Eggemoggin Guide Service

OFFSHORE!

2011-08-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

Fighting a ten foot blue dog!

Fish ON!

Dad and 8 yr old fighting one together

Took a dad and 8 yr old out in pea soup fog...little rough going out due to 4 ft seas and fog chop. But the little guy was a trooper and took everything in stride...He and dad fought the first one...5 footer...together. after that he was to hang out while dad caught the rest. Total of four to the boat and one lost before i could touch the leader. We hooked up with a real monster fish...9 or ten feet anyway...45 minute fight that wore dad out big time LOL! We had whales blowing all around us but with 50 yard visibility we didn't see any... Great day with great folks!!

OFFSHORE IS HEATING UP!

2011-08-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

The offshore scene is starting to heat up around here. Tuna are finally showing and the shark bite has been fantastic! As long as we can avoid an easterly wind the fishing is very good! While out there wating for the chum to work we had three 60' finback whales suface and blow not 40 feet from my boat! Very Exciting! Here's a little video of a recent sharkin adventure off Mount Desert Rock.

Afternoon cruise

2011-07-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

What a fun day for me. I took 4 nice folks out for an afternoon cruise. They wanted to see the coast via the water and to see wildlife. Porise, seals and birds of prey made many visits around my boat. Very close views! My clients were so excited. This was a once in a lifetime for them! Perfect weather, flat calm, nice cool breeze and for once I didn't have to find fish! ;) Living here we all forget what a treasure we have on the water!

Want to see the sights? How about getting up close and personal to a 60' humpack?

The whales are a mere 20 to 25 miles from the boat launch. On my boat you get the boat to yourselves and won't be elbow to elbow with 50 other tourists!

give me a cvall or email!

Penobscot River Report

2011-07-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

Great day fishinmg with my three young friends Alexander, Sam and Julian. They caught 42 big smallies and 3 landlocked salmon!. All in about five hours fishing. We fished up near the Howland dam. Taking kids fishing is a priority of mine. The previous best fishing they had done was for some 10 or 12 inch bass locally....

You should've been on the boat with them and heard all the hollering and laughs!

take a kid fishing !

Custom Rod Building/Latest Newspaper Column

2011-01-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest of my bi-weekly outdoors columns. Published two weeks before xmas.

Hope you like it!
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I am a custom rod builder. A few years ago I was admiring a beautiful hand made fly rod a friend had just gotten. I’d heard there were a small, but growing, number of custom rod building enthusiasts. An internet search turned up a wealth of information. There are forums that you can ask questions of experienced builders, companies that supply all the components and many helpful videos. Most of the instructional sources are free! My first step was to figure out what to actually build the rod on. You need something to hold the rod blank while you wrap the thread on the guides. I found a company in Florida called Mud Hole (www.mudhole.com). They claim to be the worlds largest rod building supply company. I don’t doubt it. They have an amazing amount of blanks and components. I saw a nice simple jig for beginners. It cost approximately $50.00. But that was too easy for me. I spent 2 weeks constructing what can only be described as a Rube Goldberg device. It is three feet long. Is fully adjustable. Has multiple arms and wheeled rollers. Holds up to four spools of thread that I can adjust the tension on. It looks funny but it works great. There are power wrappers that make it easier, but then you’re getting into commercial building rather then custom hand wrapping. Once I had my wrapping jig finished it was time to start my first rod. I ordered an inexpensive kit. Beginner spinning or fly rod kits can be purchased for as little as $50.00. The components needed include the rod blank, reel seat, cork handle, guides, tip top, hook keeper and winding check. You’ll need thread, glues and a few tools. It’s much simpler until one gains more experience, to get a kit with everything included. It’s easy to forget something if you’re picking out items separately. You can get a basic tool kit for very short money. It should include a reamer to fit the cork handles to the blank, a burnishing tool for smoothing thread wraps, a few razor blades and sharp scissors. Some sandpaper, masking tape and cheap artist brushes for applying glue and finish will complete your tool kit. I’m not going to give you step by step instructions here. Let me just go through the basics. First thing you must do is to locate the SPLINE on the blank. The spline is a line that runs up and down the blank. You can’t see the spline but it is most important that the guides are located directly on it! A big difference between store bought and custom rods is that commercial rods just get the guides stuck on anywhere. This can lead to broken rods and poor performance. Finding the spline is easy and Mud Hole has the info on locating it in the catalog. You’ll need to use your reaming tool to ream out the cork handles to fit snuggly on the blank. Decide where the reel seat will go. It gets mounted with masking tape around the blank (to center the seat) and epoxy glue. Lightly sand the blank, mix the epoxy and brush it on. Slide the reel seat and handle where they go and let dry overnight. Install the tip top , making sure it lines up with the reel seat! Next step is to locate where the guides go. Again, the Mud Hole catalog (or online) will have a chart showing where to place them. This is where the fun starts! Once you become comfortable wrapping guides you will soon learn the different styles and colors available are virtually unlimited. Wrapping a basic thread pattern is very simple and only takes a few minutes to learn. I usually do some fancy wraps on the butt section just above the handle. I’ve weaved diamonds, chevrons and even fish out of thread. If you decide you enjoy rod building then you can learn all the fancy techniques. For now all you need do is get all the components installed. The threads need to be finished with flexible non yellowing epoxy. You can be assured that no one has a rod like it. You will have a truly unique fishing rod that will give you a lifetime of flawless performance. I sign all my rods. Typically, “Hand Built for Jon Doe by Captain Pete’s Custom Rods”. There’s quite a few of my rods out there. I really enjoy it and it helps make winter go by. I have two to get finished before Christmas. A rod building kit would be a fine gift for your favorite angler. And if you aren’t the handy type, but a custom rod interests you, I have gift certificates available. If you do decide to become a rod builder feel free to contact me for any advice or help.
http://eggemogginguideservice.net/
meguide@midmaine.com

Newspaper Column December 2nd

2010-12-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

for those of you that don't get these papers here's my latest newspaper column published in the three local Penobscot Bay Press newspapers :

America’s Great Outdoors Listening Session

In early September, I was invited by my friend and colleague, Cheryl Daigle, of The Penobscot River Restoration Trust, to a listening session at the Bangor Civic Center. This meeting was hosted by the federal government. President Obama has tasked various departments to generate a report, due November15 of this year, about the state of Americas great outdoors. There were many federal representatives attending. Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality. Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. Will Shaforth, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Jon Jarvis, Director, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, and Stephen Perkins, Director, Region 1 Office of the EPA. There were more, including various Maine luminaries and outdoors VIP’s.
President Obama wants to create a dialog on what is right...and what is wrong with our outdoors activities, lands and heritage. Mr. Obama has tasked many Federal Departments to do the research and report back to him. They visited 27 different areas all over the US. I’m happy to report that Bangor showed the highest attendance of all 27 meetings, with over 350 attendees! Many differing outdoors representatives were in attendance. Fishermen, hunters, hiking groups, guides, lodge owners, snowmobile clubs, hikers, bird watchers, atv clubs, northern Maine landowners, conservation groups, Native American tribes and many more. The idea was to bring as many different ideas and opinions to the table to discuss and give opinions.
The meeting began with welcome and opening remarks by the aforementioned federal folks. Then, some of Maine’s leading outdoors community members gave statements. We all then split off into 6 conference rooms with approximately 50 people in each. In my room we were joined by Ann Mills and her assistant. There were 3 young ladies taking minutes. Every word spoken was supposed to be recorded so it could all be used for the report. We basically took turns making statements that would go into a database for the report.
I was sure that I was invited so I could speak about the Penobscot River dam removal project. It is a great accomplishment and Cheryl is always trying to gain support and publicity. I’m a big supporter and have worked with her in the past promoting it. I was prepared to do just that. But I thought that this might be a chance to make some comments about the state of our marine fisheries and just how BAD a job our government has done to the resource. I called the former president and current president of the Maine Charter Capt Association. I told them what was up. After some discussion with those two, I went to the meeting prepared to speak my mind!
I began with my positive comments about the river project. Then I abruptly changed direction. I said I worry about what the true agenda of this strategy for Americas outdoors is. I fear it is about wildlife sanctuaries and marine protected areas. Where you can look but no hunting or fishing…paddle but not power boat…hike but not drive an atv…snowshoe but not snowmobile… we need to protect traditional hunting and fishing activities first and foremost! Please make sure to represent all Americans. Not just a privileged few. I talked about the terrible mismanagement of the striped bass resource. I blamed the feds for the lack of fish. I complained about our government supporting the last reduction menhaden fishery in the U.S. Our government is subsidizing a company located near the Chesapeake Bay. This company is allowed to basically take all the menhaden they want. These fish are used to make fish food, fertilizer and oil. All of which are available from cheaper sources! If not for government money the company could not stay in business. Most of you don’t realize it, but menhaden is THE most important fish in US waters. With the lack of herring, lobster fishermen could use it to supplement the herring. Recreational fishermen need it for bait too. What we get is very expensive and shipped from the Gulf of Mexico! Unfortunately, there are virtually NONE in Maine waters. The few we have need to be left alone. We hear about red tide closing the shellfish beds almost every summer. The menhaden is the only fish that can actually consume red tide algae and eliminate it from the bays and estuaries! They feed on it and other types of algae. If Penobscot bay had a proper population of menhaden it would virtually eliminate the red tide problem! So in effect, to save a very few jobs, the feds put out of work hundreds if not thousands of clam diggers and mussel fishermen. To support approximately 150 jobs at this company, they encourage the removal of the best source of food for everything from stripers and bluefish to ground fish, tuna, sharks and many other species. Do you wonder why we have no fish to catch off the Maine coast anymore? Wonder no more. This is a HUGE reason, among many other factors. I looked Undersecretary Mills square in the eye and said, “I WANT MY STRIPERS BACK!”
Write your senators and congressmen. The only way things will change is if your voices are heard!
On a happier note…. Did you get your deer yet?

meguide@midmaine.com
http://www.eggemogginguideservice.net

Penny the Partridge

2010-11-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen much of my tame partridge this past summer and fall. But that seems to have changed recently. She's started showing up on my porch every day of late. She's sitting on the rail as I write this post, eating a bowl of cut up apples and grapes...She goes crazy over grapes! ;)

It's way easier then taking care of a dog or a cat. She does have a tendency of pooping on the porch rail though...

These pics are what I just took of her chowing down!

Find me on Facebook!

2010-11-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

Hi all....I finally went and got on facebook. Everything I hear and read says the search engines use facebook as part of the formula to get higher up on the pages...1st or 2nd page is critical. There's the eggomoggin guide service page and i have a personal one also...
Funny thing, I dreaded getting on facebook but, now that I am it's a hoot! I've even found at least one old high school classmate!!

Here's the link to Eggemoggin. Pics, news and such... and you can get to my other page through it too!

PLEASE!! if you go to the page make sure you hit the like button. The more likes I get the higher up in rankings i go!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eggemoggin-Guide-Service/149934198383793?ref=sgm

You can also click on the badge to the right.

My grandson's 2nd birthday

2010-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

My Grandson Talis Christian Petrick just celebrated his 2nd birthday. His Grandma and I went to Windham for the party!! Next spring and I'll be buying him his first fishing rod!! He wasn't much on opening all his gifts but, He sure did like the cake!! ;) It's ok...I used to like the packages more then the gifts myself!!

2010-11-13T04:16:00.000-08:00

These four guys limited out on big Eiders in three hours!!

Getting ready to pick up the deke's

WOW! My clients have been slamming the sea ducks. Mostly Eiders with some Scoters in the mix. It's currently the second regular duck season. This alows you to add puddle ducks, Buffle heads and merganser to your bags. It's PRIME TIME and weather's been pretty good. If you want to shoot a box or two of shells CALL or EMAIL me to book!! 207 359 2746

mailto:meguide@midmaine.com

SEA DUCKS!!

2010-11-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

These guys limited out by noon!!

Over the last four hunts we've limited out 3 times and the one time we didn't it was still a dozen ducks between 3 guys! Today my guys had never been sea duck hunting before and weren't sure what to expect. Three hunters shot the limit of 12 eiders in just a half day....We were set up by 7:15- 7:30 am.... Wasn't a half hour and I heard BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!! By noon we were done! The guys were floored at how much shooting they had. They couldn't believe what it took to drop thoise big eiders. I had to take care of a few cripples for them. Next time they're bringing BBB or T shot! They were using #2's. It works ok but if you don't hit them dead on it makes for a few wounded critters. ( which I take care of).
I liked these fellas for one big reason...they crippled two ducks...I went over to finish them off. I shot at them once and they dived and were gone for good...What happens sometimes is eiders will be wounded and if you can't take care of them in a few minutes time...they go to bottom and grab hold of something till they expire....
I called my guys on the radio and told them that those were two dead ducks...and they counted towards the bag limit, even though we didn't retrieve them. I hoped they were ok with it. To me that is the ethical and honorable thing to do...They were dead ducks shot by those guys! Even though they weren't in the boat. To a man they agreed and understood my reason....
Like I said..these were 3 good guys!

If you want to flatten a bunch of ducks....if you like to shoot a box or two of shells....and if you want to have a great adventure.....call or email me to book a hunt!
meguide@midmaine.com

Sea Duck Hunt Report!

2010-10-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Great two day duck hunt this week! Three guys from Pennsilvania drove all the way up to Sedgwick to spend a couple days slamming the ducks.. First day was nice and steady with one's and twos coming for most of the hunt. Today started off slow and frustrating! They got a couple early then nothing for a couple hours...There were probably 1000 eider ducks within 1/2 mile of our position. They just refused to fly! Not a breath of wind and dead low tide... As soon as the tide changed the wind picked up, string after string of eiders got up and flew! Amazing to see all those ducks going by! They finished with a limit of Drake eiders. Nice that no hens were shot!
I have hunts next week but I have openings if you want to enjoy some fast gunning for big fast flying ducks!

meguide@midmaine.com
207-359-2746

Maine Sea Ducks

2010-10-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been observing some rafts of eiders starting to invade our inshore waters. My first hunts are the end of the month. I usually don't get going till then even though the season starts October 1. I always want to be sure the ducks have begun filling in around here. This year it seems to be early! I have openings this week and next if you want some fast gunning!
I also have openings into mid to late november! Call or email me to book a hunt.

meguide@midmaine.com

Kennebec River Stripers

2010-09-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

I recently was asked to help fellow charter captains, Capt George Harris and Capt Forrest Faulkingham, with a trip they were running on the Kennebec river. I quickly agreed and went down to Bath the night before. I spent the night at Forrest's home in the town of Alna. After being treated to a wonderful boiled dinner with all the fixins, we headed for the living room to go over charts and get gear ready for the next day. We left for the boat launch in Bath next morning at 4:30 am sharp. We got all three boats in the water. Our 6 fishermen showed up and off we went to get bait . Live eels and mackerel were our bait of choice. By the end of the day our clients each had a legal size fish for the table. They boated many more during the day and one guy even had a seal on that wanted his fish!

I get a lot of calls to go striper fishing. I've turned them all down in the last few years. Penobscot Bay simply has no fish to catch.....

But, if you come to my area and really want stripers, I'll provide the transportation, boat, bait, tackle and know how. It's a bit of a ride each way but it is still an amazing fishery and worth going!

Check my website for info and pricing.

http://eggemogginguideservice.net

A few of the days catch!!

Nice Fat Striper!!

The White House Initiative on Americas Great Outdoors

2010-09-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I was invited to a listening session hosted by Federal officials sent from Washington and President Obama. Our president has created a dialog on what is right...and what is wrong with our outdoors activities, lands and heritage. He wants to know what we as Americans think about our natural resources and wild lands. It was an interesting meeting and when i arrived at the Bangor Civic Center on Thursday Sept 2nd I was ushered to a large room with at least 300 Mainers. There were many high ranking officials at the maine table...We started with an intro from 5 Washington officials... Nancy Sutley, chair, white house council on environmantal quality.
Ann Mills, deputy undersec for nat resources and environment
dep assistant sec for fish, wildlife and parks
the director of the nat park service
director, region office of ecosystem, EPA

They started off with statements.
Then local outdoors officials participated with a Q&A for an hour or so. Then we broke off into working groups of about 50 people per room...there were six rooms..each had two fed officials and three admin assistants that took the minutes. all the comments are supposed to be fused into a report for the President. What follows are my remarks...it's just my notes...and I did change a little on the fly but....it is basically what i said.
I really don't know if it made a difference ..but i feel better after saying my opinions...
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National outdoors conversation remarks

Good afternoon. I want to thank my friend and colleague Cheryl Daigle for inviting me to attend America’s great outdoors listening initiative. My name is Pete Douvarjo. I’m the owner of Eggemoggin Guide Service, located in Sedgwick. I’m also the Vice President of The Maine Charter Capt’s Assoc. Our membership includes nearly 80 charter Capt.’s up and down the coast of Maine. The Maine Charter Capt’s Assoc has publicly stated our support for the Penob river Restoration Project. Myself and our members, all depend on healthy rivers and bays to sustain our small businesses. This ambitious project was quite a surprise when one Monday morning, I awoke to read in the Bangor Daily News, that a disparate group of people got together and made an agreement to try and restore this historic watershed. I must say that doing all this work and doing it under the radar, so to speak, certainly impressed me! While it may not be returning back to the original river it once was…It is a great start and will, as you all know, open approximately 1000 miles of spawning habitat to the diadromous fish that are most important to myself and our membership. The Penobscot is the largest watershed in the state…and I believe the 8th or 9th largest watershed in the nation!! In my opinion, what will follow in the wake of the two dams being removed and the howland dam bypass, is going to be astounding! Within a few years the returning alewives and herring alone will number in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions! Those returning prey species will feed the predatory fish that live in Penobscot bay, the river and up into the river’s backwaters. They will be preyed upon by cod, haddock, striped bass, blue fin tuna and others. Having more food for those predator fish will mean an increase in the fish we all love to catch. As the herring and alewife begin the spring spawning migration, they will be preyed upon. After the spawn up river they will return to sea to again feed hungry predators. Their eggs and later, as juveniles, the baby herring and alewives will become food for smallmouth bass and land locked salmon , upriver! We will soon see bigger and healthier fish upriver, in what is already, a world class smallmouth bass fishery. Then in the fall, juvenile baitfish will leave the river and become once again, prey to all the creatures in the bay. I for one can’t wait to see the result of this most worthy and ambitious project.

Over the last four or five years my business has declined over 60 %. The main reason being… I have NO STRIPERS TO CATCH! The bay has been pretty much barren of life. We still get a few mackerel in the summer….there are a few cod and Pollock. With nothing but a great smallmouth fishery up river, I have basically, had very little to fish for. This is and has been a major problem. This season, I spent a small fortune on a new and bigger boat, suitable to go offshore. Plus all the very expensive, heavy duty gear and tackle. I have to travel over 30 miles from my home port to fish for tuna, sharks and ground fish. It was just five years ago. I was able to take clients out for 4 or 6 hr charters. We’d only have a 30 minute run to the striper grounds…we’d catch many nice fat, fresh fish. Then a short ride back to the dock. It was affordable, safe and great fun for all. And my 20’ Lund was comfortable, fast and very economical…very important in a small business. Those days are over. Spend a day offshore in 4 to 5 foot seas chasing pelagic fish...It’s hard work for a 54 year old man! I want my striped bass back! And my fuel bill has gone up dramatically. I charge what seems like an exorbitant fee for offshore trips but my expenses, my gear and all other associated costs are enormous. That is without anything breaking! If a tuna breaks off with a lure in it’s mouth it’s 25 to 90 dollars worth of lure!!

The problem in Maine starts with the problems in the Chesapeake Bay. Over fishing, pollution, mismanagement, poaching and disease is taking a toll on Chesapeake stripers. Those fish make up the majority of the stripers we catch here in Maine. Our federal gov has done a terrible job managing not only stripers but almost all other fish. The Atlantic Striped Bass management Council should be ashamed of the poor way they manage the striped bass fishery. They deny the fact that striped bass are in trouble and are in danger of another collapse such as the one in the mid 70’s. They’re seriously contemplating increasing the commercial quota on the harvesting of stripers. Ladies and gentlemen…THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMERCIAL HARVEST OF THE STRIPED BASS AT ALL, NEVER MIND INCREASING IT !!!.
They will not listen to experienced charter fishermen. People with many years of experience who are on the water day after day…. People, who I dare say, should have the most input on the decisions dealing with managing fish.
5 years ago there were over 3.5 million stripers landed ,and most of them released, on the Maine coast. Two years ago there were just over ½ million. That comes directly from the federal marine statistics survey report.
All Atlantic states but two, have experienced serious declines in recreational landings.

The federal government allows a reduction fishery for menhaden. You have to understand, menhaden are the most important fish in the sea. They provide high protein/high fat food that grows fish big and healthy. I understand that commercial fishermen rely on menhaden for bait. Recreational fishermen need them for catching stripers . the fish need them to sustain themselves. And we all need them for a very important reason….they are the only creature I know of that can eat and eliminate red tide algae. Proper populations of menhaden can control those huge red tide outbreaks we’ve been experiencing recently. The bottom line is the federal government is directly responsible for the decline in menhaden and needs to step up to the plate and stop the reduction fishery and allow the populations to be restored so we can all utilize the resource fairly!

I want to see money put towards researching stripers and other game fish. New fish hatcheries are needed to jump start the diadromous fish returns once the dams are removed. That costs money. The white house and legislature need to find a way to fund this! It is vitally important.
The Penobscot can and will support striped bass spawning!! It may not be exactly a striper heaven like the kennebec, but it is more then adequate to give us our own native fish!

Lastly,
Former President Ronald Reagan once said, “The most feared introduction in the world is: Hi I’m from the government and I’m here to help…”

I read the entire memorandum released by the white house related to this nationwide white house proposal. In it, I saw fishing and hunting mentioned only briefly. I read lot’s of flowery language and nice friendly words. But I saw very little about what I and millions of Americans think is most important. I question why the National Fish and Wildlife Agency is not listed as part of this Presidential initiative. I would think they would be critically important in any decisions concerning our outdoors heritage.
I worry about what the true agenda of this strategy for Americas outdoors is. I fear it is about wildlife sanctuaries and marine protected areas. Where you can look but no hunting or fishing…paddle but not power boat…hike but not drive an atv…snowshoe but not snowmobile… we need to protect traditional hunting and fishing activities first and foremost! Please make sure to represent all Americans. Not just a privileged few.

Thank you for this time and congratulations to the Penobscot Restoration organization. This project is a shining example of what caring stewards of our great waterways can accomplish with nothing but an idea and will to start something. I am proud to be associated with you…

250 lb TUNA!!

2010-08-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

My friend Al and I headed out to the end of Isle ah Haught yesterday to see about the bluefin reports I've gotten lately. We trolled daisy chains and spreader bars for a couple hours with no hookups. But we began to see signs of fish here and there. Then the water began erupting with feeding tuna up to 300 lbs! Seeing fish that big leaping out of the water was heart stopping! Al quickly reeled in the stand up gear as I headed for the action . I stopped about 40 yards from the frenzy, grabbed my Boca Tuna spinning rod and cast a big yozuri top water plug into the school...... two pops and WHAM! FISH ON!! Three hours and fifteen minutes later I had a tuna along side the boat that would've been at least 250 lbs. Well over the 59
inch maximum, we released it. I wanted to get it in the boat for a pic but we could not lift that fish over the rail! My spin rod butt cap is ruined...the lower portion of the foam handle is gone....I got up this morning feeling like I'd been run over by a truck... BUT, I can't wait to do battle again!
If you want a chance to catch a monster fish that will battle to the bitter end call or email me! I still have openings. These bruisers should be around into October.
207 359 2746
meguide@midmaine.com

The Tuna have arrived off of Deer Isle!

2010-08-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Finally the bluefin have arrived in this area. I got a report of a handline fisherman having one on yesterday. I'll be taking fishermen out near Seal Island this weekend. The report had them jumping all over. Call or email me to book...I do have openings. These fish should be around into October!
207 359 2746
meguide@midmaine.com

Sea Duck Hunting

2010-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

It's not too far off and we'll be gunning for sea ducks! October 1 thru January is the season. The best hunting in the area around Deer Isle and Blue Hill Bay is mid October into early December. I'm currently taking bookings for this season. Call or email to book you hunt before it's too late! 207 359 2746
meguide@midmaine.com

Kennebec River Striper Tournament

2010-08-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Maine Charter Captains Association is hosting a fly fishing only, catch and release striper tournament Saturday Sept 25 on the Kennebec River. Two anglers plus a capt per boat. $150.00 entry fee per angler ( $300.00) The captains supply the boat, gear and expertise. Fishing is from 6 am to noon. Then a local BBQ restaurant is catering a big feed. Awards for biggest and in different categories. Plus auction items, grab bags for anglers and raffles!

It'll be great fun!

Contact Capt Dave Pecci to enter at:

dave@obsessioncharters.com or 207 442 8581

2010-07-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

David and Kim Baxter from Florida on the Penobscot the other day.

Mid summer report! The tuna are just starting to show...not really enough to fish on yet but any day now...sharks will be right behind. Not much of a striper year so far :( . Cod fishing has been great out towards Seal Island. The Penobscot is really fishing great! Last two trip were 37 and 30 bass to the boat, with some smallies up to 20" in the mix! tight lines most all day!

I'll be out looking for tuna over the next couple days.

My winter guest

2010-06-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Nearly a month ago, after work one afternoon my wife, Sandy, told me about this pretty bird that had been hanging around the bird feeder in our back yard. When she went outside, it came close as it foraged. She described it as a beautiful bird but wasn’t sure what species it was. She got out the bird identification book and the picture she showed me was a Partridge! I got online and did a little research. Partridge like to eat apples, berries, insects and the tiny frozen buds on various trees gets them through in winter. They are solitary and usually keep to themselves except during mating. The difference between male and female is small. But after looking at our partridge closely and looking at photo’s from our book; we think it’s a female.
The bird showed up a little while later. Being an avid bird hunter, Partridge is the best table fare of all our wild birds and it being Partridge hunting season, I headed for the shotgun cabinet! Oh boy, bad move on my part. I thought herself was going to wring my neck! Wanting to shoot HER bird and all. Soon as Sandy calmed down, I went to have a closer look. I stood on my back porch and it wandered up quite close and looked me over. A couple days later it was back and approached even closer. It went on like this for a good for a week or two. Pretty soon she would see me and come running across the yard right up to my feet! During the day, Sandy would see it eating frozen buds and it would peck around the cracked corn and sunflower seeds I had out for the other birds.
I started leaving out some purple grapes and the partridge happily devoured them. I ran out of those after a few days so I sneaked some of Sandy’s treasured blueberry supply and she liked those too. Next, I cut up some apples and those seemed to be her favorites.
Now, after a couple months, that bird greets me at the back door every morning. If I’m up before she is, I just give a whistle and out of the woods she comes. I put out my hand and say, “ C’mon up!” and she hops onto my hand. Most evenings just before dark we repeat our ritual. She even takes grapes from between my lips.
I can’t help but laugh at her. When the food is gone she gets quite cranky. Darn thing will start walking up and down my arm while scolding me with various clucks and squawks. Sometimes she pecks my head and ears till I relent and go in for more berries! This little bird has been giving Sandy and I countless hours of enjoyment.
Has this happened to anyone else? I’d love to hear from you if you’ve ever been adopted by a wild bird. I will share your stories if you have them.
Don’t forget about the two fly tying classes coming up at Craig Brook Hatchery in Orland. On February 6, Harold Shaw will teach you how to tie a pair of trout fly’s and on February 13, I will be showing you two salt water fly’s. You bring your vise and tools, plus some thread ( white or monofilament for my class) and all the other materials will be provided. The best part is it’s free. Classes are limited to ten participants. Contact richardhero@midmaine.com or call 359- 8999 to register.
Slims Fishing Derby is February 13 and 14. On Toddy Pond . Call 348-6938 to register. There’s many nice prizes and awards. Plus you may win a door prize just for buying a ticket. AND It’s for a great cause! Call 348-6938 for more info. Tickets are available at many local stores.

meguide@midmaine.com http://www.eggemogginguideservice.net

2nd Newspaper Column

2010-06-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Salt Water Registry/License

Many of you have heard about the new Federal Salt Water License (also known as the SWL). This has been met with some passionate and even angry response from many Mainers. The Federal plan that went into effect January 1st wants to get a count of all salt water anglers in every coastal state in the US. They want catch reports so they can better understand what are being caught, how many fish are being caught and angling methods. Without this data, it’s pretty difficult to make the proper decisions to help the resource and increase fish numbers. The latest estimate is the Federal fee will be between $15.00 and $25.00. It’s always been considered a right to go down to the shore and catch a fish or two. I understand. The problem is the Feds have already decided and we have NO CHOICE in the matter. It’s happened and we have to live with it! What’s vital for you to know is that if the Feds get the money, we will never see it and it’ll end up in the Federal coffers. If Maine passes its own registry, Maine gets to keep the funds. That money would be used to administer the registry and the left over funds can be used to help improve the fisheries in Maine!
Our legislature is taking this up as we speak. DMR estimates it will cost 330,000 dollars to administer and enforce it here in Maine. If we can pass our own SWL with a 15 dollar fee per license for anglers 16 years and older, it will raise 2.5 to 3 million dollars. That leaves a rather substantial amount of money left over to do many things. The DMR (Dept of Marine Resources) has asked The Maine Association of Charterboat Captains (MACC) what we think should be done with this issue. MACC would like to see Maine require all anglers to register. Those fishing for diadromous fish such as stripers and shad would pay the fee while those fishing from shore or docks for mackerel and other non diadromous species would register without a fee. That way you’d still be able to go after mackerel and other local fish for free. You know how bad the striped bass fishing has become. This new source of funds in conjunction with the Penobscot River Restoration will be a huge benefit to our state. Three dams will be removed and/or bypassed. The diadromous fish will then have access to over 1000 miles of spawning habitat. Consider how quickly we can restore fish populations if DMR gets funding enough to raise thousands (if not millions) of herring, alewives, shad and stripers to be released to help ‘jump start’ the fish population!
I do understand the reluctance of many to pay yet another fee but look at it this way, $15.00 dollars is dinner for 2 at the local fast food joint. For 15 dollars a year the benefits we will see will go way beyond what we have now in our salt water fisheries. Maine has until next January to get the state license together or we lose the funding to Washington.
If you are fishing this year without registering and you get checked you will only get a warning. Next year there will be a penalty of some sort, probably a ticket and fine. To register go to this address: http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/ it just takes a few minutes and there is no fee till next year. I’d love to get your thoughts and ideas on this issue. I’ll be sure to pass them along to DMR.
For you fly tiers there will be two upcoming free fly tying classes at Craig Brook Fish Hatchery in Orland on Feb 6, 9 am till noon, you can learn to tie two freshwater flies and on Feb 13, 9 am till noon it will be two saltwater flies. I will be the instructor for the salt water tying. Bring your tools, thread and vise. Everything else will be supplied. Contact richardhero@midmaine.com or call 359- 8999 to register. It’s free but classes are limited to ten persons.
And don’t forget about the second annual Slim’s Ice Fishing Derby on Toddy Pond February 13 and 14. Call 348-6938 to register. It’s for a great cause!
meguide@midmaine.com
http://www.eggemogginguideservice.net

Newspaper column

2010-06-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

I write a bi-weekly outdoors column for the Penobscot Bay Press. It is seen in three local newspapers. The Weekly Packet, Island Advantage and the Castine Patriot.

here's the first one ( reprinted with the editors permission)

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Outdoors with Captain Pete

Welcome to my new column!

It is my hope that through this column, I can help inform local readers about issues concerning all outdoor related subjects. This column is for you- the reader. It will deal with many types of outdoor recreational topics including fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, kayaking, sightseeing and more. I want to keep you updated and educated to some of the important issues we are facing.

Did you catch the fish of a lifetime? Did you get your dream 10 point buck? I want to hear about it! I’ll be giving you tips on how to catch the ‘Big One’ ….What’s the proper way to set up your duck decoys … What is the best knot to tie your lure with…etc. I’ll be reviewing products that will help your outdoor experiences. There will be boating tips - like how to deal with that nasty ethanol that’s plaguing your outboard, plus many other topics.

Do you have an outdoor related event coming up you want to publicize? Let me know! In short….if it’s something to do with outdoor recreation, it’s something we can talk about. Feel free to email me with your thoughts, ideas or even criticisms. My email and website address is below. My phone number is on my website…Love to hear from you!

I am a Registered Maine Guide and Coast Guard licensed Captain. I’m also an officer and board member of the Maine Association of Charter Captains (or MACC for short). As the owner of Eggemoggin Guide Service located in Sedgwick, I’ve been fishing all my life and guiding people on both fresh and saltwater for 10 years along with guiding sea and puddle duck hunts. While involved with many different issues, most recently I’ve been involved with the Penobscot River Restoration project. Another issue is the Federal Government mandate for all states regarding the salt water fishing license. These are two issues that you need to be aware of !

In my next column I will try to explain in layman’s terms, about the salt water license and the recent meeting that I participated in with the President of MACC and Department of Marine Resources officials to discuss what we think of the new salt water license requirement. In the meantime I’d love to hear your thoughts on the new license so let me know what you think about it .

Captain Pete Douvarjo

http://www.eggemogginguideservice.net
meguide@midmaine.com

Tuna have been sighted !

2010-06-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

I just got a report from an offshore lobster fisherman of tuna busting on top 6 miles west of Metinicus Island. That's well with the reach of my boat! Plus it means they could be right off Seal Island and MDI Rock any second! I'd be out looking if it wasn't for all the rain, wind and thunderstorms all this weekend! There are stripers in the St George river ( it's the other side of Penobscot Bay) I'll be out every afternoon this coming week either with fishermen or doing scouting on my side of the bay and up into the Penobscot river. I'll keep you posted.

I have openings on my boat for the upcoming season so give me a call!

1st post on my blog

2010-06-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I hadn't posted to my blog all winter and when i tried it was GONE! Guess i need to keep up so i don't get deleted.
The fishing season is almost upon us here in Downeast/Acadia Maine. I have bought a new boat. A 21' Parker CC. Big honda 130 horse outboard. I'm outfitting it for offshore tuna, shark and groundfish!!! 130 lb class stand up rods and reels. Big Spinning roda and reels for those days the tuna are crashing the surface. I still have my 20' Lund alaskan for inshore saltwater trips...my Penobscot River smallie trips and for sea duck hunts in the fall. YUP!! i now have TWO big holes to throw money into! I'm also writing a bi weekly outdoors column for Penobscot Bay Press. It is published in three papers. The Weekly Packet, The Island Advantage and the Castine Patriot. I will publish the columns I've written and all my future ones as i do them...In the next few days I'll post all the previous columns. Keep checking back to see my posts and to keep track of the fishing season as it goes on!