McClory: Fish say ‘no thanks’ at Sluice Pond

Ahh ? let me see .. how should I start this week’s column out ? oh, yes, I know: What do all of the following lure and streamer flies have in common ? flash king, mooslick wobbler, sutton spoon, honeybee, rapalla, db smelt, pumpkin head, grey ghost and joe’s smelt? Give up yet? These were all the lures and streamer flies that my buddy Ken and I trolled in Sluice Pond last Saturday. Unfortunately, we weren’t very successful. Let me back up a little. Last Friday, I got a call from Ken because he was just chomping at the bit to dust off the rods and wet a line for the first time this season. He had heard Sluice Pond was stocked during the week. His 14-footer was all ready to go and, of course, I had to oblige him by meeting him at the Sluice Pond ramp at 9 a.m. It’s a lot later than our usual starting time, but remember, it was still March even though it was a pretty nice day. We knew the fishing would be slow but weren’t sure how slow that would be. We trolled all of the hardware and flys I mentioned. We tried fast and slow and through every inch of Sluice. We used sinking fly line, lead core line and flat line, all with the same outcome. The bottom line is that we got skunked and that doesn’t happen very often to us!As of this writing, all of our local waters are open and free of ice. Also, all of the Northeast District lakes and ponds have received their first stocking of trout. The stocking truck visited Sluice Pond last week. Predictions are that the big lakes up north will probably follow a “typical” ice out timeframe of mid-to-late April.The winter of 2008 was one of the worst winters for Maine’s deer population. Preliminary harvest numbers of 21,062 deer represent a 27 percent decrease in harvest from 2007 and the lowest deer harvest since the beginning of the any-deer permit system in 1986. The long winter, with record-setting snow packs, created extremely difficult conditions for deer, with deer yarded up on average for over 140 days statewide compared to the normal 84 days, according to Lee Kantar, deer and moose biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The deer harvest by season showed an overall drop in success rates across most methods. Youth hunters harvested 510 deer, down 52 percent from 1,065 in 2007. October archery was up 18 percent. Blackpowder enthusiasts harvested 1,137 deer, a 42 percent decrease from a record-setting harvest of 1,964 deer in 2007. Modern firearms users harvested 17,652, which was down 25 percent from the 23,537 harvested in 2007. The adult buck kill was a 16 percent decrease over the previous year while the antlerless kill was down 41 percent from last year.Discover WILD New Hampshire Day. This fun-filled educational event for the whole family takes place on the grounds of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department on Hazen Drive in Concord, Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 35 outdoor, wildlife, environmental and conservation groups from throughout the state will present exhibits and demonstrations exploring all that’s WILD about New Hampshire. This festival is fun for all ages ? kids can try archery, cast with the “Let’s Go Fishing” program or do wildlife craft projects. See retriever dogs in action, big trout and salmon in a real stocking truck, trained falcons and battling bull moose. Throughout the day, enjoy ongoing exhibits, presentations, walks and demonstrations, and it is all free.Though air temperatures are rising and ice is retreating from many ponds and lakes, boaters are still at risk from cold water and the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) are reminding people that state law requires all canoeists and kayakers to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) at all times through May 15.I just heard some rather disturbing news about the $5 land stamp money that sportsmen pay when we purchase our licenses. Remember, this money was to be used only to purchase open space land. It seems that Deval Patrick is thinking about taking t