December, 1936 Photo by La Mar Mumbar Aj
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i-fO& WINTER ON THE PERKIOMEN Vol.5. No. 12 DECEMBER, 1936 PHOTO BY LA MAR MUMBAR AJ OFFICIAL STATE DECEMBER, 1936 PUBLICATION ^ANGLER? Vol. 5 No. 12 cm/ess flr^J PUBLISHED MONTHLY COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA by the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS HI Five cents a copy — 50 cents a year OLIVER M. DEIBLER Commissioner of Fisheries C. R. BULLER Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor 111 South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. MEMBERS OF BOARD • OLIVER M. DEIBLER, Chairman i 1 1 Greensburg MILTON L. PEEK Devon NOTE CHARLES A. FRENCH Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER Elwood City should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either HARRY E. WEBER by check or money order payable to the Common Philipsburg wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. SAMUEL J. TRUSCOTT Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. Dalton DAN R. SCHNABEL 111 Johnstown KDGAR W. NICHOLSON PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu Philadelphia tions and photos of catches from its readers. Pro KENNETH A. REID per credit will be given to contributors. Connellsville All contributions returned if accompanied by firs! H. R. STACKHOUSE class postage. Secretary to Board «p= —* 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. 5. No. 12 DECEMBER, 1936 ^ANGLER/ EDITORIAL Commission Scored Advances This Year As 1936 is drawing to a close, it is dale, Cumberland County, Reynolds- of some of these species of adult size a most appropriate time for the Board dale, Bedford County, Torresdale, has been made during the past year of Fish Commissioners to extend Philadelphia and the Union City so that the great army of fishermen Pennsylvania fishermen and sports Hatchery in Erie County was com who enjoy the lowly sucker, bluegill, men, Yuletide Greetings and Best pletely given over to the propagation yellow perch and bullhead or catfish Wishes for many happy days astream of bass. The results of the expansion can look forward to some very enjoy during 1937. was, that while our numbers of bass able days next spring when the sea When we reflect over the year, it stocked were not as great in propor son for this type of fishing comes is most gratifying and encouraging tion as was the size and quality of the around. to note advancements made that will bass produced, many complimentary The Board has been greatly encour guarantee for the betterment of our letters have been received at the office aged and wishes to extend their future fishing in Pennsylvania. We from bass enthusiasts complimenting thanks and congratulations for the have many definite and concrete re the Board on the size and quality of fine cooperation received from the sults that have been obtained under the bass shipped into the respective sportsmen during the past year. In the leadership of Governor Earle and territories. past years it has been sometimes diffi the efficient enforcement of our pres Much of the success in our bass cult to get sufficient and proper help ent pollution laws under Grover C. work has been the result of experi in stocking the fish when delivered to Ladner. During the year, the source menting over a number of years, es the stream. There has been, however, of many of our most harmful pollu pecially in regards to the feeding a very marked increase in interest tion and fish killings have been en which has always been the big prob and willingness on the part of the tirely eliminated, and corrective mea lem for the bass culturists. C. R. Bul- sportsmen to lend valuable assistance sures taken in many others that will ler, our Chief of Fish Culture, and during the past year. restore a great many miles of hereto his able staff of assistants are to be fore polluted waters to such a con congratulated for their fine showing I have often said and remarked re dition that they will again support fish in our bass work this year. peatedly that the future of our fish ing rests entirely in the hands of the life. In some instances it was neces Equal to the bass in popularity with sary to use the strong arm of the law, fishermen. The Board can produce all the sportsmen are the brown, brook the fish our available funds will pro while in others, industry showed a and rainbow trout which have been marked willingness to cooperate in heavily stocked with fish of legal size vide, and yet that would not solve the eliminating pollution from our wa during the past year, and should in problem of our fishing, if the sports ters. sure real sport for the trout fisher man does not do his part in helping In spite of the natural handicaps men when the season opens next to protect these fish which are their of the most severe winter in history spring. The March flood affected the own property, and to help in provid when many of our streams froze al trout work more than any other as ing suitable food and cover in our most solid to the bottom, and then fol we suffered severe loss, not only in waters. The problem is squarely up to lowed by the most disastrous flood in the great number of trout that were the fishermen, whether we are to per the history of our State, and later on washed away, but many of the rear petuate this sport for the future, as in the summer months by a very se ing pools were completely destroyed it is one type of sport where all the vere drought, many of our streams and had to be rebuilt. The trout fish pleasure can be enjoyed without ruin reached the lowest level in their his ermen were indeed fortunate that ing its source. This can be accom tory, the reports reaching us from even after suffering the severe loss by plished by practicing conservation in fishermen indicate that the fishing the flood and the severe winter, they not killing more fish than is one's season was successful in spite of the were still able to enjoy fairly success share and always showing due respect handicaps. ful trout fishing and with the splendid and consideration for his fellow- A review of the bass season, which supply of trout of legal size at the sportsmen. It is not how many fish closed on November 30th, indicates present time in our hatcheries for you catch and kill, but how many are that our bass waters are staging a stocking next spring, and with the left that counts—that is our over-last splendid comeback. The old favorite one-half million or more that have ing guarantee for the future of our bass waters yielded their usual catch been stocked this fall, we can look sport. Let us always practice the and in addition, many new areas that forward with considerable optimism Board's slogan, "IF YOU WOULD have been stocked in recent years to the 1937 trout fishing. LIKE TO CATCH MORE FISH, LET showed surprising results. In spite of the increased interest US KILL LESS." The Board enlarged its bass work and activity in regards to trout and very considerably this past year and bass, the Board has not neglected instead of confining our bass work to that other class of fishermen who en the one large hatchery at Pleasant joy fishing for the panfish or some Mount, we developed new areas at times termed our food fish. The heav '.XfecML- Spring Creek, Centre County, Hunts- iest stocking in the Board's history Commissioner of Fisheries 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER PENNSYLVANIA RECORD FISH FOR 1936 By ALEX P. SWEIGART HILE 1936 may have been an erratic — —*—— ™ and length of 36 inches, was caught in the year from the weather angle, flood ~ ——— - -—- Allegheny River by Henry Zdanowski of and drought considered, it produced for Vandergrift. Pennsylvania anglers many big game fish. From every angle, fishing for panfish and We may say, without prejudice, that the _—___—_ jl food fish was highly satisfactory during the catches made.in our streams and lakes this past year. year compare favorably with those of other Fi The Trout Season seasons on record. Perhaps the most encour If T Ushered in by a mild opening day in mid- aging angle to the situation relates to bass April and waters still running heavy cur fishing. While the largest smallmouth bass rents from spring rains, the trout season and largemouth bass reported his year, did produced some fine catches of brook, brown not quite achieve the weight of the record 1 f '• and rainbow trout. While, in the brook trout bass in the two classes reported for 1935, _ , „ . __„—„J division, the largest fish does not approach definitely more reports of bass from 3 to 5 1 in weight or length the 4-pound brookie pounds in weight were received. taken last year by John Lucas in Sullivan In reviewing the season catch, we shall, county, many fine speckled trout over 10 as has been our custom, start with the first 14 inches in length were reported from streams in various sections of the state. A feminine fishing of the year, sucker fishing. Extreme "^^PBBWP*W ly cold weather and frozen streams prevent angler, Mrs. Edna Salamy of Shenandoah, has the distinction this year of having taken ed much sucker fishing during the winter, • •iii'iiriiiiiiiiiiiiiimlai and when the ice broke in March, the flood the largest brookie reported.