I occasionally get the opportunity to take a long lunch break from work and fish a nearby pond. One of the places I was interested in fishing was Notown reservoir. RT 2 runs right by it and it’s beautiful. There are four gates that lead to the water and the first three(the north end) say no fishing, but the fourth (south end) says, “Fishing in south end only.” Well, that’s not super clear and I wanted to make sure I was doing things legally so I called the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game to get more information. Their response was that they had no record for Notown reservoir and that they couldn’t tell me if I could fish there or not and so I would have to call Leominster Water Department since they governed that water.
Because of vacations at the beginning of the year it took me a couple weeks before I was able to talk to the right person (Charlie) who could tell me where I could fish. When Charlie finally got back to me he was very polite and helpful and described in detail that if I parked at the last gate and walked down the power lines I would come to a damn. The damn was fishable and if I crossed the little creek there was a peninsula with old pine trees and rocks that stuck out into the water that were also all fishable.
Today I caught a couple of bass off of the damn and had moved on to one of the rocks on the peninsula when four people approached me.
One older man with two buckets hanging from around his waist filled with blueberries was in the lead and approached by saying, “You’re not allowed to be here.” ('
')
“Why’s that?” I asked.
His response, “’Cause you’re not allowed to fish here.”
I responded, “Well, I know there are ‘no fishing’ signs at the road but at the last gate the sign says that you can fish the south end.”
He said, “Well this isn’t the south end.”
I said, “Well I talked to a guy who works at the Leominster Water Department and he told me that I could fish here”
He took a puff of his cigar ('
') and said, “I work at the Leominster Water Department, who did you talk to?”
“I don’t remember, I think Charlie”
He said, “Charlie! He’s an Idiot. ('
') He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s always screwing things up for me! Do you have a fishing license?”
“Yeah”
“Let me see it”
So I pulled my license out, unfolded it and handed it to him. He wadded it up and put it in his pocket. ('
')
“Hey, that’s my license” I said
“Well I have to record your information. Go to my truck, it’s on the damn, and wait for me there,('
') I’m going to show them (motioning to his three friends) another place to pick berries and I’ll meet you there,” he said
“I’m on my lunch break and don’t have time to wait for you”
“Well I have to get your information and my book is in the truck because I’m off duty and don’t start work till later so go wait for me at my truck. I’ll get your information and report you later”
('
')“If this guy wants to have a power trip, no big deal” I’m thinking “I’ll just do what he’s saying, besides my fishing license is wadded up in his pocket and I’m not going to forcefully take it back from him.” So after about five minutes he comes back to his truck and pulls out a little notebook and starts jotting down my information. I tried to reason with him that I had talked to Charlie and he had told me exactly where I could fish so if I was in the wrong spot it wasn’t my fault. “Why do you need to get my information?”
His reply, “I have to report you to the director of Leominster Water Department and let him decide what to do about this.” ('
')
He gave me back my license and gave me a map and showed me “his rules” for where I could fish and then I was on my way (running late now) back to work.
I tried to contact the director but he’s out of the office so I figured that I would vent here and give you guys something to laugh at.
('
')Hey, maybe we should plan a big fishing trip for the peninsula at Notown Reservoir!
Last edited by texasyaker on Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
Because of vacations at the beginning of the year it took me a couple weeks before I was able to talk to the right person (Charlie) who could tell me where I could fish. When Charlie finally got back to me he was very polite and helpful and described in detail that if I parked at the last gate and walked down the power lines I would come to a damn. The damn was fishable and if I crossed the little creek there was a peninsula with old pine trees and rocks that stuck out into the water that were also all fishable.
Today I caught a couple of bass off of the damn and had moved on to one of the rocks on the peninsula when four people approached me.
One older man with two buckets hanging from around his waist filled with blueberries was in the lead and approached by saying, “You’re not allowed to be here.” ('
')
“Why’s that?” I asked.
His response, “’Cause you’re not allowed to fish here.”
I responded, “Well, I know there are ‘no fishing’ signs at the road but at the last gate the sign says that you can fish the south end.”
He said, “Well this isn’t the south end.”
I said, “Well I talked to a guy who works at the Leominster Water Department and he told me that I could fish here”
He took a puff of his cigar ('
') and said, “I work at the Leominster Water Department, who did you talk to?”
“I don’t remember, I think Charlie”
He said, “Charlie! He’s an Idiot. ('
') He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s always screwing things up for me! Do you have a fishing license?”
“Yeah”
“Let me see it”
So I pulled my license out, unfolded it and handed it to him. He wadded it up and put it in his pocket. ('
')
“Hey, that’s my license” I said
“Well I have to record your information. Go to my truck, it’s on the damn, and wait for me there,('
') I’m going to show them (motioning to his three friends) another place to pick berries and I’ll meet you there,” he said
“I’m on my lunch break and don’t have time to wait for you”
“Well I have to get your information and my book is in the truck because I’m off duty and don’t start work till later so go wait for me at my truck. I’ll get your information and report you later”
('
')“If this guy wants to have a power trip, no big deal” I’m thinking “I’ll just do what he’s saying, besides my fishing license is wadded up in his pocket and I’m not going to forcefully take it back from him.” So after about five minutes he comes back to his truck and pulls out a little notebook and starts jotting down my information. I tried to reason with him that I had talked to Charlie and he had told me exactly where I could fish so if I was in the wrong spot it wasn’t my fault. “Why do you need to get my information?”
His reply, “I have to report you to the director of Leominster Water Department and let him decide what to do about this.” ('
')
He gave me back my license and gave me a map and showed me “his rules” for where I could fish and then I was on my way (running late now) back to work.
I tried to contact the director but he’s out of the office so I figured that I would vent here and give you guys something to laugh at.
('
')Hey, maybe we should plan a big fishing trip for the peninsula at Notown Reservoir!Last edited by texasyaker on Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
seems very unreasonable to me for this guy to think he owns the place, I would certainly raise hell.
your a good man because i unfortunatley lost my mind on him. and it would have gotten out of control, i can't stand that s***.
I think i'll schedule a tournament there soon, and he can pick my berries!
your a good man because i unfortunatley lost my mind on him. and it would have gotten out of control, i can't stand that s***.
I think i'll schedule a tournament there soon, and he can pick my berries!
I certainly wouldn't have given my license to a water dept. employee 
If he showed I.D. that he was a special police officer or had some type of official authority that would be a different story. He was just playing with you It shouldn't be this difficult just to go out and fish 
If he showed I.D. that he was a special police officer or had some type of official authority that would be a different story. He was just playing with you It shouldn't be this difficult just to go out and fish 
seems very unreasonable to me for this guy to think he owns the place, I would certainly raise hell.
your a good man because i unfortunatley lost my mind on him. and it would have gotten out of control, i can't stand that s***.
I think i'll schedule a tournament there soon, and he can pick my berries!
I'm in!!!
Idiots..I just had a run in with a lady over on Lake Quinsig as well that recorded me night fishing, told me to find my own home and told me I was not allowed to be on the lake....long story short..the Worcester Police enjoyed telling her she was wrong...
No body but Police or Environmental police have the authority to ask for a license..if anyone ever asks me if I have one I say yes, if they ask to see it I tell em no, it is an invasion of my privacy and they have no right to ask seeing as my address and other info is listed on it. If I was in that situation I would have immediately called 1-800-632-8075 the Ep main line and told the dispatch what was happening, and let them sort it out.
The problem with you giving them your license is they feel empowered to do it to the next guy and this ind of behavior only escalates...
No body but Police or Environmental police have the authority to ask for a license..if anyone ever asks me if I have one I say yes, if they ask to see it I tell em no, it is an invasion of my privacy and they have no right to ask seeing as my address and other info is listed on it. If I was in that situation I would have immediately called 1-800-632-8075 the Ep main line and told the dispatch what was happening, and let them sort it out.
The problem with you giving them your license is they feel empowered to do it to the next guy and this ind of behavior only escalates...
Nope... I mean anyone can ask, you and I can ask, but no one really has authority to ask. Unless they are actually officers of the law in some way Like the EPO's or Local state police etc. That being said I'll usually cooperate with fish and wildlife and park rangers but I'll keep in mind my rights and what they can and/or can't do as well. Anyone else screw em. I am polite but if a sewage worker tried to take my license it wouldn't be happening...The rpoblem is, as we have seen on here a few times, when people ask for licenses that are not trained in the laws they make false claims like you can't use trebles or you can't be here or no corn etc etc. I appreciate that they want to keep their places better but they all have to follow the laws in place.
For instance I recently took Ezra to fish a section of the Concord river. I had fished it before and it is a nice little stretch that is just out of the way to be good but easily enough accessed for all our gear lol. Anyway we pull up and all over the parking area and the path into the swim are "No Tresspassing" signs, by order of the Billerica Sheriff. So I am like why the hell would this suddenly be no tresspassing..and if it is maybe i can get permission. So I look up the Sheriff on my phone and give the office a call.
Turns out the Sheriff has not put any signs of that nature in the area and that they should not be there.
So I can legally go into the area but some local tried to use the threat of law to keep everybody out of a public area that they don't own...Funny part was after I set up a guy came down to tell me I could not be there by order of the Sheriff, that there were signs..
The look on his face when I said that I had spoken with the Sheriff and his deputy would be round in a bit to remove the signs...if I could have his name and that he should stick around to talk with the deputy about who illegally put signs up..was priceless.
For instance I recently took Ezra to fish a section of the Concord river. I had fished it before and it is a nice little stretch that is just out of the way to be good but easily enough accessed for all our gear lol. Anyway we pull up and all over the parking area and the path into the swim are "No Tresspassing" signs, by order of the Billerica Sheriff. So I am like why the hell would this suddenly be no tresspassing..and if it is maybe i can get permission. So I look up the Sheriff on my phone and give the office a call.
Turns out the Sheriff has not put any signs of that nature in the area and that they should not be there.
So I can legally go into the area but some local tried to use the threat of law to keep everybody out of a public area that they don't own...Funny part was after I set up a guy came down to tell me I could not be there by order of the Sheriff, that there were signs..
The look on his face when I said that I had spoken with the Sheriff and his deputy would be round in a bit to remove the signs...if I could have his name and that he should stick around to talk with the deputy about who illegally put signs up..was priceless.
Nope... I mean anyone can ask, you and I can ask, but no one really has authority to ask. Unless they are actually officers of the law in some way Like the EPO's or Local state police etc. That being said I'll usually cooperate with fish and wildlife and park rangers but I'll keep in mind my rights and what they can and/or can't do as well. Anyone else screw em. I am polite but if a sewage worker tried to take my license it wouldn't be happening...The rpoblem is, as we have seen on here a few times, when people ask for licenses that are not trained in the laws they make false claims like you can't use trebles or you can't be here or no corn etc etc. I appreciate that they want to keep their places better but they all have to follow the laws in place.
For instance I recently took Ezra to fish a section of the Concord river. I had fished it before and it is a nice little stretch that is just out of the way to be good but easily enough accessed for all our gear lol. Anyway we pull up and all over the parking area and the path into the swim are "No Tresspassing" signs, by order of the Billerica Sheriff. So I am like why the hell would this suddenly be no tresspassing..and if it is maybe i can get permission. So I look up the Sheriff on my phone and give the office a call.
Turns out the Sheriff has not put any signs of that nature in the area and that they should not be there.
So I can legally go into the area but some local tried to use the threat of law to keep everybody out of a public area that they don't own...Funny part was after I set up a guy came down to tell me I could not be there by order of the Sheriff, that there were signs..
The look on his face when I said that I had spoken with the Sheriff and his deputy would be round in a bit to remove the signs...if I could have his name and that he should stick around to talk with the deputy about who illegally put signs up..was priceless.
LOL Awesome. I was at Dudley pond last year and didn't know exactly where the parking was. I ended up near a small beachy area that looked good to launch but there was a residents only sign (or something to that effect). As I was trying to decide what to do a guy came by walking his dog. I asked if he knew where I could launch from and he said right here. When I pointed out the sign he said it's not legal, one of the neighbors had it made and put it there.
I sent the story to the director and got this reply earlier:
____ ______ has a much different version of this encounter. Charlie is wrong, fishing is allowed at the south end of the reservoir only. I’m sure if you ask him again, he will verify this. We have way too many people fishing, camping, swimming and sometimes boating on that reservoir. All of which in NOT allowed. We’ve even had issues with campfires. Trash and litter are a daily occurrence. So, if we seem a little upset that you are fishing on a dam at a reservoir, that is a major supplier of water to our city, you should understand. Charlie is on vacation this week and next. When he returns, I would be glad to meet with you, Paul and Charlie to discuss this issue. In the meantime, you are welcome to fish the South end of the reservoir only. Let us know if you would like to meet with us.
____________________________________
My response:
Thank you for your reply. I have no problem only fishing where I’m supposed to and I understand that many fisherman leave trash and your responsibility is to protect the water supply properly. This is the reason that I tried to go through the proper steps to make sure that I wasn’t fishing in a place I shouldn’t.
However, Your “off duty” employee was completely rude and I now know that legally he was not allowed to ask for my fishing license. He talked multiple times about the “idiots” that worked with him. He asked where I worked and when I told him he said, “I’m sure you understand. You probably have lots of idiots working there too.” When he’s out there meeting the public, he’s representing you, Mayor Mazzarella, and the city of Leominster. It would probably be appropriate for him to not be such a jerk.
A simple “sorry that you were treated that way and here’s where you are able to fish would have been appreciated.” But instead your response is, “if we seem a little upset, you should understand.”?
____ ______ has a much different version of this encounter. Charlie is wrong, fishing is allowed at the south end of the reservoir only. I’m sure if you ask him again, he will verify this. We have way too many people fishing, camping, swimming and sometimes boating on that reservoir. All of which in NOT allowed. We’ve even had issues with campfires. Trash and litter are a daily occurrence. So, if we seem a little upset that you are fishing on a dam at a reservoir, that is a major supplier of water to our city, you should understand. Charlie is on vacation this week and next. When he returns, I would be glad to meet with you, Paul and Charlie to discuss this issue. In the meantime, you are welcome to fish the South end of the reservoir only. Let us know if you would like to meet with us.
____________________________________
My response:
Thank you for your reply. I have no problem only fishing where I’m supposed to and I understand that many fisherman leave trash and your responsibility is to protect the water supply properly. This is the reason that I tried to go through the proper steps to make sure that I wasn’t fishing in a place I shouldn’t.
However, Your “off duty” employee was completely rude and I now know that legally he was not allowed to ask for my fishing license. He talked multiple times about the “idiots” that worked with him. He asked where I worked and when I told him he said, “I’m sure you understand. You probably have lots of idiots working there too.” When he’s out there meeting the public, he’s representing you, Mayor Mazzarella, and the city of Leominster. It would probably be appropriate for him to not be such a jerk.
A simple “sorry that you were treated that way and here’s where you are able to fish would have been appreciated.” But instead your response is, “if we seem a little upset, you should understand.”?
I say we raise hell. 
You did everything right and you shouldn't be held responsible for misinformation. We can petition, or each one of us can send a letter to the Mayor of Leominster. Of course, we can't complain about the way you were treated as that was between you and the City. But we can demand that signs be clear and understandable and that their employees be properly trained and, at the very least, all on the same page. Strength in numbers!
You did everything right and you shouldn't be held responsible for misinformation. We can petition, or each one of us can send a letter to the Mayor of Leominster. Of course, we can't complain about the way you were treated as that was between you and the City. But we can demand that signs be clear and understandable and that their employees be properly trained and, at the very least, all on the same page. Strength in numbers!