Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters Association P.O. Box 3053 Edgartown, MA 02539 www.mvsurfcasters.org February 2018 Newsletter Hello Surfcasters! What a treat to see so many of you at the Banquet and to celebrate another year of fishing. The food was great, the company was fantastic, and the volunteers who helped set up, orchestrate, shuck, and clean up were awesome! Thank you to everyone who pitched in to make the Banquet a fabulous afternoon! You can read all about the Banquet, the awards, and our wonderful sponsors in the pages below. Important Date March 5 - The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has scheduled a public hearing on proposed amendments to the current fishing regulations on Monday, March 5, at Katharine Cornell in Tisbury, at 10 am. Proposed changes will affect the commercial harvesting of black sea bass and stripers. Support our MVSA Scholarship fundraiser: The MVSA annual used tackle sale will be held Memorial Day weekend. All monies raised go toward the MVSA scholarships for graduating high school seniors. Don is collecting used, or new, tackle, nets, waders, jackets, or any fishing-related stuff. Bring your donations to our next meeting: March 5!
MVSA Banquet The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly We had lots of good news at the Banquet: MVSA is in great shape financially, with about $8,000 in the bank. Last year we gave away two $1,000 scholarships. This June we re going to give away two $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors. Last year we also donated $1,000 to Salt Water Challenge. Our biggest expense is insurance, and then food for our beach parties and gatherings. Overall, treasurer Phil Horton reported: We had a really good year. Chris Kennedy of The Trustees of Reservations introduced Eunice Youmans, the new general manager for the Trustees Vineyard and Nantucket properties. Chris then filled us in with the good news and the not-sogood news. Chris told us the Trustees plan to open about 65 acres of Little Neck this summer. The army has removed about 18,000 practice bombs, of which twenty-five percent were live. Little Neck has been closed since World War II when the Army used the area for target practice. It will great to have this beautiful spot open once again. Chris also shared that the Trustees are planning to meet with the Town of Chilmark to discuss opening a trail from Menemsha Hills to the Brickyard. Good news for everyone who loves to fish the north shore! Wasque/Lelands has weathered the winter storms well and continues to get nice and wide, which will make driving around Lelands possible. On the down side, we lost about 150 primary feet of dunes at Norton Point. Herring and Plovers: I m hard pressed to decide which one is bad and which one is ugly, as both are bad news for us fisherman. Chris told us to expect more beach closures this coming summer while the Plovers are nesting. Beaches could easily be closed for four to six weeks, and the birds spread out quite a bit last year so the closures could be extensive. Read more on the Piping Plovers below. Brett Sterns of the Natural Resources Department spoke about the dramatic decrease in herring on Island. Brett noted that the NRD had installed a video counter and had collected two years worth of data. Brett said they were astonished to discover that only 26,000 herring were counted. The number of herring is so low it has become a serious issue for NRD. The department will be looking at the predation rate, mostly from cormorants, and they are planning more dredging to get the Menemsha channel deeper. If you d like more info on the herring decline, here is the link to the meeting held February 12: http://www.mvtimes.com/2018/02/14/islanders-officials-discuss-dire-state-river-herring/ Getting back to the good news it s almost spring, which means it s almost time to organize the fishing gear, spiff up the beach buggy, and hit the shores.
And the winner is: It s All Good! MVSA Angler of the Year Ron Domurat First Place Bass Creanga Cosmo Cosmin 50.53 Pounds First Place Bluefish First Place Bonito First Place False Albacore Ralph Peckham Dave Balon Kathi Pogoda 14.26 Pounds 6.89 Pounds 11.31 Pounds Jim Cornwall won the Shark Tournament with a 70-inch shark. He won a gift certificate for his efforts hauling that big boy in. Cosmo also won the Largest Catch and Release Bass for the same fish he took home top bass honors. President Don drew winners for the Baitrunner reels for the anglers who weighed in fish this year. Ralph Peckham was the lucky winner of the first-place drawing. Jason Patterson took home the reel for the secondplace anglers. John Cornwall won the reel amongst the third-placed anglers. Thank you, Cooper, for the reels!! Bob Yapp won the 50/50 raffle.
A huge Thank You to all of our sponsors who supported the MVSA Banquet: Vineyard Propane and Oil Roberts Lures Murdick s Fudge Guppy Lines Spofford s Fishing Lures Woodie Lures Mansion House MV Derby Committee Island Taxidermy Tristan Israel Bob Yapp Bob Beal Dave Balon Jim Fraser Denise Fraser Jim Mullen Fran Clay Ron Domurat Cape Air Mark Yapp John Piekos Nelson Siegelman Striper Maniac Our Market Don Scarpone Jackson & Wrabel Dick s Bait & Tackle Cronig s Market Little House Café Brickman s Cottles Copper Wok Sun Dog Edgartown Pizza Wharf Pub Jardin Mahoney Wolf s Den Pizza Soigne Rocco s Pizza Shop Claudia s Entertainment Cinema Lucky Hanks Al s Package Store Coops Bait & Tackle Edgartown Books Stop and Shop Edgartown Meat & Fish Larry s Tackle Shop Phillips Hardware DaRosa s Slice of Life Cottage City The Beach House Peter Simon Vineyard Heath & Patio West Marine Rainy Day Gift Shop Vineyard Cash & Carry Mardell s Menemsha Blues Shirley s Hardware Tivoli Paint Martha s Vineyard Shipyard TTOR Hinkley s Hardware Vineyard Home Center The Net Result Vineyard Auto Supply Vineyard Vines Lure Fish The Black Dog LeRoux Home Center The Green Room RM Packer Humphrey s Leslie s Drug Store Woodland Grill Indian Hill Power Basics Bobby B s Janet Messineo Chappy Ferry Service The Square Rigger
Derby History It s been fun reading through the list of MVSA member accomplishments in the MV Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby over the last twenty-eight years, which Ron Domurat compiled for us. Since1989, the MVSA has had 23 Grand Leaders and 3 Grand Prize winners. This month, check out the impressive accomplishments of: Tom Kieras, Karen Kukolich, Bob Lane, Jack Kimberly, Ed Lepore, Walter Lison, Jack Livingston, Dan MacGillivary, Matt Malowski, Keith McArt, Ron McKee, Holly Mercier, Janet Messineo, Gary Mirando, Don Mohr, and George Moran. Martha s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, 1989-2017 Tom Kieras 2003 All Tackle Shore Bluefish, 1 st (Grand Leader and Truck Winner) 2003 David Finkelstein Award, Shore Bluefish 2003 The DaRosa Award, Heaviest Shore Bluefish 2005 All Tackle Shore Bluefish, 2 nd Karen Kukolich Bob Lane 1986 Flyrod Boat Bluefish, 3 rd 1988 Flyrod Boat Bluefish, 3 rd 1995 Flyrod Boat False Albacore, 1 st 1995 Pierre Aetello Award, Women,s largest False Albacore 2001 All Tackle Boat Bluefish, 1 st (Grand Leader) 2001 Dr David Finklelstein Award, Boat Bluefish, 2001 Carol Driscoll Memorial Award, Boat Bluefish 2001 The DaRosa Award, Boat Bluefish 2001 The Musia Fly Fishing Award 2006 All Tackle Boat False Albacore, 2 nd 1993 All Tackle Shore Bass, 2 nd Jack Kimberly 2010 Roberto Germani Catch & Release Award Ed (Bonito) Lepore 1991 All Tackle Boat False Albacore, 3 rd 1992 Flyrod Shore Bluefish, 3 rd 1993 Flyrod Boat False Albacore, 2 nd 2003 Arnold Spofford Award, Senior Boat Bonito 2006 All Tackle Boat Grand Slam, 3 rd 2006 All Tackle Top Rod Award 2008 Arnold Spofford Award, Senior Boat Bonito 2010 All Tackle Boat Bonito, 2 nd 2010 Arnold Spofford Award, Senior Boat Bonito 2011 Howie Leonard Memorial Award, Senior Boat False Albacore 2015 Roberto Germani Catch & Release Award 2015 Flyrod Boat False Albacore, 2 nd
Walter Lison 1998 George Pye Award, Senior Shore Bluefish 2004 Chamber of Commerce Award, Senior Shore Bluefish 2004 George Pye Award, Senior Shore Bluefish 2004 Madison Alwardt Award, Senior Shore Bluefish 2004 Howie Leonard Award, Senior Shore False Albacore Jack Livingston 1985 Resident Shore False Albacore, 2 nd 1996 All Tackle Shore Bonito, 1st, (Grand Leader) 2001 All Tackle Shore Bluefish, 1st (Grand Leader) 2001 James P. Catlow, Memorial Award, shore bluefish. 2001 Dr. David Finklestein Award, shore bluefish. 2004 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 1 st 2004 Abe Williams Memorial Award, Shore Grand Slam 2015 James P. Catlow Memorial Award, Heaviest Shore Bluefish caught by a Male Resident 2015 Roberto Germani Catch & Release Award, Shore False Albacore 2015 All Tackle Shore Bluefish, 2 nd Don MacGillivary 1990 All Tackle Boat False Albacore, 1 st (Grand Leader) (Derby & State Record) 1993 All Tackle Boat Bonito, 1 st 1993 All Tackle Boat Triple Crown, 1 st 1995 All Tackle Boat Grand Slam, 2 nd 1995 All Tackle Boat Bluefish, 2 nd 2000 Flyrod Boat Bonito, 1 st 2000 Arnold Spofford Award, Senior Boat Bonito 2007 Howie Leonard Memorial Award, Senior Boat False Albacore 2013 All Tackle Boat Bonito, 3 rd Matt Malowski 2013 Thomas Nessa Memorial Award for the heaviest striped bass weighed in on the first day of the Derby Keith McArt 2003 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 1 st 2003 All Tackle Shore Bonito, 3 rd 2004 All Tackle Shore Striped Bass, 1st (Grand Leader) 2005 All Tackle Shore Striped Bass, 2 nd 2008 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 1 st 2008 All Tackle Shore Striped Bass, 2 nd 2008 All Tackle Shore Bonito, 2 nd 2008 Abe Williams Memorial Award, Shore Grand Slam 2008 Shore Team Competition, 1st 2009 Shore Team Competition, 1st 2009 All Tackle Shore False Albacore, 1 st, (Grand Leader) 2009 David Finklestein Award, Shore Team Competition 2014 Abe Williiams Memorial Award, Shore Grand Slam 2014 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 2 nd
Ron McKee 1997 All Tackle Shore Bonito, 2 nd 1999 All Tackle Shore Bonito, 3 rd 1999 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 1 st 2002 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 3 rd 2007 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 2 nd 2009 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam, 3 rd Holly Mercier 2012 All Tackle Boat False Albacore, 3 rd Janet Messineo 1984 All Tackle Shore Resident Bass, 2 nd. 1984 The Thomas Goode Special Memorial Award 1985 All Tackle Resident False Albacore, 1 st 1985 All Tackle Resident Bonito, 1 st 1987 & 1988 CB Stark Award, woman s heaviest shore fish. 1991 CB Stark Award, Woman s heaviest shore false albacore 1996, 98, 99, 00, 01 Carol Driscoll Award, woman s heaviest shore bluefish 1998 All Tackle Shore Grand Slam 2 nd. 1998 Sunglasses USA Award, woman s heaviest shore striped bass. 1998 Sunglasses USA Award, woman s heaviest shore bluefish. 2005 Inducted into the Derby Hall of Fame 2015 Ray Metcalf Memorial Award, Senior Shore Striped Bass Gary Mirando 2002 Flyrod Boat False Albacore, 2 nd 2003 Flyrod Boat False Albacore, 3 rd 2008 Flyrod Boat Striped Bass, 2 nd 2008 Flyrod Boat Bluefish 3 rd 2015 Flyrod Shore False Albacore, 2 nd Don Mohr 1984 All Tackle Shore Striped Bass, Resident 3 rd 2003 Inducted into the Derby Hall of Fame George Moran 2004 Flyrod Shore Striped Bass, 1 st 2007 Flyrod Shore Striped Bass, 2 nd 2008 Flyrod Shore Striped Bass, 1 st 2008 Flyrod Shore Bluefish, 1 st 2008 Creek Company Flyrod Award **Corrections If any of these stats are incorrect, please let me, Lisa, or Ron Domurat know. We want to keep the best Derby records we can for the Club. We appreciate your help and understanding.
Ron McKee weighing in the first bass of the 2017 Derby in honor of Hawkeye Jacobs. Don MacGilivray with a 42-pound bass caught in the summer of 2016. Janet Messineo was all smiles weighing in another winning bass. Bob Lane out fishing with SGM Kevin Devine last summer after Kevin returned from Afghanistan. Kevin was a recipient of the MVSA donations for our troops.
SUMMARY OF THE 2017 MASSACHUSETTS PIPING PLOVER CENSUS The report summarizes data on abundance, distribution, and reproductive success of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in Massachusetts during the 2017 breeding season. Observers reported breeding pairs of Piping Plovers present at 147 sites; 180 additional sites were surveyed at least once, but no breeding pairs were detected at them. The population increased 1.4% relative to 2016. The Index Count (statewide census conducted 1-9 June) was 633 pairs, and the Adjusted Total Count (estimated total number of breeding pairs statewide for the entire 2017 breeding season) was 650.5 pairs. A total of 688 chicks were reported fledged in 2017, for an overall productivity of 1.07 fledglings per pair, based on data from 98.4% of pairs. Sixteen sites with ten or more breeding pairs accounted for 53.3% of the Massachusetts breeding population, while 101 sites with three or fewer pairs accounted for 23.8%. In total, 688 chicks were reported fledged in 2017, resulting in overall productivity of 1.07 fledglings/pair, based on data from 640 of 650.5 pairs (98.4%; the adjusted number of pairs with fledge data).1this represents a 26.7% decrease in productivity relative to 2016 (1.46 fledglings/pair). Productivity varied by region, ranging from 1.39 and 1.09 in the Lower Cape and Buzzards Bay, respectively, down to 0.87 and 0.82 in the South Shore and Martha s Vineyard, respectively. The North Shore (0.98), Upper Cape (0.89), and Nantucket (0.98) exhibited intermediate productivity If you d like to read the full Piping Plover report, click on this link: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/01/25/plover%20census%20report%20mass%202017%20final. pdf
Meeting Wrap-Up: What You Missed or Forgot 1. Our next meeting is March 5. Be there! 2. The MVSA Fishing Tag Sale/Fundraiser will be in May again this year. Don needs donations rods, reels, waders, nets, plugs, whatever fishing gear/stuff you have to give, please bring to the next meeting. We raised $2,000 last year for the scholarship fund, and Don wants to hit that goal again this year. Bring what you have to every meeting, or let Don know and he can pick it up. Don does not need any more fishing line. 3. Yearly dues are due in January. Cost is $30 for the year, whether you re paying for an individual, senior, or family. You can pay at the March meeting or mail your check in (Call President Don). 4. Don is going to order MVSA reusable shopping bags. They will cost about $13 each. 5. On April 29, there will be a Beach Grass Planting at Lobsterville. Please consider attending and helping out. We all can pitch in to protect our beloved beaches and represent MVSA. We ll have more information in the coming months. 6. Cuttyhunk Fishing Trip MVSA is heading back to Cuttyhunk in June. We ll go midweek when it s cheaper and less crowded. We depart Tuesday, June 12 and return on Thursday, June 14. If you re interested, let Don know or sign up at the Banquet. Cost will be $325, which will include a golf cart for our club members to share. Bring your deposit check to the March meeting!! 7. The 2018 Island Cup will be contested on Nantucket this year. Mark your calendars for Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17. Victor will be sharing more info at the Banquet. Marsh A. Bryan - Obituary Marsh A. Bryan, 84 of Little Silver, passed away peacefully, surrounded by lots of family, on February 13. He was an insurance broker with Johnson and Higgins in NYC and also enjoyed owning ABC Sports of Little Silver, NJ. He attended St. Bernards, Pomfret School and graduated from Princeton in 1955. He was a former member of the Rumson Country Club, Sea Bright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, the Key Largo Anglers Club and the Sea Bright Beach Club. His favorite activities were skiing, golf, fishing, rowing, bridge and tennis. He enjoyed fishing on MV. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen Dan Geary, Vearsy Geary, Eddie Gentle, Charlie Martin Bryan; his sons, Michael A. Bryan of Barr, Joyce Lison, Marsh Bryan, Paul Schultz, Kouie, Rye, of New Hampshire, and Thomas Bryan, of Janet Messineo and Walter Lison Wilson, Wyoming; his daughters, Cynthia Gur, of Leonardo, Md., and Linda Brenske, of York, Maine; and 11 grandchildren.
Calendar of Events March 5 March 5 April 2 Division of Marine Fisheries Meeting VH 10 AM Monthly Meeting Edgartown Rod and Gun Club 7 PM Ron Domurat will be speaking on maintenance of rods and reels. Monthly Meeting Edgartown Rod and Gun Club 7 PM April 9, 14,15 Annual Hunter Safety Course April 29 May 7 Beach Grass Planting Lobsterville Beach 9 AM 3 PM Monthly Meeting Edgartown Rod and Gun Club 7 PM May 26 Used Tackle Sale Scholarship Fundraiser (Rain date, May 27) June 12-14 June 15-17 July 14 Cuttyhunk Fishing Trip Island Cup on Nantucket this year Annual Beach Picnic