Spring trout stocking is in full swing now with approximately 30% of the allotted numbers for the Western District already being stocked. That equates to about 30,000 trout swimming around there right under your nose. Hope you got out and caught some. Last week I was unable to provide any stocking information, but were catching up now.
Subject to change, the following waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout during the week of April 3 – April 7. Westfield River (West) in Becket, Chester, Middlefield, and Huntington; Westfield River (Middle Branch) in Middlefield, Worthington, Chester and Huntington; Westfield River (East Branch) in Chesterfield, Cummington and Windsor; Housatonic River (East Branch) in Hinsdale and Dalton; Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; Farmington River in Otis, Sandisfield and Tolland; Town Brook in Lanesborough, Norwich Pond in Huntington, Goose Pond in Lee and Tyringham, Windsor Lake in North Adams, Windsor Pond in Windsor and Onota Lake in Pittsfield.
This past week, the following local waters were scheduled to be stocked, pending any changes:
Hoosic River (South Branch) in Cheshire and Adams, Housatonic River (Southwest Branch) in Pittsfield, Housatonic River (C/R) in Stockbridge and Lee, Littleville Reservoir in Chester and Huntington, Plunkett Reservoir in Hinsdale, Laurel Lake, Garfield Lake in Monterey, York Lake in New Marlborough, Big Pond in Otis, Otis Reservoir in Otis and Tolland, Onota Lake, Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor Pond in Windsor.
School is out, help stock trout!
Did you know that the public is invited to help MassWildlife stock trout during school vacation week? It’s your chance to meet MassWildlife fisheries staff, view trout up close, and learn about places to fish near you. It is such a fun time to see the toddlers running to the lakeshore with a pail and a trout or two in it. They are supposed to toss the trout out of the pail into the water, but every now and then in their excitement, they toss the pail in, too.
Stocking in our Western District will be on April 19 at Onota Lake in Pittsfield beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Burbank Park on Lakeway Drive.
Parents, bring a camera with you to capture these wonderful memories. You’ll be glad you did.
New additions to the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program
Beginning in 2023 two new fish species (Fallfish and White Sucker) will be included in the Sportfish Awards Program. These are fish not normally eaten and some consider them trash fish. But they make up an important part of the “game” fish’s diet. It will be interesting to see the sizes of some of the fish entered into the Sportfish Award Program.
Personally, I never understood why Rock Bass were classified as Sunfish. One only needs to look at the size of their mouths and you can tell they ae of the bass family. It’s hard to get a pin for a Pumpkinseed or Bluegill when they are competing against a Rock Bass. I think they should be separate categories. If any tweaks were to be made to the Freshwater Sportfishing Program, that’s where I would have made it.
They have also added a Youth Catch and Release category to the Awards Program. Now this is where an adult should make sure that the youth knows how to safely remove a hook from a fish so that it has a chance for survival. Maybe I can get into that in a subsequent column.
Some of the 2022 winners with connections to the Western District:
As previously mentioned in this column, there was a 3-way tie for Catch and Keep Youth Angler of the Year; the winners were:
Carter Flagg of Gill, Logan Middlebrook of Pittsfield, and Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield. Each angler caught 9 of the 22 eligible species.
Other 2022 Gold Pin Winners with local connections:
Brook Trout 3. 5 lbs. from Goose Pond by Allan Armstrong of Lee, Brown Trout 3. 6 lbs. from Onota Lake by Logan Middlebrook of Pittsfield; Bullhead; 2. 0 lbs. from Plainfield Pond by Carter Flagg, of Gill; Crappie 2. 4 lbs. from Norwich Pond by Dominic Crochier of Chesterfield; Rainbow Trout 3.5lbs. from Stockbridge Bowl by Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield; White Perch 1. 4 lbs. from Pontoosuc Lake by Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield; Northern Pike 44″ from Onota Lake by Seth Davis of Oxford; Northern Pike 44″ from Onota Lake by Jake Burke of Pittsfield and White Catfish 23.25″ from Onota Lake by Jason Wingrove of Bernardston.
Migratory Bird Regulations Public Hearing–
A public hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 26 at 1:30 p.m., at the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, 1 Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA to establish rules and regulations relative to the 2023–2024 migratory game bird hunting seasons.
Due to the migratory game bird season filing requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board must vote to finalize and approve the 2023–2024 migratory bird seasons at the close of the hearing. Therefore, please note: There will be no written comment period after this public hearing. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing via email to Susan.sacco@mass.gov, Subject: Fisheries and Wildlife Board, or by mail to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581. Written public comments will be accepted until Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 5:00 p.m.
Here is a summary of the proposed changes. I think our waterfowl hunters will like them:
- Woodcock Season: October 2 through November 22
- Youth Waterfowl Hunts: September 23 and October 7
- Veteran’s Waterfowl Hunts: September 23 and January 29
- Early Goose Season (statewide): September 1 through September 22
- Regular Goose Season
o Berkshire Zone: October 10 through November 25 and December 11 through December
14 (now 45 days, increased from 30 days; daily bag now 3, increased from 1)
o Central Zone: October 14 through November 25 and December 12 through January 6
o Coastal Zone: October 14 through October 21 and November 29 through January 27
- Late Goose Season
o Berkshire Zone: December 15 through January 30
o Central Zone: January 15 through February 12
o North Coastal Zone: January 29 through February 15
- Duck Season
o Berkshire Zone: October 9 through November 25 and December 11 through December
30
o Central Zone: October 14 through November 25 and December 12 through January 6
o Coastal Zone: October 14 through October 21 and November 28 through January 27
Beagle Club Field Trials
Next weekend, April 22 – 23, the Berkshire Beagle Club on Sleepy Hollow Road in Richmond, MA is having its spring field trials. Some of the best beagles in the northeast will compete at following the scents of snowshoe hares and/or cottontail bunnies. All of the dogs are AKC registered and many already possess championship ribbons won at other field trials. For beagle lovers, there’s no finer sound than that of a beagle singing its heart out while following the scent of a bunny.
The club welcomes folks to come and just listen to the dogs and observe the judges. Every now and then, you will hear someone shout “Tally Ho!” to let the judges know that they spotted a bunny or dog on its scent.
There will be food to purchase there as well as a 50/50 raffle.