Hellbender's Heaven-page 14 September/October The Keystone State's Official Fishing and Boating Magazine P x/~" / INSIDE: Catfishing at Night • Shoreline Bass Fishing • Autumn B/ues • and more! PENNSYLVANIA FISH & BOAT COMMISSION PROTECT • CONSERVE • ENHANCE ]IRESOURCE Waterways Conservation Officers FIRST and Law Enforcement The Fish and Boat Commission is a small agency with a dedi­ rules. We expect a great deal of our conservation officers. We cated staff of about 432 full-time and 160 seasonal employees. ask them constantly to demonstrate the highest standards of tact, Our employees range from fish culturists to engineers, from fish­ decorum and professionalism in situations that are sometimes eries managers to aquatic resource educators. Each of these em­ stressful and difficult. And, as you can see from the survey re­ ployees plays an important role in our efforts to "protect, conserve sults, our officers deliver. For example, we recently received an and enhance" fishing and boating in Pennsylvania; each contrib­ electronic mail message about one ofour deputies who went the utes to accomplishment ofour mission of providing fishing and extra mile to help a family who had lost their keys in the water. boating opportunities through the protection and management This is not to say that we never receive complaints about our of our aquatic resources. conservation officers. Each year, we receive a relative hand­ About one-quarter ofthe Commission's full-time employees ful of complaints and inquiries. The Bureau of Law Enforce­ focus their efforts on protecting our resources. The "thin green ment investigates every complaint. Most of these complaints line" of waterways conservation officers are on the front lines arise because of misunderstandings or breakdowns of commu­ of working for clean water, safe boating, and compliance with nication in stressful circumstances. When corrective action fishing and boating laws and regulations. Law enforcement is is warranted, we take it. But, all in all, given the thousands of just one ofthe jobs ofour waterways conservation officers. They contacts between conservation officers and the public, the are also key players in our education, fish stocking, safety, public Commission takes justifiable pride in the fine work done by relations and other efforts. Our waterways conservation offic­ our officers, from Bureau of Law Enforcement Director Ed ers are joined by a dedicated cadre of more than 300 volunteer Manhart to the officer in the field. deputies who assist in enforcement of fishing and boating laws One ofour officers' most important jobs is to enforce and regulations. Pennsylvania's laws relating to boating under the influence of The Fish and Boat Commission is committed to building alcohol and controlled substances. Pennsylvania was one ofthe customer satisfaction among the anglers and boaters of Penn­ first states to enact an "implied consent" boating under the in­ sylvania. As part of these continuing efforts, we recently asked fluence law. This law, enacted in 1984, provides that anyone who Responsive Management to conduct a random survey of licensed operates a watercraft on Pennsylvania waters gives his or her anglers and registered boaters to gather their opinions about consent to a chemical test ofthe alcohol and controlled substance our conservation officers. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of those content of his or her blood, breath or urine. Boating under the surveyed indicated they had contact with a PFBC law enforcement influence is one ofthe most serious offenses under the Fish and officer within the last three years. The vast majority of these Boat Code; in addition to misdemeanor fines and penalties, contacts, fully 79%, were in connection with casual contacts conviction results in automatic suspension of boating privileges. along Pennsylvania waterways or at meetings and public pro­ Each year, our officers file charges against a few score boaters grams. Only 9% of these contacts were in connection with who operate under the influence. warnings or citations. Unfortunately, since its enactment in 1984, our boating un­ Ninety-three percent (93%) of those who had contact with our der the influence law has not kept pace with changes to the very officers agreed or strongly agreed that the typical waterways similar provisions ofthe Vehicle Code on driving under the in­ conservation officer or deputy is professional in carrying out his fluence. Last year, the General Assembly enacted a comprehensive or her duties. Ninety-two percent (92%) reported that our of­ update to the laws on driving under the influence; now it's time ficers were courteous in their contacts with them. Eighty-five for changes to the boating under the influence laws. Senate Bill percent (85%) observed that our officers were fair, and eighty- 55 is important legislation that will make major improvements two percent (82%) said our officers clearly communicated fish­ to the law on boating under the influence. It passed the Senate ing and boating laws and regulations. by a unanimous vote last spring, and the House Game and Fisheries These statistics, which are based on a statistically valid ran­ Committee approved it (again unanimously) in July. When the dom survey, are indicative ofthe fine work done by our conser­ General Assembly returns in September, we hope the state House vation officers. Our officers log hundreds of thousands of public will take prompt action to approve this much-needed update to contacts each year. The vast majority of these contacts occur not the law on boating under the influence. in the context of formal law enforcement actions (warnings/ci­ The new boating under the influence law, as well as other recent tations) but in the daily interplay between those who enjoy and proposed changes to laws and regulations, will enable our Pennsylvania's woods and waters and those who work hard to conservation officers to serve the anglers and boaters of Penn­ make sure the waters are used safely and in compliance with the sylvania even better. Peter A. Colangelo Executive Director Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime September/October 1997 Pennsylvania nnsylvama Fish & Boat Commission Volume 66/Number 5 Donald N. Lacy President Reading Samuel M. Concilia Vice President North East Donald K. Anderson Meyersdale The Keystone State's Official Fishing and Boating Magazine Ross J. Huhn Saltsburg Ted R. Keir Mail 4 Athens Paul J. Mahon Great Trout Fishing Near Pittsburgh by Robert L. Petri 6 darks Green Success Story: Falling Spring and its Greenway byDiannaK. Heim 10 Enoch S. "Inky" Moore, Jr. Live Baits and Their Imitations for Catching Smallmouths Newville Howard E. Pflugfelder by Vic Attardo 14 New Cumberland Some Pennsylvania Streams Are a Hellbender's Heaven Leon Reed Honesdale by Karl Blankenship 18 William J. Sabatose Autumn Blues by Darl Black 20 Brockport SMART Angler's Notebook by Carl Richardson 23 Boating Advisory Board The Emergent Tup's Indispensable by Chauncy K. Lively 24 Thaddeus Piotrowski Chairman Six Ways to the Sea by Linda L. Steiner 26 Bloomsburg Writing Readers by Jim Croyle 31 Steven M. Ketterer 1998 Seasons, Sizes and Creel Limits center poster Harrisburg G. Edwin Matheny The 1998 Trout/Salmon Stamp and Print Competition 34 Greensburg Consultation and Grant Program for Fish Passage Gary Miles North East and Habitat Restoration 35 Vincent Riggi Casting Lines with Dape Wolf. 37 Clarks Summit Three Boating Knots with a Hitch by CliffJacobson 38 Ex Officio members: Cast & Caught 40 Peter A. Colangelo, Executive Director; John F. Simmons, Director, Bass Fishing from the Shoreline by Mike Bleech 42 Bureau of Boating and Education; Do's and Don'ts for Crowded Launch Ramps 45 Gary Smith, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources City Catfishing at Night by Seth Cassell 46 Currents 48 Magazine Staff Editor—An Michaels Fishin' from the Kitchen byPhilHanyok 48 Art Director-Ted Walke Anglers Notebook by Seth Cassell 49 Circulation—Eleanor Mutch Circulation—Patti Copp How to Repair Your Aluminum Boat by Bob Steams 50 Regular Contributors Notes from the Streams 52 Vic Attardo Charles R. Meek Where Have All the Anglers Gone? by Tom Ford 54 Darl Black Robert L. Petri Pennsylvania Caviar by Joe Carricato 58 Karl Blankenship Mike Sajna Mike Bleech Bob Stearns Collecting Natural Baits by Oliver Shapiro 60 Seth Cassell Linda Steiner Big Spring's "Big Blue" by Art Michaels 63 ClifFJacobson Dave Wolf Walt Young Life Jackets and Wading by Dan Martin back cover Pennsylvania Anger C- Boater (ISSN1093-0574} is published bimonthly by die Pennsylvania Fish S: Boat Commission, 3532 Walnut Stteet, Harrisbuig, PA 17109. ©1997PAFisb&BoacCommission. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the Written petmission of the PA Pish & Boat In the still of the night Commission. Subscription rates: oneyeac, $9; three years, S25;singlc copies areS3.00each. PeriodicalsposiageispaidatHarrisburg.PA. POSTMASTER: This issue's front cover shows Pennsylva­ Sendaddresschangesto: Pennsylvania AntftrirlloaterCireulititiri,Pennsylvania Pish & Boat Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. For nia angler Nick May searching the shores subscription and change of address, use above address. Please allow six weeks for processing. Send all other correspondence to: The Editor, Pennsylvania of the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg AntpWcj-awtcr,P.O.Box67000,Harrisburg,PA 17106-7000. Editorial queries and conm'bucions are welcome, bur must be accompanied by self-addressed, for a nighttime catfishing spot. For a stamped envelope's Material accepted for publication is subject to Pennsylvania Fish & BoatCommission standards and requirements fotediting and revising. detailed look at night fishing for catfish in Submissions are handled carefully, but the publisher assumes no responsibility urban areas, please turn to page 46. After for the return or safety of submissions in his possession or in transit. The authors' views, ideas and advice expressed in this magazine do not necessarily you've caught and cleaned a few catfish, reflect theopinion or official position of the PcamsyhaniaFish&BcacCommission or its staff.