Fishing the most universal sport

What’s the best part of fishing? You may enjoy the peace of a quiet steam, the thrill of “fish on” or the puzzle of finding the most successful lure for the day.Whatever it is – pass that thrill on to the next generation. Fishing is the most universal sport, from the kid with the bobber and worm to the guy in the huge boat rigged with all the latest electronics. They are both after the same thing and both having fun.Remember, when you take young kids fishing, keep the experience positive. Pick a pond or lake known to have an abundance of active hungry sunfish, bluegills and perch. You want to make sure that as soon as the line hits the water the bobber will move and disappear.Locally Flax Pond and Browns Pond are our favorites, and they never let us down. Taking a kid out to troll for salmon or trout is not recommended, there is not enough action to keep their interest.My kids used to get bored after a while of waiting and get distracted by playing with the lures in the tackle box, or sometime even the worms in the bucket. That was okay, because it kept them interested in going along and, when all else fails, make sure you have plenty of their favorite snacks to save the day.uLast weekend we were at our place on Sebago Lake. Unfortunately it was basically a work weekend so I didn’t get a chance to wet a line.However, I did get a chance to speak with some of the local anglers that fish Sebago almost every day. The lake’s reputation for lake trout fishing is still holding strong, with lots of fish being landed. A half dozen two to four pound togue are typical for an outing, with fish being caught in the deeper water using sewed on bait.Smaller native salmon, fat and healthy, are also hitting well, mostly close to the surface first thing in the morning using streamer flies.uJune is also the month when most of our 10 native species of turtles are on the move following their ancient instincts to reproduce. Maybe you’ve seen one, ponderously moving across a road in search of disturbed soil which is an attractive nest site.A turtle will look for a dry sunny spot to dig a hole and lay her eggs. While snappers are the most conspicuous turtles at this time of year, it’s a good time to see some of the rare species, particularly the eastern box turtle, wood turtle, spotted turtle, and Blanding’s turtle. Several of our turtle species are fully protected and should not be taken out of the wild, removed from their habitat, or taken home as pets.The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) is involved in turtle conservation efforts with Partners in Reptile and Amphibian Conservation (PARC) in part to inspire citizens, natural resource managers, scientists, and other turtle enthusiasts address the conservation issues and to help ensure long-term survival of turtle species and populations.uAs an early reminder, deer hunters wishing to hunt antlerless deer must possess a valid antlerless deer permit. The deadline for applying for that permit is July 16. The DFW reminds applicants that with the MassFishHunt electronic system there is no public permit drawing based on the last digit of the hunting/sporting license number and the Division does not mail any information to deer hunters.There are two steps to be completed by all hunters hoping to obtain an antlerless deer permit. Apply for an antlerless deer permit by July 16 and return to MassFishHunt to participate in the new Instant Award process. I will mention this again as the date gets closer!uIn closing this week’s column I want to extend a “Happy Father’s day” to all fathers out there!Don McClory is The Item’s outdoors writer.