The Maine Highlands Guidebook The Maine Highlands Guidebook | Page 23

Ice Fishing
Annual
Ice Fishing
Derbies
 M OOSEHEAD LAKE TOGUE DERBY
In late January, Moosehead celebrates a long
tradition of ice fishing with a weekend-long
ice fishing competition. Contestants fish
as much as they like from Friday through
Sunday and at the end of the weekend, cash
prizes are awarded for the three largest fish.
GENERATIONS OF MAINERS HAVE ENJOYED FISHING YEAR-ROUND
on the state’s frozen lakes and ponds. The ice fishing season depends
on weather conditions, but usually starts in mid-January, when you’ll
see temporary villages of ice shacks and shanties begin to pop up
on the frozen waterways. Fishermen may catch landlocked salmon,
togue, cusk, and brook trout. Many towns hold ice fishing derbies,
where competitors try to catch the most—and biggest—fish, while
spectators cheer them on. Shacks and equipment may be rented.
Registered Maine Guides
Plan a trek with a Registered Maine Guide to ensure you get
the most from your Maine outdoors experience. Maine guides
are tested, licensed, and registered with the State of Maine to
lead expeditions in inland fishing, tidewater fishing, hunting &
trapping, recreation, sea kayaking, and whitewater rafting.
Visit maineguides.org to find a licensed guide.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Registered Maine Guide
program has been in existence
since 1897. Cornilia Thurza
"Fly Rod" Crosby was the first
Registered Maine Guide and
was a woman. She stood six
feet tall, was the first woman to
legally shoot a caribou in Maine,
and once caught 200 trout
in one day. Maine registered
1,700 guides in that first year.
There are plenty of festivities for fishermen
and spectators, including a banquet featuring
Maine-caught wild game, and a benefit auction.
Tickets are sold starting in early December
at nrecmoosehead.org/annual-events.
 S EBASTICOOK VALLEY CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE ICE FISHING DERBY
This annual event held each January spans
three lakes: Lake Wassookeag, Big Indian
Pond, and Great Moose Lake. Cash prizes are
awarded to the heaviest brook trout, lake trout,
and bass. Other raffle prizes change each
year, but what doesn’t change is the fun and
excitement enjoyed by everyone, young and old.
For more information visit ourchamber.org.
Local
Fishing Clubs
 BANGOR BASS CLUB: Bangor
facebook.com/Bangor-Bass-Club-73812932757
KATAHDIN BASSMASTERS: East Millinocket
facebook.com/KatahdinBass
 EASTERN MAINE BASS CLUB:
Greater Bangor Area
easternmainebassclub.com
THE MAINE HIGHLANDS.COM |
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