Maine Grows Big Bass

Many Mainers have a love/hate relationship with largemouth bass – they hate the continuing spread of this invasive species; they hate how the insatiable carnivores will eat baitfish that would otherwise provide food for trout and salmon; but I’ll tell you what – give me an early morning or an early evening on a quiet, weedy pond with a classic Fred Arbogast Jitterbug chug-chug-chugging along the surface, and the BLAM! as the water erupts from the fury of a big bass’s feeding charge – summertime fishing in Maine doesn’t get much better.

The cover of the July, 2024 issue of The Maine Sportsman captures that moment perfectly, in an amazingly-detailed illustration of a huge bass lifting itself from the water’s surface. The drawing was presented to our publication by renowned wildlife artist Peter C. Thompson.

This issue also includes two photos, from April and May of this year, showing mammoth largemouth taken from Salmon Lake in Belgrade and from Moose Pond in Bridgton.

Did you travel to Aroostook County for the moose drawing? If you heard (or later read) your name on the permit list, then be certain to learn secrets from the outfitters who specialize in moose hunts, in the special section, “Five Things your Moose Guide Wants to Tell You.” For example, when your guides invite you to sight in your rifle on the Sunday afternoon before the hunt, they are less interested in your aim than in how safely and proficiently you handle your rifle.

And speaking of guides – those of you looking for saltwater (and Great Lakes) fishing guides will be pleased to know that our charter boat directory earned its own back cover page display this month!

So from the Midcoast to Casco Bay to Saco Bay and the Southern Maine coast, and to the fishing meccas of Upstate New York, if you want to catch big fish, check out the advertisers featured in The Maine Sportsman’s Fishing Charter Directory.

In this issue, we also introduce our newest Patch Club; namely, the Youth Turkey Hunter’s Club. We also introduce 5-year-old Colton Cote, the club’s charter member!

All this and much more awaits you in the July issue, including:

• A new Maine state record carp, caught by well-known book author Ryan Brod (page 12);
• Camouflage expert Blaine Cardilli, who can disappear right before a wild turkey’s eyes (page 15);
• A bear hunting special by Staci Warren, “Choosing a Bear Hunting Bait Site” (page 21); and
• David Petzal’s revelations on the secrets to combating “buck fever” (page 51).

The Sportsman also takes a giant step into the 21^st Century of digital communications this month, with its first-ever QR code-driven offering, in which Lou Zambello (Freshwater Fly Fishing, page 42) uses codes to send readers directly to four of his short trout- and salmon-fishing videos. For example, here’s a link to a video of Lindsey Rustad battling a 4-pound native brook trout in Western Maine.

All this is found in our July issue, plus scintillating letters to the editor, “Quotable Sportsman” quotes you can use, and the best jokes and cartoons available anywhere.

Questions? Contact the editor at Will@MaineSportsman.com or the office manager at Carol@MaineSportsman.com. And call (207) 622-4242 to renew your subscription, or give a gift subscription to a deserving relative or friend.

Please enjoy July 4^th with family and friends! Best wishes from us all at The Sportsman.

– Will Lund, editor