Category Archives: Fishing

Status of Massachusetts deer herd discussed

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Recently, David Stainbrook, Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Director of the Deer and Moose Project and Dr. Robert Deblinger, Deputy Director of DFW gave a presentation at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association dealing with the deer herd in Massachusetts. Deblinger introduced Stainbrook as an “incredible scientist” who is a population dynamics modeler. This truly is rocket science, he said, and asked Stainbrook to explain it to the attendees. “I am really proud of the Massachusetts deer management program”, said Deblinger.
Stainbrook discussed the surveys which were sent out to some 32,304 hunters with e-mail addresses. Close to 9,000 deer hunters responded The survey sought information such as: town in which hunter live and hunted, the hunter’s age, how many hours spent hunting, how many deer seen in each zone, and other information. (Interestingly, about 10% of hunting license buyers do not hunt.) Deer sighting rates from these surveys were then compared to the deer density estimates which were based on deer harvest numbers
Broken down by season, about 53 hours were spent per hunter in archery, 38 in shotgun, and 30 in primitive arms. So an average hunter that hunted all three seasons would spend over 100 hours hunting (if the survey responses were representative).

In zones 1-3, deer sighting rates were higher than in zones 4N and 5, which were the lowest in the state. But one also has to consider differences in hunter density across the state. In the east, there are a lot more hunters per unit of huntable land and high deer densities because of access issues, so obviously deer sightings per hour hunted are higher than in western and central MA.

The model evaluates the range of effort. In areas like zone 7, there are more hunters per square mile so they expect more effort, vs zone 4N or 2 where there are fewer hunters per square mile. This range of effort affects harvest/success rates and therefore total harvest. Don’t be swayed by deer harvest numbers. For example, a reduction in the numbers of antlerless permits should cause a decrease in the overall deer harvest. That just makes sense.

The key indicator to watch is the trend in the number of adult bucks harvested (as long as hunter effort remains constant). They are not affected by the antlerless permits. In Zones 1 and 3, the goal is to have 15-18 deer per square mile and they are slightly on the lower end of that goal. MassWildlife is being conservative with the antlerless permits and they are trying to get the Western District numbers up gradually. The last thing they want to do is to raise the permits this year, lower them next year, etc., which is not good for the herd.
To make a long story short they are quite pleased with the make-up of the deer herd in Massachusetts. They have a good mix in terms of age categories. They have a good sampling and harvest system that supports their claim.
What can we hunters do to raise our deer density at a local scale? Improve the local habitat to be able to support more wildlife, including deer. Having only older aged forests are not necessarily good. A mixture of age classes with new, young forests do wonders for deer, in terms of year round food and cover. Selective cuttings are needed to get some light onto the ground.

We can also participate in the annual survey, the more information from hunters, the better they can manage the herd.
Their presentation was excellent. I went into the meeting with preconceived notions about our local deer herd, but when I saw the thoroughness of the information, studies, models and the “rocket science” being applied, I shut up and listened.
They also discussed deer predation which I hope to cover in next week’s column. *****
Thursday evening, local fishing guide Rex Channel from Allure Outfitters will be the guest speaker at the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting at the Bass Water Grill in Cheshire. His presentation will be about fishing in Alaska on a budget. On his website, (http://www.allure-outfitters.net/index.html), Channel states that he has over 30 years of flyfishing experience. His presentation follows the social hour which runs from 5PM – 6PM. The event is free and open to the public. For those wishing to purchase a dinner, it begins at 7PM. For more information, contact Ron Wojcik at (413)684-4141 or rwojcik@bcn.net. *****
The public is encouraged to attend a site walk at the Maple Hill Wildlife Management Area in West Stockbridge this Tuesday at 10:00 AM. MassWildlife biologists will discuss and answer questions about planned management activities designed to enhance wildlife habitat as well as the recreational opportunities that arise from this work. Meet on Maple Hill Road (off of Rte 102) at the top of the hill. Look for signs. *****

Also this Tuesday, at 1:00 PM, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board will be meeting at the Western District Office on 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton. Following that, a Public Hearing will be held at the same location at 3:00PM to establish and amend rules and regulations relative to the Artificial Propagation of Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians; the Exemption List; and the List of Domestic Animals. Call (508) 389-6300 for more information. *****
Twenty six anglers participated in the 26th annual crappie derby which was held by the Onota Fishing Club recently. The results are as follows: Carlos Shacar and Chris Porter took 1st place, Billy and Shane Rodgers took 2nd and Team Casavant took 3rd. The largest crappie was caught by Chris Porter weighing 2.25 lbs. (Qualifies for a State bronze pin). *****

Another smoky, but enjoyable fishing trip to Montana

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Recently three local fishermen and I took a 10 day flyfishing trip to fish some famous rivers near Missoula, Montana. The other three flyfishermen were Allen Gray of Pittsfield, Paul Knauth of Hinsdale and Michael Shepard of Dalton.

Upon arrival, we learned that the rivers there were at a 30 year low water flow due to the drought and some of them had restricted fishing hours to avoid stressing the trout. The Bitterroot River had “hoot owl” restrictions, meaning that one could only fish it from midnight to 2:00 pm.

We stayed in a cottage along Rock Creek, which was still open, but running low. Each time we drove upstream to fish it, we passed nearby forest fires. We came across many firefighters, including the “Hot Shots”, specialized firemen brought in to fight the fires. The sights and sounds of helicopters carrying large containers of water to and from the fires were common.

One time, Allen was trying to fish a large pool in Rock Creek, but that was where the choppers were filling their buckets which disturbed the water and scared the fish. He related a sight where Paul was fishing a part of the river and directly uphill from him a chopper was dousing the fire with water. Temperatures were around 95 degrees that day and Paul was disappointed that some of the water didn’t fall on him to cool him off. The temperatures remained in or near the 90’s every day but amazingly, the water temperatures of the rivers we fished never got above 62 -64 degrees. I presume the combination of cool nights and cold springs feeding the rivers kept them cool.

The mountains there are so steep that the firemen could not climb them to reach the fires. Even if a chopper dropped them in, the slopes are so steep that they would just slide off the mountain. All they could do was build fire lines below and let the fire burn until they reached them or Rock Creek. Incidentally, we learned that some firemen who were fighting the fires at the nearby Lolo National Forest were from the Berkshires.

We traveled a long way to fish these rivers and we went out every day. Once, we were prevented from fishing one area on Rock Creek because the firemen feared that the fires would cause rock slides which could bury us.

On Labor Day, the hoot owl restrictions on the Bitterroot River were lifted, but then the Blackfoot River was completely shut down due to water temperatures and low flow. Fortunately, we had spent the three prior days fishing it. After that, we concentrated our fishing on the Clark Fork River and Rock Creek.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a wonderful time and caught lots of quality fish – rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, some reaching near 18 inches. Of course the largest fish got away, at least mine did. One time, while Allen was reeling a decent sized rainbow trout, a large bull trout snatched it away from him. These are big trout which are endangered and it is illegal to fish for them.

But it’s not all about fishing. We saw some memorable sights: bald eagles, a herd of 24 bighorn sheep eating grass in someone’s sprinkled lawn, whitetail deer with their fawns frolicking near our cottage, mule deer, moose. the beautiful mountains, and more. One sight I will never forget occurred when Mike and I were returning to the cottage before dusk when we saw a doe teaching her fawn how to cross a shallow section of Rock Creek. The fawn appeared unsteady but its mom was very patient as they slowly crossed the river,

The towns of Rock Creek and Clinton are small and rural, about 15 miles south of Missoula. Imagine our surprise when Mike and I stopped at a watering hole and found that the bartender grew up in Dalton and lived in Lenox for a while. On another occasion, we met a couple in a fly shop and the woman was raised in Adams. Mike met another guy on the stream from Braintree whose good friend lives in Dalton. Amazing, eh? *****

Unfortunately, while in Montana, I learned that a close friend passed away – Gordon Leeman of Lee. I first met Gordy in the fall of 1963 when he was a game warden. A friend and I were on furlough from the service and we decided to go hunting without a license and during a time when the woods were closed due to a severe drought. Gordy and another warden nabbed us. The judge ultimately dismissed the case (long story).

In the 1980’s we both were members of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited and became friends. For the last dozen years or so, we also belonged to the ROMEO’s (Retired Old Men Eating Out) a group of older sportsmen who get together for lunch at a local diner once a week. He will be missed. *****

Before leaving for Montana, I neglected to mention that the early Canada goose hunting season opened on September 3 and runs to September 25. The daily bag is 7 and possession limit is 21. The regular goose season opens on October 14. The 2013-14 migratory regulations can be found on the following website: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dfw/regulations/2013-14-waterfowl-abs. *****

People in kayaks and canoes must wear their life jackets or personal floatation devices (PFD’s) from September 15 to May 15 while boating. According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, most boating fatalities in Massachusetts are due to boaters who fail to wear PFDs while in small craft in cold water or cold weather situations. Waterfowl hunters using canoes or kayaks are reminded that this law also applies to them.

Connecticut River adult salmon returns are in

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This year 89 adult Atlantic Salmon returned to the Connecticut River from the Atlantic Ocean. This compares with previous years as follows: 57 in 2012, 111 in 2011, 51 in 2010 and 75 in 2009. This year, 4 returned to the Salmon River in Connecticut, 6 to the Farmington River in Connecticut, 11 to the Westfield River and 68 reached the Holyoke Dam. That was the most salmon that returned to the Westfield River since some 34 returned in 2008.

As mentioned in previous columns, the Connecticut River Salmon Restoration program is ending. Both the US Fish & Wildlife Service and MassWildlife will no longer support it. (In addition to Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire are also out of the restoration program.) The last stocking of salmon fry into its feeder streams in Massachusetts took place this past spring. They will remain in our streams for a couple of years until they turn into smolts and make their migration to the sea. 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.

So what will happen to the 89 Atlantic Salmon that returned this year? Caleb Slater, DFW Anadramous Fish biologist said the fish were captured and brought to the Richard Cronin National Salmon Station in Sunderland, MA. They are going to be spawned there this fall and the eggs will go to a Connecticut salmon station. Next year those salmon fry will be stocked exclusively into Connecticut waters.

Next year he thinks that the Cronin station will no longer be available and the adult returning salmon most likely will be allowed to continue their spawning migration upstream. Wouldn’t that be something if they spawned in the wild and established an annual salmon run on their own.

The salmon program started in 1967 and the first returning salmon arrived in 1974. Things looked promising for the program in 1981 when 529 returned. In fact, some groups were already looking at potential salmon lies (resting places for the salmon) in areas of Vermont and an effort was under way to purchase the adjoining land so that the public would have access to fish for them. The Massachusetts/Rhode Island Council of Trout Unlimited donated funds for this effort. That’s how confident people were that the program would succeed.

In the mid 1980’s the returns averaged around 300 a year and 1992 was a good year when 490 returned. However; as the above figures show, the most recent returns have not been that great and the program’s days were numbered. Based upon shocking surveys, the salmon parr survived in our feeder streams just fine, but after they migrated downstream to the sea, very few returned. Its anyone’s guess what was happening to the salmon in the ocean. DFW Director Wayne MacCallum feels that climate change is a chief but not the only suspect.

Incidentally, MacCallum wrote an excellent article detailing the history of the salmon program in the No.1, 2013 issue of Massachusetts Wildlife entitled “Letting Go of a Dream. In it he stated that with the decision of the USFWS to withdraw from the program, Massachusetts had little choice but to reluctantly cease its annual production of 1 million+ fry. The USFWS was producing 75% – 80% of all the fry released and the states simply did not have the resources to make up the difference. He said that if, by some miracle, adult salmon returns increase significantly between now and 2017, they will consider renewing the restoration efforts.

The late US Congressman Silvio O. Conte, referred to as the Father of the Return of the Atlantic Salmon to the Conncecticut River, must be turning in his grave over this turn of events. He devoted so much of his time supporting this program. I feel badly too having been a volunteer stocking the salmon fry each spring for many years, first stocking them with my wife Jan and over the last 10 years or so with Dave O’Clair of Richmond. We helped stock brooks in Becket, Washington, Middlefield and Chester. Over the years, many Taconic Trout Unlimited members joined college students and local MassWildlife personnel to stock them. Several local schools also raised the salmon from the eggs and cared for them until they were released as fry into the waters.

The Merrimack River is the other Massachusetts river where Atlantic Salmon run. It too is having problems with only 22 of them returning this year. Could that be the next program to be eliminated in the near future?

Of course there were critics of the program who believed that it was a waste of money and the poor returns did not justify its continuance. Well, I don’t agree nor do the school teachers and elementary students who raised and released them. They built wonderful school curriculum around these programs and sparked interest in aquatic biology which may lead to pursuit of careers in that field.

The USFWS and MassWildlife efforts may be redirected to other anadromous fish returning to the Connecticut River such as shad, eel and herring. Although it is also important to protect these fish, I personally can’t get excited about them, not the way I did with the Atlantic Salmon which is called the “king of the sportfish”. It is hard for me to let go of that dream to which Director MacCallum referred.

Other 2013 returns to the Connecticut River this year include the following: 397,689 American Shad, 995 Blueback Herring, 823 Gizzard Shad, 24,926 Sea Lamprey, 2 Shortnose Sturgeon and 245 Striped Bass. Some 4,900 American Shad and 726 Sea Lamprey returned to the Westfield River.

New efforts underway to eradicate the sea lamprey

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Many local anglers who fish Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and its tributaries may find the following information interesting. Much of this information was provided by Spider Rybaak, an award-winning outdoor writer.

The invasive species responsible for wreaking more havoc on the Great Lakes fisheries than any other is the sea lamprey. But a new barrier/trap on Orwell Creek, a tributary of the Salmon River, promises to bring this parasite a giant step closer to eradication.
Native to the Atlantic Ocean, these eel-like critters originally invaded the Great Lakes and NY’s largest Finger Lakes in the 19th century via the Erie Canal. Armed with a round mouth filled with sharp teeth, they attach themselves to fish and suck out their body fluids. Authorities have been waging war on the parasites for over 50 years.
In the 1950s untreated discharges from industry and municipalities and the scourge of lampreys all but wiped out the open water species of the Great Lakes. Surviving smallmouth bass, walleyes, perch, lake and rainbow trout were few, sickly and scarred. Adding insult to injury, vast schools of alewives, marine exotics with a high tolerance for pollution, exploded because of the lack of predatory fish to control them. Each spring saw Lake Ontario’s shoreline littered with smelly, decomposing windrows of alewives.
Environmental awareness led to such dramatic improvements in water quality that folks began going to the beaches again. They complained of the stinking mess and the authorities began fighting the alewives by stocking voracious trout and salmon, and fighting the lampreys by spreading chemical pesticides specific to lampreys into natal streams during their spawning runs.
The programs worked, eliminating 90 percent of the lamprey population and reducing alewife populations to manageable levels but using chemicals to control lampreys is expensive and is not always popular. They went to physical barriers.
This June, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the NY DEC officially opened the Orwell Brook Sea Lamprey Barrier. Orwell and Pekin brooks, tributaries to Lake Ontario’s Salmon River, produce tens of thousands of sea lamprey larvae annually, and this is the first sea lamprey barrier to be constructed for this purpose by New York State and its Great Lakes fishery partners.
How does it work? Lampreys can’t jump. The barrier/trap on Orwell Brook is adjustable. Its aluminum stop logs are removed after the lamprey spawning run, allowing desirable species access to the length of the brook. Come spring, the logs are replaced, blocking lampreys, but not leaping trout and Atlantic salmon. The sea lamprey trap will be operated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff from mid-March through mid-July each year. To play it safe, the brook will be subject to chemical treatments every three years. *****
Totally wiping out sea lampreys in a lake almost 200 miles long by 50 miles wide is wishful thinking. But barriers like the one on Orwell Brook will reduce their numbers significantly, improving the health of trout and salmon and benefiting anglers and local economies. *****
According to David Scarpitti, MassWildlife Wild Turkey and Upland Game Project Leader, the spring turkey harvest this past year was about normal for the past several years, coming in at 2,778. The harvest has been between 2,757 and 2,858 over the past 5 years. In the Western District specifically, the harvest was “almost identical” to last year. (Last year’s total was approximately 535). In general, he said, the statewide harvest topped out about 5 years ago, and since has stabilized at that 2,700-2,800 level. *****

Hard to believe but the fall hunting seasons are upon us. The early black bear hunting season opens this Tuesday and runs through September 21. A permit is required and only one bear may be harvested. The bears must be checked in within 48 hours either by bringing it to an official check station or by reporting it online and writing the assigned confirmation number on the tag attached to the bear. Be sure to check the 2013 DFW Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide for more information regarding the regulations and on-line check in procedures.. *****

The gray squirrel hunting season in our zone opens on September 9 and runs to January 2, 2014. The daily bag limit is 5.

Did you know that the Mepps Fishing Lure Company still recycles squirrel tails? For over 50 years now. On its website http://www.mepps.com/programs/squirrel-tail, they say that they need your squirrel tails to create hand-tied dressed hooks that do a great job catching fish. They claim to have tried hundreds of other materials, both natural and synthetic and nothing else works as well. Mepps stresses that it is only interested in recycling tails taken from squirrels that have been harvested for the table. They do not advocate taking squirrels strictly for their tails

Most folks that send them squirrel tails double their value by trading them for Mepps lures. Hunters get an enjoyable day afield and a delicious stew. Then they send the part they used to throw away (tails) to Mepps to recycle and receive spinning lures in return. Not a bad deal. ***

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will be holding a Firearm Safety Course on Sunday, September 15th. This course qualifies for both FID and LTC. Start time is 9:00 AM in the main hall and the course fee is $ 80.00. To register, contact Rob McDermott, 413-232-7700 or robmcdermott@verizon.net. .
The Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be hosting an NRA Personal Protection in the Home course on Monday, September 16 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and on Sunday, September 22 from, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (both sessions are mandatory). Contact Larry K. at 413-442-7807 or email gramps@berkshire.rr.com

Fish Hatcheries are good neighbors

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National fish hatcheries in the northeast region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) help raise fish for large-scale aquatic restoration. They also help raise awareness of fish through local fishing derbies and events.
For example, Mickey Novak, Hatchery Manager for the Richard Cronin National Salmon Station, hosts several fishing events for veterans at his facility in Sunderland, Massachusetts. A veteran of the Vietnam war, Novak and a team of volunteers, many of them veterans themselves, help those who have served our country spend an enjoyable day angling. “It’s vets helping vets,” says Novak.
Berkshire National Fish Hatchery, located in Hartsville, annually co-hosts six fishing events for kids April through September with the Berkshire Hatchery Foundation friends group. The Foundation also has a longstanding summertime program where any child 14 and under accompanied by an adult can check in at the office, receive a pass and fish the hatchery’s stocked lower pond.
Berkshire also provided fish for 21 public fishing events throughout Western Massachusetts and Connecticut in 2013, including a fishing day at the USFWS Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, Massachusetts. “Over 7,000 brook trout and rainbow trout were provided for public fishing events so far in 2013,” said Hatchery Manager Henry Bouchard. In addition, 2,500 surplus brook trout were donated to Massachusetts public fishing waters last fall. These fish were released into the Green, Williams and Konkapot Rivers and Lakes Garfield and Buel.”
Incidentally, next Saturday, the Berkshire Hatchery Foundation will be holding a fishing derby in conjunction with Monterey Days. The derby, which is for kids under the age of 15, will be held from 9AM to 10:30 AM. Parents are asked to call ahead to ensure that there is room for their young anglers.
Finally, on Sunday, August 25, the Foundation will hold its 11th annual Lobsterfest celebration. The four course Maine Lobster dinner, which includes one free drink, costs $65 pp and can be purchased from Foundation President George Emmons (413-528-5985). There will be raffle prizes. According to Emmons, keyboard music and lyrics, provided by Mark Caldwell, will “orchestrate a mountainside melody in tempo with the flow of the 300 gallons a minute gravity fed water supply through the covered pools nearby. The hatchery fish may appear to be dancing in the afternoon current of renewal by the swing and sway of their tails.” *****
Deer hunters, have you checked to see if you won an antlerless permit yet? Beginning August 1, and continuing through the end of the calendar year, antlerless deer permit applicants must return to the MassFishHunt website from a computer, any authorized license agent location, or any MassWildlife Office to try to win their antlerless deer permit in the zone for which they previously applied.
Enter your last name and Customer ID number. A page with your personal information will appear. Click on the blue “Enter Sales” button at the bottom right of your screen. Click on “Hunting Permits and Stamps” in the menu at the left side of your screen. Click on “Antlerless Deer permit” and you will see the zone for which you originally applied. Click on the “add” button next to your zone and you will instantly receive a message that informs you if you have won your permit or not. Winning permits will be placed in your shopping cart where you can pay the $5.00 permit fee immediately and print the permit, or leave the winning permit in the shopping cart where it will remain until payment is made or until the permit expires at the end of 2013. ****
The East Mountain Sportsman’s Club in Williamstown will be holding a Basic Hunting Education Course on Monday Sept. 9 from 6 to 9 PM, Saturday Sept. 14 from 9 AM to 4:30 PM and Sunday , Sept 15 from 9AM to 4 PM. Students must attend all sessions as part of the requirement for passing the course. To enroll, call (978)772-0693. *****

The Onota Fishing Club will be holding its 26th annual crappie derby from 6 AM to noon next Sunday on Onota Lake, Pittsfield. Entry fee is $25pp; 2 person teams. Prizes will be awarded for most crappies per team, heaviest crappie and most pan fish by weight. All fish must be at least 8 inches and weighed in by 1 PM at PortSmitt’s Lakeway Restaurant, Pecks Road. There will be an all-you-can-eat venison and fish fry to follow, $10 fee for non participants. Sign up at PortSmitt’s or call Chris Porter at 413-496-0105. *****

Brad Klose, from Dalton has designed and patented a fishing lure which he calls the Turbo Weedless Spinner. He claims that his inspiration and research ground is Cheshire Reservoir middle lake, an extremely difficult place for anglers due to the dense weed cover. The lure is best fished from a kayak or canoe where one can enjoy the challenge that this lake has to offer, without clogging up your motor with weeds.

Does it work? He claims yes and it has exceeded all of his expectations. He will be available most evenings at the lake to give hands on demonstrations to anglers who want to give the lure a “spin”. No charge for the lure but anglers will need to bring their own spinning rod, ball bearing swivel, tungsten bullet weight and a kayak or canoe to really experience the ability of this lure.

He wants to keep it made in the USA and manufactured in the Berkshires, but the most challenging obstacle so far has been raising enough funds to bring the lure to market. He has started a Kickstarter campaign (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/449388303/856622301?token=15f55f48.} Kickstarter is an American-based private for-profit company that provides tools to raise funds for creative projects via crowd funding through its website

The saga of the old Baby Zara bass plug

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When we were youngsters, my buddy Jerry Zink, then of Lenox, and I were avid bass fishermen. In those days, we would clip out advertisements from sporting magazines and send for free fishing catalogs from Heddon Co., Creek Chub, Fred Arbogast, etc. Jerry would send for some and I would do likewise and after checking them out, we would swap catalogs. While our friends were trying to get a hold of “girly” magazines, we were drooling over color pictures of beautiful bass plugs. Weird kids, eh?

By the time we were 13 we had summer jobs and had amassed enough money to send for some of those bass plugs. I remember well my 1956 order from Heddon: two River Runts, two Meadow Mouse plugs, and two Punkinseed underwater plugs. I had a dollar of so left over so I ordered a frog colored plug called the Baby Zara. When my order arrived, I was pleased with the plugs except for the Baby Zara. It was a torpedo shaped floating plug that didn’t wobble, gurgle, rattle, dive or do anything. It just sat there in the water. I put it in my tackle box and forgot about it for the next 5 years.

One summer night in 1961, some of us guys decided to go to the shores of Stockbridge Bowl at night and hang out for a while. Because my parents were suspicious of our activities, I brought along my fishing rod to make it look like I was going night fishing. Not being serious about fishing, I chose the one plug that I didn’t mind losing, the Baby Zara.

After horsing around with the guys for a while, I decided to cast the plug into the darkness. Not seeing where it landed I started giving it sharp jerks hoping to hear or see it. All of a sudden there was a strong silent jerk back. After a fierce battle, I landed a 5 lb bass. After a period of jubilation, I cast the plug out again, made the same sharp jerks and the same thing happened – another 5 pounder! What unbelievable luck, especially with this ho-hum plug.

I’ll never forget the look on my father’s face when I walked into the house that night with those two giant bass. He immediately began sharpening his fish cleaning knife. (We didn’t practice catch and release in those days, the only fish we released were into the frying pan.)

The following day I went fishing during daylight with this plug to see what in the world attracted those fish. Nothing happened. Then I remembered that I was sharply jerking the plug the night before and when I did the same, the answer became obvious. When the plug was jerked hard, the plug nosed down into the water and then it would pop 2 or 3 inches into the air, just like a small fish or frog would do chasing an insect. It immediately became my go-to plug until I lost it sometime later in a fish. I didn’t order another one as I knew I wouldn’t be home fishing for several years.

Having just gotten out of the Service in June 1967, I started bass fishing again. Although I had other plugs, there was no Baby Zara, and to make matters worse, it was no longer listed in the Heddon catalog. I wrote to the company to see if it was possible to order a couple of them. They responded that they no longer sold that plug; but if I ordered a box of 25, they would send them to me. The cost would be around $35, which was about half of my pay in those days. I asked Jerry Zink if he wanted to split the cost of the box of plugs. I don’t think he was as enamored with them as I, but he went along with it any way. Hey, what are friends for?

The supply of them was getting low when in the 1990’s they showed up on the market again. My wife Jan, stepson Lance and I bought a few of them. I should have bought more for after a year or so they stopped selling them again. Later on they came out with a similar version but the eye placement on the plug was in a different location and it didn’t work the same. It just didn’t jump when jerked.

Fast forward to last summer. I was fishing alone on Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale around 5AM with one of the remaining plugs from the 1967 purchase. (yellow one with a silver fishbone design on its side). All of a sudden the morning silence was shattered when a big bass swirled, grabbed the plug on its second attempt, and jumped two feet out of the water a couple of times. When I finally got it near the boat it made a powerful dive and broke the line. I never saw that fish nor the plug again. I really felt bad, not because the fish got away (would have released it anyways) but because it took the 45 year old plug. Upon returning, I told our neighbors Mike and Claire Shepard about the incident. For the next week, Jan and I searched all over the lake for it but to no avail. Oh well, at least that old plug went down fighting.

Ten days later, Mike called. His daughter Meredith and her friend Nick were kayaking on the lake and found it floating not far from where I had lost it. They returned it and I was absolutely elated. That plug is now retired and hangs on a roof rafter right next to my red and white Bass-O-Reno and other old retired bass plugs.

Wisconsin provided fond memories

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My wife Jan and I just returned from a 2 week vacation in the Midwest. The reason for going there was to visit relatives in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, visit the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin, take a boat cruise among the Apostle Islands and do a little trout fishing in upper Wisconsin.

Well, forget about the fishing. Like here, they received an awful lot of rain and it was impossible to fish the rivers. In fact, we couldn’t even get to the river’s edge due to the flooding.

A major item on our agenda was to stop in to visit relatives (daughter-in-law’s parents – Sharen and Dan Theissen) whom we had not seen in 3 years. They own a diner called The Rivers Edge in Saukville, Wisconsin, and we arranged to have breakfast with them. I must admit that was the longest drive for breakfast we ever made (970 miles, 15 hours). After a great breakfast and wonderful visit with Sharen and Dan, we headed north toward Hayward, WI. We planned to stay a few days, take a boat cruise on Lake Superior through the Apostle Islands near Bayfield, and visit the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward.

The primary reason for visiting the Hall of Fame was to see if the late Charles Lahey of Pittsfield, a close personal friend of ours, was truly inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. At first, we couldn’t find him, but it turned out we were looking in the wrong place. His plaque and picture were prominently displayed in a more important place than we were looking, along with the most famous fishermen and fishing writers in the world – people like Isaac Walton, Gadabout Gaddis, Ted Trueblood, Ray Bergman, Ted Williams, Curt Gowdy, Ernest Hemmingway and others – names undoubtedly familiar with the gray haired anglers. Only 5 others from Massachusetts have ever received such honors.

On his plaque were the following words: “Inducted Legendary Angler, Charles Lahey, 2010, Massachusetts”- “Charles is a great example of the high ethical standards consonant with the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. Charles prefers to walk and move from place to place while trout fishing even at age 100! He was acknowledged on the “Today” television show for his legendary fly fishing reputation. He has created a special fly to fish the Mad River in Vermont. His flies have legendary popularity in the waters of the famed Berkshires”.

Charlie passed away in 2011 just days before his 102nd birthday.

Talk about a unique place. On the 7 acre museum complex grounds is a giant sculpture of a muskellunge, one-half city block long and four and one-half stories tall. Its gaping, open jaw accommodates about 20 persons. There were many different giant freshwater fish sculptures also there.

One of the most interesting parts of the museum for me, and perhaps for anglers of my generation, was a the adjacent four-building museum complex housing over 50,000 sportfishing historical and vintage artifacts such as lures, rods, reels, plugs, ice fishing stuff, fly fishing equipment and accessories. There are over 300 mounted fish and about 1,000 antique motors on display, some of which date back to 1917. Talk about a nostalgic trip into yesteryear.

One could easily spend a whole day in those buildings alone looking at the old equipment and reminiscing about fishing days not thought about in years. There was one old boat motor circa 1950’s that particularly caught my attention and prompted a comment that I spent more time tugging on the starter rope than the motor actually ran. That prompted chuckles from a few other older anglers who overheard me and apparently had similar experiences.

We had a wonderful time in that place. The boat tour through the Apostle Islands was also very enjoyable. If you are ever in Wisconsin, I recommend that you visit these places. It’s a long drive, and you might want to stop for something to eat …..at The River’s Edge Diner in Saukville. *****

The Cheshire Rod and Gun Club drew it Summer Sizzler Raffle winners last Sunday and the winners were:: First Prize/Truckload of Goodies – Kelly Wick; Second Prize – Dick Walsh, Third Prize – Dan Paciorek of Adams, Fourth Prize – Brian Trudeau of Cheshire and Fifth Prize – Ken Hodgdon of Adams. *****
First-time license buyers in Massachusetts are required to show proof that they have taken a basic hunter education course in order to purchase a hunting or sporting license. Or they can fill out a course notification form and they will be notified by email when a course is scheduled in their areas. Basic hunter education courses average 15 hours in length and are taught by volunteer instructors. Students must attend all scheduled sessions as part of the requirement for passing the course.
Students who successfully pass the course receive a Certificate of Completion that is accepted for purchasing a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license and for Massachusetts residents 15 years old and over to apply for a firearms license with their local police departments. If they lost their certificates from years past, they may obtain a duplicate certificate from the Hunter Education Program by filling out a form or by contacting the Hunter Education office directly at (978) 772-0693.
Local upcoming courses are as follows: Worthington Rod & Gun Club – July 29, 30, August 1 and 2 from 5:30 to 9:00 PM; Great Barrington Fish & Game Club – August 6 and 8 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and August 10 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Lee Sportsmen’s Club – August 26 and 27 from 6:00 to 9:30 PM and September 7 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. To enroll in a course, call the above number.
Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com. Phone/fax: (413) 637-1818.

Monies granted for water protection

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Recently, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary (EEA) Rick Sullivan announced almost $600,000 in grants from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) for projects to protect and restore rivers, watersheds and wildlife across the Commonwealth.
Since it was founded in 1988 as part of the Boston Harbor cleanup, MET has awarded more than $19 million in grants to organizations statewide that provide a wide array of environmental services, from supporting water projects in communities to protecting coastal habitats.
Funding for this program comes from the sale of the state’s three environmentally-themed specialty license plates: the Right Whale Tail, the Leaping Brook Trout and the Blackstone Valley Mill. The grants were:
• Association to Preserve Cape Cod – $80,000 to conduct a study of the effect of sea level rise on Cape Cod’s Monomoy and Sagamore groundwater lenses.
• City of Fall River – $50,000 to remove the Rattlesnake Brook Dam in Freetown.
• Conservation Law Foundation – $40,000 to provide fish consumption information and warnings for the lower Mystic River.
• Deerfield River Watershed Association – $24,896 to conduct a comprehensive ecological assessment of the Deerfield River.
• Friends of Herring River – $50,000 to perform preliminary engineering design and opinion of construction cost for replacement of the Chequesset Neck Road dike and culvert in Wellfleet as part of an 800-acre estuary restoration.
• Nashua River Watershed Association – $35,173 to partner with law enforcement and medical providers to encourage proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.
• The Nature Conservancy – $50,000 towards the removal of the West Britannia dam in Taunton.
• Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies – $46,500 to continue and expand a water quality testing and monitoring program for Nantucket Sound
• Silent Spring Institute – $50,000 to estimate inputs of emerging contaminants, including hormones, pharmaceuticals and consumer product chemicals, to the Cape Cod aquifer and evaluate how these inputs would change under proposed alternative wastewater scenarios.
• South Shore YMCA – $50,000 to remove a failed dam on Third Herring Brook in Hanover and restore a portion of the river.
• Town of Falmouth – $55,000 for engineering and plans to remove Lower Bog Dam, restore a portion of the Coonamesset River and restore 17 acres of abutting land.
• Town of Oak Bluffs – $50,000 for engineering and permitting for an improved opening between Farm Pond and Nantucket Sound. The larger opening will improve water quality and enhance shellfish beds.
Last year the Housatonic Valley Association received funding from MET to complete water quality assessments on various sections of the Housatonic River and its tributaries. They are looking for volunteers to complete a benthic macroinvertebrate assessment (water quality assessments) in the Housatonic River Watershed.
As an alternative to expensive chemical analyses of the rivers’ waters, these assessments will sample and analyze the invertebrates living in the bottom of the river –the benthic macro-invertebrates. These assessments will provide data to help inform not only HVA, but also the Massachusetts DEP and EPA about the quality of our local rivers. The training for volunteers to learn how to sample the river is scheduled for Saturday, July 13 from 9am – 1pm at Interlaken Park in Stockbridge.
HVA welcomes interested volunteers who are able to attend the training and then assist with collecting samples on three additional dates. While participation is free, registration is required. For more information call Dennis Regan at HVA at 413-394-9796.
HVA is aware that a whole host of invertebrates inhabit the river bottom and are an important part of the river ecology and the food chain. Our rivers are also a nursery for many invertebrates including insects such as dragonflies, craneflies and some beetles. Eggs laid in the water hatch and the aquatic larvae develop over several months or years depending upon the species. While some invertebrates are tolerant, many are susceptible to pollution. Finding out which invertebrates are thriving in a river help indicate the quality of the water. Many species of mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies are sensitive to pollution and, when found in the river bottom, are key indicators of good quality water.
Volunteers will learn more about the inhabitants of the river bottom and the sampling protocol for this program. Additional sampling dates will be scheduled this summer and fall. Participants are asked to commit time to volunteer to assist in at least three additional sampling dates over the next few months.
I suspect local fly fishermen might be interested in the results of these collections. After all, these microinvertibrates turn out to be the mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, etc., which fish feed on. Having firsthand knowledge of what our fish feed on in our rivers both in the nymph and adult form would give that flyfisherman a decided advantage over others lacking such knowledge.
I remember back in 1990 a Simon Rock student, MariLynn Sidari, did a thesis entitled Distribution of Caddisfly (Tricoptera) Larvae in the Williams River and its tributaries. That study was funded by the Friends of the Williams River. The results of her study revealed that 56 larvae of caddisflies, representing five families, were discovered in 16 stations. She listed their scientific names.
The late Ernest Long of Pittsfield, a highly respected and knowledgeable flyfisherman and fly tyer, then followed up and did research of his own and identified the imitation fly patterns that imitated those caddisflies. Always a well liked fellow, he became even more popular with his fellow anglers who wanted to get their hands on his report. I’ll bet some of our local fly fishermen might be thinking along the same lines with this current HVA study. *****

Exciting engineering concepts for the Hoosic River revival are aired

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Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to join 75 others in attending a community conversation in St. Elizabeth’s Parish in North Adams regarding the Hoosic River as it flows through the city. The purpose of the conversation was to gather community input on the vision of transforming the river’s current flood-control chutes into a modernized system that maintains current flood protection while increasing accessibility and connection with the river, along with spurring economic development.
Even though I don’t reside in that city, I am interested in hearing about any concepts for restoring the Hoosic River. Being a fisherman, I was especially interested in any conversation regarding aquatic habitat restoration in the flood chutes.
Some of the engineering concepts included flood-control chutes with stepped sides and a narrower channel which would allow the public to go down to the water’s edge to sit and enjoy the river; providing abundant green space constructed around the chutes, possibly with hiking and or bike paths which could also be interchanged with development opportunities; and channels that would periodically leave the chute system so residents could interact with the river before it returned to the chute, where floodwaters would continue to be restrained.

If you missed the meeting, I suggest going to http://hoosicriverrevival.org to view the Options Assessment Report. These are exciting options which, if implemented, would indeed reconnect the people with the river and give them an increased sense of pride in it. The engineering concepts of the chutes and a good trail system should be a good economic driver for the city of North Adams.

Personally, I was hoping to engage in a conversation about the North Branch of the river; how it enters the city cool, but due to the concrete chutes absorbing heat, it merges with the South Branch much warmer. These were concerns expressed by the State too, for they consider it ‘impaired’, too warm in the summer and totally lacking in habitat for fish and wildlife.

I was hoping something could be done about that, but was informed by an engineer that there are no plans for aquatic habitat restoration in that stretch of the North Branch of the river. He said it would be difficult there with the exception of upstream above the dam or downstream below the confluence with the South Branch. *****

Staying in the Northern Berkshires area, dog owners take note. In a recent press release, officials from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Division of Animal Health are alerting dog owners of two significant Canine Parvovirus outbreaks – one in northern Berkshire County and the other in Worcester County.

According to the release, dozens of dogs have been affected in these two areas, and several have died or had to be euthanized due to severe illness caused by the virus. There are effective vaccines available and animal health officials are urging dog owners to check with their veterinarian to confirm that their pets are protected.

Puppies generally require a series of vaccinations and adult dogs may need a yearly booster. All of the dogs that have been infected during these outbreaks had either never been vaccinated, or had only received one vaccine.
Parvovirus primarily infects puppies, but any unvaccinated dog can be susceptible. Dogs usually exhibit symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, including vomiting and diarrhea. Although dogs can recover from the disease if it is detected early and treated aggressively, it can be fatal. The virus is typically spread directly from dog to dog, but it can persist in the environment for several months. Dogs that have been infected and recover can remain infectious for several months.
Canine parvovirus does not affect humans or other domestic animals. *****
According to Steve Bateman, the weather for the 20TH Annual Harry A. Bateman Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby, which was held on June 1 at Onota Lake, could not have been better. Some 216 people were in attendance, 89 of them were children. Some nice fish were caught, including carp which had not been caught in the last two derbies.
The Sportsman Award, a tackle box with over $100 of fishing tackle donated by David & Karen Konde, was awarded to Alexander “Zander” Tardibuono.
The derby winners were as follows: CHILDREN HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY: 1ST. Place went to Joseph Hoiser, Jr. with a smallmouth bass – 3 lbs 8 oz, 2ND Place – Dylan Lambert – tiger trout – 2 lbs 11 oz, 3RD Place – Cody Phillips – largemouth bass – 2 lb 7oz.
CHILDREN’S HEAVIEST NON-GAME FISH CATEGORY: 1st Place went to Spenser Davis with a 1 lb crappie, 2nd place – Sebastian Noel – bullhead 13 oz and 3rd Place – Jordie Hamilton – bullhead 12 oz.
ADULT HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY- 1ST Place went to Dave Goodrich with a pike weighing 4 lbs 8 oz, 2ND Place – Eric Moser – largemouth bass – 3 lbs 7 oz, 3RD Place – Tim Golley – largemouth bass – 3 lbs.
SPECIAL HEAVIEST FISH 1ST PLACE AWARDS: Bass – Olivia LaFond – largemouth bass 6 lbs 2 oz., Perch/Crappie – Jacob Gladu – crappie – 1 lbs 4 oz, Carp – Matt Clark – common carp – 12 lbs 12oz, Trout Adult – John Deane – Rainbow 1 lbs 10 oz. and Trout Child – Tim Lambert – tiger trout 3 lbs 1 oz. *****
Deer hunters wishing to apply for an antlerless deer permit must apply by July 16. Remember, due to the MassFishHunt electronic system there is no public permit drawing based on the last digit of the hunting/sporting license number and the DFW does not mail any information to deer hunters. Procedures for applying for a permit and subsequent follow-up to see if you won one are listed on the MassWildlife web site.

Becket Washington School students release salmon fry for the last time

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On May 30, the students released salmon fry for the last time into the Yokum Brook branch of the Westfield River. The Atlantic Salmon Egg Rearing Program (ASERP) has come to an end after eight years because the US Fish and Wildlife Service and MassWildlife will no longer support it.

“Elvis Has Left the Building” said 3rd grade teacher MaryKay McCloskey to the school library full of excited schoolchildren and adults. One of McCloskey’s students had named his salmon fry “Elvis” and that is what prompted the statement. Visitors were impressed with the enthusiasm the children showed for their salmon and how knowledgeable they were about the species and the project.
Karen Karlberg of Becket, the ASERP Liaison from the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, had been assisting the teachers and students in this program from the beginning. “I am so proud to hear about the great test scores the Becket Washington students receive in Earth Sciences because of this hands on project”, said Karlberg. “We were helping to create the future stewards of our water, earth and wildlife with this important program.”
Nineteen fourth graders in Patricia Robie’s class and the thirteen in McCloskey’s all took turns scooping out a cup full of the salmon fry into the big bucket that was then carried down to the outdoor classroom area next to Yokum Brook.
The 300 salmon eggs which were delivered in mid February had been nurtured and observed by not only the 3rd and 4th graders but also the other students and parents. Even visitors would stop in and check on the progress of the school’s salmon. The eggs were watched carefully as they developed to consume their egg sacks and then were ready to feed on brine shrimp. That helped them to acclimate to feeding on their own in the new river environment upon their release.
With luck, they will continue to mature for another couple of years, migrate to the Atlantic Ocean and return again in 3 years to Yokum Brook in Becket, next to the school ground to spawn.
Thanks goes to Karen Karlberg for providing the above information. *****
Kudos go to the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) staff. On May 31, they took Lanesborough School fifth graders out to Town Brook to find some creepy crawlers. Here are some quotes of the kids who went: “It was really amazing to go from living in our big world to exploring their little environment.” “I cannot believe that I caught giant stonefly larvae, caddis fly larvae, damselfly nymph, clams, and leeches, too. I will definitely do this again all by myself.” “My favorite ones to find were the salamanders, the baby catfish, and crane flies.” (We) saw a caddis fly larva, stone fly larva, mayfly larva, crane fly larva, aquatic worms, and midge larva”, “Thank you so much. Hope we can do that again next year. I want to work at HVA someday.” *****
Some of us gray haired anglers remember when June 15 was an important date. It used to be the opening date of the bass fishing season in Massachusetts. The season was delayed because Mass. DFW wanted to wait until the end of the bass spawning season. They didn’t want people pulling the parent bass off of their nests while they were protecting their eggs/young. However; the season was changed years ago and now bass can be caught year round.

Bass fishermen have been out since early May and the Greylock Bass Club has had several tournaments. Their first tournament was on Cheshire Lake on May 5. In that event there was a tie for 1st place between Bob Olinski and Chip McCann. 3rd place went to Dave Benham, Jr and Jim Underhill took 4th.

On May 18 they fished Richmond Pond and Bill Gates took 1st, Jim Underhill took 2nd, Dave Benham took 3rd and Joe Chague took 4th. They fished Ashmere Lake on May 19 and Dave Benham took 1st, Joe Chague took 2nd, Chip McCann took 3rd and Bill Gates took 4th.

On June 2 they fished Goose Pond and Dave Benham took 1st, Mark Lane took 2nd, Josh Colligan took 3rd and Bill Gates took 4th. The lunker so far this season was a largemouth bass weighing 4 lbs 9 ½ oz., caught by Bill Gates. *****
On June 19, Russ Cohen of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, Division of Ecological Restoration will share river ecology information on an HVA paddle from Lee ending behind HVA’s office. A potluck dinner will follow. The paddle trip is free but registration is required. For more information and to register for the paddle trip, visit hvatoday.org, or call 413-394-9796 or email dregan@hvatoday.org or adixon@hvatoday.org.
Incidentally, the HVA and the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) are having a Housatonic River Clean-up in Pittsfield next Saturday. Contact HVA at the above addresses or BEAT at www.thebeatnews.org for more information. *****
In his June report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden reported that the Division website has a new look. It is part of an ongoing statewide effort that results in a standard “look and feel” among all state government agency websites. New and useful features for the new format include wider pages, enhanced navigation, and mobile phone/tablet viewing readiness. The DFW main web page address remains the same, www.mass.gov/masswildlife, and the information from the old address has been moved to the new website. You will need to update any favorites, bookmarked, or saved searches on specific DFW web pages as those links will no longer work. ****