Category Archives: Fishing

I’m coming back from another fishing trip

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By the time you read this column, I should be arriving home from a fly fishing trip to Labrador, Canada.  I thought I was all done with these trips as the body is getting a little older and those big Canadian river currents seem to be pushing a little harder.  But fishing buddy Attorney Mike Shepard, of Dalton, twisted my arm with an enticement of a greatly reduced cost to stay in a famous lodge on the Minipi River.

 

I’m getting a little skeptical about these fishing trips.  It seems that something drastic always happens on them.  Frequently they don’t turn out to be ho-hum trips filled with memories of beautiful weather and lots of cooperating fish.

 

In fact my first fishing trip to Canada was to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.  My wife Jan and I decided to spend our honeymoon camping along the Cheticamp River and flyfishing for Atlantic salmon there and on the famous Margaree River.  Well it turned out there was a drought and the waters were too low on the Cheticamp and the river was closed to fishing.  Don’t you know, no sooner had we set up our small tent than the rains starting coming in off the North Atlantic.  It was endless and after 3 days everything in our tent was soaked.  Jan got very cold and I began to fear that I would become a widower only 5 days into our marriage.  We rented a warm motel room and spent the rest of our trip sightseeing.

 

Then there was the trip to Quebec fishing a large river.  After our float plane landed at our destination camp, we got out of the de Havilland plane by stepping out onto the pontoon and jumping as far as we could toward shore.  I made a wonderful jump but the only problem was that my face collided with the tail of the plane, resulting in a couple of chipped teeth and a swollen nose for several days.

 

Then there was that time when four of us flew into a camp on the Eagle River in Labrador.  After the plane landed and as we were floating down the river, we had to step out of the plane onto the pontoon and then leap into a 16 foot boat.  That boat had a 14 horsepower outboard motor and the guide navigated up the strong current as far as we could until we met another 16 foot guide boat with a 30 hp motor to take us up even stronger currents.  We had to get out of our boat and climb into that boat all the while drifting down the river.  The 30 hp boat just barely made it up through the strong rapids until we got to our camp.  There was only one water logged life preserver on the floor of that boat.

 

I must admit we did catch 14 salmon grilse in the 5 lb category the first 3 days.  But then the rains began further inland and within a day or two, the river rose 8 feet where we were.  An island that had a picnic table chained to a tree was completely under water.  For the next 3 days, until we left, we couldn‘t fish.

 

Then there was that fishing trip to Alberta in late August one year.  A heavy snow storm came in and crippled the area, knocking out power in all the towns.  It was nearly impossible to fish.  Gas stations, grocery stores, package stores, etc. were all closed due to lack of power.  The B&B where we stayed also lost power.  One good thing about it was that the food in their freezer began to thaw and they had to serve up their elk steaks, roasts, etc..  Although we couldn’t fish, we certainly ate well.

 

On another trip to Alberta, Mike and I got caught in a cattle drive.  There we were driving down the dusty road in our small rental car, completely surrounded by hundreds of steer galloping along beside us accompanied by cowboys and cowgirls.

 

Another scary time in Alberta was when a big grizzly bear took a liking to Mike and followed him down the river until they came upon me. Some friend, eh?

 

Then there were the two years fishing the famous rivers near Missoula, Montana where there were bad forest fires, some of them just across the river from us.   Helicopters were filling their big buckets with water from the holes that we were trying to fish in Rock Creek.

 

Hoping to have a fairly tame fishing trip, Mike and I decided to fish the AuSable River in the Adirondacks near Lake Placid.  Unfortunately, two teenagers drowned just before we got there.  They recovered one and they were still searching for the second with helicopters and kayaks.  We felt terrible for the distraught mother who was staying at our motel awaiting recovery of her son’s body.

 

Then there was that last trip to northern Quebec where we had a drunken French Canadian guide who had just been released from prison and who carried a knife on his hip.   That’s when a black bear tried to break into our cabin at night.  That was also the trip when Mike Miller, from Athol, and his son Darren were stranded on waters in the middle of nowhere.  The plane that brought them there took out some of the fishermen but the weather was so bad it couldn’t return to get them until the next day, after the storm abated.

 

I must be a glutton for punishment, for off to Canada I went again.  Hopefully we caught lots of big brook trout and the weather was gorgeous.    I’ll let you know how we did…. if I survived the trip.

 

Where is your fishing nook?

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Many years ago poet Edgar Albert Guest wrote a poem entitled Fishing Nooks.  It goes as follows:

 

‘Men will grow weary,’ said the Lord, ‘Of working for their bed and board. They’ll weary of the money chase And want to find a resting place Where hum of wheel is never heard And no one speaks an angry word, And selfishness and greed and pride And petty motives don’t abide. They’ll need a place where they can go To wash their souls as white as snow. They will be better men and true If they can play a day or two.’ The Lord then made the brooks to flow And fashioned rivers here below, And many lakes; for water seems Best suited for a mortal’s dreams. He placed about them willow trees To catch the murmur of the breeze, And sent the birds that sing the best Among the foliage to nest. He filled each pond and stream and lake With fish for man to come and take; Then stretched a velvet carpet deep On which a weary soul could sleep. It seemed to me the Good Lord knew That man would want something to do When worn and wearied with the stress Of battling hard for world success. When sick at heart of all the strife And pettiness of daily life, He knew he’d need, from time to time, To cleanse himself of city grime, And he would want some place to be Where hate and greed he’d never see. And so on lakes and streams and brooks The Good Lord fashioned fishing nooks.

 

So where are these fishing nooks?  And how far must you travel to find one?   Are they hidden in undisturbed cool glens tucked away somewhere in the forests, away from all sounds other than that of chirping birds and the rippling of a stream?

 

Or are they any places where your heart is at ease and where you can “play a day or two” as Guest suggests.  Perhaps it’s a lake in the middle of a city.

 

That’s where Thomas Evangelisto, of Pittsfield, found his nook on May 12 while fishing Silver Lake in the heart of Pittsfield with his nephew Chris Obrien.

 

They were trying to catch carp but Chris immediately caught a 2.5 lb bass on just a piece of night crawler.  A little while later, Tom thought he had hooked a common carp but it wasn’t putting up much of a fight. He knew it was something big. When he landed the fish they both were stunned to realize this was no common carp at all, but a goldfish!  (Actually, a goldfish is a kind of carp.)  Tom said that they both looked at each other and started to laugh.  They estimated the goldfish weighed approximately 4.5 pounds and was amazingly thick. They couldn’t believe that there were goldfish in there, but the fact that Tom caught one was even more surprising to them.

 

They continued fishing after that and Tom caught another large goldfish on a piece of worm.  They also caught several more bass of good size, as well as perch, rock bass, crappie and sunfish.

 

They released all of the fish for they undoubtedly have traces of PCB’s in them and shouldn’t be eaten.  (Probably they should be disposed of in a toxic waste dump.)  Although there was a clean-up of the lake a couple of years ago, it is believed that PCB’s are still entering the lake from a nearby retention pond.

 

But never-the-less, it still is a neat little nook for city residents to enjoy some catch and release fishing without traveling too far.

 

Crane Land Donation

Wow!  811 acres donated and preserved in perpetuity.  That’s how many acres the Crane Company has donated to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council this past year.  The most recent donation was a 126 acre parcel known as Jericho Woods located between Hinsdale and Dalton.  A couple of miles of the East Branch of the Housatonic River, which provides excellent trout fishing, flows through that parcel.  Dennis Regan, Manager of the Berkshire district of the Housatonic Valley Association, and his group of volunteers recently developed the two mile Old Mill Trail which runs adjacent to the river.   It truly is a treasure to be enjoyed by residents and visitors of the Berkshires.

 

That parcel and the 685 acre Crane donation of a piece of land located in Pittsfield, Dalton and Lanesborough, known as the Boulders, is all open to the public.  What wonderful donations by the Crane Company.

 

Take a youth fishing!

On Tuesday, August 23, from noon to 2:00 PM, MassWildlife is celebrating Youth Outdoors Week at the Burbank Park Fishing Pier on Lake Onota in Pittsfield.  It is hosting a free, family-friendly, learn-to-fish event for anglers with little or no experience.  Bring your fishing equipment, or borrow theirs (equipment and bait will be provided).   MassWildlife staff will be on hand to provide instruction. For more information, contact Jim Lagacy at jim.lagacy@state.ma.us.

 

 

Huge Brown Trout caught by local man out of Lake Ontario

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On the May 21-22 weekend  Eric Kozlowski of Cheshire,  his father, John, and two friends, Kevin Wojtkowski and Kyle Halverson went on a 2 day fishing trip to Lake Ontario.  They had chartered a boat, Trout One Charters, and were sailing out of Mexico Bay, NY.

On the second day of the trip, it was an overcast morning and the lake was “calm, like a pool table”, as John put it.   They were trolling in about 10 feet of water using a stickbait.   At around 6:10 AM, Eric hooked into what everyone thought was a king salmon, because of the fight and all the runs it took. Twenty minutes later, as the fish got closer and could be netted, it turned out to be a monster brown trout. It weighed 22 lbs 4 oz., was 32 inches long with a 25 1/2 inch girth.

It was a trout of a lifetime for Eric. Had he taken that fish during the Spring 2016 LOC Derby, (Lake Ontario Derby) he would have won it hands down, as the largest brown recorded in that prestigious derby weighed 16 lbs 2 oz.   He intends to have the fish mounted.

John charters Trout One every year. On this trip, the group caught 6 brown and 15 lake trout,  with most of them being released.

Up until recently, Trout One Charters was owned and operated by Jim Carpenter, of Adams, MA who chartered on Lake Ontario for many years.

 

Bryan Kopala is an avid outdoorsman who has been fishing on Lake Ontario since he was 12 years old. His love of the lake inspired him to take a position as the first mate on Trout One in 1995 working alongside his mentor and friend Jim Carpenter. In 2000 he became a licensed charter captain through the United States Coast Guard.  He recently bought the business from Carpenter.

Since 1995, Trout One has won several trout/salmon team tournaments including the 2006 and 2011 Oswego County Pro-Am, and the 2007, 2009, and 2013 Little Salmon River Challenge. In addition, Trout One clients have won 1st place in the 2012 Fall LOC Derby salmon division, 3rd place in 2015 Fall LOC Derby salmon division, and 2nd place in the 2007 Fall LOC Derby brown trout division.

 

Congratulations to the Buckshots

The Buckshots, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association youth shooting team, recently brought home medals from the Baystate Games.   Greer Hines placed first and Ben Haddad placed third in their respective Divisions in Double Trap Shooting.  In addition, both also placed third in 16 yard Singles Trap with Hines scoring 83 and Haddad scoring 89. As a result of these wins, they have qualified for the State Games of America to be held in 2017 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Congratulations to them, their teammates Brian DuBois and Alex Kusick and Coach Karl Hines.

 

Paddling the Housatonic River

On Tuesday, July 19, from 3PM to 6PM, the Housatonic Valley Association is leading a 6 mile paddle trip along the Housatonic River through Lee to South Lee. Some paddling experience is preferred as there are sections of quick water and downed trees to negotiate.  Participants can reserve a canoe or register to bring their own canoe/kayak. The cost is $20/ adult (nonmember) or $15/adult (member) or family rate $35 (nonmember families) and $25 (member families.) Preregistration required.  Call HVA at 413-394-9796 or email adixon@hvatoday.org. Program support provided by Housatonic Heritage.

Jack Silvernale

Jack Silvernale, from Millerton, NY is an esteemed member of the Berkshire Beagle Club as well as a highly respected field trial judge known throughout the Northeast.  Jack has judged at least 200 Field trials from Michigan to Maine and as far South as Virginia, and most points in between.  He has acted as Field Trial Chairman at the Berkshire Beagle Club for several years.  His own dogs have won many field championships.

 

Well, recently Jack took a terrible fall at work when scaffolding fell from underneath him at work, 20 feet to the ground.  He was transported to Hartford hospital by LifestarHe was transported to Hartford hospital by LifestarHe was transported to Hartford hospital by LifestarHe was transferred to Hartford Hospital by LifeStar.  In the fall he sustained serious injuries to his ribs, collar bone, neck and back.  He went through surgery on his back and they fused bones in his neck, and put two plates and over 100 pins in his back.  They had Jack up and walking (not very much) but he was happy he was able to just wash his hands.

 

Unfortunately, Jack does not have health insurance and won’t be able to return to work for some time. .  A gofundme (official site for raising funds) has been set up for Jack’s medical bills at https://www.gofundme.com/29kxwxq4.  Any help would be greatly appreciated by Jack and his family.

Veterans helped by Healing Waters

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Last May my wife Jan and I were camping at the Indian Hollow Campground along the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield, MA.  The Massachusetts/Rhode Island Council of Trout Unlimited (TU) rented the camping area for the weekend and delegates from both state’s TU chapters were there to conduct business and do a little fly fishing.

 

Next to our campsite was a sizeable group of men.   I commented to Jan that we wouldn’t get much sleep that night with that many guys there probably partying all night.  I knew the group leader, Bill Manser, from Royalston MA, a TU member, and inquired about the group. He explained the group was made up of veterans and mentors participating in a therapeutic fishing trip as part Project Healing Waters.

 

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.™  (not to be confused with Wounded Warriors) is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.

The Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center (MVOC) in Gardner, MA joined the program and runs its group at its Stallings campus in Winchendon where they meet bi-weekly.  The idea behind Healing Waters is simple – to provide a therapeutic and fun outlet for physically or mentally disabled vets by teaching them the basics of fly fishing, casting, tying, and rod building, and then going out on fishing trips to ideal spots such as the Indian Hollow campground.

Nationwide, Healing Waters raises its own money with a budget of close to $3 million and administrative costs are kept low, in the 15 % range, reserving as much as possible to fund trips and provide gear for the vets who take part.  The entire program is completely free to the Veterans.   In addition to funding from Healing Waters, the MVOC group is sponsored by the non-profits TU and the New England Fly Tyers.

The group is open to any veteran who has a disability, whether physical or mental.  “ 95% of what we have here is post-traumatic stress,” said Manser. With that in mind, MVOC counselor Michael Young is the therapeutic support for the group, joining Manser and the volunteer mentors who bring a variety of outdoor skills to the group, some of them being vets themselves.

Later that day, I saw them out fly fishing in the river, each with his mentor, and each doing a good job of fly casting.

Jan and I had no problem with the vets that night.  There were no drugs or alcohol at their campsite.   During the middle of the night I saw a small campfire still ablaze, but there was no noise.  Some guys were standing around it talking low with their mentors or with one another.

Although they brought their own food, the TU Council invited them to its own picnic so that they could co-mingle.  It was at that time that I had a chance to talk to a few of them.  There were veterans from Viet Nam, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.  One veteran, Mike Bousquet, really got involved with the group and recently received its Participant of the Year award for New England from Deputy Regional Coordinator Richard Diamond.  Nominated for the award by Manser, Bousquet heard about the program while living at Hero Homestead in Leominster, a transitional housing facility for veterans run by the nonprofit Veteran Homestead.  He had been an avid angler throughout his life and recalled that after his first meeting spent tying a fly, he went out with the group that weekend and was successful in catching fish.

“Fishing is a pastime to me, something that I can stay calm with even when I’m not with the group.  I enjoy many, many things about it – the serenity about the environment and where you are.   It’s been a blessing.”

“He started as a participant and has now worked up to be a mentor, so it’s an accomplishment,” said Manser

John Sherwin, an Iraq vet said that Manser has saved his life.  “He helped restore some hope.  Sometimes the right person being there makes all of the difference…….someone who is interested.”    The mentors are dedicated, skilled and passionate in what they do.   According to Manser, some mentors travel great distances to attend the meetings.  Also, there would be no work or volunteers were it not for the generous donations of gear and outfits.

I couldn’t help but feel for the Viet Nam veterans who are still struggling after nearly fifty years.   I believe no one who returns from serving their country in war, comes back the same.  Some come back with physical scars, others with invisible ones.  Some come back in coffins.  Some turn to drugs or alcohol, get into trouble, end up homeless or in prison or take their own lives.  They need help, understanding and compassion to get over the hurdles.

With funding available and the group thriving with the help of volunteer staff, Manser encourages more veterans to join so they can be helped.  Veterans or volunteers interested in participating can reach Manser at (978)895-5261 or bmanser@msn.com.   Its home website is projecthealingwaters.org, and facebook page is project healing waters – Winchendon.  Donations are always happily and gratefully accepted.

So how does fly fishing help?    Perhaps it is as fly fishing author Tom Meade wrote in his 1994 book entitled Essential Fly Fishing, “The rhythm of the rod carries your body, mind and spirit to the water.  Whether you catch a fish or not, the water will always give you a little of its strength, some of its energy and much of its peace.”

 

Mountain trail plans to be discussed

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will be holding a Public Meeting on the Draft Trail Plans for the Pittsfield and October Mountain State Forests on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 from 6:30 to7:30 PM at the DCR West Region Headquarters at 740 South Street, Pittsfield, MA.

 

It will be presenting an overview of the Draft Trail Plan’s contents and recommendations, and inviting public comments. The plan and accompanying maps are available for viewing on the DCR website at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/public-outreach/public-meetings/. It will also be available for review at the DCR West Region Headquarters on South Street and the DCR Planning Office at 136 Damon Road, Northampton, during business hours, beginning on June 30.

 

Public comments on the plan may be submitted to DCR until August 1, 2016, either online at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/public-outreach/submit-public-comments/ or by writing to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Public Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02114.

 

If you frequent these mountains, I recommend that you allow yourself some time to review this plan.  It is 54 pages long, not including the 4 pages of maps.  Take the time to read and digest it. For me, reading about 10 pages a day and writing notes or comments works.    Quite frankly, I am impressed with the work and thought that went into it and it certainly deserves our serious consideration.

 

Youth Outreach Fishing Derby

The Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, with the help from members of the Cheshire Rod  & Gun Club, Adams Outdoor for Youth and others held its Youth Outreach Fishing Derby at Reynolds Pond in Cheshire earlier this month. This year they hosted 25 kids from the “State Street T” group from North Adams.

 

They got to enjoy the fishing experience with local sportsmen helping them bait their hooks, cast lines, catch fish and clean them if they wanted to bring them home to eat. While at the derby, they all had a tasty lunch and later went home with new fishing outfits and great memories.

 

Thanks to Karen Kruszyna of Cheshire for providing the picture of the young lady angler.  It is one of my favorite fishing pictures.

 

Youth Rifle League

The Stockbridge Sportsman’s Club Youth Rifle league will run from July 6 to August 24 on Wednesday nights from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  Registration will be on July 6 in the banquet hall at the club at 5:00 PM.   This will also be the first night of the league. The cost is $40 per child and they will need their own eye and ear protection. Children do not need to be members of the club in order to join the league. Applications can be found on club website at stockbridgesportmansclub.org.

 

State record lake trout follow-up

I received quite a few comments after last week’s article regarding the record lake trout which was caught out of Quabbin Reservoir recently.  Readers may recall that it weighed 25 lbs 7 oz.  Please allow me to address some of them here:

 

Why no picture of the fish?   Well there appears to have been only one picture taken of the fish with the successful angler William Roy of Palmer, MA.  I forwarded it to the Eagle with the write-up, but unfortunately, the quality was not good (grainy) and the Eagle could not use it.  To see a picture of that fish, click onto the MassWildlife page on Facebook and scroll down to around June 8.    If you are willing to wait to see a better picture of it, I think it will be detailed in MassWildlife’s July newsletter.

 

What was the previous Massachusetts record lake trout?  It weighed 24 lbs 0 oz caught out of Wachusett Reservoir by Michael Sienkiewicz in 2004.

 

Did Roy really catch the fish in 10 feet of water?  No, I worded that wrong.  Roy was trolling the lure at a depth of 10 feet below the surface.  Quabbin Reservoir averages over 50 feet in depth and I’m sure he was trolling in deeper water.  If he was trolling his lure in 10 feet of water, he would have been hooking up on the bottom all day long.

 

How old was that fish?  That’s difficult to say.  It depends on the lake that they live in.  In some lakes like the Great Lakes they grow faster because of the abundance of food fish.  Lake trout on bigger lakes have been reported to reach nearly 70 years of age, although 10-20 is more typical for fish that reach maturity.  Only on larger lakes do lake trout even break the 50-pound barrier and grow bigger than 3.5 feet.  The biggest recorded lake trout weighed 102 pounds and was caught in a gill net on Lake Athabasca, Saskatchewan.

 

Scientists usually gauge the age of fish by the rings on their scales. But since lake trout have small scales, they may have been underestimating their ages for many years. Today experts use the otoliths (inner ear bones) and sections of their fin rays to age lake trout.

 

Thank you for bringing the errors and omissions to my attention.

Bateman derby nets $5,000 for Jimmy Fund

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According to Steve Bateman, organizer of the 23rd annual Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby, over 220 anglers registered for the event on Saturday, June 4 at the Onota Lake pavilion.  Thanks to them and the numerous sponsors, the derby realized its $5000 goal.    This derby has county-wide support with many sponsors digging deep into their pockets, possibly because so many people’s lives are touched by cancer these days. The weather that day couldn’t be nicer nor the food tastier. Here are the derby winners:

Children’s Heaviest Game Fish Category: 1st Place:  Jason Sweetser – rainbow trout – 2 lbs 5 oz, 2nd Place: Rebecca Stimpson – rainbow trout – 2 lbs 2 oz, 3rd Place:  Rose Proper – rainbow trout 2 lbs 2 oz.

Children’s Heaviest Non-Game Fish Category:  1st Place: Brody Baumgartner – white perch – 9 oz, 2nd Place: Marissa Wendling – bullhead – 9 oz, 3rd Place: Brandon Barde – pumpkinseed – 7 oz.

 

Adult Heaviest Game Fish Category:  1st Place: Alex Kent – Largemouth bass – 3 lbs 8 oz, 2nd Place: Steven Fones Sr. – Largemouth bass – 3 lbs 7 oz, 3rd Place Martin Farrell – Rainbow trout 2 lbs 7 oz.

 

Special Heaviest Fish:  Bass – Tim Lambert largemouth bass 3 lbs 9 oz, Perch/Crappie – Shaun Hereforth  – crappie 1 lb 3 oz, Carp – Matt Clark 11 lbs 1 oz common carp, Trout (adult) – Dave Christman – rainbow trout 2 lbs 10 oz, Trout (child) – Dylan Lambert – rainbow trout 2 lbs 6 oz.

The Sportsman Award, won by 13 year old Angel Sayers, was well deserved. According to Steve Bateman, she was out there all day fishing sometimes over her waist in water.

Dylan Lambert was the winner of the award dedicated in memory of Chris Porter,   Alex Kent was the winner of the award dedicated in memory of John and Thelma Drury.   All passed away in the last year or so.  Six kids won bicycles that day.

 

Report Wild Turkey Sightings Sportsmen and women, birders, landowners, and other wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to assist with the annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey. MassWildlife conducts a survey from June through August each year to evaluate turkey brood numbers. “The brood survey serves as a long-term index of reproduction,” explains Dave Scarpitti, Turkey Project Leader. “It helps us determine productivity and allows us to compare long-term reproductive success, while providing some estimation of fall harvest potential.”   Turkey nesting success can vary annually in response to weather conditions, predator populations, and habitat characteristics.

 

New this year, they are asking people to record observations of male turkeys, so be sure to count all jakes and tom turkeys that are seen.  Scarpitti also points out that citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and he encourages all interested people to participate.  A new turkey brood survey form is posted on the agency website. You are encouraged to look carefully when counting turkey broods as the very small poults may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush. Multiple sightings of the same brood can also be noted.

 

The survey period runs from June 1 – August 31. Completed forms should to be mailed to: Brood Survey, DFW Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

 

New Bowhunting/Archery Workshops

Here in the Berkshires, there has been a need for bowhunting instructors for some time.  Well, MassWildlife is introducing two new archery programs: Explore Archery and Explore Bowhunting.   Educators from town recreation centers, school groups, 4-H, scouting groups, and other community groups looking to provide a new learning opportunity might consider implementing one, or both, of these new programs.

Explore Bowhunting is designed to help instructors teach outdoor skills to students age 11 and older. Using 23 versatile lessons and hands-on activities, students gain confidence interacting with the environment and strengthen their appreciation for wildlife and the woods. MassWildlife trains and certifies instructors and offers all Explore Bowhunting equipment for loan free of charge.

Explore Archery is an international style target shooting program that promotes a lifelong interest in the sport of archery to participants of all ages. Again, MassWildlife trains educators and allows them to borrow equipment free of charge. This allows any certified instructor the ability to create an archery program in their area.

Both programs have a mandatory training course and one can attend either training workshop or both. The local workshop will be held at MassWildlife Western District Office, 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton on July 18.   The Explore Bowhunting workshop will start at 8:00 am and run until 1:00 pm.  The Explore Archery course will run from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

For more information about these workshops, check out the MassWildlife Explore Bowhunting and Explore Archery pages.

Encroachment

Are you encroaching on DFW’s Wildlife Management Areas?  If you are, better look out.  They have new tools for spotting encroachment and other illegal activity.  Using aerial photography, GIS surveys and official survey plan anchor points they can see exactly where their boundary lines are.  If you have a shed on their property or are mowing parts of it, etc., they will know and may come knocking at your door.

 

Don’t rely on obtaining ownership through adverse possession.   According to the DFW legal department, there is no adverse possession with state property.

MA Fish & Wildlife Board gets status update on deer

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The Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife Board conducted its May meeting at the Western District Headquarters of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) in Dalton, MA, on May 26.  At that meeting, DFW Deer Biologist David Stainbrook presented his 2015 deer review and made recommendations for the 2016 Deer Permit Allocations.

 

The Statewide 2016 deer harvest was as follows:  Youth hunt – 146, Archery – 4,187, Shotgun – 4,088 and Primitive Firearms – 1,633, totaling 10,054.  The breakdown was as follows:  5,814 adult bucks, 3,439 does and 801 button bucks.  The total number was down from the 2014 harvest by 6% and the 5 year average by 4%.  Stainbrook noted that last year’s deer hunting season was unique in that due to the lack of snow, there was an abundance of food and the deer didn’t have to move as frequently or far to get to the food.  That could explain why fewer deer were seen and taken this last deer season.  Neighboring states also had similar experiences.  (Use that as your excuse for not getting a deer last year.)

 

Because antlerless harvests vary according to the permits issued, DFW monitors the adult bucks for trends as long as changes in hunting hours, success and reporting rate are factored in. In the Western District (zones 1 through 4S) here is the 2015 breakdown of bucks harvested by all methods:  Zone 1 – 218, up 25% from previous year and up 39% from 5 year average, Zone 2 – 417, up 4% from prior year and up 25% from 5 year average; Zone 3 – 338, up 9% from previous year and down 3% from 5 year average; Zone 4N – 343, down 2% from prior year but up 10% from 5 year average; Zone 4S – 174, up 14% from prior year and up 7% from 5 year average.

 

These figures make up part of the formula for determining deer permit allocations.  Another factor is the age structure.  In our district, 50% of the 2015 harvest was made up of deer 2 ½ years and older.  That tells the biologists that there is no unbalanced age structure and consequently no overharvesting taking place.  These figures have been consistent over time.  In Zone 1 – 3, the population is increasing, in Zone 4 -5 it is stable, in Zones 6 and 8 the population is on the lower end of the desired range.

 

Based upon these statistics and other factors, Stainbrook’s recommendation to the Board was to keep the 2016 antlerless allocations unchanged in all zones except for Zone 6 which will be reduced from 450 to 300, Zone 8 from 2,800 to 2,500 and the Quabbin area reduced to 500.  In our area, Zone 1 allocations will be 400, Zone 2 – 175, Zone 3 – 1,100, Zone 4N – 375 and Zone 4S 275.

 

There will be no changes in the youth permits this year but DFW is closely monitoring them.   Last year (the program’s 1st year) some 1,339 youths participated in the one-day special hunt, bagging 146 deer of which 90 were antlerless.  This year, they expect around 2,000 kids participating.  The numbers of antlerless deer harvested by them may very well affect deer densities in some zones.

 

Last year, the Board was concerned about the effects of the historic 2014-2015 snow totals, especially in eastern Massachusetts, and what impact, if any, they had on the deer population.  To help determine that, deer biologists analyzed dead deer from across the state to determine the causes of death.  A good method for determining if death was caused by starvation is the analysis of the fat content in the bone marrow.  The analyses concluded that the fat contents were about normal and there was no evidence of massive starvation.  There were a few instances where it appeared some died of starvation, but that was in areas of high deer densities in eastern Massachusetts, where some towns closed their borders to deer hunting.

 

Another good indicator is an increase in the direct mortality of fawns over the winter.  Biologists did not see any drop in the 1 ½ year old deer harvested in 2015.  There are other indicators of winter mortality, called indirect mortality.  That is where a deer or fawn survived the winter but their antler mass was less than in normal years; ie not enough protein to grow the body and the antlers.  The 2015 harvest did not indicate any unusually low antler mass.   Also, according to Stainbrook, there was no drop in fawn reproduction across the state last spring.

 

As a result of all of the analyses, it was concluded that the historic winter did not seriously impact the Massachusetts deer population.

 

Bow Hunting Course

There will be a MassWildlife Bow Hunter Education Course at the Worthington Rod & Gun Club, 458 Dingle Road Rte. 112, Worthington, MA on Sunday, June 12 from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.  Students must attend the all day class to successfully complete the course.  Call 508-389-7830 to enroll; classes are filled first-come, first-served, and enrollment cannot be processed via email.

 

Spring Trout Stocking

DFW Western District Manager, Andrew Madden has announced that the spring trout stocking has been completed for 2016.  I must say they outdid themselves this year with large, beautiful fish.  If you have been paying attention to the sizes of the winning trout in the fishing derbies, you have to agree, for it was not uncommon to see trout caught which weighed in excess of 2 lbs.  Now, all that has to be done is for you and the youngsters to catch some.  Tight lines!

Jimmy Fund Derby coming up next weekend

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The 24th Annual Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby will take place on Saturday, June 4, at the Frank Controy Pavilion at Onota Lake in Pittsfield from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM. No fishing license is required because it is Free Fishing Weekend for the state of Massachusetts.

 

The derby’s purpose is to raise money for the Jimmy Fund – Dana Farber Cancer Institute For Children.  All of the proceeds will be donated to the Jimmy Fund in memory of Harry A. Bateman a former member of Central Berkshire Bowman and I.U.E. Local 255 who was well known throughout Berkshire County and who became a victim of cancer in 1992.

 

Many trophies and prizes will be given out to the adult and youth winners of the fishing derby.   There is even a special category for those fishing with a bow & arrow. All fish must be weighed in at 12:00 PM and can be caught at Onota Lake from boat or shore. Fishing tackle is given with the trophy prizes and 2 prizes for heaviest trout.  A sportsman award is given out to a child which includes a tackle box with over $100 of tackle.

 

Fee is $10 for adults and $5 for children 14 years old and younger and it includes food and beverages. No alcohol is served at this event. All children receive a free gift and they get a chance at winning a mountain bike. The carp shoot is part of the fishing derby because that was something that Harry enjoyed.   Advanced tickets may be purchased at Avid Sports, Dave’s Sporting Goods, Maces Marine and Onota Boat Livery.

 

Readers may recall that the derby organizer, Stephen Bateman recently received the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s Lifetime Achievement Award for organizing and running this derby.  It has raised over $25,000 for the Jimmy Fund over the years.

 

Family Fun Day

Also next Saturday, from 10 AM to 4 PM, Mass Audubon at Pleasant Valley welcomes all to its Family Fun Day, its annual day of fun and learning for people of all ages.  There will be live animal demonstrations, music, guided nature walks and talks and hands-on crafts activities, displays and more.  The event is free but food will be available for purchase.

 

There will be kids’ crafts and educational exhibits by Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Housatonic Valley Association, Flying Deer, and Northern Berkshire Beekeepers Association.  At 10:30 AM and 12:15 PM there will be a puppet show “The Twig Family in the Oak Tree; at 11:30 AM a family concert by George Wilson; at 1:30 PM “Birds of Prey” Live Raptor Show and at 3:00 PM Tom Tyning’s “Turtles are Terrific!”

 

MassWildlife’s Anniversary Open House

MassWildlife has been conserving fish and wildlife since 1866.  You are invited to join them in celebrating its 150th anniversary at an open house also next Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at its Field Headquarters at 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA.  There you can experience the breadth of agency programs through interactive displays, demonstrations, and guided walks. This event is family oriented and will feature live animals, guided nature walks, interactive fish and wildlife displays, crafts, and hands-on activities like archery, casting, and simulated target shooting.  Governor Baker plans to be there. Visit www.mass.gov/masswildlife150 to see all anniversary events and information.

 

Lots of things going on next Saturday.  Good excuse to get away from the yard work.

 

Fishing Derby Winners

According to Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club spokesman Tim Minkler, 78 anglers participated in its fishing derby which was held on May 22 at Stockbridge Bowl.  It was a nice day to fish with a little bit of everything – sprinkles, clouds, sun and then it warmed up at the end to around 60 degrees.  Here are the results:  Largest Trout – Colin Mackie of Becket, 3 lb, 13oz, 20 inch brown trout;  Largest Bass –   Bob Felix of North Adams,  4 lb, 7oz, 19 inches; Largest Pickerel –  Mike Soncini, of Housatonic, 4 lb, 14oz, 27 inches and Largest Bullhead –  Seth Slemp, 1 lb, 3oz, 14”.  Wow!  What great fish!

 

The Age 12 and Under Winners: Largest Pickerel:  First – 12 year old Chris Jordan, Great. Barrington, 1 lb 15oz, 20 ½ inches; Second – 7 year old Mitchell Keenan, Lee, 1 lb, 16 ¼ inches;   Third – 10 year old Collin Parker, West Stockbridge, 14 oz. 16 inches, Largest Bullhead –  Dylan Trumps, Lee, 15 oz, 12 ½ inches; and Largest Rock Bass –  Collin Parker 6 oz, 8 ½ inches.

 

Trout Stockings

The following waters were stocked with trout last week:  Westfield River in Huntington, Chester, Middlefield and Worthington; Littleville Lake in Huntington, Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida, Goose Pond and Laurel Lake.

 

Memorial Day

Last weekend my wife Jan and I were camping at Indian Hollow along the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield, MA.  The Massachusetts/Rhode Island Council of Trout Unlimited (TU) rented the camping area for the weekend and delegates from all of the  TU chapters were there to conduct business and do a little flyfishing.   Next to our campsite was a group of about 30 men who were part of the Project Healing Waters program.  Some were war veterans who were down on their luck and some were their mentors.

 

I had hoped to write about this group during this Memorial Day weekend, but as you can see, there were a lot of time-sensitive articles which had to get into this week’s column.  I hope to write about the veterans in an upcoming column.  Please remember them and their fallen comrades this weekend.

 

 

 

 

Anglers learn to fly fish through OLLI course

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Ten enthusiastic anglers tried out their newly acquired fly fishing skills at the Wild Acres Pond in Pittsfield on May 10.  They had taken a 6 week course entitled Getting Hooked on Fly Fishing which was taught by Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited board members through the OLLI – Berkshire Community College program.  Teachers included William Travis, Henry Sweren, John Burns, BenWoods and Marc Hoechstetter, some of the best flyfishers in the Berkshires.

 

The course included a video about the joys of fly-fishing.  Other segments included an introduction to the gear and equipment, macro-invertebrates, fly casting, knots, fly selection and two segments fly fishing on water.   The flies were tied by the instructors. LL Bean donated 3 rods, reels and lines and Orvis donated a rod, leaders and tippets.

 

Bob Bott and his wife Nancy were at Wild Acres.  They said that they had always wanted to learn how to fly fish and this was a good way to begin.  You can feel the grace and the movement of the rod, said Nancy.  Leigh Merlini said that she was not a sportswoman but was taking the course because she always wanted to learn how to do it.  She commented on how wonderful the instructors were.  Chris Kersten recently retired and he took the course because he never had the time to learn to fly fish before.  OLLI seemed to be a perfect way to get started.

Bob Derosiers got interested in taking a course when Henry Sweren mentioned that TU folks were teaching flyfishing to youngsters.  Bob wondered if TU would teach it through OLLI.   There was so much interest that they immediately filled the class.    Incidentally, he attended the recent flyfishing film festival at the Wahconah Country Club and won the door prize, a fly rod that Taconic TU President Alan Gray had built.     Bob caught a smallmouth bass with it on this day, the first fish on a flyrod for him in 50 years.

 

Michelle Fitzgerald took the course because her late husband was a fly fisherman and left a lot of equipment.  She had to decide whether to take up fly fishing or sell the equipment.    She had a great time and caught her first fish on a fly rod, a smallmouth bass.  Her husband would have been so proud of her.

 

Mary Ann Hayden signed up for the course because it was something that her sons, who are now grown men, took up and loved.   “I feel like a kid” she said “Its so fun.”   I always loved nature and this is just another way to tune in to it.  “(I love) just watching the water and beautiful surroundings.”   She also loves fishing with a barbless hook and can release the fish unharmed.

 

Mark Gross also had a great time.   He felt that it was better late than never to take up this sport.    He used to fish the Retallic Pond in Richmond with barbless hooks back in the 1970’s but it has since silted in.

 

Lee Abraham had never flyfished before but rather fished with a spinning rod.  He saw the course advertised and felt that this was an opportunity that he shouldn’t let go by.

 

Barbara McShane said that flyfishing was something she always wanted to do.   She considers herself a “miserable fisherman, not good at all” but is enjoying the sport. She is determined to become a proficient flyfisher.

 

All of the participants had nothing but praise for the instructors.  There were no grumpy old men there that sunny day but enthusiastic fellows who were all smiles.  The beaming ladies with their fly rods, vests, sun glasses, and stylish fishing hats looked pretty spiffy.

 

Onota Fishing Club Derby winners

In spite of strong winds and choppy waters at Onota Lake last Sunday, 75 kids and adults signed up for the derby.  That’s according to President Ed Blake.  Board members Paul Carr and Fred Ostrander ran the event assisted by fellow members Chuck Leonard, Wobbey Barnes, Chris Cimini, Ray Wesselman, Andy Zurrin, Fred Valentine, Rick Pierce, Paul White and probably others.

 

Derby winners in the youth category were 5-year old Hunter Proper who caught a 2 lb 4 oz, 17 inch rainbow trout.  It was the largest trout of the day in either the youth or adult category.  Second place went to his cousin 6-year old Anthony Corkins who caught a 2 lb 4 oz, 16 ½ inch rainbow.  Third place went to 12 year old Emma Kostyun with a 1 lb 7 oz, 14 ¾ inch rainbow.

 

Winners in the adult category were Nick Mancivalano with a 2 lb, 16 inch rainbow.  Second place went to Ed Kucka with a 1 lb 12 oz, 15 ½ inch rainbow and Mark Farrell took 3rd with a 1 lb 10 oz 15 ¼ inch rainbow.

 

There was plenty of food there and it was excellent, especially Rose’s chowder.  You never know who you will meet at these fishing derbies.  Matt White, former Boston Red Sox southpaw pitcher was there.  You may remember him on the Red Sox team of 2003.

 

Trout Stockings

The following waters were stocked with trout last week: Westfield River in Chester, Chesterfield, Huntington, Middlefield, and Worthington; Deerfield River in Buckland, Clarksburg and Florida; Green River in Williamstown, Housatonic River in Pittsfield (SW Branch), Greenwater Pond, North Pond, Upper Highland Lake, Littleville Reservoir, Pontoosuc Lake, Goose Pond, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Big Pond, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Richmond Pond, Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor

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