YOUR FISHING GUIDE FOR ALL SEASONS IN THE BERKSHIRES! MASSACHUSETTS' PREMIER SOURCE FOR GUIDED ICE FISHING!

Hello Groupon customers, and welcome to Charter The Berkshires! My name is Paul Tawczynski and I am the owner, guide, and resident fishing expert at CTB. I have been a professional angler and fished all over the country. I have worked in the fishing industry at trade shows and in sales and manufacturing. I have made it as far as the 2007 B.A.S.S. Club World Championships on the Red River in Shreveport, LA in 2007, and was captain of Team Massachusetts! But my love has always been ice fishing.

CTB has been guiding ice fishing trips in Berkshire county for almost ten years now. You may have seen the movie "Grumpy Old Men" and think that ice fishing is all about sitting on a 5-gallon bucket getting cold, getting drunk, and wasting time. I assure you it's not! Ice fishing is a sport for all ages, genders, nationalities, and personalities. Since the beginning of CTB, I have taken out clients from France, Singapore, Australia, China, Germany, Brazil, and many more! And now it's your turn!

Ice fishing is not only for the Die-Hards. MOST of the clients I take out are first timers with NO experience. It is not necessary to have ice fished before, or even to have fished before to have a blast on the ice! It is excellent for kids as well as adults and families are encouraged!

Many people have asked if they can bring their own equipment, or what they need to bring. All equipment is provided for you, so you do not need to bring anything. All holes are drilled and ready for you when you arrive. You may bring your own equipment IF YOU HAVE ICE FISHING TACKLE, but it is not necessary. Please do not bring fishing rods, nets, tackle boxes, etc from summertime fishing as they will not be usable and will just simply be extra baggage to carry on the ice.

Please email me to reserve your Groupon Trip. I am on the ice 5-6 days per week, so I cannot return phone calls during the day. If you leave me a voicemail I will return it as quickly as possible, but it may be several hours before you get a reply.

 F.A.Q.

1) Don't you get cold?

a. Well it is winter, and yes, it is cold outside! But if you dress warmly you will barely feel the cold air. Millions of people go skiing every year and I assure you it is far colder on top of a mountain than it will be on the lake. Ice fishing is actually a very physical sport. You will be doing as much moving around as you desire, going from hole to hole pulling fish up! There is also a shelter on the ice to break the wind and to retreat to in the event that it is too cold for you.

2) Is the ice safe?

a. The ice in Berkshire County can be as much as 30 inches thick! That's about enough to land a fully loaded 747 on!

Now it takes some time to get that thick, and of course eventually it does melt. But rest assured I do this for a living. I WILL NEVER TAKE ANY GROUP ONTO A LAKE THAT IS NOT SAFE ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST A GROUP TWICE AS LARGE! In the event that a scheduled trip needs to be moved because of weather, or unsafe conditions, ample time will be given for reschedule.

3) How do fish swim if the water is frozen?

3a) don't fish hibernate in the mud?

a. Believe it or not these are actually questions I get asked a few times every single year. NO, fish do not hibernate, They are cold blooded and their activity levels slow way down in the winter. That being said, they still bite and you actually catch MORE fish in the winter than you usually do in the summer.

The trick is targeting the species that are biting, using the bait they are eating, and fishing right where they are. That's where I come in!

4) Is it safe to eat freshwater fish?

a. The lakes that I fish are very clean lakes. Not only will I tell you that the fish is safe enough to eat, I eat it myself! Yes, There are many lakes, rivers, ponds, streams out there that are polluted or contaminated, but we will not be fishing there!

5) How many and what kinds of fish do you catch?

a. You catch virtually all species that you would catch in the summer with very few exceptions. For the "Panfish Package" we target the best eating fish available. These are Perch, Bluegill, Pickerel, and Trout. We also frequently catch Pike, Salmon, Crappie, Bullhead and Bass. There is never a guarantee on exact species, but there is a guarantee on catching fish!

In all the years of professionally guiding here in The Berkshires, the LEAST fish ever caught while on a "Panfish Package" charter was 32, and the most was 185. These numbers were for groups of between 2-4 people, and 6 hour charters. I will make sure that you have fun, catch fish, and get to enjoy some to take home!

6) Can I take my kids?

a. ABSOLUTELY! Ice fishing is a great winter activity for kids of all ages. I have chartered trips for kids as young as five years old and They have had a great time! There are so few things to do in the winter outdoors, as a family. Even going skiing, often the parents are on one slope while the kids on another. Ice fishing you are all together, AS ONE FAMILY!

An important note to people bringing children. When ice fishing it is important to dress in layers of warm clothing. It is important to not get cold, because you may have a difficult time warming back up. Remember that you can always take a layer off if you get too warm, but if you get chilly you cant put it back on if you didn't bring it with you!

7) My day had to be rescheduled due to weather. What about my hotel room?

a. Because of the arrangement I have with the local lodging establishments on my website, if your day is rescheduled, you will not be charged any fees or lose a deposit as long as you give them ample notice. You are still responsible for booking your room or changing your booking with the hotel, I cannot do that for you. If you fail to simply notify the hotel of your change in plans I am not responsible for their policies.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR TRIP

After you have purchased your groupon, print your voucher. Go to the page on my site called "Booking Calendar" and choose the day you want to fish. All days available to Groupon customers are highlighted in green numbers. Next look at the "Groupon Session Schedule" to see if there are enough available slots on that day for your group. Then send me an email with your voucher number, name, the day you would like to fish, and if you prefer the morning or afternoon sessions. You will then recieve a confirmation email.

As days begin to fill, some sessions may not be available. If the session you have chosen is NOT available, you will recieve an email stating the other sessions available. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MANY DAYS AVAILABLE, PLEASE BOOK YOUR TRIP AS SOON AS YOU PRINT YOUR VOUCHER. SLOTS WILL FILL QUICKLY!

If a session is full, Please do not ask if you can join it anyway. The limit on the number of people in each session is to ensure everyone's enjoyment, including yours. Too many people in a session limits the number of fish that can get caught, and also the amount of participation each person can experience.

About your day...

For your day of fishing you will either be fishing a morning (7:00am-11:00am) charter, or an afternoon (12:00pm-4:00pm) charter. Either trip will be equally productive, choose solely based on whatever is easier for you. For all trips, you will meet the guide right at the lake. Each trip will consist of up to 10 different groupon customers for a maximum of 20 people per trip.

Your four hour day is FOUR HOURS OF FISHING! all equipment is set up and holes drilled BEFORE you arrive to the lake. I'll spend a few moments with you showing you how the equipment works and how best to land the fish, but after that we begin catching fish right away! Sure, If you want to be shown how to set up equipment or drill holes I'll show you, but it's not necessary for your day.

!!! If you have chosen the filet option, please be aware that fileting may take additional time and plan your travel home accordingly !!!

I highly recommend a hotel or motel room for either the night before your trip, or the night after your trip or both. This also allows you to contact me easier if you have any problems. There is a page on my site with contact information of several lodging options who will give you a discount. Please book early however as the Berkshires are a major ski destination and rooms fill fast all winter.

All trips for Groupon will be "The Panfish Package" listed on my website. The panfish package gives the best opportunity to catch the most fish and have the most enjoyment for your day. Everyone there is after the same thing... a good time!

You may bring any food or drinks you would like with you on the ice. Alcohol is permitted. Please remember if you choose to bring alcohol, There may be children on the ice, and you will have to drive home, so please drink responsibly.

PLEASE BRING A PRINTED COPY OF YOUR GROUPON VOUCHER WITH YOU TO THE LAKE. There may not be cell phone service depending on carrier and lake choice so a paper copy must be presented to participate.

You must have a current 2012 massachusetts fishing license to participate, and it MUST BE PRESENT with you or you will not be able to fish. No questions asked. This is the law.If you do not think you will be fishing again in Massachusetts for the year a three day license is available at a  fraction of the cost. You can purchase and print online atwww.massfishhunt.com. CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15 DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A FISHING LICENSE AS LONG AS THEY ARE WITH A LICENSED ADULT.

When our day is over, We clean up our mess. Remember that there are animals and people that call the lake their home, and no one wants litter in their yard. A trash bag will be inside our shelter at all times, please use it. The only thing we leave behind are our holes in the ice and footprints in the snow.