There were so many highlights from this past week that’s it hard to pick a starting point! The fishing was great, the company was even better and the weather was really pretty good too. So many memories and stories to tell, but how about starting with all the little critters running, swimming, jumping, hopping and waddling around. For example, on Thursday morning around 5 a.m. I spotted my first flock of baby turkeys. There were three mother hen turkeys and 19 chicks (give or take a few – they are hard to count, and in my defense they all look the same). The hens kept a close watch on their brood and every time I tried to get close enough to take a picture they would shepherd the little ones away. I didn’t want to harass them too much, so I left well enough alone and headed to the lake. Once on the water, I had the privilege of fishing with my good friend Marty and his wife Gwen. My New Jerseyian friends come up and stay at Whisperwood every year, and we had a blast throwing Yamamoto swimming Senkos and spinnerbaits for largemouth bass. They even caught a few on top water, which is always a thrill. While on our trip, Marty told me that he has taken up photography and moments later a mother loon with two babies on her back swam around the corner. It was fate, karma, a gift from the loon gods! When the loon first rounded the bend, she didn’t realize we were there and dove to catch some fish. The little fluff balls bobbed around and minutes later momma popped up right next to them. As soon as she saw us, the babies were back up on their feathered raft! In the blink of an eye, the mother loon lifted her wing and hid the babes under the protection of her arm. If you didn’t know the babies were there, you would never have seen them. It was a great experience. Marty did get some photos of the loon and some terrific eagle shots later in the day. The bald eagles seem to be thriving this year, and it’s rare to not see an eagle on a morning’s fishing trip. Of course the baby ducks and geese are everywhere, along with lots of small turtles. Speaking of turtles, kudos to whoever had traffic stopped the other day on Route 27 in front of Hammond Lumber Company. That stubborn snapping turtle just didn’t want to cross the road, but you helped him make the trip safely. Being hit by cars is one of the leading causes of death for snapping turtles, which can live to be over 50 years old. Plus, they lay a clutch of eggs that should be hatching in the next few weeks. Nice job!
So in addition to all the little critters there’s also a lot of baby fish swimming around this time of year. The smallmouth bass have entered their post spawn time, meaning they have begun to move off beds and spend more time in deeper water. The big females have the feed bag on now, so anglers should be able to catch some bigger fish in 10-15 feet . One observation from the past week is that the smallies are keyed on little crayfish. The crayfish are about an inch long and seem to be very abundant. If worms and minnow imitating baits are not working, try a crayfish imitating bait like a jig or crayfish colored crankbait. The sunfish (known in some places as bream) are also on their beds in the shallow weedy water and you can bet that their fry will attract the largemouth bass. Once the fry pop and start swimming around, the largemouth fishing will be excellent!
Trout fishing is in high gear right now for trollers and fly fishermen. The big mayflies are everywhere and they are drawing trout to the surface. These next few weeks offer fly fishermen a chance to catch trout on the surface on the lakes and ponds in the area. Dusk fishing seems to be the best time to catch cruising browns and brookies. If river fishing puts the wind in your sails, you might want to head up the Shawmut section of the Kennebec River. The river levels are excellent right now and wading options abound in this stretch of river. Elk hair caddis flies and green or brown drakes (big mayflies called Hexagenias) are a great option this time of year on the river, but be aware, the fish here are smart. Light tippets and proper presentation are key to catching the browns and rainbows in this area. Good Luck
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