January 1993/$ T.50 Per^Nsylvartfa •II Tf
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' V, •V * January 1993/$ t.50 Per^nsylvartfa •II tf §1** \ A'.*<' sei-T ^•5 •» "i^. -•«Ki2% •pte' fc- j*k ?.;.&«!- •:• *w&£ "Wft -. •-* Progressive Change On Saturday, January 25,1992, the first meeting of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was held in Harrisburg. The change of the agency's name, to recognize the boating program, resulted from Governor Robert P. Casey signing Act 1991-39 into law on December 12, 1991. This change gives equal recognition to the boating program, which has grown to be a major segment of the Commission's efforts. At the 199th meeting of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission on July 28, 1991, Commission President William Sabatose was re-elected president, and J. Wayne Yorks was elected vice-president for the 1991-92 term. During this past year, after a very successful 1991, the Commission continued to show great progress in many important endeavors. Construction of the Chain Dam and Easton Dam fishways on the Lehigh River was be gun by DER, and a significant event occurred on May 9, with the dedication ceremony for completion of the east fish passage at Conowingo Hydroelectric Station on the Susquehanna River. This event marks the single most important accomplishment in the Commission's century-long battle to return the American shad to the Susquehanna River Basin. The Commission will continue its efforts with other dam owners with the goal that by the year 2000, American shad and other anadromous fishes will be able to be lifted over all Susquehanna River dams on their upriver migration for the first time in nearly 100 years. An important land acquisition was agreed to in early 1992 with final execution of a pur chase agreement for Ingham Springs in Bucks County. Late in 1992, purchase of this four million gallon-per-day spring (the largest in eastern Pennsylvania) and 15-acre lake, to gether with lands already in ownership, will give the Commission a 47-acre tract of land located within a one-hour drive of 4.4 million Pennsylvanians and eight million to 10 mil lion out-of-state residents. The property has the potential for warmwater and coldwater public fishing, multi-species propagation, administrative and educational facilities, and a multi-use aquatic resource fishing and boating skills education training center. Significant progress was also made on acquisition of a valuable two-mile section of Spring Creek, Centre County, adjacent to the famous Fisherman's Paradise, with final acquisition to take place late in 1992. Fish production and stocking efforts for the year exceeded 1990-91, and although a drought in 1991 caused some stream problems, favorable weather kept stream flows and water tables at desirable levels early in 1992. During most weekends early in this fiscal year, storms held down some fishing and boating participation. Fifteen boating fatalities occurred on Commonwealth waters, a number that is a painful reminder of the need for expanded boating education. In response, the Commission has established an eight-hour basic boating course, and 18 instructor workshops were held this past year. The instructors, in turn, taught and certified nearly 3,000 students. Law enforcement personnel made over 9,500 prosecutions, and issued more than 32,000 warnings. Over 42,000 boats were boarded. Fisheries managers studied 97 ponds, lakes and reservoirs, and 277 stream and river sections, and the Van Dyke Research Station for Anadromous Fish received over 18 million shad eggs and planted young shad to support the Susquehanna River restoration effort. Co-op nurseries stocked 960,000 catchable trout, 98,000 steelhead trout and 140,000 chinook salmon in Commonwealth waters. Because of many retirements at the end of 1991, six new hatchery managers and assis tants, two new regional law enforcement managers and a new deputy chief along with four new regional assistants, a new bureau director and a new division chief were appointed. All new managers performed well and program continuity was maintained. On February 28, 1992, the Commission honored 37 retirees at a retirement banquet in State College. It was the largest banquet of this type ever held. The Commission conducted major training programs, including an executive retreat for J 34 managers in March. Three team-building sessions, which involved the entire staff, were scheduled for August and September. The program, entitled "Vision '92—A New Begin ning," is designed to strengthen agency performance and levels of public service. All in all, this fiscal year was very good for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commis sion. Pen nsy Ivan ia January 1993 m 62 NO. 1 Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission J. Wayne Yorks ANGLER President The Keystone State's Official Fishing Magazine ^^ Benton James S. Biery, Jr. Southeast Pennsylvania's Open-Water Wintertime Fishing Vice President Swatara by John W. McGonigle Marilyn A. Black Muskies and walleyes are the main quarries in southeast Pennsylvania Cochranton right now. Check out these details on where and how to fool them 4 Ross J. Huhn Saltsburg Nightmare on Lake Erie by Dart Black Paul J. Mahon What if you were caught on the lake in 50-mph winds and 10-foot seas? Clarks Green On September 27, 1992, some bass anglers endured this horror—and lived T. T. Metzger, Jr. to tell about it 6 Johnstown Howard E. Pflugfelder Annual Report Summary 10 New Cumberland Leon Reed Honesdale Trout in the Trickles by Richard Tate William J. Sabatose Pennsylvania's remote headwater streams are gems of the fishing resource. Brockport You might want to tackle a trickle on opening day in April 14 Boating Advisory Board The Other Trout Season by Mike Bleech This information explains exactly how and where to score on trout through Donald J. Little the ice 16 Chairman Philadelphia The Royal Wulff by Chauncy K. Lively Clayton Buchanan The Coachman family of flies is perhaps the most popular, but the Royal Pittsburgh Martin P. Eisert Wulff is the most effective and most durable of the lot 20 Erie Judy Obert Walleyes on Ice by JeffKnapp Greentown The popularity of walleyes is increasing in Pennsylvania, and through the ice Thaddeus Piotrowski walleyes are often willing biters. Here's how and where to catch them 22 Bloomsburg On the Water with Dave Wolf Magazine Staff Curing our social ills 31 Editor—Art Michaels Eastern Pennsylvania Trout Stream Insect Emergence Guide Editorial Assistant—Charlene Glisan byBiUFeddock 32 Art Director—Ted Walke • The covers Circulation—Eleanor Mutch This issue's front-cover musky, photographed Circulation—Patti Copp by Doug Stamm, is a hint of the kind of open-water • cold-weather action you can have, and southeast Staff Assistant—Rose Ann Bartal Pennsylvania has its share of wintertime hotspots. Staff Assistant—Nita Galati For the lowdown, turn to page 4. If you're gear P«i«i^,wiw^ngferUSSN003M34X) is published monthly by Ihe Pennsylvania ing up for trout season already, scan the back cover Fish & Boat Commission, 3532 Walnut Street. Harrisburg. PA 17109. ©1993. and the articles on pages 14 and 20, and if ice fishing Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without Ihe wriilen permission of 'he Pennsylvania Fish & Boa! Commission. Subseription rates: one year. gets you going, check out page 16 for ideas on where $9: three years, $25; single copies are $1.50 each. Second class postage is and how to catch trout, and page 22 for the secrets P««lal Harrisburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Peimwhunia MglerCirculation. Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. P.O. Box 67000. of where and how to catch walleyes. Do you own Harrisburg. PA 17106-7000. For subscription and change of address, use a boat? The terrifying tale beginning on page 6 above address. Please allow six weeks for processing. Send all other correspondence lo: The Editor. Pennsylvania Angler, P.O. Box 67000. Harrisburg. PA 17106- will amaze you because in spite of the Lake Erie 7000. Editorial queries and conlribulions are welcome, but must be accompanied storm's severity and the number of bass anglers by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Material accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania Fish &. Boat Commission standards and requirements caught on the lake, the incident claimed no fatalities. tor editing and revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but the publisher The Commission's annual report usually encom assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of submissions in his possession or tn transit. The authors' views, ideas and advice expressed in this magazine passes the entire January issue, but this year we do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania are only summarizing it in this issue, beginning Fish & Boat Commission or its staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission receives federal aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acts. on page 10. If you would like a copy of the me U, S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of Commission's complete annual report, please send race, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described requests to: Annual Report, PA Fish & Boat Com above, or if you desire more information, please write lo: The Office of Equal mission, Bureau of Education & Infonuation, RO. Opportunity, Department of the Inlerinr, Washington. DC 20240. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. Southeast Pennsylvania's OPENASMER Wintertime Fishing by John W. McGonigle Evewindns thoug blowh cold mos, tther anglere arse pu somt awae why theio scofr tacklf at eOl whed Man thn eWinte northr m^.7 and pursue their sport passionately—and I don't mean ice anglers. Part of the problem, Walter believes, is the lack of enough large, I'm talking about hard-core open-water anglers, those looking not slow eddies in his section of the river to hold large numbers of for panfish, but for larger fare.