ice fishing
Maine’s free fishing weekend starts Saturday
AUGUSTA — Fishing is free in Maine waterways for anyone who is willing to brave the cold. The state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is holding a free fishing weekend on Saturday and Sunday all over the state. Any person may fish without a license on Maine waterways unless they have had their license […]
Outdoors in Maine: Be wary of the ice early in the season
Each year about this time, the Maine Warden Service urges us to use extreme caution before venturing out onto any ice that may be covering Maine’s waterways. This is timely advice. Last winter three night time snow sledders all perished in one night on Rangeley Lake when they and their machines broke through thin ice. […]
Bristol lobsterman catches salmon on Wilson Pond in Wilton
WILTON — Salmon and brook trout were taking bait fish on ice-fishing trap lines Friday morning on the eastern end of Wilson Pond, while most anglers waited out the wind inside their vehicles parked onshore. Wind chills were near zero with the air temperature 26 in and out of snow squalls coating the ice with […]
Warmth, rain bad for Western Maine sled trails, but spring skiing a boon for ski areas
RUMFORD — Small Maine ski areas including Black Mountain in Rumford, Titcomb Mountain in Farmington and Shawnee Peak in Bridgton featured something unseasonable Friday and Saturday: spring skiing conditions. Warm weather this month and rain has slammed the brakes on what looked this fall to be a promising season. But officials at the ski areas […]
Anglers find just enough ice in Turner
General Ice Thickness Guidelines – For New, Clear Ice Only: 2″ or less: STAY OFF 4″: May allow ice fishing or other activities on foot 5″: Often allows for snowmobile or ATV travel 8″ – 12″: Supports most cars or small pickups 12″ – 15″: Will likely hold a medium sized truck. Get more information on […]
Ready, set, go ice fishing in Maine!
You won’t catch anything without a quality ice rod and reel. These come in different lengths and actions. For panfish, an ultralight to light action rod between 20 and 30 inches in length will suffice. For walleye, a medium-light to medium rod between 24 and 36 inches will suffice. For trout or pike, a medium-heavy […]
Open-water anglers won’t be wetting lines by April 1
WILTON — Finding open water on ponds and lakes for fishing April 1 — the traditional day to start open-water fishing — may be impossible without a flamethrower. Those waters are still buried under several feet of ice and snow. Just after 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, one lone ice angler on Wilson Pond trudged through nearly […]