This June sure has been cold and wet until today. I keep bringing in a little more wood for the stove and thinking that will be the last of it. Of course we all complain about the chilly damp weather but when I looked back in my notes early June is almost always cool and damp. The real question is when will the summer weather start. Since my calendar is pretty full after this week I am hoping for the change in the next few days. But who really knows?
The stripers have arrived in the Saint George not in huge numbers yet but as one of the fishermen at the ramp told me on Sunday "it is already better than last year". Hopefully by the time you read this the river will be full of fish.
All of this wet weather has kept the water levels up in the freshwater part of the river. The higher water level gives me access to Round and White Oak ponds in the Lund Alaskan. Hopefully we will enjoy a season like last year where I have the run of those ponds to fish in with my clients. I have also been on Megunticook Lake in Camden over the last few days and the freshwater fishing is holding up very well there.
Hopefully you will have a chance in the next few weeks to get out and enjoy the Maine Outdoors.
The event drew over 100 kids, parents and volunteers. There were many fish caught and plenty of volunteers to help out. There were a couple of notable fish including a largemouth bass of about four pounds caught by a young girl in pink crocs. The fish was nearly as big as she was and so was her grin.
Fishing with young children at events like this or on Family fishing Trips is one of the highlights of being a guide to me. Take a minute and spend some time outdoors with a child this summer.
Maine Outdoors offers a variety of trips and custom adventures. Two weeks ago I had an excellent morning on the water on a custom trip. I was asked if I would do a special birthday gift trip for my neighbor Keith one of the owners and winemaker at Sweetgrass Farm. The trip was to be a surprise and on the upper stretch of the Medomak River. The river is the back boundary of the farm property for a long stretch and an area I had not paddled in a long time. The surprise part was easy; I simply showed up at the house Friday morning with a canoe loaded and ready.
We launched off of the Shepard Hill Road in Union and headed up river. This stretch is very winding and we paddled a long time to get to the corner of the farm property. There the river straightens out and heads through the woods a ways before coming into more marsh. We were able to paddle a short way up into the Pettengill Stream and marsh but it quickly became too narrow for the canoe. Returning to the river we were able to travel as far upstream as the Skidmore Road in Washington by crossing a few beaver dams and deadfalls.
The scenery was amazing in places mostly because the Medomak is a sandy watershed with high steep banks. It also does not have much water in the summer so it sees little in the way of canoe traffic. Making the river feel remote and wild. Our wildlife sightings consisted mostly of a brood of mergansers that we passed in both directions. Momma merganser played the injured distraction perfectly both times while the little ducks hid in the grass. We also passed two broods of geese traveling together and were treated to the injured adult ruse on a large scale. Must have been my week to run into traveling broods of geese (story of another goose family here).
Three hours on the river in a stretch that few have seen were a great adventure.
Times have changed and there is a list of new ways to stay in touch.
You can now friend me on Facebook (Don Kleiner) or become a fan of Maine Outdoors there as well. I am also on Linkedin and Twitter (DonKleiner) if you would like to stay up on the goings on here. Of course I still update the blog on the website at least twice a week and am available to chat on AIM, Googletalk or MSN when I am at my desk. Although I will be spending less time at my desk time now that summer is here.
You can also visit the Maine Outdoors web site and submit a contact form. Of course I still use e-mail and the telephone still rings in the office if you would like to plan your next trip or just say hello.
