MARCH—1979 PENNSYLVANIA the Hekeystone State's I Official FISHING BOATING Magazine
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MARCH—1979 PENNSYLVANIA the HeKeystone State's I Official FISHING BOATING Magazine... ^J 30* A. ww Single Copy All in the Name of "Sport"! Jin early February, Harrisburg's Sunday paper heralded the opening of the annual sport show held in the Capital City with a front page picture showing "Youngsters and adults who visited opening day activities Satur day at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show at the Farm Show Building trying their hand at the Fish Tank while ardent anglers wait their turn. " There before you is a white plastic tank with crystal clear water populated by commercially hatched and reared trout. The tank is surrounded — by youngsters, mostly, but a few adults, as well, all holding assorted fishing tackle and all apparently under the impression that they are engaging in a sport called "fishing." We recognize that the proprietor of this enterprise has paid his proper fee to the promoters of the "sports" show, and all of those participating in this "sport" obviously pay more for the opportunity to catch, or snag, the "wiley" trout than it cost to put the trout in the tank. But, excusing the profit-making motivation behind this activity, for the moment, keep fixed in your mind just what kind of "sport" it is in which these people are participating. Last year the Committee on Humane Legislation joined the Friends of Animals in a suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which resulted in a consent order whereby all wildlife agencies across the country that use Pittman/Robertson money must submit environmental assessments for every project that involves the use of that money. In implementing this order, the Fish and Wildlife Service also included the projects using Dingell/Johnson monies, which are those monies returned to the states, through a formula, for fish restoration. The "antis" are certainly going after hunting in a much stronger way than they are attacking the sport of fishing — at present. But, somewhere down the line, we believe that they will catch up with the anglers and begin calling a number of their practices unsportsmanlike. Granted that it is more difficult to become emotional about the cold-blooded creatures on this earth, no one would seriously think of setting up a money-making enterprise at a sports show where customers could take shots at bunny rabbits or Bambies. Examine the odds: there is no cover for these animals swimming about in that crystal clear water; no depths to which they might escape. They do have a game instinct, and, whether they are hungry or not, or just get sick and tired of seeing hooks manipulated through the water about every two feet, they eventually attack. And if they don't respond with the swiftness necessary to make a "catch" as the seconds of this timed event tick away — and a "catch" must be made, or it's not "fun" — this arrangement encourages snagging and foul-hooking, a practice prohibited by law in our open waters because it is so unsportsmanlike. And, achieving success here via foul-hooking, is it not possible this method will be given a try in our public waters? We hope that well-meaning parents who want to bring up their children to properly learn how to fish will take a little more time than it takes to stand in line at the sports show, and spend some time with their youngsters on our streams and lakes where the natural setting and the sport itself is much more amenable to developing a much more rewarding lifelong recreational pursuit. Ralph W. Abele Executive Director Pennsylvania Angler Pennsylvania's Official Fishing & Boating Magazine Published Monthly by the PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Richard L. Thornburgh, Governor MEMBERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION Jerome E. Southerton, President Honesdale John A. Hugya, Vice President Johnstown William Cox Elysburg Sam Guaglianone Johnsonburg Walter F. Gibbs Reno William O. Hill Erie Leonard A. Green Carlisle Calvin J. Kern Whitehall James J. Stumpf Laughlintown Volume 48 - No. 3 March, 1979 CONTENTS Fishermen—Part II by E. W. Fisher 6 Ferns, Fiddleheads & Others by Don Shiner 8 The Saga of Mill Run by William C. Ackerman 13 Pennsylvania's Wilderness Trout by Jim Hayes 16 B.A.S.S. Research Pledge by Wes Bower 19 The Beginning Fly Tyer's Bane by Linda Steiner 20 Cold Water Test by Virgil Chambers 30 FRONT COVER A palomino trout executes a command performance for Waterways Patrolman Allen Stiffler and his group of volunteer float stockers. This method of stocking insures uniform distribution throughout the stream. BACK COVER Units of the "Great White Fleet" are a familiar sight each spring along the Commonwealth's waterways. Photos by Russell Gettig. MONTHLY COLUMNS LEAKY BOOTS 2 STREAM NOTES 24 MEALS FROM THE CREEL 4 FLY TYING 26 ANGLER'S NOTEBOOK 23 ASHORE & AFLOAT 28 James F. Yoder, Editor Th^p'^STER: AH 3579 forms to be returned to the office of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120. nns lva Harril >' nia Angler, (ISSN 0031-434X), Copyright 1979, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, 3532 Walnut Street, r One „ 8. Pennsylvania. Second Class postage paid at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: 3 3 00 Three N0; se'V ' - ; a years—$7.50; 30 cents per single copy. Send check or money order payable to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Do rec nd< asprocesse1 d by the end of the month wi begin with the second month following. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission will not assume maeivpgaziH' nli- y" *°' - r ""soliciteChanges do fmanuscripts address should, photograph reach ;u s,s opromptlr illustrationy givins gwhil bote hi nol theid anr possessiod new addressesn or in ,transit includin. Communicationg both zip codess pertainin. Subscriptiong to ths e IJiisnU^- sshoul d be addressed to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. *! materials, manuscripts, or photos will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their return. long as 1 can get to the water, I can do my Section I is essentially flat for the fifl own fishing. Getting there, is my prob three miles to Six Mile Run, then change lem. sharply at a bend just below Six Mile Ru' A childhood dream of mine is to go to and is Class I—11 from there on. Section '' Pymatuning Reservoir and catch a large also starts nearly flat and becomes CW northern pike or musky (the bigger they II, while Section III is considered Class I'' are, the better) and have it mounted. moving toward Class III in high wate( Would you please print more stories (The Class designations are according '' about them. To me, catching small fish is American Canoe Association skill-ratine boring. Thank you. methods.) It is wise for boaters of relatively untn^ JAMES N. SULLENBERGER skills to practice on the West Branch fir*' Lakewood, Ohio 44107 then on Section I of Moshannon Ct^c HOW'S IT DONE? before trying the other sections. It is al important that there be several other bo^ in the party; these should be outfitted Wi t» Would you kindly explain how to set bait e and the proper cleaning of turtles? Thank painters, flotation and boat-rescue rop '( 1 you. and there should be somebody present W' i some experience. It is important that bo11' GLENN R. GORDON ers on Moshannon Creek wear Co&s> 6 W. Sheridan Avenue Guard approved PFD's. The Penn New Castle, Pa. 16105 Outing Club has safely trained boaters <r Moshannon Creek for years using ''|l In past issues of the Angler we have procedures outlined above. Unfortunate published a "How to Clean & Cook" turtle there are many casual boaters seen ° piece here and there, but I don't recall Moshannon Creek who obviously do "" anything on bait setting or "jug fishing," as use these procedures. it's sometimes called. Perhaps one of our All sections of Moshannon Creek ;lfl readers can offer something on setting lines WHOPPER! best run at normal water level. Hopeful1!; for turtles. In the very near future we will be common sense would keep people off '". Here's proof there are some nice fish in publishing a feature article on the cleaning stream in high-water conditions. Secti011; Eake Nockamixon. Fourteen-year-old and cooking of snapping turtles — watch II and III are technically more difficult3; Kevin OToole of Dublin, Pennsylvania for it. Ed. low water than at normal. The mark'j caught this 4-pound, 19'/rinch small- danger point on Section III is probab1- mouth on a C P Swing. most dangerous at medium-low level. '•THANKS" — In addition to the signed danger point ° e C. HOLLIDAY Section III, many a boat has been brok I would appreciate if you would be so Line Lexington on the rocks in the last 1 '/•> miles above w kind as to put this note in the Pennsylvania Route 53 bridge. Angler, of which I am a subscriber. MOSHANNON BOATERS: I would appreciate your making ^' I would like to thank the person or HEED THE WARNING! information available to your readers. persons who found my eyeglasses and RALPH M. SEEL^ turned them in to the Pennsylvania Fish The Penn State Outing Club recently Port Matilda Commission at Walnut Creek. installed a warning sign above a particular I would also like to thank the persons at danger point on Moshannon Creek, Sec tion III. This point is approximately 3/4 the Fish Commission for keeping them safe T'ORD UNDERSTANDING for me.