Members Meeting, Clean Up Day & Fly Fishing Show

September Members Meeting

Fall Clean Up Day

Accuracy and Distance Casting Class

Fall Stocking Update

Fly Fishing Show (Volunteers needed)

September Members Meeting

The September Members Meeting is on Thursday 18th September. All current members are invited to attend and the focus of the meeting will be to welcome our newer members and to offer help and information about fishing the pond for trout after the fall stocking.

Burgers and hot dogs will be ready at 6:30pm and some of our members will be available from 6pm to offer fly casting help to whoever wants to bring along their fly fishing set-up.

We look forward to see you all there.

Fall Clean Up Day

Clean Up Day will be on Saturday 20th September. Members should meet in the club parking lot at 8:00am and work is usually wrapping up by noon. The To-Do list includes,

• Tidying around the pond and inside the club house

• Trimming back branches along the driveway

• Stacking firewood

• Clearing out the inside and outside of the club shed

• Raking weeds from the pond edges

• Deep clean the clubhouse and kitchen

Accuracy and Distance Casting Class

There is still one (1) spot available for the LL Bean Distance and Accuracy Casting course that will be held on Sunday 28th September. Email Club President Dennis P as soon as possible to reserve the last place. Dennis will coordinate with members who have secured a spot.

Fall Stocking Update

Current pond conditions and the weather outlook have pushed our fall stocking date out to the week of the 20th October with our Opening Day being pencilled in for Saturday 25th October.

In recent weeks we have seen the usual late summer improvements that take place as cool nights move in and we get a decent rain storm. The water quality, level and clarity is on the up so cross your fingers for some September rain and cool evening evenings and mornings. We are running the aeration bubblers overnight to oxygenate the pond, this helps to naturally eat up the algae blooms that take over the water every summer.

Kingfisher photo taken by club member Jim L

There has been plenty of wildlife around the pond this summer. A healthy 6-point whitetail buck was spotted by the clubhouse. The muskrat family are still very active despite being a little peeved by the dam wall reconstruction that shutdown their shore-side condo complex. A bald eagle was observed helping itself to a holdover trout of good size in July and we have the usual schools of baby shiners and bluegill's mooching around the shores oblivious to the trout that will soon be adding them to their menu. Pesky Canada geese have been their usual problem along the shore but blue herons and cormorants have been gladly few and far between. A group of kingfishers have been active along the shore feasting on baitfish, an impressive sight to see.

Fly Fishing Show (Volunteers needed)

Needham Sportsman's Club will be hosting a table at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show on all three days of the event (16th, 17th and 18th January 2026) at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. We use this event to promote our club and in the past we have gained many new members thanks to the positive volunteer work of members who sign up to man the table.

If you are interested in volunteering for one of the time slots please use the Sign Up Genius link below. We need two members per time slot over the three and members who volunteer get free access to the show on the day they volunteer.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Jeff B who coordinates the club table for the show.

Sign Up Genius - Fly Fishing Show Volunteer Sheet

More details about volunteering for the Fly Fishing Show

Working The Booth:

Upon arrival, tell the show staff that you are working at the Needham Sportsman’s Club booth.  You will get your hand stamped. Ask for the booth location – Once your shift is over or before your shift, feel free to roam the floor and check out the show.

Our mission is to get new members.  A few attendees may want to sign up on the spot.  More attendees are likely to want to think about it.  

Be honest. The spring fishing season may last until mid-June, it could end in late May depending on the heat.  Spring starts at ice out and hold overs from fall stocking.  Spring stocking is April.  Fall fishing is late Oct or early Nov.  So they will get 2 seasons.  

Let them know that the club has a social aspect too, but there is a camaraderie amongst our club members that we continue to work on and grow.

The club banner is hanging from the curtain in back.  There is a “brochure” which is text taken from website about the club.  There are business cards.   For those that aren’t ready to sign up at the show, give them any literature at the table.   For those who want to sign up, have them fill out the application and take check or cash.  Put application in the brown envelope at table.  Shift captains are responsible to take brown envelope with applications and checks and deliver to Club Treasurer for processing.

Have Fun – enjoy the show when you are not working the booth and do your best to bring in new members.  Thanks so much for volunteering for this event. 

Location: 

Royal Plaza Trade Center181 Boston Post Road WestMarlborough, MA 01752

Directions:  From Boston Take MASS PIKE (Route 90) West, Exit 11A to Route 495 North.  Take exit 24 B onto Route 20 West.  The Royal Plaza entrance is located one mile WEST on RIGHT hand side.