No changes to be made in statewide antlerless deer permit allocations this year

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In his recent report to the Fish & Wildlife Board, MassWildlife Deer and Moose Project Leader David Stainbrook discussed the emerging trends in the Western and Central regions (Wildlife Management Zones 1-9) and in the Eastern Region (WMZs 10-14). He explained that it is helpful to break the state into two areas when looking at deer management issues and trends.

In WMZ 1-9, the deer numbers have been kept relatively stable over the past 30 years, but in the eastern zones, deer numbers have gone from very low (rare to see a deer in some areas), to quite abundant. In areas where there has been adequate hunting access, deer numbers have likely been kept stable, but in areas with limited to no hunting access, deer numbers have been steadily growing.

He reported that they are on average within the Management Range in WMZs 1-9, but there is always variability within each zone, with some areas having lower deer numbers and some with higher deer numbers. The variability typically comes down to hunting access. He also reported that one major part of MassWildlife’s goal is to maintain a healthy, balanced deer population.

The data that staff collects in WMZ 1-9, (which come only from huntable areas, to investigate physical health of deer) indicate that deer are in good physical condition. The strong yearling male antler beam diameters they are recording indicate that the deer are healthy enough to devote more resources into antler growth, and also that their mothers were healthy enough to give them a good head start. Upon analyzing the age structure of the harvest data, it revealed in WMZs 1 to 9 that those zones are exhibiting a balanced age structure.

In conclusion, and based on the deer density to management range of 12-18 deer per square mile, Stainbrook recommended no change to the antlerless deer permit (ADP) allocation in WMZs 1-9. He also recommended that MassWildlife conduct pellet count surveys and deer browse surveys, stating that these will add to their understanding of current deer densities, so they know when they are reaching the upper end of their management range.

The proposed Antlerless Deer Permit Applications for 2017 are as follows:
WMZ Allocation WMZ Allocation

1 400 7 2,250
2 175 8 2,500
3 1,100 9 4,100
4N 375 10 12,000
4S 275 11 11,000
5 1,250 12 800
6 300 13 2,700

Hunters who applied for an Antlerless Deer Permit by the July 16th deadline must return to the MassFishHunt system to try to win a permit. The instant award period begins August 1 at 8:00 A.M. and continues through December 31. This is not a first-come first-served system. The odds of winning an Antlerless Deer Permit during the instant award period are the same whether a customer tries to win in August, September, or any time before December 31. Hunters have one chance to try for an instant award Antlerless Deer Permit.

There are three ways in which a hunter may participate and try to win a permit: 1) Log into the MassFishHunt system (follow instructions), 2) Visit a MassWildlife office , or 3) Visit a license agent location . Staff at these locations will access the MassFishHunt system on the customer’s behalf.

Stainbrook also recommended and the Board approved the following:
• Set the Youth Deer Hunt Day on September 30, 2017 and continue to allow youths to take either an antlered or antlerless deer in any zone.
• Allow youth 12-17 to obtain their free youth deer hunt permit online
• Allow online harvest reporting during second week of shotgun season, starting the second Monday of the shotgun season. This is more convenient for hunters, and staff has not seen any drops in reporting with online reporting, nor is it a concern for biological data collection.

Stainbrook also recommended that MassWildlife extend the Archery deer season, starting the season two weeks earlier in WMZs 10-14. This would give hunters eight weeks instead of six weeks. If approved it would start after the Youth Deer Hunt Day, on the eighth Monday prior to Thanksgiving, which is October 2 in 2017. The Board could not approve the recommendation at that time because it has to have a public hearing first.

River clean-up surprise
Jane Winn, Executive Director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), thanks everyone who helped to pull canoe-loads of trash out of the Housatonic River during the clean-up which took place on Saturday, June 15. She reported that the extraordinary find of the day was an ATM! Volunteer Tom Sakshaug said that they thought it was an oven or refrigerator but when he went to see how heavy it was he discovered it was an empty ATM. BEAT Stewardship Manager Ella DelMolino passed the information onto Jane who notified the police and they arrived and removed it.

Thanks also went to the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) who co-hosted the event, to BlueQ who provided lunch and “cool” BlueQ stuff, and the City of Pittsfield who hauled the trash away and provided some funding for this year’s cleanups.

Firearm Course
On Saturday, August 12, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be having a Multi-License Firearm Course. This course qualifies applicants to apply for licenses in MA, CT, UT, FL, ME and NH. Robert J. McDermott will be conducting this course. For information and registration contact him at 413-232-7700 or robmcdermott@verizon.net.

Archery Shoot
Karen Kruszyna,, spokesperson for the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, informs us that there will be a Tri-State 3-D Archery Shoot on Sunday, August 6. It starts at 8 a.m. and participants are advised to get there ahead of time to register. Price for adults (30 targets) is $10, Youths 12 to 15 is $5 and Cubs 0-11 are free.

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

 

Kids fishing with little fish sometimes catch lunkers

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Over the Fourth of July weekend, 12-year old Nina from Queens, NY was visiting her grandparents Dave and Maggie Bimbane on Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale. She was netting some small “baby” sunfish along the shoreline with her 10-year old cousin Gage. She decided to rig the sunfish onto a fishhook and toss it out near their dock. She saw a nice largemouth bass follow the bait and attack it. According to grandpa Dave, there was a lot of excitement (screaming and yelling) when they tried to net the bass. It was too big for their net but she was able to land it anyway.

Nina went through the decision of either mounting it as a trophy or cooking it. She finally decided that it had lived all these years and it should be set free, which she did. Grandpa Dave is really proud of young Nina. “It was a great choice for a 12-year old person.” he said. That fish may provide great pleasure to another angler in the future and maybe that angler will also release it.

The bass measured 18 inches long and weighed 2.5 lbs. Looks heavier than that, don’t you think? I’ve got a feeling that she will do more visiting and a lot more fishing up at the lake in the future.

It never ceases to amaze me. Most bass fishermen fish with rubber worms, lures, plugs, spinner baits, etc. They probably have hundreds of dollars invested in their equipment. I wonder if they remember their younger days when they would simply hook a small bait to the red and white bobber and cast it out. Kids sure caught a lot of fish in those days using that method. I don’t remember practicing “Catch & Release” back then, because we fished for food.

In addition to the small fish, we would fish with what we called crabs (crayfish), perch bugs (dragonfly nymphs) and any other wiggly pinching critter that we caught along the shorelines and riverbanks.

Basic Hunter Education Courses
All first-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course. One will be taught at the Ashfield Rod & Gun Club, 161 North Street, Plainfield, MA, on August 3 and August 19. The times are 6:00 to 9:30pm on August 3 and 8:00 am to 3:30 pm on August 19.

The second course will be taught at the Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield. The dates are September 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21 from 6:00 to 9:00pm.

Participants must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course. To enroll, call (508)389-7830.

Land Acquisitions
Recently, MassWildlife completed three Western District land projects. All three of them built on existing land holdings and enhanced access for sportsmen while protecting a diversity of
habitat.

The first one was the acquisition of 24 acres of land located within the Long Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Otis. Based upon topo maps, it appears to be between Angerman Swamp and Hayden Swamp and to the east of the boundary with Beartown State Forest near the Tyringham town border. There does not appear to be any ready access to it, but the closest road appears to be Stebbens Road in Otis. There is no informational write-up of the property available yet.

The second one was the acquisition of 24 acres of land abutting the Chalet WMA in Lanesborough. It is between the Chalet WMA and the Boulders Wildlife Conservation Easement area with access from Gulf Road. There is limited parking space (2 cars) nearby on Gulf Road. The Chalet WMA has over 6,400 acres within its boundaries.

The third one was the acquisition of 66 acres abutting the Ram Hill WMA in Chesterfield, MA. Access to the area is off of Route 143, across from Dead Swamp. Sorry, there is no informational write-up of the property available yet. This increases the acreage of Ram Hill WMA to 244 acres.

Incidentally, much of the information about the WMA’s was obtained from MassWildlife’s Wildlands Web Viewer where one can find out information about all of the WMA’s and other preserved lands. There are three base maps of the properties: USGS older maps, the newer topographic maps and satellite maps. These maps are currently being updated to give valuable information such as total acreage, access and parking locations, boat launches, etc. Check them out on http://maps.env.state.ma.us/dfg/masswildlifelands.

Eagle Update
Readers may recall my June 18, 2017 column wherein I noted that it appeared that eagle nests in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, Richmond, Russell and Lenox failed to produce young this year. Things were looking dismal. Well, there is some good news. This year they had successful eaglets develop in June in Buckland, Otis, and Monterey. MassWildlife banded only 2 chicks in the Western District and both were in the Monterey nest. Statewide, MassWildlife banded 29 chicks, recorded 57 active nests and had 50 eaglets fledged.

MassWildlife also reported that when an early spring storm destroyed a Bald Eagle nest containing eggs, chances were extremely small that the pair could re-nest. However, one pair of eagles beat the odds this spring by building a new nest and hatching two eggs. This successful second nesting is the first ever recorded in Massachusetts. MassWildife recently visited the nest and banded two chicks.

Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com

Meet your new Fish and Game Commissioner

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Ron Amidon of Templeton has recently been appointed by Governor Charlie Baker as the new Commissioner of the Department of Fish & Game (DFG). He replaced former Commissioner George N. Peterson, Jr. who decided to step down and spend more time with his family. The DFG oversees the Commonwealth’s marine and freshwater fisheries, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, plants, all endangered species, and the habitats that support them.
Amidon, whose career has been in large scale construction management, has spent over 30 years actively involved in the Commonwealth’s sporting community. He has served as the President of the Otter River Sportsmen’s Club, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Worcester County League of Sportsmen’s Clubs, President of the Gun Owners Action League, and Moderator of the Massachusetts Conservation Alliance. He is also heavily involved with Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited and has a strong interest in identifying cold water habitats for trout, protecting wildlife habitat and supporting restoration of upland bird habitat. He is known and respected across the state as a staunch defender and protector of our outdoor sports heritage.
I have the good fortune to be able to call Ron a friend. I first met Ron and his wife Rena a few years back while camped along the banks of the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield. My wife Jan and I met and took an immediate liking to them. Through conversations, it didn’t take long to learn that Ron is a staunch defender of our hunting and fishing heritage and protector of the environment. He doesn’t just talk about these issues but takes action as witnessed by his commitments listed above.
He’s not a bad fisherman either as the attached picture shows. That wild brook trout, which he caught on a fly rod and quickly released, weighed more than 7 3/4 lbs. The picture was taken while Ron and a group of anglers fished the Minipi River system in Labrador last year. Local Attorney Michael Shepard of Dalton and I were in that group.
You get to know a guy that you share a lodge with in the middle of God’s Country. In the early twilight hours, sipping a steaming cup of coffee, while waiting for the guides to wake up, Ron and several of us would discuss hunting and fishing issues of the day. Having gotten to know Ron better, I can’t think of a more qualified person to head up the DFG.
In stepping down, Peterson, who had served as Commissioner since February of 2015 said, “I am very grateful to Governor Baker for giving me the opportunity to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game. I will cherish the time I spent working directly with the professional staff on the issues I deeply care about—habitat conservation, fisheries management, ecological restoration, and enhancement of public access to the Bay State’s wildlife, lands and waters, and outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting.”
Prior to his appointment as Commissioner, Peterson had served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for 20 years, representing the 9th Worcester District, and was the Assistant Minority Leader when he left the House of Representatives. He is an avid recreational fisherman and hunter. He is also a U.S. Army veteran.
Outdoor sportsmen could always count on Representative Peterson to support and promote their causes on Beacon Hill and were very appreciative of his accomplishments as the Commissioner. While Commissioner, he came out here to the Berkshires on numerous occasions to attend various functions and was on a first name basis with many of us. I’m sure you will join me in thanking him for his service in our military, in our House of Representatives and as F&W Commissioner and wish him the best in the future.
HVA Paddle Trip
On Tuesday, July 18, the Housatonic Valley Association will have a Beginners’ Paddle Trip from 4:30 to 7:00pm. There will be a free introduction to canoeing on a flatwater stretch of the Housatonic River in Glendale. Instruction will be provided by a certified instructor and canoes and equipment will be provided. Learn how to safely enter and exit a canoe, the basic strokes and how to steer. Program support is provided by Housatonic Heritage. Preregistration required. More information provided upon registering. Call HVA at 413-298-7024 or email adixon@hvatoday.

Report Fish Kills This Summer
With the warming up of our lakes and ponds, fish kills may occur. The sight of dead and dying fish along the shores of a favorite pond or river can be distressing and can prompt concerns about pollution. However, according to MassWildlife, the vast majority of summer fish kills reported are natural events.
Natural fish kills are generally the result of low oxygen levels, fish diseases, or spawning stress. Depletion of dissolved oxygen is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. Water holds less dissolved oxygen at higher temperatures; in shallow, weedy ponds oxygen can be especially low as plants consume oxygen at night. Spawning of fish such as Sunfish and Largemouth Bass in late spring and early summer occurs in shallow waters along the shores. These densely crowded spawning areas become susceptible to disease outbreaks, especially as water temperatures increase. The result is an unavoidable natural fish kill, usually consisting of only one or two species of fish.
To be sure there isn’t a pollution problem, it’s always best to report fish kills (Environmental Police 1(800) 632-8075). A MassWildlife fisheries biologist will determine if the kill is a natural event or the result of pollution. When pollution is the suspected culprit, MassWildlife notifies the Department of Environmental Protection, who then conducts a formal investigation of the water and affected fish to determine the source of pollution.

Thanks to those who run the sportsmen’s clubs

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Sportsmen’s clubs serve many purposes. Among other things, they introduce people to the outdoor sports by conducting mentoring programs which teach youths how to hunt turkeys, pheasants, duck and deer. They have spring fishing derbies, ice fishing derbies, bow hunting leagues, archery in the school programs, trout in the classroom programs, teach trap and skeet shooting, and more. Working with the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), they are involved with river clean-ups, invasive plant eradication, and more. Working with MassWildlife, they are involved with the BOW (Becoming an Outdoorswoman) Program, paraplegic hunts, school trout stocking programs, etc. Some groups work through OLLI (Osher Life Long Institute) to teach as fly fishing.

The days when dad or uncle taught the kids how to do all of these things are almost gone. Now, they have expert club mentors who take the place of parents who perhaps no longer participate in these sports, or a single parent who does not have the time or ability to teach them.

In many cases club delegates serve on the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, which is the umbrella organization for the individual clubs. The League, in turn, is a member of the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council, the umbrella organization for the individual County Leagues across Massachusetts. The League is also affiliated with the Gun Owner’s Action League (GOAL) and the NRA which are often on Beacon Hill in Boston, fighting to preserve sportsmen’s rights to own guns. These organizations require membership fees.

The sportsmen’s clubs have to pay for the club house maintenance, real estate taxes, loan interest, teaching materials, hatchery fish, etc. Some clubs have to maintain many acres of land and fencing. Some raise bunnies or pheasants. Others maintain trap or skeet shooting ranges, target ranges, etc. Someone has to mow, snowplow, maintain the property and cook for functions.

The annual club dues are not sufficient to pay for all of this. It is necessary to obtain added funds through special raffles, game dinners, turkey shoots (they don’t really shoot turkeys), banquets, facility rentals, etc. Someone has to plan, organize, direct and control these activities and funding and those duties usually fall upon the club officers and directors. Running a sportsman’s club requires a significant investment of time, and those who do so ask for nothing in return.

The annual Silvio O. Conte Awards Banquet tries to recognizes them with the Sportsmen of the Year Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, etc. In this column, I would also like to give a shout out to those dedicated individuals. Please know that for every officer listed here, there are many more directors and committee chairpersons behind the scenes who are assisting or advising them. The following listing of clubs are those active in the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen:
Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club: Its President is Travis Delratez, 1st VP is Stanley Bushey, 2nd VP is Clem Caryofilles, Treasure is Mike Furey and Clerk & Secretary is David Pemble.
Taconic Chapter, Trout Unlimited: President is John Burns, VP is Henry Sweren, Treasurer is Bill Travis, and Secretary position is unfilled.
Berkshire Beagle Club: President is Rodney Hicks, VP is Al Costa, Treasurer is Tim Cahoon and Secretary is Pat Barry.
Lenox Sportsmen’s Club: President is Tom Ferguson, VP is Mark Jester, Treasurer is Bernie Abramson and Secretary is Derek Dubin.
Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club: President is Rob McDermott, 1st VP is Wayne Myers, 2nd VP is John Mange, Treasurer is Bonnie Buffoni and Secretary is David St Peter

Lee Sportsmen’s Association: President is Cliff White, VP is George Brooks, the Treasurer position is unfilled, and Secretary is John Polastri.

Cheshire Rod & Gun Club: President is Bill Bolotin, VP is Glenn Reynolds, Treasurer is Rick Gurneyand and Secretary is Chris Smith.

Adams Outdoor for Youth: President is Jody Goff, VP is Mike LeFebvre, Treasurer is Tom Tinney and Secretary is Kaitlyn Kline.

East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club: President is Steve Haskins, VP is Wayne Mclain, Treasurer is Travis McCarthy and Secretary is Kris Kirby.

Sheffield Sportsmen’s Club: President is Robby Brownson, VP is Jim Olmstead, Treasurer is Lee Donsbough and Secretary is Ryan Shimmon

Onota Fishing Club: President is Edward Blake, Treasurer is Chuck Lennon and Sergeant-at- Arms is Dick Barns.

Alford Brook Club: President is Earl Albert, VP is Ray Murray, treasurer is Dr. Bruce Person r and Secretary is Attorney Ed McCormic.

Berkshire County League of Sportsmen: President is Michael Kruszyna, VP is Wayne Mclain, Treasurer is Dan Kruszyna and Secretary is me. Those who serve as delegates to the Mass Sportsmen’s Council, GOAL and the NRA and who must travel considerable distances to attend monthly meetings are Clem Caryofilles, Mark Jester, Pete McBride and Gary Wilk.

Many thanks to all the dedicated members. My apologies for any errors or omissions.

Summer Sizzler winners

The winners of the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club Summer Sizzler drawing are: Grand Prize – Terry Miller, 2nd Prize – Lou Puleri, 3rd Prize – Joanne Farrell, 4th Prize – Pete Skowronski and 5th Prize – Clem Caryofilles.
Deer Antlerless Permits
The deadline to apply for an Antlerless Deer Permit is July 16. There is no fee to apply but a $5 fee is charged if you are awarded a permit during the Instant Award Period starting August 1.
Thank you Massachusetts waterfowl hunters!
According to MassWldlife, since 1975, you’ve contributed over $1.7million in Massachusetts Waterfowl Stamp funds to Ducks Unlimited. An additional $15million has been leveraged by DU, other states, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to secure and restore over 18,307 acres of waterfowl habitat across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Estabrooks Marsh in New Brunswick at the head of the Bay of Fundy was recently dedicated to Massachusetts by Ducks Unlimited Canada in “recognition of this important partnership.”

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Revival of a classic
If you are a baby boomer fisherman or older, you knew the name of the pictured lure. And if you are younger, chances are that when you saw that picture, you said,”Oh yes, I saw one of those in Dad’s (or Grandpa’s) old fishing tackle box”. If you didn’t cast that lure into our lakes and ponds in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and catch a lot of fish, something was wrong. Just mentioning that lure congers up warm and joyful memories alongside those who were most special to us – our parents or grandparents. The lure is the Al’s Goldfish.
Al’s Goldfish Company was founded by Al Stuart of Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. After World War II, Al returned home from military duty and started up a local sporting goods store. Soon thereafter, Al’s Goldfish appeared on the American fishing landscape. “There is uncertainty as to whether Stuart purchased the Al’s Goldfish from somebody or if he actually invented it himself” said John L. Occhialini, who later purchased the company. “ But he was the one that developed it for sure and he started producing it in the basement of his sporting goods store.” From 1953 through 1973, Al’s Goldfish sold nearly 1 million lures each year.
The original name for the lure was Stuart’s Goldfish but was renamed Al’s Goldfish in 1954. It was popular locally and it grew to the point where in 1954 he incorporated Al’s Goldfish Company. Stuart started out by stamping the lure out of brass but over time he refined and enhanced the finish using 22 karat gold. “He was actually ahead of his time in manufacturing production methods for the early 1950s,” said Occhialini. “He stamped out everything himself, did the plating and so forth.”
Stuart was also a devoted world traveler and in his travels he came up with many new ideas for his lures and he discovered ways to save money on manufacturing costs by purchasing hooks and materials overseas. Stuart was also ahead of his time as a savvy marketer and businessman. He cozied up to local media and sought out sports writers throughout the country, thus keeping Al’s Goldfish Company in the public’s eyes and ears.
“The big jump for the Al’s Goldfish was when he teamed up with Gadabout Gaddis in the early 1960s,” said Occhialini. “That’s when Al’s Goldfish really took off and really was one of the largest selling lures at that time.” The boomers remember Gadabout Gaddis (Roscoe Vernon) who was widely known as the pioneer of outdoor and fishing television. He inspired millions of Americans to venture out and enjoy the outdoors, to take up fishing and the cause of conservation. His TV show aired locally, right after the Friday Night Fights.
“Gadabout Gaddis actually sold a kit on his TV shows that was produced by Al’s Goldfish Company,” Occhialini explained. “And it included the Al’s Goldfish in it of course. As part of that arrangement, Gadabout Gaddis mentioned it on his TV show many times, and that’s when it really became a national seller. It soon became one of the best selling fishing lures in the country from the late 1950s through the 1970s. “It was one of the three biggest sellers in the 60s. According to the Stuarts, they were shipping out tractor trailer loads of them.
After Al Stuart passed away, his daughter inherited the business. With her husband, she ran the company for a number of years. In that time, the operation was downsized considerably, and many cost-conscious changes were made to the lures and the manufacturing processes. This unfortunately had a negative effect on the quality of the product and the prosperity of the company itself. By 1999, the advancing age of the owners and waning interest in the company led to their decision to retire and sell Al’s Goldfish Company, to Occhialini.
Upon acquiring the company, Occhialini revived the products, eliminating some of the cheaper, poor-selling plastic lures and concentrated on boosting the classic lineup of metal lures. He brought back the genuine 22 karat gold plating, which had been substituted with a cheaper alternative under the previous owners, in spite of the $300 an ounce cost of gold at the time.
Stamped and cast in marine brass, the lure is as durable today as it was over 50 years ago. “We were still using the same dies that Al Stuart used,” professed Occhialini. “So there hasn’t been a whole lot of change in fifty years. Once it is cast, the Goldfish is plated in shiny metallic finishes that include genuine gold, nickel, copper, reflective prism, and other colors. The lures have always been made In America. The blanks are made in Massachusetts, the paint is applied in Rhode Island, the split rings are made in Wisconsin, and the company headquarters is in Maine. All lures are hand-painted with hand-mixed color by Bob Christopher.

In 2006, Field and Stream magazine named Al’s Original Goldfish lure one of the “50 Greatest Lures of All Time.” In 2007, the lure made Field and Stream’s Top 10 Best Trout Lures of all time.
In May, 1966, Dana Deblois caught a 19 lbs 10 oz brown trout out of Wachusett Reservoir using the Al’s Goldfish 1/4 oz Gold Orange. It still remains the state record brown after all these years, making it the oldest Massachusetts state record catch.

Al’s Goldfish Company is now headquartered in Biddeford, Maine. The company was bought by Mike Lee in 2015 with a goal of continuing the American lure-manufacturing tradition.
Contact Information: Mike Lee, Al’s Goldfish Lure Company, Biddeford, Maine, mike@alsgoldfish.com, phone 413-543-1524.

Fishing Derby
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having a free children’s fishing derby next Saturday, July 8 from 9 to 10:30 AM at its lower pond. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Revival of a classic
If you are a baby boomer fisherman or older, you knew the name of the pictured lure. And if you are younger, chances are that when you saw that picture, you said,”Oh yes, I saw one of those in Dad’s (or Grandpa’s) old fishing tackle box”. If you didn’t cast that lure into our lakes and ponds in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and catch a lot of fish, something was wrong. Just mentioning that lure congers up warm and joyful memories alongside those who were most special to us – our parents or grandparents. The lure is the Al’s Goldfish.
Al’s Goldfish Company was founded by Al Stuart of Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. After World War II, Al returned home from military duty and started up a local sporting goods store. Soon thereafter, Al’s Goldfish appeared on the American fishing landscape. “There is uncertainty as to whether Stuart purchased the Al’s Goldfish from somebody or if he actually invented it himself” said John L. Occhialini, who later purchased the company. “ But he was the one that developed it for sure and he started producing it in the basement of his sporting goods store.” From 1953 through 1973, Al’s Goldfish sold nearly 1 million lures each year.
The original name for the lure was Stuart’s Goldfish but was renamed Al’s Goldfish in 1954. It was popular locally and it grew to the point where in 1954 he incorporated Al’s Goldfish Company. Stuart started out by stamping the lure out of brass but over time he refined and enhanced the finish using 22 karat gold. “He was actually ahead of his time in manufacturing production methods for the early 1950s,” said Occhialini. “He stamped out everything himself, did the plating and so forth.”
Stuart was also a devoted world traveler and in his travels he came up with many new ideas for his lures and he discovered ways to save money on manufacturing costs by purchasing hooks and materials overseas. Stuart was also ahead of his time as a savvy marketer and businessman. He cozied up to local media and sought out sports writers throughout the country, thus keeping Al’s Goldfish Company in the public’s eyes and ears.
“The big jump for the Al’s Goldfish was when he teamed up with Gadabout Gaddis in the early 1960s,” said Occhialini. “That’s when Al’s Goldfish really took off and really was one of the largest selling lures at that time.” The boomers remember Gadabout Gaddis (Roscoe Vernon) who was widely known as the pioneer of outdoor and fishing television. He inspired millions of Americans to venture out and enjoy the outdoors, to take up fishing and the cause of conservation. His TV show aired locally, right after the Friday Night Fights.
“Gadabout Gaddis actually sold a kit on his TV shows that was produced by Al’s Goldfish Company,” Occhialini explained. “And it included the Al’s Goldfish in it of course. As part of that arrangement, Gadabout Gaddis mentioned it on his TV show many times, and that’s when it really became a national seller. It soon became one of the best selling fishing lures in the country from the late 1950s through the 1970s. “It was one of the three biggest sellers in the 60s. According to the Stuarts, they were shipping out tractor trailer loads of them.
After Al Stuart passed away, his daughter inherited the business. With her husband, she ran the company for a number of years. In that time, the operation was downsized considerably, and many cost-conscious changes were made to the lures and the manufacturing processes. This unfortunately had a negative effect on the quality of the product and the prosperity of the company itself. By 1999, the advancing age of the owners and waning interest in the company led to their decision to retire and sell Al’s Goldfish Company, to Occhialini.
Upon acquiring the company, Occhialini revived the products, eliminating some of the cheaper, poor-selling plastic lures and concentrated on boosting the classic lineup of metal lures. He brought back the genuine 22 karat gold plating, which had been substituted with a cheaper alternative under the previous owners, in spite of the $300 an ounce cost of gold at the time.
Stamped and cast in marine brass, the lure is as durable today as it was over 50 years ago. “We were still using the same dies that Al Stuart used,” professed Occhialini. “So there hasn’t been a whole lot of change in fifty years. Once it is cast, the Goldfish is plated in shiny metallic finishes that include genuine gold, nickel, copper, reflective prism, and other colors. The lures have always been made In America. The blanks are made in Massachusetts, the paint is applied in Rhode Island, the split rings are made in Wisconsin, and the company headquarters is in Maine. All lures are hand-painted with hand-mixed color by Bob Christopher.

In 2006, Field and Stream magazine named Al’s Original Goldfish lure one of the “50 Greatest Lures of All Time.” In 2007, the lure made Field and Stream’s Top 10 Best Trout Lures of all time.
In May, 1966, Dana Deblois caught a 19 lbs 10 oz brown trout out of Wachusett Reservoir using the Al’s Goldfish 1/4 oz Gold Orange. It still remains the state record brown after all these years, making it the oldest Massachusetts state record catch.

Al’s Goldfish Company is now headquartered in Biddeford, Maine. The company was bought by Mike Lee in 2015 with a goal of continuing the American lure-manufacturing tradition.
Contact Information: Mike Lee, Al’s Goldfish Lure Company, Biddeford, Maine, mike@alsgoldfish.com, phone 413-543-1524.

Fishing Derby
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is having a free children’s fishing derby next Saturday, July 8 from 9 to 10:30 AM at its lower pond. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

 

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Help bats by reporting colonies
If you see a colony of bats, MassWildlife asks that you let them know. They are studying bat colonies to see how many have survived after the onset of White-nose Syndrome, a deadly disease affecting hibernating bats. They believe that monitoring leads to advances in conservation and management for endangered bat species, ensuring protection and security of the colonies. E-mail Jennifer Longsdorf (jennifer.longsdorf@state.ma.us) to report a bat colony and include the address, location, type of structure where the colony was found (tree or building), and approximately how many bats are in the colony. Ten or more bats make up a colony. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Since the onset of White-nose Syndrome in Massachusetts, the state’s population of bats has dwindled to less than 1% of what it was. They cite one abandoned mine where almost every bat hibernating over the 2008/2009 winter died from White-nose Syndrome. Some 10,000 bats dropped to just 14 in the span of a single season. White-nose Syndrome is caused by a fungus that grows on cave-hibernating bats during the winter. The growing fungus rouses the bats from hibernation, causing them to use up precious fat stores before fully waking in the spring, leading to starvation. As a result of the drastic mortality from White-nose Syndrome, all species of cave-hibernating bats are listed as Endangered in Massachusetts.
MassWildlife named two species of bats, the Little Brown Bat and the Big Brown Bat which have summer colonies in Massachusetts. These colonies may be found in trees, buildings, or houses. The Little Brown Bat also hibernates in caves during the winter, where it can contract White-nose Syndrome. Before White-nose Syndrome occurred in Massachusetts, the Little Brown Bat was the most common bat species in the state. MassWildlife is especially interested in learning how surviving colonies of Little Brown Bats have persisted despite White-nose Syndrome, including the size and location of their colonies.
This summer, they will be banding Little Brown Bats, and tagging all females with radio transmitters to help them locate maternity colonies. They will also be doing surveys, site visits to bat colonies, and monitoring any newly discovered maternity colonies to determine colony size, site ownership, and security. Monitoring long-term population changes will greatly help them understand the survival of Little Brown Bats. This work will also be used in future recovery efforts.
Don’t worry about your hunting and fishing license fees going toward this bat study. According to Marion E. Larson Chief, Information & Education for the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, they received a grant to study them and contractors to do the work. They simply need locations for the contractors to visit.
I hope they are successful in their recovery efforts. I miss these little critters especially when fishing near water bodies at twilight hours. Who can forget their kamikaze style dives toward us, and our wondering if they will pull up before smacking our heads. Oh sure, some women don’t miss them at all because of the rumor of them flying into and getting tangled in their hair. I wonder, is there any truth to that rumor?
Two comical events come to mind when I think about them. One occurred many years ago when my fishing buddy Jerry Zink and I were teenagers. We were bass fishing at night from a boat on Laurel Lake. In those days, we rented an old clunker wooden boat from Bing Miller and would row and fish all night. It was fun. We would cast our plugs into the darkness, hear them plop into the water and then work the plugs toward us. There was concern when we cast out the plugs and did not hear the plop. That usually meant that we were too close to shore and the plug landed in a tree. Barring that event, every now and then we would hear a loud splash and we would set the hook. We couldn’t see whose plug was hit so both of us reacted. One of us usually landed a good sized largemouth bass.
One night, while reeling in my plug, I sensed something was wrong. The plug didn’t gurgle, sputter, pop or wobble like it should. After reeling in and holding the rod up in the dim moon light, I could see a leaf hanging from the plug, which happens occasionally. I was deeply engrossed in our conservation (probably about girls), when I reached up to pull the leaf off. I missed it, time and again. Frustrated, I asked Jerry to shine the flashlight on it. You guessed it. A bat was hanging from the plug and every time I reached to remove it, the bat would fly up in the air with the plug. To this day, Jerry and I still chuckle about that.
The other time was about 15 years ago. One evening, a buddy Doug Yates from Dalton and I were flyfishing the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield, MA. Doug was fishing downstream from me, and over the sound of the river, I could hear him shouting. He appeared to be fighting a fish and because he was shouting to catch my attention, I assumed he had a good one on. But something was wrong. Instead of his rod bending down toward the water, it was bent up and the line going in a circle over his head.
Well, you guessed it again. While his fly was mid-air from a cast, a bat came along and snatched it. Now that’s what I call a good fly imitation! Every now and then, Doug and I chuckle over that, too.
Gosh, I hope my fishing stories involving bats haven’t ended.