Pennsylvania 80C ANGLESEPTEMBE R 1984 The Keystone State's Official Fishing and Boating Magazine A Straight Talk The Pennsylvania Fish Commission these units, making it difficult for • has a myriad of problems thrust upon it planning and for proper fiscal day in and day out. These complex management. Last December the i problems accompany our responsibilities Congress made it clear that all the units to fishing and boating activities, and were to remain open and that it would especially to the resource themselves. not tolerate the Administration's efforts t The proper solutions to these problems to withdraw federal doctorate research I require flexibility, ingenuity, creativity, scientists from the units. and common sense. We will never Early in 1983 final arrangements were pretend that we have all the answers in made to merge the Fisheries Unit and our organization, and our relationships the Wildlife Unit at the University, and with other agencies and with the public we did this even though there was still require more time than the average some threat of losing both units entirely. citizen realizes. In combining the two units, we were in One of the helps that we turn to is the no way signaling that there would be any university. The nation's leadership has reason to combine the Fish Commission regularly turned to universities in every and the Game Commission as major crisis in recent American history. independent administrative agencies. They have unlocked secrets of nuclear Combining the research units was done power, medicine, and at one end of the at a savings in personnel and because THE spectrum, research that benefits the some of the research projects overlap resources for which we are responsible. between terrestrial and aquatic biota; UNIVERSITY Although we serve on a number of this was a wise decision. We are pleased CONNECTION advisory committees to The that the merger has been completed and Pennsylvania State University, our that both units are now in the School of official relationship is through the Forest Resources, College of Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Agriculture, at The Pennsylvania State Unit. Some of the objectives are: (a) to University. Having the units together conduct research relevant to there is not only logical but it felt like Commonwealth and national aquatic homecoming. For years we have worked , and fishery resource needs, including with the Agricultural Extension people production, utilization, and management at the University in publishing the kind of fish, and to disseminate these results of materials that are useful to the public, for appropriate communications media; and making it official, in one place, has (b) to strengthen the professional boosted the morale not only of the Fish training of aquatic and fisheries scientists Commission and Game Commission at The Pennsylvania State University; staffs, but personnel and students and (c) to contribute to the continuing involved in the units. Dr. Robert Carline education of aquatic and fishery resource is the unit leader, and working directly workers. under him is Dr. Dean E. Arnold, Three years ago, the Reagan heading the Fishery Unit, and Dr. Administration announced that it was Gerald R. Storm, heading the Wildlife abolishing the 49 cooperative research Unit. Because we have both units in one units throughout the country. Although college and in one school in the the Congress repeatedly has rebuffed the University, the University has shown its three attempts to close the U.S. Fish and spirit of cooperation by adding a Wildlife Service's Cooperative Research fisheries professor to its faculty, and Units, there was a cloud hanging over things look gooci . Ralph W. Abele Executive Director Pennsylvania Fish Commission Pennsylvania SEPTEMBER 1984 VOL. 53 NO. 9 ANGLER Official Publication of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission Autumn Action for Largemouth Bass by Darl Black Drawn-down reservoirs and dying vegetation are your keys to more bass hook-ups in the fall. Here are the success secrets for this season of change. Protecting Your Investment by Chauncy A. Lively Your fly tying tools, equipments, and supplies deserve special 8 treatment for long-lasting service, and the author shows you how to get the most for your fly tying outlay. The New Blacklick Creek by David P. Krupa The Western Pennsylvania Fly-Fishermen's Association stream 10 improvement project is a success story that reveals the group's determination, dedication, and savvy. A Fly Fisherman's Guide to Fishing Southcentral Pennsylvania's Limestone Streams by Gerald A/my 13 So many changes have occurred on the Yellow Breeches, Big Spring. Falling Spring, and Letort! Here's a complete guide to those changes with inside information on how to up your score on these waterway gems. Gear Up for Careful Wading by An Michaels 24 The proper equipment contributes greatly to your wading safety, comfort, and efficiency. Here are some immediately useful ideas on improving your wading skills. County Features—Somerset and Payette Counties by Sam Hossler 27 These counties feature angling diversity, and Fayette County leads in the number of streams stocked with trout. Straight Talk 2 Anglers Currents 21 The Cover The Law and You 21 Anglers Notebook 22 Notes from the Streams 23 Locating bass and then offering something they'll go for is the key to catching more hawgs in autumn. This month's front cover, painted by John D. Lewis, Careful approaches page 24 illustrates an angler's moment of success during this season of change. For the complete how-to details, Staff see page 4. EDITOR/Art Michaels PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION BOATING ADVISORY GRAPHICS / Ted Walke Ross J. Huhn, President BOARD PHOTOGRAPHER / Russ Gettig Saltsburg Clayton Buchanan, Chairman CIRCULATION / Eleanor Mutch Marilyn A. Black, Vice President Pittsburgh STAFF ASSISTANT / Jayne Povleski Meadville Nicholas Apfl Walter F. Gibbs Theodore T. Metzger, Jr. Fairless Hills POSTMASTER: Send 3579 forms to Pennsylvania Titusville Johnstown Charles Chattaway Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA Leonard A. Greer Joan R. Plumly Monongahela 17105-1673, Pennsylvania Angler (ISSN0031-434X). c Sherwood Krum 1984 is published monthly Second class postage paid at Carlisle Jenkintown Harrisburg. PA. Subscription rates: one year. S5: three Calvin J. Kern Jerome E. Southerton Hawley years. $14: single copies are 80C each. For subscription and Whitehall Honesdale Leon Lyon change of address, contact Angler Circulation. Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673. Harrisburg. PA 17105- Robert L. Martin J. Wayne Yorks Bellefonte 1673 Address all other correspondence to: The Editor. Penn­ Bellefonte Benton sylvania Angler. P.O. Box 1673. Harrisburg. PA 17105-1673 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. jgfl ilk. w~ ^H^l mjggjk ft. K x „„ L ra/ss c*trrr/& Catch more bass during a season of change. Amtuwm Largemouth Bass by Darl Black o go or not to go—That is the question many Keystone State anglers ask when it comes to a fall Ttrip for largemouth bass. The autumn days may be picture perfect, and stories abound portraying this time as excellent for bass angling, but largemouth bass fishing during the fall is a boom or bust proposition. Pennsylvania anglers are faced with two situations in the early autumn that may play havoc with their intended plans for serious fishing. Receding water levels in flood-control reservoirs and decaying weeds in natural lakes are problems that anglers across the state are likely to encounter from mid-September through late October. Both situations are disruptive to bass behavior, and unless the angler adapts to these changing times, fruitless fishing hours may result. To provide you with a better understanding on how to locate and catch bass during a season of change, examine how experienced bass anglers cope with fall fishing. Drawn-down reservoirs Ken Dorusha is a tournament angler with a record of consistently finishing in the money. As a multi-season competitor, Dorusha must be adept at fishing whatever conditions come up. "It's a unique challenge locating bass when the reservoir is shrinking," he says. "With receding water, each week sees a change in the area available to bass. Knowledge of the impoundment's bottom structure is a great asset to the angler throughout the year, but it's especially true in the September 1984 5 Spoon work The second autumn "search-bait" on Dorusha's list is a Hopkins spoon. His technique calls for casting the spoon fall. To catch bass successfully under these changing and working it back to the boat with a pump and stop conditions, an angler needs to seek cover that has ready retrieve. The bass's view of the spoon is a short forward access to sufficiently deep water." burst of speed followed by a fluttering drop. This is similar During the summer months reservoir largemouth spread to the appearance of a dying gizzard shad or shiner. out amid a variety of cover. Bass apparently feel secure Plastic worms and weedless jigs are backup baits for under stable water levels, with old linesides penetrating the thoroughly fishing cover that comes into view as the water shallows some distance from deep water. You may yank a recedes. The dropping water slowly exposes a wealth of black bass from a deadfall, a little patch of grass, from stumps, logs, rock piles, beaver channels, and remnants of under a dock, a stump or whatever cover is available. But house foundations. when the dam gates open at the end of summer, the bass are forced to retreat ahead of the receding water. Natural lakes The impending threat of changing water levels Fishing guide Bob Tomasko spends considerable time on instinctively signals bass to relocate at sites that provide the waters of Pennsylvania showing clients how to catch immediate access to water deep enough to protect them.