Anglers encouraged to attend Aug. 12 hearing

A number of proposed regulatory changes that would affect Down East fisheries will be discussed at an upcoming Ellsworth hearing.

The public hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. It will be held at the Ellsworth City Hall auditorium.

According to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Ron Brokaw, anglers are encouraged to attend and offer comments on proposals for six waterways.

Those lakes: Tunk Lake, Little Tunk Lake, Green Lake, Bubble Pond, Hamilton Pond and Toddy Pond.

A quick look at the DIF&W proposals and their rationale:

Tunk Lake: Reduce minimum length on togue to 14 inches, daily bag limit on togue: three fish.

Brokaw reports that despite dropping the minimum length from 23 inches to 18 inches in 2000, there has been a marked increase in small togue in the lake.

Allowing anglers to “thin out” the population will improve the growth prospects for larger togue and salmon.

Little Tunk Lake: Open to ice fishing under general law, i.e.: minimum length on trout, 6 inches, daily bag limit on trout: five fish. Delete the “no live fish as bait” regulation in the open-water season.

Brokaw says that due to the fact that Little Tunk is open to ice fishing only with a jig stick and one line, it receives little fishing pressure during the winter. Trouble with access keeps angler numbers low during the summer. Because the lake is stocked with 3,500 fall fingerling brook trout each year, a better return to anglers may be realized by opening it up to five lines. Allowing the use of live fish as bait poses no risk because anglers are allowed to use it in Tunk Lake, which is immediately downstream.

Bubble Pond: Open to ice fishing with two lines per person.

This regulation is designed to increase use of a pond that has been limited to a single jig stick in the past. The pond provides a put-and-take fishery in the spring for freshly stocked spring yearlings, and adverse summer water conditions keep trout from holding over in the pond.

Green Lake: During ice fishing season, change the daily bag limit on bass to two fish, with all bass greater than 12 inches to be released; During the open water season from ice-out until June 20, daily bag limit on bass of two fish, all bass longer than 12 inches released; From June 21 through Sept. 30, daily bag limit on bass of two fish between 10 and 12 inches, except one can exceed 16 inches.

Brokaw says size quality and relative numbers of larger fish have declined, likely due to high harvest levels of bass. An identical regulation has paid dividends at Big Lake and Grand Falls Flowage.

Toddy Pond: During both ice and open-water season: No size or bag limit on largemouth bass.

This regulation addresses a recent illegal introduction of largemouth bass into a pond that is among Hancock County’s best smallmouth waters.

“We refuse to give equal treatment to illegally introduced largemouths in a high quality smallmouth water,” Brokaw wrote.

Hamilton Pond: During ice fishing season, all bass between 14 and 18 inches must be immediately released. During open-water season, the daily bag limit on bass would be one fish, with all fish between 14 and 18 inches released immediately. The proposal is designed to protect most of the medium-sized fish on a tiny 51-acre water, thereby helping to restore size quality and assure the spawning of some good-sized fish. It also allows anglers to take home a 10- to 14-incher, as well as that occasional big fish.

Hooked on Fishing event set

Children age 15 and under are invited to attend a fishing day at Maine’s Youth Fish and Game Association Clubhouse on July 29 for a day of fishing.

The clubhouse is located on the Stud Mill Road outside of Milford.

The program is being sponsored by the Orono Police Department and the Orono Parks and Recreation Department. Call 866-4000 or 866-5065 for more information.

Car show on tap

The Orrington Trailriders snowmobile club will hold a car show which will coincide with the Orrington Olde Home Week celebration.

The show is set for Sunday, and 15 different classes of cars will be judged. Registration for the show begins at 8 a.m. at Center Drive School.

There is a $5 entry fee for show vehicles and a $3 fee for spectators. Children under age 12 get in free.