An Open Invitation

[bogtrotter]

I am planning to ice fish Berry Pond in Pittsfield (supposedly the highest lake in MA at over 2,000 feet above sea level) this Sunday.

If anyone cares to join me, I'd love to have the company.

[lowaccord66]

That sounds like an option Jim.  Will let you know!

[manitron2]

Jim, I am not sure that they plow the road all the way up. It could be a long ski or shoe trek.

[lowaccord66]

Jim, I am not sure that they plow the road all the way up. It could be a long ski or shoe trek.

Unless there is 35" of snow cover I can get anyone who wants to join up that road!

[manitron2]

Unless there is 35" of snow cover I can get anyone who wants to join up that road!

Good to know.

[lowaccord66]

Good to know.

Although I tried to check York Sunday and got about a mile back before deciding to back out.  Didnt have a shovel with me.  That and West...the state has given up on plowing access...

[stripernut]

When I went to school at BCC years ago, I looked at that pond many times and never thought there were fish in it (at least worth catching) I hope you prove me wrong!

[bogtrotter]

When I went to school at BCC years ago, I looked at that pond many times and never thought there were fish in it (at least worth catching) I hope you prove me wrong!

[bogtrotter]

For some reason, my "quote" of Stripernut went through, but not my reply.

The gist is that, as long as I can get to Berry Pond either on foot or otherwise (and I am hoping I can get within a reasonable distance by car), i intend to try it.

According to the DFW website, there are perch and trout in Berry Pond. 

Whether that's true, I will (hopefully) see, and post about it afterward.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

says theres goldfish in there. would be cool to pull one through the hole.

[Dschofield91]

I’ve seen photos of pickerel and bass from there as well

[lowaccord66]

There is much excitement in fishing an unknown piece of water.

[SkunkLuvver]

How’d the outing go?
At this point I’m just living vicariously through the stories of others so please embellish as much as you want/can.

[bogtrotter]

Note to self  - - next time I try to icefish Berry  Pond, go with someone who has a snowmobile.

I parked at the Lulu Pond parking lot in   Pittsfield State Forest and hiked about 3 miles (my guesstimate) up the Loop Road (which was not plowed but was groomed by snowmobiles) to Berry Pond, which is the highest natural pond in MA at an elevation of 2,150 feet.

After my hike (which took about an hour) I arrived at the Pond around 12 noon.

Weather and snow/ice conditions were about the same as yesterday - - except the skies were even bluer (nary a cloud in the sky), temps a little cooler (about 25 degrees), there was more snow on the Pond  (generally ranging from 1 foot to about 16 inches deep), and the thin layer of ice on top was thick enough to hold my weight so I didn't sink into the six inches of slush below.

I set up three dead-sticks and two tipups and then hiked back to my car to cook and eat lunch (since it would have been too much of a hassle to drap my chuckwagon along). 

I had elk stew (with potatoes, carrots and parsnips), corned beef and cabbage, a small bottle of homemade wine (a grape/berry blend), a nectarine, some sriracha covered peanuts, a slice of cake and some milk.

Then I hiked back up to the Pond.

hen I got there, I had no flags, although I appear to have had two strikes on the dead stick - - one stripped my half of a night crawler while taking remarkably little line, and the other snapped the ultralight line on another dead stick that had been baited with a small shiner.

I hung around for about an hour and listened to the radio, but had no more action, so I then walked back down the mountain to the parking lot and drove home.   

[manitron2]

Nice work Jim. Too bad the fish didn't cooperate.

[SkunkLuvver]

I gotta say, I admire the leg work you’re willing to put in.

That sounds like a helluva lunch but since you ended up doing the long march 6 times you needed it to replace the calories!
Always apreciate your menus btw.
You make me feel lazy

[lowaccord66]

Way to stick to the plan Jim.