Snow Pond Maine

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-07-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Public Announcement
From the Maine Department of Environmental Protection
17 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333-0017
DEP Considers Using Herbicide to Control Eurasian Milfoil
in Salmon Lake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts:
July 17, 2009 Paul Gregory 287-6961/557-2140
Donna Gormley 592-2032

(AUGUSTA)--The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is looking at administering herbicide in a cove at Salmon Lake in Belgrade to control the spread of Eurasian Milfoil.

The DEP is holding a public meeting on July 22nd at 7pm at the Union Church in Belgrade Lakes to discuss the eradication efforts of the past year and reasons for taking this next step.

“The DEP divers meticulously went about the task of hand weeding the cove, and installed lake bottom barriers in an attempt to stop the spread of the invasive plant,” says Paul Gregory, an Environmental Specialist with the DEP. “The Eurasian milfoil is very aggressive and despite our efforts is rebounding such that the rest of Salmon Lake and downstream waters, namely Great Pond, now face an increased risk of infestation. “

The Eurasian milfoil in Salmon Lake was first reported to DEP last August by a summer visitor. Within a week DEP divers began removing plants and continued dives into late last September.

This year DEP conducted five dives which resulted in the removal of 325 plants – that’s more than twice what was found and removed last year. Other efforts to control the invasive plant include restricting access into the cove by boaters, extending Courtesy Boat Inspection hours at a nearby public boat ramp, and installing nets at the cove’s mouth and outlet to capture plant fragments in an effort to prevent them from spreading and taking root outside the cove.

“If Eurasian Milfoil is left unchecked it is capable of displacing native plants and altering the lake’s habitat,” says Gregory. “Given the situation, we feel appropriate use of herbicide will provide the most effective means available to prevent its spread and allow us better opportunity to control this infestation manually.”

The only other known Eurasian water milfoil infestation in Maine exists in a small private pond in Scarborough.

time for a buffer zone??

2009-06-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

BRCA Conservation Corps

The Corps's mission is to reduce sources of pollution in our lakes (Great, Long, Snow/Messalonskee, East, McGrath, North, Watson and Ward Ponds, and Salmon Lake). Founded in 1996 by BRCA, this self-sustaining summer program has completed more than 494 erosion-control projects on all seven Belgrade Lakes in the watershed. Each summer a project director oversees two full-time crews of high school students and crew leaders. Projects like Peninsula Park in Belgrade Lakes Village have helped the conservation raise local awareness of erosion issues.

The BRCA Conservation Corps is seeking candidate sites for its work on an ongoing basis. The Corps will do hand work such as planting trees/shrubs, stabilizing eroding shorelines (riprap), stone lining of eroding ditches and building waterbars and turnouts on roads and drainage ways. Labor will be provided free of charge; landowners will pay for materials and any permit fees. If you know of an eroding site that needs stabilizing, let us know. The Corps Director and the Watershed Program Coordinator are available for on-site consultations about how your property may be affecting water quality in our lakes. Call us at 207-495-6039 or fill out a site assessment form (PDF*).

Every spring the BRCA Conservation Corps seeks energetic, committed, responsible students to perform physically demanding outdoor work.

Positions are open to high school students age 16 or older, who are capable of performing physically demanding outdoor labor on a daily basis.
Preference for applicants from Belgrade, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, or Smithfield.
35 hours/week beginning in late June and running for seven weeks.
Must provide own transportation to job sites and be willing to carpool when possible to sites around all seven Belgrade Lakes.

Interested applicants should send a brief application letter consisting of their name, address, phone number, Social Security number, age, grade, names and contact information for three references, description of previous job experiences and/or school activities, and an explanation of why they are qualified for the job.

Send applications to:
BRCA Conservation Corps
P.O. Box 250
Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918

brcacc@gwi.net
(207) 495-6039

summer sunset

2009-06-11T11:12:00.001-07:00

about the lake

2009-06-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

Messalonskee Lake, Maine

Also known as: Snow Pond, Nine Mile Pond

Locations

USA > New England > Maine

Messalonskee Lake: Map & Description

Messalonskee Lake, also known as Snow Pond and Nine Mile Pond, is located in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Central Maine. The 3,510 acre lake, the second largest of the Belgrade Lakes, is approximately 9 miles long and is the result of continental collision and glacial scouring. Its size was increased after it was dammed in 1905 to provide waterpower to Oakland's Cascade Woolen Mill and several factories in the early 20th century. Its average depth is 33 feet with a maximum depth of 113 feet.

While power boating is permitted on Messalonskee Lake, the lake suffers from a problem with aquatic plant life (milfoil) and therefore has become a popular destination for paddle boating, canoeing, and kayaking. Because of its unique habitat and conditions, the lake is considered one of the better places to view plants and wild animals, and binoculars are a must for an afternoon boat ride. The flora and fauna are abundant, ranging from singing bullfrogs and proud bald eagles to carnivorous pitcher plants. Black terns, a rare sight in Maine, also nest on the lake and any visitor will be awed by their beauty.

Fishing is a popular activity on Messalonskee Lake. Anglers can wile away the hours fishing for American eel, crappie, trout, bullhead, pickerel, fallfish, shiner, salmon, bass, pike and more.

While popular for its fishing, the lake is also known for its birding and scenic landscape. Whether observing nature in a canoe or kayak from the water or taking advantage of hiking trails, you will be in awe of the quiet peacefulness of the area, giving you unique and wonderful opportunities to catch animals in their element: foraging for food, bounding through the trees and sleeping in knolls. Don't forget your camera!

Messalonskee Lake: Statistics

Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed
Surface Area: 3,510 acres
Average Depth: 33 feet
Maximum Depth: 113 feet

Ice Fishing Frensy

2009-01-31T05:19:00.000-08:00

Ice Fishing Frenzy is 'still rock 'n' rolling'

)

OAKLAND -- It started as a small winter outing on one lake.

But that was 18 years ago.

Today the Children's Ice Fishing Frenzy is just that -- a frenzy. A good one, though.

As in about 200 children spread among seven lakes in the Belgrade chain, experiencing a sporting activity that is quintessentially Maine.

"This activity really fits the Belgrade Lakes," Oakland Recreation Director Eric Seekins said. "I'm not sure you could do it in Portland, but it works for the Oakland Recreation Department. Originally, it was born out of my own interest in the outdoors and now, 18 years later, it's still rock 'n' rolling."

By Friday afternoon, the deadline to sign up, Seekins had nearly 200 children registered for what this year will be a Super Bowl Sunday event.

For most of its history, the Ice Fishing Frenzy was held on Messalonskee Lake alone.

Seekins added six more Belgrade Lakes -- Salmon, McGrath, North, Great, East and Long -- when he realized that many families had lodges or ice shacks on one of those ponds.

By expanding the venue, many families can stay warm fishing on their home ice.

"It makes it easier for the families with young children," Seekins said.

Participants can start fishing any time they wish, but they have to bring their fish to Atwood Elementary School to be weighed between 3 and 5 p.m.

Prizes are awarded in the following fish categories: white perch, yellow perch, pickerel, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, brown trout, splake, brook trout and northern pike.

And then there are the prizes for pre-determined mystery weights, as well as prizes through special drawings and a special prize for the largest fish.

No child, moreover, leaves without receiving a certificate of participation.

"Everybody," Seekins said, "will walk out of there with something on Sunday. All they have to do is show up at the school."

Seekins will be among the participants or, rather, he will be on a lake watching his children, ages 7 and 4, try to hook a big one.

It's important, he said, to let your children learn what ice fishing is all about.

"If (ice fishing) is not passed on to the next generation," he said, "we are going to lose it, and this is a nice, friendly way do to it."

ice fishing in Maine

2009-01-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

Tips For Ice Fishing in Maine

There is very little to debate when it comes to ice fishing; people either love it or hate it. But in states like Maine, there is a long tradition of ice fishing, and many people that ice fish can't wait for winter to come so they can get on the ice and enjoy this sport.

But if you’re new to ice fishing in Maine, it is important to get an understanding for what this sport is all about before charging out on the ice. This article will cover the basics of starting out in ice fishing. Who knows, you may even find out that you love the adventure of getting out and catching some big Maine fish.

The first rule of ice fishing is somewhat obvious, but it cannot be overstated enough. Always make certain that the ice your fishing on is safe. A good rule to follow is to wait until there is a minimum of 6 inches of ice on a lake or pond before attempting to fish on it. There are also different types of ice, and it would be wise to get familiar with all of them before heading out.

"Black ice," is a name given to ice that is mostly clear, and contains only air bubbles thoughout it. Black ice is considered to be more safe than the deceivingly-named, "white ice," which is not as clear, and contains melted snow that has been re-frozen over and over. In general, ice fishing beginners should stay away from white ice.

Another good rule is to always test the ice before setting up and fishing. You can often test the ice by the shore, you should drill a couple of holes in the ice close to the shore where the water is not as deep. This will help you to get a good idea of how much ice there is and the quality of it. Another good idea is to ask other fishermen about the quality of the ice and its thickness.

When choosing a spot to fish, you should look at getting some ice fishing access maps that can be available online for lakes and ponds in Maine. These will help to give you a better idea of the depth of a pond or lake that you intend to fish, and hep suggest locations to set up your base camp for fishing. It's also good to note that you need not go out into deep water to catch fish. Many experienced ice fishermen rarely risk going out beyond 6 or 7 feet deep. As a first timer, it is a good idea to stay closer to the shore anyways, and you can be confident that it is just as easy to catch some fish.

Another rule of ice fishing is to never go ice fishing on your own. You should always take a friend when you venture out to go ice fishing. This is important for safety reasons, and it can also make your entire experience much more enjoyable. Another good idea is to let your family or friends know where you will be fishing and at what time you plan to be done.

Ice fishing in Maine can be a great winter pastime, and a way to pass those long, dark winter evenings, but remember, when it comes to ice fishing, safety should always come first.

2009-01-23T10:22:00.001-08:00

2009-01-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

BOWDOINHAM, Maine - The morning is sunny; the river is frozen. Snowmobiles and four-wheelers whisk us over the smooth ice and snow a couple of cold miles to Jim McPherson's secluded shanty on the Cathance River, a tidal tributary of Merrymeeting Bay.

The shack looks like a kindergartener's drawing of a house. It is about 10 feet square with a front door, a peaked roof, a few windows, and a pipe chimney blowing wood smoke. McPherson, who lighted the stove, has already come and gone. Inside it is warm as a sauna.

Open the door and step up from the ice onto a plywood floor that stops short of the side walls to make room for rectangular holes that have been slashed out of the frozen river with a chainsaw. Above these gaps hang a dozen or so lines attached to a 2-inch-by-2-inch beam. Nudge the beam, and it jigs the hooks.

We bait the lines with pieces of sandworm and lower them into the river where they hang, weighted with lead sinkers, some closer to the surface, some closer to the bottom.

Maine's coastal rivers usually freeze just after Christmas. Sportsmen drag their handmade shanties onto the ice. The fish to catch are smelts - tiny, sharp-toothed, silver-sided relations to salmon and trout. Fresh out of the water they smell like cucumber. Breaded with cornmeal, fried in butter, dipped in tartar sauce, and eaten off the bone, they are a superlative snack - fish to gush over.

In the winter smelt come with the tides day and night. They summer along the coast in shallow water close to shore. In fall they move up into the estuaries and winter under the ice. In spring, when the ice melts, they wiggle up the brooks to spawn - but for now all is frozen and the fishermen are waiting, lines ready, tall tales in the air.

Around Bowdoinham there are a handful of smelt camps that can be booked by the tide - little smelt villages, where for less than $50 each group gets a shack complete with wood stove, fishing lines, folding chairs, and newspaper-wrapped packets of bait. Bring your own beer.

McPherson, 54, big and bearded, has made a living from the bay and its rivers all his life. He has fished for eels, hunted ducks, and rented houseboats. For about 20 years he has maintained Jim's Smelt Camps, a cluster of ice shacks just upriver from the little Brooklyn Bridge on Route 24 in Bowdoinham.

Until sometime in March McPherson and his crew will work the camps 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In and around a shack by the road they cut firewood, watch television, cook at the snack bar (griddled hamburgers and fried potatoes), smoke cigarettes, drink coffee, plow, pack bait, stoke the stoves.

Shack renters come at all hours: old men in the morning to fill five-gallon buckets with fish; college kids during the day to gawk, drink beer, and make cellphone videos to post on Facebook; rockers at night with giggly women and boom boxes.

McPherson also keeps an upriver camp at what is known as town farm turn. "I'm the smelt chaser," he says. "That means I go where the smelt are." The camp, "for serious fishermen only," is more secluded, more expensive, and offers better fishing. After some slow fishing in the cluster by the bridge we pony up for the champagne lounge - $25 a person instead of $15.

It's worth the extra dough. Our lines start twitching a minute after they hit the water. We bend down and tug the lines out of the water. Smelt! The fish are a few inches long - shiny and squirmy, bright eyed and iridescent. To honor local tradition we bite heads off the first fish and spit them out. The still wriggling bodies go into a bucket.

For nearly four hours the lines do not stop moving. The haul is mostly smelt, big females and small males, but toward the end of the tide we pull in some white perch as well. We work the lines like puppeteers, pull fish off hooks, throw fish in buckets, and empty full buckets into a giant trash bag on the snow outside.

We fry fish for lunch in a cast-iron pan on top of the woodstove. We drink beer. We eat chips. Thick steamy vapor comes up from the cold water. The floor is wet from flapping fish. We step outside the shack, wearing T-shirts, squinting in the glare of the sun, hearing nothing but the groaning of ice, seeing just crows, and trees, and ice.

About 2 p.m. the tide turns, and McPherson arrives to pick us up. We pull the lines, squeegee the floor, and shut down the stove. The trash bag is full of fish, probably 50 pounds of perfect little silver icicles. Again, we bomb over the frozen ice. The sky above is blue, the wind burns our faces and feels so good.

Later, we fry fish for supper.

Jonathan Levitt can be reached at www.jonathanlevitt.com.

Be safe out there

2009-01-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Even in dead of winter, ice safety a must

Even though we're deep in the dead of winter these days, ice can still be tricky $ as a couple of visitors found out last weekend.

Dennis Belmonte, of Middleton, Mass., was riding with a group of three other snowmobilers on Sunday when his sled crashed through thin ice near North Twin Dam not far from Millinocket. It was the same area where a man from Connecticut was killed last spring when snowmobiling onto thin ice.

As a result, the Maine Warden Service for the second time this season is issuing a reminder to outdoorsmen to use extreme caution when going onto ice, "particularly in areas near bridges, thoroughfares, culverts and wherever else there may be currents flowing underneath as ice in these areas may be very thin or non existent."

All the proof you need in telling how serious thin ice can be is in a snowmobile sitting at the bottom of 30 feet of water.

"There are certain locations in the state that never freeze," said Major Gregory Sanborn of the Warden Service. "Locals usually know about these. Unfortunately visitors do not.

"Recreationalists not familiar with a particular body of water need to use extreme caution. Never follow a track just because it's there. Also, be aware of any moving water, such as inlets, outlets and culverts."

It takes colder temperatures to freeze water in culverts, inlets and outlets because it is in motion, Sanborn said.

"Areas of moving water never freeze to the point of being safe to cross or ride upon," Major Sanborn said.

Safe ice conditions cannot be assumed, even though most of Maine's lakes and ponds are currently frozen over. Recent snowfall covers the bodies of water, which both slows the freezing process and masquerades treacherous spots.

* * * * *

Tips for Ice Safety

* Never guess the thickness of the ice. Check it.

Check the ice in several different places using an auger or some other means to make a test hole and determine the thickness. Make several, beginning at the shore, and continuing as you go out.

* Check the ice with a partner.
If something does happen, someone is there to help you. If you are doing it alone, wear a lifejacket.

* If ice at the shoreline is cracked or squishy, stay off.

Watch out for thin, clear or honeycombed ice. Dark snow and dark ice are other signs of weak spots.

* Avoid areas with currents, around bridges and pressure ridges.

Wind and currents can break ice.

* Parents should alert children of unsafe ice in their area, and make sure that they stay off the ice.

If they insist on using their new skates, suggest an indoor skating rink.

* If you break through the ice, remember the following: don't panic, don't try to climb out immediately, reach for solid ice, lay both arms on the unbroken ice and kick hard to lift your body onto the ice. Once on the ice, roll to safety.

by Travis Barrett

loons make comeback

2009-01-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

January 20, 2009

Loon population rebounds nicely

Good news from the dead of winter: Maine's loon population is on the rise.

According to a press release from Maine Audubon, after two years of declining numbers, the 2008 state loon count showed that loons are rebounding across Maine.

Over a thousand citizen-scientist volunteers helped conduct the 25th anniversary of the Maine Loon Count last July. Surveying 332 lakes and ponds across Maine one morning, the group recorded more than 2,000 loons.

There were 2,083 adults and 184 chicks in all.

"We were worried that there would be a drop in the adult population for an unprecedented third year in a row," said Susan Gallo, Maine Audubon wildlife biologist and director of the Maine Loon Project. "The bounce back is a relief and puts the population back on a healthy track."

The estimate of southern Maine's chick population for 2008 was 265, a drop from 2007's nearly record high of 422. Swings in the chick population are typical from year to year, but the population has remained stable over time.

While weather conditions stayed mostly favorable for loons leading up to 2008's count day, consistent rains in the weeks after may have had a negative impact on survival rates. With enough heavy rain, lake levels can rise enough to flood nests on the shore.

The 2009 count is scheduled for July 18.

"The record number of volunteers participating last summer was a pleasant surprise," said Gallo. "People's enthusiasm about the loon count no matter how old they are is always amazing

great lake save

2008-10-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

OAKLAND -- Mike Guarino called it a one in a million chance that a pontoon boat set adrift from its moorings on Messalonskee Lake by 50 mph gusts would be recovered undamaged.

But that's what happened Wednesday morning.

Guarino, a neighbor to the family that owns the pontoon boat, said the incident is a testament to the power of the wind, which managed to blow the vessel off the ledge it was moored on for what turned out to be about a 4-mile trip on Messalonskee Lake.

"It never came unattached to its mooring weights," he said of the two 250 pound weights. "So what happened is those moorings continued to bounce as the boat bounced."

Guarino said boats usually end up crashing ashore when they go adrift.

But the pontoon boat, he said, somehow managed to steer clear of obstacles until the mooring got caught in a sandbar.

That's when Messalonskee Lake resident Edward Pearl spotted the vessel with fishing rods hanging from its sides.

"All I could think of at first," Pearl said, "is it is kind of cold to be fishing."

When Pearl saw no signs of activity onboard, he became concerned that somebody might have fallen overboard or suffered a heart attack or stroke.

A call to Oakland police, however, brought relief from that fear.

The pontoon boat owners had called police early that morning to report that the boat had drifted off.

Guarino used his fishing boat to ferry his neighbors to their pontoon boat.

He said they were able to start the vessel and motor home without a problem.

Guarino said he was relieved that nobody had tried to recover the boat via canoe or by trying to swim from the lakefront.

"That's how accidents happen this time of year," he said, noting that the water temperature has dipped to about 50 degrees

Mike is the lake assoc.board of directors newest member.

Mike owns and operates Maine wilderness tours in Belgrade Maine

contact him at ... info@mainewildernesstours.com

or 207-465-4333

Great work mike

interesting pontoon design

2008-09-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

this is wrong on so many levels
good to see the has provided for the inevitable with
a life ring on the upper deck

morning rain

2008-08-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

BRCA Aquafest

2008-08-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

We’re Throwing a Party, and YOU’RE Invited!

The big Do is AQUAFEST, a family festival celebrating the seven beautiful Belgrade Lakes on August 29 and 30, 2008. Consider yourself cordially asked to round up the gang and join your neighbors for summer’s fun finale on Labor Day weekend.

AQUAFEST offers something for all ages … a timed 5K Race for the Lakes, a Kids Corner Challenge (ages 1 to 12), a Fun Run, Walk, Crawl or Creep (in which dogs with securely leashed owners may compete), Kayak Races, GPS and kayak lessons, music, art, a Farmer’s Market, a yummy Family Barbecue, an Art Mart, and much, much, more!

Festivities kick off with a cocktail party from 5 to 7 pm on Friday evening at the Village Inn in Belgrade Lakes. You’ll be off to the races at 8 am the following morning when the 5K sprints out and back from Camp Runoia on Point Road in Belgrade. Then the Kids Corner Challenge with T-shirt painting, games, prizes and a Lake Event Course runs from 9 to 11 at the Belgrade Center for All Seasons, with the Fun Run following-on close behind. Awards for all events and the Fishing Derby winner take place before the noontime Chicken Barbecue in the Rec Center picnic grove; then Canoes and Kayaks Race off from the waterfront at 2 pm.

If that isn’t enough to occupy family and friends, your gang can take boat and float plane rides, visit the Farmers’ Market, snag a Labor Day bargain, find a summer keepsake at village stores or the Art Mart, or munch on AQUAFEST Specials at village food emporia.

There’s more to tell, but we’ve run out of room. No problem! All details can be found in the AQUAFEST flyer (at random watershed locations) and on the BRCA website www.belgradelakes.org

Days'Store turns 50

2008-08-14T12:49:00.001-07:00

Days Store, Belgrade Lakes Icon, Celebrates 50 Years

July 16, 2008 - BELGRADE LAKES -- Summer in Maine, particularly in the Belgrade Lakes region, is for vacationers. A time to travel through a mosquito-studded wonderland of nostalgia, back to the days of one's youth where eternal summers were spent with a parent in a canoe, or on rainy days, crowded around a Coleman stove, popping corn.

Driving through Belgrade Lakes, many visitors will pull their cars off Route 27 and into the packed parking lot of Days General Store, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Drawn in by its neon sign surrounded by a wreath of golden stars and a big paper "50," this writer entered the general store to the familiar faces of former high-school classmates, bustling around the counter, pulling fresh pizzas from the ovens, and dealing with customers.

The store sells bait and tackle, sandwiches and baked goods, homemade fudge. You can pick up libations, newspapers, clothing, fishing gear and a fishing license, and use its ATM machine.

Three of the girls working there represent the fourth generation of the family-owned and-operated general store, established by the grandparents of the current owner.

"We draw from all over New England," said store owner Diane Oliver.

"Just this week we had some folks from England and Germany."

Despite its reputation as one-stop general store among the Belgrade Lakes holidaymakers, from near and away, the store maintains its true small-town feel, providing a refuge for a host of regulars.

"The family keeps the store running all winter," said Oliver, providing year-round service to other local families who have been coming here for generations, and not particularly catering to vacationers. When you're here, you're just one of the family."

This philosophy can most likely trace its origins to Jim and Mae Day, the couple who established the store with the intent of creating a family business in 1958.

It's uncertain if they envisioned their great grandchildren tending the till, but they would no doubt swell with pride at the golden stars ringing the window of the store they created all those years ago.

BY JOHN AYOTTE, Kennebec Journal,

D E P codes violation in new Sharon

2008-08-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Town of New Sharon Takes Land Owners to Court

August 06, 2008 - NEW SHARON -- A couple from Massachusetts who own property on a rural road in New Sharon violated environmental laws when they bulldozed a stream bed, built barrier dams and constructed a road near the water without a permit, town officials say.

Violations against Melissa and Richard Deleskey, who own property at 255 Swan Road in New Sharon and also in Salem, Mass., date to the summer of 2006.

A phone call this week to Melissa Deleskey was not returned.

In 2006, an inspector from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection determined approximately 150 feet of Kinney Brook had been cleared and an area within 75 feet of the stream had been graded. Also, heavy equipment was used to build a road near the water, according to a complaint filed by the town of New Sharon in Farmington District Court.

"The Deleskeys implemented no erosion controls and no permit or approval was obtained by them from the town," said New Sharon's municipal attorney, Frank Underkuffler.

Underkuffler said he has been in contact with the family and is drafting a consent agreement that includes a fine and also an order for a professionally-prepared restoration plan showing how the disturbed shoreland will be returned to its previous condition.

The agreement will be negotiated with the Deleskeys and selectmen will vote on it later this month.

He anticipates the Deleskeys will make a good faith effort to comply with the town's shoreland zoning ordinance.

"A lot of people are unaware that they cannot alter a brook or stream," Underkuffler said.

A town's shoreland zoning ordinance regulates the removal or clearing of vegetation along a waterway and also filling or earth-moving within a Stream Protection District. The state's Natural Resource Protection Act, overseen by the DEP, covers dredging, bulldozing, removing or displacing soil, sand, vegetation or other material in and adjacent to a river, stream or brook.

According to the New Sharon complaint, the Deleskeys were ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $400 to cover the cost of attorney's fees and enforcement. They were also ordered to install adequate erosion controls including a silt fence, to mulch all exposed soil, and submit a restoration plan.

The plan was to be reviewed and approved by Code Enforcement Officer James Fleming and the Planning Board.

"The Deleskeys failed to take any of the ordered actions," the suit states.

Minimal remedial actions taken by the Deleskeys "have not abated the environmental problems caused by (their) shoreland zoning violations," according to the complaint.

New violations this year include barrier dams in the streambed that pooled and slowed the flow of water. The complaint also states that a woods road adjacent to the stream had material removed.

In 2006, DEP issued a notice of violation to the Deleskeys for the stream and shoreland disturbances.

After lengthy negotiations, the Deleskeys signed a consent agreement and paid a $3,000 fine, according to DEP spokesman Scott Cowger.

A restoration plan was submitted to the DEP that included replanting of trees and some work was done. However, many of the trees have since died, he said.

New violations found during a DEP compliance inspection in May included the small rock dams. A second Notice of Violation was issued to the Deleskeys on June 9.

The agency is pursuing a second consent agreement that could have more stringent penalties including submission of a professionally-prepared restoration plan and additional fines.

"Consent agreements have to go before the Board of Environmental Protection to be approved. Clearly, having a second (Notice of Violation) may impact the board's decision," Cowger said.

BY BETTY JESPERSEN
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal Friday, August 01, 2008

Jet Skis, opinions

2008-08-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Jetskis, the New Controversy

When it comes to Jetskis, or “personal watercraft ” as the manufacturers like to call them, ninety percent of lakefront homeowner opinions I’ve heard fall into two extreme positions.

Extreme Position #1: OUTLAW THEM COMPLETELY – Many believe that unlike powerboats, which are designed to take one from point A to point B, jetskis are not designed for that peaceful and benign purpose. Folks seeking thrills, excitement and a rather noisy kind of fun are drawn to jetskis like moths to a flame. To some, jetskis are to boats as “funny car” hot rods are to automobiles. A virulent strain.Most jetski owners are not oblivious to the fact that many people hate jetskis. Strangely, this does not deter them from buying jetskis. In gentler times, irritating the neighbors would be considered bad form, or at least unneighborly. Not any more. They seem to feel that “the right to own jetskis should not be infringed upon”. Their sentiment seems to be that folks who come from hundreds of miles away to enjoy the peace and tranquilty of the lake or pond are, well, just going to have to put up with us jetski owners.

Many in the “peace and quiet” crowd who yearn to commune with nature from their kayaks and canoes, generally favor the outlawing of jetskis, especially on smaller lakes and ponds.

Extreme Position #2: NO RESTRICTIONS ON JETSKIS ON ANY LAKE OR POND AT ANY TIME - Folks who hate the government interfering with our personal liberties decry the oncoming “nanny state”. “Where in the constitiution does it say that the government can abridge or eliminate the right to use one’s jetski whenever and wherever one wants?” is the hue and cry.Although only a tiny percntage of Maines lakes and ponds have prohibited jetski use, a fight is brewing. It was reported this week that a jetski owner is questioning the legality of the state to allow lakefront homeowners to prohibit jetskis on their lake (SEE FULL STORY). This jetski owner may be kicking a sleeping dog that just might bite him. Ever since the horrendous power boat accident on Long Lake attitudes are hardening.

The “Silent Majority” position - Allow jetski use on most lakes and ponds excepting the very smallest in size. Those jetskiers who become a problem or a nuisance would lose their right to operate a jetski on the lake. This position, however reasonable, is an enforcement nightmare for the harbormaster, the warden service and the local authorities. But the irresponsible and careless actions of a few should not bar the responsible use and enjoyment of jetskis by many lovers of Maine lakes and ponds.

MILFOIL ..again

2008-08-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

Milfoil has been a repeating topic on this blog
the new infestation at Salmon lake has all in the Belgrade Lakes area
a little jumpy.Maybe this link will help explain the area's obsession
with the evil weed....

this from the BRCA

You all know about the situation at Salmon Lake and there is going to be news and updates coming out daily. DEP just installed marker buoys and are not allowing any boaters to enter the cover, unless they are land owners. You as a CBI need to tell all boater about this. If a boat is approaching the cove, you need to intercept and relay the message and express the importance of the situation. Below is a link that I urge you all to check out. We are also putting together volunteer monitoring programs and if any of you are able to help out, that would be great. Please let me know asap if you can help out next Tuesday the 19^th or any other time.

Please make sure you all are telling boaters at all launches that it is the BOATERS responsibility to be checking their boats. The boaters should not be relying on the CBIs to check boats. They should have the personal interest to self check before and after they launch. Its getting towards the end of the season and boaters are getting comfortable and not as aware as they might have been at the beginning of the season. Invasive plants don’t take a day off so neither should the boaters.

Thanks to you all and let me know if you got any questions.

MAINE LAKES NEWSLETTER

http://www.mainelakes.org/documents/milfoil%20newsletter%20august%2008.pdf

Snow Pond/Messalonskee lake History

2008-08-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ask most Americans if they have ever heard of Belgrade, and you will probably be told that Belgrade is the capital of Serbia, or the capital of the former Yugoslavia. Not many will be aware of Belgrade, Maine. The two Belgrades are, however, related to the extent that the town in Maine was named after the city in Europe. (According to the National Geographic Atlas of the World, Revised Sixth Edition, dated 1992, there are only five "Belgrades" in the entire world. Other than the ones in Serbia and Maine, they are in located in Minnesota, Montana and Nebraska. Oddly, all of the American Belgrades are in northern states.)

The relationship between Serbian Belgrade and the one in Maine came about because of the European travels of a John V. Davis, during the late 1700's. While in Europe, he had either visited Belgrade, or (more likely) had simply heard of the return of Christianity to the city, in 1774, after an absence of several hundred years, under Moslem rule. This was considered a great event in Europe, since it marked the first weakening of Turkish domination of eastern Europe.

However it happened, when the petition to create the new town in Maine was drawn up, it was Davis (a resident) who suggested it be named "Belgrade". Undoubtedly, also, the Austrian capture of the European city from the Turks (in 1789) was still very strong in his mind.

Coincidentally, 1774 marked the beginning of the known history of Belgrade, Maine. In that year a man named Philip Snow, who had hunted for some time I what is now Sidney, decided to look for new hunting grounds on the other side of the large lake to the west. He crossed the lade and landed about two miles north of what is now Belgrade Depot, and there he built a log cabin. He apparently intended this as just a base for his hunting trips, since he came alone, without any family. After about six years, Snow sold his cabin to Joseph Greely, and probably returned to his family, in Sidney. At some later date, but before Belgrade became a town, he returned to the west side of the lake with his wife and nine children. Later still, he and his family left the country. Snow Pond (now Lake Messalonskee) and Mt. Philip (just north of Belgrade Lakes) were both named in his honor.

Later in 1774, a few months after Snow had crossed the lake, two other settlers crossed to the west side of the lake to take up permanent residence. The first was Simeon Wyman, who arrived with his wife, Thankful, and six children. He settled on the southern slope of Belgrade Hill. His became the first farm to be cleared in the new area. Later, the Wyman's had a son, who was also named Simeon. He was the first white child to be born on the west side of the lake.

The second new arrival was twenty-four year old Joel Richardson. He was not married, and settled on the north slope of Belgrade Hill. Two years later, he married a Wyman daughter, named Sarah.

Another early arrival was Paul Yeaton. He was a Revolutionary War veteran, introducing a surname to the area which still survives. As the years passed, more settlers followed their lead. By 1790, the area had a population of 159 people. (While quite a few of the family names of these early settlers still exist in Belgrade, it is surprising how many have disappeared.) Six years after that first count, the population grew to about two hundred and fifty. At that time, this was considered to be a fairly large town.

An odd thing about all of this is that Belgrade history is very silent about contacts with the native Indian population. These Indians were the Abenakis. They were originally friendly towards the white settlers, but then the settlers apparently started to pillage and kidnap the natives and they became very distrustful. (One can understand why the history is so silent.) One exception to this is discussed later, with reference to the history of the Belgrade Town House. Today, there are no known records of any Indian legends or any interface with Indians, with that single exception.

Belgrade land titles originated with Charter Grants from English kings. Originally, Maine was simply a part of the Colony of New Plymouth. Then, in June1753, a group of Boston businessmen were incorporated as "the Proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase from the late Colony of New Plymouth". Although they were most active along the lower Kennebec River, some owned land in the Belgrade area. James Bowdoin, Treasurer of the "Proprietors" until 1790, owned lots here. Several current deeds trace back to his widow, Sarah, and other family members. This area later became known as the Washington Plantation of Lincoln County, and still a part of Massachusetts.

The residents of the area decided to petition the General Court of Massachusetts, asking that the town be separated from the Washington Plantation, and incorporated as the Town of Belgrade. The petition was received with favor and the incorporation papers were signed February 3, 1796, by Samuel Adams, then Governor of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, this very important historical document disappeared during a fire on February 4, 1943. It had been kept, along with other Town papers, in a concrete vault in the basement of the Central School. On that date, the school burned to the ground from unknown causes. It is thought that the document survived, possibly surfacing in the mid-1970's. It has not been seen since.

By this act of incorporation, however, Belgrade became the one hundred second Incorporated Town in Maine, and the thirteenth, in what is known today as Kennebec County.

Later, but still in 1796, a small part of Sidney was annexed to Belgrade, by consent of the General Court. This land lies between Belgrade Hill and Oakland, on the west side of Lake Messalonskee. Originally, Belgrade voters had agreed to accept the property, but then changed their minds in a second vote. The General Court, however, decided to go ahead with the original decision, against the new wishes of the citizens of Belgrade.

During those early years, a second acquisition of territory was made by Belgrade, and again, it was against the wishes of the citizens, who thought it would stretch the town out too far. This actually was a pretty good reason, considering the difficulty in travelling any distance, at that time. The residents of the Town of Dearborn, incorporated in 1812, and known until then as West Pond Plantation, didn't do well either in business or in farming, probably because the area was remote and the land was very rocky, and poor for farming. They petitioned the Maine Legislature to be divided and annexed to neighboring towns. An act was passed, in 1839, dividing Dearborn among the towns of Belgrade, Waterville and Smithfield. The land added to Belgrade was that lying to the north of the North Belgrade Stream, up to the present Smithfield border. It constitutes about one fifth of the area of Belgrade, and made the size of Belgrade what it is today. The act also added about three hundred people to Belgrade's population.

About two years later, the residents of a large part of Rome also petitioned the Maine Legislature to become part of Belgrade. This petition, however, was turned down.

The first Belgrade Town Meeting was held on March 8, 1796. During the rest of 1796, four more Town Meetings were needed to get the new town properly started. These Meetings were held in private dwellings or taverns, as space allowed, since Belgrade did not have a town hall. Finally, in 1815,two hundred dollars were set aside to build a "Town House". Construction was started, but it was not completed until 1834. Town Meetings were held there from that time until 1872.

In that year, the Town House was used to house a patient who had smallpox, no other facility being available. (The patient was the sole Indian mentioned in Belgrade history.) After that, it was decided to move the Town Meetings to a different location. They were then held in the Masonic Hall (later the Grange Hall, but now privately owned) until 1962. That year, the Meetings were moved to the James C. Hewitt Gymnasium of Central School. The meetings are held there to this day.

The old Town House still stands and is still in use, although it has seen many changes over the years. It is now used by the Cemetery Sexton as an office, as well as for equipment storage. The original entrance was at the east end of the building. Ten, in 1905, the town voted one hundred dollars to divide the House in half. The western half was designated a waiting room for cemetery visitors waiting for rides home. It is now the office. The eastern half is the present storage area. A small portico on the south side was added in 1938. The Town House is located on Route 135, just to the east of its' intersection with Route 27.

An example of what went on at the Town Meeting is what took place at the Meeting of March 1, 1876. The voters approved raising $3,000 "for the support of roads and bridges, allowing one shilling per hour on the highway, the difference between Horses and Oxen to be left to the Highway Surveyors". The same Meeting also raised $1,600 for the support of schools and $6,000 for support of the poor, as well as to defray all other necessary Town charges.

In addition, the voters approved selling "lots in the Graveyard to persons living out of Town and State" and voted the "the Selectmen reduce the valuation of Real Estate in the town on an average". (The sale of Graveyard lots, which was approved at the 1876 Meeting, was reversed in the mid-1900's.) The town clerk and constable at this meeting was a James C. Mosher. One can imagine the discussions that took place before each vote was taken. The length of the Meeting was not recorded.

Originally, Belgrade did not have a Town Office. The "office", in the early years, was simply a trunk containing town records. The trunk was kept by each First Selectman, in whose home meetings were held. Later, the Town Office was one room in the old Central School (destroyed by fire in 1943) and then a room in the school built to replace it.

In 1960, the Town Office moved to the back room of the Belgrade Lakes firehouse, and remained there for nine years. Finally, in1969, the Town Office was moved to its' present location at the southwest corner of the intersection of Routes 135 and 27. The Town Office is also used for various small meetings.

Residents of Belgrade, during the early 1800's, were apparently fairly well to do. There were a number of gristmills in town, which meant enough farms growing wheat, other grains and corn in sufficient quantity to support them (although little evidence of such farming exists today). Also, there were many mills in operation (although some were quite small) indicating a good deal of logging. Later, potatoes and apples became major crops. Today, only one truck farm survives. This is run by Frank Farnham, who still grows and sells his own vegetables, to the delight of both residents and summer visitors, at his farm stand on Route 27, in Belgrade Depot.

Over the years, Belgrade has had its' share of famous residents. The two most prominent were Lot M. and Anson P. Morrill, sons of Peaseley Morrill. Lot was born in 1803, and Anson in 1811, both in Belgrade. Both men became Governors of Maine and members of Congress, with Lot serving both as Senator and as Secretary of the Treasury. Another will known name was that of Justice of the New York Supreme Court Joseph F. Crater, who maintained a summer home in Belgrade, and who disappeared en route from Belgrade Lakes to New York City on August 6,1930. His disappearance is one of America's most famous unsolved mysteries.

Belgrade has several cemeteries, mentioned here because they contain the remains of so many of the early settlers. They are interesting places to visit, As a result. The oldest is the Pine Grove Cemetery, on the south side of Route 135. The earliest burial there was in 1803. Across the road, near the intersection with Route 27, is the Woodside Cemetery. The first burial there was in 1812, and in 1819, second-settler Joel Richardson was also buried there. Two other cemeteries exist, although neither is now active. One is the Quaker burying Ground, just to the East of Pine Grove, and the other is the Ellis Cemetery just off the West shore of Salmon (formerly Ellis) Lake. Through disuse, it became nearly inaccessible, but it has been cleaned up and is now again open to visitors. Peaseley Morrill was buried there in 1855.

Belgrade also boasts one of the few water Postal Routes certified y the U. S. Postal Service. (There are only four in the entire United Stated.) It was started about 1900, and is available to residents of homes on the Great Pond during the "Summer Season" (about five months, in all). The mail boat starts and ends its' run at the Great Pond Marina in Belgrade Lakes, making a complete circuit of the Great Pond. It carries sight-seeing passengers (for a fee) as well as mail.

The major industries in Belgrade today are two lumber mills (one in Belgrade Depot and the another in North Belgrade) and a supplier of gravel, cement and concrete building products, to homeowners and area contractors. In addition, tourism has become another "major industry". The population of the town more than doubles in the summer when camp property owners and their families arrive, and there are hundreds more that come only for a week or two to enjoy the fishing and other water sports.

Belgrade has lived through a very exciting two hundred years, as is evidenced by the attached reminiscences and the many photos of days gone by. We hope you enjoy browsing with us through the many years gone by, as we wonder what the next two hundred years will bring.

PICNIC IN THE PARK

2008-08-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

Messalonskee Lake Association
presents...

Annual Meeting & Picnic in the Park

Saturday August 23rd – Oakland Town Landing

Meeting Starts at 4:00 pm
Picnic and Music from 5:00 to 8:00 pm

Bring Your Own Picnic Lunch, Chairs, Blanket, etc
We will supply the Soft Drinks, Tent

The Band
“Hidden Drive” will play from 5 to 8 PM

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

(Please - NO ALCOHOL OR PETS)

mifoil opinion aug 4 2006

2008-08-12T12:54:00.001-07:00

Weed Sprouts Community Opinions

By Mike Guarino

Controversy has struck in the Belgrade Lakes Region and it has folks around here divided. Actually, to be honest, the controversy may be bringing anglers, environmentalists and naturalists closer together in the long run. It really is an old issue that seems to be brought up again and again each year. No, it's not the pike vs. trout debate, or which lake has the biggest white perch, or who makes the best pizza in town. The issue that's making headlines in the local papers is about a weed. It's an evil weed that was brought here by mistake and unceremoniously plopped into our waters; a weed that has people jumping through hoops, paying sticker fees for boats, and double-checking under their trailers. The weed is called variable leaf milfoil, and it's living a happy life in Belgrade Stream and sections of Messalonskee Lake.

The Belgrade Stream flows into the southern section of Messalonskee, which is also the most infested milfoil area. Basically, the weed has choked the stream except for the channel and a few deeper sections of the waterway and has taken a stronghold on the shallows around the boat launch located just off Route 27. For fishermen, this is not a bad thing because the bass, pickerel, crappie and pike have adapted, although most anglers find it difficult to fish during the summer months when the weed is most prevalent.

In an effort to control the milfoil, lake associations and other environmental groups have pushed to close the launch site. The main concern is the transportation of milfoil to the surrounding lakes and ponds in the area, so closing the launch that's smack dab in the middle of the problem certainly makes sense. The problem is that here in Maine, we take our public access seriously and many people do not wish to lose their access rites. So the compromise is a new launch based in Sidney where the milfoil is not as severe and the threat of transportation is minimized.

The State has made a tremendous effort to educate the boating public about moving the weed from lake to lake. Apparently, it only takes a small fragment of milfoil to take hold and establish "roots" in another lake, so it's up to all of us to make every effort to remove the milfoil from our boats, trailers, fishing nets, etc. each time we leave infested areas.

Despite all the efforts, the debated topics are many, but here's just a few to think about. The milfoil, according to many locals, has been in the stream since the late seventies and hasn't been moved yet (that we know of). So why close the launch? Answer: to defuse a potential time bomb — so far, so good, but there's nothing wrong with being proactive.

Speaking of being proactive, how about limiting the number of bass tournaments on the lake? If the concept is to lower the risk of transportation of milfoil, then why are there four registered tournaments on Messalonskee? Despite the fact that most bass tournament anglers are exceptional stewards of our lakes, there really is no justification for having tournaments on this specific lake. There are seven waters in the Belgrade chain and all have great bass fishing, yet half the tournaments are held on Messalonskee and five of the lakes do not have any tournaments at all (according to mebass.com).

Lastly, the argument over a second launch on Messalonskee is a valid one too. When you consider that Messalonskee is the only lake of seven with milfoil, why is it the only lake in the chain with two public boat launches?

So there you have it, the hot topic of the day. Fortunately, there is some very positive news to report about Messalonskee that is often left out when people talk about the lake. First is the fishing (of course!). The state stocks the lake with splake and this year there was a potential state-record fish caught there. Second, how about the black-headed terns, an endangered bird that nests in the marsh. Finally, Messalonskee Lake is a beautiful piece of water with some of the best current day pike and bass fishing in Belgrade, but don't forget about its trout and salmon history. (Look up the 9-3 fly sometime — it was designed on Messalonskee and gained its reputation for producing some big salmon — guess how much they weighed?). There are some wonderful homes and camps on the lake and the water throughout the majority of the lake is crystal clear and pristine.

Sometimes, when people read an article like this one, they think the lake is dirty. That couldn't be further from the truth, but milfoil and words like "infestation" and "evil weed" keep popping up, even though the words describe the minority of the lake. Keep in mind, of the 3,500 acres of water, only a small fraction has milfoil, but a much larger percentage has kids swimming, trout biting (sometimes!) and landowners smiling. Let's all be careful, but most importantly, let's all enjoy the Belgrade Lakes for what they are: intriguing, spectacular, and best of all, full o' fish. Good luck!

Mike Guarino can be contacted at 465-4333 or www.mainewildernesstours.com.

See related story: "Milfoil Management Marches On" (7/16/2004)

a shameless plug for a good guy

2008-08-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Maine Wilderness Tours

Belgrade Lakes Maine Fishing Hunting Vacations with Maine Wilderness Tours: "Maine Wilderness Tours

Your connection to the perfect Maine vacation!

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Fishing
Lodging
Fishing Reports/Customer Testimonials
White Water Rafting
Wilderness Canoe Trips!
Moose Watching Trips
Some Maine Links
Hunting
Ice Fishing
Snowmobiling
Some Maine Facts

For the past 14 years, Maine Wilderness Tours has been helping folks enjoy the Maine outdoors. Based in beautiful Belgrade Lakes, Maine, MWT offers lodging and guide services for fishing, white water rafting, canoeing, hunting and much more. We have complete vacation planning and booking services for large or small groups and company get-a-ways. Our personal attention and outdoor adventure planning services will meet all of your vacation needs. So, whether you want to photograph a Maine moose or catch a trophy northern pike, we'll book you a trip that is sure to be worry free and memorable.

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Thanks for Visiting!

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info@MaineWildernessTours.com

7 Croquet Lane ~ Belgrade, Maine 04917"

207-465-4333

no wake zone

2008-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Snow Pond / Messalonskee Lake Association
Boating
Laws | Boat Launch | Launching & Hauling Tips

The Snow Pond / Messalonskee Lake Association promotes safe boating recreation on the lake. For periods of high activity in the summer, the Association sponsors a patrol boat with a Harbor Master manned by members of the Oakland Police Department. The purpose of this activity is to promote safety and educate boaters on the boating laws. During the summer of 2005, patrols on the lake provided information packets to many boaters and sited only a very few offenders. The presence of the patrol boat encourages safe operation especially in the narrow North end of the lake where traffic density is high due to the transition from the Oakland Boat Ramp to the south end of the lake.

Many areas of our narrow lake are covered by the HEADWAY SPEED rules of the Maine Boating Laws / Rules. This part of the law states:

No person may operate a watercraft at a speed greater than headway speed while within the water safety zone or within a marina or an approved anchorage in coastal or inland waters except while actively fishing. For the purposes of this section, "headway speed" means the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage and control of the watercraft while the watercraft is moving.

“Water safety zone" means the area of water within 200 feet of any shoreline, whether the shoreline of the mainland or of an island.

A more complete summary of the Maine State Boating Rules are included in the BOATING RULES page of this website.

Boating Law proposed

2008-08-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

By Rep. Thom Watson
The next time you are on one of Maine's wonderful waters —
whether it be in a canoe, a rowboat, an off-shore cruiser or just
sitting onshore — wouldn't it be great if everyone on the water
around you knew something about nautical rules of the road and the
importance of common courtesy on the water?
A bill introduced this legislative session will make that happen. LD
2067, "An Act to Require Boating Safety Education," requires that
all recreational powerboat operators demonstrate a fundamental
level of boating safety knowledge.
Phased in over an eight-year period, the bill would require the
youngest and least experienced boaters to either take a locally
available or online boating safety course or demonstrate their
knowledge of basic boating safety requirements by passing a
standardized test approved by the state and the National Association
of Safe Boating Law Administrators.
Older and more experienced boaters would face similar
requirements by specific deadlines established by LD 2067.
Maine currently has the highest recreational boating fatality rate in
New England. Sixteen people died as a result of boating accidents
in Maine during the 2007 season, and experience in other states
shows that LD 2067 can reduce that death rate by one-third or
more.
A 2007 study of best practices in boating education by NASBLA
disclosed that those states with the longest history of boating
education also have the lowest average fatality rates of all the
states.
Moreover, the longer the education requirements have been in
place, the lower the fatality rates have become.
But it is not just the fatality rate that LD 2067 seeks to improve.
Requiring all recreational motorboat operators to demonstrate a
working knowledge of basic safety practices will create a safer and
more enjoyable boating environment for all Maine boaters by
increasing boating safety awareness.
The bill creates an educational requirement that can be satisfied
with ease and practically no expense. LD 2067 would establish a
once-in-a-lifetime boating safety education requirement.
This is not a "license" of any sort, and after a person has
demonstrated his or her boating safety competency, he or she need
never repeat the test or class.
The bill also includes provisions for out-of-state boaters; boat
renters and charters; boaters who have already completed basic
safety courses; existing maritime license holders; and anyone
operating a boat under supervised training (such as summer youth
camp programs).
This bill was developed by a working group that included the U.S.
Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the U.S. Power

PWC tune up

2008-08-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

Personal Watercraft

A Personal Watercraft (PWC) is defined as a vessel which uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump as the primary source of motive power, and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. It is not a toy. If you operate one, you have the responsibility of knowing and obeying boating regulations and practicing boating safety.

The U. S. Coast Guard classifies personal watercraft, PWC, as inboard boats. That means personal watercraft are subject to the same rules and requirements as any other powerboat plus additional requirements specific to PWC.

In addition to the general regulations in effect for motorboats, PWC owners must also be aware that there are local laws and ordinances around the country that further restrict PWC operations. They include age of the operator, hours of operation, special no wake zone provisions, assigned operating areas and restrictions, and speed and distance limits. Make certain you know the laws that apply to you in your area of operation. For example, some states prohibit wake jumping or require no-wake speed when within 100 feet of the shoreline. Because PWCs are not equipped with navigation lights operation is prohibited at night and during times of restricted visibility.

Federal Regulations require that all personal watercraft:

be registered and display a registration number in accordance with state and federal guidelines.
have properly fitted, CG approved personal flotation devices (life jackets) for each person on board (In most states they are required to be WORN by a PWC operator or passenger.)
PFDs should have an impact rating equal to, or better than, the PWC maximum speed
have a CG approved, Class B-1 fire extinguisher aboard the PWC
have a lanyard connected to the start/stop switch if your PWC is equipped with such a switch. This will stop the engine if the operator falls off.
The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) also recommends that the operator wear eye protection, a wetsuit, footwear, and gloves.

Many PWC have a lanyard connected to the start/stop switch. If your PWC is equipped with such a switch, it will not start unless the lanyard is attached to it. Never start your engine without attaching the lanyard to your wrist or PFD. If you fall off, the engine automatically stops running so your craft will not travel a great distance and you can easily swim to it. It will prevent the PWC from running unattended in areas populated by swimmers or other watercraft.

PWC operators need to keep in mind that a jet drive requires moving water through the drive nozzle for maneuverability. In other words you must have power applied in order to maintain steering control. If you release the throttle to idle or if the engine shuts off during operation you will lose all steering control. In either situation, the PWC will continue in the direction it was headed before the throttle was released or the engine was shut-off. Operation of the steering control will have no effect. If you are approaching a dock, shore, or other vessel at a speed greater than you can control and you release the throttle to idle or shut off the engine, you will have no maneuvering capability and the PWC will continue its forward movement.

Newer PWCs have a reverse mechanism that you can use to slow the forward motion of the vessel. These PWCs are equipped with cowlings that allow them to operate in reverse. The reverse cowling is a specially designed diverter that can be lowered over the jet nozzle. The water jet produced by the jet nozzle hits the reverse cowling and is directed back toward the front of the PWC, thus producing a force that propels the PWC backward. Although this feature is convenient for low speed operations in close quarters, it can be quite dangerous if used in situations for which it was not designed.

Operating in reverse can greatly reduce the ability to steer. Using the reverse feature at other than idle speed can throw the operator forward, and perhaps off, the PWC. In addition, using reverse at high speed can raise the stern of the PWC, pushing the bow down and under water. If your PWC has this feature you should use it with caution only after you have tested its capabilities and limitations at low speed in open water.

Stability

The hull of a PWC is somewhat unstable while the craft is at rest in the water. PWC become more stable as they pick up speed. The force of the water being propelled under the PWC and out the back adds some support to the hull during movement. Because typical PWC utilize mechanical steering devices and directional jet nozzles to turn their craft, their center of gravity and pivot point are far forward and this can create an abrupt tail sliding instability problem.

Do not exceed the manufacturer's recommended load capacities.

Lookout

Most PWC accidents occur from running into another object, most often, another PWC. Operating in a crowded our congested area requires special precautions. Always keep a proper lookout as to what is going on around you.

Look at what other boats around you are doing
Always look around and behind you before making a turn.
Remember that you must obey all rules of operation as they apply to motorboats.
Larger boats may not even be able to see you if you are too close and may not be able to get out of your way in time.
Keeping a proper lookout can save your life!

Reboarding

Should you fall off your PWC don't abandon it. If it has not righted itself, turn it over. Most PWCs carry a label that shows how to do this. If yours does not, check your owner's manual.

Approach the PWC from the stern and pull your self up onto your knees on the boarding platform.
From there continue to pull yourself back up on the seat.
Be sure to attach the kill switch lanyard to the kill switch and to your body or PFD.
Start up and get back underway.
You should practice reboarding prior to operating the PWC to make sure you are able to do it alone. Remember, a PWC is less stable when idle in the water.

Reserve Fuel Tank

PWCs, like most motorcycles, are equipped with reserve fuel tanks that can be switched to if you run out of fuel. With proper planning you should never have to use your reserve tank. Always plan your outing according to the 1/3 rule to avoid running out of fuel.

Use 1/3 of your fuel going out, 1/3 coming back and 1/3 in reserve. (Do not count the reserve tank in this 1/3.)

Most complaints to law enforcement officials regarding the operation of PWCs fall into the following categories. Avoid these breaches of common courtesy and consideration.

Wake jumping:This is not only irritating to boaters attempting to be watchful and maneuver in heavily congested areas, but it is extremely dangerous. In one case, a wake-jumper in Florida got tangled up in the props of a cabin cruiser and was killed.
No wake zones: If you want to get on the wrong side of a responsible boater, disobey no wake zones. You are likely to find yourself with a ticket, since most boaters and shoreline property owners will not hesitate to report violators of slow-no-wake areas.
High speeds too near shore or other boats: Most states require 100-200 feet of separation between boats and the shore when moving at more than no-wake speeds. (No wake means the slowest possible speed your boat will go and still provide maneuverability.)
Noise:Excessive noise near shore or near anchored boats is sure to draw negative attention. Be considerate of property owners and other boaters.
There are environmental issues that PWC operators need to consider as well:

Pollution: Refuel on land to reduce chances of spillage into the water. Don’t overfill your fuel tank. Check and clean your engine well away from shorelines.
Turbidity: In shallow waters where PWCs can easily operate, the bottom gets stirred up, suspending sediment which cuts down on light penetration and depletes oxygen. This can affect bird and fish feeding. To avoid this, operate your PWC in deeper water. If you do have to traverse shallow water, run at idle speed.
Vegetation: In coastal areas be aware of low tide. Low water levels expose sea grass beds and other delicate vegetation. Disturbances can cause erosion and long lasting damage. As a side effect, ingesting seaweed and seagrass is not good for your engine. Feed it clean water and it will run and maneuver much better.
Wildlife harassment: A PWC near shore can interrupt feeding and nesting wildlife, and cause animals to deviate from their normal behavior. And that, by law, is illegal. Mammals such as otters, manatees, and whales can be injured by direct contact with a boat, and it is believed that the noise from watercraft can even adversely influence breeding cycles and cause birth defects. So avoid areas of high animal populations.
Remember, our waterways belong to everybody! If all boaters act responsibly and courteously, obey the rules, and protect the environment, our seas, lakes and rivers will provide all of us a lifetime of enjoyment and recreation.

Milfoil On Salmond Lake

2008-08-09T01:24:00.000-07:00

NORTH BELGRADE -- Divers on Friday scoured the bottom of Salmon Lake, yanking a new and aggressive, invasive-plant species from a cove off Route 8.

In just more than two hours Friday morning, they had bagged more than 70 Eurasian milfoil plants and were expecting to spend the day collecting more.

Since the species was discovered in the lake Aug. 1, the state has launched an ambitious program to find and eradicate it.

"It's the pit bull of milfoil," said Paul Gregory, with the state Department of Environmental Protection, which was conducting Friday's eradication.

Gregory was one of four people working in a driving rain and stubborn wind to eradicate the Eurasian milfoil, which has been found only at one other site in Maine -- a Scarborough gravel pit.

Of 5,700 ponds and lakes in Maine, only 29 contain an invasive, aquatic-plant species, but the Eurasian milfoil is of particular concern because it is more aggressive than other species such as the variable-leaf milfoil found in Messalonskee Lake.

Gregory said Eurasian milfoil has been found in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Canadian provinces. It hitchhikes from one place to another on boats, fishing gear and related equipment.

"This is an unfortunate byproduct of globalization," Gregory said. "People move around a lot."

Salmon and Messalonskee lakes are part of the Belgrade Lakes chain, which include Great, North, East, Long and McGrath ponds.

DEP biologist John McPhedran and Denise Blanchette, a diver contracting with DEP, pulled Eurasian milfoil plants and their root balls from Salmon Lake Friday, placed them in netted bags and sent them to the surface. Gregory and DEP biologist Ray Bouchard hauled the bags into boats.

"It sounds primitive, but hand removal is a very effective method," Gregory said. "We're going to give it our best."

The crew had accessed the shallow cove, which is about five feet deep, from the nearby Spaulding Point boat landing. They erected a 40-foot net in the water near the dam connecting the cove with an outlet stream that goes to Great Pond to prevent milfoil fragments from entering the outlet.

But a resident on Friday presented the DEP workers with a jar of milfoil he said he found in that stream.

"The fragments have gotten by us," Gregory said. "We'll survey the stream right away."

As the team worked, landowner Sam Bouchard of Cozy Cove Cottages stopped to talk with officials and helped erect the net in the cove. He said he was glad they moved quickly to eradicate the plant.

"Hopefully, they get it all so it doesn't spread," Bouchard said of the milfoil.

Don Borman, president of the McGrath Pond-Salmon Lake Association, also was on hand, snapping photographs for the association's newsletter. The group has been staying abreast of the milfoil situation and updating members. Borman said the association's goal is to help protect the environment and water quality and maintain it for future generations.

He said about 40 people have volunteered to help survey particular areas of the shoreline of Salmon Lake and McGrath Pond for milfoil, but more volunteers are needed and should call the DEP at 287-3901 and ask for Bouchard.

"Also, anyone who knows of private launch areas should let the DEP know," he said.

Gregory said in about three weeks he will probably be able to release information about other areas of the pond and lake where milfoil may be located.

The spreading of milfoil into Salmon Lake likely occurred from the boat landing, as the plant is carried from one body of water to another by boats, canoes, paddles and fishing tackle, Gregory said.

People are being asked to inspect their boats, particularly propellers, for even small amounts of milfoil.

"That's all it takes to start a new infestation," Gregory said.

Blanchette spent much of the morning collecting milfoil from an area in the cove identified as having a dense accumulation of the plant. McPhedran surfaced frequently near the dam, producing a five-foot-long section of plant at one point.

He also garnered smaller fragments which, if containing leaves and nodes, can reproduce quickly.

"That little root right there is the adventitious root," McPhedran said. "It's the root coming off of the above-ground stem of the plant. I don't know if this root is coming off of Denise's (plants Blanchette was collecting nearby), but it's not very encouraging."

The crew expected to complete milfoil eradication in the cove on Friday but visibility was poor because of a silty lake bottom, Gregory said. The equipment will remain another couple of weeks, he said.

The milfoil collected Friday would likely be composted, he said.

Milfoil, when identified, must be eradicated quickly to prevent infestation, said Gregory.

"Speed is of the essence," he said.

Anyone finding what they believe is Eurasian milfoil is asked to place it in a Ziploc bag and mail it to the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, 24 Maple Hill Road, Auburn, ME 04210, or call 783-7733.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

milfoil at Rt.27 launch

2008-07-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Lake Assoc. Message

2008-07-10T05:35:00.000-07:00

A message from the Messalonskee lake Accoc.

Dear Messalonskee Lake Association Member,

The summer is off and running and the Lake Association has been
active on several fronts:

Milfoil Management Plan - The Lake Association has drafted a milfoil
management plan that documents our plans for Educating, Monitoring
and helping to Mitigate the spread of milfoil on the lake. This will
be emailed to you in the next few weeks once it is complete for your
review. In addition to this work we are continuing to monitor the
Milfoil in the lake. In early June the Lake Association in
conjunction with the State of Maine placed seven additional Milfoil
Buoys in the lake. Two of these are on the Northern (Oakland) end
and Five were in the Southern end (Belgrade) end. We also continue
to support the Courtesy Boat Inspections being conducted at the
Oakland and Sidney public boat landings.

Milfoil and Safety Zone information packet - The Lake Association has
prepared 200 information packets to be given out to boaters on the
lake this summer. The packet consists of a map pf the Milfoil and
Safety Zones mentioned above, along with other boat, navigation and
fishing information. You can see a copy of the map that has been
included by going to the website and looking at the NEWS items, or by
clicking on this link -

http://www.snowpond.org/Milfoil_Safety_Zones.pdf

Summer Lake Patrol - We have been working all winter with the Town of
Oakland to plan an early start to the Lake Safety Patrol. This year
the Lake Patrol will cover every good weather weekend between June
14th and September 1st, including some additional coverage over the
busy 4th of July week. The Oakland Police Department will be
manning the boat during these Safety Patrols.

REMINDER - If you have not paid your dues yet for 2008, please go to
the website and renew online or send your dues ($15.00 Individual,
$25.00 Family, or other special amount) to SP/MLA Post Office Box 532,
Oakland, Me 04963

We hope you will continue to support the Messalonskee Lake
Association and that you will have a very wonderful Summer on the
lake

Mike Willey
President, Messalonskee Lake Association

MaineToday.com | News Update: Coast Guard warning boaters

2008-07-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE

The United States Coast Guard is warning boaters and paddlers to use common sense and refrain from drinking alcohol during the upcoming holiday weekend.

Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist, said 38 people have died on July 4 over the last decade, making it the deadliest boating holiday in the Northeast region, which includes all the New England states, plus sections of New York and New Jersey.

Alcohol has been involved in 16 of those fatalities, Johnson"said.

summer rain

2008-06-19T12:14:00.001-07:00

Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta

2008-06-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

From time to time I find an article that I have to post(Hey its my blog,I can post what ever I want).This may or may not relate to the lake.
This is one of those times.
I love the Kennebec river,paddle it or fish it,always a great time.

Sunday, May 18, 2003

Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta

By Michael Perry

Paddle name: Kennebec River: Waterville to Augusta

Nearest town: Waterville

Region: Kennebec

Water type: River

Difficulty: Intermediate

Length: 8-17 miles, depending on take-out

Put-in: Waterville boat launch facility just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge on river right. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.

Take-out: Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. For a shorter trip take out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.

Other: The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville.

Maps:
Get driving directions from MapQuest.
View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

Paddle with the flow of history, past and present, down the Kennebec River from Waterville to Augusta and enjoy great wildlife viewing all along the way. As the swift current carries you south to Augusta, imagine Benedict Arnold's ill-fated march to Quebec in 1775 against the flow to Norridgewock, and think of a river tamed by the Edwards Dam from 1837 to its precedent-setting removal in July 1999. You are now paddling a river running free and wild once again from Waterville to the sea.

It is a 17-mile paddle from the Waterville boat launch facility on river right just upriver of the Donald V. Carter Memorial Bridge to the Augusta boat launch facility on river left a few yards below Old Fort Western. The trip can be shortened by taking out at the Sydney boat launch facility on river right, eight miles south of Waterville. Spot a vehicle on either end or be creative. We turned our excursion into a two-sport exploratory by leaving our bikes at a helpful local citizen's house in Augusta and biking back to Waterville via Route 201. Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 21, No. 13, and No. 12 for help in getting to the launch site and down to Augusta.

Plan your outing with an eye on the weather and wind direction. If you have the flexibility, wait until there is a north-northwesterly wind. Coupled with the swift springtime flow of river, you will fly along. We paddled on a recent Saturday morning with a 20-knot tailwind that had us in Augusta after only three hours of paddling at a relaxed pace. A stiff southerly wind would have extended our paddling time and exertion levels considerably.

Hundreds of swallows darted over the water in pursuit of recently hatched insects as we headed out into the river. Their white underparts flashed brilliantly in the mid-morning sun. The paddling was effortless and as we passed by the Carter bridge abutments we were astounded how fast we were moving.

A bald eagle circled overhead, white head and tail feathers brilliant against the clear blue sky. The removal of Edwards Dam was justified in part by the prospects of migratory fish returning to their historical spawning grounds in the freshwater streams north of Augusta. More fish will bring more fishermen and more dollars, and also more birds to feed on those growing populations of fish.

Two more eagles appeared a few miles downriver, and we wondered if the day would soon be here that eagles in Maine would be as common as eagles are today in Alaska. Osprey, hawks, and turkey vultures took turns entertaining us as the miles flew by. We spent as much time looking skyward as we did down river.

South of Sydney a number of logging piers dot the edge of the river, tilting downriver and slowly decaying from their decades of use in corralling and directing logs down the river. The last log drive on the Kennebec took place in 1976. Since then the river has undergone a true reincarnation, slowly returning to a cleaner and wilder state.

Seven-Mile Island is the only island you will pass by on the Waterville-Augusta portion of the Kennebec. Located just north of the Augusta city line in the town of Vassalboro, it sits like a chockstone in the middle of the river with rushing waters flushing by on both sides. North of the island 14 large, 20-foot by 20-foot piers extend up the river. They are massive and look like a line of large, roofless log cabins filled with rocks. We were awestruck watching the water sweep around them, creating powerful eddies and current lines. Unless you eddy out behind one you will be by them in a flash.

The island and pier works, with their boom chains attached, provided one last spot to harness, control and delay logs on their last few miles of journey to the Augusta mills. "The Seven-Mile Island piers are the last impressive set of piers you'll see on the whole Kennebec," forester and historian Marc Johnson says. We were impressed.

A few miles north of Augusta we caught the first glimpses of civilization. Up to that point we had enjoyed an uninterrupted corridor of riverside trees just starting to display their fresh spring leaves, with no homes and development anywhere to be seen, except railroad tracks paralleling river left.

The dramatic outline of church steeples and the state Capitol building filled the horizon. Feeling as free and exhilarated as the river, we hurtled down through the waters cascading through what once was the site of Edwards Dam. We were suddenly overcome with a feeling of deep gratitude for the state and federal agencies and members of the Kennebec Coalition whose foresight and hard work helped bring about the reality of a free-flowing Kennebec south of Waterville. From put-in to take-out it had been a privilege to have paddled a free river once more, and to see firsthand how this grand river has responded to the removal of Edwards Dam. Come see and feel it for yourself this spring.

Canoeists and kayakers exploring this stretch of river should be proficient paddlers. In the summertime, at normal water levels, there are a few short Class I-II stretches. An 1824 War Department survey listed five miles of rapids in this stretch of river: Petty's Rapids, Six-Mile Falls, Bacon's Rapids, Babcock's Rapids and Coon's Rapids.

Michael Perry is the former director of the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools and founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for businesses, schools, and civic groups.

kayaking safely

2008-05-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

SAFETY TIPS

Coast Guard officials and boating safety experts recommend that anyone who uses a kayak take a boating safety course before going out on the water. Among the safety tips:

• Wear a life jacket.

• Learn how to right a capsized kayak.

• Paddle in pairs.

• Dress appropriately and learn about the dangers of cold water.

• Check the tides and weather forecast.

• Bring a phone or radio.

• Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.

• Learn who has the right of way in busy harbors and waterways.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard's Paddle Smart course

Kayakers keep rescue crews busy

Brandon Andrusic and Tim Gutmann were experienced kayakers planning a quick paddle around Wood Island off the coast of Biddeford Pool, Maine.
A mile offshore, they ran into much rougher surf than they expected. They struggled against the swells. Andrusic eventually lost sight of his friend and capsized, but he made it to Wood Island.

A large rescue effort found Guttman's body the next day. Nearly a year later, not a day goes by "without me running through things I wish I could change about that day," says Andrusic, an admissions officer at the University of New England. "We were too casual about going out. It was getting late; we were overconfident."

Popularity of sport growing

An explosion in the number of kayakers along the nation's waterways, on lakes and at sea is making harrowing stories such as Andrusic's all-too common. At the same time, it's putting a strain on Coast Guard and other marine search-and-rescue crews and prompting calls for new laws requiring kayakers to take boating safety courses.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Philadelphia | Seattle | Oregon | Sam | Club | Costco | Delaware River | University of New England | Anthony Turner | Outdoor Industry Association | Coast Guard Auxiliary
"Paddling represents our greatest risk in the recreational boating community," says John Fetterman, a member of the Maine Marine Patrol and president of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. For rescue teams, it's become "a huge drain."

In the Coast Guard, the number of kayak rescues — many of which involve multiple boats and helicopters — is escalating. "It does take us away from other high-priority missions, like maritime security," says spokesman Brendan McPherson. The Coast Guard is tasked with protecting the nation's ports and harbors against terrorists.

No government agency tracks the number of kayak-related rescues nationally each year. This is because they are conducted by so many different agencies, including local and state police, marine patrol units and Coast Guard crews. The American Canoe Association (ACA) says kayaking is growing faster than any other outdoor activity on land or water; maritime officials say rescues have skyrocketed as a result.

The Coast Guard does track boating fatalities. In 2006, the most recent year for which numbers are available, 27 people died kayaking. That's still a small percentage of the 710 people who died in boating accidents. Most died in motorboat accidents, when speed is often a factor. Statistics show 72 people died in canoe accidents during that year.

Kayaking has become popular partly because the boats are relatively inexpensive and can be hauled and used with ease. Unfortunately, that's also contributed to the accident rate, experts say.

People go to "big-box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, buy a kayak, and, boom, off they go," says John Malatak of the Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division. "They don't take a boating course, they go into an area that's remote, they don't know the No. 1 thing to do, which is wear a life jacket, they turn over and there's no one nearby to assist them."

Hypothermia can set in

Even experienced kayakers can run into trouble. "Things can go south in a heartbeat," Andrusic says.

Capsized kayakers suffering from hypothermia have been rescued by the Coast Guard from Seattle to Philadelphia.

Such accidents and the rescue efforts involved are prompting calls for more boating education.

Fetterman says he supports legislation to require kayakers to take courses that would teach people the basics: wear a life jacket, bring a phone or radio, tell someone on land where you're going and when you expect to be back, how to handle it if your boat capsizes, how quickly cold water can be incapacitating and who has the right of way in busy harbors.

Jeremy Oyen, director of safety and education at the ACA, says 48 states have laws requiring motorboat operators to take boating education courses but none require similar courses for paddlers.

Just in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, about 12.6 million people went kayaking — nearly a 25% increase over the year before, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. "Unfortunately, there has also been a rise in the number of paddle craft accidents," says Anthony Turner, spokesman for the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Already this year, there have been several accidents.

In Cape Arago, Ore., on April 13, a Coast Guard helicopter and boat were dispatched after a 30-year-old man's kayak overturned. He was taken to the hospital with hypothermia. In Philadelphia on the same day, a Coast Guard cutter, a tug boat crew and an environmental group's boat crew rescued two kayakers after they capsized in the Delaware River. Those men also were treated for early signs of hypothermia.

Maritime experts say cold water often is the culprit in deadly accidents. Most people, they say, have no idea that frigid water can send someone into shock within seconds.

Some maritime organizations, including the American Canoe Association (ACA), oppose mandatory education for paddlers. The groups say it would be akin to requiring everyone who rides a bike to take a class first. Experts say many people underestimate how easy it is to flip a kayak because the boats seem so simple and easy to use. But "it's not just a sports activity, it's a maritime activity, and people lose sight of what happens when you get out on the water and it's cold," says Christopher Cunningham, editor of the bi-monthly Sea Kayaker magazine.

Andrusic says his and Gutmann's biggest mistakes were not taking a phone or radio and not telling anyone where they were going.

"As kayaking gets more popular, people might be a little cavalier," he says. "Going out on the water should never be taken lightly."

summer temps /cold water

2008-04-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

It may feel like summer, but the Coast Guard and New Hampshire's Marine Patrol want boaters to know that the water in the Northeast is dangerously cold.

"Plain and simple: Cold water shocks, incapacitates and kills," said Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist.

At least three people have died in near-freezing waters in the Northeast this spring, including a canoeist in Mattituck, N.Y., a kayaker in Jamaica, Vt., and a man who tried to save a youngster who was struggling in 38-degree water in Lancaster, N.H.

The Coast Guard issued a cold water safety advisory Wednesday for anyone hoping to take advantage of the warm weather by doing some boating. Johnson says water temperatures in lakes and ponds remain close the freezing point and are not even remotely tolerable.

David Barrett, head of New Hampshire's Safety Services Division, says low water temperatures are a special hazard for small craft.

"Anyone who capsizes or falls overboard can only survive for a few minutes because of the stress that cold water places on the body," Barrett said. "It rapidly saps the strength of even a strong swimmer."

He said water temperatures of 60 degrees or below are considered cold, and temperatures are around 40 degrees in most New Hampshire waterways.

Safety tips for early season boaters include wearing life jackets and insisting that passengers or paddling partners wear them as well.

A Vermont Game Warden /former Mainer

2008-04-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

Tough competition would not deter this game warden

April 6, 2008

By DENNIS JENSEN

She carries a pistol, is on the lookout for bad guys and, by her own definition, gets paid for doing what she loves to do.

While Morgan Jones goes about her job just like another other law enforcement officer, she is certainly unique. Jones is the only female Vermont game warden out of a force of 41 — out patrolling the woods and waters of the Green Mountain State.

The 27-year-old Jones talked about her career during a recent hour-long interview. She said she enjoys her work, particularly because it keeps her in the outdoors.

"I pick up dead things. I lift heavy things. It's amazing," she said with a smile. "I drag dead deer all the time and you have to be physically able to do that."

Despite being physically capable of performing the multiple tasks of a full-time warden, Jones said that, at times, men assume she is in need of assistance because she is a woman.

"I still have people who say, 'Do you want me to carry that for you?" I say, "'No, this is what I do.'"

But Jones is savvy enough not to be offended by such talk. She understands that folks are just trying to be helpful.

After working as a deputy game warden starting in 2003, Jones attained full-time warden status in October 2005.

Like other wardens around the state, Jones has a big chunk of territory to cover. Working out of Rutland, she is responsible for the towns of Rutland, West Rutland, Ira, Proctor, Pittsford, Pittsfield, Mendon, Killington and Chittenden.

Jones said that, while there are many rewarding aspects of her work, it was difficult to pinpoint anything in particular. But she said that "catching the bad guys" is near the top of the list.

"It's very, very exciting to take a case from the beginning to the end," she said.

Giving aid and comfort to people when it's needed, like the time she picked up several lost snowboarders who wondered off a trail at Killington, is another rewarding part of her job.

"We get plenty of opportunities to help people," Jones said. "Game wardens do a lot of search and rescue. Anything that has a positive impact is rewarding."

Moose rescue

While over the past year there have been two sad stories involving people-friendly moose that have been "put down" by game wardens — as is the policy of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department — Jones had a moose encounter with a happy ending.

Last year, Jones was called about "an injured moose laying down in a creek" on the Chittenden Dam Road in Chittenden.

"It was early spring, last year's calf. She was laying there and she wasn't getting out of the creek," Jones said.

So Jones started to shout at the moose and it responded — "a good sign," she said.

Efforts to get the moose up were fruitless, Jones said, and then it dawned on her: The young moose was stuck in deep mud and couldn't move its back legs.

"I was very concerned that she was injured," she said. "Most of the time, when an animal is injured, we put them down."

Realizing it was both too dangerous and impractical to try to physically move the moose, Jones backed her truck up and, using the winch wardens utilize to haul dead moose onto the bed, she pulled the cable out, took a length of rope and tied the rope around the moose's neck.

"She looked very, very scared," Jones said.

Another warden arrived and, after a few tries, they managed to pull the moose free.

"After she stood up, she gave me this look that said, 'I'm having the worst day.' Then she moved herself out to the sunshine and began nibbling on a tree," Jones said. "It looked like she was going to be fine."

Jones grew up in Connecticut, Maine and Virginia. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., with a major in biology and a minor in oceanography.

Collecting badly mangled deer off the side of roads is part of the job, but it can sometimes be stomach-churning, Jones said.

"We do plenty of stuff that is gross," she said.

Last fall, it went way beyond gross.

"I picked up so many deer in this one area. Where I was dumping the deer, I had so many that I had to step on deer carcasses that were in the way. When I stopped on one, it squished and a bunch of maggots came out of the deer carcass," she said.

Kayak patrol

Col. Robert Rooks, the director of law enforcement for Fish & Wildlife, described Jones as "a real asset" to the warden force.

"She's doing very well," her top superior said. "She's doing a great job in the Rutland area. We're really happy with her."

Rooks said that Jones set her goal to become a game warden and didn't let go it.

"I have a lot of respect for her because of her determination," he said. "She worked a couple of years to meet the fitness standards."

Rooks said that, because the job has become so desirable, Fish & Wildlife had the luxury of increasing the standards for getting into the warden force.

"We've had as many as 600 people apply for one position," he said. "We've still getting 150 applicants per opening, so that gives you an idea of the kind of competition you're up against if you want to become a game warden."

Jones's degree in biology has helped her enormously in the field, Rooks said.

"She is very knowledgeable," he said. "She brings experience and knowledge in wildlife, which is certainly an asset to being a state game warden."

Jones said the real perks of her job include the flexibility, in terms of the hours she must work, and the fact that she spends so much time outdoors.

"We get to do all sorts of stuff that other people pay to do, recreationally. I get to drive a boat, a snowmobile, have access to an ATV and I have a kayak. I love my kayak," she said.

"I was out patrolling in my kayak on the Chittenden Reservoir and it was an absolutely beautiful day," Jones said. "I paddled into a cove, called my mom (who was stuck in an office) and said, 'Guess what I'm getting paid to do today?'"

Her family has been very supportive of her career choice, Jones said.

"They think it's great. They're very, very proud of me, particularly my father. They are big animal lovers. He loves the fact that I'm protecting critters from being taken when they shouldn't be," she said.

And what about that gender thing?

"The other game wardens are great about it," Jones said. "They treat me just like anyone else."

The public, however, sometimes assumes that a game warden simply must be a man, she said.

"They're not very blatant about it," Jones said. "Often there's a lot of confusion. That's very obvious. People call my house and they ask for Morgan. Morgan is a unisex name. And I'll say that this is she. And they so, 'No, I'm looking for the game warden.' That really happens. Just the other day, again someone called."

Jones picked up the phone. The caller said: "Is this the game warden's house? Is the fellow around? Your husband is the game warden, right?'"

Jones smiles while talking about the big assumption.

"The confusion is not a big deal," she said. "It's just amusing."

Contact Dennis Jensen at dennis.jensen@rutlandherald.com

iced pike

2008-03-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

neighbors son catches first BIG pike

Water quality counts

2008-03-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

by; Linda Bacon

‘The term water quality has been used interchangeably with the concept of water clarity in Maine for
three decades or so. And until very recently, presence or absence of algal blooms provided a ‘barometer’ associated
with swimming enjoyment in a particular lake. Occasionally, someone might not feel well a day or two after a
swimming experience, but this might never be linked to the swimming experience.
Last year this changed. Two or three public freshwater swimming beaches were closed, two due to viral contamination,
the other due to bacterial contamination. These closures were widely publicized by the media and resulted
in scrambling on the part of both local and statewide health officials to evaluate the situation and communicate
results to the public. Over the winter, three state agencies (DEP, DHS and DMR) have been cooperating to provide
future guidance to individuals, local officials and each other.
Healthy swimming is becoming more of an issue in Maine for a
number of reasons. We have experienced warmer and dryer summers
over the past decade. Warmer water promotes bacterial
growth/survival. Dryer weather means that water in a swimming
area may not flush frequently. We also have a higher population in
many areas now. More people means more people swimming. It
may be that a swimming location can only ‘support’ so many bodies
over a given period of time without developing a health issue.
An additional consideration for this season is that folks may choose
to stay closer to home for their vacations. This might be great for
Maine’s tourism industry, but it may put a pressure on our freshwater
beaches unlike any we’ve had in the past.
As a volunteer monitor in your community, you may be asked about
this issue or may have the opportunity to bring it to the
attention of local officials and private beach operators.
The first defense is education about swimming
hygiene. Many of us have taken swimming lessons
in a private pool and have been required to shower
before entering the water. (As a kid I thought this
rule was ridiculous. After all, I was going to get wet
anyway...why bother with a shower?) The same routine should be
followed when swimming at a public beach. The national Center for
Disease Control has published a list of ‘pleas’ to promote healthy
swimming (please refer to “Healthy Swimming Tips”).
Weather resistant signs should be available to post at swimming
areas. A strategy for monitoring bacteria is being developed for
beach managers to follow. The list of Healthy Swimming ‘Pleas’ will
be distributed to towns for reproduction at the town’s discretion. A
set of town response guidelines and state response guidelines based
on last year’s experiences, are being drafted so that the ‘wheel not
need to be reinvented’ each time this health issue arises. This website
will be updated as these items become available. I encourage
you to visit the site and share the site address with others in your
community.
=
Quality Counts!
Linda Bacon, Maine DEP Advisor
Additional information is being assembled
and much of it is being posted at the
following website:
http://www.state.me.us/dep/blwq/docbeacha

Bird watching on Snow pond...soon

2008-03-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

one of the best wildlife-viewing paddling experiences in central Maine, head to the marshy southern end of Messalonskee Lake, the second largest of the seven Belgrade Lakes. Follow the Belgrade Road (Routes 8-11-27) north from Augusta to Belgrade. Put in at the state boat launch site on the right just before crossing the bridge over Belgrade Stream.
Because of a severe invasion of aquatic vegetation (milfoil) in the southern portion of the lake, this launch site is only open for hand-carried watercraft.
Refer to the Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map No. 12. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars. From warblers to bald eagles, turtles to bullfrogs, cattails to carnivorous pitcher plants, you will experience a wide variety of flora and fauna. But the real show stopper is the colony of nesting black terns.

Black terns have experienced a steady population decline throughout North America the past few decades because of widespread loss of freshwater marshes. Messalonskee Lake is one of only five locations in Maine where black terns return in late May to breed and raise their young before moving on to the coast in July. In September, they will begin their annual flight south to wintering grounds in Central and South America. There are only about 70 breeding pairs nesting in Maine each summer. This is the rare opportunity to see them on their nesting grounds before they leave.
Our plan was to paddle along the undeveloped marshy southern margins of the lake and to stay south of the sprawl of cottages extending up both sides of the lake to the town of Oakland. From the boat launch site, a wide channel leads a mile out through acres of marsh to the open lake. The channel is marked with green and red buoys. There is a good chance that each buoy will be topped by a solitary black tern resting its weary wings from migrating, feeding, and raising a family.
To the left, Belgrade Stream empties into the lake under the Belgrade Road bridge. Starting out in a light fog, we headed out the channel and turned right to explore the eastern edge of the marsh. It became obvious immediately that our plan for the morning was a little too ambitious and that we would not be exploring very far up Belgrade Stream on the return. We would be too busy handing binoculars back and forth, and spending more time sitting and viewing than paddling. We would end up paddling seven miles in the lake and two miles in Belgrade Stream over a five hour period.

If you love the brilliant flash of the red wing patches of the male red-winged blackbird, you will have come to the right place. It seemed that every cattail stalk and maple sapling had a resident blackbird. Their joyous chortling filled the marsh air. Is there anything blacker than the head of a loon, or redder than the patch of a red-winged blackbird? The marsh was also ablaze with the soft pink colors of bog laurel and rhodora. Pitcher plant leaves dotted the shoreside hummocks of vegetation. Mats of yellow pond lilies punctuated the undulating border of the marsh.

We spied a large hawk flying back and forth only a few feet above the marsh grasses, its white underbelly flashing in the morning sun. Given the spring bounty of birdlife and small rodents, we imagined it must have been like a salad bar for the hawk. We looked up into a nearby pine and saw a mature bald eagle calmly surveying the scene below, perhaps letting the hawk do the work, and then later inviting itself in for a part of the meal. The world had been reduced to its simplest terms before our eyes. Eat or be eaten.

STATELY EAGLES KEEP WATCH.

It is possible during high water to follow a narrow channel a mile back into the marsh on the southeastern edge of the lake. At one point we were bordered on both sides by dense stands of dried cattail stalks towering three feet over our heads. We were sealed in from any sounds of civilization. Woodpecker drumming echoed throughout the woods to the east punctuated only by the curious midmorning hoots of an owl whose biological clock must have malfunctioned.
We headed back out into the lake and were immediately greeted by the honking of geese flying toward us. Seven geese splashed down a hundred yards away. A pair of loons slipped under the water as we approached. We headed in a northwesterly direction back across the lake to a small islet with four evergreen trees on it. Two white dots topped the tallest tree. The binoculars revealed two mature bald eagles sitting shoulder to shoulder gazing out over the lake. We paddled over and looked straight up into their steadfast eyes, their great yellow beaks and majestic white heads looking down at us. We felt very insignificant. Directly across the water on the western shoreline stood their huge nest of sticks in a pine adjacent to the railroad tracks that follow the shoreline north toward Oakland.

Following the indentation of the marsh along the southwestern edge of the lake, we encountered many logs with painted turtles sunning on them. On one log, five turtles plopped off one by one as we approached. Black terns were everywhere, wheeling through the sky, swooping down to the surface of the lake to snatch a morsel of food, servicing and protecting their nest sites in the marsh grasses. We made sure to paddle farther out from shore so our presence would not bother the nesting terns in any way.

June will soon be here, and so are the birds at Messalonskee Lake. For one last avian delight, paddle under the Belgrade Stream bridge. Scores of barn swallows are nesting under the bridge and will greet you with a very loud welcome. Further up the stream, paddlers often see river otters.

Michael Perry is founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for businesses, schools and civic groups. He can be reached at: dreams @ime.net

Ice fishing on Snow Pond/ice is nice

2008-03-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

A reprint from the Kennebec Journal 2/0/2008

great story

OUTDOORS: 'Slow Pond' a Hot Spot Messalonskee Lake a popular gathering point for fish and fishermen alike

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By TRAVIS BARRETT

SIDNEY -- Officially, it's known as Messalonskee Lake, a long, relatively deep body of water dividing three towns in central Maine. Locals often refer to it by its more colloquial moniker, Snow Pond. Anglers have another name for the place that plays off that nickname -- "Slow Pond."

Despite its unflattering representation in that name, it's one ice fishermen use rather affectionately. And though it's reputation for trying the patience of those who carve holes through its frozen surface, people flock to it and apply harsh pressure to the fishery on winter weekends.

Why?

The answer is a simple one, according to Mike Guarino.

"You can catch some big fish in there," Guarino said. "Man, there's some really big ones there."

If there's anything ice fishing teaches it's patience, but anglers from the hardwater crowd don't mind waiting things out for the right payoff. With nearly a dozen different fish species to target, there's plenty of payoff in Messalonskee Lake.

COMMONLY UNIQUE

Messalonskee Lake's fishery isn't unique in this area, in that it offers a blend of both cold water and warm water species. What does make it unique, however, is its position as a funnel -- leading all of the waters of the Belgrade Lakes region out to the Kennebec River -- which gives it a seemingly endless array of fishing opportunity in just one spot.

One way or another, it's all connected; water from Long Pond, Great Pond, North Pond, East Pond and Belgrade Stream finds its way to Messalonskee. The fish crossover, too.

"It's the catch-all of the Belgrades," said Guarino, a fishing guide who runs Maine Wilderness Tours and lives on the lake in Belgrade. "I use that line about the lake a lot. Everything kind of flows into each other, with Messalonskee being the end of the road."

Messalonskee is stocked annually with brook trout, brown trout and splake. Some of those brown trout have been caught as far away as Long Pond, which is not stocked with browns, while some of the salmon put into Long Pond are caught on Messalonskee.

"There's almost everything in there," local fisheries biologist Jim Lucas said of the lake, which covers more than 3,500 acres and holds more than 100 feet of water at its deepest point. "I don't know if I'd really say it's a unique place, but there is quite a variety there."

In addition to the salmonids, there are also two species of bass and perch, as well as black crappie. Of course, Messalonskee is also home to the state's most controversial finned creature -- the northern pike. Anglers like Jim Bence of Bar Harbor come from across the state searching specifically for pike that grow to more than 20 pounds in the lake.

"It is just a good destination for travelers," Guarino said. "There are guides and bait shops around, and the towns really seem to open up to ice fishermen. It's a great destination.

"That's it -- it's a destination, man."

UNDER PRESSURE

The state's new boat landing on Route 23 has helped more people gain access to the lake. That could be seen firsthand last Saturday, when after the launch's parking lot overflowed, trucks set up a makeshift parking lot on the ice. Vehicles were parked five deep on either side of the submerged boat ramp.

The pressure is up this year on Messalonskee.

"This year it is, a little bit," Lucas said, noting that in the Belgrades only Great Pond receives more fishing pressure. "Reports have been that it's pretty high. That new boat landing has led a lot of people there. There was always a good-sized group of shacks on the upper end (near the closed Route 27 landing in Belgrade), but now there are a lot right out in front of the landing."

The people making the point to be there are being rewarded, too.

Lucas said that DIF&W stocked Messalonskee with between 3,000 and 4,000 splake this fall, but most of what anglers are targeting are holdovers from previous stocking classes that have grown to several pounds in size. Guarino said that the brown trout are growing big quickly, too.

All apparently are feeding on the same food that's helping the pike get so large -- landlocked alewives, fish that were illegally introduced years ago.

"The alewives are more established there, and they're pretty heavy into them now," Lucas said. "That's one reason why the fish are getting so much bigger.

"That, and there's the opportunity for them to grow," he added, noting that more anglers are releasing splake instead of keeping them the way they were when they were first introduced some years back.

Guarino refers to the alewives as "bait balls" in the water, with thousands of the fish just a few inches long schooling together in concentrated pockets.

"The amount of bait in (Messalonskee) is extreme," said Guarino, who fishes the lake year-round and estimates that more than half of the fishing trip he guides are on Messalonskee. "It's an alewife-driven forage base. There are literally hundreds of thousands in here."

So many alewives, Guarino said, is part of what keeps the ice fishing so slow. Limited to mostly smelts, shiners and suckers, fishermen only have so many choices at the local bait shop. And none of those choices are alewives.

"Of course, you can't use alewives for bait, so you're trying to catch a fish that's been eating alewives all its life on a medium-sized shiner," Guarino said. "Then you combine the lake's size with its massive forage base and it's a tricky place to fish."

Given that ice fishermen take great pride in their ability to embrace raw winter conditions while the rest of the world nuzzles up to the woodstove under a heavy blanket, succeeding in such temperamental elements can be worn as a badge of honor of sorts.

"A lot of die-hard ice fisherman like it just for that reason," Guarino said. "Because it is tricky."

Travis Barrett -- 621-5648

pike fishing 2007

2008-03-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

2007 pike fishing article for the morning sentinel :

Northern Pike - Techniques and Spots

I've done some of the research for you and tried a few spots. I know I may get stoned for telling you this, but Maine Northern Pike fishing can be a great sport for those who give it a try.

Like most fisherman, I stumbled on Maine Northern Pike. I wasn’t really targeting Maine Northern Pike, but I was catching them. After a while, I wanted to up the ante and began targeting large Maine Northern Pike. If you want to be successful at Northern Pike fishing in Maine, think about what it is like to be a hunter. If you think like a hunter, you will be thinking like a Maine Pike.

Big Maine Pike are the best ambush hunters around; by laying in wait and move slowly, Pike stalk their prey; Maine Pike are able to conserve energy and stay safe this way. Large Maine Pike are territorial and have been known to attack each other. The hunter becomes the hunted.

When Maine Northern Pike become mature enough to spawn, they will hang in the shallows just before or after ice out; they are waiting for the spawn. They are not interested in food. But, like most spawning fish, they can be antagonised into biting. After the spawn, which varies widely, they are tired, hungry and cold. Fishing opportunities may be best with bait. As the temperature reaches 55*, the action improves.

If fishing in early spring, try dead bait on a floating rig. Many Mainers have luck with dead sea run smelt, suckers and duck legs. If they are not available from your bait dealer, try your bait of choice instead. Hang the bait two feet or less below the float in shallow waters and watch out. This type of early fishing can be boring, but it beats getting skunked.

Maine Northern Pike move to deeper areas as the water begins to warm. They can also stach up in shallow water around spring holes as the temperature warms. Vaguely resembling an alligator, you would think this cold blooded creature would like warm water. Their preferred water temperature is between 55* and 60* with high oxygen levels. Even though Maine Pike like it cool, they will move into warmer water to feed. I find the shallows productive on cool summer mornings.

Maine Northern Pike are ambush hunters that also like a chase once the water temperatures rise. While sitting in wait for prey, they are at times more likely to chase a steady lure presentation then a stop and go. Keep this in mind when bass fishing. Bass are more likely to hit a crippled bait, stop and go, presentation than Northern Pike. But I have caught my fair share of Pike on a stop and go presentation too!

Maine Pike also love bling…..they are attracted to the flash. And, if you fall in the water with a lot of heavy metal on, God help you. But seriously, they love flashy spoons or spinners dressed with flo-orange. I like to cut the tail off a brightly colored tube and slip it over the treble hook to increase the size of the presentation. Maine Pike seem to love it.

Remember; keep thinking like a hunter if you want to think like a Pike. Pike are attracted to cover such as banks, rock piles, grass and mooring anchors. Anywhere they can hang out with a good view and not be noticed, that’s prime Maine Pike territory. With this in mind, cast your lure around the inside curves of grass lines or banks. Maine Pike like to nestle into a comfortable spot and hunt. But they also do enjoy a good chase.

While one dear fisherman tried fishing for them with a fly rod, he asked his friend, who was gearing up on the bank, “Why do you like to fish for Pike with a fly rod?” The fisherman in the water was at the end of his retrieve and just beginning to lift his fly out of the water to recast. At that very moment a bruiser Pike jumped out of the water scaring the fisherman to death. As he ran up the bank, he looked at his friend and said “What the hell was that?!!!” “A Pike!” the friend answered. “That’s why I like fishing for them on a fly rod!”

So if you’re on your boat and a pike lunges out of the water at your lure, don’t be afraid. It usually happens once or twice on every outing after temperatures reach 60*. I haven’t heard of a Pike ending up in the boat, but I’m sure it has happened.

Remember, steady flashy retrieves around cover will provide the best results. Don’t forget that water depth will be used by Pike as cover also, so let your presentation acquire some depth if fishing deep areas like channels. Some of the biggest Pike I’ve caught in Maine were sitting on the bottom, around some sort of cover, before they hit my lure. Channel edges are great for holding large Pike. Depending on the time of year, they will hug the channel edges or abutting grasses to stalk prey.

Another important thing to know is that Pike love to smash large lures from the side in an attempt to stun their prey. I have hooked several Maine Pike right between the eyes because of this. The force of their hit was so hard it drove my treble hook right into its snout. And if you know anything about Maine Pike, that’s a hard snout. They are truly an amazingly strong fish.

What about gear? Well, if you do not use a steel leader, you will loose half or more of your fish. Pike have teeth. Do not put any part of your hand in its mouth. They will draw blood if you do! I use a Boga Grip to handle mine.

As far as line weight, that is up to you. I once landed a twelve and a half pound fish on ten pound test. It’s all in how you play the fish and how lucky you are. If they manage to get into the weeds, light line will be a problem. When targeting pike, a heavy line doesn’t hurt. And remember, the more bling the better.

Now that you are armed with some relevant techniques and gear information, let me give you a few places to try some fishing. If this is your first time Pike fishing, try Sabattus Pond. I have caught Bass and Pike from one end to the other. I like the far channel in early spring and the eastern shore as the year progresses. Hey, don’t fish it out……OK!

Another nice Pond is Great Pond in the Belgrade area. It has receives a lot of pressure, but the Pike fishing is still Great. No pun intended. John Blaise picked up a nine pounder there this spring, so I know the place is still happening. You can’t always believe me, but you should believe this post; I’m turning you on to some real fun fishing!

OK let’s see. I heard the pike fishing in Long Pond is good too, but I haven’t fished it myself. Messalonskee is a good lake but slow for pike. You might do better Bass fishing in this lake. All of the Belgrade chain has Pike.

If you would like to read a little more on Pike, check out these two links. The State of Maine Strategic Management Plan can be a little dry as far as the reading goes, but it is filled with great information. And In-Fisherman is always a great resource.

Happy Piking

Be careful of all the Stones out there!

Posted by Marc Gilbert at 07:58 AM

lake water quality info..paying attention

2008-03-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

MESSALONSKEE LAKE, Oakland

Midas: 5280, Basin: Northern (02; 50' hole by Brown's Is)

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME-DEP) and the Volunteer Lake

Monitoring Program (VLMP) have collaborated in the collection of lake data to evaluate present

water quality, track algae blooms, and determine water quality trends. This dataset does not

include bacteria, mercury, or nutrients other than phosphorus.

Water quality monitoring data for this Messalonskee Lake station has been collected since 1991.

During this period, 2 years of basic chemical information was collected, in addition to Secchi

Disk Transparencies (SDT). In summary, the water quality of Messalonskee Lake is considered

to be average, based on measures of SDT, total phosphorus (TP), and Chlorophyll-a (Chla). The

potential for nuisance algal blooms on Messalonskee Lake is low.

Water Quality Measures: Messalonskee Lake is a slightly colored lake (average color 25 SPU).

This station shows an average SDT of 5.6m (18.4ft). The range of water column TP for this

station on Messalonskee Lake is 8 - 10 parts per billion (ppb) with an average of 9 ppb; Chla has

not been measured at this station. Recent dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles show high DO

depletion in this area of the lake. The potential for TP to leave the bottom sediments and become

available to algae in the water column (internal loading) is moderate. Oxygen levels below 5

parts per million stress certain cold water fish, and a persistent loss of oxygen may eliminate or

reduce habitat for sensitive cold water species.

The flushing rate is the amount of time required for the lake water to be renewed each year. The

average flushing rate is about 1-1.5 flushes per year for Maine lakes. The overall flushing rate for

Messalonskee Lake is 1.59 flushes per year. Flushing at this station is greater due to the

narrowing of the lake at the northern end.

The Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance (BRCA) has received federal funding obtained

under DEP's Non-Point Source Program to conduct a watershed survey in the Messalonskee Lake

direct watershed (2001) and expand the Great Pond Watershed Management Plan to include all

the lakes in the Belgrade Chain including Messalonskee Lake (2002). The Belgrade Lakes

Conservation Corps, operating under the 'umbrella' of BRCA, has been operating in the chain of

Belgrade Lakes since 1996. The Corps employs high school age young adults to implement

erosion controls that do not require heavy equipment (rip-rap, plunge pools, buffer plantings).

Cost is shared between homeowners and supporters of the Corps.

The Snow Pond/Messalonskee Lakes Association, formed in 1990, can be contacted at PO Box 532, Oakland, ME, 04963.

First day of spring

2008-03-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

The first day of spring arrived giving us snow and rain. The ice fishing shacks still dot the lake ,as the snow gives way to an expectation of spring.

This is the first ,of hopefully many notes regarding the lake and and our
love of the resource. Soon the ice will be gone and we will be fishing, kayaking , swimming and talking about how hot it is or how much rain we are getting.
At least we won't have to shovel any more.

Stay tuned as I hope this blog will be fun and offer answers to what's happening on and around the lake.

please visit the Messalonskee lake / Snow Pond assoc. web site at
www.snowpond.org