January 2010 Almanac
*** THIS MONTH ***
Winter Smashes Down on the State
In December, snow may strike outdoors folks as an iffy proposition in the bottom third of the state, but come January, the white stuff will be smashing down. In the North Country, though, winter proves business as usual. Snow has been piling up since late November or certainly early December.
Ice forms on waters across much of Maine in December, and ice anglers can get out and fish now – even for trout and salmon. It’s catch and release though, until January 1.
One part of ice-fishing receives little press, but should. Tailgate parties before football games have nothing on meals on the ice. Fancy venison and sausage recipes, potato dishes and far more sizzle over campfires or camp stoves.
Snow brings on many activities this month, beginning with snowmobiling – a sport that has earned a critical place in Maine’s rural economy. Make no mistake, folks. Sledders are big spenders compared to cross-country skiers, according to many folks involved in outdoors economies in Maine and New Brunswick.
When snow flies, rabbit hunting picks up considerably. A good crust covered with a thin layer of fluffy white stuff from the night before creates ideal running conditions for hounds.
In late December ice anglers in the bottom half of the state obsess about ice thickness, wondering if it will be too thin come Jan. 1. That last week of the 12th month, though, seldom fails us north of Sebago. The ice may not be thick enough to hold a truck, but it can hold humans – and the sport takes off.
The first 10 days of January produce a good chunk of the winter fish that wind up in the One That Didn’t Get Away Club – trophy fish recognized by this publication. In fact, early in January and the first four weeks after ice-out produce far more trophy fish than fall ever does.
Coyote and fox hunters work field, lake and power-line edges now, calling on predator calls while hunkering behind cover. This sport often calls for long-distance shooting, so such calibers as a .222 Remington, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester and 6mm Remington get the nod, but some folks say to heck with small caliber rifles and opt for a tight-choked 12 gauge.
January surely kicks off the smelt-fishing season along coastal rivers, and folks reserve shacks at commercial-smelting businesses.
Photographers get out now, shooting scenic images or wildlife, the latter often bald eagles, waterfowl, deer around feeding stations and dicky birds around feeders.
Yup, it’s winter, a long way from spring, and folks are making lemonade now out of the sour fruit called winter.
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