Fishermen welcome cold snap

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A cold snap is coming. Honest. At least, that’s what the latest weather reports are telling us. And for those of us who think hats with furry ear-flaps are not only functional, but also quite dapper, that means only one thing: It’s time to go fishing … well, almost.

(As you may or may not know, when it comes to ice fishing I tend to err on the side of warm-and-dry, as opposed to wet-and-dead, so you may not see me out there right off).

Still, if you’re careful, there are places you can fish. That’s the word from the experts, including Game Warden Dave Allen, who checked in via satellite e-mail from Clayton Lake.

Clayton Lake is remote: It lies between the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Quebec.

Here’s what Allen had to say:

“I just thought I’d drop you a note [about] ice conditions and fishing in general in my area; On Big Eagle [Lake] there is open water from 200 yards or so upstream of John’s Bridge down river to about the mouth of Thoroughfare Brook. Every place else on the lake there is anywhere from six to 14 inches of good ice.

“There is a pressure ridge forming from the ledges near Smith Brook and continuing out from shore approximately three-quarters of a mile toward Pilsbury Island.”

Allen said fishing pressure on the waterway has been moderate, and the anglers who have ventured north have fared well. Nice brook trout have come out of Big Eagle and Spider lakes, and one angler pulled a four-pound whitefish out of Eagle.

Allen also offered an update on traveling conditions:

“There is not much snow on the ice. Studs in sled tracks will be beneficial, but not necessary. We have 12 to 14 inches of pretty dense ice – harder than woodpecker lips, actually – so snow travelling is very good. The deer are enjoying wicked good snow conditions as well. They have excellent mobility for this time of year.”

Allen promised to check back in regularly … if I was interested. As a native Mainer who collects descriptive Maine-isms like others collect stamps, I quickly replied.

I definitely want to be on the mailing list of a guy who can drop a phrase like “harder than woodpecker lips” into casual conversation.

As you may imagine, Sam Huston’s photo of the moose whose antlers had become intertwined – and the tale he shared – has generated a bit of mail.

Among those was an e-mail from Lynne Knippler of Old Town.

“What a joy to start the New Year with a moose story with a happy ending, that of saving one of these great creatures instead of trying to eliminate him,” she wrote.

“Thank you, Mr. Huston, for your ‘creative hunting’ and for your compassion for, and desire to help, the helpless animal. Thank you, Mrs. Huston, for being sure your ‘hunter’ had a camera so we could all share his experience. And thanks, too, to John Holyoke for bringing the story to us.”

A quick word: Some columns demand a bit of leg work. In this case, I’m merely a conduit for a tale that was hand-delivered to the office by Huston.

Also, Warden Andy Glidden deserves a nod for his inventive solution to the problem.

Another e-mail dealt with my column about Christmas, during which I mentioned a gift of venison steak that I received.

In it, Joann Tyler shared a similar tale.

“I teach fourth grade at the China Primary School. During our fall conferences, as I walked some parents to the door, I spied a dad with his son and daughter waiting outside my door.

“Since these two students were no longer in the fourth grade, I was surprised to see them waiting for me. The young man had just bagged his first deer and they remembered that my favorite part of the deer was the heart! Good memory! The former student then presented me with the heart from his first deer.

“Material things don’t mean very much to me, but such gifts as that memory touch my heart and will be remembered for the rest of my life.”

Well said, Joann.

The shores of many of our ice-fishing hotspots are littered with shacks these days, as would-be anglers wait for a few more inches of solid ice before towing their creations out to their not-so-secret spots.

Discretion, wardens and anglers alike will tell you, is wise at this time of year. Cold weather will come … eventually. And sooner or later, we’ll be out there … fishing … eating … having fun.

I received a call over the weekend from a man who wanted to pass along a potentially lifesaving tip.

The caller, who didn’t want his name published, pointed out that anglers and snowmobilers can make themselves a handy set of “ice picks” that could make a huge difference, should they end up breaking through the ice.

A pair of 20-penny spikes, lashed together with a lengthy piece of rawhide, work well, he said. The caller advised sharpening the spikes on a grinding wheel, then sticking the sharp points in window putty to make them safe.

The veteran outdoorsman said a set saved his skin one day, and he has made certain to let as many people as possible know how valuable they can be.

If you’re not too handy, or don’t have access to a grinding wheel, similar devices are available at sporting goods stores.

For the record, I’ve had a set of store-bought picks for years, and take them with me whenever I’m on the ice. I’ve never had to use them … which is, I figure, the goal of this kind of “insurance policy.”

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.