MARCH 1981 PENNSYLVANIA the Keystone State's Official FISHING BOATING 3 nglee Magazine... ^ 40c Single Copy OPERATION FUTURE l_/uring the January 5, 1981 meeting of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, the Commissioners present unanimously approved a policy for the conservation and management of fishery resources. That policy statement, "It will be the policy of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission to protect, conserve and enhance the quality and diversity of the Commonwealth's fishery resource (including reptiles and amphibians) and to provide continued and varied angling opportunity through scientific inventory, classification, and management of that resource," marks a formally declared shift in the philosophy and mission of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission from "recreation first" to "resource first." This truly makes the Pennsylvania Fish Commission a conservation agency. The above policy outlines five required activities and/or programs that will be carried out to achieve the policy objectives. This has become a major project for the '80s, and because our efforts in this interdisciplinary project will largely determine the future of fishing in Pennsylvania, it has been designated OPERATION FUTURE. Those activities are: (1) establish and maintain a current data base on the quality and quantity of Pennsylvania's aquatic and fishery resources for effective environmental protection and resource conservation; (2) develop statewide management programs to assure consistent treatment of all resources within any given class — similar waters will be managed to meet the same objectives under the same philosophy on a statewide basis; (3) manage self-sustaining fish populations as a renewable natural resource to preserve and /or conserve that resource and the angling it provides; (4) use hatchery fish to provide recreation in those waters where fish populations are inadequate to sustain the fishery at desired levels; (5) develop appropriate regulations and operational strategies to replace policies that are not compatible with management through resource classification. The challenges of the next decade and how the Pennsylvania Fish Commission responds to those challenges will, to a large part, determine the future of our fisheries. We've come to the point where it's clear the Commission has to address a total responsibility for the resource. As good as we've been at handling demands for recreation in the past, that will not be enough for the future. The Commission has enlarged its mission to ensure that it will not only do a top-notch job as a provider of recreation, but will also meet its responsibility to recognize and conserve natural resources. That doesn't mean that what the agency has done in the past was wrong — the Commission met the demands and challenges of the times, and has been long involved in and concerned about conservation and environmental issues. What is proposed in the new policy is the recognition that the resource is the basis for our very existence. We have a responsibility to preserve that resource and be sure it is providing the best possible recreation; that means recognizing the value of all fisheries — from a "wilderness" experience based on wild fish, to a fishery made possible solely through stocking. That's what OPERATION FUTURE is all about — resource-based management and conservation of fisheries in Pennsylvania. We look forward to the interest and support of all conservation-oriented organizations and individuals as OPERATION FUTURE develops through the decade of the '80s. It is not enough for us to defend status quo. Ralph W. Abele Executive Director Pennsylvania Angler Pennsylvania's Official Fishing & Boating Magazine Published Monthly by the PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Richard L. Thornburgh, Governor MEMBERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION Leonard A. Green, President Carlisle Walter F. Gibbs, Vice President Reno William O. Hill Erie Robert L. Martin Bellefonte John A. Hugya Johnstown Jerome E. Southerton Honesdale Calvin J. Kern Whitehall J. Wayne Yorks Benton Ross J. Huhn Saltsburg MEMBERS OF THE BOATING ADVISORY BOARD Nicholas Apfl, Chairman Fairless Hills Clayton Buchanan Pittsburgh Sherwood Krum Hawley Charles Chattaway Monongahela Leon Lyon Bellefonte Volume 50 - No. 3 CONTENTS March, 1981 What is Your Fishing License Worth? by Dave Williams 111 4 The Sauger by Blake Weirich 6 My Most Memorable Cast by Jim Hayes 9 Conowingo's Newcomers by Gary Diamond 10 The Fish & Boat Code of 1980 by Dennis T. Guise 14 Springtime is Sucker Time by Thad Bukowski 16 New Fish Habitat by David R. Thompson 18 Something a Little Different by A. G. Eastby 20 ON OUR COVERS With winter on the run and springtime sunshine warming Commonwealth waters and shorelines, scenes such as those depicted on our covers this month by Thad Bukowski become commonplace. These Forest County fishermen are shown in varying degrees of relaxation with the ultimate reached by the unidentified angler on the back cover. Pennsylvania's new year-round bass fishing in streams and rivers is bound to make springtime anglers a more aggressive group. MONTHLY COLUMNS LEAKY BOOTS 2 FLY TYING 28 STREAM NOTES 24 MEALS FROM THE CREEL 30 WATERSIDE WANDERINGS 26 ANGLER'S NOTEBOOK 32 James F. Yoder, Editor The p ASTER: All 3579 forms to be returned to the office of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120. ^arrishnnSy'Vania An8|er- (ISSN 0031-434X), Copyright 1981, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, 3532 Walnut Street, Ur One 8. Pennsylvania. Second Class postage paid at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: Not cear7~*4.00; Three years—$10.00; 40 cents per single copy. Send check or money order payable to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Do received ^ash. Changes of address should reach us promptly giving both old and new addresses, including both zip codes. Subscriptions resPonsVrd Processed by 'he end of the month will begin with the second month following. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission will not assume magazi y f°r unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or illustrations while in their possession or in transit. Communications pertaining to the 'JWoKcltLt lcl be addressed to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler, Pennsylvania Fish Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. " materials, manuscripts, or photos will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their return. The problems with fishing in many of I think the Pennsylvania Fish Commis­ these fertile lakes in the summer are at sion deserves a big round of applause. No least two-fold. First, many anglers fish too dollar could ever be spent better than the deep, that is, in water where the oxygen is one the Commission uses in its "Land greatly reduced or absent. Since most Acquisition Program." gamefish have difficulty surviving in water It is a pleasure to know that a person can where the dissolved oxygen concentration is go to a clean, well kept area to fish, launch less than 4 milligrams per liter (4 ppmi, and a boat or just to enjoy life without worry as actually prefer dissolved oxygen concentra­ to whether you are on private property or tions that are greater than 4 milligrams per not. liter, the fish are often concentrated at Last season I fished Harveys Lake water depths that are less than 15 feet. In through the ice after a recent snowfall. The "IS THIS TRUE?" Lake Nockamixon, for instance, there is no access area was plowed better, for parking, oxygen in water depths greater than 12 to than the main roadways. I hope you can publish this letter 15 feet from July through mid-September. The access area on the Susquehanna because I know there are hundreds of Secondly, the turbidity of the water that River near Tunkhannock, along with the people that would like to know what results from plankton blooms may partially rest rooms, is always a pleasure to visit. happened to Lake Nockamixon. inhibit the ability of some fish species that I've been to many others along the rivers I was fishing there a week ago and rely heavily upon their sight to find fisher­ and lakes and each deserves a gold star. managed to land only two carp and not one men's lures. The fish's lateral line and sense I hope the Commission can continue this gamefish. The water was quite green at of smell become more important in the program with as much success as it has had spots and appeared to have some sort of location of food organisms as turbidity so far. It means a lot to many people, as film on it. increases. The fact that you caught two well as myself, who fish 52 weeks a year. Of (sic) what I heard, the water is some­ carp and no gamefish indicates to me that Keep up the good work. how being robbed of its oxygen. Is this you may have been fishing in water depths true? Please clear things up for me and where oxygen concentrations were suitable JOHN KRIS many other Nockamixon fishermen. for carp, but not for gamefish. Carp and Plymouth brown bullheads survive quite well in waters JOSEPH LEOTTA Philadelphia with oxygen concentrations that are lower than those that gamefish prefer. "A DISGRACE" Dear Mr. Leotta: The fishery in Lake Nockamixon is One of the best articles I ever read in Your confusion regarding the quality of certainly not dead. Although the lake's any magazine is the one in the December Lake Nockamixon's fishery has been historically good black crappie "run" did 1980 issue of the Pennsylvania Angler echoed by numerous anglers. Lake Nock­ not materialize last spring, some anglers titled "Littering — When Will It End?" amixon has enrichment problems resulting had success fishing for crappies at night I am in full accord with every word Mr.