Episode #28
#28 - Finding a 1974 Camaro at the Bottom of Sebago Lake | Underwater Exploration & Fish Behavior with Jason Smith
An underwater drone revealed a 1974 Camaro sitting on the bottom of Sebago Lake. Jason Smith of Maine Freshwater Exploration: Going Deep joins Joe Kruse, Rick Labbe, and Jeff Paradis to tell the incredible story behind the discovery—and what happened when a recovery team tried to bring the car back to the surface after nearly 50 years underwater. Jason originally returned to Sebago Lake searching for a 1991 Polaris Indy 500 snowmobile that had disappeared through the ice. With only minutes of battery power remaining, he spotted something unexpected in the distance: a 1974 Camaro resting on the lake bottom. The discovery led to an investigation and recovery effort involving divers, law enforcement, lift bags, boats, and plenty of questions about how the car ended up there. Jason also shares how his curiosity about Maine’s lakes, rivers, fish, and hidden underwater world inspired him to launch Maine Freshwater Exploration. The crew discusses underwater drone technology, recovering lost fishing equipment, exploring beneath the ice, locating sunken vehicles, and the strange objects Jason has discovered underwater. They also dive into brook trout, lake trout, cusk, spawning areas, spring holes, thermoclines, river currents, and what underwater footage has taught Jason about where fish actually hold. From schools of lake trout to lost phones, fishing rods, anchors, bottles, sunken vehicles, and a tree covered in fishing lures, you never know what the drone will reveal next. If you enjoy Maine fishing, underwater exploration, lost treasure, sunken vehicles, fish behavior, and outdoor mysteries, this episode is for you. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:43 Meet Jason Smith 03:30 What inspired the underwater drone 07:58 Launching Maine Freshwater Exploration 13:40 Dropping his phone in 130 feet of water 15:00 Recovering lost items 18:19 Navigating without GPS 20:16 Exploring beneath the ice 21:40 Can you fish with an underwater drone? 23:00 What fish finders may really be showing 25:32 Jason’s strangest discoveries 29:30 A tree covered in fishing lures 32:25 Finding a 1991 snowmobile 37:31 Discovering a 1974 Camaro 38:45 Investigating the sunken car 40:25 Planning the recovery 42:04 Who owns a recovered vehicle? 42:45 Divers inspect the Camaro 45:48 The Camaro rolls during the first lift 52:10 How badly the car had deteriorated 54:00 Could a drone help solve a cold case? 1:02:17 What Jason learned about fish behavior 1:04:08 Fisheries biologists and underwater drones 1:05:17 Hundreds of spawning lake trout 1:06:58 How deep do fish live? 1:12:08 Find Maine Freshwater Exploration FOLLOW JASON SMITH YouTube & Facebook: Maine Freshwater Exploration: Going Deep mfgoingdeep@gmail.com PARTNERS & SPONSORS Huntstock Save 10% with promo code TTN. https://huntstockevents.com/buy-tickets STAGR Gear Save 10% with promo code TTN. https://stagrgear.com Walker Knife Co. Handcrafted knives made in Maine. https://walkerknifeco.com Lake Parlin Lodge Weekly deer-season cabin rentals and Maine outdoor adventures. https://lakeparlinlodge.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES info@thetruenorthlifestyle.com STAY CONNECTED https://youtube.com/@TrueNorthLifestyle https://thetruenorthlifestyle.com/shop https://thetruenorthlifestyle.com https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BC7Yrdq1f/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.facebook.com/share/16597WbQ3B/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.instagram.com/thetruenorthlifestyle
