Snow Melt

Winter isn’t over yet. While waiting for Mary, Dan, Ian and friends to arrive from Litchfield, Maine Wayne split the last of our winter wood. The crew arrived around 7 p.m. and after settling in their camp came up to our cabin for a visit. Wayne made a plan with the boys to head out on the lake early…4 degrees to start, all on lake by 6:30 a.m. I took my sled and met “the boys” on the lake later in the morning. I missed some fast fishing – they already had two 14” brookies and a 24” salmon on the ice. It was a riot watching Wayne and the boys chase flags all over the ice all day! Paul Gagnon (Fort Kent) let me try out his Ski Doo Millenium Edition sled (#34 of 500 made in 2000). It is FAST! Conditions on the lake that day were perfect for some fast runs. With the throttle pinned the sled would set you back at 70 m.p.h. as it effortlessly and comfortably accelerated to 100+ m.p.h. Even at my age I have to admit I’m a speed junkie! More fishing Sunday with temps comfortably in the 20s with an overcast sky. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with my dear friend Mary. We all gathered at Alec Brook and built a campfire. We roasted venison on sticks for lunch – life is good! As the afternoon wore on and we started to pick up our gear we tallied the weekend’s action. The boys had chased over 100 flags and landed dozens of salmon and brook trout. Almost all were released – we fish for the joy of it. The highlight of the weekend was watching Sandy and her gaggle of teenage boys trudge back to “fish camp” with a beaver Sandy had trapped on Alec Brook! March came to an end and spring will be early this year. It rained on the 30th.

April 2nd the ice jam broke on the Allagash. Open water everywhere. Now we look forward to spring fishing and rarely, at the start of open-water fishing season, can we here in the north-country actually fish on open water in early April. We can this year. I gave a selection of streamer flies to Pat Baker (MI) so he can try his luck this weekend. Most of our snow had melted by the 5th. Normally we are riding sleds well in to April! Ed and Julie Dallas (MN) sent us another unique gift – matching beaver fur beer coozies. I think we’ll make some from our beaver pelts too! I observed the river level rising at Fish River every day as I traveled through Soldier Pond. Wayne surprised me on April 8th. He planned a mini-vacation to Bangor. We have cabin fever and need to get out of The County! Jerry and Sandy (our trapping partners) will stay at the lodge to watch over Alli, Grace and the pups. Green grass in Bangor. Checked in to motel then shopping at Dick’s and the mall; got new Merrills for summer, bought some books, a compass to replace the one I lost last fall, and Wayne got a new soft-side tackle box and selection of lures. We went out to dinner and a movie. It was such a treat! Saturday night we went to Hollywood Slots. Had a blast and actually came home with money in our pockets. Headed home Sunday morning and took Route 2 all the way to Smyrna. It was a beautiful ride along the Penobscot River then through the high country further north. Katahdin was cloaked in snow. When we got home we found the lake ice breaking up due to high winds. On the 12th we had open water on both sides of the lake. Driving home from Fort Kent each day I watched the snow shawl protecting the shoulders of north facing slopes from spring chills slowly slipping away. On the 13th Grant and Wayne started replacing our kitchen floor and plumbing. Pups are growing and enjoy exploring the cabin. A moose passed between our cabin and the fir trees just outside our door the night of the 14th. Miranda, Tyler, and my grand daughter Nellie arrived to meet their puppy. They brought friends Kaylen, George and baby Mason – we opened the lodge and spent our evenings in the lodge dining, drinking cocktails, and socializing. Miranda and I made a trip to Mardens in Madawaska for wedding stuff. Fish River Lodge will be the site for Miranda and Tyler’s wedding on August 14th. Loons arrived and the ice floes blow back and forth on the lake. The ice went out on the 20th – a full two or more weeks earlier than average! On the 24th we started spring cleaning the lodge – washed all the logs, windows, kitchen cupboards and shelves, appliances, my office, then started moving back to the lodge from cabin 1. We spent our first night at the lodge on the 24th – I guess it is officially spring since the lodge is officially open. Wayne put docks out on the 29th and we started opening cabins. With the longer days now we have time to enjoy the outdoors after work. We alternate yard work with excursions to the meadow with the pups so they can gain confidence exploring wide open spaces.