The Maine Chevrolet Derby 2009 features two ice fishing tournaments this winter. The Sebago Lake Derby is set for February 21 and 22 and the State Wide Derby is scheduled for March 7 and 8.

The tournaments are open to adults and youngsters and subject to all ice fishing regulations as set by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Competitors may fish for togue, pickerel, pike and muskie. Says Maine IF&W fisheries biologist, John Boland, “ The Sebago Lake Rotary has always coordinated with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ensure their events are consistent with our fishery objectives. The derbies have been a wonderful success-encouraging families to take advantage of ice fishing and most importantly, raising money for charity.”

For the Statewide Derby, first, second and third place cash prizes will be awarded for the largest fish of each species. All anglers who weigh their fish will be eligible for the grand prize drawing of a 2008 Chevy 4 x 4. Other prizes include a choice of 2009 Ski Doo or Can Am ATV, Kittery Trading Post gift certificates, Mission Trailer and Ice Shack and fishing trip to Libby Camps in Ashland, Maine.

Weigh Stations for the Sebago Lake Tournament are Raymond Beach on Route 302 and Jordan’s Store on Route 114 in Sebago.

There are twenty-two weigh stations from Cross Lake in Aroostook County to Acton in York County. Fisherman may fish all legal waters throughout the state.

The Maine Chevrolet Derby 2009, hosted by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club is a fund raiser for The Good Shepard Food Bank which supplies 500 food pantries throughout Maine; Camp Sunshine; Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Rotary Foundation, the DARE Program and local charities selected by the statewide weigh stations.

Says derby organizer Tom Noonan of Raymond, “Over the years we’ve had thousands of fisherman participate and raised over $350,000 for charity. We are recognized by Field & Stream Magazine as one of the five best ice-fishing tournaments in the nation. Our hope is to become the nation’s largest Ice-Fishing Derby and generate awareness and funding for all our charities.”

Other events scheduled in conjunction with the Sebago Lake Derby are a Kid’s Derby on Thomas Pond in Casco on Friday, Feb 20, 9 am to noon; a motorcycle and car ice-racing event in Windham Friday evening from 6-10 pm; the Maine Children’s Cancer Program Polar Dip at Raymond Beach noon, Saturday Feb. 21; hot air balloons, helicopter rides and a general aviation fly-in all day Saturday and a Snowmobile Radar Run at Raymond Beach from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Maine fishing licenses and Derby entries may be purchased at the weigh stations and at the Kittery Trading Post. Entries along with a complete set of rules, prizes, weigh station locations, and registration information is available on line at www.icefishingderby.com or by phoning 1-888-ICE-FLAG. The entry fee is $30 per person for the Sebago Tournament, which includes a free entry into the Statewide Tournament, $20 per individual for the Statewide Tournament. A Kid Pack entry is $50 for Sebago and $30 for Statewide. The Kid Pack includes entry for an two parents and up to 6 children under the age of 18.

The Maine Chevy Derby Fest Awards Ceremony and truck drawing will be held Tuesday, March 10.

Posted by Tom Remington

AUGUSTA – The Maine Warden Service is warning outdoor enthusiasts to use extreme caution when going onto ice particularly in areas near bridges, thoroughfares, culverts and wherever else there may be currents flowing underneath as ice in these areas may be very thin or non existent.

A Massachusetts man went through thin ice on South Twin Lake, near North Twin Dam on Indian Purchase 4 near Millinocket, at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2008.

The area where the man went into the water is in close proximity to where a Connecticut man died in early April 2008 when snowmobiling onto thin ice near moving water on North Twin Lake.

On Saturday night, Dennis Belmonte of Middleton, Mass., was riding in a group of four snowmobilers when they became disoriented trying to follow directions they had been given to a trail. Three of the snowmobilers made it to safety as the ice gave way under them, and Mr. Belmonte, 43, went through the ice. He was able to kick and grab himself onto safe ice, and is unharmed. The rental sled he was driving is in approximately 30 feet of water.

According to MWS Sgt. Ronald Dunham, it was the men’s “good fortune” that they turned away from the area of North Twin Dam to get off the thin ice.

Sgt. Dunham and Warden Andy Glidden investigated the incident.

“There are certain locations in the state that never freeze. Locals usually know about these. Unfortunately visitors do not,” according to Major Gregory Sanborn of the Maine Warden Service. “Recreationalists not familiar with a particular body of water need to use extreme caution. Never follow a track just because it’s there. Also, be aware of any moving water, such as inlets, outlets and culverts.”

It takes colder temperatures to freeze water in culverts, inlets and outlets because it is in motion, Major Sanborn said.

“Areas of moving water never freeze to the point of being safe to cross or ride upon,” Major Sanborn said.

In many parts of the state, lakes and ponds may appear to be frozen, but safe ice conditions cannot be assumed. Most of the bigger lakes still have open water. Also, recent snowfall is covering lakes and ponds, thus slowing the icing process.

If you must go on the ice this winter, the Maine Warden Service offers these tips for ice safety:

· Never guess the thickness of the ice – Check it! Check the ice in several different places using an auger or some other means to make a test hole and determine the thickness. Make several, beginning at the shore, and continuing as you go out.

· Check the ice with a partner, so if something does happen, someone is there to help you. If you are doing it alone, wear a lifejacket.

· If ice at the shoreline is cracked or squishy, stay off! Watch out for thin, clear or honeycombed ice. Dark snow and dark ice are other signs of weak spots.

· Avoid areas with currents, around bridges and pressure ridges. Wind and currents can break ice.

· Parents should alert children of unsafe ice in their area, and make sure that they stay off the ice. If they insist on using their new skates, suggest an indoor skating rink.

If you break through the ice, remember:

· Don’t panic.

· Don’t try to climb out immediately – you will probably break the ice again. Reach for solid ice.

· Lay both arms on the unbroken ice and kick hard. This will help lift your body onto the ice. Once on the ice, roll, DON’T WALK, to safety.

· To help someone who has fallen through the ice, lie down flat and reach with a branch, plank or rope or form a human chain. Don’t stand. After securing the victim, wiggle backwards to the solid ice.

Posted by Tom Remington

It looks like the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is trying something a bit new. I was sent a copy of their “2009 Ice Fishing Preview” but it’s in a pdf format. So I saved it and uploaded it to my server and you can click the link below and check it out. It’s full of great pictures too.

Maine 2009 Ice Fishing Preview

Tom Remington

By Stephen Vose
Steve Vose (rabidoutdoorsman@yahoo.com)
Website: www.themaineoutdoorsman.com

By the end of an extremely long day suffering through cold temperatures without even a wind flag to show for our efforts, I was beginning to question why I had even decided to come on this particular fishing trip. The temperature had continued to fall steadily and as the clouds rolled in I knew that it was doubtful conditions would improve. It proved a laborious task, fumbling about with frozen fingers picking up traps, packing gear on pull sleds and trekking the quarter mile back to the vehicles. To say I was a little bit disheartened may have been an understatement and while I understand the sport is called “fishing” and not “catching” it was painfully obvious to me as I trudged through a blinding blizzard toward the anticipated warmth of our vehicles that something fundamental had changed in my understanding of the sport of fishing. It was at this moment that I decided to follow a new fishing mantra and start to fish like a kid again.

I was three years old when my Dad took me ice fishing for the first time on a small body of water in Washington County called Vose Pond. It is a small pickerel pond a short snowmobile ride from my childhood home and hot fishing action could always be guaranteed as long as you had something to use to bait your hooks. Through my youth, I had enjoyed many an outing with my family ice fishing on various pickerel, bass and perch ponds throughout the northeastern parts of Maine. Some of my fondest memories were of outings on Conic Lake.

As I grew older, I began to move beyond this “childish” degree of ice fishing and instead of wanting to catch lots of fish I decided that I would rather only catch one or perhaps none at all. This practice of mine to suffer through hours of fishing for that one glimmer of hope at actually catching something continued for years and years until that one faithful Saturday and my childhood memories of ice fishing transported me back to a simpler time when ice fishing wasn’t about trophy’s it was about the number of flags.

Once the gear was packed in our trucks we began to formulate our plan of attack for the next day of fishing. “Same spot same time tomorrow?” came the familiar query from my friends. “No way!” came my very unfamiliar reply. “What, my friends exclaimed, you don’t want to catch the big one?” “No, I replied I have something else in mind . . . meet me tomorrow around 9:00 AM at the landing on Lower Togus Pond.”

That evening I watched the weather report and noted that the winds would be straight out of the north and that the temperature would continue to be in the twenties. Planning ahead of this forecast I packed a few additional items on my pull sled that evening in preparation for tomorrow’s ice fishing activities. Late that morning, I was met by a confused group of my friends many of whom where trying to decide if I was losing my mind and had decided to try for a state record pickerel. After discussing the game plan to the group we moved slowly around the north side of the lake to small cove I knew well from my spring bass fishing trips. This location, protected us from the high winds and also allowed us to enjoy the benefit of the sunshine as it reached high into the late morning sky late.

We immediately began drilling holes and I quietly sat back in my crazy creek chair to enjoy the show. My friends could barely get in one ice-trap when a flag would go up and they would have to run to tend it and by the time we had in all twenty traps we had 5 yellow perch, 2 bass and several pickerel on the ice. Also using a stashed axe cut some wood I started a small fire on a small rock outcropping. As my friends continued to run for flags I filleted out the fish as they were brought in to our “camp” and by 12:00 I had accumulated a sizeable amount.

It was a this time that I decided to produce a large stainless steel cook pot filled with chunks of raw potatoes and onions barely covered with water that I had sealed tight with duct tape the night before. As this concoctions was brought to a simmer I gently lay the fillets on top of the potatoes and onion and added some salt and pepper. My friends watched in amazement and a few began to drool. When the fish approached completion I added a Nalgene bottle (32 oz) of a mixture of half cream and half milk and after 5 more minutes of simmering over the open flames handed out the bowls and spoon.

As I sat there in my chair warm comfortable and filling my stomach with perhaps the best fish chowder I had ever eaten I pondered if perhaps this had been one of the best days I had ever spent ice fishing. As we all sat around the small fire busily eating my friend spoke up and asked “So next weekend we back to try for the big one?” Well, I guess that some people never learn or perhaps it is just that for some hope springs eternal and like an idiot I replied, “Sounds like a plan to me!”

AUGUSTA – The Maine Warden Service is urging people to not venture out onto any ice that may be covering Maine’s waterways.

In some parts of the state, Maine’s lakes and ponds may appear to be frozen, but safe ice conditions cannot be assumed even though temperatures have been below freezing in recent days and at night. Also, any snow covering thin layers of ice acts as insulation and slows the freezing process.

“There are no safe ice conditions anywhere in the state right now. Period,” said Col. Joel Wilkinson, chief warden of the Maine Warden Service.

As the temperatures continue to fall in the coming weeks, and the ice begins to thicken, the Maine Warden Service is recommending that people check the thickness of any ice before venturing out for any activity on frozen water.

If you must go on the ice this winter, the Maine Warden Service offers these tips for ice safety:

· Never guess the thickness of the ice – Check it! Check the ice in several different places using an auger or some other means to make a test hole and determine the thickness. Make several, beginning at the shore, and continuing as you go out.

· Check the ice with a partner, so if something does happen, someone is there to help you. If you are doing it alone, wear a lifejacket.

· If ice at the shoreline is cracked or squishy, stay off! Watch out for thin, clear or honeycombed ice. Dark snow and dark ice are other signs of weak spots.

· Avoid areas with currents, around bridges and pressure ridges. Wind and currents can break ice.

· Parents should alert children of unsafe ice in their area, and make sure that they stay off the ice. If they insist on using their new skates, suggest an indoor skating rink.

If you break through the ice, remember:

· Don’t panic.

· Don’t try to climb out immediately – you will probably break the ice again. Reach for solid ice.

· Lay both arms on the unbroken ice and kick hard. This will help lift your body onto the ice. Once on the ice, roll, DON’T WALK, to safety.

· To help someone who has fallen through the ice, lie down flat and reach with a branch, plank or rope or form a human chain. Don’t stand. After securing the victim, wiggle backwards to the solid ice.

*Update* – March 13, 2008 8:21 a.m.

It seems that since I was sent the photos, these weren’t taken on Lake Huron. Snopes has more on the real story behind this and a lot more photographs too. Check it out here.

I received these photos and a brief explanation yesterday from a reader in Michigan. I found the photos to be remarkable and thought I would take a few minutes to share with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gee, this global warming thing is really something……

Michigan has had the coldest winter in decades. Water expands to freeze, and at MacinawCity the water in Lake Huron below the surface ice was supercooled. It expanded to break through the surface ice and froze into this incredible wave.

Tom Remington

From the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

ROXBURY, Maine – Two members of a New Hampshire family believe it’s a miracle that they survived a fall into the ice on their snowmobiles late Friday night.

The Morancy family of Dover, N.H., was traveling from Arrowhead, N.H., to Upton after filling their snowmobiles with gas at approximately 10 p.m. Friday (March 7) when white-out conditions arose on Umbagog Lake, according to Maine Warden Service Sgt. Richard Mills.

“The family is familiar with the area having logged more than 5,000 miles on their snowmobiles this winter,” Sgt. Mills said. “But the weather outmatched their expertise.”

Albert Morancy, who was celebrating his 46th birthday Friday, was on the lead snowmobile with his 12-year-old daughter, Haley, and his wife, Linda, on separate sleds behind him when the storm kicked up. Believing they were going in the right direction, Mr. Morancy decided to drive parallel to the shoreline in an effort to be safe.

“They ended up in the totally opposite direction,” Sgt. Mills said.

What they couldn’t see, according to Sgt. Mills, was that they were approaching open water where the Rapid River pours into the Umbagog Lake. Mr. Morancy fell through thin ice and into the water. Haley, noticing that her father had fallen through, sprung from her snowmobile as it broke into the water. She fell in but landed close enough to the ice to easily get out of the water, Sgt. Mills said.

Mrs. Morancy did not go through the ice.

From the ice, Mrs. Morancy and her daughter shouted encouragements to Mr. Morancy to get out. He started to struggle and his family became frantic.

After several minutes, Mr. Morancy turned over onto his back to rest in the water, he told Sgt. Mills. His family, however, believed he was too tired to continue.

“You can just imagine what they were feeling,” Sgt. Mills said.

Unwilling to give up, Mrs. Morancy took off her snowsuit and threw one end of it to her husband. Mr. Morancy grabbed hold of it, and Mrs. Morancy and Haley pulled him out of the water.

“He was extremely lucky that he got out,” Sgt. Mills said. “It’s a miracle. Just talking to him you can tell that Mr. Morancy appreciates that he survived because of a miracle.”

With two people experiencing hypothermic symptoms, the family got onboard Mrs. Morancy’s snowmobile and started out in search of help. They traveled eight miles before they saw lights on at a camp owned by Marie and Ray Chabot on Carey Road in Roxbury.

The Chabots brought the three family members into their home, gave them dry clothes, warm food and offered them a place to sleep. They called the Maine Warden Service at approximately 11:30 p.m. to report the snowmobile accident, informing Sgt. Mills that the family went through the ice, was able to get out and not in need of medical assistance.

“The Chabots told me that the Morancys would be spending the night and that they were feeling better,” Sgt. Mills said.

Sgt. Mills said he was able to locate the Morancys’ snowmobile tracks at approximately 5 a.m. and saw where the sleds went into the water.

“Mr. Morancy’s helmet was still floating on top of the water,” Sgt. Mills said.

Arrangements are being made to get the two snowmobiles out of the water.

The Maine Warden Service is warning people to be aware that ice is thinning on Maine’s lakes and ponds. Contributing to the thinning is runoff from melting snow, this weekend’s heavy rains and warmer temperatures.

Wardens are reminding snowmobilers to not drive near outlets because of open water there, to use caution in inlets and coves because of melting ice, and to ride at a reasonable speed in order to have ample time to stop if they come upon a hole in the ice.

Posted by Tom Remington

Region A – Southwestern Maine

A salmon management plan for Sebago Lake has been drafted and is available for viewing on the Department’s Web site. The direct link is www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/regional_information/region_a.htm. The current draft plan is based on input received to date from area fish and game clubs including Sebago Lake Anglers Association, Windham-Gorham Fish and Game, Sebago Lake Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Pine Tree Fish and Game. The plan also is based on input received from Larry Fiori of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine as well as key Department staff.

The draft plan attempts to advance the expectations under the “Classic Salmon Initiative” while balancing the need to address local angler interests and the need to protect an indigenous population of landlocked Atlantic salmon. The plan contains a brief history of lake management and a discussion of regulatory options, as well as identifies a set of action items to support attainment of the following salmon management goal and objectives:

“Management Goal: Develop and maintain a sustainable landlocked salmon fishery characterized by higher size quality and greater abundance, so as to provide a more equitable allocation between the salmon and lake trout angling community.

Management Objectives: (1) Sustain an abundance of smelt consistent with the lake’s carrying capacity and limit annual fluctuations; (2) reduce the competing lake trout population; (3) limit the threat to smelt and landlocked salmon (predation/competition) from illegally introduced aquatic organisms (northern pike & landlocked alewives) within the drainage; (4) maintain and where practical enhance the contribution of wild salmon to the lake and Crooked River fishery; and (5) supplement the wild salmon fishery with hatchery fish when forage, wild salmon production, salmon growth, and angler exploitation support increased stocking; (6) sustain high salmon growth rates to the extent practical to maximize growth potential, while considering the need to maintain acceptable salmon catch rates.”

The draft plan was posted on the Web to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the plan. We are particularly interested in feedback on the following:

1) Does the plan identify and address management issues considered most important to achieving the stated management goal and objectives?

2) Are there any perceived inconsistencies not discussed in the plan?

3) Is there public support for the draft plan as a balanced approach to achieve stated management objectives and the attainment of size quality expectations under the Classic Salmon Initiative?

Public comments may be e-mailed to francis.brautigam@maine.gov. Comments received by April 4th will be considered in the final draft.

On Feb. 22 the Department filed comments in opposition to the proposed construction of Scribner’s Mill dam on the Crooked River. In addition, many organizations and sportsmen’s clubs filed comments with Dana Murch of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in opposition to the dam. Project proponents are seeking a license to construct a dam that would provide a source of water to operate historical water powered mill equipment, largely to be used for public display and educational purposes. The Department took a strong opposing position because of the high fisheries values associated with the Crooked River and downstream Sebago Lake.

The Crooked River supports one of the few indigenous populations of landlocked Atlantic salmon in Maine and produces virtually all of the wild salmon that maintains Sebago’s popular wild salmon fishery. Fish passage and habitat loss are key issues of concern. Anyone interested in a copy of MDIF&W’s review comments may send an email at the aforementioned address.

All the results of Sebago’s recent togue fishing derby on Feb. 23 and 24 may be viewed at www.icefishingderby.com. The top three prizes were awarded as follows: Gerald Parlin accepted first place with a 7.86-pound togue; Edward Gooldrup claimed second place with a 7.76-pound togue; and third place went to Joshua Hughes for a 7.58-pound togue. I believe this is the first year that a togue in the single digit weight class has taken first place.

– Francis Brautigam, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Sebago Lakes Region

Region B – Sidney and Belgrade Lakes

Having observed many anglers over the years using different angling techniques to catch fish through the ice, I sometimes wonder what they will think of next in their pursuit of landing a trophy. Each geographic area of the United States has its own contribution to the variety of tackle used to ice fish. In the state of Maine, I have seen several unique ice fishing implements. Here are some examples.

On Sheepscot Lake and nearby waters, I have observed what resembles a school of wooden fish scattered on the surface of the ice. The wooden fish are used to indicate to the angler whether a fish is on or not. The familiar balanced tip-up works on a similar principle, with this trap there is a fish on your line when the tail of the wooden fish is up. Furthermore, on this trap, the reel is above the water.

Most anglers in Maine use the standard tip-up to fish through a hole that has been drilled through the ice. Tip-ups are devices that trip a flag which springs up and indicates when a fish is on the baited hook. The reel holding the line is under the surface of the water. Popular devices are named Thompson, Moosehead, Polar, Eskimo, Jack’s Traps or any other name that are of similar design.

I still have a set of Cameron traps that were built by the late Sperry Cameron, the hatchery supervisor at Embden Hatchery back in the early 1970’s. There is nothing unique about them, but they do have some sentimental value and they still catch fish. They are built like the popular standard tip-up.

I recently had a set of traps built by Mark Damren, currently the assistant supervisor at Governor Hill Hatchery. Although this type of trap is most often seen on the Belgrade Lakes, they also are sometimes used on other waters. These traps do not utilize the standard reel that permits the line to peel off when a fish is hooked. Instead the baited hook on your line goes through an eye ring on the tip of the spring steel that pulls the flag down towards the hole. The “perch trap” indicates a fish is on when the flag drops. Most anglers using these devices have their traps in very close proximity to one another. As I witnessed once myself, when a school of perch goes through, all flags are sometimes pulled down almost simultaneously.

This winter I saw an interesting device for the first time. It used the standard fishing pole with a spinning reel attached. The bent pole was attached to a spring lever that releases when a fish takes the bait on the end of the line. The reel bail is left open. As line peels line off, the straightened pole alerts the angler that a fish is on.

I should not forget the very common practice of jigging. When jigging, an angler stands over a hole with a short rod or hand line that has terminal tackle consisting of a lead fish, lure or bait. This technique is used on many waters and can produce some remarkable fishing. I have seen togue up to 25 pounds jigged through the ice, and I myself have gotten into a school of perch that I jigged as many as I needed or wanted to spend time cleaning.

So with a good month of ice fishing left, the adventurous angler needs to get out and try one of the implements or techniques that I have mentioned as Region B waters are able to provide any number of fish that an angler desires.

–Bill Woodward, Fishery Biologist, Belgrade Lakes Region

Region C – Downeast

March has arrived with her winds and sunny afternoons that trigger the snowmelt leading to Maine’s eventual “mud season”. Many anglers love March fishing, with the sun on their faces and a chance to fish for a few hours in just a sweatshirt, quite a change from the icy blasts of January’s winds. Now the days are noticeably longer and twilight lasts until 6 p.m. Just four weekends remain in which to squeeze those memorable last trips for togue, trout, salmon, perch, and bass before the ice auger and snowmobile are put away for the off season!

Here are some of the questions every March angler should ask themselves while planning the next fishing trip:

 Can I make it up the lake through the snow with a 4-wheeler or do I need to take a snowmobile?
 Or the opposite, if I take my snowmobile, is there enough snow to lubricate the sliders?
 Will my snowmobile (or ATV) start once I get there?
 Has the ice melted and pulled away from the shore, making it impossible to get on the lake?
 Are there pressure ridges that cannot be crossed safely?
 Will the bait shop still have smelts and shiners, or have they run out for the season and chosen not to restock?

Finally, if the answers to all the above questions are favorable, the last question is, “will the fish bite today?”

– Rick Jordan, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

Western Maine received 12 to 16 inches of new snow from last week’s double-whammy of storms. Access to many of the region’s lakes became tougher as a result of the bad weather. Several parking areas are simply not being plowed any longer and travel on the ice is through deep snow. No major slush yet, but that’s expected to change with the warming temperatures and rain that are forecasted for this week. Angler activity was very low last weekend on all the lakes we checked.

While the 2008 ice fishing is showing signs of winding down, there’s still plenty of time to get out and enjoy the stronger sun and longer days of March. Bass fishing usually picks up now, especially around south-facing shoals and shorelines, or near open water. Temperatures warm more quickly in these areas and larger bass seem to seek these areas to prepare themselves for the impending spawning season (that means they want to eat a lot!). Good bets for March bassing in this region include Clearwater Lake, Hancock Pond, Wesserunsett Lake, Webb Lake, Roxbury (Ellis) Pond, Norcross Pond, Crowell Pond, and Parker Pond (Jay). In case the bass aren’t interested, most of these waters also provide decent action for white perch and pickerel.

– David Boucher, Fishery Biologist, Rangeley Lakes

Region E – Moosehead Lake

Two months are down, and we have one to go in this unusual ice fishing season in which we have seen above average snowfall. The weather this past weekend undoubtedly put a damper on fishing pressure in the Moosehead Lake Region. Although the snow continues to pile-up, ice conditions remain safe, but caution in traveling is still advised. The snow is a welcome sign for snowmobile trails, but on our lakes and ponds slush will soon be a problem for travel in some areas as temperatures warm and the weight of the snow continues to accumulate.

Over the past two months the Moosehead Regional Fisheries staff has been encouraging anglers to keep any and all lake trout under 18-inches. We feel that we have done a good job educating anglers about the over abundance of smaller lake trout in Moosehead Lake. Catch rates on lake trout 14 – 18 inches are still high and show no sign of slowing down as we enter the last month of the season.

If you have been fishing Moosehead Lake this year and have kept your share of lake trout, you must have them coming out your ears. Wondering what to do with all those lake trout? Lake trout broiled over an open fire, smoked lake trout, and skinless lake trout fillets, either baked or pan fried, are a good bet. However, if an endless supply of lake trout is in your grasp, cooking for one meal will undoubtedly result in leftovers. Cooked lake trout leftovers are the main ingredient for a fish cake recipe that will make your mouth water for another limit of Moosehead Lake lake trout. The following is a favorite recipe of our good friend and confidante, Paul Johnson, Regional Fisheries Biologist Emeritus:

Lake Trout Fish Cakes

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the cooked leftover lake trout with 1 egg per pound of fish, ¼ cup mayonnaise per pound of fish, ¼ cup milk per pound of fish. Mix well using a sturdy fork. Sautee ¼ cup of finely chopped onion per pound of fish in butter and add this to the fish mixture. Season the mixture with minced garlic, horseradish, soy sauce, and/or lemon pepper- the amount of each of these ingredients depends on the amount of fish you begin with, and the level of each ingredient you will be able to tolerate and still enjoy the finished product. Lastly, add cracker crumbs to thicken the mixture to a consistency that can be worked by hand into patties. Make 4-inch patties and place them on a greased pan, or avoid having to make patties by using a greased muffin tin. A dollop of butter on each patty is optional. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 45 minutes.

Now someone will ask “What about mercury?” and “How many Moosehead Lake ‘lake trout’ are we safely allowed to eat?” Valid questions, ones we frequently field during our creel census duties on the big lake. In general, the smaller the lake trout, the less mercury individuals contain. The statewide fish consumption advisory can be found in your 2008 ice fishing regulation booklet, and also at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/eohp/fish.

We are hoping anglers will continue to target Moosehead Lake as a destination during the last month of the ice fishing season to help to continue “thinning” the lake’s abundant lake trout population.

On a final note, since this will be the last ice fishing report from the regional staff, we would like to thank the many anglers we interviewed over the course of the winter. It is always entertaining to meet new anglers and create new memories with veteran anglers on Maine largest lake.

– Stephen Seeback, Fishery Biology Specialist, Moosehead Lake Region

Region F — Penobscot

Region F biologists interviewed very few anglers this past weekend, not surprising considering Mother Nature’s most recent gift of 8-16 inches of snow in central Maine, depending on where you live. Those that did venture out caught a few trout, salmon and togue from the lakes we’ve been reporting on all season: Schoodic, Seboeis, Scraggly and Matagamon. We did get a report of an 8-pound togue caught at Cold Stream Pond last week. In the past, Cold Stream Pond has had the reputation for good fishing during the first week or two of the season, followed by long stretches (weeks at a time) of extremely slow fishing. So far this year Cold Stream has been one of our most consistent lakes, producing good action for salmon, togue and brook trout.

The Eastern Maine Snow Riders held its annual ice fishing derby at Molunkus Lake in Macwahoc this past weekend. The biggest fish entered in the derby was a pickerel tipping the scales at about 2 pounds. Prizes also were awarded for individual species including white perch and brook trout. We reported earlier this winter that Molunkus Lake was stocked last fall with 1,000 fall yearling brook trout. After a slow start in January, anglers are reporting that the hatchery trout have been biting quite well recently. The largest trout entered in last weekends derby weighed just shy of 1-pound.

Many winter derbies are held across the State of Maine each year for both cold and warm water species of fish. Often times the participants in these derbies include entire families that want a distraction from being cooped up inside during the long winter months. There is no doubt that most everyone enjoys eating a nice salmon, trout or togue every now and then, and nothing beats a feed of deep fried white perch fillets or a perch “chow-dah.” However we often hear folks asking what they should do with their pickerel after the derby is over. Pickerel are quite tasty, but they are notoriously boney and because they generally do not get much larger than 20 inches long from most Maine lakes, the dissection of Y-bones from fillets can be quite labor intensive. Here’s a technique for preparing pickerel fillets that is quick, easy, and virtually takes care of all the bones.

First, fillet and skin the pickerel as you would any other fish from the head down to the tail. Second, lay the fillet with what would be the inside of the fish up on the cutting board lengthwise from left to right in front of you. Third, make vertical cuts with a sharp knife across the fillet every 1/8-1/4 inch (from top to bottom), be sure to cut through the bones but not all the way through the meat. Gauging how deep to cut can be a bit tricky at first, but after a fish or two you’ll get the hang of it.

It’s not a big deal if you do cut all the way through, as you’ll probably want to cut the fillets into smaller nuggets before cooking anyhow. In a bowl, mix a couple of eggs with a cup or two of milk and allow the fillets to soak for at least 30 minutes. Roll the fillets in your favorite breading mixture (I like crushed saltine crackers with salt and pepper mixed in) and deep fry until golden and crispy on both sides. You may still find a bone or two, especially from larger fish, but for the most part they will be taken care of during the cooking process. Enjoy!

– Richard Dill, Regional Fishery Biologist, Penobscot

Region G – Aroostook County

The last weekend in February brought ideal travel and fishing conditions for anglers in northern Maine. I surveyed two lakes in the southern portion of our region during this time and experienced the best traveling on trails and lakes that we have seen all winter. With frequent snowstorms throughout the season, anglers have dealt with thin ice, slush, and drifting snow making any angling experience difficult. The great conditions in the Millinocket and Millimagassett lakes area didn’t last long, however, as we received two recent storms totaling more than 20 inches of snow. March fishing will begin with deep snow on northern Maine lakes; as of Sunday, March 2, slush had not yet developed on several of these lakes that we routinely check.

As we approach the last month of the season, we typically see large groups of anglers venturing out to areas that have received relatively little use during the first couple months of ice fishing. More remote areas like the Allagash Waterway, Musquacook Lakes, and Beau and Glazier lakes will see more anglers this month as weather and travel conditions moderate, days are longer, and some days in late March feel more like spring than winter. Any of these areas are great, late season destinations, each offering a slightly different angling experience. This is a great time of year to experience the backcountry of northern and western Maine. Many summer roads are converted to snowmobile trails during winter or, when a heavy crust develops on the snowpack, one may explore more remote areas even further.

– Frank O. Frost, Fishery Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington

From the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Region A – Southwestern Maine

It is late February and we are finally seeing the results from data collected over the 2007 field season. Data is collected in a very organized fashion and always with a defined purpose. Some of our data collection is for routine monitoring of established and/or popular fisheries, some is collected as part of state wide research projects, some for the evaluation of experimental programs, and some is a direct result of public comment, report, or input.

All data collected are typically entered (by me) into various databases at some point in the fall or early winter. Once our winter fieldwork has calmed down a bit, we find ourselves with a small window of opportunity with which to analyze the data from the prior spring/summer/fall field season. The results of these analyses are summarized in short reports by water, which help us focus on a management strategies as a team. We refer to these 1- to 2-page reports as “lake and stream investigation summary reports” These reports not only provide a basis for the management team to assess the need for additional data collection and changes in regulations or stocking, the reports also provide clear documentation in the file regarding management history and past efforts. With over 300 lakes and ponds and thousands of miles of rivers and streams to manage, a little reminder can come in very handy at times!

These investigation summary reports begin with a short summary of the purpose of the data collection, the regulation in place on the water, and the stocking history of the water. The next portion of the report is dedicated to a summary of our sampling methods and the results of our sampling. This section often contains a table or two summarizing the data collected in the field, as well as a description of the fish habitat present. Also presented, if appropriate and available, is a table containing historical data for comparison to the newly collected data. Historical data is handy for observing trends over time on waters with several years’ worth of consecutive sampling.

Following the results section comes the conclusions portion of the report in which a concise analysis of the results is presented. This section includes a written summary of data patterns, likely causes for those patterns, consequences for management, and relevant notes. The last portion of the report focuses on recommendations based on the analyzed data, historical patterns associated with the water, and potential benefits to anglers. These recommendations can include regulation changes, stocking changes, suggestions for future fieldwork, or even a tentative schedule for a follow up visit after proposed changes have been implemented. These fishery investigation reports are just one more tool utilized by Region A fishery biologists to keep us efficient and organized.

On a different note, angler reports indicate that even as we approach the end of February, fishing for trout and salmon continue to hold up. A recent chat with Maine Guide Fern Bossy indicates that brood salmon still were being caught on Norway Lake in Norway as recently as last week. He also noted that some folks are catching rainbow trout in Norway Lake as big as 16-17 inches. We just started a rainbow trout stocking program this past fall.

Warmer weather is on its way and good hardwater fishing for warmwater fish is expected for the month of March. March is a great time to get the whole family out for a day of fun and fast action. Bass, perch, pickerel and crappie are all more vulnerable as the weather warms, and I am looking forward to a morning of fun on my favorite pickerel hole.

The two-day Sebago Derby experienced some of the most comfortable weather conditions that I can recall, although poor ice conditions in the Big Bay tended to concentrate most of the fishing activity in Jordan Bay and the “Station.” Francis Brautigam visited the weigh station on Saturday, where there was some indication that the number of derby participants might be up from previous years. Near the end of the day on Saturday, togue in the 6 and 7-pound size range were in contention for the top prizes. At the time of this report, I was unable to confirm the results of the weekend derby.
–Brian Lewis, Fisheries Specialist, Sebago Region

Region B – Sidney and Belgrade Lakes

Any cusk anglers out there? I’ve received a number of inquiries lately regarding the fish and it seems like there is a growing interest in fishing for them. Recent regulation changes have greatly increased the number of waters open to night fishing. Since the best time to fish for cusk is after dark, they present another terrific angling opportunity.

The cusk or burbot is the only member of the cod family found in fresh water. It is an elongate fish with two distinct dorsal (upper) fins. The first dorsal is rather short; behind it is a second fin that extends almost to the rounded tail. On the underside of the body is a long anal fin. All of the fins are soft-rayed, meaning no spines are present. They possess a broad head for such a long body, and have an equally large mouth. Under the mouth is a single barbell or whisker. They vary in color from a dark yellow to almost black, depending on the color of the water in their home lake or pond. An average-sized cusk angled from local waters is around 15 inches in length and about a pound in weight. The state record cusk is 18 pounds, 8 ounces, caught out of Eagle Lake up in the county.

From the description above, it is obvious that the cusk is no beauty, at least in comparison to a trout or salmon. It does however, have one greatly redeeming value. The meat of a cusk is white and flaky, making it delicious table fare. It reminds one of a mild flavored cod or flounder.

Some waters in the Region that are known to have good cusk fishing are Sand and Woodbury ponds in the Tacoma Lakes, Flying Pond in Vienna, Echo Lake in Fayette (open January and February), Parker Pond in Mt. Vernon (open January only), Brettun’s Pond in Livermore, Big and Little Indian ponds in St. Albans, Great Moose Pond in Hartland and Minnehonk Lake in Mt. Vernon.

As noted above, cusk fishing is most productive at night. This is when the cusk actively forage and are most likely to take bait. It’s best to fish with live or dead bait or a piece of worm about six inches to a foot off the bottom. In my past cusk fishing endeavors, I always fished deep water since that is what I learned from my elders. I was under the impression that I did OK as far as angling success. Recently though, I was out fishing with a young man who lives and breathes everything outdoors. While I fixed my usual deep water sets, he set his lines in two feet of water, again less than a foot off the bottom. While I caught one cusk that evening, he caught four. So, the best bet is “angler’s choice” for depths — fish close to the bottom at a variety of depths.

There is no bag limit on the number of cusk an angler can possess. Under general law, the person who set them must visit all lines set for cusk once an hour.
– Robert Van-Riper, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Sidney

Region C — Downeast

Ice conditions on many Downeast lakes and ponds are providing great traveling for anglers. In most locations ice depth ranges from 14-18 inches with a few inches of snow on top. We encourage anglers to pay attention to conditions before venturing out since ice can be weakened by a rain event followed by above average temperatures. Use caution around inlets and outlets, rocks and shoals, and near islands and saddle areas. The current weather forecast, however, looks good for the upcoming week. Depending on how much snow falls in the next few weeks, anglers may be able to travel by ATV or snow sled. If you do end up on the lakes following a rain event, take care to avoid pockets of slush on the ice, since a mired machine is a sure way to ruin your day.

Action for lake trout on many Downeast waters increases as we enter the month of March. Fishing for this species can be a great way to introduce someone to the sport. I was able to experience this first hand over the weekend with two anglers who are both fairly new to ice fishing. My 4-year-old niece was extremely excited to help her father land her very first togue. It also didn’t take her long to learn how to break the ice from the holes and check the bait. It was a lot of fun to see the interest and enthusiasm she had for fishing. The second angler, who has only been ice fishing for a few years, was my wife. After losing her first togue at the hole, she was determined to land the next fish she had on her line. Her focus and determination paid off as she was successful at catching her very first togue without any coaching at all (she also was quite proud of the fact that all I caught that day was a yellow perch!) Even though I didn’t land any togue that day, it was truly worthwhile to see my wife and niece get excited about a sport that we can all enjoy together.

For good lake trout action in the Downeast region I suggest trying your luck at the following waters that have special regulations to help reduce an abundance of lake trout: Beech Hill Pond in Otis, Jordan Pond in Mt. Desert, Phillips Lake in Dedham, Toddy Pond in Surry, and Tunk Lake in T10 SD.

Other waters in the region that provide quality lake trout fishing and a good potential for larger fish are Eagle Lake in Bar Harbor, Green Lake in Dedham, West Grand Lake in Grand Lake Stream, Musquash Lake (West) in Talmadge, and Pocumcus Lake in T06 ND

Be sure to check your current ice fishing law book for the regulations that are in effect on these waters.

Plenty of ice fishing opportunities are still out there waiting for anglers. Get out and enjoy them with someone new to the sport. Be safe!
– Joe Overlock, Fisheries Biologist Specialist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

With the “new and improved” Embden Rearing Station on line and up to speed, we’ve been able to stock a lot more large brook trout for anglers to catch. We’ve stocked both spring yearlings and fall yearlings in many of our waters — these fish range from 10-14 inches in length when stocked. In the lakes stocked with fall yearlings, we expected ice fishermen to be yarding them out right and left right after opening day, but they’ve actually proved a bit more difficult to catch. We see this as a good thing, because rather than having fantastic fishing for a week or so followed by slow action the rest of the winter, fishermen are continuing to catch these nice brookies throughout the season. Our own Dave Howatt fished at Crowell Pond last weekend and caught several of the 800 brook trout we stocked last fall, even though he was really fishing for white perch. This bodes well for the upcoming Cape Cod Hill PTO fishing derby to be held at Crowell Pond on March 8. Prizes include $100 for the largest trout, trophies, ice fishing traps, a pack basket, T-shirts, gloves, and pizzas. For tickets call DeAnna Meeks at 778-9658 or the Cape Cod Hill School, 778-3031.

There are a number of other upcoming fishing derbies to be held before the end of the ice fishing season:
 The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is holding a derby at Ellis Pond, Roxbury, also on March 8. Tickets are available at the Ellis Pond Variety.
 And — this is a biggie — the Upper Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual Wyman Lake derby March 7-9, with $1,150 in prizes.

Travelling conditions on the ice are good. The slush that formed earlier has frozen solid, forming a solid base for snowmobiling. As we begin to feel some real warmth in the sun in March, however, be aware that some areas — such as near rocky points and areas near moving water, will begin opening up, so be careful.
– Forrest Bonney, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Rangeley Region

Region E – Moosehead Lake

This past weekend the Moosehead Lake Region fisheries staff was out and about collecting creel census data. Traveling conditions were good and we were able to get excellent coverage on the lake extending from Greenville up to Rockwood and even northward to Seboomook and Northeast Carry. Many parties were encountered and most were having great success at landing our abundant supply of small lake trout. We were able to collect data from nearly 180 of these fish over the course of two days. We still are encouraging anglers to keep the togue under 18 inches.

We’ve received reports that folks are having success on some of our fall yearling stocked brook trout waters. Sawyer Pond in Greenville and Branns Mills Pond in Dover-Foxcroft have given up a few of these 12- to 14-inch trout. A few other waters in the Greenville area that received these fall yearling trout include: Fitzgerald Pond (Mountain View), Prong Pond, as well as Manhanock and Harlow ponds in Parkman.

On Saturday the word was out that a large lake trout had been caught on Moosehead. Although our staff did not get the opportunity to see this fish on the ice, reliable sources inform us that it was 38 inches long and weighed in at just over 16 pounds. We did observe a few brook trout and landlocked salmon on the ice this weekend.

With this past weekend coming to a close so did the end of school vacation. Many families had spent a portion of the in the Greenville area enjoying the outdoors snowmobiling, skiing, or fishing. In my travels around the lake I encountered several parties, which were made up of anglers ranging from four to 16 years old. The nice weather combined with hungry togue made it an enjoyable time for most of these young anglers this weekend. It’s always great to see these youngsters on the ice. The questions they ask are sometimes the most challenging to answer. How do you respond when a 5- year-old asks, “Why are you saving the guts from my fish?” It can be difficult to explain to them that we look at the stomachs to see what the fish are eating and how much they have eaten. Most of the time I get some strange looks and often times the response of “that’s gross!”
– Jeff Bagley Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Greenville

Region F — Penobscot

What a great weekend for ice fishing! Surprisingly, though, staff conducting creel census work around Region F observed lower than expected number of anglers. Perhaps everyone flocked to one of the numerous derbies held around the state in hopes of big prizes offered for big fish. We did measure several 4-pound lake trout and a 3.5-pound salmon at Schoodic Lake, along with some nice splake and salmon captured at West Seboeis. One party on Schoodic had fished Upper Jo Mary Lake in the Katahdin Iron Works region during the past week and reported catching several 14-inch brook trout and a 3-pound salmon. They reported lots of action and released several salmon as well.

Eric Ham, our contract winter census clerk, checked several nice catches of fish from Matagamon, Webster and Scraggly over the weekend. The anglers on Matagamon were catching lake trout, salmon and brook trout. Webster continues to give up some nice trout in the 1- to 2-pound range. Very few anglers were seen at Scraggly over the weekend, but those that were there had good luck catching salmon.

The East Grand Snowmobile Club held its ice fishing derby this past weekend, which included East Grand, Deering, and Brackett lakes. The largest salmon was 20 inches long and weighed 2 pounds, 13 ounces. The second place salmon had the same weight but was an inch shorter, and the third place salmon was 2 pounds, 12 ounces. The top three lake trout weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces; 8 pounds, 5 ounces; and 7 pounds, 10 ounces. The first prize brook trout weighed 2 pound, 4 ounces with second place going to a 1 pound, 6 ounce fish.

As the days get longer and the temperature gets warmer we are all looking forward to spring. Some of the best ice fishing weather is yet to come though. On several of our warm water lakes this time of year the white perch become very active and can provide anglers with some fast fishing. If interested in taking part in this great family fishing experience here are a few water bodies to try in Region F, Pushaw, Boyd, Endless, Mattawamkeag, Baskahegan, Nicatous and Saponac lakes.
Get out and enjoy the great weather and the great Maine outdoors.
– Brian Campbell, Fisheries Biologist Specialist, Bangor

Region G – Aroostook County

Northern Maine fishery biologists currently are surveying seven waters open to ice fishing. We have seen a definite shift in fishing pressure from the popular, early-season waters — Long and Eagle lakes — to Square and Madawaska lakes that are more difficult to access (Square) and open at a later date in the season (Madawaska Lake opened Feb. 15th). These two waters have been very good late-season destinations. At Madawaska Lake the recently stocked fall yearling trout that are mostly 12-14 inches should provide some action. Although pressure has dropped considerably at Long Lake, this lake still is a good choice for anglers seeking a chance at a large fish.

Winter has set in with generally good ice conditions and snow for good traveling. Due to a recent thaw the extremely slushy conditions of the past couple of weeks no longer exists. As the days get longer and the sun gets stronger there should be some very pleasant and productive fishing days through the end of the ice fishing season.
– David Basley, Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington

Tom Remington

Are you kidding me? Man O Man!

Tom Remington

From the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Region A – Southwestern Maine

Anglers were fired up for the 9th Annual FET Fishing Derby, which was held on Little Ossipee Lake during President’s Day weekend. Ice conditions were a little messy with a layer of slush sandwiched between the solid ice and a thinner upper-crust/ice layer. These conditions forced derby organizers to prohibit the use of cars and trucks on the ice, and may have been partially responsible for the slightly lower turnout than prior years. Nonetheless, there was a good turnout, a relatively good catch, and all seemed to be having a good time. The following is a list of some of the top prizes and winners (see attached photo to view some of the biggest fish entered):

* First place adult: Garon Mailmen, $3,000, 5.76-pound largemouth bass; second place adult: Brian St. Onge, $1,000, 5.28-pound largemouth bass; third place adult: Bob Heywood, $750, 5.19-pound largemouth bass.

* First place kids: Jacob DesRochers, $100 Savings Bond and Sony PlayStation, 2.79-pound landlocked salmon; second place kids: Zachary Brislin, $100 Savings Bond and Ipod Nano, 2.49-pound landlocked salmon; third place kids: Christian DuPaul, $100 Savings Bond and portable DVD, 1.72-pound landlocked salmon.

FET is a nonprofit group with the following mission statement, “FET’s mission is to promote fishing and more specifically ice fishing as a fun inexpensive family winter activity. Other major goals involve maintaining habitat and practicing ethical fishing tactics that will allow fishing to grow and prosper as a fun family-orientated activity.” Monies raised from the event will be donated to state and local programs as follows, “Proceeds to benefit HOFNOD, Inland Fisheries Division for Fish Management and Conservation of Southern Maine Waters, Waterboro Park and other local charities. For more information and to view past and current photos see www.fetinc.net and www.lakesidemarket.net.

Although many anglers prefer to ice fish in relative solitude, many of these same anglers also enjoy a day or two of the hustle and bustle of a well organized derby event. And the odds of winning something are much better than your typical lottery! Whatever your preference, the point is to get outdoors and enjoy the day and all that Maine winters have to offer.
– Jim Pellerin, Fisheries Biologist, Gray

Region B – Sidney and Belgrade Lakes

By now most ice anglers have noticed in the 2008 ice fishing regulations booklet that ice fishing is now open 24 hours a day. In short, except as otherwise provided by law, if a particular water is open to ice fishing, it is open around the clock. Some anglers have taken advantage of this new regulation, while others have questions regarding the practicality of the regulation. It may be helpful to examine some of the advantages of night fishing. Perhaps, most importantly, is the fact that some species such as perch, crappie and smelts are much more susceptible to night fishing than others.

The best way to take advantage of these species is to place a well-secured light source facing downward into a hole. If you don’t have a waterproof light, hanging it over the hole works well too. This will attract a variety of microscopic plankton to the light source. Be patient for the plankton to appear. The longer the light source has to penetrate into the water the more abundant the plankton will become. In a relatively short time, the light also will attract smaller fish that feed on the plankton. As the feeding activity of the smaller fish increases, it will attract larger fish, anxious to feed on the smaller fish.

It’s recommended to drill your fishing holes in close proximity to the light source prior to placing the light to start attracting the plankton. This will prevent the fish from spooking once they start feeding. Jigging with a small Swedish pimple or similar lure tipped with a piece of worm is the preferred method. The predatory fish will see the flash from the pimple if you jig it just on the outside perimeter of the light.

This technique will be more productive in waters that have an abundance of warm water fish species. As examples, try some of the following waters: Unity Pond in Unity, Indian Pond in St. Albans, Messalonskee Lake in Sidney, Sebasticook Lake in Newport, Hermon Pond in Hermon, and Woodbury Pond in Litchfield.
– Scott Davis, Fisheries Specialist, Belgrade Lakes

Region C — Downeast

This week is February vacation for elementary and high schools, and children all over the state are looking for ways to enjoy their time away from the classroom. One of the best wintertime activities is ice fishing. To get children hooked on fishing it’s best to take them to lakes and ponds where they will have fast action. We suggest outings to waters with fish that bite readily, such as chain pickerel, which eagerly come to baits placed a foot and half off bottom. Here are the best chain pickerel waters in Downeast Maine, guaranteed to give children tight lines all day long: Seal Cove Pond in Tremont, Somes Pond in Mt. Desert, Scammon Pond in Eastbrook, Orange Lake in Whiting, Chalk Pond in Beddington, Pocomoonshine Lake in Princeton, First & Second Chain Lakes in T 26 ED, Gardner Lake in East Machias, Upper West Bay Pond in Gouldsboro, Bog Brook Flowage in Beddington, Spectacle Pond in Osborn, Graham Lake in Otis, Rocky Pond in T 22 MD, Georges Pond in Franklin, Flanders Pond in Sullivan, Upper Patten Pond in Surry, Holbrook Pond in Holden, and Fields Pond in Orrington.

These are some of the best waters to take children to give them fishing memories to last a lifetime.

For lake trout anglers I recommend going to West Grand Lake where the action has been fast for trout between 17 to 23 inches with occasional fish above 10 pounds. Speaking of lakers over 10 pounds, Green Lake in Ellsworth has produced more than its share this winter and still is a good bet for larger togue.

The main portion of Tunk Lake recently froze over and anglers started fishing it in earnest last week. The fishing has been fast for lake trout between 15 and 22 inches. However, this weekend’s warm weather and rain have set safe ice conditions back so anglers are urged to exercise caution when fishing Tunk Lake. Be particularly careful near the outlet, any tributary streams, around rocky shoals and points and in the deep areas in main part of the lake.

Take a child fishing and have safe week!
– Greg Burr, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Jonesboro

Region D – Western Mountains

Another week with another winter storm as we end school vacation week. In the last week, we have started to see lake trout catch rates increase at Porter Lake in New Vineyard and Clearwater Lake in Industry along with some lunkers still being caught in Pleasant Pond, Caratunk (11.5 pounds on Saturday Feb. 16) and a five-pound lake trout caught in Porter. Oaks Pond in Skowhegan and Wentworth Pond in Solon are still producing nice splake and brook trout even with decreased fishing effort. The trick with both of these ponds is to move your traps around. If you are not catching fish, it’s a good indication that you should move your traps to other areas around the pond. Wilson Pond in Wilton is still producing salmon and some lake trout.

Travel on most of the ponds in the region is somewhat difficult, making snowmobiles and snowshoes the best choices of transportation. Due to the recent combination of rain and snow, there are areas on Porter, Clearwater, Wentworth and Wilson lakes that have two feet of snow along with a thick layer of slush and water under the snow. Also, since the severe winds a week ago Monday, lake travel on Porter and Clearwater lakes was very rough due the drifts. The combination of these two factors and the low temperatures over the weekend caused many ice shacks to blow over and freeze in the slush. I observed several concerned fishermen chipping and elevating shacks on lakes across the region (this includes me). The best advice I have is to keep tabs on your shack and always anticipate that you may have to do some jacking and blocking when you go out to fish.

Hopefully we will get some more cold weather this week to harden up the snow and slush on top of the ice and make travel easier for people walking as wells those using four-wheelers. I also expect lake trout fishing to pick up over the next few weeks. The good fishing should continue into March.

Fishermen should be sure to respect landowner rights when they access ponds and take care not to litter. If you do see bottles, cans or trash on the ice, do yourself and other ice fishermen a favor and pick them up; it will be much appreciated.
– Ethan Tracy, Fisheries Technician, Region D

Region E — Moosehead Lake Region

The ice fishing continues be very good throughout the region. Anglers are still catching lots of togue in Moosehead Lake. We encourage folks to come out and take advantage of the very liberal bag limits. Remember, starting this winter, the daily bag limit is two lake trout over 18 inches and there is no size or bag limit on lake trout under 18 inches. These regulations may only be around for a few years, so now is the time to give Moosehead a try. You really can’t go wrong selecting a place to fish. Lake trout are abundant throughout the lake.

The word trickling in from up north indicates some of our other waters are fishing just fine. We’ve had reports of excellent fishing on Allagash Lake. It seems the brook trout and lake trout are biting well. Lobster Lake is a little slow, but one party reported catching an 8-pound laker earlier this month. Both Allagash and Lobster lakes are only open in February, so you better hurry if you’re planning a trip. Scattered reports from Chesuncook Lake have also been positive. We saw some pictures of a nice catch of salmon from Chesuncook Lake last week. The salmon appeared to be in very good shape, which may be an indication that our liberalization of the bag limit is starting to have an impact. The salmon were getting very thin a few years back due to stockpiling after we implemented special restrictive regulations. It was a clear case of too many mouths to feed and not enough food. The fall fishing in the West Branch above Chesuncook Lake was also pretty good this past fall. Hopefully, the fishing will continue to improve.

Traveling was good this past weekend with just a few pockets of slush here and there, although Monday’s rain probably didn’t help. But, a few cold nights will set up the snow pack. The forecast is good for the remainder of the week and it is school vacation as well. So, grab a youngster and get out of the house and enjoy the winter.
– Tim Obrey, Regional Fisheries Biologist, Moosehead Lake Region

Region F – Penobscot

Here we are about midway through the 2008 ice fishing season and what a season it has been! Snow, rain, freezing rain and slush has made ice fishing somewhat challenging at times. Anglers are picking up some better than average fall yearling brook trout at Molunkus Lake in T1R5 WELS, Upper Cold Stream Pond in Lincoln, Cold Stream Pond in Enfield, Upper Pond in Lincoln, Harris Pond in Milo and Silver Lake in Lee. Fish taken range in length from 12 to 16 inches and are most welcome in those lakes and ponds that might not provide much opportunity otherwise.

The results are in from the 46th Annual Schoodic Lake Fishing Derby and they are impressive. Anglers could fish Schoodic Lake, Seboeis Lake and Ebeemee Lake on both Saturday and Sunday. Estimates from Schoodic Lake on Saturday indicate that around 1,000 to 1,200 anglers were on the ice enjoying a great day. Although no monsters were entered, some handsome fish took the prizes. All the top slots for togue weighed around 7 pounds, with a 7.1 pounder placing first that was caught by Hazen Conlogue. A 5.3-pound fish caught by Wade Pinkam was entered for the first place salmon, with 5 and 4.4 pounders in second and third. First place trout was a 2.1-pound splake from Seboeis. The prize for the biggest fish caught by a boy under 16 went to Cody Cobby of Brownville for a 27-inch togue that weighed 5.84 pounds. The prize for a girl under 16 went to Krishanna Cook or Brownville for a 22-inch togue weighing 2.9 pounds. Congratulations, and all in all a great weekend!

A Family Fishing Day also was held at Jerry Pond in Millinocket on Sunday. A total of 25 brook trout from 12 to 17 inches were caught, with the largest weighing in at almost 3 pounds! More than 300 hotdogs and gallons of hot chocolate were served up to a great bunch of kids. Kudos goes to The Millinocket Fin and Feather Club for sponsoring this ever popular event. For some excellent pictures from the Jerry Pond Family Fishing Day, go to http://ffc.50webs.org/fin.html

Jerry Pond is one of the ponds in the region that we stock with fall yearling brook trout and is”Kids Only”. Other “Kids Only” waters throughout the region include Pickerel Pond in T32MD, Upper Pond in Lincoln and Rock Crusher Pond in Island Falls.
This next weekend (Feb. 22-24) is the date of the 10th Annual East Grand Fishing Derby, sponsored by the East Grand Snowmobile Club. This year the derby starts on Friday, a change from previous derbies and will give anglers an extra day. This derby includes East Grand Lake, Brackett Lake, Deering Lake and North Lake. As in past years the Grand Prize is $1,000 cash along with a Lifetime Maine Fishing License for the Maine Resident Youth winner. Buy a ticket in your kid or grandkid’s name even if you don’t intend to fish – “You can’t win it if you aren’t in it!” Ice conditions are good on all lakes involved in the derby, with ice thickness from 18 to 24 inches most everywhere. Should be a good time this weekend up there! For more information, please call Buck Plummer at 448-7018.
– Nels Kramer, Fisheries Biologist, Enfield

Region G – Aroostook County

The week of February vacation marks the halfway point of the ice fishing season. The rain that fell Monday certainly can’t hurt the conditions on the lake for fishing. Hopefully, it will firm up the surface so that one can walk without breaking through into the foot of slush that had existed over the weekend. Although the travel on sled was good on the lakes, anyone pulling a tote-sled that hit slush was very lucky if they escaped without getting stuck. Once a hole was cut, the water spread quickly and created miserable conditions for tending tipups. We observed tracked rigs and snowsleds meeting their fate in slush on the lakes we surveyed out of the Scraggly Lake camp. Travel conditions can only improve from that!

I have encountered several old acquaintances this winter while conducting our creel surveys. Many of these people we only see during this season and it is enjoyable to get caught up on how they have fared since the last ice fishing season and see where they have been this season.

We are encouraged to hear that the fishing on Square Lake is apparently improving for size quality on salmon. Eliminating salmon stocking and liberalizing bag limits may be having a positive effect on allowing the smelt population to rebound. This is our largest lake in the Fish River Chain with a history of excellent salmon fishing. I might suggest that anglers who have given up on Square Lake in recent years due to small but numerous salmon take a trip to try their luck before the season ends on March 15.
–David Basley, Fisheries Biologist, Ashland

Posted by Tom Remington