JULY, 1938 TEN CENTS SMALLMOUTHED BASS OFFICIAL STATE JULY, 1938 PUBLICATION ^ANGLER? Vol
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JULY, 1938 TEN CENTS SMALLMOUTHED BASS OFFICIAL STATE JULY, 1938 PUBLICATION ^ANGLER? Vol. 7—No. 7 "n— 0CO PUBLISHED MONTHLY COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA by the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS 111 ft Ten cents a copy — 50 cents a year CHARLES A. FRENCH Commissioner of Fisheries 111 MEMBERS OF BOARD CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairman ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor Ellwood City South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. MILTON L. PEEK Radnor HARRY E. WEBER 111 Philipsburg SAMUEL J. TRUSCOTT NOTE Dalton Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER EDGAR W. NICHOLSON should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either Philadelphia by check or money order payable to the Common wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. FRED McKEAN Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. New Kensington H. R. STACKHOUSE Secretary to Board PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper credit will be given to contributors. AH contributions returned if accompanied by first C. R. BULLER class postage. Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte * K5V ««8*. IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address Please give both old and new addresses Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given Cover Painting by FRED EVERETT Vol. 7 No. 7 ^ANGLER/ JULY, 1938 EDITORIAL CONTROL THE WATERSNAKE HE watersnake today ranks as the major natural foe to fish life on Pennsylvania fishing waters. While not as voracious as that other bulky reptile, the snapping T turtle, watersnakes are far more numerous, and in many of our fishing streams and lakes constitute a serious menace to fish life. Active foragers from the time they emerge from hibernation in the spring until the first severe frost of fall, and adept in taking fish and frogs, these reptiles constitute in Pennsylvania's hard fished waters, a real problem. Our sportsmen, through well organized drives conducted in many sec tions of the Commonwealth, have played a major role in solving it. It has been contended by some naturalists in the past that the presence of water- snakes and other predators on our fishing waters serves as a vital link in nature's bal ance, tending to reduce overpopulation of fish life and weeding out diseased indi viduals that otherwise might result in serious losses to the various species. While this opinion conceivably has some hard-grained sense back of it, and particularly in the instance of natural balance when our streams were in a virgin state, much of its force is lost when we view the fishing picture here in Pennsylvania today. Under the present intensive fishing to which they are being subjected by our fishermen, there is little danger that overpopulation of the various species of fish life may exist in our Pennsyl vania waters. Cunning in its fishing methods and on the increase in some sections, the watersnake ranks as a serious consideration in our efforts to provide good fishing. Its control is mandatory. Any angler who has observed a good sized watersnake slip quietly into a pool in a trout stream, follow a terror-stricken trout beneath a rock or other cover and seize it, or has noticed the cleverness this reptile displays on warm water streams in taking fish or frogs, is certain to be convinced that the best snake is a dead snake. We have en deavored, however, in urging watersnake control, not to stress extermination of the species. There is little danger of this, for the habits of this reptile in its foraging, its habitat, the streams or banks of streams, and its prolific production of young fend to offset extermination. While August is an extremely good time in which to stage effective watersnake drives, due to the tendency of the adult females to become sluggish prior to giving klrfh |0 their living young, successive drives throughout the summer months yield a qood harvest of these reptiles. In a number of instances, organized sportsmen have sponsored drives for children, paying small bounties for snake tails turned in. These have proved highly successful. The sportsmen themselves have staged many intensive snake drives on pet fishing streams, armed with clubs, small calibre rifles and shovels. Often with a shovel, it is possible to kill from 8 to 15 young snakes under one rock during September. We have an opportunity this summer to stage a well-organized campaign against these predators in many counties of the state, and our fishermen themselves may con tribute immeasurably to the better fishing cause through their efforts. Sensible conservation calls for sound control of the watersnake, so let's make 1938 an outstanding year in thinning down natural fish enemy number I. Commissioner of Fisheries PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER THE BLACK BASS Facts Concerning Its Introduction to Pennsylvania Waters By J. FRED McKEAN Member, Board of Fish Commissioners EW modern anglers who have known been able to determine, this was the earliest When, in 1873, the Board of Fish Com Fthe savage strike of a bass, and its sub stocking with bass to be recorded in states missioners, then known as the Board of sequent picturesque breaks from the water on the Eastern seaboard. It was unique in Commissioners of Fisheries, decided to take to shake the hook, will concede that any plan, the fish being carried from the west bass from the Delaware for stocking other game fish in Pennsylvania is superior to in the water tank of a locomotive and ap waters of Pennsylvania, a splendid supply this hard-fighting gamester in any respect. parently suffering few if any injuries dur was available. Under the distribution plan It ranks, I believe, as the outstanding and ing their long journey. adopted, 2,044 mature bass were taken from perhaps most coveted quarry for thousands Heralded by sportsmen as game fish su the Delaware during the first year. Waters of Keystone State fishermen, and deservedly perb, the fame of the Potomac's bass spread stocked with these fish were the Lehigh so. When we consider the comparatively into other states. Six years later, a group River, North Branch and West Branch of brief period of time since its introduction of ardent anglers in the vicinity of Phila the Susquehanna River, Juniata River, Yel to our streams and lakes, its rise to domi delphia, familiar with the game and table low Breeches Creek, Chiquesalonga Creek, nance as a game species is truly remarkable. merits of the fish, raised a sum of $1,300 by Octoraro Creek, Pine Creek and Codorus Our fishermen today find two species of public subscription to purchase bass for Creek. The second years' stocking program bass in many of our outstanding waters, stocking. The fish, taken from the Potomac included Muncy Creek, Swatara Creek, the smallmouth and largemouth. In the at Harper's Ferry, were released in the Conestoga Creek, Mill Creek, Brandywine opinion of the writer, however, the small Delaware River at Easton and responded Creek, Pine Creek, Conroy Creek, Canton mouth will always rank at the top, not only favorably to their new environment. An Creek, Buffalo Creek, Penn's Creek, Wissa- as a fighting fish but as the first of the two abundant food supply and ideal spawning- hickon Creek, Little Conewago Creek, Cono- species to be introduced to Pennsylvania conditions were available for Pennsylvania's doguinet Creek, Marsh Creek Big Cone streams and lakes. first black bass, and ten years later they wago Creek, Big and Little Chiquesalonga Creeks, Susquehanna River, Allegheny River, The smallmouth bass was first brought to were plentiful in many sections of the Dela ware. Encouraged by the success attending and Saylors, Porter and Twelve Mile Lakes our waters in 1863. Prior to this introduc in Pike County. This widespread plan of tion, in 1857, to be exact, fifteen adult small- distribution of bass in the Delaware, sports men in southeastern Pennsylvania pur distribution resulted in an increase of bass mouths had been stocked in the Potomac in practically all waters of Pennsylvania. River in Virginia. These bass found, in the chased more bass for stocking a few years later. These fish, distributed in the Susque Almost without exception, when intro Potomac, a stream teeming with natural duced, the black bass became abundant. food and ideal in every respect to their hanna and Schuylkill Rivers, were also se cured from the Potomac. The original planting was made with the rapid increase in number. So far as we have hope that they would serve as an ideal substitute, from the game fish angle, for the brook trout, which, at that time, was rapidly disappearing from some of our streams. It soon became evident, however, that the stock ing of black bass in smaller bodies of water, would develop into a costly experiment. So abundant did they become in waters offering inadequate range, that other favorite spe cies of fish were threatened with extinction. In larger water areas, with their greater forage facilities, the bass was regarded as a fine addition to native spe cies of fish. Nature's regulation of bal ance in Pennsylvania's inland waters was vividly illustrated in the instance of the black bass. The tremendous food supply available for these voracious game fish when they were origi nally stocked was sufficient to carry an almost uninterrupted increase in number of bass dur ing a period varying from 10 to 20 years. Eventually, however, the vast numbers of bass pres ent in smaller waters resulted in a slaughter of other species. ,_ When the food supply dwindled, A group of adult smallmouthed bass. This species was first to be introduced to streams of Keystone State.