Category Archives: Fishing

Joshua Christman, Angler of the Year – again

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Each year, MassWildlife recognizes anglers who catch exceptional freshwater fish in waters open to the public.

Joshua Christman of Pittsfield, has been named 2021 Catch & Keep Angler of the Year by MassWildlife. This is his third win in the last five years, having won that award in 2016, 2020 and 2021.  Last year’s award was for catching the following gold pin fish in the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program:  A 29 lbs. 13 oz carp out of Laurel Lake in Lee, and a 7 lbs. 8 oz largemouth bass out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield.  I’m sure he was awarded many bronze pins also.

 

In the Youth Catch & Keep Category, Philip Prieur of South Hamilton was named Angler of the Year.  He caught the following gold pin fish: A 6 lbs. 6 oz bowfin out of the Taunton River in Taunton, a 6 lbs. 12 oz channel catfish out of the Westfield River in Agawam, a 2 lbs. crappie out of the Merrimack River in Lawrence, a 6 lbs. 4 oz white catfish out of the Charles River in Cambridge and a 3 lbs. 10 oz shad also out of the Merrimack River.

The Catch & Keep Angler of the Year Award is given to the person who weighs in the largest number of species that meet the minimum weight requirements for the previous calendar year.

I should mention that Gabriel Christman (Joshua’s son) caught the following gold pin fish in the Youth Catch & Keep Category:  A 3 lbs. brook trout, a 10 lbs. brown trout, a 7 lbs. 13 oz largemouth bass and a 4 lbs. 6 oz smallmouth bass all out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield.  He also caught a 14 oz sunfish out of Richmond Pond in Pittsfield and a 1 lbs. 11 oz white perch out of Pontoosuc Lake in Lanesborough.

Gabriel’s 10 lbs brown trout caught out of Onota Lake

In the Catch & Release Category, David Desimone of Amherst caught the following gold pin fish:  A 32 inch bowfin out of Oxbow Pond in Easthampton, a 20.75 inch brook trout out of the Swift River in Belchertown, a 28 inch brown trout out of the Deerfield River in Charlemont, a 27.25 inch rainbow trout out of the Swift River in Belchertown, a 25.50 inch tiger trout out of Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, and a 24 inch white catfish out of the Charles River in Cambridge.

The Catch & Release Angler of the Year Award is awarded to the person who submits the largest number of species that meet the minimum length requirements for the previous calendar year. Nearly 1,000 pins are awarded annually.

Other gold pin fish that were caught out of Berkshire waters last year were:

In the Adult Catch & Keep Category:  A 15 lbs. 13 oz brown trout caught out of Stockbridge Bowl by James Pollard of Hinsdale and a 23 lbs. 8 oz northern pike caught out of Onota Lake by Jeffrey Klammer of Adams,

In the Youth Catch & Keep category gold pins were awarded for the following Berkshire catches:  2 lbs. bullhead caught out of Otis Reservoir by Colten Andras of Westfield, a 5 lbs. 10 oz chain pickerel caught out of Stockbridge Bowl by Cooper Shepardson of Lenoxdale and a 16 lbs.5 oz northern pike caught out of Pontoosuc Lake by Caesen Kendall of Pittsfield.

In the Catch & Release Category, a gold pin was awarded for a 45.50 inch northern pike caught out of Onota Lake by Craig Strong of Springfield.

Angler of the Year recipients and gold pin winners are honored each year at a MassWildlife awards event where they will get a gold pin and a plaque. The date and location TBA.

I have only listed the names of the gold pin winners. There is another pin awarded and that is the bronze pin.  If you submit a fish that meets the minimum weight or minimum length requirements for an eligible species, you’ll get a bronze pin from MassWildlife for that species.

There were 9 new state records all in the Catch & Release Category:  DeSimone’s previously mentioned 32 inch bowfin, 20.75 inch brook trout, 27.25 inch rainbow trout, and a 25.50 inch tiger trout;  a 21.50 inch bullhead caught out of Stiles Pond in Boxford by Roger Aziz, Jr. of Methuen, a 44 inch carp caught out of the Connecticut River in South Hadley by Kenneth Langdon of South Deerfield, Craig Strong’s 45.50 inch northern pike out of Onota Lake, a 13 inch sunfish caught out of Wright’s Reservoir in Westminister by Griffin Sabolevski of Winchendon, and a 40.40 inch tiger muskellunge caught out of Spy Pond in Arlington by Jacoby Chalmers of Arlington.

Congratulations to all the 2021 winners!

Ice fishing derbies

Next Saturday, February 26, the Ashfield Rod & Gun Club has scheduled an Ice Fishing Derby which will run from 8:00 am to noon.  Registration will take place at the Ashfield Lake House Beach.  Participants can park at either the Ashfield Lake House or the Town Beach.      Bring your own equipment, but some holes will be drilled.  A warming fire and refreshments will be provided.  Awards will take place at 12:00 noon.  For more information, contact ARGC president Jack Shea at 413 522 6150.

The Tom Wren Memorial Derby is scheduled for February 26 from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm on Pontoosuc Lake.  Sign in at the camper near the Narragansett Park.  Entry fee is $10, all cash paid out 1st, 2nd and 3rd heaviest fish.  There may be something for kids, too.

The 38th Annual Springfield Sportsmen’s Show

 

Billed as the largest pure hunting and fishing show in the Northeast, it is filled with hundreds of booths, seminars and action areas. The show is filled with an outdoorsman’s dream of fishing and hunting gear, outfitters, charter boats and adventure destinations, along with great deals on fishing boats, ATV’s and UTV’s. There will be great attractions and displays such as The Northeast Big Buck Club, Trout Pond, and more.

The Outdoor Sports Expo Group brings together just the right mix of hunting and fishing celebrities, industry experts, and entertainment features to produce a sporting and outdoor show that is educational, entertaining, and fun.

Each year, the show draws exhibitors from all over the Northeast who are eager to present their products and services to outdoor sporting enthusiasts throughout the greater New England area.  Returning and all new fishing tackle vendors will exhibit and sell fishing reels and rods, hard and soft plastic baits, fishing kayaks with accessories, boats of all types, etc.

The show take place at the Eastern States Exposition (Big E) 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA on February 25 through 27.   The show hours are Friday from noon to 8 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM.  Admission:  Adults – $15, kids 6 to 12 – $5 and under 6 free.

MassWildlife winter chores

 

In the February Berkshire County League of Sportsmen meeting, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden reported the following less newsworthy but important projects were completed:

  • Wood Duck Boxes– The Western District has completed its winter wood duck box checks. They checked 130 boxes. Hooded Mergansers attempted nests in 47 of the boxes, most of which were successful to hatch. Wood Ducks used 9 boxes, most of which were successful to hatch. Some 41 boxes were unusable because of damage from wind, weather, flooding, age or other damage. The remaining boxes (33) were not used by any duck species.
  • Apple Orchard Restoration Efforts – We are fortunate in the Western District to have extensive remnant apple orchards. Each winter they spend time recovering some of these sites to increase soft mast for wildlife. So far through January they have daylighted and pruned more than 40 apple trees on the Chalet Wildlife Management Area in the towns of Cheshire, Dalton, Lanesborough and Windsor.

Endangered Wildlife Conservation

MassWildlife reminds us that tax season is here, meaning it’s a great time to help keep Massachusetts wild. One easy way to help endangered animals and plants is by donating on your state tax return. Simply fill in the amount you would like to donate on Line 33A for Endangered Wildlife Conservation.

Such donations go to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund, a fund dedicated specifically to the conservation of rare species. It supports MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, responsible for the hundreds of species that are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern in Massachusetts.

MassWildlife makes proposals dealing with small game

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MassWildlife makes proposals dealing with small game

Recently, MA fisheries and Wildlife Board voted to proceed to public hearing with proposed changes to regulations around pheasant hunting and small game.  I tried to paraphrase them but I think I would just confuse the readers.  Therefore, I am passing on the proposed changes verbatim:

Extend opportunity to harvest pheasants/quail through December

A small portion of stocked pheasant/quail survive the regular season from mid-October through November. Following the shotgun deer season, extending the pheasant and quail season through the end of December provides an additional opportunity for enthusiastic and skilled game bird hunters to harvest remaining stocked pheasants/quail. Additionally, rabbit/hare/squirrel hunters would gain hunting opportunities from this season extension as well. Given the late-season nature of this proposed hunting opportunity, we anticipate relatively low participation rates and therefore minimal, if any, concerns or conflicts with other hunters, recreationalists, and/or landowners.

Expand allowable hunting implements on stocked WMAs, and standardize hunting implements (shotgun and archery only) for pheasant/quail

Current regulations unnecessarily restrict hunting implements on stocked Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) to shotgun and archery for hunters pursuing species other than pheasant and quail. Many stocked WMAs are large or occur as multiple, disjunct parcels such that restricting implements unnecessarily hinders hunting for other game. This change is also critical since the proposed expansion of the pheasant/quail season occurs during the muzzleloader deer season. Expanding hunting implements would most benefit black bear hunters during the November season and hunters of other furbearers.

In addition, regulations would be amended to specify that pheasant/quail hunters may only use shotgun and archery equipment on both stocked WMAs and other stocked properties. Currently, shotguns and archery equipment are specified for pheasant/quail hunters on stocked WMAs, while on non-WMA stocked properties there are no existing implement restrictions.

Expand hunting hours for archery deer/waterfowl, etc., hunters on stocked WMAs, and standardize hunting hours for all pheasant/quail hunters

On pheasant-stocked WMAs, current regulations unnecessarily restrict hunters during archery deer, bear, fall turkey, waterfowl, etc., seasons from being able to hunt during some of the best time periods for hunting those species. Stocked WMAs can readily accommodate hunters who are not targeting pheasant and quail from 1⁄2 hour before sunrise to 1⁄2 hour after sunset, thereby standardizing hunting hours both on and off WMAs and simplifying regulations.

Additionally, pheasant/quail hunting hours would run from sunrise to sunset, regardless of whether hunting is occurring on a stocked WMA or any other property. Currently, hunting hours are not the same on stocked WMAs (sunrise to sunset) compared to other pheasant-stocked properties (1⁄2 hour before sunrise to 1⁄2 hour after sunset).

Simplification/expansion of gray squirrel, cottontail, and snowshoe hare seasons

cottontail picture provided by MassWildife

Regulations associated with the hunting of gray squirrel, cottontail, and snowshoe hare are unnecessarily complicated. The proposed simplified framework would include a statewide season for cottontail/hare starting mid-October (the Saturday after Columbus Day) and end the last day of February. The gray squirrel season would run from early September to February 28. Harvest of these small game species is minimal relative to population size, and any expansion in season would not be detrimental to long-term population health. These changes greatly simplify the regulations and provide additional opportunities in the early and late season for both new and experienced hunters.

Remove the black tailed jack rabbit season

Black tailed jack rabbits have been extirpated from Nantucket for decades. There is no reason to have an open season for an extirpated, non-native species.”

So, there you have it, direct from MassWildlife. The MA Fish & Wildlife Board agreed to pursue the recommendations and will shortly be setting up a public meeting date. The Board is asking some preliminary input from the various county sportsmen’s leagues and clubs.  At its February 2022 monthly meeting, the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen unanimously approved the proposals, as did the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club.

Desired hunting legislative proposals are gaining traction

 

Reliable sources report that the following legislative proposals will be reported out favorably from the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Most of them have been covered in recent articles in this column:

 

1.Senator Gobi’s Bill S. 546 – An act to Reimburse the Inland Fish and Game Fund. This will reimburse MassWildlife for the free licenses made available to those aged 70 and older and could mean upwards of $2 million annually. – Reported out Favorably

  1. H. 991 – An act relative to the use of crossbows in hunting. Petitioned by Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli and Representative Viera’s bill H. 1024 – Reported out Favorably
  2. S.552 – Senator Gobi’s bill on setbacks reducing from 500 to 250 feet for archery. Favorable Report
  3. Finally all the Sunday Hunting Bills were put in a study.

 

Hunters are encouraged to contact their representatives and politely ask them to support these bills.  Thanks to Rep. Smitty for his petition on the crossbow bill.

 

Hunting is still very popular here in the Berkshires

 

To hear some people, one would conclude that hardly anyone hunts around here anymore. The percentage/number of hunters in relation to the total state/county population are quite low.  One reason, they claim, is that the rewards for the efforts are hardly worth it.  Well, have you checked the price of meat lately, or what a roast duck meal will cost you in a restaurant?

 

Rarely are the other rewards that the hunter reaps ever mentioned.  Things like fresh air, physical exercise, the comradery of friends and family, and just being out there with mother nature and all of the beauty she has to offer.

 

Lest you be swayed by any misleading comments, please consider these statistics which were provided by MassWildlife to F&W Board Member Bob Durand.  Bob kindly passed them onto us:

 

According to MassWildlife’s Year 2020 license sales (last year provided), there were 5,510 hunting and sporting licenses sold in the Berkshires (A sporting license allows hunting and fishing).   My friends, that’s a lot of local hunters.

Ice Fishing Derbies

If you like to fish in NY, the Canaan Conservation Club will be holding its 23rd Annual Hard Water Fishing Derby on Queechy Lake on February 19.  It will run from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm.  You can register and pay online or by visiting its website https://canaanconservationclub.weebly.com.

The entrance fee is $15 for adults and $5 for youths aged 15 and under.  There will be prizes, raffles and more.  Remember, next weekend is free fishing weekend in the state of New York with no license required.

Also, don’t forget, the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club and the Adams Outdoor for Youth organizations have scheduled an ice fishing derby on Sunday, February 20 on the 1st and 2nd Hoosac Lakes in Cheshire, MA. It will run from sunrise until 4:00 pm with weigh-in at the Farnams Causeway.  The ticket holder with the heaviest fish wins an Eskimo Quickfish 3 Ice Shelter and an 8-inch K-Drill Auger.

Prizes and refreshments will be at 5:00 pm at the Cheshire R&G Club House.  Kids 14 and under free with adult ticket holder ($10 donation).

Go Fish MA!

MassWildlife encourages you to use the Go Fish MA! map to target fish on ice.  The detailed depth information from the map can help you decide where to go and where to set up on a pond.  You can even view waterbody depth in real time on your phone.  I tested it on a couple of locations where I ice fish on Stockbridge Bowl and it is spot on.

Take a boating safety course

A boating safety course is recommended for anyone who wishes to operate a boat. Young boaters aged 12–15 are required to complete a state-approved boating safety course to operate a motorboat without adult supervision. Boat Massachusetts is a free course 10-12 hours in length offered by the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Family participation is encouraged and has proven to be very rewarding.

There is such a course coming up at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club on the following evenings: February 28, March 3, 7 and 9.  All classes must be attended. approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators

For more information, click onto https://www.mass.gov/services-details/boating-safety.

Could Sunday bow hunting, revised setbacks be around the corner?

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Maybe, if the State Legislature approves it. One of the items that was included in Governor Charlie Baker’s recent recommendation was to include Sunday archery hunting.  Here is the exact verbiage:

 

Sunday Bow Hunting of Deer Section 57 of Chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:  This section shall not prohibit the Director, with the approval of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, from authorizing the hunting of deer by bow and arrow on any Sunday, and shall not render unlawful the possession or carrying of a bow and arrow for the purpose of hunting deer, as authorized by the Director with the approval of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board.

 

In summary, this section would allow for bow hunting for deer on Sundays.

Another item included in the governor’s recommendations was to change the setback requirements (from occupied dwellings) from 500 feet to 250.  Exact verbiage:  Section 61 Decreased Hunting Setbacks Section 58 of said Chapter 131, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following words: Provided that a person may hunt with a bow and arrow not less than 250 feet from any dwelling in use.

In summary, this section would reduce bow hunting setbacks from a dwelling from 500 feet to 250 feet to align with the setbacks in neighboring states.

 

Now the question is, will the Legislature approve them?

 

I am retired now and can hunt any day of the week except Sunday.  But there was a time when nothing angered me more than not being able to hunt on Sundays.  For many, December is a very busy time with projects to be wrapped up before year end, and working 6 days a week is a requirement. If a hunter wants to hunt on his only day off, (Sunday) he has to buy an expensive non-resident license and drive to a neighboring state – NY, VT or CT. That is not right.  Sunday hunting is the only remnant of the archaic and long-discontinued Sunday Blue Laws.

Friends would frequently tell me that Sunday is the only day that they can go hiking in the woods without fear of being shot.  My response has always been, well there are a lot of hunters where that is the only day that they can hunt. It always griped me that I could not go hunting or allow others to hunt on my own land on Sunday.   Hikers and bird watchers shouldn’t be there without permission, so what’s the problem?

In my opinion, the fear of being shot or killed in the woods is unfounded. Many don’t know or fail to accept the fact that hunting is one of the safest recreational activities in America.  The last survey that I saw based upon figures originated from the Centers for Disease Control are very telling.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, has compiled data that shows hunting ranks third in safety when compared to 28 other recreational pursuits, ranging from baseball to wrestling. Hunting with firearms has an injury rate of 0.05 percent, which equates to about 1 injury per 2,000 participants, a safety level bettered only by camping (.01 percent) and billiards (.02 percent).

Comprehensive hunter education classes that emphasize the basic rules of firearm safety and a culture of hunters helping fellow hunters practice safe firearms handling in the field are probably responsible for this good record.

To quote the NSSF, “To put hunting’s safety standing into perspective, compared to hunting, a person is . . . 11 times more likely to be injured playing volleyball, 19 times more likely to be injured snowboarding, 25 times more likely to be injured cheerleading or bicycle riding, 34 times more likely to be injured playing soccer or skateboarding, 105 more times likely to be injured playing tackle football.  Hunting is even safer than golf.

The number of hunters nationwide who went afield in a recent year was estimated at 16.3 million. Of that total, approximately 8,122 sustained injuries, or 50 per 100,000 participants. The vast majority of hunting accidents, more than 6,600, were tree stand-related.

I have the same issue with DFW Wildlife Management Areas (WMA).  Those properties were acquired using funds derived from hunting and fishing license sales and excise taxes on firearms and other sporting equipment. Unfortunately, everyone else can use those lands on Sundays except the hunters.  That also is not right!  Hikers have thousands of acres of land to hike on DCR lands which do prohibit Sunday hunting.

Another problem I have is the issue of setbacks (mandatory distances from an occupied dwelling one can hunt).  Current Massachusetts law prohibits a person from possessing a loaded firearm or hunting by any means on another person’s land within 500 feet of a dwelling in use, unless allowed.  That includes WMA’s.

These mandatory distances also apply to bowhunters.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t even think William Tell could launch an arrow anywhere near 300 feet. Bow hunters traditionally use tree stands and fire their arrows downward at their prey. No way an arrow under those conditions could traverse much over a couple hundred feet, not even with a ricochet.  It would seem to me that a 250 feet setback should be sufficient.

The reduction of such a setback would enable hunters to hunt more land which hitherto could not be hunted.  That would be good news to the archers in the heavily populated eastern part of the state who cannot hunt certain towns due to the high housing density.  Towns incidentally which need to severely reduce their deer populations to prevent destruction of their young trees and shrubbery and possibly reduce the number of deer ticks.

Let’s hope the Legislature reacts positively to the Governor’s recommendations.

Ice Fishing Derbies

On February 12 the Great Barrington Fish & Game Club will be sponsoring an ice fishing derby on Mercer’s Pond.  It starts at 7:00 am and runs until 1:00 pm. Entrance fee is $15.00 for adults and children 12 and under $5.00.  The grand door prize for adults will be an ice auger, for the children it will be a bicycle. Other prizes include heaviest fish overall.  Tickets must be purchased at the clubhouse prior to the derby.  No exceptions.  There will be a spaghetti and meatball dinner following the derby.

On February 13, the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department’s 5th Annual Ice Fishing Derby will take place on the North Basin only of Cheshire Lake.  Registration will take place from 6:00 am to12:00 pm, with derby hours from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm.  All fish must be weighed in by 4:00 pm and prizes will be awarded at 4:30 pm at the Bass Water Grill.

The registration fee is $15.00 for adults and youths 12 and under free with the purchase of an adult ticket. The entry fee also enters you into thousands of dollars-worth of raffle prizes to be drawn throughout the day.   Prizes will be awarded for the three largest fish of any specie for both adult and youth age groups.  The grand prize, which was donated by Bedard Bros Auto Sales, is a Milwaukee 2804-22 Drill with 2 batteries, charger, and hard case and Eskimo 8” Pistol Bit Auger.

The second-place prize, donated by Harry’s Auto Sales, is a Jet Sled filled with a full set of 5 Heritage Tip-Ups, bait bucket, bait net, chipper/skimmer. Third prize, donated by Eskimo, is an Eskimo QuickFish 2 Ice Fishing Shanty.

But wait!  There’s more!  The largest bass of the day wins a full set of 5 Jack Trap tip-ups donated by Colin Haas and Laina Main. Also, a full set of prizes for the youth group donated by JCB Bait.  Trophies were donated by NEBASSIN NY/MA as part of their FHF Tournament Series.

Gosh it’s so nice to be able to write about ice fishing derbies again. With the combination of iffy ice conditions and the Covid scare in prior years, they just weren’t being held.

The last time I checked (Stockbridge Bowl last Wednesday) there was at least 14 inches of hard ice.  If you are able, round up the kids and get out there and enjoy the day.  Don’t forget to bring gramps and grandma, too.

Ice fishing, winter hiking and snowshoeing can be fun, but stay safe

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MassWildlife advises us to stay safe this winter by taking a few moments to review these ice safety tips:

  • New ice is stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not.
  • Ice doesn’t freeze uniformly. Continue to check ice conditions frequently as you venture out onto the ice.
  • Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often more dangerous. Avoid traveling onto ice-bound rivers and streams, as the currents make ice thickness unpredictable. Many lakes and ponds may contain spring holes and other areas of currents that can create deceptively dangerous thin spots.
  • Before heading out onto the ice tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you expect to return.
  • Carry a cell phone in case of emergency.
  • Carry ice picks and rope with you on the ice. In case of emergency, drive the nails into the ice and pull yourself to safety while kicking.
  • Wear your life jacket. If you fall in, a life jacket will keep you at the surface and can provide insulation against the effects of cold water.

 

The following ice thickness guidelines are for clear, blue ice on lakes and ponds. White ice or snow ice is only about half as strong as new clear ice and can be very treacherous. Use an ice chisel, auger, or cordless drill to make a hole in the ice and determine its thickness and condition. Bring a tape measure to check ice thickness at regular intervals.

If the ice thickness is 2 inches or less, stay off; 4 inches usually is safe for ice fishing; 5 inches safe for snowmobile or ATV; 8-12 inches ok for car or small pickup and 12 to 15 inches should be safe for a medium truck.

If you fall in: 

  • Don’t panic: Call for help if there are people nearby.
  • Don’t remove winter clothing: Air trapped in your clothes can provide warmth and help you float.
  • Turn the direction you came from: Ice you previously walked on should be the safest.
  • Place your hands and arms on an unbroken surface and kick your legs: If you have ice picks or a pair of nails, use them to pull yourself up onto the ice while kicking.
  • Lie flat and roll away: Once your torso is on firm ice, roll toward thicker ice to distribute your weight.
  • Find shelter and get warm: Change out of wet clothing and find warm, dry coverings. If you are in a remote area, get to or start a campfire. Otherwise, get to a car or house. Seek medical advice from your physician on medical attention.

If someone else falls in, Remember the phrase “Preach-Reach-Throw-Go.”

  • Preach: Call 911 if you can. Shout to the victim to reassure them help is on the way.
  • Reach: If you can safely reach them from shore, extend an object like a rope, jumper cables, tree branch, or ladder to them.
  • Throw: Toss one end of a rope or something that will float to the victim.
  • Go: If the situation is too dangerous for you to perform a rescue, call 911 or go to find help. Untrained rescuers can become victims themselves.

 

If a pet falls in:

Do not attempt to rescue the pet, go find help. Well-meaning pet owners can easily become victims themselves when trying to assist their pets. Remember to always keep pets leashed while walking on or near ice.

Now, as for winter snowshoeing or hiking

Berkshires knapsackers on the trail

The NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has provided some safety and education tips from which we all can benefit.

A well-packed emergency kit will help you manage any circumstance the outdoors throws your way. Include the following items in your emergency kit:

  • A whistle will help you attract the attention of nearby hikers or rescuers.
  • A signal mirror can reflect sunlight up to rescue aircraft, indicating your location if you are lost.
  • Bright colored clothes make it easier for rescuers to spot you. If you need to leave the trail for any reason, tying cloth to a tree at the edge of the trail can help you navigate your way back safely.
  • Duct tape is handy for fixing gear or making quick shelters.
  • A pocketknife or multitool can serve many purposes, both in an emergency and in general.
  • A space blanket provides warmth and protection from the elements and can be used to make an emergency shelter.
  • An emergency shelter is good to have on backcountry trips, too. This could be a tent or simply a tarp and rope.

Stay safe my friends.

Ice Fishing derby

NY ice fishers, please know that the Chatham Lions Club ice fishing derby is scheduled for Saturday, February 5 from 6:00am to 2:00pm on Queechy Lake in Canaan, NY.   Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, 4 fish categories, $1,000 in raffle prize equipment and a 50/50 raffle, Entry fee is:  $15 for adults $5 for children 15 and younger.  To preregister send entry fee to Chatham Lions Club, PO Box 216, Chatham, NY 12037.  For more info contact Al Meier at 518-755-0330.

 

MA residents interested in entering this derby, shouldn’t forget to buy their 2022 non-resident NY fishing licenses.

Creel surveys on Lake Champlain to be conducted

Staying in NY ice fishing for a while, the NYDEC announced ice fishing creel surveys will be conducted for a second year on the New York waters of Lake Champlain from January through March 2022.

“Last year’s ice fishing creel surveys provided valuable data that will help DEC continue to manage Lake Champlain as one of New York’s top fishing destinations,” said DEC Commissioner Seggos. “Continuing that work this year will help us better understand what anglers are targeting and catching so we can evaluate and adjust our management practices as needed.”

The ice fishing survey is part of a larger, two-year effort to survey both ice and open water anglers. Data gathered during these surveys will serve as a baseline to help DEC Fisheries biologists better understand angler use and expectations, while also informing management actions on Lake Champlain.

The 2022 ice fishing survey will take place at four access points: Plattsburgh Boat Launch on Cumberland Bay; Willsboro Bay Boat Launch; Bulwagga Bay Campground; and South Bay Boat Launch. Anglers coming off the ice will be asked to participate by sharing information about their day of fishing and providing DEC creel clerks data such as target species, number caught, and size.

Such information will help DEC develop Lake Champlain management practices that benefit anglers and the fishery. As an incentive to participate, anglers will be entered into a drawing for several ice fishing gear prizes, including a jet sled, jigging rod, rechargeable aerator, and an insulated bait bucket.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet

 

The Bay State Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will be holding a banquet on February 12 at 5:00 pm at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club, 24 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge.  There are a dozen entrance fee scenarios, but a single ticket costs $90, or a couple ticket costs $140.00.  There will be great food and chances to win top notch firearms, premium trips, and exclusive gear. Seats and tickets are limited and you can reserve your tickets by registering online (www.rmef.org/Masssachusetts) or by calling Gary Johnston at (413)441-0361.  You might want to check on Friday to make sure it has not been cancelled due to covid.

 

Annual Pheasant Fundraising/Turkey Shoot and Dinner


The Lee Sportsmen’s Association (LSA) is tentatively holding its Annual Pheasant Fundraising Turkey Shoot and Dinner on Sunday, February 6.  The turkey shoot will run from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Prizes include NY strip steaks, turkeys, pork loins, and spiral hams.  Dinner is from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  The cost for adults is $15.00 and for children 12 and under $7.00.

Every year, MassWildlife stocks an average of 40,000 pheasants on Wildlife Management Areas and other lands open to the public.  LSA helps raise and release them.  They are stocked for recreational hunting and are paid for by revenues from license fees; however, the cost of raising them is the responsibility of LSA, and the caretakers are all club volunteers.

 

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Conservationists unite to help MassWildlife

Recently a letter was sent to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture by Linda Orel, Policy Director of the Trustees of Reservations.  The letter speaks for itself:

“Our organizations respectfully offer testimony in support of S.546, An Act to Reimburse the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund, sponsored by Senator Anne Gobi. We are united by a commitment to conserve and restore the Commonwealth’s most critical natural resources, and we regularly work closely with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) to protect and restore rare, threatened, and endangered species across Massachusetts.

MassWildlife is primarily funded through the sale of hunting, freshwater fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, and stamps, as well as dedicated federal funds from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program. A small remainder of MassWildlife’s annual budget comes from bond-funded initiatives, donations, and funds from the state’s annual operating budget. Unlike other state agencies, MassWildlife receives only a small percentage of its operational budget from general funds. All funds from freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses and dedicated federal funds go directly into the Inland Fish and Game Fund (hereafter, the Fund), which can only be used for administering programs by MassWildlife.

Despite a variety of funding sources that support MassWildlife’s work, the agency is chronically underfunded. Wildlife and habitat have always faced threats from development, fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species, and now climate change is heavily impacting ecosystems and natural areas, making MassWildlife’s work more important than ever.

Currently, the state reimburses the Fund for the loss in revenue from discounted hunting and fishing licenses offered to residents ages 65-69.2 However, the state does not reimburse the loss of revenue associated with free licenses offered to residents over age 70, which was approximately $1 million per year prior to the fee increase approved in 2021. Between 2022 and 2026, license fees will essentially double, meaning that by 2026, MassWildlife could be losing nearly $2 million in annual revenue if the status quo is to continue.

S.546 would annually reimburse the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund for all loss of revenue for any fishing or hunting license provided at a discount and for any license provided free of charge. This language would create consistency and require the state to reimburse MassWildlife for loss in revenue resulting from issuing free and reduced licenses – helping to restore taxpayer-supported funds to conserve and manage critical fish and wildlife habitat and plant species. Reimbursing these funds, as well as a more generous allocation from the General Fund, is part of the broader need to diversify funding for MassWildlife programs, which has been identified through MassWildlife’s assessment of fee increases.

We are grateful to the Legislature for adopting Senator Gobi’s amendment to the FY22 Operating Budget to reimburse the Fund for lost revenue attributed to the issuance of discounted or free hunting and fishing licenses. However, this language is included in a line item (2300-0100), rather than amending Section 11 of Chapter 131 of the Massachusetts General Laws, which governs the licenses and fees associated with the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund. We respectfully request that the Legislature make permanent the forward-thinking reimbursement they included in the FY22 budget by passing S.546, and therefore, updating Chapter 131.

The work of MassWildlife benefits all citizens of Massachusetts. MassWildlife’s Wildlife Management Areas and Wildlife Conservation Easements provide places for recreation and meditation; healthy ecosystems that ensure we have clean air and water and that sequester and store carbon; well-managed habitats that support our most imperiled species; and educational programs that inspire residents of all ages. The challenges of climate change and habitat degradation have made the work of MassWildlife critically urgent.”

The following were signers of that letter:  Trustees of Reservations, The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Appalachian Mountain Club, Mass Association of Conservation Commissions, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Mass Conservation Alliance, Mass Audubon, Worcester County League of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Mass Land Trust Coalition, Mass Rivers Alliance and Massachusetts Council of Trout Unlimited.

Incidentally, the late George “Gige” Darey, Lenox resident and long-time Chairman of the MA Fish & Wildlife Board, spent many years working on forming a coalition of organizations such as those above.   He knew that each one had its own set of priorities and many times they conflicted.  But there were some things upon which they all agreed, such as open space and endangered species preservation.  In those cases, it made perfect sense to join forces and establish a coalition.  He called it his “Guns and Roses Coalition”.  I’d bet he would be tickled pink to see all the signers of this letter.

Junior Duck Stamp art contest

There is still time to enter the Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) contest. Students from kindergarten through grade 12 can submit original artwork to participate in this fun and educational competition. The entry deadline is February 15, 2022. The process of creating these works of art allows students to appreciate the importance of preserving wetland habitats and the delights and diversity of wildlife. Even if students do not enter the competition, science and art teachers will value the JDS curriculum as a useful resource, advises MassWildlife’s Wildlife Education Coordinator, Pam Landry.

The JDS program links the study of wetlands and waterfowl conservation with the creation of original artwork. Students learn about the habitat requirements of various kinds of ducks and geese and then express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of these species artistically, by creating a drawing or painting which can be submitted to the JDS art contest. The art is judged in four age group categories in a statewide competition; the entry judged Best of Show moves on to represent Massachusetts in the national JDS competition. Art teachers, science teachers, and parents who home-school can visit the MassWildlife website for an information packet and entry information.

For more information contact Pam Landry at pam.landry@mass.gov.

If there are any local winners, I will gladly include their duck stamp pictures in this column.

 

Upcoming Ice fishing derbies

 

The Coles Memorial Hard Water Fishing Derby is scheduled to take place on Goose Pond on Sunday, January 30 from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Tickets are available on the ice near the boat ramp or in the office at Dresser Hull during normal business hours and must be purchased by 10:00 am in order to fish. Tickets cost $10.00 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.  There will be cash prizes for adults.  All proceeds will go towards a memorial donation to the boat ramp in Evan Colbert’s name.  Prizes and raffles will be held near the boat ramp at 2:00pm.

Event updates and more information can be found on Facebook at the Cole’s Memorial Hard Water Fishing Derby page.

 

The  Lanesborough Fire Department will be sponsoring an ice fishing derby on Pontoosuc Lake on January 29 from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.  It will be held behind the park on Narragansett Avenue.  The cost is $15 entry fee for adults, kids 12 and under free.  Entry fee includes a chance at the door prize (Weber Grill), trophies for kids, refreshments and a raffle ticket drawing after the derby.

It might be wise to check on Friday to see if these derbies are still on.

 

Flyfishing Show Cancelled

Hopefully, fly fishing enthusiasts got the word of the cancellation and rescheduling of the Flyfishing Show in Marlborough, MA.   Originally scheduled for this weekend, it has been rescheduled to April 22 -24. Unfortunately, the announcement of the rescheduling came out too late for me to include it in last week’s column.

Donated lands

Recently, I have been receiving a number of requests to comment on a proposed bike track complex in a local municipal park.   I decline to do so because I don’t believe it belongs in this column.  That matter should be addressed and, if necessary, voted upon by an informed citizenry.

Generally speaking, my feeling is this: Unless there is a dire emergency or a public safety issue, I believe that when parcels of lands are donated and accepted with management stipulations, those stipulations should be adhered to.   To do otherwise, (regardless of the passage of time), means the agreement has been reneged upon and could be considered a double cross to the donors and their surviving families.

Sick of being housebound?  Check out these upcoming events.

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Many outdoor sports folks want to resume attending banquets, shows, derbies, etc., in spite of the Covid-19 variants that are still around. Sportsmen’s clubs especially want to get their banquets, dinners and derbies going again as they rely heavily on the income derived from them to run their programs, pay their real estate taxes, send kids to camp, etc. Yes, people still like to attend Zoom meetings such as the one listed below, but they prefer to actually get out of the house and attend some of them with their friends.  Event organizers are more than happy to accommodate them.  Today and in future columns, I will be listing upcoming events.  Grab your mask and attend some.

Wildlife tracking presentation

On Tuesday, January 18 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Richard Greene will speak at the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) Pittsfield Green Drinks meeting via Zoom. He will talk about his experience with wildlife tracking and the many places this passion has taken him.

Greene has studied track and sign, as well as wildlife biology, with Keeping Track, Cybertracker, and Mass Audubon’s Field Naturalist Program. These interests have taken him throughout New England, Canada, and South Africa. Although he spends most of his time nowadays at his home in southern Berkshire County, he has also presented many talks on the use of trail cameras in wildlife study.

As part of the discussion, he will present a slide show and narrative from his collection of wintertime track and sign photos. And perhaps even give us some tips and techniques on how to notice and identify wildlife tracks and signs.

Click onto the BEAT website to register to join this event.

Incidentally, Pittsfield Green Drinks is an informal gathering on the third Tuesday of the month. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. The drinks aren’t green but the conversations are.

Green Drinks is an international forum where people who work in the environmental field meet for a drink and snacks at informal sessions. There will be a lively mix of people from non-profit organizations, academia, government, business, and the general public. Green Drinks is a great way of catching up with people you know and for making new contacts. These networking events are very simple and unstructured.   Due to COVID-19, they are virtual until further notice.  Registration is required to join this event. 

Marlborough Fly Fishing Show is back

 

The 2022 FlyFishing Show® will take place from Friday April 22 through Sunday April 24 at the Royal Plaza Trade Center,181 Boston Post Road, West Marlborough, MA.   The hours are:  Friday –  10am-6pm, Saturday – 9am-5:30pm and Sunday  9am-4:30pm.

More than 10 demonstrations or audio/visual presentations each hour together with wall-to-wall displays of the newest fly rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, clothing and flies during the three-day mid-winter run.

In addition to tackle, lodges and exotic destinations, show visitors can view continuous fly-tying demonstrations, how-to-do-it seminars and presentations ranging from fly fishing for trout in Yellowstone National Park to Surf Fishing for Striped Bass on Martha’s Vineyard.

Seminars include Introduction to Spey fishing by Tim Flagler, salt water fishing by Jeff Currier, Nymph Fishing Secret Weapons by Jason Randall, Catching Difficult Trout by Ed Engle and much, much more.

Casting demonstrations are scheduled by Gary Borger, Alan Caolo, Sheila Hassan and others.

Featured fly tiers include Borger, Caolo, Flagler, Engle, Joe Cordiero, Bob Clouser and others.

The world premier of the 2022 Fly Fishing Film Festival is Friday at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.  Cash-only at the Box Office, ATM available.

The FlyFishing Show® admission is $15 for one day, $25 for two days and $35 for three days.  Children under age 5 are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under 16 in uniform.  Children under 12 are $5.  Active military with an ID are $10.

For a complete list of fly-fishing films, classes, seminars, door prizes, demonstrations and more, visit www.flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/ or phone (814) 443-3638.

Whitetails Unlimited Banquet

The Knox Trail Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited (WTU) will be holding a banquet on Saturday, January 29 at the Knox Trail Inn, Rte.  23, in East Otis, MA.  Tickets cost $50 for a single and $30 for a spouse, with the ticket order deadline being on January 20.  There will be games and raffles.  The social hour begins at 12:00 pm and the dinner at 1:30 pm.  Wow! There’s going to be some terrific prizes, too many to mention here.  Its best to check them out online at whitetailsunlimited.com.  Contact Bill Bailey at 413-244-2304 for tickets.  First come first served.  Tickets will not be sold at the door.

WTU’s purpose is to raise funds in support of educational programs, wildlife habitat enhancement and acquisition, and the preservation of shooting sports and hunting tradition for future generations.  To date, over $109.9 million has been expended on program services that enhance and foster its mission.

I can tell you from personal knowledge, that the Knox Trail Chapter has provided lots of enjoyable, memorable days for many Berkshire County kids over the years.  All the funds they raise don’t go somewhere else.

Incidentally, depending on ice conditions, Knox Trail WTU has scheduled an ice fishing derby on February 5 at Laurel Lake.  For more information such as start and weigh in times, entry cost, etc., contact Bill at the above phone number.

Fishing and Hunting Swap Meet

The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club (CR&G) will be holding its second annual Fishing and Hunting Swap Meet on Saturday, February 5 at its clubhouse at 310 Curran Road, Cheshire.  The hours are from 8:00am to 1:00pm.  Open to the public, the admission cost is $3.00 for adults and kids 12 and under free.

It is an opportunity to buy, sell or trade new and used fishing and hunting gear.  No guns, ammunition, household items; unsold items must be removed.

I mention this event somewhat early as time is required to buy table space. Table space is still available at $30, which includes admission for one.  To reserve a table, contact Jeff Kruszyna at (413)743-4168.

Staying with the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, they and the Adams Outdoor For Youth organization have scheduled an ice fishing derby on Sunday, February 20 on the 1st and 2nd Hoosac Lakes in Cheshire, MA. It will run from sunrise until 4:00 pm with weigh-in at the Farnams Causeway.  The ticket holder with the heaviest fish wins an Eskimo Quickfish 3 Ice Shelter and an 8-inch K-Drill Auger.

Prizes and refreshments will be at 5:00 pm at the Cheshire R&G Club House.  Kids 14 and under free with adult ticket holder ($10 donation).  If cancelled it will only be because of lack of ice.

Important notice for deer hunters:

 

Recently, MassWildlife issued the following notice.  If you were fortunate enough to get a deer on December 30 or 31, it may apply to you: “MassWildlife is aware of a technical issue that prevented hunters from reporting deer online at the end of the 2021 primitive firearms season. If you harvested a deer on 12/30 or 12/31 and were unable to report online using the MassFishHunt system, we still need to collect your harvest report. Gathering this information is important for managing deer populations throughout the state”.

 

To submit this information, you can either:  Try to use the MassFishHunt form online to enter your harvest report (or) call (508) 389-6300 during regular business hours (M–F, 9am–4pm) and one of its staff members will take your information over the phone. If you get a voicemail, please leave your full name, customer ID, and a phone number for them to call you back.

 

If you already reported your harvest in person at a check station or contacted them about this issue, no further action is needed.

 

MassWildlife apologizes for the inconvenience and appreciates your cooperation. They hope you all had a safe, successful hunting season.

 

Hey!  If any of you ever lived through a “conversion” at work, then you know what MassWildlife is going through right now.  Be patient my friends, they’ll work it out.

 

Several important announcements issued from MassWildlife

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Well, I’m back home in the Berkshires after a wonderful fly-fishing trip to the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) in Montana/Wyoming and in Idaho.  That was followed by a delightful vacation at YNP with my wife Jan.  I’ll write about those trips eventually, but while I was away several news releases were issued by MassWildlife which were of some significance:

 

Fall trout stocking

 

MassWildlife will stock over 65,000 trout statewide this fall.   Here’s the breakdown:  Nearly 28,000 rainbow trout will be 14+ inches long, over 33,000 rainbow trout will be 12+ inches and about 4,000 brown trout will be 9+ inches long.  The Western District will probably receive about 20% of them.  MassWildlife feels that these fish, coupled with the 500,000 stocked this past spring, should provide some great fall fishing.

The tentative start date is the last week in September. Many local fly fishers wonder if they will stock the East Branch of the Westfield River this fall.  Andrew Madden, DFW Western District Supervisor noted that fall stocking in the Westfield River is determined by water volume in most years. Water levels look good at this point so stocking is likely unless weather patterns change dramatically. So, we should have good fly-fishing conditions in that river as well as the Deerfield River.

Anglers can get daily stocking updates from the MassWildlife web site.

New pheasant regulations proposed

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will hold a public hearing on September 28 at 9:30 am about quail and pheasant hunting regulation changes. The public hearing will be held via a Zoom webinar, and will occur after the Fisheries and Wildlife Board’s monthly meeting.

The proposed regulations include the establishment of a permit for hunting quail and pheasants, elimination of the seasonal bag limit on these birds, removal of the roosters-only restrictions, and the elimination of the hunter registration process for pheasant hunting at Martin Burns Wildlife Management Area in Newbury, MA. Madden noted that the regulatory proposal only establishes the permit. The prices for all licenses and permits are established through a different process (the one we just went through with the license increases). In the case of the pheasant/quail permit it will cost $4.00 in 2022, $8.00 in 2023, $12.00 in 2024, $16.00 in 2025, and $20.00 in 2026.

 

The meeting can be accessed through the DFW website (https://www.mass.gov/service-details/fisheries-and-wildlife-board-public-hearings-on-proposed-regulatory-amendments). Due to filing requirements, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board must vote on the proposed amendments at the closing of the hearing. In turn, there will be no comment period after the hearing. To send in comments before the hearing, email the Assistant to the Director, Susan Sacco, at susan.sacco@mass.gov or by writing to 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

Surplus Antlerless Deer Permits

According to MassWildlife there are surplus antlerless deer permits available for sale in the eastern part of our state.  For example, in Zone 9 there are 1,410 surplus permits, in Zone 10 there are 9,092, in Zone 11 there are 7,770, in Zone 13 some 2,526 are available and in Zone 14 there are 2,619.  So, if you weren’t awarded a permit in one of our local zones, you might want to think about hunting there. In addition to putting some delicious venison on your table, you would be helping to get that deer population out there lowered to desired population levels.  The sale of surplus antlerless deer permits by Wildlife Management Zone will be staggered over the following days in September:   Zone 11: Tuesday, September 28 at 9 a.m.,   Zone 10: Wednesday, September 29 at 9 a.m. and Zones 9, 13, and 14: Thursday, September 30 at 9 a.m.  Surplus permits are $5 each and are first come, first served until sold out. You may purchase one Zone 11, one Zone 10, and one Zone 9 permit per day; up to four permits per day may be purchased for Zones 13 and 14.

 

Surplus permits may be purchased online using MassFishHunt or in person at authorized license vendor locations. To purchase a surplus antlerless deer permit online, Log into MassFishHunt  with your last name and date of birth and then follow the instructions.

Thanks to Massachusetts firefighters

A hearty thank-you and congratulations to the crew of 20 Massachusetts firefighters who assisted with wildfires in the Northern Rockies region.  They are now safely back home.

The group, headed west on August 14 and returned to the Hopkinton State Forest Headquarters on September 4 after being on the ground for two weeks in western Montana and northern Idaho (about the time my fishing buddies and I were out there.) The Massachusetts crew was made up of 14 Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) firefighters, three Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (DFW) firefighters and three municipal firefighters.

The firefighters, who were part of a “Type 2 initial attack hand crew,” engaged in direct fire suppression by working on the perimeter of three large uncontained fires. The team coordinated with heavy equipment and helicopter bucket drops to contain the flames and protect structures.

Jim Montgomery, Commissioner of the Massachusetts DCR, was in Hopkinton to greet the firefighters and thank them for their efforts.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. wildfires have scorched nearly 7,900 square miles (20,460 square kilometers) this year in forests, chaparral and grasslands ravaged by drought. The vast majority are on public lands in the West that also serve as popular spots for summer activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, rafting and biking.

An Onota Carp that had a discerning palate

Recently, I received an email from Mrs. Alexandra Barone.  She and her husband Anthony Barone are new to the Berkshires and here is what she wrote:

“My husband, to our surprise, caught an 8lb Common Carp last Sunday at around 4:30 pm.  We thought we would take time after work, starting our new ministry “Rejoice ( a children’s center serving severe mentally and physically challenged, adolescent children)  in Dalton, MA, (to) breathe and absorb the beauty and silence. We have been vacationing here in the Berkshires for some time, and the hectic lifestyle we were experiencing in the past, had to come to an end, as we aren’t getting any younger, lol…

We like to fish, but had no plans of fishing.  It was just a spur of the moment…grab towels, a blanket and of course a fishing pole.  We had no bait; although, I had cooked barbecue ribs on the grill the night before, and that just so happened to be our bait.  So, I suppose Carp enjoy pork, as funny as it seems.

The fish put up such a fierce fight, that my husband said, “I think that I caught the alligator of Onota Lake!”

Fish to us are such a beautiful species, but we love to enjoy its meat and Omega 3s. Being it’s our first big catch of any kind of fish, it had a delicious flavor… a Christmas dinner favorite, dating back to the Medieval times, and enjoyed in the European regions.

My husband learned for the first time how to fillet, (and) as I enjoy cooking, I learned how to prepare this special Common Carp. (It) was “divine tasting,” no fishy flavor, though I prepared it by soaking the fillets in salt water overnight.

What a spectacular catch, Anthony Barone, my Darling.  It was not only relaxing but also an extraordinary and exciting day, we had together at Onota Lake”!

Now isn’t that a sweet story?

Thank you for sharing that story with us Alexandra.  You couldn’t have picked a better place to relax than on the shores of one of the Berkshire’s most beautiful lakes.

Alexandra is right in noting that Carp is a major dish in European countries.  My grand-parents, when they came over here from France, loved to dine on carp, but for some reason, that fish meal never became popular with people here in the US.  They don’t know what they’re missing.

 

Why do people fish?

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Hopefully, while you are reading this column, I’m returning home from a 17-day trip to Montana which included 10 days flyfishing with the boys and 5 days vacationing at Yellowstone National Park with my wife Jan.

Why do you fish so much? You may ask.   Well, that’s a difficult question to answer…. but I don’t lose sleep over it.  Not so with everyone.

The late outdoor columnist John (Jack) Randolph tried to answer that very question.  Here’s what he came up with in his New York Times column written sometime in the 1950’s or 1960’s.  It was titled:

“Survey fails to disclose any sensible reasons for enjoying fishing.

A basic question has been bothering everybody around here lately, mainly because all the answers given are false and insecure.  The question is:  Why do people go fishing? It is too bad the answer is not so obvious as the answer to: why do men become explorers?  Explorers are timid men.  They want to know how they look in beards but do not have the crust to grow them at home.  So, they go to the headwaters of the Orinoco and grow beards.  This is self-evident.

But nobody can give a believable, or even honest, answer about fishing, though everybody seems to have some kind of answer.

For example, some say they fish to get fish.  Obviously false.  There are enough fish-hogs around for any reasonable purpose, of course.  But how about these fellows who never take a fish?

There is a story about one Boston angler who won’t even use hooks.  For a while he tried barbless hooks and would bring a fish to netting distance then give him slack and let him wriggle off.  For a while his esthetic principles were satisfied, but even this became too crude.

Now he will use only dry flies without hooks.  He wants only the strike, and if the fish strikes anywhere except in the place the angler has chosen, he is dissatisfied.  This man lives in Maine and, to make things tougher, will now fish only for bonefish because Florida is far away and bonefish are warier than trout.

Obviously, his next step is to eliminate the lure, and in the end, he is bound to refine himself out of existence, if any. But he certainly is not fishing to get fish.

And there is the character on Long Island, who, after days of futile trying for stripers, got strike after strike on a hookless plug.  When he wanted the bass, he said, the bass didn’t want him; now the bass wanted him and to hell with them.  Does this guy want to fish?

What about the angler who says he just loves the outdoors and refers to nature as She? That can’t be his reason for fishing.  Anybody can mess around in the woods and observe stuff without annoying fish.

And the one who says it is a reflective sport.  Twaddle. The place for that contemplation kick is a leather -upholstered easy chair with pipe, smoking jacket, fireplace and beautiful setter looking up with adoring eyes at “The Master”.  Who can muckle onto any philosophical speculation while breaking his ankle on rough rocks, blistering his hands on oars or scratching black-fly bites?

What about the ones who go for good fellowship?  Can’t be that, he can get that in church organizations, fraternal orders, clubs and chess tournaments.  If that is not his pitch, New York City itself has superb, even unexampled, facilities for playing poker, shooting dice and drinking whisky.  A man doesn’t have to go to the hot, fly-blown woods to get drunk or go broke.

Is fishing good exercise?  Tennis or swimming is better.  Does it get a person out in the fresh air?  So does opening a door.

There are those who say the lure lies in catching the biggest and the most, beating everybody else. With enough practice they can do the same on pinball machines.

Some say they want to pit their skill and cunning against Nature.  Like the man who says he has “conquered” a mountain when he has crawled up the side of it. So, do ants conquer drainpipes?

Anyway, that can’t really be their reason for going fishing. Nature makes things with soft days and willing fish, and he makes them easier with expensive and ingenious tackle.  Anyway, he could go climb a mountain, fish are not nature; they’re just natural, except when they are hatchery pets.

This survey uncovered, or exposed, anglers who say the great attraction is mending rods and tying flies.  Well, very fine tackle manipulators can be seen in any casting contest, but they are not catching fish.  Many of them never go fishing, but the confusing thing is that many of them do.

And many thousands of Americans, including housewives, tie flies but do not fish.  Many of them do fish, but it can’t be because they tie flies, since that would make the fishing only an almost irrelevant by-product.

Well, the survey didn’t get anywhere.  Sometimes it seemed as if the right answer was about to appear, but it didn’t.  Nobody was thinking in a detached, scientific manner; everybody just seemed to want to justify his fishing—as if his wife were listening.

But I am going to think about it tomorrow in a detached, scientific manner.  While fishing.”

Quite a writer, ey?   Randolph wrote his outdoor sports column 6 days a week for the New York Times beginning in 1956.  He took over the column after his predecessor Ray Camp retired after 19 years.   Camp was the first regular outdoors writer for The New York Times, writing the “Wood, Field & Stream” column. He died in 1962 at the age of 54.

Randolph kept the column name.  I don’t know exactly when Randolph quit writing it, but he passed away in 1961 also at an early age of 57.  Any readers who still remember his columns surely have a few white hairs.  I was a lad of 18 years when he passed and reading the New York Times was not one of my daily activities.

I can’t imagine writing a daily column for such a prestigious newspaper as the New York Times.  Just preparing this weekly column for the Berkshire Eagle causes me to become a basket case .….. and that’s with the help of modern computers, Word programs, digital picture files, etc.  I can’t imagine compiling and typing the columns on an Underwood or Royal typewriter like Jack and Ray did.   No wonder they passed at such young ages.

Randolph’s obituary read the following, “Although he had to turn out 6 columns a week, writing while the men he had spent the day in the field with were clinking glasses in front of a fire, he almost inevitably produced a well-organized essay illuminated by a salty and irreverent wit and notable for an absence of woodland cliches.”

How I found out about him is an interesting story.  After my predecessor, the late Ted Giddings passed away in 2005, his widow Anna gave his library of hunting and fishing books to me.  In it was a small booklet that had been written by Randolph entitled, “Have fun with Jack Randolph in “Wood, Field and Stream”, a daily spicing of outdoor (and indoor) wit, wisdom and wile that enlivens the sports pages of the New York Times.

Basically, it is a random sampling of some of his NYT columns.  The undated black and white booklet probably was self-published because there is none of the usual copyright, ISBN numbers, etc.  Also, there are no dates as to when the articles appeared in the NYT. How Ted got a hold of it, I don’t know.  Perhaps because Randolph lived in Western Massachusetts (Colrain), Ted probably personally knew him and was given the booklet by him. (Let’s not forget that Ted was pretty well known himself having written articles for Field Stream and other national magazines.)

So, why do I enjoy fishing?  The following quote by an anonymous author covers it all: “I fish because I love to, not because I regard fishing as so terribly important but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of man are equally unimportant; and not nearly so much fun”.

 

Don’t feed any wild duck, unless its Raymour

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For various valid reasons, we are discouraged by Mass Audubon and MassWildlife from feeding wild ducks and geese.   Here are some reasons given:   

  • Feeding attracts large concentrations of waterfowl to areas that can’t naturally support such numbers. Left on their own, ducks and geese will occupy areas that provide sufficient natural food. As they deplete food in one location, they fly to new feeding areas, often miles away.
  • Artificial feeding encourages unnaturally large flocks to gather in one place where the competition for food can cause unnecessary stress. This may weaken the birds and make them more susceptible to disease.
  • Artificial feeding may allow frail birds to survive, reproduce, and diminish the species as a whole. Mortality is normally high in bird populations—it’s a natural mechanism, important in maintaining populations that the environment can support.
  • Feeding may encourage species of waterfowl not normally found in the area to concentrate. This can lead to an increased incidence of hybridization, which can eventually weaken the gene pool in certain species. This is a rising problem in Mallard and Black Duck populations in Massachusetts.
  • Deposits of fecal matter can affect water quality and compromise human health. Children can also come into contact with droppings left on the surrounding landscape. Also, birds crowded into these areas are often defecating in the same location where they’re feeding.
  • Ducks and geese are well suited to survive New England winters. Their feathers provide air pockets that stabilize body temperature and control heat loss. When birds fluff their feathers, they are merely increasing the air space and insulation. Waterfowl sitting with puffed feathers on a frozen pond are perfectly fine and do not need our help.

Ron Smith, a well-known area outdoor sportsman, knows this. He and his wife Jan live on the shores of Onota Lake in Pittsfield and have close encounters with ducks and geese daily. He made one exception to the “no feeding” rule.

Two summers ago, a male mallard duck (drake) came up on their shore.  Ron noticed something wrong with that duck and thought it had a broken beak and had trouble moving its mouth. There was a mass of something sticking out on the side of his mouth (turned out it was his shriveled-up tongue).  He tried to eat but had difficulty. Not only that, the other ducks picked on him and chased him away. Ron suspected that the damage could have been caused by being hooked in the mouth with a fishing lure and perhaps damaged himself trying to flee. Perhaps a turtle did the damage.

Ron took pity on the poor quacker and tried feeding him dried whole kernel, whole wheat bread and “quack snacks”, but he had trouble sucking food up, he could only scoop things up, one kernel at a time with difficulty.  To Ron’s amazement, the duck let him put food in his mouth, especially when he soaked the bread in water first.  According to Ron, that’s his favorite.  Now, when the duck sees Ron, he runs up to him wanting food, and of course Ron accommodates him.  Since last summer and all through the winter, he has been feeding it this way.

Ron guesses that he is probably 3 years old now.  He and his wife Jan named him “Raymour”.  He can fly, but he spent last winter there on Onota Lake.  He would waddle up from the lake twice a day for Ron to feed him.  He would even come up when the snow was chest deep for him. The Smiths have a fairly long, steep lawn sloping to the lake.  “You should see that duck, in the winter pushing snow with its breast to get up to their house.” said Ron.

Raymour can’t quack but he does make a clicking sound, which Ron has mastered, and the duck responds to him.  (New research suggests that some birds may know who their human friends are, as they are able to recognize people’s faces and differentiate between human voices).  Beside the clicking sound, he has a funny habit of fluffing up and shaking his wings when he sees Ron (like a baby bird would do).

Lately, there has been a female Mallard that must have watched Raymour and now comes running up to Ron to get a handout. But he’s trying to discourage her because he doesn’t want her to lose her fear of humans (and to rely on handouts rather than to find her own food in the wild).

 

“I can justify my feeding the damaged Drake, he would have died without my help.” said Ron.

I say Kudos to Ron.    It just seems that was the right thing to do.

TU Chapter honored the reopening of the Bridge of Flowers with donated stone benches

 

Recently, in an on-site ceremony, Deerfield River Watershed Trout Unlimited (DRWTU) unveiled new stone benches in downtown Shelburne Falls, to help celebrate the re-opening of the Bridge of Flowers, after being closed due to Covid-19, and to highlight the importance of the Deerfield River.

 

DRWTU’s mission is to conserve, protect, and enhance the Deerfield River Watershed and its cold-water fisheries. “This is a great opportunity to let visitors know how important the Deerfield River is to this region and to welcome them to the historic Bridge of Flowers,” said Kevin Parsons, past president of DRWTU who spearheaded the effort.

Visitors to Shelburne Falls will now have a new place to sit and rest after a busy shopping, sightseeing, floating and fishing day, with the benches located appropriately near the Bridge of Flowers, just behind State Street’s West End Pub. The Bridge of Flowers welcomes more than 60,000 visitors per year, according to Bridge of Flowers Committee Chair Annette Szpila.

 

The benches would not be possible without the generosity of Ashfield Stone Company of Shelburne Falls that produced and largely donated them. JS Rae, also of Shelburne Falls, delivered and placed the benches in their current location behind West End Pub, at 16 State Street.

 

Although not located in the Berkshires, events dealing with the Deerfield River are usually carried in this column.  There are lots of people from the Berkshires, especially northern Berkshires, who travel over the mountain to flyfish and float this exceptional river.

 

Want to experience a quiet, peaceful lake?  Get up and out early.

 

There’s something about being on a lake at the crack of dawn on a warm summer morning.  The lake is usually calm as a mirror and there’s no telling what you might encounter on it.

 

I was out trolling for crappie on Ashmere Lake last Sunday using an electric motor to propel my old rowboat.  Around 5:30 am, out of the morning fog appeared the two young ladies (pictured) paddling their canoe., and they appeared to be having a ball.   I asked them what time they started paddling and they said around 5:15 am.  They allowed me to take a picture of them for this column and we exchanged email addresses so that I could send the picture to them and perhaps get their names.  Well, don’t you know, their email address accidentally got deleted from my cell phone. So, ladies, if you contact me at the address below, I will gladly send you the pictures. 

 

Later, around 7:00 am two young fellas trolled past me in a pram.  They had a boom box in their boat and as they were fishing, they were singing along with the music and having a grand old time.   The music wasn’t loud or offensive at all, and it was kind of nice to see.  A little later, some serious bass fishermen arrived and steered their bass boats into the various coves.

 

That morning, I saw two bald eagles, (one adult and one premature,) a blue heron, many ducks and geese and from afar (probably Cleveland Reservoir), I heard that unmistakable call of loons.  I trolled past three separate snapping turtles; with one being quite large.  I had to pull my lure out of the water when I approached them because they wanted to eat it.  Last thing I want is an encounter with one of them.

 

After catching a sufficient number of crappies for a fish fry I headed back to shore.  Ah, it doesn’t get much better than that.

More good memories on the AuSable River

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Recently, six of us fly fishermen headed to Wilmington, NY (near Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain) to fly fish the world-renowned Au Sable River.  Included in our group were Marc Hoechstetter and John (Burnsie) Burns of West Cummington, Paul Knauth of Hinsdale, Henry Sweren of Lanesborough, Fran Marzotto of Pittsfield and me.  Henry had negotiated a package deal with the Hungry Trout Resort in Wilmington which included a two night stay along with two dinners and breakfasts. The Hungry Trout Inn and Restaurant sits on the riverbank and overlooks the Flume section of the river.

The area experienced dry conditions this year, but recent rains had brought the river water level up to near ideal conditions. Shortly after our afternoon arrival and check-in, we donned our fishing gear, grabbed our flyrods and were off fishing.  We wanted to fish until dark, but the restaurant closes at 8:00 pm, and we didn’t want to miss a great dinner there.  (Their lobster bisque and roasted duck are something to die for). So, we decided to fish until 5:00, go back to the lodge and dine and get back to fishing from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. (That worked well for me because I wouldn’t be eating late and then going to bed only to experience serious acid reflux). We fished in pairs, Burnsie and Mark, Fran and Henry and Paul and me. Weather conditions were a little drizzly and cloudy.  Some guys caught fish that first day and some didn’t.

We returned to the lodge around 9:30 pm, got out of our fishing duds, and congregated at Henry’s room to discuss the day’s fishing and talk some Taconic Chapter Trout Unlimited business. We are all serious, dedicated TU members – of the six of us, four are former Taconic Chapter presidents, one current president, Burnsie, and a board member.  Two of us are former MA/RI Council chairmen with one, Henry, the current Chair. That night, we discussed the demographics of our chapter, the aging membership and the lack of replacement by new, younger members. As most readers probably know, it is a problem experienced by most clubs – garden clubs, veterans’ organizations, sportsmen’s clubs, etc.  MassWildlife is trying to tackle this problem, too, with its soon to be released R3 Initiative (Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation) to counteract the shrinking numbers and increased age of Massachusetts hunters and fishermen.

After an hour or so of discussions, we didn’t resolve anything.  Every suggestion for recruiting younger members or increasing their membership participation had already been tried before.  So, we all returned to our rooms and hit the sack.

The next morning, after a tasty breakfast at the Adirondack Mountain Coffee Café in Upper Jay, NY, we headed for the river. Paul and I went to a spot where we had tried for hours last fall to catch a nice trout.  Readers may recall from my October 4, 2020 column how that fish harassed us by rising and showing itself about every 15 minutes or so all day long.  We never caught the fish.  This time, Paul was determined to catch it and bring this matter to a closure.  During the winter months, he thought about that fish, tied up flies which he believed would work and perfected his Czech-style nymph fishing.  On this trip, he was a man with a mission, to catch that trout.  He snuck up to the hole with gritted teeth and squinted eyes (like a combat veteran with a 1,000-yard stare).  Paul knew exactly where that fish should be and he was determined to catch it.

Not wanting to get in the middle of this, I fished a run a short distance away.  After a half hour or so, I saw Paul kneeling by the riverbank, with camera in hand. A little while later, when we rendezvoused, he told me that after an epic battle, he caught and released a big fish which he believed was the one that harassed us last fall.  He showed me a picture of a big, beautiful brown trout which measured about 18 inches long.  He caught it on a size 16 Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph (a tiny fly about ¼ inch long).

The area where we fished was beautiful and the warm, sunny, late spring day just added to our pleasure.  It was exactly the kind of day and place I had pictured so many times while working in an office before I retired.  We sat on a bank, under a tree and took it all in.  At one point while sitting there having lunch some kind of object went flying over us.  We could see its shadow as it passed by.  Incoming!  was my first thought.  It turned out to be a hen turkey which flew over us and landed nearby on the other side of the river.  Once she saw us, she scurried away.  While eating lunch, we commented how our wives would be proud of us for eating such healthy food, like the raw vegetables and dip that we were munching on. Ok, so perhaps there was some cooked Kielbasa there, and maybe some chunks of cheddar cheese, too.

Fly fishing is a sport steeped in tradition and part of the thrill is fishing with old equipment.  In my case, one day I fished with an Orvis Pace Changer bamboo rod that was made in 1968 and an old Orvis Battenkill reel (probably made years ago in England by Hardy).  I don’t know how many people fished with that rod before me, but I was determined to catch one more fish with it, which I did.  Paul fished with an Orvis Battenkill bamboo rod made in 1974 by Wes Jordan and a Battenkill Click Pawl reel.  However; he caught the big fish on a graphite Winston rod.  Henry fished with a Thomas & Thomas Special Trouter which was made in 1978, and two reels, one a 3-inch Hardy St. George and the other a 3 1/8 Hardy Spitfire Perfect, both made in the 1940’s.  He caught quite a few trout with them.

The AuSable River is very slick and the use of wading staffs is recommended.  The river has changed somewhat due to the pounding it took from Hurricane Irene back in 2011. Some of the good holes and runs are not there anymore and it experienced some serious silting in places as a result. But it still is a very good river in spite of it all.  The surrounding scenery including Whiteface and the surrounding mountains is simply captivating.   I have fished this river for over 40 years now, and going there is like a pilgrimage to me.  How well Marc and I remember stopping in to see and buy a few flies from the late Francis Betters, renowned fly tier and author who lived on the banks of the river.  He developed several famous trout flies including the AuSable Wulff, AuSable Caddis, the Usual, the Haystack, and others.   On this trip, Fran caught trout on the AuSable Wulff, perhaps Better’s most famous fly.

How well I remember the good times we Berkshire anglers had up there.  Some of those anglers have since passed beyond the riverbank over the years, but they are not forgotten.

We dined at 5:00 pm again the second day and went fishing until dark. After returning from fishing, we once again, piled into Henry’s room to discuss the day’s events, carve into my wife Jan’s upside-down cake and have a nightcap.  It was kind of comical, as we all stood up to leave, the room was filled with the sounds of clicking joints and of “oohs” and “ows” caused by achy backs, shoulders and legs.  Hey, none of us are getting any younger, you know.

We decided to get up earlier the next day, check out, fish until 10:30 am, grab breakfast and head home. The successful flies on this trip were golden stoneflies, caddis emergers, yellow sallies, pheasant tail nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, and AuSable Wulffs, to name a few.  (All familiar names to fly fishermen).

It was nice that during the entire trip no politics, insurrections or pandemic whatsoever were discussed.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable trip, good weather, good fishing (everyone caught fish), good food, good comradery and now, good memories.