McClory: Next few week should be great for fishing

Fishing pressure and boat traffic will soon decrease on the larger lakes when most of the summer people close their vacation homes and put their pleasure boats away for the season.Persistent anglers know that some of the biggest fish of the year will be caught during the next few weeks. Surface fishing during low light conditions early on a crisp September morning is a truly rewarding experience.As the day progresses, look for active fish in deeper water. We got a little taste of this last week, which was a great week to be on vacation, especially if you enjoy the water sports.The hazy, hot and humid weather is great for the kids because it gets them off the computer and on the water. Our boat hasn’t seen this much use in years, pulling water skiers and tubers from dawn to dusk.As for the fishing here on Sebago Lake in Maine — it’s unbelievable! Here we are in the middle of August often referred to as the “Dog Days of Summer”, a time of year when most fisherman take a break and sleep in a few mornings to rest up for the fall flurry.The fishing was outstanding for us last week. We had one of the most unbelievable mornings on the big lake here in Maine, fishing for salmon and lake trout.Our fish finder was showing a very well defined thermocline with plenty of bait fish in and around it. The salmon and lake trout were staged just above this area having a picnic feast, and this condition was noted in several different locations.Using downriggers and led core line, with DB smelt and flashkings for lures, we ran our lines just above this area and had one of the most memorable mornings in quite a few years.Mid-morning the fisheries biologist pulled alongside us to gather data from our catch for his log, as he has done many times.He mentioned that the fishing had turned on a few days earlier and because of the early ice out he thought that maybe the fall fishing run was starting early. Only counting the salmon that we could have kept, we landed 10 and also caught 2 trophy lake trout!Interestingly, I spoke with a buddy of mine that lives on Winni and he mentioned the fishing there also started to pick up, so the bite is on.uKittery Trading Post, a well-known New England outdoor sports specialty retailer, will celebrate its 37th Annual Septemberfest at the store’s Route 1 location in Kittery, Maine. Starting Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2, there will be one full week of excitement, entertainment and extraordinary prices on products throughout the store. This event features educational and entertaining activities of special interest to sportsmen and women.Over $10,000 in free merchandise prizes will be given away throughout the week! Drawings will be held daily. There is no purchase necessary to enter, and you need not be present to win.All events are free and open to the public.uFrom the Kittery report, Pete Santini from Fishing FINatics in Everett reported that although the surface action for both stripers and bluefish had slowed a bit, there has been some terrific luck on fishing the tube and worm rigs in Boston Harbor and surroundings.”This is the time of the year when tubes rule, as a lot of the larger stripers turn their attention to feeding on eels, which those tube rigs do a great job of mimicking with their action. Hot spots have been the Deer Island Tide Rip, Kelly’s Rock (where a 45 pounder had been caught on a black colored Santini Tube-n-Worm rig), Cherry Bar and Lovell’s Long and George’s Islands and around Faun Bar. The trick is to fish slow and low. We like three or four colors of leadcore line to get down to those big fish and troll very slowly and keep a nice fresh seaworm on the hook.”uThe Fisheries & Wildlife Board will meet Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center located on 680 Hudson Road in Sudbury.A Public Hearing on Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Bag Limits will be held at the same location at 3:00PM. Call (508) 389-6342 for more information.Don McClory is The Item’s outd