Improving Your Fish On To In The Cooler Ratio!

By Capt. Jim Hirt

Every year I try to improve my number of fish in the cooler. Some days you can do everything wrong and still end up with a decent number in the cooler. Aggressive fish hammer the lures and stick well and there are days when most of the fish are off by the time you get to the rod. Several things I do now that seem to be working for me I know will put more fish in the cooler for you.

The number one most important change to make to keep the fish on the line is good quality hooks. This may sound obvious, although some anglers do not pay attention to this detail. I look for 1x, 2x, and 3x or in some cases 4 extra strong hooks. Strong sharp hooks are a simple answer with immediate results. Most manufactures of fishing lures cut costs by using a cheap hook. Cheap hooks may get the job done the first time but don’t count on it. Your time and other expenses are large compared to replacement hooks. Read the story »

Maine’s Atlantic Salmon Proposal Could Be Costly In Many Ways

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), combined with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC) and Department of Interior (DOI), is proposing to create a new Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon that, if allowed, will entail nearly two-thirds of the state of Maine, when combined with the existing DPS.

In November of 2000, the feds created a DPS for Atlantic salmon that involved basically eight rivers of eastern Maine and much of its watershed. Read the story »

Fishing Downriggers - Leaders How Long?

By Capt. Jim Hirt

Downriggers are one of the oldest most used and most productive tools used for salmon and trout. Their potential for putting fish in the cooler is undisputed. As with any tool, proper usage is the answer to success. A common question I receive from fellow fishermen is how long do you run your drop back leader? This is the length of line between your lure and the downrigger weight. This one item will make the difference of a few fish or steady action. The variables on the length of drop back leader are dictated by many factors. Read the story »

Emerson Family Invades Parmachenee Lake - Maine

Our annual excursion to Parmachenee got underway Thursday evening July 24th with the 1100 mile drive from Indiana to Maine. 24 hours later, we arrived at my Dad’s fishing lodge very weary but also excited at the prospect of two weeks of uninterrupted camp life.

After a long night’s sleep, my little fishing buddy, Lacey, and I hit the lake at 5:15 a.m. and only moments later I landed a beautiful trout, “Tommy Trout” which measured 17.5″ and weighed 2.25#. Read the story »