Ice little affected by weather, but check first

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It was a few degrees short of actual “beach weather” in Bangor on Friday, but the mercury (or some other noncontroversial heat-sensitive element) did burrow its way out of the bottom of the thermometer, and it was unseasonably balmy … or at least lukewarm.

That didn’t necessarily come as good news for avid ice anglers, who are constantly cautioned to check the ice before heading onto our lakes and ponds.

And if you’re one of the organizers of a popular ice-fishing derby, chances are you’ve taken a more critical look at recent weather reports than most.

“It’s 52 [degrees] right now, and these seed catalogs that keep coming to me in the mail are looking better and better right now,” Buck Plummer reported on Friday afternoon, after he called from his home in Brookton.

Plummer is one of those derby organizers, and his organization, the East Grand Snowmobile Club, is preparing for its eighth annual event on four Down East lakes.

But on Friday, even Plummer had to chuckle when we began to talk about his club’s event.

“I feel funny talking about an ice fishing derby when it’s like this,” he said.

The East Grand derby is scheduled for Jan. 28 and 29, and even the recent string of warm days hasn’t dimmed the enthusiasm of Plummer and other organizers.

The derby takes place on East Grand, Brackett, Deering, and North lakes, and plenty of cash and other prizes are up for grabs.

Plummer said the warm weather really hasn’t done much to damage the ice on local lakes, according to the people he’s been talking to.

“I called a couple of camp owners this morning, and they said the lakes are really in pretty good shape today,” Plummer said. “[On] East Grand, I’ve not heard any reports of any bad places, and I’m told that the depth of ice ranges anywhere from 10 inches to 16 inches.”

On Deering Lake, though, Plummer said anglers are using transportation methods he wouldn’t advise.

“I drove past there two days ago and there were pickup trucks all over the lake,” he said. “It astounds me that people do that, but they were out there.”

Now it’s time for the cautionary part of this tale (you knew this was coming, didn’t you?).

Though I’ve come to trust Plummer’s ice reports over the past three years, they are (like all other reports you may receive from a variety of sources) purely anecdotal.

They are not proof that all ice is safe and that folks should begin driving motor vehicles wherever they please.

Ice conditions vary widely on any body of water. Add in a few inlets and outlets and the resulting moving water can lead to unexpectedly unsafe areas, even on iced-in lakes.

Be careful. Check the ice. If you’re unsure … don’t fish.

With that said, if you’re looking to take part in a fun derby in a couple of weeks, the East Grand event may be just what you’re looking for.

After all, our false “summer” can’t last forever … can it?

Youth club continues to grow

In the summer of 2002, a group of Old Town-area sportsmen began offering programs at the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association.

After a modest beginning, it didn’t take long for the kids-only concept to take off … and for volunteers and businesses to eagerly support the endeavor.

Northern Log Homes donated a building which now serves as a cozy clubhouse on Pickerel Pond near Milford. Ice fishing traps and equipment, canoes, and kayaks have been added.

And each year, the club continues to introduce more local youths to a variety of outdoor opportunities.

On Saturday, the club hosted its annual ice fishing derby and more than 100 children showed up. Of those, more than 90 paid their $1 fee to become first-time members.

Dave Georgia, one of the founders of the club, continues to be amazed at the club’s success.

“We envisioned it. We hoped it. But the public support, the community support from all around, is just fantastic,” Georgia said.

Tony Frenette, who serves as the club’s vice president, said the generosity of volunteers and business owners has been a key to the success.

“It seems like every time we turn around, there’s somebody who’s heard about us that wants to do something for us,” Frenette said.

Case in point: The Pickerel Pond facility continues to grow, and even those who have visited in the not-so-distant past may not recognize it when they head out to Stud Mill Road for an event.

“We have a new rifle range that we have just finished and have all operational, and we have Adirondack shelters; we have six of those that are in the woods,” Frenette said.

The lean-to shelters will be used by those who wish to camp at the facility and may be put to use by at least one group that is planning a winter camping trip this year.

In addition, Northern Log Homes has donated a second building which is used for storing canoes, kayaks, and other equipment.

Georgia said a trail around the lake may be used at some point for cross country skiing, and said that with the rifle range already in place, the facility may some day serve as a training spot for youths curious about the sport of biathlon.

Georgia also said that some volunteers, like he, Frenette, Travis Roy, and co-founder Matt Dunlap may get credit that doesn’t reflect the true nature of the club and its goals, nor how the success has come about.

“This isn’t just my show, or Matt’s show, or Tony’s show, or Travis’s show,” Georgia said. “This is a community working together.”

For more information about the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association, check the organization’s Web site at www.maineyouthfishandgame.org.

Giving in not an option

A number of outdoors folk got the chance to speak at last week’s Sportsman’s Congress, but Skip Trask, the lobbyist for the Maine Trappers Association and the Maine Professional Guides Association, got quite a response while reflecting on the political climate he often faces.

Trask was undoubtedly preaching to the choir when he received that loud ovation, in that the audience consisted of those invited to the event by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. His comments were interesting nonetheless.

First, a brief disclaimer: I’ve never been one who completely buys the “slippery slope” argument offered by many outdoors enthusiasts. This argument holds that every time a hunter or fisherman gives in to a demand by those who disapprove of our practices, it moves us farther along that slope, and closer to a total ban on the activities we enjoy.

Trask, however, said compromise is not always the best option.

“I’m really bothered by the willingness of some sportsmen to give away things that don’t mean anything to them,” Trask said. “You know, it’s pretty easy to give away something that I could care less about. I just want you all to remember that things that you may be willing to give away may mean a heck of a lot to somebody else.

“I think you really have to stop and think before you say, ‘Yeah, this will make the public view hunting in a better way if we give this up.’ It’s pretty easy to say if it’s something that you don’t care about,” he said.

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

The Pickerel Pond facility continues to grow, and even those who have visited in the not-so-distant past may not recognize it when they head out to Stud Mill Road for an event