Category Archives: Fishing

Study shows trouble for Adirondack brook trout

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There are quite a few local anglers who travel to the Adirondacks to fish.  Some are fly fishermen who fish the rivers, such as the Au Sable, Saranac, Salmon and others.  Some fish the lakes such as Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain, Great Sacandaga, Lake George and others.  A few fish for brook trout in the smaller ponds in the Adirondacks.

Unfortunately, a study recently published by the National Academy of Sciences does not paint a rosy picture for the future of Adirondack brook trout populations in lakes.  The study, titled “Concurrent warming and browning eliminate cold-water fish habitat in many temperate lakes,” explores how trout habitat is impacted by two water quality variables — climate warming and lake browning.   Lake browning occurs when dissolved organic matter from forests turns the water tea-brown, thus making the bottom of most lakes in the Adirondacks unlivable for cold water species such as trout and salmon during the summer.

A research group from Cornell University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute learned that only about 5% of Adirondack lakes may continue to maintain water that is cold and oxygenated enough to support cold-water species given current trends. That is a significant decrease from the 1980s, when 23% of those lakes contained suitable habitat. The study provides insights into changes in key ecosystem dynamics with potential consequences for the future of temperate lakes in the Adirondacks as well as elsewhere in northeastern North America and parts of Europe.

This is not a problem in lakes categorized as “very clear.”   Little or no browning keeps the water column cool during the critical months of summer. Unfortunately, most lakes in the Adirondacks do not fall into the “very clear” category.

After a few more decades of browning, most Adirondack lakes will become either too warm or too deoxygenated to support trout populations,” said. Dr. Peter McIntyre,  associate professor in the departments of Natural Resources and the Environment and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. “This is a radical departure from the past, when trout fisheries in numerous lakes were celebrated by locals and tourists alike.”

It’s imperative that we protect the modest number of buffered lakes in the Adirondacks from species invasions, nutrient and salt pollution, and other forms of environmental degradation,” said Stephen Jane. (former Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences).

“Increased browning is an unfortunate legacy of a century of acid rain, despite the prominent reduction in new acid inputs over the last few decades. As acidity has declined, ecosystems have become more productive at the same time that soils have suffered reduced capacity to absorb weak organic acids.  This leads to more dissolved plant matter flowing through the watershed into lakes, making them browner. Also, climate change has increased both the frequency of extreme precipitation events and the length of growing seasons, thereby promoting further runoff of organic matter.”

Browner water creates greater heat trapping at the top of a lake, as the sun’s rays are absorbed by the organic compounds in the water, leading to warming. At the same time, brown water blocks those rays from dispersing through the water column, which concentrates all solar heating in a shallow layer of warm, less-dense water that sits on top of the colder water layer below.

“In a recent study, sensors were placed in 15 Adirondack lakes which measured dissolved oxygen and temperature throughout each lake’s water column. The sensors collected measurements hourly from June through mid-October. “That enabled them to get really high-resolution maps of the habitat within the water column that would be suitable for brook trout,” Jane said.

“They measured rates of browning in a set of lakes with decades of historical data. These data enabled them to calculate relationships between browning and the gradients of temperature and oxygen levels with depth during the summer season. They applied their statistical findings to an existing database of 1,467 Adirondack lakes, and calculated which lakes contained potentially stressful conditions for trout over the summer period, based on understanding of the fish’s thermal and oxygen tolerances

For almost 95% of the lakes in the Adirondacks, any further browning is going to be harmful to these cold-water species,” Jane said.

During the summer, the water separates into different zones, with warm water on the surface and cold water on the bottom. The layer suitable for trout is called the oxythermal layer, and it is located somewhere in the middle. Oxythermal means warm and well-oxygenated, and the greater the span of this layer, the better it is for the trout.  The data suggests that future prospects of oxythermal habitat are bleak because deep lakes are rare and dissolved oxygen concentrations in most lakes were high enough to produce a substantial net loss of suitable oxythermal habitat under observed rates of browning.

The researchers determined that lakes are becoming increasingly “squeezed” by browning. This means that the deep, hypoxic bottom layer is expanding upward, cutting into the oxythermal layer and reducing the trout habitat.

According to the report, “Browning-induced heat trapping at the surface of Adirondack lakes has led to surface warming rates more than double the average rates reported for temperate lakes worldwide and more than 180% faster declines in deep-water dissolved oxygen.”

The study suggests that most Adirondack lakes right now are already poorly suited for trout, and further disruption of habitat will continue to threaten the future of trout populations.

Not good news for those beautiful brook trout.

Certain information was obtained from an article written by Krishna Ramanujan of the Cornell Chronicle entitled Most Adirondack lakes will likely become unsuitable for trout.

 

Identifying trees and shrubs in Winter

 

Do you find that identifying a tree during winter time to be a daunting endeavor? With the absence of leaves, flowers, and fruit, it can appear as though there are no distinguishable characteristics to help with identification. But according to Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) this is far from true.

 

Chelsey says that winter is an excellent time to learn how to identify woody plant species. The absence of leaves allows for the opportunity to take a closer look at the characteristics that are often overlooked, like the subtle features of a twig, the arrangement of buds, and the overall form and structure of a tree.

 

On Wednesday, February 14 at 6:00 pm, you are invited to join Chelsey for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in our New England landscape.  She will go over the steps to tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful hints on remembering one species from another — all of which will aid in tree and shrub identification year-round.

 

The presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom.   Registration is required to receive the meeting link. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/Feb2024-Berks-Green-Drinks

 

For the past few years, she’s been working on an identification book of trees and shrubs found in western Massachusetts, meticulously drawing and painting each page by hand and sharing those pages with the public through BEAT’s “Tree of the Month” series with the hope of getting people excited about trees and interested in the native species found in our region.

 

Knox Trail Chapter Whitetails Unlimited Banquet

On Saturday, February 10, the Knox Trail Chapter of WU will be holding a fundraiser banquet at the Knox Trail Inn, Rte. 23, East Otis, MA.  Games/drawings/Social Hour begins at 12:00 pm and dinner at 1:30 pm.  Tickets cost $50 each.  The ticket order deadline is February 9. For more information, contact Bill Bailey at 413-244-2304.

The Grassroots Program provides the primary financial support for conservation projects funded by WU, and to date over $125.9 million has been expended on program services that enhance and foster their mission.  The Berkshires has often benefitted from their services.  Tickets can be bought and printed online at whietailsunlimited.com

Ice fishing derby rescheduled

The Lanesboro Volunteer Fire Association’s ice fishing derby which was scheduled for today (February 3) has been rescheduled due to possibly dangerous ice conditions.  It is now scheduled for Saturday, February 24 from 6:00am to 12:00pm on Pontoosuc Lake.  Entry fee is $15 for adults, kids 12 and under enter free.  You must register behind the park on Narragansett Avenue.  The entry fee includes a chance at a door prize.  There will be cash prizes and free coffee and cocoa.  The raffle ticket drawing follows the derby.

Be careful while going out onto frozen ponds

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This is a tricky year ice-wise with freezing weather for a couple of days and then warmth and rains for a couple of days.  Its driving the ice fishing derby organizers and live bait sellers crazy. MassWildlife has some suggestions before heading out onto the ice.  I know you have probably read these MassWildlife recommendations in this column many times, but there’s always a new crop of inexperienced ice fishermen who may not know the possible dangers of ice fishing.

  • Tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you expect to return.
  • Carry a cell phone in case of emergency. Carry ice picks and rope with you on the ice. In case of emergency, drive the nails into the ice and pull yourself to safety while kicking.
  • Wear your life jacket. If you fall in, a life jacket will keep you at the surface and can provide insulation against the effects of cold water.

Ice thickness guidelines

The guidelines below are for clear, blue ice on lakes and ponds. White ice or snow ice is only about half as strong as new clear ice and can be very treacherous. Use an ice chisel, auger, or cordless drill at regular intervals to determine its thickness and condition.

Usually, if the ice thickness is 2” or less, stay off.  You can walk and fish on 4” of ice.  You should have 5” if you ride a snowmobile or an ATV on ice.  There should be 8 to 12” for a car or small pick-up.  A medium truck should not go out onto the ice if there is not at least 12 – 15 inches of ice.

Falling through the ice

If you fall in:

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

 

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

  • Preach: Call 911 if you can. Shout to the victim to reassure them help is on the way.
  • Reach: If you can safely reach them from shore, extend an object like a rope, jumper cables, tree branch, or ladder to them.
  • Throw: Toss one end of a rope or something that will float to the victim.
  • Go: If the situation is too dangerous for you to perform a rescue, call 911 or go to find help. Untrained rescuers can become victims themselves.
  • Keep pets leashed while walking on or near ice. If a pet falls in, don’t attempt to rescue it, go find help. Well-meaning pet owners can easily become victims themselves when trying to assist their pets.

Nice trout hauled out of Stockbridge Bowl

On Monday, January 22, Brian Duffy of Rehoboth, MA was ice fishing on Stockbridge Bowl with his buddy Johnny Cullen of Cumberland, RI.  He was jigging with a lure called the “Wonder Bread” (Colors and design similar to Wonder Bread packaging – red, blue and yellow circles).

Around noon, something hit the lure and a heck of a battle ensued.  It really must have been something fighting that fish with his 3-foot jigging rod.  With the help of Johnny, the fish, a beautifully colored brown trout, was finally pulled through the hole. It measured 22 ½ inches long and weighed 4.35 lbs. on the Onota Boat Livery certified scales.

That qualifies Brian to receive a bronze pin in Massachusetts’ Freshwater Sportsfishing Awards program. (An Adult Catch & Keep Brown Trout must weigh at least 4 lbs. to be eligible to receive a bronze pin.)

Ice fishing derbies scheduled next weekend

On Saturday, February 3 from 6:00am to 12:00pm the Lanesboro Volunteer Fire Association will be sponsoring an ice fishing derby on Pontoosuc Lake.  Entry fee is $15 for adults, kids 12 and under enter free.  You must register behind the park on Narragansett Avenue.  The entry fee includes a chance at a door prize.  There will be cash prizes and free coffee and cocoa.  The raffle ticket drawing follows the derby.

The Coles Memorial Hard Water Ice Fishing Derby is scheduled to take place on Goose Pond on Sunday, February 4 from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.  That’s assuming there is sufficient ice.  Ice updates and ticket sale info will be posted.  They are holding off on selling tickets until they have a better feel for the ice conditions.

If it does take place, prizes and a raffle will follow on the ice near the boat ramp.

Tickets cost $10.00 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.  There will be cash prizes for adults.  All proceeds will go toward a memorial donation to the boat ramp in the name of the late Evan Colbert.

Basic Hunter Education course

 

Basic hunter education is mandatory for all first-time adult hunters. MassWildlife offers Basic Hunter Education in two formats. Each format covers the same material and students take the same final exam.

Blended: Students complete the online MA hunter study guide before attending one in-person Field Day.

 

In-person (traditional): Students attend an entirely in-person, instructor led course that is offered over multiple days.

 

All courses are free of charge and open to the public.

An in-person course is being offered at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, 310 Curran Road, Cheshire, on the following Monday and Friday evenings: February 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 and March 1 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  Attendance at all 6 nights is required.

The instructors are: Greg Armstrong and Wayne McLain of North Adams and Mike Denault of Stamford, VT. Mike and Wayne have been teaching the course for 20 years and Greg has been teaching it for 40 years.

To enroll, call 508-389-7830 or click onto:  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/basic-hunter-education-course for all the details.

Annual Pheasant Fundraising Turkey Shoot & Dinner –

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association invites you to its Annual Pheasant Fundraising Turkey Shoot & Dinner being held on Sunday, February 4. The shoot runs from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.  Prizes include NY strip steaks, turkeys, pork loins, and spiral hams. The dinner will be from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm.  The cost for adults is $15 and children 12 and under $10.

For more information, contact Secretary John Polastri at (413) 822-8278.

Every year, MassWildlife stocks an average of 40,000 pheasants on Wildlife Management Areas and other lands open to the public. LSA helps raise and release these wonderful birds, which are stocked for recreational hunting and are paid for by revenue from license fees. However, the cost of raising and releasing the pheasants is the responsibility of LSA, and the caretakers are all Club volunteers. So, you are asked to come on out for a day of fun and delicious food, and help support a great cause to ensure our continued legacy of wildlife management and hunting heritage in the Berkshires.

New England Fishing Expo

On February 2 – 4 the New England Fishing Expo will take place at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA.

There will be seminars and demonstrations by celebrities and industry professionals as well as exhibitors from all around New England to show you their newest products.  They have a trout pond, boats on display and bass tank demonstrations.  You are invited to experience the latest innovations in freshwater, ice, saltwater fishing and boating. Try out their best gear, talk to top manufacturers, guides and learn from world class industry professionals.

The hours are as follows:  Friday from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and on Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Entrance fee is $15.00 for adults and children 12 and under free.

Coldwater Streams

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In the 2024 Massachusetts Hunting and Fishing regulations, you might have noticed a new paragraph entitled Coldwater Streams (page 17) and wondered what that is all about.  It explains what a Coldwater Fish Resource is.

A Coldwater Fish Resource (CFR) is a waterbody (stream, river, or tributary) that contains at least one Coldwater fish species (i.e., Longnose Sucker, Slimy Sculpin, Lake Chub, American Brook Lamprey, Burbot, Rainbow Trout, Rainbow Smelt, Landlocked Salmon, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, or Lake Trout) where reproducing cold water fish are found. These fish are sensitive to increases in temperature and require cold water to fulfill one or more of their life stage requirements.

CFRs are particularly sensitive habitats and changes in land and water use can reduce the ability of these waters to support trout and other kinds of cold water fish.  Protection of cold water habitats is critical for maintaining the overall health of cold water fish species which are ecologically, and in many cases, recreationally important fishes throughout Massachusetts.

Once designated as a CFR, a waterbody is then afforded a greater degree of protection from potential human-caused alterations to their health. Conservation/planning commissions, land trusts, consultants, and town open space committees will find this information useful for conservation planning.

A map and list of currently designated CFR’s can be found at Mass.gov/dfw/cfr.  To get started, find your town using the search box in the map. CFRs are shown in blue, click on a stream for more information. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) maintains a list of waters that are identified as Coldwater Fish Resources (CFR).

New streams are sampled and evaluated yearly. There are more than 11,000 miles of streams and rivers in the Commonwealth, not all of which have been sampled. The CFRs are updated and posted annually to reflect the most current fisheries surveys, but CFR listings may be identified frequently in the interim.

For information on the most updated listings or questions involving CFR water quality or development projects (i.e., environmental review, etc.) that may affect CFRs, contact Adam Kautza (adam.kautza@mass.gov). Requests should include GPS coordinates or location description, stream name and/or SARIS ID number, town, and a brief explanation for your inquiry.

A person may request the DFW to reconsider its designation of a waterbody as a CFR or to designate a waterbody as a CFR. Any such request must be made in writing and provide the basis for the request and include supporting biological data and information.

Incidentally, last August DFW’s Adam Kautza came out to the Berkshires and gave a talk on this subject at the Stationery Factory in Dalton.  At that time, there were 1,277 identified wild trout streams in MA spread out.  DFW finds new ones every year. (While corresponding with him last week, he wrote that they were up to almost 1,300 now).  They try to get back to resurvey streams about every 15 years but some get surveyed more frequently.

He said the vast majority of CFR’s are wild brook trout streams, but there are a fair number of brown trout and a few rainbow streams.  No trout were discovered in 132 of those 1,277 CFRs but that doesn’t mean that those fish are extirpated.  It just means that the most recent surveys didn’t turn up any wild trout – they could be elsewhere in the stream.   Some streams have no current data.

Native Brook Trout are the most abundant trout and they live 2 to 3 years average, rarely 4 years old.  A 10-inch Brook Trout is a trophy in pretty much any wild trout stream in Massachusetts  other than the Swift River or the sea-run stream. Brook trout are relegated to much colder smaller waters.  But some rivers such as the Swift River have a condition of year-round cold water, (caused by bottom cold water discharges from Quabbin Reservoir) and some of those wild brook trout reach 15 to 20 inches.

Brook trout are native to Massachusetts.

Brown trout, which were first introduced in Massachusetts in the late 1800’s have been introduced all over the state in various water bodies but have only become established as wild populations in a few areas, especially in the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Hoosic River basins but also there are scattered populations elsewhere.  Wild Brown Trout live in warmer streams but that is only relative to the temperatures where they generally find Brook Trout. It’s still cold for sure. In the larger streams they can reach 24 to 25 inches and can live to 7,8, or 9 years old.

Rainbow trout were another introduced species and were concentrated in small areas.  They are migratory, There purportedly is a good population of them in Clesson Brook in Franklin County.

I’ll bet that there are a few white-haired folks who are reading this column and are thinking back to the old days when wild “speckled” brook trout were in almost every local stream.  I know that in Lenox, it was hard to find a stream that didn’t have them.  Some of those streams still do.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet

 

The Bay State Chapter Banquet of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will be holding a banquet on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 5:00 pm at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club, 24 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge. There are a dozen entrance fee scenarios, but a single ticket costs $90, or tickets for a couple cost $145.00.  Dinner is served at approximately 6:30 pm.

 

Prizes include forearms, bows, premium trips and adventures, hand crafted furniture, limited edition art, gifts, gear, and more.

 

Seats and tickets are limited and you can reserve your tickets by registering online.

 

 

Bottom of Form

For more details, contact: Gary D. Johnston at  hillroad1101262@gmail.com, or (413)298-3623.

 

Fishing and Hunting Swap Meet

 

The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club (CR&G) will be holding its third annual Fishing and Hunting Swap Meet on Saturday, February 3 at its clubhouse at 310 Curran Road, Cheshire.  The hours are from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.  Open to the public, the admission cost is $3.00 for adults and kids 12 and under free.

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

Breakfast and lunch are available. Table space is still available at $30, which includes admission for one.  To reserve a table, contact Jeff Kruszyna at (413)743-4168.

Truckload of Goodies raffle winners

 

The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club has announced the winners of its Truckload of Goodies Raffle.  Gary Vosburg was 1st place winner, 2nd was Phil Hiser, 3rd was Gary Rochello, and 4th was Josh Rocca.  Congratulations to all!

 

Winter Fly Tying

 

Justin Adkins, President of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited recommends that you save dates for some great fly tying gatherings this winter. No matter if you are a new or seasoned fly tyer, there is something for everyone. Vises and materials are provided but if you wish, you can bring your own.

Taconic TU fly tying gatherings are scheduled for the Wild Soul River, 248 Cole Ave., Williamstown on January 21, February 11 and March 16 at 3:30pm.

 

Berkshire Outfitters, located at 169 Grove Street Adams, will have a fly tying event on February 24 at 6:30pm. Anyone interested in attending the event should contact Chris Sampson at Berkshire Outfitters to reserve a spot.

 

In southern Berkshires, Taconic TU member Peter Paulson is joining Dean Hutson and the folks at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery, 240 Hatchery Road, New Marlborough, MA for some fly tying events scheduled for today, January 20.   The next two scheduled tying events will be February 17 and March 16 (3rd Saturdays of the month).

A look back at 2023 Berkshire Woods and Waters columns

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The year 2023 is now history.  So, what were some of the major articles this column covered last year?

Well, things started off on a sad note.  In January we learned that local flyfishing legend Fred Moran of Adams passed beyond the riverbend.

More than 700 lbs of venison were distributed and provided meals for people throughout the state in 2022.

A total of 223 black bears were taken during the combined 2022 bear hunting seasons. This was the second highest in the last 5 years and the 6th highest overall. Some 79 bears were taken in Berkshire County. The 2022 deer harvest set a record at 5,853 deer. That harvest highlighted the growing deer abundance statewide and increased access to permits. Some 3,067 turkeys were harvested statewide in 2022, 2,837 in the spring hunt and 230 in the fall hunt.

There was a 3-way tie in the MassWildlife Youth Catch & Keep Angler of the Year 2022, Carter Flagg of Gill, and Logan Middlebrook and Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield. Logan caught the gold pin brown trout weighing 3 lbs. 6 oz out of Onota Lake and Gabriel caught the gold pin 3 lbs. 5 oz rainbow trout out of Stockbridge Bowl.  Gabriel also caught a gold pin white perch weighing 1 lb. 4 oz out of Pontoosuc Lake.

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

  • Adult Catch & Keep Category – A 3 lbs. 5 oz brook trout was caught out of Goose Pond by Allan Armstrong of Lee.
  • Catch & Release Category – Two 44-inch northern pike were caught out of Onota Lake.  One was caught by Seth Davis of Oxbridge and one caught by Jake Burke of Pittsfield. Another gold pin fish caught out of Onota was a 23.25- inch white catfish which was caught by Jason Wingrove of Bernardston.

 

Four area outdoor sportspeople/conservationists received prestigious awards at the Silvio O. Conte Awards Banquet which was sponsored by the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLA):

  • Stephen Sears of Dalton received the Sportsman of the Year Award.
  • The late Fred Moran received the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously.
  • Joel Miraglia of Ashfield received the Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award.
  • Eric Dupont of Lee received the John Zuber Award for all that he does for the youth programs at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association.

 

MassWildlife submitted comments to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental and Energy Affairs and MA Environmental Policy Act Office regarding a proposed Pontoosuc Lake drawdown.  MassWildlife’s position is that it alters and causes harm to biological resources without substantive justification or full consideration of alternative approaches with less impact to the biological resources.

Governor Maura Healey made a campaign promise to pause logging on state-owned forest land

 

In March 23, Dan Aitken of Pittsfield caught a 16 lbs 14 oz tiger muskie that measured 45 inches.  Unbelievably, Dan had caught an even heavier fish, a Northern Pike, out of Onota Lake just the week before on March 17. That fish weighed 22 lbs 5 oz and measured 43 inches long.

Local fly fisherman Marc Hoechstetter wrote an article about his experiences fishing the Hideaway Pool on the Deerfield River.

 

Beginning in 2023 two new fish species (Fallfish and White Sucker) were included in the MA Freshwater Sportfish Awards Program.

In May we documented the tale of two youth turkey hunters 13-year old Hunter Lawson of Williamstown and 17-year old Matthew Melito, of Adams.  Both got two turkeys on their first day ever of turkey hunting.

 

In May, Tom O’Shea was appointed Commissioner of the MA Department of Fish & Game replacing outgoing Commissioner Ron Amidon.

MassWildlife added 125 acres in Cummington adjacent to Route 9.  They also partnered with Berkshire Natural Resource Council, DCR, and the Department of Conservation Services to protect more than 750 acres in the towns of Tyringham and Monterey.

A Commemorative plaque was dedicated…. after 49 years.  Appreciation was shown for a land donation which was made to the Town of Lenox in 1974 by the late Robert and Olga Weiss of Lenox

 

Governor Healey’s office announced $500,000 state grants to five coalitions and four individual non-profit watershed organizations across the state to support monitoring water quality. Three local organizations received them, The Housatonic Valley Association – $48,605, The Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited – $26,007 and The Farmington River Watershed Association – $13,378.

 “An unforgettable Opening Day on the River.” Bill Hollister, formerly of Pittsfield, narrated how he helped save a man from drowning in the West Branch of the Housatonic River in 1950.

 

MassWildlife led a cleanup of the George Darey Wildlife Management Area as well as certain areas along Roaring Brook Road in Lenox.

Based on studies, we learned that most brown trout in the Deerfield River are wild, not stocked

 

Changes in goose hunting season, one being the extension of its season date which would run from January 1 through February 15.

 

In June, the Pediatric Palliative Care Program, part of Hospice Care in the Berkshire, enjoyed the BCLS sponsored Youth Outreach Derby on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire.

The 2023 Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby drew about 300 fishermen and raised over $10,000 for the fight against cancer.

 

In June there was an article about Paul Knauth (Hinsdale) and me chronicling a wonderful flyfishing trip to the Catskills and epic battles fought with large trout. None were landed.

 

Naturewatch columnist Thom Smith retired.

 

Wildlife officials wondered whether we could reverse the trend of dwindling hunting and fishing participants.

 

In recognition of his 35 years of dedicated and effective conservation work, an asteroid was named after Dr. Thomas W. French, the founding leader and former Assistant Director of MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP).

Local recipients of the Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program were: Egremont: $48,811 for Karner Brook Culvert Replacement, Richmond:  $55,200 for Sleepy Hollow Road Culvert Replacement, Great Barrington:  $55,933 for Housatonic River Tributary Culvert Replacement, Berkshire Clean, Cold, Connected Restoration Partnership, Housatonic Valley Association, awarded $199,899.

Environmental Police Officer Lt. Tara Carlow received the Outstanding Officer of The Year Award in Conservation Law Enforcement and Public Safety.

 

New proposed gun control law (HD.4420) drew fire from hunters and legal shooting enthusiasts.

 

Alice Christman of Pittsfield caught a 42 1/2 inch pike weighing just short of 14lbs.

 

It was a great hunting year for young Hunter Lawson.  In addition to the two turkeys that he got earlier in the year, he also got a black bear

 

In October a column heading was “Back to Battle on flyfishing trip to the Catskill.  This scribe’s attempt to catch a big brown trout that defeated him in June.  After it cleaned my clock again, it took on the name of Iron Mike. (Named after Heavyweight Champion boxer Mike Tyson who trained in the Catskills).

In October we learned about local MassWildlife firefighter Jacob Morris-Siegel’s trip to Montana to fight the wildfires.

 

here was an article about a new turkey license plate that is on the horizon.

Sportsmen and women were recognized by New England governors as America’s true conservationists.

 

The 2023 MA paraplegic hunt harvested 10 deer, only 1 in the Berkshires

 

In November, four instructors from MassWildlife conducted a Field Day for its Basic Hunter Education Course at the Stationery Factory in Dalton.  49 students passed the course.

In November over 30 individuals participated in a fly tying/fly fishing event at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery

picture provided by Peter Paulson

In December, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced an investment of $25 million to remove eight aging dams in Central and Western Massachusetts, including the abandoned high-hazard Bel Air Dam in Pittsfield

Charles Wohl of Lenox was

Charles Wohl photo provided by Gene Chague

awarded Trout Unlimited Crooked Staff Award.

In December, local photographer Mark Thorne reported that T98, the 21 ½ year old female bald eagle, went missing.

Many thanks for reading this column last year.  I look forward to continuing writing about our woods and waters in the new year.

Deer hunting closing December 30.  With no ice fishing on our lakes, what’ll we do now?  

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It will be interesting to see the total of the deer harvest this year.  It was a good hunting season weatherwise but the lack of snow, made it more difficult to track the deer.  Because of the warmth this hunting season, those who successfully got deer had to process them quicker than usual lest the meat spoiled.

 

It will probably be a few weeks before MassWildlife releases the local and statewide harvest totals.

 

With the lack of ice on our lakes and snow on the ground most of the winter sports will be starting later than usual, if they start at all this winter.  Outdoor sports folks can’t go ice fishing, cross country skiing, skating or snow shoeing yet, so what can they do?

 

Well, with open lakes and rivers, I guess you could still freshwater fish from the shores or in boats, or you could fish the rivers and streams. Please remember, if you fish smaller streams and rivers, the creel limits are different from September 10 through March 31 than during the rest of the year. The daily creel limit drops from 8 trout to 3.

 

If you are into canoeing or kayaking, I suppose you could do that as long as you abide by the regulations requiring the wearing of life jackets or vests from September 15 to May 1.

 

Small game hunters can still hunt cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, bobcats, coyotes, fox, opossum and raccoons. (Check out the 2024 Hunting and Fishing Regulations a/k/a abstracts, and remember, wanton waste of birds and animals is prohibited).

 

Thanks to new waterfowl hunting regulation changes, late Canada geese can now be hunted until February 15 in the Berkshires.

 

Trappers can trap beaver, muskrats, opossum, raccoons and skunks during the early part of the year.  There are a whole slew of regulations governing trapping so be sure you know them before you take up this sport. (Pages 50 and 51 of the 2024 abstracts).

 

For the fly fishermen who tie their own flies, the winter months are usually when they sit at their fly tying benches and replace the flies that they lost last year, and perhaps a few new ones they haven’t tried before.

Enjoy the winter, for it will be over before you know it.

 

Active Military & Veteran waterfowl hunt

The second of two statewide Active Military & Veteran Waterfowl Hunting days will take place on January 29, 2024.  (The first was on September, 23, 2023).

The seasons are open for waterfowl hunting by veterans and current members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty (other than for training). The term “veteran,” is defined, per section 101 of title 38, United States Code, as a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Proof of eligibility is required and must be carried on the person while hunting. All regular season waterfowl regulations and bag limits apply.

Fly tying/fishing events at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery.

 

We received this note from Dean Hutson, former Trout Unlimited (TU) Konkapot Chapter member and Board Member of the Friends of the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery in Hartsville/New Marlboro, MA.  He wrote:

“In 2023, we spread our wings and introduced a fantastic new program to our hatchery—Fly Tying! The response was overwhelming, with a tremendous turnout for our inaugural class and casting sessions at the pond. We strategically launched this program toward the year’s end, allowing us to “get our feet wet” and dive into this exciting venture.”

picture provided by Peter Paulson

“Our first class was led by Peter Paulson, a dedicated advocate of fly tying who willingly shared his knowledge of fly fishing.  The turnout was beyond expectations, with 22 eager individuals, including 8 enthusiastic kids, actively participating in the art of fly tying. Additionally, 30 individuals joined in to learn and refine their casting techniques.”

“This resounding success wouldn’t have been possible without the enthusiastic participation and support from our community. It’s incredible to witness such a vibrant interest in learning and mastering the art of fly fishing.”

“As we move forward into 2024, we’re excited to expand upon this foundation and continue nurturing the passion for fly tying and casting among our community members.”

Peter Paulson who is a relatively new Taconic TU member from West Stockbridge followed up those comments with these of his own, “I’m pretty passionate about teaching (and learning) but by no means an expert.  Also, just a comment, when it’s cold enough for ice to form in the eyes of the rods and 30 people are out there smiling, having fun and sticking with it, that’s pretty amazing”.

Paulson said that in spite of the cold, they caught some nice trout that day.

They are planning on another fly tying session in January.  Also, fly tying classes are scheduled by the Taconic Chapter TU in Williamstown and Adams. Details will be provided as we get closer to the event dates.

 

The 2024 Marlborough Fly Fishing Show coming up

 

On January 5-7 the show will be at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Rd. West, Marlborough, MA.  The hours are 10 am to 6 pm on Friday, 9 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday, and 9 am to 4:30 pm on Sunday.

 

It purportedly has everything for the fly-fishing angler from new products, seminars, classes, fly tying and fly casting demonstrations, and theater presentations to lodges and vacation destinations.

 

The Fly Fishing Show® admission is $18 for one day, $28 for two days and $38 for three days. Children under age 5 are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under age 16 in uniform. Children 6-12 are $5. Active military with IDs cost $10. Parking is free.

 

There will be 22 Classes with the Experts including those with Jason Randall, Joe

Cordiero, Alan Caolo, Phil Rowley, and others including Women Only sessions with Sheila Hassan. Classes with Experts registration is $95 and includes admission to the show for that day.

 

There are nine free daily seminars including Randall’s When All Else Fails; Tactics for

Slow Days; Landon Mayer’s Leech Lessons: How to Fish Effective Patterns for Tough Trout;

The World’s Best Trout Destinations with Jeff Currier; and Fly Fishing Some of the Best Tidal

Rivers of New England with Ed Lombardo.

 

More than $30,000 worth of national door prizes will be awarded including fly fishing trips to Alaska, Belize, Chile, Christmas Island, and other prizes. A complete list of door prizes is on The Fly Fishing Show website.

 

The world premiere of the two-hour 2024 International Fly Fishing Film Festival is Friday evening at 6:30pm. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

 

For a list of all films, classes, seminars, door prizes, and demonstrations visit www.

flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/ or phone (814) 443-3638.

 

Don’t feed the wild animals

There is always the temptation to leave something out for those poor critters left to scavenge for a little grub during the long, cold winter months, but MassWildlife says providing food for wildlife can harm the creatures you aim to help.

“Most wildlife seasonally change their behavior to adapt to cold temperatures and scarce food supplies.” according to MassWildlife, “Supplemental feeding can alter that behavior and have detrimental, and sometimes fatal effects, such as congregating into unnaturally high densities. As a result, the supplemental food can attract predators, spread diseases among wildlife, cause aggression and competition over food, wasting vital energy reserves and impact vegetation and habitat. It teaches them to rely on humans for food, which puts them at a disadvantage for survival and can lead to human/wildlife conflicts.

Another thing to consider is that by drawing wildlife out of the woods to supplemental food supplies, those animals may need to cross roads more frequently, therefore increasing vehicle collisions.

“The best way to help wildlife make it through the winter is to step back and allow the animals’ instincts to take over,” says MassWildlife.

MassWildlife has tips on winter feeding for birds on its website and more suggestions on ways to assist wildlife during the winter and all year.

Happy New Year!

Thank God 2023 is over.  Let’s hope that 2024 has a little more peace and civility.

Charles Wohl awarded the Crooked Staff

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At its December7, 2023 Holiday Party, the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) presented to retired doctor Charles Wohl of Lenox its most prestigious award, the Crooked Staff Award. He has been a member of TU for some 40 years or so.    He originally started out as a member of the Konkapot Chapter of TU in southern Berkshire County until it merged with the Taconic Chapter in the 1980s.

In the past Charles has made numerous excellent presentations at the Chapter meetings about rivers that he has fished. He is an excellent fly tier and has conducted fly tying demonstrations over the years in places such as the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery.  In May of 1983 some of his flies were on display at the Berkshire Museum when it held its exhibit “Fly Tying, Fly Fishing: the gentle sport” which ran from April 6 to May 13, 1984.

Over the years, Charles has written fishing articles for The Backcast, the official newsletter of Taconic TU, for the now defunct literary journal The Berkshire Review, and for this Berkshire Eagle column.  I foresee another one of his articles appearing in this column in the future.

Charles Wohl, picture taken by Gene Chague

 

He gave fly tying lessons for a couple of years at the late Fred Moran’s shop Points North in Adams. For fundraisers, various organizations auctioned off fly casting lessons from him and then a day of guided fly fishing on the Housatonic River in Connecticut with a gourmet lunch prepared by his wife Alba. He also participated in teaching fly casting at Casting for Recovery events. (The Mission of Casting for Recovery is to enhance the lives of survivors and thrivers of breast cancer by connecting them to each other and nature through the therapeutic sport of fly fishing and providing oncology medical and psychosocial support at no cost). Over the decades he has also donated generously to TU’s fundraisers.

 

Charles was totally caught off guard, and upon receiving the award was only able to say a few words, mostly about his surprise and his feeling that it was undeserved but much appreciated.  Sorry Charles, but everyone in that room felt that you greatly deserved the award.

 

“I think for me” said Charles, “membership in TU and getting out on the rivers has given me the opportunity to meet so many really nice men and women who are great fishermen and fisherwomen, but, more importantly, dedicated to efforts to preserve cold water environments.  My involvement with TU and fly fishing has, in general, shown me that trout live in very pretty places, including some areas of Europe.”

 

After opening remarks by Chapter President Justin Adkins of Williamstown, the presentation was emceed by Taconic TU Director Marc Hoechstetter of West Cummington.  Mr. Goodrod’s staff and flyrod were presented to Charles by the previous recipient Fran Marzotto of Pittsfield.

 

You may ask, what is the Crooked Staff Award and how did it come to be?

The history of the Crooked Staff has already been featured in this column over the years a couple of times.  With your indulgence, lets one more time refresh our memories of how this award came about and the story behind this rich Taconic TU tradition.

The staff itself was the brainchild of Ken Welch, one of the chapter’s past members who has since moved to the New York State Finger Lakes area and then later to Florida. He related the following story about the origin of the staff which he claimed to be true. However, members wonder if the social hour preceding the meeting when he introduced it affected his veracity.  In any event the moral of the story is still solid:

“Many years ago, there lived a trout fisherman who was the epitome of the ultimate gentleman angler. He was a man who was honest to a fault, one who needed no guidelines such as game laws by which to live. He was a man who always did the proper thing because it was the right thing to do. Mr. Ernest Goodrod was that man.

He would never wade into another man’s pool, he never kept under-sized fish, nor exceeded the lawful limit. In fact, he felt those laws weren’t written for him since he had always practiced “Catch and Release”. Mr. Goodrod stopped to help young anglers that he felt could use his expertise; he never lied about the quantity or the quality of his catches. He was free with his advice and shared the location of favorite fishing holes with strangers. He was truly a gentleman’s gentleman.

In spite of having a heart condition, he fished frequently, and often alone. Being of an advanced age he always had his wading staff tied to his belt with a rawhide tether. It was cut from a strong, straight tree and left in its natural state. Straight, strong, and pure, not unlike Mr. Goodrod.

But alas, the day came when he didn’t return from his favorite stream; his heart had finally failed him. He was found at the Bridge Pool by the local near-do-well, a despicable man who lied cheated and connived his way through life. He was noted for following the trout stocking trucks to take as many trout as possible. When this awful man found Mr. Goodrod, he stripped him of his rod, vest, waders and wading staff. For most of that summer he used his stuff, including the staff, but every time he broke the law the staff would get shorter due to it taking on a coil, and eventually the staff became unusable.

One evening the local game warden arrested the bum, jailed him, and confiscated all his fishing tackle, including the crooked staff. Everyone knew that the staff was once the property of Mr. Goodrod and the story spread that if a real gentleman of Mr. Goodrod’s caliber were to handle the staff it would straighten out to its original splendor.

Ken Welch obtained the staff, but in spite of being a fine gentleman the staff remained crooked. Somewhere Ken had a hidden flaw. He was aware of the fine character of the members at the Taconic Chapter of TU and figured one of its members could remove the coils. Ken suggested that if the staff was presented to the one who most represented the ideals of TU, the staff would be restored, but alas after many, many recipients, it remains crooked. Apparently, each honoree had a hidden flaw in his or her character. Someday the likes of Mr. Goodrod will be found, so it is hoped.”

Well, nearly every year since the mid 1980’s the Chapter’s Board of Directors selected one of its members to receive this coveted award. The person is selected as the member who best represents the ideals of T.U. (conserving, protecting, and restoring North America’s cold- water fisheries and their watersheds).  This member holds the Crooked Staff for the following year until it is either passed on to another deserving member or is held, if none is deemed deserving.

There have been 31 previous Crooked Staff recipients over the years.  Chronologically, they were as follows:  Francis F. Conroy, Ernest Long, Jerry Zink, Ted Giddings, Gene Chague, Ken Welch, Paul and Homer Ouellette, John Kastrinakis, Cy Henry, Michael Shepard, Clem Ferris, Tony Lorio, Dick Bordeau, Paul Knauth, Fred and Marilyn Moran, Herb Rod, Dave Oclair, Karen Karlberg, Marc Hoechstetter, Len Gigliotti, Ron Wojcik, Charles Lahey, Allen Gray, Doug and Gail Yates, John Burns, Bill Travis, Henry Sweren, Fran Marzotto and now Charles Wohl.

In 2016, Taconic TU charter member Homer Ouellette, of Pittsfield, himself a Crooked Staff recipient, passed beyond the riverbend. Unbeknownst to the TU members, he had purportedly gained possession of Mr. Goodrod’s flyrod. Homer’s brother, the late Paul Ouellette of Lanesboro, brought it to a TU meeting hoping that it would be presented to future deserving crooked staff recipients.  On it is inscribed, “Property of Mr. Ernest Goodrod.”  Hence, a new Taconic TU tradition had been formed.

Local MassWildlife firefighter returned from Montana

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Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife) Western District Stewardship Biologist Jacob Morris-Siegel of Dalton is a member of the MassWildlife Prescribed Firefighter Team. The 43-year older lives in Dalton and has worked in the Dalton office for 16 years.

Jacob Morris-Siegel. Picture provided by Jacob

On August 17 he volunteered to join 89 other members of the Massachusetts Interagency Wildfire Crew going out to Montana to fight their wildfires.  There were 2 people from MassWildlife and 17 from DCR, (mostly DCR forest fire control folks).  They were sent to western Montana to the Bowles Creek area which is 27 miles southwest of Philipsburg or about an hour south of Missoula, MT. It was a 14-day deployment with 2 travel days.

 

He said they stayed in tents at the fire camp which was set up outside of Philipsburg. When they got there the fire activity was very high but then they got rain and it reduced the fire intensity drastically.  For the most part he was not near an active flame at all because of the rain.

 

On the first day they were close to an active line where a burnout operation had recently been completed. Then they did contingency line construction for a couple of days, cutting brush.  After that, they were moved over to a spike camp on the other side of the fire where they were prepping for a burn out.  (A spike camp is a temporary or secondary campsite for the firefighting crew closer to the fire).  They hauled hoses up a mountain (His pack weighed over 60 lbs.) and then did some patrolling along the black doing mop-up of smoldering stuff along the line. (A black is the area already burned.) They patrolled the line putting out smoke and burning materials along it.

 

The rest of the week they ended up doing fire line construction (cutting brush before the fire hits it) and clean-up along roads. They were trying to reduce fuel like brush along the fire lines before the fire got there. They did line construction over half of the trip.

 

For a burnout they have a section of unburned fuel against the line, they burn that essentially trying to get the fire to burn away from the unburned stuff.  That’s generally how they fight most fires.

 

They worked in mountains and valleys, but they were never in a dangerous situation where they could be hurt. For a few days they were on the west side of the fire where it was very hilly with deep terrains, the other side was more gradual. They worked mainly with hand tools and they had to have a certain number of certified chainsaw people in the crew.

 

There was no fire backtrack and, thankfully, he didn’t see anyone suffer any injuries.  After the first couple of days the fire intensity went down with some smoke but nothing terrible.  He wasn’t worried about getting injured because he generally had an idea of what to do. Pretty much he just stuck with his crew.

 

Crew Members came from Cape Cod to the Berkshires.  He was the only person from the Berkshires.

Days were up to 16 hours long.  Sometimes it took an hour to get where they were assigned.  They went to their assigned areas, came back, ate dinner and went to bed.  They had a mess (meals) at the main camp and at the spike camp on the other side of the fire. The main camp had internet, showers, meals provided, medical tent, – everything you might need.

 

As far as animal survival, he didn’t know, for it all depended on how fast the fire was moving.  If its moving really fast, they can’t outrun it.  Regarding future erosion, he said that there will be some, but they are used to it out there.

 

“It wasn’t that exciting, but it was interesting and I learned a bunch.  You get out with a whole group of people for 2 weeks” he said.

 

Fall trout stocking ended last week

 

Unless there was an unexpected change, the following local waters were stocked with trout last week:  Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; East Branch of the Westfield River in Cummington, Chesterfield and Huntington; Goose Pond, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor Pond in Windsor.

 

Many thanks to Deb Lipa, DFW Clerk out of the Dalton Office for taking the time and effort

to prepare the listings of trout stockings for us.

 

Pike stocking

Incidentally, MassWildlife also recently stocked over 2,000 northern pike into Lake Buel and Quaboag Pond. These yearlings averaged 12″ long and will take 2–3 years to reach the 28″ minimum harvest size.

MassWildlife does not have a warm water hatchery in which to rear pike (esocids) but usually it obtains a small number of 3–12″ fish each year from the New Jersey Division of Fisheries and Wildlife through a cooperative exchange program.

Learn To Hunt Programs

 

MassWildlife offers hunting classes and online resources that teach safety and skills to beginning and intermediate hunters.

 

Upcoming programs include:

Virtual Deer Hunting Q&A – Looking for advice about deer hunting? Get answers from a panel of experienced hunters at one of MassWildlife’s virtual mentoring sessions. These events are designed for new hunters. Feel free to join for a few minutes or for the entire session. Register to receive a link to the event. https://www.mass.gov/learn-to-hunt

 

  • Friday, Oct. 20, 12–1 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 2, 6–7:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 5, 6–7:30 p.m.

 

A Small Game Hunting – On-line Class will be presented in January.

A presentation on snakes

 

Tom Tyning, an expert on amphibians and reptiles and an authority on New England’s natural history, will make a presentation entitled “Snakes Are More Interesting Than You Can Imagine.”  It will take place at the Berkshire Green Drinks event on Monday, October 16, in person and online via Zoom.

 

The in-person gathering begins at 5:00 PM at The Barn at Williams Inn, 103 Spring St, Williamstown. The presentation and Zoom meeting start at 6:00 PM. If the weather permits, the in-person gathering will take place outdoors.

 

The life histories, annual behaviors, and evolutionary story of snakes are incredible, fascinating, and remarkable. Tom will focus on our Berkshire/New England snake species, highlighting their diversity, survival complexity, conservation status, and overall natural history. Coupled with that, the remarkable reality of just how little is known about even common species will be covered.

 

Pre-registration is required to attend this event. Learn more and RSVP at: https://tinyurl.com/Oct2023-Berks-Green-Drinks

 

Tom knows his stuff.  He has been a Professor of Environmental Science at Berkshire Community College since 1999. Previously, he was a Field Biologist and Master Naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society for 24 years. Tom also served for 15 years as an Adjunct Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at Antioch New England Graduate School, as well as Springfield College and MCLA. For 25 years, he wrote a weekly Nature column for the Springfield (MA) Union-News. As an authority on New England’s natural history, Tom’s main research interests are amphibians and reptiles. His book, A Guide To Amphibians and Reptiles, is published by Little, Brown and Co. As a member of several professional natural history societies, he served for fifteen years as Managing Editor of the scientific journal Herpetological Review.

 

Tom also received the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award.

 

Brake for Wildlife

MassWildlife reminds motorists to be mindful of increased deer and moose activity, especially during early morning and evening hours. Moose, found in central and western parts of Massachusetts, breed in September and October. White-tailed deer breed from late October to early December.

Moose on the road are especially hazardous. The dark color and height of moose make them difficult to see in low light; moose eyes rarely shine like deer eyes because their eyes are above headlight level. In addition, long legs and heavy top bodies make moose very dangerous to motorists when struck. Observe road signs for moose and deer crossings and slow down. Do not swerve to avoid hitting a deer because it may lead to more risk and damage than hitting the deer. Moose are less likely to move from the road than deer, so stay alert and brake when you see a moose in or near the road.

Deer and moose/vehicle collisions should be reported to the Environmental Police at 1-800-632-8075.

Rematch with a legendary brown trout

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Readers may recall an article I wrote on June 24 entitled “Back to Battle on flyfishing trip to the Catskill” which chronicled a fishing trip my buddy Paul Knauth of Hinsdale and I took in early June.  You may recall that I couldn’t land any of the large brown trout that I hooked, especially one that Paul described as “looking like a submarine” chasing my fly.  I hooked it twice during that trip, but for one reason or another was unable to land, or even see it.

After considerable arm twisting by Paul, we went back to the Catskills in early September, with the intent of having another chance at catching that big trout, assuming that it was still swimming around in the Little Beaverkill River.

We arrived Sunday afternoon, and after checking in at the Roscoe Motel in Roscoe, NY, we suited up and were on the river for the evening hatch.  Paul fished upstream where he had good luck in June and I snuck into the spot where I had done battle with that big “submarine.”  Other than a few small trout jumping in a riffle nearby, it was quiet.  Eventually, I saw a rise near where I thought the big fish lived.  I tossed a Cream Cahill dry fly and while I was stripping it in, a nice trout hit it and immediately broke me off. Just as I pulled in, the trout hit and the force of both caused the tippet to snap.  Oh no, not again!    That could have been the big guy!  Paul had come back and witnessed the whole thing.

I half- heartedly made a few more casts afterward thinking that fishing was all over in that hole when, to my delight, another big fish rose and made a decent splash.   It refused all my offerings of various flies.  Finally, I decided to put on a fly called “The Usual” This old-time fly is made up entirely of the fur from the foot of a snowshoe hare   There are oils in that fur which enables the fly to float like a cork.

Just before darkness set in, I tossed it out and after it had completed its drift and began to swing, I felt a heavy tug and the reel began to sing (expression used to describe the reel drag clicking sound). “This is a big fish.” It may be the big one!” I shouted to Paul.   The fish headed for the bottom, shaking its head and then ran about 20 feet causing the tip on my rod to bounce up and down. No way I could budge it.  Then it took off again stripping more line from my reel and repeating the head shaking. Suddenly, there was no tension on my rod.  “You’ve got to be…..!”  Thinking it broke my leader, I reeled in the line but it and the fly were intact. The fish must have rubbed its jaw on something and was able to dislodge the fly with a barbless hook, just like the big one did in the spring.

When we returned to the motel that night, there were three other anglers who we met earlier in the day sitting in the walkway outside their rooms. We told them about the big fish and the possibility that it was the same fish missed twice earlier in the spring. It was their opinion based, upon the estimated size, location, where it’s lie was and how it reacted when it was hooked, that it probably was the same fish that cleaned my clock twice in the spring.

The next morning, we fished another area and I was able to catch a nice brown trout using a bamboo rod and fishing with my favorite dry fly, the AuSable Wulff.    It was a difficult place to fish and when I reached for my net, I discovered that it was gone.  Somewhere, while fighting my way through multiflora roses, etc., the net was pulled off the retractable cord.  That meant that without breaking my bamboo rod, I had to carefully bring the trout to my feet so that I could release it without removing it from the water, which I did. (Readers may recall that I broke another bamboo rod last spring). Paul found the net on our way back to the car.

That evening, we returned to where the big, “submarine” lived.  There were some small trout jumping after insects, but I didn’t fish for them, not wanting to disturb the hole and scare the big fish.  I only had one half-hearted tug on my fly that evening.  Darkness set in as we left the river and returned to the motel.  The guys were there eager to find out if I caught the big fish. After telling them about the one tug, one of the guys commented that the big fish was becoming a legend, quite fitting for these legendary waters.

The next morning, Paul and I fished the Beaverkill River just below Junction Pool, a famous pool where the Little Beaverkill and the Willowemoc Rivers meet. Paul picked up a rainbow trout there but I got skunked.

After a snack and an afternoon rest, we headed out for “you-know-where.”  It was comical because as we pulled out of the motel parking lot, the three other anglers lined up, wishing me good luck, and giving me a thumbs up.  It was like I was shipping out and going off to war.

This time Paul fished downstream below me and I went to where the big trout lived. Nothing was happening there, not even the small trout. I must have tried a dozen different flies but to no avail.  Then I remembered that I hadn’t tried the AuSable Wulff yet.  I selected a smaller one tied parachute style that I had bought earlier that day from a flyfishing shop in Roscoe named Trout Town.

Paul had returned in time to see the horrific splash and my reel starting to scream. “I hooked him again Paul.” I shouted. Shaking its head and staying deep in the water, it kept running and the reel kept screaming – 40, 50, 60 feet of line peeled off of it, and the fish was not slowing down a bit.  It became obvious that I might have to follow it when the fly line was nearing the end and I would be into the backing (additional line tied onto the end of the fly line).  But that could pose a problem as I was in the river standing on slippery stones, having balance problems and neuropathy in both feet.  It continued running, 70, 80 feet without slowing down.

When the 90-foot fly line reached the connection between it and the backing, there was a snag and the line went limp. The fish got off, again!!  There was total silence, neither Paul nor I said a word.  I finally looked at Paul as if to ask…What just happened here? Paul was looking down at the water with his hands on his knees, perhaps searching for a submarine.

After a long time reeling in the line, I was somewhat relieved to see the fly and leader were still intact. No telling what I would have done if I saw a curlicue at the end of the line which would have indicated an improperly tied knot.

Back at the motel, I was practically speechless and Paul had to relate the story to the others.  After receiving their sympathies, they once again re-asserted their opinion that it was the same big trout that harassed me twice in the spring and now three times on this trip.  That trout, in their opinion, gained in its already legendary status. In fact Paul suggested that we call it “Iron Mike”, named after the former world heavyweight champion boxer who was one tough, no-nonsense  fighter who trained in the Catskills.

The fishing on this trip was generally slow, but thanks to that big trout, and some unique and notable people who we met, it was a memorable trip. I plan to write about them when the opportunity presents itself.

On the way home, Paul urged me to go back after it again this fall.  But after beating me 5 times, I wanted to leave it alone to, hopefully, enjoy a long and happy life, which it deserves.

Anyways, it provided immense pleasure at a time when I really needed it.  I wish I had at least seen that fish, bade it touché, and shook its fin.

So true, that old saying,  “Some of the most memorable fish are the ones that we don’t catch.”

 

Various hunting seasons are opening soon

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The Woodcock hunting season opens on October 2 and runs to November 22. The bag limit is 3 per day and the possession limit is 9. Because there tends to be some confusion with the woodcock regulations, here is the following:

  • All migratory game bird hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program (HIP) each calendar year. Licensed woodcock and waterfowl hunters must complete a HIP survey online at mass.gov/massfishhunt or anywhere hunting licenses are sold.
  • A woodcock is a migratory game bird so the following regulations apply: Migratory game birds may be hunted with shotguns no larger than 10 gauge, fired from the shoulder. 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.
  • The head and one fully-feathered wing must remain attached to each migratory game bird while it is transported to the hunter’s home or preservation facility.
  • Non-toxic shot is not required for hunting woodcock.
  • Waterfowl stamps are not required for hunting woodcock.

 

Please note:  The column next week will be about my flyfishing trip to the Catskills in early September.  I was hoping for a rematch with that “submarine like” big trout that I tangled with and lost to twice last spring.  (Sorry, no side bets). Therefore, I will touch upon the upcoming small game, upland game and waterfowl hunting in this column a little earlier than usual.

 

Pheasant hunting season opens on October 14 and runs to December 30.  Ruffed Grouse (partridge) season opens on October 14 and runs to November 25.

 

The fall wild turkey hunting season in Zones 1 – 9 opens on October 16 and runs to November 25.

 

Cottontail and snowshoe hare seasons open on October 14 and runs to February 29, 2024.

 

Coyote hunting opens on October 14 and runs to March 8, 2024.

 

Even though the Fish & Wildlife Board recently approved the early extension of archery deer hunting season, such a change will not go into effect until 2024.Therefore, for this year, the season still opens on October 16 in Zones 1 – 9 and ends on November 25.

 

Incidentally, if you use a tree stand, be extra careful.  It seems like every year we hear about a hunter who has fallen to his death or sustained serious injuries caused by falling out of a tree stand.

 

The specific regulations for all of the above hunting seasons are listed in the MA Hunting & Fishing Regulations, commonly referred to as the Excerpts.

Monday, October 9 begins the duck hunting season in the Berkshire Zone and it runs until November 25.  It reopens again on December 11 (after shotgun deer hunting season) and runs until December 30.  The new bag limit for mallards has been increased from 2 to 4 (only 2 can be females).

 

The regular goose hunting season in the Berkshire Zone (except Snow & Blue) runs from October 10 to November 25.  It reopens on December 11 and runs until December 14.  This year the bag limit has been increased from 1 to 3.  The late Canada goose hunting season opens on January 1, 2024 and runs until February 15 with a daily bag limit of 5.

 

It is important that you check the waterfowl regulations for there are a myriad of regulations.

 

All of the above hunting seasons are closed during shotgun deer season except for coyotes   No hunting of any bird or animal is allowed in Massachusetts on Sundays.

 

At the September meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Environmental Police Officer Kolis reminded hunters to abide by the allowed hunting hours. (The 2023 Sunrise-Sunset Table is displayed on page 51 of the MA Hunting & Fishing Regulations.) For example, if you enter the woods earlier than one half hour before sunrise during deer hunting season with a loaded shotgun or an arrow in your cocked bow, you are considered hunting and in violation of the law.  The same with the sunset rule if you are walking out of the woods after one-half hour after sunset with loaded hunting implements.

 

It is the hunters’ responsibility to exercise safe hunting procedures and set-back, tree stand, wanton waste, and other hunting regulations. It is the non-hunter’s responsibility to be cognizant of existing hunter harassment laws.

 

The woods are busy at this time of year so be careful. Bring along a fully charged cell phone as well as a tick protection spray.  The wearing of florescent vests and/or hat is also advisable for hikers and other non-hunters.  Keep your dogs restrained and put florescent colors on them, too.

 

Here’s wishing you hunters out there a safe, successful and enjoyable hunting season.

 

Fall trout stocking has begun in the Berkshires

The following waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout last week.  As usual, it was subject to change:

Deerfield River in Florida, Buckland and Charlemont; East Branch of the Westfield in Chesterfield and Chester, Littleville Reservoir in Huntington, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Goose Pond, Lake Buel, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Richmond Pond, Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor Pond in Windsor.

The up-to-date report can be found at www.mass.gov/trout.

 

Federal funds blocked for schools with archery and hunting programs

The Biden administration’s Department of Education is withholding federal funding from hunting and archery programs in schools, citing a bipartisan law passed last year that tightened restrictions around gun purchases in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Texas.

The prohibition went into effect on June 25, 2022, and applies to all existing and future awards under all Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Department is administering the bipartisan law as written by Congress.  It prohibits federal funds from going to programs that “provide to any person a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon.”

Organizations like the National Archery in the Schools Program, which boasts 1.3 million students from nearly 9,000 schools, have expressed worries about the negative impact on children’s engagement and access to shooting sports, which can foster valuable skills and relationships. Tommy Floyd, President of the National Archery in the Schools Program, lamented the new restrictions. “It’s a negative for children.  As a former educator of 30-plus years, I was always trying to find a way to engage students. In many communities, it’s a shooting sport, and the skills from shooting sports, that help young people grow to be responsible adults. They also benefit from relationships with role models.”

Several schools here in the Berkshires that have successfully run Archery-in-the-School programs will be affected. Too bad, for it has generally been well received by the school administrators, parents and students.

Dynamic Forest Walk

 

The National Wild Turkey (NWTF) is a national conservation organization based around the wild turkey and preserving the hunting heritage.  In the New England region and Massachusetts specifically, it is focused on providing good nesting and brood rearing habitat for turkeys.  As part of its efforts, it is working with several other conservation partners to promote healthy and resilient forests in MA and the application of forest management to increase the diversity and structure of forests for wildlife, forest products and climate benefits.

 

Healthy forests are important for clean water, wildlife habitat, wood products, and providing climate benefits.

 

On October 8, the Tunxis Club in Tolland MA will be conducting a Dynamic Forests Walk from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm that will be led by foresters and biologists from NWTF, Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Ruffed Grouse Society and others.  The goal is to show private landowners, Conservation Committee members, and the general public different examples of forest management projects and to explain the benefits of these practices for wildlife, clean water, and even carbon storage and sequestration.

 

You will have the chance to see several different forest treatments that were completed at various points in time over the last 20 years.  They will provide excellent opportunities to see how these woodlands have responded and how these projects complement the larger forest and the needs of wildlife.  It’s a great learning opportunity if you are curious about how forests are managed and how you can approach forest planning on your own woodlot or community forest.

The workshop is free but you are asked to RSVP by contacting Matt DiBona at  mdibona@nwtf.net or call/text 302-943-3239.

Fall trout stocking beginning any time now

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Depending on water conditions, MassWildlife plans to stock over 61,000 trout this fall. Approximately 25,000 rainbow trout over 14 inches, 31,600 rainbow trout over 12 inches, and 5,000 brown trout over 9 inches will be stocked. These fish, coupled with the nearly 470,000 trout that were stocked in the spring, should provide for some great fall fishing, according to MassWildlife. The fall stocking season will wrap up around mid-October.  Once stocking begins, visit mass.gov/Trout for a stocking report that is updated daily.

Dr. Eve Schlüter named MassWildlife Deputy Director

At its August meeting, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board unanimously voted to promote Schlüter to the position.

 

Dr. Everose Schlüter (Eve) has been promoted to Deputy Director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). Schlüter has been with the agency for 16 years and fills the vacancy left when Dr. Jon Regosin retired in March of 2023. This is the first time a woman has been appointed to the role of Deputy Director.

“I’m extremely excited to announce this well-earned promotion,” MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa said after the Fisheries and Wildlife Board approved the promotion. “During her 16 years with MassWildlife, Eve has proven to be an unwavering voice for conservation. Eve’s deep knowledge of science and leadership abilities will be valuable assets to the agency and to all of our constituents.”

Schlüter started working at MassWildlife in 2007 as a reviewer and then advanced to Chief of Regulatory Review in the agency’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP). After a two-year stint as Assistant Director for the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, she returned to MassWildlife. Since 2019, Dr. Schlüter has been serving as Assistant Director of NHESP. While in this role, she oversaw all aspects of the program including research, habitat management, rare species restoration, data management, and regulatory reviews of proposed projects under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Highlights from her time as Assistant Director include development of the expanded and upgraded BioMap online planning and conservation tool and representing MassWildlife at state and regional committees and working groups on topic ranging from the impacts of mosquito control and offshore wind projects to wildlife diversity and landscape-level conservation.

“I am grateful, humbled, and excited for this opportunity,” said Schlüter. “I look forward to working with Director Tisa and agency staff to continue advancing the conservation and resiliency of all Massachusetts wildlife and habitats, and to ensure that all Massachusetts residents have access to nature and outdoor recreational opportunities.”

Eve grew up in New Jersey. She received a Ph.D. in Biology and a Certificate in Community Environmental Studies from Tufts University in 2003. She lives with her family in Maynard.

Alice Christman is at it again

As her dad Josh Christman of Pittsfield relates to us, 9-year- old Alice Christman has been grinding in search of her pike this year. “On September 4, we got some live bait, filled up the cooler and took the boat out. Using live bait on a slip bobber, she cast out her line.”

“I was on the phone with a friend who had just called when her bobber went under and the (reel) drag screamed. I told her to set the hook like I taught her. She did it perfectly and fought the fish.  Even my buddy who was on the phone that I set down was cheering her on.”

“The pike erupted on the surface and she screamed. I hung off the boat with the net and told her if it runs let it run. (I) couldn’t be more proud of her. I scooped the fish in the net and pulled it up into the boat. I swear you could hear her cheer across the lake. She landed a 42 and a half inch pike weighing 13 pounds, just short of 14lbs.”

It was caught in Berkshire waters. Sorry, I do not disclose the locations of where such big fish are caught; otherwise, no one would tell me about them or show their pictures.

Alice is used to catching large fish.  In recent years she has won numerous bronze and gold pins which have been awarded by MassWildlife through its Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program. In 2019, she was named Angler of the Year in the Youth Catch & Keep Category.

This fish will also be entered in the Youth Catch & Keep Category. But after this year, Alice is going to catch and release her fish.

According to Josh, the pike did not go to waste as a friend likes pike and filleted it up.

 

Habitat management grant opened September 1

 

Private and municipal landowners of conserved lands can apply for grant funding to support active habitat management projects that benefit wildlife and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) provides financial assistance for projects that:

  1. improve habitat for game species (species that are hunted, fished, and trapped),
  2. manage for State Wildlife Action Plan species (Species of Greatest Conservation Need), with an emphasis on State Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern species, and
  3. enhance habitat in ecological communities disproportionally susceptible to climate change.

Although MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made unprecedented investments in land acquisition in Massachusetts, acquisition alone is not enough to guarantee the persistence of biological diversity. Investment in habitat restoration and management is urgently needed on public and private lands across the state. To address this need, MassWildlife and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have substantially increased their investment in habitat management on state wildlife lands and are committed to working with partners to promote these efforts on conserved lands across the state. Over the past 8 years, the MHMGP has awarded over $2.8M in funding to 40 different organizations and individuals for 105 habitat improvement projects.

Grant applications will be accepted starting September 1 and are due by October 31, 2023.  Visit the MHMGP webpage time to learn more about the application process and to see examples of funded projects. For general questions about the grant program, contact James Burnham, Program Coordinator.

Experts from across the state to give presentations focused on local biodiversity

Naturalists and scientists from across the state are coming together for the 14th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day, or BioBlitz, which is scheduled for September 23–24 at April Hill Education and Conservation Center, the headquarters for Greenagers, on 62 N Undermountain Rd, South Egremont, MA. This year’s program will feature presentations in addition to guided walks and demonstrations led by experts—all free and open to the public. The four slideshow presentations, which range in topics from spiders to fungi, will each last for approximately half an hour and be followed by a Q&A.

Charley Eiseman presents: “Backyard Leafminers” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7 PM

Charley Eiseman will speak about leafminers: insect larvae that spend at least part of their lives feeding between the thin, outer (epidermal) layers of leaves. In North America, they include over 2000 species of moths, flies, beetles, and sawflies, belonging to over 50 different families.

John Wheeler presents: “Local Mushrooms and Their Roles in the Ecosystem” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 PM

He’ll go over the symbiotic relationship between plant roots and fungi (mycorrhizal fungi) and mushrooms that get their nutrients by digesting dead or decaying organic matter such as leaves, pine needles, and wood (saprobic fungi).

 

Joseph Warfel presents: “What is a Spider and What is Not” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:30 PM

Joseph Warfel will give an overview of spiders and their relatives, including brief life histories of arachnids and their place in nature and the global ecosystem.

Aliza Fassler presents: “Meet the Native Bees of New England” on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 10 AM

In North America, there are approximately 4,000 species of wild bees that are critical for pollinating plants in our forests, gardens, and fields.

 

This year’s event is organized and sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Academy of the Berkshires. It’s co-sponsored by Greenagers, Hoffmann Bird Club, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Panera.

To learn more about this 24-hour biological survey and the scheduled activities, visit www.berkshirebioblitz.org or email team@thebeatnews.org