On The Water
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By Rick Lundstedt

Fall is upon us and hopefully as you're reading this, your docks and boats are out of the water and secured for "short" winter approaching. Not sure how everyone fared over the summer, but an unscientific sampling of anglers leads me to believe this year was "ok". Enough to keep people interested, but nothing to get overly excited about !

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Safe boating fun with Jamie Rothfus at the helm

    Just got off the phone with Francis Braughtingham from the Dept of Inland Fisheries and Game. Have some news on the stocking front and not much of it good. There are no plans to repeat a Fall stocking of Landlocks as in years past. This is due to Tripp's poor (for Salmon) water quality and the overall state shortage of this prestigious gamefish. Ice fishers will be the most disappointed, as they account or about 90% of the catch. We also will not get any more Browns this year, although a token 10 fish in the 16 - 18" class were tossed in this month. Basically, Tripp is not being actively managed as a fishery and we get what is called "surplus" fish, which are hatchery overruns and spent brood stock. I guess you could say Tripp is the Marden's of Maine lakes !
    Let's end on a brighter note. Loons were plentiful, Osprey sightings were regular and the weather, once the spring rains finally stopped, was great ! Oh....and April is just around the corner.....