January, 1936 OFFICIAL STATE JANUARY, 1936 PUBLICATION * an G LE Fc Vol
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m 0 January, 1936 OFFICIAL STATE JANUARY, 1936 PUBLICATION * AN G LE fC Vol. 5 No. 1 ••<>>= COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA PUBLISHED MONTHLY BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS by the PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS S3 S3 S3 ^P OLIVER M. DEIBLER Five cents a copy — 50 cents a year Commissioner of Fisheries C. R. BULLER Deputy Commissioner of Fisheriet S3 S3 S3 Pleasant Mount S3 S3 S3 ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. MEMBERS OF BOARD OLIVER M. DEIBLER, Chairman Greensburg S3 S3 S3 DAN R. SCHNABEL Johnstown LESLIE W. SEYLAR NOTB McConnellsburg 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 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. Individuals KENNETH A. REID sending cash do so at their own risk. Connellsville CHARLES A. FRENCH / Ellwood City HARRY E. WEBER PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contributions Philipsburg and photos of catches from its readers. Proper credit will bo given to contributors. MILTON L. PEEK Ithan All contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. H. R. STACKHOUSE Secretary to Board <>«= •«<» 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 ^ANGLER/ Vol.5 No. 1 January, 1936 EDITORIAL Sportsmen Cooperate trout during the season and killed only 8, another reports having gotten in Reducing Fish Kill 143 and killed 9. Another very in It has been definitely demonstrated teresting one comes from a gentle and proven beyond a doubt that good man who just recently became a natu fishing as a sport can be had in prac ralized citizen and who was an ardent tically every county in the Common bait fisherman and killer. He states wealth. It must not be understood in his letter his main object was to from the above statement that fish catch as many fish as he could fake ing can be furnished for those who home. This man writes me that he Pfiel measure their success by the amount was converted to the use of artificial and number of dead fish they bring lures, particularly fly fishing, last 5 Fish Per home as evidence of their prowess year and for the first time expe and ability as fishermen, but for rienced real sport in his fishing. He those who love their fishing as a writes me that a fly fisherman has it sport, the first statement in this ar all over the bait fisherman in that he ticle can be established. has something to keep him busy the Since the Spring Creek Project was twelve months of the year. After opened in the spring of 1934 there the fishing season closes and the have been over 15,000 visitors and winter comes on he is enjoying his with the exception of a very few in new love by tying flies, making dividuals who were not satisfied with leaders, and this winter expects to the number of trout they were al make himself a real fly rod. lowed to kill and take away, the At Ebensburg, Cambria County, project has proven entirely satisfac the boys enjoyed the first real trout tory and is endorsed by 99% of those fishing they have had in 25 years, who have enjoyed the privileges and after a group of four or five got per excellent sport that has been fur mission from the local water com nished. However, as I view it from pany to improve the small stream my contact with the fishing frater from which the city supply of water nity throughout the State, the great is taken. This was done in a very fine est benefit and value perhaps is re and efficient manner, after which we sulting in many similar projects be stocked the stream as heavily as we this kind, as in most other construc ing established locally through the felt it should be and restrictions were tive work, the burden usually falls State, by the local sportsmen, and set up permitting fishing only dur on a very few, who in most cases I when I give credit to the sportsmen, ing the daylight hours and a limit of have found to be not interested to I mean it, as these projects have been four trout per day could be killed. their own selfish ends, but rather that set up and inaugurated by those who In Delaware County under the sport may be provided for others. love their fishing from the sporting leadership of Phil Piatt and other Yet in many cases these men who do angle. Waltonians they secured permission things are the butt of criticism of The accompanying photograph is a from land owners along Ridley Creek those who usually find fault with typical notice of many similar ones to set up certain restrictions. This, most things that are constructive and throughout the State. This particu too, has resulted in producing the which require a great deal of effort lar one was gotten up by the Izaak finest and best sport the trout fisher on the part of comparatively few. Walton League of Kennett Square, men have had in that section of the It can be done, as has been de near Philadelphia. A group of newly State in many years. termined and the only thing that re formed Waltonians were enthusiastic I could go on citing many other mains to be seen is whether we want about such a project and got busy on examples throughout the State that good fishing as a sportsman judges improving the White Clay Creek, and have been both practical and in it. If we do, it can be had as we are then set up the limits as will be ob structive, and I dare say that from only too anxious to assist in every served on the notice. Fishing was the results obtained and inquiries way we can in the promotion of all limited to artificial lures with the we are receiving at the Harrisburg such efforts. barbs pressed down, and this project office that many more groups through has proven satisfactory beyond any the State will be doing likewise. In doubt by the results obtained and a this way sport can be furnished for number of letters which I have re the sportsmen without a great deal ceived from the devotees of this of effort and so long .as they play the <7\JLA^AKL^- sport. I have a number of letters game as sportsmen, really good fish from men who caught as high as 172 ing can be assured. For projects of Commissioner of Fisheries PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER Pennsylvania Record Fish for 1935 N reviewing the 1935 fishing season, one so many fishermen to Pennsylvania inland Creek, Bald Eagle and Penn's Creek in I fact stands out: it was a bass fisherman's waters as does still-fishing for suckers. Gen Centre County and the Lackawaxen in Pike year. True, nice catches of trout were made erally regarded as the greatest sucker fish and Wayne were extremely high for first- on many waters, in spite of inclement ing area in Pennsylvania are the central day anglers. This condition prevailed gen weather and heavy rains that prevailed counties, drained by the Juniata River and erally until well into May. An abundance in the trout areas during much of the season. its tributaries. Vast runs of suckers in of natural food washed from the stream It was also an average year for the sucker virtually all of the feeder streams to the banks and cold weather were also major fisherman; for the angler who derives Juniata and its Raystown Branch occur each jinxes for the early fishermen. pleasure in fishing for panfish such as the spring, but 1935, from the catch angle in In comparison to the 1934 trout season, catfish, yellow perch and sunfish. and for this territory, was below par. Ranking as when three mammoth brown trout, ranging the troller whose specialty is the wall-eyed the leading sucker fishing waters were In weight from 7 pounds 15 ounces to 9 pike or Susquehanna salmon. Pickerel streams in Franklin and Pulton Counties, pounds 7 ounces, topped the list, the larg catches were about normal, although the the upper Delaware River in the vicinity of est brownie caught was that creeled in usually excellent fishing for these game fish Milford, Pike County, and the North Branch famous Brokenstraw Creek, Warren County, - in northeastern Pennsylvania ponds and of the Susquehanna River. The largest by Duard May of Corry, Erie County. It lakes fell off during the autumn months. sucker reported caught was that taken by measured 26 Inches in length and tipped the The bass fishing, therefor, may be considered Guy Bond of Malvern, a fish 22 inches in scales at 6 pounds, 12 ounces. an outstanding feature in an otherwise length and weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces. One class stands out in the trout division, average fishing year. The Trout Season artistocrats of troutdom in the minds of To present a broad picture of the sea Unusually high water at the opening of many anglers, our crimson spotted native son, it is essential that we start with the the trout season in mid-April greeted the brook trout. And to two boy anglers go first hook and line fishing of the season, trout fishermen. Many of the largest first honors in the brook trout record an winter and early spring sucker fishing. streams, the Loyalsock in Lycoming County, nals.