NO FISHING AT BURYING HILL

 

                        NO FISHING SIGNS - BURYING HILL

                                                       by

                                                   Dick Alley

    Yesterday's 06880 Pic of the Day  showed a man with a fishing rod who was obviously crabbing in New Creek, next to a No Fishing Sign. I commented  on the photo, wondering about the signs and labeling them as unfair to Westport's angling fraternity.

    Having moved back into Westport in December after a 20 year absence, I was shocked when I saw the signs for the first time, but presumed they had been installed sometime  during that time due to some tragedy.  I made a note to look into the matter once Covid problems were fewer and town offices were all operating normally again. Now I'm hearing they are new this spring and am really wondering why.

    Except for  20 years, I have lived in town since 1952. My wife was born here as were her parents and Grandparents. 

I will include a few photo's from the old days, all taken at Burying Hill of fish and fishermen. 

Westport Striped Bass Club and PAL teamed up for a kids snapper derby at Burying Hill Creek 

The late Howard Dreyfuss with a nice catch of blues at Burying Hill Beach

As a Staples teenager, I joined my buddies in hassling Bill Lockwood by  running past his car which he sat in as one of the early Security Guards, jumping into the creek to ride the currents on the dropping tides. He would yell at us, then laugh, probably wishing he could join us.

Burying Hill Beach looking east towards Bedford's Point

Anglers fishing the Creek at Burying Hill for snappers at flood tide 

PAL dishes out burgers for the kids at PAL Snapper Derby at Burying Hill

My son Todd plays a bluefish in the creek at Burying Hill. Probably 1970.

William "Doc" Skerlick with a couple of nice Boston mackerel caught from the beach at Burying Hill

Angler's fishing for blues at Burying Hill Beach. That's the late Louisa "Lulu" Parsell, daughter of  Westport legend, Alan U. Parsell, fishing in the foreground.

     It wasn't until a few years later after I was married, that I  got back into serious fishing. Burial Hill was a favorite spot.

     It remains a place with special  memories, not just of fishing.  My kids spent summers at Burying Hill beach since before they could walk. Sun tans and swimming were just for starters. 

    My son, Todd was in 3rd or 4th grade the day I  picked him up at school, fibbing to the office there that he had a doctor's appointment. I had driven there directly from Burying Hill after seeing bluefish blitzing the bait schools up and down the beach and on up the creek.  I headed back to the beach handed Todd his fishing rod and he waded in, school clothes and all.  It was possibly the biggest fishing day ever in Westport, but one of many great days over many great fishing years.

    It's too bad that whoever made that decision didn't have the opportunity to talk to Mary Eliason. Mary lived on North Morningside Drive and was my wife's school crossing guard. She was in fact Westport's longest term school guard (more than 30 years) and was honored for her service in a celebration in the classroom by Chief Bill Stefan when she retired. When she wasn't getting thousands of Westport youngsters safely to and from school, first at Greens Farms Elementary and then at Burr Farms, she could likely be found at Burying Hill Beach. She loved the sun and she loved fishing for snapper blues even more. She  fished every day, every summer and fall from the time snappers were big enough to eat until that first frosty Nor'Easter chased them out of the Sound to southern waters. What she didn't eat herself, she fed to her cat.

    Whoever decided to post NO FISHING signs would have done well to  have spoken with the late William "Doc " Skerlick, a Westport fisherman of legend, known for his conservation work as much as for his fishing. Doc could also be found casting into the creek on a daily basis for snappers. He fished for many different species but liked snapper fishing the best. He didn't have a freezer but would usually persuade someone to store his snapper catch every day and at season's end would put on a snapper cook-out for one of the many conservation organizations he belonged to.

    On a persona;l thought, I best remember Burying Hill Beach for the Westport PAL Kid's Fishing Derby, a combined effort by the Westport PAL and the Westport Striped Bass Club, two of my favorite organizations.

For several seasons, we gathered at Burying Hill with special kids, supplied them with Bamboo poles, bait and supervision and enjoyed an afternoon of fishing and feasting with burgers and treats cooked up by P-J Romano and others from PAL.

           I don't know why, how, or who made the decision to post No Fishing signs at this small but popular swimming and fishing spot. I presume it went through the Recreation Commission for discussion. I certainly hope that it could be reconsidered, rather than waste this valuable recreational resource at a time when fishing is a sport that can be practiced in complete safety.

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