03-05-2012, 06:10 PM
At a ceremony held at the Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition in February at the DCU Centre in Worcester, MassWildlife Director Wayne MacCallum and other Division staff presented the 2011 Freshwater Sportfishing Awards gold pins and plaques to adult and youth anglers catching the largest fish in 22 species categories and honored the 2011 Angler of the Year. For the second year in a row, a youth angler was named Angler of the Year. The 2011 Angler of the Year is 13-year old Trenton Anestis of Boxborough. The Angler of the Year is awarded to the angler who demonstrates the skills necessary to catch trophy fish in a wide variety of categories. Anestis submitted 17 trophy fish in representing 16 different fish species. Most anglers who have won the award in the past know that you have to be willing to travel the state in search of a wide variety of trophy fish. In 2011, however, Trenton proved that it's possible to spend time fishing close to home with an occasional trip to the Cape. Trenton caught trophy brook trout and tiger trout at Hathaway Pond in Barnstable, bullheads (for which he won this year's Youth Gold Pin), crappie, largemouth bass, white perch and yellow perch at Chauncey Lake in Westborough, bullhead, carp, northern pike and white catfish on the Concord River, chain pickerel at Long Pond in Littleton, channel catfish on the Connecticut River, rainbow trout at Fort Pond in Lancaster, shad on the Merrimack River, smallmouth bass at Wachusett Reservoir in West Boylston and sunfish at Spectacle Pond in Lancaster. A list of award winners is posted at: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/awards/2011_sportfish_winners.htm