Pennsylvania a UGUST 1985/80$ ANGLER £Tone State'8 Official Fishing Magazine Regard for the Consequences
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Pennsylvania A UGUST 1985/80$ ANGLER £tone State'8 Official Fishing Magazine regard for the consequences. Thus, it is belongs to the phylum Chordata, which Straight includes animals that are bilaterally important that agencies such as the Fish Commission consider the entire ecosystem, symmetrical with a dorsal tubular central which is the major ecological unit whose nervous system, gill slits at some time in Talk structure is related to species diversity. development, and an internal skeleton. Agriculture and forestry are concentrating This phylum has a number of classes, more on monoculture, or single species including boney fishes, amphibians, and THE USE OF WORDS ecosystems, in spite of the difficulties and reptiles. In the past, there was a justifiably dangers that attend oversimplified The statement made had to do common complaint that scientists and ecosystems which lack the diversity of with snakes and included the word federal government employees use a species. "amphibians," so the definition of an language that is very difficult for the When the Fish Commission defends amphibian is perhaps necessary. These general public to understand. The colleges mud bugs (dragonfly nymphs), and when specimens have moist, glandular skin; and universities and, in fact, peer pressure we fight to prevent eroded hillsides and without external scales; usually with two have caused most scientists and some silt-clogged streams and lakes and the pairs of limbs; a three-chambered heart; federal government employees to drop scarcity of water, we do so for the benefit respiration by gills, lungs, lining of mouth many of the "buzz" words, and speak to of all mankind, which depends on more cavity, or skin; eggs usually laid in water; and with the public in comprehensible knowledge about the ecosystem than we and larvae usually aquatic in terms. now possess. Pennsylvania. These include mud puppies How often have we heard someone say, We also believe that it is important for or water dogs, hellbenders, many different "I am in favor of the ecology"? That's used those who mold policy to have a more salamanders and newts, toads, and several fairly commonly, and, speaking in all basic understanding of terms that are used species of frogs. frankness, does a disservice to the and how those creatures for whom the Our rattlesnake is not one of these, but resources and the people. The word terms are used are important in the whole it does fall under the class Reptilia or "ecology" comes from the Greek oikos, system of living in an interrelated reptiles, which includes turtles, terrapins, meaning "household" or "home" or "place community. tortoises, lizards, and snakes. to live"; thus, "ecology" (ogy means "study Recently, an expression related to These specimens have a dry but horny of") deals with the organism and its place the eastern timber rattlesnake was skin, usually with scales or scutes, and the to live. Basically this is the organism's used : "It is not an animal, it is an limbs when present are four. There are environment, so that ecology might very amphibian, reptile in that respect." over 6,000 species worldwide. To well be called environmental biology. That Just a simple lesson in the use of distinguish snakes from the other reptiles, word, "environment, "like a sin, covers a biological terms would include the they are divided into a number of orders, multitude of things. For one thing, the dividing of all living creatures into two and the important one in this case is environment includes the surroundings of kingdoms: the plant kingdom (plantae or Serpentes. The family we are looking for is the living creature, and those surroundings flora) and the animal kingdom Crotalidae. Thus, we finally come to the can be modified by the plant or animal (animalia/fauna). Because we are subject on hand, the eastern timber itself. primarily concerned with the animal rattlesnake, or Crotalus horridus. To Man, for the first time, has become the kingdom, it is important to know some of distinguish this animal from other types of dominant organism, changing the earth the basic terms used in describing animals. rattlesnakes such as the canebreak, the and its vegetation almost at will, with little The primary divisions of the animal specific name of the species is Crotalus kingdom are the phyla. Although phyla horridus horridus. are sometimes divided into subphyla, all Sorry about the use of well-proven, are made up of classes. Classes are groups respected textbooks, but given our of orders, and orders contain one family responsibility to protect, conserve, and or more. Families are divided into genera, enhance the quality and diversity of the and in each genus there is one or more resources of this Commonwealth, species. Let's take the animalia, of which including not only the fishery resource but there are some 22 phyla. The most reptiles and amphibians, we wanted to get important of these—that is, those with the this one on the books. It follows that in most estimated number of species, are the that pursuit, habitat protection and Arthropoda and the Chordata. conservation of the entire ecosystem are Arthropoda include many classes, the most necessary cogs in that wheel. including Arachnids (spiders and Crustacea The public and especially the media like crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, etc). quite often use words that they don't The greatest number of any living animals understand, and quite often give distorted are the class Insecta, and there are over viewpoints as if they were facts. Misuse of 800,000 of those. But getting to our main some commonly used words is misleading subject of the eastern timber rattlesnake, it and defeats the purposes of dialogue. Ralph W. Abele Executive Director Pennsylvania Fish Commission <52L£BJ2. ad- OrUx^ tr Pennsylvania AUGUST 1985 VOL. 54NO. 8 ANGLEPennsylvania R The Keystone State's Official Fishing Magazine ^: Summer Freestone Trout Fishing by Harry W. Murray Special tactics can help you score more in summer on freestoners Lake Arthur's Lunker Bass by Thad Bukowski Talk about up-and-coming waterways, about 20 percent of all large- mouth bass Angler's Awards are from Lake Arthur fish 8 The Fallfish — A Second Look by Jim Gronaw Fallfish are hard fighters and easy to catch. Who could turn that down? 12 Planning and Management of Small Ponds for Fishing by Robert B. Hesser Here's more than everything you need to know about these pint-sized pools 13 K.I.S.S. by An Michaels Cozy up to these ideas and you could make more fishing time for yourself and increase your catches 20 Go Deep for Summer Sunfish by Bill fgnizio Spring's easy pickin's are gone, but these ideas can help you dredge up platter-sized slabs even during the dog days 21 Choosing that New Rod by H. H. Redline Graphite, boron, glass, or a composite? These facts help you choose a rod that really meets your needs 24 Pennsylvania's Second Fish-for-Free Day 26 County Features—Philadelphia County by Sally A. Lipp and Delaware County by Mike Oreski 27 Straight Talk 2 Anglers Currents 18 Anglers Notebook 18 Notes from the Streams 19 The Cover This month's front cover, photographed by David P. Krupa, shows a Chest Creek trout that the author fooled in the Clearfield County portion of the stream. For complete details on how to fool trout in another unique habitat, see page 4. PENNSYLVANIA BOATING FISH COMMISSION ADVISORY BOARD Ross J. Huhn, Clayton Buchanan, President Robert L. Martin Chairman Saltsburg Bellefonte Pittsburgh Marilyn A. Black, Theodore T. Metzger, Jr. David Coe Vice President Johnstown State College Meadville Joan R. Plumly Helen B. Lange Walter F. Gibbs Jenkintown Sharpsville TitusviHe Jerome E. Southerton Leon Lyon Choosing rods page 24 Leonard A. Green Honesdale Bellefonte Carlisle J. Wayne Yorks Edward J. Rogowski Staff Calvin J. Kern Benton Holland Whitehall EDITOR / Art Michaels POSTMASTER: Send 3579 forms to Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA GRAPHICS / Ted Walke 17105-1673. Pennsylvania Angler (ISSN0031-434X), ©1985, is published monthly. Second class postage paid at Harrisburg, PA. Subscription rates: one year, $5; three years, $14; single copies are 80 cents each. PHOTOGRAPHER / Russ Gettig For subscription and change of address, contact Angler Circulation, Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. CIRCULATION / Eleanor Mutch Box 1673. Harrisburg, PA 17105-1673. Address all other correspondence to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1673. Editorial contributions are welcomed, but must be STAFF ASSISTANT / Jayne Povleski accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Submissions are handled with care, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of submissions in its possession or in transit. The authors' views, ideas, and advice expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission or its staff. «• iff i « _, • <«* ^r- by Harry W. 'Murray i i • photos by the author any of Pennsylvania's best freestone streams have good populations of wild, reproducing M trout, which is ample proof of their ability to adapt to tough summer conditions. By careful study and observation, you can adjust your fishing style to them and have some of the finest, most rewarding angling of the entire season. There are few freebies at this time of year; success is a reflection of your abilities to analyze the job at hand and select the appropriate tactics. A reasonable approach to soh ing the problems of summer trout angling would first be to examine the natural food which is available to the fish, then see how they handle it, and lastly, determine the appropriate means of cashing in.