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Preliminary findings of the 1991 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation were recently released by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unfortunately, these findings have caused some confusion as people attempted to compare these results with those of previous surveys. A major part of the 1991 survey was done with a different methodology, thereby making detailed comparisons with earlier survey results inaccurate. The 1991 survey, which was done by the U. S. Census Bureau, contacted respondents every four months, but previous surveys were done at the end of 12-month periods. Recent research has revealed that people were over­ stating their participation and expenditures when asked to recall over a 12- month period. Therefore, indications are that the 1991 survey results are more accurate than earlier efforts. There continued to be a need, however, for comparative trend information. Program managers need recreational participation and spending trend data because it is an important ingredient of program planning. To meet this need, the Service determined that the methodology for com­ paring preliminary screening data was consistent with earlier results, and therefore the screening data could be used to determine trends in fishing and wildlife recreation. Interpretation of the screening data provides the following trends for na­ tionwide fishing activity during the 1980-1990 decade: • The number of anglers rose 20 percent over the decade while the num­ ber of hunters was essentially stable. • Spending on fishing rose 56 percent during the 1980s. • Overall there was a 15 percent increase in the number of days spent fishing. In addition, the survey revealed that from 1985 to 1990, there was an 11 percent increase in the number of anglers and a 27 percent increase in fish­ ing expenditures, even though anglers spent about the same number of days fishing. These trends closely parallel Pennsylvania's experiences. Increased fish­ ing participation has been apparent to all sportsmen this past decade. Although resident license sales have increased only about 3.5 percent, the number of non-resident licensed fishermen has increased nearly 50 percent. A great number of senior fishermen have purchased lifetime licenses, which has slowed the Edward R. Miller, P.E. rate of annual resident license sales. There are also indications that Pennsyl­ Executive Director vania fishermen are spending more time and money pursuing their sport, with Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission the resultant favorable effect on Pennsylvania's economy. The 1991 survey estimates that nearly 1.4 million adult Pennsylvania anglers participated in 1991 while spending nearly $678 million. Fishing continues to be big in Pennsylvania.

2 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler M im VoL 62 No 5 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania *y - Fish & Boat Commission J. Wayne Yorks President ANGLER Benton The Keystone State s Official fishing Magazine ^^ James S. Biery, Jr. Vice President Swatara The Poconos' Fish for All Seasons by Tom Fegely Marilyn A. Black Pickerel can be caught throughout the year, but during the first few Cochranton weeks of the May season, that activity peaks. And the Poconos have Ross J. Huhn always been the stronghold for pickerel action 4 Saltsburg Donald N. Lacy Reading Northeast Pennsylvania Walleyes by Jeff Knapp Paul J. Mahon In northeast Pennsylvania you can find some of the state's better walleye Clarks Green waters, particularly in terms of producing big walleyes 8 T. T. Metzger, Jr. Johnstown Howard E. Pflugfelder My 80 Best Trout Outings by Mark A. Nale New Cumberland An avid trout angler analyzes his very best trout fishing trips, and the Leon Reed results might surprise you 12 Honesdale William J. Sabatose Brockport Conneaut Lake's Big Fish by Darl Black Conneaut Lake, Crawford County, supports one of Pennsylvania's best Boating Advisory Board warmwater fisheries. Use this information to score on Conneaut like Donald J. Little a pro 16 Chairman Philadelphia Headwaters Fly-Fishing School by Mike Bleech Clayton Buchanan Pittsburgh Check out the details in this advanced course on fly-fishing freestone Martin P. Eisert headwater trout streams 21 Erie Judy Obert The Magnificent Seven by JeffMulhollem Greentown There's no magic, rocket science or voodoo here—just seven nymphs Thaddeus Piotrowski Bloomsburg that work best in Pennsylvania and how to fish them 24

Magazine Staff Seeing Double by Charles R. Meek Editor—Art Michaels When different kinds of insects hatch on a stream all at once, which Editorial Assistant—Charlene Glisan one do you imitate to catch trout? Where in Pennsylvania can you Art Director—Ted Walke experience multiple hatches? 27 Circulation—Eleanor Mutch Circulation—Patti Copp On the Water with Dave Wolf Pushing it to the limit Staff Assistant—Rose Ann Bartal 31 Staff Assistant—Nita Lynch Many Trout, Few Anglers by Tom Greene Regular Contributors In May and June, the crowds of trout anglers have dispersed, leaving Darl Black many streams with plenty of trout and few anglers. Here are 46 terrific Mike Bleech spots across Pennsylvania .32 Tom Fegely Jeff Knapp The cover Pennsylvania Angler (1SSN0Q31-434X) is published monthly by the Pennsylvania This issue's front-cover crappie was photographed by Wally Eberhart. All of us anglers would Fish & Boat Commission. 3532 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA 17109. ©1993. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the like to score as this issue's cover suggests.But sometimes becoming a better fisherman requires Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Subseription rates: one year, $9; thtee momentarily stepping back from the stream bank and studying one's fishing. At what time of years. $25: single copies are $1.50 each. Second class postage is paid at Harrisburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Pennsylvania Angler Ckcuhwn. day do you catch the most fish? Which month is your best angling month? What is the water Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. P.O. Box 67000. Harrisburg, PA 17106- temperature when you catch the most? Trout fisherman Mark A. Nale examines his 80 best 7000. For subscription and change of address, use above address. Please allow six weeks for processing. Send all olhet correspondence to: The Editor. Pennsylvania trout outings exactly this way, and the results, which begin on page 12, can help you score more. Angler. P.O. Bos 67000. Harrisburg, PA 17106-7(100. Editorial queries and contributions The results also show you how to survey your own success. In the article on page 21, author arc welcome, but must be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Material accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania 1-isli & Boat Commission standards Mike Bleech guides us through the specifics of how to fish freestone headwater trout streams, and requirements for editing and revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but and on page 24, Jeff Mulhollem makes a strong case for the seven nymph patterns than can lite publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safely of submissions in his possession or in transit The authors' views, ideas and advice expressed in this handle all of our state's nymph-fishing possibilities—and how to fish them. Warmwater op­ magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania portunities abound this month, too. Tom Fegely reveals the best Pocono pickerel places on Fish & Boat Commission or lis staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boal Commission receives federal aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acls, the U. page 4, and Jeff Knapp points out northeast Pennsylvania's best walleye spots. Anglers in western S. Department of the interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, Pennsylvania will want to check out Darl Black's article on Conneaut Lake, on page 16. national origin, age. sex or handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire more information, please write to: The Office of Equal Opportunity, Department of tire Interior. Washington, DC 20240, May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler The Poconos' Fish for All Seasons by Tom Fegely

Of a hundred or so fishing books in my library, none features I've never caught them on cane poles, but maybe one of these the pickerel. Authors have penned works on bass, trout, pike, days I'll give it a try. Sounds like fun. salmon, catfish, panfish and stripers—even caip. But the lowly The first pickerel I ever saw came thrashing to the side of chainside—the Rodney Dangerfield of the fish world—gets little the canoe back in the early 1950s during a family vacation at respect. Promised Land State Park in Pike County. I had no idea what Bass fishermen who hook "hammer-handles," the nickname it was, and when the old-timers manning the canoe rental told for the skinny, sub-size fish, curse them. But many anglers cast me it was a "snake," I became even more confused. specifically for pickerel, enjoying the steady action they pro­ Later that day, as I proudly paraded my 20-inch "snake" around vide throughout the four seasons. the neighborhood, another angler told me it was a chain pick­ You won't come across many pickerel specialists. Afew senior- erel—not a species that lived in the streams and farm ponds citizen friends like to spin tales of the early days of pickerel near my Lehigh County home. fishing on Pecks Pond, still a popular vacation spot for folks The last pickerel to test my line was caught last February— in neighboring New York and New Jersey and south through through the ice on Shohola Lake, another Pocono Mountain the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia. They talk of Lazy Ikes, waterway where this fish for all seasons dwells. pork rinds on Johnson Silver Minnows and "skittering" a dead Indeed, more citation-size pickerel are taken through the ice minnow or a strip of pork across a weed bed with a long cane than at any other time of the year, according to Fish & Boat pole. Commission records. A 3-inch to 4-inch shiner dropped from a tip-up in weedy shallows or along nearby dropoffs is the simple The Poconos have always beenprocedur e by which anglers take most winter pickerel. Unlike pike and muskies, pickerel are not spectacular fight­ the stronghold for pickerel, ers, nor do they attain the lengths and weights of their sizable even though they've relatives. Yet, on 6-pound or 8-pound-test line and with a light- medium rod with a "whippy" tip, they can put on a short spec­ been stocked across tacle. They roll, jump and twist, sometimes winding themselves in the line, particularly when hooked on a plug. Most often, the Commonwealth. however, they wind themselves in aquatic vegetation, which puts a quick stop to any performance. The Poconos have always been the stronghold for pickerel,

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler even though they've been stocked across the Commonwealth. Any discussion of live-bait fishing for pickerel brings the The dark, tannic acid-stained waters and a few streams and rivers question of whether or not a wire leader helps. Pickerel, true flowing into and out of the lakes also hold them. to their clan, have jaws studded with sharp teeth, and the rec­ For the record, the Pocono Mountains are geologically de­ ommended 6-pound or 8-pound monofilament line is easily gouged fined as an area encompassing Monroe and portions of Pike, as a pickerel twists and jumps when hooked. Wayne, Carbon, Luzerne and Wayne counties. Its fringes extend as far east as the Delaware River, west to the Moosic Mountain, south to the Kittatinny Ride of the Appalachians and gradually sloping north toward Honesdale. As an all-season playground, promoters stretch the Poconos a bit more. Nowhere in the state is the pickerel as tra­ ditional a spring attraction. Here in the acid- stained ponds and lakes it's thrived for cen­ turies. I know of no better fish to whet a child's appetite for learning how to work artificial lures. Pickerel hit live offerings, too. But in lakes where these "snakes" and their bigger relatives live, even small pickerel can provide big times for both novice and experienced anglers. Maybe I'm prejudiced because a pickerel was the longest fish I ever caught before age 10. Even though the pickerel is much like its bigger cousins, pike and muskies, it's not nearly as difficult to hook. In most Pocono Mountain lakes, its abundance I've fished with folks who tie on 12-pound-test to 15-pound- creates competition, and a bobber-controlled minnow, plug or test leaders to withstand any brushes with a pickerel's dental spinner will draw plenty of attention. work. Others stick to light wire leaders. A few, convinced that Pickerel can be caught throughout the year, but during the the heavier line spooks fish, take their chances on losing a few first few weeks of the May season, that activity peaks. It's also fish and hooks. easier then to get a spinner or plug to the lurking fish because It's worth mentioning that a pickerel's feeding technique differs algae and weeds have yet to take hold. Most shallow lakes, from that of a bass, with which it shares its Pocono waters. A such as Shohola and Pecks Pond, become weed-infested by June pickerel typically grabs a live bait crosswise, after which the and near-constant fouling is the rule. Getting your offering to fish swims a short distance, stops, and then manipulates the minnow the places where pickerel hide can be frustrating. headfirst before swallowing. Live-bait fishing with an open bail lets you watch the bobber's Favorite technique course as the fish makes off with the bait. When the bobber My favorite way of catching pickerel is little different from stops, close the bail and set the hook. catching largemouth bass—hooking them on the surface. The Other artificials attractive to pickerel include spinnerbaits, technique is pretty much limited to the first weeks of May and jerk baits and even plastic worms or "lizards." The latter soft again in late fall when heavy vegetation dies. I've also had luck baits can be Texas-rigged and fished without weight, a sure method with them just before deer season on a day when our rod guides for penetrating vegetation in summer. iced up. Then they hit jigs and slow-moving spinners. A warning: Stick plenty of plastic worms in the tackle box Rapalas, Rebels and any other fish-imitations of 3 to 5 if you're planning to fish with such a rig. Many hook sets will inches in silver or gold grab a chainside's attention. Spinners yield nothing more than sliced or nipped baits, especially if you or shallow-diving crankbaits and narrow-lipped plugs trolled set the hook too soon. Patience is the key to allowing the pickerel just under the surface are also productive along the edges of to swim off a short distance before setting the hook. weed beds. Anglers wanting to make sport of even the oft-cursed ham­ Later in the season I opt for the time-tested weed-proof Johnson mer-handle pickerel may want to try fly-fishing. No need to Silver Minnow or an imitation, embellished with a strip of pork be concerned with what's hatching or tying a fancy streamer rind or even a dead minnow hooked through the lips. Large, here. The combination of red woven with silver or white does size 2 single-hook spinners also work well, but the weedless the trick. spoons are less likely to draw snags. Award-sized catches have Here's a fly that works: Wrap red yard around a long-shanked been taken on Mepps, Roostertail, Vibrax and Shyster spinners size 10 or 8 hook, and tie on a few long, white saddle hackles. in recent years. You could wrap silver tinsel around the red yard, if you like. The pickerel, like its larger relatives, is primarily a fish-eater, Then build up a head with fly tying cement. and a live shiner is irresistible. Snare it under the dorsal fin It should be noted that most pickerel caught in a day's cast­ on a size 4 long-shank hook and toss it along the edge of a weed ing will be small. Even a legal keeper "chain-fish," measur­ bed. When control is necessary (to keep the minnow from snagging ing 15 inches or better, seem small because of their slim pro­ in weeds), attach a golfball-sized bobber 3 to 5 feet above the portions. Even though there's a tendency to throw even legal- hook. sized catches back, you might want to keep some for the kitchen. May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 5 Like panfish, pickerel can overpopulate many lakes, and cull­ 195 acres, unlimited horsepower is permitted. A Fish & Boat ing the legal "little ones" won't hurt the ecosystem. Commission access is located on Tafton Road just off Route 390, near Promised Land and Lake Wallenpaupack. Great eating Lake Wallenpaupack. This is the grand-daddy of Pocono Pickerel are notoriously bony, containing a row of Y-shaped Mountain lakes—a 5,700-acre impoundment on the Pike and bones running lengthwise along the fillets, just above the rib Wayne County line. It's known more for black bass and striped cage. But their white flesh is tasty, especially in the cold, cool bass, walleye and trout, but pickerel can be caught in the many months. Cut the Y-bones of larger fish before cooking, but for weedy coves along its 52-mile shoreline. Unlimited horsepower smaller pickerel the alternative is to pluck the Y-bones out af­ motors are permitted. ter cooking or simply eat the meat "campground style," with Wallenpaupack is located along routes 6, 507 and 590 with your fingers, while staying alert for the splinter-thin bones. a Fish & Boat Commission access off Route 6. One item of equipment that's a must when pickerel fishing Bradys Lake. This Fish & Boat Commission waterway covers is needle-nose pliers or better yet, a commercial hook disgorger. 250 acres and is deeper than most other Pocono lakes. How­ Trying to remove a hook with a gloveless hand sooner or later ever, the backwaters and shorelines are shallow with sufficient (probably sooner) results in fine cuts on your fingers. One slip weeds to hold pickerel. and those needle-sharp dentures can cause some bloody and You can get to the lake by way of a narrow paved road lead­ painful, albeit small, cuts. ing off Route 940 east of Blakeslee. Gouldsboro Lake. Set on the Wayne-Monroe County bor­ Hotspots der in Gouldsboro State Park, this 290-acre lake permits elec­ The Poconos is a stronghold for Pennsylvania pickerel, even tric motors. Pickerel are abundant and fishing for them is popular though many other lakes have been stocked with them in the in the summer and winter. The lake is located off Route 507 past decade. If you're planning a visit to this vacationland, here near 1-380. are some lake suggestions big and small. Tobyhanna lakes. Another popular state park choice is the Shohola Lake. The state record chain pickerel measuring pair of lakes in Tobyhanna State Park, immediately south of 31.5 inches and weighing 8 pounds was taken from the old Shohola Gouldsboro. The larger lake spans 170 acres, and both lakes Dam in 1937, long before the present dam was built in the mid- allow the use of electric motors. The lakes are accessible via 1960s. Owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and 1-380 and Route 243. managed as waterfowl habitat, it's a hotspot for pickerel, and Hidden Lake. This little-known pond that holds pickerel the lake yields some sizable bass, too. is part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Shohola's 1,137 acres hold shallow waters with abundant It's a perfect lake for a family outing, offering swimming in vegetation, deadfalls and standing floodedtrees . It's ideal pickerel the warm months. Boating is not permitted and unnecessary habitat. Only electric motors are permitted. on the 40-acre Monroe County water. You can get to Shohola along Route 6 between Lake It's accessible off Route 209 and from River Road north of Wallenpaupack and Milford in Pike County. Shawnee. Pecks Pond. This is the standard reference point by which Lake Greeley. Located northeast of Shohola Lake along Route old-timers explain the locations of other Pike County waters. 6 in Pike County, Greeley's 60 acres offer numerous pickerel. Its 300 acres become covered with vegetation in summer, and The long, narrow pond contains sufficient weed growth and open fishing is limited to live bait in most places. water for both live bait and artificial lures. Motors are limited to electric only. White Deer Lake. This small (49 acres) Pike County pond A bait and tackle shop is located on the lake, set along Route is deep with plenty of cover along the shoreline. Boat and shore 402 north of Marshalls Creek. fishing can be productive. Reach it off Route 402 north of I- Promised Land Lake. Popular with summer vacationers 84. to Promised Land State Park, visitors can fish the 420-acre Upper Lake Minisink. Only 33 acres and surrounded by state forest Lake or the Lower Lake's 173 acres. cabins, this deep, weedy lake holds both bass and pickerel and Submerged wood is abundant, and some areas fill with veg­ recently became approved for trout stocking. Access is via Bushkill etation in summer. Canoes can be rented at the park conces­ Road east of Route 402. sion, and several launch sites provide easy access. Only elec­ Little Mud Pond. Another of the Poconos' plentiful mini- tric motors may be used. lakes, this 20-acre pickerel habitat won't take much fishing Promised Land's lakes are located just off Route 390 in Pike pressure, but it's a perfect site for a family to cast and catch. County. It's located on Delaware State Forest land west of Dingmans Egypt Meadows, Bruce Lake. This scenic wilderness area Ferry. is located on the northern end of Promised Land State Park. Francis Walter Dam. This 90-acre impoundment on the Egypt Meadows is a shallow, 60-acre pond a short hike off Route Lehigh River near White Haven on the Carbon-Luzerne County 590. Casting from shore or wading is recommended. line holds a variety of fish, and in recent years pickerel have Follow the well-worn trail past Egypt Meadows to Bruce Lake, taken hold. It's a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project that a 51-acre glacial lake nearly three miles off the road. Crafts permits boats with 10 horsepower or smaller motors. are permitted, but you have to cart an inflatable or light canoe You can get to this waterway by way of a paved road off Route with you. 940, east of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A visit here on a warm spring day will please the whole family. Fairview Lake. This waterway is a unique lake with water deep enough to hold trout and bass and sufficiently shallow to maintain populations of pickerel. Despite its small size of only 6 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler photo-Tom Fegely

Pocono Pickerel Hotspots 1. ShoholaLake 2. Pecks Pond 3. Promised Land Lake 4. Egypt Meadows, Bruce Lake 5. Fairview Lake 6. Lake Wallenpaupack 7. Bradys Lake 8. Gouldsboro Lake 9. Tobyhanna Lakes 10. Hidden Lake 11. Lake Greeley 12. White Deer Lake 13. Lake Minisink map graphics- Ted Wulke 14. Little Mud Pond 5. Francis E. Walter Dam

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Northeast Pe ill by ]eff Knapp

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A, * « On a springtime moonlit night, an alewife shad mistakenly ing in the fall, but Harveys and Wallenpaupack tend to be more breaks free from the security of a school. It pays the ultimate productive in the spring. price when a 6-pound walleye devours it. On another lake, on the opposite side of the mountain range, Harveys Lake an angler casts a topwater lure intended for a striped bass. In The Fish and Boat Commission began stocking walleyes in an aggressive inhaling action, a large fish makes the bait dis­ Harveys Lake in 1985. According to Area 4 Fisheries Man­ appear, and the hooks are set. The fisherman is suiprised, however, to discover that what he thought was a striped bass turns out to be a big walleye. Farther east, the heavy flow of a large river begins to warm. The effect of spring is slowly felt. A big female walleye, recuperating from her recent spawning ordeal, rests in a quiet eddy. An unsuspecting sucker minnow falls prey to her as she feeds, an effort to replenish her sag­ ging belly. In the northeastern portion of Pennsylvania— an area better known for its trout fishing and East Coast tourists—you can find some of the state's better walleye waters, particularly in terms of producing big walleyes. Harveys Lake is thick with alewife shad, and this protein-packed baitfish has helped create a strong population of big, well-fed walleyes. On the opposite side of the Moosic Mountains, Lake Wallenpaupack also has its share of walleyes, some very big ones, in fact. Often they are caught by anglers ager Bob Moase, the stocking was discontinued in 1991 be­ targeting striped bass, particularly during the spring. cause of the relatively high concentration of adult walleyes. Flowing water is also part of the picture, with the Delaware Though the recruitment of stocked walleyes appears high in River furnishing a fishery where 10-pounders are possible, and Harveys Lake, Moase hasn't seen any evidence of natural re­ smaller fish are fairly common. The Delaware River walleye production. fishing provides an important cog in the wheel as it gets roll­ There is no doubt about the status of the Harveys Lake walleye

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Harveys Lake • Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Access off Route 415.

Lake Wallenpaupack • Fish and Boat Commission's Wallenpaupack Lake Access off Route 590. Pennsylvania Power and Light's (PP&L) Wilsonville Recreation Area, off Route 507. • PP&L's Ironwood Point Rec­ reation Area, off Route 507. • PP&L's Ledgedale Recreation Area, off Route 507. • PP&L's Caffery Recreation Area, off Route 590. Delaware River Public access areas are numerous along Pennsylvania's shore of the Delaware Delaware River. Below are the ones River contained within the four-county stretch of the Delaware offering the best walleye fishing. Some of the areas are suit­ able only for small boats. Other access areas are located on the eastern shore of the Delaware River in New York and New Jersey. Wayne County • PFBC Damascus Access, off Route 371. • Narrowsburg Access, off Route 652. Pike County • Matamoras Access, one mile north of the Route 209 bridge. • PFBC Bushkill Access, one mile north of Bushkill, off Route 209. • PFBC Zane Grey Access, on Route 590. • Eshback Access, 4.5 miles north of Bushkill on Route 590. • Dingmans Ferry Access, off Route 739 at Dingmans Ferry Bridge. • Milford Beach Access, off Route 209. • Matamoras Park, at Matamoras; 10th Street to river. Monroe County • Smithfield Beach Access, three miles north of Shawnee-on-the-Delaware. Northampton County • PP&L's Access, on Route 611. • Riverton Access, on Route 1004. • Sandts Eddy Access, on Route 611.—JK.

10 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler population. The fish are definitely there. Catching them, however, crease the density of walleyes, which will put a wider spec­ can be a different matter. To understand the situation fully, you trum of age classes (and sizes) in the lake. Already more "smaller" must understand Harveys Lake itself. walleyes are caught in trap nets set by the Commission in the This waterway is a natural lake. Harveys has a highly de­ spring to gather breeding stock. veloped shoreline. The lake is clear, has rapidly dropping shorelines Wallenpaupack stretches 13 miles, with its greatest width and lots of deep, cold water. Some submergent vegetation in reaching two miles. The maximum depth is 60 feet, with a good the form of coontail and pondweed (cabbage) is present out to blend of deep and shallow water. The water is relatively clear. depths of about 12 feet. Weed growth is restricted because of water level fluctuations, Harveys is a recreational boating playground, with a large and the effect of wave/wake action washing away the fertility portion of the shoreline studded with docks. There are no horse­ of the lake's shallow bottom areas. Nevertheless, a small amount power restrictions. The heavy multi-use flavor of the lake doesn't of coontail weed does form in water as deep as five or six feet. aid the angler seeking any species, walleyes included. Fishing patterns for 'Pack walleyes are nearly identical to It's only been during the last year or so that anglers have been those on Harveys Lake, which is not surprising. Wallenpaupack targeting the Harveys Lake walleye population. The truth is that also has a forage base comprised of alewives, and receives heavy the trout and salmon fishery receives a good deal of angler attention, boating pressure. Thus, the night bite is a right bite. as does the lake's bass population. All gamefish of the lake The most productive time is considered to be in late May and feed on a substantial population of alewife shad. early June. Walleyes can often be found feeding alongside striped Walleye lakes with abundant forage species such as'alewives bass. Topwater and shallow-running minnow baits account for add a further factor to the fishing equation. When you com­ most of Wallenpaupack's springtime 'eyes. Propeller-equipped bine a heavily used clear-water lake with a population of ale- surface baits are said to be particularly effective. wife-fed walleyes, the ticket to success is clear: Fish at night. Even though this is a relatively deep lake, there are plenty Most all the success gleaned at Harveys Lake occurs after of areas of shallow water structure that draw nighttime shad the sun goes down. The shad migrate to shallow water struc­ and walleyes. Included are all four islands—Epply, Kipp, Burns ture, where magnum-sized walleyes ambush them. and Cairns—which have shallow shoals adjacent to them. Rocky Anyone who has ever participated in a successful night of shoreline points also attract walleyes, particularly points that shallow-water walleye fishing will tell you it can be wild. When extend off a weedline. things really get rockin', baitfish scatter, and the slurping and swirling of feeding walleyes can reach a frantic level. At other Delaware River times the feeding is less evident, but still present. The Delaware River provides a stark contrast to the still-water At Harveys Lake, many fish are caught from private docks, environments of Harveys Lake and Lake Wallenpaupack. The though permission from the owner would be required to use Delaware's walleye bite is consistent with that of other wall­ such a platform. One of the most productive shoreline areas eye rivers. It's best when the water is cold. is near the Fish and Boat Commission's public access. Arnold annually stocks his portion of the river (the lower Some anglers score on large, minnow-imitating plugs. Others Delaware is in Area 6) with fingerling walleyes. Despite the use more traditional walleye presentations such as minnows and stockings, walleye populations fluctuate. Arnold considers the nightcrawlers. Boat anglers have the luxury of either casting, best walleye water to be from Damascus downriver to Sandts back-trolling or long-line trolling. When night fishing for walleyes, Eddy, a lengthy stretch of river that flows along the eastern borders it pays to be well-organized and extra quiet, whether in a boat of Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Northampton counties. or on shore. The Delaware turns out some nice walleyes, even though the 7-pounders to 10-pounders aren't quite as common now as they Lake Wallenpaupack were a few years ago. Fish in the 4-pound to 6-pound range Lake Wallenpaupack, at 5,700 acres, straddles the PikeAVayne regularly comprise the catch of the walleye anglers familiar enough County border. It was constructed in 1925 by the Pennsylva­ with the Delaware to score. nia Power and Light Company as a means of generating hy­ Last winter, the walleye fishing got rolling in late Decem­ droelectric energy. Its recreational benefits now outweigh any ber and early January. The area between Shawnee and the Bushkill power-producing ones. Access was productive. Traditionally the 'Pack has been a productive walleye wa­ During the fall and winter, walleyes can be taken in the deeper, ter, and the main source of walleye eggs for the Fish and Boat calmer areas of the Delaware. Eddy areas below riffles are good Commission's Pleasant Mount Fish Culture Station. spots. A big 'eye can lie there out of strong current and still According to Area 5 Fisheries Manager Dave Arnold, sub­ be close to a feeding spot. stantial numbers of walleyes are pumped back into the lake. Most of the fish are caught from boats using drifting tactics. "Recently we redid the way we stock Wallenpaupack," said Bait rigs tipped with minnows or 'crawlers take some fish. Jigs Arnold. "Previously, an annual maintenance stocking of one dressed with minnows or plastic bodies also work. Some an­ million fry took place." Now four million fry and 100,000 fin- glers prefer to throw slow-moving crankbaits. gerlings are stocked annually. As with Harveys Lake, there is Even though the walleye fishing is prime during the winter no evidence of natural reproduction in Lake Wallenpaupack. months, anglers catch some fish in the spring. The sport pro­ The 'Pack produces some gargantuan walleyes. Ironically, vided by the spawning run of the American shad overshadows angler complaints about Wallenpaupack's walleye population other forms of Delaware River fishing at that time of year. Last reflect worry that only big, old fish are caught there. "Where spring, a young angler brought a 32-inch walleye into an East are the smaller walleyes," is a common concern. Stroudsburg sport shop. The fish was caught, not surprisingly, Arnold says the restructured stocking approach should in­ on a shad dart. *__

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Q^vwit OUIMLC^ by Mark A. Nale

After interviewing five expert trout anglers for my article "The Clarification Best Trout Fishing Conditions" in the February 1993 Angler, I Before you read on, it's important to note that these figures began to think more seriously about what would actually be reflect Pennsylvania trout (about 65 percent wild browns) caught the best conditions for trout fishing. I found myself agreeing on spinners and other lures. Some 98 percent were caught on with most of the experts. I wanted a day that was overcast or streams open to public fishing. Although I fish for trout 12 months even rainy. Like four out of five of the experts, I also thought a year, I spend more time on the streams during the summer. I that a stream flowing slightly up and carrying water with a little measured each trout caught, and all, with the exception of a color produced the best fishing. In the early 1980s, 1 had ana­ dozen or so each year, were carefully released. lyzed my trout fishing records for water temperature and con­ I've met anglers who don't even keep track of how many cluded that 53 to 58 degrees produced the best angling. I be­ trout they catch each outing, let alone in a month or in a year. lieve that these temperatures as well as my other thinking about One friend thinks that my "trout per hour" figures are down­ the "best conditions" were accurate. right funny. These anglers are out to have fun and claim that Then I remembered a fantastic day I had on low, clear wa­ numbers get in their way. Trout per hour is what I use to com­ ter. A quick look in my stream journal showed another great pare lure effectiveness, stream quality, water temperatures, as day on low water, and then I found another! Sunny days can well as my growth as a fisherman. also be good. My records show that I've had a few super sunny People close to me know that I have fun catching lots of trout, days. but I can also have a great outing if I witness a mink catching As for water temperatures, 53 to 58 degrees still looks good. a crayfish or get to spend an hour photographing cardinal flowers. However, in June 1991, I caught an unbelievable number of A trophy trout can turn a slow day into a great one even it it's trout at 63 degrees, and last year I had an outstanding May morning on the end of my fishing partner's line instead of mine. I also when the water was only 48 degrees. Was my thinking in a have fun—yes, fun—keeping records and trying to derive some rut? I wasn't sure, but it was clearly time for another serious meaning from them. It's only with numbers that we can learn look at my trout fishing records. about the "science" of trout fishing. wm Graph 1 St*\earn @ekw 40 STREAM VISITS 36

32 0 = no color, crystal-clear, 28 s even in the pools. 24 1 = riffles clear, pools blue or green-looking, the clearest that s 20 most limestone streams get. 16 2 = a hint of color in riffles, pools darker. 12 3 = noticeably brown, spinner 8 visible down one to two feet. 4 = very discolored, visibility 4 less than one foot. 0 5 • cocoa, no visibility 1.5 2 WATER COLOR

12 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Graph 2 30 . MB Ouiinjgji 8* -• •- * 24 with J6u}h 3« Hi 18 0,5 1983-92 fit lit 12 I NUMBER OF DAYS a 6 * 3

42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 50-51 52-53 54-55 56-57 58-59 60-61 62-63 64-65 WATER TEMPERATURES (IN DEGREES F) 10-year journey Water color I decided to spend a weekend (that turned into three!) sort­ Each time I fish, I record the water color by using a six-point ing through 10 years of my fishing records (1983 through 1992), scale: 0 = no color, crystal-clear, even in the pools; 1 = riffles looking for my best (highest trout per hour) days. After three clear, pools blue or green-looking, the clearest that most lime­ weekends, I ended up with 80 outstanding outings. I tallied stone streams get; 2 = a hint of color in riffles, pools darker; 3 the water temperature and color, stream level, weather, month = noticeably brown, spinner visible down one to two feet; 4 = and time of day for each. For comparison, I also tabulated the very discolored, visibility less than one foot; and 5 = cocoa, same information for all fishing trips taken during the past three no visibility. years. What follows is an analysis of that information. When tabulating this data for the 80 best trips, I discovered My 80 best outings were spread over eight months of the year that the majority of my most successful trips occurred on streams (March through October), with most of them (61 percent) oc­ that were clear, rated 0 or 1 (see Graph 1). Only one outing curring during the summer, when I fish the most. Because of was on a stream rated 3, and none of the 80 best occurred on my job, the summer months allow me to take advantage of what very cloudy water. I think are the better conditions and also to fish during the week Statistically, this means nothing. The majority of Pennsyl­ when fewer anglers are on the stream. vania trout streams run clear or nearly clear most of the time. There was no "pet" water; 23 different streams made the list. Practically speaking, my data should be an "awakening" to many Thirty trips took place on 10 of the 23 streams that are lime­ bait anglers, because their records might show cloudy or slightly stone. Fifty of my 80 best outings were on the other 13 freestoners. cloudy water as best. All but three of the waters are small. You don't need to fish Why this difference? Bait anglers typically cast closer to large water to catch lots of trout. The streams are located in themselves than spinner fishermen and many anglers aren't careful six different counties, but 18 of the 23 streams are found within while wading. When streams run clear, trout easily spot these a half-hour's drive of my home. Unless I live at the center of careless anglers. the trout fishing universe (some think I do), this reflects noth­ It is important to remember that trout locate food (includ­ ing more than fishing time on quality streams that I know well. ing my spinners) primarily by sight. Their vision is best in clear water and they are better able to find their prey—your artifi­ Stream level cial lure or bait. Fifty-four of my 80 best trips were to streams where the water Thus, my data distinctly shows that trout, many trout, can level was above normal for that time of year. That's 67.5 per­ be caught in clear water. Don't sit around home waiting for cent. I had recorded "high" 28 times and 26 times I had indi­ discolored water. Learn to cast farther and stay hidden from cated a flow that was slightly above normal. Only 11 (14 per­ the trout so that you can take advantage of clear water rather cent) of the top 80 outings occurred on streams with "low" flows. than giving the trout that advantage. This seemed to be a clear indicator: "Higher is better than lower." For the top 80 it certainly was. Weather However, when I checked all trips for the past three years, Fifty-eight percent of my 80 best trips occurred on "dark" the air was let out of that balloon. Although I had more great days: 15 percent, mostly cloudy; 24 percent, foggy or over­ days fishing high flows, I also had a good share of poor and cast; 19 percent, rain. mediocre high-water days. Nearly as many (42 percent) occurred on "bright" days: six Thus, great fishing can be had at all stream levels. Don't percent, hazy sun; four percent, partly sunny; eight percent, mostly let low or high flows keep you home. sunny; and an amazing (at least to me) 24 percent, full sun. Thus, great days can be had in any weather if other factors are favorable. My instincts still favor "dark" days, but the data

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 13 Graph 3

Cjpi&kinjg, 1990-92

TROUT/HOUR

WATER 11 TEMPERATURES 36-37 40-41 44-45 48-49 52-53 56-57 60-61 64-65 68-69 72-73 (IN DEGREES F)

shows otherwise. The weather, although it might not directly back. If a skilled angler has fished a gold spinner in a stream be important, certainly does affect water temperature. on Friday, and I visit the same section on Saturday (using a gold spinner), my fishing will be "off no matter what the condi­ Water temperature tions. Fortunately, bait and fly anglers don't have this prob­ Nowhere does the data paint a clearer picture than with water lem. temperature (see Graph 2). Looking at my 80 best, I found that Here is one example of the effect of re-fishing the same water 79 percent, or 64 out of 81 trips, occurred on streams between with the same lure. In May 1990 on a short evening outing, I 54 and 63 degrees. (One is listed twice because I fished two caught 18 trout from a half-mile section of a small freestone different streams at different water temperatures in one day.) stream. Because the fishing had been great and I had released An entire fourth of these great outings was taken when the water all of the trout, the following evening I began fishing 150 yards temperature recorded was 58 or 59 degrees. below the spot where I had quit the day before. Even though Does a water temperature of 58 or 59 degrees guarantee success? the conditions were identical, I had not one hit in the same water I wish things were that simple. I've had a few dud outings at that gave me super action the previous evening. Fishing was these temperatures, too. Nonetheless, when I checked all out­ poor and I was about ready to quit, but that was before I reached ings of the past three years, a pattern similar to the one shown the new water. It was as if someone had thrown a switch—I in Graph 2 emerged. got hit after hit on the same spinner that had given me no hits Graph 3 plots the average trout per hour for all outings at moments earlier. The difference was that the other trout had each given water temperature in two-degree increments. The just seen my spinner 24 hours ago. best temperatures for my spinfishing have clearly been 52 to Fishing pressure is a very important aspect of trout fishing 63 degrees. That is no small amount of data, either. It repre­ often overlooked by anglers. Unfortunately, I usually don't know sents 221 visits and 3,930 trout caught in that water tempera­ if someone has fished the water with a spinner recently. This ture range during the past three seasons. variable remains an "unknown" in my fishing equation and Thus, Graph 2 shows that great trout fishing can be had at probably accounts for some unlikely results. Great conditions water temperatures from 42 to 65 degrees, but your best shot can produce poor results if you unknowingly fish an area that at a good day is four or five degrees on either side of 58 de­ has just been fished by another angler. grees. The data in Graph 3 supports the same conclusion. I averaged considerably more trout per hour spinfishing in wa­ Best conditions ter temperatures within five degrees of the magical 58 to 59 What are the best conditions? Get out on the stream before degree temperature range. If you don't carry and use a stream the competition and don't be afraid to take a walk to get away thermometer, what are you waiting for? from the crowds. My data shows that stream level and water clarity aren't as important as many people think. Anglers do Fishing pressure need to learn how to fish different conditions properly. Pressure affects my spinfishing in two ways. The first, and The weather, with respect to the amount of sunshine, doesn't most obvious, is the way wild trout are affected by any distur­ seem to be that important, either. Trout are more skittish in bance. The second way involves the lasting effect that spin­ bright light, but here again, anglers need to learn how to com­ ners have on trout, both stocked and wild. pensate for that. On Spruce Creek, Black Creek and others, I've fished up­ Water temperature is very important. Use a stream thermometer. stream a few minutes behind a fly or bait angler. I've caught Keep records of stream temperatures and learn to predict which trout, but very few. Most trout were put down or caught by stream might be flowing in that magical 52-degree to 63-de- the other angler and weren't available to me. If the "fisherman" gree range on any given day. My data shows that this would had been a great blue heron, the results would have been the work to anyone' advantage. same. To most anglers this is certainly not a new revelation, Reviewing my data has been an eye-opener for me and it should but read on. help put more trout on the end of your line. I'm going to use Spinner fishing is very much affected by what happened on this information to have a more productive season and I hope a stream two hours earlier, the day before, or to a lesser ex­ it can do the same for you. tend, even a week before. This is spinfishing's greatest draw­

14 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler '?^K^\

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CONNEAUT LAKE ' S You can search long and hard for a lake like Conneaut that provides such a balanced fishery.

The line jumped as if the lure had been hit. I snapped the rod Structure, cover upward and detected considerable weight on the terminal end Conneaut Lake's formative years go back to the fourth and of the line 35 feet straight down. As I pumped the rod, what­ final ice sheet, the Wisconsin glaciation. As the glacier retreated ever was on the line shifted left and right as if trying to swim northward because of warming temperatures and lack of snowfall, lazily away. a large block of ice broke off at the site that is now Conneaut I thought maybe it was a pike or musky, or a really big walleye. Lake. Rock, gravel and debris from the melting glacier car­ Any one of these critters can play 'possum for awhile in deep ried across on the outwash plain filled the area surrounding the water, then suddenly spring to life full of fight upon realizing isolated chunk of ice. When the chunk of ice finally melted, a it is being pulled toward the surface. hole known as a kettle was left. It eventually filled with wa­ About halfway up, the resistance suddenly eased. I reeled ter, creating a lake. in my lure, checked the line for abrasion and then examined each hook point. Just another Conneaut Lake mystery. Perhaps a tease by a trophy fish. But it could have just as easily been a plank of wood from an old sunken boat, a chunk of strange porous rock picked up by lure hooks, or even a bone from a wooly mam­ moth. All kinds of things happen on a 70,000-year-old lake. Conneaut connection At 925 acres, Conneaut Lake in Crawford County is the largest natural lake within Pennsylvania borders. Surrounded by summer homes, motels, condos, marinas and an amusement park, Conneaut is one of the busiest resort lakes in the state. Yet, in spite of all this summer traffic (or perhaps because of it), the lake sup­ ports one of the finest warmwater fisheries found anywhere. My first view of Conneaut was from the boardwalk of the amusement park when I was about eight years old. Fascinated by the lake's clear water, I asked my dad why we never fished the lake. "This lake is for water-skiing and powerboats," he said. "We'll stick to fishing Pymatuning Reservoir and the Shenango River." It would be another 18 years before I cast a line into Conneaut Lake. But in a single outing, I realized this was a lake I wanted to spend a lot of time on in the future. Since that day in 1977 I have enjoyed thousands of hours fishing Conneaut for bass, muskies, walleyes, pike, crappies, bluegills, white bass, rock bass and even carp. And yes, dad, I sometimes have to dodge water-skiers and pleasure boaters. But it's worth it!

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angle ffjjBBIMjaaBiM ••HHanMMHi

Inflowing Canal Conneaut Lake information Stream • How to get there: From the 1-79 interchange at Meadville, N drive west for eight miles on Route 322.

D PFBC Access • Regulations: Standard inland waters fishing regulations and seasons apply. Horsepower is unlimited. O • Boat launching: Fish and Boat Commission access on the northwest corner of the lake off Route 618 provides a three- boat ramp and parking for 40 trailers. No overnight mooi is permitted at the access. At the southwestern corner of the lake, Fireman's Beac the borough of Conneaut Lake provides a nice single-boat ra Round and parking. A fee is charged to launch and park during the Sffi Ooklond summer season. Bar • Services: There are three marinas at the southern end of the Granny Nor* lake, where fuel is available. Round Bar • Lodging: There are numerous motels and several campgrounds Oakland Oakland Canal Stone near the lake. Also, state park campgrounds and cabins are near Deep Wall 55 f Pymatuning Reservoir, about 10 miles away.

Oakland • For more information contact: Crawford County Tourist Bar Association, 211 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335; phone 814- South 333-1258. Midway Bar • Caution: No shoreline public fishing is allowed, except at the Commission access. Also, the lake is very congested ev­ Shady ery warm weekend during the summer, especially around the Shady Bar ! Fourth of July.—DB. Deep Huidefeeper 55 ft. Bk& ^^ Wolf Stuart's Island Stone Pile ^Canalr Conneaut Iroquois . Bar Iroquois Oub Lake Iroquois Deep 40 ft. • Mosquito Crawford \ Point R h South 'ce House Bay or County ° sA^ Peep Mammouth Bay 45 ft. 928.5 acres Silver Shore / Bar

d - Launch Sites Town Outflow of to Conneaut French Lake Creek

Conneaut Lake is one of Pennsylvania's busiest resort lakes. In spite of all the summer traffic, the lake supports one of the finest warmwater fisheries found anywhere.

"Today's Conneaut Lake is a great all-around fishery," says and coontail forming large weedbeds. Broadleaf cabbage and 25-year lake veteran Dave Homstein. "It's good for bass, walleyes, eel grass are found in some areas, too. Depending on water muskies, pike and panfish. You'll search long and hard for a clarity and weather each year, the deep weedline is established lake that provides such a balanced fishery." somewhere between 10 and 14 feet. Beds of spatterdock (yel­ Conneaut is a multiple-basin lake with points and ridges low pond lily) are on the increase in muck-bottom bays. separating eight different basin areas at least 35 feet deep. The Major shoreline-connected points and shallow mid-lake humps deepest area is a quarter-acre spot registering 75 feet on mod­ are referred to as "bars." There are four large weed-capped humps ern sonar equipment. that are named, and at least a dozen deeper rock/gravel humps Approximately 25 percent of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. and ridges that do not show up on maps. Aquatic vegetation is abundant in the shallows, with milfoil Starting at the outside edge of the deep weed growth, the bottom

18 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler is a rubble mixture of gravel, small rock and marl down to a In September a few years back, Dave Hornstein hooked an depth of approximately 35 feet. A transition zone from firm enormous fish in 35 feet of water on a blade bait while fishing bottom to silt occurs between 40 and 45 feet in most basins. for walleyes. He never budged the fish from the deep water, During the summer, water below the thermocline lacks suf­ but it pulled his boat around for 20 minutes before finally straight­ ficient oxygen to support fish. In the early summer, the ther­ ening the hooks on the lure. mocline sets up somewhere between 26 and 34 feet; it breaks Bob Hornstrom, who has landed muskies in the 40-pound down in early fall, allowing oxygenated water into the depths. class, had a similar experience. He was fishing a deep weed In some areas, deposits of fist-size to jug-size rocks can be edge for bass with a powerful 7 1 /2-foot flipping stick and 25- found. Along the east side of the lake, a kame terrace formed pound-test line. by the glacier created a few underwater cliff-like ledges. At "An enormous fish engulfed my jig-and-pig," says Hornstrom several sites, water depth drops rapidly from the shallows to with a slight tremble in his voice. "I could not control it. In­ 40 feet. stead, it pulled me around like a water-skier, moving the boat Manmade fish habitat enhances the rich, natural cover. Hundreds about as fast as if the electric motor were on high speed. The of docks provide fish-holding cover. During the 1800s, as part line finally frayed and broke. I still lie awake at night won­ of a canal project, a dike was constructed at the south end of dering just how big that fish was." the lake to raise the lake level several feet; shoreline trees were While musky hunters continued probing the lake, the new inundated. Although the lake has returned to near-normal level, breed of bass anglers was discovering the lake, too. Few wa­ underwater stumps in several bays add even more fish cover. ters in Pennsylvania boast a bass fishery offering both large- In deeper water, sunken boats (row boats to ferry boats) and mouths and smallmouths in the quantity and quality found in old dock pilings now serve as fish attractors. Conneaut. "Conneaut Lake amazes me for the variety of different spe­ Dave Lehman is one of many friends I introduced to Conneaut's cies, as well as the impressive size of the fish," says local an­ big bass population years ago. One cool, damp, misty September gler Bob Hornstrom. "Smallmouth and largemouth bass, muskies, afternoon, we had taken several largemouths up to 4 pounds. walleyes, white bass and the list goes on. For such a small lake, Arriving at Oakland Bar, Dave switched from a spinnerbait to it has more variety of structure than any lake I have fished. Whether a plastic worm. His first cast was rewarded with a 7-pound, you like to fish shallow or deep, weedbeds or rock piles, docks 4-ounce largemouth. or dropoffs—Conneaut has it all." Two weeks later, fishing with his daughter, Lehman landed a 5-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth on a spinnerbait. Even though Big-fish water these fish were the largest of both species he had taken up to Besides a reputation as a summer resort, Conneaut Lake is that time, Lehman returned these bass to the lake after weigh­ known as home to the state record musky. The 54-pound brute ing them. was taken in 1924 by Lewis Walker, Sr., of Meadville. "Conneaut Lake has excellent potential," says Lehman, who However, the Walker musky has only been recognized as the still fishes the lake regularly. "Some days it is hard to catch a official state record fish for about 22 years. And it happened bass, and other days the bass are all over your lure. It is a great only as the result of another giant musky taken from Conneaut bass water because it does not receive a lot of fishing pressure Lake. due to water-skiers. Knowing the growth potential of fish in In September 1970, Jerry Munson of Meadville landed a 56- this lake, I believe it could house a new state record bass." inch musky weighing 48 pounds. At that time, state record fish But which species—largemouth or smallmouth? Perhaps both. were judged by length rather than weight. The Fish and Boat Shortly after I started fishing the lake, a musky guide told Commission listed a 55-inch musky as the record. Munson me of an enormous largemouth he observed on a spawning bed. immediately had his musky's length and weight certified and He was a former Fish and Boat Commission employee who had sent a notarized letter to the Commission stating he had landed spent years working with fish, so his judgment that the bass a new record musky. weighed about 10 pounds was credible. When the story of a new record musky hit the Meadville paper, Further evidence of state record potential was observed when Lewis Walker, Jr., president of Talon Industries, claimed his Bob Hornstrom landed an 8-pound spawned-out largemouth one father had caught a larger musky from Conneaut in 1924. The night in June, and returned it to the water. Had this fish been mounted fish was still on display in the Talon building. Walker in prime shape during the fall, it may have weighed close to 9 had the mount measured, and convinced the Commission to pounds. If still alive today, it would likely weigh over 11 pounds. recognize his father's 59-inch musky as the state record. That Bob Hornstrom also believes that a state record smallmouth aged mount now graces a wall at the Linesville Fish Culture is possible from Conneaut. He is certain on two occasions such Station. a fish was on the end of his line. One time I was with him. Musky fishing interest in Conneaut Lake grew considerably, It was the last day of September, about seven years ago. The paralleling the explosion of warmwater fishing throughout the weather was gray overcast with a slight breeze and a steady country. For a decade, Conneaut was the destination of musky drizzle—a perfect Conneaut Lake smallmouth day. We were fishermen from all over the East. fishing Zara Spooks, using the walk-the-dog technique to imi­ The musky population was fairly strong during the 1970s and tate a floundering baitfish on the surface. Smallmouths were early 1980s. Several fish over 50 inches were caught, but none shallow and active. We had caught and released a dozen smallies reportedly exceeded Munson's 56-incher or Walker's 59-incher. between 2 1/2 and 5 pounds. Stories of the one that got away have many anglers believ­ Arriving at one particular gravel shoal, Bob whispered, "This ing a monster musky exceeding 54 pounds roams the depths. is where I lost the biggest smallmouth of my fishing career about Several fishermen have tangled with fish so big that they do three weeks ago on a day just like this. I only wish someone not even like to speculate on the size. had been with me to witness the size of the fish." May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 19 He made a long cast and began working the bait feverishly French Creek. The fish came to spawn on the expansive gravel back to the boat. Suddenly a large swirl engulfed the plug. Bob flats of the lake. held off setting the hook an extra second until the line tight­ Today, a network of Game Commission waterfowl dams on ened, indicating that the fish actually had the plug. the outflow stream prevents walleye migration and eutrophi- When he hauled back on the rod, a gargantuan bronzeback cation has resulted in silt covering many spawning areas for burst from the water. Unable to clear the surface, it collapsed lake-bound 'eyes. But through periodic stocking by the Fish into the water. I was dumbfounded at its size. and Boat Commission, walleyes remain a significant part of The fish started a beeline in the direction of the boat. Bob the Conneaut Lake fishing scene. reeled like crazy to take up slack. Ten feet from the boat the Compared to nearby Pymatuning, the average size of a Conneaut fish exploded again. Still unable to clear the water completely Lake walleye wins hands down. Walleyes from 3 to 5 pounds because of its weight, it appeared to stand on its tail. Then, in are not uncommon at Conneaut. A few 8-pounders to 10-pounders slow motion, the bass hung in the air shaking its head until the are taken each year. lure went flying. There was little doubt in my mind. That smallie Anglers seek crappies and bluegills on the lake. too. The was pushing 8 pounds. largest crappie recently reported was a 3-pound, 8-ounce slab. Want another big smallmouth story from Conneaut? There Although not a state record, it clearly shows that Conneaut provides was a musky fisherman who caught a 26-inch smallmouth while the habitat and forage to produce a record crappie. trolling a big musky bait, and filleted it without getting it weighted. Northern pike are also present, although their numbers are The carcass, minus the head, was later measured, and a guess­ down from years ago. Still, a few 10-pound to 15-pound pike timate put it over 8 pounds. are reportedly taken from the lake each year. Are smallies of that size still in the lake today? Perhaps. During Conneaut has the proper balance of shallow-water and deep- 1992, Jerry Swidzinski of Butler caught two 6-pound-plus smallies water habitat as well as a strong forage base necessary for ex­ on back-to-back September weekends. The larger of the two, cellent growth of gamefish. Another contributing factor for a 6-pound, 8-ounce trophy, was taken during a bass tournament. Conneaut's big fish, according to some local anglers, is the Both fish came on soft-plastic grubs. excessive powerboat traffic, which keeps fishing pressure low Swidzinski, a scuba diver, has personally observed up close during most of the season. They kind of like it that way! Conneaut Lake smallmouth bass far larger than the two he caught. White bass Conneaut lake Fishing Patterns Swidzinski's search of several Species Time Location/Lure-Technique years for trophy Conneaut small- Bluegills spring inside weedline/jig-and-maggot with float mouths has already netted him one Bluegills summer 14 to 18 feet off bars/#8 hook with small leeches state record fish. In November 1990 Crappies ice-out canals, marinas/jig-and-maggot with float while fishing for smallmouth. Jerry Crappies late May 3 to 5 feet sandy loam, stumps/1 1/2-inch tube jig landed a 3-pound, 12-ounce white Crappies summer suspended over 20 feet and on deep weedline/ bass. It beat the previous white bass Twister, Beetle Spin, tiny crankbaits record by 3 ounces, which also came Crappies late fall 25 to 40 feet on hard bottom humps/minnows, from Conneaut Lake. jig-and-minnow, blade bait, jigging spoon There is no doubt that another Largemouth bass June weedy flats/topwater. soft jerkbait record white bass is swimming in Largemouth bass late summer deep weedline/6- to 8-inch plastic worm. Conneaut Lake. Several anglers crankbait docks, 4-inch tube jig, lily pads, weedless spoon have reported seeing white bass they Largemouth bass fall green weeds/jig-and-pig, spinnerbait, stickbait believe weigh 4 pounds. Muskies May and June 'gill spawning colonies/small jerkbait Muskies summer open deep water above thermocline/trolling large plug White bass travel and feed in Muskies autumn deep weedline/bucktail. spinnerbait schools, and they are very competi­ Muskies late fall near hard bottom humps in 25 to 40 feet/ tive. When you hook a fish near live bait, jigging spoon the surface, the entire school fol­ Pike late May weedy flats/spinnerbait, jerkbait lows the hooked fish to the boat. Pike October deep weedline/jig-and-pig, spinnerbait In the clear water of Conneaut, Smallmouth bass summer nights 3 to 15 feet rock and gravel/big blade spinnerbait, it is possible to view several fish jig-and-pig, 6-inch worm right beside the hooked fish. By Smallmouth bass autumn 2 to 10 feet sand, rock, gravel/spinnerbait, topwater, measuring the white bass that was lipless rattle bait hooked and landed, it is possible to Smallmouth bass late fall 12 to 25 feet on dropoffs, transitions/4-inch grub, make accurate guesses about the jig-and-minnow, blade bait larger fish seen in the school. Walleyes early summer weedlines/crawler-and-spinner Walleyes late summer deep flats/trolling crankbait Walleyes Walleyes September 15 to 25-foot drop-offs/blade bait, jigging spoon Traditionally, Conneaut was re­ Walleyes late fall 25 to 40 feet on humps/jig-and-minnow, blade bait, garded as a walleye lake by local jigging spoon anglers. Old-timers tell of the spring White bass summer 8 to 20 feet off bars/surface plug, spinner, jig. stickbait walleye run, which migrated up the White bass October 20 to 35 feet on humps/blade bait, jigging spoon Conneaut outflow stream from May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Headwaters Flu-Fishin

Sometime more than 30 years ago I inherited my first fly rod, "Headwater stream fishing is narrow and tight fishing," Bill actually four or five of them. All were split bamboo with ex­ says. "I use a downstream technique to get into places where tra tips, and I also got an automatic fly reel loaded with line, traditional upstream fishing gets to be difficult. Because of the and several small tin boxes filled with flies. Learning to fly- nature of these headwater streams here in northcentral Penn­ fish was relatively simple in those days, without the help of sylvania, you fish under overhanging branches and brush that videos and television programs showing me how to cast 30 yards is about impossible to cast a fly through." of shooting head line. I took one of the rods to my favorite Bill's methods rely on short, pin-point casts, usually roll casts, trout brook, Jones Run, as I recall, and caught a nice mess of mending line, and reading the special nature of head water freestone native trout. streams. Fly-fishing has gotten a lot more complicated since then, I am sorry to say. Don't blame it on the yuppies, though, or on One with the stream highfalutin' outdoor writers. Fly-anglers, some of them, any­ "Reading that stream is the number one thing," Bill teaches. way, have always tried to make fly-fishing seem somehow superior He likes to call it "becoming one with the stream," studying and far more difficult than any other kind of fishing. But as each pool so you can accurately predict what mood the trout vices go, this is not such a bad one, I suspect. After all, though will be in, and where they will be. it is really not difficult at all, it is a noble sport, and its ability "Trout need three things. They need comfort, which is the to sooth the nerves far outweighs some trifling myths fly-an­ temperature of the stream. They need food. When we add the glers might perpetuate. third thing, shelter, we have all the things trout need. Com­ Bill Haldaman, who lives near Coudersport, is an expert at fort, food and protection. That would be a primary lie," Bill catching trout on flies in the small freestone headwaters streams says. fished by most Pennsylvania anglers. My first fishing experi­ Some pools might have two or three primary lies. The big­ ence with Bill included a brief lesson in roll casting. From it I gest trout occupy the primary lies. These places are so perfect learned more about casting than I have since that first day on that as long as stream flow and temperature allow it to remain Jones Run. a primary lie, trout never have to leave. Here are some of Bill's heads-up ideas on fishing freestone Trout are either in a primary lie, or in a secondary lie. A headwater streams. secondary lie has at least two of the three things trout need. It You might wonder how headwaters fishing is different from always provides comfort, and it also provides either food or other fly-fishing, and how Bill's methods are different from tra­ shelter. A secondary lie that provides comfort and food can ditional fly-fishing. be termed a feeding lie.

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 21 the good hatches are done for the year. Now it is time to use terrestrials—imitations of grasshoppers, beetles, crickets and ants. When the water temperature rises above 70 degrees, trout seek cooler water. If your thermometer tells you this, look for Can an angler get by with just flies'? Bill makes these trout where springs enter the stream. suggestions for a basic freestone headwater fly selec­ After you determine with the thermometer the trout comfort tion. zone, their mood, and the proper type of fly, the next step is to Start with an attractor pattern nymph, the Hare's Ear, locate cover, such as logs, boulders, depth or overhanging banks. which is a general nymph imitation, in sizes 8 through Then determine which current will carry your fly to the pri­ 20. This is probably the most important fly in the box, mary lie. because trout feed mostly on nymphs and they feed on them all year. Learn to roll cast Bill's favorite streamer is the Zonker, though he usually Roll casting is an important part of Bill's system because there suggests a dace-nosed minnow to his students. The is seldom room for a back cast in headwaters streams. streamer selection should include sizes 8 through 14. Why do anglers have trouble roll casting? The basic dry flies are the Adams, which is a generic Bill says, "First, they don't want to stop and wait for that mayfly imitation, and the Humpy, which imitates cad­ rod to load up. Second, they forget to hesitate at eye level before dis flies. Both should be in sizes 12 through 22. the follow-through." The box is not complete without terrestrials. One of A proper roll cast, as Bill teaches it, goes like this: the best is the ant, which can be fished either wet or dry, • Load the rod by pulling it back to the 1 o'clock position. The in sizes 10 through 24. line falls back behind the rod, producing the load. "If an angler fishes from the last week of May right • Look where you want to cast. up to winter, he could probably fish with an ant and catch • Snap the rod forward to eye level and then hold it there. The as many trout as anybody," Bill says. line should roll and straighten out in front of you. Choosing a fly begins with "becoming one with the • After the line straightens, it falls. As it begins to fall, follow stream." This tells you which type of fly—nymph, through with the rod by lowering the rod tip to fishing posi­ streamer, wet, dry, terrestrial—you should use. Then tion, about 8 o'clock. it becomes a matter of finding a fly the trout like. This "At the same time that I am coming down into fishing posi­ can be the standard problem of matching the hatch. Size, tion, my line is coming underneath my first two fingers on my Bill says, is the most important thing to match—then rod hand. Because at that instant when the line hits the water, color and then pattern. Size is usually enough.—MB. nine times out of 10, with native and wild trout, the trout is going to take the fly the instant it hits the water," Bill says. "If you're stuck holding your line in your left hand and your rod in your The first step in evaluating the stream is to check the water right hand, you can never set the hook." temperature. Bill believes a thermometer is one of the most important tools a fly-fisherman can carry. The temperature tells Mending downstream you how trout behave, and which types of flies you should use. Bill explains why mending is so important: Trout metabolism slows to the point where they feed very "I fish current. I fish lies. Because cover limits casting, I little when the water temperature is below 40 degrees. Then cast to a spot and use the current to get the fly where I think the angler must put the fly so close to the trout that it requires the trout is. I use the current to take the fly naturally to the hardly any effort for it to take the fly. Bill suggests nymphs or trout." streamers weighted with splitshot to get the flies down to the Mending, manipulating the line to get a drag-free drift, takes trout. on a new dimension with Bill's downstream presentation. Rather As the water temperature rises above 40 degrees, trout ac­ than an eventually futile attempt to fight the current, which is tivity increases. Nymphs and streamers are still effective flies, always the case with cross-current or upstream fishing, down­ and wet flies, too. But the trout are willing to move farther to stream mending puts the current to work, completing the pre­ take them. sentation of the fly. "Once the temperature starts to come up, we start to look for Line control and rod tip control allow anglers to fish the entire emerging insects," Bill says. "During the emergent stage, fish stream. The key to line control during the drift is the rod tip. in the film. You don't want it on the bottom, but you don't want The tip of the rod places the line in the correct current, and flips it on the top." of the tip lay loops of line on the water. As these loops drift The film, from the surface to a depth of about 3 inches as with the current, they pull more line through the guides. They defined by Bill, is fished with emergent-type flies. act as a spring between the rod tip and the fly, coiling and straight­ "Trout are most active between 53 degrees and 67 degrees," ening to eliminate drag on the fly, until you want it. Bill says. "At the same time, nature has the insects hatching. These three things—becoming one with the stream, roll-casting When the water hits 53 degrees, you probably start to see some and downstream mending—are the keys to Bill's downstream duns coming up. The emergent stage now gets to the surface, fishing methods for fly-fishing freestone headwater streams. pops out of the film, and now they have to dry their wings." Mastering them without an instructor takes somewhat longer, While the water temperature is in this range during spring but just knowing what to do can make you a better angler. and early summer, this is the time for dry-fly fishing. The season should be factored in here. By August most of

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler More Headwaters FISHING TIPS ORVL • The better dry-fly fishing occurs during May, June and July. Then it tapers off and you are into terrestrial fishing. "sags* •• Most trout feeding throughout the year is sub-surface. You can fish nymphs anytime. The good anglers are good nymphers. •. Often there is an open "fairway" over the center of the stream where you can use the standard overhand cast and back cast. •• Water depth is often the most important form of cover in small headwaters streams. •• From mid- to late summer when trout feed heavily on terrestri­ als, overhanging banks, or overhanging grass, can indicate primary lies. •.When you fish unfamiliar streams, stop at a local fly shop to learn which flies imitate the current hatches. •• Hatches can be reliably predicted within seven to 10 days from year to year. •• Trout are opportunists—they eat what's available when they're hungry. Presentation is the most important thing. •• Once the hatch is out there, it becomes a lot easier to catch fish by matching the hatch. •• A good rule of thumb: Dark fly colors early in the season, April and May, and as the season progresses, the colors lighten. •.The water temperature may drop 10 degrees at night, so fish nymphs early in the morning, even during early summer. Hatches do not occur until the water warms a few degrees with the sunlight.—MB. m.

A Matched OUTFIT The rod is critical to roll casting. Bill likes a rod with As soon as you hook a big fish, you should get the line a stiff back and a quick tip. out of your hands, and play the fish off the reel. "What I call our trout rods are 4-, 5-, and 6-weight rods "When you play big fish off the line," Bill says, "the next between 6 1/2 feet and 8 feet long," Bill said. "I'd stay thing you know you are tangled in brush, or you're stand­ with a name brand rod. Those are the people that invest ing on your line, and you lose the fish." in research and development." The line should match the rod according to the manufacturer's Bill objects to the notion that the main job of a fly-fishing rating. Bill suggests weight-forward floating lines for this reel is merely to store line. fishing. "If you are fishing for 10-inch trout, the reel doesn't Leaders depend on the fishing situation. Bill uses short really mean anything," Bill says. "But you might get an leaders when he uses streamers weighted with splitshot, 4 opportunity to catch one of the biggest fish of your life­ feet to 6 feet long with a 3X or 4X tippet. For nymph fish­ time. You may have the opportunity to get into a 6-, 7-, ing, even if he might expect to try a dry fly sometime dur­ or 8-pound fish. And they're here. We certainly have ing the day, he likes 7 1/2-foot leaders with a 4X or 5X tip­ them in Pennsylvania." pet. When he fishes strictly dry flies, he uses a 9-foot leader The major problem with playing big fish with a cheap with a 5X to 7X tippet. When the water is low and clear, reel is the drag. Cheap reels generally do not have good as it often is during summer when he uses terrestrials, he drag systems. may drop down to an 8X tippet.—MB. I can't remember who rec­ ommended those two old standbys, but it was good advice. The Hare's Ear seemed to work well anywhere, particularly in lime­ stone streams such as Spring Creek in Centre County. And the Zug Bug— or Lead-Winged Coachman or anything else with a peacock herl body, for that matter—was especially deadly on the brook trout in the mountain streams of central Penn­ sylvania, where I grew up. No matter what was hatching or the time of year, when I wanted to fish be­ neath the surface, that's all I used. Period. Back then I never anguished about which fly to select, never had to pick through a box stuffed with a baffling array of nymphs, never fooled around at the fly tying vice attempting to blend fur and synthetics to get just the right shade to imitate a particular bug's abdomen. Oh, for the good old days. Well, actually, the good old days are here again for me. I'm back to using just a handful of nymph patterns and I still catch a few trout. But in between now and when I didn't Things have gotten so darned com­ know much about fly fishing (some might say I still don't) was a period that lasted de­ plicated. When I was a kid, a wet- cades when I tried about every nymph pattern that had been invented. At one time or an­ behind-the-ear angling fanatic other, they all caught trout—and failed to catch trout. who thought he knew a lot about What they did mostly, however, was confuse me. And apparently I'm not the only one. I fly fishing, I never used any have a close friend who works in a high-brow fly fishing shop and he says the most common patterns below the surface but question he hears is, "Which nymph patterns work best?" a Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear If you have been around this sport a while, you know there is no right answer to that question. and a Zug Bug. And I But if you fish in Pennsylvania, I think you can carry a few patterns that prepare you for most nymph- caught a lot of trout. fishing situations. My suggestions are not based on magic, rocket science or voodoo—just what has worked best for me over the years.

Montana When you know there are stone flies in a stream, a Montana is a good selection. If you are not sure, ask the locals. There are more realistic stone fly imitators to human eyes—such as the Kaufman's Stone—but a Mon­ tana has always worked best for me.

24 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Zug Bug Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear I mentioned how the Zug Bug works in mountain streams Any time, any place trout live, a Hare's Ear can catch them. already, but it is also the best fly I have found for use in streams It looks like nothing—and everything. Perhaps the best thing where the large populations of Isonychia mayflies live. When about this pattern, and about fur nymphs in general, is that the the Isonychia nymphs get active in May and June in streams more beat up they get (from trout teeth), the more appealing such as Penns Creek in Union County, the Zugger is the pat­ to fish they seem to become. tern to use.

Pheasant Tail Caddis Larva I have done a lot of fishing in those storied streams in Many anglers probably don't even consider this fly to be a Pennsylvania's northcentral region early in the season. On April nymph. But I fish it like one. In streams like Huntingdon County's mornings when we expect blue quills, quill Gordons or Little Juniata River, where the hardy caddis is king (probably Hendricksons to hatch from streams such as Kettle Creek, a because decades of pollution were harder on the mayflies), carrying Pheasant Tail nymph is an automatic. It must look a little like a caddis larva fly is a must. You can also fish it effectively on the nymphal form of all those bugs because it usually works. a long line downstream, twitching it occasionally like a wet fly. It's often a killer on big streams such as Pine Creek. Carry at least green and brown patterns.

Glo Bug This one is definitely not a nymph, and if you are a purist, disregard this paragraph. But if you want to catch trout in the early spring especially, use Glo Bugs in pink, yellow and orange. Put a drop or two of attrac- tant on your Glo Bugs every now and then. You'll double your strikes. I believe trout think these things are eggs.

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Tellico I don't have any idea what trout think Tellicos are, but I have caught a lot offish on them. They seem to work in most streams at one time or another. The yellow body might remind trout of a little yellow stone fly or a scud. I know of at least one talented nymph fisherman who regards this pattern as his secret weapon.

Weight Many fishermen never quite seem to develop the knack for If you tie your own flies, weight your nymphs with lead wire. catching trout on nymphs. For years I used them only when When I was learning, I read a bunch of nonsense about how nothing was hatching, and I'm convinced most of the fish I caught weighted flies don't act realistically in the currents. Now I know were accidents. To this day I watch individuals who are re­ the most important thing in nymphing is putting your fly near ally good at nymphing and wonder how they do it. the bottom where trout are used to seeing the naturals. Often, They seem to have a sixth sense that tells them what is hap­ you need weighted flies and several BB-sized splitshot to do pening near the bottom where the nymph is. Often, after they the trick. have caught a fish, if you ask them how they knew to set the If you use removable splitshot, you can experiment with weight. hook, they can't tell you. It's instinct that comes from prac­ Get your flies down! Don't be afraid to lose a few to snags. If tice and keen observation. And it may have something to do you don't hang up occasionally, you aren't fishing deep enough. with extraordinary eyesight. But there are a few things you can try that can help you catch more fish. Fish two flies And even if you don't develop that uncanny ability to know Use a weighted nymph at the point and an unweighted pat­ just when a trout has sucked in your fly—I still don't have it tern on a short dropper up about 15 inches. Add a splitshot or and I suspect I never will—you can become skilled enough to two between the flies, depending on the current. Using two catch fish regularly and feel good about it. You may not get flies gives you a chance to catch more fish, because all trout so good at it that you'll want to fish nymphs all the time, but in a stream aren't feeding on the same kind of bugs at the same you can become proficient enough that you won't feel help­ time. less when nothing is hatching that you can see. Here are a few practical ideas. Patterns, sizes You need to develop some confidence in a few patterns. Unlike Strike indicators dry-fly fishing, where you can see what trout are eating, when I fooled around with foam stick-ons, yarn and brightly painted nymphing, you are operating on faith that your fly is a good cork indicators for years before I discovered the Holy Grail of imitation offish food. After you catch a few trout, you start to nymphing. I never felt confident fishing with nymphs until a believe, and that faith is what leads to success. friend showed me how to use inch-long sections of fluorescent If you carry the patterns mentioned in the accompanying story, fly line as indicators. that's a good first step, because they fool Pennsylvania trout. All of a sudden I could catch lots of trout on nymphs. Now Tie them or buy them in sizes 12, 14 and 16 and experiment. I tie 7 1/2-foot leaders with three indicators built in, held in Sometimes a small nymph takes trout when a larger fly doesn't, place by the leader knots. You can buy the fly line pieces at but usually the bigger ones work. most good fly shops. Fish straight upstream Pick the right water The easiest way to catch fish on nymphs is to wade into a If you aren't a skilled nymph fisherman, make it easy on yourself. position directly downstream from a fish's lie and cast above Stay away from those waist-deep to chest-deep runs with heavy it. This lets the fly sink without drag, caused by the current current where you can't seem to keep your fly on the bottom, pull ing on the line. You need to achieve a natural drift. If you no matter how much weight you use. Stick to pocket water and cast straight upstream, you can most easily detect the often subtle shallow riffles, about knee-deep to thigh-deep. You will be able leader movements that signal a trout has taken your fly. Keep to detect strikes and catch fish. your casts as short as possible. If you have to do much more than flip your leader and a few feet of line, you are not close enough.—JM. 26 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Q) 5

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Green Drake

What a terrible day to plan a fly fishing trip! As By the time the four of us began casting Green Ken and Kathy Rictor, Bryan Meek and I prepared Drake patterns toward rising trout, a second smaller to head for a day of late-May matching the hatch, mayfly appeared on the surface. Anglers call this we added extra layers of clothing. The weather smaller insect a tiny blue-winged olive (Acentrella reminded me of a day one might hit on the open­ Carolina). To match this insect you have to use ing week of the trout season—not one in the last week a size 22 imitation. Few trout fed on this second in May. I had promised all three anglers that we'd supply of food. hit some explosive hatches this time of year—but But wait! Just a few minutes later a size 16 with this cold, dreary weather all bets were off. pale-yellow mayfly also appeared on the surface. We entered the Little Juniata River shortly after Anglers match this latter hatch with a Sulphur noon just above Barree and tried to decide which imitation. pattern to select. Then it happened! First, a few huge That's three hatches occurring at the same time. green drakes fluttered on the water in a desperate But wait! There's more. Within minutes, a re­ attempt to escape from the surface. Within a half- spectable hatch of slate drakes and little blue-winged hour, hundreds of duns—on the surface and in the olive duns (Baetis tricaudatus) added to the pa­ air—appeared in and above the pool in front of us. rade of mayflies now floating past the four of us.

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler By 1:30 p.m. on the Little Juniata River that late May, we had feeding on the few green drake naturals too cold to take flight. more than two dozen trout rising within casting distance of us I switched to my Green Drake pattern and cast along a deep and five separate decent hatches appearing. Which hatch should rock ledge at the far shore. A huge ring and a trout had sucked we match? in the pattern. Within minutes I had landed a 17-inch brown on that drake pattern. Now even the drake hatch ended and 20 different patterns the surface became still. If you count the nymph, emerger and dun for each of the five That momentous day with five separate heavy hatches could insects that appeared that late May day, that's a choice of 15 have turned into one of those frustrating, less rewarding days different patterns trout could be taking. Add trout taking duns if we had not taken time during the heat of these hatches to observe with trailing nymphal shucks still attached and you now have how and on what the trout were feeding. 20 potential patterns. You might think that the previous story about seeing all the What do you do when you're confronted with several hatches hatches would be unusual on Commonwealth streams and rivers. appearing at one time? Copy the most prolific hatch? Imitate Not so! I've witnessed multiple hatches or spinner falls on many the largest insect? Most fly fishers would do what we attempted of our great waters. first—match the largest fly you see on the surface, the green Another river that consistently holds several hatches in late drake dun. Why not? Any trout could quickly satisfy its ap­ May is the Delaware River. Bob Sentiwany of Lehigh Tan­ petite with just a few of these large duns. Trout feeding on the smaller sulphur or on one of the tiny blue duns would take much longer to get the same amount of food. Right? But trout don't think that way. For more than an hour the four of us attempted to cast size 10 Green Drakes into a brisk north wind. Not one of those two dozen trout even looked at the pattern. The more trout rose, the more frustrated we became. I noticed that several trout in front of me keyed in on the smaller sulphur. I took time out and watched some of the duns in front of me. For every trout that took an escaping green drake nery and 1 fished a section of the river just across from Hancock, dun, five fed on sulphurs. I also noticed that the more the green New York, several years ago. That late May evening we hit drake quivered as it escaped from its nymphal shuck, the more fishable hatches of gray foxes, pink cahills, and black caddises. trout took this larger morsel. When there's no hatch on the Delaware, you can experience After watching the procession of mayflies in front of me for an extremely frustrating trip. Add a hatch or two to this pro­ what seemed like a half-hour, I switched from the Green Drake ductive water, and match that hatch, and you can sample a re­ pattern to a Sulphur. I then took time out to search the surface ally successful day. Several times during that evening we had for trout feeding on the sulphur natural. When I spotted one to switch from one pattern to another to catch feeding trout. I'd cast a few feet in front of it and wait. Within minutes I picked up several trout on the Sulphur imitation—for a frustrating hour Hotspots of fishing before I had caught none on the Green Drake pat­ But other than the Little Juniata and Delaware rivers, are there tern. other good trout waters in the state that hold multiple hatches? Steven Osborne of Tyrone fished nearby and he also noticed I've seen four mayflies appear in ample numbers on Big Fish­ this phenomenon. He also changed from the larger Green Drake ing Creek in Clinton County in mid- to late April. On that same to a Sulphur. I suggested to Ken Rictor, who fished some 100 high-quality central Pennsylvania stream in late May I've seen feet below me, to change to the smaller yellow pattern. Al­ sulphurs, green drakes, slate drakes, and pink cahills compete most immediately Ken began catching holdover brown trout for the angler's attention. on the Sulphur. I've also seen blue quills and quill gordons appear at the same Bryan Meek stayed with the Green Drake pattern. He scanned time on little Stony Fork Creek just south of Wellsboro. Hit the surface in front of him for trout feeding on this larger dun. the delayed-harvest section of the First Fork of the Sinnemahoning When he spotted one and cast above it, he usually got a strike. around the end of May and you'll see a veritable smorgasbord The multiple hatch continued for most of the afternoon. Ken of hatches like the brown, green and slate drakes, sulphurs and Rictor and I stayed with Sulphur patterns and caught trout. Bryan more. Hit Yellow Creek 30 miles south of Altoona near the Meek stayed with the larger Green Drake and he, too, caught end of May and you'll see green drakes and sulphurs and more trout. We all caught trout on different patterns because we looked emerging at the same time. for trout feeding on the natural that our pattern copied. Pick any of several dozen productive streams throughout the By 7:00 p.m., only a few green drakes remained on the sur­ state and you're likely to see two or three hatches, especially face—all other hatches had ended. I spotted several heavy trout in mid- to late May. In the sidebar on page 29 I've listed more 28 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler than 20 of these streams that hold more than one hatch in late water in late May and you might see brown drakes, gray foxes, May. Add streams that hold multiple hatches in mid-April and slate drakes, blue-winged olives, light cahills and green drakes later in the season, and the number goes above 50. competing for the trout's attention. On many evenings when I came to this scenic stream to fish the brown drake, I ended up Rules using a Slate Drake or Light Cahill pattern to catch trout and Witnessing more than one hatch can be a very common oc­ save a non-productive trip. currence in the state, especially around the end of May. What The next time you're on a productive Pennsylvania stream are some of the rules you should follow if you hit those days and you see double—or even triple—will you have determined when you see more than one hatch on a stream? what's happening? Take a few minutes before you begin to • J^irst, and this goes for any time I fly fish, before you begin determine which insect and what phase of that insect most of fishing take time to see what's happening. Look around and the trout are taking. By studying the water before you start, see if there are any trout feeding. If you see trout rise for food, you can often turn an apparently frustrating experience into a try to learn what they're taking. rewarding one. • When we see trout rising, too often most of us begin fishing to them immediately. If we take a few minutes to see what's happening, we might determine what trout are feeding on. • If you see trout surface-feeding, are they taking duns on the surface or are they taking emergers just under the surface? Look Multiple Hatches at the rise forms. Are they splashy? If so, maybe trout are feeding in May on caddis flies or mayfly emergers. • Do you see more than one insect on the surface? See if you 1. Sulphur can find out which one most of the trout are taking. Or do as I 2. Green drake did in the previous story and fish to those trout taking the in­ 3. Brown drake sect you're copying. By taking just a few minutes during a frenzied 4. Slate drake feeding episode, you can make the difference between success 5. Blue-winged olive dun or failure. 6. Light cahill • Don't get too attached to the pattern you're using—if it doesn't 7. Little blue-winged olive dun work, try another. Larger is not always better. Remember, if 8. Tiny blue-winged olive dun more than one insect appears on the surface, trout often take 9. Gray fox the smaller one. As with the earlier story, trout often prefer 10. March brown the smaller sulphur natural over the much larger green drake. 11. Pink cahill Fly fishers often learn this baffling truth after years of fishing the drake hatch. Streams with • Multiple hatches can often include at least one spinner or caddis fly. I've experienced evenings on Penns Creek where four or Multiple Hatches five different spent spinners attracted the trout's attention. I've witnessed countless evenings when to be successful you had in May ^ to match four or five different falls in the span of a half-hour. 1. Little Juniata River • The more you know about mayflies, the better you'll be pre­ 2. Yellow Creek pared to fish spinner falls. Often around the end of May you 3. Canoe Creek see sulphurs, green drakes, gray foxes and a dozen other com­ 4. Big Fishing Creek mon mayflies. Many of the spinners or egg-laying adults of 5. Penns Creek these mayflies lay their eggs on the surface near dusk. If you're 6. First Fork of the aware of the hatches that appear on a particular stream, you'll Sinnemahoning be prepared to fish spinner falls. In late May when you're on 7. Oswayo Creek a stream, look skyward just before dusk and you'll probably 8. Oil Creek see thousands of spinners heading for a riffle to lay their eggs. 9. Delaware River 10. Lehigh River When to go 11. Yellow Breeches At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that we hit a multiple 12. Pine Creek (Potter County) hatch in late May. Late May and early June are probably the 13. Cove Creek best time to hit these multiple hatches. But you can experi­ 14. Brodhead Creek ence the frustration or success from these hatches from early 15. Kettle Creek April through October. On Big Fishing Creek in mid- and late 16. Driftwood Branch of the Sinnemahoning April I've seen four and five hatches on the water at one time. 17. Cross Fork Creek On the trophy trout section of this fertile stream, I've noted blue 18. Bald Eagle Creek (Tyrone) quills, quill Gordons, hendricksons, and little blue-winged ol­ 19. Spruce Creek ives create multiple-hatch days. Add to the four mayflies an 20. White Deer Creek ample supply of grannom caddis flies and you might be in for 21. Wills Creek another frustrating matching-the-hatch day. 22. Brush Creek—CRM. I've hit other days on Pine Creek near Cedar Run when that once-great water produced multiple hatches. Fish that great May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 29 Adopt-a-Stream commended On August 6, 1992, Karl Lute, Adopt-a-Stream Area Coordinator, and his assistant, Brian Stitzer, began supervising and constructing a fish habi­ tat improvement device known as a "mud sill" at the Whitehall Parkway, on Coplay Creek. Lutz designed and implemented the plans for the Whitehall Parkway. His efforts and the efforts of his team were in largely the reason for this area receiving the first place award in the "Take Pride in Pennsylvania" campaign. Last December, Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, gave Lutz an Executive Commendation for his efforts to

protect the natural resources of the Whitehall The mission of the Pennsylvania Parkway. Fish & Boat Commission is to Karl Lutz (left) and Brian Stitzer (right) provide fishing and boating opportunities through the protection and management of aquatic resources. fingler's Notebook fy Sam &*•*# EXECUTIVE OFFICE Edward R. Miller. P.E., Executive Director Lawrence W. Hoffman. Executive Assistant Use this easy way to check your boat trailer C- Blake Weirich. Planning Coordinator Dennis T. Guise. Chief Counsel hubs. Prop up each wheel, one at a time. Spin John Arway. Division of the wheel by hand and listen closely. Do you Environmental Services Joseph A. Greene, hear grinding sounds? Does the wheel labor Legislative Liaison to turn? If the wheel makes noise and doesn't Lois J. Telep, Executive Secretary

turn easily, you need to replace some of the hub's COMPTROLLER internal parts, or at least repack the hubs with Ross E. Starner grease. Inspect the inside of the hubs or let your BUREAU OF dealer do the job. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 717-657-4522 Allison J. Mayhew, Director Crappie fishing picks up in May in many wa­ Rafael Perez-Bravo, Personnel Glen Reed. Federal Aid terways because the fish gather in shallow water Mary Stine. Fishing Licenses to spawn. Locating crappies is a key to suc­ BUREAU OF FISHERIES cess. To find them, fish small minnows at dif­ 814-359-5100 Delano Graff, Director ferent depths until you locate a school. Then Rickalon L. Hoopes. switch to crappie jigs. Be prepared with both Division of Research Fish fact: The American shad is distrib­ live bait and artificials because crappies can refuse Richard A. Snyder. uted along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Division of Fisheries Management one offering in favor of the other. Dennis C. Ricker, North America. Males, or "bucks," caught on Division of Trout Production Martin T. Marcinko. Division of hook and line average about 19 to 22 inches For better shad action, arm yourself with darts Wann/Coolwater Fish Production long. Females, or "roes," average 22 to 24 in a variety of color combinations. Change your BUREAU OF PROPERTY AND inches long. dart every half-hour or so until you find the FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 814-359-5100 combination that scores. James Young. P.E.. Director Bivisible flies float well, even in fast wa­ James I. Waile, Division of ter and in riffles, and they account for many Walleyes like slow-moving, wobbling, deep- Construction & Maintenance Services Eugene O. Banker, P.E., trout. Try them in brown, gray, black, white running crankbaits. Work these lures in deep Division of Property Services and ginger. Like an Adams, a bivisible doesn't holes with rocky and gravelly bottoms. BUREAU OF represent a specific fly. LAW ENFORCEMENT Successful crankbait fishermen expect to lose 717-657-1542 Water falling over rocks in a pool can point a few lures now and then to snags, bottom ob­ Edward W. Manhart. Director the way to productive fishing. Trout and other structions, logs and brush piles. Don't worry BUREAU OF BOATING 717-657-4540 gamefish congregate below these areas because about losing a few lures this way—you have John Simmons. Director the tumbling water is aerated and cairies plenty Virgil Chambers, Division of to work crankbaits close to obstructions because Booting Safer}' & Education of oxygen to the fish. that's where you'll find gamefish. Andrew Mulch. Division of Boat Registration

The sulphur is one of Pennsylvania's most Fish have refined, highly developed olfactory BUREAU OF EDUCATION common mayflies. Sulphurs appear during senses. You can use this fact by applying scent & INFORMATION 717-657-4518 a two-week to four-week period about mid- and attractants to your lures. Attractants encourage Stephen B. Ulsh, Director May to mid-June. They usually hatch around Larry Shaffer. Publications fish to identify your offering quickly as food, Kimbcrly S. Mumper, Education dusk, but on cloudy, drizzly, cool days, the action and they encourage fish to strike. Carl E. Richardson. Education could commence during the day. Dave Wolf, Media Relations illustration- Ted Walke Art Michaels, Magazines Ted R. Walke. GrupJiic Design

30 May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler with Dave Wolf Pushing It to the Limit

If there were only one month of the year when I would be al­ the deficit between the large quantity of material I own and my lowed to fish, it would be May. As a lover of the long rod, May sparsely filled boxes of flies. is the time of year that some of the most important hatches come Fly-fishermen continue to delve into the mysteries of the trout off the water. It is also the month when winter finally leaves and other species they seek—some have gone as far as putting entirely and spring is upon us. Waters recede and begin to clear scuba gear on to study their behavior and daytime holding waters. and trout come willingly to a fly bounced on the currents of a Most have conducted unscientific studies of the creatures they fresh river. Admittedly, some of the better hatches occur dur­ seek and all have captured aquatic life to closely inspect and ing other months, but May is the month when fly-fishermen copy it. Many new patterns have evolved or at least altered are at their best. The time when old ones, and fly-fishermen have other methods of fishing become removed themselves from the need less productive and when fishing to use all natural materials and to with flies means that you will rummage through craft shops to cre­ be the top-ranked trout catcher ate flies out of material that granny on most days. used for afghans. The truth is that Of all the trout anglers among few flies are made out of all-natural us, fly-fishermen are without a materials. You're more likely to doubt the most cliquish. There find foam, a hunk of carpet, or are circles of fly-fishermen, leather attached to a hook these days inner circles and even a deeply than the hackle of a natural blue rooted core that presides over dun. the trout, bass, muskies or If fly-fishermen are to be brought whatever fish you seek. All have experts at the head table, and under the scrutiny of a fly-tying lamp, the golden factor of the if you attend trout fishing-related functions you will find one. fraternity is that they will not tolerate trout water degraded or Take the time to talk to a fly-angler and you will soon dis­ lost. They concern themselves with the welfare of the envi­ cover that once engaged in conversation, the expert's eyes will ronment and the habitat of the trout more than most, and many glaze over and they'll soon be casting in their mind to some I have known have lost sleep and even shed tears over waters unseen trout on an unseen river. Then an opinion of trout man­ lost. They preach conservation everywhere they go—to the masses agement will soon follow, and of course, the latest fly pattern and among themselves during late-night chats over the latest produced to capture this magnificent creature that has outwit­ leader material. They are concerned over public access and the ted everyone else. If this does not frighten you off, you may general masses, and for the most part have come to recognize find that the expert has taken your hand and you, too, will be other forms of fishing as having a rightful place along trout waters. casting an imaginary rod across a crowded room. The crowd If they seem a bit snobbish at times, forgive them. If they will be blotted out by the image of a river and casting to the behave as if trout were the most important thing on this planet, exact spot so that your fly finds its way to that gigantic trout try to understand. For them, clean streams and trout take pre­ lying beneath an overhanging alder. By the time your body begins cedence over almost everything. If you do not understand why to tremble, the expert will excuse himself to move about the wet flies have now become emergers and why nymphs are now room and exchange views with others. You may need shock the ultimate in fishing, replacing the dry fly that was, at one treatment or therapy to recover, or you may, as many have, run time, the only way to fish, be patient. out and drain the family's bank account to become part of the If you don't want to cast to unseen rivers and tricky currents, circle. do not mention trout in their presence—you see, they cannot Now, you may fly-fish without becoming part of a circle. But help that they have carried trout fishing to the limit. The glazed if you become a follower and join organizations associated with look as they pass you on their way to their favorite fishing spot the sport, you will soon find yourself amidst a hardcore group is not meant to be snobbish. Many could walk over you and that admits to carrying fishing to the limit. not know it, because they see only trout and they have a pocket No, I am not poking fun at fly-fishermen, for I, too, am an full of patterns they must try—and the day is slipping by and addict. If anything, this is a reality check. I will not tell you there may be no tomorrows. how many fly rods, reels and fly lines I own—I have lost count— Most do not want to fish any other way. Those who do would nor will I tell you of the great amount of fly tying material I need to be rehabilitated in a long and painful process that most own. You see, I have rationalized that only I can tie certain do not want to endure. But realize that most who have been patterns the way I want them, and it is cheaper to tie my own this far have the heart and soul of a conservationist within them, than purchase them. True, but I need to get tying to make up and that will be their greatest contribution to fishing.

May 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Many Trout, Few Anglers by Tom Greene

The following waterways provide worthwhile angling these waterways hold ample numbers of stocked throughout May and June. After the season opens. trout but have little fishing pressure.

Allegheny County Clinton County Franklin County Mercer County Bull Creek Kettle Creek Lake Conococheague Creek, Cool Spring Creek Deer Creek West Branch Shenango River Columbia County Bedford County Fishing Creek Huntingdon County Monroe County Yellow Creek Standing Stone Creek Brodhead Creek Crawford County Bedford/Blair Counties Conneaut Creek Jefferson County Potter County Bobs Creek Redbank Creek, North Fork Lyman Lake Crawford/Warren Sinnemahoning Creek, Berks County Counties Lackawanna County First Fork Antietam Creek Pine Creek Lackawanna River Manatawny Creek Somerset County Scotts Run Lake Cumberland County Lackawanna/Luzerne Piney Creek Childrens Lake Counties Berks/Lebanon Counties Yellow Breeches Creek Lehigh River Sullivan County Tulpehocken Creek Loyalsock Creek Dauphin County Lancaster County Bucks County Clarks Creek Octoraro Creek, West Susquehanna County Perkiomen Creek, Branch Starrucca Creek East Branch Dauphin/Lebanon Counties Lebanon County Tioga County Cameron County Stony Creek Quittapahilla Creek Beechwood Lake George B. Stevenson Reservoir Fayette Count Lycoming County Warren County Dunbar Creek Little Pine Lake Brokenstraw Creek, Little Chester County Youghiogheny River Lycoming Creek Brandywine Creek, Wayne County East Branch and Forest County Lycoming/Tioga Dyberry Creek, East Branch West Branch Tionesta Creek Counties Pocopson Creek Pine Creek York County Bald Eagle Creek

Tom Greene is the Coldwater Unit leader in the Commission's Division of Fisheries Management. Special thanks goes to the Commission area fisheries managers. WCOs and the Division of Law Enforcement regional managers and assistant supervisors for contributing this information.