Club Meeting: April 17, 2018: Carp Fishing Strategies for Rivers and Lakes presented by David Pickering

Club Meetings & Seminars, Events

Please note new meeting times.  We are moving everything up by 15 minutes in hopes of getting the seminar started by 8:00.

6:45:  doors open
7:15:  business meeting followed by raffle
8:00:  fishing seminar

Carp Fishing Strategies for Rivers and Lakes

A freshwater fishing show by David Pickering

This all new freshwater show will look at various strategies to catch carp in lakes, ponds and rivers of southern New England. I’ll discuss equipment and rigging options when dealing with differing bodies of water. In addition, baiting strategies from prebaiting or chumming right to hook baiting options will be covered. The use of the hair rig, the most effective rigging option will be covered.

I’ll have some great examples of big fish/ big water fishing here in southern New England. I’ll talk about specific places like the CT River and the Merrimack River, world class carping spots, and I’ll discuss how to fish their currents effectively. In some of the lakes and ponds, I plan to spend lots of time talking about fishing in both daytime and nighttime.

I’ll talk about hair rigging options for those who choose “Euro” carping as well as standard rigging for those who simply want to try carping with their bass fishing equipment.

The seminar is filled with examples of huge carp from 20 to 40 lbs that have been landed recently. The show should run about 50 minutes with questions to follow if time permits

David Pickering is a member of the New England Outdoor Writers’ Association, and he has written extensively about fishing in many magazines including the Fisherman, Saltwater Sportsman, North American Carp Angler, Doc Muller’s Surf Annuals, Fishbelly.com, and On the Water. His award winning photos have appeared in books, catalog covers and various magazines. He has been conducting fishing seminars for the last 30 years. Pickering is the RI Chairman of the Carp Anglers Group (CAG), a national group of carp fishermen, and he also sits on the Board of Directors of this group. In 2017, he was awarded the Champion of the Queen Award, the highest award from CAG for his dedication and promotion of carp fishing in the US. He has fished extensively for carp in the last 30 years in MA, CT and RI waters and has landed thousands of carp. He currently holds the unofficial records for mirror carp and common carp in RI and has won numerous national tournaments.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 for another great angling seminar.  Our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at PITA Hall on Plum Island (8 Plum Island Turnpike, Newbury, MA.)  The doors open at 6:45 PM. Dinner is served at prices that will not break the bank. ? The club meeting starts at 7:15 PM.  After the meeting, we have a seminar by a featured angler. Seminars are free for club members; there is a $5.00 charge for non-members.  Membership information is available here.
Find driving directions and information on parking here.

To receive notification of events like this by email, please send us your email address.

Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Rocks Village Cleanup on Saturday, April 21, 2018

Conservation, Events, Service Events

Event Overview

This is a community service event available to everyone. Each year in April, Eric Roach organizes a cleanup at Ferry Park in West Newbury. It is a beautiful stretch of the Merrimack River just upstream of Rocks Bridge. This bend of the river is a natural deposit point for river-born plastic. Please join us on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 8:00 am – 10:00 am

This spot is also known as “Rocks Village.” It is a favorite shad-fishing spot for many of our club members.

The following will be there:

  • Coffee and Donuts
  • Contractor Bags
  • Gloves (I have some light pairs, you might want to bring your own set of heavier gloves)

If you like, please bring your waders — high tide will be at 6 am. A pocket knife can also be useful for cutting stray fishing line. The town of West Newbury will pick up the trash — there’s no need for any of us to haul it away.

All participants at the 2018 RV cleanup will receive a few flutterspoons for shad fishing as our gift of appreciation.  Bring your gear for a fishing outing after the cleanup.

You can find directions and FAQs below, but feel free to send me an e-mail at eroach1970@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thank you for donating your time to a worthwhile cause.

Directions (Google Maps)
Frequently Asked Questions:

“How do I get there?”

Ferry Park is located just upstream of the West Newbury side of Rocks Bridge, approximately where Church Street and Bridge Street intersect. For exact directions, see the link above the map; the QR code is for the parking area on Church Street and will allow your smart phone to map exact directions from your location.

“Where can I park?”

Please see the map above for details.

“How big is the area we are cleaning up?”

The area is about 1/3 mile long x 50′ wide. See the map above for aerial photo.

“What should I bring?”

Work gloves and trash bags will be available. A pocket knife can be handy to cut rope. Most debris is near the high water mark so a pair of waders or high boots can be helpful (waders are not necessary to participate — there’s plenty of trash on dry land).

“What concerns should I be aware of while participating?”

The cars run pretty fast along Church street so please be careful and keep an eye on children near the road. Pants and long sleeves are a good idea while picking trash out of the brush as there is some poison ivy. Most of the trash along the water’s edge consists of plastic and styrofoam but there is some jagged debris — please use common sense when handling glass and metal. The banks are steep in some areas so sturdy footwear is a must.

“Are there bathrooms at the park?”

Unfortunately no; you will have to drive approximately 1 mile into town to use a business’s rest room.

“What do we do with the trash we pick up?”

We will leave our bagged trash in a couple of big piles along the roadside. The West Newbury DPW will pick it up.

“Who can I contact if I have questions?”

Please e-mail Eric Roach at eroach1970@gmail.com.

–Eric Roach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Summer Scholarship for Marine Biology Course

Scholarships

We are sharing some information from:

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s
Gills Club Scholarship

(not a Plum Island Surfcasters Club program)

 

SHARK BIOLOGY & CONSERVATION COURSE AT SHOALS MARINE LAB

 

COURSE

Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) is offering a course in Shark Biology & Conservation July 16-30th 2018.  The last 30 years have produced an explosion of new information on the biology of the approximately 1,000 living species of sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras, which collectively make up the group Chondrichthyes. This course will cover advanced topics in the evolution, diversity, anatomy, functional morphology, physiology, sensory systems, behavior, reproduction, development, and conservation of cartilaginous fishes.  Read more about the course objectives HERE.

The course is being taught by Gills Club co-founder, Dr. Heather Marshall.

SCHOLARSHIP

Thanks to the generosity of an Atlantic White Shark Conservancy donor, we are pleased to offer a full-ride ($7,000) Gills Club scholarship (tuition, room & board, and the Shoal’s lab fee) for one student. In order to be considered for this scholarship, students must follow these requirements:

-Scholarship is only available to female applicants.

-Two semesters of undergraduate science, or permission of the instructor.

-Students must submit transcripts that support an average GPA of 3.5.  Exception: Employed students with an average GPA of 3.0-3.49 can still apply but must include a proof of employment letter from a supervisor, that shows work hours and length of employment.

-Submit a one-page essay answering one of the following questions:

  • What would it mean for you to take Shark Biology and Conservation at SML?
  • How would this course contribute to your future career goals?

APPLY
(DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2018)

1) Apply for SML Course:
COURSE APPLICATION

2) Apply for AWSC’s Gills Club Scholarship:
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

There are also some partial scholarships for students taking multiple classes (not limited to females.)  Deadline for those is March 1st.  https://www.shoalsmarinelaboratory.org/tuition-breakdown

Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Club Meeting: February 20, 2018: Annual How-To Night

Club Meetings & Seminars, Events

Every year our February meeting is the “How-To” night with practical sessions on various skills for fishermen–including rigging a line,  using particular lures, tying flies, etc.

More details to come  as we finalize the program.

  • Martha Moulton of Surfland Bait & Tackle will lead a workshop on reel maintenance.  Bring a reel (working or non-working) and let Martha show you how to clean and maintain your reel.
  • James Jewkes will teach tying bucktail lures.
  • Clay Patles will teach rigging soft plastics.
  • Michael Toole will show how to make leaders for plug and bait rigs.
  • Bring your tying gear and vices.
  • All Juniors welcome and encouraged to attend.
Please join us on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 for the annual How-To Night, when we teach important skills like reel maintenance, jig set-up and fly tying.  Our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at PITA Hall on Plum Island (8 Plum Island Turnpike, Newbury, MA.)  The doors open at 7:00 PM. DINNER WILL BE SERVED (with many thanks to Angela.)  Monthly seminars resume in March.  Membership information is available here.
Find driving directions and information on parking here.
Facebooktwitterlinkedin