Smeltapolooza 2012. The myth revealed….

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Feb 162012
 

There are no smelts in Maine.  It’s all a big fat lie.

Ok, Ok, that’s not true. Reports indicate that there has been some action this year with the best seemingly on the larger Kennebec River.  However the overwhelming response this year, so far as I’ve seen from those fishing the smaller tributaries where the bulk of the smelt camp operations are, is that… this year is bad. In fact, over the course of the last 7 or 8 years we’ve been doing Smeltapolooza, it seems the catch rate has steadily dwindled.

..."not a creature was stirring, not even a smelt"...

Some claim that, at least this year, the warmer winter and late ice is the cause, while others say that the tides have been running too big or that freezing then thawing ice is creating weird currents that are clouding up the water. None of this though would explain why some I talk to say that the smelt fishing just isn’t what it was a few years ago.  Perhaps it some cyclical thing that happens every number of years and coincides with the New England Patriots draft picks or something. Or, maybe it’s best to leave it to the biologists to figure it out and we’ll scour the internets for any news from them.

In the mean time, we carried on the tradition again this year and tackled the Abagadasset River in Bowdoinham, Maine.   MOF members equaled four, smelt caught equaled zero. And the dozen or so camps along the river bank with us were coming up empty handed as well on the five hour, night time, outgoing tide.  We did eat well, except that the lack of a menu coordinator meant that somehow each of us brought sausages….lots of sausage,…sausage 6 ways sausage. We will review menu planning procedures for future trips.  

 Dean brought his bear repellant pink flamingo (see First Big Spring Trip Roundup) to guard the shack and, although black bears are hibernating in Maine in the winter, Dean’s from down south originally and probably thinks where there is frozen water there has to be polar bears wandering around. 

I’m seeing and hearing of guys using Sabiki rigs that they bring themselves and jig with instead of relying on the single lines provided with the camps. Next year we’ll rig up a few of these with little glow in the dark krill-like jigs and work them with handheld jigging rods… you can see an early attempt we did with a single rig from the post in Monster Tech Tips called the Smeltslayer Model 2010 prototype..  

 

Between now and then though, the MOF will be preparing for First Flys Out in early spring…. and anything else that comes up before then…

First Big Spring Trip Roundup…

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Jul 082011
 

Well, the mid June trip turned off pretty well overall I’d say. Four of the Monsters crew,  and special guest Karen all hooked up with either salmon, brookies or both.  We hit three rivers including the Rapid.  The Rapid River was running at a nice 400 cfs  which made it easier to get to more good pockets.  It seemed like nymphs, streamers, and dry flies all produced hits depending on,  what was going on…  

We tried the Rangeley River for the first time after being told it was producing,  but it was already late morning by the time we got to it and past prime time. There were quite a few people up and down it when we got there,  but they were heading out as we were coming in.  This one will be revisited next time, early.  We will return to this whole area for the Labor Day weekend,  which should provide even better salmon counts that time of year.

Some related topics on this first trip.  Karen demonstrated a well known but little understood law of fishing,  by catching the best fish of the trip having never really done any kind of fishing before in her life.  Just a few times practicing casting in the yard, and tying on a fly or two at home, and she jumped in.   There is no rational explanation for this; it’s just the way it is.  Jimmy and Kristen scored a bunch of good stuff from the FFIM raffle one night.  I discovered on the last day that, at about mid thigh level, the right leg of my waders would completely fill with water. I collected a dent in the hood of the Jeep from a tree branch falling on it at some point, and Dean successfully field tested his new bear deterrent system for his tent (see pink plastic birds guarding the entrance in photo).   

So, all in all I guess we lived the dream once again…….   right?…    And between now and the next trip to this area we’ll hit some additional places for sure.  I’m looking to get something together next for a run up to our river spots around the Moosehead Lake area,…  and then the West Branch of the Penobscot,…oh, and striper fishing along the coast here,…and then…….

The Crew all lined up...

 Posted by at 11:54 am  Tagged with:

Spring Fling 2011: And an overdue update…

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May 192011
 

Yes, there has been a lull in the updating of this site but not for lack of lines being in the water. There was of course Smeltapolooza 2011, and some early spring lines in (mostly by Dean) with success on Sebago Lake for some early lakers and recently on Tricky Pond with a half dozen brooks in the boat. I hit the Presumpscott  River a month ago and, I don’t know where the 200 or so stocked brookies went that were dumped in there the weekend before but, they went either up to the lake or got swept way down by the fast spring runoff. I only gave it an hour though but got the chance to brief someone new to the addiction that is fly fishing.

My friend Karen came with me and has decided to drink the cool-aid, and will come to our first big foray in June for her first time fly fishing. We’ll hook up with FFIM for the Spring Conclave and make Cusuptic Lake the base camp for exploring the legendary rivers of western Maine. Karen has been very impressive with her ability to beg, borrow, and steal all the equipment necessary.  In fact, we may all be out equipped by her before it’s all said and done. If we get out fished by her…..then we will have some explaining to do.

So, as you know this site is not always about the technical side of fishing, but often more a reflection of the fishing adventures we go on….with all the side stuff that goes along with it. We may get to the flies, the hatches, the knots, the river flow CFMs and the catch statistics when we can. Now, the Monsters Of Fishing are just packing it all up, and getting ready to yank (and release) what we can from the Cusuptic, Kennebego, Magalloway, and Rapid Rivers.

Noteworthy developments for this year’s first trip:  Jimmy will attempt to use a little red wagon to pull a week’s load of food, beverages,  and beverages the mile or so walk into Middle Dam for one day.  Dean is brewing up a couple of cases of commemorative nut brown ale for the trip. And I’ll be guiding aforementioned Karen on her maiden fly fishing outing—where she will observe the MOF crew in a wilderness setting where it’s too far to run away anywhere.  More to come…

Jimmy at Middle Dam-Rapid River

 Posted by at 2:37 pm  Tagged with:

Smeltapolooza 2011. “Where’s the smelts?”

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Feb 212011
 

The Monsters Of Fishing got out later than usual this year for what we figured was our 7th annual pilgrimage to extract small little fish through frozen river ice in the hopes of filling buckets with them.  We settled into a six and a half hour outgoing tide with fierce wind gusts buffeting the 20 odd shacks along the Catance River.  Not a line stirred. In fact, with every shack booked, we saw no one produce a smelt. There was a single 14 inch carp caught by a group a few doors down, but that was it. This is smelting. And we know it going in. If they are running, you can haul lines all night. When they are not, then it’s time to relax, break out the food, and start cooking.

This year’s menu started with a melted Velveeta with jarred salsa dumped in for chip dipping. Shrimp scampi followed, then, Italian sausages and rib eye steaks. Vegetables as usual were strictly forbidden. We agreed that onions and green peppers sautéed with meat are considered aromatics instead of vegetables here, and so are allowed.  The feast was paired with a lager that rang in at $2.99 a six pack and worked well with the delicate flavors.  One member enjoyed gin and tonics with the entrees. Beef jerky and Slim Jims rounded out the service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year I had a re-match with my cooler. We had a scuffle last year going up the steep ramp off the river at the end of the night and, review of a previous Smeltapolooza post will indicate that it kicked my butt. This year I trained hard in anticipation of the grudge match and it paid off. I dominated the cooler the whole way up the ramp without incident.  In fact, aside from Dean loosing his sunglasses down the race hole in the first three minutes, and someone who will remain nameless exploring the culinary possibilities of eating a live bloodworm and making Troy nearly loose lunch at the sight of that, the whole trip seemed to go pretty smoothly for the most part.

We did some rough number crunching to determine the price per pound we’ve paid for fresh smelts on average for the past seven trips and we figured it comes out to approximately $437 a pound. Now, smelts are $2.99 a pound at the local supermarkets all day long this time of year, we realize that. But, paying a slight premium to ensure absolute freshness in this case seems to make sense to all of us so, the tradition will continue. Next year we will move to another location and have set a goal to double this year’s catch… which will only take one fish but, it can only go up from there….  Cheers from the MOF.

Fly Fishing Film Tour

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Jan 182011
 

This March 4th and 5th Costa’s Fly Fishing Film Tour will screen this year’s spring adrenaline booster shot at the Frontier Cafe Theater in Brunswick, ME. These guys showcase pieces from some of the best outdoor filmmakers and will have you dry casting in your living room the night after you see one of their films. I see no reason why this wouldn’t make for a fine date night out either right?  Check out the schedule for a show in your area here: http://www.flyfishingfilmtour.com/about/  and a taste of Nervous Water.

 Posted by at 7:17 pm  Tagged with:

One Monster Makes Ends Meet

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Jan 052011
 

Sometimes chasing the perfect cast, that explosive hit, the fish of a lifetime,…doesn’t come easy, and persuing the dream can require time and resources.  This member of the Monsters Of Fishing team has always been willing to do whatever it takes to finance that dream. Fortunately, it seems flyfishing is fashionable and, well, when a high end, big city based publishing company that wanted to cover the glamour that is fly fishing approached me this summer, I couldnt resits the pocket change.

I know, you’re worried but rest assured,  I’ll keep my feet on the ground and not let fame and fortune make me forget how to tie a nail knot..

 Posted by at 8:13 pm

Smeltapolooza 2011. Tradition, Adventure, and The Impending Chaos to come….

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Jan 032011
 

It’s time. The Monsters had a good open water season. There were the two fly fishing expeditions to ply Rapid , Cusuptic, and Magalloway Rivers in the Rangely area, and Monster Dean’s work on Sebago Lake,…all of which provided productive fishing this spring and summer. Heavy work schedules kept postings to this site a bit on the sparse side but rest assured….  The Monsters Of Fishing were vigilant in keeping lines in the water. 

But now the chill is in the air, and even though Maine has extended open water season to year round on most bodies of water,..  the river edges are crisping up with ice that’s moving outward and the annual tradition of Smeltapolooza has hit first gear. Normally the overnight event is planned for Valentines Day weekend… a logistical stroke of genius from years ago that has been staunchly defended despite subsequent marriages and significant others. This year however, business travel constraints of one of us has meant the date has been set for January 29th.   Ground Zero is again  Jim’s Smelts Camps on the Catance River.  We may find additional people to join in this year, and the food and beverage selections are currently in the final stages of planning. Dean has a batch of something brewing for The Monsters Of Fishing Brewing Company’s suds offering this year–maybe a smelt-jalapeno-corn liquor infused IPA or something…gawd knows.  All I know is Jimmy and I talked food menus at Conference “G” last night and there will be plenty of smoke rolling out of the smelt shack from various meat based products again this year ( vegetables, are as usual, strictly forbidden again this year).  

This year we’ll be fishing a  4:00pm to 10pm tide–a later tide and a longer stretch of darkness with the lights over the race hole shining to attract the smelts so,..  I’m anticipating perhaps a greater catch than ever this year…  and even stranger looks from the hotel desk back where we’re staying when a half dozen of us come through the lobby at 11pm a little rough around the edges from all the fishing, and dragging coolers, packs, and propane stoves up to our rooms…  eh, they remember us by now.

New Maine Record Rainbow Trout-Caught October 31st!

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Nov 122010
 

Now the  Monsters have pulled many trout out of this stretch of the Kennebec River right in Solon Maine. We make a trip there every year. There’s a spot known as “rainbow pool” to the locals. Two years ago in fact Monster Kristen hooked into a rainbow right there that took air, so she identified it,  then it proceeded to vaporize her tippet. When she came down she was a bit shaken when she told us that it was the biggest rainbow she had seen. But Anders Olafson gets the free beers tonight for just setting the new Maine State record for a rainbow–8.42 lbs, and caught October 31st right there on the Kennebec in Solon. That is one hog of a rainbow. Cheers!

5:12 PM

Rainbow trout sets record

By Doug Harlow
 

SOLON — A Starks man caught a record-setting rainbow trout in Somerset County — and that’s no fish tale.
Anders Olafson caught the fish on Oct. 31 on the Kennebec River in Solon, according to Deborah Turcotte, spokeswoman from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
“It’s a state record — it’s a record for weight,” Turcotte said Friday.
The fish was weighed 8.42 pounds and was weighed on a certified scale at the Solon Superette on U.S. Route 201, Turcotte said. The previous state record was caught by Michael Thebarge of Skowhegan on Lake George on Feb. 6, 2009. It weighed 7 pounds.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Harry Vanderweide, editor of the Maine Sportsman newspaper, jointly announce new records. The publication has maintained the state record book for more than 30 years.

 

Contributed photo RECORD TROUT: Anders Olafson of Starks caught a record 8.42-pound rainbow trout Oct. 3 while fishing on the Kennebec River in Solon. The fish is the heaviest trout caught in Maine, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Harry Vanderweide, editor of the Maine Sportsman newspaper. The paper has maintained the state record book for more than 30 years, according to the release.

Season’s End as we know it

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Oct 172010
 

MOF Dude

MOf board of directors for the most part had a fair year in the waters of Maine. I (Dean) Personally had to travel for work begining from the End of May until the first of September. So needless to say, I couldnt get enough water time as I would have liked.  What will be interesting is the “new laws” pertaining to fishing beyond what used to be Season’s end and what that may bring. 

I did hit the Pleasant River a few times as well as the usual Sebago foray with associate MOF memeber Wayne. Did OK with the usual Wobbler and “Harry” on Sebago.  Also did a couple of trips with junior MOF associate Emma to the Presumscott, under the bridge at North Gorham Pond. Was’nt bad there with worms. A few bass came out of there as well as a trout or two. If some one wanted to, further down the Presumscott, all the way to Covered Bridge, was a hot place. I used not only flies, but brought out a variety of little Panther Martin’s. One day, I think I got everything from Trout and Bass, to a nice….I mean nice Brookie…..

 

On this particular day, I headed out to the bay with a great friend and saltwater mentor,  Tim and his boat. We used a “Christmas tree” rig to hook up with some Mack’s for bait. Then headed out around a few of the islands. At one location,(super secret) we tossed lines off spinning gear and in a few seconds, hooked up doubles.  Great day there Just being out on  the water.

 

 Most river fishing for me was successful with my favorite Grey or Blue Dun. I did grab a few with a Grasshopper pattern. Spinners, Nymphs, and streamers failed me. I’ll attribute that to me not paying attention.

 

With the new rules and regulations it is going to be interesting as to what we can do in Maine with some longer weeks going in to the freezining waters.  I believe that I will try it out.  I mean, let’s look at the Sebago Ice Fishing Derby. If it was anything like last year, some folks were drilling holes and dropping lines…..What’s to stop me from launching a boat and cruising the edges of the ice?….

Plans are being made for SMELTAPALOOZA 2011.

Stay in touch and keep on tossing lines.

 

 

 Posted by at 8:41 am  Tagged with:
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