INSIDE: PROTECT • CONSERVE • ENHANCE , RESOURCE An Open Invitation to Youth Come Start Your Lifetime of Fishing Memories T£ FIRST It may seem hard to realize now, as you look eagerly to the future, Many Pennsylvanians say they fish to be with family and friends. that the promises of tomorrow will eventually become your his I guess for them it's more about people than fish. It's no won tory of yesterdays. And what you do right now will be that which der, because fishing provides a great opportunity for friends to you look back upon. By the time you reach that point, you'll have become better friends and families to draw closer. The quality collected a lifetime of memories. It is that idea, that memories times afield with family and friends are the kinds of memories do last a lifetime, that's behind much of what the Fish and Boat that last a lifetime. Commission does. Fishing also gives you an opportunity to be outside and relax. Our mission is to provide fishing and You spend many hours in a classroom. boating opportunities. To do that, we Is there a better way to unwind than to use the latest scientific knowledge, en dunk a worm or cast a plug? On the water act and enforce laws and do many other you might witness an osprey diving for things to ensure that water resources and a fish, hear a chorus of spring peepers, aquatic life are protected. Sound like or listen to a red-winged blackbird call hard work? It is. But the bottom line ing a mate. You might see swarms of is that we are really in the fun business. mayflies form clouds above the water, Our goal is to make anglers' and boat while bats dart in and out of the clouds, ers' days on the water safe and enjoyable. feasting on the abundant bugs. As those We want your lifetime of memories to bugs fall to the water, you might see the be pleasant ones. water come alive with fish, also feasting Nearly all the anglers fishing today on the abundant insects. After a while, started before they were 14. Some studies all these pieces will fall into place. You show that anglers who fish often as adults will learn how all are related and con started very early-around four or five. nected. These are lessons you can't learn That means if you fish now, you will from a book. You must experience them probably fish as an adult. The odds are, to understand them fully. if you don't fish, or haven't fished by the Fishing may also open other doors for time you are 16, you will not likely fish you. Many staff here at the Commission later on. made their career choices based on their Why? In the next few years, many experiences as youngsters. That includes activities will compete for your time, me. Turning over rocks inspired us as interest and money. I want to encour we discovered a hidden world. For some age you to pursue those activities. Those it was the feel of a trophy fish on the end odier sports and activities will enrich your of a line, or just being outside that in life. They will also teach you much about spired them. Ask anyone who works for working with others and doing your best. any natural resource agency around the But I also encourage you to keep fish world, and they are likely to say the same ing, boating and other outdoor activi thing. Who knows, maybe in 20 or 30 ties part ofyou r life. Because unlike those years as executive director you will be other activities, fishing and boating are life sports. That means writing a similar message to young people. you can be involved in them your entire life. There are many other activities related to fishing and boating Picture yourself 40 years from now running up and down a soccer that you can pursue. You might learn to craft your own lures or field. Or playing competitive football or baseball. Is it likely to flies. Maybe someday you will learn to build a fishing rod, or make happen? Can you picture yourself 40 years from now sitting in a a tip-up. Perhaps you will build your own canoe or small boat. boat on a crisp spring morning? How about standing waist-deep These hobbies will add to your enjoyment and understanding. in one of our wonderful trout streams? Which one is more likely I encourage you to fish and boat more in the next few years. to happen? Take your friends along. Get them in on the fun. Learn all you All of those fishing and boating experiences are at your fingertips. can about our natural resources. Be good stewards of those re They are accessible to you no matter your age, ability, disability, sources. Use them wisely and safely. But most of all, make some income and education level. Remember diat fish don't discriminate. memories. They will last a lifetime. Can you say the same about other activities that compete for your interest? Name one activity, that you, your family and your friends Peter A. Colangelo can participate in no matter what your skill level may be. Have Executive Director you ever played tennis with someone who has never played? It's Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission not much of a challenge.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania May/June 1997 Fish & Boat Commission ^nr0vama Volume 66/Number 3 Donald N. Lacy President Reading Samuel M. Concilia Vice President North East Donald K. Anderson Meyersdale Ross J. Huhn The Keystone State's Official Fishing and Boating Magazine Saltsburg Paul J. Mahon Mail 4 Clarks Green Enoch S. "Inky" Moore, Jr. A Serious Walleye Angler's Tucklebox by Mike Bleech 6 Newville The New Inflatable PFDs by Setb Cassell 10 Howard E. Pflugfelder Pennsylvania Angler and Boater Survey Results by Tom Ford 12 New Cumberland Leon Reed 1987-1997: 10 Years of "Resource First" by Dan Tredinnick 16 Honesdale The Wild and Scenic Clarion River by Mike Sajna 17 William J. Sabatose A Pseudocloeon Dun by ChauncyK. Lively 20 Brockport J. Wayne Yorks Angling for More Women Anglers by Linda Steiner 22 Benton Pennsylvania's Overlooked Trout Streams by Charles R. Meek 26 Boating Advisory Board Pennsylvania's Boat Titling Frequently Asked Questions Thaddeus Piotrowski by Andrew Mutch 29 Chairman Bloomsburg Fine-Tuning Your Shad Fishing by Vic Attardo 30 Steven M. Ketterer Spring PLAY Newsletter Special Insert Harrisburg Commission Internships: An Insider's View by Jennifer Lamb 33 G. Edwin Matheny Greensburg Susquehanna Fish Lifts and the Returning Shad by Scott Carney 34 Gary Miles Small Outboards: Puttering Cleanly into the 21st Century North East by Bob Ballantyne 37 Vincent Riggi Clarks Summit The Evolution of Pennsylvania Boating: Then, Now and the Future by John Simmons 38 Ex Officio members: Peter A. Colangelo, Executive Director, Fun to the Extreme! by John W. McGonigle 40 John F. Simmons, Director, Fishing the Little Toby Watershed by Robert L. Petri 41 Bureau of Boating and Education; Notes From the Streams 44 Gary Smith, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Rockin' Rockies by Darl Black 46 Magazine Staff SMART Angler's Notebook by Carl Richardson 48 Editor—An Michaels Bob Davis: The Angler's Most Loyal Subscriber? by Terry Brady 49 Art Director-Ted Walke Recap of 1996 Pennsylvania Fatal Boating Accidents by Dan Martin 50 Circulation—Eleanor Mutch Circulation—Patti Copp 13 Do's and Don'ts for Early Season Trout Fishing by Walt Young. 51 Regular Contributors Cast & Caught 54 Vic Attardo Charles R. Meek Currents 56 Darl Black Robert L. Petri Anglers Notebook by Seth Cassell 57 Karl Blankenship Mike Sajna Mike Bleech Bob Stearns Smokin' Trout by George Curtis 60 Seth Cassell Linda Steiner Casting Lines with DaveWolf. 61 Cliffjacobson Dave Wolf Writing Readers 62 Walt Young Trout Identification BackCover Pennsylvania Angler Or Boater (ISSN I09i-0S74) is published bimonthly by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, 3532 WabllH Street, Harrisburg, PA 17109. ©1997PAFish&BoarCommission. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the PA Fish & Boat Commission. Subscription rates: one year, $9; three years, S25; single copies This issue's front cover, photographed are $3.00 each. PeriodicalspostagcispaidatHarrisburg.PA. POSTMASTER: by Mike Bleech, shows Pennsylvania &nd adda\« changes to: Penn^,wj,dAij^C?flo^ Fish & Boar Commission, P.O. Box- 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. For angler Tim Fields with an Allegheny subscription and change ofaddress , use above address, ['lease allow six weeks River walleye. Notice that he's for processing. Send all other correspondence to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler &Boater,P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. Editorial queries wearing a PFD? The Commission and contributions are welcome, but must be accompanied by self-addressed, Stamped envelopes. Material accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania encourages anglers and all boaters to Fish & Boat Commission standards and requirements for editing and revising. wear a device while aboard a boat. Submissions are liandledcarefully.burthe publisher assumes no responsibility lor the return or safer,' of submissions in his possession or in transit. The The new kinds of inflatable PFDs authors'views, ideas and advice expressedin this magazine do nor necessarily reflect die opinion orofikiai posirion ofth e Perui5yivania Fish & Boat Commission now approved by the Coast Guard »r its staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission receives federal aid make wearing devices easier. Ifyou m sport fishrestoration . Under appropriate federal acts, the U. S. Department °f the Interior prohibits discrimination on tht basis of race, color, national wade streams, fish from a boat, or just °rigin,age,sex or handicap. Ifyou believe thatyou have been discriminated aganist in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you cruise, check out the latest on page 10. desire more information, please write to: The Office of Equal Opportunity, apartment of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.
Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater /
Thumbs down I know that such things are not unheard of, Yesterday I received my copy of Pennsyl but I am amazed that this happened. I'm vania Angler & Boater. Like the first item in also glad that someone was with me on both the January/February issue "Mail," I am not occasions to verify my "fish story! "-Fred pleased! I am paid up to July 1997 to the Chirieleison, Monroeville, PA. Pennsylvania Angler, not Pennsylvania Angler & Boater. I feel that you are cheating me and Stringer of catties all the other people who subscribed to the In your December 1996 issue, on page 30, Angler. I want to read about fishing and you asked for a fishing story written by a fishing articles, not boating. subscriber, and I have a dandy! When my First it was the summary book, now the dad was in high school, which was a while Angler. I guess next it will be the fishing ago, he was fishing on the Susquehanna license in your quest for more and more River with his buddies to catch some channel money. catfish. After a few hours of bottom fish I only hope there are more fellow anglers ing they had a stringer with five or six nice like me who want our Angler magazine back. catfish on it. Then one of the guys yelled, Did you ask the people who do not own "Oh, no! I dropped the stringer!" And all From Senator Corman... boats, and fish from shore or fly fish if they of the catfish went down the river! They I write to congratulate you on your want to read about boats? decided to stay out a while longer and throw outstanding efforts to bring Pennsylvania Not only are you taking my monthly Angler back what they would catch because of their Angler & Boater magazine into a broader magazine from me and my fellow anglers, lack of a stringer. So they continued to fish readership with your new bimonthly, com but you're telling us how great it will be to for a while, when one of the guys said, "Oh, bined format. I find the combined issue receive a bi-monthly magazine about boats. I'm hung up on something!" He reeled in much more to my liking, as I can now keep My subscription is up in July 1997 and what he thought would be a stick or a branch, in tune with both the fishing and boating at that time I will cancel my subscription to but it turned out to be the stringer they had side of your agency. As always, I found the your unwanted Pennsylvania Angler & Boater dropped! The stringer of catties was given content to be most informative and the and also my family membership to PLAY. to a person with a sure grip as they returned publication continues to be done in a very I know my letter will never reach the pages home to eat their catch.-Jesse Eisenbise, classy format. of your magazine because it might start a Hershey, PA. I very much appreciate the Fish & Boat boycott of your magazine.-jbse/^ Gates, White Commission's attempts to bring the cost Haven, PA. We continue to look for stories by our of operation into line with the revenues subscribers! Send them to: The Editor, generated. For those detractors of the new Former staff member PA&B, PA Fish & Boat Commission, P.O. format, possibly they could persuade some As a former staff member of the Commis Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. of their sporting friends to subscribe and sion, and 91 years old, I am still vitally in help expand the circulation of your award- terested in the changes in the Pennsylvania Flying smallies winning publication. Angler & Boater magazine. Without going I live in Virginia and have access to some Again, I appreciate your fine work and into detail, I just wanted you to know that pretty good smallmouth rivers-the Potomac, think your new combined edition has I agree with all the changes in the magazine. the Shenandoah and the James. However, opened the entire Fish & Boat Commis There is now something for most everyone because I'm an avid smallmouth angler, on sion story for me to enjoy on a regular basis. in it, and I think to put it out on a bimonthly occasion I like to venture outside my im While I'm passing out complements, al basis is wise. I shall look forward to receiving mediate environs and try someplace differ low me to congratulate your staff's effort each issuz.-Gordon Trembley, Kalamazoo, Ml. ent. I "discovered" the Susquehanna a few on the World Wide Web page. Your home years ago, and I fell in love with it. page is an excellent opportunity for any Speaking offish stories... Generally, I do quite well on the Susky one to find a complete menu of Fish & Boat Since all fishermen have stories, I want and always have high expectations when Commission stories waiting to be told. to share mine. I was with a friend at the ever I plan a trip to fish it. One day last year Keep up the good workl-Senator J. Doyle tailrace of the Youghiogheny Reservoir the in late June, a friend, Frank, and I decided Corman. day after Thanksgiving fishing for trout. I to go to the Susquehanna and try our luck. hooked a very nice 17-inch brownie on a lure. That day didn't bode well for us, however. Maryland resident My friend was attempting to unhook the fish The river was muddy, and reports from Enclosed is a money order for $9.00. from the lure when the line snapped. Away various sources were not favorable-no one Please renew my magazine subscription for went the fish with the lure! had been catching fish recendy. Bob Clouser, one year. I really like the magazine, even Exactly two weeks later, in the very same guide and guru on the Susquehanna, says though I'm a Maryland resident. Your spot, I caught the very same fish-lure and he doesn't generally book guiding trips on magazine is highly informative and enter all! As if that is not unusual enough, what the river during the last two weeks in June taining. What a fine staff. That's why I'm I did next was also very unique. I tied on because the smallies are going through the renewing. I wish the state of Maryland had my newly "retrieved" lure and, you guessed post-spawn blahs. According to Clouser, something like this.-Vernon Kirleyjr., Glen it, I caught another brown trout about the the spawning ritual, combined with the Burnie, MD. same size, although in a different location. smallies' efforts to fend off predators from
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Memories To Last A Lifetime their nests, leaves them depleted. Thus, neither I nor any local tackle shops know died in 1976. We fished according to Clouser, the smallies tend to where it is. All I can remember is that the Kinzua Creek before the shut down the last half of June before they article said the pond is about one mile from big dam was built, Sugar resume their traditional summer feeding the road and boat access is very limited Run and the Allegheny pattern. When I told Clouser our intentions unless you have a small John boat or ca River. to make the trip up there, he said we would noe that can be carried. I would really, really I have fished wim my boat in the reservoir be wasting our time. appreciate any help you can give me. I many times with friends from Warren. I Despite all the dire warnings, Frank and would like to add that I am a faithful sub worked on the new rebuilding of the United I decided to try the Susquehanna anyway- scriber to the Angler. It has helped me a refinery at Warren in 1980 and 1981. lam you always think that the dayyou go out lot over the past few years! Keep up the from Lockport, NY. My friend who worked is when things will turn around for the good work\-ChrisBeavers. there and I fished below the dam almost better. Well, they didn't. We put in at every night that we were at the refinery- Duncannon and motored up above the Thanks for your kind comment on the even in the winter. Angler. The pond you're asking about confluence of the Juniata and So I have enjoyed both magazines. They sounds like Egypt Meadows or Bruce Susquehanna in hopes of getting away are great. Keep them in one magazine. You Lake. Both waterways are in a pretty area from the muddy water (to no avail). The are doing a great job.-James Daigler, East on the northern end of Promised Land fishing was horrible. Amherst, NY. However, for a period of about 45 min State Park, Pike County. Egypt Meadows utes, a strange phenomenon occurred. is a 60-acre shallow pond off Route 590. The bass and the snake Periodically, a fish would jump very close Bruce Lake, 51 acres, is about three miles If ever I wished that my fishing partner to the boat. It was evident that the fish off the road, and boats are permitted, but Tim were by my side, it was at this moment weren't feeding on top-there was no in you have to drag an inflatable or light in my angling career, when I miss him the sect activity. Furthermore, the nature of canoe with you. most. I was alone at our favorite spot in the jumping was peculiar. The small- I hope this information is helpful. Let a secluded pond where we can always be mouth appeared to be "porpoising"-that us know how you dol-Art Michaels, ed. found fishing for our mutual friends, large- mouths. is, making several almost horizontal jumps In the Navy... one right after the other. I'm not talking Actually, it was a slow night, but just I just read about the new changes in store about swarms offish doing this-but a fish having the chance to hook into a trophy for the Angler-they sound great. I wish you here, a fish there. fish is always worth getting your line wet. could send what you are describing every These were not small fish, either-at least This private pond has produced several month, however. I am in the Navy and a minimum of 11 to 12 inches. In one in great fish. I'm currently waiting for my first haven't lived in Pennsylvania since 1988. stance, a smallie ran into the side of the mounted fish that I caught topping the It really makes my day when my Angler boat. Then, the ultimate: Frank and I had scales at 7.5 pounds and measuring 23.5 comes in the mail. both cast toward shore when one of the inches in length. I do have a question. When is the open smallies leaped over the hull into the boat I was bouncing a blue rubber worm on ing day of trout season? I am planning a alongside my feet. This was a 13-inch to the bottom with a slow retrieve when I felt trip home this spring (I live in southern 14-inch fish. just a little bump. I cleaned up the slack, Spain) and if possible, would like to co Yeah, I know what you're thinking, and felt the fish and immediately set the hook. ordinate a fishing trip to Centre County believe me, Frank and I had a difficult time "Bang!" He was on and I was confident with my Dad and brother. We haven't gone convincing our friends that we weren't out that I got a good set. When playing the fishing on opening day for years.-Ronald of our minds that day. I have no explana fish, I knew it was a big bass. As a matter A. Nosek, U.S. Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain. tion for the "flying smallies." Again, this of fact, I could barely move him for about activity lasted only for a brief period. There 30 seconds. Opening Day this year was April 12. was no evidence of any predator chasing After a great fight, I finally landed this them. Naturally, the irony of this situation football-like bass. He went about 6 to 7 was not lost on us-here we are trying to catch Northwest PA memories pounds. Then, I could not believe what fish in the traditional manner (with little I have been receiving Pennsylvania Angler my eyes were seeing. It was the head of a success), and the fish are literally jumping for a good many years. I first got the An 12-inch snake that the largemouth was in into the boat! The only moral to this story gler when I worked on the new part of the the process of eating. It was amazing as I I can come up with is that even a bad day Kendall refinery about 30 years. I worked reached for the bottom lip to see this sight. of fishing can be remarkable.-/o»P. Weimer, with men who had the magazine in the I knew from the start that I wanted to re Alexandria, VA. workshop. I sent for it then and have been lease the fish, so I carefully held the fish getting it ever since. When the boating until it had completed the act of swallowing Northeast PA pond magazine came out, I got it, too. I have the snake. Then, I was able to see the live I am writing to ask your help in locat- enjoyed both magazines. snake twist and turn inside the stretching mg a pond. A few years ago there was an I have fly fished in many of the streams stomach of the bass. After witnessing this, article on northeast PA pickerel hotspots, in McKean, Wairen, Potter and Tioga coun I decided to release the fish to fight another and this article contained information on ties. The man who got me fly fishing was day. It was an amazing act to see, the snake, a small pond located off Route 590 some Pat Ryan. He worked the Bradford oil fields. me and the fish all wondering what to do.- where near Hamlin. I live in Hamlin and He and I fished almost every weekend. Pat James Olson, Lockport, NY.
"ng&BoatmgMemorics Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater A Amid all the hype over hot new lures SERIOUS and fishing tactics, there are a few lures and other tackle that show up in nearly ev ery walleye expert's tackle box. This is the stuff the pros use when the camera is not Wa on them, the stuff the local experts use when they get really serious about catch ing walleyes. It is the stuff that gives me teer's confidence wherever I fish for walleyes. As walleyes have become increasingly popular during the past couple of decades, they have received increasingly more atten tion from both the print media and tele vision, and from the advertising that supports these media. There are even at least a few major walleye tournament cir cuits. In the struggle to provide material that is fresh and entertaining, walleye anglers are bombarded with news about fishing tools and methods that can be confusing, even to seasoned walleye anglers. Is it necessary to carry all the new lures and other new tackle? Of course not. Most of what is touted as "new" is really not new. Most of these items are just various slants on old themes. Some of the new stuff can make walleye anglers more efficient. Some just makes tackle boxes more colorful. Giving every new walleye lure you see or read about a fair try is mathematically impossible. There just is not enough time. Attempting to do so is a waste of time. All you really need to catch walleyes, besides luck and good timing, are a few types of lures. Within reason, whichever specific lures of each type you use is not critical. Certain lures that for whatever reason seem to be unusually effective are exceptions. You might have a dozen lures of the same type, but only one catches fish when nothing else will. Leadhead jigs Leadhead jigs are the most versatile of all walleye lures. They are to walleye fishing what plastic worms are to largemouth bass fishing. They can be fished at any depth. They can be cast and retrieved, jigged ver tically, even trolled and drifted. They can be any color. They can be any size or shape. They can be retrieved in any fashion, at any speed, given any kind of action. They can be effective at any time of the year. If a walleye angler had to pick one type of lure to use exclusively, that one lure would have to be a leadhead jig. The leadhead is only the basic compo nent of a leadhead jig. To complete the lure, add a body made of plastic, hair or feather, or add bait either to a plain or a dressed leadhead. A leadhead is a bit of lead cast onto a special type of jig hook.
Petmsyhania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime This lead can be cast into any shape. Though each shape has its purpose, you can get by just fine using only round leadheads with barbed collars. They work fine with soft-plastic bodies and with bait, or you can trim off the barb and tie on bucktail. It is necessary to carry only three or four sizes of jigs, but plenty of each. Leadheads must be considered expendable. You will lose plenty. My tackle box includes 1/8- ounce, 1/4-ounce, 3/8-ounce, and a few 5/8-ounce leadheads. Even though bucktail or feather jigs are excellent walleye lures, and often I won der if they might, at times, be better than plastic, plastic jig bodies are so convenient. Often I go fishing for walleyes without a bucktail jig in my tackle box. With plas tic, all you have to do to change color, size or shape is switch bodies. With bucktail you have to break off the leadhead and re- tie the line. Plastic jig bodies are the most versatile part of your tackle box, so carry an ample selection. Some of the basic colors are white, yellow, chartreuse, orange and Leadhead jigs are the most versatile of all walleye lures. They can be fished at any depth. brown, and lime-green, but a serious walleye They can he cast and retrieved, jigged vertically, and even trolled and drifted. It is necessary angler's tackle box is likely to contain to carry only three or four sizes of jigs, but plenty of each. Leadheads must be considered dozens of colors and color combinations. expendable. You will lose plenty. My tackle box includes 1/8-ounce, 1/4-ounce, 3/8-ounce Most walleye jig bodies should be 3 to 5 and a few 5/8-ounce leadheads. inches long, but you might want a few larger bodies, also. At least three-quarters of my jigging is done with screw-tail plastic bod behind trolling sinkers, diving planes and lection of diving crankbaits small enough ies. Carry as many shapes as you want, downriggers. so you can select the right lure for any depth. though. They pack well. A few diving crankbaits dive beyond 30 Diving crankbaits feet while trolled. Not many dive beyond Floating-minnow lures Diving crankbaits get a much larger 15 feet on a cast. Slender minnows like shiners are such share of the press than their actual useful a large part of the walleye diet in most good ness on walleyes deserves. Certainly they Nightcrawler harnesses walleye waters, so it follows that a good have their uses. They are good tools for Nightcrawler harnesses are very popu share of your walleye lures should be of quickly covering a lot of water. They are lar at some walleye lakes. But overall, this shape. Floating minnow lures are sometimes very effective in colored water, they are not used often enough by av shaped and often colored like shiners. They in the frequent low visibility of Pymatuning, erage walleye anglers. Look among the are very purposely minnow imitations, for example. many tackle boxes of a professional though sometimes their colors are not at The term "diving crankbaits" covers walleye angler, though, and you will learn all minnow-like. a lot of territory. Basically, these are plas how valuable these rigs are. I rate them These lures are lightweight, which adds tic-body or wood-body lures that have as the top summer walleye trolling lure. to a lifelike action that heavier lures can long bills which make them dive. Some If a walleye will not strike a nightcrawler not duplicate. float at rest; some sink. They come in harness, it probably will not strike any Some of the most important informa various shapes. I suggest that some are thing else, either. tion for walleye anglers is knowing which shiner-shaped. A nightcrawler harness, starting at the tackle to use at any given depth. Floating- The depth to which the multitude of terminal end, consists of two or three hooks, minnow lures have small bills, or lips, that diving crankbaits dives varies considerably several colored beads, and one or more make them dive from a few inches to a few from lure to lure, and depends on line spinner blades on a monofilament or wire feet while retrieved. They are often twitched diameter, length of line, whether you are leader. Wire is necessary only in waters at the surface for other game fish. But for casting or trolling, and other factors. This where pike or muskies frequently cut the walleyes, an underwater retrieve is almost is one reason these lures do not catch more monofilament harnesses. always better. While casting, maximum walleyes. Getting them to the right depth Some type of weight must be used to get depth for these lures is about 5 feet. Troll- is complicated. Walleyes generally will not nightcrawler harnesses underwater. I have mg will get some below 7 feet. These lures go a long way to attack a lure, so depth found that trolling weights built on wire can also be trolled to virtually any depth control is very important. Keep your se frames are most resistant to snags.
fi'A;n g & Boating Memories Last A lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater A SERIOUS
Vertical jigs The most accurate way to present lures or bait to walleyes is to position a boat right over them. This also minimizes the amount of line between angler and fish, increasing sensitivity and hook-setting efficiency. Several lures were designed for vertical jig ging. They can be grouped as jigging spoons, swimming jigs and leadheads. These are the same jigs used for ice fishing. All vertical jigs are used about the same way, by raising and lowering the rod tip, but Diving crankbaits are with subtle adjustments. Adding bait almost good tools for quickly always improves jigging spoons and covering a lot of water. leadheads. Vary the jigging action of spoons or leadheads in the length and speed of the lifts, and in the duration of pauses between but this misses the intention of swimming prevent line twist, and to keep a certain lifts. Allow them to drop with slack line. jigs. Fish them very slowly. amount of line between a sliding sinker and Spoons flutter down a bit more slowly than the hook. leadheads, so allow slightly longer pauses Hooks, sinkers, other rigging With the primary walleye baits-minnows, between lifts. A large share of your walleye fishing, if nightcrawlers and leeches-in mind, a good Adding bait may impede the action of you pick your methods by their relative assortment of hooks is essential. I use a wide swimming jigs such as the Rapalajig or the efficiency, will be done with live bait. Al gap hook for virtually all walleye bait fishing, Airplane Jig. Like other vertical jigs, you give ready live bait has been mentioned in com usually size 8 for nightcrawlers or leeches, them action by raising and lowering the rod bination with artificial lures. You should and size 6 to 1/0 for minnows. A few re tip. The difference is that the shape of a also be prepared to use live bait alone, or placement treble hooks for artificial lures swimming jig causes it to veer away from with minor rigging. can also come in handy. a vertical drop, then swing in pendulum The basic live bait rig is a single hook Consider a special note about hooks. fashion, or in a figure 8. You must allow at the terminal end of the line and a Every hook, including those on artificial them several seconds between rod tip lifts splitshot pinched to the line above the lures, gets sharpened before it goes into my so they have time to "swim." Walleyes might hook. Most variations involve the sinker. tackle box. And a fine hook file should be hit these jigs when they are jigged quickly, Sometimes a swivel is tied into the line to in every tackle box. Hooks become dull from scraping over rocks. The sinker assortment is even larger than diat of hooks. It includes splitshot in various sizes, and sliding sinkers from 1/8-ounce to 3/4-ounce. There are several varieties of sliding sinkers, but the differences between them are minimal. Snaps make lure changes easier, and they make many lures work better than tying directly to the lure eye. One size of snap is enough, because walleye lure sizes do not vary much, and because one small size is strong enough for the usual 8-pound-test line. Be sure to choose snaps that are rounded to allow free movement of lure eyes. Similarly, only one size of swivel is nec essary-rather small. Be sure to invest in top- quality swivels. Cheap swivels often do not work very well. Snap swivels are useful only with spin Nightcrawler harnesses are the top summer walleye trolling lure. ners and spoons. But in most cases, instead
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime of using a bulky snap swivel, I rig a plain swivel into the line, onto the lure via a split ring, tied to the end of a nightcrawler har ness, or rigged into a trolling sinker. Trolling aids Unlike fish that are usually cover- or struc ture-oriented, such as bass and sunfish, walleyes roam all over a lake or river. For this reason, trolling or drift fishing occu pies a lot of serious walleye anglers' fish ing time. A few trolling aids, some of which are recent innovations, have become stan dard tackle. The most basic trolling and drift fish ing aids are trolling sinkers constructed on wire frames. One style, built on a V- Lures like these shaped wire, became popular only during were designed for the 1980s. Effective as diese trolling sinkers vertical jigging. are, they are not a great improvement over the chugging irons that anglers have been nia water where they are used frequently Handy extras using on Lake Erie for at least 40 years. is Lake Erie. Nonetheless, a pair of them Though not necessary to catch walleyes, These trolling sinkers produce excellent helps fill that big space in the bottom of a few other articles that will fit in a tackle sensitivity to the bottom, and they are rea large tackle boxes. And they provide a box can improve the experience of walleye sonably snag-resistant. I suggest wire means to fish for suspended walleyes, which fishing. A small camera, for example, can frame trolling sinkers from 3/4-ounce to are often the largest walleyes in a lake. capture the images of a good fishing trip, at least 3 ounces. Planer boards fill out the basic trolling including those walleyes you catch and A new addition to my trolling aids is aids. Though relatively new on the scene, release. Most good walleye anglers even an assortment of snap-on sinkers, which and maybe too big foryour tackle box, they tually release the larger walleyes they catch. make adjustments in trolling weights a can put extra walleyes in your boat. You do These fish are the breeding females. Smaller snap, literally. not need the large planer boards, mast and walleyes are better-tasting, anyway. Diving planes are a different approach the rest of the rigging that goes with them. Ascaleisalso handy for catch-and-release to deep trolling. You could get by without The smaller, in-line, detachable boards are anglers. If you are looking for a 10-pound these in most waters. The only Pennsylva- perfect for nearly all walleye fishing. walleye for the wall, a scale helps you avoid taking home a 91/2-pound walleye that you would rather release. A small first aid kit, a fire-starting kit, and a couple of candy bars are here, too, for the unexpected. Final note about tackle boxes After all of this about a walleye angler's tackle box, I have to admit that I do not have a walleye tackle box. I carry my gear in a waterproof duffle bag, with most of the tackle in small plastic boxes. This way, I just take the small boxes I need for what ever kind of fishing I intend to do. And the duffle bag stores more gear than any big tackle box I have seen. What a huge advantage this is on extended fishing trips when it is hard to anticipate what tackle will be needed. It even has space for rain gear, gloves and maybe an insulated vest. A line clipper and a whistle are attached by elastic cord to the handles of the duffle bag. I added the clippers at the sugges tion of my dentist, who is also a fishing buddy, and the whistle satisfies the boating The author carries his gear in a waterproof duffle hag, with most of his walleye tackle in regulations. small plastic boxes. This way, he just takes the small boxes he needs for whatever kind of fishing he's doing. c
Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Inflatable PFDs have been around for a long time, but it wasn't until recendy when the first ones were approved for use by the Coast Guard. The main concern with in flatable PFDs before ap proval was that they would not be properly maintained by users, says Stickler. So in 1989, the PFD Manufacturers Association, on its own initiative, submit ted a proposed inflatable PFD standard to the Coast by Beth Cassei Guard. "We had to make sure they were user-friendly," It's probably safe to say that the Stickler said. "We wanted to number one reason why people don't make sure people could eas wear life jackets is because of comfort. ily determine whether the in Many boaters and anglers don't enjoy flating mechanism was ready donning a cumbersome, bulky PFD on to use and that they could a hot July day. Fact is, though, that PFDs easily re-pack and re-arm save lives, so boaters and anglers often them. Significant progress find themselves choosing between in diese areas had to be made personal comfort and safety. before they were approved." There is another option, however- In response to its pro inflatable life preservers. These light posal, the Coast Guard gave weight preservers, which are intended a grant to Boat U.S. Founda to inflate on accidental impact with the tion, a non-profit organiza water, were recently approved by the tion, to conduct a study to U.S. Coast Guard as a Type III PFD. verify that consumers would Most boating-related fatalities in indeed maintain inflatable Pennsylvania occur when small boats PFDs. The Foundation is unexpectedly capsize, says Heidi Inflatable life vests benefit anglers and sued preservers, and then ar Milbrand, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat boaters who don't usually wear PFDs bitrarily recalled them to see if they had Commission Aquatic Resource Program because they think they are too hot or been properly maintained. Using these Specialist. "Most of these fatalities could uncomfortable. data, the PFD Manufacturers Association, be prevented if people wore life preserv Underwriters Laboratories and the Coast ers. The main reason people don't is be Manufacturing Co., and president of the Guard cooperated in completing the final cause they're too hot or uncomfortable, PFD Manufacturers Association. standard for inflatable preservers. or because some people are too 'macho' "With these new inflatables, you can On November 26,1996, the first three to wear one," she said. hardly tell that you're wearing one. I think models of inflatable PFDs received ap "I suspect inflatables will be the most because of this they will definitely save more proval from the Coast Guard. Stearns, popular with small-boat anglers and ca lives." Sporting Lives and Ero Industries were noeists, where people don't expect to need There are three ways in which an inflat the manufacturers. a preserver, but where donning one is a able PFD can be inflated. To date only Before approval, however, new safety precaution," Milbrand added. "I'm manually actuated ones have been ap inflatables had to be run through a se not sure how widespread their use is go proved. To inflate them, one must pull a ries of tests conducted by Underwriters ing to be, though, because inflatable life chord, which sets off an actuator that Laboratories. Preservers had to be dis preservers cost more than traditional ones. punctures a hole in a bottle of carbon di charged in a variety of conditions and I'm not sure people who don't already wear oxide, filling the preserver with air. They were tested in areas such as flame, abra life preservers will pay over $50 for an in also can be inflated orally. sion and temperature resistance. Their flatable model." The other way doesn't involve any ac buoyancy and effectiveness in a variety The whole idea behind inflatable life tion on the user's part. The PFD automati of water conditions were also tested using preservers is to save lives. "The intent is cally inflates when contacted with water. human participants. to reduce the number of boating fatalities What happens is a water-soluble chemi When this issue went to press, only Type for people who don't normally wear PFDs cal paper product or pill-type object dis III manual inflatables had been granted because they are too hot or uncomfortable, solves instandy when contacted with water, approval. But Sam Wehr, staff engineer or because they get in the way," said Ray setting off the actuator and releasing the in the Coast Guard's Fire Safety Division, Stickler, director of materials management carbon dioxide. These preservers also have says that Type II and even Type I inflat and product development for Stearns manual backups. able PFDs are on the horizon.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories last A Lifetime She then added, "We make inflatable pre servers for NASA and the U.S. Air Force. Our recreational inflatables are built using that same technology." Ero industries, which makes the Coral inflatable PFD (USCG approved), is also developing a Type III automatic inflatable in addition to a belt-pack inflatable. "We want to make a better belt-pack than what's already out there," said Ralph Steger, di rector of engineering. "The belt-packs that are already available require a person to slip a yoke-like arrangement over the head. This can be difficult in the water when the air bladder is fully inflated, or if you are not an average-size person. We'd like to make it easier for the user to fully don the preserver." According to Steger, Ero's inflatables have a feature that is unique. "Ours has a full fabric cover over the air bladder," he says. "This provides an additional layer of pro tection to the air bladder from punctures and abrasion. In addition, the added layer provides extra support for the air bladder and protects against over-pressurization." One of the primary advantages of an inflatable life preserver is that unlike inher ently buoyant PFDs, Type II and III inflatables will be designed to turn an unconscious person face-up in the water. Also, inflatables have greater buoyancy, which will hold a wearer higher in water. In addition, inflatables are more comfort able, easier to wear for an extended period and take up less storage space. "It is possible that a Type II will be given This PFD is the inflated version of the PFD There are several disadvantages to using approval by January [1997], he said. "This on the opposite page. inflatables preservers. They are generally type of inflatable would be automatic and more expensive than traditional preservers. would have more total buoyancy. We hope for a long time," Stickler says, "and it's very Users must also maintain them properly for that a Type I inflatable is also possible in popular. Now we're working on a new them to work, and they have to re-pack them the future. This PFD would have an in version that will meet the new standards once they have been inflated. Routine dicator on it that would tell the user and gain approval." maintenance checks are highly recom whether the carbon dioxide cylinder is new Mustang Survival is another company mended. Also, once it is used, the gas car or old. This would tell people if they ac that manufactures inflatable PFDs. How tridge must be discarded and reloaded with cidentally installed a used cylinder. One ever, when this issue went to press, the a new one. such indicator has already been developed, company did not have an approved model Inflatable preservers aren't for everyone. but right now it is not economically fea available. According to Annette Baker of Those who don't plan on properly main sible," Wehr says. sales and marketing coordination, it has taining and testing them should stick with Right now, inflatable PFDs are basic, but a model that is close to approval. inherently buoyant PFDs. Non-swimmers look for them to become more specialized "We pride ourselves in making heavy should avoid inflatables, as well as persons in the future. Stearns is one of the com duty material that is designed for younger than 16 year old or less than 80 panies developing products directed to wearability and is built to last," she says. pounds. Keep in mind, too, that inflatables certain activities. "For instance, our inflatables are made out are only for general boating and fishing, and "Right now we're working on develop of 400 denier nylon. The Coast Guard should not be used for waterskiing, jet ski ing inflatable PFDs designed for fly-fishing, requires only 100 denier." operation, whitewater rafting and other sailing and boat racing," Stickler says. "We "In addition," she says, "we also use a activities where high impact is possible. also have a belt-pack in the works. It would chemical paper actuator in our automatic All in all, though, if you'll wear one and 1 simply look like one of the common fanny inflatables, which has a lower incidence maintain it, an inflatable PFD may some packs that you see people wearing today. of spontaneous inflation and has a greater day save your life. j—^ "We've been making the fly-fishing vest longevity than other types of actuators."
Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Pennsylvania Angler and Boater SURVEY" 8 teuii ' Hbaz Pord The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is keenly interested in cus tomer opinion. With a mission of "pro viding fishing and boating opportunities through the protection and management of aquatic resources," the Commission is clearly challenged to meet customer de mand. However, the Commission's "Re source First" motto should make it clear that user demand will not be met by com promising resource protection or scientific management of the resource. There is often considerable flexibility in the range of management options that the Commission can implement. This is where customer opinion, measured in a valid manner, is invaluable. We strive to pro vide customers with what they want, but we must have a reliable way of defining customer opinion. Statistically valid sur veys are the instruments that best let the Commission accomplish this. The Commission has completed many targeted surveys over the years, most no There were three major research areas phone survey of PA anglers and registered tably the Trout Angler Telephone Survey covered in the 1996 Angler/Boater Survey. boaters. Anglers and registered boaters were in 1991. But a recent comprehensive sound They were: 1) angler and boater opinion selected using a random method to ensure ing of customer opinion was lacking un and preferences for Commission programs, that the opinions gathered accurately rep til this year. Before 1996, the most recent 2) angler and boater support for alterna resent the opinions of all customers. The comprehensive customer survey completed tive funding mechanisms, and 3) angler survey included interviews in the spring and by the Commission was in 1974. Now with and boater opinion on current manage early summer of 1996 with 500 resident an a recent survey that reflects customer ment issues. glers, 200 nonresident anglers and 250 reg opinion on a broad scope of issues, the In early May 1996 the Commission ex istered boaters. Commission is better positioned to develop ecuted a contract with Responsive Manage Results show that anglers and boaters management strategies and to make in ment, a firm specializing in fish and wildlife have a strong positive opinion of the overall formed decisions on agency and resource survey research, for a statistically valid tele performance of the agency (see Figure 1). management issues. FIGURE 2 Resident Angler and Boater Satisfaction with Core Commission Programs
FIGURE 1 r~ Fishing Law Enforcement Would you rate the overall performance of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as excellent, good, fair, or poor? I Boating Law Enforcement Dont know i 10 I 87 Poor Fishing Access
5 61 Fair ®k Boating Access .
Good .9 I Education & Information Excellent
Fisheries Management 71 10 20 30 40 50 70 80 90 100 I
i I I Resident anglers (n=551) Boaters (n=253) 3 20 40 60 80 10
Nonresident anglers (n=201) ] Resident anglers (n=551) I Boaters (n=253)
12 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A lifetime WBM^B^n^mMmnMmaammBKBBMmBwaMmm^^B^Mmmaa^n^mmmmDmammsmKBmwmmi
STOVBy , FIGURE 3 Percent who think the Commission should spend KESIJU S more effort on these activities: is apparent that anglers not only support Protecting Habitat Commission efforts that directly benefit
Education programs them, namely managing the state's fish eries to provide fishing opportunities, but Monitoring fish popul. also the Commission's broader species conservation mandate. Boating access Several questions were asked about fish Fish stocking ing importance and motivation to fish. It is interesting to observe that more than half Enforcement of boating regs. of resident angler respondents rated the
Fishing access importance of fishing between an 8 and a 10 on a 10-point scale in relation to other Provide fishing for wiid fish activities in their lives. The primary mo tivation for fishing in Pennsylvania, by Enforcement of fishing regs. resident anglers and nonresident anglers, 20 40 60 80 100 proved to be quite a surprise to many. When respondents were asked to identify I Resident anglers (n=551) (Boaters (n=253) their main reason for fishing, they iden tified relaxation (54 percent), sport (20 Eight of every 10 respondents rated the high level of customer satisfaction with all percent) and to be with friends and fam Commission's performance as good or Commission programs. ily (13 percent) as the top three reasons (see excellent. As far as support for the sport When PA anglers and boaters were Figure 4). Only a combined 6 percent of of fishing, a recent survey of all Common asked which program areas they would resident angling respondents indicated diat wealth citizens shows that legal fishing is like the Commission to spend more ef catching fresh fish, catching large fish or supported by 95 percent of Pennsylvania fort on, they identified protecting habitat, catching many fish was their main moti citizens. education, and monitoring fish popula vation. When nonresident anglers were Respondent satisfaction with specific tions as their top three choices. The angler asked what attracted them to go fishing agency programs is also very high (see and boater opinions displayed in Figure in Pennsylvania, the top reason was "to be figure 2). For example, 81 percent of 3 are not very different because 79 per with family and friends" (see Figure 4). resident angler respondents were satis cent of registered boater respondents own Customer opinion of specific fishing fied or very satisfied with fishing law their boats primarily "to fish" or "to fish opportunities was also measured in the enforcement, and 76 percent of registered and boat." survey. Figure 5 shows that the species most boaters were satisfied or very satisfied Other surveys reinforce the conservation frequently targeted by Pennsylvania resi with the Commission's efforts to enforce ethic indicated by the strong support for dent anglers are trout, sought by 63 per boating laws. habitat protection. In a recent survey cent of anglers, and bass, targeted by 62 The Commission often hears from and funded by the Wild Resource Conservation percent. Other species commonly targeted responds to the minority of individuals who Fund, more than 95 percent of anglers include walleyes (20 percent), panfish (18 are dissatisfied, so the survey results cer surveyed indicated that restoring and percent) and catfish (13 percent). Eight tainly help the Commission to put die day- improving habitat and managing and percent of resident anglers target any spe to-day complaints into their proper conserving endangered fish and wildlife cies and 6 percent fish for perch and perspective. It is refreshing to see such a are important Commission functions. It muskies. Four percent of resident anglers fish for carp, 3 percent fish for pike, 3 FIGURE 4 percent for striped bass and less than 2 What was your main reason for fishing in the past 2 percent each fish for pickerel, salmon, shad years? and steelhead. For relaxation The second major research area ad For the sport dressed in the survey was support for po To be w/ family & friends tential alternative funding mechanisms. To be close to nature The results appear in Figure 6. Many al
To catch fresh fish ternatives were first identified in the public
To catch a large fish ^ workshops the Commission held in late 1994 and early 1995. Don't know ]\ Two of these alternatives may not be clear To catch many fish A 0 in Figure 6. The $5 annual access fee for 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 users is a fee to be paid by users of Com Percent who have fished in PA in the past year mission-owned access sites. The "water tax" is a potential consumptive use of water tax Resident anglers (n=481) Boaters (n=192) on large-volume users of water.
Nonresident anglers (n=176) The alternative funding mechanism with the highest level of resident angler support
Fish, 'ing &• Banting Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 13 Pennsylvania Angler and^Boater
FIGURE 6 Percent who support the following ways to help fund the Fish & Boat Commission's efforts: FIGURE 5 Note: Resident angler satisfaction with the various fishing opportunities is generally veryFe e (or fishing high. Species not listed are targeted by fewer than 3 percent of our resident anglers.tourn . sponsors Targeted percent percent Species Resident Anglers Resident Anglers Fee for clinics Targeting Satisfied and classes 62 percent 79 percent (30 percent very satisfied) Bass Voluntary junior license Carp 4 percent 60 percent (46 percent very satisfied) Catfish 13 percent 81 percent (34 percent very satisfied) Musky 6 percent 67 percent (41 percent very satisfied) Northern Pike 3 percent 79 percent (29 percent very satisfied) Panfish 18 percent 88 percent (55 percent very satisfied) 80 percent (33 percent very satisfied) Perch 6 percent Required junior license Striped Bass 3 percent 77 percent (31 percent very satisfied)
Trout 63 percent 74 percent (35 percent very satisfied) 100
Walleye 20 percent 69 percent (20 percent very satisfied) Resident anglers (n=551) IBoaters (n=253)
FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8 Do you agree or disagree that fishing regulations Do you agree or disagree that boating regulations are clear and easy to understand? are clear and easy to understand? 40 Don't know $5 Don't know
Strongly disagree fot Strongly disagree $5
777IB Somewhat disagree Somewhat disagree 3
Neither j 31 Neither o 11 Somewhat agree 20™ Somewhat agree r9
Strongly agree X\X\\\\\N\" SSS55 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
I Resident anglers (n=551) Boaters (n=253) Resident anglers (n=551) Boaters (n=253) Nonresident anglers (n=201) Nonresident anglers (n=201)
FIGURE 9 FIGURE 10 Do you support or oppose fishing regulations such Do you support or oppose a catch-and-release fishing as more strict size limits or creel limits? season for bass? Don't know Don't know ^; Strongly oppose Strongly oppose v\"^!. Moderately oppose Moderately oppose S5SS£> 10
Neither Neither |^ps
Moderately support Moderately support Strongly support y////)//////. v •« '//M, Strongly support m 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30" r4 0 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percent who have fished in PA in the past year Percent who have fished in PA in the past year
! Resident anglers (n=481) | Boaters (n=192) Resident anglers (n=481) Boaters (n=192) Nonresident anglers (n=176) Nonresident anglers (n=176)
14 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime SXJK7BY liSIJLttWMS is the fishing tournament fee (78 percent). who operate motorboats in Pennsylvania. • Figure 14 shows a mixed but slightly The least supported funding mechanism The Commission is considering the data in supportive opinion on whether anglers and is the required junior fishing license. It is these figures in the development of future boaters would like to see more tourna opposed by 62 percent of resident anglers. initiatives, program changes and regulatory ments in Pennsylvania. The third major research area addressed modifications. The overall positive results from the an by die survey was customer opinion on "hot" Some things to note on the various figures: gler and boater survey do not mean that management issues. There were approxi • Figures 7 and 8 show strong agreement the Commission can sit back and rest on mately 10 questions asked, ranging from that fishing and boating regulations are clear its laurels. On the contrary, there is room thoughts on the complexity and clarity of and easy to understand. to improve customer satisfaction. In the Commission regulations and changes in • Figure 9 shows strong support for more future the Commission will be using cus bass and panfish regulations to support for strict size limits or reduced creel limits where tomer satisfaction as a program evalua mandatory boater education. they enhance fishing opportunities. tion tool in addition to measuring the cost Figures 7 through 14 show customer • Figure 10 shows a majority of support efficiency and effectiveness of programs. opinion on a wide variety of these man for a catch-and-release fishing season for bass Like any smart business, the Commission agement issues. For example, Figure 13 from mid-April to mid-June. must understand who its customers are shows that 80 percent of registered boat • Figure 11 shows support for stricter size and what they want. Surveys are one way owner respondents and 85 percent of resi limits on panfish on selected study waters. the Commission is ensuring that customer dent angler respondents support a man • Figure 12 shows strong support for the demand is being met. O datory boating education course for people restoration of anadromous fishes. Tom Ford is the Commission Agency Aquatic Resources Planning Coordinator.
FIGURE 11 FIGURE 12 Do you support or oppose a size limit on panfish on Do you support or oppose the Commission working to eier-T BOSIL 9 Strongly oppose §^^ Strongly oppose Moderately oppose Moderately oppose m, 3EH Neither m Neither Moderately support Moderately support f ////at S33B4 /////J///A 'j///// Strongly support SSSsSSSSSSSS? 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percent who have fished in PA in the past year 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percent who have fished in PA in the past year I Resident anglers (n=481) Boaters (n=192) j| Resident anglers (n=481) Boaters (n=192) Nonresident anglers (n=176) y£ Nonresident anglers (n=176) FIGURE 13 FIGURE 14 Do you support or oppose requiring a boater education Would you like to see more, the same, or less fishing course for all people who operate motorboats in tournaments in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania? Don't know Don't know arT Strongly oppose Much less Moderately oppose miu Somewhat less S^ Neither Same ?° Moderately support , - • Somewhat more k>3 Strongly support Mffljjmi^i"""" 10 Much more JMK 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 | Resident anglers (n=551) Boaters (n=253) | Resident anglers (n=551) Boaters (n=253) Nonresident anglers (n=201) Nonresident anglers (n=201) "ngir BoatingMcmories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 198107 Years of "Resource First" by Dan Tredinnick To enjoy anything for a lifetime, you sion arsenal are those that directly pro sion encourages resource users to join in must also preserve it. But wait-how do you tect our waters and its inhabitants. Di the battle. The tactic is paying off. For conserve something while using it at the rect efforts to protect the resource include example, catch and release offish, a practice same time? No, it's not a riddle, though extensive work to survey and inventory virtually unheard of early in the century, it certainly is a tricky question. It is a para valuable resources. This information is is widely accepted and practiced by today's dox that faces the Fish and Boat Commis used in several ways. Each year the Com anglers. In fact, the users the Commission sion daily. Parts of the Commission's duties mission uses this information to review serves are often at the forefront of push include the protection of the state's aquatic hundreds of permits and other compli ing for and supporting tougher conserva resources. Yet simultaneously, the Com ance documents. These efforts prevent tion practices. In the most recent survey mission's role is also to encourage use of or minimize harm to waterways and of residents and nonresidents who fish and those resources, namely, by anglers and wetlands. This includes permits for strip- boat in Pennsylvania, respondents ranked boaters. So what is the solution to this ap mining operations, stream and wetland habitat protection as their highest prior parent dilemma? Something has to give. encroachments from highway construc ity for the Commission. The answer may be summed up in two short tion, power plant construction/operation Does "Resource First" pay off? Judge words: Resource First. and waste water management from both for yourself. There are 32 fish species for Ten years ago, in 1987, the Commission solid waste and sewage. which the Commission maintains state officially adopted "Resource First" as its The survey information is also used in records, and 21 of those records have been motto. It's more than just a slogan, how the formulation of regulations. These established in the past 10 years! That ever. Resource First embodies a commit regulations often determine how, when and unwavering pledge of Resource First prom ment by the agency to preserve, protect and where fishing and boating take place. ises a bright future and a lifetime of memo enhance the state's aquatic environment The Commission does not fight to con ries for future generations. \_J as its foremost calling. After all, without serve our resources alone. Through edu the resource, there are no opportunities. cational programs, PA&B and other Dan Tredinnick is the Commission's The strongest weapons in the Commis informative outreach efforts, die Commis Press Secretary. 16 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime The WUd and Qanof\§ aceinScenic* i KivebySiikeSajnar The Clarion River possibly is one of the worst streams in the state. In the region of its headwaters, in Elk County, it is not mine water, but the refuse of various establishments, such as wood-pulp mills, tanner ies and chemical factories, which renders the water unfit for life, and finally Toby Creek, emptying into it in the southwestern portion of Elk County, adds its share in the form of mine water. The water of Clarion River, in this region, is black like ink, and retains its pecu liar color all the way down to where it empties into the Allegheny at Foxburg; here the deep blackish brown color of the Clarion River wa ter contrasts sharply with the bluish green water of the Allegheny River. Such was the manner in which Dr. A. E. Ortmann, curator of Although the fishing was slow that evening, the sight of so many invertebrate zoology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, egg sacks still was exciting. And the only odor in the air was the described the Clarion River in his 1909 report "The Destruction sweet smell of the surrounding woods. of the Fresh-Water Fauna in Western Pennsylvania." The report What happened to the Clarion in the years since Ortmann's details the degradation of western Pennsylvania's waterways as report and my first visit to change it from a river "unfit for life" a result of industrialization and remains a valuable document to one teeming with caddises is one of western Pennsylvania's most to researchers seeking a base line from which to judge the con inspiring environmental success stories. It is a tale that shows dition of the region's environment. how government and private groups can work together for the My own first encounter with the Clarion River goes back to betterment of the environment; one that was capped last Octo 1970. I was visiting a friend at Clarion University when a group ber 19 when President Clinton signed legislation making almost of us decided to spend an afternoon at Cook Forest State Park. 52 miles of the Clarion a National Wild and Scenic River, including Even now I can remember the smell of the water, a putrid mix of two sections of "scenic" river. They are the only sections of any chemicals and wet, rotting newsprint. It seemed bizarrely out of river in the state with that federal designation. place in the beautifully wooded setting. Everybody kept asking: "What's that smell?" We knew nothing back then about the river's National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act history of tanneries, pulp mills and chemical factories. Established in 1968, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act I could not help but recall that day more than a quarter-cen is designed to preserve rivers that "possess outstandingly remarkable tury ago when I stepped out of the Clarion one evening last year scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural and found the downstream side of my waders spray-painted bright- or other similar values." To qualify for inclusion, a river must green with caddis fly egg sacks. The last time I had seen caddis meet four standards. It must be free-flowing, possess outstand eggs in such concentration was on Montana's Big Horn River. ing value and have sufficient flow and sufficient length. I ring & Boating Memories last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater The Wild and anoScenit n \f A river, or portions of a river, can qualify for inclusion in the the late 1960s, when the forerunner of the Department of Envi National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in three categories-wild, ronmental Protection (DEP) opened the Swamp Creek Treatment scenic or recreational. "Wild" is the highest of the three desig Plant along the East Branch Reservoir on the East Branch of the nations. It is reserved for rivers that are "free of impoundments Clarion River above Johnsonburg in Elk County. Lime injected and are generally inaccessible except by trail with watersheds or into the reservoir by the treatment plant pushed the pH levels shorelines essentially primitive and water unpolluted. These rep of discharges from the impoundment up from the low fives to resent vestiges of primitive America." There are no rivers in Penn the low to high sixes, depending on the time of year and the flow sylvania that fit the "wild" category. of the river. "Scenic," the next highest designation, is bestowed on rivers, "That was probably a major impact in making the upper Clarion, or portions of rivers, free of impoundments with a shoreline or from East Branch Lake down to Piney Dam, suitable for fishing," watershed still largely primitive and undeveloped, but accessible says Ron Lee, Commission Area 2 Fisheries Manager. in places by roads. In the years since that first step, DEP has been joined in its efforts "Recreational," the third category, is given to rivers, or por to clean up and preserve the Clarion by such groups and indi tions of rivers, that are valuable recreational resources readily ac viduals as the Fish and Boat Commission, U.S. Army Corps of cessible by road or railroad. They have some development along Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service, Western Pennsylvania Con their shoreline and might have been impounded or diverted in servancy, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Toby Creek the past. Watershed Association, Mill Creek Watershed Association, Clarion The Clarion River's Wild and Scenic Water begins seven-tenths River Basin Association, Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey, of a mile below Ridgway and ends 51.7 miles downstream at the Clarion University, Penn State University, former Sen. John Heinz, slackwater of Piney Dam west of the town of Clarion. In that Sen. Arlen Specter and former U.S. Rep. William Clinger. stretch, two sections, totaling 17 miles, qualify as "scenic" and Between 1979 and 1992, according to Corps of Engineer's bi the other 34.7 miles qualify as "recreational." ologist Mike Koryak, cleanup efforts have dramatically cut an "That's because of the road," said Paul Wiegman of the rec nual acid discharges into the Clarion, even in Piney Dam and the reational designation. Wiegman is director of Natural Science lower river, which is not part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Sys and Stewardship for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, tem. For example, Koryak points out, the acid level of Licking a group that has been instrumental in keeping land along the Creek has dropped from 100.50 milligrams per liter to 13.6, an Clarion in the public domain. "For a river to qualify for a 'scenic' 86 percent decline; Piney Creek from 56.1 to 19.4, a 65 percent designation," he adds, "it cannot have a road or rail bed run decrease; and Deer Creek from 47.4 to 24, a 50 percent drop. The ning along it." decreases have helped trim the acidity of the river itself at The two sections of the Clarion River that qualify as "scenic" Callensburg from 19.3 to 4.6 milligrams per liter, a 76 percent run from Portland Mills below Ridgway to Irwin Run, a distance reduction. of 4.6 miles, and from Cooksburg at Cook Forest State Park to the slackwaters of Piney Dam, a distance of 12.4 miles. A 10.4- The 1970s mile section of Mill Creek from Township Road 342 (Howe Bridge) Following opening of the Swamp Creek Treatment Plant on to its mouth also qualifies for a "scenic" designation. There is the East Branch Reservoir and other efforts to combat acid mine no direct road access to either stretch. drainage, efforts were launched in the mid-1970s to clean up pulp "I don't know of any other river in Pennsylvania that would mill discharges in Johnsonburg. Before that period, according be eligible for the 'scenic' designation," Wiegman said. "There to the Fish and Boat Commission's Lee, waste from the mill was may be sections of the Juniata that could be eligible, but that's pumped to a holding facility where it was allowed to settle, and about it." then was released into the river a couple of miles downstream of the town, creating one of the most awful smells imaginable. The late 1960s In 1976, the Commission responded to the improving river Even though I had no idea at the time, the return of the Clarion by attempting to establish a trout fishery in its upper waters. River from industrial sewer to National Wild and Scenic River Equal numbers of brook trout and brown trout fingerlings were started shortly before my encounter with it in 1970. It began in stocked. Within a few years, though, it became apparent that 18 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime the brook trout fingerlings were leaving the river and moving one brown of about 12 inches, but missed three or four other fish, up the tributary streams. and while canoeing the river earlier in the day spooked a num "We ended up with these huge numbers ofbrook trout fingerlings ber of other trout. in these little tribs and were just overloading them," says Lee. "They A lower river survey was conducted in 1995 at Cooksburg and already had wild trout in them that were experiencing naturally Callensburg below Piney Dam by personnel from the Fish and slow growth rates because of limited food sources." Boat Commission and Army Corps of Engineers. At Cooksburg, according to Leroy Young, the Commission's hydropower coor Early 1980s dinator, the survey turned up five smallmouths, including a 17- In the early 1980s, the Commission switched its plans and began incher, and a 22-inch channel catfish, as well as numerous river stocking only brown trout fingerlings in the river. Currently, chubs, rock bass, yellow perch, darters, shiners and other small according to Lee, the Commission stocks about 90,000 three-inch forage fish. Survey crews also saw a few other large bass. fingerlings annually in the Clarion from its source at the confluence In the Callensburg stretch of river, which still suffers from the of the East Branch and West Branch near Johnsonburg downstream effects of acid mine drainage, surveyors found a 16-inch small- to Cook Forest State Park. In addition, Lee says the Clarion also mouth and low numbers of panfish, darters and other forage fish. receives mature trout that find their way into the river from stocked Piney Dam's discharge itself produced some yellow perch, pump- tributaries. kinseed sunfish, crappies, largemouths, chubs, bluegills, golden Although some trout can be found in the Clarion from shiners and other forage species. Young says the numbers are Cooksburg to the downstream end of the Wild and Scenic River higher than in past years, but still low. project at the slackwater of Piney Dam, the river in that area One important recent change in the river occurred in July 1996, is essentially a self-sustaining warmwater fishery with small- when the Corps of Engineers and the Fish and Boat Commission mouth bass, channel catfish, yellow perch, rock bass and panfish. persuaded the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Penn The future also could hold some walleyes and tiger muskies. sylvania Electric Co. to allow increased flows from the East Branch In 1995, the Commission stocked 11,000 tiger muskies from Reservoir to pass through Piney Dam, where they have helped four to six inches, a million walleye fry and 6,500 fingerlings to dilute acid problems in the lower river. Previously, the elec in Piney Dam. Lastyear, it released another 1,000 tiger muskies, tric company had detained the water and randomly released it one million walleye fry and 6,500 walleye fingerlings in the for power generating purposes. same area. Because there are still water quality problems below As far as fishing on the Clarion is concerned, the Fish and Boat Mill Creek, stocking efforts in Piney Dam are experimental Commission's Lee says that unlike most rivers and streams he and use excess hatchery production. hears relatively little about the Clarion from anglers. He says it "That sounds like a lot," says Lee of the million walleye fry, "but seems to be one of those "closed-mouth" waters. Fishermen seldom it's really not a lot because you're looking at low survival in fry talk about it, but mention the name in western Pennsylvania angling in most cases. And it's [Piney Dam] a pretty harsh situation, so circles and almost invariably someone will have a friend who if we get even one percent, we'll be happy." regularly fishes it successfully. Lee thinks that anglers may start to catch legal-size tiger muskies "It's one of those fisheries where successful anglers who fish in 1998 or 1999. Establishment of a walleye fishery, though, is it don't tell others," Lee says. "The other thing is, you have to less certain. "I have a feeling we may not have success with those," fish it enough to determine where trout are located. The best trout he adds. "Piney's pretty acidic. But we'll try for a few years and angling as far as I understand is in the Portland Mills area. As see what happens." you proceed downstream, it starts making a transition to a The size of the Clarion River makes it difficult to survey and warmwater fishery. You may find bass upstream as far as Port determine the success of the trout stocking efforts, according to land Mills, but the farther downstream you go the better the Lee. The last survey of the upper river was conducted in the mid- warmwater fishing." 1980s. It found a low-density but high-quality brown trout fishery. Ortmann would be astonished by what has happend Among the fish taken by the survey crew were wild browns of 23 to "one of the worst streams in the state." inches and 18 inches. During about an hour of fishing the evening my waders ended up covered with caddis eggs sacks, I took only c Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater A Pseudocloeon Dun ^cw^.^,, Most fly fishermen are familiar with the common mayfly hatches-Quill Gordon, Hendrickson, March Brown, Cahill, Green Drake, and others. And increasingly, interest in trout stream entomology has led many anglers to be conversant with the scientific names of the insects, if only to allay the confusion over common names. But despite the growing familiarity with such mayfly designations as Ephemerella, Isonychia, Stenonema and the like, the name Pseudocloeon remains an enigma-and hardly Try this fly a household word among fly fishers. when trout Indeed, professional entomologists some are especially times disagree over the details of this ge fussy and tiny nus. However, in spite of its relative mayflies are anonymity, I'll wager that most Eastern trout on the water. anglers have seen this fly, either as duns or spinners, or both, in the course of everyday fishing, and possibly in great numbers. Pseudocloeon duns are commonly mis taken for Baetis duns, to which they bear strong resemblance. Both are small, two- tailed mayflies, generally with olive bodies and smoky wings. The most discernible differences between the two genera lie in the wing structure, and you'll probably need Sadly, however, during the 1970s a hur les below their tips and tying in a pre- a strong magnifying glass to detect them. ricane gone astray swept northward and measured length of the prepared hackles, Baetis have narrow, straplike hind wings that caused extensive flooding in many parts allowing the tips to remain until the wings extend crossways along the base of the fore of Pennsylvania. Dunbar Creek was dev are secured. After the wings are bound in wings. On the other hand, the Eastern astated by the force of the high water and place the tips are cut off, leaving only the species of Pseudocloeon are two-winged much of its stream bottom was literally contoured, reversed barbules to remain as mayflies that lack hind wings. swept away. Evidently, the habitat of the wings. These are among the easiest shaped Pseudocloeon nymphs are generally ol little mayflies had been destroyed, for never wings to dress in small sizes because the ive-colored, although the intensity of the again did we experience Pseudocloeon on large tips serve as handles with which to shade may vary from medium-dark to pale. Dunbar Creek. manipulate the wings. Once, on Dickies Run near Ft. Loudon, I Trout can be uncommonly fussy when Upright Wonder Wings on medium- examined some of these nymphs that were the tiny mayflies are on the water. Obvi sized to large flies are subject to being torn grass-green in color. Unlike other mayfly ously, trout possess acute closeup vision apart by trout's teeth. However, in small nymphs, those of Pseudocloeon have only and can discern the most minute details sizes, 20 or smaller, the tiny wings offer an two tails. of insects as small as the Pseudocloeon. For insignificant target and their longevity is Dunbar Creek is a pretty freestone stream that reason I dress the dun pattern with substantially better. that flows dirough a narrow mountain valley fully-shaped wings, a strategy that has paid Both the body dubbing and the palmer in Fayette County. Despite its bouts with dividends. hackling are wound front to rear and tied mine acid pollution from time to time in Wonder Wings are formed be reversing off at the hook's bend. The whip finish the past, it has been popular with many the barbules of two medium-sized hack- is made at the rear of the body, under southwestern Pennsylvania fly fishermen neath the base of the tails. Following the over the years. Although it is not known whip finish I remove the fly from the vise as a stream with abundant hatches, Dunbar Dressing: Pseudocloeon Dun and with fine-pointed scissors trim an in once had a good showing of Pseudocloeon verted V on the underside of the hackle. that appeared several times during summer Hook: Size22or24TiemcoTMC101. This lets the fly float low on the surface and fall. The duns emerged during the Thread: 6/0 olive pre-waxed. like the naturals. afternoons and in evenings the tiny, cop Tails: 2 whitish Microfibetts. With a lithe, featherweight rod and per-bodied spinners would swarm above the Wings: From 2 medium-sized smoky leader tapered to 7X, fishing a size 22 or pools. Both the duns and spinners provided dun hackles. 24 Pseudocloeon Dun to persnickety ris fascinating and exacting fishing, offering Body: Olive natural or synthetic fur. ers can be one of the most exhilarating many opportunities for experimenting with Hackle: Medium dun. experiences I know-win, lose f~h fly patterns. or draw. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories last A lifetime / . Tie in the thread slightly forward of the mid-shank and wind back to the bend. Tie in the tails, separate the tips and wind between to maintain the spread. Wind over the Microfibetts to the original tie-in and trim the excess. Z.» Select two hackles for wings and match them back-to- back. Stroke the barbules downward below the tips to reverse their direction. Determine the wing length (slightly longer than the shank length), cut the hackle ribs at that point and discard the severed lower portions of the hackles. J. Transfer the wing feathers to the right hand, stroke the barbules downward again and hold the barbule tips just below the ends of the ribs. Manipulat ing the thread with the left hand, tie in the wings by the barbules only at the tie-in point and secure them with several turns. Trim the excess barbules. 4, Grasp the hackle tips together and pull the wings semi-upright while winding behind and between to secure. Then trim off the hackle tips with scissors or nail clippers. Tie in one generic hackle (or two imported hackles) in front of the wings. Apply wax to the thread and pinch-dub the fur. 3 • Wind the dubbing from behind the eye to the base of the tails. 0« Wind the hackle open-palmer style from front to rear over the dubbing and tie off over the base of the tails. Trim the excess. Whip-finish the thread under the base of the tails and apply lacquer to the finish winds and to the head. Trim the hackle underneath the shank. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 21 ^1 \l •w& anglers? No one and nothing, if they have the urge and enough "moxie" to follow through. Women were always free to pick up rod and reel and hit the stream, and some of them always did. But as the sta tistics bear out, many did not. for Perhaps we didn't become anglers be cause we weren't independent enough to More Women Anglers take up the sport when those around us were not participants. Or perhaps we re by Linda Steiner ceived little or no encouragement from those who were anglers, when we did want There's a good reason it's called the stream 9 to 1. When it comes to fishing to give fishing a try. We still could have "angling fraternity," not "sorority." Only for something other than trout, women's practiced the sport, but without support, one in 10 women fishes, according to the numbers fare a little better—2 out of 10 it was much more difficult to stay inter National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and people fishing for species like bass and ested, find the occasion to go, and learn Wildlife-Associated Recreation (1991). bluegills are female. That's about 200,000 how to do it. These are all very human Twenty-eight percent of men fish. If you women out of the approximately one mil shortcomings, and not limited to whether meet a fisherman on the stream, he is likely lion licensed anglers—still a sparse repre a person's a man or a woman. to be just diat, a man. Of anglers nationally, sentation in the state. Certainly fishing, and its sister sport, 72 percent are male. With women mak Yet fishing is fun, it can be as simple or hunting, have always been male-dominated, ing up more than half of the U.S. popu as involved as we'd like it to be, and it puts in the sense of numbers of participants. lation, that's a pretty poor showing. us in the midst of beautiful scenery. It's There is nothing about either, talent-wise Pennsylvania's figures aren't any better, a quality time with family and friends, or or physically, that makes them more suit especially when it comes to trout fishing. a chance for some contemplative solitude, able for either sex. There was never any According to several recent Commission- and it can provide the makings of a from- thing about either sport that women initiated surveys, only 10 percent of the the-wild dinner. So why aren't there more couldn't do, if they wanted to. state's trout anglers are women. That of us women out there? Women have, in fact, a long history in means guys outnumber gals on the trout What keeps women from becoming fishing. The first recorded angling pub- 22 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime. lication in English was The Treatise ofFishing with an Angle, from the Book of St. Albans, in 1496. It is reputed to be the work of Dame Juliana Berners, who wrote accom panying chapters on hunting, hawking and heraldry. It had a great influence on other early fishing writers, like Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler (1653), who is regarded as a sort of "patron saint" of fly fishing. Present-day "great women anglers" include Joan Wulff, who with her husband Lee became a world-renowned fly angler, caster, fly innovator and fly fish ing writer. If we women wanted to fish, as when ever women wanted to enter occupations that were traditionally done by men, we always held the key to the door. As mother used to say, you can do anything you put your mind to ... you just have to want it enough. How do women, or anyone for that matter, become involved in a pastime like Students spent time honing their casting skills, and several in the class caught their first fish. fishing? In an address on "Reversing the Decline in Hunting and Fishing Partici someone you know get a "leg up" on fishing ing. Fourteen of the barriers related to the pation: Successfully Recruiting the Next and other outdoor sports through it? fact that women have less of an opportu Generation," Bruce E. Matthews, of die New Becoming an Outdoors-Woman was de nity to learn about the skills and traditions York Sportfishing and Aquatic Resources veloped to help break down what were of fishing and hunting as children and are Education Program, identified five ele discovered to be the main obstructions to isolated, knowing few, if any, other ments that are needed to get people in women engaging in outdoor recreation. outdoorswomen, if they do participate. volved in outdoor sports. If you are already The program grew out of a conference, The organizers of the Wisconsin con an angler, from your personal experience "Breaking Down the Barriers to Participa ference had received phone calls from you will recognize how right Matthews is, tion of Women in Hunting and Angling," women who wondered if they were going and if you have thought about being an held in 1990 at the University of Wiscon to teach hunting and fishing skills there. angler but aren't, you will see where the sin-Stevens Point College of Natural Re Dr. Christine Thomas, associate professor chain broke for you: sources. of resource management at the University Paraphrasing, the five elements that keep There agency and conservation club of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, said that al a beginning sportsperson coming back for leaders generated a list of 21 obstacles to though they weren't offering outdoor more are having a "threshold experience" women participating in fishing and hunt sports classes at the conference, "I began that motivates, access to equipment, know ing places where you can take part in the sport, receiving training, and having the social support of peers, friends or family. All of these factors must be present, said Matthews, if a person is going to continue in the sport after his or her first taste. There are numerous programs diat reach out to young people, encouraging their involvement in fishing and other outdoor recreation. Until recently, no one targeted women, at least not in a national, organized way, which is what makes the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program so welcome. Becoming an Outdoors-Woman helps an swer many women's concerns about "how do I get started?" in a fun format, with no pressure, no competition, and lots of peer support. Birth of the program What is the Becoming an Outdoors- Woman program, and how can you or Fishing &• Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 23 for More Women Anglers minded people. An often-heard compli ment of the Becoming an Outdoors- Woman programs is that the learning is in an atmosphere that is not "intimidat ing," and that the experiences are set in a "controlled environment." In addition, die women liked the fact that all of the par ticipants and many of the instructors were also women. It was particularly satisfying to have skills passed on woman to woman. The women who attended the Pennsyl vania Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend went home with new abilities and skills, able and confident they could be anglers, canoeists, fly tiers, campers, hunt ers and more. They had gained knowledge that empowered them to go out and take part in the sport, or to feel free to seek advanced instruction, now that they had a solid base of hands-on training and in formation. The Pennsylvania Becoming an Out doors-Woman program was very similar to the structure that is presented nation wide. The women arrived for lunch on Friday, had a four-hour skills course in the afternoon, dinner, then a wild-foods, fish and game, social time in the evening. On Instructor Walt Young offers fly tying tips. Somerset County. Fifty-nine women from Saturday, a four-hour class began after Some 22 different outdoor recreation around the state and several from out of breakfast, then another after lunch. Sat subjects were offered. state gathered at the rustic camp in the urday evening featured an after-dinner scenic Laurel Highlands, to "demolish" "fashion show" of outdoor sports cloth some of the barriers that had kept them ing and equipment for women. Another to wonder if these calls meant that there from fishing, hunting, becoming or being class filled Sunday morning, and the par is a need for a workshop of that type." Many better outdoorswomen. ticipants were done by noon. The cost was of the barriers identified had to do with In keeping with the national program $175 for meals, lodging and workshop a lack of educational opportunities, so a outline, a variety of outdoor recreation sessions. Because the weekend format plan was born to put together a skills subjects was offered, 22 in all, from fly allowed each woman to take only four workshop. fishing to sporting clays to game tracking subjects, and there were many more to try, The first Becoming an Outdoors- to camp cooking. quite a few said they would like to come Woman program, held in Wisconsin in Although there was plenty of time and back if the program was held again. 1991, was filled to capacity, with over 100 encouragement to make contact widi peers, women attending. Since then, more than talking to and forming new friendships Water sports 40 other states and four Canadian prov with other budding outdoorswomen, the The water sports portion of the program inces have followed by presenting their own obstruction to outdoor sports participa was coordinated by the Pennsylvania Fish Becoming an Outdoors-Woman programs. tion which the Pennsylvania Becoming an and Boat Commission. Classes offered were Last fall, Pennsylvania joined the ranks of Outdoors-Woman program did the most Basic Fishing Skills, Beginning Fly Fish states offering the workshop and, like the to tear down was lack of knowledge. This ing, Advanced Fly Fishing, Fly-tying and others, the "just do it" spirit resonated is a condition not restricted to whether one Basic Canoeing. These offerings were through the weekend. is a man or a woman—ignorance carries among the best-attended of the courses, no stigma, it only means that you have not with two-thirds of the attendees passing PA's program yet learned something. through at least one. Some of the women Pennsylvania's program was organized Participants could come into the pro had come with a definite purpose, taking by the Pennsylvania Game Commission gram with virtually no experience in a sport, all three of the fly angling-related courses, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Com only an interest, and feel very much at ease, building on the skills they gained through mission. It was held in mid-September at because the program provided a pleasant out the weekend. Some classes were held f McKeesport YMCA's Camp Soles in forum for learning, in company with like- twice to accommodate the interest. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater VisUng & Boating Memories Ijxst A Lifetime It's perhaps not right to call what the The group did try their hand at casting served as a "get acquainted" time. The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program to moving water, learning cast placement, picture that emerged was that there was offers "classes." The sessions are more like drifting flies around obstacles, and on- no "typical" Becoming an Outdoors- actually participating in the activities, with water line handling. They also got some Woman participant. Age groups from someone kindly and knowledgeable to advanced casting and fishing techniques teenagers to "golden-agers" were repre guide you toward doing it correctly, or and a few of our personal fly-fishing tips sented. Wanting to be active in the out better. Instruction was "hands on" and in and "tricks." We finished the day, the sun door sports was obviously not confined to the field, or on the water, as much as pos out at last, with more about choosing flies. just one period in a person's life. sible, even with the weekend's unseason All the participants left the fly fish In our fly fishing class, many of the ably cool and windy weather. ing courses with a good chance of be women said they wanted to learn so they Instructors came from the ranks of the ing successful on the stream. There was could accompany friends or loved ones who Game Commission and Fish and Boat satisfaction in the smiles, the handshakes were already participants. But there were Commission, plus outside individuals, both and the hugs of those who until that day also women who were there because they men and women. I was privileged to be had never touched a fly rod. We instruc wanted to become fly anglers for them an instructor for Basic and Advanced Fly tors also presented the attendees with selves, to please themselves and to do by Fishing, along with my husband, Bob, and a notebook of articles about the sport, themselves, not necessarily as part of a Walt Young, who also taught fly-tying. We plus Fish and Boat Commission bro couple or crowd. Carl Richardson said that are all outdoor writers and avid fly anglers. chures. These were for reference and in the Basic Fishing class a lot of the women Carolyn Shafer, a local accomplished fly refreshers after the course, and as infor had spouses who fish, who encouraged angler, completed the instructor team. The mation and tips on "where to go from them to attend the program so they could Commission's involvement was overseen here" in learning more about fly fishing, fish together. There were also mothers, by Carl Richardson, Aquatic Resources places to fish, and choosing equipment. he said, who wanted to learn so they could Education Manager. Not every woman who came to learn take their children fishing. In the Basic Fly Fishing session, we be about fishing wanted fly angling. Some If the participants in the Becoming an gan by explaining why a "different" sort came just wanting to know a little about Outdoors-Woman program had one com of rod, reel and line were used for fly fishing. basic "hook and worm" fishing. For them, mon trait, it was the enthusiasm that shone Some attendees had never fished, but we a Basic Fishing Skills course was taught from all faces. In our fly fishing morning assured them they would leave the class by Carl Richardson and Fish and Boat class, we instructors offered the group a "self-sufficient on the stream." In the next Commission Waterways Conservation break halfway through the four hours. Oh four hours they learned to cast a fly rod Officer Dawn Swenningsen. There gals no, the women insisted, let's keep going, proficiendy and to tie basic knots and make were introduced to simple rigging up, knot and they pulled their chairs up and leaned their own leaders. They also learned about tying and using bait, and they spent some forward. Time, to them, was short and equipment (we instructors had a "fashion time at the lake edge. Several caught their precious, and we instructors had something show" of our own, modeling how we dress first fish. to give, knowledge, which they wanted and and what gear we take to the stream), and Heidi Millbrand, a Fish and Boat Com deserved, and which they meant to take they were introduced to the aquatic insects mission Aquatic Resources Program Spe away with them. f~h and other water life that flies imitate. cialist and an avid canoeist and canoeing Camp Soles has a lake, and we took the instructor, taught the Basic Canoeing class. class there in hopes of catching fish, maybe After some onshore instruction, partici 1997 PA Becoming an bluegills, on flies, but an onshore wind and pants spent almost the whole four hours a weedy edge kept us from getting any. In out on the lake practicing their new skills. Outdoors-Woman Weekend the Advanced Fly Fishing session, we went At the beginning of most of the sessions, The 1997 Pennsylvania Becoming an to Laurel Hill Creek, several miles away. attendees were asked how they came to be Outdoors-Woman weekend is set for Just as it happens sometimes when you're there and what they hoped to get from the September 12,13 and 14, Friday to going fishing for "real," the stream was high course. This helped instructors recognize Sunday, again at Camp Soles in and cloudy and the trout weren't biting. where they needed to focus instruction and Somerset County. Watch for it to be advertised to Pennsylvania Angler & Boater, or contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 717-787-6286 for details. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifet, Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 25 l-xMbOttt ^i-r~ crowds? Fish some of the lesser know streams of the state-the overlooked trout Pennsylvania's streams of Pennsylvania. These streams include the Tioga River, the Genesee River, Harveys Creek, Logan Branch in Bellefonte, the Little Bald Eagle Creek just a few miles Overlooked outside of Tyrone, and Bobs Creek in north ern Bedford County. While hordes of fly fishers flock to Yel low Creek, you'll find Bobs Creeks relatively free of the angling crowds. And Bobs also holds great hatches at this time of year. So TROUT even though many of the state's fly fish ers search for a place on some of the more popular streams, other streams in the Commonwealth that provide good fly hatches and fly fishing go relatively unfished STREAMS after the opening week of the season. by Charles R. Meek Hatches Ifl had only one week of the year to match Fish any one of Pennsylvania's better- Boiling Springs as another example of hatches, I'd select May 23 to May 30. On known streams during a hatch and you'll crowded streams. When the white fly most of these overlooked trout streams you see just how popular a destination they are. appears on this water the latter half of can find hatches then. In that week you Hit Penns Creek near the end of May when August, you'll find elbow-to-elbow fly fish can see sulphurs, light cahills, green drakes, it hosts the green drake hatch and you'll ing in the catch-and-release area near slate drakes, blue-winged olives, dark-green find hundreds of other fly fishers lined up Allenberry. I avoid at all cost fly fishing drakes, brown drakes, March browns, blue waiting for these huge mayflies. Fish that on Spring Creek the first few days of the quills, and others. same hatch on the Little Juniata River, or sulphur hatch in mid-May. You'll have to Even in midsummer I've seen hatches and Yellow Creek near Bedford, and you'll also search the stream for any room to match rising trout on some of our secondary have to contend with heavy fishing pres the hatch. streams. I've hit trico hatches on sure. Look at Yellow Breeches Creek at What can an angler do to avoid these Manatawny Creek near Pottstown and on 26 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories 1MS! A Lifetime Martins Creek near Bangor, Northampton in Bethlehem, but you probably won't find The Little Bald Eagle has two excellent County. as many anglers on Martins Creek just a tributaries, Vanscoyoc and Big Fill runs, But what's the use of seeing a hatch if few mile north of Easton. Still, Martins which help the main stem maintain cool the water temperature doesn't hold up holds some respectable hatches. Hit Mar temperatures all summer long. Both during the summer? You'll find cool tem tins Creek near the end of May and you'll branches boast good wild trout popula peratures on many of these overlooked see sulphurs and trout rising to them. Fish tions of their own. streams in the state. On Roaring Branch the same stream in late August and you'll Talk about some hatches, the Little Bald and Rock Run, both just north of find tricos in the air every morning. Mar Eagle holds its share. I've fished over green Williamsport, I found 59-degree tempera tins Creek also holds a hatch of the big drakes, yellow drakes, blue quills, slate tures on late July afternoons. On Schrader Hexagenia mayflies common on the Little drakes and quill gordons. I've seen the Creek I recorded water temperatures in the Lehigh in mid-August. These big mayflies heaviest hatch of sulphurs (Ephemerella low 60s in late July. So many of the over continue to appear at dusk for more than dorothea) that I've ever seen on any stream- looked streams hold some hatches, cool a week. and the hatch appears every night for more water-and yes, plenty of trout. Martins holds some heavy trout, too. than six weeks. These small sulphurs (size Some of the stream has been posted, so look 18) usually appear just at dusk in June and Logan Branch for open water and get permission from July. I said earlier that the stream hosts Just a couple of miles from the angling landowners. two drakes, the green and the yellow. On crowds on Spring Creek you'll find a stream Martins Creek begins above Bangor. some rare occasions I've seen both emerge that few fishers frequent. Logan Branch Some anglers diink the stretch in that town on the same evening in early and mid-June. doesn't hold the aesthetics of many of our gets little pressure and holds quite a few The Little Bald Eagle flows into the Little more remote streams. You'll find houses trout. PA 191 gets you to this upper end. Juniata River in the town of Tyrone, Blair and factories built next to the stream. A busy highway runs just a few feet from this limestoner. Don't let these shortcomings deter you-this stream is loaded with plenty of streambred brown trout, many up to 15 inches long. As Spring Creek, Logan holds a sulphur hatch. You won't find it as heavy as the one on Spring Creek, but it does bring the heavy streambred trout to the surface. Logan Branch also holds some little blue- winged olives and some large Hex mayflies in August and September. Logan Branch empties into Spring Creek in Bellefonte. Travel upstream from the town a mile or two until you find some open water. PA 144 parallels the stream for sev eral miles. Manatawny Creek Manatawny Creek is a mid-sized trout stream located just a few miles northwest of Philadelphia. It holds some great cad dis fly and mayfly hatches throughout the season. Even in late September you'll find holdover trout. Even though the throngs fish the Tulpehocken, Valley, and French Litde Bald Eagle Creek County. You'll find the best fly fishing a creeks nearby, you'll find fewer fly fishers Even though dozens of anglers vie for few miles north of town. 1-99 parallels the on Manatawny Creek. While hundreds of elbow room on die Little Juniata River, one stream. anglers fish little blue-winged olive hatches of its tributaries, the freestoner Little Bald on the Little Lehigh, few know of the good Eagle Creek, gets little fly fishing attention. Clarion River matching-the-hatch opportunities on Unlike its sister stream to the East, Bald Why have so many anglers overlooked Manatawny Creek. Eagle Creek, the Little Bald Eagle flows cool the Clarion River around Ridgway? It's a You can reach Manatawny Creek just off all summer long. It holds a good supply spectacular river with plenty of access, but PA 662 near Boyertown. The stream en of streambred and some native brookies, it has some problems. I'm convinced the ters the Schuylkill River at Pottstown. in addition to holdover trout. I've already off-color water inhibits trout from feed fly fished on this stream in July and Au ing on the surface. The Clarion has the Martins Creek gust when air temperatures rose above 90 potential to be one of the top streams in You often find angling pressure on the degrees and I've caught trout. At that time the East, if thermal problems and pollu Little Bushkill Creek in Easton, the Little you might find some of the stretches with tion lessen. Lehigh in Allentown, and the Monocacy water temperatures in the high 60s. On the Clarion from Johnsonburg ishing &• Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Pennsylvania's Overlooked TROUT STREAMS downriver to Portland Mills, you'll find plenty of open water and some good rap ids. In more than a dozen times when I have fly fished this river, I have caught trout only in the rapids and riffles of this river. That suggests to me that the trout need highly oxygenated water to survive. On those trips to the Clarion I have caught more than 50 trout, and all of them in the faster water quill hatch in the afternoon and some rising Bobs Creek has plenty of native brook of the river. trout. In one pool, Cheney caught more trout and streambred browns. PA 869 gets Does the river hold any large trout? On than 10 trout matching that hatch with a you to the lower end of the stream. But that Labor Day trip I landed a heavy 21-inch size 18 Blue Quill. Several of us now re much of the better fly fishing is upstream. holdover brown trout. You can reach the fer to that one pool as the Cheney Pool. There's a road that follows the stream above river from Johnsonburg to Ridgway off US If you visit Bobs Creek several weeks into Pavia. In some areas you'll have to hike 219 and from Ridgway to Portland Mills the season, you'U encounter fewer anglers in and fish. In this upper area you'll find on PA 949. If conditions on this river im and still plenty of hatches. Before the end plenty of productive runs and pools and prove in the next few years, watch for some of April you'll see great hatches of blue the stream in this section ranges from IS great trout fishing. quills and quill gordons. to 20 feet wide. Bobs Creek has even fewer fly fishers by Remember-keep looking at some of the Harveys Creek late May when the green drake appears. other streams across the Commonwealth. Talk about a stream getting no respect- Fish some of the upper stream above Pavia Compared to the more popular streams, Harveys Creek, Luzerne County, is at the in late afternoon and you'll probably see many lesser-known waterways lack only top of the list. The lower end of this 30- some of these large mayflies emerging angling pressure. f"1! foot-wide freestone stream flows next to during the day. PA 29. On many summer days you'll find people having parties and washing their cars Overlooked Trout Streams along the stream. In the five times I've visited this stream in the past two years I have never 0 T "* encountered another fly fisher. °Li Does that mean this stream doesn't hold y 1 V &J any hatches or trout? In the middle of a o\ hot August afternoon I've caught trout y- y there-plenty of trout, including streambred -j> browns and natives brook trout. Harveys Creek stays relatively cool throughout the summer and holds some deep pools, spec tacular falls, and plenty of heavy trout. Harveys Creek holds its share of good hatches. In May you'll see a great sulphur hatch and by the end of the month you'll even see some green drakes on the surface. Harveys also holds light cahills, slate drakes and little blue-winged olives into September. 1. Martins Creek near Bangor, 7. Tioga River, eastern Tioga County. Northampton County. 8. Genesee River, northern Potter County. Bobs Creek 2. Harveys Creek, northern 9. Clarion River, Elk County. Dick Cheney, former Secretary of De Luzerne County. 10. Logan Branch at Bellefonte, fense, accompanied several of us to Bobs 3. Manatawny Creek, southeast Centre County. Creek on the third day of the season sev Berks County. 11. Big Fill Run, Blair and eral years ago. That's not an appropriate 4. Schrader Creek, southern Centre counties. time to take someone to Bobs Creek in Bradford County. 12. Little Bald Eagle Creek, northern northern Bedford County. This freestoner 5. Rock Run, north of Williamsport, Blair County. gets a lot of pressure early in the season. Lycoming County. 13. Vanscoyoc Run, Blair and Even though we had difficulty finding some Roaring Branch, north of Centre counties. room to fly fish, we hit a spectacular blue Williamsport, Lycoming County. 14. Bobs Creek, northern Bedford County. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories last A Lifetime Pennsylvania's Boat Titling Frequently Aske estions When will boat titling go into effect? by Andrew Mutch Act 1996-73, providing for the titling of certain mo torboats in Pennsylvania, was signed into law by Gover nor Ridge on July 2, 1996. The Fish and Boat Commission will begin die boat titling program January 1,1998. In the meantime, Where can I obtain a title to my boat? the Commission is developing regulations to implement the ti An application for a boat title is included on the same form tling law, upgrading its computer programs, developing new ap as a boat registration. Applications are available at county treasurer's plication forms and creating a title document. offices, certain boat dealerships, at Commission headquarters in Harrisburg and regional law enforcement offices, and by mail Will I have to get a title for my boat? directly from the Commission. Under the law, boat titling will affect motorboats with a model year of 1997 and newer, except those that are powered by an out What if I bring my boat in from another title state? board motor and are less than 14 feet. All inboard-powered boats, Any boat currently titled in another state must obtain a Penn including all 1997 or newer personal watercraft, are subject to sylvania title, when Pennsylvania becomes the state of primary the titling requirement, regardless of length. use, regardless of the age, size or length of the boat. Can I get a title if my boat doesn 't meet the titling requirements ? What are the differences between boat registration and boat titling? Yes. The Fish and Boat Commission will issue a title to boat A certificate of title is a legal document exhibiting ownership. owners who volunteer to title their boats. However, once a title A certificate of registration denotes a right of use, but does not is issued by the Commission, that boat must remain titled by future prove ownership. Frequent cases of ownership disputes arise in owners. states where only registration is required. Co-ownership by in- 4\i How much will it cost to get a title? dividuals often leads to disputes when the relationship ends or The charge is $15 for unencumbered boats and $20 for boats is no longer friendly. The loser in this situation is often an un with encumbrances ($15 for issuance of the title and $5 for re suspecting buyer who has paid cash for a boat to one of the partners cording the lien). A duplicate title is $5. and is unaware of the co-owner's interest. A certificate of title indicates ownership, requires all owners to sign off on their in What are the benefits of titling? terests when selling, and would provide the purchaser with proper Boat buyers are assured that the seller has clear ownership of documentation for titling and registering a boat. a boat offered for sale. A certificate of title is a legal document exhibiting ownership. Some lenders won't finance a boat with Who can I call or write to for more information? out a title, so securing a loan to purchase a boat should become PA Fish & Boat Commission, Boat Registration Section, easier in Pennsylvania. P.O. Box 68900, Titling is also a deterrent to boat theft. Boat dealers and other Harrisburg, PA 17106-8900; phone (717) 657-4551. Q Purchasers are more certain that someone offering a boat for sale has the legal right to do so. Andrew Mutch is Chief of the Commission's Boat Registration Section. Fishing &• Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater I've come to believe that the weather around shad season has been cursed. Af ter enjoying some mild and relatively stable f-Wj^pUMiMjfy springs in the mid- and late 1980s, condi tions during recent shad migrations have been downright hostile. High water, low water, cold water, muddy water and the effects of last year's ice floods are just some of the things shad fishermen have faced in this daffy decade. HAD FISHING Shad, on the other hand, don't appear to have been adversely affected by the vari by Vic Attardo able weather, though the numbers taken by commercial netters in the Delaware Bay is causing concern. By most accounts, '96 was a good year as sonar units were continually bleeping the presence of run ning fish. Instinctively, shad know how to adjust to the mutable spring weather. When the water is high, they move closer to shore, making the shoreline channels excellent targets for waders and boat anglers who know the dropoffs close to the banks. When the water is low, shad ride the mid- river channels where the flow is steady and there are plenty of rocks to break the current. Shore anglers able to cast the extra distance, or boat anglers who know the twists and turns of the mid-river cuts, find the fish. Go with the flow In recent seasons, the key to catching shad has been to adjust to the variable water flows. The National Weather Service records the river levels on at least six sta tions on the Delaware River from Callicoon to Trenton and you can get this informa tion by calling 1-800-431-4721. For my own benefit, I listen to the re ports for Riegelsville and Phillipsburg. Keeping a computer chart I record the water level every day from April 1 to June 1, and every third or fourth day thereafter, depend ing on rainfall. Through the use of this information, I've learned the parameters at which I can safely wade a number of favorite shoreline spots in the Easton and Shawnee areas and when I must revert to boat fishing because of a higher flow. When the water level at Riegelsville is between 4 and 5.5 feet I know from expe rience I can reach the mid-river channel with a dart. When the river at Riegelsville is listed above 6 feet, I need the boat and must fish close to islands or the shoreline channels that run against the state-line boundaries. For the upper Delaware when the wa In recent years, one key to successful shad fishing has ter level at Port Jervis is between 3 feet and been to adjust to the variable water flows. 4 feet, I can wade selected areas from 30 Pennsylvania Angler c~ Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Narrowsburg, New York to the Delaware Water Gap. Above that and I prefer to sit comfortably at anchor. In 1996, the water level at Riegelsville through the third and fourth week of April was 7 to 9 feet, too high to wade anywhere in the area but making for excellent boat fishing along shoreline dropoffs. At one location, my partner and I anchored within 15 feet of the Pennsylvania shore and caught our fill of shad over a three-day stretch. Boatmen who kept to the mid-river channel, where they had taken fish in pre vious years, had a tough time of it. Because of the ice floods and the restructuring of the river bottom, some of them never found the old lanes they remembered. The high water conditions forced us to make a number of adjustments in our daily routine. And if there is one thing that can be said about shad fishing, it's that you sonar unit, but until we made some mi Finding the right location is a main always have to be making adjustments. nor adjustments in our presentation we component to good shad fishing. But even a would have thought the river to be sud good location can require minor adjustments Buy good real estate denly fishless. as the river goes through its daily moods. River guide Ken Koury believes that My partner, Ernie Dalrossa, and I were making adjustments on the water is the anchored in our 16-foot tri-hull on the edge terms of renewed success, it was as if we key to successful shad fishing. Perhaps of a swift channel against the rocky shore had moved to a different river. We started the most important adjustment, he notes, line. High water conditions had persisted banging the shad again and continued is location. for several days, a result of some heavy rains some heavy hitting until it was again nec "As long as I am getting a bite every half- and repeated releases from some of the essary to make other minor adjustments- hour or so, I don't make a major move. upriver impoundments-the latter a major in this case, a change of spoon size and I may slide the boat a few feet in either source of consternation throughout much splitshot weight to compensate for a fur direction to get into a better groove, but of the last season. ther decrease in the current. that's it," Koury says. "But if the fishing Early in the day, the current was push The important thing is to look and lis goes dead for an hour and I've tried some ing hard and the only fishable water was ten to what the river is doing. When the other tricks, then I'm going to get up and situated within a rod's length of the river sound of the waves slapping against your look for another spot." bank. Frequently, the swing off the anchor boat seems loud and rapid, the river is As part of his adjustable plan, Koury took us so close to shore we could almost telling you something. When the makes changes in his location based on the step out of the boat onto dry land. morning's anchor feels less bumpy and the time of day. At first light you'll find him Not surprisingly, the shad were tight to waves feel calmer, the river is again speaking over traditional channel runs, but as the the bank, cruising up river in some 8 to to you. In both cases, there may be minor sun climbs he moves to other places. 10 feet of water. Anchored as we were, our adjustments you can make that will put "At midday, I start looking for deep water flutter spoons intercepted their movement. fish in the boat. where the shad will be laying up for a time, But as the day wore on, we began to taking a little siesta. If that doesn't work, notice a gradual decrease in current speed What's my line I'll do the exact opposite. I'll set up in the brought on by the end of the previous One of the great unsung variables when channels and hope a few of them will be night's reservoir releases. The boat was not casting to shad is the fishing line that's running through. The important thing swinging as widely and we even noted a used. I'm not referring to brand names and is to think like a fish and do what you're change in the sound of our downrigger not necessarily the strength of the line experience and understanding tells you the wires as the metallic hum decreased with under its pound test. The important vari fish will do." the milder flow. able here is the diameter of the line. Clearly, finding the right location is the There was also a change in our Most anglers realize that with so many number one component to good shad fish shadnapping. The hot morning bite was different grades of monofilament on the ing. But even a good location can require cooling and the spoons on the shore-side market, the diameter of one manufacturer's minor adjustments as the river goes of the boat were going completely un 10-pound-test line can be thinner than through its daily moods. touched. another manufacturer's 6-pound test. The point was driven home to me last Noticing the change, Ernie theorized the I remember once running out of my season while plying the waters around shad were now running farther out from favorite line for casting and being forced Easton. Early in the morning we banged the bank and that we had to adjust our to buy another brand that was touted as away at the shad, but as the day wore on position. being thinner and more limp. It was, but we garnered fewer and fewer fish. From In actual location, we did not stray more it was also not right for the job of casting first light to dusk we marked fish on the than 10 feet across the channel. But in shad darts. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater hmf itself as the dominant color of the day, I switch all my lines until that color stops V' IMP working." HABFISHI Up against the wall The thinner the line, the faster it will sink Imagine for a moment a rock lying on through the water column and this softer, the road. As you drive along, it's easy to smaller diameter line sank very quickly. It get around the single rock. Swerve a little also hung up around eveiy rock in the river. muneferCraFt to the right or a little to the left and your As my dart drifted along, the line came down tires miss the bump. behind it and I had no sense of what depth But put a couple of rocks on the road and my dart was traveling until I snagged on a spread them across the lane in a lazy curve. rock. After a couple of days of this aggra Now your chances of a clear passage are vation I made a more earnest search for my almost nil. favorite line, found it, and resumed my Some years ago a number of my Easton- happy fishing. of the shad darts-flutters weren't in vogue area fishing partners noticed how "doubles" With so many generic and name-brand then. Back then, my shad boxes resembled often occurred when two anglers fishing close monofilaments on the market, it would be a rainbow, only prettier. I had darts of ev to each other cast together and ran about impossible to give a complete list of line ery hue and color seen on this earth. the same drift. This phenomenon got talked diameters. But a general rule of thumb for Today, I keep only three color combina about a lot-at first in jest, then as truth. casting to shad with quarter-ounce darts tions of darts and spoons. For darts I have It seemed to happen regularly. If a couple is to use a .010 to .012 diameter line for swift- pink/black, chartreuse/green and char of lads peppered an area as a school offish water fishing. If you look hard enough you'll treuse/red. For spoons I carry the same went through, more than one would hook find the diameter listed on most boxes or colors but with gold and silver backs. up. If these same anglers were casting hap on the spool. I choose the color of the dart and hazardly and a school went through, only Over and over again I've seen anglers flutterspoon by checking the color of the one would shank a shad, then another an using the generic brands or less expensive water and noting the appearance of the sky. gler a lot farther upstream might make a con grades of well-known brands-which typi For dark days or cloudy water I start with nection. Evidence that a school had run by. cally have a larger diameter-experience fewer the pink/black combination. For clear water This observation, and a technique of rock wrap-arounds than the anglers using and bright days I use the remaining colors, simultaneous dart-throwing among a small the super premium lines that get to the favoring chartreuse/red as the sun climbs unit of wading anglers, became known as bottom quicker. Save these good lines for above the tree line. In cloudy water, a gold- "The Wall." The theory is excellent, even deepwater crankbait and worm fishing for backed spoon seems to work better, but at if the practice is a little wacky. Simply put, bass. And one other note, forget the new times a silver blade with a hammered fin The Wall consists of two or more darts super braided lines. Just try to break a ish works under sunny conditions. arcing close together on a similiar drift. No snagged dart off with this stuff on your reel! If you're at a loss as to which color to effort is made to cast to the same spot, but Concurrently, do not use a heavy line try, simply tie different lures onto your line, casting into the same lane and then hav while downrigging with flutter spoons. One drop them over the side and determine ing the darts sweep in closely to each other day I met a pair of fishermen at the ramp which of them you can see at a greater at the end of the cast is the essence of this who had gone shadless through the day. I depth. That's really all it takes. On the technique. could see they were experienced fishermen. water, I'm more interested in proper depth, In fact, doubles and even triples are more They had anchored in a good location and drift and location than color. The angler- common with "The Wall." Angler confi had their downriggers properly set. As we to-angler call of" what color are they tak dence is also good because there is a sense talked they consoled themselves telling me ing" only makes me smile. that any shad running up the channel is stories of their salmon trips in New York. When shore fishing, I carry more sizes going to smack into something. It was then I looked at the line on their reels. of splitshot than I do dart colors, while in On other note, The Wall is used only It was as thick as clothesline. I recalled my the boat we have a greater variety of blade during the shad's early sprint up river. Once partner telling me that most flutterspoons sizes to match varying current speeds. spawning begins, the fish's behavior dif won't work very well behind anything Koury is also not a big color man. fers and The Wall holds little value. heavier than 8-pound test, and certainly not "I don't believe in carrying 50 different Tighten a screw, turn back the clock, add behind the 25-pound-test line these gents colors," he said on one outing last year. "I a pinch of salt or lower the flame-it's the still had on from their salmon trips. I usually carry 12 to 15 colors and if you are little adjustments that make things work. pointed this out and we all tested our spoons using four rods on a boat you can go This shad season consider tinkering with in the water. Sure enough, theirs drifted through these pretty quickly." the variables in your presentation and lo like the lid of a coffee can-no wobble what Koury's favorite flutterspoon colors are cation. Don't just set the anchor in one place soever; mine looked like a flag flapping in pink and black, chartreuse and green, and expect to catch shad all day; don't use a SO mph wind. chartreuse and red, and chartreuse and the same color dart or spoon from morn pink. He uses a mixture of gold and sil ing to night; study the current and add or Every hue? ver blades behind each shade. subtract weight from you line. Watch how Fifteen years ago I would have written that "I like to start with one of everything. the river is behaving and change your be one of the most important adjustments you I never go with all the same color to be havior along with it. __. could make in a day's fishing was the color gin. But when one color starts showing o 32 W-nnsylv.imd Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime ISftftQ JFish that are born in Pennsylvania waters and migrate to the Atlantic Ocean are called anadromous (eh-nad'-ri-mus). Their parents lay eggs in fresh water, the young hatch and live in fresh water, move to salt water, and return later as adults. The two anadromous fish that anglers and biologists talk about most are striped bass and American shad. These two fish make their way up the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers each spring. They return to the spot where they hatched from eggs three to five years ago. How do they know where to go? American shad adults live in the Atlantic Ocean. They travel in large schools, as you do on a school bus. The fish in these schools are from many different rivers. In the spring, the school travels north. On this trip they pass the different rivers where shad were born. The fish born in that river break from the group and move into fresh water. That's like your getting off the school bus at your stop. Only the adults that are three to five years old break from the group. The younger adults stay with the school. That is just like your riding the bus but not getting 'off at your stop until junior high school! How do these think that each river has a special "smell." Fish, fish "know" especially the ones that migrate, have a good sense when they have of smell. The scientists think the fish can smell their ygached their river? river from out in the ocean and find their way home. Scientists have Striped bass and American shad are good at finding been asking that question for many years. They their homes. Studies show that very few stray. IPdMwterfa HMk & HSciDfflft (5®iMffi}iM®a) smallmouth bass mi Alt TERRY, You must like fishing for bass! The answer to your question about the best bait to use to catch bass is tricky. Most anglers think fish eat our lures and bait because they look like their food. So what you put on the end of your line better look like the food they eat! Largemouth bass eat things like frogs, minnows, sunfish, crayfish and even mice! Smallmouth bass eat crayfish and minnows. If you are after big bass, nothing beats a fat, juicy minnow. You might not catch lots of bass, but I bet the ones you do catch are big. If you are after lots of fish, try a spinner or a jig. The current state record for largemouth bass is 11 pounds, 3 ounces. The state record smallmouth came from your neck of the woods, Lake Erie, and weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. The world record largemouth is 22 pounds, 4 ounces. The current smallmouth bass world record is 11 pounds, 12 ounces. Thanks for your letter and good fishing! NOTE: If you catch a big fish, you may qualify for a Commission Junior Anglers Award. If you'd like information on the Angler Recognition Program, send requests with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Angler Recognition Program, PA Fish & Boat Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000 DEAR PLAY: I want to learn how to tie some new fishing knots. I have a few books that show new knots. What's the best way to learn? -Sincerely Justin Smith Bryn Mawr, PA REAR JUSTIN, The best way to learn to tie new knots is to practice tying the knot first using clothesline. When you feel comfortable tying the new knot with clothesline, use heavy monofilament line. When you can tie the knot well in heavy monofilament, practice tying the knot with your usual fishing line. And keep practicing! Good luck this season! TJtlQ© (§CP@6&\5WkBte lSb©S Hopefully you will catch a few trout this spring. hooked to these holes and the trout go through the Have you ever thought about how those fish got hose into the water! there? On some streams, mother nature does a Trout like water that is cold with lots of oxygen great job of growing trout. Some waters, though, in it. They die if they don't get enough oxygen or if don't have wild fish. To provide fishing there, the they get too hot. The trucks are loaded with cool Fish and Boat Commission stocks adult, catchable- spring water from the hatchery. To keep the water size trout. Some five million of these fish find cool, we paint the tanks white. White paint reflects their way to these waters. As you can guess, it's a the sun's heat. The nickname "Great White Fleet" very big job to get those fish from our 10 trout comes from the big white tanks. hatcheries to the waters of the state. Sometimes oxygen gas goes into the water. This The Commission has 45 big trucks to do that oxygen comes from a big tank, just like the ones job. These stocking trucks are like streams on doctors use in the hospital. We mount the tanks on wheels. Trout need to be kept healthy on their the back of the truck. Other times an aeration pump trip, and what a trip it is! Last year Commission bubbles air into the tanks. The oxygen from the air stocking trucks made 1,900 trips and traveled more dissolves in the water. than 360,000 miles. That is one-and-a-half times The stocking truck drivers have a big job. They more than the distance from the earth to the moon! need to get each load to its destination, but the What do you need to keep 3,500,10-inch trout load of fish must be healthy. They check the fish healthy on a stocking run? First, you need a large once every hour. The oxygen in the water is checked waterproof container. Most of the trucks have fiberglass tanks on them. Some boats and race cars are made of fiberglass. It's strong, lightweight and waterproof. These tanks have six or seven compartments in them. Each compartment is about the size of two bathtubs, stacked on top of each other. The fish are loaded into each compartment. Each compartment has a lid and some have large holes. Big hoses are then. If the fish need more, they change how much oxygen or air goes to the fish. They need to be safe drivers, too! Each loaded truck weighs more than 23,000 pounds-that's 11 tons. They also need to take care of each truck. Each truck, completely outfitted, costs about $50,000. The Commission has used trucks to stock fish since the 1930s. The trucks have changed a lot since then. The job these trucks have to do hasn't changed much. We must deliver the fish healthy. That is a job for the Great White Fleet! SQgxMMteg M)£& You are the driver of a trout stocking truck. Your job is to get from the hatchery to the FROM HATCHERY stream. Be sure you do your job safely! • • • Where in Pennsylvania is Carmen Fishiego? The Case of the Picked Lock Late last night, we received a call from like the Allegheny. Now that the lock is the Lock Master at Lock Number Three on missing, traffic is backed up on the Allegheny, the Allegheny River. It seems that the lock Carmen and her cronies are at it again! was picked and is now missing. Locks help Which waterway will Carmen take the boats and barges move up and down rivers, lock to? Here are your clues: Allegheny County's Waterways Conservation Officer reports that the boat access at Springdale was where Carmen launched her boat. He found a piece of litter with the words: "meet me for ice cream on the pike stop at the side of the hill" scribbled on it. Our friends from the Turnpike Commission called in these late-breaking details. Toll takers at Turnpike Exit 5 report seeing a suspicious truck traveling west on the Turnpike. Frank "Flathead" Catfish drove the truck and was carrying a heavy load. Toll takers at the Fort Littleton Exit noticed some shady, scaly, bad guys hanging out. The workers called the State Police. The Troopers questioned the characters about the missing lock. They said nothing, but one of them had some directions on a piece of paper. Scribbled on that paper was "North on 655, West on 994 to Ray's place." Our radios picked up this coded message: "We will be meeting at the creek that runs through the trough." What could this mean? Your job, gumshoe, is to track Carmen down and recover the loot. Only then can barges and boats travel up and down the Allegheny River. GOOD LUCK! 3 Tu>ukm ^ helping ST O *O»AA**"1J- -• V": Scientists lump amphibians and reptiles in a group called herpetiles. That word comes from an ancient Greek word that means "to creep." Thirty- eight species of amphibians and 38 species of reptiles are found in Pennsylvania. Amphibians are frogs, toads and salamanders. Reptiles that live in on the number of herps you can have. This is just Pennsylvania include snakes, lizards and turtles. We like a creel limit on fish. call the scientists who study "herps" herpetologists. The Fish and Boat Commission has a herpetologist. The regulations are even more strict on endangered and threatened species of herps. The He works with others in the Fish and Boat law says you can't keep these species at all. Commission to protect our herps. You could go to a pet store and get your herp. Still, collecting our herps to sell them is illegal in Protecting Herps-Habitat Pennsylvania. The herps found in pet stores don't Everybody needs habitat. Herps are no different. come from the wild. Breeders raise herps, just as a They have special needs and most need wetlands. farmer raises cattle. If we protect herp habitats, then we can protect herps. We protect habitats by regulating what people Protecting Herps- do with them. You can't build things like shopping malls, highways, bridges and other large projects Learning more about them. without a permit. Biologists look at the permit Herpetologists learn more about Pennsylvania's applications before they build anything to see what herps always. One herpetologist put radio will be done. They look at the habitat to figure out transmitters on rattlesnakes. He did that so he could what lives there. They know what type of habitat follow them as they moved around. He learned that each kind of herp needs. If the project doesn't bother if we move snakes away from their home area, they that habitat, the builder gets the permit. Some don't survive. projects get turned down because they will destroy Another herpetologist is trying to find a way to important herp habitats. Some builders have to list herps and their habitat. They call that an "atlas" change the project to reduce the damage they do. project. This herpetologist is working with If endangered or threatened species live on the site, volunteers who go out and look for herps. This study the project won't get built. will take many years, but the results will be important. Protecting Herps- Herpetologists from universities in Pennsylvania work with the Fish and Boat Commission to learn Collection Regulations more about herps. The Commission provides the Many people like to catch turtles and frogs and money these herpetologists need for these projects. keep them as pets. Some even like to keep snakes! There is also a committee of herpetologists that helps If you are older than 16, you need a fishing license the Commission develop new rules and regulations. to catch and keep herps. Some species, like As we learn more about herps, we change how we rattlesnakes, even have seasons. There are also limits manage and protect them. Fishing iS fun, no dOUbt abOUt it. There are many ways to do it. Many people fish from a boat, others fish from the shoreline, and some wade. Wading can be dangerous, especially if you can't swim. Remember, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in the United States You can protect yourself by wading safely. These tips should help you be safe when you wade. "2 life jacket WHEN WADING: Never fish alone. In an emergency having someone around who can help is always best. Wear a life jacket. Life jackets float. You don't. Many styles have pockets where you can put your fishing stuff. A life jacket will also help keep you warm. Use a wading stick or staff. An old ski pole works well. A heavy stick will work, too. Some tackle stores even sell wading staffs. Wear felt soles. Baseball and football players wear cleats or spikes. Anglers wear felt-soled boots. The fibers in the felt grip slimy rocks. This keeps your feet from slipping off rocks. Don't worry if you can't find boots with felt soles in your size. Most tackle shops carry felt soles. You glue them right on the bottom of your hip boots. Carry a whistle. You can use the whistle to call for help. You can also use the whistle to tell your fishing buddy where you are. | | whistle If you are wading with ' Stay on your back with your feet downstream a staff, cross the current facing upstream. Lean on and your knees bent. Work your way slowly to the staff as if it were a third leg. shore. Don't panic. Your life jacket will keep you Shuffle your feet. When in water over the top of afloat. If you don't know how to swim, you should your feet, don't pick up your feet. Lift them up just a learn. It's your best protection when you are on or little and shuffle along the bottom. near the water. Take one step at a time. It isn't a race, so go slowly. Lastly, have some extra dry clothes. A dry You will spook fewer fish that way, too. sweatshirt and sweatpants sure feel good after you Waders and hip boots will not "pull you down," as have taken a swim. Besides, if you have clothes to many people think. If you fall in, immediately bend change in to, you can keep fishing! your knees to trap air in your waders. Safe fishing! iKtMORlEs Pennsylvania League of Angling Youth Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission P.O. Box 67000 Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000 PENNSYLVANIA FISH & BOAT COMMISSION HEY, ANGLER & BOATER READERS! C^SSK- You can look forward to seeing the Pennsylvania League of Angling Youth (PLAY) newsletter in the PA Angler & Boater four times each year. But to get the full benefits of membership in PLAY, you need to complete the coupon below. Full membership in PLAY is only $3.00 per year and members receive the PLAY Newsletter, a collectable patch, tacklebox LMJACKETS stickers, a good luck fishing hook and several activity pages. Sign up They Float your favorite YOU DON?! I youngster for PLAY jr be prepared * ••HMMMMMi I BHIT TH€ HOOK SUBSCRIBE TO Below are some hooks that have different shapes. : i Match the hook with the bait anglers put on it. i Hooks Bait Pennsylvania • League • of • Angling • Youth The Pennsylvania League of Angling Youth is an educational program designed to reach youngsters. Members receive a colorful sew-on patch, quarterly newsletter, publications, access to the PLAY Correspondence Center and more. It's a bargain at only $3.00 a year. Sign up today! Name. .Age, Address. City. .State. .Zip. Make checks payable to: Pennsylvania Pish & Boat Commission, Mail to: Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. by Commission Internships^/? Insider's ViewJennife r Lamb As a biology major at Indiana University of Pennsyl for smallmouth bass. This was done as part of a popu vania (IUP), I thought that doing an internship would lation study performed by the Warmwater Unit. In the broaden my knowledge in a field that is not an empha middle of July, I was a member of a crew that used a back sis at IUP. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission pack to shock foryoung-of-the-year smallmouths in Bald was an ideal place to learn and practice field techniques Eagle Creek. The same process was also used on thejuniata used in fisheries management. I would also have a chance River. Both sites were shocked with a towboat to study to observe how data is analyzed to obtain helpful infor the adult population of smallmouths. mation in managing Pennsylvania's waters. Throughout the summer, I was involved in a number I contacted the agency at Pleasant Gap and spoke with of other projects. At the end of June, the Coldwater Unit Mr. Richard Snyder, who was enthusiastic about interns needed a few extra crew members to conduct a trout popu applying with the Fish and Boat Commission. After an lation survey of the Little Juniata River. I was chosen to interview with Mr. Snyder, it was set that I was going to go along and record data. In July, I worked with a crew spend my summer with the Fisheries Management Di in Clearfield to shock Moose Creek. Our job was to shock vision at Pleasant Gap. the creek to determine if it was healthy enough to sup At the beginning of my intenship, Mr. Snyder gave a port a trout population. I later accompanied this same small presentation about the Commission and the du crew in July when we used a flat-bottomed boat to per ties of the various Commissioners. I learned how rules form another survey of the Bald Eagle trout population. and regulations come about from data that is collected One project that I was quite interested in was the work during different studies that are done throughout the done to re-introduce shad into the Lehigh River. The first divisions of the Commission. I also gained experience experience dealing with this project was my trip to Easton working with computer programs. Data from creel surveys, to observe the shad ladder. The ladder lets the shad travel population estimates and other studies was entered into upstream where spawning takes place. Later in the summer, these programs. I assisted staff at the Van Dyke Hatchery in extracting The stocking trucks were busy my first week at Pleas otoliths from fish that were captured in the Lehigh River. ant Gap, which gave me the perfect opportunity to ride The otoliths are tiny earbones that are used to age the along. On the day I went, the truck was heading to Black fish. On the final day of my internship, I was sent along Moshannon Creek. It was amazing how many people fol with another intern to Benner Spring Hatchery to observe lowed along to help and to see where all the big trout are the preparing of the otoliths to be aged. They are ground stocked in the stream. By the end of the run the num down flat on each side and mounted on a slide. It is then ber of helpers dwindled to about four people. projected onto a small screen where the annuli can be Pressing scales to determine the age offish was a major counted to determine the age. On finishing my internship, I believe I have gained a vast amount of knowledge in the field of fisheries man agement. The following is advice for future interns that I found to be helpful. 1. Try to take classes that are geared toward the field of the internship you intend to take. 2. Show enthusiasm and interest in the subject that you are working with. Employers want to see that you are trying to learn as much as possible. 3. Always ask questions. At first, I felt more com fortable asking seasonal workers to explain things, but as the summer went on I became more familiar widi other employees and would ask them for help. I found that employees were always willing to take time to help me understand what was being done. 4. Be open-minded. It will be more rewarding if you part of my first couple of weeks. Scales are taken from try to learn everything about your job. the fish after they are captured while electrofishing. The 5. Be aware that internships involve odd jobs just like scales are taken back to the lab where they are pressed a regular position. Some things that I did during my onto plastic slides and projected onto a white tabletop. internship were data entry, filing, washing vehicles, map The annuli, yearly growth rings, can be seen as dark circles ping, and making and repairing equipment. around the center. These are counted to determine the I enjoyed my internship a great deal and highly recom age of the fish. mend the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as an My first look at field work came in the second week agency to consider for your internship. ._, when I worked at night on the Juniata River electrofishing Fishing & Boating Memories hist A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 33 Susquehanna Fish Lifts ...i. lift by Scott Carney Despite chronic weather-related set days after the dedication ceremony. Tours from the January 1996 flood is repaired. backs, the fish lifts at Holtwood and Safe of the Safe Harbor fish lift and public view In the early 19th century, American shad Harbor dams will be completed and in op ing window and the Holtwood fish lift will were one of the most valued commodities eration by April 1997, marking a major step be conducted throughout the migratory for commerce and daily living in the in the opportunity for American shad and season (April-June). Tour registrations for Susquehanna River Basin. Numerous other migratory fish to have free access to each facility can be made by contacting commercial fisheries operating in the ba historical spawning grounds in Pennsyl Karen Chandler, Safe Harbor Water Power sin recorded annual landings in the thou vania. This May 29, Safe Harbor Water Corporation, at (717) 872-0204, and the sands of pounds. The sheer numbers of Power Corporation, Baltimore Gas and Pennsylvania Power and Light Holtwood shad migrating up the Susquehanna from Electric Company and the Pennsylvania Land Management Office at (717) 284- Chesapeake Bay seemed inexhaustible. In Power and Light Company will host a joint 2278. Fishing access within the Safe Harbor the mid-nineteenth century, the construc ceremony dedicating the lifts. Public "open project will continue to be prohibited until tion of feeder dams for the Pennsylvania house" at each facility will begin several structural damage to the skimmer wall canal system and water supply dams This drawing is an artist's rendering of the Safe Harbor Fish Lift, which is now in full operation. Fish are crowded into an elevator that's raised to release fish upriver. Stone& Webster A Enaineemg Corporation Sale H.iiboi fish Lilt 7995-1996 34 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories List A Lifetime Completing the Susquehanna River fish passage projects will open more than 500 miles oflarge-river habitat to migratory fishes. blocked migrations to most of the upper tion of four large hydroelectric dams on In the mid-2 0th century, water quality and basin and tributaries. Diminishing water the lower Susquehanna in the early 20th the development offish passage technol quality from deforestation, coal mining, century. Although one of the first dams ogy had improved to the point that resto and industrial and agriculture develop constructed (Holtwood) was equipped with ration of shad was determined feasible. ment; riparian encroachment from urban fish passage facilities, the design failed to During the last four decades, the PFBC, ization; and overfishing also impacted fish pass shad. As a result, fisheries experts along with other federal and state resource numbers. Public concern over the deple conceded that fish passage was not feasible agencies and private interests, have worked tion of shad and other fishes increased and with the technology available at that time. cooperatively with the utility companies that prompted an 1866 act by the Pennsylva The completion of Conowingo Dam just own the hydroelectric dams to restore Ameri nia Legislature establishing the precursor below the Pennsylvania-Maryland border can shad and other migratory fishes. Since to the present- day Pennsylvania Fish and in 1928 completely blocked access to the 1970, the power companies have provided Boat Commission (PFBC). Susquehanna Basin in Pennsylvania and vital funding for the restoration research The final demise of shad and other New York. The seemingly inexhaustible through a series of cooperative agreements migratory fishes in Pennsylvania's resource and important part of the heri with the resource agencies. These efforts Susquehanna River came with the construc- tage of Pennsylvania was lost. ultimately resulted in establishment of a population of American shad once again imprinted to the Susquehanna Basin. WEST BRANCH Scranton The permanent fish passage facilities now SUSQUEHANNA in place at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams RIVER resulted from an historic agreement signed in 1993 by the governors of Pennsylvania and Maryland, along with utilities, fisheries agencies and public fishing interests. The agreement also provided for fish passage at York Haven Dam by 2000. Fish passage facilities at Conowingo Dam began opera tion in 1991 under a separate agreement. In addition, the PFBC has secured an agree ment in principle with the Pennsylvania De partment of Conservation and Natural Resources that calls for the construction of permanent fish passage facilities at the PENNSYLVANIA Fabri Dam in Sunbury. With the comple tion of Susquehanna River fish passage MARYLAND projects, over 500 miles oflarge-river habitat will be open to migratory fishes. Hundreds Chesapeake Wishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 35 Bay Susquehanna Fish Lifts II^IIIIIIIIIIII ^iinin of additional miles of tributary habitat will cludes the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Using funding provided by the U. 5. En be restored through smaller fish passage Commission, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Ser vironmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake and habitat restoration projects funded by vice, National Marine Fisheries Service, Bay Program, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program and ad Maryland Department of Natural Re Commission is providing fish passage and ministered by the PFBC. sources, New York Department of Con habitat restoration on major tributaries to Other activities continue. The PFBC servation, and the Susquehanna River the Susquehanna River through the breach is conducting bio-monitoring studies to Basin Commission. Additional support ing and removal of non-beneficial dams. En track shad populations and distributions. for the restoration has been provided by vironmental effects associated with constructing Juvenile shad and pre-spawn river herring the Pennsylvania Department of Environ dams and impounding streams include pro are stocked throughout the basin to es mental Protection, Alliance for the Chesa hibiting the migratory movements offish, sedi tablish populations imprinted to specific peake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation ment deposition, formation of nutrient traps, waters. Studies have demonstrated that and numerous fisheries interests. The and reduction in the levels of dissolved oxy turbines at Safe Harbor and Conowingo program to restore American shad to the gen. In addition, many low-head dams cre dams allow exceptionally high survival of Susquehanna River is one of the largest ate a dangerous hydraulic that poses a hazard juveniles migrating downstream. of its kind ever envisioned and has been to anglers and boaters. Breaching and re Holtwood Dam, however, will be testing a model of persistence, cooperation and moving non-beneficial dams restores the struc a bypass system that will allow out-migrat long-term commitment. The ultimate goal ture and function of the riverine ecosystem ing juveniles downstream passage with is to restore an annual population of two and eliminates potential safety hazards. At out going through the turbines. Safe million American shad and IS million river dams that serve a functional purpose, the Com Harbor Water Power Corporation used herring to the Susquehanna River Basin. mission is negotiating with the dam owners material excavated for fish lift construc The restoration of American shad and for fish passage through the construction of tion to stabilize stream banks along the other migratory fishes to the Susquehanna permanent fishways or "fish ladders." Fish- Conestoga River, Lancaster County. Tribu will provide enormous angling opportu ways provide passage over the dam without tary fish passage and habitat restoration nities and other economic benefits to the compromising those benefits the dam provides. projects are restoring free-flowing river citizens of Pennsylvania. f~h However, the damaging environmental effects conditions through the breaching and of impounding the river and public safety is removal of non-beneficial low-head dams. R. Scott Carney is a fisheries biologist in the sues remain unaddressed. American shad restoration is working. Commission Division of Research, Anadro The number of adult shad returning to the mous Fish Restoration Unit. Susquehanna to spawn has increased dra matically in recent years. In the early 1970s, Fish Restoration and Passage only about 100 shad were captured annu FlSHRBTCMiAnON ally at Conowingo Dam. Since 1994, the and PASSAGE on the Susquehanna River number of adult shad captured at the Fish Restoration and Passage on the Susquehanna River is the Conowingo fish lifts has averaged 45,000. title of a 16-page full-color publication that explains in detail Marking studies have determined that the the history of Susquehanna River migratory fishes, the rea majority of these were produced by the sons for their demise, and the efforts to restore their popu Commission's Van Dyke Hatchery and lations. The publication was a cooperative effort among stocked into the Susquehanna Basin. Others the PA Fish & Boat Commission, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Ser are the decendents of pre-spawn adult shad vice, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, PA Depart collected at the Conowingo lift each spring ment of Environmental Protection, Chesapeake Bay and released upstream of York Haven Dam. Foundation, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. It Restoration is currently managed under appeared initially as an addition to the February 1996 the auspices of the Susquehanna River PA Angler. For a free copy, send a request to: Publications Section, PA Fish & Anadromous Fish Restoration Coopera Boat Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. tive (SRAFRC), whose membership in Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime tfM^ Small Outboards by Bob Ba/lantyne The smoke chokes, the noise annoys, and the hand mix ing of fuel and oil is a pain. Nevertheless, the small outboard motor is popular with many, especially the 9.9 horsepower ver sions designed specifically for the myriad of lakes that impose a 10 hp limit. But a revolution is in the making, one driven by the Clean Air Act, which the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with enforcing. EPA's mandate to the boating indus try is to reduce hydrocarbon emissions from marine gasoline en gines by 75 percent by the year 2006. The emission of nitrous oxide and nitric oxide, collectively called NOx, must also be re duced. For these reasons, small-outboard manufacturers are Senger sees an increasing manufacture of small engines of the creating new ways to make our small outboards run cleaner, thus 4-stroke design, and indicates the 2-stroker may be completely better protecting our waterways. phased out by the year 2003. The initial casualty may be, at least for the near future, a tem However, Fernando Garcia, the Director of Research and De porary demise of the two-stroke small engine. According to Robin velopment at Bombardier, doesn't see the tough new standards Senger, a product engineer with Yamaha, 2-strokers are the most as necessarily a death knell for 2-cycle engines. A member of the difficult engines in which to control emissions. To meet federal Society of Automotive Engineers, Garcia often represents the entire standards, most manufacturers are moving to the marketing of marine small-engine industry in its dealings with EPA. He ex 4-stroke engines for the 25 and under horsepower class. pects that newer technologies may save the 2-strokers. The problem with the 2-stroke engine is that the fuel is a hand- What small-engine manufacturers must do to comply with mixed combination of oil and gasoline, and the oil is burned in federal clean-air standards is reduce the average of the emissions the combustion chamber with the gasoline. That leads to the classic from all their engines. Engines will be grouped by manufactur white smoke produced by small outboards. That white smoke ers into "families." Starting in 1998, the average of the emissions is loaded with air-polluting hydrocarbons and NOx. of each family of engines must be reduced each year by 81/3 percent. Lest small-boat operators feel picked on, keep in mind that other "The corporate-averaging formula used by EPA is complex," ac users of small-engine technology are also affected. Manufacturers cording to Garcia, "but basically it will lead to reducing hydro of items such as string trimmers, chain saws, and of course, gasoline- carbon emissions on the dirtiest engines first. Switching from driven ice augers are also under clean-air mandates. 2- to 4-stroke engines will be an immediate fix." Small outboard engines are not limited in popularity to those A variety of factors will enter into the complex formula by which who operate boats on small lakes. Offshore operators of larger the industry will be judged. The number of units of each engine watercraft often use such engines as trolling motors and refer to sold will constitute what is called the "sales weight." Survivability them as "kickers." They produce an extra measure of safety and in the field will also be a factor. security-these low-horsepower kickers provide enough thrust to Manufacturers are in the process of trying to determine some get many larger boats back to the marina when the main engine baseline data by testing emissions on engine models produced is disabled. in the early 1990s. In fact, according to Senger, manufacturers According to Senger, "operators of larger boats like the new may later be buying back the newer engines from the consumer 4-stroke technology because they use the same fuel as their larger to judge what the field experience will be with the new technologies. engines." A re-engineering of 2-stroke outboard engines below 25 horse There are also many conveniences for the small-boat operator. power is already underway. It basically involves three things. The Operation of small, 2-stroke motors in the trolling mode is noisy, first is the development of electronic carburetors, or "other smarter and depending on wind conditions, the operator can end up carburetors," as Garcia puts it. Electronic fuel injection will also inhaling an inordinate amount of exhaust. Also, there is no mixing be tried, as will more accurate digital or optical ignition systems. of fuel and oil to be done for 4-strokers, and they are much more These are expected to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by five to maintenance-free. 20 percent. The reduced exhaust, of course, is also a bit more environmentally Direct injection of fuel is another area of research. Fuel and friendly, and that is what the issue is really all about. oil will not be drawn into small engines as it now is, but will be On larger outboards other technologies may come into play, directly injected into the engine after the piston has closed ports and Yamaha is experimenting with a catalytic converter. The in the combustion chamber. However, this requires high-pres platinum-lined chamber is about the size of a coffee can. The sure fueling. technology has been in place for many years in automobiles, but It is obvious that a technological revolution is underway in small marine use creates special problems. Water getting into the catalytic engine manufacturing, one that will certainly produce a more cosuy chamber would be a major safety problem. small engine. The cost, however, will be offset by the knowledge That problem and others may be overcome by the technicians that puttering around a lake with a 21st century outboard mo for larger engines, but size will probably preclude the use of catalytic tor will be far more healthy for wild creatures as well as .-. converters on small outboards. for humans. \—l Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 37 The Evolution of Pennsylvania Boatin; LJ VJ V ' W u/ V_-«-JLJ LJ V_-i_i LJ LJ LJ' LJ > • LJ V ' LJ by John Simmons In the early 1980s, the Commission purchased its first desk first 175-horsepower engine in the mid-1970s. It was a huge en top computer-a Radio Shack TRS 80. At the time this machine gine by the day's standards. Yet, soon we were buying 200- and was considered to be at the forefront of technology. It consisted 225-horsepower behemoths. Boats were getting bigger and we of a monitor and a processor. It had 64 Kb of memory and stored began mounting two on a transom. programs and data on a cassette tape. The screen display was a Where will it end? According to Ralph Lembrecht, a marine wonderful fluorescent-green on black. By 1985, the development engineer and safety standards consultant, "We've seen the end of computers had progressed by leaps and bounds. The Com of the horsepower race in outboards." Not because we can't build mission purchased its first MSDOS-based machines. These were bigger engines, but because their high costs limit demand and real screamer machines. The processors were 6 MHz 286's with turn consumers to more competitively priced inboard engines. 640 Kb of memory. They had hard drives that enabled the stor Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean air requirements age of operating programs and "vast quantities of information." are also forcing engine manufacturers to develop new and expensive My first machine had the latest hard drive-a whooping 30 Mb. technology. You'll now hear terms like EFI, DFI and FICHT. These are great technological advances, but will they be enough? As I see it, the boating market is beginning to split into sev eral distinct markets. The most common market is the small alu minum fishing boat. Pennsylvania has historically registered about 60 percent of its boats in the less-than-16-foot category. Most of these craft are fishing boats. Then there is the large cruiser class comprising a very small percentage in Pennsylvania. Between is the family runabout. The propulsion of choice is vasdy different among these groups. The aluminum fishing boat has, and always will, use the outboard as its primary propulsion. The cruiser is most likely to continue to use one or two inboard engines coupled with an outdrive. But what will propel the family boat of the future? In the 1970s, Kawasaki Motor Corporation quietly introduced a boat that would forever change boating. The Jet Ski was a water- borne bottle rocket powered by an inboard engine and a water jet pump. It offered the athletically inclined an option to being How far we've come in the last 10 years! The machine that I towed behind a boat on waterskis. For the first time, a boater am using to write this article has a 166-MHz Pentium processor could enjoy the exhilaration of skiing without the constraints of with 32 Mb of memory and 1.2 Gb of disk storage. It has an SVGA a conventional boat. screen with one million color resolution. My word processing program has spellcheck and can even correct my grammar. Much of this is done while Outboard motor in I'm typing. It's almost like having my high school 1928. Above left, English teacher looking over my shoulder ready to marine service crack my knuckles if I make a mistake. Only 15 department in 1928. years after the Commission purchased its first com puter, I have more power in the machine on my desk than our first mainframe computer. How the world m I .YJlV g has changed. The world of boating has also changed. Bess Evinrude said in an early advertisement "Throw PI?K 3 the oars away." Ole Evinrude's first outboard en c - ~'J*^ gines revolutionized boating. From the first 2- and •few, 4-horsepower engines, the outboard grew to the , 8- and 40-horsepower engines of the 1920s and 1930s. As late as the 1950s, an outboard larger than ev^ r: ^ 60 horsepower was a novelty. Then came the 1970s ;:•.•- '••' and 1980s when the rush for ever larger outboards was on. I remember purchasing the Commission's •^••-'•- WBMS ^*^**«fc^-. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime At left, fishing from a boat in 1947. Below, one of today's newest boats crosses the look of a traditional powerboat with the propulsion of a personal watercraft. In the future, the outboard engine as we know it might disappear, replaced with jet inboard units-environmen- tally clean, easily maintained, and safe to operate. Sales of this boat were brisk but limited. Other boat manu and a 200-hp 4.3 liter V6 engine to power a 19-foot screamer. facturers were impressed with the initial success of this market It is said that the size, power and speed of the personal water- and began to develop other boats of this kind. Soon, enough of craft is reaching its technological limits. The same is not true these boats were around that we developed a whole new termi for traditional boats. Manufacturers are going to be looking for nology. The "personal watercraft" (PWC) was born. Through places to use their new engine designs. The traditional boat market the late 1980s and 1990s, more manufacturers entered the mar is ripe for picking. ket. The boat evolved from a one-person machine to a two-per What does all this mean to the average Pennsylvania boater? son, and finally to a three-person machine. The size of the boat You've probably noticed that the names of the boats I mentioned went from the seven-foot Jet Ski to more than 10 feet for the newer above invoke excitement and suggest speed and reckless aban three-person models. The development of these larger boats don. While this is probably true to a degree, much of this hype required larger, more efficient engines. The Jet Ski was powered is intended to sell boats to a ready market. However, we should by a 550cc engine equivalent to about 55 horsepower. all be aware of a greater underlying development, one that will Today's personal watercraft are powered by 11 OOcc engines that profoundly affect our boating in the next decade. The use of a develop more than 110 horsepower. Beyond larger engines, the propeller for traditional boat propulsion, while efficient, has many water pumps are also becoming more efficient, making for one dangers. Everyone who operates a boat knows what happens when heck of a power plant. the boat hits a log or rock. Who goes a season without replac I don't know whether the larger boats drove the need for a larger ing a prop at least once? How many times has your boat been in engine or a larger engine drove the need for a larger boat. Either the shop for repair of a lower unit? Skiers and others who use way, the manufacturers of personal watercraft are leading the way their boats as a platform for these activities know the dangers in boating today. Last year, one in every three boats sold was a of being in the water with a propeller in motion. Each year, un personal watercraft. In Pennsylvania, the number is nearly one intended contact with a boat propeller injures hundreds of people. in two. Is the answer looking at us in the form of the inboard-pow To continue the evolution and to make maximum use of tech ered jet? I think so. The venerable propeller will be with us for nology and manufacturing capabilities, manufacturers are turning many years to come for the small fishing boat. It will be around to traditional boats to be powered by the same engines used in for a while yet on larger craft. Nevertheless, runabouts in the 14- personal watercraft. In 1994, Bombardier Corporation was first to 22-foot range will experience a significant shift in their choice in this new market when it introduced the "Speedster." This 14- of propulsion. The outboard engine will virtually disappear for foot boat took on the look of a traditional boat but crossed with boats in this class, replaced by environmentally clean, safe-op a personal watercraft. Its power unit was a little light, but it made erating and easily maintained jet inboard power units. We may the crossover very well. The boat became at times condemn the personal watercraft, popular with buyers who wanted the advan but as in many things, the technology tages of the personal watercraft but didn't want developed for these boats will be used in to get wet all the time. In 1996, Bombardier ways not originally designed or planned. introduced the "Challenger." They equipped In his 1970 book Future Shock, Alvin this boat with a single 800 Series Rotax, 2-cyl- Toffler predicted that the common man inder 782cc 110-horsepower engine. This 15- would have a computer on his desk linked foot boat could pull most waterskiers with ease. to minions of other computers for the im Not to be outdone, Yamaha introduced its mediate exchange of information. I don't "Exciter" model in the same year. Outfitted with twin 110-horse think even he thought his prediction of the Internet would be power engines, its top speed can reach 55 mph. Not bad for a realized so quickly. Is it unrealistic to think that we can't expe 17-foot boat powered by a water jet. rience the same speed in the transformation of boat Do you think that size relegates jet drives to mini-boats? Think powering? f~J again. Mercury Marine is developing a Sportjet Drive that will be mated to a big 175-hp 2-stroke V6 power head. Scarab boats, John Simmons, Director of the Commission Bureau of Boating and most often associated with the go-fast muscle boats of Miami Vice Education, is the state's boating law administrator. He is also secretary fame, has joined with Volvo Penta to match a Powerjet X jet pump of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. Fishing & Boating Memories List A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater by John W. McGonigle are great for the back bays and our shal lower waterways since you rarely have to Time was when people sought relax worry about running aground, a big prob ation from water by watching waves break lem for regular runabouts with traditional ing on the beach, listening to the quiet outboard engines." Angler may view these murmur of a brook or by drifting off to boats as alternatives to traditional propped sleep listening to the gentle patter of rain fishing boats, and some manufacturers are on the roof. But times change and people building fishing boats in these new, sleek, seek relaxation in different ways. Many seek so-called "Star Wars" designs. it actively rather than passively, and they Kersey also pointed out that people seek it by having fun. Some by having fun with big boats are using jet boats as their to the extreme! runabouts instead of inflatables as many Thrill-seekers have demanded, and got did previously. "Additionally," said ten, a new generation of personal water- Kersey, "the jet boats are significantly craft (PWC) that are more powerful and quieter than outboards, and that appeals diat provide more speed for those who crave to some people." it. In fact, the growth of the genre has Kersey was quick to echo Barker's pushed manufacturers to expand their ho thoughts on the fun provided by both rizons and provide small, maneuverable types of craft: "Their quick maneuver craft with jet drive engines to accommo ability provides as much fun for many as date those who enjoy the benefits of PWC does their speed." but want more comfort. The new craft are "PWC and jet boats are light and easy called jet boats. They are more versatile to trailer," said Kersey, "as well as being than a PWC, and you will see more and more affordable than comparable more on our waterways. According to National Marine Manu propped craft." First, though, let's look at PWC be facturers Association statistics, PWC sales Tredinnick pointed out figures show cause their proliferation continues over in 1995 increased nationally by 40.8 per ing that although PWC make up just un a wide range of waterways, including cent to 200,000, up from 142,000 in 1994. der 5 percent of Pennsylvania's powerboat Pennsylvania's. A staggering 900,000 PWC were in opera registrations, they account for 52 percent Pennsylvania boat registrations for 1989 tion nationally in 1995. PWC sales in 1995 of all boat collisions, and 34 percent of all showed that personal watercraft accounted were over $1 billion. The '95 average re boating accidents. "People don't realize for only 1.2 percent of the 278,535 boats tail cost of a PWC was $5,722. Industry that boats, including PWC, don't have registered, or a total of 3,225 PWC. By 1995 statistics show that 34 percent of all brakes," said Tredinnick. (the last year for which figures are avail powerboats sold in '95 were PWC. Some Tredinnick stressed state regulations that able), 15,392 PWC were registered, account 97 percent of all PWC shipped in the U.S. require wearing a personal flotation de ing for nearly 5 percent of the total number were sit-down models and the remaining vice, but said more needs to be done. Penn of boat registrations (330,426). Commis 3 percent were stand-up models. sylvania also requires that rental liveries sion press secretary Dan Tredinnick said, Steve Barker and Merritt Kersey, from give instruction to those renting PWC. "The number of PWC on our waterways Stoltzfus RV and Marine Sales, West An industry spokesman, who asked to is going to continue to grow." Chester, PA, provided useful background remain anonymous, pointed out some Tredinnick indicated that in addition information on both PWC and the new jet shortcomings of PWC and jet boats. He to being popular in their own right, PWC boats. Barker said, "Hey, they're popular said, "they are small and often overpow are catching on with owners of large boats, because they're fun." He said many rid ered, a dangerous combination. Further including houseboats and pontoon boats, ers were after the 50-70 mile per hour speed more, they have a low profile and are very as a recreational offshoot to their larger offered and asked if I remembered my first difficult to see." He also warned of the investment. "You should see the number time driving a motorcycle. With a smile danger of jet boats being swamped if a wave of PWC zipping around on Raystown he said, "It's just that simple." rolls over the bow. Readily admitting their Lake," said Tredinnick. "Many are asso Kersey offered a broader approach to the good points, he suggested, "just don't look ciated with the larger boats on the lake." appeal of the jet-powered craft. "The in at them through rose-colored glasses." He By definition, PWC are U.S. Coast Guard dustry believes these boats are safer because suggested that both crafts require great Class A Inboard boats less than 16 feet in there is no external propeller, which makes responsiblity to operate safely. length powered by an inboard motor and them good for water skiing and kids swim PWC and jet boats are here to stay. Their a water pump. They are designed to be ming near the boat." use is increasing and they are loads of fun. operated by one person sitting, standing A second big feature, according to Kersey, Just remember what the old police sergeant or kneeling and some models can carry up is the shallow draft that allows tremendous used to say: "Hey, be careful __ to three passengers. freedom where you travel. "These boats out there." \J Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories last A lifetime Rattlesnake Run, Little Toby watershed Thirty years ago, the waters Fishing informal meetings of concerned of Little Toby Creek and the ma area citizens took place in the late jority of its tributaries in Elk and the 1960s. Out of these early meet Jefferson counties were yet an ings evolved the Toby Creek other of the grim reminders of Watershed Association, a group what a century of coal operations mm committed to restoring their had done to too many of the home stream as a fishery. When flowing waters of our Com the group first met to discuss the monwealth. The bare and situation, they were looking at scarred tops of the ridges a watershed with over 125 sepa framed a valley that cradled rate sources of mine acid degra streams where nothing lived. In by Robert L. Petri dation. According to Sabatose, our rush to take the coal from over 95 percent of these sources the land, we forgot the lifegiving importance of the waters. It were flowing from abandoned mines. was not a pretty sight. Undaunted by the immensity of the task before them, the citizens But 30 years can also make a great difference when a commu of the Toby Creek Watershed Association went to work identi nity and its concerned citizens come together to try to right a century fying and delineating the extent of the problem and planning a of wrong. And here, in the coal-rich hills of Pennsylvania's mid strategy to bring Toby Creek back. As the years went by, their section, perseverance and commitment to a cause have led to the perseverance began to attract a wide range of partners from gov resurrection of the Little Toby Creek watershed. Trout now swim ernment, industry and the conservation community. Good things in places where once the water fell over rocks stained orange with began to happen. mine acid, and a major new trout fishery is emerging from the In the mid-1970s, the Pennsylvania Department of Environ ruins of our mistakes of the past. It is a story with a lesson for mental Resources initiated "Operation Scarlift," a program fueled all about the power of partnerships forged among government, by a $500 million bond issue aimed at reclaiming streams industry and everyday folks who care about the quality of life for destroyed by mine acid. Shortly thereafter in 1977, President their children, and it's also a new lease on life for one of north Carter signed the Federal Surface Mining Control and west Pennsylvania's most scenic watersheds. Reclamation Act, a law aimed at preventing future degradation Current Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioner Bill Sabatose of our streams by mine acid and authorizing federal assistance of Brockport, in southeastern Elk County, has been a prime mover in the huge task of cleaning up the damage that had been done in the restoration of the Toby Creek watershed since the first throughout the Appalachian region. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater ind Mills Clarion} Little Toby, from Brockway to the mouth on Rivera the Clarion River, found water quality suitable for addition of the stream section to the Commission's list of approved trout waters. A preseason stocking of brook trout that year in Betmouth Run this lower portion of the Little Toby marked the return of a major area watershed to the ranks of the living. The Little Toby Creek watershed in Laurel Run Elk and Jefferson counties drains 126 square miles of Pennsylvania's rugged Little Toby Allegheny Plateau. Despite decades of I Creek damage from acid mine drainage, these streams remain among some of the most Vineyard Run beautiful we have here in the Keystone State. Where they have not been degraded by mine acid, many of the Little Toby tributaries hold good numbers ofwil d brook trout in a near- wilderness setting. J /: >7J Challenge No portion of the watershed is more strik C v * o r ing and beautiful than the 12.2-mile section of the Litde Toby from the town of Brockway along Meade\ Run US Route 219 in extreme northeastern Jefferson County to die stream's junction with the Clarion Little Toby River near the village of Portland Mills along Zitf/e Toby Creek PA Route 949 in southern Elk County about 10 Creek Watti/raN WM« miles west of Ridgway. ^Brockport This section of the Little Toby is big water by Pennsylvania trout stream standards, aver aging between 50 and 70 feet wide. Despite the size of the stream, a good canopy of streamside tress and the flow from a number of small, icy 28 tributaries that enter throughout this section Brockway help keep water temperatures comfortable for trout almost all through the summer. One of the major attractions of this portion of the Little Toby is its isolated nature. Even Rattlesnake Run Rattlesnake Creek though there is fairly good road access for the first four miles downstream from Brockway and from the mouth along 949 upstream for about CLEARFIELD two miles, the middle six miles of the stream section flows through a roadless portion of State COUNTY Gamelands 44, and finding a place of your own 219 Together, these events helpeu provide the necessary govern mental support and financial fuel for the Toby Creek Watershed Association and its partners to proceed in the reclamation of their home stream. One by one, the worst of the sites in the Little Toby watershed were addressed and corrected. With the use of volunteer manpower and a host of grants and other support from indus try, treatment facilities using crushed limestone were constructed on several of the worst discharges and a number of deep mine seeps were sealed and stopped. It has been a long road back for the Little Toby. According to Bill Sabatose, at the beginning of the project, stream pH mea surements on the Little Toby at Brockway were in the mid to upper threes, a full point and a half below the level at which almost anything can survive, and nearly three points below the range generally accepted as viable trout habitat. In 1989, however, the first 20-plus years of hard work paid off when Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission stream surveys in the lower 12.2 miles of the Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories hast A Lifetime there is usually pretty easy. An abandoned railroad grade that brookies. It has been managed under the Commission's wild trout has been converted into a hiking and biking trail parallels this program since 1988, and no trout are stocked. section of the Little Toby to provide access to anglers and facili A few miles farther upstream, Vineyard Run tumbles through tate good distribution offish when the stream is stocked. A healthy the forests of State Gamelands 44 to add its flow to the Little Toby. preseason stocking of brook trout is followed by an inseason plant Like Laurel Run, it has a good population of small wild brook of brooks and browns, keeping good numbers offish in the stream trout. Good water quality and walk-in only access have led to Vine well into June and July. yard Run's addition to the Commission's Wilderness Streams program. Angling puzzle Small-stream trout fishing opportunities Like a lot of Pennsylvania trout streams in the Little Toby watershed are not limited of its size class, the Little Toby can be a to the tributaries entering the isolated section puzzle to fish. There is abundant cover of the stream below Brockway. Rattlesnake here, and many good hiding and resting Creek enters the Little Toby about a mile places for the resident fish. In some sec south of Brockway along US Route 219. This tions, huge boulders dot the stream bot small to moderate-size stream is stocked with tom. In others, long, deep pools with brook and brown trout from the mouth up undercut banks dominate. It can be hard stream for approximately 3.8 miles. Most to know where to begin. of this section flows along Route 219 and One of the best ways to solve the riddle access is good for the most part. Accord of the Little Toby and other streams of its Commissioner Bill Sabatose with a Little ing to Commission Area 2 Fisheries Man size class is to use an approach that sepa Toby Creek brown trout ager Ron Lee, some of the first substantial rates the entire flow into a series of smaller, acid mine drainage remediation work in the more manageable sections of water. Then concentrate on these Little Toby watershed was performed on Rattlesnake Creek in the areas just as you would if you were fishing a smaller stream. You late 1960s. will find that doing so will add greatly to your success. Rattlesnake Run is a small tributary to Rattlesnake Creek that enters from the west near the crossroads village of Lane's Mills Baits, lures along US Route 219 south of Brockway. While the headwaters Once you find them, the trout of the Little Toby respond well section of Rattlesnake Run holds some wild brook trout and is to most of the conventional offerings that produce fish in streams not stocked, a 2.7-mile section from the mouth upstream receives across the state. Bait anglers can do well with nightcrawlers, red annual plants of brook trout. The Beechtree Road (State Route worms and crayfish drifted thought the riffles and down into the 1008) parallels most of the stocked section of Rattlesnake Run. pools on a light line with as little weight as possible to ensure a Like its parent stream, Rattlesnake Run has benefited from mine natural drift. Spin fishermen should explore the undercut banks acid reclamation work that occurred in the watershed in the early and the slack-water pockets behind boulders with spinners and 1970s. This work helped improve the water quality to a level where small crankbaits. the stream was judged suitable to be added to the catchable trout As a recovering stream, the Little Toby does not offer many large program in 1972. hatches of aquatic insects to provide action for the fly angler. Still, Just north of Brockway, Walburn Run crosses Route 219 from there are decent hatches of various caddises in shades of olive, the north to add its flow to the Little Toby. This small stream is tan and gray all through the spring, and May and early June bring stocked with all three species of trout from the mouth upstream their share of rising fish here that can be tempted with an Elk or to the junction of its East and West branches. A scattering of wild Deer Hair Caddis dry fly in sizes 12 through 18. brook trout can also be found here. The Toby Creek Watershed The best fly fishing the stream has to offer is to the angler fishing Association and its partners have installed a limestone treatment nymphs, streamers or Woolly Buggers. Try drifting a size 12 Hare's device on Walburn Run to neutralize the effects of lingering mine Ear nymph through the pockets. acid drainage in its watershed. As spring gives way to summer, look for the trout in the more Yet another Little Toby tributary, Meade Run, at the village of highly oxygenated sections of the stream, along the creases or Brockport along US 219 a few miles north of Brockway, is also dividing points in the flow between fast and calm water. The moudis being treated for mine acid abatement. Commission water quality of the numerous small, cold tributaries that enter the lower reaches surveys in 1996 indicated that the stream has now improved to of the Little Toby are also good places to prospect for trout seeking the point where it may also soon be added to the catchable trout thermal relief when die summer sun begins to heat the water beyond program. their comfort level. Even though the successes in restoring the lower portion of the main stem of Little Toby Creek and such tributaries as Rattle Try the tribs snake, Walburn and Meade Runs indicate the tireless commit In addition to providing the main stem with a constant influx ment of the Little Toby Creek Watershed Association and its many of cold, clean water, several Little Toby tributaries are good trout partner, the group is far from resting on its laurels. According fisheries. Belmouth and Laurel runs are a pair of small streams to Bill Sabatose, the eventual goal is the restoration of the en that enter the Little Toby within a few miles of its junction with tire watershed to health, a total of 28 miles of water. And if any the Clarion River, and both provide good brook trout fishing. body can do it, these folks can. Belmouth Run's wild brook trout population is supplemented Water quality in the main stem of Little Toby upstream from each year by a single preseason stocking of brook trout. Laurel Brockway remains poor as a result of acid mine drainage. But Run, according to Commission Area 2 Fisheries Technician Alan the future looks brighter than at any time in the .—• Woomer, has a fluctuating but decent population of small wild last 30 years. \-J Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 43 at our Fish and Boat Commission acad pulled up behind us and flashed its high emy. The ensuing positive comments from beams. We pulled our patrol vehicle to the these sportsmen showed their pleasure in side of the road. The car pulled alongside knowing that their conservation officers ours and a highly flustered young man would be able to so completely serve their informed us that he was the security man needs after they graduated and received at the UPS building two blocks back and dieir duty assignments.- WCO George Geisler, that someone had broken in and they were northern York County. probably still inside. My training officer asked if he had called the police. The man Persistence pays off replied he had but they could not respond During a three-day period last Septem for about a half-hour. ber, I had the privilege of watching a very I was beginning to get the picture at this persistent fisherman from my office win point about this "routine patrol" stuff. The dow at Lake Somerset. Although his meth training officer said, "Lead the way." With ods were unconventional, his success rate red light ablaze, we proceeded to the build was well above that of the average angler. ing. The instant our vehicle stopped, we Streams hit the ground running and as instructed, I headed for the rear door of the building. There was a clump of small pine trees ap Some do grow up proximately 40 yards from the back door Not all of our stocked trout are caught and I wasted no time becoming one with right away. Some of them do grow for a larger specimen. Witli weapon drawn and several years before they are caught by a trained on the door, I waited. Shortly lucky angler. Last May 11, Jason Wiltrout thereafter it was determined tlie perpetrator from Salisbury caught a 241/2-inch brown had left the area before our arrival and the trout from the Youghiogheny Reservoir. This "fisherman" was a great blue heron building was secure. From that day on, The trout weighed just over five pounds. that stopped by on his way south. I believe "routine patrol" was eliminated from my It had an adipose fin clip and it had been if conventional anglers had the patience vocabulary.-WCO Terence Deibler, stocked in 1994. That year the Salisbury- of a great blue heron, their rate of success Southcentral Region. Elklick Hunting Club and the Beaverdam would also be above a.vera.ge.-EmilSvetahor, Run Trout Club stocked nearly 1,500 trout Assistant Supervisor, Southwest Regional Law On the loose in the Reservoir. All of the trout stocked Enforcement Office. While on boat patrol of the Susquehanna that year by the clubs were fin-clipped. The River one busy Sunday afternoon with trout was 14 to 16 inches in length when Routine patrol Deputy Trainee Erik Tack, we discovered it was stocked in 1994-Commissioner Donald I had heard many times during my train a personal watercraft (PWC) floating K. Anderson. ing as a cadet WCO that there is no such downriver without anyone aboard. After thing as a "routine patrol." On the first a quick unsuccessful search of the area for The long road day of my first field training assignment a possible injured operator, we took the As part of my field training assignment that point became abundantly clear. My PWC in tow and began to search for its in Lehigh County with WCO Fred Mussel, field training officer and I had just left our owner. It was then that I noticed a name I was required to give a presentation on fourth fishing pier as we worked our way stenciled across the bow that I knew well. the selection and training of waterways downriver checking for valid fishing li It was the name of the chief of the local conservation officer cadets at two censes. Thus far, I guess the day's activi city's River Rescue. Knowing that the chief sportsmen's club meetings. At first I failed ties could have been classified as typical. frequently anchored his pontoon boat to see the wisdom of this exercise. How However, as I was about to discover, when several hundred yards upriver, we towed ever, while I was actually preparing the using the terminology "routine patrol," one the PWC in that direction. Spotting a presentation, it dawned on me just how must be extremely mindful of tense as it pontoon boat, we headed over to return long and involved the process of becom relates to grammar. For example, you could the PWC. The chief, who had been taking ing a waterways conservation officer was. never say with any degree of certainty, "My a nap, was unaware that his PWC had We began the testing process in late 1994 patrol tomorrow will be pretty much rou become untied and drifted downriver. After and now it was April 1996 and we were still tine." You could, however, say, "My patrol the chief expressed his dianks for retrieving in training. Equally amazed were our yesterday was pretty much routine." the PWC, I assured him that I would not audiences to learn that our basic training Anyway, as we drove away from that last speak a word about this to anyone. (But was longer and more thorough than any pier, my training officer mentioned that I didn't say anything about writing about other Pennsylvania law enforcement die place we were heading was usually pretty it!)-WCO CraigGarman, Cumberland County. £ agency. They were also intrigued that we quiet. I began to relax a bit and tried to $ were trained at an accredited municipal critique myself on my performance for the Long arm of the law lt police officer academy in addition to and day. It was now well after sunset as we While patrolling Raystown Lake this past J before an even longer educational process approached our last stop. Suddenly, a car summer, a senior gentleman operating a 1 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Memories To Last A Lifetime motorboat was apprehended for commit I was in training then, WCO Steiner let me by the turbines was too ting a flagrant wake violation. Following take care of the paperwork. After writing strong for the beaver to the subsequent boarding and safety check out the third citation, I said to Steiner, "You swim away, and it was while immediately alongside this vessel, I wanna hear something strange? All three hanging on a log on the was about to issue the responsible party of the people I wrote up today live on the trash rack. The plant his copy of the citation. A sudden gust of same road. TheyalllivedonRD2." Steiner workers gave us the okay to use any equip chuckled and explained that "RD" meant ment necessary, so we gathered a long rural delivery, which is much different from wooden pole, rope, duct tape, and a bur what I am used to in Philadelphia. I guess lap bag. We constructed a snare in hopes we use die urban delivery system.-WCO Erin of getting the beaver into it. Unfortunately, Ryan, Southeast Region. wind began to quickly separate our patrol Blown away boat from this watercraft. Leaning over Just when you think you've heard it all, our gunwale, I was just able to reach and you hear a better one. I was a little per catch his boat widi my fingertips and pulled plexed when a local TV reporter wanted it back alongside the patrol boat. Noting to know what kind of testing we required this and apparently my 37-inch sleeve for anglers to get a fishing license. The length, the gentleman wisely quipped to tale got stranger when I found out what his companion, "Now that's what I call the prompted the questioning. A dud pipe long arm of the law! "-WCO Alan Robinson, bomb was found floating in a small lake. Huntingdon County. At a press conference, the police chief had opined that the bomber must have been every time we got close it moved along the How quickly they learn trying to take fish with the device. It was log, once falling into the river and almost My husband and I took our daugh I who was blown away, though, when the not being able to get back on the log. Fi ter and her friend to a local amusement Mike Wallace wannabe asked me straight- nally, a Newberry Township police officer park this past summer. Her friend, Sa faced how many blasting permits the prodded the beaver into jumping into the rah, wanted to go on the Pirate Boat. I Commission issues to anglers each year.- snare, which we were able to close per overheard my daughter, Caitlin, age 3, Dan Tredinnick, Commission Press Secretary. fectly around its chest, just behind the telling Sarah, "my mommy said that I front legs. We hoisted it up to the walk cannot go on a boat without a life jacket Somerset County co-ops way, placed it in the burlap bag, and car and she didn't bring mine." I quickly Despite the drought of 1995 and the ried it downstream of the power plant explained to my daughter that this was severe winter and flood that followed, where we released it back into the river. a pretend boat and that she could go on Somerset County's co-operative nurseries It was last seen house-hunting near this one without a life jacket. still managed to have a good year produc Conewago Creek.-WCO William E. Mar It's amazing how much these children ing trout. The clubs released 40,056 trout tin, southern Dauphin/Lebanon counties. learn at such a young age. I'm glad I teach into 44 waters open to public fishing. a boating and water safety program at her They averaged 11.7 inches in length and Officers locate missing livestock daycare every summer. These kids are our .74 pounds each. The average cost for the During my 18 years of service as a DWCO future anglers and boaters l-CherylHornung clubs to rear a trout amounted to $.49 for the Commission, I have had my share Agency Training Officer. each. It's impressive to think that sports of unusual experiences while patrolling our men in just one county spent nearly local waters. The last Labor Day Weekend No respect $20,000 of their own money and several proved to be another of those unusual After graduation last June at the Capi thousand volunteer hours of labor to rear events. DWCO Mike Nardecchia and I were tol, we returned to the Harrisburg head these fish. I hope all the co-ops statewide patrolling the Youghiogheny Reservoir quarters. Southcentral Assistant will continue to keep up the great job diat when we were stopped by another boat near Supervisor Guy Bowersox approached me they do to enhance our fishing.-Commz.s- the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. They and congratulated me on my accomplish sioner Donald K. Anderson. reported a cow was near the shoreline on ment. While shaking my hand, he said, the Fayette County side of the lake and it "Well, I guess I can't call you 'Cadet' any To the rescue! appeared to be unable to get up the steep more." Pausing briefly, he said, "Now it While patrolling the Susquehanna River hillside. We investigated and sure enough, will be 'Rookie.'" Boy, it sure is hard to in York County with WCO Dave Keller, we we located a Jersey cow. We radioed the get any respect around here!-WCO Clyde received a radio call from county commu Corps of Engineers and Ranger Suzanne Warner, Northeast Region. nications for "any conservation officer." Glass contacted several local farmers. After Responding, we were directed to the York a few calls, she was able to get a message Two different worlds Haven Power Plant where plant workers to the owner. However, she later told us While on field training with WCO showed us a beaver that had become to watch for a horse that was missing from Steiner, I cited several people for various trapped on the trash rack, about 15 feet one of die local farms.-Commissioner Donald fishing and boating violations. Because below the walkway. The current created K. Anderson. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania i 45 For many anglers, rock bass are the fish one catches by mistake when seeking black bass or walleyes. I thought that way for many years, too. But any opinion is subject to change. I swayed when my wife, Marilyn, got hooked onrockbass fishing during a trip to Canada. Desired gamefish had acquired lock jaw. Marilyn just wanted to have something tug on her line. The rock bass obliged. She was ecstatic. Now that we have ROCKIES identified some of the best rock bass waters in Pennsylvania, we eagerly look forward to late spring each year for some of the fastest fishing in the state. Common ground Often referred to as "rockies" by anglers, rock bass are found in all major rivers and many lakes across the Commonwealth. Rockies are not "rockfish." Rockfish is a nickname given to striped bass. Rock bass belong to the sunfish family, a clan whose members range from tiny pumpkinseeds to heavyweight largemouths. Rockies typically reach 10 or 12 inches, with some larger speci mens found in prime waters. A rock bass looks like a bluegill that has been working out with free weights. And compared to a 'gill, the rock bass has an enormous mouth. The rock bass is distinctively different in coloration from other small members of the sunfish family. Rockies are brassy to ol ive in color, lacking the splashes of bright greens, blues and or anges associated with other sunfish. Often the sides are mottled with darker brown patches, but not always. During immediate pre-spawn and spawn, the fins are noticeably edged in black. The eye of a rock bass is conspicuously large compared to other panfish, and it's red. These characteristics yield two more rock bass pseudonyms—"redeye" and "goggle-eye." Sometimes the rock bass may be confused with its lookalike cousin the warmouth. However, in Pennsylvania the warmouth is found only in a few waters of the Ohio River drainage. The two species may be distinguished by rubbing a finger on their tongues. A warmouth has a rough tooth patch; a rock bass does not. A close examination of a rockie also shows horizontal rows of tiny dots formed by a dark spot on each scale; the warmouth Rock bass are among the most aggressive feeders, routinely going does not have these horizontal lines. after prey much larger than a bluegill would attempt to eat. Aquatic Anglers consider the rock bass to be a panfish, which means insects, crustaceans and small fish are included on their daily menu. it fits nicely in a frying pan. However, there is nothing small about Actually, it would be more appropriate to say that rock bass will the rock bass appetite, nor anything passive about its fight. eat any fish it can stuff into its mouth. Considering I have taken rockies on crankbaits over four inches long as well as on flipping jigs sporting a size 4/0 hook, that mouth can extend around some big prey! On moderately light tackle, rock bass give a very good accounting of themselves. The term sportfish, as opposed to panfish, is per haps more descriptive of its fighting ability. My wife has said that if rockies grew to the size of black bass, it would not be safe to wade in the water. Where to look Fisheries literature stresses riverine environments as the home of rockies, mentioning lakes only in passing. Rockies are actu ally abundant in impounded waters, too. Even though rockies seem adaptable to a wide variety of waters, their movements are restricted to specific habitats in a lake or river. In rivers, rock bass avoid the fast riffle areas, as well as soft bottoms in the slowest water. However, they are at home in rock-bottom holes, eddies Rock bass fishing in lakes means varying the arsenal. and deep current runs. In lakes, rockies may inhabit the entire shoreline, or only selected sites. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime A major clue where to find goggle-eyes lies in its common name. The simple solution is to downsize. Instead of a five-inch curl- Even the scientific Latin name means "of the rocks." If you haven't tail grub, use a three-inch one. Instead of a 1/2-ounce jig with a figured it out by now, the favorite hangouts for rockies usually large trailer, switch to a 1/8-ounce jig with a small trailer. Don't involve rocks—cobble bottoms, stone rubble, chunk rock, boul expect many rock bass on a 5/8-ounce plug, but watch the num ders and rip-rap. But don't become so attuned to rocks that you ber offish go up when you tie on a 1/4-ounce diving plug. Let's neglect other cover. take a look at some favorite rock bass presentations. Rockies dearly love cover. With few exceptions, it is unlikely In lakes, the first fishing peak occurs when goggle-eyes are school you will observe rock bass in the open during daylight hours. In ing in deep water before moving shallow. Water temperature is most instances the cover will be anything from fist-size rocks to in the low 50s. Depending on the lake, the fish may be 10 to 25 boulders. But they can also be found relating to wood, includ feet deep on rock-rubble flats or at the base of a breakline lead ing stumps, deadfalls, sunken logs, beaver lodges, brushpiles and ing to shallower flats. Some type of rocky cover is critical. Crawling dock posts. You can find rock bass in just about any cover where a curl-tail grub or tube lure along the bottom will take these fish. you might expect to find a largemouth or But a vertical presentation using a 3/ smallmouth bass. 8-ounce jigging spoon or blade bait will Goggle-eyes use cover from which to am be even more effective. bush their prey. Do not expect to encounter As the water warms to around 60 de rock bass chasing baitfish in open water. grees, rockies move closer to the spawn They rarely move three feet to grab a tempt ing sites. Typical depth may be 4 to 14 ing tidbit. Instead, goggle-eyes position feet of water, with water clarity a deter themselves in crevices among irregular mining factor. Goggle-eyes maybe on rocks, in the shadows of boulders, under rubble flats or in remnants of last year's the tentacles of a stump, in a log jam or weeds. The fish are extremely aggres brushpile, and wait. sive and appear to be feeding intensely When food swims by or is carried to them on minnow forage. Casting curl-tail by the current, rockies dart out, grab it and grubs, small spinnerbaits, jig-spinners, retreat. Every student of the American Revo- small Fin-S-Fish stickbaits, or any type lution will recognize the analogy when I of minnow-imitating lure catches loads liken the behavior of rock bass to the fight offish. ing tactics of the Swamp Fox: Hit and run. Redeyes remain active feeders in the Of course, there are times when rock shallows until the water temperature bass leave their fortresses of cover. Dur climbs to around 70 degrees. Then ing summer months, rock bass feed in the rockies may suddenly disappear. It open at night. Cruising the shallows with seems in summer rock bass feed more a bright spotlight can show that rock bass on crayfish and invertebrates than are one of the most frequently observed baitfish. Through the summer I gen fish on the shallow sand and rock-rubble erally can find rockies in wood cover flats. Also, in rivers and large creeks, rock near deep water, on rocky slopes, or bass stack up on current breaks to take advantage of the food relating to the riprap of causeways and dams. On some deep superhighway. clear-water lakes, rock bass return to deep rocky flats. When Another time rock bass expose themselves is during their pre- the fish feed, it's easy to catch them on crayfish-imitating jigs spawn and spawn period. Rock bass spawning occurs during May or four-inch worms on a leadhead. Other times a finesse pre and June when water temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees. sentation is required; my favorite is a soft plastic reaper or French This is a slightly cooler preference than other small members of fry on a splitshot rig. the sunfish family, but it coincides exacdy with black bass spawning. During the summer, flowing-water rockies seem more active Redeyes first become active when water temperature climbs into during the day. Perhaps they feed more often in current situa the mid-SOs. Large schools congregate in deeper water before tions. Favorite lures for creek and river rockies include straight- moving into the shallows. Fishing for rock bass during this pe shaft spinners, jig-spinners, crayfish crankbaits, hair jigs and riod can be very exciting. soft-plastic critters. One of the hottest rock bass lures in recent years has been the 3-inch Hellgie from Lunker City. What to use Here is another interesting note on river rockies. They seem With a big mouth and a willingness to eat almost anything that more inclined to take a small topwater lure or popping bug than moves, rock bass can be caught on a wide variety of live baits and lake fish. Surface feeding is most likely to occur in the evenings. artificial lures. Live bait choices include crayfish, hellgrammites, Come fall, rock bass go on a feeding spree before winter like leeches, nightcrawlers, large fatheads and small river shiners. But many other species. There will be schooling activity in creeks and for most anglers, lures are the more challenging approach. rivers, as well as in lakes. The full array of artificials will take fish, Rock bass can be taken on jigs, worms, grubs, plugs, spoons, including jigging spoons when the fish are on deepwater flats. spinners and even surface lures. Any type of lure typically used By the time the water temperature drops below 50 degrees, rock for largemouth and smallmouth bass is a good choice for rockies. bass become inactive. Furthermore, during the pre-spawn period the aggressive and Their aggressiveness, willingness to pursue lures, and spunky abundant rock bass make the perfect practice fish for novice fight on light tackle make rock bass a fish worthy of attention. black bass anglers. Let old redeye rock you this year. j—± Full-size black bass lures are really too large for most rockies. Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater If. 6 by Carl Richardson illustrated by Ted Walke fm§i mi No, it's not the Greek god of fishing. Diadromy might not be a Greek god, but it is from DELAWARE RIVER a Greek word, dromes-which means "running." SUSQUEHANNA Fish that migrate between salt and fresh wa and migrating fish RIVER ters are called diadromous. can move freely. However, There are two kinds of diadromous fish found in Pennsyl dams on the Susquehanna are vania. They are anadromous and catadromous. The Susquehanna barriers to diadromous fish migrations. Soon, though, mi and Delaware rivers have runs of diadromous fish because they grating fish will be provided safe passage at all the major bar lead directly to salt water. The Delaware remains free of obstacles riers on the Susquehanna. Catadromous fish The Greek word for "down" is cat, so catadromous fish must "run down." They run from fresh water to salt water to spawn. The American eel is catadromous. Eels are native to the Dela ware and Susquehanna rivers. Only the female eel migrates up into the river system. The males remain in the estuary, or lower river. When mature, the females migrate down the river and join up with the males. Mature eels then make their way to the Sargasso Sea, an area in the Atlantic Ocean. Anadromous fish Anadromous fish run up. Anadromous fish found in Penn sylvania include American shad, herring, striped bass, and shortnose and Atlantic sturgeons. These fish also run both the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. After three to five years at sea, mature American shad re turn to fresh water. They make their spawning run in die spring, to the rivers where they were born. They spawn, and hang out in fresh water for a short period. Because they are adapted to eat the larger saltwater plankton, some starve to death. Some survive and return to the sea. In the fall, as water tempera tures drop, the young shad head to the ocean. There they migrate up and down the coast each spring until they are three to five years old. Striped bass mature in about two to four years. Mature stripers spawn in the lower reaches of the river systems. There, submerged grasses provide hiding places for the young stripers. After spawning, many adults migrate far up the river system. Anglers fishing the upper Delaware report catching stripers Not much is known about sturgeon and their habits. However, as far up as Port Jervis, New York. Shortnose sturgeon it takes many years for a sturgeon to mature. Male Atlantic stur geon mature at about age 12, females at 18 or 19. They spawn just above the saltwater and freshwater line. The young sturgeon remain in fresh water until their second to sixth years. Then they migrate out to sea. ^] Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & l % Memories Last A Lifetime C Products and Publications Wall Charts 17" x 22" in full color Qty, Price Total Coldwater Fishes of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Warmwater Fishes of Pennsylvania L $1.41 +.09* $ Migratory Fishes of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Miscellaneous Game Fishes of Pen nsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Panfishes of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Forage Fishes of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Frogs of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Salamanders of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Snakes of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Turtles of Pennsylvania $1.41 +.09* $ Mail orders for above wall charts only. Add: $2.00(1-5 charts) $3.00 (6 or more charts)$ Sub-total $ Qty. 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And he's kept track of the exploits of his The Angler's Most Loyal prominent fishing buddies, George Harvey, Joe Humphreys and Charles Meek, to name a few. Some have repaid the favor: Subscriber? "The East Branch of Mahoning Creek saw one of its first fly fishermen in 1928. A hefty brook trout struck a Silver Doc tor wet fly....Bob Davis of Big Run caught Mention a trout that trout more than 60 years ago." stream in Pennsylvania, and So begins a passage in Charles Meck's this man has fished it. Mention a fly Pennsylvania Trout Streams and Their Hatches. pattern and he has tied it. Mention names It concludes by telling readers Davis is a of people who have brought notoriety to fixture on that stream, and, if they meet both, and you can bet he's probably fished him, "thank him for his perseverance in with them. keeping the East Branch of the Mahoning Meet Bob Davis of Big Run, Jefferson clear and productive." County. At 83, fishing since he was old A mild stroke, a few heart attacks and enough to tote a rod, Davis has the tales the loss of sight in one eye in recent years to tell. He has seen the changes, most, he have left the former miner, tree surgeon says, adding value to his Golden Years. And and landscaper "slowing down just a bit." if he's missed anything the past 77 years, But the lifelong bachelor usually can be traversing the state and its waterways, he found in the clapboard home where he knows where to turn. was born. Since February 1934, Davis has been a The local kids know it. It's the home continuous subscriber to Pennsylvania where the man ties all the flies, knows the Angler, and now Pennsylvania Angler & area waters, and is free with advice. He gives Boater, saving all issues. His allegiance freely of something else-you know it when actually extends a bit further, to several 1932 streams and something goes wrong, it is he talks of his fly tying operation. issues published just months after the reported right away," says the co-founder "Up until I lost sight in the one eye, I'd magazine's inception in December 1931. of the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of tieabout300 dozen every winter and then "I got started reading the Angler in my Trout Unlimited, a chapter known for probably sell, no, not really sell, I think I early teens," Davis recalls. "We had a battling mining and lumbering abuse of gave most of them away. sportsmen's club that always got a com waterways. "You see, I have kids stopping in here plimentary copy and somehow it always Whether he's talking about a corporate all the time, wanting to buy flies. Usually ended up in my hands. I made darn sure giant linked to an eroded watershed, or a they have a dollar." I got it." dad and son leaving fast-food wrappers, the "Take some of these along and tell your Mom kept the home fires burning and fire of empathy for all the streams he has son to try them the next time you are fishing the subscriptions coming for two years after fished burns bright in Davis' blue eyes. Penns Creek together," he told me as our her son traded a fishing rod for an Army "My main peeve? Has to be littering, and conversation closed on that warm Decem carbine. In the D-Day invasion of people building fires, just showing a total ber day. "They work all the time-they'd Normandy in June 1944, her son gained lack of respect for other people's property work today. the Purple Heart and lost a leg. rights." "I used to drive down and fish the spe "I went in on the first wave, landing on Major reward in pursuing and observ cial regulations area of Penns Creek two Omaha Beach," says then 30-year-old Army ing one sport for over 75 years? Again, an or three times a week. I'd get under the sergeant attached to a mortar squad with swered without hesitation: "One of the trees with these cork ants that I make. And the 29th Division. "I was machine-gunned biggest and the best changes I've seen over those big old trees would be filled with ants, by a tank and after I was hit, I layed three the years is people getting educated to catch and the trout would all be there...just days before they picked me up. Lost the and release. When I first started fishing, waiting." leg to gangrene." every fish you caught, you kept. I think I gave the cork ants, and passed along A 14-month stay in an Atlanta veterans many youngsters are starting to do it and their tale, to ayoung fly fisherman, 69 years hospital introduced Davis to a lifestyle and that's good." Davis'junior. Less than two weeks before a fishing mode that would be forever Tiring of catching fish is not something Christmas, I wished I could have passed changed. It was during rehabilitation, that comes easily to man who has sub on something else between the two. It was learning how to master a wooden limb, that scribed to the Angler for 63 years. In its pages the spirit that danced in the eyes of j—L a hospital employee developed his fledg he has kept abreast of conservation issues the g1' ling interest in fly tying and fishing. and discovered new fly tying techniques. "I'll tell you, when I started tying flies, He has been inspired by fiery, eloquent Bob Davis died February 15,1997, while this if you took all the fly tying houses where words of the late Ralph W. Abele, his fa article was in production. Author Terry 1 you could buy equipment, you could count vorite executive director of the then Fish Brady conducted the interview and took j them on one hand and still have fingers Commission. He's laughed and remi photographs last December. The personality | left," Davis says. nisced with his favorite editor, the late feature Brady so ably created has now "When you have more people out on the Charles Fox. become a fitting tribute. Fishing & Boating Memories List A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater teenagers on the ski boat. EMTs were wait Recap of 1996 Pennsylvania ing on shore. Unfortunately, the fisherman did not survive. The operator of the ski boat had taken a safe boating course and had Fatal Boating Accidents by Dan Martin some boating experience. The victim was an experienced boater, but it is unknown l.One fatality, Loyalsock Creek, A third witness saw him yelling for help if he had any formal instruction in boat Lycoming County, 2/24/96, before going under. The river was very high ing safety. 9:30 a.m., Saturday. for the time of year with strong current. It A 71-year-old man lost his life when the is unknown why the victim's boat capsized. 6.One fatality, Paupacken Lake, 12-foot rowboat in which he was a passenger However, a 10-foot johnboat capsizes easily. Wayne County, 8/23/96, capsized. Two men visited their camp to The anchor line was tied to the transom, 2:00 p.m., Friday. clean up after a recent flood. While they which may have caused the boat to flood A 74-year-old fisherman lost his life when were at the camp, the water began to rise. and capsize in the strong current. Though he apparently fell overboard from a 12-foot They used a small, flat-bottomed rowboat the victim was a good swimmer, he was not open motorboat. The victim was fishing at the camp to cross the creek. They quar wearing the life jacket he had onboard and with his boat at anchor. His boat was found tered across the stream, struck flooded tim had no formal instruction in boating safety. floating upright against the shore of the lake ber near the opposite bank and capsized. It is unknown if the victim had much boat with all equipment still on board. His body Both men were thrown into the water. The ing experience. His body was recovered by was found the following day, fully clothed victim was last seen by the surviving rower, divers the next day. with his wallet in his pants and his glasses hanging onto the capsized boat 150 yards still in place. He was not wearing a life jacket; downstream, entering a severe rapid. The 4» One fatality, Youghiogheny it was found floating on the surface near victim's body was recovered on April 6. No River, Fayette County, 7/9/96, his boat. There were no witnesses to the PFDs were onboard. The water was very 2:45 p.m., Tuesday. accident. Sudden immersion into the rela cold, so hypothermia and sudden immer A 17-year-old woman lost her life while tively cool water may have contributed to sion into cold water were factors. The victim whitewater rafting when she fell overboard this fatality because the victim was a good was a poor swimmer and had no formal in from the 13-foot raft she was helping to swimmer. It is unknown why the victim fell struction in boating safety. The boat op paddle. There was no guide onboard the overboard but it may have happened im erator had a great deal of experience rowing raft when it hit dimple rock. All six people mediately following retrieval of the boat's this and other small boats. on board were thrown out of the raft. The anchor. The victim was an experienced victim was wearing a Type V whitewater boater but had no formal instruction in Z. One fatality, Allegheny River, rafting PFD and was apparently entrapped boating safety. Warren County, 5/25/96, on the stream bottom or under dimple rock. 3:15 p.m., Saturday. A few minutes after the mishap the lifejacket /.One fatality, private farm pond, A 33-year-old man lost his life when the worn by the victim surfaced, still buckled Bucks County, 8/28/96, 17-foot rented canoe he was paddling cap properly. At 4:30 p.m. the victim's body was 11:05 a.m., Wednesday. sized. They were issued wearable PFDs with seen coming to the surface. The search for A 44-year-old fisherman lost his life when the boat but chose not to wear them. The the victim continued until dark with no his 15-foot aluminum canoe capsized. The paddlers hit a log and capsized above a tree success. At 8:10 a.m. the next day the body victim was fishing with his brother and son that was down in the water (strainer). The was recovered about 300 yards downstream. from the shoreline of a pond. The victim's victim held onto the canoe, but the canoe The victim was a poor swimmer. It is un brother decided to paddle a canoe out to with the man became wedged in the strainer. known whether the victim had any boat retrieve a bobber that had broken off and The force of the water held him under. The ing experience or formal instruction in was floating out of reach in the pond. The survivor held onto a log above the strainer. boating safety. paddler immediately capsized the canoe. She was rescued by a boater in the area who The victim, who could swim, saw his brother was in a jet boat. The victim's body was later 5.One fatality, Conneaut Lake, struggling in the water so he took another recovered by the same boater. The water Crawford County, 8/19/96, canoe out on the pond to assist. He, too, temperature was 42 degrees, so hypother 10:50 p.m., Monday. capsized and went into the water with his mia was a factor. The victim was a poor A 41-year-old fisherman lost his life while brother. Unable to hold on, the would-be swimmer, had some boating experience and fishing in a 17-foot open motorboat when rescuer disappeared beneath the surface. had no formal instruction in boating safety. he was struck by the propeller from a 19- The victim's 11-year-old son then grabbed foot open motorboat. The victim was fish a PFD, paddled out in a kayak and pushed 3 *One fatality, Susquehanna River, ing on the lake when a ski boat with a his uncle, a nonswimmer, to shore. The Wyoming County, 7/7/96, 15-year-old operator approached. The vic victim's body was recovered an hour later. 8:00 a.m., Sunday. tim may not have been displaying naviga No PFDs were onboard either of the canoes. A 33-year-old fisherman lost his life when tion lights. One possible scenario is that Alcohol may have been a factor. It is un he capsized his 10-foot open motorboat. the fisherman, seeing the other boat ap known if the victim had any boating expe A witness said that he saw the victim hav proach, switched on his lights and jumped rience or formal instruction in boating ing trouble getting his motor started. Once into the water. He was a strong swimmer. safety. f~h started, the victim went upstream into the He was struck by the other boat's propel fast water. Another person reported that ler as it passed. The victim was conscious Dan Martin is the Commission Boating Safely he saw the victim anchored in the fast water. when he was pulled from the water by the Program Manager. 50 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories \jzst A Lifetime Do's and Dorits 13for Early Season Trout Fishing by Walt Young The opening of trout season is a magical and long-awaited time throughout Pennsylvania for thousands of eager anglers who venture forth to participate in this annual rite of spring. For some, it is a time of renewal to exercise the skills honed from years of experience on the stream. For others, months of anticipation quickly turn to frustration as their efforts on the water go largely unrewarded. Trout fishing has reached its current level of popularity because it is not exceptionally difficult. Armed with some basic knowl edge, even anglers of limited experience should be able to catch trout regularly. The following list of "do's and don'ts" are a few examples of the little things that anyone who wants to catch more trout should think about. 1. Don't hesitate to try new or different tactics. Trout anglers tend to be "specialists." They have one or two preferred methods, baits, lures, and even fishing spots, and they stay with these favorites almost exclusively, whether they are producing or not. Those anglers who catch trout consistently also have their preferred methods, but they don't hesitate to switch if the fish are not cooperating. The first few weeks of the season can require anglers to adjust their tactics more than any other time of the year. Weather and water conditions can vary greatly from one day to another. Fish ing pressure is also highest this time of year. These and other factors require the early season angler to be more versatile. On those days when the action is slow, take time to evaluate fishing strategy. If your approach has been largely one-dimensional, think about making some changes. 2. Do pay attention to water temperature. Because trout are cold-blooded creatures, their metabolism is directly affected by the temperature of the water they live in. The colder the wa ter, the slower their body functions become, causing the fish to become less active and feed less frequently. When faced with lower water temperatures, knowledgeable anglers adjust their tactics accordingly. Bait and lures must be presented slower and deeper. The trout are less inclined to move far to take any offering, so a given section of water needs to be covered more thoroughly. In general, 50 degrees is the magic number for trout activity. Once the water reaches this mark, trout begin to establish their regular feeding patterns. Even in this preferred range, a cold snap that plummets the water temperature several degrees lower than it had been can affect the fishing dramatically. In this situation, reverting to a slower, more methodical presentation can bring success. 3. Don't quit too soon. Early in the season, enthusiasm runs high, and anglers seem driven to be on the stream as early as possible each morning. As inviting as it is to be on a trout stream at dawn any time of the year, too many early bird anglers Trout fishing has reached its current lePel ofpopularity because it is burn out and end their outing early and sometimes miss the not very difficult. Armed with some bask knowledge, even anglers best fishing of the day. of limited experience should be able to catch trout regularly. As the crowds thin in the afternoon, good spots that were lined with anglers in the morning may now be nearly deserted. Trout Fishing & Boating Memories hist A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 6. Don't use lures or baits that are too big for clear wa Do's and Don'ts ter. The typical early season trout stream often runs full from spring for Early Season Trout Fishing rains. In high water, crayfish, sculpins, big stonefly nymphs, and B other large prey are regularly swept into the heavy currents. Trout that were shell-shocked from the early morning bombardment eagerly gobble up these larger food items without hesitation. become more inclined to feed as the fishing pressure wanes. Early During drier periods, however, the heavy flows quickly sub in the season water temperatures tend to reach their peak in late side, and so does the steady supply of bigger food. Now, most afternoon, and this often spurs the fish into a feeding mood. of the nymphs, larvae, and other organisms that comprise the bulk 4. Don't be afraid to fish the tough places. Ever wonder of a trout's diet are considerably smaller than so many of the baits why a select handful of anglers always manages to catch more and lures anglers commonly fish with. Knowledgeable anglers trout than everybody else? Often it's because they are willing and confronted with low, clear water should adjust their tactics by able to fish spots that the average fisherman ignores. Once the down-sizing their lures or bait. season opens, it doesn't take long for most of the "easy" trout 7. Don't be in a hurry to get out of the rain. One of fishing's to disappear. They either end up in the creel or become educated oldest maxims is that fish bite better when it rains. This belief enough to avoid the offerings of most anglers. A lot of the trout has persisted for generations largely because it is so often true. that remain do so by taking up residence in logjams, undercut A spring rain can be a special opportunity for trout fishermen. banks, heavy pocket water, and other places that thwart the ef- Raindrops hitting the water's surface help the angler approach his quarry undetected. Insects and other food are washed into the stream in great numbers. As the water begins to take on a little color, even the wili est trout tend to lose much of their caution and go on a feeding spree. It's not advisable to attempt to fish during a thun derstorm or on larger streams when rising water makes wading unsafe. But for those willing to put on the rain gear and risk getting a little damp, the results can be worth the inconvenience. 8. Do try special regulation areas. Oneway to beat some of the early season crowds is to try fishing one of about 90 specially regulated trout waters throughout the state. These streams or jne~way to beat some of the early season crowds is sections of streams managed as Heritage Trout to try fishing one of about 90 specially regulated Streams, Catch and Release, Trophy Trout, Selective trout waters throughout the state. Harvest, or Delayed Harvest are highly popular with dedicated trout anglers, but most specially regu forts of the less experienced fisherman. The only way to learn lated streams and stream sections do not experience the amount how to deal with these inhospitable places is by paying your dues. of pressure that other streams do early on. All of these areas Expect to lose a lot of hooks and lures, especially at first. With a are either completely catch-and-release fishing or allow only little practice and dedication you could join that elite group that two or three fish to be kept per day. understands that the tough places are often the best places to catch Especially inviting are the more than 60 Delayed-Harvest ar more trout. eas. All of these projects are well-stocked with trout before the 5. Don't ignore fluorescent colors. Trout have a reputa season opens, but no fish may be kept until June 15. This gives tion for being finicky and selective feeders. There are, however, the angler who enjoys catch-and-release fishing two months or plenty of times when they are tempted by bright, fluorescent-colored more of fishing over good numbers of trout. For a complete listing lures or bait and ignore more conventional offerings. Why a trout of all Delayed-Harvest and other special regulation trout waters, abandons its usual cautious nature to hit something so unnatural consult the Summary of Fishing Regulations and Laws supplied with is probably caused more by anger, fear, or curiosity than hunger. your fishing license. Fluorescent colors are especially good in the off-colored or dirty 9. Do sharpen your hooks. Whether you fish with bait, lures water conditions frequendy encountered early in the season. Vibrant or flies, your most important piece of tackle is the hook, and the colors have the ability to be seen when murky water limits the second most important item should be your hook hone. A dull trout's visibility. In clearer water, fluorescent colors are most hook practically guarantees missed strikes and lost fish. Most effective during periods of low light, such new hooks leave a lot to be desired when as dawn, dusk and heavy overcast. it comes to sharpness, and they should Most kinds of spinners, spoons and be honed before use. other small lures are readily available in Even the so-called chemically sharp fluorescent colors. Prepared baits like ened hooks still require some attention. salmon eggs and the popular moldable Even though these expensive hooks are dough baits come in bright colors, too. extremely sharp right out of the box, Brown trout seem to favor chartreuse or rocks, logs, and other nasty things on orange, and rainbows are often fond of the bottom of a trout stream can dull red or pink. them as quickly as any other hook. Check your hook point for sharpness Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime frequently and touch up or replace any hook that is not needle- The decision to release a fish is a matter of personal choice. sharp. This applies to the treble hooks installed on most lures There is certainly nothing wrong with taking a few trout for as well. the table now and then if you like them. But each year as fish To test a hook's sharpness, hold the point perpendicular to your ing pressure increases on so many of our streams, more and thumbnail and drag the point lightly over the nail. A properly more anglers embrace the wisdom of putting fish back to be sharpened hook grabs the nail as you pull it across. caught another day. 10. Do change your line often. Trying to get as much ser 12. Do respect private property. In Pennsylvania we are vice as possible from the line on your spinning or spin-cast reel fortunate to have so many miles of accessible trout streams. is an exercise in false economy. Monofilament line does not im Even though many of them are on public land, the majority of prove with age. It can become weaker along with developing flat our trout streams flow through private property and are left spots, kinks and abrasion from continued use. All these can con open to fishing by the owner. Without the cooperation of these tribute to the unnecessary loss of terminal tackle and lures or, worse gracious landowners, the opportunities for trout fishing would yet, a big fish. be greatly diminished. New line should be installed at the beginning of each season. Littering, building fires, damaging fences, and driving on fields If you fish an average of two days a week, it's a good idea to change are all senseless and inexcusable, yet they are among the most line at least once a month during the season. Those who get out common reasons landowners post their property. The best way more often should also change their line more frequently. The to keep "No Trespassing" signs from showing up on your fa small cost and time involved will pay big rewards on the water. vorite trout stream is always to remember you are a guest there A reel properly spooled with fresh line also casts better. For and act accordingly. It also doesn't hurt to stop, introduce optimum performance, the reel spool should be filled to within yourself, and tell the landowner you appreciate being able to an eighth to a sixteenth of an inch from the edge. Whenever the fish on his property. amount of line left on the spool gets noticeably below this, it's time 13. Do treat fellow anglers with courtesy. During the first to refill the spool. week or so of trout season, crowded conditions are the standard 11. Do practice catch and release. Recycling has become situation on many trout streams. Then, it's fish close to others an important mechanism in conserving resources and protecting or don't fish. Later, as the crowds dwindle, most of us expect to the environment. As anglers, we have the ability to recycle, that have a little more water to ourselves. It's also the time to think is, release, some or all of our catch and thereby maintain the quality about stream etiquette. Good manners on the stream can be con of our fishing. tagious. If you give another angler plenty of room, he will likely afford you the same courtesy. f~h Pishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 53 ' Jim Crosjean, West View, caught and released this largemouth bass while fishing in Lake Wilhelm, Mercer County. The fish weighed 6 pounds and measured 23 inches in length. Nice going, Jim! jff i H / in i iiv Blaine Hertzog Bethlehem, earned a Senior Angler Award for this Beltzville Lake brown trout. The fish, caught on a minnow, weighed 11 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 30 1/2 inches long. Natrona Heights resident Jason Steiner, Hatboro, was Anthony Aulicino earned a Senior fishing the Delaware River in Angler Award for this small- Bucks County when he caught mouth bass. The Lake Erie fish this American shad. The fish measured 20 1/2 inches in length was 22 1/4 inches long and and weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces. weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces. David L. Hoyt, Coopersburg Jonathan Creathouse earned a shows off the 26-inch, 6-pound Junior Angler's Award for channel catfish he caught in Lake catching this 8-pound,7-ounce Nockamixon. The catfish grabbed Joseph Martines, Southampton, caught this 29 1/2-inch, 9-pound, drum in the Ohio River. The fish a minnow. Hoyt released the fish 6-ounce walleye from Lake Nockamixon. measured 27 inches long. after this picture was taken. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 54 Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime iwamiffffliJ'iiiWffMUP"' Memories To Last A Lifetime IED DEALER Masury resident Gerald Fischer caught this muskellunge while fishing Donald Shade, Waynesboro, near the Shenango River Dam, Mercer County. The fish weighed 38 poses with the smallmouth bass pounds, 3/4 ounces and was 53 1/2 inches long. that earned him a Senior Angler Chris Fry, Millerstown, hooked Award. The fish, which he caught this 35-inch carp while fishing the in Meadow Grounds Lake, Fulton Juniata River. The fish, caught on County, weighed 5 pounds and a worm, weighed 25 pounds. measured 23 inches long. Amanda LeFure was fishing on Lake Arthur when she hooked this striped bass. The fish Fric Kraus, Verona, hefts the 7-pound, 5-ounce, 24-inch smallmouth bass he caught in the Allegheny River. The bass took a shiner. weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces. Timothy Manning caught and Kraus's smallmouth bass is only 5 ounces under the current state released this largemouth bass record of 7 pounds, 10 ounces. while ftshing in Nockamixon Lake last spring. The fish weighed 6 pounds and was 21 inches long. Nice job, Tim! Collegeville resident Paul Marchese caught these golden rainbow trout while fishing Skippack Creek on opening day. Charles Weber hooked this brown The smaller fish measured Lauren Sinclair, State College, used a waxworm to convince this rainbowtrout while fishing in Loyalsock 16 1/2 inches long; the larger trout to strike. The fish, which she caught in Stone Valley Lake, Creek last April. The fish was 22 fish was 22 1/2 inches long. weighed 5 1/2 pounds and measured 25 inches in length. inches long and weighed 4 pounds. Fishing & Boating Memories l^lst A lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Instead of desks and blackboards, the classrooms at Penn State's Conservation Leadership School this summer will include an underground cave, canoes and sailboats on a 72-acre lake and green leaves and shade on 700 acres of forested land. In this unique setting at the University's Stone Valley Rec reation Area near State College, secondary school students be tween the ages of 15 and 18 will learn about conservation during two-week programs that emphasize field-based, hands-on learning, group problem solving and environmental manage ment planning. The curriculum involves active participation in environmen Last fall, WCOsJim Stout (left center) and Larry Bundy (right tal management, resource assessment, and regenerative conser center) received a Governor's Safety Award. The award commends vation methods. Topics include watershed management, citizen the Commission's co-sponsoring of the annual DUI/BUI Safe Boating action, basic ecology, land-use planning, alternative energy supplies, Days at Lake Winola and Harveys Lake, in Luzerne and Wyoming environmental risk assessment and forest management. counties. The award also mentions the officers' "superior enforce Students provide their own transportation to the Stone Val ment of not only the waterways but also the roadways surrounding ley Recreation Area, where they stay in four-person platform tents the lakes and the Susquehanna River." Presenting the award were with cots. Also available are heated shower and restroom facili Bradley L. Mallory (right), Secretary of the PA Department of ties, complete meal service and all educational needs. The $440 Transportation, and Eugene Peterson (left), Region III Administra tuition ($495 for non-Pennsylvania residents) covers tuition and tor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. WCO all other costs for the student's two-week stay. Stout is assigned to northern Luzerne County. WCO Bundy is The 1997 Conservation Leadership Schools dates are: Session assigned to eastern Sullivan/Wyoming counties. LJune 29 to July 12; Session II, July 13 to 26; and Advanced Ses sion, August 13 to 26. The Advanced Session is open only to stu Coast Guard Auxiliarist Passes Away dents who previously attended a regular session. Gerald S. "Jerry" Simmons died last fall following a short To register by phone or for more information, call 1-800-PSU- illness. TODAY (1-800-778-8632), or visit http://www.cde.psu.edu/C&I/ Jerry joined the Auxiliary May 17,1987, and in nine short years ConservationLS.html to see our WWW page. became a driving force in the group. In 1994 alone, Jerry gave 30 Courtesy Marine Examinations (CMEs); did295 hours in patrols, 36 of these hours as skipper; aided in 8 assists and assisted 32 Fairview Fish Culture Station people; traveled 88 hours; and spent 26 hours on 5 public ap pearances. Named Tops in State He had also held several offices while in the Auxiliary. He was The Fairview Fish Culture Station in Erie County was the Flotilla Commander for Flotilla 09/07/02ER for 3 years; Di named the top Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission vision Captain for Division IX 02ER in 1994-95; US Coast Guard hatchery for 1996. Every year, the Commission Bureau of Auxiliary Liaison Officer for the state of Pennsylvania; the Di Fisheries conducts a comprehensive inspection of its 14 fish vision Nine Representative on the Pittsburgh (Three Rivers) Safe culture stations. Each facility is rated on its fish, rearing Boating Committee; and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary repre areas, equipment, records, vehicles and the interior and sentative for the 1996 National Association of State Boating Law exterior of all buildings. For each category, the inspectors Administrators conference held in Pittsburgh. rate 10 specific areas on a score of 1 (poor) to 4 (exceeds Jerry was also the recipient of many awards through the Aux expectations). The maximum score for each category is 40; iliary and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. He was the maximum total score is 320. Fairview, which primarily the top individual for outstanding contribution to the Aids To raises steelhead and coho salmon for use in Lake Erie, earned Navigation (ATON) program for the 2nd Eastern Region for 1994; 250 points. he received two Meritorious Team Commendation awards from Bellefonte Fish Culture Station in Centre County was the US Coast Guard; and he achieved Coxswain, the highest level named the agency's most improved hatchery. The Bellefonte in the US Coast Guard Boat Crew Qualification program. From station raises trout. the Commission, he received awards for the top Auxiliarist in The Fish and Boat Commission's hatchery system is one number of patrols and received the Overall Top Auxiliarist award of the largest in the world. Each year the Commission stocks in 1992 and 1994. more than 100 million warmwater fish species such as Jerry was a great man who believed in keeping the waters of muskellunge and bass. The agency also annually stocks more Pennsylvania safe for all boaters. He was a friend to the Fish than 5 million adult trout in more than 800 streams. and Boat Commission and he will be greatly missed. Remember: Fish-for-Free Days in 1997 will be June 7 and September 27. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Prototype Side-Stream Oxygen Injection SystemBob Wilberding (right), Pleasant Gap Fish Culture Station Manager, and ClydeTAK E A Welsh, assistant manager, inspect the FRIEND Commission's prototype side-stream FISHING oxygen injection system. The system, made by Apogee Technology, Inc., Verona, PA, mixes pure oxygen with water underpressure and injects it into the upper ends of a raceway. This procedure enhances the delivery of oxygen into the water. The Commission is experimenting with the prototype and NATIONAL evaluating the system, which may replaceFISHIN G WEEK JUNE 2-8,1997 the Commission's mechanical hatchery For mote information on National Fistrinrj Matjonai Rshinj Week aeration systems. Ultimately the new .':K, l033NorJhFairtas Sweet Suitt 200, Alexandria, VA 22314-1540 device could save the Commission money.or cal l (703) 684 The mission of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is to provide fishing and boating Angler's Notebook fy&dCa opportunities through the protection and management of aquatic resources. Some of the best topwater trout action occurs EXECUTIVE OFFICE around dusk, especially after late May. Don't get Peter A. Colangelo, Executive Director Dennis T. Guise, Deputy Executive stuck in the dark, though; always remember to bring Director/Chief Cou nsel a flashlight. It will help you tie knots, search your Laurie Shepler, Assistant Counsel K. Ron Weis, Project Planner fly box, unhook fish and find your way safely back John Arway, to the shoreline. Division of Environmental Services Joseph A. Greene, Legislative Liaison Rafael Perez-Bravo, Personnel A soft-hackle wet fly is one of the most versa Tom Ford, tile flies around. It can be used to represent small Resources Planning Coordinator Dan Tredinnick, Press Secretary aquatic creatures including emerging mayflies, COMPTROLLER caddis pupae, stonefly nymphs and even some min Ross E. Starrier nows. Try fishing them dead-drift or with the BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATION across-and-down method. 717-657-4S22 Wasyl James Polischuk, Jr., Director Tom E. Thomas, Information Systems When a bass strikes a topwater lure, refrain from Brian Barner, Federal Aid/Grants Mary Stine, Fishing Licenses setting the hook immediately. Instead, pause for Andrew Mutch, Boat Registration a quick moment, and then strike. This allows the BUREAU OF FISHERIES fish time to get a better grip on the lure to allow 814-359-5100 Delano Graff, Director for a better hookset. Rickalon L. Hoopes, Division of Research When fishing for crappies, perch and sunfish Richard A. Snyder Division of Fisheries Management in clouded water, try using a small trout spinner. Dennis C. Ricker, The vibration caused by the lure moving through Division of Trout Production The blood knot is useful for all anglers. It die water and its inherent luster often attracts riiese Martin T, Marcinko, Division of joins monofilament strands smoothly, and it's Wann/Coolwater Fish Production scrappy feeders. Work the spinner near docks, strong, maintaining more than 90 percent of BUREAU OF ENGINEERING stumps, windfalls and other submerged structure. AND DEVELOPMENT the unknotted breaking strength. Use the blood 814-359-5100 James Young, P.E., Director knot to join different-strength mono to make Crappies aren't known as "paper-mouths" for James I. Wake, Division of Construction fly leaders, and to add more line to a leader. First, nothing. The tissue surrounding their mouths is and Maintenance Eugene O. Banker, P.E., wrap both ends of the line about six or seven extremely thin, and a hook will often tear out if Property Services times around each other (step 1-2). Then lock too much force is exerted. When you hook a crappie, Richard Mulfinger, P.E., Fishing & Boating Facilities Design the tag ends as shown in step 3. Pull the con play it lightly; don't force it in. It also helps if you're BUREAU OF LAW ENFORCEMENT nection tight and trim the tag ends close to the using a light, fast-action rod with the reel's drag 717-657-4542 knot (step 4). set low. Edward W. Manharr, Director Tom Kamerzel, Assistant to the Director Jeff Bridi, Assistant to the Director When fishing for largemouth bass, don't shy When river fishing for smallmouth bass, a good BUREAU OF BOATING away from areas choked with aquatic vegetation. place to try is the downstream end of an island. AND EDUCATION These areas are often where bucketmouths like 717-657-4540 The current that merges in such locations brings John Simmons, Director to hang out, especially during the daytime. Tie with it a good supply of food that bronzebacks waste Dan Martin, Boating Safety Program Carl Richardson, on a weedless topwater lure and slowly work it no time finding. Try dead-drifting a topwater lure Aquatic Resource Program across the surface, pausing the retrieve near struc or working a crankbait with the current. Be ready Arc Michaels, Publications Ted R. Walke, Graphic Services ture and open pockets of water. for fast and furious hits. PFBC World Wide Web Site: illustration- Ted Walke http://www.state.pa.us/Fish Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Anglers Currents Tide of New Adopt-an Access Program Boat Registrations Those interested in keeping Pennsylvania the sites for public use, but more impor beautiful now have another way to do so tantly, it protects opportunities for recre Keeps Rising by "adopting" a fishing and boating access. ation on the water. These are key goals of Boat registrations in Pennsylvania Through a new Pennsylvania Fish and Boat the Fish and Boat Commission," says Ri reached a record level in 1996, easily Commission program, dubbed "Adopt-an- chard Mulfinger, Chief of the Commis surging past the mark set just one year Access," volunteers can team with the sion's Fishing & Boating Facilities Design earlier. A total of 337,201 watercraft agency to become caretakers along the Section. Mulfinger points out that the were registered in the Commonwealth state's streams, rivers and lakes. benefits from access adoption are two-fold. last year, according to the Pennsylva The Commission owns or operates some First, the adopted access itselfbenefits from nia Fish and Boat Commission, the 300 sites that provide free access to water the volunteer work. Second, funds and la state agency in charge of the registra ways for public fishing and boating. bor previously tied up in routine mainte tion program. Through the Adopt-an-Access program, nance of that access can be applied to other The former high-water level for reg interested individuals and groups can assist worthwhile Commission projects. istered watercraft was 1995's total of with routine maintenance and litter re "For example," Mulfinger says, "the 330,440. The growth comes as no real moval at these sites. As well as providing Commission has contracted maintenance surprise. For the last two decades, reg clean, well-groomed areas for anglers, for 12 areas. If we can get an Adopt-an- istrations have increased each year, boaters and visitors, the program also serves Access volunteer to take on these areas, it with the exception of 1993. In recent to raise the awareness levels of participants would mean instant savings. That's money years, the tide of boats has risen like about litter problems. Adopting individu that can be used elsewhere to benefit an a tidal wave; just 10 years ago, a mere als and groups would sign a commitment glers and boaters." 250,586 boats were registered. Much to pick up trash, mow and/or remove snow Participants in the program must be at of this most recent registration growth at an approved access for a two-year period. least 18 years old. Participants under 18 has been fueled by small, powerful The Commission would provide trash bags, must be accompanied by adults. Only motorboats officially called personal gloves and postcards for reporting pur Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission watercraft, but better known by brand poses. A permanent sign would be posted access areas are included in this program, names such as WaveRunner, SeaDoo at each adopted site recognizing the care and adopting groups and individuals must and Jet Ski. In 1996, there were 18,575 takers for their efforts. sign an agreement with the Commission. active PWC registrations, an increase Sportsmen have a long history of work The Commission would post a sign naming of some 20 percent over the number ing to keep the environment clean, knowing the adopting group, but no business logo in 1995. such efforts pay dividends for both our or commercial advertising would be used. Allegheny County led the state with natural resources and, in the long run, For more information and for an Adopt- 29,955 registered boats. Bucks County themselves. an-Access application, call Lori Brindel at boasted the second highest individual "Clean-up work obviously helps preserve (814) 359-5152.-Dan Tredinnick. county with 16,061. Luzerne came in third with 12,668, with York right be hind at 12,435. Two WCOs Receive Life-Saving Awards The southcentral and southeastern portions of the Commonwealth ac WCOs Edward Brown (Clearfield County district) and Scott Reichert (east Philadelphia counted for the areas with the greatest district) recently received Commission life-saving awards. Last July, WCO Ed Brown growth. Lancaster County added an was directed to respond to the Brookville area because of serious flooding. After ar additional 462 watercraft, the largest riving in the area he was made aware of a family that was trapped in their home by ris jump for a single county. Lancaster ing water. The home began to move from its foundation. WCO Brown immediately County had the most new registra launched his patrol boat into the floodwaters and rescued the family of four from the tions in 1995 as well. York County, second story of their home. which provided the third most new Also last July, WCO Scott Reichert registrations in 1995, moved into the assisted an off-duty Philadelphia second spot in 1996 by adding 357 police officer with a stopped vehicle. new registrations last year. Large WCO Reichert determined that the growth was also seen in Chester driver was locked in the cab of the County (+319), Erie County (+273), vehicle, which was on fire. Reichert Berks County (+231), Bucks County removed the emotionally disturbed (+212) and Dauphin County (+203). -Dan Tredinnick. tk driver from the burning vehicle and WCO Edward Brown held him until more help arrived. The WCO Scott Reichert driver was attempting suicide when Walleye and muskie opening date is MayWCO Reicher3rd.t intervenedBass is. June 14th. Go get 'em. 58 Pennsylvania An$er& Boater Fishing & Boating Memories hist A Lifetime Anglers Currents Artists Invited to Enter Trout Stamp Contest "Fishing and Boating The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Com Artists looking to compete for the 1998 Memories Last a mission is seeking artists to submit works title must depict one of the following featuring one of the state's most scenic streams: Lifetime" Contest trout streams. Entries will be judged by Readers are invited to write their 1998 Trout Stamp and Print an expert panel, with the top selection fishing and boating memories and Approved Trout Streams depicted on the 1998 Trout/Salmon Stamp submit them to the Commission. and Print. County Waterway Submit your article to: Fishing and The contest is an annual event, drawing Berks Tulpehocken Creek Boating Memories Last a Lifetime, artisans from throughout the nation. The Cameron Sinnemahoning Creek, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commis winning image is reproduced as a stamp, Driftwood Branch sion, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA serving as a permit required of all licensed Cameron Sinnemahoning Creek, 17106-7000. Include your name, ad trout anglers. Special-edition art prints First Fork dress, phone number and age. You are depicting the top entry are also issued. The Centre Spring Creek encouraged to submit photographs or winning artist will receive payments of Centre Bald Eagle Creek illustrations to accompany your article. $3,000 as well as fees for signed prints, Centre Penns Creek The Commission will divide the sub Clinton Fishing Creek stamps and mini-prints. The original work missions into youth (articles submitted Crawford Oil Creek by persons age 17 or younger) and becomes the property of the Pennsylvania Cumberland Letort Spring Run Fish and Boat Commission. Dauphin Clarks Creek adult (articles submitted by persons Second- and third-place winners will be Franklin Falling Spring Branch age 18 or older) categories. The Com awarded $1,000 and $500 respectively. Huntingdon Little Juniata River mission will review all articles and The Commission held the initial art Jefferson Clear Creek select at least two articles in each cat contest to select the "First of State" stamp Lackawanna Ash Creek egory as prize winners. The top prize issued in 1991. From 1991 through 1995, Lycoming Loyalsock Creek in each category will be a framed, the stamps featured species of trout found Lycoming Cedar Run signed and numbered print of the 1997 in Pennsylvania waters. In 1996, a run of Lycoming Slate Run Trout/Salmon Stamp painting, depict Mifflin Penns Creek famed streams began, a series that contin ing Neshannock Creek, by Christopher Bushkill Creek Monroe Leeper, as well as limited-edition ues. Competing artists must depict one Northampton Monocacy Creek patches from 1996 (Harveys Creek) and of a select group of streams. The scene may Philadelphia Wissahickon Creek include anglers and/or trout. However, the Pike Bushkill Creek 1997 (Neshannock Creek). The sec primary focus of the work should be the Pike Toms Creek ond place winners will receive the 1996 stream itself. The stream section depicted Potter Kettle Creek and 1997 limited-edition patches. In will be verified for authenticity of location. Potter Sinnehamoning Creek, addition to the prize winners, the Com The work may be in oil, acrylic or wa- First Fork mission may select up to four articles tercolor and measure 12 inches by 18 inches Potter Sinnemahoning Creek, in each category as "Honorable Men East Fork (with a one-inch border.) Artists may en tion" winners. Schuylkill Little Schuylkill River ter no more than two pieces. A non-refund The prize-winning submissions and Somerset Isers Run the honorable mention winners may able entry fee of $25 must accompany each Sullivan Loyalsock Creek entry along with a completed entry form. Tioga Cedar Run be published in upcoming editions of For the complete rules of entry, contact Venango Oil Creek Pennsylvania Angler and Boater maga Tim Klinger, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Wayne Delaware River, West Branch zine. Entries selected for publication Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, Westmoreland Mill Creek, South Fork may be edited to meet publication re PA 17106-7000. quirements. Entries will be judged for originality, Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation Registry suitability for publication and relation- ship to the "Fishing and Boating The new Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation Registry recognizes local river conservation Memories Last a Lifetime" theme. initiatives and helps protect the special qualities of Pennsylvania rivers. Rivers or river Each person may submit no more than segments on the registry are eligible for the Department of Conservation and Natural two entries. Entries must not have been Resources (DCNR) Rivers Conservation Grants, under DCNR's Community Conser published previously, and they will vation Partnership Initiative. Last year, DCNR awarded $751,000 in grants for 21 river become the property of the Pennsyl conservation projects. Most of these grants were awarded to organizations and com vania Fish and Boat Commission. Pho munities to help them develop river conservation plans. Projects recommended in the tos will be returned if they are plan include streambank stabilization, water quality testing and monitoring, environmental accompanied by a self-addressed, education, wildlife habitat preservation, and development of a greenway corridor. Grants stamped envelope. The deadline for are made available through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation fund, known entries is July 15,1997. as Key'93. Your one source for fishing and boating information- PA Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 59 "fi&hiri from the \titchen Smokin' Troutby George Curtis One of the positive trends in trout fish ing is the spread of the catch-and-release ethic. Lee Wulff was right when he said that a trout was too valuable to be caught only once. Occasionally, though, it's still nice to bring home a few fresh trout for the table. The next time you get that urge, why not try something new? Smoked trout. With the new backyard smokers avail able today, smoking trout, or any game, for that matter, isn't as difficult as you might think. It does take practice and experience to get perfect results every time, but there's a lot of fun and good eating along the way. Smoked trout are one of the most appealing outdoor delicacies ever to find their way in from the backwoods. They take on a rich brown color and smoky sweet flavor that will make you hang up the frying pan for keeps. Trout are excellent candidates for the smoker because they are a fairly fatty fish Trout turn an appetizing golden-brown when smoked, and they take on the sweet, smoky (as fish go), and the flesh resists drying flavor of hickory. Use trout all about the same size to ensure uniform results. better than bass, walleyes and other less oily species. The first part of the smoking process between all surfaces. I like to prop the body The first step in the smoking process is is preparing the brine for soaking the fish. cavities open with toothpicks or small sliv to get a smoker. Maybe you can borrow Dissolve about 1/2 cup salt into two quarts ers of hickory chips. one from a neighbor or a friend. If you've of cold water. Soak the trout in this brine Place the grill in the smoker, cover, and been thinking of buying one but are reluc overnight before smoking. The best con turn down the flame or heat setting to the tant to make the investment, consider the tainer I've found for brining the fish is a lowest possible level that still causes the fact that an electric or propane smoker is half-gallon wide-mouth glass pickle jar. wood to smoke steadily. one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor You can get these big jars at restaurants, A half-dozen creel-sized trout usually equipment you can own. Besides trout, you cafeterias, hospital kitchens, or anywhere take about two hours to smoke, but the can prepare delicious and appealing that large quantities of food are served. If actual time required can vary depending smoked turkey, venison, goose, duck, you can't find one of these jars, a large glass on the outside temperature (under 40 upland game birds, salmon and jerky. And baking dish will work. degrees increases smoking time signifi there's no reason to confine its use to wild Either way, place the trout in the jar or cantly), wind, size of the fish, and the foods. Ham, beef, poultry and fresh pork dish, cover with brine, cover, and store in moisture content of the wood. When the become an "event" instead of just a meal the refrigerator overnight. You may find skin turns rich golden-brown, poke it with when prepared in a smoker. that you like your trout more or less salty a fork. When the flesh flakes easily, the I own a smoker of the propane gas va than this recipe. If so, adjust the propor trout are done. The smoke flavor, how riety, and to ensure that I maximize its use, tions of salt and water accordingly. ever, comes through with much more I keep it set up year-round on the picnic Next morning start the smoker and add authority if you let the trout cool thor table in the backyard, ready for use when a dozen or so hickory chunks on the rack oughly before serving. the impulse strikes. When not in use it's directly above the flame or the electric Share the first batch with just the family. covered, of course, to protect the unit from element. I like to start the fire a little hotter You deserve it after the effort. Then make the elements. than it will burn during the actual smok some more for fishing friends to sample. Once you've obtained and set up your ing process so that the wood is smoking There's only one danger. After you've smoker, here's what you'll need for a mess from the moment I add the trout. While learned to smoke your trout, you'll be of unforgettable smoked trout: you are taking the trout out of the brine, constantly tempted to forsake the catch- t/ 4 to 6 whole pan-sized trout, heads left cover the smoker to prevent the wood from and-release philosophy that has taken a on (trout of uniform size give better flaming. generation to gain a foothold. When that results). Remove the trout from the brine and pat temptation strikes, just remember that t/ 2 quarts of cold water. them dry with a paper towel. Let air dry conservation of the trout fishing resource • 1/2 cup salt. for about 20 minutes. Spray the grill with will ensure that smoked trout will be • 18to24chunks(aboutl"x3")ofgreen a non-stick pan coating, and then arrange around to enjoy for many more generations hickory wood, or seasoned hickory the trout on the grill, allowing air space to come. f~) soaked in water for 12 hours. 60 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories IMSI A Lifetime HIWlfflBHIiTIH'1 M!WITiWHMrTrTlHTff that barely pass for trout." And still oth of us, and it is left for self-definition. A ers look forward to the day with bright- "trout rout," as some have labeled it, or eyed enthusiasm as I once did. A starting a day steeped with tradition, of faded point perhaps-hatchery trout in the oft memories and photographs of seasons swollen waters of April. past. Of glorious days of old and of the Young and old alike casting to at times new that still lies ahead. Memories and visible fish that have lived their lives to this experiences to be created, on the open point on hatchery pellets. It is no sin-I have ing day or on someday on another leaf decided to be there among the ranks of of the calender. Within each of us a new opening day anglers. License sales prove trout season evokes meaning that most that this is what the majority want, enjoy of us would rather not live without. and accept as a realm of trout fishing. Brook trout reside on the mountain Those who do not prefer this form of fish swatches of brooks, flowing to the val ing do as I do; stay home in the knowledge ley floor, where within the upper reaches that the crowds will thin, or sling a cam wild brown and "carry-overs" reside. The with era over my shoulder and take photos. stream widens and there wild trout live I have established within my own mind in minuscule numbers. Hatchery trucks Dave Wolf that there is little room for quibbling over have been here and they have delivered such matters. I realize that the warring rainbows, browns and brooks, with a factors will continue. For if the spirit moves sprinkling of palominos. Farther down The Trout me, I may find solitude on some of the stream, only stocked trout reside, in what specially regulated waters that now dot the the biologists label a "put-and-take" fish state. And yes, stone me if you will, I might ery. And man, woman and child trod the The trout brings to us a sense ofbeauty cast over stocked trout. banks of all these places. and mystery woven in the fibers of dark, You may blame my childhood. My The worth of a trout is measured within cold waters that flow relentlessly toward grandfather was a fly fisherman and he one's own mind. Be it child or adult and the sea, or in the depths of bank-lapping fished over both wild and stocked trout. the day enriched by each encounter. The wakes driven on the wind. We as mere My grandmother preferred fishing flowing waters become addictive and the mortals stand with equipment of all color nightcrawlers and liver and to her a trout trout that swim there even more so. The and design, and on the end of a frail line, attach what we hope will bring a dark darting shadow to net. If one thinks of the whole affair, it may be deemed as trivial, even amusing. But it is not-not if one considers the volumes ofbooks and articles written about the creature and the plaques and statues built in memory of those past that had pursued them with an unwaver ing passion. There is little question that over a mil lion anglers pursue trout within the Com monwealth, and they take such excursions extremely seriously. Yes, there are many who have made a handsome living by pro ,1.V.;'- \ viding "fish-getting" products. kiSpKtl It is of little wonder why the Pennsyl was a trout, never mind where it came from. decision I have reached many years ago is vania Fish and Boat Commission produces I have leaned toward my grandfather's this: To each his own. If it does not en over five million finned creatures in their method of fishing and away from both with danger the resource, then I will cling to my raceways annually-an expensive endeavor my catch-and-release philosophy, some convictions. I have decided, as with hu that anglers seem willing to pay for. Others thing neither would have approved of. mans, trout should not be measured by argue that they would not give one cent Trout were created for black skillets and lower, middle or upper class, nor should for a hatchery trout, claiming that the only to be rolled in pancake flour. those who angle for them. The worth of trout is a wild trout. I am one such dis The opening of yet another trout sea a trout can be measured only by the one ciple and although I love the wild brown son is upon us, and the thoughts of the who brings it to net and then decides to above all others, I have fished with all those tradition of such an opener vary. Still, it keep or release it. wild-trout folks on far too many stocked is the bookmark of yet another spring, of Trout season 1997-where might it lead? waters to take them all that seriously. Prefer chilled waters and red hands. It, too, with Now black water rushes by, and I have seen wild trout. Yes. Forsake all others. Hardly. any luck, is a connection with another life a darting shadow, and on the back cast a Exceptions are a vast minority. form; a beautiful creature regardless if it new book is opened, and I cast with hope Around opening day there is much chat is a rainbow, brook or brown on the end that trout will fill the pages-all types of ter about the whole affair. You have heard of the line. trout, both great and small. .—. them, "those fin-worn hatchery products The truth of the day lies within each Fishing & BoatingMemories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater / / The Rainbow Hole: A Father's Gift Revisited by Richard J. Noll In the middle of October and on a spec tacular autumn day, I went to fish the lovely Big Bushkill in Monroe County. This stream has a notorious reputation for warming in the summer, and although most of the yearly stocked trout are re moved during the delayed-harvest season, or migrate to cooler waters during the summer, I was just hoping to explore the area and enjoy the great beauty and tran quility of the area. Trout fishing for me started about 20 years ago. My father would drive my older brothers and me to a small mountain farm. I caught my very first brook trout toward a nice bend in the stream. In this stream, the Buchwa, about 30 minutes there. deep hole was a large tree whose roots were north of our family farm. That opening My Dad fascinated me. When I was eight partially exposed near the undercut bank. day, however, was different. One of my years old, he could tell me how to fish, how I remember my father's words, "OK, Rick, older brothers could drive and transport much weight to use, and exactly, so it here's where there's always one; just drift the bulk of my family to the "meadow" seemed, where the fish would strike. He it along and when you feel him, set the portion of the stream. Here they could all always encouraged my family to "keep the hook." You can imagine my father's trepi "set up camp," fish, and enjoy our first- line tight" and strike frequently when feel dation when his "green horn" boy lumbered day outing. ing a fish's tug, to avoid having an over- into the pool, mysteriously scaring all life What was different was that this allowed zealous brookie swallow the bait and forms in that portion of Monroe County. my Dad and me to fish the upper "woods" possibly injure itself. Nevertheless, after dropping the crawler stretch of the stream. Today, much to my My Dad and I, this early April morning, near the run and bouncing it along through delight, my Dad and I still enjoy fishing quickly moved past the open field in Mr. the hole, a brookie obliged my opening day for wild brook trout behind the turkey Bonser's farm, and walked into the woods wish, slurped in the bait, and immediately set up house in the exposed roots of the tree. My Dad, patiently observing, noticed my frustration and said, "give him some slack line, sometimes they'll swim out of that mess." Amazingly, the brookie did just that, and as I tightened the line, I was into my first mountain brook trout. I finally had this delicate creature running and bouncing near the bottom of the pool. Finally I lifted the fish out of the water and "scooped" him into that dollar-ninety-eight trout net. I beamed with enthusiasm and pride. Dad laughed, and said, "you raise the trout in the current, then place the net below him, and then ease him into the net- you got it? When you swat at 'em, you'll lose more than you land." Yet, here I was 62 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories List A Lifetime in youthful foolishness; I had my first trout, net, rod, and since I wasn't too wet, I must have done something right, even though my netting left something to be desired. From there, my Dad and I leapfrogged down the stream alternating holes and runs, him hooking and deftly landing fish, me occasionally catching a trout more often by mistake than anything to my credit. Besides, there were frog eggs, skunk cab bage, tadpoles, ferns and other things, all of which have a way of distracting an eight- year-old. Ah, but that was then, and now, 20 years later, I was on a wonderful delayed-harvest stream. After years of trying, tying, study and work, I was led to this fine place. The deeper runs and pools that normally hold brown trout from stocking were seemingly devoid offish. I kept working upstream fishing an Isonychia Nymph, or a caddis emerger as a searching pattern, until I arrived at a wonderful place. The smaller upper falls on this portion of the stream came crashing over huge monuments of stone, and a smaller run about 20 feet long and two feet deep drew my attention. I wish I could impressively say that I was fishing an expensive one-weight with a 9x tippet, and observing Vince Marinaro's "complex rise" of a wary brown trout to a Chiron- omidae, but I wasn't. I was fishing an attractor; a size 14 Zug Bug, with a few splitshot, and suddenly after a tap, tap, tap, there was gentle resistance. I watched the trout miss the fly and thought, "Hmm.... maybe this is the place." On my next cast, as I drifted through the run, an especially forgiving brookie inhaled the nymph, bending the fly rod. I was thrilled, and I am sure many of my angling colleagues would have appreciated this joy. The fish swam here and there and gave me trout "rode the wave," out through the run Big Bushkill Creek, Monroe County a few moments of entertainment before over the small breakwater below me, and I bare-handed him with a wet hand, re into the deep pool. My concern quickly member a rainbow as a special promise of moved the fly and gave him his freedom. changed to amusement because after tight protection from disaster, and this place is The mist from the waterfalls produced ening the slack line and leader, the trout truly beautiful. the most wonderful spectrum beneath the restarted his battle, but now I had a large, As I walked back to the truck, I mirth falls. As the afternoon sun set, it would deep pool in which to subdue him. After fully imagined what my Dad would say strike the mist and light rays would be a few more minutes, I released this fine fish when these fat brookies or brownies "rode transformed into multiple minute rain back into the run. the wave." My eyes must have been enlarged bows for a brief moment. My next drift Three more strikes, three more trout, as I saw the fish of my desires go crashing connected with a sturdy brown trout that consisting of a mixed bag of three brooks over the wall, and my rediscovered happi doggedly fought in the body of the pool and three browns. I was overwhelmed. ness as I found I hadn't lost the fish at all. before letting me gracefully unhook him. Many of the heavier fish turned broadside I will never be able to describe the thank A few more casts, a few more fish. and "rode the wave," out of the brisk run fulness and appreciation for my Father who In casting to the distant seam on the far into the deeper pool. It was a nymph gave me a lifelong pastime. side of the run, I was amazed to see a nice fisherman's paradise! Like golf or tennis, fly fishing gives brown trout inhale the fly, only to fight After the last fish, taken on a Muddler me joy and a deep sense of fulfillment. lengthwise, using the current to his full Minnow, I gave thanks, and noticed all the I shall also be able to pass along its heri advantage. Then, with personal trepida lovely minutia of rainbows in the warmed tage of appreciation and tion, I watched with concern as the brown mist of the afternoon sun. I'll always re- conservation to my children. o Fishing & Boating Memories List A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater April 12 is the opening day of the trout season in Pennsylvania. If weather and water conditions cooperate, your chances of catching a trout are good. Use this guide on the stream so that you can tell which kind of trout you've caught! BROOK TROUT The front edges of the pectoral fins (sides and bottom of the trout) are white. Red spots with bluish halos dot the body. The tail is nearly square. The brook trout is Pennsylvania's official State Fish. ^1 A brown trout's body is »V*!* \ « M * * ' * * in* * ill ' I VI i* * I' ' "-Tim dlf golden-brown. The body has lsrge dark spots with pale halos. ^ Sometimes the body also has red or yellow spots. The fins are yellowish-brown. They have no spots or white edges. The tail usually has few or no spots. GOLDEN RAINBOW TROUT The golden rainbow is also known as a palomino trout. A golden rainbow's body is deep-yellow or orange-like. The sides are unmarked, but some golden rainbows have a darker-orange lateral line. The tail is nearly square. RAINBOW TROUT A rainbow trout's body is greenish. The adults usually have a pinkish lateral stripe. Rainbow trout also have many small, black spots on the body. The tail is heavily spotted. The inner mouth and gums are white. IN THE LAKES... LAKE TROUT The lake trout is found only in a few of Pennsylvania's STEELHEAD deepest and coldest lakes. Lake trout are bright-gray, often Steelhead trout are rainbow trout that live in Lake Erie and olive, shading to silvery white on the belly. They are pro ascend Lake Erie tributaries. A steelhead's body is silvery. fusely covered with large light-colored spots, and the tail is deeply forked. puintings-Ted Walke