By Mike Roche

This past week it was my pleasure to go ice fishing with a couple of the best ice fishermen – or for that matter fishermen – in Massachusetts.

The 7.77-pound largemouth bass that Skyler Leslie caught last week was just one of the fish that the 13-year-old and his 10-year-old brother Ryker have caught that are big enough to earn a bronze pin from MassWildlife. As matter of fact, the brothers were recently named the 2024 Massachusetts Youth Catch and Release Co-Anglers of the Year, having earned the most bronze pins that are awarded for fish measured, caught and released that exceed the minimum length for that species.

In a year that only can be described as incredible, they earned 23 bronze pins each! That includes every species in Massachusetts with the exception of the tiger muskie and no one has caught a tiger muskie, a fish that was once stocked by MassWildlife, in a few years. In addition, Skyler earned nine gold pins and Ryker seven for having caught and released the biggest fish for a species. Try to appreciate the fact that the boys each earned 157 pins in 2024.

A chance meeting in the fishing section of Wal-Mart (where else?) led to my joining the boys and their dad Mike at a local pond where they were targeting brook trout. My goal was to learn how to catch trout with my newly acquired JawJackers and it was clear Kyler was the master to educate me. He had already advised me in Wal-Mart what jigs and artificial baits to use. That knowledge had resulted in my catching a nice big rainbow trout on my first excursion to stocked trout water and Wednesday at 6 a.m. the lessons began.

They had arrived before me and Ryker was already landing a trout using his JawJacker as my Muck boots trudged across the ice. Kyler immediately directed me to a place to set my tackle. Looking at the jigging rod that was outfitted with a loop to synch it with the JawJacker, he removed the wire snap connector. “Trout don’t like swivels” he said matter-of-factly and using his Vexilar flasher he set the tiny jig and pink tail three feet below the ice in five feet of water. His experience has shown him that trout cruise the shallows looking for food and a majority of the tackles, JawJackers and tip-ups, were set close to the shoreline. My second JawJacker was rigged and then two Igloo thermal tip-ups were baited with small shiners.

Mike was busy drilling holes, and the two boys were engaged in jigging. Jigging has been a fascination for me as it is something that is not easy to master. There is a lot involved in catching fish by jigging and depth, what lure, bait or combination to use and what motion or lack of motion will work changes with each day, hour or weather condition. It was quickly obvious that somebody who spent the hundreds of hours it takes to catch over 3,000 fish in a year is most qualified to give an old fogey some good advice. Most traditional fishermen focus on jigging near the bottom but a good flasher, like the Vexilar, will show fish and depth. You have to guess a bit as to what jig and a lot has changed since the days of the Swedish Pimple and a perch eye. The trick is to find a combination that works.

It was immediately obvious to me that Ryker was a serious jig fisherman as well. He and his Vexilar traveled from hole to hole, and he was consistently catching fish. At first it was small panfish but he steadily caught crappie, perch and even some small largemouth bass and a few trout as well. He was all business! Kyler was also intent, peering into the hole and he actually spotted fish cruising by. Meanwhile, my efforts resulted in one medium largemouth bass on a tip-up and one decent crappie (AKA calico bass) and a large number of fish nibbling at the mealworm dangling below the Hali jig and not getting hooked.

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The story of catching the big bass was great and Mike has a great video of the epic struggle. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that Kyler used four-pound test monofilament line. That requires great skill by an angler to keep the fish from snapping that thin line. Learning to use the drag – which adjusts the tension a reel applies to the line as it is pulled by a fish – and the rod and knowing when to put pressure on a fish and when to let it run and take line is a learned skill and all those pin fish have taught the young man well. After the morning, we pulled up tackle, but the boys expected to fish again that evening. No rest for great fishermen!

The Mahar Fish’N Game Club Game Supper is Saturday March 15, at the Mahar Regional Cafeteria. It will feature an outstanding meal of wild game prepared by an experienced team of local cooks who have prepared fish and game meals for a long time, and they are always delicious!

Like all school events now, including sports, tickets are now purchased exclusively online using a website. Tickets are $20 and you can purchase them by going to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club Facebook page. You can also use the link posted below. If you are unable to make that work you can email the club advisors, Evelyn Cunha of the high school club and Billy Devine of the middle school club and they will assist you in getting tickets. The emails are ecunha@rcmahar.org or wdevine@rcmahar.org. The link to buy tickets is https://gofan.co/app/school/MA23964_1

There will be a 3-Card Bingo Fundraiser to benefit the Fish’N Game Club Alaska Trip held at the Athol/Orange Eagles 4545 Club, 99 Hapgood Street in Athol on March 7, with card sales starting at 6 p.m. and first game at 7 p.m. One card for all 18 games is $20, three cards for $35.

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.