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Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters
Martha's Vineyard
Surfcasters Association
P.O. Box 3053
Edgartown, MA 02539
Author: Created: 7/6/2011 7:37 PM RssIcon
Another MVSA Blog by Dave
By dbalon on 7/5/2017 2:37 PM

The Martha’s Vineyard Surfcaster’s association

Annual Picnic

 

 This Saturday

July 8, 2017

5 pm

 

Bend in the Road Beach

 

Hotdogs, hamburgs, Buns, condiments, chips, water, soda

will be provided, the late afternoon weather forecast looks good……

 

Have fun with contests, great tales of fishing past and present, and most of all

great company

 

 Please bring a dish (salad or a dessert) to share.

Please be sure to thank The Pres Don Scarpone-

he single-handedly sets this picnic all up!

By dbalon on 6/19/2017 10:58 AM

We have a number of tern and plover nests that will be hatching on Norton Point beginning tomorrow morning.  Accordingly, we will be closing much of Norton Point  to OSV access from a point 1/2 mile from the Gatehouse.    There is still at least one plover nest closer to the NP gatehouse but we will need to wait and see how it fares.  That nest is due to hatch next week after the 25th.  On Chappy, I don't believe that Leland Beach will be looking at additional vehicle closures for several more weeks which would come pretty close to the time when we should see some easing of the Cape Poge restrictions.  All difficult to predict given the uncertainty of nest and chick survival as we get later into the shorebird season.

 

I've heard from several fishermen wondering if we expect to have a complete closure of all OSV beaches and I believe we will be able to avoid that.  Have also answered several questions from fishermen wondering why we don't escort vehicles like several of the Cape Cod towns are trying to do?  If you recall we discussed this at the Surfcaster's Association Banquet this winter.  We have the necessary permits to escort vehicles but the vehicles would have to be escorted by one of the passengers in the vehicle (i.e., vehicles without a second person in the OSV will be turned away), access would be limited from 10 AM to 4 PM only, drivers will have to take a state-approved shorebird identification test, and we would have to charge vehicles a surcharge on top of the permit fee to pay the $40K state-mandated additional staffing and equipping for this program.  The Surfcasters I spoke with had no stomach for those kinds of limitations and additional fees.  This new program is not what folks might think it is.  It does not allow unfettered access to closed beaches and it is limited to designated choke points (for us, it is the Cape Poge Narrows and the south end of Leland).  

 

OK, so let's say we exercised the permit to allow for limited daytime access to Cape Poge north of the Narrows.  It would only allow access as far as Aruda Point as we have chicks at the Jetties along with a growing tern colony there.  If you could somehow get around the Jetties we have plover chicks both inside and outside at the Elbow.  So, lets look at the south end of Leland.  We have a plover nest there that will be hatching in the next week or two.  But that wouldn't help us if we implemented the escorting program through that area as erosion is preventing vehicles from rounding Wasque Point.  

 

Trustees staff are looking at all of the ways we can maintain access while still preventing injury to these chicks.  If we have missed something or if someone has another idea, please let us know.  As always, we appreciate the support of the MVSA.

 

We'll stay in touch.

Chris Kennedy

 

 Inline image

Christopher Kennedy

Islands Superintendent

By dbalon on 6/13/2017 9:35 AM
Some great June fishing reports are starting to come in along with some very respectable fish. Get out there and hit the water now before the summer crowds show up. This is one of the best months of the summer for fishing the Vineyard!

The June MVSA Newsletter is once again packed with all kinds of useful information. Especially the latest fishing report as well as a great article on Striped Bass Sensory Perception (both written by Brian McCarty (Thanks Brian!)).

Check out the full June report enclosed here. Just click on the link below:

By dbalon on 6/9/2017 2:26 PM

Message from Chappy Assistant Superintendent (Acting), Tony Lima:

 

We have some fresh and upcoming shorebird vehicle closures to let you know about. 

 

Starting from the Dike Bridge working north, the Swimming beach area will be closed to OSV traffic this coming weekend (June 10 and 11) from 9 AM to 5 PM.   Note:  OSV will be allowed on the Swimming Beach this weekend after 5 PM til the following morning).   The Swimming Beach will be opened 24 hours per day for OSV traffic from Monday, June 12 until Saturday, June 17 at 9 AM.  The swimming beach will be closed for the summer for OSV access from Saturday, June 17 until Labor Day.  

 

Staff have just found four plover chicks on the Oceanside between Aruda Point and the Narrows Crossover.   The Jetties North will remain closed due to erosion, and plover and tern nests on the eroded and narrow beach which prevents us from shifting the vehicle trail to avoid the nests.

 

Another area of note:   We have a nest on the elbow just west of the first crossover that is hatching today. The adults have been seen feeding on the bayside beach heading east on Cape Poge Bay.   To be in compliance with state and federal law, we will be closing the road to visitors starting at the Lighthouse on the inside trail.   The closure point at the lighthouse is to allow OSV's to safely turn around.   There is no additional publically accessible shorefrontage beyond this point along the inner trail to the closure line.  On the Oceanside, we will close the OSV trail  a couple hundred yards west of the chimney.  Thus you may still drive around the outside of the Lighthouse.

 

Wasque Point is still closed for OSV's to travel around the Point at the extreme southern end of the Leland Beach due to severe erosion.  However, this point appears to have been growing in size over the past few days.  Until it restores enough to safely allow OSV passage, it is impossible to drive from Chappy to Norton Point via the beach.  Finally, the outside beach opposite the Norton Point gatehouse is still closed for OSV access due to erosion.  You can safely access Norton Point via the inside roads.

 

Updated property maps are available at the gatehouses. 

 

If folks have any questions they should contact Tony Lima at Tlima@thetrustees.org or leave a message at 508-627-3599 and he will return the call as soon as he can.

All the best,

Chris Kennedy

By dbalon on 5/26/2017 3:28 PM
Chappy and Norton Point Beach Report
TTOR, Chris Kennedy
May 25, 2017

Beach Update

Most beaches on Chappy and Norton Point are open this holiday weekend for oversand vehicles but current permits are required to drive on the beach.  If you haven’t grabbed your permit yet, make sure to stop by Coop’s Bait and Tackle in Edgartown or the gatehouses at Chappy or Norton Point. Also, while its still in your mind, we highly recommend that you put your tow rope, shovel, tire gauge and a jack support board back in your beach buggy—trust us you will wish you had done this when you find yourself stuck on the beach some late evening this season.

Norton Point looks good right now but we are still awaiting Mother Nature to drop some sand on the outside beach adjacent to the gatehouse.  The first ¼ mile at Norton Point is impassable on the outside beach due to erosion.  OSV’s may travel on the inside trail just past the gatehouse and you can move onto the outside beach a short way down the barrier beach.  Norton Point gets a little skinny as you near Wasque which allows only one vehicle at a time to traverse a short 200 foot section of beach before you reach Chappy.  Norton Beach will have a number of plover and tern nests established shortly which will probably require the closing of the beach near sections where chicks are located. Still too soon to be able to predict where or when that will happen, but experience has taught all of us that it is likely to happen. 

Wasque Point is really broad in most spots, but severe erosion at the junction of Leland Beach and Wasque Point has forced the Trustees to temporarily block through traffic to Chappy as of Thursday mid-day(5/25/2017). 

A Coastal Flood Warning has been issued for Martha’s Vineyard by the National Weather Service for tonight.  We will re-evaluate the situation in the morning and will reopen access around Wasque to Leland as soon as we can.

At Wasque Point, please avoid the beach grass which is slowly beginning to move outwards from the cliff.  The grass helps stabilize the beach which is in all of our interests.  No shorebirds are currently nesting at Wasque Point but that could change as the habitat looks ideal for nesting plovers. 

Leland Beach will once again be a hotspot for plovers.  Several pairs of birds have been spotted looking for nesting areas on the outside and inside beach at Leland and we expect nests to be laid down close to the middle of Leland Beach in the coming weeks.  Given its importance to nesting plovers we are asking fishermen and vehicle drivers to once again keep their dogs on a leash.  Dogs which are found off of leashes may be asked, along with their owners, to leave the beach.  Repeat warnings will result in permit revocation.  Areas where plovers and terns are nesting will be posted as “NO Dogs” areas.  Please help us pass the word. 

Dogs will not be allowed on designated Swimming beaches this summer.

Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge is open for vehicle access except for the very end of the Gut where a family of plovers has taken up residence.  Again, this is not a surprise as these birds tend to be early nesters and hatchers.  Ecology staff have found other nests at the Elbow which may result in additional closures in that area.   But we have learned that Mother Nature laughs at us when we think we have the habits and behaviors of wildlife figured out. We also expect to see plovers setting up nests in the coming weeks in all the usual places on East Beach.  OSV access across the East Beach Swimming beach will be allowed until mid-June when we will close vehicle access to prevent vehicles from driving among swimmers, sunbathers and kids.

All gatehouses will be open and beaches will be fully patrolled seven days per week beginning Friday, May 26.  As always the Trustees appreciate the support of the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcaster’s Association!

By dbalon on 5/22/2017 9:21 AM
The Dick’s Bait & Tackle annual Memorial Day derby has been renamed in honor of Hawkeye.

The Bob Hawkeye Jacobs Memorial Day weekend derby takes place this Friday 5/26 12:01 am until Monday 5/29 at 4:00 pm sharp. Boat and shore division bass and bluefish.  The derby is run out of Dick’s Bait and Tackle – sign-ups, weigh-ins, and awards.  Please consider participating and honoring our good friend Hawkeye.

This is a great event to please try to sign up and participate if possible.

Fish on!
By dbalon on 5/11/2017 8:32 AM
Stripers Forever
May 10, 2017
Brad Burns, President


Yesterday the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission debated on whether or not an increase in striped bass harvest of about 10% should be allowed for next year. The motion to take the increase out to public hearings failed 10 votes to 5. Hooray! NJ, DE, MD, VA, and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission – a shill organization that simply provides the Chesapeake Bay states an extra vote – all voted in favor, and all other states voted against. What changed from the first vote was that CT, NY, NC all changed their votes from yes to no, and that did it for us.
 
Why the change of heart from last winter when this idea was dreamed up? I think in the final analysis there were three reasons. The first was that the actual catch is hard to predict. The catch was thought to have decreased considerably on the coast but had actually increased in the Chesapeake Bay area, and these were the same people who wanted still more. It didn’t sell well. The scientists predicted that there was a very good chance that the catch in 2018 would actually increase by more than 10% even with no change in regulations. This was because of an increased number of fish in certain year classes that both the Bay and the coast are expected to fish on, and lastly because a stock assessment with a lot of new science is being proposed for 2018. Many thought it was likely that even if a change was made this year it would probably be changed again – perhaps reversed – next year.
 
In any case we dodged a bullet, and I hope our advocacy was helpful. This reprieve will give us a chance to see another year class born in the Chesapeake Bay before the issue is tackled again. Some of the recent YOY have been poor, but the trend isn’t really conclusive because there are also occasionally really good ones. The science is also evolving. During yesterday's meeting there was a discussion about the new science methods, and they are talking about some of the complicated aspects of the old models that we have long had issues with. I’m sure that all of the problems won’t be fixed, but perhaps the population estimates will get better and more reflective of what we actually see on the water. Along with the new science was a discussion about perhaps designing various stock reference points and management triggers to reflect a different set of values for the fishery, and how this will be an opportunity to take a new look at just how and for what values the striped bass fishery should be managed. Hopefully we will be able to influence this process to achieve more recognition of the socio-economic value of high quality angling.

Science and advocacy matters. Thanks to everyone who wrote and lobbied for no increase in the regulated harvest. Alone a single voice is nearly silent but together we have raised an awareness of the need to protect and conserve. I believe we have pricked and awakened the latent conscience of many regulators that are beginning to realize that no longer will the recreational fishermen and women silently allow commercially vested interests to destroy what is our fishery too.

Brad Burns, President
Stripers Forever​​​​​​​

By dbalon on 5/4/2017 2:30 PM
The Striped Bass are right around the corner! Get ready for some great Spring action as the waters warm up in May. Water temp is right around the magical 50 degree mark so the fishing will be heating up anytime soon.

Get off to a great start with the May MVSA Newsletter.  Included is remembering Ed Lepore (Bonito Ed), a Summary of the April MVSA Mtg, MVSA In-House Updates/Process, TTOR Beach Report, Striped Bass Report, Story of the Courtesy Patrol,  Calendar Events, etc...

Check out the full report enclosed here. Just click on the link below.

2017 May MVSA May Newsletter.pdf


By dbalon on 4/11/2017 8:36 PM

4/11/17 Latest Update to Summary Below:

The first two miles of Norton Point was reopened this afternoon.  Again, the section of Norton Point opposite the WacksHouse on Chappy is still too narrow and eroded for safe travel but the NP crew tell me it is quickly regaining its lost beach.  Expect that travel from Norton Point to Chappy will be re-established soon.

Summary: All of Cape Poge and Leland is open for vehicle access. Wasque Point is overwashing regularly so use extreme caution if you venture around the Point.  Also, severe erosion at the Norton Point/Wasque boundary line has forced us to close vehicle access beyond that point. The only way to get around that area is to drive up onto the dunes and beach grass which is not a smart thing to do so we've temporarily closed that section of the beach.  Also, we were about to reopen Norton Point when last night's high winds (4/5/2017)  re-flooded the bay side trail system from the Norton Point Gatehouse to a spot 1/2 mile down the beach.  The outside beach from the Norton Point gatehouse is closed for about 3/4 mile since we have no outside beach in that area.  All in all, Norton Point Beach has really been hit hard so far this winter and early spring.  It will come back but it may take awhile and some gentle moderating SW winds. Once the flooding recedes a bit we will reopen Norton Point but there will only be about 1.5 miles of Norton accessible to vehicles until the beach rebuilds on the Chappy end.  

We have also heard some positive news from the County.  The County Commissioners have approved our request to restrict the sale of Norton Point Day Passes so that they will go on sale after 10:30 AM daily.  Many year rounder permit holders found themselves locked out of the beach at Norton Point last summer when we had only 4/10 mile of beach open for vehicles due tothe proximity of plover chicks.  Now, if you get to the Norton Point beach early you will have a better chance of finding a spot on a crowded beach.

Folks have until April 30 to renew their beach permits online and save $20.  After May 1 the prices will go back to where they were last year:

 

Purchased before April 30 (online only):

  • $180 for Cape Poge/Wasque 
  • $90 Norton Point Beach – Island Vehicle** 
  • $140 Norton Point Beach – Off-Island Vehicle 
  • $250 Combination Permit – Island Vehicle** (Cape Poge/Wasque & Norton Point Beach permits and one complimentary Trustees Family-level membership)
  • $300 Combination Permit – Off-Island Vehicle (Cape Poge/Wasque & Norton Point Beach permits and one complimentary Trustees Family-level membership)

Purchased after April 30 (on island only):

  • $200 for Cape Poge/Wasque 
  • $90 Norton Point Beach – Island Vehicle** 
  • $140 Norton Point Beach – Off-Island Vehicle 
  • $270 Combination Permit – Island Vehicle** (Cape Poge/Wasque & Norton Point Beach permits and one complimentary Trustees Family-level membership)
  • $320 Combination Permit – Off-Island Vehicle (Cape Poge/Wasque & Norton Point Beach permits and one complimentary Trustees Family-level membership)

** To take advantage of the Island Vehicle rate your vehicle must be registered in Dukes County. You may be contacted to supply a copy of your vehicle registration before we can issue your permits.

The Mass Division of Marine Fisheries has announced that portions of Cape Poge Bay will be closed to the setting of Conch pots and Fish pots where the Army is searching for underwater munitions.  This ban DOES NOT affect travel to Cape Poge, shellfishing for quahogs, surf fishing from the beach, nor fishing from boats. Many folks read the state's recent press release believing it would have an impact on their ability to fish from the beach--it does not have any impact on recreational fishing or shellfishing.  We ask that visitors to Cape Poge avoid Little Neck as the Army will continue with their search for munitions and daily detonation of live bombs which generally occurs from 3-4 PM each afternoon at Little Neck.

By dbalon on 4/1/2017 12:31 PM

Bring on Spring with another  great MVSA Newsletter!!!  First off, thanks to Ron Domurat for updating the MVSA Member Derby Accomplishments included in this newsletter…Great Job!!!!

Other topics included in the April Newsletter are the March Meeting summary, Dues Reminder,Upcoming April Meeting, Earth Day Beach Clean-up, Used Tackle Sale, Cuttyhunk Trip, Fly Rod Catch and Release Tournament Calendar Events, etc...

Although Mother Nature seems to want to extend our winter weather the fish are unaware and already on the move Northward! There are all kinds of upcoming events for 2017 so be sure to check out all the details.

Check out the full report enclosed here. Just click on the link below.

2017 March MVSA Newsletter .pdf

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