I love to explore new places.  I’ve covered a lot of northern Maine in my canoe over the last decade, and I’ve still only scratched the surface.  Sometimes I find those special spots where no one goes, the fishing is good and there’s a beautiful place to camp.  Other times I’m hauling over beaver dams and strainers, the bugs are fierce, and I arrive at an unknown spot to find that there’s no dry ground on which to sleep.  Without the pain, though, the pleasure wouldn’t be as memorable.

We’re taking a different approach to our Allagash trip this May.  If the water levels permit, we’re either descending Musquacook Stream and meeting the Allagash at the deadwater of the same name, or descending Chemquasabamticook Stream and meeting the Allagash at Long Lake.  Both of these streams will be new water for me (I’ve only poled up them from the Allagash as far as a few hours would take me), and while neither are very long, there are sure to be spots along them that will draw me back for years to come.

If I write about it after the trip and say the fishing wasn’t any good, you might want to consider getting there with a fishing rod.  (wink)