Vermont Public Television is proudly supported in part by

Latest Videos

Outdoor Journal
Game Cameras, Mud Creek WMA, Trap-and-Transfer
Vermont This Week
May 18, 2012
The Governors
Jim Douglas
More Videos

VPT's Outdoor Journal

Loading the player ...

Host Lawrence Pyne joins Aldro French on the Rapid River in search of trophy brook trout and then host Marianne Eaton takes to the water in an Adirondack, and joins Steve Kaulback in the shop at Adirondack Guideboat to lend a hand in building one of these amazing, historical boats.


Game Camera Contest

Thank you to all who entered our 2012 Game Camera Photo Challenge! Take a look through the excellent submissions we received and let us know which ones are you favorites.

Be sure to tune into new episodes of VPT's Outdoor Journal every Tuesday at 7:30 pm on VPT to find out which photos we choose to showcase!

View Photos Here

Watch Now

  • Game Cameras, Mud Creek WMA, Trap-and-Transfer
  • Bass Fishing, Sea Lamprey Control
  • Bicknell's Thrush, Sand Bar WMA, Master Angler
  • Willoughby, Eagle Point, Hawk Banding
  • Overnight Ice Fishing
  • Wildlife Habitat Incentives, Deer Mgmt
  • Upland Bird Hunting, West Mountain WMA
  • Restoring The Battenkill, HS Taxidermy
  • Crappie, Victory Basin WMA, Brilyea Dam
  • Spring Mushrooms, Brook Trout, Peregrine
  • Ice Fishing S. Lake Champlain/ Burbot
  • Youth Waterfowl Weekend/ Conservation Le
  • Canoe Based Bass Fishing/ Trout Bums
  • Nek Brook Trout/ Alburg Dunes/ Northern
  • Smallmouth Bass, Bald Eagles
  • Walleye Fishing On Conn. River
  • Goldeneye Hunting, Turtle Habitat
  • Muskie, Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge
  • Longnose Gar, Black Spot Disease, Spruce
  • Trophy Trout, Nesting Terns, Groton
  • Ice Fishing, Moose Populations
  • Invasive Plants, Trout Survey, Fly Fishi
  • Wild Edibles, Duck Banding, Vt's WMA
  • Groton St. Forest, Dead Creek Wildlife
  • Wiffle Ball, Timber Rattlesnakes, Bass
  • Throwing An Atlatl, Migrating Amphibians
  • 4-H Shooting Jamboree/Bobcat Research
  • Winter Fishing/Monitoring Forage Fish Po
  • Moose Hunting/Bobsledding In Lake Placid
  • Float-Fishing/Geo-Cashing
  • Bowfishing/Sailing Lesson
  • Telemark Skiing/Camp For Teachers
  • Dog Sledding/Montshire Museum/Shed Hunti
  • Snow Goose Hunt/Grassland Birds/Nordic S
  • Leashed Dog Deer Tracking/Black Racer
  • Salmon Restoration/Wildlife Rehab/Coasta
  • Fishing For Lg. Brook Trout
  • Dragon Boats/5-Lined Skink/Bass Fishing
  • VT. Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative
  • Ice Fishing/Morgan Fish Hatchery
  • Snowboarding/Animal Tracking/Snowmobiles
  • Tracking Deer/Banding Woodcock/Ropes
  • Bike Touring/Youth Hunting/Canada Goose
  • Fall Turkey Hunt/Target Shooting/Canoe T
  • White Water Rafting/Wood Turtles/Grn. Mt
  • Cape Cod Stripe Bass/Butterfly
  • Kayaking The Conn River/Osprey
  • Fishing With Kids/Working For Wildlife
  • Soaring/Bat Research/Fishing For Walleye
  • Ice Fishing/Boone & Crockett/Rocket Sled
  • Ice Climbing/Trapping/Primitive Biathlon
  • Riding/Jr. Waterfowl Training/Duck Hunt
  • Skeet Shoot/Treas. Hunt/Inv. Plants
  • Bow Hunting/Bears/Adaptive Fishing
  • Float Fishing/Fish Hatchery/Consv Corp
  • Sculling/Loon Recovery Program/Bass Fish
  • Hex Hatch/Peregrine Falcons/Hot Air Ball
  • Pike Fishing/Youth Turkey Hunt/Salmon Re
  • White Water Kayaking/Lake Sturgeon
  • Skijoring/Ice Fishing
  • Snowshoeing/Cat. Trail/Deer Yds/Snowshoe
  • Deer Camp/Moose Management/Caving
  • Mtn Bikes/Natural Communities/Bird
  • Duck Hunt/Decoy Carvers/Goose Round-
  • Float Fishing/Strm Fish Srvy/Scuba Divin
  • Hang Gliding/Sky Diving/Turtles/Bassmast
  • Long Trail Trout/Consv Camp/Orienteering
  • Turkey Hunt/Duck Boxes/Women Outdoors
  • Kayaking/Wooden Kayaks/Beaver Baffles

Rapid River Brookies

fishing, trout

The Rapid River in Western Maine is 3.2 miles long. Forming an outlet of the Rangeley chain of lakes, it begins at Lower Richardson. From Middle Dam to Lake Umbagog, it drops about 180 feet, making it one of the fastest falling rivers east of the Mississippi. It flows constantly, and with the help of the cool, oxygen-filled water released by Middle Dam, it creates the perfect habitat for trout — big trout. Three- to six-pound native brook trout can be found on the Rapid River along with landlocked salmon that were introduced in the late 19th century. It's a difficult river to get to, but for New Englanders used to pulling in ten-inch "brookies," the Rapid presents a rare opportunity to catch the trophy-sized fish of their dreams. From opening day in May until the end of the season in September, Aldro French of Rapid River Fly-Fishing guides trips on the river. The trout fishing on the Rapid is legendary and, being a guide, French is always asked the same questions: "What's the best week in May? What's the best week in June? What's the best week in July?" According to French, "It's the best week when you hit it and … you're in hog heaven when you hit it because you can catch 40 or 50 fish and half of them would be big fish." French lives and works out of his summer home, Forest Lodge, located near the Lower Dam. It's one of two sporting camps on the Rapid River and is the former home of Louise Dickinson Rich. It was there that the Maine author wrote her bestseller We Took to the Woods in 1942. In this segment, host Lawrence Pyne joins Aldro French on the Rapid River in search of trophy brook trout.


Adirondack Guideboats

adirondacks, boat

When you first see an Adirondack guideboat, your eyes might trick you into thinking it's a big, wide canoe with extra-long paddles. While it is a double-ended rowing boat, the similarities end there. Adirondack guideboats were the creation of 19th-century guides in the Adirondack lake region who needed a watercraft that could hold passengers, all their camping and hunting gear, a dog and maybe the bounties of their hunting and fishing endeavors. Because the water was not always easily accessible back then, the boat had to be light enough to portage from lake to lake, meaning the guide had to be able to carry the craft on his back, sometimes for long distances. The boats had to not only be light, they had to be adaptable to changing conditions in the wild including waves, wind and rough landing areas. Standard rowboats were not suited to this travel task and the Adirondack guideboat was born, being refined over many years by the guides themselves, which produced a watercraft of remarkable stability, maneuverability and light weight. These boats became the choice of guides throughout the Adirondack lake region. By the latter part of the 19th century, when visitors from cities such as Boston and New York were drawn from the Adirondacks to the Catskills, these North Country watercraft were no longer in high demand. But thanks to its durable design, which makes it easy to row and big enough to carry lots of gear, the guideboats remained a favorite with outdoor enthusiasts, often being passed down through generations. Today, early guideboats are sought-after museum pieces and a whole new generation has discovered the advantages of these graceful craft. Steve Kaulback can be credited with assisting the return of interest in Adirondack guideboats. Coming from a fine arts background, he became interested in the aesthetics of the boat. "And then I got in one for the first time," he says, "and [I] realized that the adage 'form follows function' is just so true ... not only was it a beautiful boat, but it was one of the finest performing boats I had ever been in." His interest led him to create Adirondack Guideboat Inc. in Charlotte, Vermont. Steve not only builds both wooden and fiberglass Adirondack guideboats but also offers a kit to anyone interested in building their own cedar model. In this segment, host Marianne Eaton takes to the water in an Adirondack, and joins Steve Kaulback in the shop at Adirondack Guideboat to lend a hand in building one of these amazing, historical boats.


  • Segment Name


Donate »


Site Map



Full Size site »