Peck Pond, Pulaski State Park and Recreational Area, Glocester, RI

Posted by Wayne G. Barber  Photos by Wayne G. Barber

Location Information:  Peck Pond, Pulaski State Park, Glocester, RI

Date 12-28-17 Temp 7 degrees, 17 mph wind, 6-8 inches of Ice. 

Results: 1 Largemouth 2.8 lb 15 inches, 4 yellow perch, 1 large pickerel lost in the weeds. Albert Gaulin landed all the fish and we purchased some nice lively shiners and some dillies for our jigging hardware at Big Bear Putnam Pike in Harmony, RI Some people shoveled off a 60foot area for skating and a good spot for a small fire to roast some kielbasa. The beaver huts were exciting for the grandchildren and also a very nice Owl. Year round family fun at Pulaski Park. Bathhouse is closed in winter but the old fashioned outhouse brought back a lot of memories growing up on a farm. No Sears catalog was in the Outhouse though.

Albert Gaulin, Grampa,Wayne G. Barber, Mason Barber and Graham Barber

151 Pulaski Road
Chepachet, RI 02814

Mailing Address:

George Washington Management Area Headquarters
2185 Putnam Pike
Chepachet , RI 02814-1705

Other Information:

Make a reservation at Pulaski State Recreational Area
View a map of Pulaski State Park's ski trails
Parking: Electric vehicle charging station available for 4 hours max while enjoying the park or other facility. The EV station does not guarantee a space on full capacity days.

---

Reservations are required for use of the Pavilion. Walk in rentals will still be acceptable when available. Contact the Recreational Area headquarters for more information.
Florescent orange requirements apply for all users during hunting season.
The cross-country ski program depends on snow conditions; trails close at 3:30 p.m. Call for conditions.
The use of boats or any flotation devices in Peck Pond is strictly prohibited.

 Located within the 4000 acre George Washington Management Area, the 100 acre Pulaski Memorial Recreation Area is a "day use" facility offering users a multitude of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. From the first class trout fishing in the spring, to enjoying a picnic, a short hike, or a cool swim in the 13 acre Peck Pond in the summer, to cross-country skiing on the 10 miles of groomed trails into the adjacent George Washington Management area in the winter, Pulaski provides year round enjoyment for all ages.

The Pond is called Peck Pond and borders Thompson, Conn and Glocester, RI and the Counties are Windham, Conn. and Providence County, RI.
 Physical features; 13 Acres with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Basin is manmade and a average depth is 4.7 feet. No fall draining on this moving water with a very pretty bridge to join the two States.
 Known fish population: Largemouth Bass,Golden trout, Chain pickerel and red fin pickerel, brown bullhead, golden shiner, yellow perch, common sunfish and stocked salmonids, spring and fall.
Ice Fishing: This beautiful body of clean water is the first to lock-up in the Ocean State for early ice fishing. Use smaller shiners and pinheads along with your popular hardware for some great perch jigging sweetened up with a meal worm or dillie. Some days great for a hike or snow shoeing, cross county, snow shoeing or use the pinetree shade in the hot summer for a old fashion affordable picnic and a dip. Bathrooms in warm weather and a outhouse for winter use was open today.

Yes, you can still fish for trout in Rhode Island till Feb. 28, 2018

Posted by Wayne G. Barber


Many e-mails on this subject:

10.6 Regulations

10.6.1 Freshwater Fisheries Regulations
 As Follows:

1. The open season on all species of trout, salmon, and charr shall close annually on the last day of February at midnight and shall commence at 6:00 AM on the second Saturday in April 2018 annually. From the second Saturday in April through November 30th annually, the daily creel and possession limits for trout shall be five (5) fish; and from DECEMBER 1st through the last day in February,28th,2018 annually, the daily creel and possession limits for trout shall be two (2) fish.  All designated trout waters (§ 10.6.1 (A) (15) of this Part) shall be closed to all fishing from the last day of February at midnight and shall commence at 6:00 AM on the second Saturday in April annually, unless otherwise designated.  Possession of trout, salmon, or charr taken from any waters of the state during the closure shall be prohibited.

A valid 2017 fresh water fishing license and trout stamp will overlap and be honored till the 2018 licenses are out by the first week of March, 2018, unless announced earlier by RI Dem with the advancements in computers. All other 2018 New England fresh water licenses are available right now on each States web-site on the left to our web-page if you are planning a trip.

Tip; if fishing by jigging or with a tip-up for trout in clear water such as Wallum Lake or Stafford Pond try using a gold hook for a much better result.

FALL BROODSTOCK ATLANTIC STOCKING UPDATE

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

FALL BROODSTOCK ATLANTIC STOCKING UPDATE:  DEEP’s 2017 BROODSTOCK ATLANTIC SALMON STOCKINGS were completed this week – just in time for the Holidays!

 

BROODSTOCK ATLANTIC SALMON were stocked into the Naugatuck River (76 fish total, 38 fish went into the upper broodstock area and 38 fish went into the lower broodstock area) yesterday (Thursday, 12/21). Earlier this week (Tuesday, 12/19) the Shetucket River was stocked with 75 fish. These are 4-10 lb fish with some even larger (up to 15 lbs).

 

Happy Holidays! From the Outdoor Scene

William Pinney of Warren Wins Vermont's Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lottery

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

MONTPELIER, Vt. William Pinney, 65, of Warren, Vermont, is the lucky winner of the 2017 Vermont Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lottery.  With his lifetime license, Pinney will be entitled to hunt and fish for free for life.  He was drawn as the winner from among 10,650 lottery tickets purchased in 2017.

“This was my second year of deer hunting,” said Pinney.  “I love hunting in Vermont.  I didn’t get a deer yet, but I had a great time.” 

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department holds the drawing annually and presents a lifetime hunting and fishing license to the winner. 

“The Lifetime License Lottery gives anyone, resident or nonresident, an opportunity to win a Vermont hunting and fishing license that is valid for the recipient’s lifetime,” said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter.  “Even if you don’t win the license, by applying, you know you have contributed to fish and wildlife conservation in Vermont.” 

This year’s sales of the $2.00 tickets brought $21,300 to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.  These state dollars can be leveraged with federal funds to produce $85,300 to support the department’s mission to conserve fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the people of Vermont.

“These funds help us to manage the state’s sport fish and game animals, protect threatened and endangered species, and conserve important habitat for wildlife,” said Porter.

Hunters and anglers can enter Vermont’s License of a Lifetime Lottery by adding the $2.00 entry fee when they buy their license on the Fish & Wildlife Department website at vtfishandwildlife.com.  They can also enter by applying at locations statewide wherever Vermont hunting and fishing licenses are sold, or with a printable application also available on the department website.  There is no limit on the number of times someone may enter during the year. 

New Hampshire: F&G Acquires New WMA in Rindge

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

CONCORD, NH -- On November 29, 2017, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department purchased approximately 672 acres of land in Rindge and Fitzwilliam (most of the property –about 667 acres – is in Rindge). The area will be known as the Pearly Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The purchase price was $765,000.

The property has about 50 acres of wetland, ranging from small brooks to beaver ponds to marshland associated with Pearly Lake. It also contains 50 acres of fields that will be maintained by Fish and Game. The rest of the property is comprised of white pine/red oak/red maple forest. The area includes about 3,500 feet of frontage on Pearly Lake, which is a shallow warmwater pond that supports bass, perch, and pickerel.

"The protection of this property was part of an effort to expand the Department's holdings in southwestern New Hampshire, where we have had limited ownership and the properties we do have are quite small in size," explained Fish and Game Land Agent Richard Cook.

"The property was also attractive because it includes a range of different kinds of habitat that can support a diversity of wildlife species," Cook continued. "A property of this size affords the opportunity to improve habitats through field and forest management that will have tremendous benefits to local wildlife populations."

The property can be accessed from Ingalls Road and the Class VI portion of Bowers Hill Road. It can also be accessed from Old Rindge Road in Fitzwilliam.

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests holds a conservation easement on the property, however, the easement did not guarantee public access and also contained a right for the construction of a single residence. Now the right to public access for hunting, fishing, trapping, and other wildlife-related recreational activities is permanently protected.

Funds for the purchase of the land for the Pearly Lake Wildlife Management Area came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife Restoration Program, which provides funding to state wildlife agencies to protect bird and mammal habitat and to provide the public with access to those resources. The Department is working to protect areas of significant habitat across the state and to ensure that citizens from all regions have access to Wildlife Management Areas. Learn more about wildlife habitat management in New Hampshire at www.wildnh.com/habitat.        

Walleye Report in Connecticut warm waters....

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

WARMWATER FISHERIES...

WALLEYE.   A total of 27,900 walleye fingerlings was stocked into state-owned management waters on October 20, 2017. Similar to last year, 12% of the fingerlings the Fisheries Division (FD) purchased were larger than the typical size fingerlings (averaging 7 inches instead of the typical 5 inches in length). These larger fingerlings have been stocked into Mashapaug and Gardner lakes for the last three years because the adult walleye populations had been declining in the two lakes since 2009. As a result of this experiment, spring electrofishing catch rates of yearling walleye have more than tripled in both lakes, suggesting improved overwinter survival of the larger fingerlings. Based on walleye growth rates these fish should be reaching legal size (18 inches) in spring of 2018 in Mashapaug Lake (3.4 years to reach 18”) and 2019 in Gardner Lake (4.3 years to 18”).
The remaining standard 5-inch size fingerlings were stocked into Batterson Park Pond, Beach Pond, Cedar Lake (Chester), Coventry Lake, Lake Zoar, Mount Tom Pond, Squantz Pond, and for the first time,
Long Pond in North Stonington. Stocking in West Thompson Reservoir was discontinued this year because it did not meet expectations; after 5 years of stocking only one Walleye was ever sampled via nighttime boat electrofishing. Standard size fingerlings were also purchased by Aquarion Water Company and by South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, and stocked into Saugatuck Reservoir and Lake Saltonstall respectively. Due to budget constraints, fish were not purchased by the Town of East Hampton this year for stocking into Lake Pocotopaug.

Ice Fishing Clinics are Scheduled

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Ice Fishing Clinics are Scheduled

Learning how to participate in an outdoor activity can be challenging, and ice fishing is a good example.  Knowing this, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has scheduled a series of ice fishing clinics for first-timers and those who would like to learn more about hard water fishing.

 

“Our ice fishing clinics will be held from mid-January to mid-February with the possibility that some dates may change according to ice and weather conditions,” said Fish & Wildlife Education Specialist Corey Hart.  “Everyone is welcome no matter their experience level.  We want this to be fun and helpful for all.”

 

The Basic Ice fishing courses will teach beginners all the skills they need to know to be successful and safe while ice fishing. The Introductory courses will review the basics while focusing on teaching anglers the skills they need to target a specific species.

 

Each clinic will last 2 ½ to 3 hours, and exact location details will be given when people register for the event.  Topics to be covered include ice safety, hole drilling, equipment and techniques, regulations and different techniques for different fish.  

 

All participants will have the opportunity to practice what they have learned near the end of each event.  Everyone is urged to wear clothing suitable for the weather conditions. 

 

Pre-registration is required by contacting Corey Hart at LetsGoFishing@vermont.gov or 802-265-2279.

 

Vermont Fish &Wildlife’s Ice Fishing Clinics for 2018

 

Tuesday, January 16 -- 10:00 a.m.  Introduction to Walleye Fishing at Lake Carmi

 

Thursday, February 1 -- 10:00 a.m.  Basic Ice Fishing Clinic at Shelburne pond

 

Saturday February 3 -- 10:00 a.m.  Introduction to Walleye Fishing at Chittenden Reservoir

 

Thursday, February 8 -- 2:00 p.m.  Basic Ice Fishing Clinic at Lake Bomoseen

 

Thursday, February 15 -- 4:00 p.m.  Introduction to Smelting at Waterbury Reservoir

Rhode Island’s Osprey Numbers Continue to Soar

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Ospreys were driven to near extinction in the 1960s and 1970s because of the effects of the pesticide DDT. (Ed Hughes/for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island)

Rhode Island’s osprey population is climbing, after a highly productive year in 2016, and while the wet spring of 2017 will likely cause a decrease in nesting success this year, the once-rare fish-eating hawk is a model conservation success story, according to new report issued by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, which has coordinated the monitoring of osprey nests statewide since 2010.
“We’ve had an amazing long-term trend of not just active nests but successful nests and the number of young,” said Jonathan Scoones, Audubon’s director of volunteer services who coordinates the osprey monitoring program. “Only nine of our nests were not successful this year, so it seems that our ospreys are becoming experienced at raising young.”
More than 100 volunteers recorded 159 active osprey nests in the state last year, with 150 of them successfully raising chicks, an increase of 28 successful nests over the previous year and 45 more than in 2014. The number of young ospreys that fledged from their nests skyrocketed from 186 in 2014 to 297 in 2016.
“Last year was the perfect year for ospreys, mostly because of the weather,” Scoones said. “The birds have to be able to see through the water to find the fish to bring them back to their chicks. They have to be able to see down about three feet into the water. If the weather is bad, they can’t see well enough.”
For the third year in a row, osprey nests in Barrington and South Kingstown produced the most fledglings, with 42 and 41, respectively. The Palmer River area of Barrington and Warren had the densest aggregation of osprey nests in the region, with 22 nests between the East Bay Bike Path bridge in Warren and the Swansea Country Club just over the Massachusetts border.
Butch Lombardi, who monitors a dozen of the nests on the Palmer River, said that food availability and water conditions make the area an ideal place for osprey to nest.
“Food is the prime reason they’re there,” he said. “The river is pretty shallow once you get past the Warren bridge, and there is very little boat traffic except for kayaks and canoes. The key is that the river is so shallow that the birds can hunt it pretty easily because the fish can’t go deep on them.
“If you add Merriman’s Pond at the country club, which is just two feet deep, it’s like McDonald’s takeout for them. It’s an easy place for a meal.”
Ospreys were driven to near extinction in the 1960s and ’70s because of the effects of the pesticide DDT, which caused reproductive failure in many fish-eating birds, including bald eagles. When the osprey monitoring program began in 1977 — originally coordinated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management — just eight young ospreys fledged from nests in the state.
Today, ospreys nest in 28 cities and towns in Rhode Island, including every coastal community except Cranston, as well as inland communities such as Coventry, Exeter, Scituate and West Greenwich.
“There are probably more nests out there that we’re not aware of,” Scoones said, “so we’d love to get feedback from people who may know of nests we can’t easily access. The Scituate Reservoir probably has ospreys, but we don’t have access there to look for them.”
While ospreys appear to be quite common in many parts of the state, Scoones doesn’t believe the area has reached maximum capacity.
“Westport [Mass.] has 80 nests along a short stretch of the river there, so the birds can live communally rather than just one every mile or so, which is what we have here,” he said. “So we can still take on more capacity.”
Scoones said the Palmer River area may not be able to support many more ospreys, but there are numerous places around Greenwich Bay in the Warwick and Cranston area that are available for additional osprey nests.
The Audubon staffer doesn’t believe 2017 will be a banner year for ospreys, however. He expects to see evidence of more new nests being built by many of the birds that fledged from nests in the area during the past two years, but the rainy spring will probably mean that successful nests will produce fewer young than in 2016.
“It’s just harder to find food in the rain; the birds can’t see into the water,” Scoones said. “They don’t like to fly in the rain anyway, and the mother spends her time covering her chicks when it rains, so she can’t help find food.”
Despite his prediction for this year, Scoones anticipates that the increasing trend in osprey numbers will continue into the future.
“We have enough population here already that we can probably weather a few years of something going wrong, like bad weather or food not being available,” he said. “I’m excited about the future because more people are aware of the osprey and are willing to protect them. The birds are being accepted and no longer seen as a threat to fish.”
Scoones remains concerned, however, about continued coastal development that could limit the availability of nesting habitat.
“They need to be able to live in trees or nests close to the water where they can get to their food,” he said. “Nearshore development is forcing ospreys to leave their natural nests, and now they’re going to cell towers and power line towers.”
Anyone interested in becoming an osprey monitor or helping to repair osprey nest poles, should contact Scoones at 401-245-7500 or jscoones@asri.org.
Source: Rhode Island resident and author Todd McLeish runs a wildlife blog.

New Hampshire: Volunteer Ice Fishing Instructors Needed

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

New Hampshire: Volunteer Ice Fishing Instructors Needed

CONCORD, N.H. – Are you an ice angler who is looking to give back to your community? Do you want to share your love of fishing on the ice? New Hampshire Fish and Game's "Let's Go Fishing" Program is currently seeking new volunteer instructors to take part in ice fishing programs around the state. All levels of fishing experience are welcomed.

To sign up for a certification training session, print out and return a Let's Go Fishing Program volunteer application form, which may be found on the Fish and Game website at www.fishnh.com/fishing/documents/lgf-application.pdf. To request a form by mail or email, contact (603) 271-3212 or aquatic-ed@wildlife.nh.gov.

Applications must be received by Friday, January 5, 2018, to reserve your spot in the trainings.

The Let's Go Fishing Program will hold the one-day training for new instructors on Saturday, January 13, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at N.H. Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, N.H. All materials and lunch will be provided.

The training will cover teaching techniques and presentation skills, along with ice safety, ethics, fish identification, ecology, fishing regulations, and more. Once instructors have completed the training, there will be an opportunity to take part in programs and join an existing team of volunteer fishing instructors. These programs are offered in partnership with schools, camps, scout groups, and community centers all over the state.

"Becoming an instructor is extremely rewarding and is a fun way to get people involved in fishing," said Let's Go Fishing Program Coordinator Kyle Glencross.

Thousands of children and adults have learned to be safe, ethical, and successful anglers through the Let's Go Fishing Program. The program is federally funded through the Sport Fish Restoration Program, supported by an excise tax on fishing equipment and motorboat fuels.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works to conserve, manage, and protect the state's fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as providing the public with opportunities to use and appreciate these resources. Visit www.fishnh.com.

DEM ADVISES ANGLERS ON WAYS TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF LARGEMOUTH BASS VIRUS Virus found in Watchaug Pond in Charlestown

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is advising anglers of steps they can take to minimize the spread of Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV). The advisory comes in the wake of confirmation that largemouth bass sampled from Watchaug Pond in Charlestown have tested positive for LMBV.

 

DEM offers the following suggestions to minimize the spread of LMBV:

·         Do not transplant bass from one waterbody to another – it is against the law!

·         Drain, clean, and dry boats, motors, and fishing gear between each use.

·         Do not release bait fish into any waterbody.

·         Refrain from catching and releasing bass during periods of high water temperatures.

·         Report all fish kills to DEM at 222-3070.

 

DEM, in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), first began testing bass from Rhode Island lakes and ponds in 2006 for LMBV. The fish have been tested at the USFWS Lamar Fish Health Center in Pennsylvania. The disease has previously been found in Echo Lake in Burrillville and Olney Pond in Lincoln. 

LMBV was first isolated in Florida in 1991, and the first large-scale fish kill occurred in 1995 in South Carolina. Since 1995, LMBV has been found in 17 southeastern states and has spread along the Mississippi River and into Lake Champlain. LMBV is a naturally-occurring fish virus that does not pose a human health risk for people who eat or handle infected fish. However, all freshwater fish should be thoroughly cooked before being consumed.

 

Infected fish may not show any effects of the virus until it is activated by stressful environmental conditions such as high water temperatures, low oxygen levels, droughts, secondary injuries, or bacterial infections.  These are conditions which could trigger the virus and potentially cause fish kills. The virus is specific to bass and does not impact any other species of fish. LMBV closely resembles Doctor fish virus and Guppy virus 6, which suggests its origin from Southeast Asia. The common symptoms are hyper-buoyancy, spiral swimming, and lethargy which are attributed to damage to the swim bladder.

 

DEM will continue to test Rhode Island lakes and ponds for LMBV.

 

For information of interest to anglers visit www.dem.ri.gov.  Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM for timely updates.