By Doug La Rocque
Postponed two weeks because of warm temperatures and unsafe ice, winter’s anglers finally got the chance to venture out on the ponds of the State Park, in search of Pickerel, Perch and Trout. Attendance at this year’s event was down considerably from previous years. Park Manager Melissa Ann Miller attributing that to the postponement from the usual date as part of Winterfest, and the subzero temperatures and wind chills. Still, about 65 participants took part in the contest.
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Former longtime Grafton resident Don Pritchard, out on Long Pond, told The Eastwick Press, that the key to ice fishing is patience. The fish simply are not as active in the cold temperatures as they are in the summer. He and partner Bill Murray of Grafton had ten flag stands set up around the pond, and a pair of fishing holes in their make-shift shanty. Other shanties dotted the landscape of both Long and Mill Ponds.
This year’s winners were awarded a combination of cash prizes and gift certificates. Bait for the ice fishers was provided by Hudson River Bait and Tackle. Below is the list of winners in each category.
Adult
Trout 1st: Conner Johnson
Perch 1st: Megan Rivette
2nd: David Sutlaf
2nd: Adam Horton
3rd: Kyle Rivette
3rd: Matt Vasilatos
Pickerel 1st: Meghan Rivette
Youth
1st: Mac Collins
2nd: John Dunham 2nd: Zachary Hotaling
3rd: Charles Fitzsimmons 3rd: Sean Towne[/private]