JULY 1940 TEN CENT OFFICIAL STATE Vol 9—No
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WALLEYED PIKE JULY 1940 TEN CENT OFFICIAL STATE VoL 9—No. 7 PUBLICATION VNGLER? JULY, 1940 PUBLISHED MONTHLY COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA by the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS Publication Office: 549 Hamilton Street, Allentowm, Penna. Executive and Editorial Offices: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commis sioners, Harrisburg, Pa. CHARLES A. FRENCH Commissioner of Fisheries Ten cents a copy—50 cents a year MEMBERS OF BOARD CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairman Elwood City ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. MILTON L. PEEK Radnor HARRY E. WEBER NOTE Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER Philipsburg should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either by check or money order payable to the Common EDGAR W. NICHOLSON wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. Philadelphia Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. FRED McKEAN New Kensington PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper H. R. STACKHOUSE credit will be given to contributors. Secretary to Board All contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. Entered as second class matter at the Port Office C. R. BULLER of AUcntown, Pa., under Act of March 3, 1879. Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte Sn>- IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address Please give old and new addresses Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given Vol.9. No. 7 ^ANGLER/ JULY 1940 PYMATUNING SANCTUARY ENTION has been made in previous issues of cooperative agreements M with water companies on bodies of water under their control which will materially increase warm water distribution. On June 1, 1940, an agreement was signed by the Department of Forests and Waters, the Game Commission, and the Board of Fish Commissioners enabling the Board to establish a Fish Farm in the refuge area of the Pyma- tuning Reservoir. In the construction of Pymatuning Reservoir, Crawford County, comprising approximately 18,000 acres, a game and fish sanctuary of 3700 acres was created on the upper dam and adjacent land, 2500 acres of which are now covered with water. For the past two years we have made extensive biological surveys of this area, and as a result, it was found the sanctuary had reached a point in fish production where a certain amount would have to be removed annually to prevent loss. These fish are to be used in stocking the main body of the lake, the surplus to be distributed to the inland waters open to the public for fishing. This year's crop has already reached approximately 400,000 fish of the different warm water species, and up to this time 30 tons of adult fish have been made available for stocking. In addition 25 bushels of yellow perch eggs were taken to the various hatcheries where they were hatched and distributed. From all indications, it appears the sanctuary each year will produce sufficient pike and yellow perch eggs for all inland waters, and will also be a source of supply for sucker eggs. There will also be produced sufficient bass for the rearing ponds at several of the Board's Hatcheries, and in addition a sufficient number will be propagated at the sanctuary for distribution in the main body of the lake. This will also apply to bream, catfish and minnows. Plans are now completed for the construction of a two-story building which will contain a series of tanks for the sorting and handling of fish and the growing of bass fry to the fingerling stage. A number of pools will also be constructed for holding areas and the growing of daphnia. The primary purpose of this new Fish Farm is to keep the fish population under control, and at the same time the surplus removed will add greatly to our distribution of warm water fish. Corwnissioner of Fisheries 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER JULY BUCKTAIL 0*0kfWt*?Vi ••Ylt^lG -SILK TYINS SILK FIG. I. rie.z. SILVER PHEASENT FIBRES c TYINg -SILK -rvit~-ic5 SILK FIQ.3. FIG. A- FIG. 5. VE.L-L.OW CHENILLE i* «,l,i^r,-^1l"n^."l«m',Vr|.H1iVi"'t' V^ TYINq SILK TYING SILK F"iei. 6. FIG-7- '--SCRI5LE-T HACKLE TYING SILK FlG-e»- FIQ. B JUNGLE COCK FEATHERS TYING; SILK Fl<5- C* FIG- 10. FIG.II. lO-tfyf. 6-11-40 1940 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 3 BUCKTAIL FISHING By CHAS. M. WETZEL S far as I have been able to gather, buck- maintain that their fingers are all thumbs, I they deviate little from this position even A tails were first introduced to the United would urge them to try tying a few buck- when rising to a fly. Depend on it that when States by Emerson Hough, after returning tails, starting out with the Alaskans—the a trout reverses this procedure to chase a from a trip to the Arctic Circle These flies simplest of all flies to tie. These Alaskan bucktail downstream, it is doing something as used there by the natives—no one knows flies are very simply made, and I first saw contrary to nature and that it will revert to how long—were large and made entirely of them tied by an Algonquin Indian up in" its natural position with all possible speed. deer hair. At first bucktails were slow in Northern Ontario. Suppose, we tie such a fly. Sometimes they pursue the lure long enough to grab it, but in perhaps the majority of gaining a foothold in this country—it was Place a long shanked hook in the vise, difficult to imagine anything so large being cases, they grow uneasy over following its and with well waxed tying silk (size 00) downstream course, and make one last fling, good for trout—but size proved no obstacle, start winding over its own end, beginning and as word got around, as such things will, no doubt with the object of frightening it about an eighth of an inch back from the eye. before it gets out of sight. everyone started taking them up. For the Make a few turns of the tying silk, then swab Past ten years, a regular buctkail wave has the shank of the hook, including the wound But perhaps the greatest reason of all for been sweeping the country, meeting with s over portion with lacquer cement, so that short striking fish is that the bucktail is uch success that no one can deny, the fly the body will remain in position and not moved too fast in the water. Next time, try is here to stay. turn. Continue winding out to the bend of working it a little slower. My policy is to pull the bucktail directly across, or slightly As takers of large trout, bucktails have no the hook, where the tying silk should be left 6c hanging with hackle pliers attached. upstream, and to give the trout ample op lUal. Sometime check the flies used in the portunity to sieze it. This may or may not Prize winning fish contests; the number of Clip off a number of long white hairs from large trout taken on these lures will prove be the best way to do it, but the occasion is the tip of a deer's tail; place the butt of this rare when I lose a fish throat, short striking. astounding. There is something about the tuft near the bend cf the hook, so that the hucktail—probably the lifelike crawling In general, bucktails ar • fished near the hair is uniformly distributed about the shank, top of the water, abom six inches or so Motion of the hair as it is being worked then lash lightly in place. Don't exert any through the water—that proves irresistible to pressure on the tying silk at this stag' until underneath the surface, yet at times it is wout. They will come for it again and again, the butts are bound down; if you do th(; tiair necessary to go deeper, especially when the s° often in fact, that one wonders if the fish will buckle up and form an unsightly bu ge. trout are hovering near the bottom. For Can be put down; and this applies not only Now secure the hair in position with a num ordinary conditions, a split shot sinker size to old lunkers, but small trout as well. ber of firm turns, see Fig. 1. BB attached to the leader directly above the hook will suffice. If you tie your own, the Large brown trout feed mostly at night, With the butts of these hairs securely hooks cai: first be weighted with lead fuse 0r immediately after a rain which raises the lashed in place, wind the tying silk up near wire befort. the fly is constructed—on the Creek to a higher level. The reason for this the eye of the hook where it should be left whole a much better arrangement. Having ls more or less obvious, for under the pro hanging with hackles pliers attached. lost a considerable number of large trout tective mantle of darkness or discolored Now take the long hair in the rear, bend fishing bucktails with light gut, I now use water, the inherently shy brown trout boldly s it forward, and secure firmly in position im nothing lighter than IX, preferably heavier. ets forth on his foraging trips, secure in the mediately back of the eye. Fig. 2 represents One never knows when he will tie into an Knowledge that his movements are unobserv- the fly at this stage. old lunker, and why take chances on losing e<J, and that he can approach his prey with a Take this remaining tuft of hair coax it a nice fish? Examine the leader frequently, minimum of exertion.