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
May 23, 2010

Misprint in state’s new rule book gives wrong dates for free fishing

Fishermen take note: Maine’s free fishing weekend is officially June 5 and 6, but a misprint in the state fishing law book has it listed as May 29 and 30. Those fishing Memorial Day weekend without a license could be summonsed for breaking the law, despite the fact those two days are listed as a […]
Published
May 23, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: Southern area gets trout and bass, midcoast gets trash

Fishing is still hot, despite summer-like temps in many places, but it’s not all good news in fishing circles. An invasive introduction into an eastern Maine lake and a massive trash clean-up in central Maine had some state biologists slightly down last week. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE The good news out of southern Maine is […]
Published
May 20, 2010

Turns out, IFW rules tell a fish story

A state fishing lawbook erroneously says Mainers can fish for free Memorial Day weekend, so beware.
Published
May 19, 2010

State rule book wrong on free fishing days

Those fishing Memorial Day weekend without a license could be summonsed for breaking the law, despite the fact those two days are listed as “free fishing” days.
Published
May 16, 2010

Freshwater fishing: Smelt run complete, but Sebago still hot

While the salmon and togue fishing improves on Sebago Lake, it continues to go great guns Down East, according to yet another positive report by regional state biologists in the region. It nearly makes you question these guys … except that they’re out there fishing on their days off. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE The smelt […]
Published
May 16, 2010

Fleming: If sailing arouses your curiosity, here’s a great chance to try it

Despite the recession, SailMaine has been growing, at least in the number of new and eager sailors finding the sailing school on Portland’s waterfront. Those numbers for the nonprofit went up last year and again this year, and show no sign of slowing down. “We were growing steady since 2004, then maintained during a year […]
Published
May 8, 2010

Is this farewell?

A new dam may replace the iconic, century-old Upper Dam. A lot of anglers aren’t happy – and fear the fish won’t much like it, either.
Published
May 8, 2010

Fleming: Cottontails need some help to avoid federal endangered list

Despite tough economic times, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is continuing its save-the-bunny campaign. There is a full-on push to bring the cottontail rabbit back in northern New England. The rabbit is on the endangered species list in both Maine and New Hampshire, but not the federal list. And it won’t be if the […]
Published
May 8, 2010

Freshwater Fishing: Look for bass Down East, and generally good fishing statewide

Fishing is still plenty fast statewide and the bass are just coming on Down East. Unfortunately for Central Maine, the walleye continue to be the news of the week in the Belgrade Lakes region. REGION A: SOUTHERN MAINE The best reports in southern Maine this week are the rainbow trout in Norway Lake, said regional […]
Published
May 4, 2010

The Veg car went, but that doesn’t mean giving up green

The ride into work Monday was filled with sad irony, automotive in nature as it was. “Global Whining” said the bumper sticker directly ahead. And at the intersection of Routes 9 and 112 in Saco where I sat on my road bike it reminded me what I’d lost the day before. For a year and […]

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