The ice crackled under our feet as we trudged slowly, carefully, toward the middle of the lake.

The sound, although eerie, was exactly what we wanted to hear. Underneath our feet was two feet of solid ice … then a thin coating of water … and finally a crunchy shell that had barely frozen the night before, and kept giving way.

Winter ice booms and cracks, and the wind rips down the lake, scouring faces and numbing gloveless hands in seconds.

But spring ice … and spring ice fishing … is different.

Spring ice crackles and oozes. And spring ice fishing (we hoped) was remarkably easy.

Not that we planned on catching many fish, of course. That’s the kind of presumptuous notion that makes the fishing gods take notice and helps fishermen learn how much they have yet to learn.

But easy? Yes.

The auger was merely a just-in-case ice ornament. We had no intention of using it … and we didn’t.

Holes left over from a busy weekend of fishing on this popular lake were readily available, we knew, and opening them for business would be a simple chore.

Boot … and scoop. Boot … and scoop.

We repeated the task four, six, eight times, cracking the fragile coating of ice with a well-placed kick or two, then cleaning out the holes.

Traps were set quickly. The sun shone brightly. We began to wonder if we should have brought sunscreen or beach umbrellas.

Then we unfolded camp chairs, sat down, and waited.

Jackets unzipped, gloves tossed aside, hats reduced to unnecessary accoutrements, we leaned back, sat … and fished. More or less.

A flag or two flew, and a fish or two were eventually caught. That was simply a bonus. Just being there was the true prize.

Good things, of course, eventually end.

Before long, a brisk breeze began to blow, and we scrambled for hats and gloves.

The lesson: In these parts, winter doesn’t leave us all of a sudden.

Even on the good days … the sunny days … the pleasant, warm days when ice fishing without a shelter makes perfect sense, winter doesn’t just vanish.

Ever so slowly, it lets us be, offering us momentary respite that causes us to begin dreaming about summer.

Summer? Some day.

Sun-warmed days and lazy nights?

You bet.

Just don’t look out the window this morning.

Earlier this week, on a perfect pond not far from Bangor, summer seemed like more than a mere notion.

And now?

It’s still ice fishing season. Like it or not.

Sportsman’s Show on tap

The weather report doesn’t look promising, but that won’t keep thousands of outdoor enthusiasts from heading to Orono this weekend for the 69th Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show.

The show, which is organized and sponsored by the Penobscot County Conservation Association, serves as an unofficial harbinger of spring in these parts … even if winter seems reluctant to lose its grip on us.

The show is being held at the University of Maine field house. Events began Friday and will run through Sunday. The doors will be open today from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year’s show will feature more than 150 exhibitors.

Among the highlights: a National Wild Turkey Federation-sanctioned turkey calling contest; a wild bear, cougar, and eagle from the A.E. Howell Wildlife Conservation Center; and plenty of hands-on events for adults and kids alike.

Maine humorist Clyde Folsom will perform, versatile hunting dogs will strut their stuff, and canoe and kayak demonstrations will be held in the pool area.

And once again, the BDN will have a booth there.

I’ll be at the booth most of the afternoon on Saturday and much of the day on Sunday, and look forward to talking about the outdoors with anyone who chooses to drop by.

I have learned, however, that using a slightly chubby outdoor columnist as “bait,” so to speak, isn’t good enough to generate a lot of foot traffic at a sportsman’s show.

In fact, more people seem to stop by to visit my friendly English springer spaniel, Pudge, than to chat with his not-so-cuddly owner. Therefore, Pudge will be on hand as much as his busy schedule allows.

And again this year we’ll be doing the one thing that guarantees plenty of visitors to any sportsmen’s show booth: We’re giving stuff away.

Our circulation department will have plenty of trinkets on hand, but the big giveaway is our fifth annual drift boat trip with Maine guide Dan Legere.

Legere, who owns Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville, has again provided us with a float trip down the East Outlet of the Kennebec River for a wonderful day of fly fishing.

The best part: Entering the contest for that drift boat trip is free.

The catch: I get to go along, too. I’ll take a few notes, snap a few photos, and try not to hook our lucky winner with an errant fly.

A day on the water with Legere is like a day at fly fishing school, and our past four winners have told me they considered their day with the personable guide among their best fishing days ever.

So brave the snow and stop on by. Pudge will be glad to see you … and even more glad if you bring him a couple pieces of popcorn.

Moose lottery date set

If you’re one of those people who thinks your odds of winning a moose permit might increase if you’re standing in the same room the names are drawn, the state Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife has some important news for you.

Gas up the truck, and head to the coast.

This year’s moose permit lottery will be held on June 14 at Phippsburg Elementary School. Phippsburg is located near Bath and Brunswick in Sagadahoc County.

The yearly lottery typically draws hundreds of potential moose hunters who flock to far-flung locales in hopes of having their name pop out of the state’s cyber-hopper.

In 1999 the DIF&W stopped holding the lottery in Augusta each year and has rotated the event to various sites since then. Past lotteries have been held in Millinocket, Boothbay Harbor, Old Town, Bucksport, Presque Isle, Rumford, and Scarborough. Scarborough has hosted the event twice.

“We’ve moved the drawing to all parts of the state so that people can have the opportunity to be part of it first hand,” Martin said in a DIF&W news release. “Nothing pleases us more than to have members in the audience react to being selected.”

The names will start being read aloud at 6 p.m., and the event is expected to take three to four hours. Admission will be free, and food will be available for sale.

Biologists, game wardens, and other DIF&W staffers will be on hand in Phippsburg for the event.

“This is an opportunity for sports enthusiasts and the general public to interact with IF&W personnel,” Martin said.

This year 2,880 names will be drawn in the lottery. In 2006, more than 65,000 people applied for the chance to hunt moose in Maine.

This year’s moose hunt will again be a split-season affair, with some hunters heading afield from Sept. 24-29, and others hunting from Oct. 8-13.

A final reminder: You can’t hunt if you don’t enter … and your time is running short.

The deadline for applying for this year’s moose permit lottery is April 2 at 11:59 p.m.

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