Showing posts with label Sebago Lake Anglers Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sebago Lake Anglers Association. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2022

Sebago Lake anglers gearing up for 7th Annual Togue Derby

The Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association, a local fishing club, is getting ready to host its 7th Annual Togue Fishing Derby on Sebago Lake, on Saturday Sept. 10 and Sunday Sept. 11, the weekend after Labor Day.

The derby is the club's primary fundraiser of the year and the majority of funds raised are used to pay for derby prizes and to buy youth lifetime fishing licenses through the State of Maine program. The club is the largest purveyor of youth licenses in the state.

The license allows children, selected in a post-derby lottery, to fish anywhere in Maine for free for the rest of their lives regardless of age, nationality, sex, marital status or location of residency. Children are nominated to win a license through a current club member or through a sponsor who has donated to the cause.

This year's fishing derby will commence at 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 and includes all of Sebago Lake. Fishing on that day will terminate at 3 p.m. and the weigh station will close at 4 p.m. that Saturday. The largest fish caught on Saturday will also qualify for a prize.

Sunday’s fishing also starts at 6 a.m. and cuts off at 2 p.m. Fish must be submitted to the weigh station by 3 p.m. All derby operations will be conducted out of Sebago Lake State Park Main Boat Ramp Area. Participants do not need to launch your boat there but that is where all fish need to be checked in.

There will be awards to the Top 10 fish by weight. Additionally, all togue legally caught can be submitted to participate in the Togue Pool Lottery. Fishermen will be given a ticket for each fish submitted and three drawings will be held for a $100 prize each.

There is even an award for the smallest Togue caught on hook and line. All Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife rules must be followed. All fishermen aboard a boat must be registered before the start of fishing.

Registration fees are $35 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under.

Fishermen seeking registration forms can pick them up at Naples Bait and Tackle, Route 35 in Naples, Dag’s Bait on Minot Street in Auburn, Hilltop Mini Mart on Route 302 in Raymond, and Jordan’s Store, Route 114 in Sebago or by calling 207-655-1028.

Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association President Bob Chapin says the club has kept the monetary awards modest ($500 First Place) but award lots of prizes (15) on purpose because this is essentially a local community derby.

If you win one of the Top 10 prizes, you are disqualified from winning any of the other Top 10 awards. While there may be several guides and professional fishermen competing, it is really for the first time or casual fisherman to get the experience of a derby, Chapin said.

In addition to providing the fishing experience, this derby supports state management goals for Sebago Lake by removing excess togue from Sebago Lake allowing other fish, like salmon, to compete for a diminishing forage fish base.

Fish turned in by fishermen not wanting to keep them for eating will be iced down and given to other fishermen wanting them, local food pantries, and fish processing companies so that none go to waste.

Late to register? Bring registration form or just come to the late registration booth that will be set up outside the State Park Entrance gate starting at 5 a.m. and ending 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept., 10. Sunday Sept. 11 registration can be done by coming to the weigh-in station at the State Park Boat Launch.

Any questions regarding the derby can be directed to Bob Chapin at 207-655-1028 or by sending an email to chapin780@aol.com <

Friday, September 17, 2021

Tales from the Outdoors: It’s a family affair

By Bob Chapin

David Ferris won first place and his brother
Dean won second place during the
Sebago Lake Anglers Association's Annual
Open Water Togue Derby on Sebago
Lake last weekend. SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Brothers Ferris made it a family affair last weekend when they won both first and second place in the Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association’s (SLAA) Annual Open Water Togue (Lake Trout) Derby on Sebago Lake.

The brothers caught their fish deep (12 colors of lead core line) between the areas of the lake known as the Camel Pasture and the Shoals and they caught them on Flatfish lures. The weather was tough, particularly on Sunday, where high winds kicked up rollers of 3 and 4 feet with white caps blowing down wind. It took a substantial boat under you to maintain a steady heading. But, if you could get out of the wind, it was sunny and downright pleasant.

The brothers earned high praise for their catches from other fishermen and ladies and cold hard cash from SLAA. David earned First Place and $500. Dean won Second Place and $400. Further, because the fish were caught on Saturday and upheld through Sunday the largest fish earned an additional $100 making their haul an even $1000, pretty good wages for doing what they loved to do anyway. Their fish weighed 12.56 and 8.84 pounds respectively. 

Those fish placing 3rd through 10th earned as follows:

Charlie Miner, 7.56 lb. $300; Mike Donavan, 6.05 lb. $200; Bob Spindler, 5.73 lb. $175; John Sailhamel. 5.50 lb. $150; Caleb Judd, 4.92 lb. $125; Glenn Geisel, 4.79 lb. $100; Dana Direnzo, 4.75 lb. $75; Jay Lenane, 4.63 lb. $50.

In addition to the prizes won above there were prizes for three lottery drawings where fishermen were awarded one ticket for each Togue they legally caught and turned in. Those tickets were drawn at random out of a rotating bin. Finally, an award was given for the smallest Togue caught on hook and line. Those winners were as follows:

$100 lottery winners went to Ed Zeigler, Tyler Santero, and Glenn Geisel. Smallest togue $100 prize went to Tyler Santero.

This has been a difficult year for anglers fishing Sebago Lake and the catch rates reflect that. The numbers of fish caught and their weights have been down across all species from previous derbies. Local fishermen attribute the drop to loss of habitat, some due to invasive plant removal efforts; reductions in bait fish such as smelt, shiners, and alewives; and, predation by Togue on the more desirable fish such as salmon. Togue will even cannibalize their own young when they get hungry.

SLAA has been putting on these derbies for five years, having skipped last year for COVID concerns. They use the money to finance Club activities such as this derby, a Veterans’ Fishing Event in May, a Veteran’s Ice Fishing Hut on Long Lake during ice fishing season and various other community events such as Boy and Girl Scout fishing demonstrations, alternative school fishing events, and support to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. However, the bulk of the funds raised in this event goes towards purchasing State of Maine Youth Lifetime Fishing Licenses for Maine children. These licenses are good for the life of the child regardless of their age or adult state of residency. Parents can augment the funding provided by SLAA to procure companion lifetime licenses to hunt or trap.

SLAA has awarded more Youth Lifetime Licenses than any other organization in the state, including Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM).

This year’s sponsors included:

Brother Flecker’s Bar and Restaurant, Causeway Dairy Bar, Dag’s Bait Shop, Don Campbell Band, Finelines Collision and Glass Auto Body, Gorham Savings Bank, Great Northern Docks, Hancock Lumber, Jordan’s Store, Moody’s Collision Center, Moose Landing Marina, Naples Bait & Tackle, Norway Savings Bank, Point Sebago Resort, Port Harbor Marine, Q-Team Tree Service, R.J. Grondin Construction, R.N. Willey Excavation, and The Umbrella Factory Supermarket.

Children get their names in the lottery for a license by being nominated by a member of SLAA. Vendors whose names are on the back of the Derby T-shirts also earn the right to nominate a youth for the lottery. Drawings are held at the October meeting of the Club, at 6:30 PM the second Tuesday of the month at the United Church of Christ in Naples., public welcome.

For further information regarding the derby or SLAA contact Bob Chapin 571-217-1700 or 207 655-1028.

Friday, February 12, 2021

‘Veterans on the Ice’ returns to Lakes Region

The Naples Recreation Committee and the Sebago
Lake Anglers are hosting a free Long Lake Ice
Fishing Extravaganza from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on
Saturday, Feb. 13. FILE PHOTO
 
Three years ago, a fellow by the name of Tim Hoffman, approached the Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association (SLAA) of Naples about taking ownership of a large Ice fishing hut being constructed by the Rockland Fire Department in their spare time.

Hoffman, who was the leader of a group called Veterans on the Water, was interested in an organization that could take a hut, once constructed, and operate it for ice fishing. He saw it as a means to get more veterans, both mobile and mobility challenged, outside and active during the winter months. Tim’s group was already doing events for veterans on open water but did not have the capability to do so on hard water here in southern Maine.

The SLAA, in cooperation with American Legion Posts 148 in Windham and 155 in Naples, willfully accepted the challenge and immediately went about modifying the hut. They widened the door to accept wheelchairs, cut two holes in the floor to accommodate anglers who prefer to remain indoors and out of the cold, added both a wood stove and a wall-mounted propane space heater for heat and attached an 8-foot aluminum ramp to aide wheelchairs and other mobility challenged fishermen and ladies.

For the past two years, SLAA has operated the hut, generally from the third week in January to the third week in March, accommodating veterans from the local area, the Portland Vets Center, the Windham Vets Center, the VAST crowd at Pineland, and Warriors 45 North out of New Hampshire. In addition, the group has hosted local Boy Scout groups and families from Camp Sunshine.

The hut is now equipped with an ice auger, multiple tip ups, a skimmer, and folding chairs to accommodate those without the necessary gear. Although the hut is best utilized by small groups, individual veterans have used it when they have scheduled a time slot.

This year the hut is located directly in front of Kent’s Landing about 200 yards off the boat ramp on Long Lake. The weak ice has kept the hut off until this recent cold spell, but it is now sitting on 8-plus inches of solid ice and 22 feet of water. It has been out there less than a week and already members of SLAA have caught fish.

Unfortunately, Tim Hoffman succumbed to cancer last year, but not before seeing the hut in operation on the ice. He was a strong advocate for veterans having served as a Medic having seen the suffering many went through on the battlefield and at home. I think he would be proud of his legacy on Long Lake. To maximize use of the hut, SLAA was looking for ways to expand the usage when they were approached by the Town of Naples Parks and Recreation Department about including ice fishing as an activity the whole town could participate in.

The Naples Recreation Committee is excited to announce that with the Sebago Lake Anglers they are hosting a Long Lake Ice Fishing Extravaganza from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13.  Kids bring your families!  Everyone is invited to participate in this free day of ice fishing fun! 

The Sebago Lake Anglers will have everything you need from bait to ice fishing equipment to introduce you to this fun sport! Refreshments - coffee, donuts, hot dogs and beans, cookies, water and hot chocolate will be available. Bring ice creepers and a chair and enjoy the fresh, crisp outdoors on beautiful Long Lake!  The weather seems to be co-operating, but if it should turn stormy that day, the rain date will be the following Saturday, Feb. 20, same time, same place.

For more information on the Town of Naples event please write Kathy Keinath at katherinekeinath@yahoo.com

Veterans wanting more information on the ice fishing itself or to schedule a time for your personal use call Bob Chapin at 207-655-1028 or email chapin780@aol.com. <