Inland Tracks
Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is impressing me lately with it’s lunge into the realm of social media. With reaches into Twitter, Facebook, and now WordPress, staying informed with IF&W is as easy as making up a Tiger Woods joke.
Travis Barrett is a Public Relations Representative with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and an avid outdoorsman (not to mention award winning writer). His blog Inland Tracks is full of great regional info and other ramblings from his work around the state. For the latest and greatest MIF&W happenings, Travis has your back.
Click HERE or one of the other 5 hyperlinks on this page to check out Inland Tracks <—one more today,
Tight Lines (If your lucky enough to be fishing)
-Ben
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
It's Coming…
Don’t shoot! I’m just the messenger…
Thanksgiving weekend, 2008
Every once in a great while, I’m able to look through the “pain in the ass” factor and appreciate winter for its natural beauty. This was one of those times.
As the Thanksgiving weekend closes in, northern Maine still waits patiently for its first REAL snowfall. You know, the kind that blankets the ground with a fresh sheet of white, cloaking the grass in darkness until mid April. The best word I can use to describe this late fall/early winter season is mild. The occasional cold day serves as a reminder that frigid times await, but I can’t help but predict that this winter will remain a warm one. It has made for terrible deer hunting conditions, not that there are a ton of dear in the Allagash to begin with. Still we trudge along, hoping that some day soon we might just get lucky.
All of these mild conditions make me ponder what it might be like to cast a fly on the Fish River during the winter months. While the fishing season closes (in most places) at the start of hunting season in October, I can’t help but think that an open water catch-and-release fly fishing season would be a solid idea. With the government already in financial trouble, why not sell a special license for those who want to throw a line during the late Fall and Winter? Yes, most waters are completely frozen by December, but why not at least give us October and November? I struggle to find the reasons against this idea.
I hate to say it, but just this one time It might be a good idea to follow California’s lead (Someone slap me). What special circumstances are present in the West that allow for extended seasons? Somebody clue me in, I’m clearly delusional.
Tight Lines,
-Ben
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine: Fall 2009
Howdy Folks’
The Fall 2009 issue of “Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine” is now live and available online for your viewing enjoyment. Included in the latest issue is the story of “The Final Charge,” Maine’s new taxidermy display of locked moose, which represents one of only 2 such displays in the northern hemisphere. Also included is a great article on hunter safety, as well as information about Maine’s wild brook trout.
Click to read!
On a side note, the 2009 Moose Hunt Recap is nearing completion, and it should be available for your reading pleasure as early as tomorrow morning. I know I’ve been dragging this out for a while now, but thus far I am extremely satisfied with the how it is shaping up. I am truly excited to hear your thoughts on the finished product. Stay tuned!
Now, back to your regularly scheduled Saturday night programming.
-Ben
Better Know a District!
- About a month ago Stephen Colbert sat down with Chellie Pingree to discuss Maine’s first district. I’m not usually one to laugh when people poke fun at Maine, but in this case I’ll make an exception. I mean, who knew that Portland had the third highest concentration of women living together, or that some of Maine is actually IN Canada. Priceless!
(No embed link for this video, click HERE to watch it now.)
Happy Castings,
-Ben
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
Atlantic Salmon Update
- Since the announcement was made early last week, surprisingly little has come up in the news regarding the recent addition of Maine’s Atlantic Salmon to the Endangered Species List. I’ve yet to decided if this is a good or bad thing, but I do know that it’s not something that will quietly fade into the night.
Recently a single article did appear in the Bangor Daily News regarding the Industrial surroundings of the three involved Rivers. While it is unclear as to exactly how Maine’s industrial past and present will affect the recovery of Salmon, there are some interesting opinions on the subject.
Click the active photo above to read the entire B.D.N article, or click HERE.
Happy Castings,
-Ben
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
Why Maine?
The Spring 2009 edition of Maine Fish and Wildlife magazine is now available for your viewing pleasure. Inside these pages Mainers will find the latest info regarding deer populations, the Moose Lottery, and conservation efforts of many Maine Fisheries. After reading through the entire issue, I give it the Up’North Stamp of Approval. What I enjoyed the most was a video included called “Maine, A World Class Fishery.” In the video are registered Maine guides and other influential faces from the fishing scene including Matt Libby of Libby Camps, Mac McKeever of L.L.Bean, and fly fishing’s godfather Lefty Kreh. The video cues in on exactly what makes the Maine fishing experience so special, and also profiles what Maine Wardens and Biologists are doing to help conserve our precious Wild Brook Trout populations and other fisheries throughout the state. The Magazine is available online, view it HERE.
Check the Video out HERE!
I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
Happy Castings,
-Ben
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
Maine Salmon Season Canceled!
- The month long catch and release season for Atlantic Salmon on the Penobscot River has officially been called off. Originally slated to start on Friday, this season would have only been the second in the last decade. While the Penobscot still remains the only river in the United States with a sizable Salmon run, numbers are still incredibly bad, with over 90% of the spawning fish coming from federal fish hatcheries. Read the full article from The Bangor Daily News.
Penobscot River, Milford Dam
Maybe I’m alone here, but the fact that over 90% of the migrating Atlantic Salmon come from hatcheries troubles me much more than the cancellation of any season. Hatchery fish compete with the native Salmon, and if practices aren’t changed quickly eventually these native fish will disappear. While most won’t see that as an extinction, that’s exactly what it is. The Penobscot river Salmon fishery should be managed through conservation efforts involving the removal of dams and the regulation of fishing (yeah I said it), not bombarded and covered up with hatchery fish. To learn more about the current condition of the river’s fisheries, and what you can do to help restore the Penobscot River, please visit the Penobscot River Restoration Trust website.
Happy Castings (Just not for Atlantic Salmon)
-Ben
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
Allagash Wilderness Waterway Annual Report: 2008
Provided By: Maine Department of Conservation
-The Maine Department of Conservation recently released it’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway Annual Report for 2008. It seems the recreational use of the A.W.W. has increased in 2008 for the first time in eight years. I believe this could be a sign directly related to the tough economic times in Maine, and throughout the country. While families can’t afford their lavish vacations with resort hotels, they are instead opting to stay in one of nature’s finest five star hotels, the Allagash. I guess it takes desperate times like these to wake people up and make them realize how important something as simple as floating down a river can be.
Not buying into my economic theory? Download the full report in PDF (It’s fairly short) HERE! Let’s hear some opinions!
Happy Castings,
-Ben
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
As First Reported by our good friends at Buster Wants To Fish.
-The Omnibus Public Lands Act passed in the House of Representatives today with a vote of 285-140. President Obama has already confirmed he will sign it into law possibly as early as next week. This goes a long way towards protecting over 2 million acres of land and over 1,000 miles of rivers across the country. A HUGE thanks to all who signed petitions and sent letters to their representatives urging that they support this great cause. Just goes to show you that a little elbow grease and some dedication goes a long ways. Way to go guys!
Read more about this Historic Act and it’s intended Impact HERE.
Happy Castings
-Ben
The State of the Nation (As not even Lord, I mean President Obama can present it)
-Because I’m waiting on a few pictures via L.L.Bean for my “Spring Fishing Expo” story, I’ve decided it might be a good idea to give everyone an update on the state of Up’North, the upcoming open water fishing season, and life in general (not in any particular organized order).
*This past month has been crazy for me and the blog. I’ve seen a huge increase in visitors and an overall great reaction from many different people regarding Up’North’s content and general layout. I’m trying hard to establish a certain pattern of posts so my readers can learn to look forward to different days based on content. For example, Thursdays I feature different fly fishing artists, and Sundays I give you “Yet Another Reason Fly Fishing Is Better.” I feel like these features have been well received, and I find that I have attracted a good group of daily visitors who leave their fair share of comments and make things around the site interesting and entertaining. People from my home town, as far as Alaska, and as Influential as representatives and senior members of Orvis and L.L.Bean have taken time to read my work. It’s not always easy to find things to write about, so I really appreciate the feedback and friendly remarks.
The site has given me much to smile about since I created it at the end of February. I’ve met many people who have helped me a lot along the way through ideas, tips, and thoughtful comments. Some of the biggest players in the “Fly Fishing Blog” community have accepted me into their niche no questions asked, and have set the bar as far as quality and content are concerned. The content they post on their sites drives me to work harder and come up with new more innovative ways to attract readers. It’s a great feeling to visit the blog of a fellow writer to find that a link to my site has been added to their list of friends. I can’t express enough how much this support means to me. Even organizations like the Maine Department of Conservation have mentioned Up’North Maine Fly Castings in their publications, singing my praise. It’s humbling to think that people who play such an important role in my state’s conservation are inclined to take time out of their busy schedules to read what I have to say.
Finally, I’d like to thank personally the great people of L.L.Bean for spreading the word about Up’North and checking in on the site almost daily. Having always been a great fan of Bean, I’ve quickly started to realize that the people who make up this historic company are truly that of class and integrity. The support you have shown this Fly Fishin’ County Boy is more than appreciated, and I take great pride in all the help and kind words Mac and the rest of the crew have thrown my way. I can shoot down the non-believers firmly and say here today that L.L.Bean has been, and will continue to be first and foremost a “Maine Company” supporting “Maine Folk.”
So enough of the schmoozing and “official” banter, lets welcome Spring back from it’s long winter hiatus. April 1st is approaching quickly, and my dreams of casting a fly will soon be reality. I can say without a doubt that I’ve never looked forward to fly fishing season more than I do this year. I can only hope that balancing school and “Spring Fever” will be easier than I currently foresee. In anticipation, I have taken my fly tying to the next level and created a few monsters that I’m just itching to try out on the river. I tried tying from the step by step instructions in a few different books, but have realized that creating my own patterns and simply looking at existing flies in my box are a much more productive way of developing my own technique and style. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made as a tyer, and hope to show readers a few of my latest creation in an upcoming post. Stay Tuned!
That’s just about everything that’s gone on in my life regarding fly fishing and Up’North during the past Month. As for the months to come, look forward to some pretty drastic changes. While I can’t give an exact time line, soon the day will arrive when I decide to spread my wings and find a web host for the site. This will bring in new and interesting plug-ins, dramatic layout changes, tons of new content, and so much more. Look forward to decals, shirts, and even hats around the time summer approaches. For less than it takes to drink on a Friday night, you too can sport fancy Up’North gear that is sure to make the ladies drool. It’s only a matter of time! Until then, Good health, Cheers, and as always..
Happy Castings,
-Ben
Help Historic Public Lands Protections Become Law!
-Yet another good cause! Do your part to push for the protection of millions of acres of land and over 1,000 miles of the countries most pristine rivers. Last week, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act fell two votes short of passing in the U.S. House. In the next week, the U.S. House will have another opportunity to pass legislation that will ensure these historic protections become law. Take a few moments out of your day to sign the petition, and show your State Representative you care! For more information, and to sign the petition click HERE!
Text and Information provided by thepetitionsite.com
Up’North Approved
-Ben
Recent Reader Comments