01/02/2009
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Photo by Jeff Poulandfrom the Kennebec Journal
QUESTIONS REMAIN
No complaints from those who switched to Somerset County center
Vote on 1 may hurt some in election
Steeple at center of debate in Whitefield
VETERANS REQUIRE ASSISTANCE: Homelessness takes center stage
J.P. DEVINE: Overcome sadness with hope
BASKETBALL: NBA Hall of Famer Barry doles out advice at Thomas College
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY: Maranacook sophomore Mace dominates Class B field
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
A year later, families await answers on fatalities
Owner of topless coffee shop on the comeback trail
Officials report cheaper, better service after switch
Two people in critical condition
Young Marines stick to program
Issue of homeless veterans at center stage
GIRLS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Winslow falls to York in Class B
Bard hits her marathon stride
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Outdoors Writer
Dale Bouchard didn't head to Wyman Lake for the first day of ice fishing season.
For the first time in 15 years, the Oakland angler didn't dare make a road trip to the north. Bitter cold and high winds kept him closer to home for an abbreviated day of fishing.
Bouchard headed out around noontime to fish for a few hours in the afternoon on Messalonskee Lake.
Under more normal conditions, Bouchard said, he would have planned on taking a couple of full days on Wyman, heading out before daybreak to fish all morning.
Not so on Thursday, the traditional first day of the ice fishing season for trout and salmon species. Some area waters, however, are open as soon as there is ice for warm-water panfish species.
"I saw that it was supposed to be zero (degrees) out and windy, and I said, 'No, I don't think so,'" Bouchard said shortly before tending to his traps. "It's been kind of slow, but I got here about noon. It's just too cold."
Bouchard wasn't alone in changing his plans.
"The hard-cores were all out there, but I think it was a no-family-affairs type of thing, for sure," said Steve Staples, who owns the Bait Store in East Winthrop.
The lakes were virtually devoid of snow, which has been obliterated by recent warm wind and rain.
But that soaking froze solid over the last few days, creating anywhere from 6 to 10 inches of ice in most places across central Maine.
Staples said he's seen several inches of black ice formed under the crusty base created by the melted snow. An open hole of his, used for netting baitfish, made 4 inches of black ice on Wednesday night alone.
For a lot of casual anglers, the extreme cold kept them home.
"There don't seem to be as many people out," Bouchard observed.
Tangible signs of lack of activity existed. The only shacks to be found on Messalonskee's north end were portable ones. The same was true of China Lake. No snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles were around.
Those who did brave the cold weren't necessarily rewarded, either.
Doug Morton of Oakland said it had been slow going in his four hours on Messalonskee.
"The fishing's been slow. No flags at all," said Morton, who was hoping to catch brook trout by using nightcrawlers as bait.
"There's one guy over there who had one flag and a group of two over there that haven't had anything either. No fish."
According to the National Weather Service forecast, temperatures are supposed to rise into the mid-20s for most of the remainder of the holiday weekend, with much calmer winds than those that greeted ice fishermen on opening day.
Travis Barrett -- 621-5648
tbarrett@centralmaine.com
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