WestBranch

I haveit in dawn and brown. I catch the most with the dawn, by a wide margin

Sounds like you will be in the Jefferson part of the lake. Can't speak of damariscotta lake as I haven't fished it, but other area lakes I have fished I do best with topwaters like the bbz rat or spro frog. I've had good luck with clary lake in Jefferson & long pond in Whitefield

2 day drive would be pushing it I think. It's 1 hour for me, unless you factor in that it's on the way to camp, then it's a 2 mile detour. But there are other smaller stores in the area that sell for almost as cheap. Only the big stores like cabelas etc charge MSRP. Still worth calling around

I paid just over $1000 for mine brand new at the old town factory outlet. So less then that If you're in driving distance of old town maine

WhtWhat he said. Show them you can produce results. Everything else is just hopeful promises.

I've had the best luck when I look for spots where there's a lot of weeds or trees in the water. Then I cast as horizontal to the shoreline as possible working my way out to straight out into the river or lake

LD 730 bans the sale and use of lead fishing sinkers one ounce or less, as well as bare lead-headed jigs 2.5” long or less. The law is phased-in with first phases beginning this fall (2013) with the ban on the use and sale of lead sinkers and ending September 1, 2017 with the ban on the use of lead headed jigs 2.5” or less in length.

Nasty shad works great for me

I recently bought the bbz-1 rat 30 in brown and chartreuse. The chartreuse one has been getting a lot of SMB for me. The brown doesn't seem to interest them as much. slow retrieve, just fast enough to wiggle the tail

Same here. I got mine from ll bean

I'm not sure I'd want to meet up with whatever might live in a tunnel in FL.

I get a couple SMB each trip to smaller <500 acre ponds/lakes. most are in the 6-11" range. my PB this year was 16". I get an equal amount of chain pickerel between 12 - 24"

I guess I'll quit my bitchin about sharing a 600 acre lake with 2 other boats. northern Maine doesn't have that problem, as long as you stay off the larger lakes and major rivers. I stick to small lakes /ponds and small streams and brooks. it's pretty common for me to drive 10 miles down a dirt road or logging trail to get to where I want to fish. I recently switched to an old town predator 13 kayak for this reason.

some people are hopelessly right handed. they probably couldn't even give you the finger using their left hand

what he said. I grew up in the city and spent my working life being part of a team on projects. now that I'm retired. I try to get as far away from "civilization" as I can get and be alone with the "wild and dangerous" wilderness.