Feeling Squashed?

Instruction

By Thomas R. Dempsey, M.D. CCI

Feeling squashed? Going stir crazy? You can make good use of this Q time with many activities that will improve your fishing success. One: read some fishing journals and books that have been sitting on your shelf for weeks or probably years. If you are studying for your certification exam, this is a great time to knock off some literature. Look on the internet for some casting instruction videos on you tube. There is some great stuff there. Type up Mid Currents and Sexy Loops, look at Gordy Hills archives on www.wildoutfittingmci.com, tons of info. How about some casting practice? Fifteen minutes a day will probably take you to the next level. Better yet take some lessons, outside, and easy to social distance. Get busy and tie flies. If you don’t know how, Gulf Coast Fly Fishing School can start you off right after you take a lesson from one of their certified casting instructors. Follow up on the internet where you can learn a zillion ways to tie a Clouser Minnow. Next, go thru and organize your tackle, separate out the flies, weigh and label lines, grease that reel, clean lines and replace backings, tie leaders, man, let your mind go wild. It will pay off next time you take a trip. Now you are really ready to go fishing. Finally, go fish. The water was never closed. Most ramps never closed. Everybody has a boat or a friend with one. Nothing wrong with walking the beach or shore fishing in a pond. Bottom line and take home, there are many activities in fishing during Corona times.

Smallmouth Fishing Mecca

North America

By Thomas R. Dempsey, M.D. CCI

Some 100+ miles north of Bangor Maine lies the best smallmouth bass fishing your angling heart can imagine. I have had the opportunity to make my second trip to northern Maine to experience one of the most unique fisheries anywhere, the Wheaton’s lodge on Grand Lake. Tucked along the shore is Sandy and Patrick’s fishing camp offering one the experience of “how it was done”60 years ago. The 20 ft. Grand Isle canoes and the guides in tall leather lace up boots with waxed rain gear, offer you the chance to fish the “traditional” way. Every day is a new adventure in this proud state that outlaw’s highway billboards, so nice. Shore side lunches or more accurate consist of steamed lobsters, steak, chicken all cooked over open forehand the fish chowder made from the harvesting of some outlaw largemouth bass is something that is indescribable. and the lodge meals give you the flexibility of any gourmet restaurant. Oh, let’s not forget the real reason we are there, the fishing. My preference is of course a fly rod 5 to 7 wt., floating line with any bug to catch them on top. Look for ant rock, and these lakes grow rocks. Cast to the dark shadowed side and wait. The take can be kamikaze or very subtle, either way a 2- to 4-pound bronze back is left chopping on your fly. They will hit about anything that crosses their stick zone. Yes, the small have neighbors, white perch, pickerel, largemouth bass and land locked salmon but the smallmouth are why you are here. Check out Wheaton’s lodge on the internet or better come fish there.