June is half gone and we are well into the summer season. Everything seems to be ahead of normal, yesterday I spent the morning fly fishing for smallmouth bass on a local pond. Halfway through the morning I decided to try a surface popper, something that usually does not produce results until the middle of July, and it worked. No it was not a complete home run, casts had to be nearly perfect and many fish passed at the fly without taking. But still this means some of the most exciting freshwater fishing of the summer is getting started.
Make sure you read about the Natural Canvas Hat Give Away further down in this newsletter. One lucky subscriber is going to win a new hat each time the newsletter goes out!
If you are looking to explore the natural side of mid coast Maine maybe catch a few fish or just relax in the bow of a canoe. Now is the time to arrange for your visit to the Maine Outdoors. Please drop me an e-mail or give me a call and let's arrange a date!
Fishing Graham Lake in Ellsworth
I consider being able to customize various fishing and nature trips one of the real advantages that Maine Outdoors has to offer. Every trip is tailored to the interests and desires of the folks that are on it. Up to a point of course, I can never make fish bite on demand or birds appear when I need them but you will be in the right place at the right time.
I am frequently asked to fish in another area and I enjoy being flexible enough to meet many of those requests. Recently one of my regular clients asked about fishing near Bar Harbor and my calendar was able to accommodate a trip on Graham Lake in Ellsworth.
The rain that had fallen over the previous weekend cooled the water significantly and we had plenty of northwest wind along with a rapidly rising barometer. Not conditions that lead to joy in a fishing guide's heart. Graham did not disappoint though, while not a fish a minute the smallmouth bass came steadily.
The most interesting aspect of the day was the clouds of yellow pine pollen that the wind carried into the air. At times it felt like you were in a light fog or perhaps yellow smoke. Needless to say I am looking forward to my next request to travel down that way for a day of fishing.
Mackerel Mayhem Commences!
Sunday morning marked my first mackerel fishing trip of the summer. Well no that is actually wrong it was the first wildlife watching trip where we caught a few mackerel. It was grey and chilly on the way down the Saint George River with only a slight breeze out of the east. Calm seas and cloudy skies provided excellent visibility and there was a lot to see.
First when we left Thomaston Harbor there were maybe a dozen ospreys circling a school of baitfish in the harbor, joined by a few seals. On the way out to the islands we passed three different pods of harbor porpoises with as many as a half dozen in one of the groups. Seals seemed to be everywhere and not at all frightened of the boat. We passed several sleeping on the surface of the water. I assume that the large schools of herring and mackerel have pulled all of the fish eating predators into the river.
While fishing we saw an eagle and had several seals feeding on mackerel quite near the boat. We caught a bunch of mackerel. The ride home featured a few more seals and osprey but no stripers on a few brief stops.
Overall a great wildlife watching trip and oh by the way the fishing was pretty good.
Kids Fishing Event a Great Success
Last Saturday was the 11th Mike Sabins Hooked on Fishing Event put on by my neighbors Scot and Mary. The event was held at Ayer Park in Union on Seven Tree Pond. We had almost perfect fishing weather with lots of fish caught and a number of families in attendance.
Kids caught a variety of kinds of fish; large and smallmouth bass, white and yellow perch along with a few sunfish. The alewives were in the pond along the shore letting everyone at least see a few fish. Hope to see you there next year!
Here are a few pictures from the day.
Natural Canvas Hat Give Away
This newsletter comes to you every other week in summer and monthly during the winter. Starting with this issue we are giving a Natural Canvas Hat to one lucky subscriber each time the newsletter goes out. Nothing to do just be a subscriber and when you are the lucky one just reply to the newsletter with your mailing address and I'll pop your hat in the mail.
If you have a friend who would like to hear about what is going on at Maine Outdoors forward this newsletter to them so that they can subscribe too! I'll take care of the rest!
Oh and the winner this week? Jesse Bifulco Innkeeper at the Windward House in Camden, Maine. If you are in Camden this summer stop in and congratulate Jesse.
