Category Archives: Fishing

Ice fishing season is upon us, let’s be careful

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Well, after a delayed start due to the warm weather, it looks like there may be enough ice to get out onto the lakes and ponds and do some “hardwater” fishing. Make sure there is enough ice before venturing out onto it.  The bulk of the information for this week’s column comes from MassWildlife which has ice strength and safety tips which are listed below.  They stress that the figures in the table below are for clear, blue ice on lakes and ponds and caution us to reduce strength values 15% for clear blue, river ice. “Honeycombed” ice, which occurs in the spring or during major winter thaws as the ice is melting, is the most dangerous ice.  It is best avoided unless the angler is certain there is a safe layer of solid ice beneath the honeycombed surface.”

They caution us to “be aware that many lakes and ponds contain spring holes and other areas of current that may create deceptively dangerous thin spots in areas that are otherwise safe. Always use caution, and don’t venture out onto unfamiliar waters without checking ice thickness frequently.”

Ice Thickness and Strength
Ice Thickness (inches) Permissible Load (on new* clear/blue** ice on lakes or ponds)
2″ or less STAY OFF!
4″ Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5″ Snowmobile or ATV
8″-12″ Car or small pickup truck
12″ – 15″ Medium truck
*New ice is stronger than older ice. **White ice or “snow ice” is only about half as strong as new clear ice. Double the above thickness guidelines when traveling on white ice.

“There are no guarantees. Always consider ice potentially dangerous. Assess ice safety by using an ice chisel to chop a hole in the ice to determine its thickness and condition. Make sure you continue to do this as you go further out on to the ice, because the thickness of the ice will not be uniform all over the pond or lake. Be aware that ice tends to be thinner on lakes and ponds where there are spring holes, inlets or outlets. Don’t venture onto ice-bound rivers or streams as the currents make ice thickness unpredictable.”

MassWildlife cautions that if you, a companion, or pet fall through the ice, don’t panic!  Call for help if there are people nearby. While it doesn’t take long for the cold water to start slowing your physical and mental functions, you have more time than you might think; typically 2-5 minutes and perhaps longer if you are in good, physical condition.  Air will remain trapped in your clothes for a short time aiding your buoyancy.  Kick your legs while grasping for firm ice.  Try to pull your body up using “ice pins” that should be hanging around your neck.  Once your torso is on firm ice, roll towards thicker ice. This will better distribute your weight. Remember that ice you previously walked on should be the safest.

After you reach safe ice, don’t waste precious time, you need to warm up and dry out. If you are in a remote area, this means getting to or starting a campfire. If you are in a more urban setting get to a car or house. Once there, get out of wet clothes, change into dry clothes to get warmed up and seek advice from your physician on medical attention. You need to warm up quickly to prevent hypothermia.

If a companion falls through the ice remember the phrase “Reach-Throw-Go”. If you are unable to reach your friend from shore, throw him or her a rope, jumper cables, tree branch, or other object. If this does not work, go for help before you also become a victim. Get medical assistance for the victim immediately.

When walking on or near ice, keep your pets on a leash. If a pet falls through the ice do not attempt to rescue the pet, go for help. Well meaning pet owners can too easily become rescue victims when trying to assist their pets.

Incidentally, the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club Echo Lake derby, which was scheduled for next weekend, has been cancelled due to ice conditions. *****

It is unclear whether the Onota Boat Livery will be preparing a list of local ice fishing derbies this year.  If not, I would be happy to list them in this column.  Please get the information to me at least 2 week in advance of the event.  Information needed:  Date, Name of Event, Location, times, entry fee, and contact phone number. *****

 

First-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course.  This course is designed for first-time hunters and is standardized across North America.

 

The following local Basic Hunter Education courses are scheduled as follows:  Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield, March 1, 3, 8, 10, 15 and 17.  Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, 310 Curran Road, Cheshire, March 7, 11, 14, 18, 21 and 25.   Both are 6 class sessions which run from 6 to 9 PM.  You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course.

 

I am mentioning this months in advance because the courses fill up quickly.  If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, please call 508-389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and enrollment cannot be processed via email. *****

 

The sportsmen of Berkshire County have lost yet another well known sportsman, Kenneth R. Larabee, Sr from Cheshire.   He was an avid bass fisherman who founded the Northern Berkshire Bass Club and was the past president of the Tunnel City Bass Club.  Our condolences go out to his wife Sandra and family.  The tournament bass fishermen of Northern Berkshires will truly miss him.

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

Preliminary results of new bear hunting season are in

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This year is the first year that black bear could be hunted during the two week shotgun deer hunting season which ran from November 30 to December 12.  This is in addition to the two other bear hunting seasons; the first season ran from September 8 to September 26 and the second from November 2 through November 21.  The additional hunting season is the latest tool that the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife (DFW) has employed to try to manage the rapidly growing bear population statewide.

In his December 10 report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden reported that preliminary harvest numbers of black bear taken during the two week shotgun deer hunting season statewide should be about 45.   They may still have some check stations that haven’t reported in yet, but he doubts that the number is likely to change by more than a few bears.  He predicts that the final number will probably be between 45 and 50.

We probably shouldn’t expect such high numbers every year.  This year’s warm weather was undoubtedly a factor in the harvest totals.  The bears were probably still actively foraging for food and had not yet settled into their dens for their long winter sleeps.

The final numbers for the September and November bear hunting seasons have not yet been released by DFW for either the state or western district.  The total statewide bear harvest for 2014 was 240 with 78 of them coming from Berkshire County. *****

In his report, Madden also stated that a preliminary look at Western District check stations indicated a good first week of shotgun deer season with numbers up slightly from last year and good quality deer being checked.  This is in spite of the lack of snow which usually affords better tracking conditions.

The following are some of the larger deer taken in the Western District.  Included are  the hunters’ last names, dressed out deer weights and towns where the bucks were taken:  Wright – 196 lbs, Cheshire; Salvatore – 187 lbs, West Stockbridge; Majchrowski – 182 lbs, Dalton; Turner – 190 lbs, Hancock; Voudren – 190 lbs, Russell; Thomas – 194 lbs, Blandford and Gaudette – 202 lbs, Sandisfield.  Gaudette’s deer was a 10 pointer.

The live weights of all of the above deer were undoubtedly over 200 lbs.  Although not a true scientific measurement, if you apply the formula of field dressed weight x 1.25 you should come up with an approximate live weight of a deer.  If one applies that formula to Gaudette’s deer, then the live weight was probably about 250 lbs.

While we are on the subject of deer weights, let’s carry it a step further and try to figure out the realistic venison yield.  How many times have we heard of people accuse the deer processor of not giving back all the meat.  Well, consider the following.

One adult bucks weighing over 160 lbs, one must deduct 9% of its weight which represents the hide; 11.7% is bone and some percentage representing the blood. Then one must consider the part of the meat that has been damaged by the bullet or improper field dressing.  A neck shot has very little ideal meat ruined, whereas a deer shot in the loin or hind quarter area has more of the ideal meat ruined.

According to University of Wisconsin research, a mature buck weighing 165 pounds field-dressed would ideally yield 83.08 pounds of boneless meat and realistically yield about 58 pounds of good meat.  Information came from http://www.butcher– packer.com and http://askthemeatman.com websites.. *****

Looking for a new project for your man cave this winter?  Have you thought about taking up fly tying but didn’t know where to start?  Well the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is once again hosting a fly-tying event this afternoon.  The event is free and open to all TU members and their friends.  It will be an informal gathering with members bringing in their own vises and tying materials. They expect to have a few extra sets available for those just curious about tying. This is a great opportunity to learn about fly tying and to exchange patterns and ideas.  They will gather in the lounge at the Wahconah Country Club on 20 Orchard Road, Dalton from 2:00 to 6:00 PM.  Refreshments can be purchased at the Club.   If interested contact Henry Sweren at hsweren8@aol.com. *****

 

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will have youth archery sign ups Saturday, January 2, 2016 in the archery range from 8:00 to 10:00 AM.   You can also download applications from their website www.stockbridgesportsmansclub.org. The cost is $40 per child and you do not have to be a member of the club.  They will shoot the following 10 Saturday mornings.  For more information, call Mike Buffoni at 413-323-7703. *****

On Sunday, January 17, Avid Sport on 1201 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield will be holding a Firearms Safety Course which allows you to apply for your FID card or Pistol Permit.   The class is usually limited to 9 and you are required to prepay to lock in a seat.  The cost is $100.  For more information, call 413-997-3600.

If you live in Northern Berkshires, there is another firearms safety course on the same day in North Adams.  Dan Peck, NRA and Massachusetts State Police Certified Instructor will be teaching that course.  For location, hours and more information, call 413-663-4896. *****

The DFW Western District office has a new biologist.  His name is Nate Buckhout from East Hampton, MA.   An Air Force veteran, Nate received his BA from the United States Air Force Academy and his Masters degree in Wildlife Conservation from UMASS Amherst.  He filled Tony Gola’s position who retired earlier this year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

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

Tiger Muskies were stocked again in Pontoosuc Lake

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Record Tiger\Muskie 

This fall, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) was able to receive 1,800 tiger muskies (Tiger Muskellunge) to stock in Massachusetts waters from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery, as part of a cooperative exchange program. That program allows MassWildlife to exchange landlocked salmon from its Palmer Hatchery for Northern Pike and Tiger Muskellunge from NJ.

This year the first 900 tiger muskies, averaging 13 inches long and weighing about a half-pound apiece were stocked in waters in the eastern part of Massachusetts.   The second 900 were stocked in western Massachusetts waters with Hampton Ponds in Westfield/Southwick receiving 300 and Pontoosuc Lake receiving 600. It will take 3 to 5 years for these fish to reach the 28-inch minimum size limit.  All tiger muskies caught shorter than that must be released unharmed.

Tiger Muskellunge are sterile hybrids created by crossing muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, largest of all the esocids, with Northern Pike, Esox lucius. The first stocking of Tiger Muskellunge took place in 1980 when MassWildlife personnel stocked 5,000 tiger muskies from the Pleasant Mount Hatchery in Pennsylvania. The Massachusetts record for Tiger Muskellunge was set in 2001 by the late James Lambert of Pittsfield (pictured above) with a 27 lb. 0 oz. tiger muskie caught out of Pontoosuc Lake. *****

The 2016 hunting, sporting, fishing, and trapping licenses are available for purchase through MassFishHunt, at a license vendor location, or at a DFW office. Anyone 15 or older needs a license in order to fish in freshwater or to hunt. During December, it is possible to purchase either a 2015 or a 2016 license; therefore, license buyers should use care when selecting the year when making a purchase. Minors 15-17 years of age may not purchase hunting or sporting licenses online and must have certain documentation in their possession when making a license purchase at a MassWildlife District office or other license vendor locations.  Freshwater fishing licenses for minors 15-17 are free and can be obtained online. *****

Dave’s Sporting Goods in Pittsfield is having its Coyote Derby again this year.  It will run until the end of coyote hunting season which is March 8, 2016.  Entrance fee is $10 and prizes will be awarded to the person who bags the most coyotes, the largest coyote and there will also be a random draw.

 

Incidentally, last year some 430 coyotes were harvested statewide and of that total, about 75 to 80 were harvested in Berkshire County.  *****

 

The folks at Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) have been quite busy these days.  You surely have heard about the recent Crane donation of the Boulders to them.  It is a 685 acre tract of undeveloped land located in parts of Dalton, Lanesborough and Pittsfield which is one of the largest parcels ever received by the BNRC.   It also transfers part of the conservation restriction (C/R) Crane had with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to the BNRC.  What a wonderful thing for Crane to do.  The BNRC must have been kept busy facilitating that deal.

 

No wonder they received the coveted Francis Sargent Conservation Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts earlier this year.

 

But the BNRC is not done yet.  They are not giving up on permanently protecting the 146 acre Undermountain Farm in Lenox.  A C/R deal was imminent earlier this year with the help of Lenox Community Preservation Act funding, but it fell apart.  Now in a renewed effort, the BNRC is hoping to purchase a C/R on 83 acres of that farm without using taxpayer funds in early 2016.  Considerable funds have been raised so far for the project but to close the deal they still need another $115,000 in donations by New Year’s Eve.

 

Ever wanted to just go out and buy a nice Christmas present for yourself?  Here’s your chance.  By helping the BNRC raise the $115,000, you will assure that the farm will remain productive and provide you with sweeping views over the open fields.  Your gift will also secure a permanent walking trail across the farm.

 

Still unresolved is the 63 acres at the south end of the farm which includes parts of Parson’s Marsh and an open water pond.  BNRC hopes to raise another 180,000 to protect that in 2016.

 

But first things first.  Let’s see if we can help them protect the 83 acres now.  Please remember BNRC Executive Director Tad Ames’ words first uttered when the Council received the prestigious Francis Sargent Conservation Award from the Massachusetts DFW earlier this year:

“We do not conserve land so that we can put it in a glass case and observe how wonderful it is and pat ourselves on our backs for having set it aside.  We work together to conserve land so that people can feel the touch of bark under their hands, so that they can be startled when a grouse explodes from the brush, so that they can taste the sweet corn or the venison stew, so that they can see the wind in the canopy.   If we can’t get people out on the land and enjoying it and becoming richer for the experience, then we have not accomplished our whole job”.

 

A protected Undermountain Farm, now wouldn’t that be a wonderful Christmas present.

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Over 80,000 trout to be stocked statewide this fall

 

Some 74,100 trout, comprised of 66,100 rainbows and 8,000 browns will be stocked in Massachusetts water bodies.  The fish from various hatcheries range in size from about 12 inches to more than 14 inches.  Trout have been allocated equally to each of the five MassWildlife Districts and stocking has already begun.

 

The following waters have already been stocked or were scheduled to be stocked last week:  Ashfield Pond, Deerfield River in Charlemont and Florida, Littleville Lake, Norwich Lake, East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield, North Pond in Florida, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Windsor Lake, Big Benton Pond, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Richmond Pond, Stockbridge Bowl, Goose Pond and Windsor Pond. *****

 

The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be having its first meeting of the fall on Thursday, October 15. They will meet at the Bass Water Grill on Route 8 in Cheshire. The Social Hour will be from 5:30 to 6:30 and will be followed by a short membership meeting.

 

The featured speaker is Mike Cole, known statewide as “the bug guy”.  Arguably one of the most knowledgeable around, he will be able to tell us about the insects we can encounter on local rivers throughout the various seasons.  For two years the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) and volunteers collected macro-invertibrates to determine the health of the Housatonic River.  All of those little “bugs” were forwarded to Mike at UMASS for identification.  He truly knows his stuff. *****

 

Regarding the HVA, I received a solicitation letter from them recently and they recapped the things that they, with volunteer and membership support, have accomplished in the Berkshires just last year alone.  They have:  Completed 16 new river assessments that show the condition of the Housatonic River and her tributaries and what needs to be done to improve their health; conducted 4 clean-ups to remove litter and trash from the River in Pittsfield, Lenox and Great Barrington; conducted 5 free public paddling trips putting more than 75 people on the river; hired a local engineering firm to design a river access site in Stockbridge on Park Street;  hired a local engineering firm to develop plans for river access sites in Sheffield, Great Barrington and Pittsfield (West Branch); reached more than 500 students in the Berkshires through 33 watershed education programs in nine schools; added pre-school programs at the Becket Library.

 

Teachers in the region now use HVA’s lesson bins to teach students about storm water runoff, water cycle and rivers.  In the next year or so, they will be launching a new Riverside Trail Coalition to create riverfront trails and a trail guide; fix pollution problems town by town across the region as their river assessments reveal them; teach more children with pre-kindergarten programs for schools; protect more rivers through RiverSmartMA! – a campaign to help residents protect rivers and streams, and they plan to create two more river access sites in the Berkshires.  Berkshire County Director Dennis Regan and Berkshire Outreach Program Manager Alison Dixon are doing a fantastic job as is the entire organization.

 

You might want to make a donation to this most worthwhile organization.. *****

The Hoosic River Watershed Association’s (HooRWA)’s 17th annual State of the River Conference will be held on Saturday,  October 17, at 10 a.m. at the First Congregational Church in Williamstown.   Kelly Nolan, senior aquatic taxonomist of Watershed Assessment Associates, will report on the encouraging 2014 assessment of the Hoosic River in Massachusetts, Vermont and New York, and early indications from the 2015 assessments.

 

Williams College Chemistry Professor David Richardson and students Linda Shin and Matthew Gross will present their work on PCB accumulation in brown trout. After decades of tracking PCBs in the  Hoosic by studying crayfish, for the past two summers the students  have turned their attention to brown trout, and the question of whether  PCBs, left over from Sprague Electric Company operations in North  Adams, remain a sufficient threat to limit fish consumption. *****

 

Recently, Civitan of Pittsfield held a Special Olympics Fishing Derby at the Dalton American Legion Pond.  Participating Athletes were from Riverbrook Residence for Women, BCARC, and LETR.  Dawn Giftos, who is on the Board of Directors for Civitan and Co Chair of the event stated that “Civitan, which is a community organization  and who has been serving people with disabilities of Berkshire County for over the past 58 years, is very excited to bring back this great event after a five year absence”.  Giftos thanked all the groups of volunteers who made this possible, Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, MassWildife Angler Education volunteers, USF&W and Western Mass-Bass.  Mark Jester, President of the BCLS stated “We had a great day for the event, unfortunately the fish were not so cooperative.”    Myron Sayers, Co-Chair and Western Mass Bass representative said that there were some fish that cooperated. Ella Bassi and her brother Jake caught a few perch, but none of the 350 stocked brook trout were caught.  There were about 30 folks who participated.   Civitan is already planning for next year’s event in May.

 

Many thanks go to Jester, Giftos, Sayers and others for the information.  Unfortunately, I missed the event as I was on a self-imposed assignment to the Owl’s Nest in the Green Mountains in Hancock, VT.  Next weekend, I will  write about the Owl’s Nest.

 

I’m sure the local hunters are aware of the many hunting seasons that are opening in the next week or so and don’t need a reminder from me.  Hunting seasons such as:  Wild turkey,  pheasant, quail,  grouse, archery hunting for deer, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, coyote, ducks,  regular goose and woodcock (already started). Hunters should check the regulations for the particulars of each season.

Some hunting seasons open this Tuesday.

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Can you believe that some hunting seasons are here already?  Bear season couldn’t come soon enough for the corn growers and honey producers.  This Tuesday morning the first of three black bear hunting seasons begins.  Hunters are reminded that there have been some changes to the bear hunting seasons and regulations since the 2015 Fish & Wildlife Guide (abstracts) came out. The first season runs from Tuesday September 8 through Saturday, September 26.   The second season runs from Monday, November 2 through Saturday, November 21.

 

New this year is a third bear hunting season which takes place during shotgun deer hunting season, November 30 through December 12.  The regulations are complicated when it comes to determining which hunting implement is legal in which season, so I have included a grid which was furnished by MassWildlife and may be of some help.

 

 

 

 

**Except on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant or quail season.

 

Also new this year is the ability to hunt bears statewide in all WMA’s.  MassWildlife felt that these changes were necessary to help manage the rapidly increasing black bear population  statewide.  Hunters are still advised to review page 33 of the 2015 Fish & Wildlife Guide to find out how and when to report the harvest and other important information.  Remember, a permit is required to hunt black bears.

 

Also on Tuesday, September 8, the Early Canada Goose hunting season opens statewide and runs through Friday, September 25.   The bag limit is 7 and possession limit is 21.  The hunting hours are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset (except on WMAs stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant or quail seasons when hunting hours begin at sunrise and end at sunset).

 

Migratory game birds may be hunted with shotguns no larger than 10 gauge.  Shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells may not be used unless plugged with a one-piece filler which limits the gun’s total capacity to 3 shells and which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun.

Each waterfowl hunter 16 years or older must carry on his person a valid federal waterfowl stamp and each hunter 15 years or older must purchase a Massachusetts waterfowl stamp. The federal stamp must be signed across the face in ink.  Stamps are required for hunting ducks,  geese, or brant, but not required for hunting rails, snipe, woodcock, or American coot. Non-toxic shot is required for all waterfowl and coot hunting; no lead shot can be in your possession.

All migratory game bird hunters are reminded they must complete an online Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey each calendar year.  If you have not completed the HIP survey, visit a local license vendor, MassWildlife office, or go to www.mass.gov/massfishhunt to be sure you have completed the survey. Your license must have either the notation “HIP Survey Completed” or “Waterfowl Stamp” when printed.

Massachusetts has a Youth Waterfowl Hunt for youths aged 12 to15 on Saturdays September 26 and October 10 for ducks, coots, mergansers, and geese. All youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter with a valid Massachusetts waterfowl stamp.  Only one firearm is permitted.  Adults may not hunt and may carry firearms only when unloaded and cased. No license or stamp is needed for youths ages 12-14.  A license and Massachusetts waterfowl stamp is needed for youths aged 15.  No federal stamp is required but all other hunting regulations/bag limits apply. *****

 

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association (LSA) is having a Basic Pistol Course on Mondays, September 14 and September 21 from 5:30 to 9:30 PM.  The course costs $100.  To sign up, contact Larry Karlquist at (413) 442-7807.

Also, the LSA will be holding an International Defense Pistol Association (IDPA) match next Saturday.   Participants are urged to register.

IDPA is a combat format competitive match that forces you to use different styles and methods to complete each stage.  Your score is your time plus any penalties.  According to spokesman Andrew Swanton, new shooters are welcome but should be well experienced in the use and operation of their firearms.  This is not a match for a novice shooter but rather a club level match, but one should not feel intimidated that it is a high pressure match.  Safety is the biggest concern and classroom orientation for new shooters begins at 10 AM.

 

Then on Sunday, September 13, there will be an IDPA Classifier.  That is similar to an IDPA match but uses standardized stages to place a shooters in division based on their score.  Watch www.leesportsmen.com for the schedule and announcements. *****

 

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club is having its Annual Steak and Lobster Dinner on Saturday September 12.  It begins at 6:00 PM.  Music will be provided by DJ Russ Davis.  BYOB.  The cost is $25 pp. Contact Tom Ferguson for tickets at 413-443-3224.

 

Incidentally, its turkey shoots begin on Sunday September 13.  Tickets go on sale at 12:30 PM and the first shoot is at 1:00 PM.  The cost is $3 per shot. There will be food from the grill. Contact Brady Kerr at 413-212-0894 for more information. *****

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is holding a free kid’s fishing derby at their lower pond in Hartsville next Saturday, from 9 to 10:30 AM.

Incidentally, according to the Berkshire Record, the Foundation had a record attendance of 175 at its Lobster Fest at the hatchery last week.  I was there and certainly ate my share of the delicious food (lobsters, raw clams and oysters, chowder, steamed clams and more, prepared and served by The Other Brother Darryl’s Seafood Market in Otis. Approximately $4,000 was raised for Foundation activities which include providing brook trout for local sportsmen’s club fishing derbies, scholarships and more.

 

Big bass caught in Becket waters

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Catch and release fishing pointers

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In recent years, there has been more interest in catch and release (C&R) fishing.  One reason could be the increase in C&R fishing areas.  In our area, we have stretches of the Housatonic River and Westfield Rivers which are designated as C&R areas with artificial lures only.  Other anglers are releasing their fish rather than eating them due to the health advisories of mercury, PCB’s etc.  On MassWildlife’s web site they list local waters where such advisories exist.  Some people just don’t like the taste of the fish and let them go.

At least once a year a fisherman asks me to do an article on how to properly release a fish unharmed.  That is a complex subject on which people have different opinions.  The following is my opinion:    If you wish to release a trout, my first recommendation is to not to use treble hooks which come on lures.  These barbed hooks frequently hook the trout on the top, bottom and side of the mouth at the same time.  That means that you probably will have to hold the fish firmly and twist the hooks out.  Do not place your fingers through the gills.  Do not hold the fish with dry hands.  That causes the protective slime on the fish’s skin to come off and the fish will probably die from some kind of fungus.  Keep your hands wet while handling the fish.   If the fish starts to bleed, forget it, that fish is a goner.  It is best to keep and eat it, if legal.  In a designated C&R water body, you must release all trout whether dead or alive. I recommend that you replace those treble hooks with a single, barbless hook or cut two of the three hooks off.     If you can’t get any barbless hooks, pinch the barb down yourself.

So will the fish get off with barbless hooks? If you keep tension on the line and don’t allow any slack, the chances are good that you will catch the fish.  Fly fishermen love barbless hooks because after they net the fish, the hook usually comes out of the fish on its own.  They don’t even have to touch the fish or take it out of the water.  And, if the hook sticks into the net it comes right out.  How many of us have had a barbed hook get stuck in the net and had to cut it out?   Incidentally, use C&R nets as the material is less abrasive and have soft or knotless mesh. Also, if you happen to stick the hook into your clothes or body you will be very thankful that it was barbless.

Don’t fight your fish longer than necessary.  Use sufficient line and equipment to bring that fish in rapidly.  So many times fishermen use ultra light equipment to enjoy the fight longer.  An exhausted fish will swim away, but will probably die later because of lactic acid which builds up in their systems during long fights.  Don’t allow the fish to flop around on streamside rocks or bottoms of boats because they harm themselves.  Never grab the fish by its eyes or gills.  Avoid squeezing it by its stomach.

When the rivers become warm during the summer, trout have decreased chances of survival after release.  You might consider switching to fishing in the early morning when the waters are cooler.  If you catch a trout from a river, especially during warm weather, hold your fish pointing into the current in slower sections until it is revived and swims away on its own.  Sometimes it takes a little time.

Release your fish as soon as possible and if you take photos, do so as soon as possible also.  Use needle nosed pliers, fishhook removers or hemostats to remove hooks.  Do not try to dig out a deeply hooked fish.  Most fly fishermen I know simply cut the tippet near the fly if it is deeply embedded in cartilage and let it go.  The fish will live and the hook will rust out after a short time.

If you are a bait fisherman, I recommend using circle hooks.  It is rare to gut hook a fish using them because they almost always hook the fish in the corner of the mouth.  If you decide to fish with bait and conventional hooks, set the hook quickly to avoid deeply hooking the fish.

Bass fishermen should lift the fish out of the water by its lower jaw and be sure to keep the body in an up and down (vertical) position.  Unlike what you see on those TV bass fishing shows, do not hold the fish by the mouth in a horizontal position.  They have lived their lives in suspension and experts tell us that such a hold can tear their internal organs, viscera and dislocate their spines.  Hold them by the mouth or jaw and support the fish under the belly.  I quit watching those TV bass fishing programs because many fishermen hold the fish horizontally by the mouth in front of the camera and carry on a lengthy conversation before releasing the fish back into the water.  I hate seeing that and don’t understand why the B.A.S.S. organization doesn’t get after them.

As one aquatic biologist put it, After the fight of your life, say going 12 rounds in a boxing ring or running a marathon, imagine having your air cut off!  That’s exactly what we do when we lift a fish out of the water.  Fish kept out of water for more than one minute have a greatly diminished chance of survival, once a fish has been out of water for three minutes, it has virtually no chance for survival, even if it swims away.

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

 

 

Atlantic salmon still returning to the Connecticut River

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The Holyoke Fish Lift closed on June 22 for new passage construction activities.  Perhaps more Atlantic salmon and other fish returned to the river but are not included in the following figures.

As of June 23, some 20 adult Atlantic Salmon returned to the Connecticut River from the Atlantic Ocean.   This compares with previous years as follows:  31 in 2014, 89 in 2013, 57 in 2012, 111 in 2011, 51 in 2010 and 75 in 2009. This year, 3 returned to the Farmington River in Connecticut, 3 to the Westfield River in MA and 13 reached the Holyoke Dam.  Of those reaching Holyoke and released upstream, 3 of them reached Gatehouse Dam and were released and 2 reached Vernon and were released.

 

One salmon passed the Moulson Pond Fishway on the Eightmile River in Connecticut.  That fishway is situated downstream of Rathburn Dam in the town of Lyme, CT.   It is the first and most significant barrier to migrating fish in the Eightmile River Watershed.  The mouth of the Eightmile River is eight miles upstream of Long Island Sound on the Connecticut River.

 

As you may be aware, the Connecticut River Salmon Restoration program has ended.  One reason was that the salmon returns were not what the US Fish & Wildlife Service had hoped for.  Both the USF&W and wildlife agencies of MA, VT and NH will no longer support it.   The last stocking of salmon fry into our feeder streams in Massachusetts took place in the spring of 2013.  They remained in our streams until this year and begin making their migration as smolts to Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.  After a couple of years, with luck, they will return to their home streams to spawn.  That means the last Connecticut River spawning run into Massachusetts will probably take place in 2017.

 

Adult returning sea-run Atlantic salmon are being tagged and released at all fishway/trap facilities.  If a tagged salmon is caught while fishing, you must release it immediately unharmed. You are asked to not remove the fish’s tag and to call 413-548-9138 ext. 121, (indicated on the yellow streamer tag).

 

In Connecticut, they are still maintaining their fry stocking program on their own but at a greatly reduced level.  The CT Dept of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) officials feel that maintaining the salmon rearing program in their schools is an important educational program.  Amen to that.

 

Other 2015 returns to the Connecticut River this year include the following:  416,346 American Shad (vs. 375,132 last year) 10,334 adult American Eel (vs. 42 last year) 106 Blueback Herring (vs. 679), 106 Gizzard Shad (vs. 403), 27,535 Sea Lamprey (vs. 24,052), 1 Shortnose Sturgeon (vs. 3) and 21 Striped Bass (vs. 68). This year the American eel counts at Holyoke are primarily a result of numerous eel ramps/traps.

 

Some 3,375 American Shad (vs. 4,789), 216 Sea Lamprey (vs. 1,127), 49 American Eel (vs.38) and 1 Blueback Herring (vs. 4) returned to our Westfield River. *****

 

This year while fly fishing a remote stretch of the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield, MA, I caught and released one of the most memorable fish of my life.  No, it wasn’t a behemoth, in fact it was only about 7 inches long.  It was an Atlantic salmon smolt and it was on its journey downstream to the Connecticut River and the sea.  So what’s the significance?  Well, I am quite sure that I will never catch another Atlantic salmon out of the Westfield River again.

 

You see, that fish was from the last (2013) salmon fry stocking conducted by MassWildlife and its volunteers.   It spent the last two years growing up in a Westfield River tributary eluding predators such as larger fish, mammals and herons as well as low summer water conditions.  The odds were against it making it this far.

 

Even if that fish was to survive the near impossible odds of returning to its natal Westfield River after spending a couple of years in the open sea, it would only get as far as the first dam it encountered in the Westfield.  There it would be captured and released upstream of the dams and prohibited from being caught by fishermen.   It would not be brought to a hatchery to be spawned out for the following year’s fry because of the ending of the Connecticut River salmon restoration program.

 

Because of the program’s ending, that little fish had a lot of significance and I spent the remainder of that fishing trip thinking about it.   It brought back memories of years of effort by the USFWS trying to get the salmon fry, whose parents had previously returned to rivers in Maine, conditioned to return to the Connecticut River.  Helping Division of Fisheries and Wildlife stock those one inch small fry was part of my spring ritual for nearly 30 years and the memories of trudging along the little feeder streams with hip boots and plastic pails along with my wife Jan and others came to mind as I released that fish.   And memories of kids from the schools who raised them from eggs, named some of them and released them into tributaries sending them on their long journey with songs.

 

The cost to maintain the salmon restoration program was but a drop in the bucket as compared with some useless programs that our government is financing.  There are other ways to measure the program’s success besides dollars and returning numbers such as the educational value to the thousands of students who participated in it over the years.

 

That little salmon that I caught and released represented the end of an era and there will be no more salmon in Massachusetts waters. It was a final good bye. I’m glad I was fishing alone.

Time running out to apply for antlerless deer permit

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To harvest an antlerless deer in Massachusetts, hunters must possess a valid hunting or sporting license as well as an Antlerless Deer Permit (permit) for the Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ) in which they intend to hunt. The permit allows the harvest of one antlerless deer in the specified zone during any deer hunting season. Hunters must have a permit in their possession while hunting.

 

If you have not applied for a permit yet, you must do so by July 16.  There is no fee to apply but a $5 fee is charged if you are awarded a permit during the Instant Award period.   You may apply  by visiting the MassFishHunt web site, a MassWildlife office, or a license vendor.  Then, during the Instant Award Period, from August 1 through December 31, you can try to win a permit.

 

MassWildlife reminds citizens that the female segment of the deer population is used for population management since with each female deer harvested, not only is the individual removed from the population but so too is that deer’s future reproductive potential.  Therefore, in regions of the state where there are high numbers of deer per square mile, a large number of permits are made available.  Conversely, in regions where there are relatively fewer deer (sometimes resulting from poor habitat quality), fewer permits are allocated for hunters.

 

Each year MassWildlife determines the number of permits to issue for each of its fifteen WMZ’s.  Any surplus permits are made available in October. Although no official announcement has been made yet, MassWildlife anticipates that there will be no changes in the permit allocations this year – they will be the same as last year.  The Fish & Wildlife Board endorsed this at its May meeting. *****

 

Incidentally, the Worthington Rod and Gun Club at 458 Dingle Road, Rte. 112 will be having a Basic Hunter Education Course on July 20, 21, 23 and 24 from 5:30 to 9:00 PM.  To enroll, call (508)389.7830.

 

This course is mandatory and designed for first-time hunters.  In order to purchase a hunting license, a hunter must have successfully completed a Basic Hunter Education course from any US state, Canada, or Mexico.   Funding for the program is derived from the sale of hunting and sporting licenses and from federal excise taxes on firearms and archery equipment.  All courses are conducted free of charge. *****

 

Staying with the subject of hunting, there have been some changes made in the regulations governing black bear hunting this year.   Black bear hunting is now permitted in all zones throughout the Commonwealth.  (Previously, bear hunting was only allowed  in Zones 1 through Zone 9).

 

Also, in an effort to get the bear population to a manageable level, bear hunting is now permitted during shotgun deer hunting season.  Hunters already afield during the shotgun deer season can now take a bear anywhere in Massachusetts  provided they have a $5 Bear Permit and use:  1.) shotgun not larger than ten gauge, including shotguns with a rifled bore, slugs only; 2.) muzzle-loading firearm fired from the shoulder, .44 to .775 caliber; or 3.) bow and arrow.

 

During the shotgun deer season, all deer hunting regulations apply.  Hunters must wear 500 square inches of blaze orange on their chest, back, and head.  Only hunting implements that may be used for hunting deer may be used for hunting bear; no rifles or handguns are allowed.

So, to recap the black bear hunting season dates this year, they are as follows:  First Season: September 8 through September 26, Second Season: November 2 through November 21 and Shotgun Season: November 30 through December 12.  Hunting is prohibited on Sundays*****

 

Congratulations to MassWildlife for recently receiving a $720,000 North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant award to support habitat restoration and conservation projects that benefit wetland and upland habitats and over 160 bird species at several locations in the Great Marsh. The Great Marsh consists of more than 20,000 acres of marsh, barrier beach, tidal river, estuary, mudflat, and upland islands from Gloucester to Salisbury.  The Great Marsh is the largest contiguous saltmarsh in New England. This was the tenth NAWCA grant focused on wildlife conservation efforts in the Great Marsh in the past twenty years.

This grant will protect more than 1,140 acres, restore 202 acres, and enhance 80 acres of habitat, which include saltmarsh, mudflats, coastal islands, maritime forests, and shrub. The area’s outstanding habitats support healthy populations of wildlife which are in need of special conservation action, including American Black Duck, Woodcock, New England Cottontail, Bobolinks, and Saltmarsh Sparrow—the only endemic breeding bird (doesn’t nest anywhere else) in the northeastern United States.

“This is the largest and most complex wildlife conservation grant award the Division has received,” said Jack Buckley, Director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. *****

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend the free fly fishing demonstration which was sponsored by the Hoosic River Water Association and put on by fly fishing guide Chris Jackson on the Hoosic River at Cole Field in Williamstown.   He is an excellent fly caster and fisherman and I picked up some good pointers from him and learned a new location in which to fish the river.    Jackson can be reached at www.flyfishthedeerfield.com.   Allow yourself some time for the site is packed with useful information and excellent fly tying videos. *****

 

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association is running a Basic Pistol Course on the Monday evenings of July 13 and July 20 from 5:30 to 9:30 PM.  The course cost is $100.00.  To sign up, contact Larry Karlquist at (413) 442-7807. *****

 

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is holding another free kid’s trout fishing derby at their lower pond in Hartsville next Saturday, July 11 from 9 to 10:30 AM.

Focus: Youth fishing

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Readers may recall that last week I mentioned the schools that have trout rearing and stocking programs.  This program is enthusiastically received by the parents, teachers and students.  But, there are also youths who like to catch them, too.  Recently, I attended two events where the focus was on youth fishing.

 

One of them took place on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire.  The event, called the Youth Outreach Fishing Derby, is sponsored by the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen.  The League purchased the trout, the food, the bait and fishing outfits for each kid.  The Adams Outdoor for Youth and the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club set up the equipment, helped teach the kids how to bait the hooks, to catch and land fish.  They also did the cooking and fish cleaning.  All of the officers of the County League were there to give support.  Members of the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club, Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club, Lenox Sportsmen’s Club and others also pitched in to make sure the kids had a very enjoyable and memorable day.  They deserved it.

 

So who were the kids who were so lavishly treated?  Most of them (16) were kids who typically don’t have parents who could take them fishing because they didn’t have fishing poles and wherewithal and because it wasn’t in their experience.   Because of where they are on the socio-economic scale they were kids that may tend to be truants or a little problematic in school.  They never had the opportunity to experience outdoor fishing type activities.   Alex Daugherty, Probation Officer from the Juvenile Probation District of Northern Berkshires brought them.  His connection with them was through the Northern Berkshire Coalition.

 

Bill Gates, Chief of Juvenile Courts in Berkshire County brought along another 4 kids from the Key Shelter in Pittsfield.  The Key Shelter is a clinical house, a place where kids, because of their situations at home, needed a change in environment.  The court system is involved and placed them there not because they are delinquent but for diagnostic emphasis.  The kids are troubled for reasons beyond their control and need to be helped outside of the home to work things out.

 

For most, this was the first time they had ever gone fishing.   But with the help of the mentors it didn’t take long for them to figure out how to cast and catch fish.   Every kid caught at least one fish and most went home with bags of brook trout to eat.

 

Around noon, they took a break and were treated to burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and refreshments.  They all were well mannered kids who, at least on that day, had a ball and left any problems they had behind. It probably costs the League $1,000 to put this on but there is never any hesitation from the delegates.   League VP Mike Kruszyna often refers to this day as the best, most rewarding day of the year.  Amen to that.  *****

 

Staying with youths and fishing, Taconic High School teacher Ron Wojcik has been teaching an after school fly fishing class for a number of years.  In his course, he teaches fly casting, how to tie fishing knots, equipment and safety, and when time permits stream entomology.  He is looking to expand the program in the future to include some fly tying and work on some fly fishing trips to local waters. Most of these kids do not have their own equipment so Trout Unlimited members who help out allow them to borrow theirs.  Wojcik is also looking into possible future funding to get the kids some beginning equipment such as fly rods, flies, fly boxes, waders and vests. (Incidentally, if Wojcik’s name sounds familiar, he is also the coach of the Hoosic Valley Regional High School girls’ basketball team.  You know, the team that usually wins.)

 

At the end of the fly fishing course, Ron invites them to an undisclosed private fishing spot and, with the help of several Taconic TU mentors, puts them to work casting and catching trout. But not before they had their fill of pizza and brownies made by his wife Diane.

 

This year, he had 5 students:  Mike Boc, Alex Stevens, Troy Phelps, Alex Kent and Lexi Henderson in his class.  It was the first class that he had a lady flyfisher (Lexi) and she not only caught the most fish but also the largest one, a nice sized rainbow trout.

 

Since beginning the course, Ron has had over 50 students go through and participate over the years. He receives assistance from fellow teachers and TU members Dave Boyce and Steve Smith. *****

 

The Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has designated July 4 and 5 as Free Saltwater Fishing Days.  No permit is required to fish recreationally in the Commonwealth’s marine waters, out to three miles. (Saltwater anglers over the age of 15 are usually required to have a Massachusetts Recreational Saltwater Fishing Permit.) Anglers looking for a spot to drop a line from shore, or a boat ramp to put in a kayak, canoe, or larger vessel, should check out the Office of Fishing and Boating Access’ Directory of Access Sites. *****

 

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club 2015 Youth Rifle League will begin on July 8 with safety night.  On the next seven Wednesdays, from 5 PM to 7PM, they will be shooting on the range. The last night of the league will be August 26 with some fun shooting and a cookout.  Cost is $40 per child.