BELFAST - If it weren’t for the giant, toxic goldfish and the tangle of growth at the bottom of the lake, The Muck could be a decent place for kids to fish. That was the conclusion state Game Warden Chris Dyer reached recently.

“The biggest thing I get asked by people is where can I take a kid to catch a fish,” he said. “And Swan Lake dam isn’t my answer. It’s not safe. I don’t like it.”

The state keeps a list of locales set aside for youth fishing, but Dyer said there are none today in Waldo County. He started looking and decided The Muck (officially named Kirby Lake), with its in-town location and proximity to Captain Albert Elementary School was a great candidate.  

“Right now, people drive by and look at it,” he said.

Originally a fire-fighting reservoir, the spring-fed body of water between the forks of Miller Street and Lincolnville Avenue is probably best known as the city’s ice-skating pond. For much of the rest of the year, it’s an unassuming spot of brown water visited by birders, residents seeking a quiet moment in the pull-off from Lincolnville Avenue, and students on the occasional field trip.

Muddy waters have also inspired local lore ranging from accounts of so-and-so’s car sitting on the bottom, to much looser yarns about the reservoir being unfathomably deep and home to a Loch Ness monster-type beast. 

In practical terms, the closest thing to monsters in The Muck are goldfish. The free-ranging pets are considered an invasive species, Dyer said, in part because they grow large in the wild and become increasingly toxic to predatory birds the bigger they get.

Dyer said goldfish wouldn’t pose a direct risk to the trout the state would hope to stock The Muck with. But establishing the lake fishing site would increase the odds of someone catching a goldfish and releasing it into another body of water, he said.

The bottom of the lake is also covered with growth that Dyer said would need to be cut back so as not to snare fishing lines.

In total, Dyer proposed partially draining the lake to remove invasive species, then using land-based excavators dig out the underwater growth around the perimeter to allow fishing from the shore. This would be more practical, he said, than trying to dredge the entire bottom.

Dyer’s proposal will ultimately need approval from the Council because the lake is owned by the city. His initial presentation on August 19 drew enthusiastic comments from councilors. 

“I haven’t heard a cooler idea,” said Councilor Roger Lee.

Lee asked about the cost to the city, and Dyer said he might be able to negotiate trades for use of equipment. He also noted that the city’s routine testing of fire engine pumps could be directed toward draining the lake.

“I like your attitude and your common sense,” said Councilor Mary Mortier.

The Council encouraged Dyer work with Parks and Recreation Director Norm Poirier on details of the plan, including any cost to the city.

If the project is successful, Waldo County would join 13 other counties in the state that have dedicated youth fishing waters. Kennebec and Knox counties are the other exceptions. Youth fishing waters are open to anyone under 15 years old, regardless of residency.

Ethan Andrews can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com