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Michael Tougias Various New England Newspapers Summer 2000
Isolated Lodges Offer Relaxation
Flying out of Presque-Isle in a four seat float plane gave me a bird's-eye view of the type of country I'd be spending the next four days in. Just five minutes after take off, the only signs of civilization were the lonely logging roads; everything else is either green or blue.
The forest, in different shades of green, stretched in every direction, sometimes flat and sometimes covering rolling hills and steep ridgelines. To the south Mount Katahdin rose to meet the sky, while lake after lake of all shapes and sizes sparkled in the sun below us. In a bog ringed by stunted spruce and fir, a moose stood feeding in the water, seemingly oblivious to the float plane cruising by.
What impressed me most, however, was that there were no homes on any of the lakes. Because the paper companies own almost all the land below us, most lakes are completely surrounded by woods.
A few have a single sporting lodge with cabins. My friends and I wanted to get away from it all for a few days, and it's obvious from the air that we picked the right region.
Soon the plane banked to the right, and we circled a long, horseshoe shaped body of water named Munsungun Lake. We descended like a great blue heron, gliding down to a surprisingly smooth landing. Bradford Camps appeared behind the birches, and as we motored up to the dock I got my first glimpse of the main lodge and the surrounding cabins.
Owners Karen and Igor Sikorsky welcomed us, giving us a quick tour of the cabins, boats and main lodge and explained that dinner is served at six. Everything about Bradford Camps is true to the tradition of a real sporting camp. The lodge has a big stone fireplace, plenty of good books, comfortable chairs and a cozy dining area. All the cabins face the lake, with porches offering a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the breeze off the water by day or a sunset at evening. Each cabin has a modern bathroom, gas powered lights, and a woodstove for chilly nights.
Igor said about half the guests come in by floatplane, and the other half drive on the logging roads.
I recommend the float plane, as it's an experience in itself. People often think of the plane ride as much more expensive than driving, but when you consider gas, the wear and tear on your car, and the time devoted to driving in, flying becomes and option worth considering. You can drive to Millinocket or Bangor and fly in from there, or fly from Boston to Presque-Isle, then on to the camps via floatplane.
Karen joked that it's a 50-mile drive to pick up a quart of milk, or "a six moose ride," meaning that's the average number of moose seen on such a trip. I later took a short ride with Igor, and sure enough we saw a moose, along with a coyote loping across the road.
For those guest who want an even greater wilderness experience, Bradford Camps has an outpost camp on a secluded pond which holds rare blue-backed trout. You can arrange for a float plane to fly you in. The outpost camp is available for all or part of your stay.
After dinner Igor and Karen led a group of us across the lake; some in kayaks, some in canoes, and some in a boat with outboard motor. We pulled out opposite the lodge, and I made a mental note of the small sand beach, thinking it would be a good place to come back for a picnic.
The hike up Munsungun Hill was a relatively easy walk, and in a half hour we arrived at a cliff overlooking the northwest end of the lake. We caught the last rays of the sunset while listening to an owl hooting down below, before we called it a day.
At breakfast the next morning I met some of the other guests, and asked about the salmon fishing. Although May and June are the peak season, in July guests were still getting landlocked salmon each time out on the lake. One guest recommended that I hire Dick Mosher, a master Maine guide, for my first couple of outings. It was the best advice I could have gotten.
Dick turns out to be more than just a guide. It's obvious he knows more about the Maine northwoods than anyone I've ever met, but he never forces his knowledge on you, as some guides do. Instead, he adds a touch of humor to our fishing outings, good stories, and advice when needed. And we catch salmon.
"In my opinion," said Dick, "Munsungun Lake is the best landlocked salmon fishery in Maine. It also has fine lake trout and brook trout fishing."
After a morning of fishing, storm clouds blew in from the north and that afternoon it rained. I headed back to my cabin and did something I hadn't done in a couple years: I napped to the patter of rain on the roof, surprised I still know how. But up there, away from the pressure of the real world, it was easy to relax and let go.
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