TIMES RECORD • January 12, 2021
Warmer than average temperatures this winter have left local smelt fishing businesses without ice, or customers. “It’s definitely put a halt on my income,” said Jim McPherson, who has run his smelt camp business on the Cathance River in Bowdoinham for about 50 years. The winter was looking promising in December but the state was hit with rain and warm temperatures that wiped out the snow and ice. January is off to a warm start with temperatures running about 7-8 degrees above normal so far. Even if cold temperatures do arrive, it will still take a week or two to freeze the river enough so he can put out the fishing camps, McPherson said. At most, he would be looking at a week or two for ice fishing in total.