At 8:41 this morning the Maine Warden Service officially declared Rangeley Lake to be free of ice. Rangeley Lake is known for its "ice-out" fishing. For the past several days, fisherman fishing in the Greenvale Cove area of Rangely Lake, which was open, have reported catches in the five to twenty count range. Most of the landings out of Rangeley Lake have been Landlocked Salmon, but fisherman have also caught a fair amount of Brook Trout.

Mr. Swain, of Sam-O-Set Cabins, on Rangeley Lake, reported parties in his cabins averaging five to ten fish per outing. Most fisherman are usning sewn on dead smelt. The fresher the better!

I picked up smelt at the Rangeley Sports Center, in down town Rangeley, where live smelt were packed in a small zip lock bag. If you do not know how to sew on a smelt, Jeff will show you. The smelt must be dead before you hit the water. Fines can be as high as $10,000.00, so be sure they are dead before putting them on the boat.

Flies are also doing well on Rangeley Lake. I picked up a 2 3/4 pound Landlocked on a Gray Ghost. I also picked up smaller fish on streamers tied with flash-a-bou. The fishing is fast on the main lake. Greenvale Cove is the hot spot. Hunters Cove should also be good, but I have not had a chance to check it out.

Reporting from Rangeley Lake.....

Be safe and have fun fishing!

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