Southern Maine rivers and streams are teeming with trout that are just waiting to be caught by the local angler.
April 1 marks open season on trout and other freshwater fish. While the water might be too cold for great fishing, it’s a good idea to be ready for when those trout start striking at lures, flies and live bait. The angler needs to check the rules and regulations for a particular river or stream and not forget to purchase licenses for everyone in their party.
Once the angler chooses the kind of fishing they are going to engage in, they need to check their gear and possibly go to the local outdoor store for more. It might be time to get more gear for growing children or it might be time to look into fly fishing equipment for the first time.
Fishing is a great way to spend quality time with the kids. Pry them away from those video games and thrust them into a real life experience. Getting a strike from a trout creates an infectious kind of excitement that will keep a kid coming back time after time.
While fishing, fishing stories get told. Dad, grandpa and maybe even great-grandpa can share their fishing wisdom with the youngsters as well as decades of big fish stories. In this way the foundation of the next generation of fisherman is laid.
When you are out fishing, try to experience the magic hour. The magic hour is that time of day 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. Both are excellent times to be out there casting into that favorite fishing hole, and the natural beauty at that time is unsurpassed.
Spring in Maine is a beautiful time. The leaves are budding on the trees and the grasses are greening. The water levels in the rivers are high. While searching for a good fishing hole the angler might come across a moose or deer. Such interactions with wildlife are among the fringe benefits of being out in the woods. Be respectful of the wildlife for you are in their home.
Fishing and hunting is a way of life for many families in southern Maine. Just like some families put on their best clothes and go to church on Sundays, others don their fishing gear and head out to their favorite fishing hole for a day of fishing, fun and picnic lunch.
Your fishing spot may be catch and release or you may be able to take a few home to cook. There are wonderful ways to prepare trout. Recipes can be found in books, the Internet or just ad lib with salt and lemon pepper.
— Bill Stride is a conservationist that lives in Wells. To contact him, email wrstride@aol.com. For more information on conservation go to wellsconservation.org.
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