Fish Hatcheries are good neighbors

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

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

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

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

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

The saga of the old Baby Zara bass plug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Potential land acquisitions in Housatonic watershed to be discussed

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The Massachusetts Sub-Council of the Housatonic River Natural Resource Trustees, comprising the Executive Office of Environmental and Energy Affairs (EEA), MassDEP, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will host an information session on Monday, August 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Lenox Library, 18 Main Street. The session will discuss potential land acquisition projects before the Housatonic River NRD Land Protection for Habitat Conservation.
“The Housatonic River watershed is one of the most diverse and natural areas in the Commonwealth,” said EEA Secretary Rick Sullivan. “This next round of funding for land protection and habitat conservation will add to the more than 100,000 acres already conserved by the Patrick-Murray Administration.”
“As we work to preserve, protect and rehabilitate the damaged Housatonic River and its watershed, a key component will be the projects that focus directly on repairing and restoring the natural resources throughout the waterway,” said Mass DEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell.
“This funding allows us to focus on protecting water, land and habitat in Massachusetts, all of which will benefit the future of a healthy Housatonic River,” said USFWS New England Field Office Supervisor Tom Chapman. “From its headwaters in the Berkshires south to Connecticut, the Housatonic supports an abundant amount of wildlife and many special species and this settlement funds the work of residents and officials to ensure that for our future.”
The final Round 3 Restoration Plan outlines the Massachusetts SubCouncil’s approach for the third round of the restoration program to restore, rehabilitate, replace, or acquire the equivalent of injured natural resources or the services provided by those resources. The projects could include compensatory restoration through land acquisition or land protection measures.
At the public meeting, the SubCouncil will present the final plan and the approach for soliciting, evaluating and selecting Round 3 projects. Round 3 of the Housatonic River Watershed Restoration Program will distribute about $2 million for land acquisition and habitat conservation projects from $7.75 million received as part of the settlement. As the Commonwealth’s procurement rules prohibit MassDEP or any other RFR issuer from consulting with potential applicants to develop project ideas, potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting to refine project ideas and obtain feedback.
In Round 1, the SubCouncil awarded $4 million for restoration projects ranging from invasive species control and restoring river flow to implementing an environmental literacy program. In Round 2, the SubCouncil awarded $1.3 million to five projects addressing habitat continuity restoration, wildlife resources protection, riparian buffer and floodplain forest restoration, invasive species control, and educational programming.
Information about the Housatonic River Watershed Restoration Program in Massachusetts is available online at: www.ma-housatonicrestoration.org. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Robin MacEwan of Stantec Consulting Inc., at robin.macewan@stantec.com or by calling 413-584-4776. ******
Last week I wrote about a friendly wild visitor (deer) to a local home. Thanks to the several people who sent me pictures of tame deer and related articles following that piece. Today, I am mentioning another wild visitor, this one not friendly at all. I am referring to the fisher. (Some prefer to call it a fisher cat, but it is not a feline at all). The fisher is a medium-sized mammal which is a member of the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten. It is one mean critter and if you have a cat or small dog in your household, better keep an eye on it.

George Chasse, of Lenox, related an event that happened to one of his neighbors on July 4. A fisher almost snatched a little fufu dog right in front of the owners. Fishers have been known to walk right up to people who are walking their dogs and grab them. If you walk a small dog, you might want to bring something with you to fend them off. You are allowed to take measures to protect your property. George keeps a garden hoe on his front porch just in case one comes after his dog.

If you let your dog out before retiring for the evening, you might want to stay outside with it until it is ready to come back in. Perhaps you should keep your cats indoors at night, too.

Although fairly common in the Berkshires, it is illegal to hunt these animals as they are protected in the Commonwealth. There is a trapping season though which runs from November 1 through November 22. ****
The DFW’s Becoming an Outdoorswoman Program will be partnering with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to offer families new to camping some opportunities to try this family-friendly outdoor activity. New this year, instead of one weekend, several Outdoors Family Camping Weekends will be offered in several parts of the state. Registration materials are posted online on the Outdoorswoman Events calendar at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/education-events/outdoorswoman-events.html. Registration preference will be given for those families new to this program.
These weekend experiences are designed for families who are beginning campers. Depending on the location, activities may include: Camping Fundamentals, Nature Walks & Plant Identification, Fishing, Archery, Nature Center Exploration, Live Animal Program, Outdoor Cooking and an Evening Campfire Program. The DCR will be handling the registration for these events. The Outdoors Family Camping Weekend in our area will be at the Tolland State Forest on August 10 and 11.

Leave wildlife alone

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Each spring, MassWildlife issues an alert reminding us to leave wildlife alone. Well-meant acts of kindness tend to have the opposite result. Instead of being left to learn their place in the world, young wildlife removed from the wild are denied important natural learning experiences which help them survive on their own.

Most people quickly find that they can’t really care for young wildlife, and many of the animals soon die in the hands of well-meaning people. Young wildlife that does survive human “assistance” misses experiences that teach them to fend for themselves. If these animals are released back into the wild, their chances of survival are reduced. Often, the care given to young wildlife results in some attachment to humans and the animals may return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals or hit by cars. Some animals become nuisances and people have even been injured by once-tamed wildlife.

Fawns are safest when left alone because their camouflaging color helps them remain undetected until the doe returns. If sympathetic people repeatedly visit a fawn, it can prolong the separation from the doe and delay important feeding. Unlike deer, newborn moose calves remain in close proximity to their mothers who, in contrast to a white-tailed doe, will actively defend calves against danger. An adult cow moose weighing over 600 pounds will chase, kick, stomp potential predators, people included.

Only when young wildlife are found injured or with their dead mother may the young be assisted, but must then be delivered immediately to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Due to the difficulty in properly caring for them there are no rehabilitators licensed to care of fawns. It is illegal to possess most wildlife in Massachusetts.

Message poorly timed you say, for we are past the spring fawning season. Please let me relate asituation that has recently come to light. It is a true Berkshire story but I have been asked to keep the names and locations anonymous. Let us call the person Parker who lives in Ripton.

Parker was recently visited by a year old spike horned buck which walked up to him in his driveway. He appeared tame and let Parker scratch his head and neck. He picked up a handful of grass and the deer ate right out of his hands. He later followed him right into his garage. He has no fear of humans whatsoever and is hanging around his property, frequently laying down on his lawn. It must have been a rescued fawn from last year and has adopted a close attachment with humans. In any event, Parker enjoyed the visits from this deer and grew fond of it himself.

Things were fine up until a few weeks ago. Parker became concerned when two game wardens (EPO’s) visited his place twice to track what is happening with the deer. They want to make sure it doesn’t turn into a public safety issue. Parker is afraid they will put it down. According to Andrew Madden, DFW Western District Manager, they are not at that stage right now, but the situation must be monitored.

Why kill it you ask? I posed the same question to the DFW folks and received the following answer. The deer is mature now and will be going into its first rut (breeding season) this fall when deer do goofy things because they are smitten with love. He could become a danger to the public, especially children, as he may attack people thinking they are rivals (or possibly lovers). He may dart out into traffic and cause an accident. It is sad, but the EPO’s must do their job and protect the public.

Personally, I hope the deer “high tails it” when he spots the EPO’s vehicle approaching. But unfortunately, it is doubted that this story will have a happy ending. If he sees a human in the woods, perhaps a deer hunter or a hiker with dogs, he may walk right up to them. The hunter may shoot him or the dogs chase him. Because he is not woods savvy, he may fall prey to coyotes, bears, etc. He may not know how to find food during our rugged winter. And don’t forget about the other wild bucks in the area who may not take too kindly to this stranger who is wooing his harem of does.

This is a sobering example of what could happen when we interfere with Mother Nature. Madden recommends that when people encounter what appears to be abandoned fawns, they should contact his office before doing anything. As far as Parker, Madden recommends that he make it uncomfortable for the deer to stay there or be near humans. *****

According to DFW’s Astrid Huseby, this spring’s youth turkey hunt was the most successful to date with 275 participants signing up statewide to hunt on the youth day. Of those youths, 82 students (30%) were successful in harvesting a turkey. Some 57 birds were reported online and 25 reported at a physical check station. A survey of the young hunters revealed:
23% had never hunted turkey before, 12% had never hunted anything before, 96% saw turkeys,
68% had an opportunity to take a shot, 72% of youth hunted during the regular season and
17% harvested a bird during the regular spring season

DFW will be celebrating the Youth Turkey Program’s 5 year anniversary at the next Fish & Game Board Meeting on July 31at the Western District Office in Dalton. The meeting will start at 1pm. The National Wild Turkey Federation has created plaques for each club to thank them for their dedication to this program. Astrid will also be giving a brief Power Point presentation to the Board about the program.

Wisconsin provided fond memories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope springs eternal for the American Chestnut tree

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While leaving downtown Stockbridge, heading south on Rte 7, on the left there you will see a wooden sign the shape and color of an American Chestnut tree leaf. It was designed by Craig Moffatt of Stockbridge. If you pull into the nearby driveway, you will see a commemorative rock honoring the late Peter Berle of Great Barrington who had a lot to do with the acquisition of the land. Then you will come upon a kiosk made of chestnut wood and which contains samples of chestnut branches and bark. Eventually, there will be a bench there which will also be made out of chestnut.

While at the kiosk, pick up a flyer developed by The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) and read about how the chestnut was one of the most important trees in the forests of Eastern US. The trees grew up to 100 feet tall and were a major source of lumber and food for wildlife and families. In the 19th century, loaded wagons of chestnuts were sent to major cities to sell at Christmastime.

Then the blight struck in the early 1900s. The blight is a fungus to which our native chestnuts have very little resistance. By 1950, approximately 4 billion trees had been destroyed, encompassing 188 million acres of forestland (twice the size of Montana). It was known as the largest ecological disaster of the 20th century.

Moffatt feels that one reason we lost the turkey population in the early 20th century was because we lost the American chestnut trees which provided food for them. Once the chestnuts died out, there was a lot of dead space and a void remained until the oaks and cherries eventually moved in.

Amazingly, after all these years, American Chestnut saplings are still sprouting in our woods . They grow to about 50 feet; inevitably get the blight and die, only to have suckers shoot up from the stumps and seeds again. Its leaf looks like a beech leaf but different in the sense that it has a scalloped edge.

In 1983, TACF was founded with the mission to restore the American Chestnut to its historic range. State chapters developed a sophisticated set of more than 300 chestnut breeding orchards which incorporate blight resistance with a broad range of local genetic diversity from surviving chestnuts to develop trees adapted for reintroduction into local woodlands. You are parked in such an orchard and Craig Moffatt is in charge of it.

Back in the early 1970’s the 9 acre parcel went on the market and the Laurel Hill Society and Stockbridge Land Trust bought it. The title is owned by Laurel Hill Society, and the Land Trust owns the conservation easement. It is public property. The land slopes down to Kampoosa Swamp where Moffatt has made a picnic table and plans to make another. Agawam Brook, which flows out of Agawam Pond, crosses the property near the table and it is a good canoe/ kayak launch area. Paddlers can go downstream, portage over a beaver dam and go upstream on Konkapot Brook to almost behind Monument Mountain Regional High School or go downstream to the Housatonic River.

Moffatt, with the help of local contractors and volunteers, has been clearing off some of the land with the intent of making it a park. They have planted two hybrid Valley Forge Elms (American Elm) at each entrance. He has done a lot of work already but needs much more help and funding to complete the project.

Perhaps the most exciting part is the chestnut tree orchard which he has established. Some 480 nuts were planted, each with a computer number. There were 4 different types planted; a control group which was a pure American nut, a pure Chinese nut which is what they crossed with, and the first cross (American Chestnuts can cross with Chinese Chestnuts which don’t get the blight). All the rest of the nuts were the hybrid of 15/16 American and 1/16 Chinese. (When the initial American-Chinese cross had grown, it was back crossed to the mother American Chestnut. That produced a nut which grew and was again back crossed to the mother American Chestnut. This process happened repeatedly until they had the 15/16 American-Chinese tree.)

When they get big enough, TACF will infect all of the trees in the nursery with the blight and wait a couple of years. The 2 or 3 trees that have the least amount of blight damage will be the ones they save and cross with two of the 15/16 hybrid trees to get a higher percentage of American Chestnut. The rest will be cut down and burned. After crossing them and they start producing nuts, the site will be turned into a seed orchard.

The Stockbridge Land Trust signed a germ plasm agreement with TACF who owns the trees. The land trust is just the care taker of the trees and cannot gain any monetary benefits from proceeds from them. Eventually there will be a whole other program to gradually get the trees into climax forests in our area.

Incidentally, according to Moffatt, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem about the spreading chestnut tree under which the Village Smithy stood was probably a Horse Chestnut which was planted as a town tree and does not look like the American. The American Chestnut was a woodland tree.

Someday, perhaps there will be another memorial rock there honoring Moffatt for all of the work that he has done on this project over the years. *****

This Saturday from 9:30 to 11:00 AM, the Berkshire Hatchery Foundation will have a kid’s fishing derby at the Lower Pond. Call 413-528-9761 to reserve a spot.

Monies granted for water protection

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

Exciting engineering concepts for the Hoosic River revival are aired

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Becket Washington School students release salmon fry for the last time

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

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

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

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

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

Lots of fun was had by the Fun Club

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Last Saturday, the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, with the help from members of the Cheshire Rod and Gun Club and Adams Outdoor for Youth held its Youth Outreach Fishing Derby at Reynolds Pond in Cheshire. This year the League invited the United Cerebral Palsy Fun Club.

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

Some of us were a little apprehensive and embarrassed, not knowing what CP was and what to expect when the kids arrived. Our concerns were quickly alleviated when they arrived, full of energy, excitement and smiles, just like any other kids. They couldn’t wait to grab a pole and catch some fish. Yes, a few bobbers got caught up in the trees, just like the kids did in previous years.

They were accompanied by Maureen Strype, UCP board member who works with BFAIR (Berkshire Families and Individual Resources), and who is the founder of Fun Club, and Emily Shoestock, Asst. Director of UCP Individual and Family Support Program. Emily is the head of the North County Fun Club. There is also one in Pittsfield.

According to Strype, the club was started 7 years ago to provide a way for kids with disabilities to get together to do things during school vacation. A lot of times these kids spend their summer vacations at home because they frequently are not asked by their peers to join in activities. Parents like the program and can go to work without having to worry about who is with their kids.” There are two Fun Club categories, one for kids 3 to 7 years of age and another 7 to 18.

So what is Cerebral Palsy? Well, according to Shoestock, it occurs when children are born with a lack of oxygen to their brains for a short time, and the result is a physical or cognitive disability. They may have developmental disabilities, autism or are a little slower. It is simply an overall term that is used.

UCP Association of Berkshire County is an affiliate of UCP National and offers support and advocacy for any individual, regardless of disability, to pursue a fulfilling, self-determined, high-quality community life. Its mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of all people with disabilities, not just people with CP. Autism and other physical or developmental disabilities can happen without CP.

So how did the kids do and did they have a good time? The accompanying picture tells the story. All of the kids caught fish. Some kept them to take home and eat while others let them go. This was a great day, not only for them but for everyone involved in this event.

Incidentally, if readers wish to contribute to this or any UCP programs, they can send a check to UCP, 208 West Street, Pittsfield. *****

What if the Hoosic River flowing through North Adams could be a more attractive, accessible community resource that still provides effective flood control? Judith Grinnell, President of the Hoosic River Revival believes that it is possible and asks us to join them for a community conversation to learn about ten potential options put forth by river restoration engineers and city planners.
Next Saturday from 9 AM until 1 PM the HRR is hosting a public community conversation at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in North Adams. Your feedback is wanted on their new conceptual drawings for revitalizing the Hoosic and the adjacent area. They will have food and drink and provide babysitters. Their consultants will present information on the river and describe each of the river revitalization drawings.
The HRR is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, incorporated as The Hoosic River Revival. Its mission deals with the 2.5 miles of the river which flows through North Adams, not just water quality and recreation issues, but also economic development. *****
Last week I received news that Leon Ogrodnick recently passed away in Harpswell, Maine. Local sportsmen may remember him as a very active volunteer in the Mass. Acid Rain Monitoring (ARM) Program, acting as the principal organizational architect of its network. He was a member of the Hoosuc Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and it was mainly because of his efforts that the Taconic Chapter of TU became involved in the water sampling program in 1985 and which continues to this day. For his efforts, he was awarded the 1985 Silvio O. Conte Berkshire County Sportsman of the Year Award. After moving to Maine, he remained very active in river and watershed issues.

This article is accompanied by a picture of 4 year old Jacob Billetter of Cheshire holding a sizeable brook trout