May 2008

NEW JERSEY

• On May 18, hundreds of sport fishermen and women will be competing for their chance at the big one. The Fishlanders Surf Fishing Club will host its 1st Annual Surf Fishing Club Tourney tournament in Atlantic City and award over $1000 in prizes to lucky surfcasters. There are categories for individuals, teams of six, men, women and youths. For further information, contact Vito at 1-856-488-7473.

NEW YORK

• The Fifth Annual Jamaica Bay Kayak Fishing Tournament benefitting Casting For Recovery will be held on Saturday, May 3. The purpose of this event is to increase awareness of the incredible natural resource of Jamaica Bay and to promote environmentally friendly activities like kayak fishing. The tournament will be a catch-and-release event targeting striped bass, bluefish and weakfish, and it will keep with the conservation theme. For more information, visit kayakfish4conservation.com.

CONNECTICUT

• Since 1952, the Hartford Surf Fishing Club has worked to promote and preserve the fine tradition of saltwater and freshwater fishing in Connecticut’s coastal areas. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at the Rockville Fish and Game Club in Tolland. Meetings are open to the public, so go check one out! For more information, visit www.hartfordsurf.org.

• The monthly meeting of the Connecticut Surfcasters Association will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at the Madison Surf Club in Madison. Monthly meetings consist of a review and discussion of club business followed by a raffle and then the guest speaker for the evening. For more information, visit www.connecticutsurfcasters.com.

• The Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association’s monthly meeting will convene at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 65 North Main St. in Wallingford. The HFFA will also hold its Annual River Clean-Up on May 17, so for more information, visit www.hffa.net.

• Meetings of the Candlewood Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited convene at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, September through May, at the Miry Brook Firehouse in Danbury. Meetings are open to all, and offer a great opportunity to talk about important issues in wildlife conservation. For information on membership, visit www.cvtu.org.

• The Connecticut Fly Fisherman’s Association’s monthly meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month at the Veterans Memorial Clubhouse in East Hartford. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. with fly-tying and a tackle swap, announcements and refreshments. To find out more about the CFFA, call (860) 747-3324 or visit www.ctflyfish.org.

• Celebrate spring with The Connecticut/Rhode Island Coastal Fly Fishers at their Quonny Pond Outing on May 17, and then get geared up for the Barry Adams Tournament, held June 6 – 8. The club also holds monthly meetings on the last Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Groton Elk’s Club. For more information, visit www.connri-saltfly.com.

• Trout Unlimited’s Hammonasset Chapter holds its monthly meetings on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Wallingford Rod and Gun Club in Wallingford. This month, presenter Ted L. Gardziel will be speaking on “The Farm River Fish Passage.” Visit their website at www.hammonassettu.com or call (203) 269-9444 for more details.

RHODE ISLAND

• The Weekapaug Surfcasters Club holds monthly meetings on the first Sunday of the month at the Quonochontaug Grange Hall on Route 1. Their mission is to be a strong voice for surf fishing, to promote conservation, and to secure access to coastal fishing. For more information, visit www.weekapaugsurfcasters.com or contact Richard LaFaille at rlafaille@cox.net.

• The United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island meet at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the each month at the Aspray Boathouse. Club instructors teach fresh and saltwater tying at meetings, which are open to the public. For more information about the club and membership, visit www.UFTRI.org.

• Now that we’re officially into the saltwater season, the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association is in full swing. Start off with some bottomfishing in the Spring Tautog Tournament from May 16 – 25, then move on to exciting game fishing in the Row Row Row Your Boat Striped Bass Tournament from May 30 – June 6. At the club’s Squid Fishing Night Trip on May 10, take advantage of the spring squid run with a jigging excursion on the Francis Fleet. Finally, RISAA’s monthly seminar will convene at 7 p.m. at the West Valley Inn in West Warwick. At the seminar, David Beutel will be speaking on Aquaculture and Steve McKenna will be speaking on Shore Fishing. To learn more about the club, visit www.risaa.org or call (401) 826-2121.

MASSACHUSETTS

• Meetings of the Falmouth Fishermen’s Association are generally held at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, are open to the public, and frequently involve a speaker and a tackle swap. The meetings convene at the St. Anthony’s Club in Falmouth. For more information, call (508) 328-1737.

• The Massachusetts Beach Buggy Association will be holding its Spring Meet
on May 16, 17 and 18, and will also be conducting several Conservation and Dune Management projects along the Cape and South Shore. The MBBA is a conservation-minded club joined together in a common interest and dedicated to the preservation of natural beach resources. Monthly meetings are typically held at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. For more information, call (774) 836-6376 or visit www.mbba.net.

• Meetings of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Viking Club in Braintree. On Saturday, May 3, the MSBA will assist the city of Quincy in “Cleaner Greener Quincy” from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The goal of the event is to provide volunteer services such as trash clean up, plantings and pruning to Quincy’s open spaces, parks and beaches. Stay updated by visiting www.msba.net. The MSBA is a non-profit organization whose goals include upholding sound conservation practices and laws and furthering good sportsmanship.

• This May, the United Fly Tyers will be holding a Club Fishing Outing. The time and location is TBD, so stay updated by visiting www.unitedflytyers.org or calling (617) 680-6456.

• Welcome our prized game fish back with a presentation on Shallow Water Stripers & Deep Water Bluefin at the New England Saltwater Fly Rodders’ monthly meeting on May 13. Captain John Ford of Portland Guide Service and Captain Eric Wallace of Coastal Fly Angler will give a joint presentation on the fly-fishing opportunities around Portland, Maine. The NESFR also begins its monthly fishing trips for members in the spring, starting with a wade-fishing excursion to Plum Island in May. For more information, visit www.neflyrodders.org.

• The Southeastern Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s membership meetings are typically held on the second Tuesday of the month, and doors open at 6 p.m. for fly-tying. This month, speaker Warren Winders will be presenting on Redbrook: Then and Now. If you are interested in becoming a member and/or attending any of the meetings, please visit southeastmasstu.com.

• Sign-ups for the Buzzards Bay Anglers Club’s 2008 Trashcan Derby have already begun! This fun-filled, season-long catch-and-release tourney begins in May, and requires each entrant to submit $20 to the Trashcan. Monthly meetings of the BBAC convene at 7 p.m. at the The Mattapoisett Chowder House on the second Thursday of the month. For information on the tournament or the club, visit their website at www.buzzardsbayanglersclub.com.

• Registration is now on-going for the Plum Island Surfcasters’ 2008 Plum Island Invitational Tournament, held May 26 – 27. To register or for more information, call Kevin McGrath at (978) 352-2403. In addition, the club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the Newbury Fire Hall. www.plumislandsurfcasters.org or call Larry Craig at (978) 388-5994 to learn more.
• On May 23, the Cape Cod Salties will be holding a cod dinner in place of its monthly meeting. There will be no speaker, and the dinner will be held at 7 p.m. at the Yarmouth Senior Center in South Yarmouth. To find out more about the club or to become a member, call (508) 759-2348 or visit www.capecodsalties.com.

• From January to May, the Baymen Outfitters and Guide Service in Duxbury holds open fly-tying nights. The club is free of charge and open to all, so bring your stuff and tie with the Baymen all winter long. If you would like to attend any of the nights, please RSVP Capt. Dave at captdaveb@baymenoutfitters.com to reserve a seat at the tying table.

• The New England Fly Tyers meet every Monday night from the Monday after Labor Day to the Monday before Memorial Day. Club meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the Eight Point Sportsmen’s Club in Sterling and feature fly tying demonstrations and a raffle. For more information, email newenglandflytyers@yahoo.com, call (508) 944-8738, or visit www.newenglandflytyers.org.

• The Nantucket Anglers’ Club holds numerous tournaments, events and meetings throughout the course of the year. Sign up now for the club’s yearlong tournaments! This month, take part in the club’s Vern Hilts Pond Clean Up and Tournament (May 4) and the Happy Hookers Pond Tournament (May 17 – 18). Visit www.nantucketanglersclub.com for more information or email nantucket.angler2@verizon.net.

• The Osterville Anglers’ Club will hold a free kick-off seminar and barbecue for the 2008 Open/Public Bluefin Tuna and Funny Fish Tournaments at their clubhouse at Crosby Yacht Yard from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 17. At this seminar, Capt. Terry Nugent, Capt. Nat Moody, and Capt. Derek Spingler will discuss bluefin tuna fishing gear and techniques and Capt. Kevin Malone and Tim Folan will discuss “funny fish” gear and techniques. For more information, visit the club’s website at www.ostervilleanglersclub.com or call (508) 420-4336.

•Red Top Sporting Goods’ Annual Spring Striper Derby will take place May 23 – 25. For the second year, this event has been designated a “Fishermen in Support of the Hungry” derby, with all proceeds pledged to the Bourne Food Pantry and striper fillets donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Over $10,000 in prizes will be awarded, so have some fun while fishing for a great cause! For more information, contact Elizabeth Stromeyer, (508) 759-3371, info@redtoptackle.com or visit the Derby page at www.redtoptackle.com.

• Come support Casting for Recovery at the Cape Cod Canal One-Fly Striper Tournament, to be held May 31 at the boathouse on the Canal. Enjoy the BBQ, an auction and fly-tying instruction as you fly-fish for a great cause. Entrance fee is $25 and includes the BBQ lunch. To register, contact brendalsears@aol.com

• On Sunday, June 8, The Haverhill Ridge Runners Fish and Game Club and The Crescent Yacht Club will present the 2008 Haverhill Tidewater Challenge to benefit the Massachusetts Special Olympics. This multi-species fishing tournament will be held on the Merrimack River from Rocks Village Bridge to the first Rout 495 Bridge from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration and weigh-in will be held at the Crescent Yacht Club.

• Each year from March 1 through November 30, the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries conducts the Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Derby. This is a free derby, and fish must be caught by hook and line and measured and weighed at a MarineFisheries-certified official weigh station. All entries will receive a derby pin and at the end of the derby year, trophies will be awarded to anglers who landed the heaviest fish in each species category. Visit www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf for more information.

• Celebrate Cape Cod’s rich maritime history with the 15th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days, held Cape-wide throughout the month of May. Come enjoy lighthouse and walking tours, nautical art exhibits and lectures on maritime lore, boat-building exhibits, kayaking excursions and the Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival on Hyannis waterfront on May 18. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.CapeCodMaritimeDays.com.  

VERMONT

• Now that spring is in full swing, Vermont’s spring fishing derbies have begun! To find a derby near you, check out the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Good luck!

• The Southwestern Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited holds regular chapter meetings each month. Check in at www.tuswvt.org to keep updated on meetings and activities and sign up to receive their e-newsletter, The Hatch.

• Meetings of the Lake Champlain Walleye Association are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Champlain Water District Building in South Burlington unless otherwise noted. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. and are open to the public. For more information, visit www.lcwalleye.org

• On Saturday, May 17, the Neshobe Sportsman Club will holds its Annual Kids Fishing Derby from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The club convenes on the second Monday of each month for a potluck dinner and meeting, in addition to a monthly dinner from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. For more information or to become a member, visit www.neshobesportsmanclub.org.

• The American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester is currently featuring the acclaimed traveling exhibit Anglers All, in addition to the world’s largest collection of angling art and angling-related items. The museum strives to preserve the treasures of fly-fishing by bringing it alive for anglers and others. Visit their website at www.amff.com for more information, or call (802) 362-3300.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Head on over to the Winni Derby on Lake Winnipesaukee from May 16 – 18, and compete for $65,000 worth of prizes, including four boats awarded for major catches. You may enter in person on by mail, or register online at www.winniderby.com.

• New Hampshire’s bass fishing tournaments have already begun all over the state, so check out the NH Fish and Game Department website for tournament schedule. www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

• The Let’s Go Fishing classes, sponsored by New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, are a great way to learn how to fish or develop your fishing skills. Courses are free, and a typical course offers six hours of hands-on instruction by trained volunteers, plus a field trip. Classes will be held throughout April, so check out www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing to find one in your area!

MAINE

• Fishing clubs throughout Maine will be holding numerous derbies this spring and summer. For a full list of bass fishing derbies, visit maine.gov/ifw/fishing.

• If you like to fish and are interested in the health of saltwater fisheries, locally, regionally and nationally, consider joining the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). CCA Maine is seeking to expand its work for the conservation and enhancement of Maine’s coastal marine resources and organize new local chapters in the state. This is a great time to get involved! Visit www.cca-me.org for more information.