Patrolling the “hump” March 14, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine At the T-dock, where Diane and I winter over on a houseboat in the Florida Keys, the word was spreading fast. The black fin tuna were hitting well out on the “hump.” The “hump” is a stretch of water about 15 miles offshore from where we live in Islamorada. It is the edge of the …
“The River King” March 7, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine You should know at the outset that any new book that bills itself as a “fly-fishing novel” will get my attention. “The River King,” by Robert Romano Jr., is just such a book. Romano is an old hand at writing fiction with a Maine outdoor theme. Almost as prolific as Paul Doiron, who pens Maine …
The pemmican perspective February 28, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine Long-distance hikers and backpackers looking for that elusive silver bullet in selecting a highly nutritional trail food might want to take a closer look at pemmican, long known historically as the ultimate survival food. Insofar as I know, you can’t buy traditional pemmican from trail food manufacturers, but you can make it yourself like your …
The longest paddle February 21, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) winds from Old Forge, N.Y., to Fort Kent, Maine. Established in 2000, it is the longest mapped inland paddling route in the country: 740 miles. How would you like to paddle that? No thanks. The NFCT is the canoeist’s version of the Appalachian Trail, another intimidating outdoor challenge that …
Grassroots fish management February 14, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine Managing Maine’s incredible sport fishery — and its associated regulations — is complex and always subject to second guessing by armchair fisheries “biologists,” who may sincerely believe that they know how better to manage the fish in their favorite angling waters. Dennis Smith of Otter Creek is one of those impassioned anglers who never tires …
Hidden outcomes for Maine’s outdoor heritage February 7, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine When it comes to Maine’s fabled outdoor heritage, you don’t have to be a social scientist or a statistician to sense what is going on. Changing times are leaving a mark on our culture in countless ways. If you visit a few rod and gun clubs around the state, a common theme shows itself: a …
Wardens issue ice warnings January 31, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine With prolonged cold spells and bone-chilling sub-zero temperatures, the ice this year on Maine lakes and ponds is solid and safe for people and snowsleds, right? Wrong. During mid-January over one 24-hour period, no less than nine snowmobile operators and riders broke through thin ice with their sleds into icy waters. Miracles of miracles, all …
The Moosehead Lake Togue Derby January 24, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine Cabin fever? An iced fishing derby can bring your temperature down. There are a number of popular derbies that take place annually throughout Maine. Fishing and fellowship, the hallmark of these winter events, mixed with friendly competition to snag the biggest fish — and the biggest prize — make for a fun time. One notable …
The old Ski-Doo January 17, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine There was a day when Ski-Doo was simply a generic name for a snowmobile. Early on, as I recall, Ski-Doo was the only game in town. In the early 1960s, you went “Ski-Dooing,” not snowmobiling. The machines were the invention of Canadian Joseph-Armand Bombardier. Although the inventor worked many years trying to come up with …
Checking the backtrack January 10, 2018 by V. Paul Reynolds on Outdoors in Maine The slate is clean as we start another year anew. Nobody knows what lies ahead, even as friends and family offer seasonal salutations that wish us well. As we look ahead with hopeful expectations, it doesn’t hurt to check the backtrack. For the Maine sportsmen and women, 2017 was, like most years, marked by some …
