SIGNS OF SPRING, THE BITE AND VINTAGE OUTDOOR STUFF

    Last week, winter beat a hasty retreat here at home in the Grand Lake area. Record temperatures for a few days caused the ice to run in Salmon River starting on the 19th of March and that is quite early for this part of the province. The Saint John and Miramichi Rivers also seen the ice break up early in their respective waters. Those warm temperatures also brought some migrating birds back early and the deer are out in the fields grazing very early this year. The following photo shows the Miramichi River from the Priceville foot bridge.Note the large amount of thick ice cakes along the shore and on the flats. As I was making my rounds in the area,I noticed that all the intervales from Priceville to Doaktown were completely covered with ice. 

 This will help keep the water temperatures cool,if the river doesn't flood and wash it all out. The water looked very good and I thought to myself the fishing would be good,if the season was only open. I find these early ice-outs nerve racking,especially an early run such as we had this year. The waiting and anticipation are almost too much to bear!

    The conditions to the south are similar in the streams and rivers but the lakes and ponds are still iced in except for the edges and in the thoroughfares,where there is a current. The following photo shows the thoroughfare between Indian Lake and French Lake,looking towards French Lake.

 Although the lakes and big ponds are still iced in,the flooded puddles in the fields along the Saint John River are open and have been attracting a lot of ducks looking for feeding and resting areas. the next photo is one of a large flock of ducks lifting off of a flooded pond along the SJR.

 Along with all the ducks we are seeing,we are encouraged by the numbers of deer that are coming out to the fields in some of the better areas. The deer were blessed with an easy winter and an early spring so hunters can expect to see more yearlings and,if you are lucky,maybe one of those old brutes that survived for another year.I saw some fields with forty or so deer in them and others with varying amounts,again,depending on the location. The next photo shows a deer Ken snapped while out for a tour of Cox's Point which is close to Pioneer Lodge. He counted thirty-four deer while on his drive around the loop. So as you can see,there is no shortage of wildlife responding to the beautiful weather we experienced last week. Although we had record breaking temperatures last week,this week things are back to normal values for this time of the year. The following is a short video clip of Salmon River I took during the break-up last week when we had the warm weather.

    The spring salmon fishery is just weeks away and I am hopeful the fishing will be good. There was a tremendous run of fish last year in the Miramichi and her tributaries so there should be lots of fish around for anglers who look forward to the opener on April 15. Because of the early ice-out and low snow pack, anglers should look for low water conditions,running free of debris and relatively clear. This is all hinging on the amount of rainfall we receive leading up to the opener and a large rainfall could blow the whole river out. I know I'll be keeping my fingers crossed! Anglers should remember to downsize their hook size if we do get low,clear water conditions. The last few years I have been using Marabou flies with great success during this type of conditions. I also like the black ghost at times such as these. The following photo shows some of the popular marabou patterns.

 If you are thinking of fishing the Doaktown or Boistown areas, you would do well to time your trip for the first week of the season because if things hold true to form,the fishing will likely start to drop off after the second week. Fishermen should also look for the runs of sea -trout earlier this year,from the 1st of May on,especially in the lower river. Last year there were some very large sea trout taken. Dusty B. of Doaktown landed a beautiful brookie of seven pounds and some other fishermen were hooking four and five pounders around the same time. 

    Looking forward, the run of white perch which normally passes up through Chipman around the first of June,will like probably be starting a little early. This is a great fishery that provides lots of action along with some great tasting fillets for the pan. We will be looking for these fish along about the third week in May. These fish run in large schools and they will hold up in the deep holes and any place where a brook runs into the river. If you catch one,hang onto your hat because there are usually a lot of others travelling along with the school and when the bite is on it is quite easy to limit out on these delicious members of the perch family. This photo shows me and my grand-son with a bucket of white perch we caught a few years back.The kids just love fishing for this species because there is usually lots of catching with very little effort on the part of the angler.

Before I end this bit of blog in my usual fashion,I would like to point out to my readers an incident which took place recently on the upper Cains River. Kieth Wilson,a salmon outfitter who operates out of MacNamee on the Miramichi and has a camp at Wildcat Brook on the Cains,is outraged by a recent cut in the crown reserve area of the Cains River. Now before I go any further,let me say that Keith is not a fanatical tree hugger who screams bloody blue murder every time a tree gets cut. Like most other New Brunswickers,he would like to see some balance restored to the way Big Business operates in our forests. We New Brunswickers are well past the stage where it's all take and no give when it comes to our forests and it's time for the government and Big Business to wake up and smell the roses. People are no longer content to sit back and watch our environment be destroyed by greed. There is no more hiding in the shadows because there are too many cameras and cell phones connected to the Internet that will get a message out there to the world,whether that message is a good news story or,as in Kieth's case, a story of a cut that never should have happened anywhere,let alone on the banks of a world class blue ribbon stream like the Cains. Please follow this link http://www.wilsonscamps.nb.ca/ and scroll down to the video clips Kieth has put on his web site. If you don't like what you see in these clips,get vocal and pass this link on to other concerned citizens and organizations. Good job Kieth! I would like to point out that Kieth is between a rock and a hard place but he had the guts to follow his convictions on this issue and is to be commended for sticking his neck out in the name of conservation.

    With the better weather now upon us,it is a good time to be on the look-out for some nice vintage outdoor stuff that shows up at yard sales and auctions around the province. I usually manage to find something in my travels and I have pickers looking for items I might be interested so I am constantly adding to my growing collection of outdoor related stuff. The next photo shows another black panther ornament I recently acquired. These ornaments come in all sizes and this one happens to be a larger one,being around twelve inches long.

 As you can see,the paint is very good and there is very little loss due to cleaning and handling. This item was manufactured in Japan during the late Fifties and early Sixties.

    The next item shown is a small jar I picked up in an unlikely place and this little gem proves to me that you don't know where you are going to find a small treasure such as this. The next photo shows a small covered jar that I purchased at Value Village in Fredericton. This jar is quite small and features foraging Pine Siskins as decorations. This jar caught my attention because these little birds are a common visitor to the large pine trees I have in my yard and I enjoy watching them. This jar was made at one of the premier potteries in England called Royal Worcester and was probably produced during the Sixties.

 I would encourage any readers who are contemplating a trip to the Grand Lake area and would like to spend some time outdoors to give me a call because we have some of the best guides in the area on our team. We guide for all native species of game fish and animals as well as other wildlife that inhabit the woods and waters of the Grand Lake area. The Pioneer Lodge provides some great accommodations and meals near Grand Lake for visiting guests or you can camp at our campground or stay at the local motel here in town if you prefer to be closer to civilization. 

    In closing, this is Dale Bauer saying 'Happy Trails to You......Until we Meet Again!

THE HARDWATER BITE AND MORE VINTAGE STUFF

    Winter is nearly licked here at home in south-central New Brunswick and by most accounts it's been what most would call a 'good winter'. The Grand Lake area usually gets its fair share of snow but we were spared this winter.The same can't be said for the northern half of the province where the snow is starting to add up,especially this past month.
    I often find the final weeks of winter rather boring because there really isn't much going on besides the ice fishing and coyote hunting.February is often a repeat of January in terms of outdoor activities and many sportsmen get a little 'shack happy' this time of year if they can't get out and get their outdoor fix. Ken and I and the rest of our crew try to stay busy during the winter months but if the weather doesn't co-operate,we hunker down and wait it out. Usually we have lots of gear that needs attention from season to season so that keeps us occupied during any down time over the winter.
    The ice fishing has been good this year,largely because of the easy access to all the lakes in the Four Lakes region. The light snow pack this year made it possible for many fishermen to use their bikes or four wheel drive trucks to reach the many coves and hot spots in the lakes around our area. The fishing tournaments held this year were also well attended,again because of the relatively good weather we've had this winter. If you ever get the chance to attend one of these tournaments,you won't be disappointed.There are usually some very good prizes and lots of cash for the winners. There are always some good sports around ready to lend a hand by drilling holes, supplying bait or just offering up some tips on getting into some fish.
    It's not just the lakes that have good fishing in our area. The lower Salmon River from Chipman down to Salmon Harbour has some great pickerel and perch fishing. I have also caught smelt and burbot in the lower reaches near the entrance to Grand Lake. The following photo shows a two man shack set up at the tunnels near McLeod's Park in Chipman.

 I really like the design of these shacks because they are inexpensive to build and are very lightweight. Just right for two fishermen with a small propane stove to keep the chill off. Two or three holes drilled inside and a few more on tip-ups outside and you've got the recipe for a great day out on the ice.

    Ken and I have a couple of two man shacks and a portable four man shack that we use,depending on where we are fishing and for what species. The following photo is a shot of the inside of Kens two man shack.

 As you can see from the photo,these shacks can be made quite comfortable with a couple of good chairs and a small propane stove. We usually use these shacks on Grand Lake because they are sturdy and able to stand the strong winds that blow up the lake sometimes during the winter. We usually use our portables on the river where there is more shelter from those cold winds that blow up the lake during January and February. The next photo shows some smelt taken from Dallas' four man shack.

    Sportsmen here in New Brunswick can look forward to seeing more small deer next fall because of the mild winter we had this year. Usually it's the young deer that take a beating when we have a winter with a heavy snow fall but it's also hard on the older bucks. Hopefully,some of the big bucks we were chasing last year will survive and grow even bigger by next fall.The following photo shows me at a rub made by a nice buck I hunted at the end of the season last fall. This buck wasn't killed so hopefully he will still be around the area so we can take another run at him.

    I have been picking up some very nice vintage hunting and fishing magazines this winter and I never tire from seeking these great magazines depicting bygone days afield. The first photo is appropriate for this time of year and shows an ice fisherman hoisting a nice pickerel from his hole. I like covers that depict some action and this one fits the bill nicely. I also try to get ones that display the date prominently. The next two magazines are both from 1940 and are quite similar in their design with both having a marsh and ducks for a background. What I found unusual about this is the magazines are from two different companies yet the similarities are striking. Was someone copying the other? As you can see,the similarity is hard to miss. Finally, I have a photo of a hanging candle holder depicting some ducks flying over a marsh. I would date this item to the late Fifties or early Sixties.

   

Although this months blog is rather short,I hope my readers enjoyed it and hopefully it provides a small respite from the rigors of our long New Brunswick winter.If any sport would like a day or a week out in the Grand Lake area,just send me an e-mail or give me a call to make your arrangements. This is Dale Bauer saying 'Happy Trails to You....Until we Meet Again'!

HUNTING DOGS,ICE FISHING AND VINTAGE OUTDOOR STUFF

    The big chill has finally settled in here at home on Salmon River and many sportsmen have hunkered down beside the fire,preparing to ride out the rest of the long winter months ahead. As far as New Brunswick winters go,this winter has been a pretty good one,in terms of temperatures and depth of the snow pack. For many of the hardier sports out there,the fun is just beginning now that the lake has about a foot of ice and there is just enough snow to run a sled.
    Jamie Urquhart,Kens nephew,has had his hands full this winter looking after a new litter of Golden Retrievers. Ken and Jamie decided to breed their two gun dogs,Maddie and Dixie,in hopes of establishing a good line of hunting Goldens to put to work on future hunts. They ended up with ten nice pups with both light and dark coats that should have the hunt in them.Both Maddie and Dixie are hunted on a regular basis and have proven themselves in the field. Ken and Jamie are asking $600. for their pups and if you are looking for Golden Retrievers with good conformation and strong hunting instincts,then please give me a call or shoot me an e-mail if anyone is interested in these pups. The following photo shows Dixie and the pups at three weeks of age.

 Golden Retrievers require a gentle hand when training because they are usually intelligent and eager to please so the trainer must control his or her emotions when training this breed in order to achieve success. In some show bloodlines of Golden Retrievers,the hunting instinct has been diminished because of the emphasis being put on conformation for the show ring rather than hunting ability for the field.Ken and Jamie went out of their way to acquire dogs whose parents were working hunting dogs and in working the parents of this litter,they are instilling that drive to hunt into the pups.Of course some pups will be better than others but with some encouragement at a very young age,these pups should all be eager to retrieve birds if properly introduced.One other comment I would like to make is to tell any would-be owners or trainers of this breed to make sure to introduce gun fire to this breed of dog very gently because of their high sensitivity and penchant for being easily startled. If the sound of the gun is associated with something positive,such as food for example,then the dog should respond to the sound of the gun going off in a positive manner.This is what the hunter wants to strive for if he wants a happy,productive hunting companion.

    The ice in Salmon River is at a depth of 12 in. in the coves and most of the main river down to Grand Lake. Most of the smaller lakes in the Four Lakes area are also at a similar depth,as is Grand Lake. This year the ice fishing started off a little slow because of mild weather and shallow ice but now that the ice has built up to a safe level some sports are getting out with their shacks to such places as Goat Island and Cox's Point. These two spots are popular year after year for such species as smelt and white fish but the catch usually includes burbot,yellow perch,land locked salmon and several other species that live in this habitat. The common theme between these two spots is structure.This structure draws smaller bait fish for food and protection and this in turn draws the more predatory fish that the ice fishermen are targeting. Most fishermen fishing out of permanent shacks will also put out a chum bait. Ken and I always use a chum bait at our shacks and we feel it increases fish activity around our fishing spot.

    The fishing has been very good on Grand Lake since the ice reached a safe depth and most of the shacks are reporting good catches of smelt and white fish. It seems the white fish have returned this year after last year when there was a noticeable difference in the catch numbers. All the sports I talked to thought this was a good thing since many of them will keep a fish or two for the pan. White fish have a nice delicate white meat that many find absolutely delicious,myself included. Not far behind white fish is the burbot or fresh water cod in terms of favourable flesh for eating.Traditionally,fishermen in this area will cube up fillets of bubot and make fish and chips with it. I can tell you from personal experience that this dish is mighty tasty! The burbot bite has been pretty good with most shacks catching at least a couple per day. The smelt fishermen are catching between six and twenty-five per day with some white fish mixed in as an incidental catch.Many years ago,when I first started ice fishing on Grand Lake with my uncles,we would always fry up a pan full of smelts in our shacks for lunch and wash it all down with copious amounts of our favorite beverage and a good time was had by all! The following photo is one taken from Cox's Point looking across toward Goat Island and Whur's Beach. Ken is checking burbot lines outside his two man shack at Cox's Point. On years with very little snow, like this year,it's easy to get on the ice at the lighthouse.If you click on the photo,you may be able to see some ice shacks off to the left that are located at Goat Island. As you can tell from this photo,there is miles of hard water to fish on Grand Lake that isn't being utilized. The next photo shows me with a nice smelt in the four man shack. This is a photo of my son Curt with a couple of nice yellow perch taken from one of the many coves and bays on the lower Salmon River.

    The pickerel bite has been very good so far this year on French Lake,Macquapit and Indian Lakes. There is usually some good perch fishing to go along with the pickerel fishing and the two species many times go hand in hand.Set lines with live minnows for the pickerel and hand lines for working the perch. This technique has made for many a good day ice fishing at any of the afore mentioned lakes. There are usually a couple of pickerel tournaments each winter with around fifty participants competing for a top prize of about $500. Smaller prizes are awarded for second,third and fourth place finishers. The winning fish are usually in the range of twenty-four inches,with an occasional one up to twenty-eight inches. The following photo shows me releasing a small pickerel taken from McLeod's Pond.

    The salmon fishing fraternity lost one of its most ardent members this past week with the passing of John Sharrock of Chipman. John loved to fish salmon and sea-run brook trout and he was a regular fixture at his spot under the Cains River bridge on Rt.123. He would set up his chair so he could rest between  casting sessions trying to intercept sea-trout in the spring or fall run salmon later in the fall and John caught his fair share of fish. Whenever I would meet John fishing under the bridge,I would always make it a point to ask him what fly he was fishing on that particular day and he would always respond with the same answer."Oh,I"m fishing the BLT" and I would respond"You mean an LT Special?" and he would say "Ya,you know,bacon lettuce and tomato!".John loved that fly and that is the fly he invariable used when fishing the Cains River. Johns high pitched,raspy voice hollering encouragement up and down the river will be missed by many.Rest in peace,John. The following photo shows John at his spot on the Cains River on one of his last outings before taking sick. 

    On a lighter note,this is the time of year when many people like to keep the bird feeders filled and get great pleasure watching the different species of birds visiting the feeders during the cold winter months.

 This photo shows some birds at my feeder in front of my house on Salmon River.I get a good variety of birds at my feeder such as goldfinches,sparrows ,chickadees,woodpeckers and the red and grey squirrels. On cold winter days,a bird feeder can provide many hours of enjoyment watching the antics of the visitors looking for a treat to carry them through the long New Brunswick winter. One visitor I particularly love to see is the pilated woodpecker. This large woodpecker must have mature trees in its habitat to supply it with the insects that make up this large birds diet and my place has lots of mature trees,so they are regular visitors,many times appearing as a pair,swooping from tree to tree in the constant hunt for food. Many times a birder will be alerted to its presence by its jungle-like call echoing through the forest.The call is quite unique and once you hear it,there is no mistaking the species making that loud  call that these birds make when communicating with each other. The next photo shows a pilated woodpecker on a large tree in my front yard.  Many sportsmen have been hunting coyotes with varying degrees of sucess in the Grand Lake area and across New Brunswick. We have found coyotes very hard to call in with any consistancy and most times we will set up a bait to watch,hoping their hunger and curiosity will get the better of them and cause them to come to the bait during daylight hours.Some hunters will call at a bait using howls and barks rather than prey calls. I had a close encounter with a large dog while sitting at the computer writing this blog. I heard a ski-doo out on the river and when I looked out I saw a coyote run up onto the island as the machine passed by. After the ski-doo carried on up the river,the coyote must have seen the duck decoy I have set up with its wings beating furiously in the afternoon wind.He immediately trotted across the ice towards the decoy but when he spotted the house he veered off and hit the shore and took off up a trail through the woods. If I had been a little more prepared,I wouldn't have had much of a problem to pick him off.That's the thing about coyotes,you have to be set up and ready to take the shot because they are quite shy and won't stand around too long if they sense anything wrong,especially the mature ones. Nova Scotia has implemented a bounty on coyotes and this seems to be working very well in knocking the coyote numbers down in that province. This system must be ongoing each year or else their numbers will rebound quickly. I can guarantee you,if you go after these critters every year,eventually their numbers will be low enough their impact on the deer herd will be negligible. This is what we should be striving for as sportsmen.We are never going to eliminate them but we can certainly manage their numbers to allow our deer herd to expand,especially in the northern half of the province.

Finally,I had mentioned in a previous blog about acquiring a magnificent painting done by the late Moses Weaver.The painting hung in a smoke filled room for many years,so I had it cleaned and brought back to its original state. I am very happy with the results and I will hang this great painting in my living room for now but I will sell it at some point in the future. Moseys paintings and carvings are becoming harder and harder to find because many of the works he did went to the U.S. Visiting American sports who were guided by Moses often took paintings and carvings with them when they returned back home and Moseys grandson,Sheldon told me that the bulk of his artistic work is scattered across the States,so I feel very lucky to have acquired this piece. This painting was done with acrylic enamel on hardboard. Moses also custom made his own frames and the end result was a large folio of two bull elk fighting in a meadow.If you look closely.you can see a hunter approaching in the background and I like to think Mosey painted himself into the picture. I say this because the hunter is wearing a brown stetson hat and Mosey got a new one every year. The painting is quite large at twenty-four inches by forty-eight inches.The following photos show the painting and the signature Moses used on his paintings. I will be selling this painting for $2800 and I will offer it to the Weaver family first,since they have been gathering up as much of Moseys work as they can find in recent years. I hope my readers enjoy this mid-winter blog and be sure to give Ken or myself a call or send me an e-mail if you are looking for a day out in the Grand Lake area.We have lots to offer outdoor enthusiasts in our scenic location. Until then,this is Dale Bauer saying 'Happy Trails to You,Until we meet again!