Most fishermen enjoy a night of Maine smelting.

The problem that arises is matching the tide with your schedule. At Tad's Maine Smelt Camps, the camp rentals are always at the same time 4:00PM to 10:00PM.

I ran up to Tad's Maine Smelting Camps on Saturday and fished until Guy Forest and myself had filled half of a bucket. The smelting was good and the best part of it was I got home to watch the second half of the Pats game.

When I first heard of Tad's Maine Smelting Camps, I was excited to find a place so close to Portland. It's an easy drive and shouldn't run you longer than half an hour from downtown.

Not all nights are as productive as Saturday was. But even when it is a little slower, I enjoy the small camp atmosphere and the warmth of the wood stove. Tad only puts three or four cabins out a year, so space can be limited. I usually head up to Tad's Camps after work.

If you want to check on availability you can reach Tad at (207-729-1455) And if you need directions follow this google map. It will get you close, just look for the large HUNTER sign with a small fish attached to it.

Here I am holding a nine pounder taken out of Lake Kissimmee

There was a time when Lake Okeechobee meant Florida Bass fishing at its finest. But, if you are looking for size, Lake Kissimmee now answers the call. If your looking for a good guide for Lake Kissimmee, Jonny Daub, answers the call.

Whenever I decide to fish a lake that is new to me, I like a little guidance. That is where Jonny Daub comes in. Oh, you can fish a lake and learn it yourself, but wouldn’t it be nice to use someone that has spent the majority his life learning the fish habits of a particular lake for you? Spend a day with fishing guide for Lake Kissimmee, Johnny Daub, and jump ahead of the learning curve.

I had a chance to talk Lake Kissimmee guide Johnny Daub and spend some time at his establishment; and I can guarantee that Jonny Daub has done his homework. All you have to do is enjoy a good time. Johnny Daub has been fishing Lake Kissimmee for years and has been noted by competitors as being one of its best Bass guides. After speaking Lake Kissimmee guide Jonny Daub, I felt like I had just picked up a copy of the Cliff Notes for fishing the lake - nothing like having a good cheat sheet.

While most winter anglers use shiners for Largemouth Bass on Lake Kissimmee, Bass Tournaments provide regular catches in the seven pound range caught with the use of artificials. “You can’t beat shiner fishing this time of year for big fish” exclaimed Kissimmee Lake Guide Johnny Daub. Nine pounders are not out of the ordinary when fishing Lake Kissimmee with Johnny Daub.

Johnny explained that fishing shiners on the edge of grass embankments is most productive. But like all fishing, bass behavior changes on a daily basis. Wind, temperature and current, all affect the mood of Bass in an area. “I have had good experience in some areas, and when I go back the next day, I can have a hard time picking up a fish. That’s when knowing the lake comes in handy!” Johnny exclaimed.

If you want to talk to a good guide for Lake Kissimmee, Johnny’s your man, you can reach him by calling him at 1-800-862-0621. Jonny Daub maybe out on the water, but he’ll give you a call. Oh…..ask him about availability at his guest house called, Bass Champions’ Lodge. The Bass Champion Lodge is a twenty foot by thirty foot guest house with all the amenities like: three beds, a full service kitchen, bathroom with shower, and Direct TV.

Kissimme Lake guide Johnny Daub is good, and the amenities his establishment has to offer are exceptional. Dockside bait service, living quarters, a covered slip and southern hospitality are all waiting for you at Johnny Daub's place. And you will not find a more experienced guide for the Lake Kissimmee area. Johnny also guides on Stick Marsh, Lake Walk-In-Water, and Farm 13.

If you are in Florida or planning a future trip, you won’t go wrong with giving Johnny Daub a call to talk things over. And if you are stuck on a Trip to Disney, and want some real fishing to hook into, this could be your answer!

Be safe and have a great time fishing Lake Kissimmee!

I first heard of the Sebago Lake Anglers Association
this Fall while making my annual visit to the Fryburg Fair. I could see a few mounts of fish like the one below which Jim Hathaway caught this past spring on Sebago Lake.

My wife loves arts and crafts, and I love fishing and machines; so we split up shortly after entering the fair grounds. After tinkering around the blacksmith’s shop and talking to a few farmers about their old equipment, I met my wife in one of the numerous buildings that hold craft exhibits. There were knitters, bee keepers and low and behold the Sebago Lake Anglers Association exhibit. At first, I spied the Association’s exhibit from a far, for I knew it would be hard to pull myself away from it once I began talking. There were mounted Black Crappies, Smallmouth Bass, Salmo Salar, Togue and Brook Trout on display. I had to stop and talk.

The Sebago Lake Anglers Association is a group of dedicated anglers that are progressive when it comes to fisheries management issues. They have been credited with restoring the smelt population in Sebago Lake by seeding areas with smelt pods. They review upcoming changes in Maine’s angling laws and were recently involved in clearing a fish passage on the Crooked River. These anglers are Big-Ol-Fish that get involved.

The Sebago Lake Anglers Associations meetings begin with official business that is followed by a program. December's program included fly tying demonstrations, hands on tutoring and tackle reviews.

This is a great place to meet with fellow anglers, rub elbows and bone up on fishing knowledge. Meetings take place at 7:00 on the second Tuesday of the month at the Naples Town Hall. Annual membership is a deal at only twenty dollars. If you want to give it a try, let me know, and I'll bring you along as one of my guest! But beware, you may be hooked by one of these Big-Ol-Fish.

If you live in the Southern End of the state, you may want to check out next Tuesday's meeting of the Sebago Lake Anglers Association. Meetings take place at the Naples' Town Hall every second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM. It's a great place to meet other fisherman and discuss pending rule changes concerning the Sebago area.

The December 11th meeting will provide a fly tying "techniques and instruction" demonstration with Fern and Sylvia Bosse, Harold Pettipas and Ron Marshall pitching in. Dave Garcia and Rich Rhoads will also present a talk about ice fishing techniques and new gear and lures.

For those people more interested in diadromous species, the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission has a few things going on. A public scoping meeting will take place on Thursday, December 13th, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Eastern Maine Community College, 354 Hogan Road, Bangor, in Mathews Auditorium. The meeting will address the Draft Strategic Plan for the Restoration of Diadromous and Resident Fishes to the Penobscot River. The Commission will also be holding a board meeting on Wednesday, December 19th from 9:30AM to 12:00. Topics will include: Recreational Fishing, The Aroostook River, Pushaw Lake Pike Update and The St. Croix River Alewife Bill. The board meeting will be held at 6 Beech Street, Hallowell, ME 04347. The Maine Department of Marine Resources is located on left hand side of the road in the Hallowell Annex. For More information call 207-287-9972.

For those of us too busy to notice, LL Bean has been called to the wild and has opened a new Fish and Hunt Store. Check out the fish tank and associated exploration bubble where kids can take in a three-sixty view of its underwater world. The store has many new items, a nice layout and fishing electronics.

Happy Holidays. Be safe and have fun getting ready to go Ice Fishing!