Bourbon, Flies, and Lies: September 2021

March of 2021and barring from any cataclysmic events I made my reservations at the Elmwood Motor Court in Old Orchard, Maine https://www.elmwoodmotorcourt.com/

When I was last here in 2007 this is where I wanted to stay. They did not have room for me at the time. This place was extremely clean and well maintained.

My total bill for the stay was only $444.00. They had first come first serve grills to use daily. The layout as you can see from the photos is everything a growing boy needs to feel comfortable.

In relative terms the grocery store and the laundromat was close.

Let's get on with the start of my journey to Maine. I had worked all day on Friday September 10. I had planned on coming home and packing the car and sleeping for a few hours.

I laid there wide awake watching the clock move at a snails pace. After tossing and turning for two hours I could not stand it anymore. I sprang out of bed like a giddy kid on Christmas day morning.

The Soob "my car is a Subaru" was already fueled up. I double checked my gear and pointed her northeasterly. Traffic was light and no issues until I entered the Mohawk River Valley. This is where I would miss my exit " that's an understatement".

The missing of my exit was increased with the fog being so thick you could not see the painted lines on the road past your own vehicle. Then the 112 deer I saw made me slow down. I overshot it by 1.5 hours. needless to say I did get to see more New Hampshire and Massachusetts than I would ever had before. lol

I saw so many jake turkeys I believed they where a cult. lol After i realized my error I tried to go north as quick as I could go. Then Mal called and I told him what had happened. I told him what highway I was on lol and he said you realize that goes away from Maine. lol I was like super fried chicken Batman dammit. I made a course correction and got back on track.

A little bit about my method and means of navigation. I use a Garmin 64sx https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/669284

This device is a true handheld and while it's great at getting me out of some really hairy areas it's also good at getting me elsewhere. This unit is what I used to hike rivers, creeks, and through the woods and brambles of my fly fishing life.

I had figured out with Garmin support to turn off a few functions and my planned route to return home was flawless. I know now how to navigate with my Garmin 64sx on long trips. This would be my first huge trip with the unit and i knew their would be issues that would arise.

Ironically if i would have slept at home and left at midnight I would have arrived at 2 pm and I still did accounted for getting lost. Battered but not broken I pulled into the chateaux.

I got the chateaux all set up n the Marine CIC and went grocery shopping. I got eggs, taters, steak, cereal, milk, and I yea beer. I came back and put that all away. I got all geared up to meet a friend of mine on the low tide that I had not seen since 2007. It was great to see him and meet his family. We spoke for awhile and then we parted ways.

Day 1

I went to climb some nasty rocks that I have not seen since 2007. I was listening to my inner voice and the sounds surf how it was hitting the slick lake trout rocks and nope I am not getting hurt tonight or worse.

Day 2

The Beach assault. I was armed with crabs and met Mal and others out there I can't recall sorry gentlemen your names. I wanted to meet another good ole friend but he had family commitments and we all know they come first. The water was cool to the touch on this low tide.

The 2 foot rollers where a pain in the butt, but we hooked fish. This for me was the icing on the cake for the trip on full day one. Fishing with ole friends and new ones and just having a good time. Their was a noise on this day that would reach across the ocean at all decibels, but we will just leave that part of out my story LOL. The sunrise was a typical beautiful setting.

We grounded away at all the guts we could find, laugh, and tell jokes. This first fish we will call Bert. He has a lot of twins put there. Lol We would part ways and I would continue my fishy journey.

That night I went out to a more popular beach and I had forgot how steep the gradient is of the beach as low tide forms. I pulled the plug after and hour I just did not feel comfortable fishing it because of the the steep bank behind. I pressed onto home to eat some yummy food.

Day 3

Rock hopping and return to the place that I left on Friday night. I would be rewarded twice this day. Once off the rocks with bass being a bass between the rocks and the kelp line. The other fish came from the incoming high tide off of a gut out of river flat. Both of these fish came to hand via the guitar minnow 4/0.

Day 4

This day would come in three parts.

Part one would be me returning to the same river flat to hook a Bert again. Boy you would think by now he would catch on!

Part two with the wind not pushing 2 to three foot swells in my face I returned to the site of the beach assault. I saw more bait on this day and lots of it. The sky was beautiful and once again Bert was there to give me a hook up. I was really hopping his mom and dad would join in and start some sh!t.

Part three this was to me an amazing opportunity. I would get to go out on a friends boat out in the Saco Bay area. It was fun and the opportunity was there, but all the feesh ran in fear I am sure. I used my full sinking line and a guitar minnow struck out, but this is why we call it fishing and not catching. I also greatly appreciated the advice they gave me how to present the fly better to potentially trigger a strike. mad props to John and Jeff for making this a moment to remember.

Day 5

Acadia “warning this paragraph talks about using an egg beater”

As a young lad I have always wanted to go to Acadia National Park. Since I am a land surveying technician I have always been fascinated by the topography and the geology of the place and compound that with possibility of catching fish its on like Donkey Kong. Armed with my west coast style steelhead rod med light and lots of soft plastic baits w/ assorted jigs in weights.

I fished all the rough water I could find around the kelp edges. Mind you this was also when the winds where at 12 knots and SSE. The surf was at 2-3 feet and built to 3-4 later that day. I would bring to hand about 30 Pollock and man they are little fighters (They would be a ball on light fly gear). They were in all 12”-16” long and such beautiful colors. I was using mostly ¼ oz ball jigs pink and 2” short milky shad power bait. I brought my egg beater for several reasons. I wanted my best possibility of hooking a fish and the speed of the egg beater beats the scales off of a bug rod.

I used extreme caution when climbing all these rocks. I must of looked the part cause several ppl asked me straight up how long have I lived in the Acadia area? I said I am from the Great Lakes Region and not from here.

Side note to all the ppl that followed me around because your cell phone would not map you your welcome and that's why I carry my Gamin for mapping and navigation.

Day 6

Part 1 Rock scrambling and was rewarded with a nice heart to heart with Bert. I also found my new favorite bumper sticker.

Part 2 Returned to the same tidal river area and found Bert on the short bus again, but this time he told all the mosquito's where I would be. I paced every 25 feet for maybe 0.61 miles and picked up 6 fish all small but fish. They all came within 15-30 feet of the waters edge at high tide.

Day 7

Part 1 I went back to the same tidal river with my friends and his other friend. We connected with fish and overall great morning to be able to feel the salt air on your face, the sun on your face, and the raw a$$ smell coming out of my waders “lol”.

Part 2 I returned to the more productive beaches since I had been here. The bait was even more plentiful and the water clarity was a solid 36-48” and Bert was brought to hand.

Part 3 I came back to the tidal river and while using the bug rod picked up fish within 15-35' of shore line. All fish willing to take a fly and the mosquito's will suck you dry.

Day 8

I headed home and I know this time my Garmin 64sx will work flawlessly. I wanted to travel through some beautiful scenery and mother nature did not disappoint. Here is my traveled high point on the trip N43° 39.807' W72° 50.047' in Killington, Vermont. Was it the most direct route no, but I am on vacation and dont want to be bothered with the concrete jungle the entire way home!

I also took a break in the town of Fort Ann, NY @ the Battle Hill Brew Pub https://www.battlehillbrewing.com/ Its trendy but not overly priced. The service is fast and polite and I have attached the club sandwhich photo I had. The club was done nicely and did not feel like I just ate Thanksgiving dinner so I could continue to drive home.