Freshwater anglers from Cape Cod to the Berkshires who reeled in the biggest freshwater fish from Massachusetts lakes, ponds, and streams were honored by the state fish and wildlife officials yesterday at the New England Fishing and Outdoor Expo in Worcester.
If you read this column last week you already know that Lou Baker of Lanesborough received an award for his 18 lbs 3 oz tiger muskie which was taken out of Pontoosuc Lake.
There was a new state record caught this year and that was a 46 lbs 5 oz carp which was taken out of Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury. Shane Felch, of Shrewsbury landed it using a crossbow. (Spears, bows and arrows are legal to take suckers, carp and eels only and a fishing license is required).
Some other interesting winning fish caught in Massachusetts waters last year were: largemouth bass – 10 lbs 5 oz out of Mary’s Pond in Rochester, smallmouth bass – 6 lbs 6 oz out of Quabbin Reservoir, rainbow trout – 5 lb 4 oz out of Carbuncle Pond in Oxford, brown trout 11 lbs11 oz out of White Pond in Concord and northern pike – 25 lbs 12 oz out of Quaboag Pond in Brookfield.
The 2012 Massachusetts Angler of the Year was 14 year old Jake Souza of Berkley, MA. This award is given to the angler who weighs in the largest number of species that qualify under the Freshwater Sport Fishing Awards Program. Souza landed 20 pin fish, 11 different species, in bodies of water in southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. Two of those fish won gold pins in the youth division, a 9 lbs 7 oz largemouth bass out of Big Sandy Pond in Plymouth and an 8 lbs 8 oz brown trout out of Peters Pond in Sandwich.
All of the 2012 adult and youth award winners are posted on line at: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/awards/2012_sportfish_winners.htm. *****
On Monday, February 18 the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club (LSC) will have its annual President’s Day Rabbit Hunt. It starts early in the morning and weigh-in at the clubhouse will be at 4pm. Entry fee is $10 payable at weigh-in. Prizes will be awarded for the heaviest cottontail and snowshoe. Following weigh-in, there will be a hearty meal of venison stew. Call Ron Carr 442-5122 for more information.
The LSC recently held its annual elections and the elected officers are as follows: President – Tom Ferguson, VP – Mark Jester, Treasurer – Bernie Abramson and Secretary – Derek Dubin (all of Pittsfield).
Past secretary Martha Lee of Adams has stepped down to “take a breather”. Month after month she put out excellent newsletters that, in my opinion, were unrivaled by any of the other clubs. I have mentioned in a past column the wonderful job that she did and had frequently used information from her newsletters in this column.
Recently, the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club’s membership crossed the 400 member mark. I am quite certain that Martha’s newsletter played no small part in its growth. She speaks highly of Derek Dubin and is confident that he will do a good job. He certainly has large shoes to fill. *****