I loaded my rig Monday night and started looking forward to some Maine Landlocked Salmon fishing. Landlocked Salmon fishing and Rangeley, Maine, seem to go together. I decided I was going to fish for Maine Landlocked Salmon with sewn on smelt.

My ride to Rangeley was uneventful. As Long Pond came into view, just southeast of Rangeley, I noticed the pond still had ice in spots. When Greenvale Cove came into view, I could see three boats fishing ifor Maine Landlocked Salmon. Thank God, the ice was truly out on Rangeley Lake!

Rangeley Lake can be funny in the spring. Even though one end is clear, the other end could be full of ice. You also have to be careful of ice floes and debris running across the lake. High winds will clear the lake after a while, but it is best to error on the side of caution.

Upon entering town I started asking questions about the Maine Salmon fishing. Rangeley is a great Landlocked Salmon fishing spot. The lake had only been clear of ice for five days and the Western Mountains are historically a breezy and cold place. This presented a problem for me because the town dock wasn't in yet. I have a 19’ Lund and launching it alone into a strong wind would surely mean that the boat would beach.

Rangeley Lake Salmon can range up to seven pounds in weight. I really wanted to find a place to launch. As I drove through town, I spied a dock behind the Exxon station. After a small talk, I received launching privileges and readied my boat. The boat slipped in easily while it began to rain; I smiled because rain can equal great Rangeley Salmon fishing. I can always count on a shower or two whole in town. And having rain upon arriving could really make the Landlocked Salmon fishing good!

After securing the boat and checking in at the motel, I made my way to The Rangeley Recreational Sports Center to get some smelt. Even though it isn’t labeled as such the place is stalked with flies, poles, reels, nets and gear for fishermen. I stopped in to the sport shop to chew the cud and get my feet wet as to what was happening in the lake. The Landlocked Salmon fishing was steady with Sam, the proprietor of the shop, catching a three and four pounder several nights before my arrival.

While I was at the shop, a good friend called, and I made arrangements to fish with him. Even though I have my own boat and supplies, I like to fish with a guide once a year to hone my skills and treat myself to easy fishing. Shaun is just the man to fit the bill, and we ended setting up a time for fishing together Thursday morning. I was lucky to catch him free. He had a cancellation and was looking to fill the spot.

I met Shawn a little less than two years ago. My family had decided to take a spur of the moment vacation in August, and tried to find a camp on Messalonskee Lake in Oakland. Camps were totally booked from one end to the other. My wife is a shopper. And when given a task of finding and item, she rarely comes up empty handed. That is how I began fishing RangeleyLake.

Pam had found a camp at the Town and Lake Motel that had just become available. She booked it, and I searched feverishly for a guide. Shaun grew up on the lake. He only guides on Rangeley Lake and when I called him, he was completely booked, and I was completely disappointed. We spoke for a while, and I gave him my telephone number in case of a cancellation. Several minutes later, I received a call from Shaun. It seems he had talked to his wife and decided to skip a family birthday party to guide me. What a lucky boy!

The summer skies where dark when he arrived to pick up Dave (a friend of mine) and myself at the dock that summer. We started fishing at 4:00 PM. and I had a three and a half pound Salmon in the well by 5:15. It always pays to accelerate the learning curve of a lake by hiring a guide. I had a great time fishing the lake that summer, releasing all but one other Salmon.

This week turned out to be great also catching fish in the two and three pound range.

I just got off the phone with Sam at the Rangeley Region Sport Shop and he says the lake is open. He picked up some nice salmon this week in 3lb and 5lb range by trolling high. Most people are having success with sewn on dead smelt (live smelt as bait is prohibited in Rangeley Lake). Some fisherman are also having luck trolling flies. Sam has been using sewn on smelt leadered on a fly rod with floating line. He says the fish are high and active. I hope this rain doesn't spoil their mood. If you’re ready for the lake, the lake is ready for you.

I guess you know were you can find me this week!

Helloooo.......Rangeley!

John, I understand you are the Conservation Director of the Maine B.A.S.S Federation. What projects are you currently promoting for members and non-members to get involved?

Currently our bass clubs are involved with various projects throughout the state.

There will be a number of clubs involved with earthday clean-ups on local lakes. Central Maine Bassmasters out of China will be teaming up with the local boy scouts at the China Lake ramp this weekend.

Androscoggin Bassmasters are proposing an improved boat ramp at a local lake in there area. Black Bear Bassmasters will be working with the Kennebec Soil & Water Conservation District on Erosion Control issues on Maranacook & Tacoma Lakes.

The Maine Bass Federation has teamed-up with the Friends of Cobbossee Watershed, L.L.Bean, Maine Lakes Association and National BASS to help design, build and permit a boat wash station on Marnacook Lake. The Bass Federation has been successful in acquiring a grant through National Bass with Funds totaling $8,000 for various conservation projects and the boat wash station. The design was presented to all the fisheries chiefs throughout the US at the Bass Masters Classic this past winter. The design will be a model for the whole country. The dedication for the boat wash station will be May 25 @ 1:00pm at the Norcross Boat Launch in Winthrop. The boat wash is a tool used to inform people about invasive plants and to help in preventing the spread of aquatic plants.

Many people see bass fisherman as people that enjoy running hard and drinking beer. Is there anything you can counter those conceptions with?

There is nothing wrong with a beer after a long hard day of fishing, but all the people I fish with do not drink and fish at the same time. They are not permitted to drink during any BASS function other than the annual banquet.

Bass fisherman do fish hard. They Love what they do...

I think I may want to get involved with a B.A.S.S. Tournament someday. But with all my obligations I’m afraid to commit. Are there any chances for a non-B.A.S.S. member to give it a try?

Many clubs allow guest to fish in tournaments. You could come as a non-boater or some clubs would allow another boat to enter, permitting if there is room regarding there state permit. Most clubs have an open every year to benefit a local charity organization. You can fish these as a team. Most are one day tournaments average cost is $100-125.00 per boat see the Maine Bass Web site for local tournament listings. Prizes range from 1500.00/1st-100/5th depending on sponsors and number of entries.

I really like Bass fishing because of its action and consistency on the bite. What do you recommend for spring fishing tactics to keep the kids and myself occupied?

The Key is to fallow the sun. Key in on sunny banks adjacent to flats that provide spawning habitat to bass. The water here is generally warmer making the fish more active and easier to catch. Any number of lures will work which may include Hard Jerk Baits (Suspend Rattling Rouge, Lucky Craft 99, and Rapala Suspend). My favorite color is the clown color or black & gold combo. Other lures include wiggle warts, Senko's, jig & pig (trailer), tubes and spinner baits.

Are there any ramps or locations you can divulge to the general public or are those kept hush by all you Pros?

There are very few "Pro's" in the state. We use all public ramps- look in the State Gazetteer if it shows a boat launch, and the lake has bass, fish it. Hands down the Central part of the state has the best fishing for both smallmouth & largemouth. But there are many lakes throughout the state that get minimal pressure. Top bass producers in the central part of the state are Three-Mile, China, East Pond, Great Pond, Messalonskee, Androscoggin Lake and Unity Pond. All have good public ramps.

I heard we had the Pro’s up here last year on Lake Cobbosseecontee. Are there plans for Pro BASS Tournaments this year in the State of Maine?

There were no Pro's at that tournament last year. There maybe a few striving to become Pro, but they where the best Amateur bass anglers in the East competing for a few spots (one from each State) to compete in the National Federation Championship in Florida. From there one angler from each region in the country qualifies to fish in the "super bowl" of Bass Fishing tournaments The Bass Masters Classic where the prize monies are big! $500,000 for first place, but you is competing against the best anglers in the country.

I’m really a conservationist at heart. Where can I get current information to help keep Maine Lakes clean and free from invasive plants?

MDEP, IF&W, Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, Maine Lakes Association, Belgrade Lakes Association, Soil & water conservation district.

Thanks for sharing your views and being so honest John. I really enjoyed this.

Thanks for having me Marc, and any time you have questions that I can help you with, make sure to give me a call.

Saturday morning was one of the nicest mornings I've seen for fishing this season. The thermometer read 48* at 5:30 AM, the wind was low and I knew I was going fishing for Maine Largemouth Bass. I tried some morning Maine bass fishing earlier last week, but the cold temperatures kept the bite slow. Saturday was different. And it only took me a few minutes to load and go; I was ready to catch a Maine Largemouth Bass

I arrived at the ramp for 6:30 and was not surprised to see it vacant. Sokokis Pond is known for its Largemouth Bass and the season is still early for them. But I’ve heard there are Brown Trout in it. It could be a rumor, but I think not.

The air was still and I could see ripples in the water when I arrived. The ramp water was covered with bait fish when I checked the ramp for obstructions. I launched the boat and tried trolling several flies on a floating line with a thirty foot leader. After several passes with no connection, I moved up shore to check for greener pastures.

The shallow gravel bank was loaded with a type of fish I could not identify. They were in less then a foot of water and not interested in my offerings. The fish were hugging the banks when I would spook them.

What could these fish be? Their backs had strong dark markings and their lateral lines also had these markings. The area in between the lateral and back was silver with a rose hue. The average fish measured 17 inches. Suddenly, I heard sump-pump bubbling water forcefully into the cove. And, for a second, I believed the fish would be attracted to this highly oxygenated area. They scattered as I approached.

Upon closer inspection, I found that it was not a sump-pump but spawning activity. One fish stacked upon another with dorsal fins sticking out of the water. “But what are these fish?” I thought to myself. I made my way further into the cove breaking up several more orgies. Finally, I got a good look!

The species was the White Sucker, and they were in the height of their spawn. So I banked the boat and crawled onto a cement embankment adjacent to the most active area. As I slowly made my way the edge of the water, I became visible to the fish and they scattered.

At that moment, I remembered a story I had heard about Saint Francis. He would sit perfectly still with food in his hand. After a while, the birds would come and feed directly out of his hand. I’ve tried this and it works, but you have to be extremely patient and still. Oh….it helps if it’s winter time when you try this and the birds really need the food!

I decided to give it a try on these fish and nestled my head into a comfortable position three feet over the water. My body was lying on the cement embankment. After several minutes, I became part of the scenery and the activity resumed. It also started raining; but I refused to move and decided to enjoy the warm rain soaking into my pants instead of complaining.

After five minutes, the spring ritual of the American Sucker resumed; I got to witness the full process of the spawn. The males were marked with hues of rose color and the females were larger and set the pace of the ritual. Males would stay close to the shore waiting for the females to dart in and out of deep water. As the female approached the shore, several males would greet her by rubbing her sides and swimming in unison with her. It was a mating dance that would end with the female consummating the relationship or making a quick dash for deep water.

In consummation, the female would find her spot and start shaking while depositing eggs in the gravel. Other males, up to ten at a time, would surround her tightly in shallow water. Some of the males were forced completely out of the water, slithering over the top of the ritual and jockeying for a new position. What a beautiful sight to invite spring into my heart.

After observing the spawning for twenty minutes, I did not feel like fishing for ones that were trying to ensure the evolution of their species. I moved on to the far end of the lake trolling several flies all the while. As I approached the islands, a twitch developed in my hand. I had an overwhelming compulsion to start casting for Bass. My need for a fish won me over and I tried, spinner baits, jigs and a tube. The tube won out. It produced two nice bass in the two pound range.

After my need to catch a fish was fulfilled, my need for a break and a hot cup of coffee called me off the water. I made my way to the Dough Boy. Oh….I could have stayed on the water but was ready to leave. The Dough Boy is a short walk to the north of the ramp. If you’re looking for fresh donuts and coffee, make sure to incorporate this in to your trip.

I made my way home satisfied by a hot cup of coffee, a fresh donut and a slight twitch in my hand.

The Fishing Buddy 2202 adheres to one of my time honored rules….KISS=Keep It Simple Stupid! The more a piece of electronics can do for you, the less you use it. Why? Because you never have the time to figure it out. Buy Simple Stuff!

That’s how to get a handle on your free time and make the most out of the time you do have.

Let’s take a look at the general design of the Fish Buddy 2202. It is basically a fish finder on a stick. How many times have you asked yourself “I wonder if there is a fish over there or over here?” By the time you get the boat on top of the area in question, where do you think the fish are? They ain’t there anymore because you went and scared them away.

Now let’s take a look at the same scenario with the Fish Buddy. You slowly pick it up, point it at the area in question and voila. Point and shoot the picture. It’s really that simple. The Fish Buddy 2202 even comes with side finder sonar that sees a 12* snap shot up to 120' off the side of the unit; this can come in handy when looking for fish such as spawning smallmouths. Smallmouth bass are known for building beds along the shore and protecting them for extended periods of time.

Its clamp assembly allows you to mount it simply to the side of a boat or canoe. And its griping handle makes it easy to turn, pull and manipulate. I also like the unit for its three buttons. Pretty simple! But, they give you the ability to control surface clutter, gain, depth of view, contrast, brightness and backlighting.

If you do use the unit for ice fishing, remember it will only operate properly to 14*f and permanent damage to the LCD screen will result lower than -4F.

If you like the design and want to learn more about the unit, check out the manual. I like the unit for its durability, simplicity, and ease of use.

Fish on! Fish on!

At times it takes two looks. One to see what you are seeing, and one to make sure you saw what you thought you saw.

While driving back from Old Orchard Beach today, I came to a forked intersection. Entering the intersection was a red pickup truck. The driver had two cell phones; one cell phone in each ear. And he was making a corner to boot!

I don't get it. First, how was he driving with both hands occupied; and second, what was he thinking. I just don’t get it!

It seems that some of us are putting safety in the back seat. It should be riding up front with the driver. Let’s keep everyone safe by tending to the driving. It's the same for a driver of a car as it is for a captain of a boat. When you are piloting watercraft, let's make an extra effort to do it safely.

When I pull kids behind my boat, I have a motto - the prop is always turning. I make it the responsibility of the captain, the skiers and riders to be safe and follow procedure when approaching the boat.

Procedure

~Always ask if the prop is turning before approaching the boat.
~Always make a visual inspection of the prop by trimming the motor up to make sure it is not turning.
~Do not approach the boat until a visual inspection of prop disengagement is performed.

Please do not feel this is over kill. We had set up this procedure due to a friend's accident on Sebago 10 years ago. The child was killed in this accident.

Two years ago, I purchased a new boat; and I was out pulling the children on tubes several weeks after the purchase. When I trimmed the motor up and performed a visual inspection of the prop, it was still turning. The linkage had loosened up and did not disengage the prop. My throat went dry and stomach felt sick when I saw the prop. I had secretly felt that this procedure, which I had developed, was a little bit of an over-kill. It is not an over-kill; it is just Plain Jane Safety!

Let's follow Plain Jane and have a safe boating season!

PS You don’t have to trim the motor all the way out of the water, this could ruin the water pump impeller. Just trim it high enough to see the propellor.

This week’s cloudy weather beckoned me to get a little Maine fishing in. Fishing in Maine on an early cold day can be hard on the senses. Maine Bass can be slow to bite during the early season, but Maine Brook Trout and Landlocked Salmon can give you good action. On Thursday, I had just returned home from work when I decided that I could grab a few hours of early season Maine fishing.

My fish fever was running little high, and I didn't want to fall into shock. So I decided on shivering at the lake instead of cozying up to my wife. And even though my past experiences with Mousam Lake have not always been productive, I felt that I must fish the lake this year. I hooked up the trailer and I was off.

I arrived at the Maouzam Lake, Maine, dock to find a brisk wind blowing and I lifted my curtains on the boat to help stave off the cold wind. It was a bone chilling breeze; the afternoon temperatures had been predicted for the upper forties, but it certainly was short of that. I slipped the boat into the cool Maine water after several walk-arounds. The walk-arounds are my method for not sinking the boat. I check the freeze plug, ropes, straps, motors, tires, trailer, ramps, dock, rocks, hitch, and then, check them again.

I used several ropes to help guide the boat into the water; I was launching it by myself. I tied one line to the bow and one to the stern. After backing as far as I dared, I tightened the slack, tied off to the dock and unhitched the boat. I have a bunk trailer. The boat doesn’t come off until it floats. And the rigs backwards momentum kept the boat in reverse, as I pull the trailer from beneath it. But my launch was hampered by wind, and the boat was heading to shore as I ran from the truck and grabbed the ropes from the dock cleats.

I enjoy fishing alone at times. It enables me to take more chances and guiltlessly fish areas that may be unproductive for the sake of scouting. Scouting lakes for various species can be interesting, but it can also be disappointing. In the early spring, those species are usually salmonids, but sometimes I will target pike. This time the quest was for salmonids. I picked up some live bait at Dick's and fished them on a sliding rig. My presentation was slow; and I tried to keep my speed below one mile per hour. But with the wind pushing at my back, this was impossible.

I had heard from my friend’s son, Scotty, that a salmon was caught on the lower end of the lake. My first several passes by the bank drew little success. I'd have tried the far end of the lake if it wasn't so windy, but armed with Scotty's information; I decided to concentrate on the lower end. I turned on the radio and started the process of zigzagging my presentation around the bank. The sky brightened intermittently with the sun peering out from behind the clouds. It was true spring fishing; the way it was meant to be, not too warm, and a little cold.

Suddenly, I saw my rod twitch. It twitched again, then nothing. I was fishing in fourteen feet of water with no waited lines. After several minutes, I pull my bait in to inspect it. There was a leaf attached to one prong of the treble hook. I deleafed the bait and threw it back in. The wind had a cool bite to it and my hands were cold from washing them off in the lake. I'm happy; the fishing is fine!

I make another pass at the bank again with no luck and decide to try the opposite bank; I slowly make my way across the small outlet and am mesmerized by the low hum of the motor. It's at times like these that the fishing experience is taken to full fruition. The lake is quite as I watch a flock of sparrows roost in the abutting trees. I feel at piece with my surroundings.

"Fish on! Fish on!" I hear someone yelling. I turn to my right and see an approaching boat. As I peer across the water at him, I notice my rod bouncing up and down. I grab the rod; my hands are shaking. I play the fish as if it were a forty pound King Salmon being caught from the banks of the Kenai. It approaches the boat but disappears below me. It is pulling line from my reel, and I am reeling in a trophy Brown. Upon its second pass by the boat, I notice a swirl as it makes its way for the bottom. I'm firm but gentle with my line making sure the tension is adequate to steer him clear of the rocks.

He is tiring and approaches the boat for a third time. He breaks water. At this point I realize he is not a Brown; he is a Smallmouth Bass and pound for pound one of the strongest fish in the lake. I'm not disheartened; my heart is still racing from the fight.

It's unusual to catch smallmouth on such a slow presentation. I remove the relatively small hook from its mouth and return my friend to the water. With a strong splash of its tail, it is gone from sight. My Boga Grip logged him in at just over three pounds.

I decide to move to the center part of the channel hoping for better luck. The wind was changing directions now and making it hard to keep the boat on course. I ree up and head up wind, deciding to do some drift fishing. Once I found an area to start my drift, I turned off the motors and let the wind do the work.

It was relaxing but unproductive.

You have to enjoy trolling for the time it affords you to take in the natural beauty of the lake or time will pass excruciatingly slow. Oh….there are tactics to trolling. Turning at the right time and setting the right depth for your lure or bait. But today, I just appreciate taking in the sights. I'm not a die-hard troller, but I troll for salmon, trout and the occasional large pike. Some people troll exclusively. I troll to match the presentation and species I am after. And at times, after a long day, I enjoy it.

Truth or Tale? You decide....

Why should you fish anyway? You will spend endless hours trying to retrieve fish from water that is too deep, shallow or discolored. You'll have moments of disgust and moments of joy. Sometimes you'll wonder what you’re doing wrong; other times you'll wonder what you’re doing right. And after those long tireless hours, some of us will even return those fish to the tannic stained waters of Maine.

I fish a lot. But some people fish harder and longer than me. I like to blame it on my age, but I have a strong feeling that it has to do with something else.

My brother in-law tells me how much he likes to fish. Every time I ask him to go, something gets in the way. It may be a barbecue he has planned with friends or a baseball game he wants to see. His degree of fish fever is probably low.

I have another friend. I asked him to go ice fishing with me last year. He hates the cold and tepidly declined. But latter that evening, I received a call from him asking how the fishing was. He has a higher degree of fish fever and fished with me the following weekend.

Several years ago I was fishing Rangeley Lake, in western Maine, shortly after ice out. When we were pulling out of the water, after a long weekend of fishing, we ran into John. John had been fishing the Lake for two weeks. He had caught over fifty salmon during that time. John takes several weeks off from work the day after Rangeley Lake opens up. John has a higher degree of fish fever than me.

What degree of fish fever do you have? Take the following test and add up the degrees to find your fever!

~You've called in to work stating you were sick to go fishing =1*
~You regularly skip family get-togethers to go fishing=1*
~All you friends fish; if they don't, they're not your friend=1*
~You own more than two fishing poles nut less than five=1*
~You'll walk more than a mile or paddle more than three for a fishing spot=1*
~You own more than five fishing poles=2*
~You suck up to your friends that own a boat or fishing camp=2*
~You get pissed off when people catch more fish than you=2*
~You regularly get up earlier that 4:00 AM to go fishing=2*
~You dream about leaving your spouse, abandoning your family, purchasing a rig to travel across country with one thought in mind, fish, fish, and more fish=2*
~You regularly get up earlier than 3:00 AM to go fishing=3*
~You decided to marry your spouse, or are diciding, because of fishing ability=3*
~You have spent more on your truck and boat than you paid for your house=3*
~You think about fishing more than twice a day and read fishing literature or the FishHead blog at work=3*
~You find a trip to LL Bean, Kittery Trading Post or Cabela's more exhilarating than a trip to the hospital for your first born=4*
~You've sold your house to purchase your rig and obtain more time to fish=4*
~You’ve quit your job because fishing season is open and you don’t know what you’re going to do other than fish=4*
~Your contemplating a divorce because your spouse complains about the amount of time you spend fishing=4*
~You've left your wife, abandoned your family, purchased a rig and are traveling across country with one thought in mind, fish, fish, and more fish=10*

How high is your fever?

(1*-3*)If you're degree of fish fever is between 1 and 3 degrees you have a mild fever. Limit your interaction with fishing buddies and fish less than once a month to cure the fever.

(4*-6*)Your fever is critical. It is important to sell all fishing equipment and cancel fishing plans if you want to stop the fever from progressing. This is a critical stage and if not managed properly your fever could become worse.

(7*-9*)You have a bad fever and have entered the management stage. The selling of equipment or canceling of fishing trips could cause panic attacks or worse. It is important to fish on a weekly basis to keep your composure but limit contact fish other fisherman if at all possible.

(10* and over....) You have the fever baaaad! It is important to manage your life in a way that evolves around fishing. Limit your friends to people that fish and choose your spouse and her family carefully (marital problems could result if this is not followed properly) Fish every weekend and at least once during the week to limit the temptations to blow off work and go fishing. And finally fish till you drop! (Booking trips to Labrador or Alaska can help you with this endeavor).

You only live once!

Posted by Marc Gilbert at 07:17 AM
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