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Before development of the Pennsylvania canal system in the 1830s, anadromous fishes like shad and herring migrated into the Susquehanna River as far as Binghamton, New York. Hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of shad were harvested each year by commercial netters in the upper Chesapeake Bay and lower Susquehanna River. Dams built to sustain the canal system began to reduce the annual migrations, and on March 30, 1866, Governor Andrew Curtin signed Act 336, which established the post of Pennsylvania Fish Commissioner. The first Commissioner was charged with the responsibility for management of Pennsylvania's fishery resources, with the spe­ cific mandate of managing and protecting the migratory fishes in the Susquehanna River. Although there was some redeveloped fish migration into central Pennsylvania when the canal dams were abandoned and destroyed in the late 1880s, construction of hy­ droelectric dams at York Haven and Holtwood during 1904 to 1910, and the Conowingo project in 1928, closed the Susquehanna River to runs of migratory fishes. The Fish Commission was unable to save the migrations because the Federal Power Commis­ sion and the U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries concluded that "it was very doubtful that shad would ascend a fishway of any description or any height." In 1947, as the technology in fishway design improved, die Pennsylvania Fish Commission and the Joint State Government Commission requested the 1947 Session of the Penn­ sylvania General Assembly to ask the U. S. Congress to fund studies regarding the biological and engineering feasibility of constructing fish passage facilities at the Susquehanna River dam. Congress, in turn, asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to recommend to Pennsylvania and Maryland how to proceed, and the Susquehanna River Anadro­ mous Fish Restoration Program began. Much water has gone over the dams and mil­ lions of shad have been handled since then, but the most significant event to date took place June 1, 1993, on City Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Representatives from governmental agencies and environmental groups joined with utility officials to sign an agreement to build fish lifts at three hydroelectric dams on the Susquehanna River in southeastern Pennsylvania. The fish lifts allow American shad, river herring and other migratory fish species to traverse the dams on their annual upriver journey from the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. Fish lifts at two dams—Holtwood and Safe Harbor—are planned to be completed in time for the spring 1997 shad run, and a ladder at the third dam, York Haven, would be completed by spring 2000. With the completion of the fish passage facilities, more than 200 miles of the Susquehanna River once again will be open to shad migration. Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey said, "We look forward to the return of the native American shad to their migrator)' home in Pennsylvania waters of the Susquehanna River." "This is a proud day for Maryland," said Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer. "This agreement shows how states and private industry can work together to create a better environment by working to restore the shad population to the Chesapeake Bay and the Susquehanna River." Among those represented at the signing ceremony were the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Edward R. Miller, P.E. Service, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Executive Director Environmental Resources, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, the Maryland Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Department of Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Upper Chesapeake Watershed Association, Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, and Met­ ropolitan Edison and Baltimore Gas & Electric companies. I commented, "Today's agreement allows completion of the major fish passage fa­ cilities required to open the Susquehanna River again to fish migrations. It is a fitting testimony to the years of effort by many concerned people who were committed to restoration of this valuable resource. As Pennsylvania's lead agency in this long-standing effort, the Fish & Boat Commission is particularly pleased that the fishery restoration pro­ gram has reached this historic level." It is indeed a historic day for the Susquehanna River and the Commonwealth of Penn­ sylvania.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler October 1993 Vol 62 No. 10 Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission James S. Biery, Jr. Pennsylvania President Swatara Paul J. Mahon ANGLER Vice President 77ie Keystone State's Official Fishing Magazine ^^ Clarks Green Samuel M. Concilia North East Calico Autumn by Tom Fegely Ross J. Huhn Slab-sided crappies are fish for all seasons, and October is one of Saltsburg Donald N. Lacy the best times to score Reading T. T. Metzger, Jr. Allegheny Reservoir Update by Mike Bleech Johnstown Kinzua offers plenty of fishing right now. Brush up on the latest Howard E. Pflugfelder information on walleyes, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskies, New Cumberland Leon Reed northern pike, trout, panfish, channel catfish, and the baitfish all these Honesdale species feed on William J. Sabatose Brockport The Carpenter Ant Revisited by Chauncy K. Lively J. Wayne Yorks Benton This dry fly ant pattern requires little dressing with flotants and is quite fuss-free 12 Boating Advisory Board Donald J. Little Grays Run by Marge Wonderlich Chairman This northcentral Pennsylvania waterway's sleepy pools are alive Philadelphia with brown trout, and native brookies dot its babbling riffs and pocket Clayton Buchanan water 14 Pittsburgh Gary Miles North East Jig Tips for Fall Smallmouth Bass by Darl Black Thaddeus Piotrowski Jigs and smallmouth bass fishing go together like mustard on hot Bloomsburg dogs, and now is a great time to feast on this fishing 16 Vincent P. Riggi Clarks Summit Pymatuning's 12 Months of Walleyes by George Wolf Magazine Staff Numbers, not size, is the watchword at Pymatuning, and the good Editor—Art Michaels news is that the action is an anytime thing 20 Editorial Assistant—Charlene Seifert Art Director—Ted Walke Southwest Pennsylvania's Saugeyes by Jeff Knapp Circulation—Eleanor Mutch Nine waterways offer the best fishing for this hybrid cross between Circulation—Patti Copp a sauger and a walleye 24 Staff Assistant—Rose Ann Bartal Staff Assistant—Nita Lynch On the Water with Charles F. Waterman Famous water, common trout 31 Regular contributors Darl Black Mike Bleech The cover Tom Fegely Jeff Knapp This issue's front cover, photographed by Barry and Cathy Beck, shows an angler working West Creek, Columbia County. Isn't October a terrific month for fishing? Many species are fat­ Pennsylvania Angler (ISSN0031-434X) is published monthly by the Pennsylvania tening up for the winter, making spawning runs, or livening up from the summer doldrums in cooler Fish & Boat Commission, 3532 Walnut Street. Harrisburg. PA 17109. ©1993. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the water temperatures. The lowdown on Grays Run, a productive, scenic stream in northcentral Penn­ Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Subscription rates: one year. $9; three sylvania, begins on page 14, and a Carpenter Ant imitation you could tie up now and try in many years, $25; single copies are $1.50each. Second class postage is paid at Harrisburg. spots appears on page 12. On page 24, unravel the mysteries of finding and catching saugeyes in PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Pennsylvania Angler Circulation. Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106- southwest Pennsylvania, and on page 20, learn the secrets of Pymatuning's walleyes. The Al­ 7000. For subscription and change of address, use above address. Please allow six legheny Reservoir harbors some big fish, so scan the latest information on that waterway's gamefish, weeks for processing. Send all other correspondence to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, P.O. Box 67000. Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. Editorial queries and contributions beginning on page 8. Check out page 16, where you'll find how to fish jigs for fall smallmouth are welcome, but must be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Materia] bass, and on page 4, soak up the details on catching crappies in Pennsylvania's best crappie wa­ accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission standards terways. Lastly, on your calendar mark the Fairview Fish Culture Station Open House for Sun­ and requirements for editing and revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of submissions in day, October 17, Noon to 4 p.m. his possession or in transit. The authors' views, ideas and advice expressed in this magazine do not necessarily rcllcc! the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission or its staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission receives federal aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acts, the U. S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age. sex or handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire more information, please write to: The Office of Equal Opportunity, Department of the Interior. Washington. DC 20240. October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler mum

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A book on my library shelf tells that the common crappie bass has 68 different names. Call it what you will—crappie, croppy, calico (my personal favorite), white perch, strawberry bass, papermouth or dozens of other monikers—but in au­ tumn call it pleasure. These slab-sided panfish are truly fish for all seasons— as popular during its April-May spawn as when drawn through a hole in a frozen lake. It's in fall when they shake loose from their deep-water haunts and begin to roam bays, shorelines and shallow-water brush. Cal Kern knew exactly where they were several years ago when he invited me for an October outing on a Pocono Mountain lake. Kern, who died two years ago after a 24-year stint on the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, was a well-known jokester, but he took his calico fishing seriously. "This is the time to catch big ones," Kern said in a phone call a few days before our trip. "Find one big crappie and you'll catch a dozen." Our terminal tackle for the day consisted of 1/16-ounce and 1/32-ounce round-head jigs tipped with plastic tails that danced enticingly as they sank into calico holes. My choice was a black-headed jig that I alternated with white or yellow tails throughout the day. "I'll show you once," Kern joked as he attached a walnut-size bobber five feet above the jig. "You throw it out like that," he demonstrated, arch­ ing a looping shot that splashed down 15 feet from the rocky shoreline. "Now let it sink. Then turn the reel a few turns and let it sink again." "Got it?" he asked with a sly grin, as if I may have been unable to grasp the "complexity" of his demon­ stration. His timing for the simplistic tongue-in-cheek lesson couldn't have been better. On the second turn of the reel the bobber bounced and disappeared beneath the sur­ face as Kem firmly twitched the rod tip. Thirty sec­ onds later I netted a 14-inch calico bass—one of more than three dozen in the 12-inch to 15-inch range we boated that day. Most were released, but we saved a few for the dinner table. Having fished the lake for many years, Kern knew the location of the creekbed that meandered through it toward the spillway. Our natural drift carried us over /7epUk& and along the channel, and after nearly a dozen drifts I noted that one or both of us would hook fish in pre­ cisely the same locations on each float.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Later in the day we moved to a flat with to note such locations with marker buoys. numerous stumps and nearby lily pads where In summer they break into smaller schools and we fished small shiners. This time we an­ abandon their brushpile spawning haunts in fa­ chored and tossed minnows suspended be­ vor of deeper, cooler water. Structure may be low tiny bobbers, and enjoyed similar action. preferred but it isn't necessary for holding calicoes, Most Pennsylvania crappies are caught with which may scatter widely as waters heat up. For live bait, but the jig-and-bobber technique days they'll suspend in a preferred temperature has wide appeal because even kids can quickly zone. At night they migrate into shallower ar­ master the form. Crappies usually hit on the eas to feed, although such "shallows" may be drop. As the bobber is reeled toward the eight feet or deeper. boat a few feet at a time, the jig rises Fall triggers calicoes into schooling once to the surface, often attract­ again. As surface temperatures ing finned onlookers. gradually cool, they roam When the bobber lakes and ponds, frequent­ stops, the jig quickly ing shallower waters sinks, allowing the where they were plastic tail to all but absent on flutter entic­ summer days. ingly down­ It's the ward. second best time of the year to cast a

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line It's for the not nec­ tasty fish. essary to Add to that set the hook hard when angling for black crappies. A mere firm pleasant temperatures, Kodachrome maples reflecting in shoreline twitch of the rod tip will do. Calicoes are notoriously thin- waters and a familiar scent in the October breeze. mouthed—accounting for one nickname of "papermouth"— It doesn't get any better than that. and setting the hook as if trying to cross the eyes of a large- Of course, the seasonal change bringing colored leaves and mouth bass may pull it loose. Horsing a hooked fish also re­ migrant geese varies across the Keystone State. Even though sults in lost battles. calicoes in Cowanesque Lake in Tioga County may begin their Like perch, calicoes are schooling fish and like-size individuals fall patterns in mid to late September, the waters of Lake Williams seem to prefer hanging around together. On large lakes it pays far to the south in York County may not cool until a month later. Structure In fishing crappies in a variety of lakes, primarily in the Southeast V^Y and the Pocono Mountains, I've noted their autumn return to "appies can be caught on the the same haunts they frequented in springtime. The brushpiles same spinners used for perch and and submerged trees that lured the aggressive spring feeders again draw angler attention in October. other panfish. Small spinnerbaits The "brush connection" can be critical to an angler's suc­ cess. As backwaters are typically the first to cool, calicoes move and tiny plastic crankbaits may into the shallows and linger about debris which provides them also fool the fish. No matter which with plenty of small baitfish. In some lakes where woody structure is at a minimum, creek is used, the key is keeping the channels may provide the key to unlocking the mystery of crappie choices small bass hideouts. A depthfinder comes in handy in finding such fish. Crappies don't particularly like light, so they may be found October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Small, round bobbers are my choice when fishing Kern's jig- and-twister technique, but for live bait fishing the stick bob­ ber is arguably more effective. In fall, crappies are coopera­ athead minnows and tive but not as aggressive as during their spring spawning time. junior-size shiners no bigger They may tease a bait while mouthing it, and a round bobber won't signal their attention as readily as a stick bobber. than three inches are tops. Don't wait for the bobber to sink. A stick or "pencil" float rides the surface at a slant. The slightest nibble sends the pointed One-inch to two-inch stick upright and that's when the hook should be set. A splitshot minnows are best. or two takes the minnow to the preferred depth, which can be determined by alternating the distance between the bobber and the hook. on the channel bottom or along the shaded edges, depending Another live bait technique is basic vertical jigging, espe­ on the day's weather conditions. cially effective over submerged brushpiles. Splitshot delivers The best of both worlds, of course, is to find a bay with both the bait quickly. shallow structure and a nearby channel. As cold fronts move through, the same fish caught off brushpiles one day may be Artificial lures back in the creek channels the next. In addition to small jigs, the most widely used artificial method Don't ignore other obvious structure. On sunny days, in for crappies in each of the four seasons, other lures also yield particular, docks house crappies—especially if the docks are results, although I haven't used anything but the "tiny two" (jigs set on deep water. and minnows) in many years. Stumps, such as those found on Pymatuning Reservoir in The biggest decision to make when jigging is which color Crawford County, offer the shade and cover that calicoes pre­ of plastic tail to snare on the jig. Over the years I've learned fer. Rockpiles and bridge pilings also deserve a few casts. that color can be important. Most of my round-headed jigs are Remember that not all lakes are created equal. In some waters black or yellow but I carry six colors of tails. White and yel­ shoreline trees that lose their root holds serve as crappie hotspots low are the favorites with chartreuse a close third. for many years. In other waters, especially where unlimited On a late fall trip several years ago, however, brown tails horsepower motors are permitted, management policy may dictate outfished the other colors by at least five to one. After an hour that the trees be removed. Calicoes inhabit the best structure of casting and only catching an occasional calico, my partner they can find—which may not always be the magic brushpile. and I began to experiment. The brown tails proved to get the most hits. Tackle Other colors found in most avid crappie fishermen's boxes No matter when you cast for calicoes, use light gear. A 6- include smoke, pink, orange, clear-sparkle and black. On any foot to 7 1/2-foot light-action spinning rod and a matching reel particular day one may outfish the other, although the standard spooled with 4- or 6-pound-test line is the most widely used. white, yellow and chartreuse tails are good bets for starters. The light line is sufficient for battling most crappies and sur­ Of course, crappies can also be caught on the same spinners passes heavier line for casting light lures. used for perch and other panfish. Small spinnerbaits and tiny Some anglers opt for slightly heavier rods with sensitive tips. plastic crankbaits may also fool the fish. No matter which is An option is a long rod—up to 9 feet—with a flexible tip for used, the key is keeping the choices small. Calicoes are most reaching over brushpiles. Dunking rubber-tailed jigs or dap­ aggressive in spring but they also revitalize in fall. If the fish pling live minnows with such rods allows better control in both are finicky, forget anything other than slow-moving jigs and hook-setting and avoiding snags. minnows. Long rods also make it easier to loop-cast a jig and bobber Some anglers argue that the "big bait for big fish" theory applies without catching it in your partner's hat, especially if the bob­ as validly to calicoes as to bass or walleyes. I've fished with ber is attached 4 to 5 feet or more above the jig. professional bass casters who have taken sizable calicoes with hog-size crankbaits, although they weren't purposely fishing Live baits for them. A review of Fish & Boat Commission Angler Award catches In May of 1991, William Gorzelic of Bethlehem was "fish­ in recent years shows live minnows as the number one bait for ing for just about anything," he explained, when he cast a nameless enticing big calico bass. That should be of little surprise be­ "weighted minnow-imitation spinner" into Auburn Dam in cause crappies are largely fish-eaters by nature. Schuylkill County. Big calicoes are occasionally hooked by bass anglers toss­ In a phone call a few days later, Gorzelic explained that he ing large crankbaits or swimming big minnows, but the pref­ knew the crappie he netted was big but didn't realize it would erence for smaller fare is peculiar to the species. get so much attention. At that time he didn't know the 4-pound, Fathead minnows and junior-size shiners no bigger than three 1-ounce fish would go into the record book as the biggest calico inches are tops. One-inch to two-inch minnows are best. bass ever caught in Pennsylvania. Hook the bait on a size 8 or 10 fine-wire Aberdeen hook, through In this case the big bait theory can't be denied. the upper lip or just under the dorsal fin. I prefer the latter for It would be stretching the truth to consider October "prime still-fishing under a bobber. If the minnow is used with a jig, time" for catching crappie bass. But it is safe to claim that it's as some anglers prefer (instead of plastic tails), then it should the second best period of the year to catch them. be hooked deeply through the lips to keep it from tearing on Before this magic month ends, promise yourself—and a kid subsequent casts. —that you'll snatch a day of calico autumn. PHm\. 6 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Peiraiiisylhvaiiiiia§ Top Grapple Lakes Stocking programs throughout the state have accounted for a calico bass water near every Pennsylvania angler. Here are recognized waters with calico bass populations, but don't ignore some of the state's smaller and lesser-known lakes— such as Schuylkill County's 187-acre Auburn Dam, which yielded the current state record. Northwest Clarion (Kahle Lake), Crawford (Pymatuning Lake and Sugar Lake), Erie (Presque Isle Bay and Edinboro Lake), Forest (Tionesta Lake), Jefferson (Kyle Dam), Lawrence (Bessemer Lake), Mercer (Lake Wilhelm and Shenango Lake), Venango (Kahle Lake), and Warren (Allegheny Reservoir). Southwest Allegheny (North Park Lake), Armstrong (Keystone Lake), Beaver (Raccoon Lake), Butler (Lake Arthur and Glades Wild­ life Lake), Cambria (Glendale Lake), Fayette (Greenlick Lake), Greene (Ryerson Station Lake), Indiana (Yellow Creek Lake), Somerset (Youghiogheny Reservoir and High Point Lake), Washington (Cross Creek Lake), and Westmoreland (Donegal Lake). Northcentral Cameron (Stevenson Dam), Centre (Black Moshannon Lake and Sayers Dam), Clinton (Kettle Creek Lake), Elk (Clarion River Reservoir), Lycoming (Rose Valley Lake), McKean (Allegheny Reservoir), Snyder (Middle Creek Lake and Walker Lake), and Tioga (Cowanesque Lake and Hammond Lake).

Southcentral Adams (Long Pine Reservoir), Bedford (Shawnee Lake and Gordon Lake), Blair (Canoe Lake), Cumberland (Laurel Lake), Dauphin (Middletown Reservoir), Franklin (Mountain Lake), Fulton (Meadow Ground Lake), Huntingdon (Raystown Lake and Stone Valley Lake), Perry (Little Buffalo Lake), and York (Lake Marburg, Lake Williams, Lake Redman and Pinchot Lake). Also Holtwood Dam, Lake Aldred and the Conowingo Pool on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster and York counties. Northeast Bradford (Sunfish Pond), Carbon (Beltzville Lake and Mauch Chunk Lake), Columbia (Blair Creek Lake), Lackawanna (Chapman Lake and Lackawanna Lake), Luzerne (Moon Lake and Harveys Lake), Monroe (Bradys Lake and Gouldsboro Lake), Montour (Lake Chillisquaque), Pike (Shohola Lake, Pecks Pond and Lake Wallenpaupack), Sullivan (Hunters Lake), and Susquehanna (Page Lake). Southeast Berks (Lake Ontelaunee and Blue Marsh Lake), Bucks (Lake Nockamixon), Chester (Marsh Creek Lake), Delaware (Springton Reservoir), Lancaster (Middle Creek Lake, Muddy Run Lake and Chester-Octoraro Lake), Lebanon (Memorial Lake), Mont­ gomery (Loch Alsh Reservoir), Northampton (Minsi Lake), and Schuylkill (Sweet Arrow Lake and Tuscarora Lake). October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 7 Since it began to fill when the gates of Kinzua Dam were first closed in 1966, the Allegheny Reservoir has earned a reputation as one of the best trophy fish-producing lakes in the East. It by Mike Bleech has also gotten a reputation among anglers as one of the most challenging waters. As in most lakes, fish populations and angling success have fluctuated through nets dropped to 16.27X from 46.9IX the previous year. To un­ the years. Take a look at the Allegheny Reservoir in 1993, its derstand what these numbers mean, you have to look back at fish community, and at some of the latest, most successful angling other years. strategies. The catch rate was 0.4X when the sampling began in 1973. For a look at the scientific angle, Corps of Engineers biolo­ Walleye fishing was hardly worth the effort then. Four years gist Bob Hoskin, who is stationed at Kinzua Dam, shared his later the gill net catch rate climbed to 28.54X, and though wide­ insights. Hoskin continues gill net samples begun by U.S. Fish spread recognition was still several years away, the walleye boom and Wildlife Service biologist John Andersen, who recently retired. had clearly begun. The peak occurred during 1980 and 1981, These gill net samples, taken each spring since 1973, are the when the catch rate was 89.1 IX and 83.64X. Walleyes were primary gauge of fish population trends in the reservoir. so abundant that they wiped out their food supply. By 1982 Gill nets are set in the same places each year. Figures from the catch rate plummeted to 10.64X and local anglers were calling the gill net samples are expressed in numbers offish per 100 the reservoir "the dead sea." gill net hours. To save space here, 100 gill net hours is abbre­ Since the late 1980s walleye fishing has been fairly constant, viated as "X." For example, in 1976, .46 rainbow trout were and the gill net catch rate has wavered between 24.4 IX and caught per 100 gill net hours, or, the catch rate was .46X. 46.91X, until the spring of 1993. That range of catch rates was within the same range as when the walleye fishing boom was Walleyes going on, yet no angler believes the boom days have returned. Walleyes are the most sought-after fish in the Allegheny Likewise, the dip in gill net catch rate last spring has not been Reservoir. Walleye anglers have seen the fishery here go from reflected by a corresponding drop in angling success. boom to bust and back again to respectability. Where it is to­ Is the gill net information an accurate representation of the day is an enigma. current walleye population? Does weather or some other natural "The gill nets really shocked me this condition affect the number of walleyes that are caught in the year," Hoskin says. "I really don't know gill nets? Hoskin has contradictory information from a differ­ what's going on with the walleyes." ent source. This spring the walleye catch in gill "One thing I am real encouraged about is that the number of walleyes we are getting at night, electrofishing, is really, really ERIE good," Hoskin says. Hoskin began sampling the lake using the electrofishing method

WARREN McKEAN a few years ago as an additional way of determining fishpopulatio n trends. This project is done during October at night. The number of walleyes this project found last fall compared favorably with CRAWFORD electrofishing elsewhere. But it has not been done long enough FOREST at the Allegheny Reservoir to see long-term trends. "I'm suspicious that the walleyes were still concentrated VENANGO MERCER in the mouths of the streams," Hoskin speculates. "I think that could be part of it. Why they were up there still I'm not sure." None of the female walleyes caught in the gill nets had ripe ~v eggs, indicating that they had already spawned. However, some of the male walleyes still were ripe with milt.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Serious smallinouth bass anglers use artificial lures such as jigs and deep- diving crankbaits. Still, you can score dunking minnows, crayfish, leeches or nightcrawlers close to cover. ^s^ ft

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"The males do have a tendency to come in earlier and stay later," Hoskin says. According to gill net sampling, walleye fishing should have been better than it has been during the past few years. A likely explanation for this is that walleye habits have changed because their diets have changed. During the boom years, walleyes fed on young perch and bluntnose minnows, which live along the bottom in relatively shallow water, or in other words, along the banks. There they were easy for anglers to locate using accepted walleye angling methods. Now, and for the past several years, emerald and spottail shiners are the most abundant walleye food. These shiners do not spend most of their time along the banks. They are fish of the open lake. To feed on shiners, walleyes must also become pelagic, and to catch pelagic walleyes anglers must alter their methods. A few anglers use methods learned at Lake Erie to catch Allegheny Reservoir walleyes, but they are keeping it quiet. The hot new method is trolling deep-diving lures behind planer boards. Lures should imitate shiners in size, shape and color, though sometimes unnatural colors are more effective than natural silver and blue-green. October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler The real trick that puts the puzzle together is locating feed­ Largemouth bass ing walleyes. First, look for the schools of shiners with a so­ Largemouth bass have never prospered at the Allegheny nar fishfinder. Hungry walleyes will not stay anywhere with­ Reservoir. They were stocked from 1966 through 1971, but out shiners. You can often determine whether walleyes are feeding little came of it. on the shiners by the way the shiners are schooled. Loosely In 1987, the Allegheny Mountain Bassmasters, a local bass scattered signals, or broad, horizontal schools are bad signs. club, stocked 34,000 largemouth bass fry. Club members trans­ Instead, hope to find bait schooled in tight packs no deeper than ported the fry in the livewells of their bass boats and placed 35 feet. Most feeding activity takes place at depths of 12 feet the fish right in cover. Since then there has been a consistent, to 24 feet. Deeper water is generally deficient in oxygen. though very limited, largemouth bass fishery. Look for them Walleyes can still be caught along the shorelines, particu­ around stumps in the larger bays. larly at night. The best nights occur when schools of shiners are close to the banks. We have had good results trolling with an electric motor. If walleyes are concentrated along any de­ finable stretch of shoreline, drift quietly and cast to them. Smallmouth bass Smallmouth bass numbers also dropped in the gill net sample this past spring, from 8.01 X to 3.09X. But the smallmouth bass figures have fluctuated throughout the sampling period much more than angling success. Gill nets do not work well with bass, so the figures are suspect on a year-to-year basis. Trends do appear, though. This recent drop might, or might not, pre­ dict a downturn in the smallmouth population. "Electrofishing we caught more smallmouths in 1991 than we did walleyes," Hoskin notes. Smallmouths can still be caught consistently using traditional methods, concentrating on fallen trees, boulders and rock ledges. Serious bass anglers tend to use just artificial lures such as jigs and deep-diving crankbaits. Regardless, you can have a good time dunking minnows, crayfish, leeches or nightcrawlers close to cover. Smallmouths do not generally stray far from the banks, yet they do feed heavily on the shiner schools. Schools of smallmouths bust shiner schools at points. If you are there for one of these busts you are in for some fast action. Use lures than can mimic injured shiners. October is an excellent time for topwater fishing. Except for weekends you will probably have the huge lake to your­ self. Even on weekends each angler can have many miles of shoreline.

Since the early 1980s, the Allegheny Reservoir has been one of the best trophy musky lakes in the country. It is doubtful that any other lake in the East has given up as many 40-pounders. o -s:

10 October 1993 Pe/msyh •ania Angler Muskellunge, northern pike ice fishing. They were very popular, though without the fan­ Since the early 1980s, the Allegheny Reservoir has been one fare that went with walleyes or with any other gamefish. Channel of the best trophy musky lakes in the country. It is doubtful cats provided action for summertime, casual anglers who fished that any other lake in the East has given up as many 40-pounders. from the banks. They were the only big, good-eating sportfish The heaviest caught so far by an angler weighed 48 1/2 pounds. regularly caught by casual anglers at the campgrounds. But Gill net samples of muskies have been fairly steady, rang­ their population has been limited because natural reproduction ing from a low of .22X in 1986 to a high of 1.06X in 1991. has been poor, and stocking has been irregular. The nets are not designed to catch large fish. Nonetheless, a The first channel cats were stocked in the reservoir during few huge muskies have become entangled in the nets. Last spring 1968, an insignificant plant of 275 fingerlings. Then from 1969 four big muskies—46 pounds, 37 pounds, 31 pounds, and 27 through 1971, another 256,400 fingerlings were stocked. The pounds—were caught in the nets. only channel cats stocked into the reservoir since then were 20,000 "That's really a good indication," Hoskin says. fingerlings in 1986 and in 1992 another 53,600 fingerlings. Northern pike samples have been similarly steady. The low Hoskin has placed round tiles at strategic places in the res­ was 0.37X in 1975 and again in 1986. The high was 4.10X in ervoir to provide spawning habitat for the channel cats. Two 1991. limiting factors on the big cats are lack of spawning habitat and Increases in sucker and carp populations indicated by the gill limited water temperature in the spawning range. net samples is good news for musky and pike anglers, because these are favorite foods of the big esocids. Baitfishes Three small fishes have been stocked in the reservoir to provide Panfish food for the gamefish. A half-million emerald and spottail shiners The Allegheny Reservoir went through yellow perch and crappie were stocked in 1972 and 1974, combined. They exploded during peaks, but for more than a decade panfishing here has been dismal. the 1980s, and are now abundant. Rainbow smelt were planted The walleye explosion is blamed for the loss of perch, and to from 1984 through 1986. There is no sign that *_ a large extent for the crappie demise. Deterioration of cover is also a problem for crappies. A project, involving the U.S. Forest Service, the Corps of Engineers, prisoners from a nearby federal correctional facil­ ity, and local volunteer groups including the Kinzua Fish & Wildlife Association, is placing discarded Christmas trees into the lake to replace the cover. Results remain to be evaluated. "One thing that surprised me was the white bass catch rate," Hoskin says. "I didn't expect it to be that high. That's the most white bass we have ever taken in the gill nets. Every one of them we caught was nine, 10 inches. "This spring when we had real high flows, that was the number one fish going downstream through the gates. Most of them were that size. There were some bigger ones. "This should be a good year for white bass fishing!" White bass have not gained much of a following here, though they are abundant and frequently large. Most that are hooked are just incidental catches. TVout The Allegheny Reservoir has produced many of the biggest Since producing the state-record walleye in 1980, the trout caught in Pennsylvania during the past few decades. However, reputation of the Allegheny Reservoir for trophy wall­ trout are not abundant here. Brown trout, rainbow trout, brook eyes is established. A walleye that missed the record trout, lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon have all been by a trifling 2 ounces was caught through the ice just stocked in the lake or its tributaries. Only browns have been a two years ago, keeping hopes high that the next record regular part of the angling catch. Lake trout, rainbow trout and will be caught here. landlocked salmon provided brief flurries of activity after they Most of the huge walleyes, those weighing at least were stocked, but no sustained fishery. 15 pounds, were caught through the ice. Some of the best brown trout fishing here is during late Sep­ If just catching a few keepers for the skillet is your tember and October, while they are moving into the tributar­ goal, you should be happy to know that 41.3 percent of ies to spawn. Look for them near the mouths of the larger tribu­ the walleyes caught in gill nets last spring were at least taries. The Red Bridge area is very good. This is one of the 15 inches long, and 5.6 percent were at least 20 inches rare times at the reservoir when shore fishing is as productive long. as fishing from boats. One proven method is fishing live shiners "We have a fairly high percentage of legal walleyes," under slip bobbers. biologist Bob Hoskin says. "We have a good reproducing population out there, plus a huge number of little ones Channel catfish coming up."—MB. Channel catfish were so abundant in the Allegheny Reser­ voir during the late 1970s that we commonly caught them while October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 11 dressing with flotants and was as fuss- free as possible. The Carpenter Ant Revisited Deer hair seemed a logical choice of The original Carpenter Ant had a humble ing bluegills of dinner-plate size in southern materials because of its hollow structure beginning. Actually, it wasn't intended Michigan lakes during the mating flights and adaptability to various tying tech­ as a trout fly at all, but instead as a floating of big carpenter ants in autumn. I knew niques. I call one such method "bind and panfish pattern. In the 1950s our small from my own experience that big blue­ bulge," in which a small bundle of hair daughters were keen on fly-fishing for gills dearly loved hard black ant patterns is affixed to the hook, parallel to the shank. bluegills and I was eager to provide them fished wet, but I also realized that the kids When turns of thread around hair and shank with flies that were both easy to use and would likely spurn wet flies in favor of are drawn tightly, the hair bulges between sufficiently effective to keep their inter­ floaters. So we set out to come up with winds, forming segments of a size depen­ est alive. Paul Young had told me of catch­ a dry fly ant pattern that required little dent on the spacing of the winds. In addition to the natural buoyancy of hollow deer hair, air is also trapped in the bulges, further enhancing flotation. Thus, the original Carpenter Ant was nothing more than a single bundle of black-dyed deer body hair bound and bulged in stra­ tegic places to form a gaster, waist and pedicel, with hair legs protruding from the sides. Hollow hair is fragile stuff, but I figured it would stand up reasonably well because bluegills are toothless. I tied a batch of the new flies in sizes 10 and 12—hopefully, large enough to discourage tiny bluegills—and we set out for a family vacation at Canadohta Lake. Despite hot, dog-day August weather, the Carpenter Ant worked like a charm. The youngsters had so much fun with blue­ gills, I temporarily put aside my bass bug rod and rigged up with a featherweight by Chauncy K. Lively trout rod to join the fun. One afternoon, photos by the author casting a Carpenter Ant to openings among lily pads, I caught several very respect-

Pull the foam forward over the J back and bind it down at the mid- Tie in the thread behind the eye, shank,forming the gaster. Then wrap / and wind it hack to the bend and Tie in the foam strip at mid-shank the thread forward closely to form the forward again to the mid-shank. 2 and wrap over it in spaced turns waist. to the bend. Then wrap back to the mid-shank in the same spacing.

12 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler able bass and the tussles they gave me were ing some time in Michigan, fishing the sisted binding and bulging. Adding a coat a delight on that wispy rod. Au Sable River with Martha Young. One of vinyl cement gained only a marginal A few weeks later we fished the Letort, afternoon Martha suggested we drive over advantage. I finally reconciled myself to and on a whim I tried one of the oversized to her friend Rosalynde Johnston's place the truth that nothing much could be done ants. I had only two in my box, but to and fish the river near her house. to make the fly sturdy. Anyway, it was my surprise the browns took them with­ Rosalynde had just returned from Mon­ so easy, fast and economical to tie, du­ out hesitation. By the end of the after­ tana, where she had been fishing Nelson rability wasn't all that important, right? noon both flies were so badly torn by sharp Spring Creek with Mary Brooks, Joe Then along came Evasote, the versatile teeth that they were barely recognizable. Brooks' widow. We sat on her canoe dock closed-cell foam we've discussed several That's when I began to take the new partem while she told of challenging fishing to times on these pages in recent years. seriously as a trout fly. large trout. When I first worked with the new foam I tied a new supply of Carpenter Ants "I have a new fly to show you," she told I quickly recognized that it could be in the more trout-like sizes of 14 to 18, me. "It was the only pattern that worked, adapted to fly-making in diverse ways. and we tried them on Young Woman's and fortunately, Mary had a few. I have And then I began experimenting with strips Creek, Spring Creek, Penn's Creek and only one left and I'll show it to you, should cut from the foam sheets. I knew I had Falling Springs. By winter the partem had you want to copy it. It isn't available in found a winner. A single strip of the become my favorite terrestrial. fly shops." material may be manipulated like a bundle I mentioned the pattern in a Decem­ Then she disappeared into the house of deer body hair. It lends itself ideally ber 1962 Angler article, and when I was and when she returned she deposited a to the bind-and-bulge technique, it is invited to contribute three pieces to the fly in my hand. stretchable and it is much tougher than 1964 Fisherman's Digest, the Carpenter I looked at the fly and began to laugh. deer hair. With a strip of Evasote the Ant was the topic of one of them. It wasn't It was a rather chewed-up Carpenter Ant— Carpenter Ant may be dressed in the same long before I was hearing from widely one of the remnants of the supply Don manner as with deer hair but with distinct scattered anglers about their successes with Ebright had sent to Joe Brooks years earlier. advantages: It is easier and quicker to tie, the pattern. A Californian related expe­ Small world, indeed. I pulled a box from and the fly's longevity increases consid­ riences with coastal cutthroats; a Texan, my vest, and to Rosalynde's surprise, erably. It's a fact that this Carpenter Ant with "brim"; a Maine angler with brookies; presented her with a handful of the "new" is the new, improved model. and others from points between. flies. Evasote is supplied in sheets of about Not long afterward I met Don Ebright, The fragile quality of the Carpenter Ant 3/16-inch to 1/4-inch in thickness and it of Mechanicsburg, on the Letort. He was was bothersome, and for several years I is easily cut into strips with a straight edge then a teenager and a fine fly tier. He experimented with ways to toughen the and razor blade. It is known by several showed me some Carpenter Ants he had pattern. I tried substituting other hairs— names, but many fly shops (particularly dressed and mentioned that he had shipped including moose mane and elk—but they Orvis shops) call it Fly Foam. It comes a large supply to Joe Brooks in Montana. weren't much better and the tough, thinner in several colors, but white foam may be Some 15 years later we were spend­ hairs not only lacked buoyancy but re­ tinted any shade with a marking pen.

yt For legs, lay several black deer ~f> hairs crossways over the waist and bind them with criss-cross turns. Trim the legs to size. Dressing: Foam Carpenter Ant Lift the free end of foam out of the Hook: Dry fly style; sizes 10 to 22 5 way and wind the thread over the (14 to 18 most useful). shank to the point behind the eye. Pull the foam forward and bind it down Thread: Black 6/0 prewaxed. JT Whip-finish the thread behind the Body: Strip of black Evasote foam behind the eye to form the pedicel. Trim the excess foam. \J eye and apply head lacquer to the 3/16-inch wide by 1/16-inch thick windings. Legs: Black deer hair. October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler by Marge Wonderlich

Pennsylvania is blessed with a wealth of prolific streams me­ were several rather nervous trout in the pool we could easily andering through its valleys and babbling down its hills. There see, and it was great fun trying to entice them with the bugger, is such an abundance of trout water to choose from that even casting again and again to drift the offering right under their the most avid fisherman does not need to go to the same stream selective noses. day after day—unless, of course, he has a favorite or two that As I began to approach the edge of the pool slowly, I crouched he can't stay away from. Grays Run seems to fall into that category down to use the tall grass for what little cover it could give me. for my husband, David, and me. Whenever we start out for I knew the trout had an advantage because they could see up the day without any specific destination in mind, we often end through the low, clear water to spot me easily—probably be­ up at our favorite hole on this stream that flows into Lycoming fore I could identify their sleek forms against the rocky stream Creek. bottom. I neared the water and pulled out line to prepare to Grays Run is north of Williamsport. Take Route 15 north cast. I didn't need much because Grays Run is fairly narrow until the intersection where Route 14 continues north through and I definitely did not want to cast to the other bank and ruin Trout Run. Grays Run is approximately five miles above Trout the pool by having to retrieve my fly from an entanglement with Run. Then start to watch for either the lower or upper branch the brush. of Grays Run Road, which are rather small dirt roads off to the Then I saw some movement, a few tail fins gently waving left. Lower Grays Run Road always seems to appear unex­ with the current, and I spotted several browns resting on the pectedly, so it is convenient to know that if you inadvertently bottom in the center of the pool, the deepest part. I couldn't miss the Lower, Upper Grays Run Road will be just around the wait to run my bugger by them. The colorful streamer sailed bend, thus eliminating a hazardous U-turn. Follow either of these through the air in a short overhead cast, and I watched it land roads (they join within a mile) back through some of the pic­ right in the center of the pool. As it sank and drifted down­ turesque Tiadaghton State Forest a few miles and you will come stream, I decided the drift was not long enough—it did not reach to the bridge over Grays Run. You can park by the bridge or the proper depth as it drifted to where I could see the fish holding. turn right just beyond it toward the Grays Run Hunting Club I needed to place it just a little farther upstream, but had to be on what will be the first road you come to, and park anywhere careful of a tree that angled out over the water. 1 tried again along that stretch. and was no more successful. After a few more attempts and From the bridge up to the Club property line (2.2 miles), the letting it drift completely past the fish before retrieving it (so I stream has been designated fly fishing only, which also means wouldn't spook them), I was finally successful in casting it to it is open year-round. From the bridge on down to its mouth the head of the pool, under the tree. I watched it make its way at Lycoming Creek (about two miles) it is open for bait and down toward the trout, and they watched it go by with no re­ lure fishing as well as flies. sults! This stream is a particular favorite of mine because it was I couldn't believe it—after all those attempts to put it just on Grays where David introduced me to the art of fly-fishing. where I wanted it, and they were not interested. I decided to I will never forget placing (finally) one of his bright-orange wooly try a different wooly bugger, this time with a white body, griz­ buggers with a red tail right where I wanted it, just under an zly hackle, and dun tail. I was determined to land one of those arched tree, and watching it make its way downstream. There trout. After changing buggers, I cast it upstream and watched it head toward the browns, gradually stripping in the line with the current. As it drew nearer, the imitation seemed to be heading straight for a good-sized fish and I found myself holding my /long with the ever-faithful breath. It was exhilarating to watch the big trout as it ever so size 14 or 16 Light Cahill, Adams slightly moved its head and took my offering. I raised the tip of my nine-foot fly rod to secure the hook and felt the objec­ and Blue-Winged Olive, it is tion of the surprised brown at the other end of my line. I brought it in to the security of my net, and after admiring its big red smart to carry a selection of dots ringed in pale pastel and reflected on a golden sheen, re­ midges in sizes 18 through 24 in leased it back to the cold waters. One of the reasons I enjoy fishing Grays Run is the oppor­ yellow, white, gray, black and tan. tunity it offers to get close enough to its pools to watch the action underwater. Larger streams do not usually allow this privilege. Grays Run contains many little pockets created by submerged 14 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler logs and good-sized rocks, and any of these should be good targets for a fly because the trout like to hold in those areas. When you approach Grays Run, remember to do so slowly and cautiously—there is some cover, but not in great abundance. You naturally want to avoid giving the trout any indication something is awry before you have had a chance to wet your line. When you have arrived at Grays Run, study the water for an indication of any hatches coming off. If there is none, which LUZERNE is quite possible in the fall, you still have several options. When Even the fall breezes scatter the leaves around, terrestrials are car­ though there ried onto the stream, often right into a waiting trout's mouth. are fewer hatches You might want to try an ant, tied in sizes 18 to 22 or a beetle in the fall, they still do sized 12 to 16. Hapless live ants which have ended up in the take place. Along with the water are so light, they usually float on the surface, so remember ever faithful size 14 or 16 light Cahill, Adams and blue-winged to dress your fly before casting it above your target and then olive, it is smart to carry a selection of midges in sizes 18 through let it drift naturally with the current. 24 in yellow, white, gray, black and tan. Also be prepared with If you really want to go after the lunkers, you can try a cricket a small buff-colored caddis, which can be prolific in October. or grasshopper in a size 10 or 12. The larger the bugs the big­ If the trout feed in the pools but will not take the fly dry, try ger the splash and plunking sound the naturals make when they fishing the pattern as an emergen After casting across and just are blown or have jumped inadvertently into the stream. For a little downstream, twitch the rod tip as you begin to bring best results, this action should be imitated to get the trout's attention the line in. This sinks the fly and works the imitation just un­ and induce a strike. All these terrestrials can be fished as imi­ der the surface like an emergen Many naturals have strong legs tations or live bait, but keep in mind your location on the stream— they use to kick through the surface film when emerging, so above the concrete bridge, flies only; below, open to bait and the more struggling action your offering simulates, the better. lures. Grays Run is user-friendly. The road closely parallels the If your terrestrial does not trigger any action, you might have meandering stream, so no matter where you park, you are near success with a nymph. The majority of aquatic insects' lives fine trout fishing. The stream is also shallow enough to allow are spent in the water as some form of nymph or larva, and they hip boots if you prefer. They are often easier and quicker to supply trout with over 90 percent of their sustenance. Your nymph get into than snug waders, and this time of year the water hasn't will often be more successful than a dry because these nymphs, had time to get cold enough to appreciate the warmth of neoprenes. located along the bottom of the stream, supply a larger quan­ Fall is a great time to fish Grays Run for fine trout action, tity of food than the insects on the surface at this time of year. and you will be surrounded by spectacular scenery. There is The trout know the cycles of stream life and gravitate toward nothing quite like October's bright yellows, oranges, and scatterings where they have more of a chance of obtaining food with as of red contrasted against the rich green of the pines. The air is little effort as possible. It isn't that they are lazy, but the colder exhilarating with its crispness, and the trout bright with their it gets, the less inclined they are to rush after their food—they reds and golds. The sleepy pools are alive with browns, the babbling are hesitant to expend more energy than what their quarry provides. riffs and pocket water dotted with native brookies. It all makes Consequently, your nymph imitation should be weighted so it an angler conscious of the privilege of being able to fish this sinks to the bottom. Let it drift past the trouts' noses without beautiful Pennsylvania run and somehow happier to be a part any telltale drag. If you tie your own, use size 14 through 18, of the good earth. Isn't that what fishing is all about? in shades of brown, black or tan.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 15 for Fall Smallmouth Bass BX UJ%SRAI Bi>A«n

and smallmouth bass fishing go together like mustard on the rubber-leg jig. Jig skirt and pork trailer color is always hot dogs. You can consume a hot dog with any condiment. But complementary black and brown—that is, a black skirt with i for most serious dog connoisseurs, please pass the mustard. brown pork, or vice versa. It's the same for smallmouth bass and jigs. Sure, you can His final jig choice is a break with traditional choices. The catch smallmouth on other lures, but why? Jigs catch small­ bait is called Sammy's Clean Up. It is a flat reaper-type de­ mouth bass in the spring, summer and fall. A jig may not be sign made of buoyant plastic. Some people call it an oversized the best lure on any given day, but I bet you a box of hand- leech. Bell recommends a very light leadhead so the flat-bod­ poured leadheads that it's at least the second best bait to use. ied jig almost floats to the bottom like a feather, rather than This is true especially for fall smallmouth bass fishing in natural dropping quickly. lakes and manmade reservoirs. Some anglers may find their Butler angler John Keene, Sr., is the patriarch of a hard-core best smallmouth fishing on a particular day with a crankbait, fishing family that includes his wife and three sons. Keene is spinnerbait or topwater lure, but jigs are always there to back one angler who prefers fishing topwater in the fall, but he re­ them up. alizes the importance of going with jigs, too. "I use only two jigs for smallies," says John. "One is a big Baits curl-tail—the 5-inch Kalin Grub. A lot of anglers think this is Which jigs are preferred by anglers in the fall? Choices run too big for smallmouth. Believe me, it isn't. The second one from pork-dressed flipping jigs to is the flat-tail Sting Ray Grub. The leadheads matched to soft-plastic bodies. weight of the head depends on the wind. Professional tournament angler Jack I always fish as light a jig as possible. Bell of Kane, Pennsylvania, was fishing The lighter head makes a slower-falling smallmouth bass long before he joined bait, giving the fish more time to see the national B.A.S.S. circuit. it." '"1 like a deer hair jig," says Bell. "Just Keene also limits his choice of colors, a regular 1/8-ounce or 1/4-ounce arguing that too many anglers waste leadhead with a hand-tied body of deer time changing colors when they should hair. These are jigs I make myself. It's be concentrating on actual fishing. the only way I can afford to fish them Chartreuse or bluegill are his color picks because you lose a lot down there on for the Kalin Grub, and chartreuse, rocky bottoms." smoke or avocado in the Sting Ray Bell generally fishes hair jigs with­ Grub. out an additional teaser or tail. How­ John Galida of Slippery Rock is a ever, if he needs to slow the descent, lure designer and national B.A.S.S. he adds an Uncle Josh #101 pork frog tournament angler. His fishing repu­ or dark-colored curl-tail grub. tation was built on jig fishing. "When the bass are in wood, I like Among his favorite smallmouth jigs, to pitch an All Terrain Jig," Bell says. of course, is the Galida Grubz, a ribbed- "This is a rubber-skirt jig with a body/curl-tail soft-plastic grub he began weedguard. But the head design does making in the 1970s. It is popular with not wedge in roots or branches. The jig anglers across the state. Top pro­ line tie comes out the front of the head ducing colors are avocado and smoke. rather than the top, and the eye of the "In the last few years I have been hook is turned down. This allows the catching a lot of smallies on spider jigs," All Terrain Jig to crawl over wood that says Galida. "A spider jig is created snags ordinary flipping jigs." by adding a soft-plastic tentacle skirt Bell adds a #11 or #1 pork frog to to the hook shank in front of a grub

16 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Fall is a transition time for smallmouth bass. As lakes and reservoirs begin to cool in the early fall, smallmouths begin feeding forays into the shallows. Shallow-water action may last several weeks until water temperatures drop to the low 50s. I 4HV Lake and Reservoir Smallmouth Hotspots

Waterway/County 1. Lake Erie/Erie 2. Conneaut Lake/Crawford 3. Shenango Reservoir/Mercer 4. Keystone Dam/Armstrong 5. Tionesta Lake/Forest 6. Kinzua Reservoir/ Warren-McKean 7. East Branch Reservoir/Elk 8. Sayers Lake/Centre 9. Raystown Lake/Huntingdon lO.Blue Marsh Lake/Berks 11 .Duck Harbor Pond/Wayne 12.Lake Wallenpaupack/ Pike-Wayne

body. The skirt adds bulk, creating a slower-falling bait. When If a smallie takes a swipe at the twitching jig but smallmouth see one of these creations drifting downward, they misses, simply stop the retrieve to let the jig drop. don't hesitate to hit it hard." This mimics the behavior of an injured baitfish. Galida fishes a spider on a 1/8-ounce or 1/4-ounce leadhead, Either the same bass or another one from the depending on the wind. However, with a plain curl-tail grub, school will attack the jig as it drops. he uses a 1/4-ounce head exclusively in the fall. "I want the spider jig to fall slowly giving the bass plenty of time to see it," Galida says. "But with a plain grub, I want it to get down so I can swim it along the bottom." Techniques for success A new jig technique Galida has used successfully involves Each expert uses the terms "slow fall" and "swimming" to skittering a Fin-S-Fish on a lightweight jighead. The Fin-S- describe how they fish most jigs for smallmouth in the fall. Slow Fish is a 4 1/2-inch baitfish-shaped soft-plastic creation from fall refers to the jig dropping from the surface toward the bot­ the makers of Slug-Go. He chooses baitfish colors, like ale- tom. Swimming is the method of retrieve to move the jig along wife, silver shiner, Arkansas shiner or rainbow trout. a horizontal plane. 18 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Bell and Galida like to use bulky bodies to achieve a slow Line fall. Bell's deer hair bodies and pork trailers slow the descent. "I use the lightest line I can get away with," says Keene. "If Galida's spider skirts create resistance. swimming a grub, you don't need a heavy line. However, if On the other hand, Keene goes with light heads to achieve bouncing on the bottom, more security is needed, so I go with the same slow fall. a slightly heavier line. Normally I use either 8-pound or 10- All believe "hang time" is vital to give smallies ample op­ pound in one of the new ultra-thin lines. Super thin 8-pound portunity to see the jig. Also, because these nearly neutral buoyant line is about the same diameter as standard 6-pound line. If I baits offer little resistance when a bass inhales one, the chances flip a jig to cover, I go with 17-pound." increase that fish will hold onto the bait. The longer a bass holds Galida concurs with Keene, using either 8-pound or 10-pound- a bait, the greater the likelihood an angler will be able to react test most of the time. Galida believes the new thinner lines perform with a properly executed hookset. like standard 6-pound test in terms of getting a jig down to the Of course, a descending buoyant jig should not be fished on bottom, but with a higher breaking point. a tight line. Bell feeds line to a falling jig to achieve a vertical Bell has a different view. "Line helps to run the lure—keeping drop. This is done whether the bait is a hair jig, jig-and-pig, the lure floating or letting it down quickly," he says. "I use a or soft plastic. line that helps 'float' my jig. With a heavy flipping jig and pork "Cast it out and let it free-fall without tension," says Bell. frog, I may run 20-pound test if that is what is needed to help "Many times that is the most important part of the technique. keep the jig almost buoyant. Line diameter does not scare fish." Don't feel for the jig as it is going down. When the line goes For lighter jigs on spinning tackle, Bell fishes 8-, 10- or 12- slack, pick up on the rod to see if a fish has it or if it has hit pound test. bottom." The spider jig's effectiveness is mainly in the free-fall or drop. Fail smallmouth location Once a spider jig touches down, Galida hops the bait several Fall is a transition time for smallmouth bass. As lakes and feet with rod snaps and then reels in for another cast. How­ reservoirs begin to cool in the early fall, smallmouths begin feeding ever, with a curl-tail grub, Galida uses a slow, steady swim­ forays into the shallows. Good shallow water action may last ming retrieve keeping the jig just skimming above the bottom. for several weeks until water temperature drops to the low 50s. To retrieve a jig along the bottom, Bell lifts the rod tip and As water continues to cool, smallmouths shift to deeper water allows the bait to glide for about two feet just inches off the structure, congregating in tight schools. bottom before touching down again. Then he lifts the rod tip Bell, Keene and Galida all agree that sloping rocky points again to check for a fish. If none is detected, he allows the jig are one of the best places to find smallmouth in the fall. De­ to swim another few feet. pending on the water temperature and sunlight penetration, the Keene says his retrieves are dictated by the mood or activ­ smallies may be shallow or deep. ity level of the bass. "In October, the exact location of bass depends on what is "On days when smallies are active and chasing, I swim the available in the particular lake," says Keene. "Main-lake rocky action-tail Kalin grub," says Keene. "This is a slow, steady points are always good places to start. If the day is overcast, retrieve. However, if the fish seem to be shut off, I pop a Sting bass may be in one foot of water. If the sun is shining brightly, Ray Grub along the bottom with little rod snaps. I like the Sting bass may be 10 or 15 feet deep." Ray because the flat tail increases the dancing action, which "Don't pass up rocky ledges on your lake," says Keene. "Also, teases non-aggressive bass into striking." rockpiles or submerged rocky humps may be more difficult to It may be argued by some fishermen that the offbeat Fin-S- find, but they may offer the best smallmouth fishing." Fish technique employed by Galida is not true jig fishing. Granted, In addition to rocky points, Galida likes to fish chunk rock it may not be jig fishing in the traditional sense. But because shorelines. "And don't overlook humps that crest in 12 to 15 the lure is a soft-plastic body on a leadhead, it certainly quali­ feet of water," Galida says. "Smallies suspend somewhere on fies as a jig. the deep breaklines on these humps. In the fall, one day I may Galida compares this technique somewhat to jerkbaiting, and catch smallmouth in five feet of water on a particular lake, but uses it in clear water situations to attract bass from deepwater the next day I may be fishing 30 feet for smallies on another points. A 1/8-ounce-long shank jighead is thread through the body of water." fish-shaped plastic. After the cast, the rod tip is held at the 10 Bell agrees that rocky structures are good, but he argues that o'clock position and twitched constantly while line is retrieved is not the only area to search for fall smallies. slowly. This causes the jig to dance erratically just under the "At a certain time before winter drawdown on flood control surface of the water. reservoirs, smallmouths go to wood real strong," says Bell. "This is a big smallmouth bait," says Galida. "In clear wa­ "Because some anglers are so hung up on rock, they overlook ter, bass come a long way to hit it. It is not pinpoint fishing to this cover. If you know where the submerged stumps are, you stumps, rocks or other cover. Instead, cast it randomly on deep can pitch to them with a 3/8-ounce flipping jig and pork frog. points, perhaps over water as deep as 20 feet." As the water recedes, the fish pull off the wood and move to This presentation has some of the magic of a Zara Spook. deeper structure." But the Fin-S-Fish jig has an added trigger that cannot be done None of the panel believes it is necessary to fish live bait with a floating Spook. If a smallie takes a swipe at the twitch­ for smallmouth bass in the fall. Bronzebacks are actively feeding ing jig but misses, simply stop the retrieve to let the jig drop. in preparation for the long winter. Even though the intensity This mimics the behavior of an injured baitfish. Either the same of feeding activity varies from day to day, fall is definitely an smallie or another one from the school will attack the jig as it exciting time to be smallmouth fishing. drops.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 19 Ppmuninti's i *# Mention "Pymatuning" to a group of anglers and their conversation immediately turns to walleyes. If you have not been successful at catching walleyes, Pymatuning may be the place to visit. Over 30 years ago Pymatuning Lake earned the nickname "Walleye Capital" by producing more walleyes than any water in the east. The title may I M_ Monthsno longer apply to Pymatuning, but walleyes still remain the single most popular fish at this 13,000-acre im­ poundment on the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. Angler interest in Pymatuning's walleye fishery today is based on several factors: • No closed-season, thus permitting harvest of walleyes during the early spring when walleyes in other Pennsylvania lakes are off limits. • A current high density of fish, enabling almost of Walleyes anyone to catch a walleye.

byGeorjeWolf

20 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Pymatuning's fait walleye bite is its best-kept secret. In autumn there are fewer anglers on the water than any other time of year, but walleye action is almost as hot as spring— for those who know where to fish.

• Economics—investment in a large Great Lakes boat is not fairly bowl-shaped, although a defined river channel is present required to reach walleyes. Pymatuning is a fishery anyone and a few rounded ridges extend from shore before dropping can afford. into the river bottom. Pymatuning's current reputation, unfortunately, is not one The southern third of the lake has the greatest diversity in of a big-fish lake. It is known for numbers of walleyes—small structure, including islands, submerged humps, long points, and walleyes. secondary creek channels as well as the main river channel. Depending on the time of year, it may be possible to catch 20 to 50 walleyes a day, but only have two or three make the Seasonal patterns 15-inch minimum size. "The greatest angling pressure is in April and May in terms The liberal walleye regulations are both a blessing and curse. of fish taken," says Waterways Conservation Officer (WCO) They are a blessing because they provide an opportunity for Warren Beaver. "However, bigger walleyes are taken from mid- anglers to fish for walleyes any month of the year. They are a May to mid-June when anglers start trolling. There are a few curse because of a high harvest of barely legal walleyes, which diehards out here in the fall, but you really need to know what prevents the lake from producing quality-size fish. you are doing to catch walleyes at that time. Ice fishing can be good, too. Some years a lot of big females come through Lake character the ice." Pymatuning Lake was constructed during the 1930s for flood Pymatuning is not a one-method lake. If you understand walleye control. The impoundment inundated swampy lowlands and movements, have a variety of different techniques in your rep­ rolling farm land at the headwaters of the Shenango River in ertoire, and are willing to change location and tactics to meet Crawford County. The resulting lake was 16 miles long and the situation, you greatly improve your odds of catching wall­ two miles across at the widest point, and it provided 70 miles eyes. of shoreline. Anglers refer to the "north end" and "south end," with the Andover/Espy ville causeway serving as a dividing line. Spring A sanctuary at the extreme northeast corner of the lake is closed Springtime walleye fishing at Pymatuning begins the day the to fishing. first angler can launch a boat, sometimes while ice still covers In the north end, most of the water is shallower than 15 feet. portions of the lake. Ice-out usually occurs in mid-March, plus The deepest water in the south end reaches only 30 feet. or minus two weeks. Pymatuning is a shallow lake, which makes fishing presenta­ As the ice breaks up, walleyes on the north end of the lake tions easy and contributes to high harvest. are already moving to shallow spawning areas. On the south Large flats dotted with islands and shallow submerged humps/ end, most walleyes are still holding on the deep flats adjacent ridges make up the basic bottom structure in the north end. The to the river channel. midsection of the lake immediately south of the causeway is

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 21 Pymatuning's If you understand walleye movements, have a variety of different techniques ]2 Months in your repertoire, and are willing to change location and tactics to meet of Walleyes the situation, you greatly improve your odds of catching walleyes. During the day, 'eye anglers drift the deep water with a jig- Different styles of crankbaits are trolled until he can figure and-minnow combination. With typical breezy March condi­ out which action walleyes prefer that day. Color also varies, tions, anglers need a 3/8-ounce or 1/2-ounce jighead to bump but if Tomasko had to pick the best Pymatuning color, it would bottom in 15 to 25 feet of water. be "hot tiger"—a combination of yellow-chartreuse, green and At sites where walleyes move shallow at dusk, anglers toss orange. short-lipped long minnow plugs. The lures are retrieved very In addition to pulling crankbaits, live bait rigging is productive. slowly. This may involve backtrolling with a sliding sinker Lindy Rig, The peak walleye spawn on the northern part of the lake occurs or running a worm harness on a stiff wire bottom-bouncer. the last week of March, and slightly later on the southern por­ tion. However, anglers find lots of walleyes in very shallow Fall water through most of April. Male walleyes continue to swarm The fall walleye bite is Pymatuning's best-kept secret. In over spawn locations—points and shallow humps with a rocky autumn there are fewer anglers on the water than any other time rubble/sand bottom—until water temperature climbs into the of year, but walleye action is almost as hot as spring for those high 50s. Prime depths are four to eight feet during sunny days, who know where to fish. and one to five feet in low light conditions. About the end of September or first of October as the water Anglers cast lightweight jigs dressed with a colorful soft-plastic begins to cool, young-of-the-year gizzard shad move to the tail and tipped with a minnow. Shallow-running crankbaits produce shoreline. Walleyes follow. The fish can be very shallow, es­ like crazy right at dusk. pecially toward dusk. Casting crankbaits or swimming a jig- By the first of May, the walleyes have spread out. A few and-minnow combination may pay off with nice fish. fish still are hanging around hard bottom humps and points. Eventually, walleyes filter back to deeper water where they Some larger fish, primarily females, roam soft-bottom bays and set up for winter. can be caught on crankbaits. Large numbers of gizzard shad die as the water temperature Walleye schools are beginning to form on mid-lake flats. Various drops through October into November. Imitating the struggling, nightcrawler rigs replace the jig-and-minnow combo as the most dying shad becomes a key to catching fish. Pymatuning 'eye effective presentation. expert Dave Hornstein uses small 1/4-ounce or 3/8-ounce blade Fishing acquaintance Bob Harshaw has an effective system baits effectively at this time of year. for these deepwater fish in the spring and summer. Using his "During the day, I drift the deeper flats along the river channel depthfinder, he scours deep flats (15 to 20 feet of water) to locate and vertical jig a blade," Hornstein says. "Simply sweep the a school of fish, and then drops an anchor upwind. rod tip upward and drop it back. It has that injured bait ap­ Two rods are rigged identically. A 1/8-ounce leadhead jig pearance. Keep the lure as straight down as possible. This helps is tied to the line. About 18 inches above the leadhead, a snelled reduce snagging." floating jighead is attached using a Bear Claw Line-Leader This speedy technique picks up active walleyes, and allows Connector. A plastic grub is placed on each hook, and then greater area coverage than live bait fishing. each is tipped with half a 'crawler. "As the sun sinks low in the sky, walleye schools move onto One rod is fished as a static or "down" rod, straight down some deep humps or rises adjacent to the river channel," Homstein alongside the boat. The rig on the second rod is cast and re­ says. "To cover the top and slopes of these rises, I cast and trieved slowly, ending each retrieve right at the static rod. Most retrieve a blade bait in a manner similar to jig fishing. Nor­ walleyes come on the static rod—fish that Harshaw believes mally, I catch fish faster than a boat partner who is throwing a followed the retrieved baits back to the boat. jig-and-minnow combination." Summer Winter In June some walleyes are still in transition from spring to Safe ice may form as early as late December, or perhaps not summer locations. Jigs or crankbaits worked around emerging until late January. weedbeds produce some fish. Still other 'eyes can be found Fishing brothers Dan and Jeff Wielobob find most of their on wood cover in water depths from six to 12 feet. winter 'eyes near the old river channel in the midsection of the Full-time guide Bob Tomasko finds trolling crankbaits to be lake. Some days fish are off the lip in the channel. Other days his most effective presentation from June until September. "I they are on the flat adjacent to the channel lip. The produc­ tun crankbaits along the breaklines of points and mid-lake humps," tive depth range is 15 to 20 feet, and a portable depthfinder is Tomasko says. "The depth varies from spot to spot. Some bars necessary to locate exact spots. may break at 10 feet, others at 12 feet. On real shallow humps, If you don't have a sonar rigged for ice fishing, simply look I simply troll the base where it breaks up from the basin area." for clusters of anglers to steer you into the approximate area Tomasko prefers the southernmost section of the reservoir where fish are being caught. because it has more points and bars. Most walleyes are taken "Live bait fishing with tip-ups does not seem to work well at depths between eight and 15 feet. at Pymatuning," says Dan Wielobob. "Some type of jigging 22 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler the ratio is closer to 50/50." Billingsley's research has determined that walleye stocking is important to the lake. Depending on the year, 75 percent to 90 percent of the young-of-the-year walleyes each fall are stocked fish. This count is possible because stocked fry are treated with a chemical dip that leaves trace amounts in their ear bones through the first year of life, and can be iden­ tified in laboratory analysis. However, simply stocking large numbers of fry does not en­ sure strong year classes. The 1992 fall young-of-the-year (YOY) sampling provided 2.07 walleyes per minute. This was the highest since annual YOY sur­ veys began in the mid-1980s, when 13 mil­ lion fry were stocked. However, only 8 million fry were stocked in 1992. Comparing the YOY index to the stocking figures over the last nine years clearly shows that high stocking rates are not the answer. spoon is a better choice. A small Hopkins, Kastmaster, or Swedish "Spring weather is the determining factor for the survival of Pimple, tipped with a minnow, has always produced for me. fry, not the number of the fry stocked," says Billingsley. "Drier, Just slowly lift and drop." warmer weather in April and May enhances survival of wall­ eye fry." Case for change A lake-wide creel survey conducted in 1992 provided addi­ Lake-wide fishing regulations are arrived at through consensus tional facts. It was estimated that 252,000 walleyes were caught between the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and Ohio on Pymatuning during 1992. Of these, 30,560 were harvested, Department of Natural Resources. The two resource agencies and 222,000 returned to the lake supposedly because the fish do not always agree on management objectives for the lake. were undersize. Most telling was the fact that the mean size Thus, the resulting actions are a compromise, which rarely satisfies of harvested walleyes was 16 inches. anglers and may not protect the resource properly. "The problem is when a walleye reaches legal size at During the 1970s the Pymatuning walleye population suf­ Pymatuning, it is gone," states Billingsley. "It's history. That fered a drastic decline. In 1984 Pennsylvania instituted a walleye is why we rarely see a good-size walleye at Pymatuning." stocking program that provided 13 million fry each year for Many anglers have believed this to be the case for years. five years. The Commission also promised more intensive lake Pymatuning walleyes are cropped off as soon as they reach legal studies to determine the best management plan for Pymatuning. size. "The stocking program has brought the lake back from the "Catch and release is foreign to Pymatuning walleye fisher­ low period of the 1970s and early 1980s," says Beaver, a 25- men," says Billingsley. "Trout and bass anglers around the state year veteran of Pymatuning. As local WCO, Beaver receives encourage and practice catch and release to help provide a better the brunt of angler feelings about the fishery. Whether bad or fishery for their particular species. Some catch and release of good, he hears about it every day. legal-size walleyes at Pymatuning would benefit the fishery here, Anglers are still looking for an improvement in the size of too." walleyes, according to Beaver. Numbers of fish are caught, Billingsley is convinced that to improve size-quality of walleyes but few creels have walleyes greater than minimum size. More at Pymatuning, management changes are needed. Everything citations are written for short walleyes than any other viola­ is at the discussion stage right now. Possible approaches may tion on Pymatuning. include any of the following: Reduced creel in the spring, closed Craig Billingsley, Commission Area Fisheries Manager for spring season, increased size limit, slot limit, or some program Pymatuning, hears the same complaints—numbers offish, but to encourage reduction of harvest. little size. Longtime Pymatuning anglers like Dan Wielobob and Dave "We now know a lot about the Pymatuning walleyes," says Homstein would like to see an improvement in the size of walleyes Billingsley, who started his work at the reservoir in the late 1980s. in the lake. At the same time, they would be disappointed, if "Some anglers claim that Pymatuning walleyes are stunted. That not downright upset, if they could not catch and harvest a few is not true. Growth rates are stable, comparable to other wa­ walleyes in the early spring as they have for over 20 years. ters in Pennsylvania. Females reach 15 inches about age 2, while "It is going to depend on what anglers want from the fish­ males do not reach 15 inches until age 3 or 4. ery," Billingsley says. "If anglers are satisfied with catching "There is ample forage base for the walleyes, comprised of 12-inch walleye and harvesting 15-inch fish, then the present gizzard shad, small yellow perch and even young-of-the-year regulations with a year-round season are fine. However, if an carp. increase in size-quality is what anglers want, then at the present "Interestingly, our net surveys show that female walleyes are rate of harvest at Pymatuning, the year-round season is not a small percentage of the total population in the main lake," appropriate. Some modification is needed." Billingsley says. "That does not hold true in the sanctuary, where October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 23 Southwest Pennsylvania's

ish were stacked thick at the mouth of the Kiskiminetas River, where it enters the Allegheny River just upriver of Freeport. The bulk of what my partner and I were catching was saugers, with an occasional walleye mixed in. The water was clear, and the color of the fish was vivid. 24 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler *A*

Then my partner slid the net under a fish that looked some­ fish tend to grow faster than either of their parents, and they what different. We wondered whether it was a sauger or a walleye. tend to be aggressive. That translates into hot fishing action. It had the coloration of a sauger, and the dorsal fin markings Because hybrids are sterile, if they don't work out, fisheries of a walleye. Could it be a saugeye, a hybrid of the sauger and managers can merely discontinue stocking and the species will walleye? disappear. Hybrids also tend to be more economical to raise, I photographed the fish, as well as a true sauger of the same because they accept a diet of fish pellets as opposed to live size, which happened to be in the livewell. When the photos minnows. were developed, I sent them to Commission Area 8 Fisheries The saugeye, as the name implies, is a cross between a male Manager Rick Lorson for his opinion. sauger and a female walleye. Its presence in Pennsylvania waters "Looks like you've got one," said Lorson. "The fish appears is new, and is confined to waters that are part of the Ohio River to be a saugeye." drainage, which places the entire program in the southwestern Lorson's statement confirmed what I had suspected for some portion of the state. time—that there were a few saugeyes mixed in with walleyes "We want to keep them in waters that tie in with rivers that and saugers on the Allegheny River. And the mouth of the Kiski already have saugers," says Lorson. "We don't want to be River would be a likely place to bump into them, because the spreading sauger-like fish all over the state." Fish and Boat Commission stocks Loyalhanna Lake with saugeyes, Credit Ohio's Department of Natural Resources, Division of and Loyalhanna Creek joins the Conemaugh River in Saltsburg Wildlife Management, with developing the saugeye. Ohio District to form the Kiskiminetas River. Chances are quite good that Fisheries Management Supervisor Dave Bright explains that the fish I caught traveled downriver from Loyalhanna Lake. many of Ohio's waterways are too turbid (muddy) for walleyes. Hybrids are becoming an important part of the management The saugeye, which they developed in the late 1970s, has been of coolwater/warmwater species in Pennsylvania, and saugeyes a very successful venture. are a recent addition to the Fish and Boat Commission's list According to Bright, Ohio now has over 50 lakes that they of hybrids that are stocked in our waters. The tiger muskel- stock with saugeyes. Last season Ohio hatcheries produced 10.7 lunge (muskellunge x northern pike), for example, is regularly million fingerlings. Bright has found the saugeye to be a very stocked in lieu of pure muskies in many waterways. Hybrid adaptable gamefish, one that uses a variety of forage. Even striped bass (striped bass x white bass) have been introduced though many of Ohio's lakes have gizzard shad, on which the into several waterways that have strong forage bases. saugeyes feed, the species also does well feeding on small panfish The attractiveness of hybrids involves several factors. The such as crappies and bluegills. Bright also mentioned that re- October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Ulateruiays Stocked with Saugeyes WaterwaylCountyi'Acres Cross Creek LakdWashington/244 Donegal Lake/Westmore land/90 Dunlap Creek Lake/Fayette/8 Dutch Fork Lake/Washington/91 Keystone Lakc*/Westmoreland/78 Laurel Hill Lake/Somerset/62 Loyalhanna Creek Lake/Westmoreland/524 North Park Lake*/Allegheny/75 Raccoon Lake/Beaver/101 search suggests a catchability factor three times better for saugeyes Only Loyalhanna Creek Lake and Dutch Fork Lake are stocked only with saugeyes. The other waterways are stocked with both over walleyes. walleyes and saugeyes in alternating years. Bringing saugeyes to Pennsylvania has been part of a plan * These waterways may be removed from the stocking program to introduce a gamefish into a niche that couldn't be filled with because of apparent poor return to the fishery from stocked walleyes. saugeyes.—IK. "The original consideration of management with saugeyes in Pennsylvania started back in the mid-1980s," Lorson says. "We had some waterways that were not producing catches, or Southwest Pennsylvania Saugeye Hotspots any other evidence of walleyes, after being stocked with them. Some of these waters are more turbid than others. Cross Creek Lake Dutch Fork Lake "The sauger are more apt to be in turbid water. Walleyes Donegal Lake Keystone Lake prefer clear water. The feeling was that in these turbid waters Dunlap Creek Lake Laurel Hill Lake we might be able to do something with the hybrid, a fish that Loyalhanna Lake would bring with it a bit of that turbid water tolerance, and also North Park Lake the hybrid vigor, with a little more aggressiveness and better Raccoon Lake survival rate." The first introduction of saugeyes to Pennsylvania waters occurred in 1984, when Loyalhanna Lake and Dutch Fork Lake received stockings. Dutch Fork has gotten saugeyes every year since then, but Loyalhanna had about a two-year period when —-4 inwasn' t stocked. The program was resumed at Loyalhanna /in 1<987 . I Si nee then, saugeyes have been introduced into seven other r waterways\IIOM , though they are stocked on alternating years with walleyes. The idea behind this is to compare the two species in their abilities to survive in each waterway. Lorson notes, however, that proper identification of the two species is making this difficult, and that they may have to "mark" fish to obtain accurate data. 26 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Such marking has been done in recent walleye stockings by had to pick a week to fish for Loyalhanna Lake tailrace saugeyes, the use of "tetracycline tagging." The inner ear of each fish is it would be the first week of buck season. dyed with this drug. "Get your buck early, so you can cash in on the saugeyes," In addition to Loyalhanna Lake and Dutch Fork Lake, saugeyes Stapleton says. have been introduced into Cross Creek Lake, Donegal Lake, As far as the lake itself is concerned, Stapleton says saugeyes Dunlap Creek Lake, Keystone Lake, Laurel Hill Lake, North are caught on jigs, minnows and 'crawlers. He also notes that Park Lake and Raccoon Lake. Lorson says saugeyes don't appear some saugeyes are taken by anglers trolling no. 9 and 11 floating to be doing well in Keystone Lake or North Park Lake, and that Rapalas, in the black/silver pattern. stocking there may be discontinued. As Loyalhanna's saugeye fishery develops, as well as Stocking rates on these waterways range from a low of 10 Pennsylvania's other saugeye waters, it's likely that fishing tactics per acre to a high of 40 per acre. will expand as well. Big saugeyes How big can saugeyes grow? Ohio's current state record now stands at 12 pounds, 7 ounces, a fish that measured 29 inches. Another impressive point is that the fish came from a 1984 stocking, which means it was only nine years old. Pennsylvania doesn't maintain records for hybrids, because of identification problems, but Lorson knows that fish up to four pounds have been taken from Loyalhanna Lake. Remember that the fishery is quite young there. But the saugeyes are growing fast. In three years they are attaining a length of 20 inches. On the statewide averages a walleye of that age would mea­ sure only 16 inches. Our saugeye program is still very much in its infancy. Lorson will be evaluating returns on stocking to determine the future Identifying Saugeyes of the program, though he is confident saugeyes will be stocked Properly identifying saugeyes can be quite a challenge, somewhere. as they tend to exhibit characteristics of both species. Col­ "I'd call it a success at Loyalhanna Lake and Dutch Fork Lake, oration and markings also change from waterway to wa­ and reports are starting to filter in on walleyes at Cross Creek," terway. Short of electrophoresis, AFM Rick Lorson rec­ says Lorson. "I'm sure that's a mixed bag that includes saugeyes ommends using these four keys as a means of properly as well. We'll have a creel survey going on next year at Cross identifying a saugeye. Creek Lake that will also provide us with data, as well as some • Saugeyes exhibit a black blotch at the base of the spiny lake sampling. ray dorsal fin, the same as walleyes. "We have to improve the use of those fish, and use them where • Saugeyes have a white tip on the tail, though it's about we can expect to get a fishery from them. That's what we may half as wide as the tip on a walleye's tail of the same size. be able to do by discontinuing stocking at Keystone and North The saugeye's white tail tip is more pronounced than that Park. If we can continue to get the same amount of hatchery of a sauger of the same size. production, we may be able to re-route those extra fish some­ • On the saugeye, the black pigmentation on the up­ where else. That's the kind of management we're going to be per half of the spiny dorsal fin tends to be separated into dealing with. As we continue to find out more about them, we'll spots, such as that on a sauger. On the lower half of the improve things as we go." dorsal fin, however, the pigmentation is more spread out (not shown as distinct spots), like that of a walleye. Tactics • The saugeye usually has "saddling" markings, like Tactics that take both saugers and walleyes are very simi­ the sauger, though not as predominant. Saddling is the lar, so it follows that the same methods take saugeyes. According dark, blotchy markings on the side of the fish. to Tom Stapleton, who owns Stapleton's Sporting Goods in Proper identification of saugeyes is more important in Saltsburg, near Loyalhanna Lake, this is the case. distinguishing the fish from a sauger than a walleye. The Loyalhanna is a good place to examine fishing techniques current creel limit for walleyes and hybrids is six fish, because it probably has the most viable saugeye fishery in the 15-inch minimum size. If the fish you have in your livewell state. It is stocked at the rate of 40 per acre. The fish caught are over 15 inches, and you only have six of them, it doesn't there this spring were "cookie-cutters" that appeared to come matter if they were walleyes or saugeyes. from a 22-inch mold. Loyalhanna also has the two-fold aspect The problem arises over whether the fish are saugeyes common with saugeye waters—a lake fishery and a tailrace fishery. or saugers, because saugers only have to be 12 inches A portion of the saugeyes stocked in Loyalhanna Lake make long to creel, and you're allowed six of them (not com­ their way through the dam's outflow. Some stay in the tail- bined with walleyes and/or hybrids). The two species race, while many others work their way downstream. This explains are commonly found together in the tailrace areas and catching saugeyes in the Allegheny River, more than 20 miles downstream of lakes stocked with saugeyes. below Loyalhanna Lake. If in doubt, keep only fish over 15 inches long. Be­ According to Stapleton, a three-inch white action-tailed grub sides, sauger in the 12-inch to 15-inch size don't have a works wonders on tailrace saugeyes. He tends to find the fish great deal of meat on them.—JK. in shallow water, out of the main current. Tom says that if he October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler fin<]lers Co rrents Commission Celebrates 25 Years of Miles Appointed to Lake Erie Trout and Salmon Program Boating Advisory Board The years 1993 and nvited to the event, 1994 mark fishery which is set for Sun­ milestones for the day, October 17, Gary Miles, North East, was ap­ Fish and Boat Com- noon to 4 p.m. High­ pointed to the Commission Boating mission. The lighting the program Advisory Board in July by Governor Commission's trout will be fishculturist s Robert P. Casey. Miles is a member and salmon program I demonstrating how of the Great Lakes Coalition, serv­ in Lake Erie is 25 f brood stock are cap­ ing as international treasurer and years old. Coho tured and trout and Pennsylvania chairman. He is a salmon were first re­ salmon are spawned. member of flie U.S. Coast Guard Aux­ leased into Lake Erie in The Commission's trout iliary, the Presque Isle State Park Ad­ 1968. One year later, anglers welcomed and salmon program had a modest begin­ visory Board, and the Presque Isle the first mature salmon that returned to ning when 84,500 coho salmon smolts (ju­ Yacht Club. Miles own a 16-foot the lake's tributary streams. venile salmon) were released in several Starcraft and an 18-foot McKeecraft. The Commission is celebrating the an­ Lake Erie tributaries between mid-April He is employed by the Thomas F. niversary with an open house at the and mid-May 1968. The eggs that pro­ White Company, of Erie, as an prin­ Fairview Fish Culture Station salmon duced these initial salmon came from cipal of investment brokerage. hatchery in Erie County. The public is Washington state, part of the salmon's original range. Michigan, which had begun a salmon program in Lake Michigan sev­ Boat Registration Facts and Figures eral years before, also provided eggs for the Pennsylvania program. Most of these The number of registered boats alone accounts for 10 percent of all of first salmon were reared in Commission in Pennsylvania continues to grow Pennsylvania's registered boats. hatcheries, and several clubs participat­ steadily. During 1992, the total number The newest boating trend on the ing in the Commission's cooperative of registered boats reached 311,893 water today is the personal watercraft. nursery program also raised salmon. (not including dealer registrations). During the 1992 season, the number When released in the spring of 1968 This growth was a modest 3.7 percent of registered personal watercraft in­ the smolts measured 6 to 7 inches. Dur­ increase from 1991. However, in the creased 25 percent over 1991. The ing the fall of that same year, several last 10 years, the number of registered number of registered personal water- hundred salmon returned as "jacks," boats in Pennsylvania has increased craft now totals 7,658. At the end of immature male salmon on a "false spawn­ 53 percent. the 1992 season, Kawasaki led all ing" run. These fish weighed an average Allegheny County continues to personal watercraft manufacturers with of 2 pounds and were about 16 inches long. be the state's leader with the largest a total of 4,173 registered units. Yamaha In the fall of 1969, the first run of ma­ concentration of registered boats. At was second with 2,115 and Bombar­ ture salmon completed their three-year life the end of the 1992 boating season, dier (SeaDoo) was third with 1,135. cycle. Those salmon weighed up to 7 29,560 boats were registered in this Over the past four years, the total number pounds and anglers flocked to the shores county. of registered personal watercraft has of the big lake to do battle with these fish. With an increase of 694 (five per­ increased from 3,225 to 7,658 (137.5 Coho fever spread fast. cent) registered boats during the 1992 percent). Over the years, more than 20 million season, Bucks County had the larg­ During the 1992 season, the Boat trout and salmon were released in Lake est single increase of any of Registration Division issued more than Erie to begin their life cycle, and the Pennsylvania's 67 counties. Bucks 21,000 "new" boat registration num­ Commission expanded the program to County ranks second among counties bers and more than 7,500 duplicate reg­ include the larger chinook salmon. With in the state for the total number of istration certificates. the introduction of steelhead trout, a year- registered boats (14,601). Luzerne, The division registered more than round trout and salmon fishery became York, Montgomery and Erie counties 25,000 unpowered boats in 1992. The available. Anglers in increasing numbers follow respectively. The overall av­ unpowered boat category increased by continue to pursue these trophy fish. erage increase per county for the 1992 5,000 over 1991. The unpowered boat The Lake Erie trout and salmon pro­ season is 148 boats. category is forecast to show modest in­ gram continues to improve and has added The southwest regional counties creases over the next few registration new facilities and dimensions to an al­ (Allegheny, Beaver, Washington and seasons, because more and more boaters ready diversified fishery. The Commis­ Westmoreland) include 17 percent of are using Commission-owned lakes and sion looks forward to many more anni­ the total number of registered boats access areas.—Andrew Mutch, Chief, versaries in celebration of this important in Pennsylvania. Allegheny County Boat Registration Division, Bureau of program, which adds diversity and en­ Boating. hances Lake Erie's resources.

28 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler Smokey Bear Turns 50 Can you recall the firsttim e you saw Smokey Bear? Probably What does Smokey Bear have to do with fishing? For not. This amiable guardian of our forests has been part of 50 years, Smokey has reminded Americans "Only you can the American scene for longer than many people can remember. prevent forest fires." Our concern about wildfire preven­ For half a century, dressed in his familiar hat and bluejeans, tion is the best defense against repeating past destruction. he has gazed at us with friendly brown eyes and urged us At the turn of the century, wildfires were devastating and to be careful with fire. destructive to Pennsylvania's rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. The idea of Smokey Bear was "born" in 1944, but he did The number one effect of wildfires was the erosion that would not arrive as a furry brown cub. Instead, he sprang into being occur as the uncontrollable fires burned off the land's grass, as a full-grown bear, invented to be the symbol for an ad­ leaves and other organic material. This caused siltation of vertising campaign. the rivers and streams because the vegetation on the land Smokey's message was long overdue. In 1941, some 30 was not there to prevent erosion from the spring and sum­ million acres of U.S. forestland had been burned in wild­ mer rains. The immediate effect was the muddiness and fires. After an enemy submarine cloudiness of the water. The long- exploded an oil field along the south­ REMEMBER term effect was that the water, so filled ern California coast near Santa with sediment, destroyed fish habi­ Barbara in the spring of 1942, fears tat. grew that fires could destroy pre­ The second major effect of wild­ cious forest resources vital to a fires was that the fires killed the trees country at war, let alone forest prod­ along waterway banks. This caused ucts essential to everyday life. heating of the water in the summer­ Wildfire suppression efforts were time because the trees that previously seriously hampered because so shaded the water were no longer there. many experienced firefighters and Heating inhibits the breeding habits the equipment they needed were of trout and other coldwater species. dedicated to the armed forces. In the past, these effects were major Protection of our forests from SMOKEY HAS FOR FIFTY YEARS factors in the environmental degra­ uncontrollable fire became a matter dation of Pennsylvania. There is al­ of national importance, and the idea of wildfire prevention ways a chance that if we let down our guard, history may was born. Statistics show that nine of out 10 forest fires repeat itself. are caused by people. So if people were more careful with October marks the nation's official kickoff of the year­ fire, perhaps many fires could be prevented. long Smokey Bear 50th Anniversary celebration. National The U.S. Forest Service organized the Cooperative For­ Fire Prevention Week, October 3-9, initiates a 10-month period est Fire Prevention Campaign. The purpose of the new or­ of observances that focus on Smokey's 50 years of service ganization was to encourage Americans to participate in fire to his country. The Bureau of Forestry Division of Forest prevention as an aid to the war effort. The group teamed Fire Protection has planned numerous events to celebrate up with the newly formed Wartime Advertising Council, a Smokey's golden anniversary. Sporting events include Hershey volunteer agency composed of dedicated people experienced Bears and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Penn State Lady Lions in the business of advertising. Together they donated their and Temple Owls Basketball, and Harrisburg Senators baseball. talents to help rally the American public's support. Exhibits will be displayed at the Harrisburg Sport Show, The symbol chosen was a bear and the name chosen was the Farm Show, and the East and West Fire Expositions, "Smokey." and an anniversary party will be held on the State Capitol On August 9,1944, the first poster of Smokey Bear, painted lawn in Harrisburg. by artist Albert Staehle, was displayed. It showed a bear For additional information contact Paul Sebasovich, Fire pouring a bucket of water on a campfire. Smokey soon became Prevention Specialist, DER Bureau of Forestry, at (717) 787- very popular and his image began appearing on firepreventio n 2925. materials.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Acquires Property The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy recently purchased nia Game Commission for expansion of State Game Lands 47. an 11,000-acre tract of land from the President Oil Company The property covers more than 17 square miles and has more in Venango County. The property, located between Tionesta than four miles of frontage along the Allegheny River. It also and Oil City, borders the Allegheny River and is highly prized contains a five-mile section of Hemlock Creek, which supports for its wildlands and high-quality trout streams. The Conser­ wild rainbow, brown and brook trout, and 3 1/2 miles of Por­ vancy plans to negotiate sale of the property to the Pennsylva­ cupine Run, home to native brook and rainbow trout.

October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 29 Pictured here is the winning artwork for the 1994 trout/salmon stamp, painted 1994 Trout/Salmon Stamp Artwork by Pennsylvania artist Robert Clement Kray. The Commission has contracted Wilderness Editions, a publisher of fine art prints, to publish the 1994 stamp and print. Limited edition prints will be available at galleries across the state. To ensure your matching number, order or reserve your print before November 1,1993. After November 1, numbers cannot be guaranteed. Information about the print is available at galleries and dealers throughout Pennsylvania or from Wilderness Editions, RD 1, Box 73, Warriors Mark. PA 16877. The mission of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is to Phone: 1-800-355-7645. provide fishing and boating opportunities through the protection and management of aquatic resources. fingler's Notebook tyDaM.k/ondM EXECUTIVE OFFICE Edward R. Miller, RE., Executive Director Lawrence W. Hoffman, Executive Assistant C Blake Weirich, Planning Coordinator Some of the best buys for all kinds of fishing Dennis T. Guise, Chief Counsel equipment can be had at this time in used sporting John Arway, Division of Environmental Services goods stores. Some sportsmen trade their equip­ Joseph A. Greene, Legislative Liaison ment as the seasons change (trading rods and reels Lois J. Telep, Executive Secretary for guns), and some premium equipment is out COMPTROLLER there for little more than the finding. Ross E. Starner

BUREAU OF October is a good time for bass-fishing float ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES trips on the Susquehanna. From Athens on the 717-6S7-4522 Allison J. Mayhew, Director North Branch and Jersey Shore on the West Branch Rafael Perez-Bravo, Personnel Try surface lures, poppers or deer hair bugs to Harrisburg, the stream has some of the best Glen Reed, Federal Aid after dark for big Pennsylvania smallmouths. fall smallmouth fishing in America. Mary Stine, Fishing Licenses When gurgled and popped across the glassy BUREAU OF FISHERIES 814-359-5100 stream or river surface on a moonless night, The biggest problem for anglers who don't catch Delano Graff, Director the brawny battlers can come all the way out fish in a stream may be the inability to read the Rickalon L. Hoopes, Division of Research of the water to attack the offering. water. Where the water's surface is broken there Richard A. Snyder, is a rock underneath with "pocket water" just Division of Fisheries Management Even though the water tends to be low and Dennis C Ricker, downstream. Look for fish in these pockets. These Division of Trout Production clear in many Pennsylvania trout streams and places provide cover from predators, fish can stay Martin T. Marcinko. Division of the order of the day seems to be minute flies there without expending too much energy, and WarmJCoolwater Fish Production and terrestrials, streamers can work well, es­ food is filtered in the current to the pocket. BUREAU OF PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT pecially with big trout. Trout with spawning 814-359-5100 in mind lash out and strike at any intruder in Fishing is usually hot in October until the leaves James Young, P.E., Director James I. Waite, Division of its territory. Careful wading and a well-placed begin falling. Then there can be a brief lull in Construction & Maintenance Services minnow imitation can produce hookups with the action. If a heavy rain washes away the leaves Eugene O. Banker, P.E., Division of Property Services some of the finest fish of the year. that collect on the surface, action can become hot again very quickly. BUREAU OF LAW ENFORCEMENT When fishing spinners in October for trout, 717-657-4542 it is important not to spook the fish. Try smaller Dry fly fishing for trout on larger water in Edward W. Manhart, Director lures and cast well away from the place you October usually calls for 9- to 12-foot leaders BUREAU OF BOATING believe the trout to be holding. Work the spinner tapered to 7X. The low, colder water is very clear 717-657-4540 John Simmons, Director to the trout as if it were a hapless minnow. and demands careful wading and fine terminal Virgil Chambers, Division of tackle, including midges that may require imi­ Boating Safety & Education Andrew Mutch, Look for trout toward the end of October tation on a hook as small as size 28. Division of Boat Registration in the slower runs of streams that contain at BUREAU OF EDUCATION least two or three feet of water. If the area On smaller freestone trout creeks with pocket & INFORMATION also has a good thumbnail gravel bottom, water and faster runs, switching between a size 717-657-4518 Stephen B. Ulsh, Director chances are it will be frequented with brown 14 Adams and a size 14 Light Cahill usually Larry Shaffer, Publications provides strikes throughout the day. Kimberly S. Mumper, Education trout moving in to spawn. Carl E. Richardson, Education Art Michaels, Magazines illustration- Ted Walke Ted R. Walke, Graphic Design 30 October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 1 On the Waterwith Charles F. Waterman Famous Water, Common Trout

Famous trout streams are like old battlefields. There seem to and I handlined the peasant trout so that he struck my imita­ be unseen observers everywhere. On trout streams, I think they tion cricket wildly. After he was hooked I let him swing into carry fine bamboo rods under their arms and wear old felt hats. the current and I played him carefully. As I released him I saw Brown trout look much the same except for a little differ­ two more 18-inch browns go by, headed upstream. ence in color because of water and bottom. I don't think a I waded ashore and stood on one of those rock walkways and Pennsylvania trout is any better than a Colorado trout or a North surveyed the Letort with a calculating eye. After all, I had caught Carolina trout, but he's had better press. Letort trout are no better a fish there and could face the unseen trout fishing spirits with than those in obscure Pennsylvania creeks—they just live in a confidence. Then I saw a real fisherman walking along well classy neighborhood, and are watched, written about and pho­ back from the stream and studying it carefully. I could see he tographed more than other trout. was no stranger to the scene and I caught him studying me as Before I threw a fly at the Letort I watched Harry Murray well as the stream, possibly looking for a worm can or a stringer. fish there. Because Harry Murray has been doing it for a long "Hello!" I said. "Could you tell me what those brown trout time, he is only slightly abashed by the Letort trout, and after are doing when they go upstream in pairs like that?" he had caught three and left, I waded in carefully and looked around. 1 felt I was being watched but I saw no one at all. I paid furtive attention to the shaded park benches that seemed a little strange to a fellow who began his fly fishing with green perch on Cow Creek in Kansas. Still, even on Cow Creek, I fished armed with the advice of many angling experts. It was as if they stood in the water and cast with me. The Letort water slid and curled and two good brown trout swam past, going upstream, just under the surface and about two feet apart. They'd told me there probably wouldn't be any insect hatch, so I put on a cricket and worked a bank of vegetation, but nothing came of that, and then I saw the broad tail of a really big trout working something near the bottom against the underwater plants on the opposite shore. My cricket didn't go deep enough, so I pawed my box nervously for some other things "I never saw them do that," he said. "Don't you think it was that Vince Marinaro, famous guardian of the stream, had rec­ the same fish passing you more than once?" ommended. Another pair of brown trout, about 18 inches long, I never went into it any further. It was not the same fish; it swam past, going upstream. A third pair came by and I wiped was several pairs of fish, all about the same size, and the fact my glasses. Nothing I could throw to the trout with the wav­ that not everyone knew about it or why it happened made me ing tail got any results. I didn't even scare him and I wondered an authority or something—or almost an authority—on some­ if Charlie Fox, beloved sage of the Letort, could have helped thing about the Letort. me. Another pair of 18-inch brown trout came past, headed A low sun formed shadows on the water. I could hear traf­ upstream, not frightened, just traveling purposefully. fic on the great highways that Vince Marinaro had reported ruefully I had sighted another trout tipping up across the stream and and I walked the bank slowly, looking for a rise and wonder­ was working line toward him when there was a splash at my ing about the big trout with their noses down. right elbow, very close since I was in three feet of water. A Then, in a little twisted current by a little jam of a single log moment later, it happened again, and this time I realized it was and a wad of tangled brush, a good trout rose twice. I worked a fish striking something five feet from my waders. When it out some line and dropped a fly there. I think it was a Light struck again, 1 saw it was a foot-long rainbow with a delinquent Cahill. He took it with a gulp. look about the eyes. I had caught a Letort trout. As I played him carefully, I felt And then I took my leader in my right hand, holding my rod I knew quite a bit about classic Pennsylvania water. with my left hand near the stripping guide so that it balanced, October 1993 Pennsylvania Angler 31 BIG SAVINGS • GREAT VALUE • IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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