Is Global Warming Affecting Moosehead Lake?

We all know global warming will affect weather patterns in different ways with some areas of the world becoming colder in the winter. Many scientists believe that the Gulf Stream may slow down which will result in significantly cooler temperature in Great Britain. Here in Moosehead the weather has changed; with the past two years bringing lots of snow.

How many of you snowmobile, cross country ski, snowshoe, dogsled or ice fish? In the winter that is what there is to do here and without cold weather accompanied with lots of snow, things do not go well. I guess what we are all wondering is, will 2010 be another great snow year? Has global warming changed Moosehead’s winters, will we continue to have the snow we need to play? If the first few days of 2010 are any indicator the answer is a resounding YES. I spent all day Sunday shoveling and snow blowing and that’s after roof raking most of Saturday. I know I am complaining but I am also excited that the year is starting so strong. As a Registered Maine Guide, I know how hard it is to get my clients happy about the winter when we don’t have enough snow.

The cold weather is making lots of ice on Moosehead and in the next few days we will haul our ice shacks out and begin fishing. This year everyone of else will be out on the ice trying to catch a togue (lake trout for those of you from away) to match Bill Maynard’ s record setting 31 pound, 41 inch monster caught during 2009. Even though we have all asked Bill where he caught his togue, he has been less than cooperative and I would guess that a number of anglers will be following Bill on the lake this year, I have too much pride to be one of them.

So Moosehead may be experiencing colder snowier winters because of global warming but that’s not the whole story. Every year since 1848 records have been kept for ice-out on Moosehead and guess what? The average date keeps getting earlier and earlier. Which is great because once May comes along we need the ice out of there to begin our traditional spring fishing. So maybe we have the ideal winter weather with lots of snow when we need it and the lake ice free for the start of open water fishing on May 1st.

~Bob Hamer, Executive Director for the Moosehead Lake Chamber of Commerce