& #*^S?% OFFICIAL STATE SEPTEMBER, 1934 PUBLICATION ^ANGLER? Vol. 3 No. 9 PUBLISHED MONTHLY Want Good Fishing? by the OBEY THE LAW Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commissioners * a u a COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS Five cents a copy •*• 50 cents a year OLIVER M. DEIBLER Commissioner of Fisheries £s S3 ts Members of Board OLIVER M. DEIBLER, Chairman ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor Greensburg South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. JOHN HAMBERGER Erie DAN R. SCHNABEL S3 82 S3 Johnstown LESLIE W. SEYLAR McConnellsburg NOTE EDGAR W. NICHOLSON Philadelphia Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee KENNETH A. REID either by check or money order payable in the Connellsville Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not ac­ ceptable. ROY SMULL Mackeyville *• GEORGE E. GILCHRIST PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu­ Lake Como tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper credit will b« given to contributors. H. R. STACKHOUSE Secretary to Board AH contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. C. R. BULLER Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries Pleasant Mount IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER 1 at night also takes heavy toll in larger able with that of seventy-five years ago. streams. Behind that program, backing it man by A wave of indignation on the part of man, must be the sportsmen of Penn­ fishermen rightfully follows each viola­ sylvania. It is essentially their program S tion of the fish laws. It is their money and it stands or it falls according to that restocks the streams each year for their dictate. ANGLER7 betterment of the sport, and the illegal This issue of sportsmanship is, I be­ fisherman is in every sense of the word lieve, the most vital factor in our pro­ SEPTEMBER, 1934 robbing them. gram. Incident after incident portray­ The fact that, by actual count at the ing the splendid spirit of our Pennsyl­ VOL. 3 No. 9 hatcheries, over 1,000,000 trout above vania anglers has come to my attention legal size were distributed last year, and this year. Many of our fishermen are many thousands more this spring, is demonstrating the true sportsman spirit proof of the sincerity of the Fish Com­ during trips astream. No longer is the EDITORIAL mission in its drive for better fishing. skilful angler judged by the number of If the streams are left to the honest his catch. Instead, his angling ability efforts of anglers in taking these trout, should and is being measured by the good fishing is that much nearer attain­ yardstick of sportsmanship. Real thrill ment. in angling rests in the game fight a bat­ Crush the Violator tling trout or bass can provide in its bid for freedom. In other words, the ang­ Crush the fish law violator and enjoy Builder Sportsmen ler-conservationist considers the sport of better fishing. fishing paramount, the size of the catch Following discovery of evidence in Pennsylvania fishermen today must secondary. He takes home only the several instances of seining and dyna­ regret the ruthless slaughter of fish life number of fish that can be readily eaten miting in our streams, the Fish Commis­ in. our streams that marked the nine­ by his family. sion is making a determined drive to teenth century. A period when seins, Sportsmanship on our streams means break up this destructive practice. The trapnets, and spears devastated inland a square deal for every fisherman in dynamiters and seiners of our inland fishing waters in sharp contrast to Pennsylvania. Restocking waters alone waters, although comparatively few in modern conservation of our aquatic life. cannot restore fishing comparable to number and limiting their activities to Slight consideration was given to the that of seventy-five years ago. A con­ sections difficult of access, today loom as fact that vast hordes of fish could not stantly growing army of anglers invade a real menace to the fisherman's sport. survive this ruthless extermination, and the inland fishing waters each year. With a large force of fish and game the killer's code predominated. Far- They are guardians of this splendid wardens to combat illegal fishing, every sighted sportsmen of the era viewed sport. The Fish Commission, their rep­ possible cooperation on the part of with alarm this unparalleled waste of resentative, is financed by their fund, sportsmen is essential to breaking up fish our fish and wild life. Their views, how­ the fisherman's license fund, and in law violation. Prompt reporting of ever, were given credence only when the large part, this money goes directly to cases to wardens in ,their vicinity by fish­ slaughter was terminated by a well-or­ restocking streams and lakes depleted ermen is necessary. In some instances, ganized group of men inspired by the by heavy catches. When a fisherman is sportsman's code. it is believed, violators attempt to sell unsportsmanlike in taking fish, his act fish caught by illegal methods, and when The past has taught a grim lesson and is injuring not only his own sport but such an attempt is made it should be that lesson is being applied today in our the sport of hundreds of his fellow immediately reported to the nearest fish efforts to provide better fishing in Penn­ anglers. The angler's greatest con­ or game warden. sylvania. I believe that a trite saying tribution to the sport he cherishes is to A few men, fishing with illegal de known to many of us—"You cannot eat play the fishing game according to the vices, nets, seines, or dynamite, may ruin your cake and have it, too,"—serves to rules that govern it. Fine, clean sports­ the sport of thousands of fishermen. illustrate the point. When the supply manship, sportsmanship that takes into consideration the thought of building, Generally such violations occur under of fish and game was ebbing rapidly not destroying, the supply of fish now cover of darkness. If dynamite is used, away during the nineteenth century, the available in our waters, is necessary. or lime, not only the larger fish in the belief prevailed that the "cake" never pool, but small fish and minnows are de­ would be consumed. That the remnants I am firmly convinced that this type stroyed. Fish not wanted are left to of a magnificent natural supply of fish of sportsmanship will spell success in drift away. and wild life was saved in time may be our better fishing program. We need Trout in meadow and mountain attributed in large part to realization by builder-sportsmen. streams have little chance to escape net­ the public that drastic steps to halt the ting activities of the violators. Limited slaughter were neeessary. The Fish size of the pools in which they live does Commission is now engaged in a vast not give the fish much opportunity to restoeking program to bring back to the \</yzcM~- elude netters. Gigging or spearing fish greatest possible extent fishing compar­ Commissioner of Fisheries. 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER SPAWNING GAME FISH WOLLEN into torrents of brownish water Sby heavy spring rains, one of Pennsyl­ vania's greatest bass and wall-eyed pike streams is verging on flood stage. Two weeks before, great masses of ice churned through its riffles and eddies, and since the break-up of the ice jams, even its smallest feeders and 'Vet weather" streams have poured bank-full into the river. In a great eddy formed by the juncture of one of the larger creeks tributary to the main stream, thousands of fish have gathered. Predominantly, they are suckers, ready for their spawning run up the creek. Just when the run will start is dependent upon the rise in water temperature which determines to a large extent the ripening of the eggs in the female fish. Mingling with the sucker horde, however, are a number of big, spindle-shaped fish. Known under many names, but more par­ ticularly pike-perch, wall-eyed pike and Sus­ quehanna salmon here in Pennsylvania, their spawning time is, coincident with that of the sucker run, in early spring. In a week or two, these pike will move up the creek to spawn. Of the inland water game fishes, PICKEREL they perhaps are least known insofar as re­ production is concerned. throughout the winter start moving up tiny Preparatory to spawning, the male small- When they start their spawning run, the runs on their spawning migration. By pairs, months have selected suitable spots on gravel pike must buffet a heavy current to reach these eastern chain pickerel enter shallow bars or, at the bases of rocks and logs for their objective in the shoal waters of a quiet tributaries of the stream and even drainage the nests. Late May finds them vigorously section of the creek. For the active and ditches to deposit their eggs. Perhaps there fanning away silt and sediment until the strong male fish, this task is not particularly is method in the apparently careless tendency spawning places are ready for the eggs. difficult. But for the females, encumbered of the voracious stream pickerel to seek Then a-courting they go. A female accom­ as they are with eggs, the strength of the spawning grounds of this type. The tiny panies each male fish back to the nest, and current is sometimes too great to overcome. pools of the run harbor few fish enemies after depositing the eggs, leaves the house­ Failing to attain their goal, the female pike of the baby pickerel, and later, barring the hold duties to the sire.