Pawtuckaway Lake Association

Well  - July’s column is a bit late getting started. The ‘Post’ couldn’t be busier and, I must admit, some summer ‘time off’ has also had some impact. The latest ‘big goings on’ include our kayak fishing tournament and (I must say I think it’s great) the 4th of July fireworks and the boat parade.

About our tournament – it’s the ‘only one of its kind’ and we had a full allotment of 35 kayaks, believe it or not 68 bass (over 12”) were weighed and all released unharmed.

The winners:

Ken Roseau, in our spincast class, with a 4lb 9oz largemouth, took home an Old Town ‘Predator 111’ kayak – donated by Old Town Canoe Co.

Judy Baillageon (Yes – a local from Barderry Lane), won the fly fishing category with a 2lb 11 oz smallmouth and took home a 9’5” Heritage Featherlite kayak – donated by the Heritage Kayak Co.

Worth honorable mention – another local and avid basser, lake resident Louise Scianna won our ‘High Hook’ prize (most fish) with 6 contenders all well over the 12” minimum.

Some insider info for a chuckle – in order to fish in our tourney the paddlers are required to use a ‘tag-a-long’ live well – basically a floating net bag. Two of our kayakers had snapping turtles tear the net bags, either releasing (or eating!) the bass, this happened while holding the fish for ‘weigh in’.

This was a great time and couldn’t be possible without the help of some great friends and local supporters of my business. These guys get up very early, run the weigh in boats for 7 hours, log all the fish, take pictures of the top contenders, coordinate coverage of the lake (for all 35 kayakers), help out at the awards party, and cook - and all for a burger and a cold beer or two. My thanks to Steve Costain, Mike Rose, John Rodrick, Shawn Roche and John Barry for turning a ‘loose swarm’ of 35 kayak fisherman into a well run – fun time – by all.

Moving on to the 4th and the boat Parade –

This has to be one of the best events the area has to offer – how good does it get! All the lakers getting together to celebrate the good ol’ USA’s anniversary! If you didn’t see the fireworks from the ‘lake view’ – ‘you should have been there!’ This was an outstanding, surround presentation with the best seating, acoustics, and the most comfortable conditions for viewing fireworks that you could think of.

I take my hat off a lot -  and again to the purveyors of one of the best fireworks displays around – and these are just ‘lake siders’ who do it just because they like it as much as I do.

And ‘Then there’s the  ‘Parade’.
‘Ya gotta love it’ – the band plays on, the ‘green lady’ is present – Uncle Sam is ‘in the house’ and Jeff ‘captures it all’. The musicians, the photographers, Liberty, Sam, all the locals, the visitors, the decorators, the spectators and – weren’t the balloons a hoot!

You have to love mid summer in New England -  

George at MRTP