JULY 1939 TEN CENTS 4 OFFICIAL STATE JULY, 1939 PUBLICATION ANGLE If Vol

COMMON SUNFISH JULY 1939 TEN CENTS 4 OFFICIAL STATE JULY, 1939 PUBLICATION ANGLE if Vol. 8—No. 7 ••*= =»• PUBLISHED MONTHLY COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA by the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS m Publication Office: Front and Reno Streets, New Cumberland, Pa. Executive and Editorial Offices: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commis CHARLES A. FRENCH sioners, Harrisburg, Pa. Commissioner of Fisheries W. MEMBERS OF BOARD Ten cents a copy—50 cents a year CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairman Ellwood City MILTON L. PEEK ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor Radnor South Office Bldg.. Harrisburg, Pa. HARRY E. WEBER Philipsburg NOTE SAMUEL J. TRUSCOTT Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER Dalton should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either by check or money order payable to the Common wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. EDGAR W. NICHOLSON Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. Philadelphia FRED McKEAN New Kensington PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper H. R. STACKHOUSE credit will be given to contributors. Secretary to Board All contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office of C. R. BULLER New Cumberland, Pa., under Act of March 3, 1879. Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte ••!: =&' IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address Please give both old and new addresses Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given Vol. 8 No. 7 *ANGLER7 JULY, 1939 EDITORIAL BROOD STOCK VITAL IN BASS CULTURE NE of the important factors in fish propagation is to have available a O dependable continuous supply of proven brood stock. For a number of years the Board's bass work was handicapped because they were not successful in raising the needed parent fish under hatchery conditions, and had to depend entirely upon fish taken from the wild state to produce the fry for stocking the nursery pools. This method was far from satisfactory. Bass transferred from wild waters to hatchery ponds, were rarely induced to take artificial food, with the results that minnows and other live natural foods had to be provided,—this very often was difficult and costly to obtain. They could only be depended upon to produce an egg crop the first season. Those held over for use the second year proved in most cases to be sterile. This was probably due to food shortage and the work of internal parasites. Most fish living in a state of nature are carriers of various kinds of parasites. Under natural conditions these organisms may not cause the fish any serious harm. However when fish so infected are held under crowded Hatchery condi tions, a serious loss may be expected. This loss is not necessarily limited to the fish brought to the hatchery, but may result in spreading the organisms among the hatchery pools, causing a high fish mortality. About eight years ago the Board retained a number of fingerling small-mouth bass at the Pleasant Mount Hatchery, with the thought of growing them for brood purposes, and each succeeding year, the same practice has been followed, so that at the present time there are between five hundred and a thousand hatchery reared bass reaching sexual maturity each year. This number has been sufficient to take care of the normal loss of the parent fish, and also furnished those needed, due to hatchery expansion. The small-mouth bass used for reproduction purposes at all of the hatcheries are hatchery reared, a number of which have just passed through their fourth spawning year. These older fish are in a perfect condition and are preferred as brood stock to those of four or five years of age. Pleasant Mount Hatchery is one of the proven bass plants both in the produc tion of small-mouthed and large-mouthed fingerling, and under the present day system of management, little difficulty is found in growing small-mouth bass to adult size. The reverse, however, has proven to be the case with the large- mouthed bass, and annually, for seven years, the results have been a failure. The unsolved mystery is that while the Bellefonte Hatchery is outstanding in the growing of fingerling small-mouth bass, efforts to grow the fish to maturity, have not been any too satisfactory, while the large-mouth variety is being grown with marked success. The domesticated bass for brood stock is important because it permits selective breeding to be carried on with the thought of improving the fish to the same or even greater extent than has been done with trout. It gives a fair assurance of an annual egg crop. Where bass had to be obtained from the wild waters each year there was an uncertainty of obtaining the number needed. Feeding the adults is greatly simplified, as the domesticated fish feed upon artificial food, and the ever-present danger of introducing disease organisms in the hatchery from wild fish is eliminated. Commissioner of Fisheries 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER JULY HAIR MINNOWS AND STREAMER FLIES FOR BASS By WILLIAM R. WALTON HE popularity of the streamer fly in all tion. Otherwise, the head may serve to decrease The hair minnow above described is practical, T of its many forms has grown rapidly in the clearance between the shank and the barb effective and very durable. The principal wear recent years. These flies are effective and sufficiently to prevent hooking the striking on them is caused by the scratches produced by easy to cast except in windy weather. Even fish—a most important consideration as I have the teeth of the fish and can be repaired easily then the addition of a small spinner, preferably learned to my sorrow in partly hung fish. when the tackle is overhauled. brass or gold in my case, renders them Such heads dry hard within a few hours practicable during a gale when the wise fisher In tying this or any other fly, examine first when placed in a warm place. It is advisable man will seek some less enjoyable occupation. the soundness of the hook used. Even the best to construct them in two layers, most of the of hooks procurable may have their imperfec material being applied at the first operation and In the course of fishing for large mouth tions and by all means sharpen the points even bass in recent years, I have found that a hair the hollows or uneven parts filled or smoothed though they may seem sharp. For this purpose minnow constructed as hereafter described, has with additional material an hour or so later. nothing I have found equals the small hard, proved not only very effective but has landed When perfectly hard the excess material may many fish of a size large for local waters. It be whittled away with a sharp knife and after "lilly white" Arkansas oil stones made for is tied on number 1 to 3 model perfect hooks ward smoothed perfectly with fine sandpaper. sharpening wood carving tools. With such a but smaller sizes may be used. The finer sizes of garnet paper, 7/0-240, is stone a keener point can be put on a hook even better for this purpose. Any plastic wood than by any other means readily available. As The body and "wings" are constructed of the which may remain on the fingers may be re compared with the ordinary fine carborundum tail hair of the impali (impala) antelope which moved by a rag wet with nitrate lacquer thinner stone, as made for sharpening hooks, the may be purchased either in the white, or dyed purchasable from paint stores. Arkansas stone is as the modern hollow point standard colors, from dealers in fly-tying materials at a reasonable price. This hair is In finishing the heads of hair minnows the hook is to the spear point. somewhat finer in texture than that of our eyes may be painted on but I prefer to insert Among the hair streamer flies of ordinary native deer, has a life-like action in the water number 3 to 4, glass, birds' eyes having a shape that have been somewhat ballyhooed is and dries quickly after removal therefrom. yellow iris and black pupil. These may be one that somebody has named the "Micky purchased from dealers in taxidermists' supplies Finn". This is really a hair version of the old A long shank hook may be used if preferred at not to exceed 3 cents per pair. but I prefer the standard length for this type and well known Colonel Fuller, i.e. yellow with of lure as it has been my experience that bass The operation is simple, viz : holes slightly a red center streak, deservedly popular among grasp the head of such a fly first, and when the larger than the eyes are drilled in the hard anglers for small mouth bass and which was hook barb is not located close enough to it the material to receive them; a little waterproof demonstrated to the writer many years ago by fish fails to hang. cement is placed therein and the cavity is im his old fishing pal Walter B. Powell of Waynes mediately filled with fresh plastic wood. The boro, Pa., than whom there is no better fly One of my favorite hair minnow patterns is eyes, which come in pairs mounted on soft fisherman. I say fisherman not tournament white belly with a scarlet red back; red hackle iron wire, are then cut off leaving about one caster, not to throw any dead cats at a game with jungle cock shoulder as illustrated in sixteenth inch of wire on them, and pressed that "is fine for them as likes it".

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