The Daily Bag Limit blog is dedicated to Fishermen and Outdoor Enthusiasts interested in keeping abreast of the latest news, events and politics that greatly effect the sports of fishing and all outdoor activities in Maine and North America.
I recently did a movie review for Carter Davidson, “East by North East“. While watching the 70-minute DVD, there are several breaks throughout the movie where Maine humorist, Joe Perham, is heard spinning a fishing yarn of some sort. He tells a fairly quick hitting one which is one of my favorites. It goes something like this.
A feller went bass fishing over on Moose Pond. He was having a good time – how good might be a bit subjective but he suddenly realizes he’s out of bait and isn’t sure what to do.
Looking around, he spots a snake not but a few paces from where he’s standing and observes a frog hanging partly out of the snakes mouth. Reacting quickly, perhaps in much the same way he would react toward anything, he reaches behind him and yanks out a flask of whiskey and abruptly pours a shot down the throat of the snake hoping it would give up the frog.
Sure enough! The snake relinquished the frog and slithered away. The old feller used the frog as bait and wouldn’t you know it, caught a 4 1/2 pound bass with it. But his frog was now gone.
Wondering, the feller looked back over his shoulder and somewhat to his surprise the snake was back. This time with two frogs in its mouth.
Spectacular! That is the best adjective I can come up with to describe East by North East, produced by Matt Stanton and Carter Davidson for Gray Ghost Productions.
I’ve seen my share of outdoor films, from hunting, fishing, kayaking and an myriad of good movies aimed at teasing the senses, creating fidgety in your pants and to get you off the couch. East by North East is really in a league of its own. It’s hot!
Let me first be a bit forthcoming in that some may think my review of this movie would be influenced by the fact that I know many of the players. In another life, I coached a little soccer, baseball and skiing. Carter Davidson, Luke Gray, Nathan Harvey, Jen and Stephanie Percival and Mitch Cummings all at one time or other were a part of my life and I coached them in various sports. At times some of them might have wished I wasn’t part of their life (as coaches sometimes can be) but I have to admit, I stand in awe of their accomplishments and the lives they lead.
Little did I know at the time, some 15 or so years ago, that Carter Davidson would find his passion behind the lens of a camera, that Nate Harvey would be navigating some of the most exciting white water in his kayak, or that the Percival girls loved fly fishing and Mitch Cummings would be the master of landing the big one.
What sets East by North East apart from other fishing movies is simple really. ExNE is original, creative and complete. ExNE isn’t like “all the others” but you need to get a copy to view for yourself.
Creativity begins with the title itself and never quits through 70 minutes of fun and adventure. Davidson and crew have captured the thrill that drives all avid fishermen, through unique shots, camera angles and the presentation of one-of-a-kind characters, all in some of the finest fishing waters in North America.
East by North East is a movie that isn’t afraid to expand the limits of fly fishing. The DVD begins with a trip to the British Virgin Islands, fly fishing for bonefish. Through the journey on film, the cast wets lines on the Upper Magalloway River with Rick Estes, hits some isolated back country native brook trout ponds with Erik Lippman and dazzles us with bass fishing with Mike Jones.
But it doesn’t end there. I laughed so hard I nearly spit on my computer screen watching Bill Pierce and Mike Jones trying to net a huge pike caught in downtown Lewiston, Maine on the Androscoggin River, a place that once was famous for toxic fumes peeling paint off houses.
Jump from there to Winterport, Maine and you’ll find the McKay brothers, Tait and Jax, all of perhaps 8 and 10 years of age, wielding their fly rods like pros and hauling in fish seemingly with little effort. Davidson says the two boys were born with fishing rods in their hands. I believe it.
The show isn’t all about success with every cast or fishing only. As Luke Gray physically headlocks and drags “Stoo” Mason from his distillery at the Sunday River Brewing Company, they head for Canada to do some Atlantic salmon fishing. They soon find out why the Atlantic salmon is called the fish of 1,000 casts as Luke exclaims, “It should be called the fish of 5,000 casts!” as he and the others got skunked.
Adding even more variety for your viewing pleasure, Davidson explains that Nate Harvey, an accomplished whitewater kayaker and instructor, finds fish for him while spending time upside down in some pretty wild and deep pools.
Of interest to me personally was a segment of the movie that touched on the history of the Androscoggin River. The Andy begins in the Rangeley Lakes area, meanders into New Hampshire for a spell, returning to Maine and eventually merging with the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay on the coast.
I grew up on that river many years ago. At one point of the film, Rocky Freda, a Maine guide and outfitter who utilizes the resources of the river in his business, tells viewers that few houses can be found built directly on the river because it once was so polluted, nobody wanted to live next to it. I did. I played on the banks of that river as a kid. I watched as the river went from one of the 10 filthiest to what it is today. It’s an incredible success story achieved mostly because the people wanted it to happen.
East by North East gives all a chance to witness the bounty this spectacularly scenic river now brings.
Still not complete, you’ll be entertained with legends and characters like Charlie Lowe, Will Gilson, Lefty Kreh and Rik Dow. There is nothing more entertaining than listening to Dow’s unique and often bizarre perspective on life in general, say nothing about fishing. Combine the two and you’ll walk away either scratching your head or laughing it off.
If all of this isn’t enough to capture your attention and hold it for 70 minutes, no other fly fishing film breaks between scenes with fishing tales as told by noted Maine humorist Joe Perham. I have to admit that the stories told in this movie are more on the line of “Tall Tales and Damned Lies” than the more believable fishing yarns often spun by some of Maine’s more colorful characters.
And to polish things off on a very complete and expansive movie, the camera zooms in on Charlie Lowe, to a face that has seen many years on the water, slipped on more rocks than most people see in their lifetime and caught more fish than………well, let’s just say he’s caught a lot of fish. His parting words to the camera, “Fish more and you’ll live longer.”
Now that’s complete!
If you would like to purchase a copy of East by North East you can find it at the following locations:
This edition has a report and update on this year’s dismal Maine deer harvest, tips for a successful spring turkey hunt, information on feeding wildlife, a story on finding a rare black racer snake in Maine, an update on the harvesting of rockweed along Maine’s coast and other bits of news, information and photographs, including a photo of a record togue taken through the ice on Moosehead Lake.
Leave a Legacy Fish 50 Trophy Waters in 50 States in 50 Days www.fish5050.com
Our Mission: On June 13th, 2009 my son Taylor (age 17) and I will embark on a nationwide quest, a quest to Fish 50 Trophy Waters in 50 States in 50 Days. Our journey will span 15,000 miles by land, 6,000 miles by air (Alaska and Hawaii), cover 500 miles by water, with no shortcuts. www.fish5050.com Our Cause: Our hope is that our adventure, our quest, will inspire fathers and sons across the nation to realize their dreams for adventure and connect once again. To find and live out that adventure in their lives they so desperately desire and need. To realize that no matter where you live there is a pond, river, lake, or ocean – teeming with fish – waiting to be explored – to build a lasting memory – to rekindle that long lost relationship – to Leave a Legacy.
Ever since I was a small boy I’ve dreamed of adventure; desiring to seek after something that seemed bigger than life. If you’re like me, adventures such as climbing Mount Everest or running the Boston Marathon seem a bit beyond reality. I’m just an average father; what could my adventure be?
What’s so special about a father and son adventure? My son Taylor has been my fishing buddy since he was a small boy. We’ve experienced some incredible fishing trips together. Realizing that with college on the horizon we see one last chance at a truly epic adventure together – to seize the moment. Where the fish story of all fish stories, between a father and son, can be lived out and told.
When I was a child, I longed to ride along with my dad no matter where he was going, and I jumped at every chance to go fishing with him. In fact, from my earliest memories, fishing has always been my passion. For many of us, fishing was the one true bond we had with our fathers, where we finally felt connected, where our father’s legacy lives on. The romance of those days is a distant memory for most people. Fathers are caught up in the rat race of life with long commutes, constant emails, and never ending work weeks while our children sit at home trying to fill the voids by immersing themselves in their world of Xbox, iPOD, and Cable TV. With all of society’s advancements many fathers and sons have lost their common bond
- they’ve lost their desire for adventure.
The Media: The project will have significant U.S. media attention through local, state, and national magazines, newspapers, web, television, radio, and upon completion of our journey a book.
Jeff & Taylor Turner
7332 Fox Call Lane
Warrenton, Virginia 20186
540-351-0250
jeff.turner@fish5050.com
For the complete details and information about this adventure, follow this pdf link.
The proposal for the license claimed that the license was a way to collect and track data from fishermen who use the resource. Sen. Trahan has come up with an alternative proposal to a license and he needs your help.
Readers interested in Maine fish and game activities, the March Edition of “The Insider” is available to read by following this link.
In this edition you can get information about the new process to apply for a chance at a moose permit, great stuff about monitoring efforts of Maine’s hibernating black bears, tons of news, information and reports, including the latest ice fishing reports from all the regions around the state.
Spectacular! That is the best adjective I can come up with to describe East by North East, produced by Matt Stanton and Carter Davidson for Gray Ghost Productions.
An Epic Father and Son Adventure
Ever since I was a small boy I’ve dreamed of adventure; desiring to seek after something that seemed bigger than life. If you’re like me, adventures such as climbing Mount Everest or running the Boston Marathon seem a bit beyond reality. I’m just an average father; what could my adventure be?
