McClory: A few tips for safe summer boating

With record numbers of boaters and anglers expecting to be on the water for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has three tips that can help ensure it’s also a safe holiday for everyone aboard. Designated drivers are good ? but don’t forget your guests. The captain of a boat is responsible for everyone aboard and those that have little boating experience. Someone who boats infrequently may not be familiar with wakes, docking, or boarding, which increases their chances of falling overboard. For the boat’s operator, even a small amount of alcohol increases the risk of an accident. Sun, wind and waves take their toll. A few hours in the sun combined with the wind, motion, noise and vibration aboard a boat can produce “boater’s hypnosis,” which reduces an operator’s performance as much as alcohol would.This week I hope to be on Sebago Lake fishing there for the first time this year. Up to now, we have been hitting Winnie really hard and it’s time to change over to start fishing for lake trout. Right now there is no place better that Sebago for togue. All reports are that Sebago is still red-hot and if you have never experienced trolling for lake trout, this might be the year to start. The trick to consistently catch these trout is to troll sewed-on bait as slow as the boat will go. Drag buckets if you have to slow the boat and keep your bait as close to the bottom as possible. To do this, you will need an 8- to 9-foot rod with a reel spooled with 10 to 20 colors of lead core line, and 30 feet of braided 10-pound line like spiderwire for a leader. If you are not successful, try adding a dodger. Your bait should be 3 feet from the dodger. The fish are close to the bottom so you can also use a downrigger to get to the correct depth. Set your lines up the same way except substitute mono line for the lead core line. This proven method of deep water fishing works well and can be used on any body of water for trout or salmon.From the Kittery report, fishermen targeting flounders and stripers are doing well along the oceanfront of Plum Island. Worms and clams are working on the flounder. Remember, there is a catch limit on flounder ? the limit is 8 fish over 12 inches. Flounder are still hot in Boston Harbor and Stripers have been on and off. Early in the morning, there’s been a lot of surface action off the Deer Island Flats for fish in the 28 to 30 inch range. Rubber shad are working for them. Fishing deeper with the Santini Tube-n-Worm rigs on leadcore line in that same area has produced some stripers to over 40 inches.Sportsmen and women, birders, landowners and other wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to assist the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) to count turkey families this summer. DFW conducts an annual wild turkey brood survey from June through August. “The brood survey serves as a long term index on reproduction,” explains Dave Scarpitti, Turkey Project Leader. “It helps us determine productivity and allows us to compare long-term reproductive success.” Scarpitti also points out that citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and he encourages all interested people to participate. A turkey brood survey form has been posted on the website. Information needed includes date, town, number of hens seen, and number of poults (young turkeys) and their relative size compared to the hens. Multiple sightings of the same brood should also be noted. The survey period runs from June 1-Aug. 31. Completed forms should to be mailed to the MassWildlife Westborough Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd., Westborough, MA 01581.All deer hunters are reminded that in order to take antlerless deer during any deer hunting season, they must possess an antlerless deer permit. The July 16 application deadline is fast approaching. Applications postmarked after July 16 will not be accepted.All for now.