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Something's fishy
by Outspoken on Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:39 am
Something's fishy
Paltry catches sound alarm bells for Sebago Lake's Togue Fleet, concerned that lake trout and illegal pike are crowding out the salmon.
By DEIRDRE FLEMING
Staff Writer Portland Press Herald
CASCO — Sebago Lake's story has been one of uncertainty for more than three decades -- ever since 1972, when a biologist with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife decided to stock togue in the second largest Maine lake, known for its salmon fishing.
Some local fishermen who fish the lake weekly, if not daily, think they finally see an ending to this fish tale -- and it`s not happy.
Last year's fishing season was believed to be a good one, and maybe even signaled the start of a new era on Sebago with 5- and 6-pound salmon caught regularly. But so far this year, reports coming into the local anglers association suggest that Sebago`s game fishery is not on the rise -- or ever will be again.
"It`s going to hell. Without the smelts, you don't have salmon," said George Mannette, 81, of the lack of baitfish swimming in the lake this year.
This is why Don Allen of Casco and Jim Hathaway of Naples were fishing the east side of Sebago Lake last week for togue, while other members of "the Togue Fleet" were fishing the west.
The Togue Fleet are members of the Sebago Anglers Association who fish for togue to help cull the population of fish that has out-competed the salmon for food and consequently decreased the salmon`s numbers.
The larger togue can live on many sources of food; however, landlocked salmon require smelts in their diet to grow and survive. When the togue beat out the salmon for the smelts, the salmon suffer.
Allen and Hathaway fished for four hours last Monday and caught nothing. That happens, said Allen, president of the anglers association.
But Hathaway paints a different picture.
He said he normally averages seven to eight fish a day. But this year, it has been one to three fish.
"Fishing on Sebago this year is down. It has not been as productive," said Hathaway as he studied his three still lines streaming from Allen's boat.
"I`d much rather catch a 5-pound salmon than a 10-pound togue," Hathaway said. "But there aren't that many salmon in the lake anymore."
Both men say the lake's smelt population, the chief food of the salmon and togue, is way down, and that has hurt the salmon's numbers.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=198802&ac=Audience
Photos By John Ewing/Staff Photographer
Paltry catches sound alarm bells for Sebago Lake's Togue Fleet, concerned that lake trout and illegal pike are crowding out the salmon.
By DEIRDRE FLEMING
Staff Writer Portland Press Herald
CASCO — Sebago Lake's story has been one of uncertainty for more than three decades -- ever since 1972, when a biologist with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife decided to stock togue in the second largest Maine lake, known for its salmon fishing.
Some local fishermen who fish the lake weekly, if not daily, think they finally see an ending to this fish tale -- and it`s not happy.
Last year's fishing season was believed to be a good one, and maybe even signaled the start of a new era on Sebago with 5- and 6-pound salmon caught regularly. But so far this year, reports coming into the local anglers association suggest that Sebago`s game fishery is not on the rise -- or ever will be again.
"It`s going to hell. Without the smelts, you don't have salmon," said George Mannette, 81, of the lack of baitfish swimming in the lake this year.
This is why Don Allen of Casco and Jim Hathaway of Naples were fishing the east side of Sebago Lake last week for togue, while other members of "the Togue Fleet" were fishing the west.
The Togue Fleet are members of the Sebago Anglers Association who fish for togue to help cull the population of fish that has out-competed the salmon for food and consequently decreased the salmon`s numbers.
The larger togue can live on many sources of food; however, landlocked salmon require smelts in their diet to grow and survive. When the togue beat out the salmon for the smelts, the salmon suffer.
Allen and Hathaway fished for four hours last Monday and caught nothing. That happens, said Allen, president of the anglers association.
But Hathaway paints a different picture.
He said he normally averages seven to eight fish a day. But this year, it has been one to three fish.
"Fishing on Sebago this year is down. It has not been as productive," said Hathaway as he studied his three still lines streaming from Allen's boat.
"I`d much rather catch a 5-pound salmon than a 10-pound togue," Hathaway said. "But there aren't that many salmon in the lake anymore."
Both men say the lake's smelt population, the chief food of the salmon and togue, is way down, and that has hurt the salmon's numbers.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=198802&ac=Audience
Photos By John Ewing/Staff Photographer
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Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
