Deirdre Fleming

Staff Writer

Deirdre Fleming covers the outdoors for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, and has been a newspaper reporter in Maine for 25 years - and an outdoor writer for the past 20. During that time, she’s seen biologists trap 500-pound bear, watched fishermen land high-jumping makos, camped on Moosehead Lake in the winter, and retraced Gov. Percival Baxter’s first trip to Mt. Katahdin. She is often asked, but still does not know her favorite wildland in Maine. A graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Missouri, she lives with her husband in Buxton near the Saco River, where they both fly fish.

Latest

Published
July 18, 2010

Hooked on kayak fishing. Seriously.

What at first seems an odd blending of activities creates a fun new — and increasingly popular — way to catch the big one.
Published
July 18, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: Surveys take stock of populations

This month is all about fishing surveys, except in Region B, where state fisheries biologist Robert Van-Riper is surveying lakes associations, getting a read on the pulse of the Belgrade lakes region fishing community. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE Brown trout waters will be inspected by regional biologists and three waters of note will be studied. […]
Published
July 11, 2010

Commodes with a nice air about them

Certain outhouses in Maine have such pleasant amenities, they could prompt more people to go outside.
Published
July 11, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: Hot weather’s just fine for warm-water fish

This is the time of year that really tests a fisherman’s mettle. Last week’s heat wave sent bass diving to the depths, but nice browns and brook trout were still had, according to state biologists. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE A report of an angler catching a 10.1-pound brown trout came in to the state fisheries […]
Published
July 4, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: July typically means slower action

Fishing is definitely slowing down in most of the state as we head into July, but not for kids fishing Down East or the patient brown trout fishermen in central or southern Maine. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE Reports of brown trout caught in the Mousam River have been consistently good, said biologist Francis Brautigam of […]
Published
July 4, 2010

Worth the hike, and so worth protecting

Protection of the Grafton Loop Trail and its natural wonders continues to be a solid work in progress
Published
July 1, 2010

Moose on loose looks to stay that way

With several Portland police officers and state game wardens watching, a state biologist prepared to fire a tranquilizer gun to subdue the animal. The gun jammed.
Published
June 26, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: Pike catches overshadow slower fishing

Angling for cold-water fish is slowing in the summer heat in many areas, but state biologists have worse news this week. Illegal introductions are reported in southern Maine and are leading to stricter regulations up north. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE There was an 8-pound largemouth bass caught and released in Deer Pond in Hollis, reported […]
Published
June 26, 2010

Fleming: Joy and friendship during a night at the lottery

The carnival and celebration that is the Maine moose lottery is not something you see every day. It is a special occasion. I know, having gone to several around the state, from Old Town, Phippsburg and Bucksport to Scarborough and now Freeport. There is still the whooping when a winner who is present gets called. […]
Published
June 20, 2010

Feature obituary: Vincent Coyne, 59,ran Vinny’s Variety in West End

Margaret Coyne remembers her husband going to every single one of his son’s hockey games from age 6 to 18. And Kevin Coyne recalls his father going to visit his sister, Christine, in graduate school and meeting his mother to get chowder and fried clams every Friday in the summer. “He’d always arrive 20 minutes […]

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