By MIKE ROCHE
This writer is really quite inexperienced in vacationing. It has actually been a while since any extended time was spent on a typical vacation. So, it was something new when we headed this week to Old Orchard Beach, Maine to do the seacoast beach vacation thing.
What inspired the trip was an offer to swap homes with long-time friends and former neighbors Jim and Sue Richardson. Sue was a fellow member of the Mahar Regional Class of 1969 and we worked closely over the years planning class reunions. We also were neighbors for a long time when we both lived on Mechanic Street in Orange. They moved to Maine and then bought a second home in Florida and split time each year. At our last reunion, they took me up on a chance to stay at our White Pond camp and loved it. That led to an offer to swap places in the summer, and we took advantage of the chance.
In the past, we have done short trips and mini-vacations to Maine for sunbathing and shopping. This year, located in the Ocean Park section of Old Orchard Beach, we had a week to explore the possibilities. Daughters Jen and Jilly joined us, and both are serious beach animals, soaking up as many rays as possible. The nearby beach in Ocean Park was convenient and not overcrowded like some Maine venues.
This writer had hopes of doing some striper fishing so surf rods and saltwater fly-fishing tackle were packed. Unfortunately, August, as is usually the case, is slow fishing on the Maine coast and my contacts were booked for the time we were in town. My brother-in-law Norm McDade and my wife’s twin sister Pam joined us Sunday. Norm is a fisherman, so we went to the “must stop” fishing destination in that part of Maine — Saco Bay Tackle Company — for some advice. Matt, the young man manning the store while owner Cal was out guiding, provided a lure and location for us to try.
Unfortunately, the best tides were occurring mid-day and my experience with stripers is that they rarely bite during bright sunshine. We threw the paddle-tail soft baits made by Al Gag’s. Most fishermen know Al Gagliarducci, a Massachusetts native, who became famous for his shad darts and has invented and patented a number of lures. His line of saltwater swimming baits have action unequalled by any other bait. However, the Maine stripers did not seem to know a good thing when they saw it. A return to the spot during high tide also did not produce a strike and with the best fishing tides happening well after midnight, this vacationing fisherman stayed in bed.
As you read this, it is likely that we are driving home, and my Friday morning was to begin with a charter with guide Robin Thayer. She has an excellent reputation and was very honest about the prospects. It was made clear to her that a chance to “froth up the water” with my salt-water fly rods was well worth the investment.
Over the years, considerable saltwater gear has been acquired. Everything from bucktail jigs to Gibbs popping plug and pencil plugs along with a multitude of swimmers fill the tackle box. There is also all the gear necessary to bait fish with cut mackerel or sea worms. That is not my favorite method even though it tends to work when nothing else does.
Tackle inventory also includes four salt-water flyrods and reels with several spools of line from intermediate to fast-sinking along with three fly cases stuffed with the various “sure thing” saltwater patterns. There is also a Boga Grip to land the big ones. Maybe next year there will enough time to plan a fishing vacation but that is not the priority right now.
During our getaway, the dogs are at Hedgerow with Pat Perry and that begins their pre-season workouts. There will be a report card to evaluate what we need to focus on as we prepare for October.
While in Old Orchard Beach, I had a chance to visit with old friend Reza Namin, former Mahar Regional School superintendent. He is now superintendent of schools for the State of Maine Indian Education School District with an office in Calais, Maine. He described to me how important hunting and fishing are to the Native Americans and invited me to join him in the fall for some hunting and fishing. Very tempting but the 6½ -hour drive may be a deal-breaker. We shall see.
It will be good to get back into holding hunter education classes at Mahar Regional after a year off due to Covid-19. This coming Tuesday the first class will be held for those who are registered; the course will conclude Aug. 21.
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor for over 40 years and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.
Credit: Source link
