Pictorial Gazette 05/03/2005 - Festival promises to be 'shad-tastic'

• The shad have returned to the Connecticut River and local fishermen and shad enthusiasts are thrilled.
• To celebrate, the Connecticut River Museum will host its annual Shad Festival all day Saturday, May 14, at the museum. The day will be chock full of demonstrations, talks on history and a trip on the river to net shad - a schooling ocean fish that returns each year to the river to spawn.
• "I think this is a nice way to learn a lot about shad and a lot about a local tradition, all in one day," said museum curator Brenda Milkofsky.
• The event starts at 10 a.m. sharp with the first-ever Shad Row, a friendly rowing competition that's open to anyone interested in getting involved. The museum and the Connecticut River Oar and Paddle Club will provide the boats and oars. All ages are welcome to participate.
• A number of entertaining and informative demonstrations and discussions kick off at 11 a.m. Tim Visel, of the Sound School, will demonstrate the ancient art of net making. At 1 p.m., Tom Savoy, of the state Department of Environmental Protection, will lead a discussion about the health of the shad fishery. Afterwards, Erik Hesselberg, editor of the Pictorial Gazette, will lead a discussion and slide show illustrating the history of shad fishing on the Connecticut River.
• Veteran shad de-boner Dorothy Goss will be on-hand throughout the day, demonstrating the art of extracting the nearly 1,000 bones of this member of the herring family. Participants must register in advance and may purchase a fish for $10 for a hands-on lesson.
• "[Goss] is a professional boner - she's been doing this for years," Milkofsky said. "She's a good teacher and happy to demonstrate her techniques."
• Members of the Shetucket and Quinebaug Rivers Shad Fishermen's Association will also be on-hand throughout the day demonstrating sports fishing techniques and answering questions from the museum's floating docks.
• "They are passionate shad fishermen," Milkofsky said. "They're extremely knowledgeable and like to talk about they do."
• There will be a plank cooking demonstration at 7 p.m. and a light shad dinner at 7:30 p.m.
• The highlight of the day will be a trip on the river to lay nets for shad. Shad fishing is done at night when the fish can't see the nylon net. Participants will climb aboard RiverQuest, the museum's "floating classroom," at about 8 p.m. and head out into the river.
• "Shad fishing is usually done with only a couple people at night," Milkofsky said. "We want to help take the mystery out of shad fishing and increase people's appreciation for it."
• Admission to the Shad Festival is $6 for adults. Events after 6 p.m. require advance registration. To register and for more information, call 767-8269. The Connecticut River Museum is located at the foot of Main Street in Essex.