The NSRWA held their 7th Annual South Shore Striper Tournament this past weekend. A record 140 anglers of all ages participated in the event in five different categories: Motorized Boat Angler, Adult, Motorized Boat Angler, 12 and under, Shore Angler, Adult, Shore Angler, 12 and under, and Fly Fishing, Shore only. The event raised more than $27,000 for clean waters and healthy rivers. The winners were:
- Boat First Place – Will Pellicano – $1,000, Plus Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 46”
- Boat Second Place Calcutta – Patrick Connaughton – Rod and reel package with tackle box and gift certificate from Fish Northeast ($400), Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 45”
- Boat Child First Place – Hudson Langlois – Rod and reel combo from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 42”
- Boat Child Second Place – Avery Papi – $50 gift certificate from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 41.5”
- Boat Child Third Place – Eli Minier – $25 gift certificate from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 41”
- Shore First Place – Kevin Callis – $1,000, Plus Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 45”
- Shore Second Place Calcutta – Richard Taft – Rod and reel package with tackle box and gift certificate from Fish Northeast, Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 37.5”
- Shore Child First Place – Body Smith – Rod and reel from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 33.6”
- Shore Child Second Place – Max Maloof-Tomaso – $50 gift certificate from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 33.5”
- Shore Child Third Place – Cullen Vantongeren – $25 gift certificate from Belsan Bait & Tackle – 31.25”
- Fly Fishing First Place – Stephan Haller – $1,000, Plus Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 32.1”
- Fly Fishing Second Place Calcutta – Jim Kearns – Sage Foundation 990-4 Fly Rod, Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 32”
- Fly Fishing Third Place Calcutta – Will Pinkus – Reel and line, Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee – 31”
- Recycled Measuring Stick Raffle Winner – Sean MacDonald – Barrington Coffee Roasting Company swag and coffee
Thanks to our corporate sponsors!
Briteway Car Wash, Fast Signs – Quincy, Safe Harbor Green Harbor, Webster Printing & Packaging, FarBank, Merrill-Lynch Tad Beagley, Rockland Trust, Atlantic-Pratt Energy, Barrington Coffee Roasting Co., Belsan Bait & Tackle, Coastal Home Services & Construction, Fish Northeast, Goose Hummock, Hubbard Plumbing and Heating, Perry Concrete Forming Supply, Don Bunker Insurance, AccuTrust Mortgage, DIY Solar Company, Sawin Law, Scott Weber Restoration, SlackTide Coffee Roasters
A special Thank you to Belsan Bait & Tackle for hosting the registration and awards ceremony, and to our volunteers and committee members.
This event supports the North and South Rivers Watershed Association’s effort to restore fish habitat in our local waters, particularly herring runs through dam removals. In the North and South Rivers watershed alone we have worked to remove 3 dams, restoring and reconnecting 9 miles of river habitat for river herring and native Eastern brook trout and other native species.
We have made progress, but there is still more to do. Overall on the South Shore, 6% of available habitat has been re-opened and 74% of restorable habitat is still blocked by dams, with the remaining habitat accessible to a limited degree through fish ladders that only benefit a few species. Dam removal not only improves access for migratory fish like river herring and native fish like Eastern brook trout, but also makes our rivers and the species that rely upon them more resilient to a changing climate. Removing unneeded dams improves water quality, helps maintain streamflows, and improves instream habitat. When river herring can access more habitat, their population increases, providing more food for the animals that eat them like striped bass, bluefish, osprey, and herons. Opening up more habitat benefits local rivers and our ocean ecosystem. To find out more and to be a part of this groundbreaking work contact NSRWA through our website at nsrwa.org.
The proceeds from the South Shore Striper Tournament go to NSRWA’s efforts to maintain and restore healthy rivers for fish habitat.