This past weekend, there was a gathering of family and friends to celebrate 70 years of the Hadfield twins, my wife Penny and her sister Pam McDade. The schedule included a barbecue, gifts, cake and a lot of fun commencing with a gathering at Stone Cow Brewery in Barre Friday night. The food, consisting of a variety of appetizers, was delicious and the brewery products also did not disappoint. The following morning, Pam’s husband, Norm, is a good bass fisherman and we got up early to wet a line on an overcast Saturday morning before breakfast. There was a good bite on, and we had constant action with the largemouth bass, and one really big crappie (AKA Calico bass) keeping us busy as my daughter Jen prepared a delicious breakfast for the assembled multitude.
After breakfast, the birthday festivities filled the day and as the day wound down, Pam and Norm’s granddaughter, Audrey, decided that she wanted to join “Grampy” in the morning when we were going out fishing again. She was informed that we were going early but that did not deter her. Shortly after first light, we were up, and Audrey got out of bed and was ready to go. Gearing up was easy as we keep a smaller rod set up for young fishermen (and fisherwomen) to fish off the dock. It has a Zebco push-button closed-face reel that is a great outfit to learn casting.
After casting off, we moved around the shoreline and found the fishing a little slower than the previous morning. Audrey quickly took to casting and very soon she was sending her worm out further and further. It was fun to watch her progress as she worked hard to learn the skills of a fisherman. Not long into our trip, Audrey landed her first largemouth bass after a battle and a bit of coaching to “raise the rod tip.” She soon had the fish boatside and then aboard. Like many new fishermen, she was a little hesitant to grab the bass but soon she could see that once you had your thumb on the bottom lip, the bass was paralyzed and would not flop around. Audrey was also a quick learner as to where the bass were hanging out and she directed Norm to cast “close to the lily pads.”
Both mornings were quite breezy. My Tahoe Q6 SF is over 20 feet long and the heavy fiberglass boat is equipped with a Bimini top. That seems to act somewhat like a sail but the Motorguide Xi5 trolling motor kept us in the fishing zone. The motor was new last year and is GPS-enabled. That allows the motor to have features that allow you to point in a direction and the motor will continue on that course at a set speed. It also has an anchor feature that keeps the boat stationary against wide, current or tide. I decided to keep it and install it on the 2007 fiberglass fish’n ski boat when it replaced my 30-year-old ProCraft aluminum boat. That installation took some doing. The Tahoe was factory-equipped with a trolling motor, but the Xi5 is “state of the art” and GPS-equipped. The base had to be modified using an aluminum extension but what was not anticipated, however, was the fact that the gunnel height of the fiberglass boat was significantly higher. That resulted in the 48-inch shaft being a little short. Most of the time, everything is fine, but at high RPMs or with weight in the stern, the trolling motor prop breaks the surface. Bottom line: we have ordered the same 80-pound thrust Xi5 with a 60-inch shaft. Anyone want a great deal on a practically new saltwater and GPS-equipped trolling motor? With the present computer chip issues, it may be a while before the replacement arrives and I will probably use Craig’s List when it does get here.
Meanwhile, young Audrey was piling up the bass. With each one she handled, she gained experience and her casting was quite remarkable for a first-timer. As our outing neared the end, she saved the best for last and landed her biggest bass. It is hard to say whose smile was bigger as both she and Norm were pretty happy! This writer gets to fish quite a bit in the summer but this trip with a young lady on her first-ever fishing adventure was as good as it gets.
It appears that as the water warms, the bass fishing is picking up. Post-spawn largemouth and smallmouth bass are focused on feeding around structure and in the shallows and reports are that fishermen are catching some nice fish. The warming water temperatures are not great news for trout fishermen, however. Trout are a coldwater species and do not fare well in higher temperatures. Many local waters will not hold trout over but Lake Mattawa and Laurel Lake both have deeper holes where water stays cold enough for trout to thrive.
Sightings of whitetail deer with fawns are increasing as the offspring quickly grow and become mobile. All indications are that the fawn crop is a good one. As for turkeys, broods are also getting around and are showing up. MassWildlife conducts the Annual Brood Survey from June 1 through Aug. 31 each year to estimate the number of turkeys and you can participate. The brood survey helps MassWildlife biologists determine productivity and compare long-term reproductive success while providing an estimate of fall harvest potential.
Turkey nesting success can vary annually in response to weather conditions, predator populations and habitat characteristics. Citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data and can be a fun way for people to connect with nature. Be sure to look carefully when counting turkey broods — the very small poults may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush. MassWildlife is interested in turkey brood observations from all regions of the state, including rural and developed areas. There are two ways to participate. You can report individual observations online or download and print a Turkey Brood Survey form to complete over the course of the summer. You then mail completed forms to: Brood Survey, MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, Counselor and Director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor for over 40 years and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.