Pennsylvania December 19901$!. 50 The Keystone States Official Fishing Magazine Boating activity in Pennsylvania continues to expand rapidly. The Fish Commission has been responsible for managing boating activities on Pennsylvania's waters since 1931, and the Commission has built the program into one of the largest, safest and most highly respected programs in the country. Independent surveys show that more than 2.9 million (27 percent) of Pennsylvania's residents boat regularly. These residents average more than 10 days of boating annually on Pennsylvania waters. The Commission will register nearly 300,000 boats in 1990, a number that has increased by five percent per year over the past 15 years. In addition, another 80,000 to 100,000 unpowered boats use our waterways and facilities. Pennsylvania must design and implement a comprehensive statewide boating program. A complete, well-designed program must identify all boats, and their operators need to be given full opportunity to participate in Commission safety education efforts. Registration of all boats is the fairest, most convenient and most economical method of reaching Pennsylvania's goal to keep Pennsylvania waters clean and safe for all boaters. In the past 18 years, 434 persons have lost their lives on Pennsylvania waters. The records quite clearly show that when adequate regulations, sufficient law enforcement efforts, proper boating education programs and safe access and waterways are provided, lives are saved. However, the Fish Commission has been unable to expand its efforts over the past 15 years because boating revenues have not provided for inflationary cost increases, let alone essential public program expansions. Funding of Pennsylvania's boating program is lagging behind its needs. Boat registration fees have not been increased since 1963, and it is necessary to update the current inadequate fee system so the many services needed by the boating public can continue to be provided. To accomplish this, the Commission has proposed the first step to be a new registration system that must be implemented within the next year if we are to continue current services, begin efforts to update our program and protect the lives and property of our boating public. Soon we will be asking the Pennsylvania General Assembly to act quickly on adjusting registration fees for powerboats to provide revenues needed to fund a modern boating program. The Fish Commission needs your support to obtain new regulations and legislation to do the job that must be done. Please advise your state senators and representatives that you support a well-funded boating program. Your support is essential because the future of boating in Pennsylvania waters and the many public benefits resulting from this very popular program are in serious jeopardy. Pennsylvania December 1990 Vol. 59 No. 12 Pennsylvania Fish Commission William J. Sabatose President ANGLER The Keystone State's Official Fishing Magazine Brockport Leonard A. Green Vice President Getting Started in Ice Fishing by Tom Fegely Carlisle Getting the right basic ice fishing equipment can help you enjoy hard-water Marilyn A. Black action 4 Cochranton David Coe The Navigation Chart User's Test by Art Michaels State College How much do you really know about using navigation charts? Take this test Ross J. Huhn and find out 7 Saltsburg Calvin J. Kern Struble Lake Ice Fishing Clinic by Chris Dolnack Whitehall Check out this hot tip for a cool event 10 T. T. Metzger, Jr. Johnstown KIDS PAGE! by Steve Ulsh Leon Reed Ice Fishing Quiz 12 Honesdale J. Wayne Yorks Pennsylvania Angler Subject Index, Volume 59 Benton (January Through December 1990) 13 Boating Advisory Board Behind the Boating Safety Scene by Cheryl Kimerline Hornung Donald J. Little The Bureau of Boating Division of Boating Safety and Education offers you Chairman many services 15 Philadelphia Clayton Buchanan Uncle Louie's Lesson by Joe Kline Pittsburgh Since the 1940s many things have changed. Luckily, some things Judy Obert haven't changed 19 Greentown Thaddeus Piotrowski The Lake Erie Research Unit by Roger B. Kenyon Bloomsburg What does the Commission do when the gales of November come early? 23 Magazine Staff Heating up Frozen Walleye by Paul M. Liikala Editor—Art Michaels Ice fishing for walleye can really get good if you use these tactics 26 Art Director—Ted Walke Circulation—Eleanor Mutch On the Water with Dave Wolf Staff Assistant—Rose Ann Bartal Reflections and aspirations 31 Staff Assistant—Charlene Glisan The cover This issue's wraparound cover \ \( i Pennsylvania Angler (ISSN0031-434X) is published monihly by Ihe shows the action at Marsh Creek Pennsylvania Fish Commission, 3532 Walnut Street, Harrisburg. PA 17109. Lake, in Chester County's Marsh ©1990. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Subscription rates: one Creek State Park. George Dolnack year, $9; three years. S25; single copies arc S1.50 each. Second class postage is paid at Harrisburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: took the picture. Let your ice fishing Angler Circulation. Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1673. For subscription and change of address, use above address. sizzle this season with the information Please allow six weeks for processing. Send all other correspondence to: in this issue on pages 4 and 26. And The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA 17)05- 1673. Editorial queries and contributions an: welcome, bul must be accompanied to cash in on an expert lesson in ice by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Material accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania Fish Commission standards and requirements fishing, turn to page 10. If you were a for editing and revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but the publisher kid in the 1940s, the story on page 19 assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of submissions in his possession or in transit. The authors' views, ideas and advice expressed may bring back memories. Do you in this magazine do not necessarily reflect [he opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission or its staff. The Pennsylvania Fish rise to a challenge? Take the test on if >!•£ Commission receives federal aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acts, the U. S. Department of Ihe Interior prohibits discrimination page 7. Finally, learn more about how on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap. If you the Commission spends fishing and believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire more information, please boating dollars by reading the stories write to: The Office of Equal Opportunity, Department of the Interior. Washington, DC 20240. on pages 15 and 23. Getting Started in y Tom Feg' Getting started in ice fishing really isn't all Tip-ups These simple devices consist of little more that complicated or expensive compared In Pennsylvania, the law requires that no than three crossed sticks, a small spool to to other angling sports. The total investment more than five holes may be used by an hold excess line, and a strip of flattened wire in a graphite fly rod outfit or a boron bass angler at one time. For this reason, most that springs into the air when a fish strikes. rod and baitcasting reel, for example, may anglers invest in only five tip-ups, although Tip-ups of this sort cost $3 to $4 each. run more than an entire array of ice angling a family of, say, four may legally tend 20 Some newer tip-up designs include a gear. of the excavations. popular model that operates with magnets. For under $ 100 you can get the basics When a fish strikes and the line necessary for heading moves the spool, a magnet onto the ice. Of moves and the signal device course, as in any other shoots upward. On another sport, there are dif­ style of tip-up, a device that ferences in equipment stands well out of the water quality. Yet, most ice indicates if the fish is taking the fishing gear is simple line—a helpful option when and you don't have to fishing for walleye or pickerel. make decisions on These tip-ups sell for $ 10 to $ 13 whether you want each. graphite or boron rods or casting and spinning Jigging sticks reels as you might These items are simplified have to when choos­ fishing rods, albeit considerably ing tackle for open- shorter in length. Many anglers water angling. But save money on these by cut­ there are choices to be ting down old fishing rods and made, such as whether attaching cheap baitcasting reels to buy a $3.75 wooden to them. But most jigging sticks tip-up or invest in one don't require reels. Excess line of the new $ 12 mod­ is wrapped around a wire holder els with features that and the fish is simply pulled make it wind-proof through the ice hole hand over and show when a fish hand. is running with the Depending on its features, bait. you can buy a jigging stick for Such details involve anywhere from $2.50 to about personal choices based $8. on budget and just how serious you are in Ice scoop making the sport an When you drill the ice hole, annual pursuit. To get there will be lots of small chips started it's a matter of and slush floating in the hole. first attending to the It's essential to remove these basics. Here is a pieces for the most efficient use shopping list of items of tip-ups and jigging sticks. you'll need before To keep your hands from get­ your first walk on ting numbed by the water, you water.