Is our Heritage in Jeopardy?

I’ve had a number of you ask if I am retired from writing blogs and the answer is no, not really, I’ve just been very busy doing what I enjoy, which includes guiding and fishing. Now, I must say that I have met a lot of really nice people this year during my guiding trips. It’s nice to see them so interested in the outdoors and in catching “the big one”. But I must tell you that I am a bit concerned about the trend that I am seeing. TC and I made every effort to bring our two sons up in an environment that was filled with the outdoors. We tried to make hunting and fishing a part of their lives, and we believe we succeeded. Although they are both far away, they do make an effort to come back and spend time here when they can. But the trend I am seeing is a bit disturbing to me. I am not seeing a lot of younger people enjoying the back woods nor the fishing or hunting. Has there been a disconnect somewhere? My gut instinct says yes.  Is it that the families have moved away from teaching their family members about what the outdoors has to offer, because their lives have become so busy, or is it because they have to disconnect from the world when they go back in the woods? 

I heard an interesting story the other day about a young man that was being introduced into the peace and tranquility of the back woods. He packed his clothing and iPad along with his cell phone for the journey. Once in the woods, he quickly learned that there was no cell or internet service and he made no bones about not being happy with not having connect ability. Is this what we have come to? Are we losing our young to the techno world at the expense of the world they have around them? You be the judge.

So, how do we reintroduce this to our young? As a Maine Guide, I think we need to create programs allowing us to spend time with them teaching about our great Maine heritage. We need to find ways to excite them and make them want to learn how to hunt and fish and camp using the resources around them. If we don’t take some sort of action, I fear we will see our Maine heritage dwindle and or fade out. 

So, what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. You can let me know via my vernons guide service Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/vernonsguideservice/    or by emailing me at vernonsguideservice@gmail.com

Oh and by the way: this is what happens when you spend time on a pond or lake. Are you interested?

Why do they come and where do they go?

This winter, we were fortunate to have a few visitors. At one point, we counted 18 of them. They came in the night unannounced and did not leave until most of the snow melted. Now, let’s try to set the stage a bit. We are located in an area that just happens to have a small stand of trees just above us. The trees are primarily spruce with a mix of some firs. In the past, we have had a family of foxes take up refuge in the tree line and at one point, we were introduced to their kits. This year, we did have two foxes spend the winter with us in the trees, and I have a funny story about our visitors. As you may or may not know, we had a lot of snow this past winter. It felt like every day, it snowed. Our winter was the third worst in terms of snow totals and I can tell you that I spent a lot of time getting to know my snow blower by its first name, Troy. The snow from our roof falls directly behind and in front of the house and eventually, rose to just under the windows. One morning, TC and I got up and walked into the kitchen and found we had a visitor peaking in. Yes, a fox was standing on the bank, looking into our house. Now, I’ll take the blame here, when the fox saw me, he hightailed it out of there. 

As the snow fell, we were blessed to have a group take up refuge in the trees this year. No, they had not been here before. Throughout the winter, they would come out in the early morning and feed on the tree branches, and late in the day, they would do the same. Occasionally, they would decide to take a road trip and as we watched, one by one, they would work their way past the neighbor above us and go to wherever they went, always returning late that evening. It was fun to watch them prepare to travel. One by one, they would come to the edge of the tree line and look both ways and then they would run up the trail they had made. We got accustomed to waking up each morning and seeing some of them moving around feeding on the tree branches. As the snow started to melt, we saw them start to branch out and come closer to our home. It was really fun to watch them. 

Then the snow started to melt and we began to see fewer and fewer of them. I remember being away and TC sent me a text with a photo of them investigating the grounds close to the house. The snow continued to melt, and one morning we woke up and as I had done all winter, I immediately went to the window to see my friends and they were gone. 

Wildlife can read the seasons and instinct tells them to move on. Now, my question is why did they pick this stand of trees and where did they go?

We had grown so accustomed to seeing them each morning and evening and overnight they had moved out without a forwarding address. 

I have a lot of tales during this time, but I remember this one in particular.  The snow was melting and we had decided it was time to break out the Weber grill and cook some hamburgers. As I was walking up to the shed where I keep the grill, I looked up to the tree line and noticed that one of them was watching me intently. I put the burgers on the grill and watched as his nose was up in the air sniffing and snuffing away. I wanted to invite him to join us, but I knew that was not possible. As I started back to the house, I looked back to see him gone as quickly as he had shone up. 

You get attached to wildlife when they spend time around you, but you have to be careful to remember that they are wild and you need to keep your distance. However, it was extremely fun to watch them all winter. When they left, there was a void and I keep getting up each morning and looking up there hoping to see them again, but to no avail. I hold hope that maybe they will return this coming winter and once again, I’ll be able to watch the mystery of now you see them and now you don’t.

Shame on Me

While at a business conference last week, I was approached by one of my blog readers. A lady from New Jersey who has told me time and time again that when she reads the blogs, she vicariously live in me during her reading the blog. She greeted me and then proceeded to ask me why she had not received any new blog post notices. She then said, did you drop me from the group? I smiled at her and said, Ellen, no I did not drop you, you are still there, I just have not had the time to sit down and write a new blog in a long time. We then talked about the blogs and yes, she did shame me into going back to the computer and writing this new one. So, this one is for you Ellen.

As I write this, Northern Maine is hopefully near the tail end of a long winter. We are not far away from holding the all-time record for most snow in a season. This year is currently in second place. (Not really a record I want to hold in high esteem.) During the winter months, TC and I have been busy tying the flies we need for the upcoming fishing season that incidentally started on April 1. TC and I tried to keep a mental note of the flies that were successful and at what time they worked. This year, I am going to carry a little book and my goal is to write down the flies my clients, I and TC use, when we used them and what success we had. This data will be helpful in compiling what works, when it worked and if we should continue to tie that pattern.

As many faithful fisher persons know, one day a fly might work like gangbusters and the next day the fish would not touch it with a ten foot pole. Older fishing advocates say that if you are lucky enough to be on the water during a hatch that is the fly that would work during that time. The trick, however is to know when the hatch takes place and I for one often times miss them as you just don’t look on the calendar and say the green drake hatch is happening tomorrow and I need to get out there. It is all luck. I’ve spent nights in the woods whereas the day came to an end and the hatch took place at dark. Waking up the next morning my camping gear is full of dead flies and I missed it! That morning the fish would not take a blue dunn to save their soul.

So, you ask, what should I bring with me on my fishing trip. My answer is bring a box full of all different flies that have worked in the past and that way you can try all of them until you find the one that works. Yes, I can give you some options, and if you are using my services, I will even provide you with the flies I think might work. However, at the end of the day, the decision is for the fish to make and you just don’t get a say. It’s just that simple.

Meteorologist, Please Help! #101

I’m not sure if you are seeing the same phenomenon where you live, and if so, how you are dealing with it, but it is really putting a crimp in my style, and I for one want to see it slow down or stop entirely.  I’m speaking about the enemy of the fisherman, yes, the wind! Now, picture a canoe on a pond with two fishermen in the canoe and the wind gusting 25-30 miles per hour. First, it is very hard to cast a line with that type of gust. Second, unless you are anchored properly, the canoe is going around and around like a top. Thirdly, and most importantly, there is a safety factor that cannot be ignored.  I remember back in the day when it would be windy, but the early morning and early evening until dark were pretty good. Unfortunately, that has not been the case so far this year. Wind has been prevalent the entire day. So, I set out to try to find what the devil was going on and what we could expect for the rest of the season. As you might think, there are a number of different reasons about it, from the lack of the dip in the jet stream to global warming. Along with that, they say that generally the jet stream dips sometime in June and the wind starts to subside a bit back to normal. Regardless of the science behind it, I know one thing  for sure, it is WINDY!

So, you ask, how do we compensate for the wind when we fish? Thanks for the question and here is my answer. Our season is short so we have to improvise as much as we can to take advantage of the time we have. Therefore, we take to the stream on rough days or we pull out the aluminum boat and motor and do a little trolling. Mindful of the fact that if the wind dies down, we are moving at light speed to the pond for a little fly fishing action. But, do not think that I don’t give it my all, no matter what the weather throws at me. And although safety is always first and foremost in my mind, I’ll do everything I can to get that fly rod out and do a little casting using the wind to my advantage. See, you can always throw a line farther when you have the wind as your friend.

I’d be interested to hear from you about how you cope with the wind. 

When an Idea is First Conceived

100^thBlog

I’m sure you all have dreams that you aspire to make real. Some follow their dreams and some just dream about their goals. Whether you dream or make them a reality, don’t let anyone tell you that one is better than the other. They both serve a purpose in one’s life. So, when I decided that I wanted to start my own business, I did a lot of dreaming, explored a great deal, and procrastinated until one day, I decided to get going. 

Now, as some of you remember, I started this blog some time ago and it has grown to where this is my 100^thaddition to my blog page. So, I found it fitting to make my 100^thblog reflect my business and the way it came to be. Here is my story.

I grew up loving the woods and all it had to offer. I enjoyed hunting and fishing and although you can never perfect your talents to the limit, I tried my best. Eventually, I decided that I would take the course that would lead me to my exam for my Maine Guides License. At that time, I really did not have any agenda other than to see if I could pass the exam. I was fairly comfortable with the book part but the map and compass and catastrophic event was something I needed to spend time on. After the course was over, I set my mind to preparing. Now, you never know what the guide’s board will ask you so you need to prepare for anything. I had maps all over the floor in our family room and would make hypothetical trips from one point to another using the inlets and outlets of ponds as my starting and finish points. TC was there with me and took the course as well, although she did not want to take the exam, she was really interested in expanding her own knowledge about the various subjects.  

The day of the exam came and as you might think, I was a bit nervous. Had I studied the right material? Had I contemplated all the questions they might ask? Was I ready? We would soon find out. I drove to Augusta, parked outside the building where my exam would take place and looked at the material one more time. Then, in I went, ready or not here it came. Now, the two gentleman that would test me were very nice and it was clear that they wanted to make sure that I knew what I should know and that if they granted me a Guides license, I was worthy of that distinction. As you all know, I passed and left there with a big smile. It was after that, I decided to look into forming a business. What I found was that there were a number of hoops that needed to be navigated through. For my best interest, I needed to form an LLC or Limited Liability Company as well as pick a name and get it approved through the Maine Secretary of State. I was fortunate to have a friend who was an attorney who helped me get through the paperwork and shortly thereafter, Vernon’s Guide Service LLC was formed. But, it did not end there. Now, I needed to be insured to protect the business. Soon afterward, I made that happen and now I could move forward with my future plans as well as getting the business out in the open. I have a cousin who is a Graphic Designer and I approached Peter to see if he might help me design my business cards and logo. Thankfully, he jumped at the opportunity to help and we began the process of picking out designs and colors. Once he had some ideas of what I wanted, he went to work and my designs soon became reality. And I must say, Peter did a phenomenal job. 

So, 2018 is my inaugural year of the opening of Vernon’s Guide Service, LLC. With that, I am pleased to unveil my logo and business cards. I could not have gotten this far without the understanding of my wife TC, Charlie who helped me wade through the LLC paperwork process and with the help of my cousin Peter. Thank you all.

 And without further ado, here is the final product. And their friends is my 100^thblog!  Let the season begin.

Credit given to Peter Stafford at Cambridge Pen for the design and art work.  www.cambridgepen.com

When the Sun Sets High in the Sky #99

When we get to this time of year, winter has outlasted its stay with me, and I begin to watch for signs of warmer weather. Among those signs are increasing temps during the day and more daylight. The sun’s rays help to melt the winter snowpack and the streams on I-95 are showing signs of water protruding on top of the ice. When I begin to see any of these, I start to think about spring. Now fishing season still has a few months to go before we can wet a line, and even at the start, there tends to be some impediments, but that being said, preparation is key to hitting the ground running.

As the season begins, I make sure that the canoes are ready to go, the reels are all greased and cleaned and that I have sufficient flies tied to last the year. Typically, I don’t tie flies during the fishing season unless I find something on the water that I don’t have and need to imitate, or if I have run out of certain flies that they are hitting well.

For the last couple of years, TC and I have been working with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in their fish/pond documentation program. That is where we keep track of the ponds we fished during the season, the number of fishing people in the party and the number and kinds of fish caught. Biologists send me a book each spring that I record information in and I return it to them at the end of the season. Last year, we spent a lot of time in the northern part of Maine and the year before, we fished the north western part along the Piscataquis county line. This gives the biologists a look at a number of different ponds in different locations. Our plan is to mix it up more this year.

This year will be a bit different in that we have the inaugural year of Vernon’s Guide Service. Already, things are looking good and the calendar is beginning to take shape. However, I have been told that I need to save time for TC and I to do our fishing, and heeding that warning will be important. I can tell you that I have a surprise coming soon. I hope to unveil my business logo within the next month or so. It is in the works right now and my cousin who just happens to be a graphic designer will begin work on it soon. Knowing what he does and what he comes up with, I am looking forward to the final product. It should be fantastic! Of course, I will unveil it in a blog when the time comes.

For now, let the snow start to drop, let the ponds unthaw and warm up as I get ready for another great fishing season. I’ll be documenting my trek on both twitter, email and facebook as well as blogs. So, keep watching for new updates because it won’t be long now!

My next blog will the 100th since I began. What do you think I should write about?

Announcing Vernon’s Guide Service, LLC #98

A few years back, I decided to sit for the Maine Registered Guides Exam. The testing procedure was tough requiring you to show your proficiency in how to use a compass and a topo map as well as responding to a major catastrophic event. If you failed in one of these areas, you were not allowed to continue with the rest of the exam. The State of Maine breaks the classifications down in a couple of ways. You have to individually sit for your Fishing Guides license, your Hunting Guides license and your Recreation guides license. There are a few other classifications, but these are the ones that apply to us in Northern Maine. I chose to sit for the Fishing Guides license. Once I obtained my guides license in fishing, I began planning for how I wanted to use it in future years. I knew that I wanted to work a bit while still employed at my current job and then eventually work more as time allowed. Having an insurance background, I also knew that if I wanted to do this, I would have to form a separate business, and that is exactly what I did. In November 2017, I began researching how to go about forming an LLC. In December, I filed the paperwork, with the help of a friend and on December 18, 2017, I received the final paperwork. The beginning of Vernon’s Guide Service LLC. The service will work exclusively on fishing in Northern Maine and will begin with the 2018 fishing season. For the time being, I will only be booking a few trips in 2018 and am happy to report that I have already booked one. I look forward to spending time growing the business and giving people what they want, a great fishing experience in the North Maine Woods. So, away we go. My moto going forward is “I’m having the time of my life and I hope you will to.”

So, if you feel like you want to have a Northern Maine Woods fishing experience, drop me an email or give me a call. I’d be glad to schedule you in.

vernonsguideservice@gmail.com

I also created a Vernon’s Guide Service Facebook page. Please search it out and give me a “LIKE.” You can find it at:

www.facebook.com/vernonsguideservice