Long Lake ready for ?footballs?

Rich Rossignol of Madawaska checked in again on Tuesday with an update that many anglers will be happy to hear ? whether they live in the St. John Valley or not: At long last, one of Aroostook County’s most popular lakes is fishable.

“I woke up this morning to find the ice on Long Lake gone,” an enthusiastic Rossignol wrote. “I don’t know the official time for the ice-out contest, but I know I can fish after work tonight!”

Long Lake in St. Agatha is the home of some of the state’s largest landlocked salmon, and anglers who have trolled here will tell you that most of the fish they catch have an abnormally large belly.

Down in these parts, we might say the fish resemble many diners who (finally) push away from Miller’s buffet after four or five plates of grub. Up in the St. John Valley, they call those fish (which fatten themselves up on the lake’s bountiful smelt population) “Long Lake footballs.”

Rossignol’s report proved that after a long, snowy winter, spring seems to have finally arrived in the northern tip of the state.

“The little lakes in the area are also out,” he wrote. “Fished Daigle Pond last night ? no fish or bites, but no ice. Little Black and Basil Pond [in Fort Kent] are also ice-free.”

According to local lore, the fishing at Long Lake will begin to truly heat up in a few weeks. Until then, hardcore anglers like Rossignol will still be out there, looking to hook into a 10-pound “football” of their own.

On most lakes, 10-pound landlocks are a thing of the past, and mentioning the fact that you actually caught one is grounds for plenty of groans (and not a few guffaws). At Long Lake, you’re actually allowed to say you caught a 10-pounder ? as long as you’ve got photos and the sworn statement of someone who saw it being weighed. There are a few chubby10-pounders in the lake, and plenty of 6- and 7-pounders.

If you’ve never headed north to battle Long Lake’s salmon, pay close attention to your map. Unsuspecting anglers have a variety of “Long” options in The County, including a Long Lake in Littleton, one in Oakfield, another attached to Harvey Pond in T11 R13, and a Long Pond in T11 R10.

While I’ve never fished the other Long Lakes (or ponds), I can tell you that the one you really want to visit is the one in St. Agatha, just outside of Madawaska.

Long Lake covers 6,000 acres and is 163 feet deep at its deepest, and there are plenty of spots to launch your boat. Just remember: The lake is big, and on the days when the wind rips out of the southeast, it’ll have about 10 miles in which to froth up the surface and make boating an adventure.

If you head up for a few days, make sure you drive down Route 162 to Sinclair and dine at the Long Lake Sporting Club. There are no menus (your choices are itemized on a sign on the wall), but there’s plenty of hospitality. And if you’re a lobster lover, you can’t go wrong: Be prepared to chow down on one of the biggest crustaceans you’ve ever been served.

Truth be told, I’ve never eaten a bad meal in the Valley, but when a multi-pound, drape-over-the-platter lobster is plopped down in front of you, you tend to remember the experience.

Though I may have my (entirely imaginary) honorary St. John Valley citizenship revoked for telling you this, here’s a secret shared by a longtime Madawaska resident who has caught plenty of salmon over the years: Troll a large set of Dave Davis spoons (the gold-and-silver combo seems to work best for him) and a sewn-on bait. Then sit back and get ready for a fight.

Autumn may be months away, but on Long Lake, “football season” is just about ready to really heat up.

Young hunter bags bird

Devan Cyr of St. David has only recently begun hunting, but the 10-year-old fifth-grader has already begun showing quite an aptitude for the sport.

According to Cyr’s father, Harold, Devan has bird-hunted, bagged a bear in 2004, and downed a doe from 75 yards (using open sights) during deer season last fall.

Last week Cyr showed he knows how to talk turkey, too: He and his father headed to Hermon for Devan’s first turkey hunt and Devan shot a 22-pound bird with a 9 7/8-inch beard.

“I think he had more patience than I did,” Harold Cyr said, pointing out that his son had already passed up one bird because he was uncomfortable with the shot and silently waited for the second bird to get within shotgun range.

“He took a well-placed shot to down the bird at 20 yards, and after running to the bird and realizing the size difference [between turkeys and] the partridge he is used to hunting, he let out with a ‘Yahoo!”‘ Harold Cyr said. “What an experience for a dad to have with his son.”

Congratulations to Devan ? and continued hunting success.

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