Biggest Catches and Surprise Visitors at Westwood Recreation's Fishing Derby

Anglers of all ages, from in-town and beyond, ventured out into the cool morning of Saturday, May 8, 2021 to celebrate and participate in the return of the Fishing Derby to Buckmaster Pond. They were treated to fishing, prizes, camaraderie, and special appearances by Buckmaster's sometimes elusive wildlife.

A check-in table was set up near the middle of Buckmaster's grassy field.  It was staffed by Westwood Recreation Department Interim Director Richard Adams, Program Manager Joe Bertone, and Mr. Adams's friendly dog, Rozzi. A number of small paper cups of dirt had been placed on table, available to each participant to take. Buried in the dirt, participants would find live worms, just in case they had forgotten to bring their own bait.

Fifty-nine participants registered online. A few walk-ons joined to compete in their choice of three time slots, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. No one was turned away. At stake were awards of fishing equipment, fishing related toys, and bragging rights for winning the day's competitions.

Those aged fifteen and below made up the event's Youth Division. The young participants competed for Most Fish caught and Biggest Fish. Participants aged sixteen and over comprised the Adult Division. They would compete for Biggest Fish caught in the day.

“There was strong attendance for this year,” said Mr. Bertone. "It can be hard on Saturdays competing with youth sports but you could see from what the kids were wearing that they were fitting it in before or after their soccer game.”

The early rising anglers who headed to the pond at 7 a.m. were also greeted by Westwood's oft-discussed, but less often sighted bald eagle. The bird sat comfortably in a tree overlooking the pond, observing the fishing activity below with interest. It would remain on its perch for around an hour or more before flying elsewhere.

Adding to the welcome was the surprise appearance of Buckmaster Pond's seasonal guests, perhaps more often viewed in the fall. Four large, white swans graced the surface of the waters a few hundred yards away from shore. They also were seemingly interested in the unusual divergence from the pond’s daily pattern of life. They now observed the pond’s east shore, populated with individuals or small groups, spread apart and fishing at socially distanced spots. That the morning was cool with a temperature in the 40s had not prevented Buckmaster's human or animal visitors from attending.

It didn't take long for the first fish to be caught. A group of three, which appeared to be a father, son, and daughter, quickly caught a sizeable fish each, in pretty rapid succession. They each in their turn crossed the field to find Mr. Bertone, who weighed each catch and announced the measurements. A rainbow trout weighing fourteen ounces was recorded for the Adult Division, and two rainbow trout weighing eleven ounces each were recorded for the Youth Division. That family would end their time slot with a total of five fish caught in about ninety minutes. 

But it did seem as though some had all the luck. Others around the lucky family waited with empty lines in unmoving water or attracted only nibbling fish that were too small to hook. Eventually, a young boy caught a small to medium sized fish, and then another. 

Many still waited on empty lines. Even with no fishing luck, however, the youngest participants ended their morning time slot with the opportunity to pull a plastic toy out of a treasure box as a souvenir of their day.

Later, in the 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. time slot, Mr. Bertone recorded the catch of a thirty ounce bass.  It was the winner of the day for Biggest Fish, followed by a twenty-four ounce bass as the next biggest catch. Both catches occurred in the Youth Division. A few young anglers also succeeded in reeling in four to five fish, but no one person prevailed for most fish caught of the day.

In the Adult Division, a sixteen-year old former Westwood resident and long-time Fishing Derby participant took top honors.  He hooked a one pound rainbow trout in the early morning time slot.

“Fishing was more successful than two years ago,” noted Mr. Bertone. "Weatherwise, it was good, slightly overcast but better – not too hot, and not too cold.”

Mr. Adams summed up the day. "It was nice to be able to run the Fishing Derby this year as we had to cancel last year due to COVID. It was great to see everyone enjoy themselves. The kids had a great time and the families were grateful to be able to participate in the event."

Thanks to Joe Bertone and Richard Adams for their comments for this article. To make sure you don't miss more news like this, have new articles delivered directly to your email inbox by subscribing to Westwood Minute's daily newsletter for free. Just click the blue "Sign up" button below.