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S^FfflP.^B^ l&A "STILL LOOKING GOOD!"

V^ur great Commonwealth has taken a number of beatings so far in 1979. Since the end of June, black eyes from adverse publicity have already shown up in what had to be an expected decline in fishing license sales. Tourism has suffered and we still consider that the second largest industry in Pennsylvania. Certainly the fuel shortage and the attending increases in the price of gasoline have had the most effect. Although the odd/even method imposed by the Governor has now been lifted, it costs about twice as much to move about today as it did a year ago, and there isn't much we can do about that. In early August, a ripsnorting storm came through Southcentral Pennsylvania with 98 mile per hour winds, and the attending damage was enough to make people scurry for their cellars. An outbreak of polio among the Plain People, particularly the Amish, certainly didn't help — particularly in those areas where the sect is referred to colloquially as the "Pennsylvania Dutch." One county's tourism was down by 80% because of this, in spite of the program to inoculate people who had previously objected. Pollution of the waters of the Commonwealth still continues and we have a constant uphill fight to preserve the water quality standards that make this so-called industrial state a paradox. The latest pollution to attract extensive public notice comes from the Susquehanna River contamination by hazardous industrial wastes dumped into an abandoned mine in Pittston. Slugs of PCB's have been allowed to occasionally flow from improper storage areas; cyanide leaked from an underground storage tank and polluted a stream — killing most of the trout stocked there. Other atrocities to our waters have occurred from the dumping of hazardous chemicals such as dichlorobenzene, toluene, xylene, napthalene, and other phenol derivatives. And finally, the incident that really put the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, and a place called Three Mile Island on the map — an incident handled so poorly by Metropolitan Edison Company, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has cast a cloud, albeit not radioactive, over the state to the extent that the only real attraction in that vicinity now seems to be that morbid curiosity of tourists. In so many ways we have taken black eyes we don't deserve, and the people who should have been out enjoying our unique natural resources have just not done so. Pessimism, more than optimism, prevails. We want you to know that the Pennsylvania Fish Commission has not lost the least bit of faith in this great Commonwealth. For one thing, the Department of Environmental Resources is prosecuting those criminals that foul our nests and our waters to the utmost limits of the law. We cooperate with DER in these prosecutions and our record to date shows a 15% increase. Aggressive programs by DER to control storage and disposal of hazardous wastes are paying off. We are expanding our fishing and boating access at Goldsboro, in the shadow of the cooling towers of Three Mile Island, because the fishing is great and there has been no deleterious effect to aquatic life in the Susquehanna River because of that TMI incident. Last month we awarded Certificates of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to strike force attorneys in DER for outstanding cooperation with the Fish Commission in pollution cases. Richard Ehmann, Howard Wein, Elissa Parker, and Robert Ging have been working hand-in-hand with our field personnel and have proven time and again to be what the Fish Commission considers "Good Guys." What Pennsylvania needs is a continuation of this strong enforcement of our air and water quality laws, a constant eye on those industries that tend to be polluters, and a lot more backing from the citizens of Pennsylvania and surrounding states who really still believe that Pennsylvania is a great place to live, work . . . and go fishing. Pennsylvania — you're still looking good!

Ralph W. Abele Executive Director Pennsylvania Angler

Pennsylvania's Official Fishing & Boating Magazine

Published Monthly by the PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Richard L. Thornburgh, Governor

MEMBERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION John A. Hugya, President Johnstown Leonard A. Green, Vice President Carlisle William Cox Elysburg William O. Hill Erie Walter F. Gibbs Reno Calvin J. Kern Whitehall Sam Guaglianone Johnsonburg Jerome E. Southerton Honesdale James J. Stumpf Laughlintown

MEMBERS OF THE BOATING ADVISORY BOARD Nicholas Apfl, Chairman Fairless Hills Clayton Buchanan Pittsburgh Sherwood Krum Hawley Charles Chattaway Monongahela Leon Lyon Bellefonte

Volume 48 - No. 10 CONTENTS October, 1979

Fishermen & Hunters are Boaters too by Virgil Chambers 6 You've got to Believe by John Crowe 8 The Carp Fisherman by David R. Thompson 11 "Reel" Duck, Anyone? by R. Aldine Longenecker 15 Successful Bass Fishing by Richard F. Williamson 17 Panfishing by Bill Pennewill 20 Raystown Lake Display by Wes Bower 24

ON THE COVERS Our covers this month offer the traditional October invitation to one and all to share autumn's beauty as found along Pennsylvania's waterways. Generally, one is completely alone; but, look a little closer. Deep in those shadows on our front cover there's an angler! Not only that, he had a fishing partner upstream, out of sight. It was one of the few times we've ever encountered a "crowd" on a trout stream in autumn! Photographs by the editor.

MONTHLY COLUMNS WATERSIDE WANDERINGS 2 STREAM NOTES 28 MEALS FROM THE CREEL 4 ASHORE & AFLOAT 30 FLY TYING 26 ANGLER'S NOTEBOOK 32

James F. Yoder, Editor

Th51^ ASTER: All 3579 forms to be returned to the office of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120. fj Pennsylvania Angler, (ISSN 0031-434X), Copyright 1979, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, 3532 Walnut Street, r SDUr 0ne ' g, Pennsylvania. Second Class postage paid at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: Not *ear—$400; Three years—$10.00; 40 cents per single copy. Send check or money order payable to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Do e rCc . nd Cash. Changes of address should reach us promptly giving both old and new addresses, including both zip codes. Subscriptions Vec res ' | and processed by the end of the month will begin with the second month following. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission will not assume n ttia?° ?'b>lity for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or illustrations while in their possession or in transit. Communications pertaining to the (jjp^'ne should be addressed to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. °'

by Linda Steiner

NcI o t being one of the world's most time by the waterside, and perhaps a waits. The trout of autumn are successful anglers, by necessity I pair of polarizing sunglasses to cut the dressed in bright hues to rival the spend a lot of time looking into the reflected glare. leaves, announcing that their water, hoping the fish will take my I am partial to this time of the year, spawning time has arrived. bait. At times all I am able to do is when the colors of the autumn leaves Like anxious beaus dressed up to I stand by and watch as the trout flash have reached their zenith. There's not "a-courtin'," the trout wear their around whatever flies I present or go a more productive time for the vibrant colors and the springtime on about their business, oblivious to sportsman, a fact that hunters have fisherman, who is accustomed to what I consider an excellent offering. always known and smart fisherman catching newly released hatchery So, I often find myself a "fish are just beginning to realize. trout, may be surprised at what a watcher" — which isn't necessarily all Brilliantly colored trees form a bright summer of living on stream food an° bad. The angler whose only interest is canopy for the fisherman as he wades the onset of the spawning season can in bringing a fish to net misses a lot of and plies his fly rod or eases his boat do for adult trout. Many of the othef what's happening in the underwater across a pond, breaking and mingling fishes of the state spawn in the spr"1? world. It's almost as much fun to the leafy reflections. The reds and and early summer, but the brook an stand back and observe fish behavior golds rain down on him when a breeze brown trout are naturally fall (at least we unlucky anglers tell passes, adding the warmth of color, spawners while the rainbow has bee ourselves that). In order to be a fish coming to rest on the dark water. known to spawn in either early spr"1*' watcher, you don't need a pair of Beneath this radiance is another or fall. binoculars, a field guide and a funny show of color the average fisherman A small stream in northwestern hat. All that's required is some spare misses, but for which the fish watcher Pennsylvania, a feeder to the

2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGL „ ''egheny River that is closed to I caught and released sported distinct Trout in the lakes will now be s ning in jts lower reaches (as it is kypes and were probably kings of their nudging into tributary streams, not ls" Commission nursery waters), pools. But on no other fishes in the only in Lake Erie, but in virtually all pr°vided me with my first good view state are the kypes so obvious as the trout lakes across the state, though it the spawning dress of trout. Here lakerun rainbows, or steelhead, of is most noticeable in the larger ones. ere a number of brook trout, Lake Erie and the coho and chinook Why else the excellent fishing in the n c 8inally hatchery fish, that were salmon that draw so many anglers tailraces of dams in the fall and the Jowding upstream and chasing each northwestward in the fall. unusual catches of large trout in little "er as the spawning urge increased. Like the trout, the salmon have streams? Was that big brown really . Although normally nearly invisible been feeling the spawning urge and an unseen denizen of the small creek's the shadowed and sun-dappled gathering off the tributaries to Lake deepest hole, or did it travel from the . ?fer> now the trout's bright orange, Erie to begin their long swim up the larger river or lake downstream? A nite-edged fins contrasted sharply streams that feed that lake, and the few miles means nothing to a ,'th the dull stream bottom. The fishermen gather, too. The fish are the spawning trout. By fishing places that °okies' bellies had gone orange, color of silver and steel, strong and would appeal to spawning trout or e,r backs mottled green and yellow sleek from their stay in the Lake. But block their upstream passage, the • y their sides were sprinkled with after they have been in the creeks for angler has a chance of catching his , '§ht blue spots centered with red a while, moving ever upstream until biggest fish of the year. • ts- The native brook trout I've seen falls or other obstacles block them, As a sometime fish watcher, that is, 'he fall are even more attractive they darken, become grey-black, not always a successful angler, I see • ltn green, orange and hints of purple showing hints of pink. At this time the trout going through antics that are jheir mating colors. they are weak and scarred and their part of their spawning behavior. They °ut in that clear creek water were lives are waning. chase each other, the males most 0re interesting trout. Big rainbows The steelheads are flashy silver on aggressive now, nipping other males ere c cruising the larger pools, and I the lake edge, but to those who see and following the females. Every so j^ld see that their red side stripes them in the creeks later, they have all often a roe-heavy female turns flat on d widened, spreading into a bright the color of streambred spawning her side and beats her tail against the Pa on their cheeks that was pink, rainbows. But unlike the salmon, they gravel, stirring up silt and stones, ^ lnison or orange. The males had can return for another year in the digging the redd, or nest, a depression c°me rather dark with intense red Lake if they survive and come back to in the bottom. After their side-by-side r'Pes, quite a change from the pale the mainland next fall a little bigger, a spawning over the redd, the female '"bows I'd caught earlier in the little heavier and a little more of a uses her fins to cover the newly . ar» which had only a touch of red trophy to the fisherman. deposited eggs with more gravel, l0 J!§ their sides. The Lake Erie shoreline is a small where they will incubate and hatch in he main attraction in the stream part of Pennsylvania, and the rest of the spring. as a huge brown trout that had just us can only fish its spawning runs It was particularly exciting, but a b.n upstream from the Allegheny occasionally. But the people of that bit frustrating, to be fishing a pool in **T and was finning in a deep pool area have known for some time about an Erie County stream one autumn, n the resident trout. How many the success that can be had fishing for many miles upstream from the Lake. ^ re of the trout had swum upstream the spawners of many species that The lakeruns were swimming in pairs, s not known, but this big fellow was come to the shore. They know that the the males nudging and crowding the . obvious addition. He was a heavy- steelhead will swim miles inland and females. No matter what type of lure ^ 'e^ golden brown and his sides may show up in small local creeks to or bait I tossed, even if I put it right j. ere decorated with dark dots and provide unexpected angling. under their noses, they ignored it. But L v orange spots. He was the most Unfortunately, most anglers in the then, I guess some things take ^tiful trout I'd ever seen, rest of the state don't relate this precedence over eating. b " hy do I say it was a "he"? phenomenon to their own area. You Several times one duo, both well ^ s'des the colors of fall males being may not have salmon nearby, but you over two feet long, paused to fin in the 0re probably have trout. t, vivid than females, like birds in tail end of the pool, only inches from s r otf P ingtime, both that fish and the To the trout, spawning brings not my hipboots, but oblivious to my er m e. ale trout showed a "kype," an only bright colors but also an urge to presence. I guess they saw me as no ., ension of the lower jaw that makes move. The fish look for clean gravel in real threat. The female began the em )ook "hook-jawed." It's which to spawn and most will swim vigorous nest building with her tail, es SePePeci c a-v aPParent in the spawning upriver or into small tributaries to while the male cruised in small circles t,.| s''On°n>, buhutt iis« alsn1ero> observablnhsprvahlef aat othenihf r find it. Salmon and steelheads are around her. However, I never did get (jj ^s of the year on mature males. On often found in water so shallow their to see any actual spawning, and the backs are dry and in drainages so fish just wouldn't bite. It was a fish holu 'tne ype may ^e severeiy narrow the huge fish can barely turn watcher's dream, but an angler's ap° ed> giving the trout the around. Little native brook trout will nightmare. But don't let that keep you Pearance of having a long head. By Co leave their own small streams to enter from trout fishing this fall. L , PaHson, a large female's head tinier feeders, while trout from the Remember, they're all not that finicky *f small for her body. bigger creeks will be found entering and even fish watchers catch fish ... b 7ave even seen this on tiny native r typical "brook trout water." sometimes. * trout, where the sublegal males 0 r T lTOBER- 1979 quired while fishing with brothers sion ramp into the junction pool a1] MEALS "Reddy" and "Ceder," or with push off for another day of fishing ' another outdoor writer, Alvah James, the quiet seclusion of the unspoi'e from the he learned to catch bass, a relatively area and to dream of catching a •"? new arrival in the Lackawaxen River, one as Grey did. Early mornings, whe CREEL Shad in the pool where the swift the river is shrouded in mist, the ed1 moving Lackawaxen joined the Dela­ of Grey's voice can be heard ' t*J by Margaret Karch Zaimes ware, and trout in nearby Mast Hope Divers Rock, they're biting up there- Brook. Grey dramatized his early Sometimes, while casting for tro11 experiences while fishing those very on the Lackawaxen, a whisper drift'1^ brooks and rivers in an endless stream with the fast current seems to say "tf' x\t the turn of the 20th century, of stories published by popular out­ the overhang around the bend". before the automobile dominated our doors magazines of the period, maga­ As the years roll by, we hav society, Pennsylvania's Lackawaxen zines read mainly by "parlor" fisher­ become more knowledgeable in tl>« area was a popular summer retreat for men, but intended to encourage fishing ways of fishing and have found heat-weary New Yorkers. Easily ac­ as a sport. Yes, his stories were drama­ other productive spots in the P° cessible by train, the many boarding tizations, but informative as well: the where the Lackawaxen joins the De' houses along the banks of the upper forerunners of today's "how-to-catch- ware. We have never found the rig Delaware were filled to capacity by it" stories. overhang on the Lackawaxen, the city dwellers. A fishing trip to Lackawaxen is are many pools, bends and overhang' It was at this time Zane Grey never complete unless I revisit the riffles and rocks to taunt or challe"^ escaped the confinement of a regi­ Zane Grey house (now a museum) for a fisherman's know-how. mented dental practice and city living another look at his rods and reels and Just as the brook or river has • to move to a cottage on the banks of the jacket designs of his famous idiosyncrasies, so does the cook whe" the Delaware at Lackawaxen. novels. Alvah James' daughter, Helen, comes to preparing fish. There a Surrounded by the natural beauty is there, and makes each visit a new those who will shudder when anyth"1 of this wild and unspoiled country, he experience with some new or almost other than cleaned and pan-ready n studied the surrounding creeks, rivers forgotten story of his life on the Dela­ arrives in the kitchen. ., and woods applying the meager knowl­ ware at Lackawaxen. Guess this is normal—I rea' of edge learned as a boy while fishing the When husband Charley and I first wouldn't want to slice my steak Muskingum River near his boyhood started fishing the Lackawaxen Pool, roast from a whole steer — I'm no' of home in Zanesville, Ohio. we carried our boat to the water's edge quite sure I'd know where to begi" It was while living in Lackawaxen and placed it in carefully, loaded it if I should use a knife or saw. , he penciled his first stories on lined with our gear and pushed off to cast There are generally five basic m^ yellow tablets. Writing from dawn to our lines for whatever was biting that ods for cooking fish—frying, broihfjf dusk thru the cold winters, he warmed day. Unfortunately, many a day was baking, poaching and steaming- his hands frequently at a woodburning spent fishing without catching. method used is generally governed ^ stove or at the fireplace. Today, we launch our boat at the the size of the fish, fat content a , With ever-increasing knowledge ac­ modern Pennsylvania Fish Commis­ texture of the meat. Also perso"'

PENNSYLVANIA A N G L E 8 Preference. Broiling, the second basic method expand. Close the cavity with tooth­ If frying is the method you gener- for cooking fish, requires very high picks or use a darning needle and *||y use, it will be done in one of three heat. Oven broilers generally produce white thread, and sew it shut. jj'fferent ways pan-fried, sauteed or 500 to 550 degrees of heat (the neces­ Stuffed or unstuffed fish may be deep-fried sary temperature for quick cooking). laid on several thin slices of pork fat, .To pan-fry, we need a coating which Fillets or split fish should not be carrots or onions. I frequently use the *'H stick to the outside of the fish and more than two inches thick for good outer leaves from a head of lettuce of °rm a crust to prevent the fish from broiling. Frequent basting while broil­ thinly sliced apples. doming greasy or saturated with the ing is needed to keep the fish moist. Oven should be preheated to 375 or ^king fat. When frying in a small Melted butter or margarine is excel­ 400 degrees before placing fish in to jfoantity of hot fat or oil, fish will need lent for this purpose. bake. Measure baking time by thick­ Urning to brown the other side. We Fish for broiling may be marinated ness of fish. Allow 10 minutes for each ake this crust by dusting the outside before cooking and the following sauce inch of thickness and add another 10 !! the fish lightly with flour or by will do equally well as a seasoned minutes. Fish will be done when thick­ 'Pping the fish in milk or beaten egg marinade or basting sauce for broil­ est part flakes easily when tested with e'Ore rolling in fine crumbs. ing: a fork or toothpick. • *an-frying is excellent when prepar- '/»cup oil (preferably olive) A good basic stuffing will include • 8 small fish, such as crappies or '/»tsp tarragon the following ingredients: Ue °' gills, and with fillets or fish '/4 tsp fresh parsley, snipped fine ste 1 '/2 cup dry bread crumbs aks. '/t tsp dill seed or crushed fresh dill or cooked rice ^auteing, the second method of '/t tsp black pepper, freshly ground n l 1 '/2 tsp herbs of your choice y' g, is the quick browning of fish in juice of /i lemon and rind grated '/«tsp salt ,erv little fat or oil which is sizzling Heat the oil in small saucepan. Add ot pinch pepper ^- but not smoking or brown. This the herbs, pepper and grated lemon 2 tbsp finely chopped celery Quires shaking the pan to prevent the rind. Let it brew over very low heat for s 1 tbsp minced onion h from sticking and flipping it over several minutes. Please — don't let it 2 tbsp butter brown both sides. A wide spatula is cook. Stir in the lemon juice. '/t cup liquid (warm) handy tool to have around when Cool the sauce if you plan to use it turn 'ng fish. This method is good when to marinate steaks or fillets. Use it hot Mix seasonings with bread crumbs. fill,et s or steaks are to be served with a Melt butter and saute celery and onion s for basting. auCe. Seasonings may be varied according until translucent. Pour over crumbs ., *he third method, deep frying, is to taste. If you don't like tarragon, use and toss lightly until mixed. Add e 'mmersion of coated fish in deep oregano. Bruise a piece of garlic to liquid and toss again until well nd blended. The liquid may be warm fish fr boiling hot fat. The fat for deep replace the dill seed. y n stock, milk, or chicken bouillon. 3 ' 8 must be able to reach 365 to Baking is the third basic method for 7 Personal taste will dictate the blending . J degrees without smoking or burn- cooking fish. This is done with large of herbs to make it more or less highly 8-The temperature may be judged fish and with the skin left on. The fish seasoned. J h a deep fat thermometer or by is laid on its side in a pan large enough popping a small cube of bread into to avoid bending the fish. The two remaining methods are Lacking a pan large enough to hold steaming and poaching, moist methods faiefat- your fish, try lining a cookie sheet with for cooking — similar, but not alike. If it browns in 60 seconds, the Steaming is cooking over boiling ls a double thickness of foil (shiny side i of the proper temperature. If you water and poaching is cooking in e out), leaving enough foil to bring up L an automatic deep fryer you'll liquid maintained at the simmer level. a the sides and ends to extend at least 2 ^ no problem. inches above bottom of pan. ... as easy as poaching an egg. QJ"1 surface moisture should be dried Spices, herbs, vegetables and wine , hsh before coating or dipping into Best way to get this into the oven is to remove the oven shelf and place the may be part of the steaming or poach­ ter. In order to maintain proper fat m lined cookie sheet on it and then add ing liquid to give added flavor to the be Perature, it is necessary that fish at the fish. Return shelf to oven for fish. a room temperature and immersed Fish cooked in this manner may be .Piece at a time (after coating) in the baking. When fish is done, remove it l the same way. enhanced with a lightly seasoned sauce he following Lemon Batter is such as tarter, cocktail, or lemon ^eHent for deep frying. Fish may be cooked with or without stuffing. If unstuffed, brush cavity butter. No accompanying sauce served ./< cup water (cold) with lemon juice, then salt and pepper with fish should overpower the fish's J,U[ce of 1 lemon to taste and add fresh or dried herbs of delicate flavor. cUp flour your choice. Several slices of onion, A good tartar sauce can be made by tsp. baking powder green pepper or tomato may be mixing the following: ty eat the egg until light. Mix in inserted before cooking and removed 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing b ,er and lemon juice. Sift flour and and discarded before serving. 1 tbsp chopped capers |^ 'n8 powder together into a bowl. If you are planning to stuff the fish, 1 tbsp chopped stuffed olives a*e a "well" in the flour and stir in rub the cavity with fresh lemon juice and/or Sea mixture until smooth. Fish may be and lightly stuff it two-thirds full, 1 tbsp drained pickle relish °ned before dipping in batter. leaving enough room for the stuffing to 1 tbsp minced parsley 0 C -r ~ lTOBER- 1979 Fishermen & Hunters are BOATERS too! by Virgil Chambers, Boating Education Specialist A wo young duck hunters, ages 18 early spring or late fall at a time when capacity, size-for-size, is the utility and 25, lost their lives in late October fishing and hunting activities are at boat. This semi-V hulled craft not on the cold waters of the Susquehanna their peak . . . and when the water is only carries more weight than its fla'' River. The pair had been hunting cold. Most of these result from bottomed cousin of the same size, bul from a shoreside blind using a 10-foot capsizing or falling out of a small is suitable for a larger horsepower John boat to retrieve their kill. What boat; most drownings could have been motor and has a greater degree of caused the boat to capsize is unknown. prevented. Drowning typically occurs maneuverability in rough water. The Perhaps one of the men reached too because the victim made the wrong canoe, which has been a longtime far over the side and caused the decision or did not realize the dangers favorite of the sportsman, has unstable craft to turn over; perhaps involved in using a boat. inherited classification as being someone stood up to shoot. Their "Sportsmen" — hunters and unstable. However, the reputed bodies were recovered three weeks fishermen — unfortunately do not instability of the canoe stems more later. Neither victim was wearing a consider themselves boaters and from the limitations of the operator S personal flotation device. rarely take the time to familiarize experience, the balance of the load, In early April two men were fishing themselves with the boat they use or and the conditions of the water. The from an anchored 12-foot outboard the rules of safe boating. In choosing a canoe's past history also gives it a boat when one of the men caught a small boat the sportsmen should blemish as being somewhat less fish. In his excitement he jumped up concern himself with two major desirable than its counterparts, i.e., in the boat, lost his balance, fell out of characteristics of the craft. Is it a safe there are a greater number of fatal the boat and capsized it. He drowned. means of transportation; and, how incidents involving canoes than in all His companion was able to save stable a "platform" is the boat for other kinds of boats. himself. hunting or fishing? Independent of the type craft and Both of the above true stories are Primarily, there are three types of far more critical to the preservation oi typical of those found in many small boats the hunter/fisherman life is the sportsman's behavior. accident scenarios. Each year too uses. The utility boat (semi-V hull), Behavior undoubtedly is the single many sportsmen die from drowning in the john boat (flat-bottomed hull), most important factor in the survival Pennsylvania lakes, rivers, and and the canoe. The most stable, and of the individual. Behavior indicative streams. Most drownings take place in providing the greatest weight carrying of good judgment, such as the wean1^ Canoes and other small craft are often used as fishing and hunting "platforms." Knowing the limitations of your craft and how to handle it in less than ideal water conditions can save your life. Photo: J. Yoder

t ••• •• °ta life jacket (personal flotation craft during good boating conditions. a back current that can pull a small device), particularly when one is a However, equally as important as boat and its occupants into the P°°r swimmer or when hunting and overloading is improper loading. turbulence and capsize it. A dam does "shing on cold or rough water, would Proper seating of the passengers and not have to be high to be dangerous — a'one reduce the number of boat- an even distribution of the gear will the force of the backwash can cause a elated fatalities among the sportsmen help assure a balanced load. Your death trap regardless of the height of by more than half. craft when loaded should not lean to the drop. Many dams on Pennsylvania Unfortunately, there are other either side but have a slight lean from rivers and streams are not marked and Mistakes contributing to a mishap bow to stern when underway. are almost impossible to see from *hich are nothing more than A good habit to get into is obtaining upstream. Know the waters you plan Vl°lations of common sense. A a weather forecast when starting out to travel. Procedure as simple as anchoring has on the day's activities. Weather and There are times that, regardless of een known to be responsible for a water conditions are critical to the how cautious or knowledgable you ^umber of accidents on the water. safety and stability of small boats. are, accidents will happen. If you do Portsmen should be aware that Weather information is always find yourself in the water nchoring from the stern, especially in available in newspaper, radio, and unexpectedly, the first hazard you a current, could cause a capsizing or television forecasts. Those sportsmen must face is that of panic. Many damping of the craft. The primary who have a portable transistor radio drownings could have been prevented Problem with dropping the anchor aboard will have the latest weather if only the victim had stayed calm. In Ver the stern is in the design of the information. Watch for increasing staying calm, air trapped in heavy /aft. Boats have less freeboard afternoon winds and rain squalls ... if clothing can keep you afloat at least id •stance from the waterline to the you sense that a storm is brewing, long enough to grab a life jacket, buoyant cushion, or the capsized craft. If the water is cold, you will be forced to make a more critical choice. The old and generally accepted rule of staying with your craft could be fatal — in cold water, survival time is drastically reduced. Immersion in cold water can quickly numb the extremities to the point of uselessness. Cold hands cannot fasten the straps of a life jacket, grasp a floating object, or hold onto an overturned boat. Within a brief period of time pain clouds rational thought. And, finally, hypothermia (exposure to cold) sets in, and without rescue, unconsciousness and death. Preparation is essential when going afloat. Make sure your boat and equipment are in first class condition. Always tell someone where you are Anchoring from the stern, especially in a current, is definitely asking for going and when you expect to return. trouble — a swamping is almost guaranteed! US Coast Guard photo. When hunting or fishing it is ^ge of the side) at the stern than at head for the nearest shore. recommended to form a party and • e bow. No great problem, unless you Remember, if caught in a storm put take several boats along. Dress OV/er the freeboard by putting on that life jacket (PFD), stay low in properly. Several layers of light aditional strain on the stern. Stern the boat, and point the bow of the clothing offer better protection than a Ignoring does just that. A lowering craft into the wind and waves. This single heavy layer. And, as mentioned , the freeboard at the stern makes will lessen the chance of broaching before, wear a personal flotation e craft more susceptible to taking on and a capsizing of the craft. Being device (PFD). It is your best ater from the wake of a passing boat weather-wise may prevent the venture insurance that the "big one that got r unusually choppy water. from ending up in an unnecessary away" isn't you. Enjoy the excitement Overloading and improper loading tragedy. of hunting and fishing in the colder re months from a boat, but know the two other common habits of If your favorite boating spot is ut dangers and prepare yourself . doorsmen which contribute to a located near a dam you're s accordingly. Remember, a successful jjable number of boating mishaps. undoubtedly aware of the danger of hunting or fishing trip is the result of ^*ariy sportsmen disregard their going over a dam. But, are you aware good planning, good company, good oats' "capacity plate." The capacity that the water below the dam can be at hunting and fishing skills, and ^ e is pUt on a boat to advise the just as dangerous? Even if you survive the plunge, there is a force formed at attention to safety, in the field, and on , Pcator of the total weight that can the water. e carried on board that particular the base of many dams which creates

°CTOBER-1979 You've got to Believe! by John Crowe !

illustration: John Voytko photo: J.F. Yoder

s w>ha t factor more than any other tance. race, the golf tournament, the tenm leads to success in fishing? Casting Every thoughtful coach realizes the match — all become of increasing skill? The right bait or lure? Good necessity of a good mental attitude in interest as their outcomes are uncef tackle? Time of day or season? Loca­ competitive sport, be it a team sport tain. This is true for spectators an^ tion? Knowing the quarry? Or chance, like football or an individual sport like doubly true for participants; and m which we usually call luck? golf. He attempts to develop in his fishing one is almost always a partid' Each of these factors, plus many players a valid confidence based upon pant. others, has its effect. The degree of their abilities. The confidence must be Walton was a most assured fishei" effect varies. In fact, so complicated is valid; otherwise it becomes a defeating man, so much so that at least on^ the subject that the average fisherman overconfidence. The overconfident reviewer calls him insufferably coO' t0 rarely analyzes reasons for success or player collapses when the going gets ceited. Whatever your reaction eS failure. He'll explain to himself or to tough; the underconfident one is likely what he wrote, you will likely agr anyone who asks that the "luck" was to fall short of his capabilities. The that he was a good fisherman. Kno^' good or bad; a sort of summary expla­ really good player, the one with a valid ing that he was good certainly e nation that isn't one at all. confidence, knows what he can do and improved his performance. In Chapt / Izaak Walton was no average fish­ he does it, minor mishaps and reverses Two of the Angler he points out to hi* erman, but even he used it. In Chapter notwithstanding. scholar a big fish and offers 20 to ' s Four of The Compleat Angler his fish­ As Walton suggests, even the best of odds that he will catch it. Not surpri ' ing scholar says "... / have put on anglers will sometimes be disap­ ingly the scholar says "... you seetn W ef patience, and followed you these two pointed. be so confident." And then in Chapt hours, and not seen a fish stir, neither Fishing is not in the common sense a Five the scholar says "... / have "" at your minnow nor your worm." competitive sport, despite all we see fortune: sure, Master, yours is a The master replies, "Well, Scholar, and hear about fishing contests. But it bettet 0 you must endure worse luck some time, is in another and more gratifying sense rod and better tackling." Whereup " 1 or you will never make a good An­ a competition. On one side is the fish­ the master replies, "Nay, then, to.* e gler." erman with all kinds of tackle and gear mine, and I will fish with yours." Tn Really, "luck" is no explanation at contributing to his focal angle, or exchange made, right away he catch^' all. A fisherman can be lucky, a fact hook ... on the other is the fish with another trout. which contributes immeasurably to all its natural protective instincts and As a fisherman today you may n_o the fascination of the sport. However, environmental adjustments. Aside find useful many of the specific detail luck is no more of an influence in from flagrantly artificial conditions, Walton suggests in The Complex fishing than it is in baseball, golf, fishing provides an interesting contest. Angler. The minor aspects of fishing bowling, tennis, or any other sport The angler who enters it with a valid 300 years ago, in another country' e aside from pure gambling. Note: pure and knowing approach will do much have changed; the major principl j 1 gambling, for even in most gambling better than the one who hopes merely have not changed. What Walton ha' ne we can improve our chances by analy­ for good luck. going for him, making him one of * sis. I doubt that Walton in his phrase foremost fishermen of his day, you ca' Does fishing deserve its reputation "worse luck some time" meant the have going for you. If you do n° 11 as a sport where success depends words literally. Perhaps he meant that become one of the foremost fisherm^ largely upon luck? Answer to that is the fish must sometimes be the winner. of today, you can console yourself tha an obvious "no," and I apologize for If fishing involved no uncertainty, it now the competition is more severe. being so obvious, the dominant factor would be a dull sport, viewed from the To repeat: you must have conn' determining success in fishing is confi­ extreme of either a hopeless pursuit or dence. That confidence must have dence! And that same factor is the an effortless accomplishment. I don't sound basis. As a sound basis, a s most influential in baseball or golf or know which is the duller: fishing that to be lucky won't do. Yet you mu 0 bowling or any other sport, although in is obviously and totally hopeless or always be hopeful, or optimist) ' r many sports great physical ability is fishing that is altogether too easy. Pessimism and fishing success a thought to be the number one require­ Fishing becomes entrancing when incompatible. That has been sal ment for success. In fishing, happily, its uncertainties balance, as in other many times, but repeating it won e physical ability is of secondary impor- sports. The baseball game, the horse hurt. Just as the fear of the Lord is th beginning of wisdom, so is optimist 8 PENNSYLVANIA ANGL E* PSPM

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you mus/ always be hopeful, or optimistic. Pessimism and fishing success are incompatible.

"e beginning of good fishing. angler. He is inclined to base his He was good-natured about it, °ut only the beginning. Optimism performance, his fishing, upon his own saying, ". .. if I weren't so busy teach­ itself is not confidence; sound confi- strong points, meanwhile neglecting ing people how to cast, maybe I'd have . er>ce is more complex, and in fishing other aspects at least as important. For time to learn to catch trout." , based upon many factors. At the example, let me start with the first Item two, the right lure — or fly. »e8inning of this article, I mentioned a factor mentioned above: casting skill. Probably this factor deludes more fish­ ?? of the important ones: casting Casting skill is useful, no doubt, but ermen than any other; almost certainly .'". the right lure, good tackle, the only to a degree. The "graduate" of a it deludes more fly fishermen. If I have 8ht time and place, and knowledge of fishing school may find his casting heard once, I have heard a thousand he quarry. improved, but often he is disappointed times, "/ couldn't find out what they To each of these factors, and to in finding his catches unimproved. wanted." In at least 900 of those cases, atlv more, Walton paid meticulous Years ago I had the privilege of spend­ "they" weren't taking because of some tention. Consequently, he was a ing a few days on a Pennsylvania trout reason other than the wrong fly: a 0r nplete angler, knowing what to do, stream with a party including one of noisy or clumsy approach or cast, fish­ "en to do it, and how to do it, fishing the country's most distinguished fly ermen crowding the water . . . who ltn confidence and, as a rule, casters. Accuracy, delicacy, distance knows? SUccess. — he was master of them all. But Bait fishermen too are often de­ . l' I had to appraise the fisherman of when it came to catching trout, he did luded. Years ago I used to hear that av w > I would say his most likely no better than other members of the Pennsylvania's trout season might as eakness is his not being a complete party. well end by Decoration Day because

Oc TOBER — 1979 tive effect. In this matter of tackle, you can v sure of one thing: if you are satisfy with what you have, it is good enough If you aren't satisfied — say *'| something like a temperamental re* — replacement will surely impr°v your pleasure and probably y°u success. Item four: time and place. Innurne1" able writers have discussed this su&' ject, and all give the same advice: g when and where the fishing is g°° It's good advice, and I can't impr°v upon it. However, I am going to &> that most fishermen do not ma" enough effort to learn, definite')' when and where to fish with the ma*' mum chance of success. Valid cont1 dence comes from knowing, and knO" ing comes from learning. Each tiflj you go to a stream or lake, you shou' learn something about it; the next tin1 there, you will be a better fisherrna"' If you are one of the many who like go to a new place each time out, y° are neglecting your educational opp0' tunities to become a better fisherm3^ A written log helps. Keeping it may " somewhat of a nuisance, but the trou­ ble is well taken. Memory alone has tendency to become inaccurate fr01^ year to year. , Item five (and last): knowledge °, the quarry. If each time you go out art don't learn something, no matter ho seemingly inconsequential, about t"1 muskies or the bass or the crappieS ° after that trout wouldn't take a worm Item three: tackle. How important whatever you are trying to catch, t" or minnow. Come June, many old-time is it? Of the few factors leading to only conclusion is that you don't &•' bait fishermen hung up their trout success discussed in this article, good about becoming a complete, soufl ' a tackle. Come July, a lot of fly fisher­ tackle — rod, reel, line, et cetera — and successful angler. And that's right too; the stream or the lake is men quit when pronounced and notice­ may be one of lesser importance. sn able hatches of fly tapered off. Musky Except for one consideration: the pleasant place to be, fish or no fi . and pike fishermen said that August confidence of the user. A good fisher­ You can liken yourself to the hapP? golfer who said, "/ don't care >f n fishing was practically hopeless be­ man with barely adequate tackle will e cause in that month muskies and pike outfish by far an ordinary fisherman ball never goes In a hole. I just lik shed their teeth. And high late with the best ... or should I say the walk around the course." t summer water temperatures made most expensive tackle made. Presumably, though, as a reader ° bass so reluctant to feed that fishing Advertising, however, has a consid­ the Pennsylvania Angler you are inie, was practically useless except at night. erable effect upon the everyday fisher­ ested in catching fish, more fish. To ° In the past half century a good man. If by constant exposure to adver­ so, give some attention to the few iteITl many of the old ideas — fallacies, tising the ordinary fisherman becomes discussed above, and to others whi really — have disappeared. Pennsylva­ persuaded that a new casting reel will will make you a more knowledges" nia's fishermen and Pennsylvania's improve his catch, the chances are that and successful angler. Eventually y° fisheries managers have learned a it will improve it. Not because the new will find yourself thinking that you ca good deal and more fishermen are is much better than the old, but catch fish when you want to. ^n6 enjoying their sport over longer because he thinks it much better. you get to that stage of the game, y° seasons. However, as true today as it Having a wide variety of flies or an are due for an occasional shoc ' was 50 years ago, the knowing and oversized baitbox full of lures may Nevertheless, when you have reason confident fisherman has the most fun have a similar effect. I'm not advocat­ believe — and do believe — even tf because he catches the most fish over ing being overequipped, but to be occasional shock will make fishin* the most time. underequipped has a damaging nega­ more fun.

10 PENNSYLVANIA ANGL E* Clarence Burd lifts carp that aren't tackle breakers on twenty-pound-test monofilament line to the top of the Juniata River bridge at Newport. He lands a larger carp by playing it toward the river bank, then walks off the bridge to the shore to lift it out of the water by hand. Fishing from a bridge is not your cup of tea? Don't knock it till you try it.

The Carp Fisherman

by David R. Thompson photos by the author

H e stands on the walkway halfway across the Juniata River bridge at Newport, leaning against the rail and intently staring straight down. Below him is a large fish, perhaps over thirty inches, feeding its way over the river bottom towards his bait. Moments later Clarence Burd sets his hook and braces for a battle that may last for more than an hour with what he considers to be one of Pennsylvania's most underrated fish: the carp. Burd specializes in carp fishing. Some people in the Newport area know him as "the carp fisherman," and if his success continues he may soon need a computer to keep track of

11 the carp he catches! his bait, and swims with it, the line 4:00 p.m. As the days passed, and th6 In 1978, for example, Burd (known pulls through the sinker. "That way fish kept hitting, he finally topped tn as "Burdie" to his friends) caught 202 the carp doesn't feel the weight of the 200 mark in early November. carp, practically all while angling off sinker," he explains. Burd learned that a carp the Juniata River bridge located near Burd uses a medium-action spin­ fisherma" his Perry County home. ning rod with an open-faced reel hold­ needn't worry about a crowd of anglef^ Although he concentrates on carp ing fifteen to twenty-pound-test line to converging on a productive fishiw and does well at catching them, Burd which he ties a number four hook. He spot. The reason is not many fishf'' doesn't claim to be an expert angler. prefers a black hook if the water is men other than youngsters bother wi' He says he's received good instruction clear. carp. Since the carp isn't a gamefts and commends the coaching of New- "Corn is my favorite bait," Burd and is often considered a "trash" fis,' porter Percy Beatty, an accomplished says. "This year I bought sweet corn its reputation among some anglers> musky fisherman and longtime river- from a farmer that was two weeks past poor. They claim that carp, as bottom man. picking. That way the kernels are larg­ feeders, disrupt the nests of gamefis "I didn't start fishing until 1973 er. I cut them off close to the cob and and eat their spawn. after experiencing a heart problem," keep them in plastic containers for But Burd disagrees that carp af the retired man says as traffic crosses carp fishing. I've used about fifty trash fish and declares that it's untrU the bridge just a giant step from his boxes since corn season," he says on a that they aren't fit to eat. He and 1" favorite fishing place. "I did real well wife, Marian, eat carp frequently a" catching bluegills at Little Buffalo agree that it is as good as if not bette | Lake that year. Then I tried fishing than bass and certain other m°r here, at the bridge, and began catch­ popular species. ing carp." None of the carp he catches w That's also when Burd started wasted or needlessly destroyed. Jy having a lot of fun playing "tug-of- fish they don't eat are given to family war" with battle-ready fish as big as that also enjoy eating them. An ' sometimes a trapper needing bait *' thirty-five inches and 17'/4 pounds. receive a carp. Burd is careful not to overexert caf himself which is why he doesn't cast Burd skins and fillets the big ' that are destined for his dining tab' ' artificial lures for gamefish. Instead, r he bait-fishes which requires less He is then careful to cut out the " ^ movement, is more relaxing, yet streak along the sides where t" produces plenty of action. Dressed muddy taste is." Marian soaks the fish in salt wa'e, warmly with coveralls to break the a wind, he starts sucker fishing with for about two hours and bags " worms in the spring, as soon as the freezes it. Carp that are one to t^, pounds are rolled in corn meal a weather is decent, and usually catches fried to a crisp brown in cooking oil- some carp in the process. Her husband stresses that frying ca'l In 1978, the year he landed 202 produces no unpleasant "fishy srne' carp, Burd took the first three May 18. in their house and that fried carp By August 21 he'd caught 31. And delicious. that's when the carp seemed to go Marian also uses carp to make tas I crazy, biting as if a food shortage fish cakes which she fries quickly un threatened! By September 26 his carp brown. To prepare a meal for the tW count had climbed to 128. of them, she grinds one pound of ca *_ "I guess that's when I got serious fillets and mixes the following in^,j about catching carp," he says, review­ Favorite carp bait is corn. Burd dients with it: one-half teaspoon of ^ ing the fishing diary he started the puts several kernels on a #4 Bay Seafood Seasoning, one teasp°° hook, fishes it on the bottom. e year he began angling. "It says here salt, one tablespoon mayonnaise, on that I caught fourteen carp August mild November morning that feels tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ° 25th and nineteen the next day. The almost like September at the Newport tablespoon chopped parsley, one tab' water stayed cloudy most of the bridge. spoon baking powder, one beaten e$' summer which made carp fishing Below the bridge, under the clear, two slices of bread broken into p'eC better. low water, are the carp that Burd and moistened with milk. . "People say carp are dumb, but enjoys watching. "The most comical Fishing for carp, while not ^ actually they're very sensitive," Burd thing one will do is play in that old angler's preference, has provided C'a continues. "They're spooky when the truck tire. It'll act just like a playing ence Burd with many hours of P'f, water's clear. They seem to be able to kitten," he says. sure outdoors plus plenty of action. •* see the line or a shiny hook in clear He decided to stop carp fishing for feels fine on a diet that includes g^n!L water, and if they do they often won't the year October 17 after catching ous helpings of fish cakes and can'tJ bite." 151. However the weather was so nice the life of him understand why ot»c Because carp are alert, Burd uses a he continued fishing, finding that the don't capitalize on what to him is slip sinker so that when a fish picks up carp bit best from about 3:00 p.m. to king of fish — the carp.

12 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLE Old bathtub, left, serves as holding tank, its aerated water keeps carp in good shape until someone needs a meal or two.

Filleting carp has become old hat for Clarence Burd and he has become adept at separating usable meat from the bones.

Frying carp leaves no "fishy" odors, says Marian Burd. Carp fillets are one of the Burds' favorite foods.

Burd points to red streak, left, which he always removes, saying he believes it gives carp flesh a poor taste.

13

44 Reel" Duck, Anyone?

by R. Aldine Longenecker

0 nee upon a time . . . actually, it for I had saturated myself with the made one dive for her and came up ^s a beautiful summer's evening, beauty of the setting sun. All was quiet with her collar! This was great! How "en I decided to finish the supper except for the nestling sounds of the do you reel in a drowning duck while lshes quickly, and head for the pond birds and the rippling of the water. holding a splashing, barking dachs­ 0 see if the bass were biting. The sway of the leaves and grass in the hund? Being a female has never stopped breeze added beauty, along with an All the other fishermen were glaring • e from a love for fishing. What occasional call of the wild ducks. They at me. Heidi headed for shallow water, ^tter way to relax? Forget the worries broke the scenic silence with their while I started to reel in some of the the day. "Sure, go ahead, but if you conversational "Quack" while busily slack line. P°n't mind, I'll stay home," was a preening their feathers and searching "Can I help you?" With water drip­ equent reply from my husband. My for food. ping off my nose, I turned around to ning companion was our dachshund, Time for one more attempt. I face another female fisherman. She • e'di- She was always ready and will- thought I'd take off the lure and give must have taken pity on me. "Yes! 8 to go along anywhere and under- one big night crawler a try on just a Could you grab that duck when I reel ood her job as "protector." Her bark plain hook. With one long cast, the line it in close enough?" *ays alerts me of someone ap- arched over the water, then splashed "Won't it hurt me?" . °aching. It was also her job to inves- and started to sink. "Lady, what could a duck do that's 8ate the area for anything from One of the wild ducks, swimming all tied up so tightly it can't move?" °r°undhogs to snakes. She once nearby, turned tail up as she found a But on second thought, "Could you ,Urvived the attack of a rattler, so she tasty morsel. hold on to the collar of the dog?" e* the score. Anything that endan- Wow! What a strike! It was worth Heidi had "taken on" some water red her "fishing companion" was in the wait! Felt like at least a three herself and was about "barked out." I Je°Pardy! pound . . . DUCK? Oh, no! I couldn't managed to get the lady's hand and ' grabbed the can of worms, my rod believe it! That duck thought she the dog's collar together simultaneous­ n? tackle box — we were off! wanted my worm, but it was too late! ly! Now the reeling was easy. In fact it in the mountain area near home When she decided not to indulge, she was kind of "different," with the s a secluded bass pond. Tonight it turned away, and in using her wings to slowly sinking duck! as especially beautiful with the light swim, the hook penetrated the skin of I managed to cut the line after I had ^mer breeze playing in the ever- her left wing. That's when pandemon­ the duck in my hands, and with one eens, leaving small ripples on the ium broke loose! fast clip, the hook was out. I gave her a water. How do you reel in a real duck? quick physical, checking for damage, I According to the sun, I'd have at Before I had a chance to decide, the then straightened out the feathers. § st an hour or more of fishing. duck thought she knew how to get When I was satisfied that all was well, control of the situation. Between some I gave her a gentle toss onto the water. %ral very vigorous "Quacks" she dove into She quacked the whole way out to the other fishermen had staked 1 c a m t0 the water. I gave her more line, while middle of the pond where her three din' ' ' ' some shore area, but it she tried to shake loose. Within one ducklings were waiting. rj t" t take us long to find just the S ot was minute, she managed to wrap herself Darkness was approaching as Heidi "cl ^ ' Heidi already busy, up like a Christmas present. Then she followed me, very obediently, back to 'earing" the area. decided to resort to biting the monofi­ the car. cou of v ^° ^ remember any problems lament. This only resulted in more The pond was quiet again, except he world in such a serene setting? loud "Quacks" and a duck that was for a few mumbling fishermen and a a °aited my hook, put on the bobber, tongue-tied! She looked like she had Mama Duck. Her soft "Quack, c A„ ast my line into a favorite spot. been hit with 220 volts! Quack, Quack" could easily be heard. t, er several casts, with no success, I Meanwhile, back at the bank, Heidi Translated, I'm certain this means, u ^ 8ht there might be one large- thought that daffy duck was trying to "Babies, don't ever go for the big i|.th, just waiting for my lure, attack her mistress. Barking furiously, worms! Be satisfied with the little 1ITle asses ha P quickly when you're she decided this would be no problem, bugs." ln was still hunting a hungry one. 1 ge eveninfun! Severag hadl lurenot s beeandn awastedn hour, and started swimming for the duck. I And we all lived happily ever after. r> I Was still hiintinp a hnnorv one. 0 CTOBER — 1979 15 H 16 PENNSYLVANIA A N G L E "Luck"has nothing to do with Successful Bass Fishing

by Richard F. Williamson

photos: J.F. Yoder

**ass fishing has enjoyed a tremen­ muddy or sandy bottom. When I was a young fellow, two dous boom in the last decade, in Penn­ All bass like water areas where they state fish wardens (as they were sylvania as in the other states and in find cover in the form of weeds, known then), Myron Shoemaker and Canada. Anglers with big bass boats stumps, fallen trees, overhanging tree Max Noll, opened my eyes. I met both a°d electronic gadgets are the glamor branches, undercut banks and other wardens (now deceased) while fishing "°ys of the sport, but they are in a obstructions. for bass in Wyalusing Creek, in Brad­ j^inority. Knowledge of bass behavior, The largemouth is not a fussy eater. ford County, using stone catfish and habitat and feeding habits, the selec- It will tackle almost anything not hellgrammites and, at the time of the l'on of proper baits and lures, and the bigger than itself, and it is an enthu­ meetings, not being very successful. Mastery of a variey of fishing methods siastic surface feeder. The smallmouth Mr. Noll introduced me to fishing are the keys to success. Bass anglers is a picky, rather dainty eater, almost for bass with a fly and spinner combi­ *'th problems are those who credit as selective as a trout. It also will feed nation; Mr. Shoemaker sold me on the good luck" for their good catches and on the surface, but not as willingly as sport of surface fishing with deer hair °'arne "bad luck" for their failures. the largemouth. bass bugs. *~ike those who fish for northern pike, Both species feed most vigorously I already knew that largemouth P'ckerel and walleyes, their success or ai during the low light periods of the day: bass are addicted to minnows, frogs lure is under their own control. early morning, late afternoon, early and other baits of considerable size Both largemouth and smallmouth evening and even at night. They also and bulk, and that smallmouths feed ^ass are most comfortable and feed feed with greater enthusiasm when consistently on nymphs of aquatic °est in water of about 70 degrees. In cloudy weather reduces the light inten­ insects, grasshoppers, small minnows ^arly season, this temperature will be sity. As day advances and light and frogs, hellgrammites, stone catfish °Und in comparatively shallow water, decreases, bass feed higher and higher and lively worms ranging from the °ut as the weeks pass and the upper in the water until by evening and into garden variety to monster night crawl­ aver of water is warmed by the sun, the night they prowl the shallows and ers. What the wardens taught me was °ass will go deeper to find their take surface lures well. that imitations of this natural forage omfort zone. Actually, bass spend In broad terms, the same tackle can also account for good bass. They also "J°st of the time in middle depths or be used for both largemouths and made the point that live baits should c,°se to the bottom. There they find smallmouths, but when the large­ be like those the bass is accustomed to ot only comfortable water tempera- mouth is the target the tackle must be seeing in its home waters. Ure but also protection from bright stout enough to control a hooked fish And they suggested a rule I have '8ht and the security of water depth. in its lair of weeds, stumps and sticks. followed ever since: begin with artifi­ La rgemouth bass are basically lake The same tackle used in trout fishing cial lures, which are less messy and ,r Pond fish, but also do well in large serves the smallmouth angler well, for more fun to use, but turn to live baits if lvers and in deep pools with slow this member of the bass family gener­ the bass refuse the imitations. In other Urrent in smaller streams. They like ally averages somewhat smaller than words, offer the bass what they want. eeds, lily pads, stumps, sunken logs the largemouth and usually is found in Artificial lures for bass are avail­ nd mucky bottoms. Smallmouth bass water that is less cluttered. able in patterns that are attractive to re stream fish, all the way from Casting and spinning rods are the both largemouths and smallmouths. reeks (where they may share the favorites of bass anglers because of the As a general rule, the bigger lures are at^r with trout) to big rivers, and size and weight of the lures that are for largemouths, and smaller lures — ^ost of the time they live in currents most often used. But a heavy bass fly even trout flies as small as size 12 — moderate speed. They prowl rocky rod can handle largemouths, and deli­ are for smallmouths. ^allows and even riffles, and they also cate fishing with fine tackle on light Crank baits, which usually are fat, re partial to stream edges and to fly rods can be necessary to take small­ stubby plugs, are the latest models. Pools that have rocks scattered over mouths, especially when the water is They occasionally take bass when . e oottom. Smallmouths also inhabit low and clear in midsummer. twitched on the surface, but they are *es, in areas that have gravel beds Now let us consider the matter of basically designed for underwater use, nd rock piles amid vegetation and baits and lures. and they are the most effective when

CTOBER — 1979 17 'Largemouth are basically lake or pond fish . . . like weeds, lily pads, stumps, sunken logs and mucky bottoms." they are retrieved at a smart speed to bottom. There are long, slender lures The line must match the rod. A level bring out the wobble built into them. that look like minnows, lures with line will do the job, but a forward Some will float until the retrieve is spinners at front or rear or both that tapered line is better, giving the angler begun, then the depth at which they churn the water, lures with bits of lead a longer casting range. travel is controlled by the speed of the inside their bodies to make them Fly and spinner combinations- retrieve; others sink immediately. rattle, and sonic lures that attract bass streamers and bucktails are good bass Plastic worms are rated as the most by their vibrations. Some are exclu­ fly rod lures. Bright colors such as red. deadly bass lures ever developed and sively surface lures; others are under­ white, yellow and orange get the m°s are on the market in a bewildering water models. attention. array of colors, shapes, lengths and Spinnerbaits, which usually have But the real thrill of fly rod bass scents. Bass experts do not agree on lead bodies, with one or two spinner fishing comes with the use of surface any one worm as the best; they have a blades on a shaft angled above the lures. What do you want the surfa°e big variety in their tackle boxes. But body, are growing in popularity. Some bass bug to do? they do agree on the point that the of the latest models have plastic grubs Gurgle or pop? Use a bug with a length of the worm is very important. or plastic minnows as bodies. Others dished-out face. Make only a Six inches is the most favored length, have bodies dressed with hair, feathers slight although worms are available in the or rubber skirts in a variety of colors. surface disturbance? Use a bug with a range of four inches to more than a The number of blades on the spinner flat face. Imitate a minnow? Use a foot. The shorter worms are best for shaft is important. Those with two wounded minnow imitation with e clear, uncluttered water. The monsters blades are called tandem spins and are round, slender body and rounded nos6 are designed to attract bass in the big favored for use in relatively shallow that will make a gentle disturbance °n lakes and impoundments that feed on water. Those with one blade, classed as or near the surface. Look like a big' such tidbits as small watersnakes. single spins, work deeper in the water. helpless bug? Use a deer hair model o Spoons, some a solid silver or brass These lures have an important advan­ a bug with a plastic or cork body tha color, and some carrying painted tage. Because of their design, they are has plenty of feathers or hair as dec0' designs, are also effective, especially largely snagproof and can be fished in ration. Look like a frog? Use a tow when sweetened with a bit of plastic brushy and weedy water. with two legs angled out from t" worm or pork strip. All of the lures listed thus far, it rear. Bass plugs are not all alike, of should be noted, are intended for use And add to this list standard ^e course. Some float, then dive on the with spinning and casting tackle. flies, but in larger sizes. Some retrieve and pop back to the surface Fly rod fishing for bass is an art in patterns when the retrieve is stopped. Some itself. It requires a rod eight and one- worth trying are Yellow Sally, Whi travel at medium depths, others very half or nine feet long, with enough Miller, Red Ibis, Parmachene Be" deep, and still others literally bump backbone to cast wind-resistant lures. andWhateve Montrealr lur. Ore ,yo usue uselarg, ecas drty mn' ose ' of the bivisible and spider patterns 18 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLE often to areas around stumps, ledges of learned that there is more than one fers to use surface lures when the r°cks, patches of weeds, boulders or way to fish a plastic worm. Bumping water is smooth or only slightly ruffled P'les of rocks on the bottom or close this lure over the bottom is the usual by a gentle greeze, but he knows that a ^gainst undercut banks in streams and method, but a floating worm can be surface lure worked so that it produces 'akes and close to rocky points and very effective if it is retrieved on the considerable commotion can be effec­ on lake shores. surface with slow, gentle action of the tive on rather choppy water. Don't just cast out a bait and let it rod. It swims through vegetation, such With sub-surface lures of any kind, !e in the water or cast a lure once in a as weed patches and lily pads, that the good bass fisherman fishes at vari­ ''kely looking spot, then move to would foul other lures. The wise fisher­ ous depths until he discovers the level pother. Bass do not feed all of the man insists that the worm be soft and at which the bass are feeding or just ltne, any more than other species of flexible, simply because it has better moving around, open to annoyance. "sh do, but they can be teased, irri­ action. He tries worms with a variety And when bass seem to have lockjaw, gated or challenged into a strike even of shapes, lengths, colors and scents. he sends his lures as deep as possible When Spinnerbaits are designed for action on the theory that the bass may be they are not hungry. The way to down in the water, but they can be hungry but that they insist on finding *rouse them is to cast a lure or drop a used with a variety of retrieves. From their meals on the very bottom of lake, ait repeatedly into a chosen spot. time to time they can be made to bump pond or stream. The less than complete angler casts along the bottom or they can be fished And, to make sure his luck is good, sPoon, then cranks it back at a steady literally on top, with their spinners he tries every trick he hears or reads Pace that is unattractive to bass most churning the water surface. about. His is decidedly not a one-track .' the time. The good bass angler has There are many patterns and sizes fishing mentality. earned to make a spoon do some fancy of jigs to be tried, and the effectiveness At the end of the day, the bass •"'cks, darting and dashing through of any of them can be improved by angler who has acquired a basic 116 water and occasionally stopping "sweetening" with a night crawler, a knowledge of the fish he seeks, who |*d fluttering down to the bottom, bit of pork strip, or even a small has the correct tackle and knows how hanging depth and speed of retrieve minnow. to use it, and who has mastered a r om time to time on every cast. He Bubble floats permit the spin fisher­ variety of fishing methods will listen r 'es another method that has ac­ man to use wet flies, streamers and politely to the chap who moans about counted for some monster bass. He bass bugs. his bad luck — and won't brag about .shes with a heavy spoon that he his own good luck. But if the moaning Sl The experienced bass angler pays mply most attention to shady spots, but he angler is a good friend, he may gently moves straight up and down in also makes frequent casts into open, point out that luck really had nothing he water, from top to bottom and to do with the day's results, good or ac even sunny, water, knowing that bass k up. In the South this system is roam there some of the time. He pre­ bad. Cal'ed doodle-socking. Th"Smallmouthe successfu l arebas streams angle fishr .ha . s. live in currents of moderate speed. . . prowl rocky shallows and even riffles.

0 CTOBER— 1979 19 JTaul Swanson only caught about right around home during his "50 to yellow perch, one of the most popular 2,000 fish last year. That was an "off 80" outings a year. panfishes, is an example. PerC"1 year" for Paul. The year before he Pulling that many panfish out of a usually are found deep when the caught more than 3,000. As a matter lake is one way an angler can help summer sun warms the water. B"1 of fact, during the previous seven improve his chances of catching bigger Paul spin-fishes for perch in early seasons he hooked at least 2,500 fish fish, Swanson says. A female bluegill, spring, shortly after ice-out, when the) annually, and maybe even as many as which can deposit 38,000 eggs, will begin to move into shallow water. This 5,000 one year. spawn two or three times a summer, usually is about April 1 in the norther" Up until seven years ago Paul was compared to the trout, which spawns tier counties of Pennsylvania. Whe" lucky if he caught 100 fish a season. once a year. A half-pound crappie can the water temperature starts inching Now it's not unusual for him to catch produce up to 50,000 eggs and a between 45 and 50 degrees perch are that many in just a couple outings. female perch up to 75,000. That "pop­ in their spawning areas and usually e There's no "black magic" involved ulation explosion" adds up to a lot of can be found in water about three fe ' s in the sudden spurt in numbers and little fish competing for a limited deep. Because perch have other thing f Swanson says anyone can do the same amount of food. This produces an on their minds this time of yea * thing. Swanson is supervisor of the overabundance of stunted fish. The weather usually doesn't affect the fish' Pennsylvania Fish Commission's result is poor fishing. ing. Northcentral Regional Law Enforce­ Four years ago bluegills in Rose "In the spring, perch hit pretty ment Office in Lock Haven. The 11- Valley Lake in Lycoming County in consistently throughout the day- ^ county region includes some of the his district were six inches "at the cloudy day may have some advantage5 state's top trout streams, such as Slate most." over a sunny day, but you can go ou Run and the Loyalsock. But you'll "A six-inch bluegill is not that desir­ on a sunny day, a windy day or a seldom see Swanson wading those able," he says. cloudy day and catch fish," Paul says' waters; panfishing is his dish. Now they average eight to 8'/2 In Paul's part of the state percj1 Swanson, in his mid-30s, is the inches. He attributes the growth to fishing usually lasts until about mi"' youngest of the Fish Commission's stepped-up panfishing in the lake, such April. Then, toward the end of Aprl£ regional supervisors, and like one of as the "thousands" caught during a as the water warms some more, blac)C the television commercials says, "It family fishing clinic. "They would crappies begin their spawning ru" pays to listen when he talks." have grown some, maybe to seven into shallow areas from three to SI* "I used to be a trout fisherman and inches," he says. "But not to eight or feet deep where there are brush pileS' maybe catch 100 a year ... maybe 8'/>. So if you thin out the fish, which is weed beds or other dense cover. Wate less. I enjoyed trout fishing just as what I do, the remaining fish will be temperature is "critical" when goir* much as panfishing. I just didn't catch larger because there's more food avail­ after early season crappies. A coup1 as many." able for them." of cold days accompanied by a dip ' Paul's trout fishing ended when he Because panfish are prolific spawn- the thermometer can cool off fishing went to "school" while a Waterways ers, he said in states such as Pennsyl­ fast. The best fishing usually follows Patrolman in Erie in 1970-71. The vania, which has a daily limit of 50 on warm weather pattern consisting ° "classroom" was on the ice in Presque its inland waters, there is little likeli­ two or three days of sunshine. Aft'j Isle Bay; the "teachers" were the thou­ hood anglers will "fish out" a lake. the water temperature hits the m>° sands of anglers after perch and other 50s crappie fishing picks up, and ' "There isn't any lake that I've seen fl panfish. They taught Paul a school of overfished," Swanson says, stressing northern Pennsylvania remains c° panfish could provide a lot of fun and sistent into early June after peaki"? he is talking only about panfishing. 1 food. "I saw all those people catching about Memorial Day. Crappies see ^ The thousands of bluegills, perch aU all those fish. I started eating them and crappies Paul catches every year to bite all day long, although P and they were really delicious." Since won't set a record for size, but they fill finds the best fishing usually occu that conversion Swanson catches "very the frying pan, and Swanson feels part the last couple hours of daylight. few" gamefish and keeps none. of the fun of fishing should be in the The same sun which feels so good ° Swanson still has a special fondness eating. "Eating the fish, that's the an angler's back also is warming tP for fishing Lake Erie — where there's enjoyment," he says. And, he notes, lake, sending crappies to deeper waitei^ - no daily limit on panfish — and his family "enjoys" fish for dinner While the crappies are gone they re usually goes back three times a year, once or twice a week and he hasn't not really missed. On hand to *a including once in the winter to join bought a fish in years. their places are bluegills, which beg other anglers out on the ice. During a When Swanson talks about the moving into the shallows when l weekend outing to Erie (he also goes thousands of fish he catches every year water temperature approaches 60 & back in the spring and fall) it's not "people can hardly believe it. But it's grees. Bluegills prefer quiet, weej unusual for Swanson's catch to num­ entirely possible for anyone to catch waters where they can hide and fe6 ber in the hundreds. On one weekend that many. Maybe not the first year, In lakes with a lot of weeds the ®c trip with a buddy the two caught 400 but once they learn the technique and bluegill fishing is in late May or eaf • perch, with Swanson accounting for about each species of fish, it's entirely June, before the growth gets too thi<*' 300. possible." Early in the season bluegills seem While these trips help run up the Knowing when and where to fish for bite best from noon on, as the aft number of panfish Paul hooks, he also different species is one key to being a noon sun warms the water. As the d3> catches a thousand or so in the waters successful angler, he stresses. The get longer the bluegills get more act1

20 P E N N SYLVANIA A N G L & ' Panfishing., by Bill Pennewill it's his dish! photos by the author

Bluegills find yellow plastic split-tail beatles irresistible, most effective when slipped onto weighted jig hooks.

nd can be caught all summer. As with also bite better on a cloudy day or if a unable to locate the beetles in tackle ^raPpies, the two hours just before ground fog covers the lake. shops in his district and sometimes ark are most productive, "Tremendous" fall perch fishing makes his own and other times drives "hen conditions fall into place to lasts about six weeks. Then it's time half-way across Pennsylvania to re­ reate a perfect "bluegill" day there's for Paul to put away his spinning rod plenish his supply. 0 limit to the number an angler can and think about hunting turkey and Swanson threads the beetle onto a catch. deer in the surrounding hills. But he number 575 Aberdeen-style gold jig K Ata family fishing clinic at Rose still keeps an eye on the lakes, waiting hook to which he previously molded al X 'eley Lake I saw well over 1,000 for the ice to get thick enough to go '/32nd of an ounce of lead to the shank, egills caught in one day," Swanson fishing again. right behind the eye. A split shot lt Vs. It was the first week in June and Knowing when and where to fish is pinched onto the shank also can be he water temperature was ideal for only half the battle. An angler also used. Paul buys his hooks by the thou­ Uegills to be in shallow, not far from must know how. Paul's technique is sands because he loses a lot of jigs °re; they were beginning their simple, his equipment basic, the lure fishing around cover, and selection of Pawning activity; there was no weed important. That, combined with an the 575 isn't a matter of guesswork. ~°*th in the lake at that point; and eye for details, is a "catching combina­ He says the 575 gold hook holds a e fish were very aggressive." tion" a lot of panfish find irresistible. sharper point longer and doesn't bend • "aul fishes for bluegills all summer, The only "bait" Paul uses is a plas­ and break as easily as bronze or 1 as the days get cooler he keeps an tic split-tail beetle "one and one- cadmium hooks. ye on algae in the lake. During eighth inches long, to be exact." The Paul usually starts off in the spring ^imer the algae blooms and gets beetle comes in a variety of colors, using a size 8 hook because the water Jpte thick. When first frost covers the "but you can see what my favorite is," is colder and fish are "hitting easier." j> °Und the algae begins to die. Then he says, opening his tackle box. All are As the water warms he'll switch to a uj knows perch fishing will pick up yellow. size 6 for additional strength. In the a l(6 m. This time of year the perch is an The yellow split-tail beetle is fall he returns to the smaller size 8 ear (, ly riser and the best time to catch another "secret" Paul discovered while hook. He uses the same length split- is between 7 and 10 a.m., or until a Waterways Patrolman in Erie, and tail beetle on both size jig hooks. e sun comes out. Perch, which aren't one he considers "essential" to his Most people use the first bobber too active in the bright, fall sunlight, panfishing success. He has been they get their hands on when they 0 cTOBER- 1979 21 reach into their tackle boxes. Not Paul. He has found the one-inch bobber is best so an angler can set the hook as soon as he feels a fish hit. The only exception is when the water lS mirror-smooth. Then he clips on a Y inch bobber. "With a bigger bobber you miss a lot of fish because there is too much drag. With a smaller bobber you can't see if you have a hit when the water's rough," he explains. Paul 'j continually moving the bobber up and down on his line as he adjusts the depth of the jig to locate fish. Don't think that because Paul uses a bobber he just sits and waits for fish ^ swim his way. If he isn't catching fisjj one place he moves to another, and a' the while he's continually casting an^_ retrieving "to cover more water Then, where one is caught, there bound to be more, and usually it's n° problem to hook a mess of fish in a" hour or so. How Paul retrieves depends on tn species he's after. For bluegills he use a stop-and-go system. With the tip ° his seven-foot rod pointing toward tfl bobber and all slack out of the l>ne' he'll reel in about a foot, then stop l give the jig time to settle bottomwaf0' Bluegills usually hit when the Jig stopped. They're quick to spit ou' anything they don't like and tn instant Paul sees any unusual acti° on the bobber he snaps his rod u" vertically to set the hook. Perch, l'* bluegills, have a "really tough mou^ and you can sock it to them." Crap pies, however, are noted for paper-th' mouths and a "softer" touch is nee when setting the hook. "You still J ei* the rod to the vertical, but not as enrisP ' Just set the hook firmly. And you cafl reel crappies in as quickly, either, you can tear the jig out of t"e mouths." Crappies and perch hit t jig when it's moving, and Paul uses retrieve so slow and steady it seems " though he's hardly cranking l handle of his reel. Crappies, thoug j are "unpredictable" and if P3,. doesn't start catching them on a stea retrieve he'll switch to the stop-an"'» method. ^ But there's nothing unpredicta fit* about why perch are Paul's favO' , fish. "I like them for their ease filleting and their edibility . . . they very good eating." With a recomn1 dation like that it shouldn't take 1° J Two fillets taken from a bluegill show how cleanly the meat can be cut for perch to become the favorite o from the fish. Follow "Practice Makes Perfect," next page. lot more fishermen.

22 PENNSYLVANIA A N G L E Practice Makes Perfect

JO illeting a fish is easier than it looks. All it takes is practice, a sharp, thin- bladed knife, and a board or other flat surface to work on. And, panfish are perfect to practice on because they're plentiful and it's easier to catch more of them. Practicing on fish once considered too bony to bother with gives an angler an opportunity to learn how to fillet while providing the main course for a mighty good bone-free meal. Eating the catch helps add to the enjoyment of panfishing, according to Paul Swanson. He should know — he catches panfish by the thousands. Swanson can fillet a fish in little more than a minute. Here's how he does it. Swanson starts by making a bone- deep cut on the side of the fish, behind the fin (Photo 1), then carefully slices along the top, with the tip of the knife following the bone structure and pene­ trating no deeper than the rib cage (Photos 2 and 3) until he passes the dorsal fin. Then (Photo 4), he slides the knife out through the bottom of the fish and slices the rear portion away from the bone. After peeling the side away from the rib cage (Photos 5 and 6) he puts it aside to skin later. He then repeats the procedure on the other side of the fish. To skin he grips the narrow, rear part of the fillet with a pair of hemos- tats and slices off the meat (Photos 7 and 8). To prepare fillets, salt and pepper to taste and dip into eggs beaten with cold water, then coat with cornflake crumbs. Deep-fry in fat for two minutes. "Then you have some good eating," Swanson says.

23 At Raystown Lake's permanent display tank — n What you sees is what you gets! 55

by Wes Bower photos by the author

R•.aystowf n Lake, the 8,500-acre affiliated with the Pennsylvania Chap­ dent, and other diversified job areaS' Corps of Engineer lake situated in ter of the B.A.S.S. Association. they searched their own ranks f° Southcentral Pennsylvania, is virtually They're rightfully proud of their know-how and technical knowledge an untapped source of quality fishing. chosen fishing area and they wanted to With several unanswered question8, The big ones are there, and in good share some of their pride with the they went to professional outsid numbers too! Fishing in this vast angling fraternity as well as the sources. But when it came to tW impoundment often results in a diver­ general public. manual labor, the club members "<" sified catch. A knowledgeable angler Raystown visitors are well aware their own thing." However, it wa, may end up with a creel of catfish, that during recent years there has been generally agreed that Ron Grove an perch, rock bass, bluegills, crappies, an increase in the number of bass Bob Miller were the backbone of t» and a variety of other warmwater tournaments on the lake. Most work force, as well as being on t» species. Largemouth and smallmouth recently it has been the home of the committee which spearheaded tt> bass, walleyes, the ferocious musky, project. With a donation of $500 fr°^ "Mr. Bass" state competition and the l and the recent sensation, striped bass, "Cold Turkey" tournament, both Anchorage Enterprise, Inc. to get k are also found in the largest lake which project started, and a fiberglass tan quite prominent in size as well as pres­ s lies wholly within the Pennsylvania tige. Other bass tournaments and donated by Owens Corning Fibergla borders. As an extra bonus, coldwater a local concern, the Raystown BaS. many smaller club "fun" tournaments r enthusiasts can find brown, rainbow are held on a regularly scheduled masters began some fund raising P ' and lake trout. ects to come up with another necessa ; basis. Most of these tournaments lft The Raystown Bassmaster's had involved erecting a temporary make­ $1,350 to purchase material for exhibit tank. A conservative 300 ma been searching for a project that shift tank to hold the day's catch e would benefit fishing tournaments during weigh-ins. hours of labor went into the proj ' but when it was finished the Raysto | held at the lake as well as a commu­ Taking their idea to the Corp of Bassmasters could look on tn nity or civic project that would Engineers and the Pennsylvania Fish project with pride. Conservative eS enhance the image of their officially Commission, as well as Anchorage c mates from outside sources indi \ adopted body of water. When a Enterprise Inc., on whose leased area that construction of this type by permanent fish exhibit tank was they wanted to erect the permanent suggested there was a unanimous vote professional firm would cost in exc & tank, they received enthusiastic ap­ of $5,000. The end result was a 12-'c to go "full speed ahead" with this proval to carry out their project. As an popular project. added bonus, Raystown Bassmasters diameter tank, three feet high- e Another important consideration also agreed to maintain the structure outside dimensions were 18 feet sq uaf was that in 1978 the first Raystown and make routine checks of the and the pagoda type roof and hea *•} "Fisherama" was conducted. It proved contained fish. support poles blended into the gene i to be so successful that it is now Both the Fish Commission and the architectural blend of the Corp . planned as an annual event. It was a Corp of Engineers pointed out that Engineer's structures on the project fishing contest conducted by Anchor­ some added bonus to the project would quality recirculation water system age Enterprises Inc., open to everyone, be practical in that it would give bass also incorporated into the fish tank- and there was no charge for admission. caught in tournaments a chance to Ron Grove and Bob Miller, ^ Anglers of all ages and with varying readjust before placing them back into asked if they felt the permanent , fishing skills fished for almost all their natural habitat. It would also hibit tank was worth the cost ,( species found within the lake. Prizes afford novice anglers and youngsters effort put forth by their club d'd. ^ were small, but interest was intense, an opportunity to get practical experi­ need to search for an answer. Poin j and winners came in all sizes and ence in identification of different to an excited group of youngsters e shapes. It was felt that a permanent species of fish. adults peering into the tank at . tank used for this program would The 20 local anglers who make up different species of fish and nsteILjf further enhance the popularity of Lake the club then went to work. Coming to the entertaining comments, t ^ Raystown. from a vairety of backgrounds which reply was simply, "What you se j( Certainly no one is more aware of includes, carpentry, coal mining, an what the project was all about an c this than the Raystown Bassmasters, a insurance agent, farming, auto body was worth every cent and every m"1 local club of 20 sportsmen, which are mechanic, plant executive, college stu­ spent!" (I 24 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLf To put the show on the road — rather, the tank on the ground and under roof, took a lot of doing. Donations included the fiberglass tank shown above left, hard cash, and probably more man-hours of carpentry, roofing, and other skills than anyone was able to record. The end result was a permanent exhibit which blended with the Raystown Lake landscape and one which serves a far more educational and informational purpose than might have been expected.

25 not diminished its effectiveness and | FLY TYING has greatly simplified the dressing. F°r bass I tie the Skimmer as a dragonfly by Chauncy K. Lively in sizes #6 and #8; for trout, as i damselfly on #10 and #12 hooks. Th" larger sizes are dependent upon thc A he beautiful insects of the order occasionally seize other flying insects availability of long hair for the body- Odonata are common around bass they generally prefer to hunt for food Deer body hair is of the correct textuf5 water everywhere, and, perhaps to a on the stalks or leaves of aquatic but is generally too short. However lesser degree, in evidence along trout plants. Their flight is rather slow and the hair near the base of a bucktail ^ streams. Represented in this order are erratic and they often hover in place generally long and coarse, appro"1! the fast-flying dragonflies and the above the water. mating body hair in texture, and idea smaller, more delicate damselflies. Odonata is perhaps the oldest for this purpose. Apart from their differences in size surviving order of flying insects, The Snubber, shown in Fig. 1, iff and speed of flight, the two insects having existed on earth for 300 million handy little homemade gadget whic" may be distinguished by the positions years. What is most remarkable about acts as a third hand in the manipul3' of their wings at rest. Unlike dragon­ this long tenure is the fact that their tion of deer hair. It is made "J flies, which hold their wings horizon­ flight mechanisms have remained vir­ doubling a six-inch strand of tally outstretched, damselflies in re­ tually unchanged. However, their av­ heavy pose almost always carry their wings erage size has diminished over the monofilament and threading the end together, over their backs and on edge. aeons; prior to the age of the dinosaur through a short plastic tube or sleeve- Exceptions are the Spread-Wing dam­ there were dragonflies with a wing- sleevThe eend fros mar eslidin knotteg doff t.o Iprevenn use,t tthl e selflies found around swamps and span of thirty-six inches! material to be controlled is snared w ponds, which rest with their wings in I first began to pay attention to the monofil noose, which is tighten^ the posture of dragonflies. dragonflies quite a few years ago at by sliding the sleeve toward the mate Dragonflies are often called "skim­ Canadohta Lake, when I watched a rial. In dressing the Brown Skimm6 mers" because of their characteristic big largemouth bass try to pick a the Snubber is useful in low flight over water, occasionally darner off a lily pad. Then, in the holding touching the surface. They are also penitentiary stretch of Spring Creek, I wayward hair butts out of the waJ referred to as "darners" or "flying saw an enormous brown trout fling while the wings are tied in and forme • darning needles," names which allude himself full-length out of the water to There are other uses, too, which we to several ancient superstitions, one of intercept a hovering damselfly. cover in a later column. which insists that they sew up the lips Spurred by these two experiences, the Although the Brown Skimmer rep' of lying boys. Dragonflies feed vora­ Skimmer was developed as a general resents a common dragonfly, l _ ciously on other insects, which they pattern to represent both dragonflies dressing is applicable to other me"1 capture in flight, and they are particu­ and damselflies, with appropriate ad­ bers of Odonata by altering only }" larly effective in controlling mosquito justment for size and coloration. pattern's size and body colorati°J populations. They entrap their prey in The Skimmer is an all-deerhair dry blackwhich, dependinmay be gblue upo, n greenspecies, , a cage formed by positioning their fly/bass bug with a bound, detached prominent black head of trimmered dh a hairy legs in the shape of a basket or body and spent wings. It may be should be incorporated in all patte <• scoop. argued that the naturals are four- variations. As always, observation Damselflies are less aggressive than winged insects; however, the elimina­ the species frequenting your fish"1* their showy cousins and although they tion of hind wings in the pattern has waters is your best guide.

Dressing the Brown Skimmer:

Left — To assist in the handling of deer hair, make two Snubbers described in text.

Right — Clamp a size #8 regular shank hook in vise and lash brown nymph thread to center of shank- Wind thread in spaced turns to bend and then back to tie-in point. Half-hitch. From a natural bucktail cut a bunch of brown hair (when flattened near the roots, about 3/8" wide) from the long, coarse hair near the base of the tail. Comb or brush out fuzz and short hairs; then hold hair over hook with butts extending well beyond eye and press hair downward until shank is contained within the bundle. Make two turns of thread around hair and slowly draw tight. Half-hitch.

26 PENNSYLVANIA A N G Left — Stroke hair toward tips to remove any slack. Hold hair in a bundle with left hand and with right, make firm, spaced turns of thread, working right to left. In wrapping it is important to maintain a constant tension. When you have wrapped past the bend hold each succes­ sive turn in place with the left fore­ finger as you pass the thread under the body.

Right — When you have wrapped a length approximating the overall length of the hook, make two addi­ tional turns over the last; then reverse directions, wrapping over previous winds in a cross pattern. Half-hitch at tie-in point.

Left — With bodkin, separate hair butts into two bunches, one above and one below shank. Snare upper bundle with a Snubber and pull back out of the way, above body. Then similarly apply second Snub­ ber to bundle underneath body. A coil material clip will conveniently anchor ends of Snubbers. Move thread forward of separated hair.

Right — For wings, cut a medium- sized bunch of natural deer body hair and make tips even by insert­ ing bunch in hair tamper, tips down, and tapping. Tie in wing hair with several firm turns and half-hitch. Effective wing length should be equal to length of bound body. Trim excess hair butts, as shown.

Left — Separate wing hair into two equal bunches and bind in spent position with figure-8 turns. Apply quick-drying cement to base of wings and flatten hair with tweez­ ers when cement has begun to set.

Right — Release Snubber from lower hair bunch and pull hair forward, underneath shank. Tie off ahead of wings. Repeat with upper bunch, pulling hair over base of wings. Wind thread through hair butts and press butts back to flare. Whip-finish behind eye and cut thread. Trim flared hair to a large, round head and trim off hair at end of body. Apply black lacquer to trimmed head and to whip finish. To prevent thread from slipping, apply clear lacquer or thin vinyl cement to back of body.

Right — The completed Brown Skimmer.

CTOBER — 1979 27 HOW'S THAT AGAIN?

While patrolling Bradys Run Lake in Beaver County I observed a young fisher' man of about 8 years old pulling in ••"-w stringer of six nice trout. The fellow next to NOTES\ hwi tk shunt him inquired as to which bait he used t catch these fish to which the young 'a replied "magnets." I guess these trout we stock sure af THEY'RE BIG. . . durable . . . "tough as steel." IN THE JUNIATA! go fishing?" Mike Symbala "You're not going to arrest me for that, Deputy Waterways Patrol^ On July 9, while working at the Muskrat are you?" Beaver County Springs Access Area on the Juniata River "What kind of fish is this?" in Juniata County, the attention of the "How long does it have to be?" Fish Commission maintenance crew was "Is it in season?" "RESERVED" attracted to a shore fisherman who had "Do you like to fish?" hooked what seemed to be a very large fish. "When do you get a chance to fish?" Special Waterways Patrolman Nels° All work came to a stop when, after about Brackbill reported to me that at a camps' fifteen or twenty minutes, the crew noticed G. W. Frank Kann u along Belmont Creek the night before trO that this fisherman was wading into water Waterways Patrolman u S.E. Lycoming/Sullivan Counties season he observed several rods propped " of ever-increasing depth as he continued to e along the creek. The rods were old on do battle with his quarry. without line or reels. They were to reser When he was in the water up to his their owners a spot come opening hour tl1 armpits, the members of the gallery following morning. noticed that the fisherman was in some sort NO PROBLEM! of difficulty. This was quickly confirmed Kerry L. Messerle when he began shouting for help in a most Digging leeks (wild onions) is a favorite Waterways PatroM* commanding voice. As he went under, pastime during early spring in McKean N Lancaster County Chris Taylor, a CETA employee with the County. Since this season occurs during Fish Commission, left his mower seat to the closed trout season, we often see many take immediate action, going to the rescue. cars parked along the roads near trout ROOM FOR MORE? With the assistance of John Willower, a streams. It is difficult to determine part-time employee, they managed to get whether the cars belong to leek hunters or Deputy Clayton Schlemm and helpef' the angler to shore. The odd part of the fishermen. Puzzled, I asked Deputy Floyd Andy Krysik, were stocking the First fot incident is that, in all likelihood, the fish South, "How can you tell a leek hunter in season and pulled the truck up to a h"1 would have emerged the victor of this spec­ from someone who is fishing early?" Floyd There was a fisherman across the otn tacular battle for it had managed to circle chuckled and said, "By smelling his side in the hole and he waved his arms an the fisherman and securely tie his legs breath!" shouted "Don't stock any fish here. Thef together with what, no doubt, was a rather Don Parrish are lots of fish here now and this h fish­ heavy line! Thus bound, the chap was Waterways Patrolman doesn't need any." It's very rare that rendered helpless and might well have McKean County ermen make a request like this. He got perished except for the quick action of the supply of fish anyway. workers. Our hats off to them as well as to s Charles Hess, the Area Maintenance Stanley G. Hastin9 Manager, who related this tale to me. Waterways Patrol"" "LITTLE DEVILS" Cameron County Frank A. Kulikosky The voice on the other end of the tele­ Assistant Supervisor phone ask, "Is this the 'Water Commis­ Southcentral Region sioner?' " When I told him I was the BAD BREAK! Waterways Patrolman he said I would probably do and commenced telling me Speaking of tough luck, Ben Yonkof*• ', how so far this year he has managed to kill of Kane caught his first musky, a ' '' CURIOUS BUNCH! rl 3 snakes, the latest one on the previous incher, below the Kinzua Dam last sp and had to release it. Why? Out of seas" ' Another fishing year is open and here evening by running over it with his car. He said he had "The Little Devil" with him come the questions I like to hear and Don Parrish answer best. now and wanted me to identify it for him. Waterways Patro ami up the fis^' Dalanced il in ms D'"- r u^ nefleww away while Ron was still thirty /hoj 'rom the prize. And you say you've Qd a bad day? Don Kingery Deputy Waterways Patrolman N/Allegheny County

Nor THE SAME!

Recently, while on patrol of South Ronald Bernoski, above, holds his 42-inch, 15-pound muskellunge, the Vo ^un near Claysburg, I ran into a n first to be reported taken from Egypt Meadows Lake in Pike County. S). g man who has discovered a new the'es °f trout- He was telling me about Joseph E. Bartley °n u'Ce trout l^at ^e cau8nt on tne 'st dav Waterways Patrolman "£ Frankstown Branch, Juniata River, Pike County

CTOBER — 1979 24 oil, don't neglect changing the oil filter during storage. also. Outboard winterizing follows man) Next, shut off the gasoline supply at of the steps common to a stern dnve Ashore the fuel tank. With the engine running plus a few steps of its own. Flushing at about 700-1000 rmp, quickly the cooling system with fresh, clea" remove the flame arrestor and slowly water is usually the first step. Large' & pour about 3 ounces of a rust-preven- heavy motors may be flushed with a" tative oil into the carburetor air horn. attachment that uses a garden hose f° Then quickly dump in another 3 a water source. Start the engine an ounces or so to stall it out. Turn off the idle it in neutral until it reache* Afloat ignition. normal operating temperature, ma"' Remove each spark plug and ground ing sure water is circulating into an by Gene Winters the high voltage lead from the ignition out of the engine. This step rerno^ coil against engine metal to prevent any dirt, sand, and silt. Sma> e the engine from starting. Crank the outboards can be (securely) clamp u engine and, one by one, lower each to a water-filled 55-gallon drum ° JL he experts say winterizing a boat is piston to about the middle of its travel make sure the unit remains in neutra less work than spring recommission- range. When each piston is in this and the lower unit is immersed ' ing. I'm not sure that's the way it position, squirt about an ounce of rust- water. should be, but it's pretty much a fact preventative into the spark plug hole. Before the flushing is complete"' of life. Many boat owners, anxious to (You can quickly check a piston's posi­ disconnect the fuel line from tn stretch the season to the limits, are tion by inserting an ordinary pencil in engine and run it until it stops' suddenly faced with overnight changes the spark plug hole. But do not crank Remove the carburetor air horn in the weather. One day it's a warm, the engine while this or any other filters "spring-in-the-fall" day and the next, foreign object is inserted.) Replace the and squirt about an ounce or two ° it's bone-chilling winter. Because it's old spark plugs and make a note to rust-preventative into the carburet0 mentally and physically difficult to install new ones in the spring. Crank air intake. Crank the engine ove work in frigid, windy air, the winteriz­ the engine over a couple of more times several times with the cranking rope ° ing job is often rushed or many steps for good measure, and put the keys in starter motor. If you get caught in are overlooked. Such shortcomings are your pocket. The balance of the pinch without any rust-preventative^ always unfortunate but, with today's winterizing is usually done more easily you can substitute automatic tra"s prices and energy curtailments, such when the boat is ashore. mission fluid as it has simi'3 shortsightedness is inexcusable. Not If you elect not to drain or pump all corrosion-inhibiting qualities. No*' tn only is an ounce of prevention now gasoline from the fuel tank for winter squirt the same lubricant into f worth more than a pound of cure, it storage, be sure to add an accepted spark plug holes as explained for ste may be better than money in the fuel conditioner to the stored gasoline. drives. Then, crank the engine sever* bank. This treatment prevents the formation more times, reinstall the old spa' The heart of any powerboat is its of gum and varnish deposits during the plugs, and make a note to install ne idle period. If you have a separate fuel ones in the spring. ,, engine. Overwork it, abuse it, ignore it, n and it will fail — sooner than later. So, line filter, drain it and clean it, and Again, like with stern drives, do install a new filter cartridge. (I also forget to drain and clean all fuel h" don't rob yourself by ignoring the u proper winterizing procedure for your remove the ceramic filter from the fuel filters. Also, remove all flushingp' ^ powerplant. Your main goal is to pump bowl and install a new one each and make sure all water is allowedth e drain to prevent freezing over en remove or minimize rust and corro­ spring.) winter. Drain the lower unit and r k sion-causing contaminants that eat Drain the stern drive unit complete­ with the proper gear lubricant. L°. away at the engine during its idle ly. Refill with the proper gear lubri­ for signs of water and metal filings months. Areas of prime concern are cant. Remove the drive unit. Lubricate the old oil, a possible sign of leak"1? crankcase, water jackets, combustion the universal joint bearings, splined gaskets or seals in the gearcase °r chamber, fuel and ignition systems, shaft and couplings. Grease the unit's bad head gasket. Remove the pr°^ and the engine exterior. The key is the upper and lower swivel, gimbal bear­ inspect it and the shaft. Lubricate t proper and timely applicant of lubri­ ings, and hinge pins. Remove the prop collar and the shaft spline cants and rust inhibitors. propeller (inspect it) and coat the hub prevent rust and corrosion. j Let's take a general look at stern and shaft with the recommended It's important to keep an outboa/ drives. If you have such a powerplant, lubricant. Top off the power trim upright during the storage mon' it's easiest to change the crankcase oil reservoir, if applicable, with the proper This keeps the rust-preventative lnD before you pull the boat out of the oil. Reinstall the drive unit or, alter­ cants where they belong. ^a ,{ water. Run the engine to warm the oil nately, store the drive unit off the boat engines are normally left on the b° and get all contaminants in suspen­ in a dry place and reinstall it next during the winter but they should sion. Then pump out or drain the old spring. If you do reinstall the unit for supported with blocking under storage, the lower unit should be left in unuS oil. Many boat owners wait till spring lower drive unit to prevent ng for the oil change but old oil tends to the down position so that tension is stress on the transom and hull dufl turn acid and promote internal rust relieved on the bellows and any the time the boat is out of the *atef - ca" and corrosion. When you change the condensation can drain as it forms Finally, wipe down all metal you

30 PENNSYLVANIA A N G L # t Extending the boating season has many rewards, but make certain you don't sacrifice any part of proper winterizing when the weather finally makes you haul out your craft for winter storage.

nd> interior and exterior, with a light working. It was only when the temper­ there's a sense of personal pride in °ating of rust-preventative oil. ature gauge suddenly took off for the taking care of your own. Good inten- I continually stress the importance moon I realized something was amiss. tioned dealers and their personnel are keeping good, detailed notes when it You can bet I went back to the check­ often overworked, rushed, and inter­ 0lHes to boating. And certainly, list for another look. rupted and may, even unintentionally, •nterizing calls for some detailed Properly prepared, freezing and miss some important steps. While lot es. It's amazing how much you can other atmospheric conditions will have reputable dealers stand behind their for get when spring rolls around. Not minimal effect on any engine, stored work, the long delay between time of *% what you did but, just as impor- indoors or outdoors. Sure, it takes omission and signs of damage may • ntly, what you did not do when the some time — more time than most make it difficult for anyone to be sure °at was hauled. Even then, you slip experts would have you believe. But what really happened. Ponce and awhile, hopefully with not it's time well spent. If you've any If you can do routine maintenance ^ serious consequences. doubt, check out today's prices on an on your car, there is little reason to , This past spring, because of unusual engine rebuild, major repair, or fear tackling your boat engine. All it e f ^ands on my time, I did some of the replacement. Today, we simply can't takes is a manual, a few very basic c°rnmissioning work without the use afford not to take care of what we tools, some lubricants, a reasonable j. ^ checklist I normally employ. I have. amount of time, and some tender • r8ot to reinstall the rubber impellor Understand, by all means, this arti­ loving care. . the seawater cooling pump. (I cle has just highlighted the major steps ^ftiove it each fall so the rubber in winterizing an engine. Many of (Editor's note: with this column author > a^es do not take a permanent set.) these steps, however, are the ones over­ Gene Winters concludes the Ashore & . y Present boat has an inboard with a looked or poorly done. Consult your Afloat series which we've all enjoyed for ater-cooled exhaust that sits right at owner's manual for detailed informa­ the past five years. As the magazine's >,^ Waterline when the boat is at rest. tion and special recommendations for editor I'm indebted to Gene for his u^e exhaust gases caused the water your specific engine. If you've never monthly faithfulness; as a boater I've . ,neath the outlet to swirl and I, looked at it, you may even find it learned much over those five years. Many stakenly, assumed the pump was interesting reading. I think, too, thanks, Gene! You have our best wishes!) t>cTOBER-1979 31 THE ANGLER'S NOTEBOOK by Richard F. Williamson

FISH FACT: There are two score vari­ Fish have short "memories." Rest a pool Jigs and spinnerbaits dressed with worm* eties of sunfishes, the most popular of which you or some other angler might have or grubs made of plastic have a distinct which likely is the bluegill. Also members disturbed. Give the fish time to calm down, advantage. They are soft, so they feel H^6 of the sunfish family are bass, crappies and and you may have reasonable expectations real worms or grubs when fish take them- e rock bass. of a strike. The fish will hold such a lure for a f * seconds, while a lure that is hard an" For late season trout fishing, go back to Learn to use any lure a variety of ways, unyielding is usually spit out immediately- the streamers you used in the spring, espe­ including slow and fast retrieves, and at cially in fishing for brown trout. The fish different depths in the water. are approaching their spawning period and are hungry. Streamers up to three inches in Fishing rods are sturdy and wonderful length represent fat minnows. tools, but none will stand abuse, no matter what material is used in its construction. Large and bushy dry flies, fished care­ fully on a long, fine leader, take small- A bay in a lake that has standing dead mouth bass consistently, particularly in the trees and other stick-ups is ideal pike and autumn and in rivers and large creeks. bass water. The angler's boat should be Good patterns are bivisibles, hair-wing positioned within casting range of the flies, and the ever popular Muddler obstructions. Surface lures are good in Minnow. such areas, since they ride on top of the water and are not as likely to get hung up. Keep calm if a bass strikes at a lure and apparently misses it, or refuses it. Let the lure remain quietly in that same spot. Wait A midget surface plug is deadly on a rivef even as long as two minutes before impart­ or creek when fishing deep riffles and fas ing very light action to the lure. The fish glides for smallmouth bass. Cast the lW will make another pass at the lure often plug up and across the current, the enough to reward the patience you must retrieve it slowly as it floats down. Or, caS have to use such tactics. directly downstream and retrieve the lur very, very slowly against the current. Witn A long leader defeats the purpose of the both methods, stop the retrieve from tim sinking flyline , which is to get a fly closer to time and let the lure float over spots tha to the bottom. The leader is lighter than look as if they hold fish. the line, of course, and lifts the fly higher in the water than the end of the line. A Let a fresh breeze help you fish a \^e' leader only three or four feet long is recom­ pond or stream pool from a boat. Manea' mended. ver the boat so that the wind will carry * s Big lures are not always required to over the area of water you wish to fi "' e Action to be expected from a lure can catch largemouth bass. A bass bug small Then explore the water with bait or lur usually be sensed by its appearance. The enough to be regarded as a bluegill lure, a as the boat drifts. Of course, this system floater (top) has no lip and remains on the will not work if the wind is so strong tn* small spoon, a streamer or bucktail of eflt surface unless pulled under for short medium size, or a wet fly combined with a your boat moves rapidly. Just a g distances. The shallow diver (center) has a small spinner have all accounted for good breeze is ideal. smaller lip. The deep-traveling lure (bot­ largemouths, often when they are being tom) has a larger lip with a more used in fishing for panfish. Fishing with baits and with such comp* pronounced downward slant. atively heavy lures as spinners, stream6 r A full minute is not too long to let a bass and bucktails can put a strain on a fly ° ' bug rest motionless on the surface after it so light rods are not the best tools to use- is cast to an inviting spot. Then the first rod eight and one-half or nine feet long *' motion should be very gentle, and the bug do a better job with a minimum of risk. should be fished slowly all the way until the cast is completed. Don't neglect any water when fishing pickerel and pike. These fish are " (01 You risk losing a bass if you rear back always choosy about where they hunt and try to set the hook hard the minute you food. figure the fish has taken a bait. There may be a belly in the line, and you will not be A steady retrieve of a spinner is not hof' able to set the hook well. The better way is best in deep water. Move the lure in s e to take up slack line gradually and gently tim pulls, vary the speed, and from time to 1 until you feel the fish tugging, and then set allow the spinner to sink slowly of its o*" the hook. weight toward the bottom.

32 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLE PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION DIRECTORY State Headquarters: 3532 Walnut Street, Progress, Pa. (Mailing Address: PO Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pa. 17120) EXECUTIVE OFFICE Ralph W. Abele, Executive Director ^'stant Attorney General Administrative Assistant Comptroller Dennis T. Guise Howard T. Hardie Edward T. Durkin Office of Information Willard T. Johns, Director 717-787-2579

s "Hrvation Education, Stephen B. Ulsh 717-787-7394 Pennsylvania Angler, James F. Yoder, Editor 717-787-2411 "'c'al Publications, Larry Shatter 717-787-7394 Angler Circulation, Eleanor Mutch 717-787-2363 BUREAU OF FISHERIES & ENGINEERING Edward R. Miller, P.E., Assistant Executive Director Robinson Lane, Bellefonte, Pa. 16823 Tel. 814-359-2754* (•Unless otherwise indicated, all offices within this bureau may be reached at this same address and telephone number.) Fred W. Johnson, Water Resources Coordinator 717-783-2808 (Office at State Headquarters, 3532 Walnut Street, Progress, Pa.) Dennis Ricker, Administrative Officer* FISHERIES DIVISION* r Delano Graff, Chief ^ ut Production Section, Ken Corl, Chief Fisheries Management Section, Robert Hesser, Chief* ^rr**ater Production Section, Shyrl Hood, Chief. 814-683-4451 Research Section, Vincent Mudrak, Chief 814-355-4837 ,27, Linesville, Pa. 16424 Benner Spring Fish Research Slation, Box 200-C, Bellefonte, Pa, 16823 Cooperative Nursery Branch, Paul Byers, Chief

6s FISH CULTURAL STATIONS H- ^FONTE, William Hoover. Superintendent 814-355-4159 LINESVILLE, Charles Sanderson, Superintendent 814-683-4451 4. Box 230. Bellefonte, Pa. 16823 Box 127, Linesville, Pa. 16424 Br. ER SPRING, William Kennedy, Superintendent 814-355-4837 OSWAYO, D, Ray Merriman. Superintendent 814-698-2001 '• Box 20O-C. Bellefonte, Pa. 16823 RD 2, Box 84, Coudersport, Pa. 16915

6o SPRING, Wayne Weigle, Superintendent 717-776-3170 PLEASANT GAP, John Bair, Superintendent 814-359-2754 341, RD 4, Newvillo, Pa. 17241 Robinson Lane, Bellefonte, Pa. 16823 c ^-UNION CITY, Tom L. Clark, Superintendent 814-664-2122 PLEASANT MOUNT, Zenas Bean, Superintendent 717-448-2101 rry' Pa. 16407 Pleasant Mount, Pa. 18453

!0on'E*' Neil Snea' Superintendent 814-474-1514 REYNOLDSDALE, Ralph Berkey, Superintendent 814-839-2211 Lohrer Road, P.O. Box 531. Fairview, Pa. 16415 New Paris, Pa. 16654

T B() SDALE, Ted Dingle, Superintendent 717-486-3419 TIONESTA, Charlea Mann, Superintendent 814-756-3524 * 393, RD 5, Carlisle, Pa. 17013 Tionesta, Pa. 16363 ENGINEERING DIVISION* Wilbert F. Hobbs, P.E., Chief Construction & Maintenance Section, Eugene Smith, Chief* Architectural & Engineering Section, K, Ronald Weis, Chief* Fisheries Environmental Services Branch, Jack Miller, Chief* BUREAU OF WATERWAYS Gene Sporl, Assistant Executive Director 717-787-2192

LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION BOAT REGISTRATION/MARINE SERVICES DIVISION

ESJ" I- Buck, Chief 717-787-2350 Paul Martin, Chief 717-787-3042 a,d W. Manhart. Deputy Chief 717-787-2350 John Simmons, Marine Sen/ices 717-787-3042 Betty Stroud, Boat Registrations 717-787-4480 vit Management Support/Boating Education Branch 1 Chambers, Boating Education 717-787-7684 (Vacant) Boating Information 717-787-7684

N REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES ((,... *EST, Walter G. Lazusky. Supervisor 814-437-5774 SOUTHWEST, Thomas F. Qualters, Supervisor 814-445-8974 Ur.-"0 Address 1281 Otter St., Franklin, Pa. 16323 Mailing Address RD 2, Somerset, Pa. 15501 °n 1281 Otter St., Franklin, Pa. 16323 Location On Lake Somerset, Somerset, Pa.

1^ THCENTRAL, Paul F. Swanson. Supervisor 717-748-5398 SOUTHCENTRAL, Richard Owens, Supervisor 717-436-2117 ln i B» Addres"aoress Box 688, Lock Haven, Pa. 17745 Mailing Address RD 3, Box 109, Mifflintown, Pa. 17059 Nation 129 Woodward Ave. (Dunnstown) Lock Haven. Pa. Location On Route 22. 3 miles west of Mifflintown, Pa. Hi I,, "tAST, Clair Fleeger, Supervisor 717-477-5717 SOUTHEAST, Norman W. Sickles, Supervisor 717-626-0228 '•'Hi n lN« ""9u AddAddres., s Box 88, Sweet Valley, Pa. 18656 Mailing Address Box 6. Elm, Pa. 17521 0 cati 0f1 On Harris Pond, Sweet Valley, Pa. Location On Speedwell Forge Lake on Brubaker Valley Road BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (State Headquarters) p„rs Paul F. O'Brien, Director % "nnel & Employment, Leon D. Boncarosky 717-787-7057 License Section, Mary Stine 717-787-6237 61 A a ^a? " lyst, Vincent Rollant 717-787-2599 Federal Aid Coordinator, Glen C. Reed 717-787-6391 V:h ,8' John Honman 717-787-6376 Office Services Supervisor, Chester Peyton 717-787-2363 a8'ng (Harrisburg). Avyril Richardson 717-787-2732 Purchasing (Bellefonte), Dennis Shultz 814-359-2754 h