On the trail: Busy time

[ Originally published on: Thursday, April 23, 2009 ]

Does it get any better than this? The trout trucks are rolling, the turkeys gobbling, the forsythias and magnolias blossoming. Next thing you know, we'll be out snipping tight fiddleheads for the skillet, preferably steamed in shallow water, drained, buttered, a touch of fresh parmesan, maybe a bed of pasta or rice. Delicious, salubrious, springtime fare, right up there with asparagus, strawberries for dessert.

But first things first: the trout are coming into the area by the truckload, dumped into streams and ponds by the netful. This week, the Valley District is hitting the Green River in Greenfield, Colrain and Leyden for the first time. I've been running the dogs along the river near my home recently and it looks about perfect for fishing; dancing, white-capped riffles, swollen eddies, April-cool air. Wading perfection.

Another popular stream receiving its first dump this week is Fall River in Bernardston and Gill, always fun to fish through the picturesque, greening meadows, past mill-site remnants of Pioneer Valley lore. Also in Bernardston and receiving fish is Shattuck Brook, named after the Massachusetts Bay family of progenitor William Shattuck, who planted the seeds for a brave, pugnacious lot that worked the line of forts during the French & Indian War, then broke ground in many of our upper-valley towns. Be it flatland or hilltown, the Shattucks were ubiquitous and combative, many big and rugged, respected for their physical prowess even by indigenous tribesmen.

Speaking of ancient mill-site ruins, how about West Brook in West Whately, the place I myself learned to fish for trout, taught by Babe Manson, long ago departed? He'd bring son Mike and me to the stream's edge and teach us how to dead-drift crawlers to waiting trout in their feeding lairs. Once a stream that supported 14 early mill privileges, all that's left now is stone ruins I once had no understanding of. That has changed. Now I know the stream, the ruins, the men who built and worked them, and the trout in the waters, stocked for the first time this week, a beautiful, quiet, shady upland stream, always trout, great place to fish when roily during heavy summer rain.

In the same southwestern Franklin County neck of the woods, Bear River and Poland Brook in Conway will also get fresh loads of trout. Those two streams have also gained special fondness in my world, with their ancient mill-sites, history and trout. Totally alluring for someone cut from my cloth. If only I had the time to fish them. It'll come, hopefully. Can't wait. Till then, it's your turn.

And while we're at it in West County, the upper Deerfield River along Route 2 and above will be hit by MassWildlfe's Western District crews, which will hit Buckland, Charlemont and Florida. Some of the fish stocked will be tagged as part of the state Tags' 'n Trout program, an added bonus.

T'other side of the Connecticut, also many stocking sites to report. The Millers River will again get hit from Orange to Erving to Wendell and Montague; that and the Sawmill in Leverett and Montague, always popular among trout hunters. Also in Montague, look for fresh trout in Goddard Brook, and in Leverett you may be pleased with the developments at Doolittle and Roaring brooks, rambling wooded waters.

Travel north a piece to Northfield and you may be happy with what you find at Fourmile and Mill brooks, again steeped in history, the spirit of Capt. Richard Beers of Watertown whispering with the wind. Many of the men the good captain led here during King Philip's War were so enthralled with their surroundings that the ones who survived returned to stake their claims, plant their seeds, the Shattucks among them. Can you blame them? Our valley offered a glistening sliver of paradise away from the watchful eyes of the Puritan elite, never the easiest folks to coexist with; in fact, downright difficult at times.

As for turkeys, well, the spring season opens Monday and runs for 24 days, through May 23, minus three Sundays. Hunters are entitled to two bearded males per spring and, judging from what I've seen side of the road, many will do just that. Yes sir, it appears that it'll be a good spring season following the productive spring nesting season of 2008. Take it to the bank, it'll be another harvest exceeding 2,000. Who knows, we may even climb closer to the inevitable 3,000 that's not far away. And for those who hunt adjacent states for talkative toms, Vermont's season opens next Friday and runs through May 31.

That's more than enough to keep a motivated man busy; women, too. Can't forget that these days, huh?

Uh-ah.

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The first-annual One-Fly Competition being run on the Millers River by that waterway's chapter of Trout Unlimited is scheduled for June 6 from sunrise to noon. For more information, go to the chapter's Web site at MillersRiverTU.org or contact chapter representatives Bill Manser (978) 249-78578 or Matt Penttila (508) 250-9019. Manser's e-mail address is bmanser@msn.com, Pentila's mcpenttila@gmail.com. The registration fee is $20 until June 1, $25 thereafter.

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Better late than never dept: The third-annual ''North Quabbin Outdoor Experience,'' an outdoor extravaganza sponsored by the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, North Quabbin Woods, and WJDF-Radio, is scheduled for Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orange/Athol Elks Lodge on Route 2A in Orange. For more information, contact Steve at the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce (978) 249-3849.

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Oh yeah, I was out and about Wednesday morning and Greenfield was smiling. In a shocking development, the mayoral race is down to two native sons, Alfie and Billy, golfing partners, Greenfield High School grads with deep roots, men who remember downtown Greenfield when it was booming. The town's abuzz. The June 9 election should draw a crowd. Tough to handicap. As for Tuesday's primary, apparently it's viewed as a positive development to all but the Penricks. I wonder how they're feeling right about now? Actually, I guess that's obvious. They say a picture's worth 1,000 words, if you happened to catch it.

Nuff said.

Recorder Sports Editor Gary Sanderson is an active member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association and the Outdoor Writers Association of America. His e-mail address is gary@oldtavernfarm.com.

 

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