Category Archives: bass fishing

bass fishing

Students liberate 300 rainbow trout into Otis Reservoir

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Each year, the Western District of the DFW coordinates with a local public school and the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen to have students stock some fish into a local lake. The purpose of the program is to get kids who don’t normally have such an opportunity to see them up close and to get a better appreciation of them. It is an opportunity for DFW to introduce conservation ethics to them also.
This year 11 fifth graders from the Farmington River Regional School had such an opportunity, thanks to the efforts of Mark Jester, DCR District Manager – Mountain District and Rick Woodward, DCR District Manager – Lakes, for making the arrangements. The joint venture is the 4th time the three organizations teamed up to introduce kids to the outdoors.
The youths stocked about 300 rainbow trout, all 14+ inches in length into Otis Reservoir from Camper’s Beach at the Tolland State Forest. Some of those fish were HUGE!! DFW staff would put a couple of trout into empty 5 gallon pails and the kids would run to the shore and tossed them into the water. According to DFW Aquatic Biologist Leanda Fontaine-Gagnon, stocking the fish in this manner is good for the trout as they require a little jolt to get them started.
Accompanying the students was Ms Graham, a teacher who also got into the act by also running a pail of fish to the water’s edge and sending them flying into the water.
Bass tournament
The Greylock Bass Club held a bass tournament on Onota Lake on May 13 and the results are as follows: 1st place went to Dave (DJ) Benham with a 5 fish catch weighing 17.8 lbs, 2nd Place went to Paul Procopio with 11 lbs 10 oz (5 smallmouth bass), 3rd Place went to Jim Underhill with 9 lbs 8 oz (4 largemouth bass) and tied for 4th place were Joe Chague and Rick Turczak with 7 lbs 12 oz.

According to spokesman Bill Gates, they had 10 anglers with a 30 bass total (average of 3 bass, each even though the limit is 5). After 4th place the weight averages were 1 lb per angler. With the exception of Dave’s 17 lbs, the weights were down an average of 7 lbs per angler. There were only 2 bass over 3 lbs and Dave caught both of them.

In his 40 plus years of fishing Onota lake, Bill believes that “It has never looked this environmentally terrible. There isn’t any weed growth at all and the water clarity is awful. There is a lack of sub-species, (perch, bluegill and the rock bass) of which Onota Lake is famous”. “Don’t forget”, he said, “we may not be professional bass anglers but we are very competent. Onota lake always took 18 lbs to win and for the past 25 years 90% of the participants had 5 fish limits with an average of 10 lbs or better. This is the best time of year to catch bass over 3 lbs because both largemouth and smallmouth are in the spawn or pre-spawn stage. Yet nobody found any bigger fish”.

“I know weeds are a blight to home owners and water skiers, and sculling teams hate them, but to see what is happening to the wildlife is disheartening. “I am not looking to get involved with the politics of lake management”, he said, “I’m sure somebody would come up with a well paid for study that can justify the events at Onota Lake. I, unfortunately, have to rely on my 60 years (of experience) to fall back on.”

Bill believes the above situation is caused by the annual lake drawdowns as well as the applications of herbicides.

Spring trout stocking ended
According to Western District DFW Supervisor Andrew Madden, no more spring trout stocking is anticipated this year. Many thanks go to Deb Cote, DFW Clerk, for providing us those weekly updated stocking lists. Providing those figures to us undoubtedly caused extra work for her because such information is also provided on their web site.
Please leave young wildlife alone
The following is a message from MassWildlife: The arrival of spring means the arrival of newborn and just-hatched wildlife. Every year, the lives of many young creatures are disturbed by people who take young wildlife from the wild in a well-intentioned attempt to “save” them. These well-meant acts of kindness tend to have the opposite effect. Please remember, finding a young animal alone does not mean it’s abandoned; the best thing you can do for young wildlife is to leave them alone.
Young wildlife removed from the wild are denied important natural learning experiences which help them survive on their own. Most people quickly find that they can’t care for young wildlife, and many animals soon die in the hands of well-meaning people. Young wildlife that survive human “assistance” miss experiences that teach them to fend for themselves. If these animals are released back into the wild, their chances of survival are reduced. Often, the care given to young wildlife results in some attachment to humans and the animals may return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals, or hit by cars. Some animals become nuisances and people have been injured by once-tamed wildlife.
Generally, young mammals are visited by their mother only a few times a day to avoid attracting predators to the young. For example, a nest of bunnies will only be visited by the adult female twice per day to nurse the young. The young are generally safe when left alone because their color patterns and lack of scent help them remain undetected. The same is true for fawns (young deer). Fawns are safest when left alone because their camouflaging color helps them remain undetected until the doe returns. If sympathetic people repeatedly visit a fawn, it can prolong the separation from the doe and delay needed feeding. Unlike deer, newborn moose calves remain in close proximity to their mothers who, in contrast to a white-tailed doe, will actively defend calves against danger. An adult cow moose weighing over 600 pounds will chase, kick or stomp potential predators, people included.
Only when young wildlife are found injured or with their dead mother may the young be assisted, but must then be delivered immediately to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Due to the difficulty in properly caring for them, there are no rehabilitators licensed to care for fawns. It is illegal to possess most wildlife in Massachusetts without a permit.

 

Column change – Please note
Please be advised that from now on, scheduled events (upcoming fishing derbies, youth hunts, gun courses, etc) will no longer be listed in this column. Such information should be sent to the Sports Editor, Geoff Smith at gsmith@berkshireeagle.com or his office number 413-496-6254. He will start running them during the week in the “Area Notes” section of the Sports Section whenever there are enough events to announce. I do plan to continue listing the results of the derbies, youth hunts, etc.

Local youth turkey hunting results were low, but enthusiasm was high

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The special mentored youth turkey hunting day took place on Saturday, April 28. The combined turkey harvest for the Lee and Stockbridge Sportsmen’s clubs was only 4 birds. Its hard to figure out why as the weather wasn’t bad, the mentors are eminently qualified, the kids are decent shots and there appears to be a lot of turkeys strutting their stuff out there. Maybe the toms detected an accent in the turkey calls this year and became leery. Well, that’s the way it goes…..no excuses were offered.

This year, I covered the Lee Sportsmen’s Association which had 9 participants in the program and two birds were taken. Alex Navin, while hunting with mentor Doug LaPlante managed to bag a 15 lbs. bird around 6:00am with one clean shot to the head. They called in 5 or 6 other gobblers, too. He is very pleased with his new 20-gauge Mossberg Shotgun.

Daniel Epe, who was mentored by Mark Bartini, heard at least 6 toms all around them. The trouble was that some were in back yards and obviously he couldn’t go there to hunt them. He had one bird interested in Mark’s call, but he got busted (bird detected them and took off).

A similar situation occurred to Will Loring who was mentored by Isaac Winters. They had a bunch of gobblers nearby but couldn’t call them in. One bird had the nerve to strut nearby, but it got away. Matt Ranzoni was mentoring Will’s brother Charlie Loring and he bagged a 17 lbs. bird. No luck for Taylor Salice, who was mentored by Josh Hurlihey, but she had a good time hunting never-the-less.

John Ranzoni mentored Hunter Briggs, and he took a shot but didn’t drop the bird.

After having a burger or two excellently prepared by Tom and Virginia Dubois, the youngsters learned how to dress out the birds. In addition to the meat, they were shown how to save the tail feathers, beards, spurs, other feathers, etc.

Meanwhile, the folks at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club also bagged two birds. Some 18 youths went out turkey hunting this year. Thanks to information provided by spokesman Mike Buffoni, here is how they did:
Two youths got birds and Mike reported that at least 3 other youths had shots but missed. Every kid had great action and heard birds gobbling. Colby Carlson (Mike’s nephew) who was mentored by Brian Korte went on his first hunt ever and got a jake. Brady Donald also got a nice bird. Pretty sure it was his first also. “Very cool to see the excitement in these youth hunters” said Mike.

As usual they had a really nice lunch put on by Chef Peter Delgrande at the club. After eating, they also learned how to tend to the birds. Quite a few of the kids didn’t come for lunch and most were in shorts so they didn’t get a group photo this year. We did get a picture of young Colby Carlson with his turkey. The expression of joy and pride says it all, hey?
Few details came from North County except that Scott Krzanik of Adams, MA was mentoring his daughter Grace when she bagged an 18-pound bird with a 9 inch beard and 3/4″ spurs. She did this at 6:35 a.m. I believe I interviewed her back in 2016 when she got her first bird on youth day as well. Scott said that Matthew Tassone also got a nice tom North county.
According to Astrid Huseby, DFW Youth Turkey Hunt Coordinator, they don’t have exact numbers of how many youths participated. They do know that 270 youth ages 12-17 obtained the required permits/authorizations to hunt on the youth day, but not how many of those 270 actually went out hunting.
As for how many turkeys were harvested, they have a preliminary number of 52 birds reported online. More birds may have been harvested and taken to a check station that doesn’t use online reporting so they won’t have total numbers until the end of the season when all harvest reports are collected from check stations.

Free Fishing Days

In order to plan your fishing trips, here is a listing of free fishing days, where no freshwater license is needed: In Massachusetts, the dates are June 2 and 3. (You can also take advantage of free saltwater fishing on Father’s Day weekend – June 16 and 17). While you can fish for free on June 2-3, a license is required at all other times if you’re 15 or older. If you’re aged 15-17, your license is free.

In New York the free fishing days are June 23-24. They also have two additional free fishing dates in 2018 which are September 22 and November 11. In Vermont it is June 9. (Be sure to verify that date as I am receiving conflicting dates for Vermont). In New Hampshire the day is June 2; in Maine, the dates are June 2 and 3; the Connecticut Free Fishing date is May 12 and in Rhode Island they are May 6 and May 7. Now’s your chance to “test the waters” in our neighboring states free.

Pistol Shoots
The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, 310 Curran Rd., Cheshire, MA, will be having outdoor pistol shoots this year. The monthly shoots take place on Saturdays starting at 10:00 am. The entry fee for the first shoot is $10.00 and $5.00 for the second shoot. The winners will split ½ the first shoot take and all of the second shoot take. On May 12, there will be “Wood Blocks Standin’ on a Log” centerfire. 5 shots at 5 blocks at 10, 15, 20 and 25 yards.

Rules: For Rimfire – .22 Caliber, Semi-Automatic Pistols or Revolvers. For Centerfire – Semi-Automatic Pistols or Revolvers, no caliber over .45, red dot scopes are allowed, 1 or 2- handed allowed.

Also, on Sunday, May 20, they will be having a Steel Action Shoot, and on Thursday, May 24 they will be having their first Thursday Night Steel Match.

For more information contact: Martha Lee (413) 212-4154, Evelyn Jones (413) 684-3391.

Trout Stocking

The following waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout last week: Hoosic River in Adams. Cheshire and Clarksburg; Greenwater Pond in Becket, West Branch of the Westfield River in Becket, Chester, Huntington and Middlefield; Westfield River Mainstem in Russell, Potash Brook in Blandford and Russell, Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; Hudson Brook in Clarksburg, Pontoosuc Lake in Lanesborough and Big Pond in Otis.

Fishing Derby
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having its next free children’s fishing derby next Saturday, May 12, from 9 to 10:30 am at its lower pond. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Bass Fishing Tournament

The bass fishermen have started their 2018 tournaments and the first event was at the Congamond Lakes in Southwick, MA on April 29. The results are as follows: 1st place went to Ricky Terzak with 16.4 lbs. of bass. In 2nd place was Paul Procopio with 12.13 lbs. Dave Benham took 3rd with 12.4lbs, 4th place went to Bill Gates with 11 lbs. and in 5th place was Bill Pigott with 8.7 lbs. These are 5 fish totals weights. All were caught, weighed in and released.

The lunker (largemouth) bass was taken by Bill Gates, one weighing 4.1 lbs. Paul Procopio caught a 3.3 lbs. smallmouth. Both are currently leading in the Lunker of the Year contests.

Registration is open for the next tournament which takes place on May 13.

HVA to conduct Stream Assessments of the Konkapot and Williams Rivers

The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) invites interested individuals to help form “Stream Teams” to complete Stream Assessments this spring and summer. “Stream Team” volunteers will walk, sometimes in the river, or paddle along an assigned segment of the river and record information along the way. All of the information collected will be compiled into a final Stream Assessment Report which will include conditions and use of the river sections plus possible recommendations for future projects. Assessments are to be completed from May to July and can be scheduled according to the volunteers’ availability.

HVA has scheduled a Stream Assessment volunteer training on Tuesday, May 15 from 5 to7pm in the Community Room of the Mason Library, Great Barrington. Registration is required, space is limited. They will also conduct an on-stream training practice review with date and time to be determined.

These surveys help HVA assess the health of the river and work with the community to improve that part of the watershed. All of the information collected will be compiled into a final Stream Assessment Report which will include conditions and use of the river sections, plus possible recommendations for future projects. These reports should be available in October 2018 on HVA’s website (hvatoday.org). Copies of the report, both digital or hard copy can be requested.

Funding for the Stream Assessments is provided by The Berkshire Environmental Endowment Fund, a fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. The Green River and Southwest Branch of the Housatonic River Stream Assessments were completed in 2017. Copies of these reports and other previous reports are available at hvatoday.org or you can call and request a copy. If you are interested in participating in this project, call HVA at 413-298-7024 or email Alison at adixon@hvatoday.org.

The two Stream Assessments that are to be completed this year are the Williams and Konkapot Rivers. Both of these rivers are tributaries of the Housatonic River. The Williams River flows south and southeast through West Stockbridge and Great Barrington where it joins the Housatonic River while the Konkapot River begins in Monterey and continues south through New Marlborough and, after a dip into Canaan, Connecticut, flows into the Housatonic River in Sheffield.
“Stream Teams” for each of the rivers will be made up of small groups of 2 – 3 volunteers and the teams are typically assigned a 1 – 2 mile section of the river. HVA will train “Stream Team” volunteers on how to conduct the survey, what information to record, and safety protocols. Volunteers will be asked to record things of note such as: pipes that are seen, invasive plants or wildlife observations, and general river conditions and usage. Following the surveys, the “Stream Team” volunteers will come together to share their findings and discuss suitable recommendations. The information gathered will be compiled into final Stream Assessment reports – one for each of the tributaries.
Not all “Stream Team” members need to be involved in conducting a survey. If you have an interest or expertise in either the Williams or Konkapot Rivers, HVA welcomes your input. Trainings are expected to be scheduled in May. Surveys will be completed from May – July weather and water levels permitting. The final reports, which are expected to be compiled in late summer, will be submitted to the local municipalities and state government and should also be available to the public by October 2018. The assessment will be placed on the HVA website along with their past reports. Feel free to check out these past reports to help understand more about this program. Contact HVA at 413-298-7024 for more information about volunteering for a “Stream Team.”
Fisheries and Wildlife Board Meeting
The May meeting of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board will be held on Wednesday, May 16 at 1:00 p.m. at the Stationery Factory ,63 Flansburg Avenue, Dalton, MA.

State record Bowfin caught…twice

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Readers may recall that in my August 6 column I reported that the then existing state record for the Bowfin fish was broken and a new record was established. The fish which was caught by 16-year old Tauri Adamczyk of Taunton and it came out of the Taunton River. It weighed 7 lbs 14oz measured 26 ½ inches and had a girth of 14 inches.

Well, guess what, that record was beaten and a new record was established at 8 lbs 1 oz, and, get this, it was set by two people, a father and son. On August 6, David Souza of Berkley, MA caught the first one which measured 27 3/8 inches long with a girth of 13 inches. On August 8, his son, 21-year old Jake caught another one which measured 26 ¾ inches and had a girth of 13 ¾ inches. Both fish were caught from a boat out of the Taunton River. Now, what are the chances of that, a million to one?

David caught his on an early sunny day. His fish was the best of 7 Bowfin that he caught that day and most averaged 4 to 7 lbs. Two days later Jake caught his around dusk with low light around the same area. Both were using live and sometimes dead bait. Catching and then tying the record breaker was the “climax of the whole experience”, said Dave. “We are very competitive anglers. This is a blessing for a father, it felt like we hit the lottery.” Dave feels that the record will be beat, for he has lost some bowfin even larger. He thinks that there are some 10+lbs Bowfins swimming around there, possibly even 12 lbs.

The record breaking Bowfins were officially weighed in at the DFW Field Headquarters in Sandwich, MA.

If Souza’s name sounds familiar, it could be because Jake was the 2012 Angler of the Year and the 2013 and 2014 Youth Angler of the Year. In 2012, he caught the gold pin Largemouth Bass weighing 9.7 lbs. (His mom, Deirdre had a replica of it made for him). In 2012, he caught the gold pin Brown Trout weighing 8.8 lbs. In 2013, he caught the gold pin Sunfish weighing 1.2 lbs. In 2015, Dave caught the gold pin White Catfish which weighed 6.7 lbs.

But wait, there’s more. Dave and Deirdre’s other son, 18-year old Luke caught the 2014 gold pin Crappie weighing 2.3 lbs. Perhaps he will set the next record. Now wouldn’t that be something. (A gold pin is annually awarded by MassWildlife to the person who catches the largest fish in the Commonwealth of a particular species. It is a component of its Freshwater Sportsfish Awards Program)

Deirdre is very proud of her men and their accomplishments. I asked her if she fishes and she said that she loves going out with them ice fishing. She likes to skate and do the cooking while they are on the ice.

The Souzas. What a wonderful angling family.

Trapper Education Course
This course is being offered in an alternative format known as Independent Study. In independent study, students are guided by an instructor team and take the same course as students in a traditional course but will work independently to complete some of the work on their own. This essential homework is only part of the course. Students must also attend two class sessions as well.

A Trapper Hunter Education Course is being offered at the Lee Sportsman’s Association, 565 Fairview Street, Lee on September 19 and 30. The times are: 9/19 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm and on; 9/30 from 8:00am to 2:30pm. If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call 508-389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and enrollment cannot be processed via email. When calling, provide your Notification ID: 48700.

If the above course is not suitable, an additional Trapper Education course is being offered in Hadley, MA on September 20 and October 1, 2017. Course listings can be found online at:
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/education-events/hed/trapper-education-courses.html

Early Canada Goose Hunting Season
On September 5, the Early Canada Goose hunting season opens up and runs until September 22. New this year for the Early Goose season only, the hunting hours are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. Previously one could only hunt until sunset. The daily bag limit is 7 birds per day. All the regulations regarding migratory bird hunting applies, such as the requirement for a HIP number, waterfowl stamps, the use of non-toxic shot (no lead) etc., apply. The new 2017-2018 migratory game bird regulations are available from MassWildlife.

Black Bear Hunting
The First Season of Black Bear Hunting opens on September 5 and runs through September 23. A hunting or sporting license and bear permit is required for all seasons. Hunters may use rifles, handguns, muzzleloaders or archery during the First Season. The Second Season runs from November 6 through November 25. During that season, one can hunt with a rifle, muzzleloader or archery only, handguns may not be used. Muzzleloaders and rifles cannot be used on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant or quail season. A hunter orange hat is required if you hunt on a WMA. The Shotgun Season runs from November 27 to December 9 and only muzzleloaders, archery and shotgun may be used. Hunters must wear 500 square inches of hunter orange on their head, chest, and back.
No hunting of any bird or animal is allowed on Sundays in Massachusetts.

Fishing Derbies
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having its last free children’s fishing derby of the year next Saturday, September 9, from 9 to 10:30am at its lower pond. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Massachusetts has a new state record Bowfin

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It weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was caught Sunday evening, July 23, out of the Taunton River. 16-year-old Tauri Adamczyk, from Taunton, MA, caught that fish. The Bowfin was 26.5 inches long with a girth of 14 inches.
Fishing with her father Jeff from shore and using cut bait, she saw a little nibble on her line. When she picked up her pole and set the hook, the fish took off down the river. Tauri who was using a strong rod and line was able to work the fish back close to shore. It was then that they realized they had forgotten the net. Her father ran to the car and got it. He was sure happy to see that and the fish was still on Tauri’s line when he came back and netted it. They are undecided as to whether or not to have it mounted.
Tauri is no novice when it comes to catching Bowfins. In 2015, she received the MassWildlife gold pin for catching the largest Bowfin that year weighing 7 lbs 4 oz. (The gold pin is awarded to the largest fish of a particular species that year). That was the first year that the Bowfin was recognized by MassWildlife as a sportfish and became part of the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program. It replaced the Broodstock Salmon pin which was delisted as an eligible fish after the MassWildlife and the US Fish & Wildlife Service stopped stocking the Broodstocks into our waters. To be eligible for a pin (bronze or gold) a bowfin must weigh at least 6 lbs for adults and 4 lbs in the youth category.

In fact, 2015 was the year that she won the Youth Catch & Keep Angler of the Year. She won the award by catching the following “pin” fish: Bowfin out of the Taunton River, Taunton; Brook Trout, Hamblin Pond, Barnstable; Brown Trout, Grews Pond, Falmouth; Brown Trout, Long Pond, Plymouth; Bullhead, Snipatuit Pond, Rochester; Carp, Housatonic River, Lee; Carp, Charles River, Dedham; Chain Pickerel, Snake Pond, Sandwich; Crappie, Long Pond, Lakeville; Landlocked Salmon, Wachusett Reservoir, West Boylston; Largemouth Bass, Chartley Pond, Norton; Rainbow Trout, Cliff Pond, Brewster; Smallmouth Bass, Flax Pond, Brewster; Sunfish, Little Pond, Plymouth; Sunfish (another gold pin fish), Coonamessett Pond, Falmouth; Tiger Trout, Long Pond, Plymouth; White Perch, Snipatuit Pond, Rochester and Yellow Perch, out of Monponsett Pond, Halifax. Quite an accomplishment for a 14-year old kid. Tauri said that she has been fishing with her dad since she was a little girl.
So, you never heard of a Bowfin? Well, it’s a primitive fish in the Gar family. They go by other names such as, Dogfish, Grinnel, and Mud Fish. They are easily identifiable with a single dorsal fin that runs from mid body to the tail, large head, sharp teeth, two barbells projecting anteriorly from its nose, and a black spot near its round tail. They average from 1 to 5 lbs and 15 to 25 inches in length. The world record is 21 ½ lbs. They breathe under water through their gills, and breathe on the surface with their gas bladders. They are very aggressive weedy predators. They are considered rough fish and not recommended for the table, but perhaps you can smoke them.
According to Alan Richmond from the biology department of UMASS, only one species of the family Amiidae has survived over the millions of years and that is this one, the (Amia calva). They are native to the Mississippi River watershed but were first noticed in the Connecticut River drainage in the 1980’s. Now it lives mainly in the Connecticut and Taunton river drainage systems, although they have been caught right here in the backwaters of Onota Lake in Pittsfield. In fact, the first year that I began writing this column, I featured this fish in my May 9, 2004 column. John Valentine of Pittsfield a caught a 28-inch Bowfin out of Onota Lake. At that time, the DFW did not consider it a sportfish and recommended that you not release it back into the waters because it is not native to this area. They didn’t want them to spread in our local lakes and compete with our native fish. We can only speculate how these fish got into our waters, but some say they may have been the result of accidentally getting in with live bait that is imported from the south.
Catch & Release validated
Remember my July 23, 2017 article about 12-year old Nina from Queens, NY who caught that big bass in Ashmere Lake? If you recall, she was fishing with her 10-year old cousin Gage at Dave and Maggie Bimbane’s cottage on July 4 weekend when she caught the 18 inch, 2.5 lbs largemouth bass which was living under a boat dock. After catching and photographing it she released it.
Well, don’t you know, young Gage also caught an 18 inch, 2.5 lbs bass from under that same dock on July 26. According to grandparents Dave and Maggie, he remained calm and collected, in spite of the fact that his fishing pole was bent under that dock. After catching and also releasing the fish, Gage said, “Oh, I think I’m done for a while”.
Dave and Maggie feel that the same fish was caught by both children……and so do I. That being the case, what better testimony for the concept of Catch & Release than this. If you are not going to mount or eat your catch, then release it and let someone else experience the excitement and joy that you got when you caught it.
Young Gage may not realize it now, but he sure owes his cousin Nina a huge thank you.
Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com. Phone: (413) 637-1818.

 

Kids fishing with little fish sometimes catch lunkers

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Over the Fourth of July weekend, 12-year old Nina from Queens, NY was visiting her grandparents Dave and Maggie Bimbane on Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale. She was netting some small “baby” sunfish along the shoreline with her 10-year old cousin Gage. She decided to rig the sunfish onto a fishhook and toss it out near their dock. She saw a nice largemouth bass follow the bait and attack it. According to grandpa Dave, there was a lot of excitement (screaming and yelling) when they tried to net the bass. It was too big for their net but she was able to land it anyway.

Nina went through the decision of either mounting it as a trophy or cooking it. She finally decided that it had lived all these years and it should be set free, which she did. Grandpa Dave is really proud of young Nina. “It was a great choice for a 12-year old person.” he said. That fish may provide great pleasure to another angler in the future and maybe that angler will also release it.

The bass measured 18 inches long and weighed 2.5 lbs. Looks heavier than that, don’t you think? I’ve got a feeling that she will do more visiting and a lot more fishing up at the lake in the future.

It never ceases to amaze me. Most bass fishermen fish with rubber worms, lures, plugs, spinner baits, etc. They probably have hundreds of dollars invested in their equipment. I wonder if they remember their younger days when they would simply hook a small bait to the red and white bobber and cast it out. Kids sure caught a lot of fish in those days using that method. I don’t remember practicing “Catch & Release” back then, because we fished for food.

In addition to the small fish, we would fish with what we called crabs (crayfish), perch bugs (dragonfly nymphs) and any other wiggly pinching critter that we caught along the shorelines and riverbanks.

Basic Hunter Education Courses
All first-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course. One will be taught at the Ashfield Rod & Gun Club, 161 North Street, Plainfield, MA, on August 3 and August 19. The times are 6:00 to 9:30pm on August 3 and 8:00 am to 3:30 pm on August 19.

The second course will be taught at the Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield. The dates are September 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21 from 6:00 to 9:00pm.

Participants must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course. To enroll, call (508)389-7830.

Land Acquisitions
Recently, MassWildlife completed three Western District land projects. All three of them built on existing land holdings and enhanced access for sportsmen while protecting a diversity of
habitat.

The first one was the acquisition of 24 acres of land located within the Long Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Otis. Based upon topo maps, it appears to be between Angerman Swamp and Hayden Swamp and to the east of the boundary with Beartown State Forest near the Tyringham town border. There does not appear to be any ready access to it, but the closest road appears to be Stebbens Road in Otis. There is no informational write-up of the property available yet.

The second one was the acquisition of 24 acres of land abutting the Chalet WMA in Lanesborough. It is between the Chalet WMA and the Boulders Wildlife Conservation Easement area with access from Gulf Road. There is limited parking space (2 cars) nearby on Gulf Road. The Chalet WMA has over 6,400 acres within its boundaries.

The third one was the acquisition of 66 acres abutting the Ram Hill WMA in Chesterfield, MA. Access to the area is off of Route 143, across from Dead Swamp. Sorry, there is no informational write-up of the property available yet. This increases the acreage of Ram Hill WMA to 244 acres.

Incidentally, much of the information about the WMA’s was obtained from MassWildlife’s Wildlands Web Viewer where one can find out information about all of the WMA’s and other preserved lands. There are three base maps of the properties: USGS older maps, the newer topographic maps and satellite maps. These maps are currently being updated to give valuable information such as total acreage, access and parking locations, boat launches, etc. Check them out on http://maps.env.state.ma.us/dfg/masswildlifelands.

Eagle Update
Readers may recall my June 18, 2017 column wherein I noted that it appeared that eagle nests in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, Richmond, Russell and Lenox failed to produce young this year. Things were looking dismal. Well, there is some good news. This year they had successful eaglets develop in June in Buckland, Otis, and Monterey. MassWildlife banded only 2 chicks in the Western District and both were in the Monterey nest. Statewide, MassWildlife banded 29 chicks, recorded 57 active nests and had 50 eaglets fledged.

MassWildlife also reported that when an early spring storm destroyed a Bald Eagle nest containing eggs, chances were extremely small that the pair could re-nest. However, one pair of eagles beat the odds this spring by building a new nest and hatching two eggs. This successful second nesting is the first ever recorded in Massachusetts. MassWildife recently visited the nest and banded two chicks.

Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com

New book published on fishing the Cape Cod Canal

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How many times have you fishermen traveled over the Saginaw or Bourne Bridge on your way to surf cast for striped bass near Wellfleet on Cape Cod Bay or Race Point near Provincetown?  Traveling up Rte 6, have you ever peered at the Cape Cod Canal and wondered what the fishing was like there?  Were you ever tempted to stop and fish it but just didn’t know enough about it?  Maybe it is good that you didn’t stop because the fishing gear that you took along probably wasn’t adequate to land those big stripers in the Canal’s strong current.  That’s according to D.J. Muller who recently authored a new book entitled “Fishing the Cape Cod Canal, A Surfcaster’s guide to Stripers.”

 

The Canal, which is 7 miles long and 480 feet wide, connects Buzzard’s Bay to the south and west to Cape Cod Bay to the north and east and purportedly offers the striped bass fisherman unparalleled opportunities—a fishery unlike any to be found on any coast.  Before fishing the Canal or “the Ditch” one should know and understand the tides and migration patterns and how they affect the fishery.  One should also know what type of fishing tackle and lures to use.  According to Muller, your normal salt water rod, reel, line and lures probably won’t hold these 30, 40 or 50 lb fish which know how to use the strong currents and tides to their advantage.  He also explains the various methods of fishing the Canal.

 

I know one thing for sure, after reading this book, I would never use my regular surf casting gear in that canal.  A much heavier rod, reel and line are needed.  I could probably get away with using my lures, but would have to change out the hooks to heavier ones, as the author suggests.

 

And even if you had the necessary equipment, do you know where to fish?  Well, Muller covers that, too.  He doesn’t give away his secret spots but does recommend some storied locations on its banks.  He is a recognized authority on Northeast surfcasting who has been fishing the Ditch for over 15 years.  He is the author of The Surfcaster’s Guide to the Striper Coast, Striper Strategies and Striper Tales.

 

It is a clear, concise, no-nonsense, well written book.  I suspect that after reading this book, you wont head for the Cape to do some striper fishing without taking it along.

 

The book was published by Burford Books.   It is a 120 page paperback book which won’t break the bank at $14.95.  What a great gift for Father’s Day, and you know he won’t have it yet as it was just published this past May 27.  It should be available at bookstores, online book retailers, tackle and specialty shops or from the publisher, Burford Books (www.burfordbooks.com).

 

Fishing Derbies

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having a free children’s fishing derby next Saturday, June 10 from 9 to 10:30AM at its lower pond.  Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Trout Stockings

Depending on the hatchery, staff, weather, water conditions, etc., the following waters may have been stocked last week: Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Westfield River in Becket, Middlefield, Chester and Huntington and the Green River in Alford, Egremont and Great Barrington.

 

Forest Tour

A  Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Bureau of Forestry Pre-Harvest Forest Tour will take place at the Pittsfield State Forest in Lanesborough tomorrow from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM. DCR Forester Kevin Podkowka, will be leading a tour of the Potter Mountain – Lanesborough Timber Sale where he will discuss forest management techniques in a predominantly northern hardwood forest, provide a view of the trees designated for harvest, and explain how harvest operations will take place. A detailed silviculture prescription for the harvesting operation will be provided to attendees.

 

The meeting place is the parking area for Potter Mountain Road, Pittsfield State Forest in Lanesborough.  The tour will be conducted rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather and to wear sturdy shoes. For additional information about the tours and DCR forest management on state forests, parks, and reservations,contact William Hill, Management Forestry Program Supervisor, at (413) 545-3891.

 

The Housatonic Valley Association

(HVA) recently announced the opening of a new floating dock which is located at the end of Park Street, just beyond Stockbridge Town Park. A new sign featuring a map of the local water trail, points of interest, and safety tips marks the entry to the dock The new dock is designed to provide easy access for paddlers of all abilities, giving a safer approach to the water over a treaded walkway and featuring a roller-entry system that makes it easier for paddlers to get their crafts into and out of the water. The launch location is convenient for destinations such as Goodrich Memorial Footbridge, the Mary Flynn Trail, Laura’s Tower, Willow Mill Dam, or (downriver) the Glendale Dam. “The absolute best way to connect with the river is to spend some time paddling it,” says HVA Berkshires Director Dennis Regan. “HVA’s mission of protecting the river and its surroundings begins with providing more opportunities for people to experience it up close. We hope this new dock will be the starting point for many lifelong adventures.” Onyx Specialty Papers, Berkshire Bank, TD Charitable Foundation, Fields Pond Foundation, Canyon Ranch and the Red Lion Inn were sponsors of the project.  Also, the citizens of Stockbridge, through the Community Preservation Committee, provided the major contribution for this project. Fundraising and project management were provided by the HVA.

 

Incidentally, the HVA recently moved to a new office which is located at the Merwin House, 14 Main Street, Stockbridge.  Stop in check it out some time.

 

Students liberate rainbow trout into Otis Reservoir

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Tuesday, May 2 started off with a pretty heavy rainfall, but by the time the school bus arrived at the Tolland State Forest campground beach on Otis Reservoir, the rain stopped and it cleared up a bit. Arriving in the bus were sixteen 4th graders and their teacher, Bethany Mielke, from the Farmington River Elementary School.  They arrived around 11:00 am and they had a job to do –  release about 200 of the 400 rainbow trout that were patiently waiting in the nearby MassWildlife stocking truck.  The event was coordinated by the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen.

 

MA Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) Bob Mason, Adam Hull, Mark Jester and Western District Manager Dom Sacco were there to greet them along with MassWildlife’s Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden, aquatic biologist Leanda Fontaine-Gagnon and technician Ray Bresette.

 

Bresette netted a few trout at a time from the truck’s tank, put them into empty 5 gallon pails and then handed them to the youths who then ran them to the water’s edge and tossed them into the lake.  Each of the youngsters took several turns in releasing them.  Only a couple of pails got tossed out along with the trout.  Teacher Mielke got to release some of them as well as the bus driver Darlene Deschaine and all of the DCR folks.  Even I got to carry a pailful, dropping only one trout along the way.  It was retrieved and released unharmed into the water, too.  There were no fish casualties and all of them happily swam away.

 

After all 200 trout were liberated, Andrew and Leanda answered questions from the kids as well as explained some of the many projects they work on.  Ironically, as Andrew was explaining the loon restoration project, we could hear a pair of yodeling loons on the lake somewhere off in the distance.  And as he was explaining the eagle restoration and banding project, high up in the sky above us was a soaring bald eagle.    Gosh he had to feel good, for he and his staff spent many hours over the years on their restorations in Massachusetts.

 

Later on, the remaining 200 trout were released into Otis Reservoir at a different location.  It was a great day.  The kids were all well behaved and perhaps left the reservoir that day with lifelong fond memories.

 

Trout Stocking

 

One MassWildlife stocking truck broke down recently and set back the stocking schedule, but they have a new truck now and they are stocking like gang busters.   The following waters were stocked last week:  Green River in Alford, Egremont and Great Barrington; Green River in New Ashford and Williamstown, Yokum Brook in Becket, Yokun Brook in Lenox, Walker Brook in Becket and Chester, Konkapot River in Monterey, New Marlborough and Sheffield; West Brook in Lee and Great Barrington, Potash Brook in Blandford, North Branch Hoosic River in Clarksburg, Hubbard Brook in Granville, Farmington River in Otis and Sandisfield, East Branch of Westfield River in Savoy and Windsor, Housatonic River (C&R) in Lee, Greenwater Pond in Becket, Beartown Brook and Hop Brook in Lee, Factory Brook in Middlefield,  Garfield Lake in Monterey, Big Pond in Otis, Onota Lake, Pontoosuc Lake, Stockbridge Bowl, Potash Brook in Russell, North Pond in Savoy, Depot Brook in Washington, Hemlock Brook in Williamstown, and Westfield and Windsor Brooks in Windsor.

Bass Tournament 

Although much of the focus of this column has been on trout lately, bass fishing is ongoing, too.  Recently, the Greylock Bass Club had a bass tournament on Onota Lake and the winners were:  1st Place – Dave Benham 14.13 lbs,   2nd Place – Joe Chague 13.04 lbs, 3rd Place – Mike Naventi 9.11 lbs and 4th Place – Jim Underhill 9.05 lbs.  The Big Bass winner was Joe Chague with a 4.12 lbs largemouth.  The above weights represented the total weight of all of the bass legally caught by the anglers.  The breakdown of bass was pretty much 50/50 largemouth to smallmouth.

Little bears In his May report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden reported that the bear complaints and issues are cropping up again.  Unique this year is the fact that DFW has had 5 bears that Andrew responded to that are yearlings which weighed under 20 lbs.  They should be in the 50-70 lb weight at this point.  They picked up one in a garage that was freezing and weighed 13 lbs.  They took it someplace where it was fattened  up and then released.  He picked up another one recently that weighed 9 ½ lbs.

Madden feels that it is some kind of strange biological phenomena which may be drought related from last year or maybe food source related, he’s not really sure.  This high incidence of really tiny starving bears is going on throughout New England.  Vermont has had 6 or 7 cases of it.

Fishing Derbies

 

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club is having its Spring Fishing Derby at the boat ramp on Stockbridge Bowl next Sunday, May 21 from dawn until 3:00pm. Prizes of $100 will go the  heaviest trout or salmon, pickerel, bass and bullhead.  There will be free lures for all kids 12 and under.  Food will be available.  Pre-registration fee is $10 and post registration is $15.  Tickets are available at the Minkler Insurance Agency, 31 Main Street, Stockbridge, (W)413-644-3590, (H)413-298-4630 or from any club member.

 

The Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club is sponsoring a Kid’s Fishing Day on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire next Sunday May 21, from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm.  Kids are encouraged to bring poles and fishing tackle and if they have none, extra poles will be available.  Lunch will be available.  For questions, contact Travis DelRatez  at 413-441-7979.

The attached picture shows a Farmington River Elementary student tossing some trout out into Otis Reservoir.  Standing next to him on the left is DFW Western District Aquatic Biologist Leanda Fontaine-Gagnon and to the right is teacher Bethany Mielke

 

Students release 500 trout into Windsor Lake

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Last Friday the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen sponsored an elementary school trout stocking day at Windsor Lake in North Adams.  The participants included all of the 4th graders in North Adams including students from the Greylock, Brayton and Cole Avenue grammar schools.    MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Western (DFW) District Manager Andrew Madden and staff brought 500 beautiful, frisky rainbow trout to be liberated.

 

DFW staff netted a few trout at a time from the hatchery truck tank, placed them into 5 empty gallon buckets and one or two kids ran the buckets to the lake’s edge and tossed the fish out of the pails into the water.  Lofting those fish from a pail can be tricky and sometimes the fish, pail and everything went flying into the waters, as evidenced by the picture.   Some also landed on the ground, but DFW staff immediately picked them up and tossed them into the water unharmed. The kids did a great job and all 500 of the fish were released – shook up, but unharmed.  Even some teachers got into the act by running the buckets of fish to waterfront and releasing them, too.

 

In addition to DFW personnel, there were representatives from the County League, Adams Outdoor for Youth, Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, DCR, MA Angler’s Education, and others.  Environmental Police Officer Terry Davis was there to ensure that no anglers caught any of the fish in front of the kids while they were stocking.  After the stocking, the kids ate their lunches in the pavilion building

 

What a great day for the kids.  What better way for them to spend a school day connecting with nature, especially following a grueling week of exams.

 

Youth Turkey Hunt follow-up

Here are the names of the last week’s successful youth turkey hunters who were sponsored by the Lee Sportsmen’s Association:  Matt Fletcher, Curt Wilton III, Devon Atwell, Sam Harding, Kade Groeber and Miles Houle.

 

Incidentally, according to Astrid Huseby, who heads up this program for the DFW, 73 toms were checked in online statewide.  That doesn’t include any birds checked in at any physical check stations.  Congratulations to all the youth turkey hunters, the clubs that sponsored the programs and to the mentors.

 

Trout stockings

The following waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout last week:  Westfield River in Becket, Chester, Huntington, and Middlefield; Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; Green River in Alford and Great Barrington, Farmington River in Otis and Sandisfield, Housatonic River in Lee (C/R) and Pittsfield (S/W), Green River in Williamstown, Hemlock Brook in Williamstown, Dry Brook and South Brook in Cheshire, Wahconah Falls Brook in Dalton, Town Brook in Lanesborough, Ashfield Pond, Greenwater Pond, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Garfield Lake, Otis Reservoir, Richmond Pond Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor Pond.

 

Fishing Derbies

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having a free children’s fishing derby next Saturday, May 14  from 9 to 10:30am at its lower pond.  Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

 

The Onota Fishing Club is having a Trout Derby at the Controy Pavilion at Burbank Park on Onota Lake next Sunday, May 15, from 6am to 1pm.  The entrance fee is $10 with kids 12 years and under free.  There will be a 50/50 raffle, prizes for kids, and a cash prize for the biggest fish.  A fish fry will follow which is included with the paid entry, including hot dogs and hamburgers.  The cost is $10 for non entry.

 

Wildlife Walk

Next Saturday, May 14, there will be a Western Mass Woodlands for Wildlife Walk at Haskell Farm in Peru, MA.  You are invited to join MassWildlife’s Habitat Biologist, Marianne Piché, and others for an easy field walk and discussion to highlight forestry and habitat management work done on the Haskell Farm. You will be able to hear songbirds as you tour young forests and grasslands that provide critical food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. Mass Audubon, MA DCR’s Service Forester, and Steve Hayes consulting forester will be on hand to share information about why certain wildlife species are declining, forest management practices that enhance wildlife habitat, and new cost share programs available to help you manage your woods for wildlife. Free and open to all, pre-registration is requested.  Call (413)625-9151 or email melissa@masswoodlands.com for more information, directions, or to register.

 

Bass Information

Tournament bass fishermen can help MassWildlife collect information on trophy bass by submitting bass creel survey forms.  Data such as how long it takes to catch a bass, average weight and the number of trophy bass landed allows biologists to track trends in individual waters.  A copy of the data you submit will be sent to your e-mail address. If you prefer to report your Creel Survey in paper format and mail or fax it to the DFW Field Headquarters address on the bottom of the form.

 

Questions/comments:  Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com.   Phone:  (413) 637-1818

 

 

Big bass caught in Becket waters

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It was 5:10 AM on Saturday, July 25, when Gabrielle Graham of Becket made her first cast into a local pond in Sherwood Forest in Becket.  She was fishing with a large greenish worm imitation.  On that first cast a large fish gobbled up that worm.  According to Gabrielle, the fish was so strong that it towed her row boat, with two people in it, around the lake for several minutes. 

 

When she finally managed to bring it to the side of the boat she saw that it was a huge largemouth bass.  She did not have a net and had to grab it by its lower jaw and hoist it out of the water and onto the boat.  She said that it was so big that she had trouble lifting it. 

 

A friend took a picture of it and she immediately released it back into the water.  She didn’t want to kill that fish after it gave her such a thrilling fight.  Besides, she said, it is a catch and release lake.  By 5:19 AM it was all over and the fish was happily swimming again.

 

She didn’t have scales with her to weigh the fish but, according to Gabrielle, some estimated it to be between 8 lbs and 14 lbs.  She is no stranger to hooking and fighting large fish for she fishes the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY for steelhead and king salmon.  She feels that its weight was on the upper end of the estimations. 

Beginning this year, MassWildlife has a new Catch and Release category in its Sportfishing Awards Program and she could have probably received a pin.  However; in order for a fish to be considered it must be measured at the site of capture and photographed against a standard measuring device. The photo must include the entire fish and the measurement must be clearly discernible.  The clear, side view, close-up photograph of the fish must be included with an affidavit.

Too bad for Gabrielle, she’ll just have to go out and catch it again and this time bring a tape measure.  *****

In my June 14 column, I had mentioned that the MA Fish & Wildlife Board had appointed Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Acting Director Jack Buckley as its new Director, replacing recently retired Director Wayne MacCallum.  At the time, there was no press release as to Buckley’s bio or qualifications, but recently, the following information has been made available.

 

Buckley has been with MassWildlife since 1988 as Deputy Director of Administration, directly involved with the development of fisheries and wildlife management and policy initiatives.  He has provided general management and research guidance to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program; represented the Division’s interest to the legislature; worked with various constituent groups to implement agency initiatives; supervised the Federal Aid Program; provided supervision and guidance to the Information and Education staff; and coordinated programs with the Department of Fish and Game, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and other conservation partners.

 

In addition, Buckley served on several committees with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, including Legislative Affairs, Federal Budget, and International Affairs.  He serves as the regional representative for the Northeastern states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Technical Working Group.

 

Prior to working for the Division, Buckley was the Chief of Fisheries Management in Washington D.C. for the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  He was also a Project Leader at the Massachusetts Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at UMASS where he directed a multi-agency funded research project on the behavioral ecology and population dynamics of the endangered Shortnose Sturgeon.   He earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Fisheries Biology from UMASS and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Ripon College in Wisconsin.

 

“I am very grateful to the Board for giving me this extraordinary opportunity,” said Buckley. “While there are challenges ahead, I believe the future looks bright, and I look forward to working with hunters, anglers, trappers, environmentalists, and all citizens to fulfill our public trust responsibility to the people and natural resources of the Commonwealth”. *****

 

As you know, former Berkshire Eagle Sports Editor Brian Sullivan recently passed away.  His passing occurred when I was away and this is my first opportunity to write a few words about him.

 

It was Brian who interviewed me for this column back in February, 2004.  He was friendly and made me feel very comfortable during the interview.  He then introduced me to his boss, then had Ben Garver take my photograph and I left the Eagle Building that day with a new job.  I was very appreciative of the fact that he took a chance on hiring this retired, old bank auditor who happened to love to hunt and fish.  Thereafter, each week when I dropped off my column, he always greeted me with a friendly smile (a rare sight for an auditor) and words of encouragement. 

 

A year or so after that, Brian asked me to appear as his guest on his sports program which was aired on Southern Berkshire Cable TV.  Anyone who knows me knows that I would rather be water boarded than to speak in public, much less on TV.  But this was Brian, whom I owed so much, asking and I said yes.  The filming went well and once again he made me feel comfortable during the interview. 

 

He was my boss for the next seven or eight years and we had a very good relationship.  Even after he had left the editor position and was in ill health, we would meet here or there and he still had that friendly smile and kind words.

 

Brian Sullivan was a good man and he will be missed. *****

 

Fond memories of opening days

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To us older folks, the third Saturday in April brings back fond memories.   It marked opening day of the fishing season.  In those days, the fishing season closed on February 28 and by the time April came around, we were ready to get out fishing again.  There were a lot of preparations for opening day. Fishing licenses had to be bought, new fishing equipment was purchased, night crawlers caught, live bait bought, leaky boots patched, outboard motors tuned up, preparations made for boat rentals, etc.  The night before, sandwiches were made and thermoses ready.

 

For a week or so before opening day, many of us drove from lake to lake checking on their conditions.   We wanted to make sure that the ice was gone off of them and there was open water in which to fish.  Some lakes were unfishable due to the ice.  There was great speculation as to which lures would work.  Would it be the gold colored Al’s Goldfish, the Silver and Blue Wobble Rite, the Red and White Daredevil?

 

If you wanted to get a good spot to fish, you had to get to the location around 4:30 AM on opening day.  With all of the excitement and anticipation, sleep was practically impossible the night before.

 

One year, in the early 1970’s, my long time fishing partner, Jerry Zink and I decided to not even go to bed so that we could be the first to get to our chosen spot.  It was the back side of Laurel Lake in Lee where the “white bridge” was located.  We knew for a fact that the DFW stocked trout off of that bridge, and we wanted to catch some of them.

 

We decided to spend the evening at Joe’s Bar in Lenox, socializing with the crowd, playing the pin ball machine and watching a barroom brawl or two until closing time.  After that, we would go to my house where I would cook up some bacon and eggs.  After that, we would get our fishing stuff together and arrive at Laurel Lake around 4:00 AM.  The plan progressed like clockwork and we pulled into the parking spot near the white bridge around 4:00 AM.  We were the first ones there.

 

It was still dark, so we got all of our gear ready; leaned our fishing poles against the car and put the bait and creels on the hood.  It was a little chilly, so we sat inside the car to keep warm.  As soon as we saw a car headlight approaching, we would jump out of our car, grab the gear and go immediately to the bridge so that we would be the first there and have the best spot.

 

The next thing we knew, the sun was high and shining brightly and the hordes of the world were in our fishing spot.  Both sides of the bridge were crowded and fish were splashing as they were being hauled in.  Kids were running around shouting, fish were flopping on the roadway, bobbers were hanging from trees and a couple of fishing lines were already tangled up in the overhead telephone line which ran nearby.

 

Jerry and I had fallen asleep and were awakened by all of the commotion.  We couldn’t even get near the water.  We left there and tried our luck at Richmond Pond and met the same conditions there.   No fish were caught that opening day.  It served us right for being so smart and trying to be the first there.

 

Jerry suggested that maybe next year we’d make some adjustments…..perhaps eating beforehand made us tired……yeh, that’s it, next year no bacon and eggs.

 

Actually, we never pulled an opening day all-nighter again. *****

 

The following Western District waters were scheduled to be stocked during the week of April 6:   Hoosic River (SW) in Adams and Cheshire, Green River in Alford, Egremont and Great Barrington; Westfield River in Becket, Chester, Cummington, Huntington, Middlefield, Savoy, Windsor and Worthington; Deerfield River in Buckland and Florida; Williams River in West Stockbridge and Great Barrington; Housatonic River (SW) in Pittsfield, Lee(C&R) and Stockbridge (C&R); Konkapot River in Monterey, New Marlborough and Sheffield; Lake Garfield and Onota Lake*****

 

The following waters were scheduled for stocking last week:  Walker Brook in Becket and Chester, Yokum Brook in Becket, Deerfield River in Buckland and Florida; Westfield River in Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, and Worthington; Hoosic River in Clarksburg, Housatonic River in Dalton and Hinsdale, Wahconah Falls Brook in Dalton, Sackett Brook in Dalton and Pittsfield,  Town Brook in Lanesborough, Greenwater Brook in Lee, Goose Pond Brook and Hop Brook in Lee and Tyringham, Depot Brook in Washington, Green River and Hemlock Brook in Williamstown, Yokum Brook in Lenox, Factory Brook in Middlefield, Farmingon River in Otis and Sandisfield, Potash Brook in Russell, Buck and Clam Rivers in Sandisfield, Larrywaug Brook in Stockbridge, Windsor Brook in Windsor, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Plunkett Lake,  Littleville Lake, Windsor Lake, Onota Lake, Stockbridge Bowl  and Goose Pond. Stocked waters are subject to change based on water conditions, staffing functioning trucks, etc. *****

 

The results for of the Greylock BASS Club for 2014  are as follows:  1st Place and Angler of the Year  (2 years in a row)  Bill Gates, 2nd Place – Joe Chague, Chip McCann, Jim Underhill (3 way tie), 3rd Place – Dave Benham.  Benham also won the Big Bass of Year Award with a 4 lbs 12 oz largemouth out of Onota Lake.

 

Their tournament schedule for 2015 is as follows:  May – Richmond Pond and Pontoosuc Lake,   June – Onota Lake, and July – Saratoga Lake.  The Tournament of Champions is in September on Lake Champlain.

 

To become a boat member, contact Bill Gates at 413 243 1744. *****

 

Questions/comments:  Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com.   Phone:  (413) 637-1818