Sun Journal Fishing & Boating 03-16-03 by Sun Journal

16 Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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Fiddleheads and fish

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t’s only March and already I have people asking how soon will we have fiddleheads. They must know that they don’t grow in the snow. We are very fortunate to have many good patches of fiddleheads in our area. I have been able to pick bushels of them. While fiddlehead patches reappear in the same locations every year, fiddlehead season is never the same. I watch for the skunk cabbage to start growing first. That’s the dark green plant that grows in swamp areas in early spring. When it gets about nine or ten inches high, I know it is time to start looking for fiddleheads. Fiddleheads are not like mushrooms. If you pick the wrong mushroom, you can be in gastrointestinal trouble or worse. The first thing to know about picking fiddleheads is that a real fiddlehead does not have hair or fuzz on it. Look for a fern that has a skin

Have a good day... go fishing By Eddie Hodgkin like an onion. Another thing, fiddleheads don’t grow in swamps. Instead, they grow near running water or where there has been running water. Many times you can pick fiddleheads on the side of the road. I’ve seen nice fiddlehead patches on top of Maple Hill in Auburn, and in Minot, Mechanic Falls, and Poland. If you are lucky and find a patch of fiddleheads, keep its location to yourself. Try to eat fiddleheads the same day you pick them. They are like other greens - they taste better when they are fresh. Nothing tastes better than a meal of brook trout and fiddleheads. Try it, you’ll love it.

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Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

Trolling streamers, an old and honored technique By Thomas J. Roth / Freelance Writer

ter of “sput-sput-cough, sput-sput-cough.’ I knew the motor was just right for trolling. I picked up my fly rod and didn’t care what brand it was, only that it was long, stout I turned down the throttle on the old Evinrude 6-hp motor; it seemed to develop a pat- and had a fighting butt, allowing me to lock the grip alongside my forearm as I worked the streamer back and forth in the current behind the boat. I tied on a gray ghost streamer, one that I had tied several seasons ago, that was still in good shape despite TAXIDERMIST Fish Skin Mount and Custom Carvings being chewed on by for the Catch & Release Fisherman numerous salmon. I pulled line off the “Over 33 Years Experience” reel as it clicked out a cadence, “zip-zip-zip.” With 30 feet of leader P.O. Box 341 and another 75 feet Turner, ME 04282 Tom Roth photo of line out, I steered the boat alongside the Nathan, left, and Allan Verrill of Auburn shore in about 10 feet of prepare to release a Middle Range Pond water. Keeping a course -Visit Our Website brown trout taken parallel with shore, I www.mainetaxidermist.com Custom Artwork Available in Oil, on a streamer fly. began a pumping motion For More Photos and Information Watercolor, Pencil Sketches or Pen & Ink with my arm to impart life to the concoction of hair, feather and tinsel at the end of my line. After I had gone the length of the lake, I made a wide arc out toward deeper water and prepared to give it another pass. When the boat straightened out, the line was still following a graceful curve behind the boat. Just as the last bit of bend was being taken out of the line, I felt a hard tap on the backstroke of my draw. Knowing a fish had just hit the streamer, I stuck my arm out behind the boat to give the beast some slack and then I pulled forward, the road arcing, the tip coming close to the belly of the rod. At that precise moment, as if I needed proof of the fish’s existence, out of the water leaped a bright, silver salmon, its tail dancing on he water trying to free itself from the hook. Playing the heavy four-pound fish on a fly rod was a great thrill. I stripped in line by hand only to have it taken back from me as the fish ran. After a game of give and take, the fish tired and came to my net. One last dash for safety was held back by the backbone of the fiberglass rod and the fish was taken to boat. The long-shanked hook held firm in the corner of the jaw but a quick twist removed it and the fish was let back into the lake. While this scenario played it self out on Lake Auburn less than a decade ago, the angling techniques trace themselves back to the Rangeley Lakes area in the mid 1920’s. Trolling with streamers on a fly rod is an productive way to fish for salmon and brook trout, arguably two of Maine’s most sought after fish and it is used today by anglers across the state and across the country. While a great debate rages on as to whom was the first angler to troll a fly line after their quarry, Maine has the dubious distinction of having documentation and an industry built on such practices. Perhaps �� an ancient angler in a boat or canoe somewhere was casting with a fly �� rod and left his line out while he paddled to a different spot. The action of his fly as it “swam” along at the same speed of the canoe or boat was �� probably too much for a hungry trout to pass up, so the fish struck. No �� doubt the angler bragged to his fishing chums of his novel technique. Perhaps he was even chastised for fishing in such an “unpure” ��

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“The reel can be anything from a cheap single- action fly reel to a geared “multiplier” reel. “ manner. Whatever the case, it was not until 1927 when Guide Wallace Stevens was out with a client named Judge Charles Wells of Connecticut on Rangeley Lake that the sport was documented. The pair had been trolling sewn on smelt, a common method for the monstrous salmon and brook trout that still inhabit the lake. Steve’s wife, Carrie, lived with him at Upper Dam where the dam links Mooselookmeguntic and Upper Richardson Lake. She had begun a booming cottage industry tying flies after one of her creations caught a 6-pound, 13-ounce brook trout and won the 1924 Field and Stream Fishing Contest. Guide Wallace Stevens and his client were having no luck with their smelts, so he tied on one of his wife’s streamer flies, much to the chagrin of his sport, the Judge. According to Wallace’s account, they trolled for five minutes when they began catching fish like a fury. The pair had soon caught their limit while other nearby anglers using bait were skunked. A method of angling was born that remains in active use to this day. Modern angling methods and materials have changed the sport, but the technique is still the same. Now we have gas and electric motors to take the work out of rowing the boat or canoe. In fact, an angler with a small boat or motorized canoe

can pick up this time-honored method of angling with little investment of equipment. To outfit oneself for trolling streamers, I would suggest using a fly rod and reel to enjoy the sport to the fullest. My first fly rod was a fiberglass Eagle Claw fly rod that I bought for $9.00 when I was 15 years old. It was cheap, yet strong enough to handle a decent fish and I still use it today. Any fly rod will work, but it should be at least 8- or 9- feet long in 8-weight or heavier. The reel can be anything from a cheap single- action fly reel to a geared “multiplier” reel. I prefer a multiplier reel to get the line in quick, especially when changing flies. The multiplier reels take up three turns of line with each one turn of the handle; a must when moving a lot or changing flies frequently. Fly line should be a fast sinking, level line. The Cortland Company makes a line designed specifically for trolling. It is called Super Fast

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the primary forage species of trout and salmon in many lakes. She originated many other favorites, many named after persons she knew or that her husband fished with. Shang’s Special was named after Shang Wheeler, a noted decoy carver, artist and fish carver from Connecticut. The Judge, another top fly, was name after Judge Charles Wells, the man who was witness to the “advent” of streamer trolling. Yet another favorite trolling streamer was born in Waterville, the Nine-Three. Dr. Hubert Sanborn of Waterville had tied up a streamer using green and black hackle feathers with a sparse bit of white bucktail hair, as well. On the maiden voyage of this lure, he caught a 9-pound three-ounce salmon on Messalonskee Lake, hence the name Nine-Three. There exist virtually dozens of streamer flies invented and tied right here in Maine, a testimony to the popularity of the sport of trolling. Perhaps you or a friend created a special pattern for your favorite lake or perhaps your grandfather passed on a recipe for his favorite fly. Maybe you just buy your flies from a small tackle shop or even online. No matter how you get them or what pattern you use, streamer flies and the art of trolling them is sure to continue on as one of the most enjoyable ways to fish Maine ponds and lakes.

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Sinking Trolling Line and the concept was designed by the late Art Libby, a famous guide on Sebago Lake. This dark green line is longer than most fly lines and allows the angler to go deep as the season progresses and the water warms. The line is attached first to a backing line, usually dacron, which provides a cushion between the fly line and the reel spool. The leader weight and length is a personal preference, but I always use a 30-foot leader of eight-pound test monofilament line to get my streamer away from the heavy, easy-to-see fly line. Art Libby always advocated a 30-foot leader, so if it worked for him, it’s good enough for me! As for the streamers, Carries Steven’s gray ghost is hard to beat. I have taken more salmon and brook trout on that one fly than any other lure, short of sewn-on smelt. The gray ghost most likely owes its success to its shading that imitates a smelt,

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Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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14 Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

and fish in 10 or 12 feet of water. Crystal Lake is highly developed so anglers trolling the shoreline should watch out for water inlet pipes, mooring lines and docks. A municipal launch with ample parking is located at the southern end of the lake just off of North Raymond Road. Another recipient of heavy brown trout stockings is Cochnewagon Pond in Monmouth. According to fisheries biologist Jim Lucas of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Cochnewagon Pond is a “grow-and-take brown trout fishery.” Repeated stockings provide instant angling for brown trout, and several fish remain in the pond and grow to decent size. Two-pound brown trout are not uncommon. Cochnewagon Pond also provides a diverse array of other species for anglers to pursue. This small pond, located at the headwaters of the Cobbosseecontee drainage, has an excellent bass, white perch and pickerel fishery, but brown trout

seem to be the species of choice among visiting anglers. Annual stockings of brown trout have changed the water from a strictly warmwater fishery to a popular spot for anglers seeking brown trout on a small pond setting. Trolling the shoreline with streamer flies and orange and gold spoons produces results May to June. Ice-anglers fish for the finicky brown trout near the boat launch at the town beach. Access to Cochnewagon Pond is found at the town beach. Turn onto Beach Road from Main Street (Route 132) and follow it a short distance. A boat launch sign directs you to the concrete ramp and dock. A small parking lot adjacent to the beach is designated for boaters’ vehicles. Anglers wishing to fish a beautiful brook trout pond will find a sleeper of a water lies just outside of Androscoggin County in Casco. Coffee Pond off Route 11 just over the county line proves to be an ideal destination for those looking to fish for brook trout on an intimate, easyto-reach pond. Brook trout, stocked annureg. $14,823

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ally by Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, generally range in size from 12- to 18-inches. Most fish weigh less than two pounds, but larger fish in the three-pound range are caught on occasion. Because of a ban on the use or possession of live fish as bait, Coffee Pond anglers use either troll sewn-on dead smelt or streamer flies. Trolling the shallows after ice-out through early May is most productive. . Anglers also take advantage of trout fishing in September and October until the season ends on November 30. (Note: all trout and bass caught from October 1 through November 30 must be released alive at once). Fly-casting anglers work the aquatic hatches along shore during the early summer afternoon and evening hours. Trolling streamers that imitate the primary forage fish, the rainbow smelt, such as the gray ghost and Joe’s smelt work best. Gold-colored spoons such as the Thomas “Buoyant” and Mooselook wobbler also work well when trolled or cast along the shore. Coffee Pond is moderately developed with camps and homes. Access is limited to a crude launch capable of handling only small boats and trailers or canoes. The launch is located 75 yards off Route 11 in Casco on Coffee Pond Road. Parking is limited to two or three vehicles on a small stretch of unpaved roadside. If you are looking to fish a great little trout pond by canoe and still want to get in on the spring trout bonanza, Lily Pond in New Gloucester should be on your itinerary. Closed to ice fishing and heavily stocked, this tiny pond (38 acres) is shallow and easy to paddle. Begin by working a fly or lure near the boat launch and then work the shoreline around the lake. Small bead-head nymph patterns, marabou leech imitations and wet flies like the Parmachenee Belle or Mickey Finn streamer work well. You can access Lily Pond on a short dirt road off of the Snow Hill Road. While these are just a few of the lakes and ponds in this region that offer trout fishing, they could certainly be at the top of the list for “trout hotspots.”

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Each one has special places that seem to hold fish every year �� and part of the fun of trying a new des�� tination is learning these jaded secrets. �� You might even get a glimpse of this an�� gler as I make my way �� along the shoreline, trying to remember �� where I caught fish in years past. ��

Range Pond trolling in the deeper water in the center of the lake. Apparently using lead-core line, I usually see them tussling with larger fish. With fish in the six- to eight-pound range coming from Range Pond every season, maybe these guys are on to something!

Local hotspots for trout

By THOMAS J. ROTH / Freelance Writer

When the calendar turns to May, I can usually breath a sigh of relief. After a few weeks of getting up in the dark to chase salmon on frigid lakes, I can finally slow down a bit and concentrate my efforts on the trout species present in this neck of the woods. Not that trout are any easier to catch or more fun to pursue, it’s just that I can get on the water at 9:00 a.m. instead of some other ungodly hour and still catch my share of fish. Because of a hearty stocking program, good habitat and little pressure, several local lakes and ponds produce decent trout specimens and deserve a visit, at least once a season. One such location is the Middle Range Pond in Poland. Middle Range has been receiving regular stockings of brown trout since the early 1980’s, along with a longtime stocking of brook trout and recent additions of rainbow trout. These fish have started to take hold of the lake and each year, several record trout are taken. These aren’t putand-take fish, either. Many of the brown trout caught in the eight- to ten-pound class are fish that were stocked several years ago. With a chance at a trout weighing as much as ten-pounds, along with decent sized brookies and rainbows, anglers owe it to themselves to give Middle Range Pond a try. Trolling streamers or lures along the cottage lined east shore is always a good bet for trout lurking in the shallows. For streamers, the gray ghost, Barnes’ special and Joe’s smelt work well. Any trout spoon with fluorescent orange in it, such as a Mooselook wobbler or Thompson spoon will work well, too. I also find that the copper Mooselook wobbler works well on Range Pond brown trout. Each year, I spot a group of anglers on Middle

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Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

Access to Middle Range pond is easily obtained at the state boat launch on the Skellinger Road, located just off of Route 26. After launching into Upper Range Pond, boaters can motor under the bridge and enter Middle Range Pond. A short jaunt up the lake puts anglers in prime brown trout water. New Gloucester’s Sabbathday Lake is situated in the historic and charming Shaker Village, where a group of modern day Shakers still practice their craft and live off of the land. Amidst the pastoral setting of their building and grounds lies Sabbathday Lake, a prime spot for brown trout anglers. Each season, I try to make my own pilgrimage to Sabbathday Lake for brownies. Fishing during the week, I rarely ever see another boat or angler and can enjoy the scenery, as many of the early Shakers did. Sabbathday Lake, like many bodies of water in this region, is lined with summer residences, but most of them are vacant at this time of year, so there is little to interrupt the angler working the shoreline. Sab-

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bathday Lake is also well known for its abundant smelt population, so any smelt imitation will work well. My favorite streamer fly for fishing Sabbathday Lake is the Umbagog smelt, with its characteristic purple hue. Trolling the shoreline along the entire lake usually brings action when the fish are on the bite. Anglers can expect the typical Sabbathday brown trout to be in the 14- to 16-inch range, but twopounders are taken regularly. Access to Sabbathday can be obtained at the northern end of the lake, just down the road from Shaker Village. Crystal Lake in Gray is another local hotspot for browns and rainbows. Anglers fishing Crystal Lake have discovered that their lake is rapidly earning fame as a regular producer of brown trout in the three- to five-pound class. Last year, Crystal Lake received a test batch of stocked fish; an equal mix of rainbows and brown trout. The stocking truck poured in 300 rainbows and 300 brown trout this past fall and the fish were “fall yearlings” which are 12to 14-inches long. Biologists hope to study how well each species does to decide on what future stockings should be. Anglers fishing Crystal Lake can fish for both species of fish in the same manner, but may want to use different color combinations if attempting to target a specific type of fish. Trolling the shoreline in anywhere from five to 20 feet should produce the most action. Many anglers use the same lures as they would use on brown trout for rainbows, but I have found that rainbows prefer pastel color combinations such as purple, pink and white. I have a Mooselook wobbler spoon with those colors and it is always my first lure when fishing rainbow waters. Still fishermen using worms and fluorescent colored dough products such as Berkley’s Power Bait should see excellent results on rainbows if they anchor near the shoreline

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Lifetime licenses available The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is offering a lifetime license program that could save Mainers a bundle of money over the years. Revenues generated by the sale of these licenses will be deposited in a special trust fund that will provide long-term financial support for Maine’s fish and wildlife. Cost to Maine residents for the lifetime license is as follows:

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Free fishing days planned Would you like to try to catch a fish but don’t want to buy a license? Maine residents will get that chance to snag a big one when free fishing days are observed in June. The dates are June 14-15, coinciding with Father’s Day weekend. During those two days Mainers will be allowed to fish without a license. The exceptions are those who have had their license revoked or suspended. The idea behind the free fishing program is to get more people hooked on the popular sport. “These two days will be a great way to get introduced to a lifetime hobby of fishing,” says Peter Bourque, director of fisheries for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. — Glen Burgess

Heat wave, cool down

The Mariner Outboards boating folks say:  Use plenty of sun screen lotion on exposed skin. Wear a comfortable hat, put up your boat top, or carry a white umbrella and use it as a sun shield while you’re anchored or running slowly. It’s especially beneficial for older fishermen and kids, who are affected much faster by hot weather. If you’re near a shoreline, seek the shade of a tree.  An ice chest and cold drinks are essential in summer boating. Dip a cloth in the cold water of the ice chest and wipe your hands and face periodically. Or, get the cloth wet and lay it on the back of your neck.  Keep cool by dumping water from the lake or stream over your clothing. In the process of evaporating, the water will help lower your body temperature.  Keep an eye on your passengers. If someone in your party quits sweating or feels weak, nauseated, faint, or if his or her skin feels hot and dry, it’s time to take action. Get the sufferer into the shade and into a comfortable lying position. Cool him down with wet towels and by circulating air around him. If he doesn’t seem to respond, get medical attention immediately.

Fishing & Boating 13

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

Lack of open water this year?

By GLEN BURGESS / Staff Writer

It appears that fishermen will have a difficult time finding a place to wet a line on opening day April 1. The Winter of 2002-2003 was a cruel one in terms of cold weather. With lengthy periods of frigid temperatures, the ice cover on area lakes and ponds became much thicker than during most Maine winters. Unlike the previous winter, said to be the warmest in 61 years, the latest winter was one of the coldest on record. Dave Sheloske reported in late February that his auger had to bore through 3-feet of ice on Little Wilson Pond at Turner while he was preparing to ice fish, nearly losing sight of his boring machine. A similar situation was reported at Bear Pond at Turner. Henry Davenport of Auburn made an ice fishing trip there and encountered nearly 3-feet of ice. Concerning Lake Auburn, a popular early fishing spot, Mary Jane Dillingham of the Auburn Water District reported similar conditions. “It’s been so cold, we’ve got about 5 1/2 feet of frost in the ground,” she noted. Randy Holmes of the AWD ventured onto the ice in late February to take a measurement about 50-yards in front of the pumping station. “It was 24-inches,” said Holmes of the depth. “Normally it’s only 20-22-inches this time of year but it’s been a

heck of a winter,” he added. According to the Open Water Fishing Regulations, anglers may fish in any open water “naturally free of ice”. That could prove to be a huge obstacle on April 1. A check around Lake Auburn in early March, found little open water, as expected. According to the Sun Journal’s unofficial files dating back to 1900, the latest ice-out date ever recorded at Lake Auburn was May 6 in both 1939 and 1940. That record date could be in jeopardy this time around. Only 5 other times has the ice departed as late as May. Those dates were May 3 in 1926, 1971 and 1972; and May 1 in 1904 and 1961. The earliest ice-out date was March

30, 1981, the only March date ever recorded. Last year’s ice-out date was April 4. When Mother Nature does eventually clear Lake Auburn of its winter cover, it will be a beehive of activity at the public boat launch at East Auburn. Boaters will be flocking to the area in search of togue and salmon, the favorite target for early season fishermen. The facility, located off the Route 4 causeway, includes a paved roadway and a wide boat launch ramp. Brook fishermen also could have a frustrating time on opening day. A check of area brooks and streams in early March revealed much ice and snow, but the possibility of them producing ice free water on April 1 is greater than on ponds and lakes. There are a lot of Mainers who cast a line during the season. According to statistics published by the American Sportfishing Association, a total of 44 million Americans fish, including 376,372 in the Pine Tree State. According to the report, a total of $322,122,047 in retail sales was generated by Maine anglers, which rippled through the economy to generate $541 million in economic output for the state. It adds that the Maine fishing industry supports over 6,000 jobs, and those workers earned $129 million in salaries and wages. And fishing-related purchases in Maine generated $7 million in state tax revenues and $13 million in federal income tax.

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Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

States partner with industry for better watercraft regs

he fastest segment of boat sales these days is personal watercraft. No matter if you call them “jet skis,” “pwc’s,” “ waverunners” or “seadoos,” their popularity continues to rise and sales are at record levels. n a noteworthy example of industryregulator partnership, the manufacturers of personal watercraft themselves are helping to set the example for how these popular craft are regulated. ack in the late ‘80s, as personal watercraft started appearing in greater numbers on waters across America, the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) teamed up with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to craft model regulations which would govern personal

watercraft operations. he PWIA worked cooperatively with the boating regulators to gain input about enforcement and operational concerns from the boating law authorities themselves. Then, in 1988, the industry introduced its “model” regulations which they encouraged for adoption by state legislatures across the country. oday, more than 40 states and two U.S. territories have adopted laws for personal watercraft operation which generally follow the industry recommendations. Most of these laws deal with operator age limits, mandatory wearing of personal flotation devices, night operation and keeping at safe operating distances from shore or other boats.

“The laws are working,” says Glynn Johnston, current PWIA president, “and they are working because the state members of NASBLA have taken the time to examine key PWC operating issues with our industry.” ASBLA’s current president, Ed Carter of Tennessee says “Our organization represents the boating authorities of every state and territory, and our cooperative work with the personal watercraft industry is a strong example of how government can work with industry to achieve safer waters for all. “We haven’t always agreed on every issue,” added Carter, “ but we knew that working together

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was the best way to make the most impact on safety for PWC operators and the boaters around them.” According to Johnston, who is also the Director of Government Relations for the Sea Doo Division of Bombardier Corporation, it’s been a win-win situation for all, since the states get tougher regulations with industry support and the personal watercraft manufacturers get betterinformed boaters who should know that this is one industry that strongly supports safety and responsible use of its products. — American Outdoors News

SAFE TOWING TIPS Trailering can be a safe, enjoyable experience if you have the right equipment and use and maintain it properly. One of the world’s leading authorities on towing and trailering, Draw-Tite, offers the following safe towing tips: 1. Check the hitch ball, coupler, safety chains, retaining pins and clips and all other connections EVERY TIME YOU TOW. 2. Don’t proceed until you’re sure everything is secure and that the trailer lights and brakes are working properly no matter how short the trip. 3. Re-check at fuel and rest stops. 4. Trailers or boats should not be occupied while being towed, under any circumstances. For more information on these and other important towing safety products, talk with your DrawTite dealer. Look in the Yellow Pages under Trailer Hitches, or write Draw-Tite, P.O. Box 805, Wayne, MI 48184.

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Boaters need to practice courtesy

Nowhere is courtesy and sportsmanship more important than in the outdoors. Boaters, particularly anglers, face an ever-expanding population of watersports enthusiasts who crowd launching ramps and other facilities on lakes and rivers across the country. Unfortunately, at a time when it is needed most, common courtesy is becoming most uncommon. Following are some “do’s” and “don’ts” of boating from the folks at Ranger Boat Company to help you become a more courteous boater. Following these simple guidelines will make boating more enjoyable...for you and for your fellow boater.  TRAILERING - Never forget that you have a boat, motor and trailer behind your vehicle. Your rig adds a lot of momentum that increases the amount of time and distance it takes you to stop. Don’t tail-gate the vehicle in front of you, and back off to a distance at which you can safely come to a stop if necessary. If you see that a following vehicle is starting to pass you, slow down enough to give the passing vehicle plenty of room to get back into traffic in front of you. Don’t hug the center line. Trailers often sway as they round a curve, swinging into the oncoming lane. Stay off the shoulder. Nothing makes the motorist behind you more angry than a shower of gravel thrown onto his windshield by your trailer’s tire.  LAUNCHING RAMPS - Approach launching activity slowly and scope out the traffic carefully. If there is a line of rigs waiting to launch, proceed to the end of the line and take your place. Waiting in line provides an excellent opportunity to get tackle, coolers, clothing, life jackets and other gear stowed in your boat. You can also check and install the drain plug, pump up fuel bulbs tightly and get the engine trimmed so you can launch quickly and easily when your time arrives. Pay attention to the line as it proceeds so you don’t tie up traffic behind you as you prep your boat for the water. Be sure you can drive a boat onto a trailer before attempting to pull off such a feat in front of a long line of boaters, who may be shorttempered. Also practice the

art of backing up a trailer at an empty ramp before you attempt to maneuver your rig on a crowded ramp. Always start the boat’s engine while it’s on the trailer. If it won’t start, you can easily tow your rig off the ramp without having to retrieve a drifting boat. After the engine is started and the boat is launched, move away from other people launching while the driver who backed you into the water parks the car or truck. Be sure to leave your car or truck in designated parking areas, not along the launch ramp, so others have room to maneuver their rigs into the water.  ON-WATER MANNERS -Near the launch ramp, never crowd another boat, and make little or no wake. You wouldn’t want your own boat battered around in a mooring slip by wave action, so keep your engine at idle until completely clear of the “No Wake” zones. There are “rules of the road” to obey when passing of wind, sun and recreational activity increases the effect of alcohol, and many deaths result annually because of drinking and boating. Treat anchored boats and anglers who are trolling with respect. Give them a wide berth as you pass, and never zoom close to other boats that are dead in the water. If you do, the other boater may write down your boat registration numbers and report you to authorities. Never crowd another angler, even if you have just seen him land a big one in your favorite fishing spot. Getting too close makes the other angler feel threatened and angry. Rather than

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Sportsmanship on the water gets back to the Golden Rule, “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Others Do Unto You.” It’s an individual responsibility, like not throwing trash out of a car window, or letting garbage blow out of your boat into the countryside. People are getting better about such things, but we all need to do more. If everyone follows the rules of boating etiquette, like those suggested by Ranger Boat Company, that “uncommon” courtesy will be very common tomorrow.

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Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

How to enjoy boating and stay alive By SPORTS AFIELD

Boating accidents can occur anytime — not just when the weather kicks up —with about 70 percent of boating-related fatalities occurring when a boater falls overboard or the boat capsizes and 50 percent involving alcohol.

Accidents can happen during simple activities, Zach Taylor wrote in an article in Sports Afield, such as moving around the boat or shifting balance suddenly when a fish is hooked. If your vessel capsizes or swamps, stick with the ship. Don’t try to swim to shore —it might be farther than you thought. Wave action over a swamped vessel is far easier for rescuers to spot than a single person in the water. An overturned boat also offers some protection and may contain supplies. It also signals trouble to other boaters. Always wear a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device. At the very least, keep a life-preserver cushion on hand. Lightning is another potential cause of trouble for boaters. When lightning threatens, get off, and out

of, the water. Seek shelter. You are safe in a car or truck, but make sure it is parked well away from the possibility of falling trees. The crackles on an AM radio will warn you of an approaching storm, but it’s best to carry an inexpensive portable weather radio. Check it hourly.

Never float a stream you haven’t scouted first.

Always wear float coats on floats. If you feel yourself going over, tip on the upstream side. This way, the current isn’t as likely to pin you between your boat and a rock.

Go slowly on unfamiliar lakes.

Don’t increase your speed until you know there are no submerged trees or stumps. If you run a fast boat, always wear a kill switch.

Cold water kills in minutes.

If you swamp in cold water, get out of it as fast as possible, before your body temperature begins to plummet. Stay sober. In many areas, marine police check for alcohol abuse just as highway patrol officers do. It is just as dangerous to drive drunk in a boat as it is in a car.

tter Old Town O $

Go in the water only as a last resort.

Take something that floats and will allow you to tow the victim - a log, plank, surfboard, empty gas can, spare tire, oar or - best of all - a life preserver. Push whatever you have in the victim’s face and let him hold onto it while you calm him or her down.

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To rescue someone, you have to stay alive.

The best approach is to row to the person in any boat or boatlike conveyance. Hang on and haul the victim aboard. If there’s no boat handy, the next best method is to throw anything handy that floats to where the victim can reach it. When the victim is floating, you have time to decide what to do next.

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Fishing & Boating 11

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

Following are the unofficial Sun Journal Lake Auburn ice-out dates since the turn of the century: 1900 - April 26 1901 - April 15 1902 - April 4 1903 - April 4 1904 - May 1 1905 - April 23 1906 - April 24 1907 - April 30 1908 - April 24 1909 - April 20 1910 - April 5 1911 - April 27 1912 -- April 24 1913 - April 21 1914 - April 19 1915 - April 14 1916 - April 22 1917 - April 28 1918 - April 24 1919 - April 11 1920 - April 27a 1921 - April 3 1922 - April 17 1923 - April 28 1924 - April 20 1925 - April 9 1926 - May 3 1927 - April 22 1928 - April 18 1929 - April 13 1930 - April 14 1931 - April 11 1932 - April 20 1933 - April 22 1934 - April 24

1935 - April 21 1936 - April 14 1937 - April 27 1938 - April 19 1939 - May 6 1940 - May 6 1941 - April 14 1942 - April 19 1943 - April 26 1944 - April 29 1945 - April 3 1946 - April 10 1947 - April 18 1948 - April 9 1949 - April 9 1950 - April 18 1951 - April 8 1952 - April 20 1953 - April 1 1954 - April 19 1955 - April 17 1956 - April 28 1957 - April 17 1958 - April 17 1959 - April 24 1960 - April 29 1961 - May 1 1962 - April 23 1963 - April 20 1964 - April 26 1965 - April 22 1966 - April 21 1967 - April 30 1968 - April 14 1969 - April 24

1970 - April 27 1971 - May 3 1972 - May 3 1973 - April 17 1974 - April 10 1975 - April 29 1976 - April 17 1977 - April 19 1978 - April 28 1979 - April 23 1980 - April 13 1981 - March 30 1982 - April 28 1983 - April 6 1984 - April 21 1985 - April 4 1986 - April 13 1987 - April 10 1988 - April 11 1989 - April 22 1990 - April 14 1991 - April 7 1992 - April 10 1993 - April 21 1994 - April 22 1995 - April 14 1996 - April 9 1997 - April 24 1998 - April 8 1999 - April 7 2000 - April 6 2001 - April 29 2002 - April 4 2003 - ???????

No fry fish Wrap individual fish fillets in aluminum foil “cocoons.” Splash a little Italian dressing on the fish, sprinkle with minced or fresh chopped onion; add salt and pepper. Seal and place foiled fish on grill. When it starts to steam well, the fish is done. There’s no need for plates; just open the foil packets and enjoy! — Charlie Farmer

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Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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Wind surfing offers novel combination Social fads like the hula hoop and bell bottoms often reach enormous popularity before fading fast into memory. But the 30-year-old sport of wind surfing, now reaching its peak, refuses to fade way. The current “in thing,” wind surfing may seem like it just burst onto the scene, but the sport has faced a long, tedious road to popularity. The first step was taken in the mid-60s, when wind surfing was presented to the public. After a slow start, wind surfing caught on strong in Europe, and more than 150,000 boards were sold during the 1970s. As promotion caught up with the sport, its popularity mushroomed to the point where wind surfing (board sailing) was accepted as a sport into the

1984 Olympic Games. A mixture of surfing and sailing, wind surfing provides the speed of surfing and the control of sailing. It’s a tricky sport to master and becoming an expert requires hours of practice. The key ingredient to success is desire. If you want to know the thrill of skimming over the water on a sail board, you’ll put in the hours necessary. The sport is appealing to a variety of people, young and old alike. Some keys to learning how to wind surf: * Learn on calm water in a light, steady wind. * Stay away from large expanses of water with offshore winds. With the wind blowing from land across the water, an unwary enthusiast can be blown basically out to sea and

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The turn of the century brought many changes to many people, even anglers, says Lonnie Stanley of Yamaha Outboards Pro Fishing Staff. “You’ll know the metric system has arrived in the U.S. when anglers start talking about the ‘four and a half kilo lunker that broke my line.’ But, somehow, it just doesn’t sound right, does it?” says Stanley. We may be inching along in our effort to change, but Americans are still slated to convert to the metric system by the end of this century. The big switch will affect different people in different ways, but nowhere will the effects of changing to kilograms and centimeters be more profound than in the size of our fish stories.

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increase. * Stay close to land. Select landmarks as reference points and check them frequently as you practice. * When you have a problem, stay with the board. It’s a valuable floatation device and rescuers will be able to see you more easily.

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Using metric units, fish tales don’t always measure up. In fact, using kilos instead of pounds to describe a lunker can make the fish sound less than half its size. “My largest bass ever weighed more than 10 pounds. People usually open their eyes pretty wide when they hear about a 10-pound fish, but if I tell them my bass weighed more than 4.5 kilos, they’re not nearly as impressed,” Stanley lamented. Of course, 10 pounds and 4.5 kilograms are actually about the same because one kilogram equals 2.205 pounds. But Stanley notes that anglers who understand the metric system can also use it to their advantage. “To enhance a fish story, talk about length instead of weight. Centimeters have just the opposite effect of kilos, and can actually make a fish sound more than twice its size. “If you want to make a 10-incher sound like a keeper, tell everyone at the office the biggest fish of the week-end measured more than 25 centimeters. Chances are they won’t figure out that you had to throw it back,” Stanley said. If you want to get your figure correct when applying this metric trick, just remember that a centimeter equals .3937 inches. Anglers can find a host of other ways to use the metric system to their advantage.

Rather than telling friends you landed a 9-pound bass on 9-pound fishing line, tell them you played out the lunker on 4-kilo test monofilament.

Explain how your Yamaha-powered bass boat hits 100 at full throttle, but don’t let on to the fact you’re referring to kilometers per hour. Of course, Yamaha’s multi-function speedometer can at the push of a button be set to read out in kilometers per hour. And if you want to sound macho-tough, tell other anglers you prefer to hit the lake when the air temperature hovers around 25 - just don’t let on that’s a Celsius scale. While opportunities to enhance stories abound, not everything changes that much with the metric system. A meter equals .9144 yards, so things commonly measured in yards remain relatively unchanged when converted to metric. “My baitcasting reel holds 180 yards of 12-pound line. I could also say it holds 165 meters of line, but that doesn’t sound all that different. The reel’s capacity is impressive any way you look at it,” Stanley said. All jokes aside, once people learn the metric system, they usually find it much easier to use than our English system. That’s because the metric system is based on the number 10, while pounds, inches, quarts and other English units appear to lack a systematic relationship to each other. But even though it may be a more convenient system, there will always be those who refuse to convert to metric. After all, if people were meant to use the metric system, we’d have been born with 10 fingers, right? “To help you get a handle on the metric system, I asked the engineers at Yamaha for a chart of common metric conversions,” Stanley said. Their engines are already set to the metric system, since they are sold worldwide.

Stanley reminds us that no matter how we measure our fishing fun, he hopes we all get to go fishing more often. If you’d like more fishing tips, you can find them on Yamaha’s Internet website at www.yamaha-usa.com. Follow the menu instructions and you’ll find fishing

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Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

Fishing & Boating

Try these lakes for a chance at trophy salmon

By THOMAS J. ROTH / Freelance Writer

from the West Auburn Road north to the North Auburn Road at the Holbrook Road, is a gated roadway owned by the Auburn Water District. Aside from a few seasonal camps, this quiet dirt road is rather secluded. A series of brooks empty into the lake which draw smelts and anglers. Once the ice has gone out completely, the shore-side anglers either pack up and move on, or take to the water in their boats. This is the time for the traditional sewn-bait and streamer fishermen to hit the lake. Lake Auburn’s smelt run usually occurs within the first week or two after ice out. Hungry salmon chase the smelt up near the surface and those who cruise the shoreline with fly rods will do the best. Trolling the north shore of the lake, along Lake Shore Drive, will put the angler in some of the best water for salmon. Hugging the north shore will put your bait or fly past such spots as the aptly named Salmon Point, the running water of the various brooks that enter the lake and draw the smelt on their spawning runs, as well as the various points of land and underwater ledges that seem to draw salmon and togue. Likewise, the shoreline along the Spring Road on the northwest side of the lake is a great place to find big togue, in the three- to five-pound class, in addition to the usual salmon action. Anglers using the traditional approach will find that flies

Anglers in this part of the state need not despair. Decent fishing for salmon is but a short drive. With Sebago Lake to the south, Thompson Lake to the west, Lake Auburn at our doorstep and Rangeley Lake due north, any direction on the compass will point you to some darn good fishing for landlocked salmon and a chance at taking a trophy fish. Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 1 of each year hordes of anglers vie for a spot of open water along the shoreline of Lake Auburn. Located just a few minutes outside of the city limits in North Auburn, this 2,260 acre lake sports depths of more than 120 feet, an abundant smelt population and salmon ranging in size from a few pounds to an occasional sevenpounder. With the possibility of catching fish of that size and the mere fact that Lake Auburn lies within one of Maine’s larger population centers, it is no wonder that it is the premier spot for opening day anglers. Few lakes or ponds shed all of their winter ice by April 1 but that doesn’t stop local shore-side anglers from casting out live bait in hopes that it will swim under the edge of ice on Lake Auburn. While the action is not fast, anglers do latch onto the marauding salmon or togue that cruise the shoreline in search of smelt. Finding a spot to fish on Lake Auburn on opening day is not easy. Being the first one to wet a line has become sort of a competition in the last few years, with anglers laying claim to their spot a day or more in advance. An assortment of campers, pickup trucks with caps and crude lean-to’s often surround the Townsend Brook culvert located at the scenic turnout on Lake Shore Drive days prior to the April 1 opener. There is usually a narrow strip of open water jutting out from the culvert, extending into the lake. Anglers with canoes brave the raw April winds and anchor along this opening in an attempt to get their offerings out into the deeper water. Other anglers opt for a more scenic retreat and fish the west shore of the lake along the Spring Road. The Spring Eager anglers fish at the ice’s edge, hoping for a Lake Auburn trophy salmon. road, which runs

such as the gray ghost, Umbagog smelt, nine-three and Joe’s smelt work

best when attached to a long monofilament leader, brought down by a fast-sinking fly line. In the early part of April, I rarely take the gray ghost off my line (except when I have to replace it due to wear and tear). Anglers opting for live bait either sew on their smelts or use an adjustable rig to attach the bait to their lines. A slow turning smelt trolled at just the right speed is usually too much for a hungry salmonid to resist, and I’ve often had two fish on when fishing two rods or with a partner, using this live bait setup. The typical Lake Auburn salmon weighs in around two- or three-pounds, but enough fourpounders make it to the scales each year, along with an occasional six- to seven-pounder to make the lake a potential trophy spot. Anglers should note that the launch in North Auburn was closed last year because of a milfoil concern, so all boating anglers will be forced to launch at the Route Four causeway launch in East Auburn, just off of Route 4. Thompson Lake is the other top choice for trophy salmon anglers this month. According to Francis Brautigam, one of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fisheries biologists, “Thompson Lake is one of the better landlocked salmon fisheries in this part of the state.” He adds that Thompson holds “ a lot of fish in the one-and one-half-pound to threepound range.” Two falls ago, biologists and volunteers netted salmon that were 4 years of age and older which averaged 21.7 inches long and weighed over four-pounds. Not a bad sized fish for a nearby lake. Open water anglers can usually get on Thompson Lake in mid-April to troll streamer flies or sewn-on smelt. Fishing close to the surface for salmon, anglers often catch togue early in the season, as well. Trolling around Mecquier Island, Potash Cove and Otisfield Cove puts anglers where the salmon usually are. As Tom Roth photo the season continues and the water warms, anglers using downriggers report good catches. I have fished Thompson Lake with Bob Tiner of Shannon Guide Service out of Poland (998-

4478 or www.shannonguide.com) in early water lake produces enough four, five, six and even eightApril with excellent results on salmon and pound salmon to draw anglers from all across the country. lake trout using sewn-on smelt using an Ice-out on Rangeley Lake is typically in early May, alelectronic trolling motor at the slowest though a steady wind and snowy coast make it feel like midspeed. January. Last spring, my father and I took a three-day trip Access to Thompson Lake can in search of lunker salmon and we were tossed about the lake be obtained at the southern end like a cork. Dressed like ice-fishermen, we could only get of the lake at a private marina about three hours of early morning angling in before safety located on the Heath Road. The and frozen hand sand faces dictated a trip in to shore. Despite ramp is narrow and designed only the elements, we caught several salmon in the three- to fivefor small boats. Parking is available pound range, including a massive brookie that would have along the roadside in limited spots. A state launch is lo- easily tipped the scales at five-pounds, plus. cated on Route 121 in Otisfield which features a concrete The north shoreline from City Cove to Hunter Cove makes ramp, but there is limited parking there, as well. for a good route to troll sewn-on smelt or streamer flies. I For anglers looking for a big-water experience, Sebago like to concentrate on trolling in and out of Greenvale Cove, Lake in nearby Raymond/Windham, is a time-honored and found fish in as little as four feet of water, last season. spot for salmon, but has been disappointing anglers for sevAnglers also troll around Dickson Island and the south shore eral decades. The introduction of lake trout into the Sebago toward the state park with equal success. Lake watershed in 1972 and the decline of smelt populations Sewn-on smelts and streamer flies top the list for this trohave changed this once-fabled salmon lake into a mediocre phy spot. While I usually start off with smelts in the morning, lake trout lake, but anglers need not give up hope entirely. heavy winds reduce the ability to troll slowly, so I almost alDespite these admonitions, anglers can and do still catch ways have to switch to streamers by mid-morning. Most any salmon in good numbers and occasionally of decent size. pattern that imitates the smelt will work, but I think it would Each year, a lucky angler boats a six- or seven-pound beauty be almost sacrilegious to fish Rangeley Lake without fishing from the big lake and that seems to be enough to draw even Carrie Steven’s gray ghost just once. Last year, the pink lady the most cynical fisherman or woman to Sebago. was a successful fly, but this year it may be something totally After the mid-April ice-out, droves of anglers troll tradifferent. It pays to keep your ears tuned to the chatter in the ditional spots for salmon, trying to be where the smelt are coffee shops along Route 4 for such advice. running. The most notable spot on the lake for early season Access to Rangeley Lake is found at the Rangeley Lake trolling is the mouth of the Songo River at the north end of State Park on South Shore Road, the town launch at Town the lake. Cove on Route 4 and on the extreme northwest corner of the Anglers desiring a little bit of elbowroom can troll along lake where Route 4 and 16 meet in Oquossoc. the western shore and cover the shallows around the Dingley With these four lakes in easy driving distance, the trophy Islands, often with good results. Moving south toward Jorsalmon anglers has good reason to get excited at this time of dan Bay, the rock cliff of Frye’s Leap boasts deep water and the year. As the ice goes out and the smelt run begins, the anglers literally scrape their rod tips on the rock wall as they devoted angler puts in the time and hopefully takes home (or troll by this productive spot. releases) the fish. If you concentrate on these four destinaI usually troll in and around Raymond Cape, close to shore tions, your chances of netting a trophy salmon are very good, and the myriad streams that trickle into the lake, hoping to indeed. latch onto a hefty salmon laying in wait after a night of gorging on smelt. Streamers and smelt are the tools of the Sebago angler’s trade. Those interested in honoring legendary guide Arthur Libby of The author displays a beautiful Lake Auburn salmon. Standish use the Miss Sharon streamer. This sparsely tied bucktail streamer has taken countless salmon from the big lake over the past 31 years since its inception. Other smeltimitating streamer flies like Joe’s smelt, the gray ghost or the black ghost work well enough to keep several on hand. Access to Sebago is easy to find. The State Park launch in the northeastern part of the lake is a favorite of anglers wanting to stay near the Songo River. Anglers who wish to troll Jordan Bay have a newly renovated launch on Route 302 in Raymond to call their own. No trophy salmon trip would be complete without a trip up to Rangeley Lake. Ranked as one of the state’s three top salmon waters, Rangeley is still living on the reputation it garnered in the 1920’s as a top destination for the discriminating sportsman. This pristine cold

10 Fishing & Boating

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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Fishing & Boating 11

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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Fishing & Boating 13

Lewiston, Maine, Sunday, March 16, 2003

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