pennsvlvania]*!*> May/June 2004 $3.00 ^&Uft* ^PENNSYLVANIA www.fish.state.paMs tmt^^*"* .£•_ ~</?r, '• **&** * * \ *•> f ?R! % TUeMeystotie»Statels Official Fishing and Boating Magazine 11 Last week I purchased my first recent trip to Green Spring Creek in •k Pennsylvania Resident Annual Cumberland County (I did catch a few • Fishing License and Trout/ nice brown trout there), I stopped by a Salmon Stamp after buying tour­ fly-fishing shop to pick up a few items. ist licenses during past visits to this Needless to say, just a few flies and a beautiful state. As did many of you, small plastic fly box alone cost well over I paid my $22.50 and then started $20. Later this spring, I'll register my thinking about where my trips would canoe so that I can use Commission boat take me over the year and the trout, bass launch areas and paddle in a state park and other fish that I'd be chasing. Hope­ lake. This fee will set me back all of $ 10. fully, I'll learn to fish the waters of Penn­ Yet, what do you get for your money? sylvania successfully and enhance my For that $10, over the next two years I'll skills by fishing with some of the many have access to over 250 launch sites and fine anglers in this state. dozens of lakes. My kids and I will be Although by no means do I consider able to fish for about any species of myself to be a skilled angler, I have had freshwater fish and some of the best the chance to fish waters from Florida to trout waters in the nation. We will know Alaska with much time spent on the New that there are more than 400 profes­ River in Virginia and West Virginia and sional staff and hundreds of volunteers the many streams of Wyoming and the working to protect the aquatic resources, Black Hills of South Dakota. My first fish maintain access sites, improve the fisher­ were white bass in the Upper Missouri ies, teach boating safety, and provide River and later, on that same family va­ technical assistance to literally hundreds cation, cutthroat trout in Yellowstone of fishing clubs, watershed groups, lake National Park. I must have been about 8 owner associations, individual anglers years old at the time and was fishing with and boaters, and much more. Even with my dad and older brother. the proposed new license fees, including These are wonderful memories and I $20 for a resident license, a fishing li­ greatly look forward to sharing similar cense will remain one of the best deals in experiences with my two children as they recreation. grow up and become my fishing part­ In addition to a new package of fish­ ners. I also hope to tell them that the ing license and boat registration fees fishing licenses they eventually will pur­ proposed in House Bill 2155, a new $2 chase are a big part of the reason why license is proposed for youths aged 12 to they will still enjoy those fishing oppor­ 15. Is this a new idea? No. In May 1977, tunities. Commission Executive Director Ralph To many of us, it seems that the fish­ Abele wrote in this spot about a pro­ ing license we purchase is simply a cer­ posed $3 youth license and an even ear­ tificate mandated by the state that lier proposal for a $2 youth license back permits us to fish legally. While this is in 1973.* true, there is much more to the rest of the A youth license would be an impor­ story. Since 1919, Pennsylvania has sold tant change for us and for Pennsylvania. non-resident licenses, and since 1922, we We anticipate selling about 100,000 of have sold resident licenses. Those first these licenses, and each one that we sell ones were sold for $1 each. When I will bring in an additional $3.50 in fed­ turned 16 in 1975, a Pennsylvania Resi­ eral funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife dent Annual Fishing License would have Service. If you do the math, this results cost me $7.50, equivalent to about $26 in about $550,000 that we can use to today based on U.S. Department of La­ enhance our programs, including ex­ bor cost-of-living statistics. panding youth fishing opportunities and Any way you look at it, though, it is increasing educational efforts. still one of the most inexpensive parts of Will $2 be an obstacle for kids to fish? most people's fishing trips. On my most Will this license prevent young people 2 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2004 www.fish.state.pa.us from taking up fishing? I think that such worries are unfounded. Throughout the Commission Bans Unsafe Boating Practice state, we work with local clubs and civic Known as "Teak Surfing organizations to support hundreds of youth fishing days, most of which are and The Fish & Boat Com­ will continue to be exempt from the li­ mission took action at its I COULD SEE cense requirement. We also establish free spring quarterly meeting fishing days (set this year for May 29 and April 19 and 20 to ban IT MIGHT LOOK June 5) to make sure that everyone can teak surfing, an unsafe get out to fish without any license cost. boating practice. Teak LIKE THIS Another way to look at this is that the li­ surfing, sometimes called cense is equivalent to the cost of down­ "drag surfing," is an loading two songs from most web sites, emerging and highly dan­ far less than the cost of a movie theater gerous fad. The practice ticket, half the cost to rent a new video involves an individual's release, and it won't even get you near the holding onto an accelerat­ gate of any amusement park. ing boat's swim platform Might there be cases where $2 is a and letting go to "surf" problem? Possibly, but we can work out the wake. In addition to ways to get those kids out on the stream the inherent danger of the or lake through our own programs or individual losing his or through local fishing clubs. You should her grasp of the swim also know that our excellent corps of platform and being hit by BUT YOU CAN'T SEE, SMELL, OR TASTE IT. waterways conservation officers will not a moving boat propeller, Whether inside or outside your boat, CO accumulation may harm you. be writing tickets to kids who decide to teak surfers face injury fish without a license. This is one of and death from carbon monoxide managed as part of the Delayed- those cases in which talk and education poisoning. Harvest, Artificial-Lures-Only pro­ will be the order of the day. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a col­ gram. The meetings will be held Let's not underestimate our youth. orless, odorless, tasteless and highly from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 12 in They are smart and willing to play a role toxic gas. It is produced when a Monroeville and on May 13 in in helping to protect, conserve and en­ carbon-based fuel, such as gasoline, Leesport. hance our fish, fishing and the environ­ propane, charcoal or oil, burns. CO • expanded the slow, no-wake ment. A youth license gets them thinking is often emitted through a boat's zone for boating on the Lehigh about and participating in this process engine or generator exhaust outlets. River in the area of the Route 33 much earlier, it brings in new funds that As a result, CO can accumulate al­ Access in Northampton County. will help other youth experience fishing, most anywhere in or around a boat, • voted to seek public comment and it will enhance fishing opportunities including around or under swim on proposed changes to regulations for youth, which they will share, some­ platforms and a boat's stern. establishing the minimum age of day, with their own kids. It really is a In conjunction with banning operation for certain boats. It is good deal for Pennsylvania. teak surfing, the Commission proposed that a person 11 years old adopted language prohibiting the or younger may not operate a per­ use of a tow line of less than 20 feet. sonal watercraft or a boat propelled Jbov%^tte^" Passengers towed on water skis or by a motor greater than 25 horse­ other devices by a short line also power and that effective January 1, iuglas J. Austen, Ph.D. run risks from carbon monoxide 2008, a person 15 years old or Executive Director poisoning. younger may not operate a per­ In other action during the meet­ sonal watercraft. * To view these documents, on the ing, the Commission: For complete details on Com­ Commission's web site, • set public meetings on a re­ mission action during this meet­ www.fish.state.pa.us, click on "Funding - quest to allow the use of bait during ing, visit the Commission's web HB 2155, Growing Greener II," and on the "harvest period" on waters site, www.fish.state.pa.us. the left side of that page find the article links under "HB 2155 PAGES." www.fish.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2004 Edward G. Rendell Governor PENNSYLVANIA FISH & BOAT COMMISSION Samuel M. Concilia President North East Paul J. Mahon Vice President Clarks Green Donald K. Anderson Meyersdale Opportunities Richard W. Czop CollegeviUe May and June offer special opportunities for anglers and boaters, and in this Ross J.