Top To Bottom - Article by A. Sayward Lamb

What is there about water that governs our feelings? - Especially when we enjoy a spectacular view across a lake or the flowing waters of a river or stream? Our feelings directly respond to what we see at that particular moment. For instance, if the body of water is calm, with surrounding terrain being mirrored upon the surface, we often find ourselves feeling relaxed, and calmed. By contrast, if we happen to view a windswept surface of water, with whitecaps breaking from the tips of huge waves, we are apt to have feelings of apprehension, and fear. These are exacerbated if we have thoughts of taking a boat, canoe, or kayak, out on the water in a severe wind or rain storm. In fact, most of us use good judgment in planning our day, or days, on or near the water and refrain from boating under dangerous conditions.

I have lived on the shores of North Pond, in Woodstock, Maine, during the summers for the past twenty-five years. Our cottage is located close to the shoreline and we have a splendid view across the half-mile of water to the further shore.

Most every day is a different scene, especially with the winds blowing ripples across the surface, even with the lightest winds, while other parts of the surface remain completely calm. Of course there are days when prevailing winds blow waves up or down the lake, but even then, we are aware of what is going on, at least on the surface of the pond.

We are privileged to enjoy the loons, ducks and geese as they swim or fly over the pond. I took a photo on June 16th of this year, of a gaggle of Canada geese and goslings swimming on the pond out in front of our cottage. One goose is black and I believe the mate, swimming nearby, also is considerably darker than most Canada geese.

We are also treated to some beautiful sunsets, and I have enclosed a photo of one that I photographed recently.

I wonder how many of us realize what is happening underneath the surface and clear down to the bottom of any given body of water, whether it is a lake or stream. Our view below the surface is often governed by the clearness of the water. Some waters have a clarity that enables us to see twenty feet or more, below the surface. Other waters contain contaminates that cause the water to be roiled, limiting visibility to only a few feet. I’m sure most of you have seen a beautiful stream flowing crystal clear water during normal flows, but let that stream rise to the point of flood stage, and we see all sorts of discoloration, caused by erosion from high water levels along the banks of that stream.

I have often wondered what happens to the insects, fish, marine mammals, etc. that have to adjust to water conditions throughout the various seasons. No doubt, many of these creatures are displaced or fail to survive, especially in streams and rivers. Those that inhabit our lakes or ponds have a much better chance of survival, simply because they have a greater area to seek shelter, without danger of being swept downstream.

A few years ago my son, Ron, gave me a small electronic fish locator and depth finder. In the years since that time I have found this to be an excellent tool, when it comes to locating fish, rocks, and other obstructions located under the surface of the water. It does show the location and numbers of fish within the scope of the range finder but it doesn’t get the fish to bite. Knowing that fish are present and where they are located is very helpful but when they are not biting, it is frustrating!

Having the fish locator has also helped me to have a better understanding of how fish travel and to be able select their surroundings in a body of water. I have also learned that water temperature is very important.

I know that many of you have been fishing on water when the surface is perfectly calm. You may look across the water and see a few insects skimming or flying just above the surface of the water but nothing else is happening.

When a hatch of insects, such as mayflies or Caddis flies, emerges, LOOK OUT, because all of a sudden the surface of the lake or pond comes alive with feeding fish. When this happens it is a fisherman’s dream, especially if they are fly fishermen and happen to have the right fly to “match the hatch.” This can mean hours of fun for all that are lucky enough to be there when this event happens.

Even though fly fishing is my favorite type of fishing, I am not above the level of towing a “gob” of worms behind a spinner to catch White Perch out of our pond.

Once in awhile, I also drag sewed bait near bottom to catch lake trout (togue). When fishing for togue, I am continually reeling in and playing out my line. This helps to keep the sewed bait just off the bottom of the lake.

I believe I am running close to bottom because the last four times I’ve been togue fishing, I have hooked onto and hauled up from over fifty feet of water, two “birds-nest” of several feet of mono-filament line. I would like to think this line got to rest on the bottom of the lake due to line breaking. When I pulled up those two tangled messes of line (on different fishing trips) I found that neither of them had any swivels, hooks or spinners. This to me indicated some fisherman who had no further use for that tangled line intentionally dropped them into the water.

On another trip I brought up a piece of pine board about 15 inches X 1” X 1”, with a short piece of 5/16” hemp rope tied to it. The other end of the line was broken off. I believe ice fisherman as a “tie down” could have used this during the winter to help hold their ice shanty in place.

A hole would be chopped into the ice, large enough to hold the stick, with the rope attached. Then snow and frozen ice or water would be used to cover the stick and after it froze in, would serve as an anchor to hold the ice fishing house in place.

Today, I was fishing for lake trout again and guess what? I pulled up another “treasure” from the bottom of the lake, in water sixty feet deep. This was in the form of the remnants of an ice-fishing trap, with part of the rusted metal reel left. Along with that were several feet of braided line and a small lead weight attached.

I suppose we could say, “So what harm does that do?” My response would be “Nothing, except for the fact that those things do not belong in the bottom of the lake.”

I feel quite certain that what I have pulled up from the bottom is only a small part of what rests there. Some of the materials I found would eventually deteriorate but certainly the nylon line would never “ go away”.

If only those who left those materials would have stuffed them in their pocket or pack, they could have been disposed of properly. I hope this reminder will help us to keep our lakes clean and not use them as dumps for our discarded fishing gear.

I know many people would literally “give their eye teeth”, as the old expression goes, to have the opportunity to live in this part of Maine where I have spent so many years. The lakes, streams, ponds and rivers are here for us all to enjoy.
For instance, the Androscoggin River that runs from Errol, New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay used to be a “sewer” for many of the paper mills that operated in both Maine and New Hampshire. Today, those paper mills still operating have continued to improve the quality of the water by complying with strict regulations of the amount of pollutants released into the river.

As a young man, I vividly remember the “stench” that polluted the air from those mills. It could be smelled for a distance of over twenty-five miles away, when the wind was blowing in the right direction to carry the odor to our community. When I went duck hunting, the “rotten egg” smell was very noticeable. I clearly remember seeing the bubbles of gases being emitted from the bottom of the river and gas bubbles surfacing to the top of the water in the river, as we floated from Gilead to Bethel.

The river has been cleaned up considerably and while it still has a ways to go, the waters will support a sports fishery. Within recent years, stocking of rainbow and brown trout, along with small mouth bass, has revived the enthusiasm for fishing that body of water. And best of all, you don’t need a clothespin on your nose when you are near the river.

As you boat or wade the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers, take the time to not only look at the surface of those waters, but also take the time to try to figure out what is going on from “top to bottom”.