Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

476.0. "Ice Swimming Derby Results" by USCTR1::HAMELIN () Mon Jan 29 1996 13:43

    Spent the weekend trying to win the E.Brookfield Lions Club fishing
    derby. You can enter fish caught in any MA. public lake/pond but the
    derby headquarters is on Quaboag Lake in E. Brookfield. Anyway.....
    
    Saturday, 5:00AM
    Myself and 2 buddies decide we'll try South Pond as they fished Quaboag
    Friday afternoon without a flag. The local shops had reported action as
    slow. Drive the 2 miles to South Pond from my camp only to find the ice
    out 50' from shore with no accessible entry anywhere in view. Should
    have brought the canoe!
    Back over to Quaboag to find it accessible but only after crossing a
    makeshift bridge. It's slowly raining so we decide not to venture too
    far out from the boating ramp and over towards the river entry.
    Made 18 holes, and prepared to set up for 6 AM start. By start time
    there were around 200 fisherpersons, dress it assorted attire and
    sheltered by whatever their creativity provided. By 7 on with the rain!
    Decided to get coffee and check the board at 8 when the Lions would do
    the first lottery draw. $7000 in prizes half for fish and the other
    half for the other kind of luck. At eight only 2 fish on the board...
    5.15# LM bass and a .9# pout. Y.perch, calico/white perch, trout,
    pickeral classes all without an entry. By 9:30 , surrounded by around
    40 folks within ear-shot, we only heard 2 "FLAG" but witness several
    aspiring academy award winners! Now the rains picked  up some more and
    there's 3" water on the ice - enter the ice swimmers. Some folks know
    little about preparation for such sporting events, attired for in-door
    activities without even your basic trash bag raingear. I guess some
    like it WET - from baseball cap down to sneakers. Here we were in
    woolies and full foul weathergear and the rain is now beating so hard
    that it would drip inside the slightess opening. One of my buddies went
    to relieve himself, forgot to get his zipper up all the way and later
    discovered his error when he thought aloud he must have p****d his pants.
    By 10:30 the wind and rain are strong so we decide that the wind flags
    were about all the fun we could handle. Head out to pull tackle and it
    a FLAG....looks dead...turns like a shiner....Ski gives a tug and he's
    on! Ten seconds later , he pulls a small (16") tiger muskie. No fight.
    Swam right towards the hole and nearly jumped out on its' own. Back in
    it went. All categories have minimum lenghths, ususally 3" better that
    state regs. And now we are out a here. 
    Back to the camp to dry off and have some venison stew. Played some
    cards, had a few beers, waited for the lull in the weather, which came 
    about 1, then ventured out to check the board. Still 2 fish...
    Thought about setting tackle up again, but the ice is out about 12'
    near the camp road and the camp sets back 300' with little view of the
    ice. Then it started to POUR! That settled it. Headed back in for more
    cards, beer, stew...
    Checked the pond and the board at four. Couple groups of guys looking
    for more skids and plywood so thad they can get their equipment and
    ATV's off the ice. Several ice "shelters" pull further in toward the
    tree-line hoping to camp out through Sunday. Water is around 4+" on the
    ice, but the board is gaining weight. Three bass registered 5.15, 5.14
    5.13 and a 1.25 calico bass, three yellow perch under .8# and a 20.2#
    northern pike caught on spider wire and nightcrawler. 
    As the downpour got fierce, we decided they'd be more ice back home
    around N.Central, MA. for Sunday. Tried 3 ponds Sunday before we find
    enough ice to get out. Tried large bait, small bait, crawlers,
    powerbait, hamburg, chicken, jigged with platics, silver and gold.
    Rattle and spinners - NOTHING!
    Hope to hear tonight about the winners. will post results once I hear.
    This is a pretty good derby and it is always on Superbowl weekend. In
    4 years of trying we've yet to get decent weather or any fish but we
    have won $300 on the drawings :^)
    
    Good luck to all headed up to Meridith! They'll be another smaller
    derby on Quaboag and South Pond Feb. 17. Hope to be there.
    
    FLAG! got to run.....
    
    -bob