The Maine Sportsman May 2022 Digital Edition

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2 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Sporting Camps & Lodges — A True Maine Tradition — Spencer Pond Camps

Mt. Chase Lodge

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Family Vacations • Group Events Hunting & Fishing Parties World Class Small Mouth Bass & Landlocked Salmon Fishing ATV & Snowmobile Trails • Hiking Snowshoe • Cross Country Ski 191 Pine Drive, Grand Lake Stream, ME (207) 796-5539 • shorelinecamps@gmail.com

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im Pond CAMPS

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Guide Service • Seaplane Flyouts Brook Trout & Salmon Fishing Wild Ruffed Grouse, Bear, Deer & Moose Hunts

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BOGGY BROOK OUTFITTERS Booking Guided Fishing Trips, Bear, Moose, Turkey & Deer Hunts Lodge & Cabin Accommodations Master Guide Jesse Derr 207-667-7271 ~ jdcon@yahoo.com Branch Lake, Ellsworth, ME

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Allagash Lakes Region

Quality Cabins & Lodge on Haymock, Spider & Cliff Lakes American Plan Lodge • Housekeeping Cabins • Year Round

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North Maine Lakeside Cabin Rentals 207-551-8292 www.libbyoutposts.com Lake Molunkus Sporting Camps

Bald Mountain Camps Guide Service Guided Snowmobile Tours Fishing & Hunting

Deer • Moose • Bear • Upland Bird Coyote • Bobcat 14 Cabins on Mooselookmeguntic Lake Mooselo Full-Service Lodge, Restaurant & Bar

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Shoreline Camps

SHORELINE, on Big Lake at the mouth of the fabled Grand Lake Stream, has been welcoming sportsmen and families to the pristine shores of Big Lake for over 60 years. Shoreline offers eight comfortable cabins in a great location.

Open-water fishing season begins with April ice-out. Spring fishing is world class. Fly fish Grand Lake Stream, or slow troll Big Lake for salmon.

June signals the start of smallmouth bass season. Big Lake is one of Maine’s trophy smallmouth bass lakes.

Summer brings families that enjoy swimming, canoeing and kayaking, hiking and fishing, July through August.

Fall brings on the landlocked salmon run, and group-event season.

Whether vacationing with two or 20, Shoreline Camps is the place to be.

Well-appointed seasonal and year-round housekeeping cottages provide everything needed for a long week-end, weekor month-long stay in the quiet beauty of the Down East Lakes Region.

Big Lake and the surrounding fields and forests are well known for excellent grouse and turkey hunting. The island-dotted lake is a kayak paddler’s paradise, with boating, swimming, snowmobiling and ice fishing, hiking and ATV trails making Shoreline Camps a four-season Maine experience.

Big Lake is one of Maine’s largest lakes, encompassing almost 18,000 acres, a maximum depth of 70 feet, and measuring 70 miles in perimeter. It draws anglers from across the country, and Grand Lake Stream fly fishing is world-renowned.

Local Registered Maine Guides are available for hire to assist you in catching trophy fish, finding a bear or moose, or inland game birds. Traditional guide services in traditional Grand Laker Canoes made right here in Grand Lake Stream.

Each camp – waterfront or water view – has from one to three bedrooms, a full kitchen, living room and private bathroom with shower, including fresh linens, blankets and towels. Shoreline Camps offers complimentary firewood, boat docks, boat launch and trailer parking.

Shoreline Camps provides facilities for group events (catering is now available), family reunions, sporting club

events, corporate retreats and workshops, destination weddings and event planning. Waterfront decks and fireplaces are perfect for enjoying a quiet cup of coffee while watching the sun rise, or for sharing the day’s adventures with friends and family. Join them for an unforgettable vacation, sporting trip, corporate or club retreat or family gathering.

Shorelines Camps is the ideal place for seasoned hunters and anglers to introduce nature and the great outdoors to the next generations of their children and grandchildren. Whether you are fishing, hiking, bicycling, bird watching, swimming, or simply relaxing, Mike and Jean Lombardo are there to make your stay enjoyable.

For more information about planning your visit, go to www.shorelinecamps. com, or contact them at 207-796-5539; email shorelinecamps@gmail.com.

Mt. Chase Lodge Situated on the shores of Upper Shin Pond, in the north Maine woods, Mt. Chase Lodge lies just down the road from Katahdin Woods & Waters national monument lands bordering the eastern side of Baxter State Park.

The national monument lands offer incredible opportunities for fishing, mountain biking, cross country skiing, hiking and exploring.

Your hosts, Mike & Lindsay Downing, bring many years of experience in the hospitality industry and the outdoors.

Lindsay was raised at Mt. Chase Lodge, roaming the woods and interacting with guests as a child. Lindsay’s parents, Rick and Sara Hill, operated the lodge from 1976 to 2015, laying a solid foundation for Mike and Lindsay to carry on the family business. In 2011, they together completed the Appalachian Trail, and they are well prepared to help you plan your next adventure!

Mt. Chase Lodge has become increasingly popular for group events, such as waterfront weddings, business conferences, family reunions and group retreats, and can comfortably accommodate 30-40 guests, with full bathrooms, automatic heat, electricity, cooking equipment and in most cases, newly renovated accommodations.

Mt. Chase Lodge offers five newly renovated private suites in the lodge, and five private cabins, with a rustic yet elegant feel. Guests staying in the lodge enjoy an all-inclusive breakfast included in the rate, Wi-Fi, AC, quaint waterfront views, locally bagged coffee and coffee pots for the early risers, along with small fridges and microwaves if you choose to bring your own food.

For those who opt for a private cabin experience, one can be as private or social as you’d would like. Join in on the famous meals served in the lodge, or if you choose, bring your own food and prepare it in your cabin. Cabins vary in size, and can accommodate 2-8 people.

Traveling with a pet? The cabins are petfriendly and the property offers great freedom for the stick-fetching Fidos out there.

New England’s best-kept trails run hundreds of miles in any direction,

and breathtaking scenery awaits you around every turn. Begin your next snowmobiling adventure at Mt. Chase Lodge, with easy trail access to ITS 85 and ITS 114, right from your cabin door.

Mt. Chase can accommodate riding groups in the lodge, with plenty of parking for vehicles and trailers. Ride in from a long day on the trails to find a warm fire Relax and rejuvenate in front of the stone fireplace.

Upper Shin Pond is an angler’s dream. The East Branch of the Penobscot River, the Sebois River, Hot Pond, Grand Lake Matagamon, Grand Lake Sebois, Snowshoe Lake and Hay Brook are just some of the many waters accessible from Mt. Chase Lodge.

For the fly fisherman, early morning and late afternoon fly hatches provide for fast action all summer long with wet or dry flies.

Maine’s ATV trail network is expanding, offering hundreds of miles of maintained ATV trails that can be accessed from Mt. Chase Lodge.

Mt. Chase also offers a new dining experience for locals and visitors alike. For information and reservation requests, call (207) 528-2183 or visit www.mtchaselodge.com. Michael and Lindsay Downing, Owners www.MaineSportsman.com

4 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Success of Sportsman’s Show Reveals Enthusiasm for All Things Outdoors

New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication

Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 595 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Carol Lund carol@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR: Deb Lund Carter distribution@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices.

All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 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

Photos: King Montgomery

The State of Maine Sportsman’s Show held at the Augusta Civic Center April 1 - 3 was a resounding success. More than 100 vendors; nearly 8,000 people through the front doors; and levels of excitement that have not been seen in several years.

Because planning and commitments had to be made last fall, when the pandemic picture was not as encouraging as it is today, the decision to go ahead was a long shot. With two successive years of no Show, vendors and attendees could easily have moved on to other interests and activities.

Or perhaps they could respond with renewed enthusiasm.

The answer? Outdoor folks came roaring back, with booth spaces filled, a record gate attendance, and packed aisles. One boat dealer reported seven new boats sold. Other booth operators reported strong sales of memberships, sporting goods and raffle tickets.

New England’s best trackers, authors, turkey callers and upland game experts offered seminars. Food concessions were busy. Classic and antique firearms were on display. Antlers were scored. Politicians sought votes. Worthy nonprofits pitched their causes. Girl Scouts sold cookies.

Hunting dog trainers and owners took the stage before appreciative audiences.

The Art Room was busy, with folks casting their ballots for “People’s Choice” for paintings, sculptures and carvings. The Trail Camera display showed candid shots of passing game and wildlife and game animals curious and interested in what this odd-looking thing was, hanging on a nearby tree.

The SAM booth attracted new members and supporters, while The Maine Sportsman booth gained additional subscribers and advertisers.

The renewed success of the Show was a strong testimonial to the continuing importance of outdoor life to folks here in the great State of Maine.

¶

On the Cover: With Mt. Katahdin serving as a backdrop, Maine Sportsman writer Christi Holmes fishes for brook trout in Kidney Pond, Baxter State Park. Photo by Travis Elliott. www.MaineSportsman.com

Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 15 A Ranger on the Allagash by Tim Caverly.................. 67 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 39 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 35 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 61 Cooking Wildly by Kate Krukowski Gooding............... 63 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux............................... 57 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by Lou Zambello....................... 47 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 44 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 9 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 43 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 60 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 19 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 31 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 59 Moosehead Region by Tom Seymour......................... 52 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 77 Nolan’s Outdoor World by Nolan Raymond............... 38 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 50 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 80 Quotable Sportsman by Will Lund................................ 33 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 72 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 79 Saltwater Fishing by Barry Gibson................................ 28 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 68 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 56 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 70 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund...................................... 79 Snapshots in Time by Bill Pierce.................................... 14 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 64 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 55 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................. 11 Tidewater Tales by Randy Randall............................... 65 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 66 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 81 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 48 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.54 Vermont by Matt Breton............................................... 76 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 74 Young Maine Guide by Luke Giampetruzzi................ 42

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

ATVing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri......................... 20 Boating by Dan Armitage............................................. 23 Guest: Hunter Ethics by Staci Warren.......................... 34 Guest: Mounting Your Turkey Fan by Colby Sughrue.32 Saltwater Fishing by Steve Carpenteri......................... 26 Turkey Hunting by Blaine Cardilli.................................. 30

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www.MaineSportsman.com

6 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters To The Editor

Benefits of Trapping

To the Editor: I just received the latest issue of The Maine Sportsman and read David Miller’s excellent article on the benefits of trapping.

I agree with him wholeheartedly that trapping fills a definite niche in the control of game populations.

Like hunters, trappers are true conservationists. While I am not a trapper, I understand the need for trapping.

I just wanted to drop him a line to let him know that I enjoyed his column.

Wayne Dengler – Danbury, CT —

Biggest Bucks Book?

To the Editor: I finally got a 221-pound buck at my camp in Passadumkeag. Got the Biggest Bucks patch, and two decals for my jeeps! My name is on the list is right next to Jeff Russell ( #1 – and I’ve seen

many of his videos, too!).

For years, I have eagerly awaited the biggest bucks issue to see who got what, where shot, and how big. I have all the big game record books from VT, NHASTC, MASTC, and NBBC. Fun to read to those over and over.

I was thinking The Maine Sportsman could publish a book with all those big buck pictures and entries. Would be historical record keeping! You could even add in old articles to make it more than just statistics and photos. Plus other interesting big buck pictures.

I think such a book would be a hot seller! Sign me up for the first book off the printing press. I just wanted to plant a seed.

Steve Salkaus – Petersham, MA —

Reader Pleased with Three Columns To the Editor: I am writing to compliment three of your writers for their columns in a recent issue.

First of all, thanks to Jim Andrews’ informative recent column about the Old Town Northern Light canoe, now I know what canoe to get.

Second, thank you very much to

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Col. J.C. Allard for his column on paper shotgun shells. I am looking forward to using Peter’s once again. I have purchased from RST in the past and have been very happy. I am looking forward to trying a new supplier. I never had a problem with paper shells swelling.

Finally, thank you to Val Marquez for promoting archery organizations. It is not always easy without a mentor. I had the privilege of making a bow with Stim Wilcox in Machiasport a few years ago – an unbelievable learning experience. I mostly shoot Byron Ferguson bows, and he also is very helpful if you reach out to him.

Please convey my appreciation to Val and to the other writers for their columns; I enjoy reading them every month.

Erik Warren – Columbus, OH —

Wants Al Diamon to Look Good in Jeans To the Editor: I read Al Diamon’s recent article on denim, regarding the difficulties he’s had finding quality jeans that fit.

I recommend he check out “Prison Blues” brand. They make shirts and trousers.

They are made in the USA; they feature 1950s quality; and the sizes fit.

The manufacturing process also has an interesting charity angle – all Prison Blues brand clothing is made by inmates currently serving time at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institute. Their slogan: “Made on the inside to be worn on the outside.”

They are very good quality garments.

Mr. Joe Deer – Clarksville, VA (Continued on next page)

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Three More Readers Enjoyed Randy Randall’s “Razing the Family Camp” Column To the Editor: Randy Randall’s recent account of the emotion evoked at the razing of the family’s camp, and at his upbringing as it related to the camp, was as good as it gets. I was particularly moved by the whip-owill, as it seems I haven’t heard one either in a long while. I talked to my twin brother today, and we revisited some of our experiences on the river where we spent much of our idyllic childhood. To have parents so very trusting when we would be gone most of the summer day is truly amazing. Fortunately, we seldom gave them any behavior where they would lose their trust.

As for lady slippers (mentioned in Randy’s column), we always treated the flower with a great deal of respect – a respect I believe our parents passed on to us. Perhaps I will never look at another lady slipper without feeling some sort of spiritual connection to it.

Brian Beckman – Phippsburg, ME To the Editor: Great “Lady Slippers” column

by Randy Randall in the Maine Sportsman. I am sure there are a lot more stories out there.

While I don’t have a cabin in

Maine, I go every year to hunt, and have nothing but similar stories from Maine with my father and his close friend. I’ve been going since 1986, and love all my time there.

John Keleher – Perrineville, NJ To the Editor: That was a great story by Randy Randall about his family’s camp on Swan Pond. It reminds me of our family camp in Skowhegan, on Lake George.

The camp was built in the 1950s.

In the 1990s, like Randy’s camp, repairs were going to cost more than it was worth. Access by boat made it even more difficult to maintain.

I made the mistake of selling it as is, and bought a camp in the Allagash. A great place for hunting and fishing, but too far for the kids on short weekends, so the camp memories of Lake George never quite materialized.

Now the kids are grown and gone. Sadly, the grandkids will never know of the fun their parents and grandparents had in the “family camp” on the lake.

Ben Brown – Summerfield, FL —

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Still Laughing at the April Fool’s Issue To the Editor: I am still laughing over the David Trahan spoof in the April Fool’s issue – thank you for the entertainment (re-printed photo below).

Leighton Wass – Adamant, VT

¶

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April Fool’s Day – Big Bang Theory David Trahan (left), Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine executive director, and Tom Tyler, SAM’s board chair, recently traveled to Augusta to urge lawmakers to increase the allowable caliber of hunting rifles. Standing on the steps of the Capitol Building in Augusta, they were able to knock down several geese that were flying over the opposite shore of the Kennebec River, a half-mile away.

Trahan handled all press questions after the demonstration, since Tyler could not hear anything. Photo courtesy Bill Pierce

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8 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

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George Magoon, Maine’s Infamous Poacher When the deputy showed up at the door to arrest Magoon, according to legend, a figure was seen jumping off the roof of the cabin and running into the woods. After a long chase, the runner turned out to be one of the poacher’s sons.

George Magoon was a famous Downeast deer and moose poacher who lived from1851 to1929.

He was so well-known in Washington County, and so many folktales surrounded his name, that Edward D. (“Sandy”) Ives, a University of Maine folklore professor, wrote a book about the facts and folk tales of his life (George Magoon and the Downeast Game Wars; University of Illinois Press).

George Magoon began hunting during a time when market hunting – killing deer and shipping barrels of deer meat to Boston – was an accepted practice, as was hunting Maine deer with dogs.

But the laws changed during Ma-

goon’s lifetime, and he did not adapt to those changes readily.

Some folks may be fascinated by poachers and their methods because they hope to learn something about deer hunting that they can apply to their lawful pursuit of deer. But they wouldn’t learn much of value in lawful hunting by studying Magoon’s techniques. More about that further on.

Small Man; Big Reputation Magoon was not a large man. He was only about five feet tall, but powerfully built. He had short legs, but his ability to move quickly in the woods was legendary, especially if the law were trying to catch him.

Magoon’s preferred hunting tech-

nique was to use a dog trained to track deer without barking – a silent trailer. He would turn the dog loose on a riverbank, preferably close to a known deer crossing, and then launch a canoe.

Those were the days of black powder, and his firearm of choice of choice was a ten gauge muzzle loader. He’d pour the powder down the muzzle and count the time.

Some shooters measured the powder, but George timed it.

After he thought it was enough, he’d pack in some wadding, and then dump in some buckshot.

It is remarkable

that his gun did not explode. It must have been well-made, because although it

kicked like a mule, it did not blow up.

He killed a lot of (Continued on next page)

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10 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Jottings (Continued from page 9)

deer.

Restaurant Supply Business This was a time when Boston restaurants paid good money for venison, and market hunters sent barrels filled with deer “saddles” to Boston by rail. Logging camps bought venison, too.

And while logging camps paid less than Boston restaurants, the poacher avoided the railroad’s shipping charges.

Eventually, serv-

ing venison in Maine logging camps was outlawed, and the law cut off an important source of income for George and his fellow poachers.

Learnable Method?

George Magoon’s method of hunting had an identifiable mark, which was commented upon by his critics.

The deer commonly showed gunshot wounds to the head, and mostly with shots entering the back of the deer’s head. Clear-

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ly he could get silently into position in his canoe.

How could this translate to as legal method today?

Following a light snowfall in October, a solo hunter could track a deer along the shore of a river or stream, with a second hunter in a canoe waiting for the deer to head for water. While this could be a legal adaptation of Magoon technique, it probably would not be a very productive technique today.

Also an Angler Not a lot has been said about Magoon’s fishing style, but it was simple. He would recruit a youngster or two to help him dig some worms, and then proceed to a quiet stream. He’d find a dead standing tamarack and break it off, trim off the limbs, and tie his line to the top of his pole.

Then he’d tie on a hook, and put a worm

on the hook. Next, he dapped the worm up and down on the surface of the stream until a trout hit it. He would “stiff heel” the trout in an arc over his head, causing the fish to land somewhere behind him.

His young assistants would find the trout and unhook it if it was not already free of the hook.

George would reach an empty palm behind his back, and one of his young assistants would drop a worm into his palm, whereupon George would rebait his hook.

It sounds to me like fishing for Pacific salmon, as practiced in some places today.

Encounters with the Law On one occasion when he was serving jail time for a poaching offense, George got tired of cutting up stove wood for the county, and headed for the back country.

Stories abounded

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about how he fooled the law.

On one occasion, according to folktales, when the deputy arrived at George’s farm, a small figure climbed onto the roof of the ell, ran to the end of it, jumped off, and headed for the woods, with the deputy in hot pursuit.

When the law finally caught up with the runner, the lawman discovered it was not George at all, but one of his kids.

Sandy Ives could not confirm that this escape actually took place at all.

On one occasion when the law came looking for George at his home, he took off for the woods, and the deputy actually shot at him. The bullet struck him in the shoulder.

Despite his wound, Magoon made good his getaway.

Under the laws of then and today, officers are not supposed to use deadly force in the case of a misdemeanor, and a lawsuit was brought on George’s behalf. Either by uncanny skill or great luck, George hired William Pattangall to represent him, and apparently managed to make the pending criminal charges disappear.

Pattangall, who operated a small newspaper, later wrote some widely-read political commentary, and after a time became the Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court. The newspaper carried a piece narrating George Magoon’s activities as a thinly-disguised fiction piece; see The Meddybemps Letters.

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 11

Captiva Island: Florida Fishing That Didn’t Happen People often ask us if we live in Maine allyear, or whether we head south for all or part of the winter like so many others. We answer that we occasionally go to Kittery or maybe Portsmouth, NH for a day, but live here full-time. At least that’s the way it was until we ventured to the Gulf Coast of Florida for a short week in early February of this year. And darn it, we had an absolutely wonderful time.

You can’t go to Florida without doing some fishing, and that applies just about year-round. A little later, I’ll talk about the fishing, and share the example of a father and young son I briefly encountered on the north end of Captiva.

But first, a little about the islands.

Paradise Islands Sanibel and Captiva are barrier islands lying just to the west of Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast, south of Tampa/St. Petersburg.

The West Coast of Florida, known as the Gulf Coast, is a very special place for fishing, or just for relaxing.

A colorful Gulf Fritillary alights on a thistle flower for some early spring nectar.

Vibrant colors are everywhere. All photos by King Montgomery

Sanibel, the larger of the two, is just over 13 square miles, while Captiva is just a tad more than one square mile. The islands’ East-West orientation is unusual, and as a result of their geographic placement, they have beaches almost all around. They are situated such that a shelf extends outward, catching a myriad of varieties of seashells that make shelling a

The abundant colors immediately caught my eye, mostly from the vast arrays of the green of palms, other exotic trees, and dune grasses; and the vast beaches spread out like forever.

major pastime for locals and visitors alike.

There are restaurants galore, and of every stripe you can think of, most of which have fresh seafood on the menu. You can have fare from France, Asia, South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Cuba, and good old American vittles at a diner or fancier restaurant.

My favorite meals

came from Cantina Captiva Mexican restaurant, and Sanibel’s Bleu Rendez Vous French Bistro. All the places we tried were varying degrees of very good to excellent, including the fresh oysters on-the-halfshell from the Green Flash restaurant on Captiva.

One of our missions, mostly for Elizabeth, on our all-tooshort visit, was to

February on the Gulf Coast of Florida is spring, and you can find all the colors of the rainbow on flowers.

search for a good collection of seashells to bring back to Maine to enjoy ourselves and share with friends.

She fondly remembers her first visit to Sanibel as a little girl, and still has some of the shells she collected back then.

The other goals were to spend a day fishing in the fertile, relatively warm waters; search out the abundant natural beauties of the area including wildlife; spend time with good friends from Kennebunk who spend a month on the island in winter; and relax as much as possible. Some of that happened, some didn’t, but it was a truly wonderful visit, albeit brief, and we’re already booked for a week in February next year. And we actually like Maine winters!

Nature Galore The abundant colors immediately caught my eye, mostly from the vast arrays of the green of palms and (Continued on next page)

The fresher line of shells is exposed as the tide recedes, and it has the more beautiful sea shells for the collector. These waters also hold a variety of gamefishes all year. www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

On many beaches, sea shells of all descriptions seem to go on forever. Shell collectors can be discriminating in which shells they collect.

Mangroves are salt-tolerant shrubs or trees that over the eons adapted to live and flourish in distinct, intertidal saline environs such as here in the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel’s north side.

Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 11)

other exotic trees, all the colors of the rainbow on flowers, bushes, the vibrant paint on homes and other buildings, and in tropical patterns on the shirts worn by tourists and natives alike.

The beaches of Sanibel-Captiva are loaded with seashells of dozens of varieties of Gulf of Mexico creatures. They live on the ocean floor from the surf line out to the depths, and when they die or get caught by storm currents, they wash up on shore in two lines of shells – those washed onto the beach from tidal action, and those pushed farther up the beach at higher tides over time.

The former are relatively freshly deposited, and the latter sit in a linear shell graveyard. Both provide collectible specimens, but

the fresher ones usually have better shape and color.

Since Sanibel-Captiva is considered the finest shell hunting grounds in the USA, it’s logical that the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is on the big island. It houses very tasteful and well-done displays of shells from all over the place, but the local shells are well-represented.

The shore and marsh bird population, particularly in winter and early spring on Sanibel’s J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, is quite large and varied.

These critters are the original “snowbirds” and a good number of them are found in Maine in late spring, summer and early fall, but winter here, like a lot of Maine residents.

A young white ibis on the left and an adult on the right sit on a mangrove tree and watch tourists taking their picture. www.MaineSportsman.com

Great blue herons and several egret species are a few examples of the birds we also see here in the Pine Tree State.

Mangroves are interesting plants that long have held my attention, and I absolutely love them, due in part, to their characteristics. They are salt-tolerant shrubs or trees that over the eons adapted to live and flourish in distinct, intertidal saline environs such as those provided by tropical barrier islands. I always called them fish nurseries, because they provide a fertile and relatively safe place for young fishes and other creatures to live until they venture into more open, and dangerous, waters.

Fishing All Year Round Okay, so there is better fishing in months other than the

A yellow-crowned night heron tiptoes along a line of mangroves looking for a morsel to eat. These are “snowbirds” and we see them and some of their cousins in Maine in warmer times.

dead of winter, but a number of fish species are available to inshore and offshore anglers. More inshore species, the ones found near Sanibel-Captiva, include seatrout, flounder, pompano, sheepshead, ladyfish, king mackerel, some snook, and a number of groupers and jacks.

If you fish from shore, a Florida fishing permit is needed, but if you go with a guide or on a head-boat, you don’t need one. Whenever I travel, I like to start out with a guide and at least learn about the basics of the area before venturing out on my own. Or I just stick with a guide, because you have a better chance of success with one, plus you learn a lot about the places you’re visiting and the ecosystem in general.

I booked guide Captain Dave Andrews for a day to take my friend

A pair of blue-winged teal cruise among the mangroves in the Ding Darling NWR. Teal are hunted during season in Maine in the fall and winter.

and me out to sample the inshore fishing.

Alas, it turned out to be a bad day for my health and the weather, so we had to cancel, but we’re going to book Capt. Dave next February to make up for it. I did, however, get the chance to meet and briefly talk with Dave and to see his gorgeous 24-ft Avenger fishing boat. I was duly impressed by both, and I can’t wait to get on the water with him and the Avenger. (Capt.

Dave Andrews, 239410-7194, www.daveandrewsfishing.com.)

We were exposed to some fishing when Elizabeth and I were tooling around in our rented golf cart on the north end of Captiva in the vast South Seas Resort, a 330-acre preserve with 2.5-miles of private beaches, marinas, a golf course and tennis courts. Near the golf course along (Continued on next page)

A great egret shows off its gorgeous white feathers and fetching eyes. We see them in Maine in warmer times.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 13

A father and young son admire the latter’s sheepshead caught on Captiva from the seawall. These fertile waters hold fish all year round.

(Continued from page 12)

the low seawall, a father and his young son were using spinning rods. Just as I asked how the fishing was, the boy’s rod took a good bend. He soon cranked up a small

sheepshead and posed for a quick photo. He was one happy youngster, and the dad was grinning from ear to ear.

During our brief time on the islands of Sanibel-Captiva, we

had big smiles on our faces, too. Yes, we’re already booked for 2023, and now I need to give Capt. Dave Andrews a call and set up a day on the water.

¶

Sunset on Captiva is enjoyed by people and this willet alike. You can see the rising and setting of the sun by moving a short distance from one side of the island to the other. www.MaineSportsman.com

14 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

“Snapshots in Time”

Historical Glimpses from Maine’s Sporting Past Compiled by Bill Pierce, Former Executive Director, Outdoor Heritage Museum

When an Angler Exaggerates, it’s called a “Whopper” It is often said that you can tell when a fisherman (or a politician) is lying, “… because their lips are moving.”

When I was six years old, my grandfather allowed me to go fish on my own in the pools of a small brook beside rented cabin. It had lots of small brook trout; however, I did catch about a 10” rainbow. As I was unhooking my prize, it squirmed from my hands and fell back into the pool. When I returned to the cabin, crestfallen, Grampy asked how I did.

I held my hands about width of my shoulders apart (16”) and shared

that I had caught and released a rainbow this BIG! (A two-for-one “fib-o-rama”).

Gramp’s eyebrows raised as he smiled and countered, “While you were sleeping in camp last night, I was restless, so I took a lantern and rowed out to night-fish the pond out back. It wasn’t long before I got a mean strike.” As he bent down his tale grew in intensity, like an approaching thunderstorm. “I stood up to fight him and the boat rocked, and the lantern fell off the back seat and into the pond. That big ol’ bruiser then broke me off. Well, I

looked down and saw that lantern, STILL LIT, on the bottom, and my fish was circling it with my worm and bobber trailing from its mouth!”

I shook my head and said, “Come on Grampy, that lantern wasn’t still lit.” To which he replied, “I’ll make you a deal. If you’ll bring your hands together some about how big your rainbow was … I’ll be happy to put out my lantern.”

What follows are some “whoppers” found on Page 5 of the June 11, 1896, edition of the RANGELEY LAKES newspaper. Enjoy!

True (?) Tales from the Lake

A certain gentleman, holding a high position under the State of Maine, and is a man who, it is said, never prevaricates … one day he was fishing with his pole. Luck was poor and he thought of trying in another locality, ten miles away.

He set his pole overnight at home and started for better grounds.

During the day he caught a trout with line in its mouth which resembled very much the one that he had left on his set pole. He did not think much about it then, but when he returned home, to his surprise he discovered that a fish had taken his hook and a part of the line on the set pole.

“This,” said he, “led me to think that fish travel all the time, for this fish had gone ten miles in a very short time.

(Writer’s note: In the 1990s, IF&W radio tagged and released a trout on the Rapid River that was located just a few days later at the outlet of Sturtevant Stream, more than 10 miles away.)

“I was fishing one day” said the same gentleman, “with a mongrel fly, and one of my own make. I had www.MaineSportsman.com

This photo is titled, “17 Salmon caught by J. Parker Whitney in one day.” In 1896, a good Daguerreotype image like this one would make the need for piscatorial exaggeration unnecessary. Photo courtesy of Rangeley Lakes Historic Society

a rise and lost my much-thoughtof fly. Five days later, I was rowing along where the bushes were sticking out of the water. My eye spied something red hanging on a small branch. I then investigated and found my lost fly.

“How do I account for that?

Well, I suppose the fish must have been up there among the bushes, got tangled, and pulled the fly out of its mouth, and when the water lowered, it brought the fly to view.

43 Fish on One Hook!

Dr. W. M. Haines recently told a story. “It is a pretty big fish story

but a true one,” said the doctor.

He was fishing some years ago the late Capt. Alden Bellatty, when the captain caught a female salmon, which appeared stuffed with food. Out of curiosity, the doctor performed an autopsy. There were forty-two smelts in that salmon, varying from an inch to three or four inches in length. Capt. Bellatty had caught forty-three fish on one hook!

As the mud thickens, be sure to get outside and make some “slightly embellished” outdoor history of your own!

Almanac

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 15

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

1) Add the grounds to cold water, then my basic U.S. Army training at Fort heat it and be careful not to boil it over; Dix, N.J. We were receiving marksmanor 2) Boil the water, and then add the ship instruction, using .30 M1 Garand Cowboy Coffee grounds. semi-automatic rifles.

by Lisa DeHart I’m in the latter group, mostly beOne of the best parts of being a Guide cause I don’t have the time or patience is making cowboy coffee every morning. to sit and watch that it doesn’t boil over.

It’s the first thing we do after pulling our But both ways make good coffee. boots on.

Using my preferred method, as soon This is such a top priority for the next as river water boils, take the pot off the day, that things are lovingly prepped fire, and set it on the ground in front of the night before. The wood gathered the the fire. Dump the grounds in, stir slownight you hit camp is ALWAYS enough ly, you’ll see it froth. Give that froth a Photo: TheArmoryLife.com for not just dinner but breakfast and minute to settle. Then take a big serving (Continued on next page) coffee the next morning. No matter how spoon, and stir fast clockwise. tired you are. If it’s been a tough day You’ll see a nice whirlpool lookon the river – headwind, boat rescue, id aine arine ing down into the pot. weather – I’ll beach my boat and the first Then, take a water bottle, THE BOATER’S CHOICE words out of my mouth, “I’d pay $6 for and dump about a cup of cold www.midmainemarine.com a cup of coffee!” Unlike being at home, water right down the center of 885 Kennedy Memorial Drive there is no time cut-off to drinking coffee that whirlpool. Put the top back Oakland, ME 04963 on a river.

(207) 465-2146 on the put, and next to, but not I carry two coffee pots with no guts in on, the fire. Make sure the hanthem. A 16-cup pot, in which I use 1 cup FOUR-STROKE OUTBOARDS dle is facing you, not the fire. of grounds, and a 22-cup pot, in which I In a minute, pour slowly and IN STOCK: use 1.5 cups of grounds. enjoy.

• 2.5 M Guides do this in one of two ways: Another great thing about • 3.5 M coffee is, it ALWAYS tastes as •4M good as you remember it. You •5M never drink it and think, “What •6M a shame – it’s not as good as •8M I remember it.” Instead, you • 9.9 M, ML drink, and you hear an orches• 9.9 EH, ELH tra. Every. Single. Time.

• 15 M, ML • 15 EH, ELH — • 20 M, ML Is That Firearm • 20 EH, ELH • 20 ELHPT Loaded?

• 25 ELHPT A True Story • 40 ELPT When you’re canoe camping, says

by Jon Lund • 50 ELPT guide Lisa DeHart, any time is the best • 60 ELPT This event occurred during time for cowboy coffee. DeHart photo • 90 ELPT-CT • 115 EXLPT Yes, Wild Turkeys are Good Flyers PRO XS Three Minutes with a Maine Guide

M -M

How well do wild turkeys fly? Very well, it turns out, at least for several hundred yards at a time. Their highly-cambered wings provide enough lift to propel them 50 feet up into high pine trees, and they have a top speed of about 50 m.p.h. Maine Sportsman contributing writer Blaine Cardilli was scouting turkeys in early April and took this photo, showing the array of feathers the big birds use in flight. Blaine is an excellent wild turkey caller; see his special feature in this issue on page 30.

M

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16 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 15)

One day, our training ran into the late afternoon, and it was dark as we came back to the rear from the firing line.

We were each instructed to pause so the Lieutenant could check to make certain our rifles were unloaded.

The Sergeant (a non-commissioned officer) apparently didn’t have full confidence in the (commissioned) Lieutenant who was checking each rifle, so the Sarge did a second check.

In one of the rifles that the Sarge checked, he found a live round that the Lieutenant had missed.

—

Injuries in the Maine Outdoors Got Hooked?

by Stacey Wheeler, RN Bowdoin, Maine

The most common fishing injury Maine anglers face is being impaled with a fishhook.

I have seen this situation frequently in hospitals across the state. In fact, most of us anglers will hurt themselves in this manner at some point.

Removing an impaled hook can be fairly simple, and early removal is a key to preventing infection.

• • • •

First Aid Supplies Needed Fishing pliers with wire cutter Antibiotic cream Band aids 10-pound test fishing line

Two Removal Techniques 1) Advance-Cut Method • Cut away any lure or line from the hook • With your pliers, push the hook completely through the skin • Cut off the barb • Gently “back out” the hook the way it went in.

2) String-Pull Method • Create a 6” loop in your piece of fishing line, and feed the loop over the hook onto the top of the bend. Twist line and pull taut.

Source: AmFamPhysician Photo: Stacey Wheeler, RN

(Continued on next page)

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 17 (Continued from page 16)

• Find a stable, flat surface to rest the affected area on.

• Get a good grip on the string.

• While pushing downward on the shank of the hook, pull the line quickly up and away at a 30˚angle.

After removal, clean the site thoroughly, apply antibiotic cream, and cover with a band aid.

DO NOT ATTEMPT to remove a hook from your eye, face or joint, or if it’s deeply embedded into muscle. Doing so can lead to long-lasting or permanent damage.

Seek help at your closest emergency room.

Keep safe, and keep fishing!

—

Maine, which details more than 260 species found regularly in the state.

Beautifully illustrated with photographs from national(Continued on next page)

Two New Books from Nick Lund An accomplished birder and writer, and frequent contributor to The Maine Sportsman, Nick Lund of Cumberland recently published The American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of

www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

May 2022 Sunrise/Sunset

(Continued from page 17)

Portland, ME DATE 1 Sun 2 Mon 3 Tue 4 Wed 5 Thu 6 Fri 7 Sat 8 Sun 9 Mon 10 Tue 11 Wed 12 Thu 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun 16 Mon

RISE 5:31 5:29 5:28 5:27 5:25 5:24 5:23 5:22 5:20 5:19 5:18 5:17 5:16 5:14 5:13 5:12

SET 7:44 7:45 7:47 7:48 7:49 7:50 7:51 7:52 7:54 7:55 7:56 7:57 7:58 7:59 8:00 8:01

DATE 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun 23 Mon 24 Tue 25 Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon 31 Tue

RISE 5:11 5:10 5:09 5:08 5:08 5:07 5:06 5:05 5:04 5:04 5:03 5:02 5:02 5:01 5:00

SET 8:02 8:04 8:05 8:06 8:07 8:08 8:09 8:10 8:11 8:12 8:12 8:13 8:14 8:15 8:16

May 2022 Tides DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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

Portland, ME HIGH AM PM 12:02 12:34 12:39 1:14 1:14 1:53 1:51 2:33 2:29 3:16 3:12 4:03 4:00 4:53 4:52 5:45 5:47 6:37 6:43 7:29 7:41 8:18 8:35 9:03 9:26 9:47 10:15 10:30 11:04 11:15 11:54 — 12:02 12:45 12:51 1:37 1:43 2:32 2:39 3:31 3:40 4:35 4:45 5:39 5:53 6:42 7:00 7:43 8:05 8:39 9:05 9:29 9:58 10:14 10:47 10:56 11:32 11:35 — 12:14 12:13 12:54

www.MaineSportsman.com

LOW AM PM 6:21 6:27 7:00 7:04 7:38 7:41 8:17 8:19 8:57 9:01 9:42 9:47 10:30 10:38 11:20 11:32 — 12:12 12:29 1:05 1:28 1:56 2:24 2:45 3:15 3:31 4:03 4:16 4:51 5:01 5:39 5:49 6:29 6:38 7:20 7:29 8:13 8:24 9:10 9:23 10:11 10:28 11:14 11:36 — 12:17 12:46 1:20 1:54 2:19 2:55 3:12 3:49 3:59 4:37 4:42 5:21 5:23 6:02 6:01 6:40 6:39

ly-renowned photographer Brian E. Small, the guide is the only comprehensive field guide to Maine birds, and is an excellent addition to any hunting camp bookshelf.

Lund also published a science book for young teens called the Ultimate Biography of Earth, which takes a light-hearted but thorough journey across 4.5 billion years of history, with illustrations from Jason Ford. Both books are available now.

Lund is Outreach and Network Manager at Maine Audubon, in Falmouth.

—

Maine Wild Turkey Hunting Spring Season Rules

Open Statewide: The spring wild turkey hunting season opens May 2 statewide, subject to bag limits set forth below.

Season and Bag Limits • Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Day -- April 30, 2022 – May take up to 2 bearded Wild Turkeys from WMDs that have a 2-bird limit.

• Wildlife Management Districts 7, 9-29 -- All hunters: May 2, 2022 - June 4, 2022 – 2 bearded Wild Turkeys** • Wildlife Management Districts 1-6 and 8 -- All hunters: May 2, 2022 - June 4, 2022 – 1 bearded Wild Turkey**

**May take up to 2 turkeys for the spring season, but an individual WMD bag limit cannot be exceeded. The order in which they are Photo: King taken does not Montgomery matter.

Equipment Shotgun: A person can use shotgun gauges 10 through 20, using shot sizes 4 through 6, or mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7. In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including .410, may be used with shot sizes 7 through 9 in Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). A person using a shotgun must possess a valid big or small game hunting license and a turkey permit.

• Bow & Arrow: A person must possess a valid archery license, and a turkey permit.

• Crossbow: A crossbow may be used to hunt wild turkeys during the spring wild turkey hunting season. A person hunting with a crossbow must possess either a valid big or small game firearms hunting license or an archery license, as well as a turkey permit and crossbow permit.

• Use of Dogs Prohibited: It is unlawful to hunt with dogs during the spring wild turkey season.

• Electronic Calling Devices Legal: The use of electronic calling devices is legal.

•

Hunting Hours Legal hunting time is from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Source: Maine DIF&W

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 19

Maine Wildlife:

Alewives

by Tom Seymour

Alewives, or river herring, rank among my favorite fish for several reasons. They willingly take wet flies and small jigs, they fight like mad and are highly acrobatic, they are available in large numbers each spring, and they taste great when properly prepared.

What more could anyone ask of one fish species?

Alewives are anadromous fish, ascending streams and rivers each spring to spawn. It’s called the “alewife run.”

Many coastal towns regulate the alewife harvest, and in those towns, recreational harvesting is not allowed. Other towns, mostly those with smaller runs, don’t regulate the harvest, and here is where the angler, armed with the lightest spin or fly gear, can have a field day.

Many of the traditional alewife-harvesting spots are now off limits to recreational anglers and to those who would dip them with a smelt net. Elver nets have taken precedence, and land access, in many cases, is prohibited during the elver season.

If you are fortunate enough to locate a place with an alewife run on un-posted land, by all means give alewife fishing a try. Fly fishers can have good results with a simple wet-fly pattern. Daily bag limit is 25 fish per person, but also check for any municipal rules.

Failing eyesight prohibits tying flies now, but I formerly tied a simple wet fly on a size 10 hook wrapped with silver tinsel. The fly needed no tail, but had small, yellow-quill wings.

I would cast the fly upstream and allow it to drift naturally downstream.

At the end of the drift, I kept the fly in the current for a few moments before slowly working it back in, closely watching the line for any sign of a take.

Mostly Bait The lobster industry, being hardpressed on all fronts, has to use every available resource for lobster bait, and alewives are a long-time favorite.

Photo: Maine Coast Heritage Trust

That’s why towns have municipal weirs to allow the taking of alewives for lobster bait.

In days past, there were other uses for alewives. Going back to when Maine was mostly rural and the bulk of the population lived on farms, cottage industries – ways to make money in the off-season – were popular. That’s why most farms had smokehouses. These were for family use, but also, in the case of smoked alewives, the product of the smokehouse represented added income for farm families.

As people’s appetites became inclined toward more refined dishes, the lowly smoked alewife became less important with each passing year. Still, some commercial smokehouses remained. They are mostly all gone now, but I can drive around the countryside and point out places where alewife smokehouses once stood.

Because a small number of old-time Mainers still loved their smoked alewives, Canada supplied their needs – at least they did up until 25 or 30 years ago. But now, even the imported Canadian smoked alewives are a thing of the past.

Home-Smoked A resurgence in interest in homemade smoked foods, part of the back-tothe-land movement, has put alewives back in the driver’s seat. Want to try it yourself? Here are some hints.

As opposed to some other foods, alewives should be placed in a salt brine for 10-12 hours prior to smoking.

Do not gut or scale the alewives.

Smoked alewife roe is a delicacy.

Here is my favorite brine recipe: 1-1/3 cup canning salt, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1-3 teaspoons garlic powder, 1-3 teaspoons onion powder and Worces-

tershire sauce or soy sauce according to taste. After brining, I like to rinse the fish in fresh water to reduce some of the saltiness.

Smoke the brined alewives until they are a golden brown. Times will vary according to your smoker. Note that even if you don’t have a big electric smoker, you can still get good results using a simpler form of smoker. I use a Cameron’s Stovetop Smoker. Just place the fish on the rack, slide the near-airtight lid closed, and place on the burner.

Being members of the herring family and closely related to shad, alewives have lots of thin, hairlike bones. These usually aren’t a problem. But if bones are an issue, they are easily removed from the flesh.

In addition, alewives, scaled and eviscerated, taste good just fried in a frypan. I used to catch herring and fry them, and once it occurred to me that alewives would taste almost as good. I tried them and found them delightful.

So if you don’t mind the thin, wispy bones, give fried alewives a try.

Natural Spectacle If you have never witnessed a major alewife run, you owe it to yourself to try and catch one. It’s a natural spectacle not to be missed.

Close to me, the Orland River has a major run. The alewives swim up to a dam, and there they are diverted into pens for harvest. Ospreys and other predators follow the runs. It’s an awe-inspiring sight to watch an osprey swoop down and grab an alewife in its talons.

Alewives remain an important fish in the State of Maine.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

20 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Advanced ATV Strategies

by Steve Carpenteri

ATV riders must understand the limits of their skill and experience, as well as the limits of their machines. Last year in Lyman, three riders tried to traverse a flooded section of trail, but found their ATVs sinking into six feet of water.

Most Maine ATV enthusiasts begin their four-wheeling careers in the same way – they purchase the best-quality machine they can afford, and spend their time cruising on private property, local trails or stateowned land where there are long miles of well-maintained roads and lanes where con-

ditions are, if not perfect, at least nearly so.

Learning to ride on flat or level ground with few obstacles or geographic changes is great for beginners, but there comes a point where the avid ATV aficionado decides it’s time to branch out onto unfamiliar territory, where the terrain is challenging and the

ATVing, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking & Wildlife Viewing!

potential obstacles are unknown. This is where planning, experience and logic come into play.

Here’s a look at how to approach the sport of ATV riding in a place you’ve never been and when you don’t know what to expect around the next bend in the trail.

When heading out on unfamiliar trails, be prepared to deal with unexpected obstacles and barriers.

Photos courtesy of Arctic Cat

Prepare for the Trip Like professional truckers, ATV riders should complete a pre-

High Peaks REGION

trip checklist before every run to ensure that their vehicle is in proper operating (Continued on next page)

Check ATV club listings for ATV trail opening dates at www.atvmaine.com Open Year Round

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Whether novice or pro, all trail riders should be dressed, equipped and prepared for whatever may lie ahead.

(Continued from page 20)

condition. Start with a check of all tires and air pressures, fuel and oil capacities, cables and chains. Be sure that nothing has become loose or unattached, or left dangling to be caught on rocks, limbs, branches and other obstacles on the trail.

To avoid injury, riders should always wear the proper clothing for the sport, which includes a helmet, sturdy coveralls, gloves and boots. Even on the best of trails, rocks, sticks and other debris can bounce up from the tires to strike the operator.

Proceed with Caution When riding on new or unfamiliar trails, begin with a cautionary, low-speed preliminary run, until you have learned all the ins and outs, ups and down of the existing terrain. This is also good advice when setting out on known trails that may have changed since the last trip. Fallen trees, rock slides, mud holes and washouts are common in Maine, particularly in spring and summer when heavy rains can alter a trail’s complexion literally overnight.

Follow Basic Traffic Rules With more than 80,000 registered ATVs already on Maine’s public and private trails, odds are that few riders can expect to have the trails to themselves for any length of time. Sooner or later, you’ll encounter riders in your lane or coming toward you, often at differing speeds and in tricky terrain. Always slow down when encountering approaching traffic, and leave plenty of space between vehicles. This is especially important when operating on hilly terrain, on rough ground or through crowded corners. If necessary, pull over and let the other riders pass until it’s safe to continue down the trail.

Operational Skills Experienced riders know that there is more to safe, successful ATV riding than turning a throttle and hurtling down an unfamiliar trail at full speed. In fact, no one in the realm of ATV sales, riding, training or education recommends the “fast as possible” approach to the sport.

For example, most current instructors (Continued on next page)

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1Offer available on approved purchases of new 2020-2022 Yamaha Motorcycle, Scooter, ATV or Side by Side made on the Yamaha Credit Card issued by WebBank. Offer valid 4/1/2022-6/30/2022. Account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. Promotional 2.99%, 5.99%, 10.49%,17.49% APR with minimum payments of 2.92%, 3.05%, 3.26%,or 3.59% respectively of the purchase price balance, based on your creditworthiness, are effective until the purchase is paid in full. Minimum interest charge $2 per month.

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Always wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Yamaha recommends that all Side-by-Side riders take an approved training course. For Side-by-Side safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ROHVA at 1-866-267-2751. Read the Owner’s Manual and the product warning labels before operation. Avoid excessive speeds and never engage in stunt riding. Always avoid paved surfaces and never ride on public roads. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs; it is illegal and dangerous. Models shown with optional accessories. ©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved • YamahaMotorsports.com

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LEBANON Northeast Motorsports 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 207-457-2225 www.nemotorsportsofmaine.com

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WARNING: Arctic Cat® vehicles can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, all riders should always wear a seat belt (Side-by-Sides), helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Arctic Cat recommends that all operators take a safety training course. For safety and training information, please see your dealer or call 1-800-887-2887 (ATVs) or visit www.ROHVA.org (Side-by-Sides). Arctic Cat vehicles are for operators age 16 years and older with a valid driver’s license, except the Alterra 90, which is intended for operators 10 years of age and older. ©2022 Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. All rights reserved.

www.MaineSportsman.com

22 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 21)

adhere to the “Lean” approach when turning corners or navigating elevated courses. Rather than merely sitting

upright in the middle of the ATV, experts recommend moving the operator’s body weight into the corner while

making a turn. Also, they advise riders to lean forward when going up hills, to keep the ATV’s front wheels solidly on the ground.

Conversely, the rider should lean as far

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backward as possible when going downhill, which helps keep the machine from flipping or bouncing forward.

Of course, in all instances, speed control is critical. Going too fast into or during a turn or while traversing hilly terrain can cause the machine to spin out of control or even roll over.

Know When to Turn Around Because trail conditions do change over the course of a long season it is important for riders to be honest with themselves about their level of experience, riding skills and techniques.

Watching pro-level videos or televised races doesn’t make the observer an expert – only time on the trail can accomplish

GORHAM, NH MOMS Jericho 461 Main St. 603-466-5454 www.momsjericho.com

that goal.

If a section of trail appears to be too difficult or dangerous to traverse, the best advice is to trust your instincts – stop, turn around, go around or avoid the area if possible. Taking chances on steep, rough terrain or in deep water can result in a stalled or damaged vehicle or even serious injuries to the operator.

Be wise! Last year in Lyman, three riders drove their ATVs into a flooded trail section that turned out to be almost 6 feet deep! All three riders managed to swim to safety, but they lost their rigs under water. The fourth rider chose not to risk it, and was able to go for help.

Ride right, ride safe!

¶

ATV SXS 6-Wheel 8-Wheel

LEWISTON Central Maine Powersports 845 Main Street 207-689-2345 www.centralmainepowersports.com WARNING: Polaris® off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ©2022 Polaris Industries Inc.

232 Jericho Road, Berlin, NH (603) 215-6002 www.JerichoOutdoors.net

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AUGUSTA North Country Can AM 3099 N. Belfast Avenue 207-622-7994 www.northcountryh-d.com

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©2022 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Some vehicles depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or, in USA, call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. In Canada, call the Canadian Safety Council at (6131 739-1535 ext 227. Read the Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before riding. Wear appropriate protective clothing and helmet. For side-by-side vehicles, fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Side-by-side vehicles and ATVs are recommended for drivers aged 16 and older, and passengers aged 12 and older only. For off-road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always ride responsibly and remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 23

Convert Your Recreational Boat into a Fishing Machine

by Dan Armitage If you have a boat – any boat – you can fish from it. That said, even the most basic angling accessories, such as rod holders and portable fish-finders, go a long way in making a generic boat suitable for enjoying the sport. In addition to clamp-on rod holders, there are portable versions of most popular angling essentials for boaters who want to temporarily transform their craft into a suitable fishing platform.

And just as any boat is a compromise,

The author reveals the secrets of rigging your recreational boat with temporary angling gear, so you can catch fish one day, and remove everything to allow for family recreational boating the next day. so goes the temporary gear for transforming it. A portable rod holder may not be as secure or handy as built-in model, just as a portable fish-finder is not going to offer the features of a fullsize permanent-mount model. But companies that come up with a proper compromise of the two are offering portable fishing products that are very pop-

ular among boaters.

Portable Rod Holders The number one accessory that any boat used for fishing must have is somewhere to place your fishing rod. It’s a mat-

ter of safety and efficiency – a rod laid across the seats, set on the floor or leaned against a gunwale is going to get broken.

A rod that’s used for trolling while leaned against a gunwale will

be pulled overboard by a fish or a snag, or it will be tripped over. An angler attempting to hold a rod in one hand and operate an outboard without a safe place to quickly secure the rod will eventually break something, hit something or lose something.

“Robert’s style” rod holders are portable, popular and offered (Continued on next page)

Mid-Maine Marine THE BOATER’S CHOICE

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Over 100 Boats Available for 2022 Only Sold as Packages with Mercury Outboards Note the simple bucket for minnows aboard this proud angler’s portably-rigged SeaArk aluminum boat. Armitage photo www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

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This boat has been temporarily rigged for fishing, with a clamp-on electric trolling motor, rod holders and even a portable downrigger. Armitage photo

Boating

(Continued from page 23)

by several companies, and feature low-profile base mounts that can be clamped, screwed or bolted to a boat’s gunwale, allowing use of the holder itself only when needed. Other portable styles clamp onto round handrails, rectangular fencing rails or the gunwale for temporary rod holding use.

Portable Electronics and Accessories Most major fishfinder manufacturers offer portable, battery-powered fish-finder models, and you can get just about any function on a portable unit that you can find on fish-finders hardwired for permanent use aboard a boat – including GPS capabilities. Most use suction cups for mounting the transducer on the

BAR HARBOR Lake & Sea Boatworks 204 Knox Road (207) 288-8961 www.lakeandsea.com

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Netting and Gripping Your Fish A landing net often makes the difference between hooking and catching a fish.

Yes, you can get by with the short-handled trout net you use for wading, but the longer the handle, the better for reaching over gunwales to scoop up your finned quarry. If space aboard is a concern, look for a landing net with a telescoping handle. You can even find landing nets with hoops that fold, making them even more compact and portable.

Perhaps the most portable fish-landing device – and one that (Continued on next page)

SOUTHPORT Hodgdon Yacht Services 100 Ebenecook Road (207) 633-2970 www.hodgdonyachtservices.com

PORTLAND MANCHESTER STANDISH Portland Yacht Services Richardson’s Boat Yard Clark Marine 100 W. Commercial Street 633 Whites Bridge Road 57 Puddledock Road (207) 622-7011 (207) 774-1067 (207) 892-4913 www.clarkmarinemaine.com www.portlandyacht.com www.richardsonsby.com 5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.

www.MaineSportsman.com

boat’s transom, but you can buy clamp-on brackets from companies such as Tite-Lok to allow use of traditional transducers.

This fishfinder from Deeper Sonar, with wi-fi or blue tooth capability to connect with a smartphone, features a transducer to send depth, temperature and fish information back to the phone.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 25

All New 20hp & 15hp FourStroke •

Portable Roberts-style rod holders from companies like Scotty and Tite-Lok are made to clamp onto rails or drop into a variety of bases. Scotty makes a base adaptor for use in oarlocks.

(Continued from page 24)

also doubles as a scale for weighing the catch – is a fish-lipper such as the BogaGrip. The grips use the weight of the fish itself to lock tight to its lower jaw with a pair of stainless steel clamps that swivel in the handle to compensate for the fish spinning during the landing process.

Live Bait It’s no secret that here in Maine, live bait catches the most fish.

That said, keeping bait such as minnows lively is a matter of keeping them in oxygenated water. That can be as simple as putting the bait in a bucket made for the task and hanging it over the side of the boat where water is constantly circulated via holes in the side of the container. You can also put the bait inside the boat in a container that is fitted with a pump to circulate and oxygenate the water.

Specialized fishing boats have built-in baitwells for bait and livewells for the catch that are plumbed and hard-wired for the job, but portable systems are available that are powered by the boat’s 12 volt electrical system or batteries to keep the water moving and the contents healthy. These portable pumps can be used with coolers or watertight lockers aboard to allow them to serve as temporary bait quarters.

As you can see, when “temporary” is the goal of the boat-rigging game, anglers have plenty of portable options. With a rod holder or three, a fish-finding device, lively bait and a method for getting the catch aboard, portable gear can create an able fishing craft out of practically anything that floats.

¶

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See Your Local Yamaha Outboard Dealer for Current Promotions!

FREEPORT SOUTHPORT Hodgdon Yacht Services New Meadows Marina 100 Ebenecook Road 132-2 US Route 1 (207) 633-2970 (207) 869-4008 www.hodgdonyachtservices.com www.NewMeadowsMarina.com THOMASTON HAMPDEN BELFAST Jeff’s Marine Hamlin’s Marine Hamlin’s Marine 2 Brooklyn Heights Road 581 Main Road North 7 Front Street (207) 354-8777 207-907-4385 (207) 930-3780 www.JeffsMarine.com www.HamlinsMarine.com www.HamlinsMarine.com WATERVILLE BRUNSWICK Hamlin’s Marine New Meadows Marina 290 West River Road 450 Bath Road 207-872-5660 (207) 443-6277 www.HamlinsMarine.com www.NewMeadowsMarina.com BAR HARBOR Bowden Marine Service 713 Norway Drive (207) 288-5247 www.BowdenMarine.com

© 2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Remember to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive.

Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal flotation device and protective gear.

www.MaineSportsman.com

26 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Charter Boat Basics

by Steve Carpenteri

A trip offshore on a charter fishing boat can be exciting and productive. However, the first trip out is often a learning experience, and return customers know to bring rain gear, sunscreen, shoes with non-skid soles, gloves and hats.

Sooner or later, lovers of the hook and line decide that it’s time to try a serious deep-sea charter boat fishing trip.

Few landlubbers truly know what to expect from a deep-sea fishing excursion, at least not on their first time out. Most agree that the ocean certainly looks inviting when viewed with both feet firmly planted on the shore, but the Atlantic Ocean has a different feel when one is standing on the deck of a ship in the rolling waves. It’s definitely a different world out there.

Fortunately, some of the best charter captains in the Northeast advertise with The Maine Sportsman, so finding a suitable vessel with a convenient schedule is as easy as checking into the companies that offer their services in these pages.

What to Expect Most charter operations are familwww.MaineSportsman.com

iar with the wants, needs and delusions of first-time fishermen. Their websites and brochures carefully spell out the dos and don’ts of a typical charter, and include plenty of information about when to show up, what to bring, how long you’ll be out, and what to expect while on the water.

For example, the Bunny Clark is one of Maine’s longest-running charter services, and they are fully equipped to meet the needs of expert and novice anglers.

According to Capt.

Ian Keniston, reservations are suggested to ensure a spot on the Bunny Clark. Individuals desiring to secure a specific fishing location or seat on the boat (yes, that’s a thing) should show up in person and write their name on a position list (clipboard).This sheet on the clipboard is signed on a first-come, first-served basis. You cannot sign for some-

one who is not in Perkins Cove at the time you sign for your own position, even though that person may be in your fishing party.

The Basics During rough weather, there is no refund if the boat returns to the dock early following a unanimous vote by the passengers to terminate the trip.

Refunds will be issued on a pro-rated basis (after fuel costs) if the captain terminates the trip and the boat returns back to the dock early.

Persons with reservations on the fullday trip must be on the boat ready to go by 6:30 a.m., or for the half-day trip, at the dock by 3:15 p.m. For all other trips, angler arrival times should precede the scheduled fishing trip by one hour. Otherwise, tickets may be sold to someone else.

All fishing poles, bait and jigs are included in the cost of the fishing trip. However,

Charter boat anglers vary in age, size and experience. The best charter boat crews are eager to provide a memorable trip to all. Shutterstock photo

each person is responsible for the cost of lost gear, except sinkers and hooks. GPS units are prohibited.

The crew will take photos of large fish at no charge, if you don’t have a camera.

rain gear and boots.

The boat is of the open Maine lobster boat design.

Passengers are exposed to the elements, although the boat has side curtains to deflect spray while traveling.

What to Wear Capt.

Keniston suggests bringing extra clothing, special snacks and a lunch. In case of bad weather, you may want to bring

The Mate’s Job A Mate will be aboard to help anglers take care of their fish (gaff, clean and fillet) if desired. Plastic bags (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 27 (Continued from page 26)

are provided for fillets at no charge. Tips are accepted. Generally, a full freezer bag of fillets weighs 12 to 14 pounds.

The standard tip for a full plastic fillet bag generally runs about $10, depending on whether the fillets are skinned or not.

The Bunny Clark’s fillet bags each hold 12 to 14 pounds of fillets.

Obviously, a tip is a reflection on how the deck hand treated the angler during the trip. Examples of “better treatment” include rigging your rod, adding leader material to your reel, the attention paid to the patron, skinning the fillets (on busy days, deck hands don’t always have time to do this), and the extra attention anglers

Charter boats are available in every size, capacity, destination and target species. Anglers should do their homework before booking a trip. Photo: Getty Images

might not expect to receive aboard a charter boat.

Full rain gear is always recommended, due to Maine’s ever-changing weather conditions, particular-

ly offshore. Sunscreen is also suggested, as well as head and neck coverings, gloves, and non-slip deck shoes.

After a day at sea, first-timers often learn to come back better

equipped on subsequent outings.

For more information on the Bunny Clark fishing experience, log onto www. bunnyclark.com, or check into any of the

other longtime charter services listed in the pages of The Maine Sportsman.

¶

FISHING CHARTER DIRECTORY

BATH / BRUNSWICK / MID-COAST

Captain Andrew Gibbs Striped Bass Mackerel • Pollock

Fishing Charters: 4 Hours $550 • 6 Hours $750 Puffin Tours $400

Bay & Lighthouse Tours $300

(207) 323-9713

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Captain Peter A. Whelan

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1 or 2

Captain Roger Young

PULASKI, NY

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Perkins Cove • April 1–November 15th Daily For Info Write: Tim Tower, PO Box 837F, Ogunquit, ME 03907 www.bunnyclark.com • e-mail: bunnyclarkdsf@gmail.com

Wilson Harbor Lake Ontario, NY 270 Sea Ray Amberjack —

+

(315) 387-1000 • (203) 912-9915 www.PrayingMantisSportFishing.com www.MaineSportsman.com

28 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

First Stripers This Month!

Striped bass arrive in Maine waters in May, and most are schoolies in the 16- to 24-inch range. Here are a few proven tactics to target them with lures and natural baits.

The first wave of striped bass that migrate up into Maine’s Southwest Coast from the Mid-Atlantic states normally arrives somewhere around midMay, and often consists primarily of school-size fish.

These first-arrivals are seeking two things – warm water, and food. They’ll move into shallow areas at the edges of estuaries and rivers featuring dark or mud bottoms that absorb the sunlight, as this water will warm quickly each day when the sun rises in the sky. Here, bass will

root for worms, crabs, shrimp, and other tasty bottom-dwellers – and will chase baitfish as well when the opportunity presents itself – in order to pack on weight lost during their migration north.

Lure Them In Small lures and baits are the tickets in May. Soft plastics are ideal, and there sure isn’t any shortage of different styles, sizes and colors on the market. My handsdown favorite for early-season bass is a 4” TsnuamiPro Split Tail Minnow in the

pearl/spot color. I fish it on straight 10- or 12-pound mono (no leader or snap swivel), and I let it sink for a few seconds before slowly retrieving it with short twitches of the rod tip. First-run, cool-water stripers don’t seem to want to expend a lot of energy to chase an artificial, so slow is the way to go.

Other productive soft-plastics include Livetarget’s 3” Sardine Swimbait, and Savage Gear’s 3” Pulse-Tail Mullet. I’ve also had good success the past couple of seasons with Ron-Z’s 4” “Original” in both white pearl and pink body colors.

As for hard baits, my favorite is the 3.5” Yo-Zuri Crystal 3D Floating Minnow in silver/black. Cast out, and simply retrieve it steadily at a moderate “casual walking” clip.

It’s an easy lure to

Early-season stripers may be on the small side, but are loads of fun on light tackle, as Shark Six mate Larry Grimard and Patty Bearce will attest. Barry Gibson photo

fish, rarely gets hung up on the bottom, and schoolie stripers will pounce on it.

Topwater plugs will take early-season bass, too, but again, the best advice is to work them slower than you might in mid-summer. Storm’s 4.5” Rattlin’ Chug Bug in metallic silver blue has worked well for me over the years, but smaller poppers such as Rebel’s venerable 3.25”, 9/16-oz Pop-R may be a better choice if the early bass are on the small side – say in the 16” to 20” range.

Again, a slow, lazy retrieve with plenty of noisy “sploosh” is the ticket.

Worm Your Way Natural baits, of course, are ideal for first-run stripers.

Bloodworms and sandworms, still-fished with a small slip-sinker on bottom, can be deadly. Seaworms also work well if you pin on a colorful, quarter-ounce or so jig head, and then cast and slowly retrieve the bait with tight twitches of the rod tip.

(Continued on next page)

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Mike Gibson caught this spring striper on a TsunamiPro Split Tail Minnow and a light 10-poundtest freshwater spin outfit. Many of Maine’s first-run stripers range between 16” and 22”. Barry Gibson photo (Continued from page 28)

Bobber fishing – although some purists may turn up their noses at the method – can be deadly on spring bass. Tie a 4/0 or 5/0 light-wire circle hook directly to the end of your line, or leader if you’re using braid (8 lb. to 12 lb. mono is best), and squeeze on a couple of tungsten BB shot sinkers. Then attach a plastic or foam bobber four feet or so up from the hook.

Bait up with a live seaworm, and cast the rig out in five to eight feet of water. Give the bobber a sharp twitch once in a while to help attract a bass with the noise.

If you’re fishing from a boat, cast the rig shoreward into the same depth water, and let it drift along in the current. When your bobber suddenly goes under, point the rod tip at it and start reeling fast. When you feel some weight or resistance, simply raise the rod tip up. That’s the most effective tactic with circle hooks.

Clam Up Small chunks of mackerel or herring

will also produce in May, either fished on the bottom or under a bobber. Strips of quahaug or sea clam also work well, and these can be easily fished from an anchored boat in the aforementioned five to eight feet of water where there’s a tidal current running.

Attach a 4/0, lightwire circle hook to the end of your line, and bait up with a clam strip, leaving enough of it hanging to flutter enticingly. Then simply open the spinning reel’s bail, cast the bait out a few feet from the boat, and let it drift back with the current as you pay out line from the reel.

Once the bait is out 50 feet or so, retrieve it and repeat. Sooner or later, that line will start streaking away, so snap the bail shut and start reeling. Your rod will bend over, and in a minute or so you’ll have a thrashing spring schoolie at boatside!

Bag limits for stripers are the same as last year – one fish per day, between 28” and 36.”

¶

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30 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Three Turkey Questions Answered

by Blaine Cardilli I’ve been giving turkey hunting seminars for over 20 years.

With so many different facets to this sport, there are always lots of questions when I’m done. In this column, I’d like to address several of the most common.

“Which type of call works best?”

There’s no specific “best” call, because each of us will be drawn to the types of calls that work best for us. This is especially true when it comes to mouth diaphragms, as everyone’s palate is not shaped the same. And speaking of mouth calls, I recommend starting with either a single or dou-

A hunter should never be afraid to call loudly and aggressively, says the author. Other hunters sometimes question this approach, he says, but they change their opinions when they see the results. ble-reed, with no cuts in the latex. These will be much easier to blow, allowing you to get accustomed to making the basic yelps and cutts.

You should first have a basic understanding of turkey vocalizations, so I’d recommend becoming very familiar with them by listening to the real thing. The internet is loaded with content.

When it comes to calls, my own personal strategy is to carry at least three

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different types: a box, a slate, and a mouth call. Box calls are very user-friendly, and it takes very little effort to make great yelps and cutts, whereas a slate takes a bit longer to get the hang of.

A little practice, however, with these three types, and any beginners (especially children) can get right in on the action.

“How much, or how often, should I call?”

This is a good question, although the answer is somewhat controversial. Therefore,

I’ll respond on the basis of my own personal success, covering the past 25 years.

Once I’m set up and a gobbler answers my initial attempts, I’ll assess the situation. If the bird is still roosted, I’ll start with some soft tree yelps, but experience has taught me that the early worm gets the bird, so I’ll break from the other “quiet” hens by immediately starting with some noisy flydown cackles, letting the toms know I’m on the ground and

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ready to party. (I believe in throwing one’s hat into the ring as early as possible.)

I’ll then maintain some basic yelping, and though loud, I don’t get too aggressive, until I know the toms have left the limb. Then it’s “game on!”

After the birds hit the ground (or later, if I happen to be “running & gunning,” trying to strike a bird), I believe in being a very aggressive caller. It’s here that I’ll use my box or slate (in conjunction with a mouth call) because I want to sound like at least two different hens. If I get a gobbler’s interest, my goal is to fire the boy(s) up until they’re so excited they’re about to burst, then I’ll throw out a few gobbler yelps or gobbles, then stop calling altogether. In my experience, if I do that, they’ll gobble a few times and then go silent. And if they do, nine times out of 10, that means they’re on their way.

It’s my personal opinion, supported by years of continued success, that one should never be afraid to call, and to do so aggressively. I’ve upset several hunters I’ve been (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 31 (Continued from page 30)

with by calling loudly and calling aggressively, but they changed their tune when they saw the results.

“What if the toms are henned-up?”

Sometimes, no matter how much I call, the toms just won’t come, yet they’ll still answer me. This usually means one thing – they’re already entertaining hens and don’t intend to leave them.

When this happens, my first strategy is to focus solely on the hens. Sometimes I can make one mad enough to want to seek me out, other times not, but if one does answer, I’ll try to draw her in.

To accomplish this, all you need to do is listen to her … and mimic her exact vocalizations.

If she yelps, you yelp; If she cutts and fusses, you cutt and fuss

right back. The key is to match both her calls and her cadence, except that you’re going to add a few more excited cutts into the mix, which a boss hen usually can’t stand, causing her to leave the flock (and the toms) to come start a fight with you!

This gets me excited, because experience has taught me the chances are good she’ll come straight to me... with the toms in tow!!

Now if this doesn’t work and you feel it’s best to make a move, first try to judge how far you are from the group. If you can sneak to within 100 yards or so of them without being seen, many times that’s enough to breach a gobbler’s comfort zone, causing him to break off to come investigate you. My theory is he believes you must be the new hen who seems to be more aggressive and

excited than the ones he’s currently with!

One point I’d like to add is the use of decoys. I use them in almost all my hunts, because they give the incoming birds something to focus on, which I feel is extremely important. This, however, is a whole other topic for a whole other conversation.

Remember that there are never any guarantees when hunting; if there were, it wouldn’t be so much fun!

Maine Youth Day is April 30, 2022. Hunting by all hunters in all districts runs May 2 – June 4, 2022. To view the rules and season dates, type “Maine wild turkey hunting laws” into your search engine, and be certain you are reviewing information for the spring season.

¶

The author has strong opinions on calling in springtime turkeys, but you can’t argue with success.

His aggressive calling over a 35-minute period brought this 19.6-lb. tom across a small blueberry field, through some mature woods, and finally down an old logging road.

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Alewives by Steve Vose

Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are an anadromous (sea-run) species of herring found throughout North America. A Maine native, alewives have co-existed with other fish and wildlife in our state’s streams, rivers, ponds and lakes for thousands of years.

Alewives provide an enormous amount of nutrients to freshwater and marine ecosystems, in the form of eggs and excrement. Each alewife female is capable of producing 100,000-400,000 eggs each year, though it is estimated that only three juveniles out of that huge number will survive to adulthood and return to spawn. Alewives are also readily eaten by predators, including multiple fish species, crayfish, turtles, eels, raccoons, ospreys, eagles, gulls

and herons.

Alewives have forked tails, slender silvery bodies with green backs, and a distinctive single black spot just behind the eye. Alewives normally grow to 10” in length and weigh about half a pound; however, some hefty specimens have been caught as large as 14” and weighing more than a pound.

Breeding typically occurs in the spring during the months of May and June, when adult alewives migrate up-

Questions 1. What is the native range of the alewife?

2. Is the alewife native to Maine?

3. How many eggs can each female alewife produce annually?

4. Of the thousands of eggs produced each year by alewife females, how many do scientists estimate make it to adulthood and return to spawn?

5. How big do alewives grow?

Illustration: MDIF&W

stream from the ocean to reach historic spawning grounds. Spawning occurs throughout those ponds, lakes, rivers and streams that are not blocked by dams.

During late summer and early fall, juvenile alewives migrate downstream to the ocean, where they grow to adulthood. Alewife males reach sexual maturity around 3 years old, while the females reach sexual maturity when they are four or five years old. Upon reaching sexual maturity, alewives return to the spawning grounds of their birth to begin the cycle anew. Those alewives fortunate enough to evade predators have been known to live for up to ten years in the wild.

6. When do alewives typically breed?

7. When do alewives reach sexual maturity?

8. How long can alewives live in the wild?

Answers on Page 41

www.MaineSportsman.com

32 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Mounting Your Turkey Fan

by Colby Sughrue, Age 13 If you were fortunate enough to tag a trophy spring gobbler, in order to preserve the memories and experience, it’s time to consider making a fan mount.

The author and his 2021 tom turkey.

Below you will find a list of what you will need, in addition to some simple preparation tips. I have also included the six basic assembly steps needed to mount your prize bird.

What You Will Need •

Borax in paper cup, to allow the beard to dry

•

Bondo, to mount feathers in

•

Stirring stick, for bondo

•

Knife, to scrape feathers

•

8”x 8” piece of plastic, to assemble feathers on with bondo

•

Tape, for taping the plastic to the cardboard

•

Large or 2’ x 3’ piece of cardboard (a pizza box works good)

•

Plastic bottle cap and screw, to use temporarily as the center of the large fan feather

•

Pencil, for marking the fan layout Prep and Setup

Step 1. Beard – Grip the beard at the base, using a knife cut below the base of the beard. Scrape any fat off the beard base and place in a cup of Borax for a few days to dry it out.

Step 2. The Fan – Grip the entire turkey fan in your hand, or use two hands and get some help, to remove the layers of fan feathers. You should have four www.MaineSportsman.com

layers of feathers in your hand starting from the front with the iridescent, then the brown medium feathers, followed by the tall fan feathers, and lastly are short brown feathers. With a knife, simply cut below all the feathers, removing the entire tail fan with all four layers of feathers intact from the turkey. Using your knife again, you can remove the short brown feathers that are behind the tall fan feathers – you won’t need these short brown feathers on your fan mount.

Step 3. Layout – Lay out your cardboard on a work bench or table top. At the front edge of the cardboard, locate the center of where you will build your fan from, and mark it with the pencil.

The cardboard edge will be a good guide for the starting point of the large fan feathers.

To help yourself when you are laying out your individual feathers, lay your intact fan out on the cardboard. Match up the center mark you made on the edge of the cardboard with the center of the fan.

Open the fan up, holding the left and right outside feathers on the edge of the cardboard.

While holding the fan completely open, have someone else trace the top radius of the fan on the cardboard. Set the intact turkey fan aside for now.

Center and secure your 8”x8” of plastic over the cardboard where the bondo will be used to secure the feather stems.

Secure the bottle cap with the screw to the cardboard on the center mark. You will use the radius of the bottle cap as a guide as you build out your fan. Have two separate areas (pizza boxes also work great here) to lay out the medium brown feathers and the iridescent feathers. You will want to have all three layers of feathers laid out separately prior to bondo-ing them together.

Building the Fan Step 1. Separating feathers – Holding the fan, and looking at it from the front, you should have three layers of feathers that go from small iridescent, medium brown, and tall fan feathers.

You can now remove the front layer, the iridescent feathers. To do this, grip the 15-20 feathers at the base and just pull them off. Save these feathers; you will need them for the fan mount.

Looking at the fan, you will notice

the tall fan feathers shingle under each other from the outside towards the center, with the center being on top. The medium brown feathers are shingled on top of each other, going from the outside to the center.

Step 2. The tall fan feathers – One at a time, these feathers will be removed from the tail and laid in position. Remove the feathers using a knife. Scrape off any fat that is attached to the feathers.

Starting at either the right or left side, lay the first feather with the shaft tip on the bottle cap, and use the edge of the cardboard along with the pencil markings as the guide.

One at a time, remove a feather from the tail and shingle it on top of the feather on the cardboard. Once the left and right side are complete, lay the center feather on top.

Step 3. Medium brown feathers – Once you’ve removed the tall tail feathers, you are left with the medium brown feathers. These feathers are shingled the opposite from the tall fan feathers.

At either the left or right edge of the tall fan feathers, begin to lay these feathers. As you remove these feathers from the tail, be sure to scrape the fat from them. Lay the feathers out in the pattern that they will be installed.

(Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 33

Lay out the down stripped iridescent feathers in preparation for layering them on the fan mount. Depending on your layout, you may need to trim the shaft prior to setting the final feathers.

(Continued from page 32)

Step 4. Iridescent feathers – The iridescent feathers are the smaller but most colorful of the three feather groups. These feathers have two to three inches of down on them that needs to be stripped off prior to being used.

With your fingers, hold the shaft of the feather and separate the down from the feather by simply pulling it off the shaft.

You will be left with an iridescent feather with a 2”-3” bare shaft.

Sportsman

by Will Lund

“Last day of ice fishing, and I caught the biggest fish – for the rest of my life.”

Maine DIF&W Commissioner Judy Camuso, announcing her engagement on Facebook; March 20, 2022.

Step 6. Mounting the fan and beard – Now that you have completed your fan and the bondo is dry, it is time to mount it on a plaque. There are many different styles of plaques you can use. You can even make one if you’d like.

For this turkey fan, I purchased a simple plaque that looks like a box call and will support both my fan and beard.

Step 5. Glue and layer the feathers – Now that all three layers of feathers are prepped and laid out separately, you can glue them with bondo. With a stirring stick, mix the bondo and hardener to the proportions on the directions. Once the bondo is mixed very well, you can glue the tall fan feathers.

Second, lay on the medium brown feathers, shingling them under each other as you work from the left and right to the center. Add more bondo if needed before layering the iridescent feathers.

Be prepared to trim the bare shaft if you

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need to while you’re layering the iridescent feathers.

Lastly, if needed you can add more bondo to secure the layers of feathers.

“One approach is to install a screening material on top of the turtle nests.

That has proven fairly effective in keeping coyotes out.”

Sanibel, Florida Director of Natural Resources Holly Milbrandt, on the city’s efforts to allow native wildlife to coexist with coyotes. Coyotes were first seen on the island in 2011. Loggerhead sea turtles are a protected species, and when the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation identified a 10 percent depredation of the Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtle nests, they decided to devise a plan to keep the coyotes from preying on the eggs, according to the Santiva Chronicle.

— “Snarge.”

The remains of a bird after it strikes a jet plane. According to a March story

by Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald, after a bird struck the nose of a regional jet at the Portland jetport a few months ago, the snarge was collected and sent to a laboratory at the Smithsonian Institution, where scientists conducted

Colby Sughrue of Dayton was a co-winner in the Maine Sportsman Junior Writing Contest in 2021.

¶

DNA tests to determine what species of bird collided with the jet.

— “If you open this up to ice fishing, while on the surface this sounds good but then what happens next year? Does someone come back and say, ‘I want an ice shanty?’ And if you then allow ice fishing with shanties, then that leads to another problem: prostitution.”

Hudson, Ohio mayor Craig Shubert, on the dangers of allowing ice fishing in a local park. The comments, at a city council work session, led to an awkward silence and then nervous laughter, according to Cleveland newspapers. Shubert resigned his position less than a week later.

— “I live in New Hampshire, but I love to hunt wild turkeys in Maine. The hunting opportunities that exist in your state are nothing short of amazing.”

Carter Heath, Regional Director New England, National Wild Turkey Federation, in a note to The Maine Sportsman. www.MaineSportsman.com

34 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Hunter Ethics and the Lost Bear – A True Case Study

by Staci Warren If you’ve ever watched any hunting shows on television, chances are you’ve seen a hunter make a shot, and with their hunting party, decides to “back out until morning.” The hunter always goes back the next day and finds the bounty. Everyone is smiling, and no one ever worries about losing their harvest.

But just like those shows where the hunter sees nine bucks before shooting one, in real life, not everyone is so lucky.

Imagine being a Maine deer hunter who’s never shot a bear nor ever seen a bear while hunting.

This whitetail hunter hikes into the tree stand, hangs a buck tarsal gland, sprays a bit of buck lure that was left in the can, and then climbs up for the afternoon hunt.

One short grunt on the buck grunt, and the attack begins. From across the swale grass, the hunter watches as a large black object descends from a tree and turns on a dead charge in the direction of the stand.

At first, the hunter is stunned but excited to see his first bear, then quickly realizes that the bear, huffing and growling as it runs toward the stand, is going to kill and eat whatever it sees.

In fear the animal is not going to stop at the ladder, the hunter pulls up and shoots the bear at 15 yards.

The bear goes down, www.MaineSportsman.com

Whoever administers the first lethal shot to a game animal gets to claim the animal when it’s down, right? — Wrong. and as quick as it goes down, it’s back up. Not expecting that, the hunter shoots again, and the bear goes into a roll and then runs off.

In shock over what just transpired, the hunter calls for help, and waits at the stand.

Tracking Begins Once help arrives, the hunter shares what has happened.

The party picks up the blood trail and begins tracking. By then it’s after 3 p.m., and nightfall comes quick in November. There is blood three feet high on trees where the bear rubbed against them. The bear lay down at one point, but the group thinks they’ve bumped it.

Following the trail back toward the camp, they find where the bear crossed the road and headed to a small bog. While tracking, the group hears a shot on the other side of the bog—presumed to be another deer hunter.

Less than two hours from the time the bear was shot, the group decides to wait for more help from an experienced bear tracker, and to get more flashlights.

Once at the bog, the blood trail ends, and the decision is made to wait until morning to see if the bear made it across. If so, then they’ll pick up the trail

or try to find the bear in the water in daylight.

Story Gets More Complicated And this is where the story makes a major turn. A second hunter contacts a local police officer to tell them he’s shot a bear and wants to know what to do. The police officer just happens to be in the know about the first hunter’s wounded bear, and asks if it has any other wounds. The second hunter offers to bring the bear by for inspection.

Upon inspection, they discover two more shots in the bear – one through the shoulder and lung, exiting out and hitting the front paw, which although it wasn’t instant, was a definite lethal shot; and a second shot farther back that didn’t hit a lung.

The second hunter tells the story of how the bear was hardly moving when he shot it. Even though the second hunter is told that there is a party tracking that bear, he claims the 350-pound prize as his own.

The first hunter is extremely disappointed that the second hunter won’t surrender the bear. “Isn’t there a law?” he asks.

No Law Protects the First Shooter Many hunters be-

lieve there is a law in Maine that states the first hunter with the first lethal shot is the rightful owner; however, no such law exists in this state. That principle derives from 15th century England, and it has been generally accepted in the U.S., but it’s an unwritten rule, not an enforceable law.

Many civil cases have been decided in the U.S. on this issue, but the outcomes have varied. In Maine, the only clear law is that if you shoot and then tag an animal, someone else can’t steal the animal. So, if you shoot an animal, and it runs over a knoll where someone else shoots it and then beats you to it to claim it, you cannot take it as yours. I know that sounds crazy, but out West on publicly-hunted lands, it’s an issue.

According to bowhunter-ed.com, the online training source for bow hunter education in Maine, the “unwritten rule of first blood” is as follows: “The rule of first blood establishes a fair way to determine who can claim an animal that has been shot by two hunters.

Although it may not have legal grounds, its strength and enforcement lie directly with understanding and true sportsmanship by all responsible hunt-

ers. The first hunter to place an arrow in an animal’s vital area, which draws enough blood to leave a trackable trail and thus has a good chance of bringing the animal into his or her possession, may claim the animal.

Conversely, if the first hunter feels that the wound was superficial in nature and the animal was not likely to be recovered, that hunter should give up claim to the game if another hunter brings it to the ground.”

In my opinion, the unwritten rule should become a written law, and should apply to all hunting, and not just bowhunting.

If this unwritten rule had been followed, then the first hunter would have the right to claim the bear.

Although still disappointed, the first hunter decided to take the high road, and considered the incident to be a learning experience.

I, on the other hand, find it hard to accept, but I also have learned something. I will never, ever leave an animal in the woods if it’s downed or not in my possession. Apparently in Maine, possession is nine-tenths the law, and sportsmanship and the unwritten rule will only apply if it’s understood by both parties.

What would you have done if you’d been the second hunter?

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 35

Others Over Self The author has a new passion – taking others hunting. He says it’s far more rewarding than hunting on his own.

As many of my readers know, I’m a Christian. Admittedly, I am far from perfect, but I constantly work to be better, and I strive to be a good person.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Philippians 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” This means different things to different people, but over the last twenty years or more, I’ve tried with great success to apply it in my hunting life.

Through hard work, determination, studying and a strong competitive streak, I’ve become a very good hunter. Whether it’s deer, turkey, upland game, or waterfowl, I’ve been very successful and blessed with opportunity. I won’t do any further bragging, but I hope those who know me would say my generosity in sharing what I know, far outweighs my own success.

Teaching others what I know has been a passion of mine.

Because I don’t have children of my own to teach, I’ve taught my family members, my friends and their children. Good teaching is truly an art. Excellent teachers should

be rewarded for what they do. While I don’t consider myself to be an excellent teacher, I do believe most who’ve taken the time to listen, would say I’m good. However, when it comes to hands-on teaching, most who’ve gone hunting with me, would say I am excellent.

OK, I said I wasn’t going to brag ….

Teaching a Man to Hunt Taking young people, or adults new to hunting, into the field, is a passion. I’d gladly pass a chance at a giant buck, monster long-beard or other trophy, if a young person or new hunter could get them. The smile on a young person’s face, the joy in their voice, the spring in their step, when they are successful, is a far greater reward for me than harvesting the animal myself.

The sense of accom-

plishment I feel when something good happens to a youngster or adult in my tutelage, is nearly indescribable.

Over the last five years, I’ve taken my friend’s son Travis on deer and turkey hunts.

We’ve been successful every time we’ve been out, and Travis is 100% hooked on hunting. His first bird was huge, but we never set out to only kill a big tom. Travis’ father and I want him to get experience. Any legal bird will do.

This past May 1, on the wild turkey season’s Youth Day, I had the privilege of taking Travis and his father out again. I’d done my scouting. Putting birds in front of Travis wouldn’t be difficult.

We just needed good weather. Fortunately, we got it.

On that morning, two birds fell to this young man’s shotgun.

After shooting the

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Bird #1 of two birds taken by the author in 2021.

This 23.4 pound tom had a nearly 10” beard and 1 1/8” spurs. Both fell to the decoy on top of the StruttN 360.

first bird, a couple of others hung around, and Travis’ father and I had to coach him to a

second shot. He ejected his shell, took aim and killed the second (Continued on next page)

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36 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Matt Saltalamachia of Oswego, NY has been fishing Maine for the last 15 years, but over the last couple of years, has learned that Maine has better hunting than he thought. A quick lesson in fanning turkeys last May ended with Matt’s first Maine bird, and now he’s a believer.

Big Game (Continued from page 35)

bird. His lesson? That movement won’t always cause turkeys to fly away. Jakes especially seem to stick around too long, and

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often pay the ultimate price for their curiosity.

This year will be Travis’s last chance to hunt on Youth Day.

14 year old Travis Poirier has been hunting with Joe Salty for the last few years.

Travis has killed birds before, but this was his first double.

Hopefully we’ll enjoy another awesome day together again this year.

Old Guys Have Fun, Too! For whatever reason, my brother has always been a bet-

ter athlete than me.

He’s younger by three years, but in his early teens, I could tell he would always be better at sports. Perhaps that’s the reason I tried so much harder at hunting and fishing, because I didn’t want to be outdone by my younger sibling?

Each year, over the past few years, Matt has been coming to Maine to hunt, and not just to fish as he had for the previous 15 years. Last May, he finally came up to learn how to “fan a turkey.”

Fanning is something I’ve been doing on private grounds for the last ten years. My exciting stories of hot toms, running to the barrel of my gun, finally piqued my brother’s interest enough for him to buy a Maine tag and get into the woods with me.

Our first stop was a farm just down the road from my house.

Instead of fanning by hand, I broke out

my new Struttn 360 and placed “Bob,” my decoy, on top. Long story short, our plan worked perfectly, but my brother failed.

After we had a good laugh over his miss, we made our way to Farm #2. After spooking another big tom, we moved out to a picked cornfield. Using a small rise in the field to conceal ourselves, we belly-crawled to within 100 yards of two strutting toms. I held Bob the Decoy up and let him work his magic. The two birds ran to 10 yards, and my brother sealed the deal. He’s now a believer in fanning!

Taking others hunting is a passion.

As I age and get closer to the end of life, this is very enjoyable and rewarding. I did take my two birds, and both were awesome toms.

Neither were as special as the birds I got with other hunters.

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 37

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What are Maine’s Best-Tasting Fish?

The author lists five of his favorite fish for eating, and tells readers how to prepare and cook them.

Ask ten fishermen to name the best tasting fish, and you’re likely to get ten different answers. It’s no surprise, considering the multitude of species found in the state.

Every angler has their own favorite species to target, and many of them are good to eat.

Here’s my own breakdown of a few.

Brookies Maine is best known for its brook trout. More than just an icon of Maine’s heritage, they are edible.

Very edible. They sport pinkish, flaky meat that seems to melt in your mouth. There are many ways to prepare brook trout, but simply frying them in a cast iron pan brings out their great flavor.

Landlocked Salmon Landlocked salmon are another famously palatable fish.

Their meat is pink, and has a very strong, distinct taste. In fact, I can’t think of a simple

way to describe it.

As far as texture, it’s similar to brook trout – flaky and soft.

A lot of people fry them like trout, but they’re also delicious if baked with seasonings and butter. Just make sure to remove the scales before you cook.

Togue Lake trout, or togue, are my favorite fish to target. They get quite big, and are strong fighters. You find them in deeper water than other species. Their meat can be anywhere from white to orange, depending on a number of factors.

Togue have a mild taste. They are a versatile fish to cook, as their flavor isn’t overpowering.

My usual recipe involves baking them in butter, with a whole array of seasonings and herbs. You’ll know they’re done when the bones easily pull out of the meat.

You can also fillet

togue and get sizeable chunks of meat. These are delicious in patties, fried, or grilled.

You can follow a lot of well-known ocean fish recipes, and substitute your togue fillets for the store-bought fish.

Whitefish Whitefish are not very common in Maine. There are only a handful of lakes that sustain populations.

However, in locations where you can keep them, they are incredible eating. Their meat is very delicate, and it tastes clean, for lack of better term. It’s a very white meat, and it’s soft.

Whitefish are best if cooked relatively plain, free of too many intense flavors. This lets you experience their unique taste.

Whitefish must also be scaled before you cook. You can purchase a purpose-built scaler, which works.

However, you can also scale fish by simply

Following a successful fishing trip to a cold-water lake in northern Maine, the author baked up a meal of togue, brook trout and cusk.

holding a knife blade perpendicular to the scales and scraping in small motions from tail to head.

Cusk The final fish I’ll cover is cusk. These slimy specimens are bottom-feeders, and are mostly caught at night. Like whitefish, their meat is white and delicate. They’re similar in consistency to catfish. You have to skin cusk – their skin comes off inside-out.

It’s worth watching a YouTube video on the process.

Cusk makes a de-

licious chowder. Just chunk up the meat and put it in your fish chowder recipe you might use for storebought fish. As a fun alternative, you can fry chunks in Sprite (yup, the soda). Once cooked, it tastes just like lobster.

There are so many species of fish in Maine, covering all of them in one column is impossible. In my own opinion, however, the species mentioned above are some of the best fish to eat in the state.

¶

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It’s Time for Terrific Trolling Tandem streamer patterns that have served the author well over the years on East Grand include a Red and White Special, Gray Ghost, Blue Devil, Ouananiche Sunset, and Magog smelt. He has a lesser-known trio of backup flies – the Senator, Nighthawk, and Demon, which are often difficult to find and purchase, so you may have to tie your own.

It’s worth the effort.

For Crown of Maine anglers, particularly fly fishers, July dry fly casting and May ice-out trolling are the two most anticipated times of each season.

And guess what – it’s now prime time spring trolling throughout Aroostook, and the chance to catch not only the largest fish of the year, but perhaps of a lifetime. Often the most consistent action on streamer flies for multiple species may be experienced during May outings.

A Grand Option Horace Greeley advised; “Go West, young man,” and great adventure was the reward. However, my advice is to “Go East” this month – to East Grand Lake, that is.

East Grand is the largest lake in Aroostook County (which happens to be the largest county east of the Mississippi, for those who didn’t realize it). Fact is, however, that only about 1/3 of the 16,070 acres are actually in “The County”; the rest of the huge waterway is distributed between

Washington County and New Brunswick, Canada. It’s all legally fishable, but has certain regulations as a border water, and specifically follow this advice: Do not land your boat on foreign soil.

There are seven species available to trollers and casters, but brook trout and salmon are prime spring targets for tandem streamers enthusiasts. As with any lake, there are age-old “proven” hot spots, but due to the vast expanse, crowding is seldom a problem. Truth

The author holds a nice salmon. “Although the water may be cold and the weather chilly this month,” he says, “the fishing is hot, and salmon hooked on a streamer fly leap and greyhound despite the cool conditions.” Photos by Bill Graves

be told, most central and northern Aroostook anglers head north to the Fish River chain of liquid gems.

Despite the shorter drive and greater selection of ice out waterways “up North,” I still can’t consider my

May adventures complete without a couple of outings to East Grand.

Places and Patterns An abundance of coves, brook inlets and cold springs offer a vast array of troll(Continued on next page)

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Roger Shaw of Mars Hill puts some pressure on a hefty trout that struck a streamer trolled on a “County” pond soon after ice out.

After a long, cold winter, there’s no feeling as rewarding as the first big salmon that grabs a tandem streamer, causing the rod to bounce and the reel to whine.

The County (Continued from page 39)

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The deep water between Little River Cove and the mouth of The Arm is excellent for togue. Bass fishing is always dependable in Big English Cove, Churchill Cove

Ice out trolling yields some of the largest brook trout of the season on a fly. Here, Bill Graves slides the net under one of several takers.

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driving distance.

Tandem streamer patterns that have served me well over the years on East Grand include a Red and White Special, Gray Ghost, Blue Devil, Ouananiche Sunset, and Magog smelt.

I have a much lessknown trio of backup flies – the Senator, Nighthawk, and Demon, which are often difficult to find and purchase, so you may have to tie your own.

It’s worth the effort.

It’s proven beneficial to me over the years to troll a combination of baitfish and bright attractor patterns, as well as a hair-wing and feather-wing combination.

If you prefer to drag hard baits, try size 7 floating Rapalas in orange or perch, silver Sutton spoons, a pounded copper Mooseleuk or a mirror minnow. A lot of local anglers drift live smelt for consistent spring success. Delorme’s Atlas, Map 45, A 3 & 4 and Map 53, E-4 will overview this grand waterway, and Route 1 offers the best access all along the western shoreline.

A Pleasant Outing I have visited and sung the praises of (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 41

Mike Wallace of Freeport travels north for at least a week of ice-out trolling each spring, This silver leaper from one of the Fish River lakes proves that the travel was well worthwhile.

(Continued from page 40)

Pleasant Pond in Island Falls for half a century, mostly accolades for swell smelt jigging, but spring outings can be very rewarding as well.

There’s a well-maintained boat launch at the northwest end of the lake with ample parking, and Birch Point Lodge offers a gravel launch ramp.

Both facilities will easily accommodate boats up to 20 feet, as well as pontoon boats.

Birch Point Lodge is a third-generation business with lakeside cabins, RV sites and tenting options. It also boasts a restaurant, bowling alley and boats, canoes and motors for rental. As an added bonus, the owners can offer upto-date info on fishing conditions, and sug-

Sherby Morris of Fort Kent prepares to release a moderate-sized salmon during an outing on Long Lake last spring. All anglers hope for a 5-pound plus beauty.

gestions on where to go and what baits are currently working.

Check out the website for other amenities and options as well as prices, or give them a call for the latest info and availability.

Pleasant Lake is well stocked annually with brook trout, and there are plenty of salmon as well. A long gravel bar extends along the center of Birch Point Cove; it’s a prime trolling area.

A few passes in Sand Cove and then around the inlet of Mattawamkeag River in Outlet Cove and in front of Outlet Mountain are all good options. Toward the end of May, smallmouth bass will begin spawning, and poling or paddling the shorelines offers tremendous sight-casting to bragging-size bronzebacks. Practic-

ing catch-and-release during this time will assure these acrobatic, aerobatic smallies stay plentiful.

While I continue to offer smelt imitations and vivid attractor flies simultaneously on Pleasant Pond, it’s baitfish streamers that consistently attract strikes and generally larger fish, especially salmon. Rapalas, Duper Dupers and red and white or 5-diamond Dardevle lures are good options for trout and salmon, whereas plastic crayfish, lizards and Senko 5” worms are deadly for early season bass in beds.

Use I-95 on Route 2 to reach either Island Falls or Oakfield, depending on whether you’re arriving from south or north, and then take Pond Road to the lake. Pe-

Small farm ponds often clear of ice a week of two before the big lakes. Those ponds offer great early season trout action, as this photo of Roger Shaw of Mars Hill demonstrates.

Tom Tardiff of Robinson fished Echo Lake with writer Bill Graves in his 21-foot Maine Freighter canoe in early May. Trout were grabbing streamer flies in pairs.

ruse DeLorme’s, Map 52, grid B-4 for a full overview. This duo of southern Aroostook lakes are well worth a visit this month, espe-

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Alewives

1. The native range of the alewife includes all of North America.

2. Yes, the alewife is a Maine native, having co-existed with other fish and wildlife in our state for thousands of years.

3. Each alewife female is capable of producing 100,000-400,000 eggs annually.

4. Of the more than 100,000 eggs

typically annually produced by alewife females, scientists estimate only three adults will ever return to spawn.

5. Alewives normally grow to 10” in length and weigh about half a pound, however, some hefty specimens have been caught as large as 14” and weighing more than a pound.

6. Alewives typically breed in the

cially when the bulk of spring anglers will be heading farther north in “The County.”

¶

(Quiz on Page 31)

spring during the months of May and June.

7. Alewife males reach sexual maturity around three years old, while the females reach sexual maturity when they are four or five years old 8. Those alewives fortunate enough to evade predators have been known to live for up to ten years in the wild. www.MaineSportsman.com

42 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Foraging for a Different Kind of Wild Woods Food Although the Maine ponds and woods are full of fish and game, that’s not the focus of this column. Instead, let’s talk about foraging for plants, such as edible wild mushrooms.

Growing up, I was always told that the wrong mushrooms will kill you, and your best bet is to stay far away from them.

But in the past few years, I started to notice there were many outdoorsmen who harvested mushrooms throughout the spring, summer, and fall. I would see it promoted at the Sportsman’s shows, and on Facebook. I even met a guy one day who said he was taking his boat to his secret Chanterelle spot across the lake.

Still I resisted, thinking since I don’t even like mushrooms that much, I won’t bother learning to identify them.

Chicken of the Woods However, that changed one day this past September, when I was goose hunting with a good buddy of mine. He pointed out a chicken of the woods on the trunk of a birch tree. This was the first I had ever seen. It was bright orange with white on the bottom I never would have guessed it was edible, but I had enough trust in him as he seemed to know a lot about them, www.MaineSportsman.com

Interested in trying edible Maine mushrooms and fungi? Start by frying up easily identifiable species in butter, such as chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, or making tea from Chaga.

Chicken of the woods. Luke Giampetruzzi photos

so I took it home.

After doing some research on my own, I confirmed it was a chicken of the woods.

I was told that this mushroom wasn’t the best and that there was some a lot better, so I didn’t have high expectations, but I sautéed it in a pan with some seasoning and butter, and I have to say it was unbelievably good – it wasn’t like any other mushroom I’ve ever had from the store. It didn’t have the same texture or anywhere near the same taste.

I couldn’t believe there were better ones out there, and from then on I realized why people took the day to go look for them.

Hen of the Woods Later that year, my father sent me a picture of a big mushroom he found on the trunk of a live oak

Chaga grows on birch trees, and makes healthful tea.

tree. He asked if it was edible.

Still not knowing enough about it, I forwarded the photo to my mushroom buddy, and he said it was a “hen of the woods” – and very good to eat.

We conducted an internet search and confirmed it was a hen of the woods. Also, the fact that it came off a live oak was a very good sign in itself.

So we took it back and cooked it like last time, and sure enough it was good very good – even better than the chicken of the woods, which I thought was excellent.

As the name indicates, it tastes just like chicken!

So now I’m a believer, and mushroom hunting is kind of addictive. I never thought I would say it, but it’s fun, and you never know what you’re going to find –

kind of like treasure hunting.

Chaga We started to harvest Chaga, which is also a type of fungus that grows on birch trees, a few years back.

Unlike other mushrooms, you don’t eat it.

Instead, you make tea out of it.

An uncle of mine told me about it, saying that made into a tea it had some of the best health benefits the woods have to offer. Many claim it can reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, gives you energy and provide other health benefits. Check with your doctor, since I have read you should not drink the tea if you are on blood thinners.

If has a black crust on the outside and it’s orange on the inside and it’s growing on a live birch, it’s Chaga.

Pick it, take it

home, chunk it up (you want the orange stuff, but the black stuff won’t hurt you if there’s a little bit on there). I like about a golf ball-sized chunk, three or four of them in a crockpot full of water. Let that heat on low for 8 hours and that’s all I do to make the tea.

It’s black as night looks just like coffee and doesn’t taste bad at all. You can drink it in the morning just like you would coffee, and it provides a bit of a kick start.

This year, I plan on hunting for Chanterelles, black trumpets, morels, and lobster mushrooms along with the others I mentioned. They all come out in different places and times of year; some have shorter seasons and some longer.

The best thing to do is look them up in a book or take a mushroom class and get all the information on them before you go picking and consuming any sort of fungus.

Some mushrooms are easier to identify than others, like Chaga, puffball, hen and chicken of the woods – these are all very hard to mistake for anything else.

So this spring, get out and add some more wild food to the dinner table.

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 43

Baxter State Park Backcountry Fishing Shines Now The first time I hiked to Russell Pond in Baxter State Park, it took a couple of days.

That trip started at Roaring Brook Campground, one of the more popular launch points, thanks to the campground and adjacent parking lot.

Because Steve Carter, Dave Gadoury and I had designs on summiting the peak of Katahdin, we headed up the Chimney Pond Trail and spent a night at Chimney Pond campground.

While many hikers scoot to the top and back in a single, albeit long day, we had other plans. We thought a good night’s rest would prepare us to summit in the morning and then descend to our waiting campsite at Davis Pond.

As I trudged up the Chimney Pond Trail, I noticed a lot of folks skipping right past me. Of course, our small group was doing a thru-hike that required me to have 40 pounds of gear on my back.

some trimming. About a half-hour after dark, the welcome shadow of our lean-to merged with our tired bodies.

Come morning, bright sunshine put some sparkle on one of the more beautiful campsites the park has to offer. The lone campsite reflects perfectly in the gin-clear mountain pond.

It’s a pretty good

As a result of over-ambitious scheduling of his first trip, the author learned to pace himself on long or steep hikes in Baxter State Park. The key, he says, is spending at least a day to rest and to fish for brookies. While heading in with a heavy pack gives him a taste of backcountry hiking, the following day off allows him to rest his knee and enjoy the fishing.

“It’s a lot easier with a water bottle and a peanut butter sandwich,” I commented as the train went by. Truthfully, day hikers can travel much lighter and make better time than those of us carrying full blown camping gear.

Windy Trail With winds blowing hard the next morning, we took the advice of the ranger and headed up the Saddle Trail. Once again, we seemed to be the slowest hikers on the mountain.

To speed things up, we left our packs at the intersection of the Northwest Basin Trail, and climbed up to the peak. Without the weight of the pack,

Discover the

Katahdin Region

I felt at least a little faster. Okay, maybe a LOT faster.

The winds were fierce.

Carter’s 45-pound pack blew off the rock he set it on while we visited the summit. Time was ticking, and we still needed to descend to our reserved site at Davis Pond.

On to Davis Pond After shouldering our backpacks, we headed down the Northwest Basin Trail. Before long we ran into a work crew headed back to Chimney Pond.

After telling them of our plans, they all looked at each other and mentioned the trail was rough and that we’d better get

going.

They were right – the final decent into Davis Pond was steep, slippery and in need of

(Katahdin Country continued on page 46)

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Finding Fish...With a Little Help from DIF&W Whenever the author sees a boat trailer pulled into the turnpike’s breakdown lane for repairs, he looks skyward and silently thanks his friend Bob Fuller for preaching the gospel of preventive maintenance and repair. In thousands of miles up and down the East Coast, not a single problem delayed their access to fishing.

Back in the early 1990s, I spent a fair amount of time fishing with the late Bob Fuller. Fuller had an engaging personality and a smile that filled his 22-foot boat.

He took me under his wing after my father passed on and we went on a mission to fish the New England states

hard. I learned a lot about life, travel and fishing in those years.

Bob and I were a great combination. He would tell me what and where he wanted to fish, and I would make the arrangements. Fuller owned a boat, while I had a trailer hitch on the back of my truck.

“Bobisms” A few “Bobisms” that stick with me to this day have saved my butt more than once.

Rule number one was to never screw up his weekends. That meant fishing trips were planned from Monday to Friday. Bob did car shows on the

Astute anglers regularly use the DIF&W website and the pages of The Sportsman’s April issue to monitor past and current stocking. The author stumbled across this current stocking operation last fall. A very impressive, well oiled machine using all the tools ... manpower, trucks and airplanes. Viewing this first hand gave the author a healthy respect for the effort put out by the DIF&W on behalf of Jackman Region anglers. Bill Sheldon photo

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Rule number two involved the set-up of the boat trailer. Using

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cent tongue weight on my trailer hitch. A pre-trip shot of grease to the hubs, check the air pressure, and use two straps when one would do.

Rule number three: replace anything on the boat or trailer that looked marginal.

That included rusty bolts, cracked tires and frayed wires. We always had working trailer and boat lights.

In countless miles of dragging boats up and down the East Coast, we experienced not a single problem.

Hopefully I’m not jinxing myself. Every time I pass a trailer in the breakdown lane, I look up and thank Bob. Follow the Crowd Fuller also liked to follow the crowd.

To him, a lot of boats at a boat ramp meant good fishing. The boat

would barely float off the trailer before his eyes scanned the pond or lake to see where everyone was fishing.

Yup, two boats catching fish meant we were headed to anchor in between them. Sometimes that worked out ... sometimes it didn’t. Fuller’s smile usually erased any ill will from area fishermen.

Thanks to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), chasing

good fishing can take place from the convenience of a home computer or a review of The Sportsman’s annual April stocking issue, instead of the binocular a la Fuller.

The DIF&W website publishes stocking reports for past years along with current stocking data. All this information can help anglers make targeted decisions on where and when to wet a line.

disgruntled glance at stocking reports showing 2021 numbers.

It’s often termed “outdated.” Not so fast.

I firmly believe that at least some of the fish stocked last fall holdover until now.

That also means they should have grown a little.

Okay, it’s great to show up a day or two after the stocking truck makes a deposit.

I accidentally experienced that two years ago on the Kennebec River. On that cloudless fall day, all the other drift boats were lining up shuttles for (Continued on next page)

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46 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Jackman Region (Continued from page 45)

the Bingham section of the river.

When I arrived and saw this going on, I immediately knew which section we would fish if Bob was still alive.

But the guy running the shuttle mentioned a recent fall stocking on the Solon side of the dam, so south to North Anson we drifted.

One of my better days on the Kennebec ensued. Picked up a couple of fat brookies to start, following that up with 18 salmon. I should also mention that we released every one of them.

Area Waters After that lucky weekend, the weather turned crappy. I’m

sure those couple of honey holes didn’t see much pressure the rest of the year. And, if they did, perhaps a catch-and-release type angler left them there for the next fisherman or -woman.

I’m sure the crowds follow the stocking list, too. It’s hard to ignore the 2,700 brook trout deposited in Parlin Pond (Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, Map 40, C-1) at the end of last April. If history holds true, the DIF&W has completed a similar stocking this year ... perfect for an evening casting blue-winged olives to square tails sipping bugs off the surface.

Attean Pond (Map 39, C-4) received a nice splash of landlocked salmon last year, and this year promises more of the same.

Dragging some traditional Maine streamers around the many islands that dot the waterway sounds like a fine May project.

Big Wood Pond gets its share of help from the DIF&W. Fall stockings of brook trout and splake, and a spring dose of landlocked salmon, give anglers a chance for some variety. Should I mention the brook trout stocked had a recorded length of 17 inches? Any holdovers here will put a healthy bend in most any rod.

If he were alive today, I could see Bob

Lenny Potvin connects with a brown trout on the Kennebec River. After beaching the author’s drift boat on one of the many gravel bars, Potvin hooked up with this nice fish by wet-wading a small waterway on the back side of an island in very shallow water. Browns like to lie along the banks or anywhere slow water borders faster current. The rest of us came up empty fishing the deeper, faster currents. Bill Sheldon photo

¶

scanning the DIF&W stocking report.

Katahdin Country (Continued from page 43)

trudge from Davis Pond to Russell Pond. The ice-cold water at a couple of stream crossings felt great on my sore knees. It was good to see Russell Pond for the first time.

Unfortunately, in the morning we didn’t have time to use the fly rod I had carried for miles. Instead, after cooking one of my homemade dehydrated breakfasts, we headed back to Roaring Brook Campground, opting for the longer, but flatter Wasataquoik Stream Trail.

Lessons Learned My one complaint with that trip was that I carried my fly rod and some minimal fishing gear for a 23.5-mile ride but never used it.

What did I learn? First, I fell in love with Baxter State Park. Second, I’m getting older and need to adjust how I navigate the park.

I’ve hiked into Russell Pond two more times since. I use the Wasataquoik Trail both in and out. The key is spending at least a day to rest and fish for the native square tails in the pond.

Same schedule for Katahdin Lake – the 3.2-mile hike in with a fully laden pack gives my body and bum knee a nice taste of backcountry hiking. The following day off from trekking gives my tired bones a day’s rest while I enjoy the water. www.MaineSportsman.com

Steve Carter and Dave Gadoury, sporting 40-plus pound backpacks, ready to tackle a three day thru-hike in Baxter State Park (BSP). Notice the fly rods attached to the back of their packs. BSP has many remote ponds teeming with native brook trout. Pristine wilderness fishing fishing requires boots on the ground and enough camping gear to enjoy the stay. Gadoury finally connected with a native squaretail at Russell Pond. Bill Sheldon photo

Five Ponds Trail The northern portion of Baxter Park also has some great backcountry ponds teeming with native brook trout.

The Trout Brook Mountain Trail System offers multiple opportunities.

The aptly named Five Ponds Trail offers relatively short hikes from the trailhead to Billfish and Long Ponds.

Don’t overlook any water. On the way into Billfish Pond, I passed by a

The author’s campsite at Davis Pond, located deep in Baxter State Park.

Camping next to an unspoiled, gin-clear mountain pond was a well -appreciated bonus after spending 11 hours on the trail. Reserving lean-to huts keeps the author’s old bones off the hard ground and provides a little added weather protection. A call to park headquarters or a visit to the BSP website is the first step toward planning a backcountry adventure.

very small pond on the left side of the trail. I gave it only a passing glance. On the way out the ranger mentioned he was hearing anglers talk about doing extremely well in that little no-name water.

On the south side of Billfish Mountain, the Fowler Ponds (Lower, Middle and South) all have campsites on the pond.

Check with the ranger station to verify that a canoe comes with the remote campsite. Otherwise, you’ll need to pack in a float tube.

And do bring some bug spray!

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 47

Too Many Fly-fishing Options for Lou in May There’s no medical remedy available, says the author, for an onset of springtime fishing fever.

When the month of May arrives, almost everyone in northern New England gets a spring in their step (pun intended). And why not? Days are longer and getting warmer, spring flowers are blooming, kids are counting down to the end of the school year, and vacation time is approaching. Life is good.

But not for me. I stress out during May, and it gets worse every year. Why? It’s because this is the month when fly-fishing season gets into full swing, and I can’t be everywhere at once. No drug can be prescribed that cures fishing fever.

Many Options First of all, where I live, the local streams, rivers, and ponds are freshly stocked, and the fly-fishing will never be better for the rest of the year. Farther north, the native fisheries are producing their biggest trout and salmon of the year, as the trophies chase after smelt or gobble sucker eggs.

In warm-water lakes and ponds, the bass are on their spawning beds (or soon will be), and they are at their height of aggressiveness towards topwater poppers. The stripers arrive by the end of the month and will not be this naïve for the rest

of the summer. Pike continue to prowl in shallow water and are easy to reach. How is an angler supposed to choose where to fish?

I am paranoid about missing great fishing. Nothing is worse than heading to the water this time of year and not doing well. You lament the opportunity lost because you just know if you went somewhere else, you would be crushing it.

I have sat in the car, paralyzed, because I couldn’t decide where to fish. This is not a recent psychosis.

I was like this in my

twenties.

My new bride, Lindsey, tried to comfort me back then.

She’d say, “Don’t worry – even if you miss a hatch, you have another 50 springs to fish.”

Well, her words of wisdom are not so reassuring 40 years later when I am on life’s back nine and drawing closer to the clubhouse.

I try employing various coping behaviors, but they all have flaws.

Sometimes, I fish from dawn to dusk, to cram as much fishing into one day as possible. But after several consecutive 16-

Small surface poppers are the most fun way to catch smallmouth bass. Photo: Lou Zambello

hour days, I wake up one morning and can’t get out of bed. I then call for my long-suffering wife, “Help, I seem to be paralyzed

– maybe I have polio, or if I’m lucky, it’s just a stroke.” Lindsey doesn’t convey much (Freshwater Fly Fishing continued on page 49)

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48 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

How to Take More Trout from Brooks and Streams Why do some people always take more trout from brooks and streams than others?

Is it because they know something that others don’t? You bet.

I have had people tell me that they wanted to get into fishing because fly fishing interested them. “How do I learn to fly fish?” they asked.

My answer always

To become good at fly fishing, says the author, first become good at fishing – any kind of fishing. An angler who has mastered bait fishing, for example, will be a quick study when it comes to transitioning to fly fishing, because they understand the water, and they understand the fish. came as a surprise and probably a letdown.

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words, it doesn’t make any difference what kind of tackle you use.

Instead, the important thing is to know and understand the fish and how best to approach them.

Someone who has never held a fly rod in his or her life, but has fished with bait and artificial lures for many years and understands how to approach the fish and how best to fish them, can become an expert fly fisher in record time. The person who has never fished at

all, on the other hand, must first learn the basics.

I always recoil at the television commercials that show someone wading in a river, casting nearly all their fly line, back and forth, back and forth, but never actually fishing.

This isn’t fishing, it’s just fly casting. You’ve seen these ads, I’m sure.

Any Tackle The purpose of this column is not to discuss fly fishing, since other excellent columnists already do that.

But in this case, I use fly fishing to make a point, that in order to become good at fly fishing, first become good at fishing, any kind of fishing.

The unsophisticated country boy who grew up fishing the local trout streams will have compiled an encyclopedic knowledge of trout and their ways by the time he reaches adulthood. And even if that person never owned sophisticated fishing tackle, he will have easily learned his trade using the tackle at hand. Once, many years ago, I bought a telescoping, steel fishing rod at a yard sale.

It had old-fashioned agate guides. I determined to take trout on this outdated rod, (Continued on next page)

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and take trout I did.

It wasn’t the rod that took trout – it was me.

You see, the fish don’t know, nor do they care, how much you spent on your fishing gear. What does count, though, is how you manage to get the lure or bait to them.

Here are some suggestions as to how to go about catching more trout.

First, consider your approach. Try not to cast a shadow on the water, since that can spook trout, and spooked trout don’t bite.

Next, tread lightly. Have you ever seen a person or persons

stomp clumsily down to the streamside and immediately cast as far as they could and finally leave in disgust because they caught nothing? A more light-footed angler could fish that same pool 20 minutes later and catch trout.

That person would approach the pool facing the sun so as not to throw a shadow.

He would not stand upright on the shoreline, but rather would squat down and make a short, upstream cast, all the while keeping a low profile.

Further Suggestions The wise angler knows to fish the clos-

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 47)

sympathy, but simply tells me to “take a day or two off.”

Seasonal Hobbies Why did I develop a passion for a hobby that is so seasonal (at least in New England)? My daughter’s avocation is knitting, and she can do it anytime, regardless of season or weather. My mom loves the Sunday Crossword Puzzle, but the New York Times doesn’t publish all 52 puzzles during the months of May and September – they spread them out, one per week. It could be worse, I suppose.

What if I lived for wearing Halloween costumes, or dyeing Easter eggs?

We also must endure other conflicts that take away from fishing. I enjoy gardening, and May is sowing and planting time. And why must we have proms, graduations, weddings, and other trivial but obligatory events this month?

Let’s change their timing to August, or better yet, November.

On a positive note, I am better organized now, and I own more gear than when I was younger (and poorer). In one corner of my “manly” room, I gather smallstream gear, including hip boots,

est places first before resorting to longer casts. That means not walking in the water, but instead fishing from shore. Never wade when wading can be avoided. The angler who immediately splashes into the stream drives nearby trout to hiding. Better to thoroughly fish from 1 to 10 feet out, and then extend your casts. Then, if you must wade, go ahead.

I find that most small and medium-sized streams can be fished with ultralight spinning tackle without wading.

The knowledgeable angler will also use (Trout Fishing continued on page 51)

a 3-weight outfit, and appropriate flies and leaders. My striper equipment, including an 8-weight rod, insulated waders and a box of Clousers and Deceivers, occupies another corner. I put my bass and pike gear along with my float tube in the back of the garage. So, when I finally choose where I want to fish, I can grab and go.

Early Fishing Extended season regulations combined with warmer springs and autumns from climate change do take some of the pressure off May. I can cheat on the prime season and do a fair amount of fishing in March and April now, not to mention October and November.

Thirty years ago, if you tried to fly-fish Maine in April, more often than not you were fishing in snow, or below freezing temperatures, or in raging snow melt. Not so much anymore – the early fishing can be quite good.

I believe I have May figured out for this year. I will fish the first week for stocked fish, then switch to Rangeley’s native brookie fisheries the second week, followed by bass and pike fishing on the third week, before finishing up with stripers. My daughter’s wedding is the first week of August – thank goodness.

¶

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50 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Top Tips for ATV Tire Repair The author’s ATV had a flat tire, but he wasn’t worried. That’s because he had an air pump. Too bad he hadn’t checked before he headed out to see if the pump actually worked. It was an important lesson to learn, and one that has stayed with him.

As a Master Maine guide, I have helped many folks discover the pleasure of riding ATV trails in the mountainous regions of the western part of this state. One of the first times I took a group of clients out on a tour, I leaned an important lesson that still sticks with me today – aways be prepared for a flat tire.

This sounds like a simple plan, until the time comes when the machine you are riding starts to pull to one side of the trail and that sickening, thumping pulse starts to rattle the handlebar.

My first flat tire incident, mentioned above, turned out okay, but not because of my preparation – I just got lucky. About five miles into the tour my left rear tire went flat. I halted the group and began fixing the flat, but I noticed that the small air compressor used for inflating

the tires wasn’t working properly. Unbeknownst to me, someone broke the hose on the compressor and didn’t fix it before I took the machine out that day.

As luck had it that day, another guide happened to be along on the ride, and we decided to have him continue leading the group without me. I stayed behind to figure out how to get the machine out of the woods. My cell phone had enough coverage to reach help, so in a matter of minutes I had someone there with a working compressor.

In this instance, I had the right equipment but failed to check and make sure it was in proper working order. To avoid this problem in the future I’ll check the flat-fixer kit and make sure my compressor is operational.

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few other things folks should do before they hit the trail.

Tire Check Along with carrying the kit needed for fixing a flat tire, I now perform a simple tire check before each and every ride. It’s easy to do, doesn’t take that much time, and helps avoid problems down the trail. Taking care of a tire is a whole lot easier at home, before the ride, rather than waiting to find a problem out in the woods and possibly miles from help.

Proper and consistent tire pressure is a very important part of helping the rider handle an ATV. Low pressure on one tire will pull the four-wheeler to that side of the trail. Pressure that’s too high makes the machine ride rough, while pressure that is too low can soften the ride to the point it hinders a rider from being able to handle the ATV safely. Real low pressure can also allow dirt to enter the wheel rims, breaking the seal and causing a slow and hard-to-detect leak.

A pressure gauge and small compressor can quickly take care of any of these issues.

A small compressor and tire “fix-it” kit allow ATV riders to repair their own tires right on the trail.

William Clunie photo

Make sure to check the pressure when the tires are cold. Several manufacturers now make a product that replaces the valve cover on the tire and turns a specific color if the tire is over or under inflated. A simple glance at the valve covers will tell the operator if the tire needs more air pressure or less. I haven’t tried the colored valve covers, but they sound like a very useful item for identifying a problem early.

If a leak is suspected, find the source with a spray bottle of soapy water or, in an emergency, saliva – both bubble up nicely when applied to the point of escaping air.

Use the tools in the fix-

it kit to repair the leak in this order: 1. Bore the hole at the point of the leak to the correct plug size.

2. Insert a plug with supplied glue.

3. Trim the excess plug to the tire surface.

4. Inflate the tire to the proper pressure.

5. Re-check the plugged site for further leakage with the soapy water.

Take a short drive, maybe a mile or less, and spray the plugged spot with soapy water once more to make sure the plug held tight. These tire-fix kits don’t seem like they can do the job, but they really are user-friendly. You will (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 51 (Continued from page 50)

surprise yourself after you successfully fix your own tire – it’s easy.

In fact, this same information holds true for maintaining tires on any off-road vehicle. When off-road travelers take to the

woods, they need to be sure their tires are in good shape and that they can fix them on their own – you won’t find service stations in

remote areas of Maine.

After fixing the tire, ride in confidence, knowing you can handle any further tire repair issues in the

field if necessary. Just make sure the air compressor is in good working order before heading out the door.

¶

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 49)

the lightest line possible that will still handle large fish. Light lines allow for a more natural presentation, whether with bait or lure. Light lines allow lures to function as intended. They do not impede lure action. I emphasize light lines. The reason is because light lines are thin lines and thin lines perform best of all. If someone were to make an ultra-thin line with a high breaking strength, say 10 pounds, I would use it.

To recap: light lines, meaning no more than 4-pound test, translate to thin lines, and thin lines perform better than thick lines.

Also, if your line has remained on the reel for several years and it has developed a “memory” and comes off in loops, it needs changing. Too often I have taken someone fishing and found that they were ill-equipped because their (usually thick, heavy) lines close-

Before walking down to the stream, and especially before wading in, take time to read the water and decide how best to approach it. Tom Seymour photo

ly resemble coil springs, rather than straight lines.

Even the act of casting can affect how trout will respond. Using a sideways cast won’t alarm trout as much as

a high, reaching overhead cast.

So try these suggestions, and see if you don’t take more trout.

¶

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52 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

May Brings Great Salmon Fishing (But Bring Your Warm Clothes) Standard dress for a May trolling session on Moosehead includes boots, gloves, a warm hat, and either a heavy outer garment or several layers of warm clothing.

In May, spawning smelt run up streams and rivers entering Moosehead Lake. The smelt run attracts the lake’s coldwater game fish, which in turn attract legions of anglers.

Action can come fast and furious. It may also slow down without warning, only to pick up later.

The important thing now is simply to get out on the water with streamer fly, wobbling spoon or live smelt on the end of your line.

While all of the

lake’s important fish species, salmon, trout and togue, are possible in May, salmon remain the big draw.

If you have never taken a landlocked salmon, then prepare for a spirited battle. Salmon are noted for long, fast runs and memorable aerial acrobatics. Instead of running away from the boat, a hooked salmon will often head toward it, perhaps in an effort to gain slack line and throw the hook.

Also note that while salmon may

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stand as the main quarry, you’ll probably catch as many togue as salmon.

Togue, taken on medium-weight tackle in spring, put up a fierce battle. While primarily a deep-water fish in summer, the smelt runs of spring can entice togue to enter and remain in shallow water, often in depths of 15 feet or less. I’ve taken Moosehead togue in 10 feet of water in May while trolling with my fly rod, and these hard-fighting fish put up a memorable account of themselves.

Cold Trolling While drifting and casting may take fish, the bulk of springtime anglers prefer to troll with either live smelt or smelt imitations.

For those unacquainted with May weather in the Moosehead region, it might seem odd to learn that standard dress for a trolling session includes insulated boots, gloves, a warm hat, and either a heavy outer garment or several layers of warm clothing.

“Gloves?” you might ask. Darn tootin’! I have had my formerly frostbitten fingers turn white and numb while reeling in salmon on Moosehead Lake in May. Gloves

Bob Lawrence holds Tom’s Moosehead Lake salmon that Tom caught from Bob’s pontoon boat. Photo: Tom Seymour

aren’t a “just-in-case” item, but rather a necessity while trolling in May. Remember that May sees a disproportionate number of windy days, and a cold north wind can quickly drain the heat from a person in short order. So bring lots of warm clothing. You may hit the lake on a calm, warm day, but don’t count on it.

Given the importance of gloves, it helps if your reel has extra-large handles or knobs. I find it difficult to wind line in on my old Pflueger fly reel while wearing gloves. I recently bought a new fly reel with an oversized

handle, but it was a left-hand retrieve and despite instructions to the contrary, couldn’t be switched to righthand retrieve. So for now, the old Pflueger remains my go-to trolling reel.

Don’t let my cold-weather warnings keep you off the water, though. For me, there’s no place more like heaven on earth than Moosehead Lake in May. Often frantic action, the sight of salmon splashing on the surface and the majestic scenery surrounding the lake, make a spring day on Moosehead Lake a dream come true.

(Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 53 (Continued from page 52)

Trolling Tips In May, salmon may reside near the surface, or they may hang 20-30 feet or more down. However, salmon never hesitate to dart up to the surface to slam a bait or lure. So begin trolling only a few feet below the surface, and if fish don’t cooperate, go progressively deeper.

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Just as important as depth – and perhaps even more so – is speed. My motto while trolling streamer flies is that you can never go too fast for salmon. The whole idea of streamers is to go fast enough so that the wing or wings and other components flatten and compress, in order to simulate a fleeting smelt.

Slow-trolling with streamers doesn’t

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work, although you may take a few fish with sparsely tied, single-hook bucktails. But if trolling with classic two-hook, feather-wing streamers, go along at a good clip, and you’ll take salmon.

Artificial lures are a different story.

Because of their wobbling action, too-fast a speed will result in line twist. Besides,

lures – especially wobbling spoons such as Mooselook Wobblers – are designed to flutter provocatively, even at slower speeds. In this case, the lure does the work for you.

Live smelt are best fished at a medium speed. Take time to hook your smelt, and then test it alongside the boat so that it doesn’t twist. Fish at a medium speed, not

so fast that the hooks become dislodged and the lure spins. Test your frozen smelt in the same manner, but remember that the flesh on frozen smelt isn’t as solid as in live smelt, so be wary of going very fast.

Come to Moosehead this spring and get in on the action.

¶

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54 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

That Was the Day 136 mostly undersized trout meant a heap of trouble for three poachers. The good news was that the author’s successful prosecution of the case raised his profile among members of the Warden Service.

It was June 26, 1971, and I had come into the woods through E. Plantation (Aroostook County). I was in my green two-wheel drive Ford short-bed truck in TDR2 and had just come out of the Collins Road. I had just checked Ketchum Bog for fishermen as it could be good fishing if you had a raft or canoe, but I found nobody there. After leaving the bog – a tributary to Nine Stream – I headed for the Nine Lake Road, or as they called it in Bridgewater, “the Bootfoot Road.”

As I came onto the Nine Lake Road and turned west towards Nine Lake, I noticed a pickup truck parked down by Nine Stream about a quarter-mile away. I began to slowly go down a hill towards the truck, when three men appeared in the road and started walking towards the truck.

“I Came to an Uncontrolled, Skidding Stop” Just then, one man turned and spied me coming down the hill and apparently sounded the alarm, as they all started running in various directions.

This was a clue that I www.MaineSportsman.com

am sure anyone could interpret, meaning that I needed to hurry and close the gap between us.

For that reason, I sped my truck up. As I did, I noticed the men start to throw their fish creels onto the ground.

In my haste to get down to their location, I discovered that I had built up some speed.

As I tried to stop, I encountered a little difficulty. My brakes were wet and they grabbed erratically, since I had soaked the brake pads by driving through deep puddles. As a result, I came to a rather uncontrolled skidding stop, fairly close to the perpetrators.

Lots and Lots of Trout I was able to round up the three guys. Then I found two creels and a treebranch stringer. They had a lot of trout.

I got their fishing licenses, and spread the fish out on my tailgate to count. I asked them if they knew how many trout they had. One of them replied, “We don’t know.

You’re so smart – why don’t you count them?

So, of course, I did count them, and came up with one hundred

and thirty-six trout, most of them undersized.

Heading to Court I seized the fish, wrote out some court summonses for Presque Isle court, then took my leave from this trio of surly, brooding “sportsmen.”

Soon, the court arraignment day arrived. I got myself all spiffed up and arrived at Presque Isle court to find it was a busy game warden day.

Inside was a large contingent of veteran wardens, including Ivan Porter, Maurice Gordon, Herb Brazier, Leonard Richie and Charlie Merrill. They had all heard about my big haul of trout.

I was always happy to be around these guys, since I idolized them, even though they had previously not always seemed all that warm and fuzzy towards me.

Today, however, they were treating me very nicely, and I was liking it a lot. I could sense a different atmosphere while interacting with them. I must admit that I did feel like the star of the day, and they were treating me that way, which was a rather new experience.

Driving to Endanger – the Poachers?

The fishermen all pleaded guilty, but when asked by Judge Julian Turner if they had anything to say for themselves, the leader of the group spoke up and said the only reason they started to run was because of my crazy driving.

Judge Turner replied, “Well, you probably thought he was trying to run over you, didn’t you? The guy quickly responded, “Yeah, that’s right,” thinking he might be gaining a little traction with the judge.

However, he failed to realize the judge was merely trying to inject a little entertainment into the proceedings.

The district attorney was Cecil Burleigh – a huge man with a powerful personality that filled any room he was in. Before the district court system had been instituted, Cecil had served as a municipal court judge. He really liked game war-

dens, and had always enjoyed going to a warden camp and hanging out with the likes of Earl Kelly, Maynard Pelletier and Sleepy Atkins, playing cribbage and swapping tales. He was a very able prosecutor and, I think, really enjoyed taking warden cases to trial.

As usual, after court was finished in the morning, he took us all over to the Northeastland Hotel to buy us coffee.

Everyone in Presque Isle knew him, and he loved to come into the hotel coffee shop with his entourage of game wardens and hold forth, almost like a king. He was one of a kind. I thought he was wonderful, and I often speak of him.

For some time, even to this day, I often think of how well all the older wardens treated me that day. It finally dawned on me, that was the day – the day they accepted me.

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 55

Sea Lampreys Returning to Maine Rivers Sign of Healthier Ecosystem While more charismatic fish get most of the attention, the sea lamprey – a native Maine fish – leads a fascinating life cycle, does not harm Maine freshwater fish, and provides important benefits to our state’s coastal and inland ecosystems.

Spring in Maine brings forth multitudes of fish running up our rivers and streams to spawn: smelt, shad, alewives, sturgeon, striped bass, and Atlantic salmon.

With the removal of key dams in the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers, construction of fish passage at others, and improved water quality, we have seen a trend toward increases in anadromous or migratory sea-run fish returning to spawn in recent years.

Sea Lamprey While other more charismatic fish get most of the attention, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a less-than-glamorous species that has also benefited from improved connectivity between the marine environment and upstream freshwater habitat.

Sea lampreys are native to Maine, having colonized our rivers after the last ice age. They return from the North Atlantic in the spring to spawn in a fascinating cycle that provides important benefits to our coastal and inland ecosystems.

During the time

that sea lampreys are in Maine rivers and streams, they do not feed on or harm freshwater fish, nor are they at all a threat to humans.

Ancient Species The sea lamprey is an ancient species of jawless, eel-like fish that has changed little in the past 340 million years. Give them credit – these primitive creatures have survived several major extinction events.

Unlike bony fishes, sea lampreys lack scales, fins and gill covers. Like sharks, their skeletons are made of cartilage.

They breathe through seven distinctive gill holes on each side behind their eyes.

Sea lampreys spend two to three years in the Atlantic Ocean where they attach themselves to large fish to feed as parasites, injuring but not killing their hosts. They feed with a unique suction-cup mouth ringed with sharp teeth. After they attach to a host, their raspy tongue cuts through the host’s skin to consume the flesh, blood and fluids. They produce an anticoagulant called lamphedrin to prevent the blood

from clotting.

When fully grown– reaching up to 40 inches or more–lampreys return to freshwater streams to transform into spawning (and non-feeding) adults and lay their eggs.

Spring Migration The month of May marks the beginning of sea lamprey migration in Maine. Spawning activities occurring over a three- to sixweek period through early June.

Mottled brown in color, adult lampreys use their suction cup mouths to lift and carry stones to build pit and mound nests in shallow flowing streams, where they lay their eggs. By loosening sediments and creating a protective stone structure, lampreys provide valuable habitat for many other species, including juvenile trout and salmon.

The fertilized lamprey eggs settle into the nests to incubate before the larvae, known as ammocoetes, emerge and drift downstream to settle in silty shaded substrate.

Larval Stage The worm-like ammocoetes are filter feeders that live on

An adult sea lamprey builds a nest in a freshwater stream. Screenshot from Vermont Fish & Wildlife and Connecticut River Conservancy video on YouTube

A sea lamprey’s mouth. In Maine, lampreys do not attach to freshwater fish. It’s a different story in the Great Lakes, where they are landlocked and prevented from accessing the sea. Source: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory/ Wikimedia.

plankton and detritus.

They remain in the stream for up to eight years, growing to almost five inches long and weighing about five grams. They then transform through a metamorphosis to become sexually mature but non-feeding subadults called macrophthalmia, with large eyes, a disk-shaped mouth, and saltwater tolerance.

The macrophthalmia are often prey for other fish species, such as striped bass. In time, they work their way downstream to the open ocean where they find a host and begin to feed and grow into adults, to begin

the cycle anew.

Native and Beneficial Sea lampreys spend only part of their lifecycle in our rivers and are considered both beneficial and harmless to other native freshwater species (and humans!) in Maine. The influx of spawning sea lampreys and their young add to the biodiversity and stability of our freshwater ecosystems.

Shortly after spawning, both male and female adult lampreys die and decompose. The dead lampreys in Maine (Sporting Environment continued on page 58) www.MaineSportsman.com

56 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Derelict Log Dams Provide History Lesson and Trout Today, Long Lake Dam on the Allagash is a shallow riffle over what remains of the wood structure and the tons of stone that once held the dam in place. But the deep fall pool below the dam is still there. The water still churns over the low barrier and gathers oxygen, and Long Lake still benefits from the low water head retained by the old dam’s footings.

It was a little bit like a circus trick.

The performance started by standing in a canoe, anchored at mid-stream, in the boulder-studded outlet of Parmacheenee Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 28, C-1). Twenty yards downstream, the Magalloway River slipped over and under the ancient remains of a timber log dam.

By casting a streamer fly with just the right amount of mend in the line, it was just possible to have a quick-sinking leader pull the imitation smelt into the deep hole beneath the foundation log of the dam. Most of my casts were swept harmlessly away by the quick surface current that

spilled over the top of the obstruction.

But if the fly was offered just so, if the current wasn’t too strong, if it was just at the edge of pitch dark, and if the black flies had extracted a sufficient amount of sacrificial blood, the streamer would occasionally dip into the deep lair, where it would be slammed by a big trout.

Turning the trout’s first run, holding it back from the tangled guts of the dam’s ruined foundation, was the grand finale. The trick was meaningless unless the performer could stick this landing.

Maybe only two or three of my casts per evening met this mag-

Canoe hazard on Webster Stream – the logs have rotted away, but an occasional fastening spike remains. www.MaineSportsman.com

ical standard, but the dam pool was irresistible.

This big brookie sought refuge in the deep pool below the remains of an old dam. All photos: Jim Andrews

Logging History Impact on Trout Timber crib dams, spiked together and weighted down with tons of river rock, were a standard of the 19th century logging industry in Maine.

These simple structures changed state history, and the course of the mighty Allagash in northern Maine. On a smaller scale, they held spring tributary floodwaters in check, until it met the convenience of the river drivers to empty the impoundments into the main stem of the river. This explains why these dams were often placed at

the outlets of remote small ponds and bogs that never saw the passage of logs.

The flood-ravaged remains of these dams are scattered across the state, extending from storied trout waters where presidents and sports heroes once fished, to humble mountain brooks.

Almost all other logging efforts were directed toward removing obstructions from waterways, to permit the free passage of harvested logs.

The result was miles of dredged, dynamited and straightened streams – with huge impacts on trout habitat. Trout Unlimit-

Trout haven – crib and cobble in Webster Stream.

ed and other groups are still working to restore Maine’s river and stream channels to their more natural conditions.

The dams were the exception to this rule. They created upstream deep-water refuges for cold-water fish species, they oxygenated water that flowed over or under them, and they eroded the downstream fall pool into a trout heaven of churning current, deep eddies and undercut riverbanks.

No wonder they were historically popular fishing spots.

(Self-Propelled continued on page 58)

The Rainbow Lake outlet dam.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 57

Trout, Salmon and Spring Turkeys Create Excitement in May My 9-foot Sage 5-oz fly rod arched as the trout took line out and swam along the shoreline. The 11inch squaretail made several attempts to shake the hook loose and swim to freedom.

It finally slid it in close enough to the shoreline for me to release it. This exhilarating fly-fishing action continued off-and-on for an hour. I finished the morning fishing flurry by catching and releasing six more beautifully-speckled brookies.

The hotspot cited above took place at Youngs Pond, in Otis (Map 24, C-1). The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) stocks this fly-fishing-only water annually with 525 7-inch brookies. The shallow 13-acre pond often promises results for fly-casters trying to catch a few May brook-

I drove my pick-up truck a short way down a logging road, rolled down my window, and called.

Within 15 seconds, a tom turkey responded. I quickly exited the truck, pulled on my remaining camo clothing, grabbed a turkey decoy, shotgun shells, and my Remington 870, 12-ga. shotgun. ies.

Youngs frequently produces outstanding dry-fly action at dawn and again around dusk. Nymphs or wet flies take trout for fly casters during the daylight hours. Special regulations on this pond allow anglers to keep brookies of 14 inches or better. Access to the pond is by a logging road off Route

180 in Otis. A small boat, kayak, or canoe gives fly fishers a major advantage when fishing this water.

Washington County Fishing According to Region C biologist Greg Burr, “Now is the time to be fishing in Washington County. Fishing is great, and everything is coming alive.”

One water that is prime fishing in May is Grand Lake Stream (GLS); see DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 35, B-4.

Annual high flows of water often push salmon out of the dam pool down into the hatchery pool and below. High water also pulls some fish down from West Grand, and others up from Big Lake.

Crystal-clear

water and more than three miles of stream offer fly casters great early-fishing opportunities for feisty brook trout or tail-walking salmon. The best eastern access is from Big Lake to the Meadows.

There is western access of the river below Big Lake.

An excellent fly for GLS is a size 12 Hornberg with a tiny Pheasant-tail bead-head as a dropper. However, other fly-fishing friends of mine swear by BeadHead Woolly Buggers, Bead-Head Caddis Pupa, small Mickey (Continued on next page)

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58 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Downeast Region (Continued from page 57)

Finns, or Adamses. So if one fly doesn’t seem very productive, don’t hesitate to try something else. Mid-May to late-May is best when the Hendrickson hatch is in progress.

Another Washington County Water A second productive brook trout and brown trout water in Washington County is Simpson Pond in Roques Bluffs, Map 26, D-3. This small 21acre pond is very shallow; however, natural springs in the pond provide enough cool water for trout to survive through the summer. Canoes or small self-propelled boats may be launched on

the pond; motorboats are prohibited.

Anglers at Simpson occasionally catch hefty brown trout.

Maine Guide Stan Hubbard of Roques Bluffs mentioned to me that he has caught a few 3-pound brownies in past years.

Four hundred 11inch spring brookies and 50 12-inch brown trout are stocked annually to provide some fast action. A few of these holdover brookies attain lengths of 13-15 inches. Shore anglers enjoy good results using a worm and a bobber. Kayaks can be rented on-site to explore or fish the pond

Sporting Environment (Continued from page 55)

streams provide immediate food for scavengers, and contribute important nutrients for macroinvertebrates (bugs, crayfish and other critters) that form the foundation of the aquatic food web.

A Great Lakes Invader In the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, sea lampreys are considered invasive pests that arrived from

Self-Propelled (Continued from page 56)

Old Dams are Still Great Fishing Spots Derelict logging dams hold back only a fraction of the water volume that they once did. Long Lake Dam on the Allagash River (DeLorme, Map 61, D-3) could hold back a 15-foot head of water in the early 1900s. The dam was 700’ long and had 18 gates to control waterflow. When it was full, the impoundment must have submerged all of the popular modern-day campsites on Long Lake and Umsaskis Lake.

Today, Long Lake Dam is a shalwww.MaineSportsman.com

Spring Turkeys Shortly after I crossed the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, I pulled my Colorado pickup onto a narrow logging road. I stopped, rolled down my truck window, and began imitating a turkey’s call.

Within 15 seconds of my first call, a turkey responded. I quickly pulled on my remaining camouflage clothing, grabbed a turkey decoy, shotgun shells, and my Remington 870, 12-ga. shotgun.

The bird continued to gobble excitedly, and quickly strutted 80 yards closer to my concealed position. I waited patiently behind a small pine approximately 20 yards from the crest of a small grass-covered

hummock. From this vantage point, I began to make out an image of an iridescent greenish-red head bobbing up the knoll.

When the bird came into full view, I carefully aimed my 870 Remington and squeezed the trigger.

The pellets from the 3-½ inch shell dropped the 21.5-pound tom instantly. My successful day ended with a trophy turkey and another memorable story for my hunting journal.

A thrilling prospect that awaits sports during the month of May is the spring-turkey hunt. Maine’s turkey-hunting season runs from May 2 to June 4. Downeast hunters can tag two bearded turkeys in Hancock or Washington County. Some top-

notch hunting areas to pursue a turkey lie within the boundaries of WMD 26 and 27 and 28, especially along Route 1, between Bucksport and Machias. Refer to DeLorme’s, Atlas and a copy of Maine’s turkey-hunting regulations for a detailed map of these districts.

The estimated statewide turkey population, according to DIF&W bird biologist, Brad Allen, is 60,000 birds. Due to our unseasonably mild winter, biologist Allen feels that most birds will have fared quite well. Hopefully, spring conditions this year will continue to be mild and dry, fostering ideal spring-hatching conditions.

¶

the St. Lawrence estuary through canals and man-made waterways. Now landlocked, sea lampreys spend their entire lifecycle in the Great Lakes and tributaries, attaching themselves to the large lake trout, walleye, salmon, steelhead and other species that live there.

Because fish in the Great Lakes did not co-evolve with invasive sea lampreys, the host fish can be killed or severely weakened by the lampreys, which function more as a predator than as a parasite.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commis-

sion tries to control lamprey numbers by using barriers and traps to prevent their upstream migration and reproduction, and by using selective pesticides to kill the ammocoetes before they can return to the lakes.

low riffle over what remains of the wood structure and the tons of stone that once held the dam in place. But the deep fall pool below the dam is still there. The water still churns over the low barrier and gathers oxygen, and Long Lake still benefits from the low water head retained by the old dam’s footings.

Exposed iron spikes, used to attach the timbers, present the only real hazard to canoeists who pass by. My personal all-time favorite AWW campsites sit on top of what was once the eastern wing of the dam.

Check out the old cribworks on the outlet of Webster Lake in Baxter State

Park (DeLorme, Map 50, A-4) for an example of how the old timbers provide incredible cover for trout in deep pools.

The nearby BSP campsite at Webster Outlet is superb.

On the Appalachian Trail, Rainbow Lake (DeLorme, Map 50, E-3) is held back, in part, by an ancient logging dam at its outlet. The Nature Conservancy provides free camping at lakeside sites off a spur trail from the AT. Remote locations, great trout habitat, the sound of rushing water to lull you to sleep at night?

Seems like some good spots for a circus trick.

Beneficial Species But here in Maine, sea lampreys are a natural part of our marine and freshwater ecology. If you happen to observe sea lampreys migrating or spawning, please leave them be as they continue in their unusual and beneficial life cycle.

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 59

Fiddleheading, Crappie and Trout Fishing Highlight Tom’s May Activities May brings so many outdoor opportunities, all ripe for the picking, that it’s difficult to experience everything the month has to offer. Which is why I consider certain activities must-do traditions.

Besides the annual trek to my favorite fiddleheading grounds, fishing for brook trout and black crappie rank among my favorite May activities.

While these things were always an important part of my life, the value of free, wild foods becomes even more important now, in view of soaring food prices.

For me, April is for catching small, wild brook trout from brooks and streams, and May is for catching larger, stocked trout, including carryover fish that have become fully acclimated to their environment.

I don’t kill many of the wild trout, but have no reservations about killing stocked fish, since the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) intends for them to be fully utilized.

Crappies, a prolific panfish, mostly the result of illegal introductions, need constant thinning to keep from becoming stunted. Crappies spawn in late April and early May, and at that time become available by the bushel.

are stocked fish that have gone to the sea and returned. Sea-run brown trout and rainbow trout fight even harder than their stayat-home brethren.

This is a much-overlooked source of searun trout, and one that if you hit it right, can pay in dividends.

As often as not, I come home from a trout fishing/foraging adventure with both trout and wild vegetables. Nothing pleases me more than sitting down to a wholly wild meal. It’s rewarding for both body and soul.

As often as not, says the author, he comes home from a trout fishing/foraging adventure with both trout and wild vegetables. Nothing pleases him more than sitting down to a wholly wild meal. It’s rewarding, he says, for both body and soul.

Crappies Regarding panfish, I grew up on white perch. But the ever-increasing number of crappie waters have attracted my attention, and now I catch far more crappies than white perch. Besides the immediate reward of a plateful of golden-fried crappie fillets at day’s end, and the sheer fun of catching these sporty and hard-fighting panfish, crappies have another benefit – they hold up extremely well in the

Tom’s friend Muriel Martin with her first-ever crappie. Tom Seymour photos

Fishing & Foraging Some of the trout streams that I frequent in May abound in wild, edible plants – ostrich fern fiddleheads among them.

But there are other wild edibles that are mostly unused. Among these are groundnuts, which are large tubers attached to each other by stringlike roots.

These we often see washed up on streamsides, the result of high water in spring receding and leaving them in its wake.

These are prepared like potatoes, and they have considerable nu-

tritional value.

Some larger streams and small rivers that flow through unkempt meadows, become targets for stands of wintercress, sometimes erroneously called “mustard.”

The young shoots and unopened seedpods make wonderful cooked vegetables.

Given this, I always carry extra bags in my pocket or creel, just in case I run across any of these wild treats while casting for trout.

Our DIF&W stocks brook trout, brown trout and even rainbow trout in small riv-

ers in Midcoast Maine.

I like to wait until fish have dispersed from the point of introduction, and fish for them in solitude. As a general rule, head upstream to find pools full of trout. However, I also hit the lower reaches of stocked rivers for sea-run trout. These

(Midcoast continued on page 62)

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60 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

The Maine Sportswoman Bucket List Maine is an outdoorsman’s playground – from the coast to mountains, the state offers many unique natural experiences.

I decided to compile a “Maine Sportsman Bucket List.” How many have you checked off? And once you’ve completed your review, let me know what else you think should be added.

1. Climb Katahdin

What is it you’d like to accomplish in Maine’s great outdoors?

11. Paddle the Kenduskeag Canoe Race 12. See a lynx 13. Go lobster fishing

Advanced List 1. Shoot an animal with a bow 2. Get a Maine Grand Slam (bear, moose, deer and turkey in the same calendar year).

3. Hike the 100-Mile Wilderness 4. Reel in a bluefin tuna

14. Hunt with a dog

All photos: Christi Holmes

2. Watch the alewives migrate 5. Trap an animal 6. Get a waterfowl band

15. Catch a fish on a fly rod

3. See a sturgeon jump 4. Canoe the Allagash 5. Pick fiddleheads 6. Stay at a historic Maine Sporting Camp 7. Make your own maple syrup 8. Dig clams 9. Catch a wild brook trout 10. Go smelting 7. Hike Katahdin in winter 8. Join the Biggest Bucks in Maine Club (shoot a deer with a dressed weight of 200 lbs. or greater) 16. Find a shed antler www.MaineSportsman.com

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 61

How Maine’s Turkeys Saved Hunting It’s certainly no secret that youth these days are simply not embracing the great outdoors in the sizeable numbers seen in previous decades. Of the outdoor pursuits most heavily impacted by this mass exodus, hunting has taken a sizeable blow.

Growing up as a youth hunter in Maine, I was taught to pursue game animals, deer and ruffed grouse.

No bear, no moose, no ducks, no predators – just deer and grouse.

This of course provided a young hunter such as myself with basically two months of hunting per year, or, more precisely, eight Saturdays – or even fewer if Dad had to work, or a sports game or practice interfered.

Even with these time constraints and an abysmal success rate, I somehow grew to love and appreciate the sport of hunting as I headed into adulthood.

Kids today don’t just have sports practices and games to take up their time afield hunting. There are also iPhones, iPads, Amazon music, video games, all-year sport teams (remember when soccer was just a fall sport?), TV on demand, TikTok, SnapChat and a hundred other time distractions that we never even dreamed about as teenagers.

Many believe that

Last year, the author guided his sons, family and friends in harvesting a total of 13 toms and jakes, including their biggest bird to date – a 24.6 pound bird. This year he is hoping his sons are interested in doing more of the planning and calling. He wants to be more of an observer – what he calls the next step in his evolution as a turkey hunter.

The author guided many family members to successful hunts last year, including his father, shown here. Steve Vose photos

all of these distraction shave shortened attention spans and created a generation

of kids who generally lack patience.

Now I’m not saying that all youth lack

patience. I have seen my children and other friends’ kids sit in deer stands motion-

less for hours. and with no deer harvested they go right back at it time after time after time. However, at some point this generation simply needs to be rewarded for all of their hard work, since continued failure can eventually lead them to following and finding success in other endeavors.

This is where Maine’s robust turkey population saved hunting, for at least me and my clan.

There is nothing more fun for my youth hunters than Maine’s spring turkey hunt.

As a matter of fact, as I am writing this article, my kids are in the next room practicing turkey calls.

Maine’s robust turkey population doesn’t guarantee a youth hunter’s success; however, the success rate is monumentally higher than the success rate on deer.

Spring turkeys are also notoriously vocal – the birds gobble loudly and fill youth hunters with overwhelming excitement. Once a youth hunters is comfortable with safely handling a firearm while walking and stalking, a spring turkey hunt becomes a wonderful springtime walk in the early morning woods listening for distant gobbles, glassing fields and spending quality time with friends and family.

(Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

62 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Central Maine (Continued from page 61) Avian X Strutter I have to say, after several seasons of using the Avian X Strutter, I’ve come to the conclusion that this large bulky decoy is well worth the extra effort required to lug this behemoth into the field. Last season, I guided my sons, family and friends in harvesting a total of 13 toms and jakes, including our biggest bird to date – a 24.6 pound bird we nicknamed Tomzilla.

In an open field, the Strutter has the size and realism to pull in big toms from long distances. Basically, if they see it, they’re coming in for a closer look!

Another Impressive Turkey Season is Here?

On the heels of last year’s impressive

season, I’m unsure what could be done to further improve upon our chances of success.

Over the last 25 years, I have honed my turkey hunting techniques, and feel that as a turkey hunter I’ve certainly reached the pinnacle.

I look forward this year to my two sons beginning to do more of the calling, as well as directing the stalking and actively listening and formulating hunting plans independent of my direct instruction. It’s time they take on a more active role and I become more of an observer. Perhaps this is the next step in my evolution as a turkey hunter ….

Central Maine Turkeys It’s difficult to hunt

any area that is unfamiliar, and with turkey hunting this handicap can mean ending the season eating tag soup. Central Maine is filled with farm fields and areas that hold healthy populations of turkeys; however, it is critical to put boots to the ground and thoroughly investigate a property before opening day.

As I have mentioned previously, all of the Wildlife Management Areas in Central Maine hold decent populations of turkeys, but hunters need to do some preseason scouting to find them. Arrive early in the morning to these locations at the end of April, and listen for the spring mating call of old tom.

¶

Last season was a good year for turkeys in the Vose family, as illustrated by this collection of registration bands.

Midcoast (Continued from page 59)

freezer, and remain fresh-tasting and flavorful long after frozen white perch fillets have developed an oily taste.

Newly established crappie populations usually see fast growth rates and lots of lunker-sized individuals. In time, the average size shrinks somewhat, and the number of larger-size fish also decreases. But there’s nothing wrong with an average size of 10- to 12inch fish and if you time your visit to Unity Pond correctly, you can find just such numbers. You’ll get more 10-inchers than 12 inchers, but that suits me just fine.

Unity has a long-established crappie population, and it is a highly dependable crappie water. If winds make fishing in the lake too difficult, just motor down under the railroad trestle, and fish along the brushy edges of Sandy Stream. There, spawning crappies hang out in droves beneath the overhanging brush. Besides that, the slow-moving, winding stream is a nature-lover’s paradise, with ospreys, bald eagles, bitterns, yellow warblers, www.MaineSportsman.com

Groundnuts, which are edible tubers, are often found along trout streams in early spring.

bullfrogs, snapping turtles and redwinged blackbirds. And if you look hard, you may even spy some patches of ostrich fern fiddleheads – the kind we all seek in May. Regarding tackle, go light for the maximum fun from your crappies.

Small minnows and earthworms both work fine, but why bother dealing with bait, when crappies bite equally well

on panfish jigs? I use Crappie Magnets, a larger version of my all-time favorite trout lure, Trout Magnets. You can even fish a crappie jig under a bobber.

Crappies will readily take the suspended jig and hold on to it, just as if it were a real live bait. See Unity Pond on the DeLorme Atlas, Map 21, D-5 and Map 22, D-1.

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Braised Beaver Shanks Recently I worked with WildFed’s (Outdoor Channel show) podcaster and TV show host Daniel Vitalis. Following is one of the recipes I made for an episode on the Outdoor Channel. Stay tuned!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

— ­

Braised Beaver Shanks in a Reduced Fig, Zinfandel & Balsamic Sauce with Sweet Potato Mash

Layers of delectable flavors explode on your palate as you savor every bite, from the melt-in-your-mouth braised beaver meat to the paired sweet potato mash.

Ingredients: • 4 beaver shanks • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, freshly crushed • ½ cup flour • ¼ cup Olive Wood Smoked Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 2 cups onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, chopped • 12 dried figs, quartered

• • • • • • • •

1 cup red Zinfandel wine ½ cup Zinfandel port (or Tawny) ½ cup Tawny Port ½ cup Fig or regular balsamic vinegar 3 juniper berries, slightly crushed 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup lamb (or beef ) stock 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Directions: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Season beaver with salt and pepper and then dredge in flour. Heat oil on medium high in stockpot until smoking hot; add shanks and brown well on all sides and plate. Reduce heat to low; add onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes. Add figs, red Zinfandel wine, ports, vinegar and juniper berries, and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 13 minutes. Add stock and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add beaver and rosemary, stir, cover and place in oven. Cook for 2-3 hours.

To thicken for a stew: Remove 1 cup Zinfandel sauce to saucepan. Heat on medium and add 3 tablespoons flour dissolved in 1 cup water. Reduce sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a

spoon, about 10 minutes. Add back into braised beaver shanks and stir.

Sweet Potato Mash Ingredients: 3 large sweet potatoes, baked 1 cup chicken stock ½ cup onion, chopped 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray small baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Scrape baked sweet potatoes out of skin; set aside in medium bowl. Heat chicken stock in small saucepan and add onions, cook for 2 minutes on high heat.

Add apple cider vinegar, butter and salt; stir for 1 minute. Combine onion mixture with sweet potatoes in bowl; slightly mash.

Pour sweet potato mixture into baking dish; bake for 30 minutes.

On warm plate, drop sweet potato mash and top with beaver shank and sauce.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

64 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Hunt Hens to Kill Toms in Southern Maine A very successful turkey hunting method in Southern Maine is driving around looking for turkeys, and then setting up nearby and calling to the birds. When using this method, remember that it’s wise to set up where they are going, and not where they are now.

When I’m bowhunting turkey, a lack of patience is my weakness. This has saved many turkeys from my sharp broadheads over the years. While deer hunting, I can set still for hours. But the idea of setting still, in one spot for hours on end, waiting for a bird to strut into bow range (20 yards) during hot weather, while black flies dive bomb me, quickly dissolves any diligence I’d mustered at dawn.

So why do I keep trying to arrow a turkey? It’s the thrill of bow hunting during the so called “off season” – I’ll bowhunt anytime or anything the law allows, and turkeys fills the niche well.

I don’t lack the skills to kill a turkey – I have called in many birds, but sticking one with an arrow is another matter. Bowhunting turkey is difficult; if I just wanted to kill birds I would choose a shotgun.

Turkey Tactics Pop-up ground blinds are the way to go while bowhunting these sharp-eyed birds, but skill is still involved while using these portable shelters. Scouting and proper placement are required, and many www.MaineSportsman.com

folks can’t sit in a dark blind for hours without thinking about giving up the hunt and going trout fishing.

I think to be successful while using portable blinds, a turkey hunter using a shotgun or bow needs to know where the birds are roosted. They need to set up near the roosted birds before dawn while remaining undetected, and then set decoys.

While birds are still in the trees, use one or two soft yelps just to let the toms know a hen is in the area. Before dawn, turkeys are still in trees, and a lot of calling from the ground will alarm them. Turkeys can pinpoint the exact location of your calling. It’s still dark, and to roosted birds, a turkey on the ground is totally unnatural.

This is a standard turkey hunting method, and it can work here in southern regions. But once the birds hit the ground and disperse, then wise hunters need to adapt.

Road Scouting A very successful turkey hunting method here in this region is driving around looking for turkeys, and then setting up nearby and calling to the birds. Many birds are

killed this way. When using this method, remember that it’s wise to “set up where they are going, and not where they are.”

A few years back, I spotted a flock of turkeys feeding in a field on Route 109 in Acton.

There were two large toms strutting among them, following along with the flock. I parked out of sight and decided to enter the woods and call to them while hidden in a large root ball – I yelped and they gobbled, but they never came my way – no luck.

This hunt became a big learning curve for me. Once I hiked back to my truck I saw the birds on the other side of the field.

The toms hopped onto a stone wall, gobbled, and followed the hens into the woods.

That flock of hens was slowly moving on a bee line across the field, just picking for food as they moved along – they were heading to feed in a large apple orchard down the road. This was a classic case of hunting where birds are, and not where they are going.

Last year, I hunted a flock of birds near my home in Shapleigh, and I used the Acton lesson above

A hen turkey the author killed with a bow during the fall turkey season. He prefers bowhunting turkey in the fall compared with hunting during the spring.

to get a tom into gun range but not into my bow range. This time, I drove down the road, parked, and set up in the woods a few hundred yards away from the field they were feeding in.

This flock was feeding differently than the Acton flock – they were moving all around the field, and three toms was strutting with them, so I had to guess where they were going when they left the field. This is my home ground, so I had a good idea where they would go, and my hunch was correct.

I have found that turkey in this area develop patterns. The birds I hunt here in Shapleigh move for about a mile from one farm field to another down the road, and spend 100 percent of their time between

them. Once you have a flock patterned, then it becomes easier to hunt them.

There are many ways to hunt turkey hear in southern Maine, but I think using these methods will help you harvest a turkey during the entire season. It is important that new turkey hunters, especially bowhunters, understand how turkey use the terrain and food available to them. You don’t need great calling skills if you set up where hens are going, and not try to make them change directions.

Stay safe while hunting this spring; wear an orange hat while walking and carrying a bird in the woods; don’t try to stalk turkey; and always confirm your target is a turkey.

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Wilderness Survival It was a warm afternoon in the California hills, and I was walking … very carefully … through the sage brush … with a stick in my hand … searching for a snake …. to eat.

Never in all my life would I have dreamed I’d be scratching around actively looking for a snake, but if you’re hungry enough, even a small rattler will make a meal – at least that’s what they said. We were with the Marines at Camp Pendelton going through SERE training before deploying to Vietnam.

SERE is the acronym for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape, and we sailors were in the first phase – survival. It turned out searching for a meal was the easiest part of the training.

Things got a lot harder after that.

But how many of us have ever really been in a survival situation? Downed pilots and captured soldiers maybe, but for most of us, having to survive for any length of time in the wild is most unlikely.

Here in Maine, the little orange hunters’ handbook titled “You Alone in the Maine Woods” tells how a lost deer hunter might spend a lonesome night in the woods.

Every hunter safety course teaches students to make their own survival kits and to carry them when they go hunting. The idea is to take a few

How many of us have ever really had to bivouac unexpectedly for a night in the woods? How many of us would be able to manage that challenge, and how could we maximize the chances that we’d get out on our own or be found? send your GPS coordinates to your friend’s iPhone, and they can pass the information on to the wardens.

essentials that would help you survive a long night alone in the woods in November.

Of course, it’s wise to be prepared but I wonder how many of us have ever really bivouacked for a night in the woods?

Modern Technology I also think with today’s technology the chance of being forced to sleep outside is less and less likely. Devices like smart phones, GPSs and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) all provide ways for us to be found or for us to find our way out to the road and the truck.

These technologies area a far cry from the gun signals L.L.Bean suggested in his book, Hunting, Fishing and Camping, first written in 1942. He told hunters to carry extra ammo for signaling.

Three quick shots to get someone’s attention, then another shot every so often to lead the rescue party to the lost hunter.

Nowadays you can

How to Get Found In Maine, Game Wardens are tasked with conducting search and rescue missions.

When I was a Scoutmaster, we trained the boys on some “how-toget-found” basics.

We told cub scouts to “Hug a tree” (for comfort and to calm down) and to “Find a space; show your face.”

Find an open area, and don’t hide from rescuers.

We told the older boy scouts to “go downhill and follow the water out.” One stream leads to another, and then to a river and then to a town.

We also told them the “Rule of 3”; that is, you can survive three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food.

For practice, we took the boys camping with the Navy SERE instructors from Brunswick Naval Air Station at their Rangeley outpost.

Building debris shelters and sleeping out were highlights of the weekend.

Donn Fendler – Maine Survival Hero Here in Maine, we

grew up with hometown survival hero, Donn Fendler whose book “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” many of us had to read in school.

Mr. Fendler became a popular guest speaker at many Maine grammar schools. There were rousing discussions about what Mr. Fendler did wrong, and some of the things he did right.

Realistic Survival Fiction for Kids One of the most instructive and realistic accounts of survival, especially for young people, is the fiction book “Hatchet,” written in 1986 by Gary Paulson, who won the Newbery Prize for children’s literature.

The hero, Brian, is 13 years old, and he survives the crash of a bush plane in the Canadian wilderness.

The story describes how the boy learns the basics of survival and keeps himself alive for 48 days until he is

rescued. The story is made up, but the examples of how to find food, water and shelter, and make fire, are all realistic and probable.

It’s no wonder the book is an award winner, because it’s easy for boys and girls to relate to Brian and how he thinks and how he discovers survival techniques that mankind has depended on for thousands of years.

Bring the Safety Pack If your job or recreation takes you to wild and remote places where the chances of getting lost are great and the chances of rescue are small, then it makes sense to take a survival course, get some training and carry a survival pack.

For all the rest of us, out for a day hike or following a deer track in the snow, it’s important to let someone else know where we’re going.

To be on the safe side, though, take the survival kit and the spare batteries and the dry matches, just in case you really do have to spend a night in the Maine woods.

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www.MaineSportsman.com

66 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

The Evolution of Trap Design, and the Importance of Proper Adjustment Trap designs are continually improving and evolving. For example, a properly-sized and secured steel foothold trap has become an effective restraining device, allowing an animal to be released when appropriate. Even the Conibear (body gripping) trap may be adjusted to ensure a quick and humane dispatch.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) and their incorporation into trapping laws and regulations, along with field research, have greatly enhanced trapping practices.

Foothold Traps Research and development have continually improved foothold traps. Early enhancements improved the designs of jaws, and utilized better steel – especially in the spring mechanisms. When traps were made by local blacksmiths, their efficient use and durability varied a great deal.

Using the proper foothold trap for the targeted animal is one of the most important considerations. In the 1960s, and ad on television showed a racoon with an injured leg that was in a large beaver trap. Trapping supporters later proved the ad was staged by an animal rights organization in California, but it was very effective in leading people to perceive www.MaineSportsman.com

Foothold traps are designed to hold an animal without injury. Conibear traps are intended to dispatch an animal quickly. To be effective in their intended use, both types of trap must be maintained and properly adjusted. trapping as a horrible and cruel business.

Although staged, its impact affected public opinion of trapping.

Many people still believe that an animal in a trap is in pain.

Fortunately, science is helping to changing that belief.

I recall that an issue of Wildlife Management Journal published in the 1990s documented that a red fox heart rate and body temperature re-

turned to normal after being in a trap for a short period of time.

That proved an animal was not stressed until it was removed from the trap. Also, that study proved that “soft catch” or “off set” traps caused less stress than “a jaw on jaw” trap, and that a combination of proper swiveling and shock springs greatly improved the chances that an animal wouldn’t be harmed in a trap.

Leghold Design Improvements Twenty years earlier, in the 1970s, improvements were made to steel jawed traps, allowing the traps to be as much as 50% more effective at holding predators than previous models.

These improved traps benefitted farmers and those who raise livestock, since previous models often allowed predators to escape, thereby “educating”

The top illustration shows an improperly-adjusted conibear trap. The bottom trap shows proper adjustment. Adjustment is accomplished by filing the dog so the space between the trigger notch and the dog flat is reduced or eliminated.

those predators on how to avoid traps.

Incorporating a D-ring and swivel at the base of a trap, as well as other swivels in the chain assembly used to secure the trap, greatly reduces injury to the trapped animal.

The use of drags also improves a trap’s ability to effectively hold an animal. When a trap is staked, the use of a short chain with multiple swivels or a shock spring assembly in a longer chain greatly decreases the chance of injury if the animal lunges against the trap. Smooth jaw edges and laminated jaws further reduce injuries. A four-coiled trap improves the holding strength of the trap, causing less movement of the foot while it is held in the trap.

Conibear Traps Conibear traps came into use in the 20th century. Their use in Maine in recent years is highly restricted, due to the federal Incidental Take Permit (ITP) put in place to protect the threatened Canadian Lynx.

These traps are designed to instantly dispatch the animal.

To ensure the effective take of different species with the Conibear trap, the trapper must utilize the correct size trap for each different targeted species.

(Trapping continued on page 69)

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Resting Place for Final Remains More than 30 years ago, Patty Nugent of the famed Nugent’s Chamberlain Lake Camps was asked a question. The query came in 1986, when Patty was celebrating her fiftieth year on the Allagash. A large crowd gathered to celebrate the experiences of Patty and her husband.

One person asked, “Patty, it is so beautiful along the lake – would you like to die here?”

“Yes,” the woods-woman quickly replied, “but not this year.”

The author says a stone monument formerly marked the spot where a wellknown camp caretaker was buried inside two pork barrels about 150 years ago. Recently, without explanation, he says that monument was moved. The author is advocating for its return.

Others wish more elaborate inscriptions. In the 1990s, there were so many personal remembrances being unlawfully placed that rangers worried the Allagash might become better known as a cemetery than for its renowned natural beauty.

Flower of Fireweed along the Allagash.

I am not sure how to adequately describe the affection people have for the Maine outdoors. It’s such a strong sentiment that many express a desire to have the ashes of their final remains quietly spread along shorelines. However, there are some who wish to leave more permanent reminders.

Today, scattered about the Allagash, explorers are apt to find small bronze plaques, such as the metal inscription bolted to a ledge island on Eagle Lake.

Farm, and asked him to meet me at the Henderson Brook Bridge launch. Meanwhile, the marker was transported to a place where it could be claimed.

A week later, I received a phone call from the Director of Parks inquiring about the disposition of the memorial. It seems the family was upset the marker had been removed. According to the Director, they claimed to have donated substantially to the Governor’s previous fall campaign, and thus they had the right to place a monument on the Allagash.

Due to that demand, my boss said the family could return the engraved marker if they laid it flat in the woods, where it wouldn’t be seen. And that resolved the issue.

Relocation of Historic Grave Marker One memorial, however, still conspicuously exists that is significant for its historic tribute to a bygone era.

Folks who have canoed the Allagash may remember the granite gravestone of lumberman Joe McKiel sitting on the west bank across from the Cunliffe Depot Campsite.

Allagash River.

Bronze plaques at Eagle Lake.

During one patrol, I was passing through a section of the Waterway when I noticed a new large black marble gravestone on the shore by an Allagash campsite. The marker was complete with name, date of birth and death, and included an engraved personal statement. Since I hadn’t received notice that a permit for the marker had been issued, I removed the stone.

I radioed my ranger at Michaud

Historic Gravestone of Joe McKiel.

(A Ranger on the Allagash continued on page 69) www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

May Fishing is Tops Temperatures are warming, the fishing is heating up, and May is one of the best angling months for brook trout, rainbow trout, salmon, togue and splake, says the author.

It was May 8th last spring. A gentlemen from New Hampshire had booked a Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, B-1) fishing trip for his daughter, a Bates college student, her friends and his father.

As is my custom, I reached out to him a few days prior and firmed things up. It was cold that week, so I told him to be sure they had plenty of warm gear. “Tell them to dress like they are going skiing,” were my instructions. I added that fellow Guide Dan Hillier of Songo River Guide Service would be meeting me at my place at noon for a shore lunch with his clients, so they could experience that treat.

Grampa showed up first and was wellequipped for a cold spring day on Sebago.

Imagine my chagrin when the kids showed up – one wearing flipflops, one in stretch pants and all of them only wearing hoodies.

At their pleading, we headed out anyway and after a full-throttle run across the big bay, they were chilled.

I broke out spare gloves and hand and foot warmers to give them some comfort.

Chilly Anglers I was rigged up for lakers and salmon, with two downriggers set for bottom-dwelling togue and fly lines up top for salmon. We trolled past the Dingley Islands and were soon into a mid-sized laker.

I let the booking client’s daughter play the premier fish, her first laker, and we soon had one in the boat for the fish fry. Next up was

one of her classmates, and he was onto a big fish. After some give and take, I netted a whopper five-pounder for him.

The group was cold and elected to head back to get warm by the fire pit, so we headed in, meeting Dan and his crew. Between the two of us, we had enough togue to make a great shore lunch, coupled with some great bacon cheeseburgers. This was early May angling, cold, windy but with cooperating fish. No salmon on that trip, but we got into them as the month progressed.

Top Time May is a top time in this region for lake trout, salmon and brook, brown and rainbow trout. The water has warmed enough to excite these cold wa-

A lucky young angler shows off a May lake trout from Sebago Lake. Tom Roth photo

ter fish and get them feeding. Although the mornings can be wet

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and chilly, this is a prime time to fish in this region.

Sebago action heats up as the waters warm slightly. I still have smelt this time of year, so I generally troll a smelt on a sliding bait harness.

Although the smelt numbers in Sebago are down, the fish in the lake know what a smelt looks and tastes like, and they always seem to bite when their preferred bait is presented to them.

(Continued on next page)

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I may switch it up some and drag lures if I’m low on bait or to change gears and assess the situation.

As of late, copper and nickel combination pattern spoons, such as those by Northeast Troller, work well.

Likewise, orange-hued lures always seem to do well on the big lake.

You can’t discount streamer flies as a great tactic for spring fish on Sebago. I like to run tandem flies behind a small wobbler for added action.

Many of the fish we caught last year had young yellow perch fry in their stomachs, so the Barnes’ Special streamer, replicating a yellow perch, would be a good choice.

Fabled guide Art Libby caught many of his salmon on his fly, the Miss Sharon, so I always drag one around in his honor, often with good success.

One of my angler buddies always tipped his streamers with a worm on the rear hook. He believed that

Trapping (Continued from page 66)

In addition to keeping the traps in good working order, the trapper must ensure proper adjustments to the gap between the trigger notch and the dog.

This adjustment will determine the length of trigger travel distance as the animal enters the trap. Reducing travel length allow proper striking position of the trap on an animal.

Ideally, the trap will strike the animal on the neck and the body. The closer the dog flat and trigger notch are, the less movement there is for the trigger. This distance determines the

A Ranger on the Allagash (Continued from page 67)

According to legend, Joe was the caretaker of the Cunliffe Lumbering Camps, and when he passed away, his body was placed in two pork barrels, and buried. At the time, his stone marker was placed near a large pine with Joe’s name and the date: 1874.

The stone remained in that location until recently.

In 2014, the Bangor Daily News published a story about the burying of Joe that confirmed the placement of the tombstone.

Oh, No -- They Moved Ol’ Joe! A couple of years ago, two individuals approached the Allagash Supervisor and convinced him that the stone was in the wrong place. Rather than respond to a sure-to-be argument, he

the scent and texture of the worm teaser convinced the fish to bite and hold the fly.

Give it a try and let me know how it works!

Other Spots I like to mix it up in May by visiting a few other favorite spots.

Little Sebago (Map 5, C-3) is always a May go-to for trout trolling.

Heavily stocked with rainbow and brown trout, to include some whopper rainbow trout brood fish, Little Sebago can’t be beat.

I love trolling a fly line tipped with

a streamer or small spoon right along the shoreline this month.

Watch for shallow spots and submerged moorings (you’ll bump them anyway – I always do), and hug the shoreline in 8-20 feet of water. You’ll know when you have a trout on, as the reel will be spinning, singing that old familiar tune. If you find a productive spot, go by it a few times, as Little Sebago trout like to congregate.

Another top may spot is Trickey Pond in

Naples (Map 4, B-5).

Trickey was always a good water, but now we are blessed with the introduction of fast-growing splake.

Splake are rapidly growing to trophy size, and as a result, are being sought-out. Additionally, brook trout and salmon are being stocked.

Temperatures are warming, the fishing is heating up, and May is one of our best fishing months. Be sure to get out and enjoy her bounty.

¶

trap’s firing time as the animal pushes into the trap.

For example, when using a #330 Conibear trapping beaver, it is desirable to have the trap fire almost as soon as the animal enters the trap, ensuring a desirable strike on the body. When using a #330 or #280 trapping otter, no travel of the trigger is desired. Many trappers assume the reason an otter is caught back further on the body is because of the otter’s speed through the trap. In reality, it is the delayed firing of the trap due to the length of trigger travel.

Smaller size Conibears commonly used to trap muskrat, marten, and

mink are the #110 thru #155. A shorter trigger travel is good for those species for the same reasons as that for the beaver and otter.

asked the men where the headstone should be located. The pair walked westerly into the woods and arbitrarily picked a spot 30 plus feet from the river.

After I learned of the relocation, I asked the Waterway’s Administrator if any attempt had been made to determine the proper location. He indicated that such a study was not attempted.

Thus, to placate the two men, the historic tombstone was arbitrarily moved – the type of transfer that is prohibited by the Bureau of Parks and Lands’ own regulations.

According to the Rules & Regulations for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Title 12 §1872.4, “Resource Damage”: “The damage or removal of anything prehistorical or historical within the Restricted Zone is prohibited.”

Supervisor Marc Deroche, to request that the 150-year-old marker be returned to its historic site, until such time that the new location is examined.

Supervisor Deroche indicated the Bureau would conduct ground surveys after spring thaw. Since the relocation was made over two years ago, I am hopeful that the Bureau of Parks will expedite those surveys such that the proper location can be determined.

Should you wish to request that Joe’s marker be returned to its historic home, Park Director Cutko may be reached by e-mailing Director Cutko Andy.Cutko@maine.gov, while Operations Director Ron Hunt can be reached at ron.hunt@maine.gov, and AWW Supervisor Mark Deroche’s email address is Mark.Deroche@maine.gov.

I have corresponded with Bureau Director Andy Cutko and Waterway

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Adjustment Adjusting the trigger length on all Conibear traps is accomplished by filing the dog so that the space between the trigger notch and dog flat is reduced or eliminated. Other maintenance and enhancements to Conibear traps may include replacement of weak or broken springs, and replacement of missing or improperly-sized safety latches.

¶

Tim Caverly has authored eleven books about Maine’s northern forest.

www.MaineSportsman.com

70 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Military Designs Affect the Sporting World Military developments have had a nearly immeasurable influence on sporting arms and ammunition over the last two or three centuries.

Consider the .45-70 Government cartridge, which was adopted by the U. S. Army in 1873 and which soon became a favorite of hunters of bison and other big game throughout the

As a young man, the author benefited directly from the flow of surplus weapons to civilians. His first rifle was a cut-down M-1917 Enfield, for which he paid the princely sum of $20 plus tax.

American West. Or the .30 Government cartridge that became the .30-’06 Springfield – nearly ubiquitous in hunting camps around Maine and much of the world.

NATO’s post-World War II 7.62x51mm round became the .308 Winchester cartridge, to the delight of deer hunters in 1952. Today’s hugely popular .223 Remington cartridge began as the military’s experimental 5.56x45mm round for the AR-15 rifle by the Armalite Corporation.

In Europe, both the 7x57mm German

Mauser and 6.5mm Swedish Mauser military cartridges morphed into popular civilian hunting rounds.

During the First World War in Britain, the German Mauser cartridge was renamed as the .275 Rigby, where it overtook the homegrown .303 British round in hunter popularity.

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the same path in the civilian marketplace as the cartridges.

Successful bolt-action designs such as the Model 1898 Krag-Jorgensen and Model 1903 Springfield spurred gun makers like Winchester, Savage, and Remington to produce bolt actions for buyers hungry for the power, range, and accuracy of the new rifles.

Part of the rising tide in favor of bolt-actions stemmed from the flood of government surplus rifles that hit the market after the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. Inexpensive and readily available, these surplus rifles introduced many to the superiority of a medium-diameter bore that fires Spitzer-type bullets.

Bargain Prices Beginning around 1910 and extending until the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 ended mail order sales of firearms, tens of thousands of shooters got their start with a surplus rifle. Converting these former military arms to civilian uses coined the term “sporterizing,” and a cottage industry sprang up to replace or customize stocks, replace sights, cut down barrel lengths, or otherwise make over battlefield trappings.

In some cases, well-known gun shops such as Griffin & Howe of New York (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 71

The Ruger Mini-14 and 10/22, shown here below the original WWII M-1 carbine, reflects the original’s design and characteristics.

(Continued from page 70)

City converted old military barrels and actions into custom jobs that were purchased by luminaries including movie star Gary Cooper, and author Ernest Hemingway.

My first rifle purchase was a cut-down M-1917 Enfield, from Maine’s own Kit-

tery Trading Post, for which I paid the princely sum of $20 plus tax to own. Made for the British during WWI, it was chambered in .303. Somewhere along the line, an unknown someone replaced the magazine follower with an American Enfield’s .30-’06 follower, which meant I had to use the rifle

The M-1 carbine remains a favorite and is a great find for collector and shooter alike.

one round at a time.

The internal magazine was useless – hence the $20 price.

In other cases, military designs inspired corresponding developments among civilian manufacturers. Many of today’s best rifles incorporate, in part or whole, the action design of the Model 1998 German

Mauser. Makers such as Winchester, Kimber, and Cooper proudly acknowledge their links to Mauser.

Others chose to incorporate military design features in ways that make the contemporary rifle appear as though it shares DNA with its martial predecessors. One of these was the late Bill Ruger

of Sturm, Ruger and Company.

Little Carbine The War Department of the United States adopted the five-or-so-pound semi-automatic M-1 “carbine” in October of 1941. Designed around a shortened, (Shooter’s Bench continued on page 73)

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72 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Secret Fishing Locations in the Digital Age Many of today’s smartphones retain a record of geographic data associated with every photograph – records that are available to anyone with basic hacking skills. Other users make it even easier for prime fishing spots to get “burned,” as when they take a photo of the trophy fish with an identifiable landmark in the background.

In 1925, Ernest Hemingway wrote a two-part short story, “Big Two-Hearted River,” about fishing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The story actually took place on the Fox River, but the crafty author decided to conceal the name of the real river, preferring to keep the Fox River a secret.

With this technique, Hemingway appears to be one of the first outdoor writers to avoid “spot-burning.”

A lot has been written about this topic lately; for those who haven’t heard the term, “spot burning” means giving away a secret outdoor location by either a photograph or the written word.

Most folks, me

included, don’t consider it spot-burning when someone writes something like, “Good fishing can be had on the lower part of the Androscoggin River, between Rumford and Canton.” Actual spot-burning would be more like, “Try casting a green Mepps spinner along the rocks around the islands 15 feet out from the big green house at the top of the hill on Route 2, just east of town.”

This explanation narrows it down too precisely, and doesn’t encourage an angler to search on his or her own. In my opinion, you might as well just hook the fish for the anglers and hand them the rod.

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against helping someone learn how to fish.

I’ve taught plenty of anglers how to catch fish, but then I let them go out on their own and find their own place in the angling community. The furthest I’ll go to encourage an angler to continue with the sport is this – if they ask, “Where can I find some awesome fishing?” I’ll direct them to a wellknown location – some general stretch of river that is easy to find and provides some great fishing for the average angler.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I want an angler to experience the search for awesome fishing locations on their own.

Anglers who find their own honey-holes appreciate the place (and the fish in that spot) on a more personal level.

If a new angler has someone do everything for them, including setting them up with some of those perfect honey-holes, I believe the well-intentioned helper could be creating a situation similar to parents who give their child everything and never let them experience “working for

In a secret location somewhere in the Rangeley Region, my fishing buddy Ginger lays low to avoid detection (no metadata included). William Clunie photo

it,” creating an entitled child who doesn’t really appreciate what they have … and with that lack of appreciation comes a lack of respect for the fish and the environment they live in.

High-Tech Spot Burning In today’s digital world, the problem of spot-burning becomes amplified in a huge way. Whatever folks say or do gets disseminated to the world in the blink of an eye.

Social platforms like Facebook and Twitter are breeding grounds for spot-burning – written and photographic evidence of exact fishing locations

turn up on these kinds of sites every day.

Now I can’t knock the newbie angler for trying to see if someone will give up a great fishing location, but it is the folks that answer with directions that get me angered.

I’ve seen GPS locations, photos, maps, specific flies to use, and other information to lead a new angler right to the exact spot and technique.

I also am aware that sometimes a successful angler will post a photo of a beautiful specimen and forget that an identifying feature is in the background. Mistakes like (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 73 (Continued from page 72)

this happen, and can only be avoided by taking extra care when posting, or deleting a post/photo before it spreads further.

I’m not very good with digital technology, but there’s something called metadata or EXIF that embeds GPS coordinates with

every photograph or video taken on your iPhone. Anyone who knows how to hack into this information can find the exact location where the photograph was taken.

Halt the Hack One way to avoid allowing hackers access to the locations of your iPhone photo-

Shooter’s Bench (Continued from page 71)

straight-walled .30 caliber cartridge, the M-1 carbine was never meant to be a lightweight version of the M-1 rifle designed by John Garand and adopted

by U.S. forces in 1936.

Light, agile, and with 15- and 30-round detachable box magazines, the little M-1 carbine pleased the troops and thrilled surplus buyers after WWII and the Korean Conflict. It was so popular that imitations cropped up and are still available today. Mainers and others loved it for carrying on boats, in bush planes and in pick-up trucks, and for defense against varmints. They

graphs is to go to the “settings” menu on the cell phone, click on “apps permissions,” and then click the “location” setting to “off.”

When I have this setting in the off position, I can’t use my mapping apps, so I just turn it back on for that purpose. I keep it in the “off” position whenever I am taking photos.

I’m hoping that all this cyber security stuff is just a bunch of hype, but in the strange times that we live today, folks can’t just disregard the facts presented.

In my own life, I’m finding that I don’t share as many fish photos as I once did. I can just store the image in my head, skip-

also loved to add custom features and accoutrements.

Not suitable for deer or any bigger game, the little 110-grain .30 carbine is a smaller game cartridge only. That has never affected its popularity with shooters. Both originals and imitations remain sought-after, with genuine government surplus examples commanding premium prices.

Bill Ruger incorporated the M-1 carbine into at least three of his designs.

The famous 10/22 and the now discontinued version in .44 Remington Magnum have the look and feel of the M-1 with nearly identical dimensions. His “Mini-14,” now known as the “Ranch Rifle,” uses a nearly identical operating

¶

system and a similar detachable magazine, even though Ruger beefed up the Mini-14 by using the .223 Remington and 7.62X39mm cartridge first used by the Soviet Union.

The M-1 carbine remains a great shooter—a joy really, in terms of handling characteristics. Originals acquired through the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) make the best investments. However, brand new replicas shoot well and will get the job done. A lot of Maine shooters and hunters hold great memories of shooting military surplus rifles.

¶

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74 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Warming Water Moves Androscoggin River Smallmouth Bass Smallmouth are not supposed to go on a feeding frenzy when the water is still cold, and they are not supposed to be out in the fast-moving muddy water in the middle of the river. But that day on the Androscoggin, someone forgot to tell the fish, because the author’s clients seemed to hook a bass every time they dropped their lines in the water.

When water temperatures on the Androscoggin River start hitting the 50- to 55-degree mark, the smallmouth bass suddenly snap out of their winter stupor and become more active and hungrier.

I can walk right out through my back yard to the big river and be fishing within a few minutes. I often check the water temperature when I get anxious and want to start fishing as soon as possible in the spring.

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good fishing on the river typically starts near the end of May or the beginning of June.

When I say “typically,” I mean almost always. I remember one fishing trip that took place mid-May and turned out to be one of the best days of fishing I have seen on the Androscoggin River.

A father and son team called and said they could only get together to fish during a mid-May time frame.

The river flow happened to be very high,

and I remember the water temperatures were just approaching the 50-degree mark. I suggested that these anglers wait for better conditions, but they persisted, so I told them to come up, but that the day of fishing might just turn into a fish-less boat ride if they were okay with that. They said they’d meet me at the launch.

Fantastic Fishing This trip took place close to twenty years ago, and if I remember correctly, a light

James Waite displays one of the Androscoggin River’s smallmouth bass.

rain fell all day long. I fished out of a 13-foot Aire Raft back then, and it took all I could do to keep the craft from speeding down the river in the swift current – the river was at semi-flood level and moving swiftly.

I didn’t think the fast, muddy-colored current would afford us anywhere near a decent day of fishing … it never did in the past when water levels surged so strongly. This day really surprised me, and it seemed that the fellas had a fish on every time they dropped their lines in the water. When we finished the day, the father and son couldn’t stop thanking me and kept re-telling each hook-up in detail as we hauled the raft out of the river

and onto the trailer.

That single day turned out to be a fantastic day of smallmouth bass fishing, even though I would have never believed it when we first started out. After about the fifteenth fish, I started thinking otherwise.

We moved down the river at a rapid rate and just kept hauling the fish in.

I had to keep the boat close to shore, out of the main current.

The swift and strong current would not allow me to anchor, so I would slide into slower eddies to find slack water where we could rest and cast. It was so odd – most of the fish were taken from the fast current, not in the pools of slack water. I guess the (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 75 (Continued from page 74)

fish had some kind of feeding-frenzy going, attacking anything along the seams where fast water met slack water.

That Day’s Lesson I’m glad I have this wonderful memory, since there’s something to learn from it.

During this month of May, even if the river boils over with raging floodwater, I’m going to be out there fishing. My 14-foot, Hyde Contender (driftboat) can handle the most treacherous water.

The roughest that the Androscoggin River can throw at me doesn’t worry me a bit when I’m in this craft.

I’ll be anxious to see if the fish “turn on” this May, like they did all those years ago. If not, as sure as the sun rises, those old bronze-

backs will be ready to fight when the weather warms – in early June for sure.

I’ve tied an arsenal of flies, so I’m sure something will catch their fancy. My dream day on the big river happens when it warms enough for the larger smallmouth bass to start taking topwater presentations. There’s nothing like a smallmouth bass smashing a fly on the surface.

The muscular fish starts well below the surface and rockets to the top of the water column at a rapid rate, catapulting itself up and out of the water by several feet with such head-shaking force that it throws a spray of water all around.

If an angler is lucky, the fish will accurately strike the fly and allow a good hook-set.

Turner youth angler Adrian Waite hooked into plenty of these huge smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River. William Clunie photos

More luck (or skill) will be needed to fight the fish successfully; it’s hard to keep these strong fish from violently shaking loose, or dragging the tippet through sharp rocks, or just plain yanking hard enough to snap the leader.

I’m not sure what it is that holds my interest in fishing for these Androscoggin River smallmouth. I really do enjoy their rugged beauty and fighting spirit, but more than that is the stark beauty of simply being on the water. I

love the connection between the angler, the fish and the water, all in one. Moving water just adds another attractive dimension to the whole arena, and after the long winter, I’m ready to dive into it.

¶

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Open Water Fishing May usually brings warming water temps and an itch to get a line in the water. Trout season opens the second Saturday in April in the bulk of the waters of the state, but fishing improves as spring runoff recedes and the water begins to warm up.

One of my favorite recipes is freshly-caught brook trout with fiddleheads picked near the same stream, and I often get that early in the month, especially if I hike toward headwaters of our many streams.

In addition to classic New England brook trout, there are a lot of other fish species out there to chase in VT. A little research and the willingness to get out and try something new can yield some great results and a whole new species to chase.

The Vermonth Department of Fish and Wildlife recently went through and simplified regulations, and while I don’t necessarily find them simple, they are a bit easier to digest than they used to be.

Lake Champlain There are basically three kinds of places to fish in Vermont – 1) Lake Champlain; 2) the Connecticut River; and 3) all the stuff in between.

At 440 square miles, Lake Champlain is New England’s largest lake, www.MaineSportsman.com

The Vermont state record walleye, caught in 2010, weighed more than 14 ½ pounds, and several fish heavier than 10 pounds were reportedly caught during May, 2020. Here’s where to find walleye in the state’s lakes and rivers, and how to fish for them.

Madison Parah of Alburgh, VT caught this 27.5-inch, 8-lbs, 4-oz walleye on May 1, 2021. Photo: Devin Cameron

and it holds an incredible variety of fish and options to target them.

There are abundant access areas along the lake, and lots of opportunities to fish from shore as well.

This can be big water, so watch the weather. Those anglers with a boat and a Vermont fishing license may fish Lake Champlain west of the Vermont/New York border to the New York shore, but may

not fish in South Bay or New York tributaries to Lake Champlain.

There are a lot of shoreline options for fishing if you don’t have a boat – from the Colchester Fills along the bike path to the Colchester Point Fishing Access Area on the Winooski River. This facility is an easily-accessible fishing spot within a short walk of downtown Burlington.

Check the Vermont

Department of Fish and Wildlife website at vtfishandwildlife. com for more information.

Walleye Vermont’s warmwater fish is the walleye. The season opens on Lake Champlain the first Saturday in May and the walleye fishing steadily improves through the month, as the fish spawn early. As June approaches, they start to return to their more

normal haunts and resume their predatory habits.

These fish tend to be found near sandy, gravely or rocky bottom areas and associate with structure like sunken rock piles, submerged weed edges and sunken trees or logs that function as cover where they can ambush prey.

Their preferred open water feeding temperature is 65-75° F, but they are certainly active below that as well, since they are also caught through the ice and with early May water temperatures.

A number of tactics can work, but these fish are most active at night, and early in the season they may be found in shallower water than later in the summer.

State Record: More Than 14 ½ lbs.

The VT state record walleye was caught through the ice in 2010 on Lake Champlain. It weighed 14 lbs., 8.8 oz.

In 2020, there were several walleyes over 10 pounds reported to VT Fish and Wildlife in the month of May. Walleye are brought to hand early in May on the big lake and one of its tributaries, the Winooski River, with trolling and casting as the primary techniques. Folks I know set up for walleye by 1) fishing a jig (Vermont continued on page 78)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 77

Turkey Troubles With many turkey hunters and limited available land, ethics, courtesy and common sense are critical to avoiding conflicts. So what are the rules, especially those tricky unwritten rules? The author asks readers to weigh in.

I’ve dedicated a few recent columns to some of the frustrations facing deer hunters in northern New Hampshire, and New England more broadly. Many of these same problems pose themselves to turkey hunters, as well. As ethical boundaries become blurred, the sport becomes less appealing to those who seek the outdoors for peace and solitude.

Competition Too much competition and a lack of respect by other hunters have long been the

folly of turkey hunters in northern New England. With much more woods than fields (fields being the preferred turkey hunting habitat), and with more and more of those fields becoming posted, many turkey hunters get funneled into the same areas – especially if that area holds a big tom that struts next to the road for everyone to see on their morning commute.

There are lots of questions about spot etiquette. I’m one to avoid others at most all costs, even if it

means I end up bushwhacking miles away from any reasonable sign.

But others are more comfortable (perhaps too comfortable) around other competing hunters. So what should the unwritten rules be? You shouldn’t hunt the same field, but is the adjacent field okay? Is the same field fine, as long as you are a safe shooting distance/direction from the other’s decoys? Should you be far enough away that others can’t hear your loudest yelp, to avoid calling the same birds?

Big toms visible from the road cause competition and controversy among crowds of turkey hunters.

Photo: Brian Emerson

Blind Dibs Blind hunting has become fashionable recently. It’s not my personal style of choice, but blinds work well to hide the jittery movements of less experi-

enced or young hunters. Usually a week or so before the turkey opener, you start seeing blinds pop up on the edges of fields.

How does this tie (Continued on next page)

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78 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

New Hampshire (Continued from page 77)

in to those unwritten rules about respecting other hunters’ spaces?

What if a blind appears the day before the season on an area you’ve been scouting and planning on hunting? Do those people automatically get dibs because they somehow “called it”? Is that their only blind, or do they have another somewhere else that they may be using, instead?

What if they have to work the first morning and aren’t even going to be there—is it okay to set up next to someone’s blind if they aren’t there? What if you simply get there first?

An Etiquette Blunder One year, when I was a kid, my dad and I set up a blind a week before the season. It was easily visible from the road and from where we parked our truck. We had two jakes coming across the cornfield to our decoys. Some guy driving down the road, who obviously saw the entirety of the situation,

decided to sneak up the edge of the field to within sixty yards of our blind as we were calling them in. Sure enough, he intercepted and killed one right in front of us. And he was proud as a peacock of his accomplishment.

A Blurry Line with Real Consequences Last year, I finally convinced my wife to give turkey hunting another try. Dedicated readers will remember the task that it has been for me to get her to go hunting with me over the years. I had a remote piece of property I’ve hunted for years where I’ve never seen or heard of any other turkey hunters. There were jakes there daily.

I set up a blind for her, put some rocks out as distance markers for her to know how far she could shoot. We did some target practice with her grandfather’s old shotgun she inherited.

I bought her shooting sticks. She was finally actually excited about turkey hunting. I was

Vermont (Continued from page 76)

tipped with a night crawler, minnow or leech; 2) trolling or retrieving a spinner and crawler harness near the bottom; or 3) using a minnow-shaped crankbait.

Anglers need to remember that there is no open season on sauger, which closely resembles the walleye.

These fish can be differentiated by their first dorsal fin, which is dusky colored and spotless on walleye. On Champlain, the minimum length on walleye is 18” and the limit is three, though it is important to remember that those big fish over 25” are often females that produce upward of 150,000 eggs, so a quick picture and releasing her may result in more fishing opportunities in www.MaineSportsman.com

Does setting up a blind mean a hunter has an exclusive claim to turkey hunt that area? If so, how far from the blind does that claim extend? Ethan Emerson photo

thrilled.

The only problem was, she had to work the night shift prior to the opener, so she wouldn’t be back from work and ready to go until about an hour after daylight. Not ideal, but given the remote spot, and that I had “claimed” it with a blind setup, I thought things would be okay.

On the contrary, when we were walking in, we met a guy walking out with a jake slung over his shoul-

der. And there was a pile of feathers right in front of our blind.

I was frustrated.

She was angry. She didn’t want to turkey hunt any more after that. And I don’t know if I’ll be able to convince her again this year. Or in those to come.

Answers?

I don’t know the answers to the questions I posed. Frankly, it’s not worth the hassle and headache to me to kill a turkey, so

the future.

Connecticut River The CT River is the longest river in New England, flowing for 406 miles through four states. It holds walleye along most of its length, and is an option for folks wanting to target this species coming from the East.

I hear about walleye being caught at a number of reservoirs along the eastern border of the state. The regulations are different for walleye on the big river, where no person can take walleye between 16” and 18”; and the daily limit is four fish, of which only 1 can be larger than 18”.

Your Vermont license allows you to fish all waters of the river including the bays, setbacks and tributaries, only to the first highway bridge crossing said tributaries on the Vermont and New

if these issues become too much, I just won’t hunt them. But I respect that others take turkey hunting as seriously as I take deer hunting. And they shouldn’t have to have their passion quelled over this nonsense, so we should start trying to figure these things out.

Readers, what do you think the unwritten turkey etiquette rules should be?

¶

Hampshire sides. Thankfully, the tactics on the river are similar to those on Champlain. Many anglers troll for walleye behind one of the several dams that create lake-like fishing, but targeting the spring spawn may allow an angler on foot to have success where the fish move upstream into the inlet areas or tributaries.

If you decide to chase these fish in a boat, remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat and motor so you don’t move invasives around. To familiarize yourself with the regulations before you go, check here: https://www.eregulations. com/vermont/fishing. The VT F&W Department website is a treasure-trove of information if you’re willing to search around a bit. Get out and have some fun!

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 79

Smilin’

Sportsman In the Hotseat A man walked home after a long night at the bar with his friends. As he approached his front steps, he lost his balance and fell backwards, landing on some thorny blackberry bushes, and cutting his backside quite badly.

Once inside his house, he cleaned up his injuries as best he could, struggled in front of a mirror to cover the wounds with band-aids, and crawled into bed.

In the morning, his wife said, “I guess you really tied one on last night.”

“Why do you say that?” he asked, innocently.

“The first clues,” she explained, “are the 20 band aids stuck to the mirror.”

— Finding Her Seat Hundreds of folding chairs were lined up under the tent for the annual moose lottery.

“Excuse me, did I step on your toe on the way out?” asked the hunter, as she

tried to find her chair after getting a refreshment.

“Yes, you did, as a matter of fact,” indignantly replied the man sitting in the end seat.

The hunter said, “Oh, good – then this is my row!”

— Cost Comparison A fellow was checking in to a motel in Greenville.

“Do you want a room with a bathtub, or one with a shower?” asked the clerk.

“What’s the difference?” said the fellow, wallet in hand.

“Well, with a tub, you can sit down.”

— Carrying Things Too Far A teenage boy and his dad were at the fitness store. The kid begged his dad to purchase him some expensive weights.

But the father was skeptical.

“I want to get in shape, Dad,” pleaded the boy. “I promise I will use them every day.”

“OK,” said the dad. He paid for the items, and headed out to the parking lot.

“What?” yelled the son. “You expect me to lug them to the car?”

¶

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80 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Moose Make Great Pets (Not really, but our columnist had to find that out the hard way) I used to have pretty conservative views when it came to pets.

Dogs are great. Cats are OK. Piranhas are useful for disposing of unwanted farm animals and guests who overstay their welcome.

I’ve never really understood those celebrities who bring home ocelots, jaguars or even tigers decked out with diamond-studded collars.

When those beasts inevitably bite their owners’ faces off, everyone always acts surprised.

Then there are those Grizzly Adams types who insist on keeping a supposedly tame bear around.

Who wants a pet that sleeps all winter, wakes up in the spring and eats your favorite cousin?

Raising a CattleDoodle But my narrow views of what constitutes an acceptable household animal were broadened a bit when I encountered a group called Save the Little Moose. It finds homes for orphaned moose calves, where they can be nurtured until they’re ready to return to the wild.

Somehow, I missed that last part about returning them. My plan was always to make my moose an integral and long-term member of the family.

I should point out that in Maine it’s illewww.MaineSportsman.com

The author’s pet bull moose, Rocky (on the right), spotted a cow moose peeking out of the woods. Before the author could react, Rocky was gone, and hasn’t been seen since. Photo credit: Tok, Alaska Air Service

gal to own a moose unless you have a special permit. Which I don’t.

For that reason, I had to be careful about revealing the species of my new pet.

For starters, there was the naming issue.

I couldn’t very well call him Bullwinkle and then claim the latest family member wasn’t a moose. So, I went with Rocky. Clearly, he wasn’t a flying squirrel.

Then, there was the matter of his pedigree. “Is that a moose?” nosey neighbors would ask as I walked Rocky.

“No,” I would reply.

“It’s one of those fancy hybrids, a mix of cow and poodle. It’s called a cattle-doodle.”

It Got Bigger That worked for a while, but as Rocky grew from 200 pounds when he arrived to more than 400 by fall, that story began to strain credulity. And that wasn’t the only strain. Moose can be hard on the flooring,

which was never designed to stand up to huge beasts with hooves.

There was also the matter of food.

Rocky was soon eating 50 pounds of assorted plants each day.

You can’t just order a truckload of tender willow and birch shoots, because that might attract undue attention. You have to forage for that stuff.

It can take up a lot of your time.

You also need a salt lick the size of a steamer trunk. Found one on Amazon.

Then there’s the delicate matter of moose poop. When Rocky had to go, those little plastic vegetable bags from the supermarket weren’t up to the clean-up task.

We’re talking garbage bags here. Sometimes, several a day.

A Member of the Family Upon his arrival, Rocky missed his mother and was al-

ways nervous.

To soothe him, I made the mistake of letting him sleep on the bed. Soon, I had to sleep on the floor. And the bed suffered mightily.

Let’s talk about antlers. Not only are they a hazard in the house, but when outside, they tend to call into question my claim that Rocky is part dog and part cow.

On the bright side, when he sheds his antlers after mating season (my mistake in not having him fixed would have consequences, but more on that later), they make great Christmas gifts.

As with dogs and cats, moose get ticks.

Thousands of ticks.

More ticks than you probably believed existed in the whole state. It took an entire case of those little treatment thingies each month to keep Rocky free of pests. As for other medical care, all I can say is it helps to know a veterinarian who’s not afraid to op-

erate outside the law.

Speaking of the law, my neighbor, who’s a game warden, kept giving me suspicious looks whenever I’d walk by his house with Rocky trailing close behind me. “Why is that moose following you?” he asked.

“Beats me,” I replied, “although it might have something to do with this sack of tender birch shoots I’m carrying around for no particular reason.”

Spring Fever Moose can be very affectionate. This can lead to complications.

And abrasions involving sizable medical bills. I should have taught Rocky not to jump on me when I came home.

Affection also led to the end of our relationship.

During Rocky’s second fall with me, he spotted a cow moose peeking out of the woods. Before I could react, he was gone and hasn’t been seen since.

I miss him, although I have to admit it’s nice to have what’s left of the bed back. I also have to admit I’ve learned an important lesson from the experience: Huge wild animals make poor house pets.

Next time, I’m getting a bobcat.

Al Diamon can be emailed at aldiamon@ herniahill.net.

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82 • May 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Trophy Gallery

LAND FOR SALE IN AROOSTOOK COUNTY 83 acres – Easton, ME ................$124,500 20 acres – Perham, ME .................$35,000 100 acres – Perham, ME .............$150,000 40 acres – Connor, ME.................$60,000 2 bedroom home – Perham, ME $200,000 7 acres with well, septic, cement pad, driveway – Perham, ME ................$50,000 (207) 455-8340 • realty@mfx.net www.highmeadowrealtytrust.com

SCREEN PRINTING & EMBROIDERY T-Shirts $6.00 Heavyweight 100% Cotton Pre-shrunk

Twelve-year-old Nolan Brown of Sebago, ME bagged this 21.5 lb. turkey while using a mouth call and blind in Limington on May 1, 2021. Nolan’s best friend, Gavin Boothy, and proud father, Joshua Fogg, accompanied him on the hunt. Nolan’s tom scored a 61.5 on the National Wild Turkey Federation scoring sheet.

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The Maine Sportsman is seeking an experienced, self-motivated CONTRACT AD SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE to assist businesses and organizations in promoting products, services and events. Qualifications include a proven sales record, superb customer service, fluent in English, and access to computer and phone. Knowledge of the outdoors a plus. Training and contacts provided, monthly commission, and bonus potential.

Send resume and introduction to nancy@mainesportsman.com.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • May 2022 • 83

Trophy Gallery

Braden Down, age 17, of Hodgdon, ME bagged this 20 lb. tom while hunting in Amity on May 3, 2021.

Adam Clement of Rome, ME earned his way into The Maine Sportsman’s Grand Slam Club in 2021, starting with these two toms he bagged in Eustis on May 3, 2021.

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Lee – 4.3 acres lot on hardwood ridge, nice views, snowmobile and ATV trails, fishing and skiing nearby, electricity available, owner financing, sited on Skunk Hill Road. $18,900 Lincoln – 1.56+/- acres, field, electricity available, 4 lakes in 1 direction, all of Cold Stream Ponds in another, few miles from downtown, corner frontage on Transalpine Road and Folsom Pond Road. $19,900 Lincoln – One of the few locations left on Transalpine Road. This large lot feels out in the woods but is only 1.1 miles from the hospital and one more to downtown. $18,900 Lincoln – A nice lot on the high side of Route 6. Surveyed with driveway already in place and electricity available. Plenty of room for a small home or mobile home on the currently cleared driveway. $17,500

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