NUMENON |
PONDERING CORE ESSENCE
NUMENON |
On June 4, 2024, I became Maine's newest Registered Guide! Something of a daydream of mine for many years, this became my 2024 Winter's Quest when the long-term forecast in December looked bleak for ice-fishing prospects. Rather than frustrate myself with uncertain conditions, I decided to dedicate my efforts and time to capture some desired credentials and build a potentially interesting future. I enrolled in courses with the Maine Outdoor Learning Center (for Registered Maine Guide certification prep) and the Atlantic Captain's Academy (for required U.S. Coast Guard endorsement as a Six-Pack Captain/Operator of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV)). I enjoyed the course-work, have passed all the tests, and now am free-and-clear to charter clients for freshwater adventures in Maine! Meanwhile, my OUPV application is basically complete (one more simple box to check); when that is submitted and approved, I will return to Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to sit for Tidewater examinations. Then, I'll have accomplished my true goal of being a guide for stripers on Casco Bay. In the meantime, I will simply enjoy my time out there fishing! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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After a tough day searching for striped bass in the boat, we returned to the float just before predicted slack low tide. This had been both my insurance policy and safety blanket for the day's catching success. So far, it had been a beautiful day, but I really wanted both of my friends to each catch a nice striper, and only N had scored during our five hours on Casco Bay in the boat. We suspended large, juicy sand-worms beneath floats and enjoyed almost instantaneous action! J landed a nice bass in the mid-20-inches range; it wasn't as large as N's 27 from the flats earlier in the day, but was still a nice fish. The day was now complete but we had some more fishing time in front of us. We alternated through a series of bites. N landed another mid-20-incher, while mine was only about 13 inches! After a short lull, we cycled through our chances again, and in a quick flurry, both N and J landed similar middle-20s fish. At this point, it had been a really good day! I was tending the rod when the float jiggled and plunged; I got tight to a good fish (it was now a little more than an hour after predicted low tide). This turned precarious when there was no stopping this fish's first run. It was well beyond the first line of mooring buoys and I was very low on line when I finally turned her. I was concerned about the angle of the fish and rubbing off on my mooring chain; so N prepped the Portland Pudgy dinghy and donned a life jacket while I carefully guided the fish away from the obvious obstructions. Soon, we were afloat and I was able to gain some line as N rowed us out. Most of the remaining fight played out between the first and second rows of moorings. N was able to keep us in the clear as I wore the fish down in a safe gap. We rested against amybaby22's mooring as I grasped the striper's lower jaw; this fish was finally subdued! N rowed us back towards the float while I revived the fish. A quick measurement against the Pudgy's gunwales indicated a conservative 41 inches; clearly my biggest ever from the float. Or was it my first from the Pudgy? The circle hook had found the corner of her jaw, and the water was a cool 60. After a few moments and with a slight spank to her tail, she swam away, energetically and seemingly none the worse for the wear. We ended the session having gone 7 for 9 with my second-biggest ever Maine striper. Not bad! There were smiles all around, and we were already looking forward to our next trip. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
Steve LachanceVia Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Michigan and now, back to New England! Archives
June 2024
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