Big Eddy Campground | Maine River Guides

Nov

Strip Cedar Canoe: A Winter Project

I have always enjoyed the classic beauty and feel of wooden boats on the water. The looks are elegant, the feel of riding in one is as wonderful an experience one can have on the water. Unfortunately the practicality of guiding out of a wooden boat where I frequent just doesn’t make a lot of sense for me. I have had the pleasure of rowing two beautiful wooden boats built by a friend and summer resident at the Big Eddy Campground Pete Boucher. I must say, I have enjoyed every second of those experiences.

Pete at the oars in his Rapid Robert

Recently while enjoying a beer at a friends house he showed me a 19 foot strip cedar canoe he had hoped to restore, but can’t find time for amidst other projects. I asked if he wanted to part with it and within an hour I had it loaded on the truck heading for home. I am pleased to add a wooden boat to the collection and I have dubbed it “The Beast” for obvious reasons.

The new ride at home

This will be an ongoing restoration project I hope to complete by Spring Fishing Season 2011, and I will be posting updates as I make progress. If anyone has any advice or experience in strip cedar canoe restoration I am all ears.

Some photos of the canoe:

dirty boat

busted gunnels and decks

damaged fiberglass

the beast

Since these photos were taken the entire canoe has been scrubbed down good and is airing out in the garage…

Jul

Hot Days: Huge Hatches

Taking a break from the heat this afternoon after a nice long swim in the Big Eddy, and realized an update was long overdue. Had some awesome days in late June on the water and some extremely slow days as well. Got some good press in the July 2010 Issue of Field and Stream Magazine in an article titled “The North Woods Way” written by Edward Nickens. It’s a well crafted piece about Eddie’s travels and experiences fishing with three Maine Guides, myself included, last June. Get out and pick up a copy, or check it out here: The North Woods Way

For the last few weeks I have been burning the candle at both ends. Fishing the West Branch of the Penobscot during the morning and afternoon, and hunting Native Maine Brook Trout rising to Hexes, and exploring cool mountain streams. Things have been fishing well all around with the action on the river having picked up since a late June slump. The Landlocked Salmon and Brook Trout on the West Branch of the Penobscot River have been happily feeding on a wide variety of dry flies from tiny black caddis to super sized Stoneflies. Water temps are already over 68 degrees on the West Branch so take time releasing fish and avoid overplaying them.

While I have had some epic evenings on Maine Trout Ponds withing a 50 mile radius of the Big Eddy Campground, I do believe the Hex hatches are tapering off and the fish getting fussier by the day. Like everthing else this season, hatches are coming and going a few weeks ahead of normal.

Chris and his wife Kim just showed up for the afternoon round of fishing…so I gotta run. Check out the fish Chris landed this morning… Nice work!

Chris gets a beauty to the net

Nice River Brookie

Kevin's first Salmon on a fly

Looking for the Hatch

Game on!

Hot days on cool mountain streams

Should've been here last night (Hex Shucks)

Emilia with a nice West Branch Salmon

Small Stream Gems

Landlocked Salmon caught on tiny caddis.

Jun

Penobscot River Fishing: Summer is here!

June is here and it sure feels like Summer. We have seen some high daytime temps and humidity followed by powerful thunderstorms that felt more like July than late May… As for hatches, the Hendricksons seem to be trailing off, but I have been also seeing some good yellow sally hatches as well as bwo’s and the occasional golden stones and sporadic caddis. Spent wing mayflies have been the ticket in the evening and early morning, so keep an eye on the foam lines for subtle sipping rises. Not all small rises are small fish:) Streamers and nymphs have been filling the void between hatches. Try grey/white mitchell creeks, conehead olive wooly buggers, small stones and pt’s, green caddis, and hot wire prince nymphs.
Things really seem to be progressing very quickly this season, I even noticed some Lupines beginning to bloom at The Big Eddy over the holiday weekend! I’m guessing by mid next week we should be into our first really big caddis hatches of the season so keep your box stocked with elk hairs, X2 caddis, and Nancy’s Prayers as well as larvae and pupa imitations cause it will be on very soon!

I do have some open days for left for June and July, but they are limited, email if interested.
maineriverguides@yahoo.com Or call my cell 207-749-1593

Rusty Spinner Kennebago Lake

I have fished in good company the last few weeks from Grants Camps to the West Branch, made some new friends and caught up with the seasonal crew up at the Big Eddy. Here are a few photos from the past week and a half, including a shot of an empty Big Eddy Pool from last week… Won’t be seeing that again for a long time as Summer is here!