Tag Archives: Maine

New England

The North Country

Exploring

Maine has wolves, this one had the misfortune of being on display at L.L. Bean.
Maine has wolves, this one had the misfortune of being on display at L.L. Bean.

MKFF last visited the wilds of Maine during a 2011 float trip with Fly Fishing guide Kate Farnham. Depending on where you are headed to in Maine, the drive is in excess of seven hours, a distance by any measure. It would be quicker and simpler via floatplane, bush plane or some other awesome means of transportation.  Having not attained enough wealth at this point in my life for such luxuries, we hopped in the FJ on Friday after jamming the truck full of gear and headed up.

The FJ rigged, loaded and climbing.
The FJ rigged, loaded and climbing.

Pleasant River Campground

I prefer to camp in a primitive setting, doing so allows you to disappear far away from civilization at no cost. In addition, its more fun to escape in the woods and imagine you are Danielle Boone. Either way, you leave civilization and its burden’s for a short time and check out high quality cold-water fisheries.

The tent site, Pleasant River Campground, Bethel, Maine.
The tent site, Pleasant River Campground, Bethel, Maine.

The Pleasant River Campground features secluded wooded sites along the Pleasant River, a tributary of the Androscoggin. The bathrooms are of high quality and the place is generally quiet. The owner rents out Canoes and Kayaks while providing popular amenities like a swimming pool and horseshoe pit.

Upper Andro Scenery
Upper Andro Scenery

Mount Washington

Mt. Washington is immersed in clouds most of the time, this is the valley view before ascent into the cloud.
Mt. Washington is immersed in clouds most of the time, this is the valley view before ascent into the cloud.
Going through a cloud, not in an airplane...
Going through a cloud, not in an airplane…

“Home of the world’s worst weather,” Mt. Washington, at 6,288 feet, is the highest peak in the northeastern United States. Mount Washington holds the record for highest wind ever recorded by man, a speed of 231MPH on April 12, 1934. This record was surpassed in 1996 though a human being did not actually stand there and record the wind speed as was customary in 1934. At one time, people were stationed on top of the mountain all season to record the weather.

Building chained to the top of Mount Washington.
Building chained to the top of Mount Washington.

In present day, anybody can drive to the summit on the Mt Washington Auto Road. The auto road is a 7.6-mile road that climbs Mount Washington. The road was completed in 1861 to serve carriages. The roadway has an average gradient of 11.6%; it is so taxing on your transmission that the road operators have created certain vehicle restrictions. In a future expedition, I think actually hiking Mount Washington would be interesting.

View down the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.
View down the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

The Androscoggin

View of the Upper Andro looking downstream in a kayak.
View of the Upper Andro looking downstream in a kayak.

The upper Andro is a big east coast stream that consistently delivers larger than average sized Trout. Based upon Sunday’s float, there is also a population of Smallmouth Bass and Chub during the summer months. I floated the river with a kayak and used a Rapala floater on my LL Bean spin rod. The total catch was one Rainbow Trout, three Smallmouth Bass and five Chubs. I also had an air jaws on the line during a sudden summer thunderstorm that blew through. Eagles are common in these parts, they feast on the Trout and we did see one of them enjoying a meal.

This is the largest Chub I have ever caught.
This is the largest Chub I have ever caught.
The Thunder Rolls
The Thunder Rolls

Freeport, Maine

The Mandatory Boot Shot
The Mandatory Boot Shot

Home of L.L. Bean, the giant boot and a collection of outlet shops; Freeport, Maine rose to notoriety starting in 1912 when Leon Leonwood Bean created the Maine Hunting Shoe or Bean Boot.

L.L. Bean Hunting and Fishing Store Atrium.
L.L. Bean Hunting and Fishing Store Atrium.

L.L. Bean has grown into a global retailer and manufacturer while remaining one of the last US retailers to maintain a manufacturing presence in the USA.  Its reputation for quality and customer service is unparalleled and often studied in business school.

L.L. Bean Fly Fishing Artifacts
L.L. Bean Fly Fishing Artifacts
These snowshoes are beautiful, someone buy me them for Christmas.
These snowshoes are beautiful, someone buy me them for Christmas.

Portland, Maine

J’s Oyster Lobster and Steamer platter.
J’s Oyster Lobster and Steamer platter.

The largest city in Maine has the 19th century industrial ambiance common throughout New England. The city is a change from the lakes, rivers and forests of Maine while still maintaining the New England small town ambiance.

On the ride up it was agreed that we would all order the largest Lobster available in Maine. The cab driver recommended J’s Oyster; I ordered a heaping pile of Steamers and a Lobster. The platter was delicious although the sizes of Lobsters were fairly consistent.

Bull Feeney's assures us that, "Lobsters Love Guinness"
Bull Feeney’s assures us that, “Lobsters Love Guinness”

The next stop was Bull Feeney’s Irish Bar; I was enthralled with their slogan and sign, “Lobsters Love Guinness.” Another excellent point about Bull Feeney’s is that they have, “Maine’s most extensive selection of single malt Scotch and Irish whiskies.”

The Long Ride Home

The trip home always seems shorter than the haul up. The problem with this is you are leaving the beautiful scenery, camping and fishing of Maine and New England in general. The drive provides ample opportunity to stare out at the many fish filled rivers of New England and hope for more good days of fishing. I hope to get back sooner rather than later!

New England

Bow at the Buzzer

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Fishing for 8 or 9 hours takes a toll on the body; we anglers would normally quit any other sport in a shorter time. Imagine your back is sore, your arm is numb and you don’t even think you would remember what a bite feels like, despite the adversity you just want that last fish! I was throwing this guide tied streamer resembling what I know as a Zonker Minnow on a 5WT FFO rod equipped with sink tip line.

That is what a bite feels like...

Kate kept cajoling me to cast a few more times as we drifted slowly into Newts landing. I load the pole for my final cast, as the line soars through the air, the thought going through my head, “Wow that cast is nice, I’ll be damned if that doesn’t hook some lip!.” Kate exclaims, “Nice cast and good placement, strip the line in at varying speed!” I follow direction complete two quick strips of around 2 inches of line, pause and accelerate a final strip of over one foot of line….Fish On!


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New England

Upper Andro Part 2

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We reached our destination in Maine for our father & son fishing trip well after dark. As we drove past tiny hamlets in this desolate area, I understood how Stephen King has been able to gather ideas for his novels from here. Perhaps one of the towns we had passed was inspiration for ‘Salem’s Lot. In the morning, we met our river guide: Kate, and we immediately felt confident she would provide us with a good day of fishing.

The day was overcast, however, the day’s lighting reflecting off the river, gave the autumn leaves a brilliant hue. As I drank in the majestic view of Mt. Washington in the distance, I noticed ominous cloud cover approaching us indicating a change of weather would be upon us. In addition, I spied an eagle circling the river searching for prey. I marveled at the stoic beauty of this bird, the symbol of the United States.

For up in the sky the eagle circled silently, effortlessly, and determinedly, uncaring of us, focused only on its quest for the prey. Just as we had left the city escaping the concerns of the worlds financial, military, and cultural strife’s, in search of some memorable autumn fly-fishing. As Kate expertly navigated the drift boat down the river, just as the eagle spots its prey, I viewed an enormous red maple spreading its branches like an umbrella over the water, directly over a drop off in the river.  I instinctively realized that I only had seconds to present a cast before our drift boat would silently glide past this inviting spot.

As I released the cast, amazingly, it actually landed where I had hoped. As the eagle grips its prey with its talons, I felt a fish strike the fly, and I firmly set the hook in its mouth. From the feel of the rod I knew I had a good-sized fish on the line trying not to be pulled to the surface and into the awaiting net. Kate scooped a beautiful rainbow trout into the net and onto the boat. The rainbow’s colors blended splendidly with the spectacular colors of the Maine woods.

Unlike the eagle, which would share its prey with its young; the rainbow was released back into the river allowing it to grow. Perhaps, another father and son may again land it on their fishing trip. Kate eased the drift boat to shore, where she prepared delicious hearty soup of fiddleheads’, potatoes, and sausage for all of us to share. The meal was perfect, as the weather had turned cooler. As we sat enjoying the meal, we admired the scenery, listened to the hypnotic sound of the river, and prepared for the final hours of our trip.

Check Out Part 1

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