Driscoll Named "Best Fisherman in Mass."

Several Gold Pin Fish Caught Locally Last Year

By Gene Chague, Story from the Berkshire Eagle, Print Date: 02/12/06

LENOX Roger Driscoll, of Pittsfield, caught the largest brown trout in the state last year and he caught it out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield. He caught it around 7:30 p.m., on June 16, while trolling a lure. The trout, which he subsequently had mounted, weighed 9 pounds, 12 ounces.  Driscoll has since been named the "Best Fisherman in Massachusetts" to the distress of his friends and family who have no proof that they have ever caught anything. Andrew Boyne, of Lee, caught the largest chain pickerel out of Otis Reservoir. It weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces. Incidentally, in nearby Hampton Ponds in Westfield, a 5 pound, 13 ounce smallmouth bass was taken by Eric Couture, of Westfield, and that was the gold pin fish in that category. All of the above lucky fishermen will receive gold pins and trophies from the MassWildlife. A new state-record fish was caught during 2005 and that was a bullhead weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces. It was taken out of Forest Lake in Methuen by Robert Coffill of Somerville. The previous state record weighed 3 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught out of Stiles Reservoir in Spencer. The 2005 Angler of the Year was Todd Matera of Palmer. He caught eight trophy size species of fish: chain pickerel in Long Pond, Yarmouth; channel catfish and walleye in the Connecticut River; largemouth bass at Garrett's Pond, Barnstable and Quabbin Reservoir; smallmouth bass at Quabbin Reservoir; sunfish at Ludlow?s Red Bridge Impoundment on the Chicopee River; white perch at Quabbin Reservoir and yellow perch at Spectacle Pond, Sandwich and Rocky Pond, Plymouth. Richard Hartley, state DFW Fisheries Biologist and Sportfish Awards Program coordinator, stated that anglers should be heartened to see that the Angler of the Year doesn't necessarily have to catch gold pin fish to be competitive for this particular award. Matera concentrated his 2005 efforts on a variety of species rather than specifically targeting trophy fish. He spent a lot of time fishing Cape Cod waters in 2005, far from his home in Palmer. According to Hartley, the purpose of the Angler of the Year Award is to recognize the accomplishments of anglers interested in honing their skills on a variety of fish species, rather than one or two. Some anglers become specialists, studying the habits of specific species and learning how to target them, while others become generalists seeking out all the species that the state's waters have to offer. This award is also a way to recognize that the motivations for angling are as diverse as the anglers themselves. Hartley said that this year, anglers planning to participate in MassWildlife's Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program should be aware of some changes to this popular program. The most exciting change to the program is the recognition of young anglers' accomplishments. For the first time in the program's 40-year history, youths 17 years old and under will receive gold pins and plaques for their big catches in their own category, just as in the adult program. For example, Nick Kuni, of Pittsfield, caught a 21 pound, 2 ounce northern pike out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield. He caught it through the ice in January of last year when he was 15 years old. Molly McCarthy, of Middlefield, was also 15 when she caught her lake trout. She caught it while trolling with her family in Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown last summer. It weighed 13 pounds, 9 ounces. Both fish have been mounted and both youngsters will receive gold pins and plaques in the youth category. Perhaps I can get pictures of Molly's and Nick's fish and show them in next week?s column. Hartley noted that another significant change will allow anglers to download Award Program affidavits for submission to the awards program. Other changes to the program include new minimum weights for certain fish species in the adult angler category; allowing anglers to weigh their catch on a certified scale at any location; as well a few housekeeping items designed to clarify current Award Program requirements. According to Hartley, the pinfish weights and youth categories are incorrectly listed in the 2006 Hunting and Fishing Abstracts. A complete listing of the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program minimum weight requirements and rules are found on the Program affidavits posted in the Fishing area of the MassWildlife Web site www.mass.gov/masswildlife. Affidavits are also available at all MassWildlife Offices. FRESH SCENTS: On Monday, Feb. 20, the Lenox Sportsmen's Club is holding its annual President's Day Rabbit Hunt. According to the club newsletter, the hunt begins whenever you feel the urge and weigh-in is at the club at 4 p.m. Prizes go for the heaviest dressed cottontail and snowshoe hare. Ronnie Carr will award the prizes and there will be refreshments all day at the club as well as venison stew for dinner. The cost is $10. For more info, call Ronnie at (413) 442-5122. It will be interesting to see how that hunt goes. From what I am hearing from other rabbit hunters and my own experience, there don't seem to be a whole lot of bunnies out there this year. Perhaps its due to them being in their low cycle. (The old-timers used to say that the best years for rabbits ended with a zero in the year number, such as 1990, year 2000, etc.; and the worst years ended with a five, such as 1995, 2005, etc.) That could be the case this year — either that or the beagles are just slacking off on the job. Speaking of rabbit hunting, remember the season closes on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The Pittsfield Sportsmen's Club will hold its annual meeting on the 6th of March, at 6:30 pm at Sam & Ron's Barber Shop. Inasmuch as the club does not have a newsletter, please consider this its official notice. Questions/comments:Berkwoodsandwaters@adelphia.net. Phone/fax (413)637-1818