When I was ten, I frequented a spot on the Saco River. It's not that the spot had superior fish or spectacular beauty; it's that the spot was close to my home and easily commutable by bicycle. I would fish the area high and low, high was from a bridge and low was from the river's edge.

One noon after the fishing had slowed, I was becoming particularly bored and decided to horse-around with my fishing pole. I kept lowering my lure to the water from the bridge to make dimples. It was a calm day; the air was dead still.

As the bottom of my treble hook barely hit the water, I would lift the rod and watch the dimples that formed. I tried to make different figures like Mickey Mouse by barely touching the treble to the water and quickly moving it to a new location. The commotion did not go unnoticed. I unwittingly was driving a Yellow Perch mad as he positioned himself under the lure.

My constant lifting of the treble hook must of seemed tantalizing and frustrating to that Perch from it’s underwater world. As I lowered my rod making an approach for another dimple the fish jumped out of the water and onto my hook. I was astonished. I assume this was not the case for Taylor Esty.

Taylor was taken out on to Rangeley Lake by Jeff Sunday morning. The fishing had slowed due to a strong high pressure front that had moved into the area. This did not stop Taylor from going out on the water, and it did not stop Jeff from giving her the opportunity to land a nice sized Landlocked.

At twenty-three and a half inches long, the Rangeley Landlocked Salmon weighed in at close to four pounds. This long and skinny Landlocked is known as a racer; it is more prevalent on Rangeley Lake right after ice out. The gerth of these "racer" fish will fatten as the season progresses.

Jeff's motto of “putting your time in” sure paid off for Taylor. They were on the lake for a total of ten minutes by the time this fish was netted. That’s good fishing on a slow day. Jeff looked at Taylor and asked “Have you had enough fishing for today?" Taylor replied “Yup!” and they headed back to the dock for a relaxing Sunday morning.

It goes to show that there can be good fishing on a slow day, but you have to put your time in, and believe me, Jeff has. If you feel like chewing the cud with Jeff, you can catch up with him at the Rangeley Region Sports Shop in the center of Rangeley Plantation. You can’t miss it! It is right across from the Rangeley public boat launch. If your lucky, and Jeff likes you , he may turn you on to a few secrets.

Be safe and have fun fishing.

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!

I was speaking to the folks at Town and Lake Motel and Sam-O-Set Cabins in Rangeley, Maine, yesterday. It seems that Mount Blue Pond opened up Saturday evening. The ice is gone. The wind helped move the ice along. And, if all goes as usual, Rangeley Lake will follow shortly.

I threw an e-mail over to my good friend, Shaun Swain, at Rangeley Lake Guide Service. It seems that he was occupied, but his wife Beth, was kind enough to do a little investigative reporting for me. And, even though Rangeley Lake is still mostly frozen, that may change soon. It seems that a small group of men staying in the Rangeley Lake Area are trying to hurry the thaw along. Some of the men have been seen ramming their boats against the ice in a small patch of open water in hopes of gaining more water to fish on. It sounds comical to me. At this time, only a few shores are open. Part of the bay by the public landing is open, and a small area in Greenvale Cove is open. I hope those guys are able to break it up! Ha, Ha, Ha! Better get the Coast Guard or Paulette Bunyan for that.

After speaking with the parties that be (Beth, Mrs. Swain, Rangeley Sports, and Town & Lake), it looks like this is going to be the week that Rangeley Lake opens up. I have already made my reservations. I hope you can get yours, because once this post gets read, good luck!
Rangeley Lake is known for pretty good early open water action. Two things contribute to this. First, Rangeley Lake is closed to ice fishing. Yup, too bad for ice heads, but the fishing is reserved for open water season. Secondly, Rangeley is a well managed fishery. What do I mean by this? It has a one salmon limit. So, if you keep one, you are done for the day. And, the lake and all of its tributaries are closed to the taking of smelt. The more smelt for the Landlocks, the faster the growth rate. I truly love fishing this lake!

The fishing can get a little slow after June, but I have experienced great fishing in July. So, if you take my advice, you will get a present for yourself, or your mother, or your wife. A little Mother's Day present, that is. It's time to head to Rangeley Lake. And, if your wife is not a Fish Head, take the kids and give her a day to relax. I’ll see you at the Town and Lake Motel, or Sam-O-Set Cabins this season. Tell them Marc, the Fish Head, sent you.

Be safe and have fun fishing!

I braved Sunday's rainy mist to make a go at Little Ossipee in Waterboro. High water and cold surface water temperatures kept the fish at bay. I trolled live smelt around the deepest part of the lake (launch end). I made a complete perimeter pass of the deep end. I trolled smelt on the surface and to four feet down.

After several passes around the lake, I decided to concentrate my efforts on the western and northern shores. Both shores have provided good fishing this time of year for me. I particularly like the western shore that abuts route five. Its steep banks and varied bottom allow the salmon to corral the smelt into caverns along the bank. Ossippee is a put and take fishery. I hear there are still some good size salmon in the lake stocked for this year's Derby. I did not have any luck with salmon. I did pick up two Largemouths. Hey, they were barely hooked and had no fight in them.

I think this week’s weather will lead to improvements for Southern Maine fisherman. I may try Sokokis this afternoon. A fisherman, at the landing last year, told me there are Brown Trout in the Sokokis. What do you think? I have only fished it for bass and the water temps seem a little low for that. Little Ossipee’s surface water temps ranged from 48*F to 51*F. That's a good temp for salmonoids, but no luck.

I hear Jeff, from Rangeley Region Sport Shop, was walking on Rangeley Lake last week. He feels the lake will let loose around the second week of May which is typical for Rangeley. Other reports from around Sebago indicate good fishing. The folks at Naples bait shop report seeing some nice keepers coming out of Sebago Lake.

I may make a run to Sabatus Pond on Friday if I can afford the $3.00 a gallon for my truck. I’m glad I don’t have to fill up the boat that often. Those Honda engines are stingy and Hamlin’s Marine does a good job at keeping them going.

Does anyone know if Dan Higgins has caught a fish yet?

Be safe and have fun fishing!