Perfect late summer weather

Sunday I had a canoe trip under perfectly clear fall skies. With the foliage changing a little more every day and a pleasant breeze the entire trip was picture perfect. The river is very low due to the dry weather and the beavers have completed the dam right below the Union fair grounds. I was able to slide the canoes over the dam easily and we were able to paddle up to the lodge and beyond. I did notice a few groups of trout in the sandy bottom behind the harness track. Only after I was home did it occur to me that they must be getting ready to spawn. I have added it to my list of places to fish this fall.
Tuesday morning I had a striper fishing trip on the lower river and after a couple of trips with no fish last week my expectations were very low. I was very pleasantly surprised there were stripers on the surface during most of the tide. This was a father daughter trip and the daughter did not fly cast so I stood in the stern of the boat with her and she retrieved the fly after I made the cast. We did not have big numbers of fish but the fishing was steady until slack tide and the end of the trip. Yesterday I took my parents on a trip downriver to see the foliage and take in the pretty day. Yes I did fish a little and even caught a striper but not the one I had in mind for dinner.
The temperatures continue to be very warm with the skies still clear blue and cloud free. I will be around this week and part of next week and am looking forward to a few more trips in this nearly perfect weather.
 
Samoset Packages
I received an e-mail from someone looking to arrange a Samoset package for next spring. Oops! We have not finished out this season let alone discussed next season. After a quick discussion we will be offering packages together again next summer. Prices are not set as of today mostly because I have not adjusted my rates for the coming season. The results of our partnership have been very positive for Maine Outdoors and the Samoset and I have enjoyed working with the staff their and the guests that we share.
 
Next Guide Seminars Scheduled
The next sessions of my small business seminars or guides have been scheduled and I have begun taking reservations. For more information on these seminars please visit
Developing Your Guide Business Marketing Plan a three hour session designed to help guides develop and implement a marketing plan that makes sense. This seminar will be offered twice in the coming months. On the afternoon of December 1st from 1 to 4 PM and on January 13th, 2008 from 1 to 4 PM.
Running a Successful Maine Guide Business a six hour seminar designed to help guides build a successful business plan. This seminar will be offered on three evenings in January the 14th,15th and 17th and on January 19th as a full day from 9 to 3. All of these are scheduled for the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine Conference Center in Augusta.
To make a reservation give me a call or drop me an e-mail today.
 
Maine Conservation School
Last winter I was elected president of the board of directors of the school and my goal is to rebuild and grow this somewhat neglected, hidden gem. Since January, we have accomplished major repairs to plant and equipment, added crucial staff, developed new programming and reached a capacity crowd of over 700 children at our summer camps. We are rapidly rebuilding a spring and fall school program as well. But, in order to complete the restructuring of MCS, to allow it to reach stability, it is crucial that funds be found to help with operating expenses, capital improvements, capacity building and program development. The reality of the situation is, we are very close to putting MCS back on its financial feet but need to raise $150,000 to pay off old debt that has been dragged forward for several years, fix the last leaking roofs and begin to winterize to allow four season programming. The ultimate goal is to build an endowment, bring in income year round by providing four-season programming, and develop in-house fundraising capacity. We are already working on winterizing our buildings and have begun building our endowment program but bringing in the operating and capital improvement funds is crucial to our ability to finish stabilizing and grow.
There is a growing national movement to reintroduce our youth to the outdoors Richard Louv, a noted author, has written a best selling book, Last Child in the Woods, denoting the human cost of alienation from nature on our society’s young. He names the malaise of this current wired generation “Nature Deficit Disorder, and ties the rise in obesity and Attention Deficit Disorder to the lack of exposure to nature.
Millions have been spent on conserving and managing land in Maine over the last ten years.  This will have been a wasted effort if we don’t invest in the next generation of children who will become future stewards of our State’s natural resources. The youth we educate today are the voters, planning board members, volunteers and environmental stewards of tomorrow.  As national movements are forming to get our youth back outside and conserve our natural landscape, MCS continues to lead the way in providing quality outdoor education opportunities to all of Maine’s children and adults. Congressman Michaud, need your help to finish stabilizing and grow The Maine Conservation School. The children we educate today are our hope for Maine’s future environmental health. Please click this link and make a donation to help the school today.
Thank you very much.