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Fishing for trout in the Androscoggin River
GORHAM, N.H. - The little 7 1/2 foot, 2-wt. rod bent to the task as the 12-inch rainbow headed back behind the rock from where he had darted to take Steve's fly. The reel complained in a high-pitched squeal about the line being stripped from it's spool. My companion had to be very careful as we fished with only two pound test tippets that can break if you breathe on them wrong. He had set the drag so that the slightest pull would take line; when fishing with such light equipment, the contest becomes art and finesse not horsepower. The small fish was not going to give up easily. Several times he broke the surface of the stream, shaking his head and tossing rainbow-ladened drops of spring-fed water side to side. With practiced ease Steve let the trout tire himself out and then slowly brought him to bay, his handmade catch net with the rubbed finish twinkled in the sunlight as he slid it underneath the waiting fish.
Angling for tourists: Hersey dam demolition to restore trout fishery
HERSEY - Hopes are the removal of an aging dam will provide a vital key in the survival of one local village.
Like many of the state's more than 2,000 dams, the Hersey River dam in the Village of Hersey was once a significant source of hydropower and important to the community's economic infrastructure.
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Constructed in the 1930s, the dilapidated dam is now considered a public safety threat and detrimental to the environment. Its demolition and a river restoration are expected to play a significant role in reviving the community.
“The only business left downtown is the General Store," said Village President John Calabrese. “My feeling is if tourism and recreational opportunities on the river increase, it will inspire someone to reopen businesses and there will be enough people around to support them.
All systems go for trout season
Finally, thousands of wader-wearing Vermont anglers will have the chance to dance on the grave of Old Man Winter when trout season opens Saturday morning.
"It seems like people have a lot of desire and demand to get outside and do something than going skiing," said Roger Ranz, owner of the Classic Outfitters tackle shop in South Burlington. "Everybody is primed for a good season."
Opening-day trout fishing in Vermont usually means more freezing fingers than fish. Rivers and streams swollen with rain and melting snow and near-freezing water temperatures conspire to make catching trout an iffy proposition.
"The water will be high and it will be cold," said John Hall, a spokesman for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. "The trout are going to be down deep and not as active as they will be later in the year.
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