An update on the Clubs I joined this Year

Ron Arra demonstrating
casting and fishing at the October
meeting

Earlier in the year I did a post about a couple of new clubs I planned to join. http://southernnewenglandoutdoors.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-clubs-to-try.html


I have been in both the Ocean State Bird Club and the Narragansett Surfcasters for most of the warm weather months now, and couldn't be happier about my decision to join them.

Ocean State Bird Club

Ocean State Bird Club is exactly what the name implies. It is a bird club in Rhode Island. The bird club has many walks throughout the spring and fall seasons. I have gotten to go on a couple. The one I wrote about was at Great Swamp in April. There were quite a few people on the walk including some real experts. I have to say everyone was really nice. I think birders can have a reputation ( not necessarily unwarranted) of being a bit snooty. I met a lot of birders that day from half my age to double my age, and everyone was extremely friendly.

The club also has banding demonstrations and the occasional talk. I missed one last week about feeding birds nutritional foods in your feeder because I fell asleep after work. I was really looking forward to going.

Members of the OSBC at Great Swamp

I appreciate the fact that not all of their walks are on weekends. Since I have every Friday and some Saturdays off from work, I should be able to go on some of the winter walks. Being addicted to my New Hampshire camping trips has made it difficult to go on some of the field trips, but I am still grateful they are offered.

Narragansett Surfcasters

I joined the Surfcasters in May. Just like the OSBC I am very happy I joined.  The surfcasters meet the third Tuesday of each month. The meetings are really fun and I look forward to them. Usually their is a guest speaker that puts on a seminar. Every speaker that they have had since I joined is someone I had heard of. Dave Anderson, Joe Lyons and Ron Arra have been speakers.

During the summer months instead of meetings they have a cookout. I got to the June cookout, but was busy in July and August (that damn NH addiction again). The cookout is at Snug Harbor. The food is delicious.

Many of the guys in the club are hardcore fishermen that fish almost every day. I have gotten to know a few of them. From my first meeting some of the guys made me feel at home right away. They would make a point to come and talk with me a few minutes usually about fishing.

Once September came about and the albies came in, I was in 'gansett a lot. I was fishing the same places as these guys. One of them ( who reads this blog, and has made me feel comfortable since the first meeting) even asked how I got down there so often. This did two things. It gave me credibility with the guys that fish. Since they saw me fishing, I became more of an equal. More importantly, because I was fishing with them, I got to know more members. By the September meeting, I felt like "one of the guys."

In Conclusion

I am not the most social person in the world. I'm not the hermit I pretend to be either. Joining these two clubs has put me in contact with people that share my hobbies. I've picked up a few pointers. I saw some birds because someone else recognized a song. I've been frustrated by albies side by side with another member while one other guy caught them on almost every cast. All in all being a member of both clubs has been a positive experience

I'm not going to sit here and tell you to join the clubs I've joined. They work for me. However, if you have outdoor hobbies, and I would guess you do if you've read this far, you might want to check out the local chapter of a club in your area. You might make a friend or two. You will certainly pick up a pointer. If nothing else, the snacks might be worth it!