Shad and stripers are in, so it’s time to get fishing!

Come mid June, Maine anglers have a lot of options. On some rivers and streams, the caddis flies are hatching like crazy, and fly fishers try to take advantage of this annual event. Lake trollers can target both landlocked salmon and togue, and often drag a sew-on smelt behind lead-core line. And in the mighty […]

Deadline day: Apply for your moose permit now!

Nothing screws up a potential moose-hunting trip like a buddy or three who somehow forgot to enter the state-run permit lottery before the deadline passed. Since I’m one of those lucky guys who’s sitting on the sidelines this year after winning a permit in 2017, the only way I’m going hunting is if one of […]

Looking for an ice-free pond? Here’s a list for you

Getting sick of the cold weather? Looking forward to putting your boat in the water and trolling your favorite lake in search of landlocked salmon or lake trout? Me, too. Luckily, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has made it simple to monitor the status of the state’s lakes, even if they’re far […]

Bangor man wins BDN’s annual drift boat trip contest

Back in 2003, the BDN’s marketing gurus were looking for a way to introduce their new outdoor columnist — me — to our readers. The tactic that seemed to make the most sense: Give away a great prize, and encourage folks to come to a BDN booth at the annual Eastern Maine Sportsman’s Show to […]

Bustling crowd flocks to Brewer outdoor show

In one of our area’s rites of (almost) spring, crowds of outdoor enthusiasts mingled with exhibitors over the weekend at the Cabin Fever Reliever, an outdoor show organized by the Penobscot Fly Fishers. As has become the club’s custom, the event was held at the Brewer Auditorium, and by the time doors opened at 10 […]

The ice isn’t safe. Don’t do anything stupid

Because this is an opinion piece, and because I’m not even making an attempt to be nice, or politically correct, or unbiased, or even friendly, I’ll say this just once, in a way that might (finally) make a difference. If you’re considering going out onto your favorite lake in the coming days, do me a […]

Lengthy cold snap doesn’t mean all ice is safe

After 10 days or so of freeze-your-beard-off weather, it would seem that anything that can freeze (toes, fingers, your car’s engine, lakes, ponds) would have done so. But as I enjoyed a week off from work during the holidays, I had a conversation with a game warden who’s hoping that folks won’t assume their local […]

Determined bobcat snacks on a coyote bait

A couple weeks back, as we engaged in the popular Maine pastime of debating the existence of mountain lions in our state, wildlife biologist Walter Jakubas of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife checked in with some information I hadn’t really considered. Bobcats, Jakubas said, are also known predators of deer. A couple […]

Brewer Fly Tying Symposium was worth a visit

On Saturday, I was one of dozens of fly fishing enthusiasts who took a bit of time to stop by the Penobscot Fly Fishers’ annual Fly Tying Symposium and chat with a bunch of like-minded folks. While I’ve not spent much time at the tying vise over the past several years (save a few marathon […]