L.L. Bean will host a Spring Fishing Expo Saturday and Sunday (March 15-16) at both the main store in Freeport and at its nearby conference center. Featured will be appearances by veterans dubbed "Legends of Fishing."

Top anglers who will be there to dispense advise and spin yarns include Flip Pallot, Stu Apte, Mark Sosin and Dave and Emily Whitlock.

(An aside: I don't know how you become a legend in fishing but I plan to find out. And FYI, I am NOT going to discuss the sad circumstance that the only fish I have been able to land in the past few years is the wretched yellow perch).

Activities such as meeting the anglers and participating in book signings will take place in the new Hunting and Fishing Store. The lunkers in the above photo reside in the mammoth tank in the fishing section.

There will be a panel discussion with the experts on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m., and again on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., both at the L.L. Bean Conference. This is located about three-quarters of a mile south on U.S. 1 from the store. Turn left at the Bean office complex and follow the signs for parking.

Also present this weekend will be fly-tyers and authors of fishing books. There will be a meet-and-greet reception at the Hunting and Fishing Store Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.

One goal of the weekend is to permit regular folks to meet and interact with the great anglers. I plan to summon my journalistic courage to ask these guys if they ever fish with worms, as I do. Or maybe not . . .

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