Fishing was a family tradition. Since Kate was a little girl vacations revolved around fishing and boating.  Both on the ocean and fresh water.  The Moose River in Rockwood was where Kate cut her teeth on freshwater, the Farnham's had a family camp across from Maynard’s in Maine.  Grampa Farnham was a registered Maine Fishing Guide so Kate spent a lot of her youth angling the Moosehead lake region. 

When back home in southern Maine Kate romped around the ocean,  She learned how to dig clams at low tide and fish them as flounder bait in her first boat-a row boat.  Kate grew up on the ocean, staring into the front yard (aka the New Meadows River) waiting with anticipation for blue fish blitzes as they drove giant schools of poagies up the river.  Kate's days revolved around fishing and waiting for that perfect time and tide.

Kate's father shipped merchant marine, and as you can imagine her up-bringing included lessons on how to splice rope, and navigate in the fog, among other nautical things.   Her Dad hauled lobster traps when he was home on leave in the summers.  They had a boat and a couple hundred lobster traps.  Kate got really good at banding lobsters without getting pinched and baiting bags.  When she was a teenager her  Dad passed the torch to Kate and she continued the family tradition post-college, every summer through fall setting a 150-200 traps and hauling them every other day.  Kate was even featured  in the 2006 Lobsterwoman’s Calendar!  She learned a lot of valuable tools growing up in what anyone would call an “atypical” childhood.  She learned to tie sure knots, handle a boat, when and how to catch fish, how to make sound judgment, and how to respect the water. 

 Two well-respected Maine women have been mentors for Kate. These women have wrangled for success in traditionally male dominated environments.  The first is Jenny Bichrest who was “the first and only woman lobsterman” in the fishing territory Kate lobstered.  "Being the only female fishing among a fleet of men in lobster boats is daunting, and observing her physical and mental toughness helped pave the way for what I thought I could accomplish," says Kate.  Jenny is a shrewd business woman, she runs her own large-scale lobster bait company, PurseLine Bait in Sebasco, ME.  The second woman is the successful Maine author and fisherman, Linda Greenlaw.  Her books express the deep connection to nature, and the soulful attachment of being out on the water and catching fish.  These two woman have spirit, an unwavering work ethic, Yankee ingenuity,  and demonstrate there are no boundaries in gender. 

Kate holds a Registered Maine Guide license in the following catagories:  Fishing, Recreation and Sea Kayaking.  She is a certified Wilderness First Responder.  She currently teaches part-time at a Fly Fishing School and Bowdoin College during the academic year.  "My favorite thing in the world to be doing is floating down a river at daybreak fly fishing."  

MARY McCAULEY

Mary McCauley is a teacher. She has been a tremendous positive influence on her students and her community.  She brought her experience of the outdoors to her school by starting an outing club several years ago.  Her pupils have enjoyed tripping in Acadia, sea kayaking, ice fishing, hiking, land navigation, boatbuilding and learning essential outdoor skills and safety.  

Since moving to Maine in 1983, she has been involved in a gamut of outdoor recreational activities.  During breaks in the summer on Five Islands she explored many of the small islands and bays on our coast sailing.  Being an avid sailor strengthened her skills in coastal navigation, boat handling, and taught her a great deal of respect for coastal Maine and it’s fickle weather that can change instantly. Mary developed a love and attraction for the beautiful coastline of Maine which lead her to become involved in sea kayaking.  Maine is especially unique because of its Maine Island Trail Association which is a smattering of islands up the coastline that give tripping kayakers a place to camp.    Some of her favorite saltwater to guide on is the Stonington-Deer Isle region which is as rich in history as it is in scenery. 

Sea kayaking is not limited to the sea!  Mary has proved that by taking her skills to Maine’s inland lakes and waters.  She has gone beyond the coast to the Moosehead lake region, the largest freshwater body of water east of the Mississippi.  This environment is unique and offers experiences that can’t be found on the ocean. 

Mary’s vocation is an elementary school PE teacher has given hr the opportunity to a pass on outdoor skills and stewardship.  Her philosophy is to teach the next generation how to preserve the wilderness and recreate in it safely and responsibly.

Mary is an outstanding paddler, who practices the improvement of her teaching, her skills, and on-water safety constantly.  She earned her Maine Guide’s license in Sea Kayaking, Recreation and Fishing.  Her training on the ocean in kayak instruction, handling, and rescue has earned her an American Canoe Association instructor certification in sea kayaking.  She is Wilderness First Responder vetted.  Her goal and passion is to teach others about the joy in recreating in the outdoors and respecting the environment for it has much to give us in return.