Last winter and early this spring part of my role as the Executive Director of the Maine Professional Guides Association had me working on the fishing part of the Maine Office or Tourism website. Part of that effort has me working closely with Mac McKeever from LL Bean. Mac grew up in Camden and has a great love for smallmouth bass fishing. Whenever you get folks that fish together we always talk about places we have in common.
Mac asked me if I had ever fished Chickawaukie Lake in Rockland I have to confess that I had never even launched a boat there. The highway runs the length of the lake and it never looked very appealing to me. I have of course towed the boat past it hundreds of times on my way to the Samoset or one of the Inns in Rockland to pick up or drop off a client. I have even had a few ask about fishing there.
After hearing his description of the smallmouth bass fishing we agreed to fish it together someday. Yesterday was that day. We launched early hoping to avoid the wind and rain that were in the forecast. I have to confess that as a guide I am on over a hundred fishing trips a year but only occasionally pick up a fishing rod and never for the entire trip. I am there to help clients enjoy the trip and catch a few fish.
This trip was a complete turnaround for me. I showed up at the appointed hour and stepped aboard the boat fly rod in hand. What a treat to fish, not worry about making sure the boat was in easy casting distance of the structure, if the right fly is in the water or any of the dozens of other variables that I worry about when guiding.
We fished four hours or so and each landed several nice smallmouth bass, all on flies. The fish were still a little sluggish, it is early even though this has been a warm spring. There were though a few preliminary spawning beds so it won’t be long until some of the best smallmouth bass fishing of the season A very pleasant morning and I have added a new water to my list of guiding possibilities. Thanks Mac!
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