Our Maine Heritage — “Remember that huge striper I caught?”

Sometimes, it’s the unexpected catches that make for the most memorable fishing trips.

Doubt it? Just look at the grin on Sidney A. Johnson’s face in this photo culled from the BDN archives.

Sidney A. Johnson of Winterport displays a 36-pound striped bass he caught in his smelt net Saturday morning. The huge fish measured 41 inches in length and probably was the heaviest ever to be taken from the Penobscot river.  BANGOR DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO BY SPIKE WEBB

Sidney A. Johnson of Winterport displays a 36-pound striped bass he caught in his smelt net Saturday morning. The huge fish measured 41 inches in length and probably was the heaviest ever to be taken from the Penobscot river. BANGOR DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO BY SPIKE WEBB

Sidney was a man who didn’t intend on hauling in a 36-pound striper on that mid-winter day, some 57 years ago. But he did. And the image lives on.

As the cutline from the Feb. 1, 1958 edition of the BDN tells, Sidney was out tending his smelt net when he ended up catching more than he bargained for. And today,  that broad smile still speaks volumes. So does the classic Maine plaid jacket.

I hadn’t been born when Sidney netted his striper, but the photo still resonates with me. So does the photo credit.

This image from the past was captured by Spike Webb, a legendary BDN photog — in fact, the first BDN photog I ever heard of.

When I received the small camera I’d requested one Christmas morning — it might have been 1970 … I was probably 6 or 7 years old — I began snapping photos of everything in sight.

I can still remember one of my uncles watching me skulking around with my camera and warning other family members: “Watch out, here comes Spike Webb!”

In coming weeks, we’ll share other images from the past, evidence of our shared Maine heritage. Some will be beautiful scenic shots; others will document the outdoor life, times, and memorable characters who came before us.

And we’d love you to pitch in and take part in this walk down memory lane.

If you’ve got a great old photo that documents Maine and our outdoor traditions, send it along (via email, please … don’t send us priceless family heirlooms by mail), to me at jholyoke@bangordailynews.com.

Share what information you can. Tell us a tale, and let us share it with thousands of other nostalgic readers.

In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for more of these classic photos, which will appear in this space weekly.

John Holyoke

About John Holyoke

John Holyoke has been enjoying himself in Maine's great outdoors since he was a kid. Today, he's the Outdoors editor for the BDN, a job that allows him to meet up with Maine outdoors enthusiasts in their natural habitat. The stories he gathers provide fodder for his columns, and this blog.