'••mm $w^t ^ J y^ [FflflXSCTMSim M*** 5LCLJ*-'V OFFICIAL STATE PUBLICATION VOL. XVII—NO. 3 MARCH, 1948 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION JAMES H. DUFF Governor ^ DIVISION OF PUBLICITY and PUBLIC RELATIONS CHARLES A. FRENCH . .Commissioner of Fisheries J. ALLEN BARRETT DIRECTOR MEMBERS OF BOARD CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairman PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER ELLWOOD CITY FRED E. STONE MILTON L PEEK %alBtoJr* CIRCULATOR RADNOR South Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa. COL A. H. STACKPOLE 10 Cents a Copy—50 Cents a Year DAUPHIN Subscriptions should be addressed to the Editor, PENNSYL­ BERNARD S. HORNE VANIA ANGLER, South Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa. Submit fee either by check or money order payable to the Commonwsalth PITTSBURGH of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. Individuals sanding cash do so at their own risk. WILLIAM D. BURK * MELROSE PARK—PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contributions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper credit will bo given to con­ PAUL F. BITTENBENDER tributors. Send manuscripts and photos direct to the Editor WILKES-BARRE PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER, South Office Building, Harrisburg, P«. CLIFFORD J. WELSH Entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office of Harris­ ERIE burg, Pa., under act of March 3, 1873. LOUIS S. WINNER LOCK HAVEN, PA. IMPORTANT! The ANGLER should be notified immediately of change in sub­ H. R. STACKHOUSE scriber's address. Send both old and new addresses to Board of Secretary to the Board Fish Commissioners, South Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa. Permission to reprint will be granted if proper credit is given. C. R. BULLER Chief Fish Culturist Publication Office: Telegraph Press, Cameron and Kellter Streets, Harrisburg, Pa. THOMAS F. O'HARA Construction Engineer Executive and Editorial Offices: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commis­ ROBERT P. DEITER Comptroller sioners, Harrisburg, Pa. V COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMM ISSIONERS HARRISBURG, PA. Fishing Pressure By C. R. BULLER Pennsylvania's Chief Fish Culturist The Angler OME months ago the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER carried an article explain­ S ing the Board's inventory on the fishing waters of the State. This program consists of the Wardens' collecting certain data in conjunction with their regular patrols of the water areas in their districts. While it will be necessary to collect data over a period of several years before 7<£& *)&&ue . .. any definite conclusions can be drawn, nevertheless, the year's work Page brought to light much useful information. Proof of Pennsylvania's Anti-Pollu­ tion Progress 2 Heretofore there was no way of knowing the fishing pressure on By Ellen A. Dietrich different water areas. Information received from outside sources was + very conflicting. As an example, some few years ago, out of curiosity Suddenly It's Spring 4 only, a record was kept of the number of trout streams throughout the By George W. Forrest State that the sportsmen claimed to be the heaviest fished waters in • the Commonwealth. It showed slightly more than 100 streams which '•"outing in Pennsylvania 5 various groups claimed for this distinction. In a few years the records By Talbott Denmead that are being compiled will definitely show the fishing pressure on the *- various water areas in each section. Highways to Better Fishing .... 6 By James R. Hayes Just what constitutes good fishing is always a debatable question. A * day on a stream may prove very satisfactory to one individual and very The Unique Yellow Breeches Creek 7 disappointing to another. Some fishermen who do not catch the limit By Cock-Y-Bondu are dissatisfied and claim that fishing is no good; others are satisfied • with a few fish. For instance, during the open season for the taking of Curses 8 trout last year, the Board received a conscientious letter from an angler By A. G. Shimmel complaining about trout fishing in a certain stream. Two days later a • letter was received from a fisherman in the same district complimenting AH Outdoors 9 the Board on the good trout fishing in the same stream. Such misleading By Johnny Mock information will not be confusing as the reports sent in by the Wardens * were analyzed and compiled for these reports cover a number of visits Marabou Flickers 10 to each water area and the interviewing of many fishermen. It must be By Donald S. Shiner kept in mind, however, that these reports cover only a small percentage • of the actual fishermen on the streams. Pennsylvania Birds II By Robert Leo Smith During the open season for the taking of trout, extending from April * 15 to July 31 inclusive, the field force made 2,105 separate investigations, Activities of the Sportsmen's covering 11,359 miles of streams, 33,035 anglers were interviewed, and Clubs 12 69,399 were actually counted. Of the anglers interviewed they showed • a total catch of 32,384 takable brook trout, 24,475 takable brown trout, and The Dragonflies 15 16,616 takable rainbow trout, for an average of 2.33 takable trout caught By Carsten Ahrens per person. » to this, records show that the following undersized fish Action Photos 17 In addition By Frank J. Floss were taken: 12,681 brook trout, 1,904 brown trout, 316 rainbow trout. * While the investigators were collecting the above data, they also Experience on the Pine 20 obtained information on the types of lures that the anglers were using By Bob McCafferty at the time they were interviewed. Of those interviewed, 61% were • — using angle worms; 24%, artificial lures; 13%, live bait or bait fish; and The Sportsmen's Corner 24 2%, fish bait such as nymphs, water worms, hellgrammites, and others. By Dick Fortney The work on the warm water areas extended from April 15 to Decem­ ber 31. 307 separate water areas were visited, totaling 2,150 separate 16c & investigations, 27,518 anglers were interviewed, and 76,459 fish of various <wet... species were caught by these anglers, for an average of 2.8 fish caught "Sucker Fish'n." per person. A patriarch of the outdoors lends color to peace and relaxation, found °n the bank of the 'old fish'n hole.' del inc itig Proof of Pennsylvania's Anti-Pollution en, tio «ic few Progress lot ha ar< By ELLEN A. DIETRICH Ph tie Br That often used municipalities and industries, has member of the Schuylkill River Val' (1 and sometimes ab­ been a long standing reproach which, ley Restoration Association, as well as En used expression, "The happily, you have now removed. My of the Sanitary Water Board, Judge Hc- proof of a pudding is hearty congratulations!" .... And the Ladner has learned that: "Instead 1 Sa in the eating," is as Governor, in a subsequent letter to shooting all over the place and getting th, old as our hills and Judge Ladner, thanks him for his sup­ nowhere, the entire pollution problem be streams—and as true port and adds: "No one realizes better is being attacked by watersheds. Ano (2 today as it ever was. than we the immense necessity and number one on the list is the Schuyl' gh Yet, even as it has been a human char­ importance of public approval. If the kill." Brownback adds that (1) most Be acteristic down thru the ages to derive public will continue to stand back of of the coal silt dumping into the a physical enjoyment from good eating, us in this program, I am confident, be­ Schuylkill has been stopped and all 1 stj it has also been and still is an exceed­ yond any peradventure, of success. under order of the Sanitary Water ingly human trait to derive mental But it will take constant public sup­ Board to be stopped by May 1, 1948; ac satisfaction from PROOF. port." (2) towns and cities on the Schuylkill cl< We who fought fruitlessly for years Needless it is to say here that we, and its tributaries are under orders Be against one of the greatest enemies of the people of Pennsylvania, who clam­ from the Board to construct adequate an Conservation, that ogre "Stream Pol­ ored for years for this program can sewage disposal facilities; and (3) A, lution," occasionally pinch ourselves well afford to give it our continued nowadays—pinch ourselves to make support. We can well afford to pause, certain that we have not simply been individually and collectively, and say: lulled to sleep and that we are not "May God speed the day that will merely indulging in a pleasant dream end the filthy practice of making open from which we shall awaken to find sewers of our rivers and their tribu­ the ogre still with us, as ugly and taries—and the foul practice of flush­ filthy as ever — pinch ourselves to ing disease-laden contents from our make certain that we are not mistaken toilets into our streams all over our when we believe that things really State and Nation and then drinking are a 'poppin' on the clean streams the water from those streams!" front in the Keystone State! Yes, I am happy to write and I know What Is Being Done? you, too, are happy to realize that at Following Judge Ladner's recent long last there is a definite, intelligent query relative to what is being done, and workable clean streams program we have learned from Fred Dechant, in progress in Pennsylvania. Executive Officer of the Schuylkill I shall quote here from a letter River Project Engineers, that definite written recently by Judge Grover C. progress is being made on the Schuyl­ Ladner of Philadelphia, who, as we kill, our "testing ground" for clean all know, has worked tirelessly and streams in Pennsylvania. Engineers unceasingly for clean streams.