Two important fishing derbies took place in our area on June 3 which you should know about.

 

Youth Outreach Derby

 

Some 20 youths and their families attended the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s Youth Outreach fishing event this year on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire.  This year’s group was from the Pediatric Palliative Care Program, part of Hospice Care in the Berkshires which is sponsored by the Department of Public Health.  It is a separate program from Hospice Care for kids who have life limiting health conditions.

According to Program Director June Green, the program is about giving the kids and their families a quality of life.  They provide nursing, social work, spiritual counselling, art, music and various therapy.  The siblings get to benefit from them as well because they do family events.  “Most of the kids get their medical care at Boston Children’s Hospital,” said Green.  “They have a nurse who comes to their homes and talks about what’s going on and discusses plans for doctor events. They have social workers who help connect the families to all of the resources that are available to them such as social security, mental disability services, fuel assistance, housing, anything to help the families. Also, to get them connected sometimes with charity”.

Simon Dembitzer, nurse for the pediatric care program said the kids along with their parents and grandparents were “super excited” to attend and learn how to fish.  Most never have been fishing before and it was a brand- new experience for them.

The League was more than happy to provide comfort to these kids that are medically challenged.  There was a wide variety of kids, some were in wheelchairs – and kids who look like any other kids but with conditions that may very well limit their lifespans.  Kids with seizure disorders, with cancer, and all kinds of different challenges.

Reynolds Pond was stocked and the kids were guaranteed that they would catch fish.  Fish cleaning service was also provided.

Each kid was given a fishing pole and equipment with which to fish and when the day was over, they were able to take them home. Their equipment was all set up by volunteers by the time they arrived and they were provided with the necessary bait. Each time a kid caught a fish, a volunteer would clean it and put it into a plastic zip lock bag to bring home to eat. Around noon time, a meal of burgers, dogs, chips, soda and desert was provided.

The Berkshire County League of Sportsmen sponsored the event with a significant grant from Whitetails Unlimited.  They provided the brook trout (which were raised in the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery), equipment, bait, and food. Volunteers from the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club, Adams Outdoor for Youth, B.A.S.S., Taconic TU, Berkshire Beagle Club and Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club assisted.

I have to tell you that after leaving the event and driving to the next derby, I had to pull over for a few minutes to process what I had just seen. Seeing those kids and their parent’s happy faces, and knowing about the difficult hand that was dealt to them, really got to me. God bless them, their families and the sportsmen who provided them with such an enjoyable and memorable day.

Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby

According to event organizer Stephen Bateman, about 300 registered fishermen attended the 31^st Annual Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby at the Onota Lake Pavilion.  They raised over $10,000 for the fight against cancer.

The event also drew city officials: Pete White, Peter Marchetti, Karen Kalinowski, Jon Krol along with calls from Berkshire County DA Tim Shugrue and from Governor Healy’s Office. This was all due to Mike Daley and his It’s Pittsfield Tonight Broadcast.

According to Bateman, in all the years of the fishing derby only 4 bowfins had previously been caught with the first being caught in 2010. This year, brother and sister team Quinton and Cloe Shuttleworth each caught one.

Food and beverages were provided by The Hot Dog Ranch, Market 32, Don Davis Heating & Plumbing, Integrity Distributors, Freihofer’s Baking Company, Premium Waters and Frito Lay. The Trophies were provided by Steve Ray of Berkshire Real Estate Associates and Jones Trophies. A special shout out to the City of Pittsfield Maintenance Dept, Eric Green and Dave Isby; Joshua Christman of Christman Charters, Mike & Tina Stewart from Berkshire Concrete Repair, Gable Electric, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank and IUE/CWA Local 255.

Members of “COBB” (crippled, old, busted bikers) from western M

assachusetts were on hand to help children who had never fished before and according to Bateman, they did a great job.

Here are the 2023 Winners as provided by Steve Bateman:

CHILDREN HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY

1ST. PLACE: JADEN VIRGILIO – LARGEMOUTH BASS- 3 LBS. 14 OZ.

2ND. PLACE: JUSTIN PROPER, JR. – SMALLMOUTH BASS- 2 LBS. 1 OZ.
3RD. PLACE: BRYER FARREL – RAINBOW TROUT – 1 LBS. 10 0Z.

CHILDREN HEAVIEST NON-GAME FISH CATEGORY

1ST. PLACE: QUINTON SHUTTLEWORTH – BOWFIN – 6 LBS – 4 OZ.
2ND. PLACE: CLOE SHUTTLEWORTH – BOWFIN -5 LBS. 4 OZ.
3RD. RAYCHELLE ERRICHETTO – BULL HEAD – 11 OZ.

ADULT HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY

1ST. PLACE: BRIAN BARDE – CHAIN PICKEREL- 4 LBS. 8 OZ.
2ND. PLACE: SHAUN HERFORTH – CHAIN PICKEREL – 3 LBS. 8OZ.
3RD. PLACE: SUE O’BRIEN – BASS- 3LBS. 5 OZ

SPECIAL HEAVIEST FISH 1ST. PLACE AWARDS

BASS:  MICKY BUCK -LARGEMOUTH BASS – 4 LBS. ADULT
PERCH/CRAPPIE: CASSIDY WOJNICKI AND ALICE CHRISTMAN – WHITE PERCH – 1 LB
CARP: MATT CLARK – COMMON CARP- 6 LBS. 13 OZ.
TROUT ADULT: JOHN GALVANI AND JUSTIN PROPER – TIGER TROUT 2 LBS.  7 OZ.

TROUT CHILDREN: DOMINIC CURTIN – RAINBOW TROUT 1 LBS. 11 OZ.
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: ERWIN O’HEARN

 

Congratulations to all!

 

Probably, most readers have had friends or relatives diagnosed with some form of cancer and probably those who are still around with us today have benefitted from the research conducted at the Dana Farber and other institutes.  Kudos to Steve Bateman and his team for putting on this event every year and raising the great amounts of money to help fund such research. Thanks also to the people and businesses that make the donations each year.  It’s a lot of work to put on this event every year and it’s not easy to ask for donations, but I’d be willing to bet that Steve would call it a labor of love.

Protection of freshwater lakes and watersheds

 

You are invited to join the 1st Annual Conference on the Protection of Freshwater Lakes and Watersheds of Western Massachusetts on Thursday June 22, at the Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield. Beginning at 5:30 pm, you will learn about the steps that individuals, local organizations, towns, and cities in your community are taking to maintain the natural biodiversity of this region. They will address the fundamental importance of these freshwater ecosystems, and discuss the planning, stewardship, education, recreation, and regulation initiatives serving to protect these natural watersheds and infrastructures from threats such as invasive species, damming and water drawdowns, nutrient overload, and exploitation.

This conference is free and open to the public.

Meeting Agenda:

• A Community’s Common Cause: The Waters That Unite Us, • Lee Hauge: President, LAPA West (Lakes and Ponds Association of Western Massachusetts)
• Battling Eurasian Milfoil on Lake Onota, • Michael Riordan: President, LOPA (Lake Onota Preservation Association)
• The Voice of the Sportsman: Dimensions of Fishing, Hunting, and other Outdoor Pursuits, • Andrew Madden: Western District Supervisor, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
• Resource Management and Future Planning of Pittsfield’s Lakes and Open Spaces, • James McGrath: City of Pittsfield Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager
• Invaders on the Doorstep: Challenges and Best Practices to Mitigate the Spread of Invasive Species, • Doug Spoehr: Director, Invasive Species, LOPA (Lake Onota Preservation Association)
• Process Water for Industry and the Risks of Pollutant Transfer, • Speaker TBA
• “Measure the Spread” Pilot Program, • Panelist discussion