Don Kleiner's blog

Yesterday afternoon I was about to start a family fishing trip on Seven Tree Pond here in Union, when I cut the motor and was about to lower the anchor over the side of the boat I heard lots of eagle cries. I looked across the cove and could see an adult eagle in a tree with a young eagle perched right below it.

This week I have been on a variety of trips from fishing with families for perch and mackerel to fishing on the Saint George out of the Grand Lake Canoe and the Lund Alaskan. None though was as pleasant as the sunset canoe trip on Tuesday evening.

One of the best parts of my summer is being on several bodies of water each week. Over the course of the season I am usually on at least a dozen different ponds (most of you call them lakes), the Saint George River on both the freshwater and saltwater sections and at least one other coastal river. Over the last 25 years I have watched the loon population rise to the point where I am expecting to see at least a couple on every trip. In fact on today’s family fishing trip we saw several including a couple that let me get quite close with the Lund.

This week I had an afternoon Nature Exploration Canoe Trip with a grandfather and his two grandchildren. The weather was forecast to be near perfect with little wind and a few clouds to keep the sun from being too bright. I arrived at the boat launch a few minutes early to unload canoes and get ready. The party was already there and as soon as I was introduced to the young boy he told his grandfather and I that his sister had something in her foot.

I have been invited to present at the LL Bean Hunting Expo being held at the Freeport store on August 27th to 29th this year. My topic is “Where do I Find My Own Grouse & Woodcock Hot Spots in Maine?” After almost a quarter century working as an upland hunting guide in Maine I have some thoughts and opinions that might be interesting. My presentation will be on Sunday the 29th at Noon in the Camping Atrium of the Flagship Store.

Each summer I wait for the time when the bass are “looking up” to feed eagerly. Granted most of the summer some bass will take a popper if conditions are right but around the middle of July they are all feeding on the surface, sometimes with abandon.

I always send a hand written thank you note my clients. But today I got this thank you. I really enjoy being part of outdoor experiences that provide so many great memories. That really is what Maine Outdoors is all about.

Hi Don,
Just wanted to say thank you for the terrific two days fishing/canoeing with you. The smiles in the pictures say it all!

Just to prove that fishing is not always easy even for an experienced angler chasing what should be easy to catch perch. Over the weekend the rainstorm that broke our hot spell produced some very good fishing. Saturday on Megunticook Lake in Camden before the rain started was excellent with lots of bass coming to the boat including several good sized specimens.

Over the last week I have guided a variety of fishing trips and can say without a doubt that we are enjoying some excellent fishing on freshwater and while the striper fishing is still slow in the Saint George there are fish in the river.

I have had a couple of nice mentions this month in articles on completely different topics. In the June issue of Backpacker magazine one of my stories about calling in a moose as a pull quote. Shortened for sure but still there I am on page 42. The best part of that one is the call I received late one evening from my oldest son. Expecting the worst I was stunned to hear him say “Dad did you know that you are in Backpacker magazine?” I replied that no I did not but had talked with a writer last winter.