Jack Gartside, fly tyer, fisherman, raconteur, and friend to many passed away on December 5, 2009. Jack’s story is worth repeating for those who measure their wealth in tangibles, often at the expense of missed opportunities, be they love interests, personal passions like fly fishing, benevolence, or other rewarding life experiences.
I met Jack years ago, at my first United Fly Tyers meeting, at time when meeting halls were generally smoke filled. Jack arrived a bit late and made the rounds of the tables, greeting friends who were either instructing or honing their fly tying techniques. He had a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other, and an entourage of admirers anxious to buy his next drink. At one point, I asked Jack how many fish he had caught during the previous 12 months. He replied, “around 1200”, a number I later corroborated with others. Jack explained that he fished the islands and the coastline of Boston Harbor whenever the opportunity presented itself. He further reasoned that fish are constantly moving, constantly eating and, for the fisherman, the challenge was to find their quarry, whatever the hour or the tide
Earlier this month, Bryan Marquard exquisitely captured the essence of Jack Gartside in the obituary section of the Boston Globe. His column is repeated here in its entirety:
Jack Gartside, 66; fly-fisher lived simply to pursue goal
By Bryan Marquard
Globe Staff / December 9, 2009
Jack Gartside invented some of his much-prized fishing flies while using a vise clasped to the steering wheel of his cab as he sat in Logan Airport’s taxi queue, waiting for a fare. Even behind the wheel, Mr. Gartside kept one wader-clad leg planted in the trout streams of Montana, a secluded nook in New Zealand, or a neglected fishing hot spot in Boston Harbor.
“In my high school yearbook, other people listed doctor or lawyer in the space provided for their future job,’’ he told Field & Stream magazine in 1999. “I put fishing.’’
More than 30 years ago, Mr. Gartside quit teaching high school English to fish more or less full time, living simply and supplementing his fly-tying income by driving a cab or grabbing a temporary job near a fishing destination. Once he helped make caskets; another time, he degreased snowmobile runners.
Mr. Gartside, who was as well known internationally for his devil-may-care lifestyle as he was for his expertise fly-fishing and fly-tying, died of lung cancer Saturday in the Bear Hill Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Stoneham. He was 66 and had lived in Winthrop after many years in a Mission Hill apartment crammed with books and tools of the fly-tying trade.
A devotee of trout fishing, Mr. Gartside spent so much time fishing in and near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming that for a while his car was registered in Montana.
Then, he logged so many hours in the salt water around Boston that his writings about the best locations became indispensable to those who want to fish the harbor.
“I’ve fished with some of the greats, and Jack was as good, if not better, than anyone I’ve fished with,’’ said Dave Skok, a Winthrop neighbor and fly-fishing ambassador for the Patagonia clothing and gear company. “The same goes for his fly-tying. His flies were exquisite, and his casting and fishing style was precise and graceful. And he was tall and lanky, so he kind of looked like a heron. He didn’t just act like one.’’
The way Mr. Gartside lived drew as much envy as the graceful arc and whip of his casts or the creativity and precision of his flies.
“He’s who we’d all like to be if we all had more guts,’’ said Mike Quigley of Nahant, a friend and fishing buddy.
Said Skok: “Jack Gartside was a trout bum before the term had even been coined. He was the real deal, man.’’
He drove a cab part time so he could leave on a whim, and his fishing travels included California, Minnesota, Mexico, Denmark, Japan, France, Germany, and Norway.
Mr. Gartside liked to tell the story of the day, nearly 30 years ago, when an airline said it would give a round trip ticket to anywhere in the world for $1, plus tax, to 225 people who dressed in clothes depicting a destination. He showed up at Logan in a New Zealand bush jacket and an Australian campaign hat.
Chosen from the crowd, he hustled back to his Mission Hill apartment to grab his fishing gear and soon landed in New Zealand with a couple of hundred dollars in his pocket. He stretched the money out for a month, hitchhiking around the country while holding up borrowed waders and a fishing rod.
“I frankly don’t make much of a living, but I make a hell of a life,’’ he told the Globe Sunday Magazine in 2001. “I really don’t look too far down the road, and I imagine I’ll do what I’m doing now until the day I die.’’
Growing up in Revere, Mr. Gartside was the son and grandson of machinists.
As a boy, he began fishing on a breakwater at Revere Beach, but only started embracing his future in fishing after going to a sportsman’s show in Boston to see his baseball idol, Ted Williams.
“He was tying a fishing fly, and I’d never seen one tied before,’’ Mr. Gartside told the Globe Sunday Magazine. “That Ted Williams was doing it made it even more magical. . . . He showed me how to tie a woolly worm, a very simple fly, and from that moment on, I was hooked.’’
Working his way through college, Mr. Gartside graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and became a high school English teacher in Boston. As student shenanigans escalated, he decided to seek work elsewhere.
“It’s safer driving a cab at night in Boston than it is teaching in a Boston school during the day,’’ he told Sports Illustrated.
Mr. Gartside also eked out a living from speaking engagements, the sales of self-published books, and selling the fruits of his fly-tying.
He never married, and his sister, the last of his immediate family, died several years ago. His friends and admirers, however, can be found from the North Shore to New Zealand.
“He was a fantastic model for someone who wants to go out and explore the world and isn’t necessarily interested in the more commonly tread path in life,’’ Skok said.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Winthrop. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.
“Perhaps I do resist financial success,’’ Mr. Gartside told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1994. “My grandfather always said, ‘There are no luggage racks on hearses, no pockets in shrouds.’ All we have is this life, and it’s up to us to make the most of it.’’
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
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Jack will be missed by many. For a four-minute demonstration of Jack tying the Gartside Secret Sand Eel, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3hqDA6YxlEBarry Hass
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Massachusetts Adopts a Saltwater Recreational Fishing License
On 23 November 2009, Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation that will create Massachusetts’ first saltwater fishing license. The bill requires most saltwater recreational anglers to be licensed under a Massachusetts registry, beginning 1 January 2011. The fee, as yet to be determined, will likely be on the order of $10.00 per year, and will affect an estimated 500,000 anglers. The proceeds will pay for data collection, administration of the permitting program, programs to improve public access for recreational fishing, and better fisheries management.
As an interim measure, Federal law requires most Massachusetts saltwater fishermen to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry, beginning 1 January 2010, while the Commonwealth implements its own system. There will be no fee to register during 2010. The National registry can be reached by clicking on the National Saltwater Angler Registry link at: http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/mrip/. As a convenience, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game will assist MA anglers in the registration process and may provide a link from its Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) site at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/rec_license.htm#license.
Background
The impetus behind the MA legislation was a NOAA Fisheries rule, in compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, requiring saltwater anglers who fish in federal ocean waters to be included in a National Saltwater Angler Registry by 1 January 2010. The registry will create a database, or “phone book” of saltwater fishermen, enhancing NOAA’s ability to collect the data necessary to better manage fish stocks.
A provision in the Federal law allows states to adopt their own registries, provided they comply with Federal requirements. The legislation, supported by the Recreational Fishing Steering Committee, and signed by Governor Patrick, will ensure that any registration fees, beyond the cost of program administration, will benefit Massachusetts anglers.
Implementation
MA Senate Bill No. 2200, dated 10 November 2009, can be found at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st02/st02200.htm. The bill provides for selective reciprocity with permits issued by other coastal states. It provides license waivers for the disabled, those under 16, and passengers on a for-hire vessel where the vessel owner holds a suitably valid permit under this legislation. The bill allows license categories to be established, each with its own fee, provided fees are waived for individuals under 16 and 60 years of age or older. It allows for two days each year to be designated as free recreational saltwater (fin) fishing days. The bill establishes, within the Division of Marine Fisheries, a marine recreational fisheries panel to advise the director on the development and administration of saltwater fishing improvement programs, including, but not limited to, the improvement of public access to marine recreational fisheries.
For additional information, updates, clarification, and alternate interpretations, visit the DMF site at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/index.html or your local bait and tackle shop.
Barry Hass
As an interim measure, Federal law requires most Massachusetts saltwater fishermen to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry, beginning 1 January 2010, while the Commonwealth implements its own system. There will be no fee to register during 2010. The National registry can be reached by clicking on the National Saltwater Angler Registry link at: http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/mrip/. As a convenience, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game will assist MA anglers in the registration process and may provide a link from its Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) site at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/rec_license.htm#license.
Background
The impetus behind the MA legislation was a NOAA Fisheries rule, in compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, requiring saltwater anglers who fish in federal ocean waters to be included in a National Saltwater Angler Registry by 1 January 2010. The registry will create a database, or “phone book” of saltwater fishermen, enhancing NOAA’s ability to collect the data necessary to better manage fish stocks.
A provision in the Federal law allows states to adopt their own registries, provided they comply with Federal requirements. The legislation, supported by the Recreational Fishing Steering Committee, and signed by Governor Patrick, will ensure that any registration fees, beyond the cost of program administration, will benefit Massachusetts anglers.
Implementation
MA Senate Bill No. 2200, dated 10 November 2009, can be found at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st02/st02200.htm. The bill provides for selective reciprocity with permits issued by other coastal states. It provides license waivers for the disabled, those under 16, and passengers on a for-hire vessel where the vessel owner holds a suitably valid permit under this legislation. The bill allows license categories to be established, each with its own fee, provided fees are waived for individuals under 16 and 60 years of age or older. It allows for two days each year to be designated as free recreational saltwater (fin) fishing days. The bill establishes, within the Division of Marine Fisheries, a marine recreational fisheries panel to advise the director on the development and administration of saltwater fishing improvement programs, including, but not limited to, the improvement of public access to marine recreational fisheries.
For additional information, updates, clarification, and alternate interpretations, visit the DMF site at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/index.html or your local bait and tackle shop.
Barry Hass
Monday, November 2, 2009
Honor Our Veterans with a Fort-to-Fort Cruise of Boston Harbor
The Boston Harbor Islands, by virtue of their strategic location, bear a military legacy that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Personal sacrifice, in defense of our national interests, is an honored tradition that continues over generations, with our most poignant memories often limited to our personal experiences and those passed on by our parents. The reality, however, is that there is a centuries long pattern of sacrifice that must never be forgotten. To quote George Santayana, in his Reason in Common Sense, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." So, to honor those who have served, and to remind us of the Boston Harbor Islands’ military legacy, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Division of State Parks and Recreation, has arranged a unique Veterans Day Fort-to-Fort cruise.
The cruise, highlighting the military history of Boston Harbor, will be conducted on November 11, 2009 aboard the UMass MV Columbia Point, departing from Boston’s Courthouse Dock at the Moakley Federal Courthouse. The cruise will include stops to tour Fort Warren on Georges Island and Fort Standish on Lovells Island.
Veterans will sail for free, on a space-available basis. Family members and the general public can participate for $10.00 per person, space permitting. Veterans will be given priority and all proceeds will benefit a local veterans charity. Reservations are required and can be made on-line at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/87454
The event flyer can be found at: http://www.bostonislands.org/VeteransDay_Flier_2009.pdf
For additional information, including boarding time, cancellation policy, directions and confirmation of the details, call 617-223-8676.
Veterans must bring proof of service. The weather, while unpredictable, can be predictably cold. So dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and sun block. Bring lunch and water. Be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces and, if the surf is up, wear your sea legs.
For a brief introduction to Lovells Island and Fort Standish, visit http://www.nps.gov/boha/historyculture/facts-love.htm
For a brief introduction to Georges Island and Fort Warren, visit http://www.nps.gov/boha/historyculture/facts-geor.htm
I hope to see you there.
Barry Hass
The cruise, highlighting the military history of Boston Harbor, will be conducted on November 11, 2009 aboard the UMass MV Columbia Point, departing from Boston’s Courthouse Dock at the Moakley Federal Courthouse. The cruise will include stops to tour Fort Warren on Georges Island and Fort Standish on Lovells Island.
Veterans will sail for free, on a space-available basis. Family members and the general public can participate for $10.00 per person, space permitting. Veterans will be given priority and all proceeds will benefit a local veterans charity. Reservations are required and can be made on-line at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/87454
The event flyer can be found at: http://www.bostonislands.org/VeteransDay_Flier_2009.pdf
For additional information, including boarding time, cancellation policy, directions and confirmation of the details, call 617-223-8676.
Veterans must bring proof of service. The weather, while unpredictable, can be predictably cold. So dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and sun block. Bring lunch and water. Be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces and, if the surf is up, wear your sea legs.
For a brief introduction to Lovells Island and Fort Standish, visit http://www.nps.gov/boha/historyculture/facts-love.htm
For a brief introduction to Georges Island and Fort Warren, visit http://www.nps.gov/boha/historyculture/facts-geor.htm
I hope to see you there.
Barry Hass
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Head of the Weir River Race 2009
If you have neither seen nor entered the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s annual Head of the Weir River Race, this is your opportunity to share in the excitement. The best places for viewing, on October 31, are at the starting point at West Corner in Hull, the bridge on George Washington Boulevard, the tip of Hull’s Sunset Point, and the Windmill Point Boathouse, at the finish line. For those wishing to enter, the fee is $20 per person.
The Hull Lifesaving Museum's 22nd Annual Head of the Weir River Race is a celebration of the estuary at the height of its fall beauty and the fabulous array of the region's open water rowers. As many as 60 boats jockey for position racing out the narrow estuary and onto open water, traveling from West Corner (on the Hingham/ Hull/ Cohasset line), past Bumpkin Island, across Hull Bay, to the museum's Windmill Point Boathouse at Hull Gut. A highly contested 5-½ miler, the Weir draws coxed youth and adult rowers in gigs, single and double livery and workboats, currachs, and ocean shells, as well as experienced kayakers. In the "head of the river" format, boats kick-off the starting line at one-minute intervals, and times are collated at the finish to determine the race winners. The Weir is an exceptionally exciting race and a great spectator event, featuring over 150 of the region's finest rowers from all over New England and New York. 2009 will introduce a new prize category to the race: the oar and sail award for boats with knock-down sail rigs. Once the race is underway, the best spectator views are from the bridge on George Washington Boulevard (10-20 minutes after the start), at the tip of Hull's Sunset Point, or at the Windmill Point Boathouse finish line. However, don't miss the excitement at the starting point in West Corner. Spectators should show care crossing the road on George Washington Boulevard, watching for fast moving traffic.
Registration, required for all participants, will be 9 - 10 am at the race starting line behind the Hull Public Works building at the Hull Town Line on Route 228. The coxswains' meeting is at 10:15 am, and race start at 11 am. All coxed boats must contact the race organizers before the day of the race. There is no parking available at the race starting line; the put-in for trailered boats is at Nantasket Pier, one mile from the starting line, where car and trailer parking is available. For more information or questions about participating, call Ed McCabe, the Hull Lifesaving Museum's Maritime Program Director or Lory Newmyer, Executive Director, at the museum (781-925-5433) or check out the museum's website: http://www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org/
The Hull Lifesaving Museum's 22nd Annual Head of the Weir River Race is a celebration of the estuary at the height of its fall beauty and the fabulous array of the region's open water rowers. As many as 60 boats jockey for position racing out the narrow estuary and onto open water, traveling from West Corner (on the Hingham/ Hull/ Cohasset line), past Bumpkin Island, across Hull Bay, to the museum's Windmill Point Boathouse at Hull Gut. A highly contested 5-½ miler, the Weir draws coxed youth and adult rowers in gigs, single and double livery and workboats, currachs, and ocean shells, as well as experienced kayakers. In the "head of the river" format, boats kick-off the starting line at one-minute intervals, and times are collated at the finish to determine the race winners. The Weir is an exceptionally exciting race and a great spectator event, featuring over 150 of the region's finest rowers from all over New England and New York. 2009 will introduce a new prize category to the race: the oar and sail award for boats with knock-down sail rigs. Once the race is underway, the best spectator views are from the bridge on George Washington Boulevard (10-20 minutes after the start), at the tip of Hull's Sunset Point, or at the Windmill Point Boathouse finish line. However, don't miss the excitement at the starting point in West Corner. Spectators should show care crossing the road on George Washington Boulevard, watching for fast moving traffic.
Registration, required for all participants, will be 9 - 10 am at the race starting line behind the Hull Public Works building at the Hull Town Line on Route 228. The coxswains' meeting is at 10:15 am, and race start at 11 am. All coxed boats must contact the race organizers before the day of the race. There is no parking available at the race starting line; the put-in for trailered boats is at Nantasket Pier, one mile from the starting line, where car and trailer parking is available. For more information or questions about participating, call Ed McCabe, the Hull Lifesaving Museum's Maritime Program Director or Lory Newmyer, Executive Director, at the museum (781-925-5433) or check out the museum's website: http://www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org/
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Explore Peddocks Island on Oct. 18, 2009
Join the Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands, and island park rangers, for a tour of Peddocks Island on Sunday, October 18, 2009 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Peddocks Island has a long and storied history that has escaped notice by thousands of present day mariners and commuters who ply the waters between Hull and Quincy each year. In fact, many Hullonians aren’t aware that Peddocks Island is within the corporate boundaries of Hull.
From harbor protection to national park area, the uses of Peddocks Island have varied greatly based on the needs of Native Americans, Colonists and Bostonians. The island’s proximity to the mainland ensured its prominent military role. During the Revolutionary War, patriot’s raided a loyalist farm and Peddocks saw over 600 militiamen stationed on the island to guard the harbor against the return of British troops. In more recent times, Fort Andrews protected the harbor from 1904 to the end of World War II. Twenty-six structures remain, including guardhouses, prisoner-of-war barracks, stables, a gymnasium and a firehouse. At 184 acres, Peddocks is one of the largest, most diverse islands in the harbor. Gravel bars called tombolos link the five drumlins that form the island. Fort Andrews to the east overlooks the waters of Hull Gut. Quaint cottages and a salt marsh occupy the Middle Head, while West Head is a conservation area. Join the Friends and Park Rangers for a walk through history and rustic island terrain.
Advance ticket purchase is recommended. The boat will pick up passengers at Fan Pier in Boston at 11:00 AM and Pemberton Point Pier in Hull at 11:45 AM.
Adult $28; FBHI member or Senior (65+) $25; College students w/ID $20; Child (3-12) $20; FBHI child member $18. Purchase online at http://www.fbhi.org/. A $2.00 transaction fee per ticket will apply.
For additional information, contact Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands located at 349 Lincoln Street, Building 45, Hingham, MA. Phone: 781-740-4290.
From harbor protection to national park area, the uses of Peddocks Island have varied greatly based on the needs of Native Americans, Colonists and Bostonians. The island’s proximity to the mainland ensured its prominent military role. During the Revolutionary War, patriot’s raided a loyalist farm and Peddocks saw over 600 militiamen stationed on the island to guard the harbor against the return of British troops. In more recent times, Fort Andrews protected the harbor from 1904 to the end of World War II. Twenty-six structures remain, including guardhouses, prisoner-of-war barracks, stables, a gymnasium and a firehouse. At 184 acres, Peddocks is one of the largest, most diverse islands in the harbor. Gravel bars called tombolos link the five drumlins that form the island. Fort Andrews to the east overlooks the waters of Hull Gut. Quaint cottages and a salt marsh occupy the Middle Head, while West Head is a conservation area. Join the Friends and Park Rangers for a walk through history and rustic island terrain.
Advance ticket purchase is recommended. The boat will pick up passengers at Fan Pier in Boston at 11:00 AM and Pemberton Point Pier in Hull at 11:45 AM.
Adult $28; FBHI member or Senior (65+) $25; College students w/ID $20; Child (3-12) $20; FBHI child member $18. Purchase online at http://www.fbhi.org/. A $2.00 transaction fee per ticket will apply.
For additional information, contact Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands located at 349 Lincoln Street, Building 45, Hingham, MA. Phone: 781-740-4290.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Smelt are Running
Last night, we dined on rainbow smelt. Ours were not the frozen 3”- 4” lake species. These were the 6”- 9” anadromous Atlantic smelt, freshly caught in Hull Bay by yours truly, with some help from my friends.
September is the time when most fishermen stow their rods for the season. But, despite the wind and rain, some have replaced their striper gear with smelt rods for a very different experience; that is, the difference between the thrill of chasing striped bass and bluefish on the open water and the solitude of smelt fishing. Today, there is also the contrast between the 2,300 smelt fishermen counted in the Houghs Neck area decades ago, and the dozen or two one might find during the course of a day on one of the local piers.
Last week, I toured the public docks in Hull, equipped only with pen and paper. In the process, I renewed my belief that smelt fishing is a unique multicultural experience with few closely held secrets. I interviewed almost two dozen fishermen from Quincy, Weymouth, Dorchester, Norwood, Cohasset, and Hull. I asked the who, what, when, where, how, and why of smelt fishing including the hot spots, preferred time, tide, and depth, as well as rigging and jigging techniques. The answers, while not always consistent, were always forthcoming. I was encouraged to participate with offers of rods, hooks, and bait. I was also shown how and where to net grass shrimp. Days later, when I reappeared with my own smelt rods, we engaged in some friendly competition. Although I neglected to mention that we were competing, I still lost. As a consolation prize, the victors tossed several smelt my way and I returned home with a big smile and two-dozen fish.
Sailors say, It’s more about the journey than the destination. For me, smelt fishing is more about the experience than the dinner. Nevertheless, this tender white fish is a pleasant change from my summer diet of striped bass and bluefish. If you haven’t tried smelt fishing, it’s not too late to participate in the fun that, for some, lasts through the winter. Here’s my how-to:
My Lessons Learned – Smelting 101
The Massachusetts smelt season currently runs from 6/16/09 – 3/14/10 for recreational hook and line fishing. There is no minimum size or possession limit.
For less than $25.00 you can purchase a smelt pole with a line winder, dacron line, hooks, an in-line sinker, a gill (1/2 cup) of live shrimp and a bucket… everything you need to join the “club”. Add a milk crate for seating comfort, and you’re good to go. Still better, you can use your fly rod or ultra-light spinning rod and slash your cost in half. Just add a small in-line sinker, a snelled Aberdeen #6 or #8 hook and you’re in business. If live grass shrimp are not available, try sand worms; otherwise, try frozen shrimp. As an alternative to Aberdeen hooks, you might try baiting the lower three hooks of that Sabiki rig you used to catch mackerel last summer. Be aware, however, that Sabiki rigs are likely to yield alewife and blueback river herring, which, for conservation reasons, are currently illegal to keep.
Whatever your choice of rod and terminal tackle, you will need to experiment with depth, starting near the bottom, to determine where the school lies; that is, if you’re too shy to ask those around you. Then, it’s a matter of gently jigging as you feel for a subtle strike. At the moment of truth, quickly lift the fish onto the dock before you lose it. Remember to correct your fishing depth for tide and movement of the school.
Any local tackle shop can direct you to the most productive publicly accessible fishing spots, but virtually any dock on the local harbors will yield smelt when they are running. At this writing, the hot spots include Hull, Marina Bay, and Scituate. Be respectful of private property and always practice carry-in/carry-out with your trash.
The following tackle shops carry live shrimp on an availability basis. Call in advance and check the phone book for other local suppliers:
Fore River Fishing Tackle, Quincy, MA (617-770-1397)
Hull Bait & Tackle, Hull, MA (781-925-4667)
Belsan Bait & Tackle, Scituate, MA (781-545-9400)
For the record, grass shrimp may be netted in some of the local estuaries. However, at $3.00 per gill, retail, it’s not worth risking one’s life. Similarly, during hard freezes, smelt may be caught through the ice in some local rivers, also at personal risk. A somewhat safer experience, so I hear, may be had in Maine where ice-fishing huts can be rented by the hour. Be sure to perform your due diligence and let us know how you made out.
Cleaning and Cooking
The only fishermen who complain about cleaning smelt are those who bring home 50 - 100 or more fish. For the rest of us, cleaning a few dozen at 30 seconds each makes for easy work. I use sharp scissors to remove the head and slice through the underbody before removing the innards. I rinse the fish, dip them in egg, roll them in flour, and pan-fry them in oil. For tips on how the pros do it, click on the following links:
Cleaning smelt – Minnesota Sea Grant Program - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/fisheries/smelt
Cooking smelt – Minnesota Sea Grant Program - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/fisheries/smelt_recipes
Smelt recipes - http://www.all-fish-seafood-recipes.com/index.cfm/list/Smelt
More recipes - http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,27-0,smelt,FF.html
So, last night, we dined on Atlantic smelt and Chardonnay. You can do the same.
Enjoy!
Barry Hass
September is the time when most fishermen stow their rods for the season. But, despite the wind and rain, some have replaced their striper gear with smelt rods for a very different experience; that is, the difference between the thrill of chasing striped bass and bluefish on the open water and the solitude of smelt fishing. Today, there is also the contrast between the 2,300 smelt fishermen counted in the Houghs Neck area decades ago, and the dozen or two one might find during the course of a day on one of the local piers.
Last week, I toured the public docks in Hull, equipped only with pen and paper. In the process, I renewed my belief that smelt fishing is a unique multicultural experience with few closely held secrets. I interviewed almost two dozen fishermen from Quincy, Weymouth, Dorchester, Norwood, Cohasset, and Hull. I asked the who, what, when, where, how, and why of smelt fishing including the hot spots, preferred time, tide, and depth, as well as rigging and jigging techniques. The answers, while not always consistent, were always forthcoming. I was encouraged to participate with offers of rods, hooks, and bait. I was also shown how and where to net grass shrimp. Days later, when I reappeared with my own smelt rods, we engaged in some friendly competition. Although I neglected to mention that we were competing, I still lost. As a consolation prize, the victors tossed several smelt my way and I returned home with a big smile and two-dozen fish.
Sailors say, It’s more about the journey than the destination. For me, smelt fishing is more about the experience than the dinner. Nevertheless, this tender white fish is a pleasant change from my summer diet of striped bass and bluefish. If you haven’t tried smelt fishing, it’s not too late to participate in the fun that, for some, lasts through the winter. Here’s my how-to:
My Lessons Learned – Smelting 101
The Massachusetts smelt season currently runs from 6/16/09 – 3/14/10 for recreational hook and line fishing. There is no minimum size or possession limit.
For less than $25.00 you can purchase a smelt pole with a line winder, dacron line, hooks, an in-line sinker, a gill (1/2 cup) of live shrimp and a bucket… everything you need to join the “club”. Add a milk crate for seating comfort, and you’re good to go. Still better, you can use your fly rod or ultra-light spinning rod and slash your cost in half. Just add a small in-line sinker, a snelled Aberdeen #6 or #8 hook and you’re in business. If live grass shrimp are not available, try sand worms; otherwise, try frozen shrimp. As an alternative to Aberdeen hooks, you might try baiting the lower three hooks of that Sabiki rig you used to catch mackerel last summer. Be aware, however, that Sabiki rigs are likely to yield alewife and blueback river herring, which, for conservation reasons, are currently illegal to keep.
Whatever your choice of rod and terminal tackle, you will need to experiment with depth, starting near the bottom, to determine where the school lies; that is, if you’re too shy to ask those around you. Then, it’s a matter of gently jigging as you feel for a subtle strike. At the moment of truth, quickly lift the fish onto the dock before you lose it. Remember to correct your fishing depth for tide and movement of the school.
Any local tackle shop can direct you to the most productive publicly accessible fishing spots, but virtually any dock on the local harbors will yield smelt when they are running. At this writing, the hot spots include Hull, Marina Bay, and Scituate. Be respectful of private property and always practice carry-in/carry-out with your trash.
The following tackle shops carry live shrimp on an availability basis. Call in advance and check the phone book for other local suppliers:
Fore River Fishing Tackle, Quincy, MA (617-770-1397)
Hull Bait & Tackle, Hull, MA (781-925-4667)
Belsan Bait & Tackle, Scituate, MA (781-545-9400)
For the record, grass shrimp may be netted in some of the local estuaries. However, at $3.00 per gill, retail, it’s not worth risking one’s life. Similarly, during hard freezes, smelt may be caught through the ice in some local rivers, also at personal risk. A somewhat safer experience, so I hear, may be had in Maine where ice-fishing huts can be rented by the hour. Be sure to perform your due diligence and let us know how you made out.
Cleaning and Cooking
The only fishermen who complain about cleaning smelt are those who bring home 50 - 100 or more fish. For the rest of us, cleaning a few dozen at 30 seconds each makes for easy work. I use sharp scissors to remove the head and slice through the underbody before removing the innards. I rinse the fish, dip them in egg, roll them in flour, and pan-fry them in oil. For tips on how the pros do it, click on the following links:
Cleaning smelt – Minnesota Sea Grant Program - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/fisheries/smelt
Cooking smelt – Minnesota Sea Grant Program - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/fisheries/smelt_recipes
Smelt recipes - http://www.all-fish-seafood-recipes.com/index.cfm/list/Smelt
More recipes - http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,27-0,smelt,FF.html
So, last night, we dined on Atlantic smelt and Chardonnay. You can do the same.
Enjoy!
Barry Hass
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Open Water Rowing With the Hull Life Saving Museum
There’s much to be said for living in a seaside community where foot, bicycle, and boat traffic rival vehicular traffic. So, on a hunch, I headed down to the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s Windmill Point boathouse as a crew prepared to launch the pilot gig Kittery for an evening row on the outer Boston harbor.
I arrived at 6:50 PM, offering to help the crew move the Kittery down the beach on the log rollers. The coxswain replied, “Are you rowing with us?” to which I responded, “Only if you ask.” Ten minutes later, as darkness fell, we were underway. My lack of prior experience earned me a position in the bow, just aft of the “princess seat”. From that vantage point, I could time my stroke to match that of the port-side rower just ahead (aft?) of me.
The Kittery is a 32-foot pilot gig, with six rowing positions. There were nine of us, including the coxswain and eight crew who rotated among the six rowing positions.
Conditions were nearly ideal with flat seas, light wind, and temperature in the mid-sixties. The high cloud cover obstructed nighttime views of the sky with the exception of Jupiter and Logan air traffic. Along the horizon, we were treated to illuminated views of Boston and several North and South Shore coastal communities.
At approximately 28 strokes/minute, and an estimated speed of 4-5 knots, we glided through the Hull Gut, past the Hull Wind II turbine and headed north past Georges Island. Upon reaching Gallops Island, we turned SW toward Rainsford Island where we came alongside the Westward, a 125 ft. two-masted schooner, with 34 persons on board, including 22 tenth graders from the Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. This was their first night of a nine-week voyage from Boston that ends just prior to Thanksgiving in San Juan Puerto Rico. The semester-at-sea program is sponsored by the Ocean Classroom Foundation.
Finally, we headed south to Peddocks Island, past Fort Andrews, through the Hull Gut, returning to the beach at Pemberton by 8:45 PM.
This is a not-to-miss experience, available on a year-round basis through the Hull Life Saving museum. As the folks in the adult rowing program are prone to saying, “The best mental health activity in greater Boston can be found three times a week at Windmill Point, Hull.”
The Hull Life Saving museum is located at the site of the 1889 Point Allerton U.S. Lifesaving Station. For more information about the museum, its storied history, and its many adult and youth programs, visit http://www.lifesavingmuseum.org/ or call 781-925-5433.
To my crewmates: Thanks for the memories. I’ll be back for more.
Barry Hass
I arrived at 6:50 PM, offering to help the crew move the Kittery down the beach on the log rollers. The coxswain replied, “Are you rowing with us?” to which I responded, “Only if you ask.” Ten minutes later, as darkness fell, we were underway. My lack of prior experience earned me a position in the bow, just aft of the “princess seat”. From that vantage point, I could time my stroke to match that of the port-side rower just ahead (aft?) of me.
The Kittery is a 32-foot pilot gig, with six rowing positions. There were nine of us, including the coxswain and eight crew who rotated among the six rowing positions.
Conditions were nearly ideal with flat seas, light wind, and temperature in the mid-sixties. The high cloud cover obstructed nighttime views of the sky with the exception of Jupiter and Logan air traffic. Along the horizon, we were treated to illuminated views of Boston and several North and South Shore coastal communities.
At approximately 28 strokes/minute, and an estimated speed of 4-5 knots, we glided through the Hull Gut, past the Hull Wind II turbine and headed north past Georges Island. Upon reaching Gallops Island, we turned SW toward Rainsford Island where we came alongside the Westward, a 125 ft. two-masted schooner, with 34 persons on board, including 22 tenth graders from the Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. This was their first night of a nine-week voyage from Boston that ends just prior to Thanksgiving in San Juan Puerto Rico. The semester-at-sea program is sponsored by the Ocean Classroom Foundation.
Finally, we headed south to Peddocks Island, past Fort Andrews, through the Hull Gut, returning to the beach at Pemberton by 8:45 PM.
This is a not-to-miss experience, available on a year-round basis through the Hull Life Saving museum. As the folks in the adult rowing program are prone to saying, “The best mental health activity in greater Boston can be found three times a week at Windmill Point, Hull.”
The Hull Life Saving museum is located at the site of the 1889 Point Allerton U.S. Lifesaving Station. For more information about the museum, its storied history, and its many adult and youth programs, visit http://www.lifesavingmuseum.org/ or call 781-925-5433.
To my crewmates: Thanks for the memories. I’ll be back for more.
Barry Hass
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