Fly Fishing Boston Harbor: Changing Times, Changing Tactics

The club's May meeting on Monday May 14th will feature fly fishing for striped bass and bluefish in Boston Harbor with Capt. John Mendelson of Boston Fishstix Guides. John will talk about significant changes in Boston's fishery over the past few years with a focus on the new reality of fishing its waters and how to adapt successfully to the new conditions.

 John and his partner Rich Armstrong guide anglers aboard a 22ft McKee Craft center console. John is a consummate guide and a pleasure to fish with. He has fished Boston Harbor for many years and knows its picturesque island-studded waters and its fish haunts extremely well. Some of you may remember the exciting program he and his guiding partner, Rich Armstrong, presented to the club a couple years back. Several club members have fished with John including Ron Cooper, Steve Murphy, and Dick Brown. For more visit: www.bostonfishstix.com.

SIgn up for club trips this month! See article below for more.

 

2012 Outings

Fishing Outings Sign-up

Sign-up lists for club trips will be at the welcome table at the May meeting. Fishing outings are open to members only.  Participation by members may be limited for reasons of weather, safety or space. Members must sign up in advance to participate in a fishing trip. Dates and details of each trip will be published in the club newsletter, The Moon Tides.


May 21, 2012, 6PM - Plum Island/ Merrimack River Shore Trip- an evening wade-fishing trip on the north end of Plum Island. Open to all club members. New members are encouraged to attend and meet and fish with fellow fly rodders familiar with the area.

June 7, 2012, afternoon/evening - Merrimack River Boat Trip - an evening boat trip on the Merrimack River on the perfect flooding tide to fish Joppa Flats. A great opportunity for club members who don't own a boat to fish the Merrimack with one of our many experienced captains.

June or July, 2012, date to be determined -- Hampton Harbor Boat Trip-- an evening boat trip exploring this local watershed. Date to be determined based on interest and boat availability.

July and August, 2012 -- Kayak Outings -- Dates to be determined. We are considering weekend morning fishing trips, exploring the estuaries of Plum Island Sound or Cape Ann.

Fishing Outings are RESERVATION ONLY. In the event we have more guests than allowable given the available boat space, names will be drawn at random. You will receive additional information via the club newsletter as to when and how to make your reservation.

Fly Tying Claves

The club will continue to sponsor fly tying conclaves. Beginning in January, "Claves" will be held at First Light Anglers (First Light Anglers, 21 Main St, Rowley, MA at the intersection of Rt. 1A and Rt. 133.  From Rt. 95, take exit 54 and follow 133 west for 4.5 miles to Rt. 1A, turn right on 1A South, the shop is immediately on your left,  located right across the street from The Village Pancake House). Members of all abilities are encouraged to attend. A beginner's table will be available for members new to saltwater fly tying. The club will provide tools and materials to support this program. In 2012, over the course of the four claves, experienced/intermediate level tiers will lead the group to tie some of the most successful patterns for our waters. Patterns to be featured will be identified in The Moon Tides and on our website.


Fly tying conclaves are open to club members and their invited guests. Guests must be accompanied by a club member.

Dates:

Saturday, January 14, 2012, 9am - 1pm

Saturday, February 18, 2012, 9am - 1pm

Saturday, March 17, 2012, 9am - 1pm

Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9am - 1 pm 

Other Special Events

From time to time, the club holds additional skill-building events such as casting clinics, fly tying demonstrations, and others for members.

Lou Tabory describes the fine points of the forward cast at a spring casting clinic.

 

Recreational Saltwater Licenses are Here!

As of January 1, 2011 all New England states will institute marine (saltwater) Fishing licenses.  Here is a summary. Information is as accurate can be gathered to date. Please visit your States’ websites for specific information.

First off, licensees will be exempt from having to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry to fish NE states. As of this writing, New Jersey still equires the NOAA registration or  State license (see NOAA for details). You will need to carry your license with you at all times.

Connecticut
Connecticut Marine Waters Fishing licenses are vailable on-line, at some DEP offices, and participating Town Clerks and retail vendors. The fee is $10 for residents age 16-64, the license is free for residents age 65 and older, and $15 for non-residents age 16 and older.

Exemptions:
You will not need a CT Saltwater Recreational Fishing License if:
  • You are fishing from a licensed charter or party boat.
  • You are under 16 years of age.
  • Anglers age 65 and older will be required to get the Marine Waters Fishing License. The license is free for resident anglers age 65 and older, but a new license must be obtained every year.
Reciprocity:
  • Federal waters: Yes. CT MWFL holders will be exempt from the federal registry requirement.
  • New York:  Yes, but only in the waters of Long Island Sound lying between NY and CT (this line has not yet been precisely defined by NY).
  • RI: Yes.
  • NH: There is no reciprocity with CT.
  • MA: Yes. Based on information provided on the MA DMF web site on October 19, 2010, CT licensed anglers will have full reciprocal fishing privileges in 2011.
  • ME: There is no reciprocity with CT.

Massachusetts
In 2011 the Massachusetts permit will be available on-line, through some retail outlets like bait and tackle stores, by mail, and in person at Division of Marine Fisheries offices in Gloucester, Boston, and New Bedford. The proposed state permit fee is $10 for residents and non-residents alike.

Exemptions:
You will not need a MA Saltwater Recreational Fishing License if:
  • You are fishing from a licensed charter or party boat.
  • You are under 16 years of age or disabled.
  • Anglers that are 60 years and older will need to obtain a state permit in 2011 but there will be no fee.
Reciprocity:
If the state you reside in recognizes the Massachusetts permit as a valid permit for recreational fishing in their waters, then Massachusetts would afford the same privileges to properly permitted individuals from that state. However, if your state of residence does not accept a valid Massachusetts permit for recreational fishing in their waters, than you would be required to purchase a Massachusetts permit to recreationally fish/land in Massachusetts.

New Hampshire
The license will cost $16 for individual anglers, N.H. residents and nonresidents. It will be available for purchase online, or through any of 250+ New Hampshire license agents statewide. The price includes a $1 agent fee.

Exemptions:
You will not need a NH Saltwater Recreational Fishing License if:
  • You are fishing from a licensed charter or party boat.
  • You are under 16 years of age.
  • You purchased a Lifetime Fishing or Combination License prior to 2011, in which case you may obtain a free permit each year limited to fishing for saltwater smelt, American shad, trout and salmon in coastal and estuarine waters. This permit must be applied for each year at the Fish and Game office in Concord and is good only for the fish listed above.
Reciprocity:
Anglers possessing a valid N.H. Recreational Saltwater Fishing License can legally fish in all tidal and estuarine areas of Massachusetts and in Maine up to Cape Neddick. Reciprocity will be granted in NH for those nonresident anglers possessing a valid Maine or Massachusetts saltwater license.

Rhode Island
The cost of a yearly RI license is $7 for Rhode Island residents and $10 for non-residents. A temporary seven-day RI license is available, for both residents and non-residents, for $5. Those fees are set by state law, and are not subject to change. Licenses are available online. Licenses are also be available from participating vendors throughout the State, including several bait and tackle shops..

Exemptions:
You will not need a RI Saltwater Recreational Fishing License if:
  • You are fishing from a licensed charter or party boat.
  • You are under 16 years of age.
  • Anglers who hold Highly Migratory Species Angling Permits
  • Anglers who are on leave from active military duty
  • Anglers who are blind or permanently disabled
Reciprocity:
RI waters: RI's recreational fishing license applies in all of RI's marine waters, which begin at the inland edge of all tidal water areas and extend seaward out to three miles. The defined boundaries separating RI's freshwater and saltwater can be found in section 2.6 of DEM's Freshwater and Anadromous Fishing Regulations.
Federal waters: The RI license also applies in all offshore federal waters, which extend seaward from the seaward edge of all state waters. Other state waters: The RI license also applies in the state waters of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, as well as in the waters of all other states that honor RI's license (a list of all other states will be on the R.I. website as soon as information on those states is collected).