OT Maple Taps

[pfscott]

I'm just glad we got tracks on the Farmall H, looks like there may be some snow in the woods this spring! It's gotta be better than last spring...

[blackduckin]

It hasd started in Southern Maine boyz...  My nephew has about 60 gallons collected already... first boil coming soon..

[cmstearns]

i have taps out and 5 gallons of sap more to come

[Bowdoin Boy]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

[pfscott]

Off topic, and we are assembling sap sack holders in the basement now, getting ready!

[pipeboy98]

Wow...you guys are already getting sap huh?  Well over here in Wisconsin yesterday's high was 3 deg.  I'm thinking march now for tapping!

[Bailbuster]

We always get a run or 2 in Feb, then it freezes back up for 2 weeks the we start to sugar, old timers tap out town meeting day.....

[dvn4flags]

You know when you see the Maple Taps post come up that the best part of the ice fishing season is upon us, hanging out on the lake in a sweatshirt jigging up fish, dozing in a chair by the shack and soaking up the sun with no gloves on, being able invite some folks out fishing and not have to huddle up in the shack like sardines.  It also reminds me that I need to get my butt in gear, clean up all my sugaring equipment and re-weld the smokepipe on my evaporator that broke off about 6 months ago , clean out all the crap I've stuffed in my makeshift sugar shack and start tapping some trees.

[alpha bite]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

Cause fresh syrup goes good on fish.

[rude the dude]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

Wahhhh

[Loves To Fish]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

Come On Man!!!
After 31 pages, 610 replies and nearly 20,000 views on this topic, you have to ask?
I would say that obviously this "off topic" has shown tremendous interest from the ice fishing community each and every year. Most of the people on here respond to the anticipated start of the maple syrup season with great enthusiasm.

[barkspud]

We sure do dennis .. the kids are bugging me to maybe make some this year.  Been walking the wifes property looking for tapable tree's.  Whats the smallest tree's we can tap guys?

[joefishmore]

TAKE A  2 INCH MAPLE
BEND THE TOP DOWN NEAR THE GROUND AND TIE IT THERE
CUT OFF THE TOP AND PUT A BUCKET UNDER IT !

[vermonner]

Tapping this weekend, 1,200 (ish) taps, been cutting in tees at night all week.  New pump, New 3x12 D&G Natural gas fired rig, New sugarhouse.  Weather looks good from Friday on.  Bring it.  Who needs sleep?

[TinyTim]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

A bribe of pure maple syrup. 

[fshnfool]

A bribe of pure maple syrup. 

2 pints each season we let the thread run    

[gamefisher]

I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly

Guessing maybe one of those guys always picked last on the baseball team when younger

[Bowdoin Boy]

Guessing maybe one of those guys always picked last on the baseball team when younger

What the H**ll is BasketBall?? NO i spent every waking moment in the woods & on the water were real Men Play 

[gamefisher]

What the H**ll is BasketBall?? NO i spent every waking moment in the woods & on the water were real Men Play

Well then, I would have thought you to be most familiar with something equally near and dear to Maine's heritage as maple sugaring.

[Bowdoin Boy]

Well then, I would have thought you to be most familiar with something equally near and dear to Maine's heritage as maple sugaring.

I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios???

[fshnfool]

I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios???

Let it be known that this thread HAS been moved quite a number of times, but it always seems to find it's way back home......kind of like a lost dog 

[gamefisher]

I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios???

I believe its you that asks this same question every single year, wouldn't it be great if we could just leave it alone and have some fun with it   It only stays up "in season" and then it disappears, thank you.

[rude the dude]

We sure do dennis .. the kids are bugging me to maybe make some this year.  Been walking the wifes property looking for tapable tree's.  Whats the smallest tree's we can tap guys?

10-12 inch tree in diameter is about the smallest ill drill one into, but save them for a last resort. Look at the crowns of the tree,the bigger the crown the more sap, the more sun they get the better to, trees on a South facing edge will give u more sap than the same tree in a dense patch of woods. 

[maineduckhunter]

Went up to the Family Farm in Starks today....sap is runnin' up there!!! 

[AT Grimaldi]

Ok.  I have to ask, am I nuts for wanti g to try this in RI?

I am dying to try it with the kids.  Very modest property here and will do a maple survey soon to see what my real prospects for the season.

[moxiedog]

Put out some taps today. Some were running better than others but they were running.

[gamefisher]

Put out some taps today. Some were running better than others but they were running.

I definitely think there is sap to be had this week, albeit a modest run, I've just been to lazy to waddle through the snow.    I did go to Bacon Farms in Sidney Sat. for a few things and started grabbing all the equipment so getting close to making a move.   They were actually doing a small boil surprisingly.

[Westerly]

I've been dragging my heels a little too but I finally had time to wash the buckets last night and hung a half dozen or so this morning.  Sap was dripping in all of them.  Might need to get the snowshoes out and get the rest in this weekend. 

[Keychain]

Put out one test tap on Sunday.  When I checked it Monday night, dry as a bone.  But when I checked it last night there was about a half gallon there.  Just need to find the time to start drilling and tapping now...

[gamefisher]

Put out one test tap on Sunday.  When I checked it Monday night, dry as a bone.  But when I checked it last night there was about a half gallon there.  Just need to find the time to start drilling and tapping now...

Seems like yesterday was about 1/2 gal. per tap day according to those that post on Mapletrader.  I've been slowly gathering items, going to make my move on Sat. between bball games.  With busy kids, trying to cut down on the workload and stream line the operation a bit, doing away with bukets this year in favor of tubing into water jugs, fill the jug with sap and swap out a new is the plan.  Wait till you guys see my "new" combo. propane or wood boiler, I'll post a pic when all set up, it will be a thing of beauty.