UMF a premier fishing school

According to Fly Rod and Reel magazine, angling undergrads looking for a college may want to consider the University of Maine at Farmington. UMF has been included in writer W.D. Wetherell’s list of the top 10 fishing schools in the nation.

According to a UMF press release, some of the nation’s most celebrated trout, landlocked salmon and bass waters are within an hour of campus.

UMF bills itself as sitting at the gateway of the Rangeley Lakes region, where Carrie Stevens tied the first Grey Ghost streamer fly and Fly Rod Crosby fished and wrote about her passion for the sport.

UMF provost and vice president of academic affairs Allen Berger said the attributes pointed out in Wetherell’s story were instrumental in his move to Maine five years ago.

“One of the things that attracted us to Maine is the opportunity for a four-season outdoor life,” Berger said. “This [ranking] just confirms that.”

While angling and academics may seem an odd pairing, Berger says it makes good sense.

“This is just one more illustration of what is special here,” he said. “A reputation for academic quality and a reputation for good fly fishing is not in the least bit inconsistent, given that fly fishing is a contemplative activity. I think fly fishing fits in just fine with the culture of academe and that kind of contemplative life that liberal arts education inspires.”

Wildlife park hosts night event

The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray will open its gates on July 23 for a “Creatures of the Night” hike from 8-10 p.m.

Visitors will be able to experience the park and wildlife at night. Visitors are asked to bring their own flashlights, which park personnel will cover with red cellophane to improve night vision.

Volunteer guides will be stationed at several wildlife exhibits to talk about the animals’ night life.

For information about Maine Wildlife Park activities, call 657-4977 or check the park’s Web site at www.mainewildlifepark.com.

Colonel’s outdoor tip

Planning a boating trip on one of Maine’s lakes or ponds? Pay attention to Maine summer afternoon weather. Lightning and thunderstorms are not uncommon in Maine during summer afternoons. A lake or pond might change from a flat, hot breathless body of water to a turbulent, wave tossed water body in just minutes.