handful of brook inlets that deserve a couple of extra passes, and I recommend slow, sweeping S-maneuvers to add fly action and cover more water.

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Many Aroostook rivers and streams are still running high and chilly in early June. The author uses insulated chest waders and a sinking tip line to tease trout into taking streamer flies.

Troll upstream and downstream – baits display different actions with and against the current. I usually use McGraw Siding as my turnaround point, but it’s possible to work water clear to Parkhurst if time allows. Tandem streamers just don’t attract the number of strikes that a size 2, 4, or 6 size, 3X single hook streamer seems to draw. It’s a good idea to drag a bright attractor pattern on one rod and a bait fish imitation on another for the first hour – on certain (Continued on next page)

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outings, one just seems to work better. Switch all rods to one style as soon as a preference is determined. Among my favorites are a Miss Sharon, Ouananiche Sunset, a blue devil, Herb Johnson special, black nosed dace and a Jasbo. A number of my boat buddies like to trail a spinning rod and lure as well as a fly rod â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Goldfish, pounded-copper Mooselook Wobbler, or size 8 or 44 silver Sutton Spoon usually do the trick. Brookies are plentiful and aggressive, averaging 10 to 14 inches, but a surprising number of 16- to 18-inch broadbacks are boated this month. Be wise, have a dry fly rod and box of mosquitoes, Slim Jims, Henryville Specials and Cahills on hand. Spotting random hatches is commonplace this month while trolling, so be prepared to anchor up and work these fastpaced, short-lived events. Togue Trolling Each June a couple of friends and I hook up my canoe and depart civilization for a two-hour washboard bounce and bump drive into second Musquacook Lake. Drive to Ashland via Route 11, then onto Realty Road to six-mile checkpoint, on past Big Machias Lake and deep into North Maine Woods to the Musquacook Crossroads. A right turn and in less than a mile youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at the launch ramp and campsite. Many a tasty shore lunch has been prepared at the open fireplace and enjoyed at the roof-covered picnic table. Check Map 62, sectors E-2 & 3 for details. Lake water remains cold back in the deep woods; therefore, togue cruise near the surface well into June and respond well to tandem streamers. I recommend visiting anglers carry a spare reel spool with

Mike Wallace of Freeport stands in the bow of the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stable 21â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Scott canoe to cast a dry fly to an evening hatch on the Aroostook River near Caribou.

a sinking tip fly line or lightweight 12-pound lead core just in case the fish have gone a bit deeper. Togue average 2 to 3 pounds, but a few 5-pound specimens are caught, and brook trout frequently add to the action. June water levels allow trollers using shallow draft canoes to slide into First Musquacook through a rocky passage to explore new water. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always some action to be enjoyed, as each lake holds an abundance of lakers and

brookies. Troll a Gray Ghost, Colonel Bates, NineThree, red and white bucktail or a Magog Smelt for tandem streamers. Make lots of turns, and keep the speed slow. Those dragging metal might select larger silver/ bronze Suttons in Size 66 and 88, and Mooselook Thinfish in gold and the Wobbler in white with red spots and silver honeycomb. The lake is picturesque and fairly secluded, and the fish are generally cooperative â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a perfect ca-

Mitch Wheeler of Bridgewater checks out the trout his brother Marty is about to release during an early June trip to second Musquacook. The authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 21â&#x20AC;&#x2122; square stern Scott canoe fished three anglers in stable comfort.

noe-and-camp location. A Clear Choice If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already at the Musquacooks and want to split a day and troll some new water, nearby Clear Lake offers rewarding togue and squaretail action only 15 minutes away. This cold, crystal-clear waterway is at its best in late May and early June for streamer fly and lure trolling, with 16- to 20-inch brookies taken regularly and average 2- to 4-pound lake trout with a few on hand near double-digit weight. Actually located in

Piscataquis, Clear Lake is just over the borderline â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I call spots like this â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aroostook adjacent.â&#x20AC;? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great launch area and easy road access. For sportsmen spending a weekend in the area, this deep, medium-size lake is a perfect combo with one or two of the Musquacooks. All the same gear works this time of year. Check Map 56, A-3 for access route and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clearâ&#x20AC;? your schedule for Clear Lake!

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62 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Dave’s Recipes for Homemade Trapping Baits and Lures Today, the majority of trappers buy commercially available baits from local trapping equipment suppliers or at trapping rendezvous, conventions, or through the mail. These products have been tested in the field under actual trapping conditions and have proven to be successful baits prior to being made available commercially. A few trappers, however, choose to make their own lures and baits. These are folks who want to broaden and enhance their overall experience and enjoyment of trapping, while at the same time utilizing more than just the furs of their harvested furbearers. Once trappers achieve success with homemade products, they are able to save money compared to those who purchase more costly, commercially-available baits and lures. Today, commercial products can cost $6 for a single-ounce of container of lure, while baits run anywhere from $6.95 to $20 for a 4-ounce jar. Baits vary a lot in cost, depending on what is utilized in their formulation; a few are combination baits and lures, and are therefore the most expensive. Most commercial baits employed by trappers are used to trap var-

ious predators. The average cost of meat-based bait runs from $12 to $20 a pint, while a few are as high as the 4-ounce jar for $20 previously mentioned. Bait may be sold in containers as large as a gallon, at a price averaging $80 per gallon. Like most products, the larger the volume the less the per-unit cost. Many old formulas have been handed down through families over the years. In more recent times, books and videos have been produced on bait and lure making. Bait and lure formulas in general have been well-guarded secrets over the years, especially those that have become commercially successful. Some baits are simple, while others are elaborate and include exotic essential oils and other products. Baiting can be done easily and with little prior preparation for some furbearers, while others require advance preparation and a great deal of effort. For example, the preparation of some canine baits may require a meat grinder, specific types of meat, preservatives, scent additives, aging and storage containers. On the other hand, a simple bait such as a hotdog or cooked sausage

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cut into pieces may be attractive to the wily coyote or fox. Yes, I know some trappers who use them effectively. Bobcat, Fox and Coyote Baits Let me first address the preparation of several baits that trappers use for our largest predators – the bobcat, coyote and fox. Beaver and bobcat meat are two very popular ingredients for these baits, while mouse-based bait is also extremely effective for the canines. Some trappers will trap mice around the home and in out-buildings all year long, keeping them in a freezer until a large enough quantity is gathered to make bait. The most common mouse bait is simply chopping up whole mice into small pieces that will feed through a meat grinder – bones and all –without jamming. The ground mice are then preserved with some sodium benzoate to stop any decomposition. A little glycerin or glycol can be added to make a paste and to retard freezing. Many trappers feel this simple bait is about as good as it gets for fox and coyote trapping. For bobcats, a very attractive and simple bait is fresh fish or rabbit. The meat of beaver and bobcat is ground up or chunked in to pieces about the size of walnuts. This meat in itself is attractive to both canines and bobcat, but its attractiveness and ability to draw in the predator and keep them at the set working the bait longer can be enhanced. The meat can be aged a little, to “taint” it

without decomposition. This allows it to give off a stronger odor. Further decomposition is prevented by the addition of sodium benzoate once the desired odor is achieved. Additionally, commercially available “base solutions” may be used for this purpose, which may include additives to make the bait more attractive to the predators. Several large bait manufacturers sell their base solutions for trappers who wish to prepare their own baits. For use in colder weather, a trapper may add a slight touch of skunk musk to any of the meat mixtures, which the larger predators – especially bobcats – find attractive. A touch of beaver castor is another additive that many trappers feel enhances a baits ability to draw and keep an animal working a trap set. Author’s Coyote Bait Recipe A bait I have found useful for coyotes is made with ground-up or chunked beaver or bobcat meat. If that’s not available, use moose or deer scraps, or muskrat. Allow the meat to taint so it starts to get strong-smelling (not decomposed). Then add and mix in a small amount of fox urine, a touch of ground beaver castor, and honey, then mix in the sodium benzoate to stop further decomposition. This bait works well in the early season. For a gallon of the above bait, add a half cup the fox urine along with a teaspoon of finely ground dried beaver castor, a half pint of honey (or appropriate portions for other

A meat grinder is an essential tool in making many of the author’s suggested baits and lures. Credit: Griffith and Turner catalog archives

bait quantities). In addition, the sodium benzoate added to any meat bait to halt decomposition is a cup per gallon. If the bait is to be used for cold weather trapping, then 6 to 8 drops of skunk essence may be added. Fisher and Marten Baits Fisher and marten bait commonly includes large chunks of beaver. Once eviscerated, chop up the beaver into fistsize pieces. Due to its high fat content, fresh beaver meat continues to give off some odor in cold temperatures. Other trappers use chunked-up slightly tainted fish such as suckers, or fresh tinker mackerel, as fisher and marten bait. The high oil content in mackerel causes the fish to give off a strong odor, even in cold weather. Mink and Otter Baits Popular baits for mink and otter include fresh fish and fresh muskrat. Fresh water mussels are also attractive to both animals. (Ensure the mussels you use are not a threatened or endangered species; if unsure, (Continued on page 64)

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Louâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lucky Elevenâ&#x20AC;? Summer Brook Trout Patterns for Ponds June brings uncountable options for the avid fly fisher. Streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, as well as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the salt,â&#x20AC;? can all be fished with dries, nymphs, streamers, and poppers large and small. It makes it difficult for this columnist to decide what to write about. Fortunately, inspiration for this column came in the form of a note from a reader, who said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to know my top ten trout fly choices for use in ponds and lakes during the summer. In considering all my options for summer stillwater flies, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to narrow my favorites to exactly ten, so instead I present to you my â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lucky 11â&#x20AC;?! Dry Flies When I am lucky enough to arrive at one of my favorite waters in June or July and find calm conditions and/or brook trout rising, my goto patterns are the following: 1. Hornberg: If I had only one fly pattern to pond fish all year, this would be it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a size 14 grey Hornberg tied dryfly style on a light hook. It imitates any of the midsize mayflies as they rest on the surface drying their wings. This pattern is difficult to tie well â&#x20AC;&#x201C; improper feather placement will cause the fly to torque in the air and twist your leader. I purchase mine. 2. Green Drake Cripple: This fly is an emerger pattern. Emerger patterns imitate an aquatic insect (in this case, a green drake) that is metamorphosing from its pupal form to the adult winged stage. An emerg-

ing insect lies in the water film partially out of its pupal shuck as it waits for its wings to unfold and harden. Even wary trout eat an emerger eagerly because they seem to know that the insect canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get away and is easy pickings. 3. Klinkhammer: The Klinkhammer is another emerger pattern. A special Klinkhammer hook and style of tying allows the abdomen to dangle below the surface while the head of the fly floats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just like an emerging bug. Different hook sizes and material color variations can create an effective imitation of almost all emerging mayflies. Klinks can now be purchased at LL Bean, the Rangeley Fly Shop, and the Fly Shack.com. 4. Ant Patterns: Trout just love ants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask me why. Specific nutrients such as formic acid? All I know is, if you happen to be fishing when flying ants are blundering into the water, you

Dry ďŹ&#x201A;ies (in order from left to right): Hornberg, Quigley Green Drake Cripple, Klinkhammer, Winged Ant, Puterbaugh Caddis, Black Wulff, and Royal Wulff. The shadows in the photo shows each ďŹ&#x201A;yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sideview silhouette. Lou Zambello photo

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be without your favorite ant pattern. I favor a parachute-hackled version that floats in the film, with or without wings. 5. Puterbaugh Caddis: Most waters have caddisflies flitting across the surface at one time or another all summer. A size 16 Puterbaugh is my favorite caddis imitation. Its combination of a black (or olive) foam body, tan wings and brown hackle allow it to imitate any caddis fly color. It is also possible that fish take this pattern mistaking it for an ant or a beetle. Try retrieving it steadily across the surface, and

hold on! 6. Black Wulff: As night falls, the dark surface of the water seems to indicate that the most visible fly pattern is white. But this is when common sense fails. Your quarry, the trout, is swimming in

the darker water looking up at the lighter sky â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so in fact a black fly offers the clearest silhouette. The Wulff pattern is heavily dressed, makes a commotion on the water, and is easy for the trout (Continued on next page)

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Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 63)

to find as darkness falls. 7. Royal Wulff: If I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see any surface action or an obvious insect hatch, this is my prospecting fly to see if a trout is willing to come to the surface. Theories abound why this pattern works so well, since it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imitate any insect found in nature. Does it look like an ant or an emerger from the troutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, looking up? All I know is that it is deadly, and I carry all sizes from size 6 to size 20. Subsurface Patterns The patterns described above are proven winners when trout can be tempted to rise to

the surface. But what if it is windy or fish arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looking up? Some anglers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to cast, and are content to just paddle or motor along, trolling a fly pattern or two. This is when subsurface patterns are required, and here are my favorites. 8. Maple Syrup: The largest mayfly found in most Maine ponds and lakes is the Hexagenia mayfly. While the emerging duns can provide surface action, the large nymphs emerge from their burrows as they mature and are a major food source for weeks. The maple syrup pattern is a hex nymph imitation that is

Trapping (Continued from page 62)

contact your regional IF&W fish biologist.) Eels, chopped into chunks and preserved with salt, constitute a commonly-used mink bait. Maine trapping laws allows a trapper to get an eel permit for taking up to 20 pounds of eels. Weasel Bloody meats or fresh rabbit chunks are commonly used to take weasels. The bait

simple to tie and fish. One can slow troll this pattern, crawl it along the bottom, or actively retrieve. 9. Kennebago Smelt: For those who like to troll a fly behind a canoe, kayak, or small boat, try this pattern. Its silver, white, blue and peacock colors and slim deerhair profile scream â&#x20AC;&#x153;smeltâ&#x20AC;? to a trout or salmon. Of course, the Grey Ghost and Black Ghost patterns are great smelt imitations as well. 10. Muddler Minnow: Knowledgeable Maine guides tie their Muddlers small, with loose heads, so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t float like a cork. This pattern works best in ponds and lakes as a dragonfly nymph imitation, retrieved slowly with a hand-twist re-

trieve near the bottom along shore drop-offs. 11. Black Leech, or Woolly Bugger: Leeches are a major source of calories for trout everywhere. Any pattern that imitates a leech is a good choice to retrieve along the bottom. Sometimes the biggest trout of the day are caught in this way. Fly Tying I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the column space to include tying instructions for these patterns. But if you Google each name, it is straightforward to find materials, instructions, photos, and even videos. Most of these flies along with their tying instructions can be found in the back of both fly-fishing books I have authored. Finally, your local fly

is placed in the back of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;weasel boxâ&#x20AC;? on the ground, while a large rat trap or small foothold trap is set inside the box at the entrance hole. This acts as a killer-type of trap, instantly dispatching the weasel. Many years ago, before all the current trapping restrictions, it was common practice to suspend a small size trap between the roots of a tree (to help hold and stabilize the trap) about 6 inches above the ground or snow level. A piece of bloody meat or fresh liver was frozen or attached to the trap pan. When the weasel attempted to take the bait,

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Subsurface ďŹ&#x201A;ies (in top down order): Black Woolly Bugger, Muddler Minnow, Maple Syrup, and Kennebago Smelt. Lou Zambello photo

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the trap would fire instantly dispatching it. This was a favorite and easy set for kids to use back in the day. It was fast to make, and the trap could be moved up as the snow depth increased keeping the set operating instead of being frozen out of business. I caught my first long-tailed weasel in such a set not 50 feet off the old Gray Road (Rt. 26 & 100) in West Cumberland. Today there are commercial buildings at that location.

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The Things We Can’t See Some of the more frightening dangers in the outdoors are the things we can’t see. Ticks, bees and other bugs are tiny, but at least they are visible, most the time. Let’s call these “micro-dangers.” We’ll get to them in a minute. Other hazards are truly invisible. Carbon monoxide, for example, is one of the deadliest risks we can encounter while at camp or while warming up in a vehicle. Odorless and insidious, it can quietly poison and kill. Close Call at Camp Maine Senator Anne Haskell told me of a frightening event that happened almost 20 years ago, yet it is still vivid in her mind. She was hunting near Troy, Maine, staying in a oneroom camp. The camp was well-constructed, and a used gas refrigerator had just been set up that day. Gas or propane-powered refrigerators are a risk because they are not vented to the outside. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide that can build up to unsafe levels in an enclosed space. Apparently that’s what happened in the cabin. The next morning Anne awoke when her hunting partner made a noise. “I was dizzy with a terrible headache and nausea,” she said. “By the time, he got me to the emergency room I had no movement in my arms or legs. I had to be physically carried out of the truck. The ER staff said it was a close call.” Early symptoms of CO poisoning are flu-like: headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO poisoning can cause you to pass out.

Someone already sleeping may not survive, because the symptoms are not likely to wake them up. Anne was lucky she awoke at all. Toxic Tent A similar incident happened to trout fisherman Jeff Reardon several years ago when he was camping at a remote pond waiting for the “hex hatch” in July. “I was tying flies on a picnic table with a propane lantern, but the nosee-ums were awful, so I brought a chair and a little folding table inside my tent,” Jeff told me. “I set up the lantern on the table to provide light to read, and rolled up in my sleeping bag with a book. I must have dozed off and later woke up struggling for breath and feeling very disoriented.” Jeff was lucky he woke up, too, and wisely scrambled out of the tent immediately. “I felt better within minutes of going outside,” he recalls. “I later heard someone else’s story of CO poisoning and realized that was probably what happened to me.” Whether you’re in a cabin, in a tent, or while sitting in your truck with the engine idling, carbon monoxide is a stealthy hazard that could claim your life. Generators and kerosene heaters are particular problems. Keep in mind that any unvented combustion can produce deadly carbon monoxide. Guarding Against Giardia Another invisible backcountry risk is giardia. Giardia lamblia is a microscopic intestinal parasite that is a common form of water-borne sickness in North America. The parasite is contract-

ed when contaminated water or food is swallowed. While not deadly, a giardia infection, called giardiasis, causes diarrhea, cramps, vomiting and dehydration. Jeff Reardon shared with me his unfortunate experience with giardia. He was working a summer job on a backcountry trail crew in Grand Teton National Park with a group of ten high school students plus two group leaders. They were camped in a remote site about 12 miles from the trailhead at 10,000 feet for six weeks. Half the crew came down with an intestinal parasite, likely giardia. The infected crew members suffered cramping and diarrhea intermittently for the last two weeks of the trip. Jeff said it was very unpleasant but not incapacitating. He lost about 20 pounds that summer before get-

ting treatment with antibiotics when he got back home to Maine. Giardia occurs naturally all over the world. It is carried by mammals, including humans, livestock and wildlife, and is spread in feces. In the U.S., where domestic water is usually treated and safe, it’s common to contract giardia in backcountry streams and lakes. Even crystal-clear water that appears pure and fresh can carry the parasite, so drinking untreated water while camping or hiking is like rolling the dice on getting sick. To prevent infection, drink bottled water, or disinfect suspect water by heating it to a rolling boil for one minute. Another option is to use a filter that has been rated by National Safety Foundation (NSF) Standard 53 or NSF Standard 58 for cyst reduction. However,

remember that tap water run through a standard filter will still need additional treatment to kill bacteria and viruses. Bugs and Bees As many people know, Lyme disease is transmitted by deer ticks infected with a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. These tiny ticks have become a “macro” problem in New England, as they have expanded their range in an ever-warming warming climate. Anyone who has suffered from Lyme disease can tell you it can be a very serious illness, especially if it goes undetected for too long. Warm, damp weather in late spring is prime time for ticks. Be sure to use insect repellents, wear light clothing (so you can see the ticks before they get to your skin), and if you’ve been outdoors, always do a careful daily tick check. (Continued on next page)

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66 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Young Maine Sportswoman with Alyssa Sansoucy

183 State Street Suite 101 Augusta, ME 04330

Salt Water Home Away fromFishing Home As soon as school gets out, nights get longer, the weather gets hotter and it’s time to get the boat in the water. Whether you’re fishing along the shore or more than 20 miles out in the ocean, there are plenty of fish to be caught. I love salt water fishing because you can spend a whole day out on the water. We check the weather forecast the day before, and we only go out if the water is not going to be too rough. Big waves and strong winds make the trip a lot slower, and sometimes rough weather can cause me to be-

come seasick. When we go out, my dad and I are at the boat launch before the sun even rises. One of my favorite parts of the whole trip is heading out in the morning. For me, the rising sun, the cool ocean air and the calm water are very relaxing. As we get closer to the spot where we want to fish, we put out a few lines and troll for mackerel, which will later be our bait. When we eventually pick a spot to start, we lower the anchor and set up for the bigger fish. You can catch fish like pollock, cod and haddock if you go

Danger in the Outdoors (Continued from page 65)

Bees and wasps, of course, can be almost anywhere during warm weather. They pose a life-threatening risk for people who are allergic to their stings. Most people who have these allergies are well aware of the risks, and are wise to carry an epi-pen (to administer epinephrine) with them at all times. Don’t forget to tell your outdoor companions where to find your epi-pen and how to use it. Little Browntail Buggers Finally, my friend Jim Maksut related a nasty encounter with browntail moth caterpillars on Mackworth Island near Portland.

20 miles out or more. Throughout the day, we will move around a bit and try new spots. Around mid-afternoon, it’s already been a long day so we head back in. More Than Just Fish Fish aren’t the only thing that you can see this far out. You can see other marine life, such as dolphins and whales. One time I was out with my dad and grandpa, and we were in a bay surrounded by hundreds of dolphins. It was so cool to see so many in one area. A pod of them kept swimming around the boat in circles almost

close enough to touch. Dolphins are very intelligent creatures, and it’s fun to watch them swim through the water. That same day we saw a few whales farther out to sea. It’s fun to see and hear them spray water into the air and watch their tails splash against the water. Other cool things you can see are jellyfish and squid. The jellyfish are hard to spot because they are transparent, but they float on top of the water and are small. We have jigged a few squid up before. I think it is neat when you get to see so many

After an hour or so casting flies for stripers from shore, he sat down to relax for a minute. “By the time I got to my truck, I was covered with the worst rash I ever had,” Jim said. Unless you live on an island or along the coast, you may not be familiar with browntail moths. Their tiny fibers or bristles are toxic, and can become airborne or settle in dust. They often cause intense rashes and respiratory problems for anyone who comes in contact. In June 2016, the caterpillars invaded Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport. Park rangers had to post signs warning people about the caterpillars and the rashes and respiratory problems they cause.

types of marine life just by being out on the water. Another thing you can do is stay close to shore by a jetty, and fish for striped bass. In the early morning, you can see them breaking the surface of the water. We sometimes start here and head out farther afterwards, or just fish for stripers for a couple of hours and head back in. Any time on the water is always fun – whether you catch fish or not, it’s all about the fun. I can’t wait to get back onto the water this year for some more fishing.

An article in the Portland Press Herald reported that the entire staff at Wolfe’s Neck was affected by the caterpillars, with the severity of the allergic reactions varying from person to person. Some suffered from the itchy rash or had trouble breathing just by walking in the woods, while others exhibited only minor symptoms. When travelling to the coast in June and July, beware the browntail. The rash is much like that resulting from poison ivy. Fortunately, there are effective treatments, including a prescription compound, if you are unlucky enough to be stricken. As you head outside this spring and summer, be safe, and have fun.

The Smilin' Sportsman Youth Edition Kids! Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com What did the boy say when the Statue of Liberty sneezed? “God bless America!” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• What’s orange, and sounds like a parrot? A carrot! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Why did the skunk cross the road? Apparently, so it could get about half-way across! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Why do seagulls fly over the sea? Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels. www.MaineSportsman.com

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 67

Fish Stocking Reduces Pressure on Wild Trout Waters Maine Audubon, together with the Maine Council of Trout Unlimited and in conjunction with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), has become pro-active regarding identifying and protecting what they term “Heritage” trout waters. These mostly-remote ponds host wild trout. Many of these jewels see little pressure from anglers, since it often takes considerable effort to even reach a wild trout water. Small brooks and streams also hold trout, from populations that have been there since the glacier retreated, and these fish are every bit as valuable as trout in remote ponds. However, these waters see far less pressure than they did even a generation or two ago. So why aren’t more fishermen heading into the woods in search of wild trout waters, and why aren’t the small streams lined with anglers as they were years ago? The answer is that many anglers who might otherwise head to these remote or difficult-to-access areas don’t do so, because they are perfectly happy catching stocked trout near home. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocks bragging-sized trout in streams and rivers that otherwise would not contain trout. And a great number of people enjoy catching these 10- to 14inch and larger trout, despite their hatchery origin. All this takes pressure off of wild trout wa-

Kudos to our fisheries biologists at DIF&W, says the author, since all those stocked trout mean fewer anglers are targeting sensitive fish populations found in heritage waters and tiny streams. ters and small streams, while at the same time giving people a new and viable hometown trout fishery. Exotic Salmonids The DIF&W not only stocks brook trout – a naturally-occurring species in Maine – but biologists also release brown trout, rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, togue and splake (a hatchery-created hybrid, incapable of reproducing) in selected waters. Some of these are stocked in rivers and streams, so-called “put-and-take” waters in which trout are not expected to over-winter, but the lion’s share of hatchery fish are introduced to ponds and lakes, thereby becoming the basis for a “put, grow and take” fishery. Lake trout (togue), landlocked salmon, rainbow trout and brown trout are considered “exotic,” or non-indigenous, species. Browns and rainbows never occurred in Maine at all, while landlocked salmon (taxonomically similar – some say identical – to Atlantic salmon) are native to only four Maine waters. In all other places, the landlocked salmon fishery is a result of stocking. Indeed, the salmon in Moosehead Lake, one of Maine’s premiere coldwater fish producers, are a result of stocking, since the species does not naturally occur in Moosehead. Moosehead does contain wild salmon, born in the watershed, descendents of stocked fish, but even

this population is supplemented by regular stocking via DIF&W. And local anglers support upping the salmon numbers scheduled for the big lake. Fly-fishers have countless streams and rivers where they flock to take brown trout on insect imitations. But these are all, with the possible exception of limited natural reproduction in a few select waters, stocked fish. Many Mainers still practice the age-old art of deep-trolling for trout in summer. In lakes with holdover capacity, meaning where cool, well-oxygenated conditions exist even in summer, trout can grow to magnificent proportions. Several summers ago I took two 4-pound brown trout from a local lake during a June fishing trip. These fish were originally stocked, but did that bother me? Certainly not. Big Vacancy In conclusion, let’s try to envision a Maine without stocked salmonids. We would surely have a good number of togue waters, since togue have an easier time spawning to good effect than other trout. And our Heritage waters, those little trout ponds that we so cherish, would still hold fish, but without stocked water to dissipate the pressure, fishing on these small ponds would increase dramatically. And those little unsung brooks and streams, the alder-lined jungles

that many adults avoid because of the physical effort involved and the relatively small size of the trout living there, would also see an increase in fishing pressure. So with about 80 percent of our salmonids removed from the equation, anglers would probably begin concentrating on warmwater species such as bass and pike. And the wonderful trout and salmon fishing we enjoy now would become nothing more than a fond memory. Kudos, then, to our fisheries biologists at DIF&W. They are responsible for keeping Maine waters filled with the coldwater species we so love. Net Reinvented As a child I reveled in sitting in my Grandpa’s rocking chair and reading his outdoor magazines. This was in the 1950s, and those magazines contained ads for a folding landing net. I wanted one, but couldn’t manage to accumulate funds for the purchase. Last winter the memory of those ads flitted through my mind and on a whim, I did an internet search. Lo and behold, the old collapsible nets are once again on the market. I contacted Ed Welker, who, along with his son, have purchased the old tools and rights and are now making Handy Pak Insta-Nets and selling them all around the world. The beauty of these

devices will immediately become clear when we think back to that brook-fishing trip where our standard landing net constantly hung up in brush. And worse, nets with elastic lanyards become hung up as we walk, only to rip loose and come back at us, hitting us on the noggin. That won’t happen any more, not with the Insta-Net. The Insta-Net folds neatly into either a leather or vinyl holster on our belt. When needed, all you do is pull the net out, and it instantly springs back into shape. And there’s more. Others must have had experiences similar to mine. That is, I’ve netted trout in tight situations and before I was able to withdraw the net and the fish it contained to a safer place, the fish jumped out and back into the water. That won’t happen with the Insta-Net, since once netted, the net rim neatly folds around the fish, making it impossible for it to escape. Also, these new/old nets come in a variety of bag types, even a special catch-andrelease variety. So with the advent of the new Insta-Net, my boyhood dream has come true. Who says you can’t go home again? For more on the Insta-Net, go online to www. handypaknetco.com, email the Welkers at handypaknet@gmail.com or call them at (800) 9588033. By the way, these nets come with a lifetime guarantee. And the website includes a video that demonstrates the trick to re-folding the net.

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68 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Big Hornâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s .50 Caliber with Old West Flavor Back in March 2006, when â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Shooterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Benchâ&#x20AC;? was just a few months old, I wrote about the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum that was making its way into Maine. A behemoth cartridge for a behemoth handgun, the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum offers sufficient knockdown power for large and dangerous game. In a handgun weighing just under five pounds, the .500 S&W produces punishing recoil that few shooters can handle well. Difficult to manage in optimal circumstances, the

.500 S&W appeals to a select few. Fourteen years after Smith & Wesson first announced its creation, the .50-caliber cartridge seems far more viable than the platform it was originally designed for. Measured against most modern big game cartridges, the .500 S&W Magnum comes up short. Cartridge case and bullet together measure 2Âź inches in length. However, the cartridge propels a variety of bullets weighing between 275 grains and 500 grains at velocities from 1,324

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feet per second up to 2,225 feet per second. The .500 S&W Magnum develops muzzle energies from about 1,400 foot pounds to an amazing 3,500 foot pounds, depending on the bullet choice and powder charge. This cartridge waited since 2003 for someone to develop a rifle that would unleash its full potential. Now, a young company out of Cody, Wyoming offers a fully American-made rifle that lets the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge be the kind of performer it was meant to be. Big Horn According to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, the employee-owned Big Horn Armory, Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;started in 2008 with the expressed purpose of designing a Browning-type lever action gun, chambered in .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum.â&#x20AC;? Their Model 89 rifles and carbines

Finally, someone has come out with a top-quality rifle to chamber the hard-hitting .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge. Photo from Big Horn Armory

look, feel, and function as their great Winchester and Marlin forebears. The Model 89 stands alone. Bold and rugged, the Big Horn Armory Model 89 extracts a higher level of performance from the .500 S&W cartridge over any handgun platform. With an 18inch barrel, seven- round tubular magazine, almost eight pounds of recoil-absorbing mass and Pachmayr butt pad, the Model 89 transforms the novelty of the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge into a true big game round. ALWAYS BUYING, SELLING & TRADING QUALITY FIREARMS

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Called the Model 89 as an homage to John M. Browningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1886 and 1892 Winchester designs, this new lever-action nods to the past but incorporates modern advancements. CNC milled entirely from stainless steel, Big Horn Armory products come finished in a matte gray or something the company calls hunter black. They also offer an optional color-casehardening finish for real traditionalists. Most of these guns feature handsome, checkered American black walnut buttstocks and forearms. As options, the maker offers both a gray and a brown weather-resistant laminate stock. Big Game The Model 89â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green fiber optic front sight both complements and contrasts with its bolt-mounted adjustable rear aperture sight. The rear sight moves back and forth with the movement of the bolt in the same fashion as on the Winchester Model 71. In the same way, the Model 89â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gently curved actuating lever and trigger guard seem reminiscent of Winchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long discontinued Model 64 lever action. For all its swirl of sentimentality, the Model 89 is at heart a powerful antidote for big and dangerous game. It is a (Continued on next page)

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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • June 2017 • 69

Northern Bass Size vs. Southern Bass Size The largemouth bass is an introduced species in Maine’s ponds and lakes, and fishing for them has gotten more and more popular in Maine since the 1980s. Until then, biologists didn’t pay too much attention to the spices. They are a really adaptable fish, and don’t need too much management. But in Maine, a 12-inch bass is usually 6 years old, and bass from 15-20 inches long can be up to 20 years old! So when a bass that size is harvested out of that area, that can take a while to replace, and the

trophy-bass population can decline when fishing pressure, and removal, is high. Bass in Maine can get pretty big (the record is 11 pounds, 10 ounces), but that’s nowhere near as big as in southern states. Florida anglers have caught several bass bigger than 19 pounds, while in Georgia the record is 22 pounds. Why can’t we grow huge fish in Maine? There are three things that can affect the growth rate of bass: structure, water temperature and food. “Structure” means weed beds, lily pads, boul-

Shooter’s Bench (Continued from page 68)

sort of preferred sidekick for travel in bear country. It would well serve a Kenyan coffee planter concerned with meeting a hungry leopard in the dim light of dusk or dawn. In Maine, the Big Horn Armory Model 89 offers a superb option for the moose and bear hunter. It offers more power than is needed for deer, but would get the job done for anyone who wants one rifle to use for deer, moose, or bear. Among the collections of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College in Brunswick resides a short-barreled, pistol-gripped Winchester Model 1892 in .4440. The gun accompanied Peary and Matthew Henson to the North Pole in 1909 as protection against polar bears. The admiral

ders, sunken logs or other objects. All these things attract baitfish looking for cover from predators like the bass. They can also be a good hiding spot for predator fish to ambush an unsuspecting baitfish. Too much structure and the baitfish will be very hard for the bass to find. Water temperature is the second big factor. When the water is cold from late fall to early spring, the bass are slow and sluggish, and they don’t expend a lot of energy chasing bait. Which leads to food, the third and most im-

portant reason why Maine bass don’t get as big as southern bass. Maine does not have the forage base like states such as Texas have. For big fish, forage means smaller fish to eat. Texas ponds and lakes have what are called threadfin and gizzard shad, which provide feed for the bass. A bass needs 4 to 8 pounds of forage to put on a pound of weight. Shad are an important food source; that’s why southern tackle shops carry a lot of lures that look like shad. Here in Maine, at least up to now, there has

and his party would have been far more protected by an agile carbine from Big Horn Armory in .500 S&W Magnum. If any downside to the Model 89 exists, it would be its price point. Frugal Maine shooters will think long and hard about any rifle with a base MSRP of $2,499. Laminate stocks add $50. Fancy walnut stocks add $600. A unit with color-case hardening and fancy walnut brings the MSRP all the way to $4,299. Add to that the price of .500 S&W Magnum ammunition, and the overall costs fall beyond the fiscal range of most Maine hunters. Bright Future While price point remains an issue, quality, durability, and function do not. The Big Horn Armory Model 89 gives every indication of superior workmanship and performance. All the way back to the Civil War

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not been a fish that serves as good forage in order to grow monster bass. But that may be changing. The state is helping to introduce alewives into lots of new lakes. The bass are starting to feed on these alewives and they are growing faster because of it. I have seen bass at lake dams waiting for the alewives. So lakes that will start getting alewives might produce some big and fast-growing bass. Time will tell! Thanks for reading, and good luck on the water.

and the Henry rifle and then a short time later the Winchester Model 1866 “Yellow Boy” (so called for its bright brass receiver), American shooters have loved the lever action. Many also love big, bruising cartridges. Hence the success of the .500 Smith & Wesson as a pistol cartridge. Many will overlook the costs in favor of the fun that the big bore generates. Others will go for the undisputed knockdown power of the Model 89. In any case, Big Horn Armory products represent top quality, American-built rifles that lift the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum to new levels of performance. Any shooter who thinks the Model 89 “speaks” to them ought to heed that little inner voice and cultivate a plan to obtain one.

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70 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ The Maine Sportsman â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (Continued from page 69)

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1300921 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MILO: 400+/acres with renovated farmhouse and barn. Water frontage on the 1300744 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BROWNVILLE: 92.4+/-acres Piscataquis River and located on dead end road. Power available. Schoodic Lake nearby. Great Ricker Brook. Home has slate sink, tin ceilLQJ DQG RIĂ&#x20AC;FH LQ EDUQ ,76 WUDLOV QHDUE\ recreational area. $75,000 $599,000 1257087 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONROE: 2+/-acres. Scenic ORW ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;HOGV DQG GLVWDQW YLHZV 3RZHU DW 1287953 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ORNEVILLE: Boyd Lake shore front roadside. Perfect location for a home. cottage 100â&#x20AC;&#x2122; of water 3RVVLEOH RZQHU Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLQJ $32,900 frontage. Drilled well, 1235504 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HUDSON: 5.5+/-acres wooded septic system, monitor lot. Power at roadside. Great location heater and open concept are just some for that outdoor enthusiast. Not far from of the features of this property. $99,500 Bangor, Old Town or Orono. $17,900

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SOLON. Approximately 19 acres of wooded, open and flat land with about 1056 feet frontage on Rowell Pond. Awesome spot for camp! Have a look! $42,000. MADISON. Surveyed, soil tested 3.6 acre building lot in a nice country location. Includes deeded covenants. Wooded, level land. (Lot 2) $23,900 ANSON. Beautiful mountain views await you on this private 5.11 acre lot less than an hour from Sugarloaf. Come here to build your new home or year round retreat and enjoy great access to the Maine outdoors. Great hunting, fishing, ATV trails, and snowmobile trails nearby. Electricity is available at the street. $14,500. EMBDEN. Nicely wooded 20.87 acres of land on a gravel road. Power is available at the road. Great location to build a home or camp while keeping the privacy feel. $35,000. BURNHAM. Great 13.64 acre house lot with 383 feet of road frontage on Route 100. Land has been soil tested. Close to Pride Manufacturing. Some harvestable wood. Private. Great hunting area. See deeds: B3529P60 and B3562P187. $34,900. SOLON. Looking for the perfect piece of property? This could be it! Approximately 71 acres with about 900 feet frontage on the West Road. Tons of room to build a camp and then roam and hunt until your heart is content. Currently in tree growth for tax purposes. (Hb356) $78,500. EMBDEN. A true Maine wilderness experience with this approximately 50.5 acres of land with about 1,900 feet frontage on the Fahi Pond Road. Currently in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tree Growthâ&#x20AC;? for tax purposes. (Hb153) $39,900. MOSCOW. Sit in your living room watching over beautiful Wyman Lake! This is a great opportunity for anyone looking for an inexpensive property to take advantage of this sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise area. You are not far from the public boat launch for Wyman Lake, there are many snowmobiling and ATV trails in the area, woods to explore and white water rafting nearby. There is a large workshop and garage under the house to store your toys. Where else can you have a year â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round camp with these views for this price? $89,900. MOSCOW. Approximately 23 acres with about 400 feet frontage on Chase Stream. Nice quiet country setting close to the Kennebec River and Wyman Lake. Perfect to build your camp and go fishing, hunting or trail-walking. Property is in tree growth for tax purposes. (Hb348). $32,500.

www.MaineSportsman.com

tion Rentals/Lincoln. Call Tate 207-794-4208 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

FOR SALE RANGELEY LAKES TIME SHARE $2,000 plus maintenance fee of $620.07. Call 207854-8314 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

REAL ESTATE GREAT POND ROAD AURORA, ME 322 Acres on Beaver Pond. Well, septic, generator, camp sleeps 8,fully furnished, full bathroom & kitchen. Trout & Wild Game. $250,000 FMI 207-584-2004 3 BEDROOM HOUSE ROCKWOOD, ME, WATERFRONT Deer backyard, Fishing frontyard, Moose backyard, Boating frontyard, Bear backyard, Airplane frontyard. Price $229,000. And rented out for $1,250/wk. Call Del 908-797-8202

GUIDE SERVICE FOR SALE IN BROWNVILLE, ME $239,000. Main lodge and one cabin. Sleeps 18 total. Two utility buildings, one with a walk-in-cooler. 45 leased bait sites for bear. 1 1/2 townships in one area. 40 stands. 2 acres with another 20 acres for $25,000. Fully equipped and ready to go. Great operation for bear. deer, moose, small game and fishing. FMI Retiring. 207-965-8875. HUNTING/FISHING LODGE FOR SALE Active commercial hunting and fishing lodge with 7 cabins, 10 acres, 50 leased bait sites. $250,000. 802-738-3877 FISH RIVER LAKE CAMPS In T14-R8. Remote camps with miles of shorefront and few neighbors. Great fishing, hunting and lots of privacy! Moose, bear, deer & birds. Camps are

fully furnished â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bring your toothbrush and move in! Water, showers, toilets, gas lights & generator, sleeps 8-10 easily. Possible financing.Call FMI & pics. $164,000 Ben Brown 207-745-0191. 2 ACRE LOT IN AROOSTOOK The town of Macwahoc. Electricity, 24x24 sona tubes, floor joists. 500 ft. frontage. $9,000.00 FMI 207-854-8314 280 ACRES WITH FRONTAGE

Along Aroostook River Masardis, Maine. Mostly wooded with 2 open fields. Deer, Moose Bear and waterfowl habitat. Electric available at roadside. Felicia Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Clair at Dobbs (Continued on next page)

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Realty, 92 Bennett Dr. Caribou, ME. 207-4931300 or 207-227-1958 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

WANTED WANTED DEER/ MOOSE ANTLERS BUYING any size deer & moose shed antlers/

venison. Thank you. 207779-7634 WANTED IN EAGLE LAKE Wild-Game Processing looking for meat cutter for two months to process bear and moose. Call if interested. 207-227-7529

racks or antlered skulls. All grades bought by the pound. 802-875-3206 WANTED ZONE 25 ANY-DEER PERMITS Dedicated still-hunter, bow/rifle/muzzleloader, seeks transfer of ME resident Zone 25 permit in September. Will share professionally butchered

NEW COTTAGE FOR SALE IN NORTHERN MAINE WOODS

Nesowadnehunk Lake Outlet. Two bedrooms, kitchen, living room, full bath, utility room and closed in porch. Beautiful view on a 200x200 leased lot. $150,000. Call (207) 290-0085 or HPDLO ÂżQHOLQHLQF #KRWPDLO FRP

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LEXINGTON

NEW PORTLAND

Classic log cabin in the pines! Standing metal seam roof, gas heat, spacious rooms. Well cared for. The garage is close to the snowmobile trails so you can head out on the trails right from there! Vast amounts of Maine wilderness to explore right out your door. $68,900

This house has lots of charm with large rooms and a 3 season porch. Use this sunny location for a year round home or as a vacation home. The area is a great location for all year round recreational activities. $83,900

LEXINGTON...BACK ROAD

Lovely wooded lot with 400 foot road frontage. Extra outbuildings. Great 4 season recreational area. Sandy Stream is just a short walk away. $115,000

More Camps and Land Available. Call Janet Peruffo at

CSM REAL ESTATE

207-265-4000 â&#x20AC;˘ e-mail janet@csmrealestate.com 259 Main Street, Kingfield, ME â&#x20AC;˘ www.csmrealestate.com

DREAM HOME in Salmon Country with access to Miramichi River Lincoln- &R]\ EHGURRP RSHQ Ă RRU plan cabin on 1.6+/- acres, gravity feed water, septic, propane lights and appliances, generator, dock, lakeside picnic area, electricity available, 290â&#x20AC;&#x2122;+/- along Folsom Pond. $87,500

Lakeville- Start building this spring! 2.4+/acre year round accessible lot, electricity available, driveway, clearing, dock, limited boat access to Junior Lake, great frontage along Duck Lake. $69,000

Lincoln- 7+/- acre scenic commercial lot on Penobscot River with boat launch, PRVWO\ RSHQ Ă&#x20AC;HOG FORVH WR DLUSRUW , and W. Broadway, access to natural gas, electric available, 1,187â&#x20AC;&#x2122; on River Road. $150,000 Winn- 5+/- acre lot, building site nestled amongst pine, recreational area, more land and frontage available, 370â&#x20AC;&#x2122;+/along the clear, clean Mattawamkeag River. $32,000

Lincoln- 2 bedrooms , kitchen with granLWH FRXQWHUWRSV GLQLQJ URRP GHQ Ă&#x20AC;UVW Ă RRU ODXQGU\ HQFORVHG SRUFK SDWLR SDYHG GULYH JDUDJH PDJQLĂ&#x20AC;FHQW YLHZV RI WKH ODNH ODUJH ORW FROG ZDWHU Ă&#x20AC;VKLQJ on Bigg Narrows. $159,900

Lincoln- Wonderful private 1.16 to 5.36 acre lots, driveways installed, ability to boat to Caribou and Long Ponds, access WR VQRZPRELOH DQG $79 WUDLOV RZQHU Ă&#x20AC;nancing, frontage on Egg Pond, starting at $49,000

Lincoln-Close to Big and Little Narrows, year round paved access, electric available, 3.5 acres with driveway, 4.5 acres with roughed in driveway, frontage on Transalpine Road. $15,000

R E A L

3 bedroom cabin, open living area, bath with washer, updated pine interior, electricity, well, running water! Sited on dead end road with a manicured yard, private location, 100â&#x20AC;&#x2122; of beautiful frontage along Long Pond. $110,000

Burlington- Ready for building, driveway onsite, close to Saponac Pond boat ODQGLQJ RZQHU Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLQJ HOHFWULFLW\ available, 2.7 acres with 260â&#x20AC;&#x2122; frontage on Rte. 188. $14,000 T3 R1- Quiet area, 1.56 and 2.51 acre lots, Bill Green Pond access from 2 common lots, ATV/snowmobile trail access, driveZD\V RZQHU Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLQJ VLWHG RQ Sylvan Way. $12,500 each

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 om

1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tateâ&#x20AC;? Aylward ................ 794-2460 Peter Phinney.................. 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie...................... 290-1554

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION FORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM

Dream home in the Blackville area, 2 miles below the Cains River. Ideal salmon country with access to 0LUDPLFKL 5LYHU Ă&#x20AC;VKLQJ ULJKWV Possible to run a recreational EXVLQHVV IRU ELJ JDPH PRRVH GHHU EHDU JURXVH DQG ZRRGFRFN $ beautiful place to relax year round with the whole family. Furniture and appliances included! Private apartment with separate entrance may be rented out to SD\ WKH PRUWJDJH Comfortably accommodates 10 people. Very private lot with RXWGRRU Ă&#x20AC;VK SRQG ZRUN VKRS FRPSOHWH ZLWK WRROV DQG LQFOXGHV \HDU V ZRUWK RI Ă&#x20AC;UHZRRG &RWWDJH DSSUR[LPDWHO\ \HDUV ROG QHZ URRI LQ 2013. All for just $90,000 A MUST SEE! Please call: 506-843-6299; 506-843-7795 or 506-625-4817

Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker

207-233-8275 caryn@citycoverealty.com www.realestateinrangeley.com â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Real Estate Source for the Rangeley Regionâ&#x20AC;? #1158 - RANGELEY LAKE: 2 camps for the price of 1!! 2 bedroom camp with open Ă RRU SODQ ODNHVLGH GHFN DQG ED\ JDUDJH with 2 bedroom apartment above. Both DUH IXOO\ \HDU URXQG ZHOO PDLQWDLQHG PRYH LQ UHDG\ )URQWDJH RQ +XQWHU &RYH ZLWK GRFN $319,000 #1156 - KENNEBAGO RIVER: Sports PDQÂˇV SDUDGLVH EHKLQG WKH JDWH RIIHULQJ SULYDWH DFUHV ZLWK Âˇ RI ULYHU IURQWDJH 5HKDE RU UHSODFH ROGHU FDELQV RQ SURSHU W\ <HDU URXQG URDG DFFHVV ZLWK JDWHG HQ WU\ 6HYHQ ,VODQGV /DQG &R /HDVHG /DQG $85,000 #3104 - RANGELEY LAKE ACCESS: (QG RI WKH URDG SULYDF\ RQ ZRRGHG DFUHV ODNH DQG PRXQWDLQ YLHZV GHHG HG 5DQJHOH\ /DNH ZDWHUIURQW ZLWK GRFN :HOO PDLQWDLQHG EHGURRP FKDOHW ZLWK FRPIRUWDEOH Ă RRU SODQ VSDFLRXV VXQ Ă&#x20AC;OOHG URRPV ODUJH ZUDS DURXQG GHFN $299,500

www.MaineSportsman.com

72 • June 2017 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————