Spring fishing doesn’t get any better than right now. And reports pouring in from state biologists in the seven regions across Maine echo the same message: Fast action.

Bald eagles, ospreys and mountains are among the views on this majestic ride in the Belgrade Lakes chain.

Catch-and-release in fishing is one of the most widespread trends in an increasingly conservation-conscious society.

One of the many birds returning to Maine for the breeding season is the Brown-headed Cowbird. The male is a striking bird with a brown head on a sleek black body. The female is a drab gray. Cowbirds feed on items as varied as insects (especially grasshoppers), seeds and grass.

Each May, predictable mayfly hatches explode across Maine’s bottom third, and in the sub-imago stage, the bugs float on the surface and bring salmonids topside, extremely visible rises that excite fly rodders.