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NovemberJlg4l PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER

OFFICIAL STATE VOL. XIV-No. 11 PUBLICATION NOVEMBER, 1945

OFFICIAL STATE PUBLICATION

CX3 PUBLISHED MONTHLY EDWARD MARTIN Governor by the PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA COMMISSIONERS BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS

Publication Office: J. Horace McFarland Co., CHARLES A. FRENCH Crescent and Mulberry Streets, Harrisburg, Pa. Commissioner of Fisheries Executive and Editorial Offices: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Board of Fish Com­ missioners, Harrisburg, Pa. MEMBERS OF BOARD 10 cents a copy—50 cents a year CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairma.. Ellwood City

JOHN L. NEIGER EDITED BY— Scranton J. ALLEN BARBETT, Lecturer Pennsylvania Fish Commission JOSEPH M. CRITCHFIELD Confluence South Office Building, Harrisburg CLIFFORD J. WELSH • Erie

NOTE J. FRED McKEAN Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER New Kensington should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either by check or money order payable to the Common­ MILTON L. PEEK wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. Radnor Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. CHARLES A. MENSCH Bellefonte PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu­ tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper EDGAR W. NICHOLSON credit will be given to contributors. Philadelphia

II. R. STACKHOUSE Secretary to Board All contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. Entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office C. B. BULLEB of Harrisburg, Pa., under act of March 3, 1873. Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte Cp

IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address. Please give old and new addresses.

Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given. PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER

VOL. XIV—No. 11 NOVEMBER, 1945

COVER CASTING—A REFLECTION! By IKE WALTON

Seventh prize winner in nation-wide photo contest conducted by SOUTH BEND BAIT COMPANY, South Bend, Indiana. Photo courtesy of South Bend—A Name Famous In Fishing. EDITORIAL

In This Issue:

THE DIE-HARD By JOHN W. KORDA "Day Is Dying In The West"!

Just as all good things must come to an end—just as night o'ertakes HELLGRAMMITES the daytime—so too, must the open season for fishing come to an end. By PAUL Q. TULENKO November 31st and the mantle of "closed season" falls on fishing in Pennsylvania.

ALONG THE PERKIOMEN Soon Mother Nature will paint the outdoors in raiments of "Winter- (A Poem) Wonderland." Ice and snow reflect myriads of soft blending By G. EARLE THOMPSON beauty. From the North the wind will blow, no time for fish'n and children will listen—to hear sleigh bells in the snow.

THE LITTLE FROGS BUT the program of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission will go By DON BLAIR merrily along. Trout, brook, brown and rainbow will be stripped of their spawn. Nested eggs will hatch and millions of baby fish will be carefully nourished until the warm breath of Spring when they will A. PENNSYLVANIAN SHOWS 'EM be placed in outdoor ponds to grow. HOW TO CATCH FISH IN THE SEA By WILLIAM BOYD A breathing spell, as it were. Just four and one-half months of "time7 .

1945 has been a remarkable year. Fishing was good with some of the HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE finest catches in the history of our sport. From all over Pennsylvania FISHING FRONTS (Pictorial) came hundreds of photos of prize creels, creels we were most happy to publish in the columns of the ANGLER—keep them coming!

FOR BETTER HUNTING— In these last fleeting moments we wish you the best of luck—but hurry, AND FISHING for—"Day Is Dying In The West—Touching Heaven And Earth To By R. H. Hood Rest." —THE PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER

TACKLE TERMINOLOGY

FISH COMMISSION HONOR ROLL 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER THE DIE-HARD By JOHN W. KORDA AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FIRST SERIAL RIGHTS

"Ho, ho!" chuckled Judge. "A die-hard. 'Judge.' We still call him Judge although he's a One'll get you two you don't even get one over banker now. And this is Bill. We sometimes two pounds." call him 'Stuffy.' " "I'll take ten of that," snapped Fred. "He's a taxidermist," he added unnecessarily. "Care to make it more?" goaded Judge. "But where on earth did you get that—that "Careful now, Fred," interposed Bill. "You monster?" know they haven't been biting anywhere for "Well," said Jim, handing the fish to Bill who weeks. Personally, I don't think there's another had the scales, "it's a long story, but I'll try to bass the size of Judge's in the river for twenty make it short. You see, I wasn't having much miles. If / couldn't snag one," he added modestly luck all day. Just a couple of little ones. So I "they just ain't there." kept going upstream until I came to that swampy John W. Korda "He probably got his in a fish market," said part. You know, around the big bend?" Fred. They nodded. "Sour grapes, Freddie. You just waited too "Well, after I got past there, I went up the long. The early bird gets the worm, you know. bank and cut through the woods until I came to Yessir, that six and a half pounder is going to a place where a sign said: 'Private Property— RED WHITCOMB turned a disapproving make me champ this year. It's leading in the No Trespassing.' " eye on "Judge" Foley. To tell the truth, F county up until tonight. Pretty good. A hundred "That'll be old Angus' place," said Bill. Fred was a little nettled by his friend's compla­ dollars from the contest and fifty from you. No, "What the heck did you go in there for?" de­ cency. Judge sat there sprawled at his ease, his now it's sixty. Picture and story in the "Weekly'— manded Judge. chair tipped back against the wall, his feet on the I'll be famous. This sleepy town will have some­ "It didn't say 'positively,' and anyway I don't work bench. thing to talk about." believe in signs like that," explained Jim. "Tell you what, Fred," he said, "I'll give you a "No, no. I mean why did you go in there? "He probably caught that bass in a fish trap," chance to crawl out. If you want to, that is." For what reason?" "That's very nice of you, I'm sure," replied said Fred to Bill. Fred as he watched Bill Withers repair a broken "I'll tell you what, Freddie," continued Judge, fly rod. The back room of Bill's combination "to make it easy on you Saturday night when you sporting goods, hardware, and taxidermist shop come here to pay off, I'll bring the eats. Can't was a favorite meeting place of the three. expect the loser to pay for everything. Let's see, "Let Bill decide," said Judge. "Put down there'll be five of us." your tools a minute, Bill, and answer this fair "Five?" and square." "Sure. You and I and Bill. And, of course, a Bill raised his bald head and set the damaged couple of newspaper boys I know. Why, Freddie, fly rod at Judge's feet. you wouldn't deprive me of a little write-up. "Man to man now, what chance has Fred to And my picture in the paper. Oh yes, and my six win ?" and a half pound beauty that Bill mounted so "Why, none if you say so," agreed Bill. And nice for me. Make it about nine and—what on he winked a mild blue eye at Fred. earth . . .?" "Well, then," Judge pulled off the cap of an­ With an explosion of sound the screen door other bottle, "I'll let you crawl out of it, Fred. burst, open and a head poked through. On account of we're such old friends I'll let you "Unk! Uncle Fred. Aunt Liz said I'd find you off easy. Bight now. But you better take my here. Wait till you see what I've got." offer quick. I may change my mind by the time I The head withdrew. A moment later a car finish this bottle." door slammed. Then the screen door was rudely "That shouldn't be long," said Fred, and he thrust open once more and in came the biggest, mumbled something that made Bill smile. the fattest, the most gorgeous hunk of black bass "Oh, but there's a catch to it," said Judge those three startled pairs of eyes had ever wit­ coming up for air. "There's just a little for­ nessed. It hung there, huge and pot-bellied, mality first. Yessir . . ." He paused. "All you while the figure that held it made no comment. have to do is admit before witnesses, like well, Dark green overlaid with a metallic sheen, its "Oh. It was a short cut, and besides I thought say John Toomey—or anyone else on the 'Au­ color had not yet faded. It was fresh-looking and I saw a lake." burn Center Weekly' will do—admit that I'm lifelike. From the broad, powerful tail to the "A lake? Why, there's no lake around here, the better fisherman. Just for the record, you gaping jaw, its every line proclaimed savage Jim," said Fred. "What made you think there know. There's—" fighting spirit. was a lake in there?" "Why you old goat!" exploded Fred. "You "I saw it from a tree." The three friends in the taxidermist's workshop old white-headed, red-faced goat. You never "A tree? What on earth were you doing in a ! stared bugeyed. It was a full minute before their even saw the day you could carry my rod. You tree?" eyes traveled up the string to the figure holding never did and you never will. And if it wasn't for it. "Getting my bearings. It was getting late, and that gold-plated luck of yours, you wouldn't be I didn't want to go back through that swamp. "Good gosh, Jim," breathed Fred reverently. so cocky now." It looked like a short cut." "That's a beauty. Sure is," said Bill. "Sour grapes, Freddie .^my boy. It's results "But there's no lake around here." Judge brought his chair down with a bang. that count. I got 'em. Now all you have to do is "Well, it might have been a stone quarry or I "Weigh the fish and who is this?" he demanded admit it, and I'll release you from our little bet. something once." all in one breath. And that's about as magnanimous an offer as "But there's no—say! That must be that old I I've ever Jieard. You know you haven't got a It was a tall young man in mud spattered abandoned sandstone pit on Angus' place, Bill. I Chinaman's chance any more." dungarees who held the prize. Suntanned, his Why, I didn't know even there was water in it I "What a laugh," snorted Fred. "If you weren't sweaty face split by a wide grin, he stood en­ let alone something like that." And Fred stared still scared of losing that bet you wouldn't be so joying the sensation he was creating. Symbolic at Jim's prize as Bill weighed it. quick with an offer. I'm not giving up yet. I've of conquest was a not-so-white sailor hat perched "Neither did I," said Bill. "I haven't been i still got a couple of days. All it takes is one good at a jaunty tilt over his left ear. across his place in years. That old skinflint day—one good cast, even. So help me, I'll beat "Oh," said Fred, mastering his astonishment, wouldn't let anyone on his land for a million I you yet." "this is my nephew Jim, home on leave. This is pounds of sugar. He wanted a month's pay just j 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 3

to hunt on his property just a couple of years Fred eyed the climb with dismay. Wiping his "Oh, we get along all right, I guess. Least I ago." forehead with a gaudy red bandana, he sat on a never had any trouble with him. He's just stingy "Well, I got 'im in there. Almost on the first rock to catch his breath. In contrast to Jim's and mean, that's all. Hates to see somebody get cast, too," said Jim. blue dungarees, Fred wore faded old brown something for nothing. I probably could have "That water must be forty feet deep if it's trousers and a baggy coat to match. But on his paid my way in, but I don't want anybody to an inch," mused Fred. "Plenty of room for de­ head he wore, like Jim, a natty little white hat. find out. I want Judge to think I fished the velopment there." Looped around his neck by its strings hung a river. Look," he said in a low excited voice, "I "Not where I caught it, Uncle Fred. There's a pair of tennis shoes. Besides a flashlight sticking see water just through these bushes." good-sized shallow part where the little creek out of his hip pocket, all he carried was his rod. "I see, but what are we whispering for?" asked comes in." "You know, Jim," he said, getting up, "if we Jim softly. "How much?" demanded Judge impatiently didn't have to sneak in like this, we could have "I don't know," whispered Fred. "Hist! and apprehensively. "What's it weigh?" come in by the road. The way you got out the What was that? I thought I heard—" "Six pounds and twelve ounces, Judge," said other night." "Damn," cried a voice just on the other side of Bill. "I'm afraid it's got yours beat by four "Want me to take those shoes, Uncle Fred?" the bushes. ounces." asked Jim. Fred and Jim froze. Fred's face registered "It looks a bit sick," said Judge enviously. "No, I'll manage," said Fred. And despite the comical consternation and disappointment. They "Who's talking about sour grapes now?" difference in age and agility he led the way over stood there for a moment, rigidly attentive, then asked Fred. "Fine work, Jimmie. We'll enter it the slippery shale. He continued to lead for the Jim crept silently forward and peered through m the contest as soon as Bill here notarizes it. next half hour, sloshing along the trickling creek, the bushes. Even your old uncle couldn't have done better." stumbling over fallen logs, slipping on mossy "Why, hello, Judge," he greeted, standing "Even I couldn't," said Bill modestly. stones. He battled persistent mosquitoes pa­ erect and stepping through the bushes. "Boy, that's a sure winner," Fred went on. tiently as he doggedly pushed his way up that Fred followed quickly, and, looking over Jim's You make it official, Bill. What do you say to narrow little valley. He was perspiring more shoulder, saw a very much surprised and flus­ that, Judge?" freely now, but the damp air only sent a chill tered Judge Foley. "I've got to go now," said Judge. "Promised through him. He mopped his forehead and "What are you doing here?" demanded Fred. my wife I'd be home early." And he left without struggled on. He concentrated with all the grim "What are you doing here?" countered Judge. another word. determination of a man betting his last dollar. "Bring your nephew to catch a fish for you?" "Judge took it pretty hard," said Bill. "He "Why don't you go home?" asked Fred irri­ figured he had the contest in the bag what with tably. only two days to go and the fishing being what it "I was just leaving," replied Judge sweetly. has been lately." "Although maybe I ought to stay around awhile "Say, that gives me an idea," exclaimed Fred. and give you a few pointers. Not that it would 'Let's go, Jim. I've got some planning to do." do much good. There can't be anything in here. "Want it stuffed, Jim?" asked Bill hopefully. If there was, I'd have caught it." "Stuff it? I'm going to eat it. I like fish," Seeing Fred was in no, mood for banter, Judge said Jim defensively, seeing the horror in Bill's picked up his fancy tackle. "Don't forget our eyes. date tonight," he sajd and turned off into the "Think of all the points it'll save," said Fred, bushes across the creek. waving cheerfully. "So long, Bill. Let's go, Jim." Fred stood still, a bit depressed, while the sound of Judge's crashing through the bushes When Fred and Jim got into the car, with grew fainter and fainter. He stood motionless Jim behind the wheel, Fred burst out with the for about five minutes until he was startled by a Question that had been choking him for ten shout from the far end of the pool. Looking into minutes. the sun he saw a rotund figure waving its arm. "Do you think you could find that pond again, Jim?" he asked. "I've got one more "Don't stay too long," shouted the silhouette. chance, Saturday evening, to beat Judge and "Ha, ha! Don't fall in." The figure disappeared. Win." "I wish he wouldn't make so much noise," "Oh, I could find it easy enough, Uncle Fred. complained Fred. "He'll bring out the blood­ °ut what's all this about you and Judge?" John Appert, 10 yrs. old, and nice 13%-inch Rain­ hounds. And where in Sam Hill's he think he's bow Trout he caught in the Lackawaxen near going in that direction? Acts like he owns the "We've got a fifty dollar bet on who catches Kimble the biggest bass. Everybody knows I'm a better place." fisherman than Judge. But when a man's got Fred looked around. "Suppose you get things toore luck than brains ..." He shook his head. He never uttered a word until the gulley leveled ready while I reconnoitre, Jim," and without 'They haven't been biting for months. Worst off to a gentle slope at the top of the hill. Looking waiting for an answer, Fred pushed off through Part of it is the papers know all about the bet. back, he could just see the top of the tall tree Jim the bushes. Judge saw to that. If I lose I'll take a riding that had climbed. "If I don't beat Judge today, I'll never hear He found the going difficult. Blackberry ?iH last all winter. But I'm not licked yet. bushes and ironwood scrubs formed an entangle­ What did you catch him on, Jim?" the end of it," he panted. "I used to beat him all the time, but he got me last year. And now ment that taxed his patience. The tangle of "On a frog. On a big green one." this. It's just luck. That's all; just luck. Oh, I bushes grew right to the edge of the pond and "I hope that wasn't the only one." don't say he's not a workmanlike angler, but he's bulged over. It wasn't until Fred had made his 'Frog? Why, there's millions of 'em, Uncle no artist. No finesse. Why, he buys every gad­ way nearly to the first corner of the quarry that F red. Millions." get that comes out. If I had his gold-plated he was able to find a place from which he could "No. I mean bass." luck ..." He walked on in silence for awhile. view the situation. Oh, there's more in there, Uncle Fred. Why, "I'd give fifty dollars—cheerfully—to beat A huge elm, split by a bolt of lightning years i saw one jump that could have swallowed this Judge. Fifty dollars, heck, I'd give my right back, slanted into the water twenty feet below. °ne whole." arm. And to catch one like the one you got, Fred groped his way carefully out along the 'That's all I wanted to hear," said Fred even climbing over this—this commando course slanting trunk until he found a vantage point happily. "Home, James, and tell me all about would be worth it." from which to view the calm waters beneath. it." "Here's 'no man's land,' Uncle Fred," said The pond was about the size and shape of a foot­ Fred was perspiring freely by the time Jim Jim, pointing to a triple strand barb-wire fence. ball field, walled by a rectangular, box-like vault unally halted him. An hour's forced march along "And there's the sign. It's only a little way from of rust-streaked gray stone. Three sides were a winding river bank, especially right after an here through these bushes." perpendicular. Fred quickly saw there was no early supper, would make anyone short-winded. "You know, this is pretty underhanded, Jim, place there from which to cast, including where * red's spirit was willing, but he was no longer the trespassing on another man's property," said he stood, no place except the open end where he at hlete of thirty years ago. Fred as he squeezed through the strands of wire. could see Jim squatting over the tackle box. „. Here's the tree I climbed," pointed Jim "But doggonit, I've just got to take this chance." There the water was shallow where the little ^nd there's where we take off. Up that creek "What's the matter, Uncle Fred, don't you get creek oozed in and out of the quarry. ~ed." He pointed to a shelf of gray shale. "Up along with Angus? A couple of fish more or less Peering into the clear, pale green water, Fred that gully for about half a mile." aren't going to hurt him." (Turn to Page 18) 4 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER

The Hellgrammite, 1. Adult female. 2. Head of adult male. 3. The larva which lives In streams. All drawings are reproduced here A* "Hellgrammite Container" natural size.

BREAK has been given to ordinary run-of- female at this stage. Three legs extend on either hardware cloth cylinder with a wood bottom and A mine fishermen by publication in recent side of the forepart of the body; and from the top. This container has a hinged lid on the top issues of The Ohio Conservation Bulletin of ar­ last legs along the sides of the latter two-thirds and is made to fit inside a standard minnow- ticles on natural baits, such as minnow farming, of the body to the end of the tapered tail, numer­ bucket. The hellgrammites are placed in the wire worm culture, leech facts—and now a discussion ous plumelike appendages used in breathing give container with only a little water (sufficient to of hellgrammites. It is to be hoped that the ar­ the appearance of many additional legs. Even the cover the bottom of the inner container one or tificial bait boys will be patient—could be that rear end of this creature is equipped with a small two inches) in the bucket. When taken to the they might want to break over some time just pinching apparatus. stream the inner container should be put in the for curiosity's sake. In spite of its fearful appearance, the hell­ water of the stream as with a minnow-bucket. PfcWe are indebted to the Missouri Conserva­ grammite larva is not nearly as vicious as it looks If the insects are stored between fishing expe­ tionist for use of the drawings used in this dis­ and may be handled with reasonable impunity. ditions, the inner container should be placed in a cussion, and for much of the text taken from an Although it will stick to the fingers and pinch large tub with two inches of water and should be article by Paul Q. Tuienko that was published slightly, the nip is comparatively light when com­ kept in a cool dark place. The water must be in that splendid little magazine recently. pared to the powerful pinch of a crowdad. The changed every other day. Under such conditions, The hellgrammite is thought by many fisher­ hellgrammite is definitely not poisonous. the larvae remain quite healthy and active and men to be unexcelled as bait for almost any kind With practice, the bait hunter can quickly frequently spend as much time crawling on the of game and food fish. develop an art for handling the creature. The wire as they do underneath the water. I have not tried to see how long they can endure such con­ The Larva is the Bait best method for the timid and squeamish, as well ditions, but I have kept them for six weeks, at the THE ADULT hellgrammite, also known as the as for the experienced, is to grasp the insect from the back and just below the head. In this grip the end of which time they appeared to be just as Dobson fly or Crawler, is a large, graceful winged hardy and wiggly as the day I captured them. creature about 2J-3 to 3 inches long which is com­ weapons of defense cannot be brought into play. monly seen on May or June nights around electric Hellgrammite larvae are found in almost any lights in rural communities near fast-flowing stream where the water flows swiftly over rock A Fast-water Bait streams. In the short period of its life, the adult or gravel riffles. Because of its secretive habits, The hellgrammite should never be used as bait Dobson Fly lays long, one-half inch wide, chalk- though, few people ever see it and this is one in still water unless the water is so clear that white clusters of eggs on leaves, weeds, pilings or reason why not many fishermen use it for bait. every action of the bait and fish can be seen. The bridge abutments overhanging the streams. However, the fisherman who tries it under proper best place is below riffles at the head of eddies, When hatched, the larvae immediately drop into conditions will never regret his experience. and also in deep chutes. These are the places the water where they seek the safety of the where fish are accustomed to find this type of gravelly and rocky riffles in fast flowing stretches. Minnow Seine Aids in Capture food and the force of the running water prevents Here they crawl a little way under the rocks to In capturing hellgrammites I have found a two- the larva from holding to the bottom of the make the home where they will live for approxi­ man team equipped with a six-foot minnow seine stream where he immediately would attempt to mately the next three years. It is during this to be an effective combination. Three persons dig in. larval stage that the hellgrammite is of most are much better and less tiring, since two can In fastening the hellgrammite to the hook two interest to fishermen. hold the seine, and the third man disturbs the methods are effective: one is to hook it near the rocks about four feet upstream from the seine end of the tail, and the other is to pass the hook Ugly, But Not Dangerous by turning them over and stirring the gravel and down and under the stiff collar which appears Taken out of its shelter under the rocks, the debris around. The hellgrammites are thus dis­ just back of the head. The hook should be fas­ larva is truly a horrible appearing creature that lodged from their hiding places, roll up in balls tened to 6 or 8 feet of six or eight-pound level looks like a monstrous cross between a scorpion and are swept by the current into the net. Pick leader or a medium-weight tapered leader. Where and a centipede. When full grown it is between 'em out often or they'll crawl out. the current is excessively swift, a split shot of two and three inches long, dirty dark brown in Hellgrammites are extremely hardy and may suitable size may be necessary to carry the bait color, and its segmented body is somewhat be carried and kept for a long time. I have de­ down so that it will be near the bottom. This flattened. At the front end is a set of small pin­ veloped a special container for this purpose which weight may be placed 14 to 16 inches from the cers, which are the same size in the male as in the consists simply of a fine mesh (J^-inch or less) hook. 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 5 Below Indian Head Dam ALONG THE PERKIOMEN SILVER LAKE PROJECT IS There many an autumn holiday, STARTED BY STATE 'Mid scenes of rustic beauty, Hard-Surfaced Road to Run Along Part of O'erhanging trees their tints display, the Lake—Much Grading Needed Jack Frost has done his duty. Each hidden turn brings into view. Work has started on the new hard-surfaced More likely spots to try, road which will run for a distance of 2400 feet Each waving riffle something new. around the lower half of Silver Lake near Bristol, Where bass reach for the fly. Bucks County. There walled in by the shaley cliffs, With scarce a whisper spoken, Equipment and men from the State Highway Have we a silence deep enjoyed. Department, under the direction of County Along the Perkiomen. Superintendent of Roads, Edgar Smith, moved in to begin operations following completion of stak­ Nearby the patient farmers toil. ing out the road by a highway department survey 'Tween rows of waving corn, corps. Nor let the harvest hours spoil. The road, 16 feet in width, will cut in from Bath road and follow the contour of the lower But see each frosty morn. The worn, slanting, slippery rocks, half of the lake to a point opposite Second ave. Here once along its rocky shores That mark its watery path, on the Bristol side of this body of water. The dusky Redman roamed, Have often to our friends' delight In search of food, or fowl, or fish. Caused us a sudden bath. Specifications call for a hard black-top road To cheer his transient home. The golden yellow poplar there, which will be built approximately ten feet from *"Pak-ihmo-mink" he called the flow, The scarlet sumac too, the water's edge. For this he meant as token, The tall, green hemlock and the pine Much grading of low spots at the lower end of "The place where wild cranberries grow," Are meant to catch the view. the lake is also included in the construction pro­ Along the Perkiomen. Of this great valley with its stream, gram. Too much cannot be spoken, When completed the roadway will make Silver For many miles down from the North, We wait the days to wade and fish Lake one of the finest public recreational areas Its wide course takes its way, Along the Perkiomen. in Bucks county. Bathers and anglers spend Montgomery County's fairest vale, many hours here during the course of a season You'll hear most travelers say. The shaded velvet of the banks, and the new roadway will furnish a much needed Here meet the hemlock and the oak, At lunch time give retreat, entrance that can be used safely. At present The forest interwoven, The swarms of gnats and flies are gone, only dusty, bumpy trails are available. No tangled growth the woodlands choke, And less the tiresome heat. Along the Perkiomen. The happy faces of the men, Reflected in the tide, We know that each is carefree then And happier more inside. FISHING When I retire and look about, For spot to build a home in, Fishing is another word for relaxation. Out There is no doubt I'll settle out fishing is one place where a person finds himself Along the Perkiomen. content in mind and body. To lie lazily in the hot summer sun, with a line dangling loosely *Indian name taken from Espenshade's "Penn­ from a propped-up bamboo pole is about as near sylvania Place Names." to paradise as one may get. To feel a soft, mild —G. EARLE THOMPSON breeze blow in from the pond against one or to watch the amorphous clouds slowly passing each other in the azure sky adds a zest to life which cannot be explained. To feel the spring of a taut Anna Fink, MiUersville, Lancaster County, displays line as a fish breaks the water in his battle for nice Walleye from Safe Harbor Dam life, and the quickness of one's heartbeats as he Above Indian Head Dam—along the Perkiomen lands his prey is happiness in its greater mo­ Creek ments. Fishing is where one finds companionship of his fellow man, rich or poor. Where a small boy yells with delight at the catching of a The fish hawk builds his lofty perch sunfish. Indeed, fishing is a sport which gives Above its rippling gleam, one encouragement to go back to face the Or darts like silver flame in search dismal world. Of minnows in the stream. He is not the line fisher there, —HOWARD TUNISON, Carbondale For stands the sturdy yeoman, And casts his lure to the bass Along the Perkiomen.

The cliffs resound the small-mouth's splash, DELAYING "FATHER TIME" As he breaks safe and free, Old "Father Time" has YOUR name on his He loves his captor's hopes to dash Scroll. While he turns tail to flee. He wants you marked "present," when he calls Below the falls at Indian Head, the Roll. Our hopes have oft been broken, So, if you would stay him from taking his toll But other lures are there instead And at the same time find some PEACE for Along the Perkiomen. your soul, Don't hurry or worry or make riches your goal!! Ofttimes a bass his freedom owes Wind a line on a reel, put the reel on a pole, To fishermen as we, Put the pole on your shoulder, then leisurely Who stand and marvel as one does At Nature's scenery. stroll The crimson tinted sassafras, As you did in your youth—to that "old fishin' Its worth to man has proven, hole"l! 'or these, alas, we've missed our bass by—THE PERKIOMEN POET Along the Perkiomen. in—"The Sportcaster" 6 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER CARP FISHING WITH DAD My dad always did insist that carp fishing was the only fishing he really enjoyed. Now some people will insist that carp isn't worth catching. THE LITTLE FROGS Of course, I must agree that mud carp isn't, but if you take the backbone out of a silver carp it's By DON BLAIR very good eating. So let no one slight the kingly carp. Copyright 1945 by DONALD B. BLAIR oing fishing. The Ford and I ambled care­ little frogs that I could see. Their mammas had G fully down a puddly backwoods road that probably never seen a car, for this road had only September afternoon. It was wet and the air was been built this last winter to serve a lumber clean and spring smelling. The early morning camp. That was when they were but tadpoles, thunder storm had cleansed not only the air but swimming around the shallow water, under the had washed with gentle thoroughness each leaf ice, wondering. That is about all tadpoles seem and twigg and blade of grass. I hoped that the to do. warm water from the sky had tempered the creek But here were the little frogs, facing a new so the bass would be on that last savage feeding danger that uncounted generations of ancestors splurge before they left for winter quarters. had never experienced, and surviving because What a pleasant life they led; to live under the their tiny brains triumphed over instinct.

Dad and his Amity Hall catch

One week end dad and I went to Amity Hall fishing for carp in the good old Susquehanna, where carp abound. Dad baited his hooks with choice kernels of corn and then sat on the grass, lit his pipe and proceeded to enjoy life. Well sir, we talked awhile and in no time, Dad fell fast asleep. Now one of his lines was a home-made contraption consisting of a line tied around an old bean can. Presently the can started spinning as the carp tore for midstream. Dad jumped up and just as it seemed certain the carp would make a getaway, he grabbed the line which by summer sun, and sleep away the bitter months. Slowly, that September afternoon, the ideas be­ this time was about 3 feet from the water. But a treacherous looking puddle aroused me, gan to come clear in my own mind. If these little Now he was wide awake as he hurried along and as the car and I approached, judging, we frogs could be so smart, so young; why could not the bank playing the fish. In my excitement I saw a dozen little frogs sitting all around it. the game fishes learn to outwit man's devices for almost fell into the water but finally while dad Serenely quiet, that was their habit. When the capturing them? Why couldn't they live and towed him to shore I gently eased the landing car was near enough, they jumped, raggedly, grow and prosper in hard fished water just as net under him and we were the proud possessors hurriedly; but amazing thing, they jumped not well as in primitive places If those six weeks' of a 15% lb. carp. into the water to hide as frogs should, but old frogs could think for themselves and avoid Let who will scoff at the carp, we call it fun. scrambled into the weeds along-side and away death why not a brown trout whose ancestors had —GRACE REINOEHL from the road. How had they learned that a car faced thousands of artificial flies since Izaac's 509 Union St., Lebanon, Pa. would smash them if they hid in the water? They time? Did a bass, who struck a plug one night were only a few weeks old. Why had they not and luckily escaped, come back to grab another Live bait in river fishing won't get results unless been killed when the first car came along? the next night or did the lesson stay with him? it gels down deep in fast water. Attach enough split What would they do if a man walked down the Did the fishes learn to recognize a fishing line shot to the leader so that you can feel the bail road, instead of a car? That I found out, for I for the danger signal that it is? The creek was bumping along the bottom. That is where the bass drove on a ways, parked the car, and, waiting low and the water clear as glass that sunny will be found feeding. • walked back toward the puddle. They did. When afternoon. It was the perfect place to begin my I got close enough they all jumped in the water! experiments. It's easy to cast out a heavy artificial lure such So I went fishing. My tackle was new and I was young and eager. as a spinner without straining the rod and to cast When I had a chance I took down Darwin's Now neither of us, the split-bamboo or I, are as bait without ripping it off the hook. Swing the books and had read a lot of interesting things be­ swiftly resilient as we were that day. The rod rod backward and forward slowly. When the end fore it occurred to me; shucks, there were no auto­ served me well for many years, until one day—• of the back cast is reached a slight tug will be mobiles running up and down those back-woods but that is a later story. As I waded, fished and felt on the rod. Then bring the rod forward with roads when he wrote those books. This is one watched along that newly opened stretch of a smooth swing, and the line and lure will shoot thing I will have to follow through alone. back-woods creek and saw the bass loafing in the out smoothly and far. Natural selection had nothing to do with these shallow eddies; saw some of them rush twenty or 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 7

fifty feet to hit that shiny plug bedecked with vicious gang hooks, I wondered if they would be there five or ten or twenty years later. Would they be as eager to strike these crazy gadgets after they or their fathers had tasted them? Would they be capable of learning to avoid man and his fishing tackle and could they somehow pass the knowledge on to their children?

Many more than twenty years have passed by, and swiftly too, and everything is changed. That most hopeful species of man, the fishermen, have multiplied by leaps and bounds. On any pleasant Sunday you can see them by the dozens, milling up and down, enjoying the quest; but rarely the conquest, of the fish the creek con. tains. The creek and the bass have not multi­ plied apace with the fishermen. The water flows in about the same volume. It is, luckily, still pure, clear and clean. True, the tangled tree-tops left by the loggers have rotted away, and a new forest has grown up, but the willows along the banks still fight their yearly battle with the winter's ice and the pools and eddies have changed but little. The adjacent highway has changed from a rutted wagon track to a hroad paved speedway and, in the hollow by the bridge, the stench of burned gasoline hangs blue and heavy on an August afternoon. Well trampled paths lead up and down the creek's hanks, pointing out every favored pool and eddie. Charlie calls it a "Sunday best" creek. What he means is; you could fish along its banks via the well trampled paths with little fear of snagging or soiling your newest Sunday go-to-meeting clothes.

So much for the fishing water and the multi­ plying fishermen. What once was virgin woods and water is now a thoroughly trampled recrea­ tion ground, complete with broken glass and scattered paper. It has come about far more quickly than I ever dreamed it would, that September afternoon long ago. If it could happen here, won't it eventually happen everywhere? A-nd, although man's ability to travel hither and yon has grown so tremendously in the years past, certainly i is going to double and redouble in the future. Look forward then, with me, to the time when no remote Canadian lake or Alaskan river will be without its quota of fishermen; when the time comes when there is Do more virgin fishing water to explore; and you fflake up your mind that you might as well fish 10 your own home creek as roam the world. Jim Nelson (age 17) of Oil City and his 30-inch, 9-lb. 4-oz. Walleye which he caught at Walnut Bottom on But it is not a condition to be afraid of, like the the Allegheny River—congratulations Jimmy loss of a friend; but something we should accept ^d study so that we can pass on to our children, ^d they to theirs some, if not all, the joys and thrills we have experienced in fishing. And I do n these later years have 1 deftly (or accidentally) able than that of catching fish where no other °t mean that we should sit like fogies and tell dropped my plug close by a clump of weeds or a fisherman has preceded you. tall tales of the past. Imaginative creatures that sheltering rock only to see a bass swirl toward For some years we maintained a hunting camp we fishermen are, in one or two generations— and then away from it as he recognized the fraud. in the mountains in Central Pennsylvania. It Wow! I stole along carefully behind the willows so they was an abandoned farmstead. At the foot of a could not see me and watched them lazing in the huge maple tree down over the bank was a good Because I had an inkling of what was coming sun, unalarmed as the shadow of a kingfisher spring, no longer used, for we had drilled a well ^d because the behavior of those little frogs passed swiftly among them. But when the plug by the kitchen. One spring day some of us de­ caught in my imagination, I stayed at home and flew high over them the shadow of the line at­ cided to enlarge the pool and stock it with some "shed. I sought to enumerate the bass in my tached sent them racing for the depths. I native trout. Half-a-dozen men with pick and creek and when I caught them I returned to the watched them scurry away as I waded into the shovel soon made a pool six by eight feet and JJ'ater all that were unhurt. As the years rolled creek and then, as I stood motionless, cruise nearly three feet deep. Then we adjourned to the 5>y and the fishermen became more numerous, I slowly back to examine me. And I never caught stream nearby and caught a dozen small trout became better and better acquainted with the one who did that. But I did learn some little and carried them in buckets to the pool. They creek and the bass. As I watched and fished, tricks to fool them and catch them by. Had I grew and prospered and became remarkably some years the bass wOuld be very scarce and not learned, what a sorry thing my ego would tame. They ate almost anything, bread and bits gam I thought the creek was fished out as have become if I were forced to admit that I was of meat, and it was no uncommon sight to see a everyone said; but then in other seasons they not a little smarter than the "poor fish." So that knot of husky men clad in heavy boots and would be as numerous as ever. This intrigued me is what this is all about; fish do have brains and woollens spading the frozen December earth, °* many years. But one fact became plain and they can learn to beware the fisherman and his hunting worms to feed the trout. But, one after­ *°hd in my mind as the years rolled by and it was hooks. But they can be caught in hard fished noon in summer, when the trout were mostly fiat it took an ever increasing skill on my part waters and the feeling of success that comes when eight and ten inches long we showed some visiting catch the bass. Many hundreds of times in the smart ones are caught is much more memor­ (Turn to Page 16) 8 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER

A PENNSYLVANIAN SHOWS 'EM HOW TO CATCH FISH IN THE SEA By WILLIAM BOYD

HEREVER one goes in quest of fish he's Also, his comparatively light fresh water tackle cided to concentrate on flounder from which, as Wquite likely to find Pennsylvania anglers made it possible for him to hook the blue fish all true lovers of seafood know, comes fillet of taking their full share of the catch. And this is when they struck his minnow. sole. Again he was hauling them in while envious only natural, for the waters of our great common­ In a few hours that morning I saw him take 17 anglers watched him closely to learn how he did wealth abound in gamey fish which one must beautiful blue fish—and there wasn't another one it. Again he had disdained squid and bunker for know how to hook if he's to be accounted a suc­ of that particular specie caught from the wharf live minnows, although there were a few others cessful angler. What the Pennsylvania angler that day! Believe me, I took full advantage of on the wharf who were getting flounder on squid, learns in the pursuit of his favorite sport in his the opportunity to point out to my new ac­ which is nothing more than miniature devil fish own waters stands him in good stead wherever quaintances among the seasoned deep-sea fisher­ cut into narrow strips. he fishes. men there the skill and fishing knowledge of my Up to the time I left for my lunch at my hotel This all leads up to what I observed a few fellow Pennsylvanian. he had taken seven of the odd-looking flat fish weeks ago on the Eastern Shore of the Del-Mar- The n'ext morning the Highspire man was again which makes the amateur think they are coming Va Peninsula. I was there for a week soaking on the wharf. This time he evidently had de­ in on their sides when he catches his first ones. up sunshine, fresh air, and seafood and mean­ while trying my hand at inlet and deep sea fish­ ing. During my stay there the most skillful and most successful angler was a native of our state, an amiable chap from Highspire. I first observed this master of the rod, reel and line fishing from a wharf in the inlet. What attracted my attention was the happy family group of which he was a part. With him and fishing every day and night at his side were his gray-haired dad and mother, his wife, and his 12-year-old son. And as I assembled my own deep sea tackle and prepared to go into action I was struck by the fact that the Highspire man was using fresh water tackle instead of the heavy deep-sea outfits in the hands of all of the others on that particular wharf. I had just taken in these details when the khaki-clad Pennsylvanian reeled in an exceed­ ingly nice and active blue fish. This, in itself, was unusual for there wasn't another blue fish on the wharf or on the many stringers hanging from the wharf. Obviously none of the other score or more fishermen on hand that morning were catching blue fish. It was then I became so interested I leaned my own surf rod against the side of the wharf house and devoted all my attention to my fellow Pennsylvanian. Back of him was a ten-gallon galvanized pail from which he was getting his bait, exceedingly live minnows four or five inches in length. The slimy squid and the odorous bunker, which was the bait of the other anglers, weren't for him. He had brought his trusty old dip net and as he needed them was scooping up minnows from the schools of millions in knee-deep water off the teach. I noted that he ran his hook through them about an inch above the tail and discarded them as soon as they ceased to be active in the water. I further noted that instead of the four or six- ounce sinker which made a great splash when it was thrown into the water by the other fishermen he was using about a two-ounce piece of lead. I could see that he wasn't fishing on the bottom, as were the others around him, but had his lively minnow only four or five feet under the crest of the fast-flowing tide. Then I understood how it was he was catching blue fish when no one else was. These gamey fellows, accounted a delicacy by connoisseurs of sea food, weren't deep down picking food off the bottom; they were looking for live prey up above. Our fish-wise friend from Highspire knew this and was acting accordingly. The Pen nsylvanian filling his basket with Sea Trout 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 9

However, this time he wasn't the sole object of about to leave the pier at the close of the eve­ Howard Shilling, division president, indicated envious anglers' eyes for near him an elderly man ning's fishing. that plans were rapidly shaping up for an out­ hooked into the biggest flounder I saw during my "Oh, we're going home tomorrow morning," standing affair. Mr. Shilling announced that stay at the resort. That ponderous fish, as big she replied, "that's the reason we are stocking Paul Clement, national president of the League around as the top of a large dishpan, must have up so heavily." from Minneapolis, Minnesota, will be present, Weighed every bit of eight pounds. The fellow Had they wanted to cash in on the Highspire and pointed out to members of the local chapter Who had him on his hook didn't know just what man's ability as an angler they wouldn't have the excellent opportunity this would afford to to do with him. He had no landing net and boats had a bit of trouble paying for their trip to the hear a message directly from the League's top­ Were tied up at the wharf on all sides so he shore, for commercial fish dealers there were most official. couldn't walk him in to the beach. Finally he paying 25 cents a pound for fish which anglers Of the many constructive conservation de­ decided to "horse him in" and attempted to lift offered for sale. It developed that fishing boats velopments under discussion at the meeting on him bodily onto the wharf. Such a threshing and which go out from this particular point were Saturday, interest centered on a plan whereby tearing around in the water I haven't seen since having an extremely poor season so they were the school children of the county would partici­ snagging a big brown trout in a deep pool at glad for the rod and line fisherman's help. pate in an educational tree-planting program to light. It was more than the man's line could A man and wife from my hotel who went out be sponsored by the chapter during conservation stand and it parted just above the leader when he deep sea fishing on a boat which took parties of week each spring. President Matthews desig­ had the giant flounder part way out of the water. 18 or 20 to a point down the coast about a two- nated T. Roy Morton, C. M. Africa and S. H. That man was so disgusted he reeled in his line, hour voyage from the resort had such a good Hess as a committee to plan the details of the Picked up his tackle box, and strode off the wharf catch that they disposed of it for $9.75. The project. muttering to himself. trip had cost them $5 apiece, so their fun actually set them back only 25 cents. Two evenings later I again encountered the fishing family from Pennsylvania. On this oc­ THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW casion they were on a fishing pier which extends The herring lays about 30,000 eggs, but there 200 or 300 yards into the ocean. Sea trout were are about three females to each male. feeding at night off the beach and the long pier The sturgeon may produce as many as Was crowded nightly by men and women anxious 2,400,000. to land a mess of these colorful and excellent- Halibut more than 2,000,000, and the Cod tasting fish. Why it was you could catch them has been known to lay more than 9,000,000. after nightfall but not during daylight hours I Comparison can be made by laymen of the couldn't understand, but a native of the resort perils different species have to pass to reach ma­ expressed the opinion the sea trout were attracted turity from these figures. by the bright lights of the boardwalk. It is estimated that man takes 11 billion her­ During the week I was at the seashore hundreds rings annually, while the thousand and one other °f pounds of sea trout were caught from the pier man enemies account for 200 billion, a ratio of by anglers who were packed so close together I about 1 to 19. Marveled no one had a hook fastened in his ear Herring is probably the most important food °r elsewhere. But to get back to our man from fish in the world, being the food of many other Highspire. Now he had a surf rod, the same as his varieties of fish which eventually become flesh companion fishermen, and he was using the same for man's table. Wnd of bait—squid and bunker. If you've never The herring is a salt water fish, not like his baited bunker let me give you a tip here and now. cousins, the Alewife or Shad who spawn in fresh It's the oiliest, smelliest bit of fish you're likely water, he never enters fresh water, but spawns to handle anywhere and it is next to impossible to in the sea. 8et the fish smell from your hands. Only through The Freshwater Eel, on the other hand, does the use of strong soap powder or disinfecting not spawn in fresh water, but descends from soap can you kill that odor. lakes and ponds down stream to their spawning ground far out to sea. The breeding places of the As on the wharf in the inlet, the clever angler Eel were unknown until recent years, but is now trom our home state was really going to town. placed South and Southwest of Bermuda Islands Said Fisherman Debt, 111 wager he caught at least half as many fish toward the West Indies. "I'll snatch all I can get! that night as all the rest of the anglers on that The depth of water here is about 1 mile. Here P,er combined. When the lights went out at These creel laws mean nothing to me. I'll ignore all that chatter also in this general area come the European Eel t0 o'clock and anglers were compelled to leave to spawn, from which it requires about 3 years the pier he had a large splint basket heaped to the About size . . . It's no matter Isn't this the Land of the FreeP" of its early life to return, while the American Eel J°P with sea trout. There were 69 fish in that requires only one year to reach the fresh water. "asket and he had caught all but about a dozen The Eels found far inland are always female, °* them, the others of his family getting these. With dynamite and net, He took all he could get, larger at maturity than males, who stay in tidal Here, as on the wharf, I was full of admiration water, and also more abundant. Several years r And now of his sport, he's bereft; ° the chap who had learned his fishing in Penn­ Fishing's only a bore, are spent in fresh water before the females again sylvania. He was yanking sea trout up on that He can't catch any more . . . seek the sea when tending toward reproductive er maturity. P! as fast as he could bait up, while those rub- There just aren't any fish left! )Ing elbows with him were lucky to be hooking —CARSTEN AHRENS The female is very prolific, producing from 5 ne every ten or fifteen minutes. Again I took to 10 million eggs, none of which were ever known 'me out to study his technique. It wasn't any- to ripen while she was in fresh water, but which •Hig out of the ordinary but he was doing just DINNER MEETING HELD BY are all spawned at the one and only breeding time Vhat was necessary to attract the sea trout to in their lives from which neither sex ever re­ his bait. MEMBERS OF WALTON LEAGUE turns, both dying at sea after spawning. tt was the story of the blue fish catching over The Huntingdon County Chapter, Izaak Wal­ Eyes of rabbits have fields of vision which Sain. Instead of slamming his heavy sinker and ton League of America, recently gathered at the overlap behind their head. With this arrange­ Harry's Valley Rod and Gun Club in West tw° baited hooks 150 or 200 feet out into the ment they can see, without turning their heads, Township, to partake of a delicious chicken din­ cean and then letting them rest there quietly on an enemy approaching from the rear. ner and to join later in a special business session , . bottom he was constantly moving the tip of —GEORGE W. BAUSPACH held at the call of the chapter president, J. W. >s rod so that his bait was in motion as though Matthews, of Huntingdon. ?hye. And did the sea trout go for that! That, 0°, may have accounted for the fact that he was Of importance at the meeting, was the election There is no advantage in using a tapered line atching all good-sized fish instead of small ones of John W. Newcombe and C. Herbert Jackson, in fishing with live bait or with heavy artificial ccasionally as was true of the others on the pier. as delegates to represent the county chapter at lures. As a matter of fact, a level line is best, for the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Division it will carry farther and straighten out better. You'd better take a picture of those if you of the Izaak Walton League to be held in Harris- The tapered line is intended for light flies—the ant the folks back home to believe your fishing burg on October 27-28. In respect to the annual thin end to land lightly on the water after the 0r y>" I suggested to the man's wife as she was division meeting and conservation conference line has been carried out by its heavier section. to PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER Walleye, 32 inches, 9Vi lbs. from Pymatuning Lake by D. J. Frantz of Jamestown HIGHLIGHT PENNSL FISHING

HARLES HOUSEAL, Maytown, caught a 29*A C inch walleyed pike weighing 12 pounds, one ounce, in tide water of the Susquehanna river near Port Deposit. This is believed to be a top record catch for this specie, commonly known as Susquehanna Salmon. Houseal was fishing from a boat in midstream between an island and Port Deposit directly op­ posite Wilkinson's landing, when the salmon struck the minnow on his hook. He was using a bobber and floating his line without weight pur­ posely for bass and it was growing dark when the big fish ran with his line. He said the fish reeled in without much resistance until it got to the boat, then it surged away and he had a battle on his hands with very light tackle to play such a lunker. After about a half hour struggle he managed to bring it up along the boat and lack­ ing a net, slipped his fingers under the gills and lifted the whopper into the craft. It was weighed by Wilkinson in the presence George Ulrich of Lancaster and some fine Walleyes of many fishermen who all claimed it was the big­ and Catties from Safe Harbor Dam gest one they had ever seen or heard of being caught. Modesty prevented a pictorial record of the 8 year old Rodney Hausman of Allentown displays catch to be taken and after showing it to friends two fine Pickerel caught by his Dad in Peck's Lake, about Marietta and Maytown it was prepared for Pike County consumption as any ordinary fish.

Paul Fink of Millersville with 30-inch Walleye he caught at Safe Harbor

Georgie Cipra and four fine Brownies from Potato Creek, McKean County 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 11

•If FROM THE StVANIA j FRONTS

FISHERMAN LANDS 19y2-INCH BEAUTY Jack Brenner, 530 Nutt Road, Phoenixville, hooked a small-mouth bass measuring 193^ inches while fishing in Rapp's Dam, French creek. The prize bit on a home made plug which Brennen fashions in his spare time..

RARE 27-INCH FISH REPORTED Reeling in a 27-inch Great Northern pike weighing five and one-half pounds was the luck of Brownie Wurster, local sportsman, who, along with Howard C. Stroup, caught Joe Bering, Lebanon, takes 36'/i-inch Carp from the fish at Hunter's Lake, near Eagles Mere, Safe Harbor Dam recently. It is believed to be the only Great Northern pike on record in this area. TAKEN ON THE THIRD HOOK Helen Duffee of Sharon, takes a dandy "Musky" 34 inches long, 10 lbs., from Edinboro Lake John Wanner, of Audubon, reported this co­ Two nice ones from Sugar Lake, by William incidence and swears by its authenticity: while Schmeger of Pittsburgh fishing recently near Oaks, Pa., he hooked a medium size bass but failed to land the fish. When autumn weather makes the evenings cool The following day the same thing happened. and crisp expect bass to do their most vigorous feed­ Several days later, he brought in a 14-inch bass ing during the afternoon and very early evening, and in its mouth he identified the two hooks he when the water is warmest. lost earlier in the week.

Minnows are the favorite food of pickerel, so any artificial lure that resembles a minnow is a good one to use. The list includes small plugs, streamer 4 year old Charles A. Miller of New Freedom is flies, and spinners or spoons. Such lures are far already a patient fisherman better than floating bugs or other surface lures. 12 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER

For Better HUNTING and FISHING By R. H. HOOD 'Fishing the River for Fun' is Title of Soldier's Story. Written in Italy it Gives His Recollections of the Susquehanna

Nothing shows so well how a Wyoming Valley soldier lived his fun over again in memory as the story here today of river fishing, told in fiction form. Right down to the smallest details did the boy in Italy picture it all. The story, written several months ago, was held for the middle of bass season and, as it happened, the author already has returned, with more than 100 discharge points, after nearly three years overseas, havingbeen through the entire Italian campaign.—By SGT. FRANK W. ALEXIS, 306 Air Service Squadron, 38th Air Service Group

TALY—The car rolled oil the Narrows High­ that time it'll be around 4.30—good time to start slowly drifting down with the lazy current. He I way and came to a full stop. Ten yards away out and get in some evening fishing." had quite an eager look. the earth dropped suddenly to a steep grade of The line slacked again and this time Fritz over 100 feet. From the edge of the embankment The Start reeled in all the line. one could see the rolling Susquehanna and in the After the meal they started out for the river, "You know, Tony," began Fritz, "I'm quite distance the city of Wilkes-Barre. It afforded a only about 60 yards away. In about an hour sure that was a wall-eye. Y'ellow bass, a good nice view on the bright sunny afternoon. they had enough live bait to last them for a while. many fishermen call 'em. When you hook them, "Let's take five," Tony says, lazily shutting They walked over to the boat, a beaten-up river they almost feel like a log—or something. Not off the ignition. Ijoat it really was. Tony went in, Fritz pushed that they*don't give you a good fight; they most "Good idea," drawls Fritz, reaching for his it out and climbed in. certainly do. You have to be careful and not cigarets. "Where we gonna start?" jerk too hard or too steady—or you'll lose him. The talk drifted idly about the shop where They feed on minnows and such and you catch they worked and finally drifted to the subject of them quite often on small catties. The most fishing the river. Tony was no fisherman and popular method around these parts are trolling Fritz was surprised to learn that he was taking for them." an interest. Though friends for a long time, By this time they were slowly cruising around Tony just couldn't see a guy swinging a rod the rocks. "Sure is deep around here," remarks around in some water. Just a waste of time or Tony. "Let's drop anchor by that small rock the guy must be crazy, he'would say. over there." After dropping the two anchors, so that the A Convert boat pointed towards the shore, they proceeded Fritz had returned from a week's stay camping to put their fishing tackle together. up the river last July and proceeded to give him "Fishing the river is a lot of fun, Tony. If you a detailed description of the week's stay. Tony go in for it, you don't have to be able to toss flies listened with growing interest, while he told or streamers like an expert to catch fish—just him of his experiences. About that hole just put on a nice juicy cattie, clipper or even the above the camping site, about the battle with lowly night-crawler—and you'll get results when the 18-inch bass that did NOT get away and of other methods fail. At this time of evening those delicious bass done to a nice brown. Even streamers should be ideal to use—throwing them before he was quite finished Tony turned towards toward shore. The big ones lie down in the large him and remarked: deep holes and riffs during the heat of the day— "Well, Fritz, you got a guy to go with you and ease over towards shore in the evenings and next year even if I have to take an extra week off."

Getting Ready As the time rolled towards July 1, Fritz had him all equipped in the way of tackle. As he was A creel of Brookies by Paul T. Defenderfer, from more or less the chief of all operations, it wasn^t Moselem Creek near Reading long before all arrangements were made, which took only a matter of two afternoons. The day arrived soon enough and both were "See those rocks way up there, say about a off for a week's stay. Fishing the river—for fun. half mile? We'll anchor there first and see what The winding concrete highway was ideal that happens. Things usually do up there. That'll led towards their desired site, but the dirt road be our starting point. You oar the boat. I'll see leading into the spot was as rugged as they come if I can scare up a wall-eye trolling." —twists and turns, ups and downs. The flimsy After looking over a few lures in his box, he bridges looked as if they would topple were you attached a brass spinner to the 6-foot leader. to walk across, but the ol' jalopy eased over with Dropping it in the water he then proceeded to six inches to spare among rippling rattle of old strip off about 50 feet of black casting thread. boards and a huge cloud of dust. Soon a large Fritz turned to Tony: grassy clearing came into view. "Row nice and easy. Take your time." "This is it," drawls Fritz. .-» Nothing much happened for a while but soon It wasn't long before the 8 x 10 pup tent was , enough Fritz let out a yelp. up and things put in order. Over on one side "I got something!" The short rod bent and Fritz was in a bunch of fishing tackle and attach­ quivered as he started to reel in. "Feels like a ing a 6-foot leader to his smooth fly line. Tony wall-eye," he says, reeling in slowly. approaches him with an eager look. He kept on reeling, stopping at times as the "When we gonna start?" he asks. rod bent more and more. Suddenly it straight­ "I think it would be a good idea to start up ened out. He reeled in quite fast. some chow and after that we'll get our tackle in "Did he get away?" Tony asked. good shape—after which we'll ease down to the "Don't know yet." And then at that instant river and catch us some caddies and clippers. the line again straightened. "He's still on!" George Cross, Penna. Fish Warden for Potter We got to have bait, you know. Guess about Tony had stopped rowing, and the boat was County, shoots deer in Germany 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 18 early mornings, too, to feed. We'll try streamers "Nothing much to do right now but get into any lake around here. The bass live in flowing tomorrow but tonight we'll use a few clippers our sack for some shut-eye." water and it's quite a hard life, battling against and catties. It was getting quite late before they finally the current. When the floods come around they "Put a catty on that No. 10 hook, then put a got to sleep. sure take a beating. small bit of split buckshot above the hook. There was no sound as I he morning sun climbed "The Susquehanna, from Pittston up, affords There's two ways of hooking a catty, either by above the hills. Inside the tent there was only great bass fishing and comparing it with the the back of the dorsel iin or through the lips. the regular breathing. An hour later Tony lakes nearby, it's a good deal better. That is, if The former method will make the catty live eased out and started the stove and breakfast. you like to fish the river. Some fishermen can't longer and be livelier. After you put the catty It was after 9 when both finally had washed, seem to take to river fishing. It calls, somewhat, on, toss it in the water and let the current take eaten and were puffing away on a contented for a variation in your fishing. The various lakes it down about 50 or 60 feet. Then you can light cigaret. and ponds nearby are all right, but in recent up one of your cigarets and see what happens." "Thought you and I were going to get an early years the public has been using them for picnics start this morning." remarks Tony. and such. It doesn't give a guy room enough to Getting Settled "I reckon this mountain air makes a guy sleep enjoy himself—too many people around; lots of like a log and heck, we're on vacation," says motorboats, etc. Ten minutes later they were* settling themselves Fritz as an excuse. "The river has always been an ace in the hole for a period of watchfulness. It was a nice "What's the program today?" inquires Tony. for the state's fishing. It's very long and the fish evening, the river seemed quite still, not a "Guess we'll lie around for a while, seeing it's reproduce in sufficient quantities to permit it to ripple showed. The evening sky was becoming too late for morning fishing. Afterwards we'll fix be almost self-supporting, despite floods and a light red as the sinking sun told the day was up a bass dinner. Then we'll go up to the rocks other natural causes which might affect it to fading. again and see how those rockbass enjoy a few some or great extent. There's carp there, too, "Hey, Fritz; you got a nibble there." grasshoppers or a couple fat nightwalkers. How as high as 40 pounds . . . even bigger, probably. Sure enough the line was slowly going for parts does that sound to you?" You can have a good day fishing the riffs with elsewhere. Fritz pulled off a few yards of line "Suits me fine," Tony lazily admits, and streamers. Go wading down and you have your after which the line slowly stopped. In a few ambling his 210 pounds he spreads down flat on fly fishing . . . the deep holes are good to fish seconds it began to straighten out again. This his stomach and quickly forgets as he dozes off. and you are more apt to get a few in them as not. time he set the hook. The battle was on. Of course, you will get your off days, when no "Boy, that must be a big one!" cries Tony. A Pleasant Part matter what you try—you won't get a thing. Just then the tough black bass of the river As far and as long as I've been fishing there I leaped up and turned a dozen somersaults all After a while Fritz began the task of preparing find that your luck, if you want to call it that, over the place, causing deep ripples to gather. the dinner. After cleaning and skinning the fish will be a lot better if you stick to natural bait— Keeping a tight line, Fritz expertly guided him he lighted the kerosene stove and began fixing that is, clippers, catties and such ... at least towards the boat, but the fish had different ideas the bass with egg batter and cracker meal. they are most consistent in catching those bass and started for places down to the deep depths Dinner was quite well prepared and they both from the river. of the river. Reeling off some line Fritz let him did justice to it. They made the minor prepara­ tions for the afternoon fishing. "Yea, Tony, when I want some fun and action have his way after which he had to reel in a few in my fishing I'll take the river for the bass "These rockbass are tricky to catch most of inches at a time as the rod looked like a St. Vitus season." dance in the fullest stage. Then came another the time—at this time of day," remarked Fritz. series of flips and somersaults, after which he "They go for the very deep holes and stay there. reeled slowly but surely. As the tired King of the You can catch them, but you have to be patient. River neared the boat the net reached over in a If you bump into a school of them, you certainly DOWN HAPPY LANE short arc. The bass struggled to the end but in a will see action. Put on a sinker and try these second 14 inches of black bass lay in the boat. delicious nightwalkers—they're so fat, I could Over my head the stars, distant and pale and Fritz looked up and there was Tony frantically eat them myself, almost. Sometimes that's the cold; reeling in. The flip-flap of a fish attested that he only thing they'll take—just worms and night- Under my feet the world, wrinkled and scarred had a nice one. walkers. Other times, you have to try everything and old; "Take it easy," says Fritz, as Tony's rod al­ in your tackle box before they hit." Back of me all that was, all the relentless past, most doubled. After an hour or two they both decided to go The future waiting beyond, silent, untenanted, "What'll I do now?" The line had suddenly back for some supper and then return for the vast; disappeared under the boat somewhere. evening fishing. It wasn't long before they had a I at the center of all that has been or that is to be- "Just keep it tight, Tony boy." short meal and were ready to establish another The world lying under my feet and the stars And sure enough he did ease the fish over but beachhead for some more angling. looking down at me. then down the river he went. Tony reeled in Tony was vainly trying to toss the grasshopper easy and soon after a few more splashes he was out towards the shore. Each time the long- Out in the far beyond, waiting for God's good admiring a 12-inch smallmouth. legged, winged creature would go sailing one way, time, "Well, I presume we have fish for dinner to­ the hook the other. Splendid cities may rise, heroes may be sublime; morrow, eh what?" says Fritz. "Here, Tony, watch. Your retrieve is most The past may measure against the future that is to be The rest of the evening netted two more fish— important—be sure you wait a split second before an eight-inch rock-bass and another smallmouth, you start the forward motion, so as not to jerk As a fleeting day compares with a storied cen­ 11 inches. that hopper off." tury; Prophets unborn may see with a vision that shall They reeled in (heir lines and started rowing After a few tries, he seemed to have better luck be clear, down the stream which was quite easy and be­ and before long he had a nice something as the fore long both were walking up the path to the hopper was drifting down the stream. It was a But the future is dumb, and ', dowered with tent. 11-inch black bass. He brought it in in great speech, am here. "Sure did enjoy this evening," remarks Tony. style. "Didn't think you had so much fun fishing this "Well," he remarks, "no rockies?" I stand at the edge of the past, where the future Place." "Heck," Fritz answers, "you can expect to begins I stand; hook most anything now, not necessarily rock­ Captains may rise again, and conquerors may It Gets You bass. At times the river is very undependable command, "Yes," replies Fritz, "river fishing is plenty that way." But greater than kings unborn or emperors 0- K. Once you get to know river fishing, it sorta The week went by quite swiftly and ended all under earth Sets under your skin. Dry fly fishing for trout too soon. After packing up tent and tackle, they Am I, with the chance to test my courage and !s all right, and probably better. The worst part both bid so-long and thanked Artie, who owned prove my worth! °f that is the fact that there just aren't any the spot of ground where they had spent the Under my feet the world; over my head the sky— Sood streams near here within short driving seven days. Soon they were heading south. Here at the center of things, in the busy present time. Though I do know a few, and it's just a "I sure spent a great week up there, Fritz. am I. fow, that will get their limit pretty often— And it's going to be from now on, every year, or —ANONYMOUS they're real fly fishermen and have been using something similar." flies for years and years. Bass fishing in the "Yea," drawls Fritz, in his lazy-like manner, r 'ver is plenty good enough for me for my money. "the ol' river is plenty all right for my money. After stepping into a hole in a river, Jack Clif­ Not that I don't like to go for trout. I go for You take a 12-inch bass from the river and he'll ford, of Norlhamplon, Mass., went ashore and trout. It's just that I like this fishing better. give you a better battle than a 18-inch bass from emptied his boots. To the ground fell a nice trout 14 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER BOYS WIN MEDALS FOR BIG WALLEYE FROM THE KILLING SNAKES Harry L. King, Fish Warden for Washington PYMATUNING County, has awarded medals to 10 boys of the area who have, this summer, killed 10 or more jV/fENTION Pymatuning Reservoir to the that week, she had one on which she couldn't •L* J- average Western Pennsylvania angler and raise from the bottom of the lake, it was so water snakes. he'll snort, "Nothing in that mud-hole but carp, heavy. Whatever kind of a fish it was, it just The medals, known as Junior Conservationist catfish and snags." Mention the lake to someone stayed on the bottom and chewed the line in twol Medals, are attractive awards presented by who doesn't fish and the reply usually goes like Ye fishin' editor was a guest of the "Creel Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commissioners to this, "Anyone could catch those fish up there, Club," a group of Sewickleyans who own a cot­ any boy or young man under 19 years of age who they climb on top of each other for bread." tage at Pymatuning, on July 22d, when he made kills 10 or more of these destructive reptiles. However, those who know the lake know that his record (for him) catch. As witnesses he has About an inch of the tails should be cut off there are big game fish there. Ross Ruck, Fishin' A. E. Bonsey of Sewickley Heights, who sub­ Mrs. King says, placed in a bottle and taken to Editor of the Sewickley Herald whose recent dued the walleye while the plug was being de­ him at his home, 555 West Hallam Avenue, for catch bears proof that all the big ones do not get tached and the stringer placed through the verification. away. The "big one that didn't get away" is a gills; George Zeigler of Osborne, who handled Several hundred of the snakes have been walleyed pike, known in Canada as a pickerel the gaff hook and boated the big one; Charles turned over to Dean Paul Walker, California while in Eastern Pennsylvania it is commonly Hanlon of Brodhead Road and Raymond Con­ State Teachers College for study. called a Susquehanna Salmon. It is measured nelly of Charette Place, in another boat near 29 inches long, weighed eight pounds and was enough to see the action; Otto Reibert of Cen­ One of the medals has been placed in the win­ 15 inches in girth. It was caught while trolling a tennial Avenue and W. A. Rand of Harbaugh dow of the J. Mac Jones cigar store. "flat-fish" plug over a bar near the Ohio side. Street, who were fishing near shore and caught And, it isn't the biggest one by a good deal. several smaller walleyes; Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Last summer, Mrs. Charles Hanlon of the Brod- McPherson of Nevin Avenue and Mr. and Mrs. head Road near Carnot, caught one weighing 12 Frank Patton of Centennial Avenue, who were pounds and on July 15th this year, caught an­ also staying at the cottage, along with Philip other weighing 9}^ pounds. One day earlier in Patton of Erie and Dickie Rurrell of Avalon.

WITH ROD AND LINE "RAINING LITTLE FISHES" By CLYDE ROLLER OME of the fellows were talking about the Ferry, S. C, had reported that during a heavy S heavy thundershower over Eastern Pennsyl­ local shower about June 27, 1901, hundreds of vania, last summer, and during the course of the little fish such as catfish, perch and trout fell and conversation someone, using a time-honored afterwards were found in pools between cotton phrase, mentioned that it had "rained little rows. fishes." That reference brought up a point Doctor McAtee, in his paper writes sub­ which may call for a little clarification, the point stantially as follows: being: Is "raining little fishes" merely a pic­ "All strong winds have some lifting power, as turesquely conceived exaggeration or is there is well known, especially when they begin to some basis in fact for the expression? whirl, when their lifting and carrying capacity Perhaps the matter isn't particularly im­ increases enormously. It is on record that by a portant to fishermen who plan on catching their tornado at Beauregard, Miss., the solid iron fish with rod and line rather than depending upon screw of a cotton press weighing 675 pounds was them dripping from the skies, but it is quite in­ carried 900 feet and there are records of other triguing nevertheless. heavy material being transported distances by According to scientific sources reports of fish wind. There seems to be, therefore, no reason falling with rain are not necessarily figments of for general suspicion toward the accounts of or­ the imagination or fantastic folk tales. Reports ganic showers. Waterspouts are reported as of rains of organic matter have been recorded in having emptied harbors and fish ponds to such various parts of the world from ancient times, it an extent that the greater parts of their bottoms Gilbert Feehrer of Lancaster displays 27-inch is pointed out, and the authenticity of some such were uncovered. Naturally, under such circum­ Walleye from Susquehanna reports is quite well established. stances fishes and other organisms in the water Among the objects said to have been observed may change their habitat very abruptly." as having fallen from the skies are fish, frogs, There are a number of articles in scientific toads, birds, insects, earthworms and other publications having to do with the subject of fish things. The United States Weather Bureau has falling with rain. Articles such as "A Rain of collected and published many references of Small Fish" in the Monthly Weather Review and Sportsmen's Notebook such occurrences in a paper by Dr. Waldo L. Annual Summary; "Rains of Fishes," in McAtee. Natural History; "Rains of Fishes and of Frogs," Reports of toads and frogs falling in showers in Natural History, "Fishes Fallen from the Never forget that in our hard-fished streams from the sky have come from various other coun­ Skies," in Science; "On the Fall of Frogs, Toads the bass see a constant parade of lures and baits, tries but the Weather Rureau ha,s found no such and Fishes from the Sky," in Recreative Science, and in time they surely come to recognize the occurrence reported for the United States. How­ and others. So apparently the falling of fishes danger that lies in them. That's why it's good ever, there are several reports of fish having fallen from the skies is within the realm of possibility, strategy to use some brand new kind of fly or with showers. As one instance, in the Monthly although it doesn't seem likely to replace plying spinner, or even a different type of bait. You Weather Review for June, 1901, is a note that the old fishing rod as a popular method of pro­ will actually see an increase in the number of J. W. Gardner, a voluntary observer at Tillers ducing a catch. strikes you get.

// your dog suddenly shows a lack of inleresl in prepared dog food, change to some different brand, BUY VICTORY BONDS AND and the animal probably will eat with enthusiasm again. A dog can gel tired of the same kind of food KEEP THEMI all the time, just as easily as a human being would. 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 15

(generally size 6 or less) may be alternately des­ ignated as a trout or panfish bug. TACKLE TERMINOLOGY bird's nest: See "backlash." NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ANGLING AND CASTING CLUBS bivisible: A type of dry fly having a tail (gener­ ally short and bushy), solid wrapping of hackle A the careless laying of the line on the spool when on the shank of the hook the same color as the air cast: See "false cast". retrieving the lure. tail and several turns of contrasting hackle angler: One who participates in angling. bail: Natural lures used to catch fish. However, wrapped at the head, just behind the eye of the angling: Fishing practiced not as a means of ob­ when preceded by the word "artificial" can mean hook. This contrasting hackle is almost always taining a livelihood, but as a source of recreation any lure other than a fly—especially those used white—"to make the fly more visible to the and pleasure. on bait casting rods. angler."—(Hewitt) bail casting: The casting of a lure (either natural blood knot: A knot which draws up into a roll artificial bait: Generally understood to mean a or artificial) whereby the weight of the lure with the two ends sticking out at right angles in lure used in bait casting, such as a plug, spoon, rather than the line furnishes the propulsive mo­ the middle. The best knot for fastening together etc. (See "bait".) mentum which pulls the line off a revolving- strands of gut. artificial fly: An imitation of a real or imagined spool reel. The lures are generally at least "%, This knot which is more accurately called the fly, insect, or other object which deceives or at­ ounce in weight—the average being from J^ to tracts fish. Roughly divided into six groups: "Double Blood Knot" was for years a jealously % ounce—the other extreme being large "musky" guarded secret until 1892 when its formula was Wet, Dry or Floating, Nymph, Streamer, Buck- lures which sometimes weigh several ounces. tail, and Bug. discovered and publicized by A. H. Chaytor, bail casting reel: A reel having a comparatively a salmon angler and author of "Letters to a Sal­ The first description of an artificial fly is by wide, revolving spool of small diameter—gener­ mon Fisher's Sons," 1910, wherein a full account Aelian, 170-230 A.D., who wrote that the Mace­ ally quadruple multiplying, having an optional of the knot and its history is given. This knot is donians when fishing the river Astraeus for a fish click or drag or both. There are some few bait sometimes mistakenly called the Barrel Knot with speckled skins used an artificial fly tied as casting reels having a very narrow spool of large which is an entirely different knot. follows: "They fasten redish wool round a hook diameter as well as being single action; however, blow line fishing: An all but obsolete method of and fit on the wool two feathers which grow under these are the exceptions and quite often come angling practiced in Ireland as well as in some a cock's wattles, and which in color are like wax." built into the rod, forming one complete unit. There is no reason to believe however, that this parts of England, whereby the natural May Fly bail casting rod: A rod for casting baits of per­ is used. The line is correctly made of floss silk, practice had not been going on for some years l ceptible weight { /i ounce or more), directly off previous. In fact, over two centuries earlier, not twisted, and the lightness of this, used in Martial wrote, "Who has not seen the scams rise, decoyed, and killed by fraudful flies." So far as is known, these few words are the first men­ tion of a fishing fly. artificial gut: There are many substitutes for genuine silk worm gut ("natural gut")—the two chief ones being "China Twist and Nylon." The latter is far superior to any other substitute and is preferred by some to natural gut because of its uniformity and the fact that it does not re­ quire soaking before using. automatic reel: A type of fly reel that winds in the line automatically by means of spring pres­ sure on the spool when its lever is engaged by the little finger of the rod hand.

B back cast: A preparatory cast made to impart momentum to the line (in fly casting), or the lure (in bait casting), by bringing the power of the rod into play by flexing it, before launching the line or lure toward the intended target. backhand cast: A cast usually made with the arm movement across the front of the body of the Waynesboro Fish and Game Association members await arrival of fish Commission Tank Car with load caster with the rod hand facing the same general of Trout, They assisted Warden W. W. Britton of Chambersburg in placing them in nearby streams direction as in an ordinary cast; however, due to the position of the arm, the palm of the rod hand faces more or less downward. This cast is usually the reel. Generally 5 to 6 feet long, having the connection with a long rod, allows the wind to used to avoid obstacles on the rod hand side of reel seat above the hand grasp, and a series of carry the fly out a fishable distance. In later the caster or to counteract unfavorable wind solid ring guides leading from the reel to the tip years, practiced with any light, undressed line conditions. top. Usually in one or two sections. and artificial fly as well as natural. bait rod: A rod for still fishing with natural bait. However, there is another, more literal type bob or bobber: See "dobber." of backhand cast by which one may throw a cast Generally 7 to 9 feet long having a grasp both bobbing: See "skittering." to his rear (rod-hand side) without bothering to above and below the reel seat and a series of solid turn completely around. This cast, which is ring guides leading from the reel to the tip top. boots: Worn by anglers in wading—generally quite often a mere flick of the rod tip, is generally Usually in two or three sections. hip length. balance: The way a rod feels in the hand with used to quickly cover a "rise." boxes (fly or bait): Used to facilitate the carrying backing: Running line. Line put on under the reel and line attached, when fly casting. In bait casting, the way a rod and reel feel with line and of flies or baits (natural or artificial). Made in a casting line to fill up the reel. However, when variety of materials and sizes to suit every taste, spliced to the line, it is available as reserve line lure attached in the process of casting. A poorly for playing large fish such as steelhead and sal­ balanced outfit does not handle well and makes brogue: See "wading shoe." casting difficult. mon. bulging: A type of underwater rise causing a backlash: An unexpected termination of the barometer (fishermen's): An instrument with a bulge on the water's surface, made by the sudden forward cast in bait casting, caused by the spool special dial, not common to the ordinary barom­ turn and consequent swirl of the fish's tail when travelling faster than the pull of the line, which eter, used to determine the alleged best fishing chasing subaqueous insects in shallow water, m turn causes the spool to overrun. The result time. generally over or near weedbeds. Sometimes the •S a snarl or "bird's nest" on the spool of the reel. basket (fishermen's): See "creel." bulge is accompanied by a torpedo-like wave. The two chief causes of a backlash are the im­ bass bug: An artificial floating bug, designed to bull: The handle section of a rod. proper thumbing of the reel when casting, and be cast with""a fly rod for bass. In small sizes (Turn to Page 17) If. PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER

THE LITTLE FROGS the city-limits, has for many, many years been or mighty soon will be, strong enough to rise and subject to continuous bombardment by plug say that these streams are to be ours to fish in (Continued from Page 7) fishermen living nearby. Not to mention the and not to be despoiled for any other purpose. children how they would take a worm from your myriads of minnows, crayfish and worms that The tricks to use to catch these educated bass? fingers if you held it quietly in the water. This have been dunked in it. With all this fishing, it We will discuss those, and soon, but right now we palled on the kids after a while and they wanted continued to produce an occasional nice fish; are going fishing. to do some real fishing. So we rigged up a rod plenty to sustain the hopes of the neighborhood and line but instead of using a hook we simply fishermen. When the sudden poisoning came we tied the worm to the end of the string. It worked were all astounded at the size and numbers of swell. The trout would grab the worm, run under the game fish which were killed; which had till A reader asks why black bass so often take the bank, and when the kids pulled would come then avoided capture by hook and line. Some hold of a live frog bait, run with it, and then drop out fighting furiously; until forced to the top of were bigger than any we had ever caught. it and cannot be hooked. Usually the reason is the water where he let go. No harm was done the wrong species of frog is being used. The The future, then with its ever increasing small, bronze-green marsh frog is the proper bait. and we thought nothing of it when the fish quit number of fishermen need not frighten anyone. biting after a while. But the next time we tried It is found in marshy ground and in the grass My little q-eek has proved that given pure and along the shores of lakes and streams. it we found out that those fish wanted nothing to fertile water, food and cover, the fish will carry do with a worm that had a white string tied to it. on. And, though the fishermen try as they will, Nor did they ever take such a bait again though they can never exterminate the bass in my creek we did get some to take worms on a black thread so long as they fish with hook and line, bait or Repealed sneezing and head shaking and ear and on gut leaders, but never as aggressively as plug or fly. The main point is to continue the digging are danger signals in a dog. Such be­ they did that first time. They learned some­ fight against pollution wherever and however we havior may mean that the animal is beset by those thing. So did we. can. Here, too, the future looks brighter than vicious pests, the tick or foxtail. Quick attention is I met a rather mature brown trout one day the past. If there is strength in numbers, we are, required by a veterinarian, along a tributary to my creek. That was the year I learned that it is better to use a large spent- wing dry-fly for late season trout fishing than to Form 3626.—Ed. ltttt putter with long leaders and tiny flies. A trout STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION, ETC., REQUIRED BY THE will come a long way in clear water to take a big ACTS OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912, AND MARCH 3, 1933 fly when he will hardly move a foot to take a tiny one. Much easier and better to have the fish 01.. .published Monthly. come to your fly than to try to approach too .m&sxMwujmim..(Insert title of publication.) (Statefrequency of issue.) closely on a July day. It was the thrill supreme Htrrlsbnrg P». Octotxrr 194$ „ to see that great trout wallow into the shallow (Namo of post olLco and State where publication is entered.) water and take a big floating Queen of the STATE OF J?i Waters. Not for long, though, for as soon as he felt the barb he plunged under these tangled COUNTY OP D&UphJUl roots and snapped my leader as easily as a bull Before me, a MqfcWy Pabllp in and for the Stat© and county aforesaid, personally appeared would break a clothes-line. Certainly he took my j. AIII awtt who, having been duly sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is breath away but when I regained it I climbed the Acting...Fditerr _ of the _PafflSTWM.» «GLffl that leaning tree to watch for him. In a little (State whutlior editor, publisher, business manager, or owner.) (Insert tltie of publication.) and that the following is, to the beet of his knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, management (and if a daily paper, while I saw him on the bottom, rolling on his the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in the above caption, required by the Act of August 24, side, rubbing that fly against the rocks. He got 1912, as amended by the Act of March 3, 1933, embodied in section 537, Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse it out and presently resumed his feeding but no of this form, to wit: matter what I offered I could not get another 1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor, and business managers are: rise out of him. He would come and examine Name of— Post office address— everything, but when he saw the leader or the Publisher Pennsylvania Fi»h Commission So. Office B?-d«r_.Ra^.al^!!*:.?*.r. hook, he would turn away. Finally, in despera­ Editor 4m MUn Barrett (ActJxig' Sdltor) So. Office Bldg. Barrisburg Pa., tion, I caught some grass-hoppers and tossed Managing Editor „ I . —_ them on the water; he ate every one but the one Business Managora , with the hook in it. I never did catch him and I 2. That the owner is: (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the doubt if anyone did for he was plenty big enough names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding one per cent or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, to have had his name in the papers. I think that the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a firm, company, or other unincorporated concern, he knew about hooks and lines when he struck its name and address, as well as those of each individual member, must be given.) the first time but that he was in too much of a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hurry to grab that fly and get back, to examine it Pish Coraoission ™ So. Office Eldg. Harriaburg Pa, carefully.

Several warm-water streams we know that 3. That the* known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of would normally be fished only by boys looking bonds, mortgages, or other securities are: (If there are none, so state.) for sunnies or suckers have been classed as trout streams by the authorities and get an None annual re-stocking of legal sized brown or rain­ bow trout. Most of the trout are promptly caught out by the fellows who get there on 4. That the two paragraphs next above, giving the names of the owners, stockholders, and security holdere, if any, contain not only Opening Day. A few remain, but the amazing the list of stockholders and security holders as they appear upon the books of the company but also, in cases where the stockholder or thing is the number of bass living in those security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, is given; also that the said two paragraphs contain statements embracing affiant's full knowledge and streams who survive the torrent of flies and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the spinners, worms and minnows that descend company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe upon the waters each spring. The time to count that any other person, association, or corporation has any interest direct or indirect in the said stock, bonds, or other securities than as so the bass is, of course, later when the water is stated by him. low and clear. This does not mean that bass are 5. That the average number of copies of each issue of this publication sold or distributed, through." the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the twelve months preceding the date shown above is _ smarter than trout. It just 'goes to show that (This information is required from daily publications only.) having been educated in the ways of men and lLSi-J.ALLEK.JABRETT...,_ i*?*!^*.^.^) hooks and lines the bass disdain from biting, (Signature of editor, publisher, business manager, or own«f.) where the trout, lacking that education, are .J25- -day of September 19 45 caught. Sworn to and subscribed before me this,. Several times I have seen the results of careless [SEAL.] HarTy..R*..Dando..lUE«.- of accidental poisoning of fishing water. The (My conimission expires—•Maxcli^.JSL -19 4?) latest and most vivid being that of what I can NOTE.—This statement must be made iu duplicate and both copies delivered by the publisher to the postmaster, who shall send one copy to the Third Assistant Postmaster Cieiu'ml (Division of Classification), Washington, 0. C, and retain the other In the ales of the post office. The publisher must publish a copy ol this state­ honestly describe as one of the hardest fished ment in thesecond issue printed next alter its wing. ie—ISTM eddies in the whole country. This pool, within FOSTMASTEB: BE SUBE TO BEAD AND CAREFULLY OBSERVE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE OTHER gLDS. 1945 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 17

Deep Fishing Necessary SQUALLS FROM LEE RUN BAY The autumn angler must get his baits and his lures down deep, for autumn fish seldom feed on By JAN DREWS the surface. An exception, of course, is a day that is unseasonably warm, or perhaps during the very A platoon of military Mice have deployed from Jr." This is because some of the other members noon hour or so of a bright and sunny day. Camp Reynolds and dug in under our wood box. are a little bit stiff when he gets there. They must be radar equipped because they cer­ There is a good story making the rounds of the The fish are in the deeper holes and rapids tainly are making it tough for our old-fashioned Lee Eddy weed beds—about the Carp's daughter near the end of the season, and there the angler cat. and the travelling Calico Bass. must go in pursuit of them. Those B-29 Herons made a final bombing run It certainly was hot up here last Tuesday. At the same time, bass and pickerel will take on a picnic from New Castle just before they We watched a Muskrat running up the opposite larger baits and larger plugs in fall than in sum­ took off for wherever it is they go for the winter. shore. It was carrying two empty clam shells. mer—because they literally are stuffing them­ It would run about 20 feet and then it would selves in preparation for winter. One of those "Kamikaze" Bass in the Car­ put the clam shells down and climb up on them Pay particular attention to creek holes which penter Eddy hit our black Jitterbug night before to cool its feet. last. have been cluttered up with swimmers during the That big Salmon came up over the riffle into summer. Contrary to some opinions, bathing in After that rain Saturday noon, Uncle French the Lee Eddy and spent the weekend with "Old a creek pool does not drive out the fish. broke the camp record for getting out of a wet Tom," the blind Muskellunge. Tom is trying to shirt and into a dry Martini. persuade his friend to go down into the Alle­ Charley, the thoughtful member at Dick's gheny River with him and take oil treatments cottage always brings a bottle of "Absorbine next winter.

ANGLERS PLAN SUMMER COLONY IN MOUNTAINS ITTLE Clairton," a fishing and hunting com­ sale to one hundred lots and a few of those re­ Lmunity owned by Clairton sportsmen, may mained without owners this week. soon blossom in the mountain country north of Other improvements included in the develop­ Confluence, near the border of Somerset and ment of the property call for a common picnic Fayette counties. The community is being and recreation grove and facilities necessary for planned as a fishing and hunting paradise for hatching and stocking game fish. members of the Anglers Club of Clairton and The purchase of cabin sites carried with it life­ nearly one hundred members have already ar­ time fishing privileges to the buyers, but other ranged for the purchase of cabin sites. club members also may acquire fishing rights at The club recently began negotiations for the a nominal figure. John Straub of Clairton, is purchase of a tract of land adjoining good water chairman of the Lake Site Committee and Stan­ for fishing and intends to carry out a program ley Bland is president of the organization. of fish stocking and propagation for the exclusive Although one of Clairton's most recent organ­ use of club members. Lots one hundred feet izations, the club has grown so rapidly that the square were plotted on the property and offered directors have "frozen" membership at 150 men. for sale to the members. The club limited the

Max Nettke of Lancaster and four Walleyes from THE SPORTSMEN'S CORNER the Lower Susquehanna Autumn Fishing Pays Dividends—Larger Baits and Artificial Lures Should Be Used- Bass and Pickerel Are Found in Deeper Holes and Runs By DICK FORTNEY TACKLE TERMINOLOGY *T*HE long, lanky chap was grinning all over his trips to the North Branch in the vicinity of Wya- (Continued from Page 15) * face. It was snowing outside and the wind lusing until the end of November. He fished C whistled with cold fury as he sat on the edge of a with helgrammites, and invariably he returned cast: A leader with one or more flies attached. desk, carefully unwrapped a piece of newspaper, home with fine catches of bass. A term sometimes applied to a favorite section of and displayed the long-toothed head of a giant Sometimes he had to load himself down with a river—especially in salmon fishing. See Pickerel. warm clothes, but he found the bass and wall­ "leader." "I caught him yesterday afternoon on a eyes in a feeding mood. casting: The act of throwing a fly or bait in jointed yellow plug," the angler explained. "I angling for game fish or for recreation. The fol­ caught a nice bass, too." Colder Water Helps lowing casting terms are defined: "air cast," It was the day after Thanksgiving. And the Rivers and creeks become colder in the fall, "back cast," "backhand cast," "curve cast," Weather had changed over night from a balmy, especially after a couple of hard frosts, and the "false cast," "forehand cast," "forward cast," sunny afternoon to a raw, bitter morning. fish seem to increase in pep. Certainly their ap­ "horizontal cast," "overhead cast," "reverse My friend had gone fishing, instead of at­ petites are better, for in the autumn they in­ cast or Galway Cast," "roll cast," "snap cast," tending a football game, after eating his Thanks­ stinctively gorge themselves with food to pro­ "Spey Cast," "steeple cast," "strip cast," giving Day dinner. He had been richly re­ vide fat in their bodies to sustain them during "switch cast," "water cast," "wind cast," and warded. the winter months when they feed very little or "Wye Cast." Autumn Fishing Good become dormant. casting line: The line that is cast and to which Not an ordinary occurrence, it is true, but the Most fall days, besides, are bracing and the leader (in fly fishing), or the trace (in bait incident serves to drive home the point that beautiful, particularly during those hours when casting), is attached. Years ago, but no longer autumn fishing is good. The angler who puts the sun is shining, and never is there that sticky so used, "casting line" described what is now the aside his rods and lures soon after Labor Day heat (nor even stickier insects) which prevail misses a lot of sport. in summer. leader. See "leader." caster: One who participates in casting. It's not good for just plug fishing, either. The competition is less keen from other The late Bill Mollenkopf, veteran Williams- anglers—and those pests, the swimmers, have check: See "click." P°rt city health officer, used to make weekly long since disappeared. {Continued Next Month) 11! PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER NOVEMBER

and whipped the plug up and out in a graceful skittering minnows. The pool seemed to be arc. Braking the reel and judging it nicely, Fred coming to life. Fred's pulse began to quicken set the black and yellow wiggler right where he with it. wanted it. As it landed with a slight "plunk" It was while Fred was cautiously walking for­ he twitched the rod down, starting the action of ward that it happened. With his eyes intent on the plug the instant it hit the water. the slippery rock underfoot, he missed it en­ Nothing happened as he worked it in from deep tirely. But even had he been deaf he couldn't water. Nothing happened on the second cast, or have been oblivious to the tumult caused by the third, so Fred tried the other side, off to his that mighty splash. Even from away off to the right. far side of the pool the splat of a heavy body on With the first cast he got action. A savage the surface jerked Fred's eyes upwards and rush at the lure brought up the tip of Fred's rod started his nerves tingling. in an automatic response. His heart leaped "Did you see that?" exclaimed Jim from be­ even though he quickly realized the fish he had hind. "What a whopper! Right over there— hooked was not what he wanted, not by several right by that log." pounds. But where there was one there should Fred looked in dismay at the place where the be more. A chance was all that Fred wanted. broadening circles agitated the surface. "Bring the net, Jim," he called out as he "What a spot," he wailed. "Right in the brought the fish in without wasting any time. crotch of that snag. How will I ever get out that "I may need it soon." far?" "We can walk out a third of the way before it Jim and the fish came to Fred's side at about gets too deep," urged Jim. "C'mon, Uncle the same time. Fred." "Too small," said Fred, wetting his hand and No further coaxing was needed. Carefully, releasing the barbs. "About two pounds. stealthily the two felt their way along the Here," and he loosed the struggling bass, "go slippery bottom until the chilly water lapped at call your daddy. Or if your granddad's bigger, Fred's shorts. It was still a long way, but now get him. It's all or nothing tonight." Fred had his fears under control. He had made Jim bent over as though to watch Fred handle casts as long and had hit targets as small. the fish. "This calls for a heavier plug and a floater," "Don't look now, Uncle Fred," he said in a low he said, taking off "old faithful." "And here's voice, "but there's a pretty rugged character just the thing. He took a white-bodied, red­ ashore watching us." headed plug out of the can in his pocket and at­ Before he looked, Fred knew. On the left bank tached it to the leader. stood a tall stringy farmer, a sunburned, un­ "This one get's 'em every time," he said. smiling figure.dressed in toil-worn overalls and a "It's quite a distance, Uncle Fred," pointed straw hat. Feeling like a little boy caught steal­ out Jim. ing cookies, Fred gulped. Fred measured it with his eye. "Hello, Angus," he said weakly. "I can make it," he said grimly. "Maybe "Who's that?" asked Angus without acknowl­ Judge couldn't, but I can. Watch now. Right in edging the greeting. the pocket." "This is my nephew Jim. Home from the His practiced wrist brought the rod back Navy on leave," explained Fred. sharply, then whipped it forward with a snap. 22-inch, 3-lb., 2-oz. Brown Trout caught by John It was a good cast, an amazingly good cast, sur­ Adderty of Sharon, Pa. Adderty made his catch in "We're—ah—fishing," he added lamely. the Lackawannock Creek Angus said nothing for a couple of minutes prising even Fred a little. But good as it was, it while Fred fidgeted uncomfortably. Finally Angus spoke. "You with Judge Foley?" he asked. "Yes. Sure," replied Jim quickly. THE DIE-HARD "He went already," said Angus, suspiciously, it (Continued from Page 3) seemed to Fred. could see the fading sunlight glinting on lazily "Oh ... He caught his fish. We're staying. moving specks in the water, getting dimmer and Ah, we're trying to catch . . . That is . . ." dimmer until it faded out an amazing distance Fred's voice trailed off. below. There was nothing more. Nothing Angus chewed on that for awhile. His attitude, moved. There was no life in the water, no rustle to Fred's surprise, wasn't belligerent, not even of leaves on the trees. The pond was like glass antagonistic. Yet it wasn't friendly; just curious from the usual falling off of wind at evening. and faintly disapproving. It was too still, too clear, unnatural. When he "Beats me what you fellers'll do fer a fish." noticed his head was already in the shadows, he said. And without another word he turned Fred scrambled off the log and hurried back. All hope was oozing fast. and disappeared into the bushes. "Give me that rod, Jim," he said grimly. He Not ten minutes had passed, yet Fred felt as selected a yellow and black semi-surface plug though he had been through a long court trial, and attached it to the long leader. He picked out had been condemned, and had been reprieved at another plug which he put in a can in his coat the last second. As though to signal the with­ pocket. To take off his pants and change his drawal of an evil influence, the leaves began to shoes was the work of a minute. rustle and slight ripples marred the glassy sur­ face of the pond. The faint stirring of air made "Come on, old faithful," he whispered to. the Fred feel cold. yellow lure dangling on his leader. "Don't fail me now. Let's go get 'em." "What a cheerful old goat," he said. "Whew! "I hope," he added, but not very confidently. I'll bet he scared all the fish into hiding. Say, Stepping into the chilly water, he waded out that was quick thinking, Jim. Judge must have until he was knee deep. The edge of the shelf of bribed him to fish here. And that was why he rock he was standing on broke away abruptly hollered so loud when he left, to bring Angus out. about seventy feet ahead of him. Past the edge Good thing Angus thought we were with Judge. the water was deep and still. Fred sighted past Else he'd have come with his shot gun." the tip of his rod towards the edge of the shelf of Fred looked back at the pool. Squinting rock where it met the steep wall of the quarry off against the glare of the sun—with all of the pool to the left. He whipped the rod back and forth a already in the shadows—he could see the rippling Fred Sangrey of Millersville and two nice Walleyes few times. Then he brought it back sharply surface of the pool broken here and there by from Safe Harbor Dam PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER

still plopped a few feet short of where Fred tinued to battle with as much dash and spirit as the net, and the bass all tangled in a smother of wanted it. Maybe it would do. Tensely he at the start. foam. counted to fifteen, to twenty. He gave the line a With Jim excitedly coaching at his side, Fred "Got 'im, Unk. Got 'im!" shouted Jim, stand­ twitch. He started counting again— stood his ground and matched wits with the bass. ing up dripping wet, clutching fish and net to his Wham! In a shower of spray, with a shock He could not relax, not knowing how securely the chest. Quickly he turned and headed towards Fred could feel to his elbow, a huge mouth en­ fish was hooked. Sooner or later, he knew, the the tackle box on shore. All Fred could do was gulfed the plug and surged for the protecting log. bass would come to the surface as he weakened. follow like a puppy on a leash. And when that happened, Fred would have to be Fred reared back with the rod. It all happened "D-d-d-don't let him get away," stuttered doubly careful. in a split second. Fred, trembling now that it was all over. "Oh "Get him, Unk!" yelled Jim. "He's going to jump, Uncle Fred," cried Jim boy, does this call for a celebration." "Got 'im!" shouted Fred. suddenly. At exactly ten minutes to nine, Fred stepped The hooks were set. All Fred could do was The bass came up with a rush, breaking out of the car in front of Bill's shop. He pre­ give it the butt and pray: pray that the hooks through the surface like a depth charge. He sented a startling metamorphosis from the Fred would hold, that the rod would hold, that the stood on his tail and rattled the plug savagely in Whitcomb of several hours earlier. Freshly line would hold. It was like trying to check a a desperate effort to throw it clear. scrubbed, clean shaven, he flicked a speck of dust runaway locomotive with a piece of twine. It Fred's heart skipped at the sight. Jim screeched off his best suit. With a wicked glint in his eye, didn't seem possible that his line could stand the something unintelligible. In the fading light the he strode determinedly, if a bit unsteadily, up the strain of so determined a lunge. But somehow it bass looked monstrous, all mouth and cream- stairs. did. colored belly. Fred automatically checked the "Where's Judge?" he demanded of Bill as he fish's leap. entered the shop. For a terrifying moment Fred thought the Again the bass boiled to the top in a slashing, bass had got back under the log. For one long "He'll be back in a few minutes. He went to roaring bid for freedom. An instant later he hit pick up the boys." desperate lunge the bass tried. Then in a flash the air, leaping completely out and flopping he shot to his left and plunged into deep water. "Bring in the stuff, Jim," shouted Fred through over in a somersault. the screen door. Down deep he dived, a mist spraying from the "Wow!" yelled Fred. Bill watched while Jim carried in two big paper reel as the bass stripped off yardage. Fred gave This was more like it. He shifted his feet to bags, one of which clinked cheerfully. him his head a little, gave him line. But he made brace himself for the next leap. The bass beat "Judge already has some on ice," said Bill. him earn it. He made the bass .fight the tip of his him to it. His next tail spin caught Fred in mid- "What have you got in the other bag? Sand­ rod and the ball off his thumb. stride. Fred's foot skidded. Down he went on wiches?" Finding the going too difficult, the bass his right knee, chest and face in the water. The "Yeah. Sanniches," said Fred settling him­ doubled back. Fred kept pace with him, reeling reel handle churned the water like an egg beater self in a chair. "Eight anna haff poun's a in the slack. The bass got mad. The taut line as the line raced out. sanniches." He laughed lightly as though it zig-zagged through the water in crazy patterns In a flash Fred scrambled to his feet. He was were a huge joke. "Yessir, eight anna haff as the fish tried to rid himself of the steel slivers too late. The line lay slack on the water. poun's." in his mouth. He had never been hooked be­ "Looks like he's gone." Jim spoke what was "You're a good loser, Fred," said Bill. "The fore, but no one has to teach a large healthy bass heavy in Fred's mind. way you're all prettied up you'd think you were how to fight. With an electrifying change of For a long moment Fred stared numbly at the going to have your picture taken. I'm glad to pace that whipped the tip of Fred's rod in ragged limp line. Slowly he began to pick at the snarl. see you're not taking it too hard. Here comes jerks, the bass fought for freedom. Bitter disappointment ravaged his face. Through Judge now. And he's got a couple of friends "You got 'im now, Unk. Take it easy. Wear no fault of his own he had been cheated out of a with him." him out," encouraged Jim. magnificent triumph. He hadn't made a mis­ Fred Whitcomb beamed and slid lower in his take; it was bad luck that beat him out. Heart- Oblivious to everything but the battle on his chair. brokenly he fumbled with the reel. hands, Fred did not hear. There could be no re­ "Let 'em come," he said as he straightened With a suddenness that almost knocked Fred laxing, not with a scrapper like this one. From out his tie. "Boy, just let 'em come." over, Jim yelled, "The plug! Where's the plug, the weight of him, Fred knew it was the biggest Unk? If he got away it would be floating." bass he had ever hooked. From the strength of Instantly Fred understood. He spun the line him, Fred feared the worst. And Fred's face dis­ Casting a bass bug on an extremely long line on the reel over the backlash. He thought the played his fears. He was a man suffering ex­ is a handicap for any except skilled anglers. line would never tighten. The bass was in close quisite torture. The wild gleam in his eye was With too much line out, the lure cannot be made again, down at the bottom. Almost without a hope. The tight line of his jaw was determina­ to twitch and pop properly and a fish is difficult struggle, he allowed himself to be towed in. tion. The perspiration on his face was anxiety to hook solidly. If the angler is quiet, a cast of He had shot his bolt. and desperation. say about 30 feet is sufficient to get a rise. "The net, the net!" yelled Fred. He did not notice the chill water which in the Jim was ready—tense, watchful, standing like struggle had already drenched him to his a hockey goalie ready to fend off the puck. shoulders. It is doubtful if Fred would have felt When a spoon or spinner is trailing a bit of "Bring him over here," he directed. And as weed or a sliver of leaf it seldom will be struck by pain had he been standing barefooted in a bed of Fred complied, he lunged and swooped wildly at live coals. A prominent vein in his neck throbbed a fish. This is a good point to remember with the the exhausted bass. approach of autumn, when the waters of lakes With excitement. And the bucking, headlong "No, no! Not like that," yelled Fred as Jim, rushes of the desperate bass paced the pounding and streams carry much debris. 'n Fred's veins. Fred had a good rod, one that curved in a natural, graceful arc from butt to tip. And Fred made the most of the flex of the rod. He held the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS tip high to ease the strain on line and hooks. , HARRISBURG, PA. He forced the bass to fight the rod every inch of the way, giving him a little line every now and SUBSCRIPTION BLANK then when the fish went wild. Enclosed find fifty cents ($.50) for one year's subscription to the To Fred the battle was something new. Never Pennsylvania Angler." before had he fought a bass which stayed stub­ bornly so far below the surface. Except for the hrst brief flurry, all the struggle was way down Name- °eep. That worried Fred more than a little. (Print Name) Who could tell what snags might be down there to entangle his line? Fred liked to see his fish Street and Number- Jump. It always gave him a comfortable feeling. And it added to the zest of the contest. PLEASE CHECK How long it was the bass kept up that stub­ • New City. born deep sea wrestling, Fred had no way of tell- • Renewal jfig- Certainly it was as long a fight as any other '•sh had ever given him. And yet the bass con­ DO NOT SEND STAMPS NOVEMBER 20 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER

( WELL. YES. IN '41 DID I EYER TELL ,L ,1 FELT A TUG YOU ABOUT THE TIME ^ +2.'H3 AND'4-H, BUT WE HAYENT HEARD ON MY LINE AN' UP AT FISHERMEN'S ,l PARADISE. THE +5" EDITION I GOT SO EX­ ANY RESEMBLANCE CITED I 6KVE IT YET.' A JERK LIKE h TO TRUTH IS PURELY COINCI- ^ THIS. 6 .• DENTAL! ,

NOW m MAKE ED DEMONSTRATE" SIT UP AND HOW YOU PAY ATTEN­ H SCRAPED TION TO -A OFF ITS YOUR V*rifa. SCALES WITH A RUSTY STORY/ KNIFE.' ->-% 1^ h&- h T WONDER ONE BY HOW MUCH IF THIS HAIR THAT HE GOT AWAY on TONVC'D PUT GOT FROM SAM HMRON MY AWAY LAST WEEK' CHEST IF X. TOOK IT INTERNALLY SA 7 1 THINK HE'S , i \ =^X WAIT IN' -£. /( FOR SAM /\TO NICK i / OFF /\ / PIECE OF V EAR. OR , V SUMPIN.'

N WE'LL. ^ ITS AN HANG IT ARTIFICIAL NW\TH SKM'S Ef\R WE GOT (TROPHIES X WONDER AW, C'MON ITS GETTING MOUNTED.' WHEN HE'S IF THERES DOT.' THEY'D SO A GIRL CANT , JUST TAKE YOU NOT ANYBODY IN GO IN A BARBER LOOKING? THERE WHO HOME AND SHOP WITHOUT HASN'T GOT , SHOW YOU A FINDING »T A DATE ''STUFFED FISH/ CLUTTERED TON\GHT? I PREFER A UP WITH MILLIONAIRE MEN.' WITH ETCHINGS' •./:' ^

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©uR BARBER 15 AN ARDENT FISHERMAN... •&Z?^LC-° Honor Roll PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION

& # & •

Employes of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission Now in the Service of Our Country

*FRED E. BLANEY ANDREW SAVAGE *ROLLAND D. CRONK CYRIL REGAN WARREN HAMMER NEVIN LeDANE DALE ARNER GEORGE FOX WILLIAM E. McILNAY THEODORE J. DINGLE, JR. ROY SMITH BUDD BROOKS MAHLON BREON ROBERT BROWN WESLEY BECKWITH CHARLES EGLINGER GEORGE MAGARGEL JAMES PETERS C. W. SHEARER JOHN ALSPAUGH DONALD L. HOUSER CHAS. KUSTANBAUTER JOHN C. LOCKHART BUDD SAMPSELL CHARLES E. STARK HAROLD STITZER NORMAN L. BLUM LEROY SORENSON ALBERT E. BESECKER MELBOURNE O. SORENSON EARL HENRY MARSH PAUL POORMAN GEORGE W. CROSS SAMUEL C. GRIFFEY RICHARD E. HEFFERAN NORMAN SICKLES ALBERT BRUNGART SPENCER POTTER GORDON C. BURDICK KENNETH ALEY JAMES A. MAY BENJAMIN DONLEY JOHN F. G. RIEDEL JACK ELWOOD SAXION PAUL PECHART ALTON J. JONES RAY E. LAIR ARTHUR D. BRADFORD CLARENCE S. HUTCHINSON GERALD PARKER JAMES F. HANNA

*Made Supreme Sacrifice

// // I Came Through and I Shall Return —GENERAL MacARTHUR MAILED IN CONFORMITY WITH P. O. D. ORDER Nos. 27856-19687

THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY I've fished in the north, the south, the west In every conceivable way, And always the fish were biting like mad The day before yesterday.

It's always the same from Canada To the gulf where the swordfish play, "No bites today but you should have been here The day before yesterday."

It might be a guide, a farmer, a boy, 1 know what they're going to say; They'll squint at the sky and tell me about The day before yesterday.

The moon isn't right, the wind is wrong, The sky is a trifle too gray, "But you should have seen our big string of bass The day before yesterday."

The man in the store will take my cash For his bait and send me away With his long, tall tale of the fish he caught The day before yesterday.

Men yearn to see in the future, But it's not for the future I pray; I want to turn back and catch all those fish The day before yesterday.

—C. J. PERKINS