smallmouth bass

I will be offering a session at the LL Bean spring fishing event again this year. My presentation is scheduled for Saturday March 20th, at 2pm in the Maine Store in Freeport. This is always a well attended event with lots of interesting presentations and individuals. Below is the listing for my presentation that will appear in the LL Bean promotion.
Hope to see you there!

Maine Smallmouth Fishing: A World-Class Secret

Maine Professional Guides Association

Late Monday morning I received an e-mail asking about a quick fishing trip to shoot some video for a web project. Since the weather was sunny and warm I agreed and loaded my fishing equipment. Once at the boat launch on Megunticook Lake in Camden though I was nervous. It is getting late in the season and the water temperatures are getting low. Maybe the fish would not cooperate.

Just to prove that I am not perfect. Yesterday morning I picked up my clients at the Samoset Resort and headed to Megunticook Lake in Camden for a morning of bass fishing. Everything pretty normal, pleasant clients and perfect September weather. I pulled into the parking lot and made ready to launch. When I went to put the drain plug in the stern it would not tighten. I removed it and tried to make an adjustment with my pliers. The bolt in the center of the plug simply broke off.

Today was one of those perfect days we all talk about. No clouds perfect blue sky and little wind. The temperature this morning was 48 degrees with a high of 75 this afternoon, pretty much a perfect day.

I have been doing lots of fishing trips with families this week. I had back to back family trips Saturday and Sunday both times fishing for bass. When you have two or three lines in the water the opportunity for catching several fish at the same time is always there but it usually does not happen.

I took the opportunity before and after my trip yesterday to do a little experimenting with the bass fishing. Normally I do not consider either largemouth or smallmouth bass to be especially fussy about what fly or lure they want but yesterday proved that wrong.

The rain on Friday fell heavily and I knew that it made the Saint George rise quickly but got quite a surprise this morning on arrival at the boat launch on Megunticook Lake in Camden. The parking lot was almost completely covered with water! I had arranged to meet my client at his rental cottage on the lake so I had to launch. I was able to pull into the parking area and launch the boat into the flooded parking lot.

I am often asked when the bass spawn takes place and always have a smart remark for an answer. Something about not being able to see the future very well. This year though the right answer is this coming week. I fished on a local lake this morning and had some very enjoyable smallmouth fishing.

Those of you that fish are no doubt using some soft plastic baits. They are effective for bass and I have used plastic tails when fishing for perch, bass and stripers over the years. Recent research done by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (press release here) indicates that there is a problem with these baits when they are lost or discarded.

Yesterday afternoon was my first trip on Megunticook Lake for the season. The sky was clear and there was a chilly breeze out of the northwest. I was prospecting for guided trips over the next few weeks and I like what I saw.

The eagles are back nesting on the lake providing multiple opportunities to see them perched, on the nest and flying. Loons have returned in good numbers and I saw several pairs, one pair in particular seemed to have a nest in a cove that they were pretty interested in having me not around.