une 1991/$ 1.50 V r^ i ^ » v-^.V, 4 8fymU7(M Historic Decision To most Pennsylvania trout fishermen, and to many others, the names Spring Creek and Fisherman's Paradise are synonymous with quality trout fishing. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has deep roots in the Spring Creek Watershed, and to many employees the watershed is both their workplace and home. Three very important fish culture facilities are located on lands adjacent to Spring Creek. These include the Bellefonte trout production station and the Upper Spring Creek warm water/cool water propagation facility, and the combination trout produc­ tion station and world-renowned fisheries research station at Benner Spring. The Pleasant Gap Fish Culture Station is also located on the headwaters of the Logan Branch of Spring Creek, together with the headquarters of two of the Commission's largest Bureaus: Fisheries, and Property and Facilities Management. The H. R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety, which serves as the training center for Commission employees and volunteers, is also located adjacent to Spring Creek, together with a firearms training center for conser­ vation officer instruction. The best known section of Spring Creek is the world-famous Fisherman's Paradise, a specially regulated one-mile length of stream adjacent to the Bellefonte hatchery. Farther downstream, on lands owned by the Commission, is the Spring Creek Slalom Course, which is heavily used for training and recreation by kayak and canoe enthusiasts. The borough of Bellefonte maintains a trout exhibition area adjacent to the Tallyrand public park where the stream passes through the center of the commu­ Edward R. Miller, P.E. nity, and farther upstream the flowing waters are the center of attraction of the Executive Director College Township park in Houserville. Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Spring Creek and its unique valley has been much abused over the years as human activities and heavy development have taken place on its watershed. It has been resilient, however, and because of the concerns and efforts of many it has been able to survive and maintain much of its high water quality and productive fishery habitat. Over the years the Commission has continuously sought and encouraged greater public control of Spring Creek, and today the Commonwealth is the largest single property owner on the stream. Just recently the Commission negotiated with the Allegheny Power System for title of Spring Creek and much of its adjacent banks from Bellefonte to Milesburg. This lengthy stretch is strong evidence of the Commission's long-standing efforts. The area includes Commission lands at the Paradise and the Bellefonte and Upper Spring Creek hatcheries, and Commonwealth lands under the control of the Pennsyl­ vania Department of Justice that are leased to the Commission. Other public park lands, together with several private property owner agreements and Penn State University lands, give even more public access to Spring Creek's banks. Recently, the stream was reclassified to High Quality Coldwater Fishery, which helps protect it from further degradation. Meanwhile, efforts currently under way to upgrade sewage treatment at two existing plants, coupled with accelerated efforts by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up toxic wastes at the Reutgers- Nease plant, are encouraging factors for the entire watershed. The Commission's long-standing and very close relationship with Spring Creek prompted the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission on April 13, 1992, to autho­ rize the staff to continue efforts to acquire other important sections of Spring Creek. If successful, these acquisitions will further extend public control of the Spring Creek corridor and guarantee that more of this unique natural resource will be protected and available for public enjoyment. It is an historic decision that merits everyone's support. Pennsylvania June 1992 Vol 61 No. 6 Fish & Boat Commission Pennsylvania William J. Sabatose President Brockport J. Wayne Yorks ANGLER The Keystone States Official Fishing Magazine ^^ Vice President Benton Success on Delayed-Harvest Waters by Ed Howey James S. Biery, Jr. The trout in delayed-harvest areas are no pushovers. Catching them Swatara requires applying these ideas 4 Marilyn A. Black Cochranton Big-Water Tactics, Small-Water Walleyes by Jim Crawford Ross J. Huhn Small-water walleye lakes dot Pennsylvania. Use these hints to cash in Saltsburg on this fishing 6 Paul J. Mahon Lake Arthur's Better Bass Fishing by Linda Steiner darks Green You probably know about the great bass fishing in Lake Arthur, but this T. T. Metzger. Jr. information can help you score more 8 Johnstown Howard E. Pflugfelder A Foam Cricket by Chauncy K. Lively New Cumberland Plenty of insects fall into trout streams in summer, but an insect's abundance doesn't mean that trout like to eat them. Trout do eat crickets, and they'll Leon Reed chase this imitation avidly 12 Hones dale The Changing Face of June Trout Fishing by Richard Tate Boating Advisory Board Most stocked Pennsylvania trout streams and even some so-called marginal Donald J. Little stocked trout waters harbor populations of trout all season long. Adapt your Chairman trout fishing tactics along these lines for maximum success 14 Philadelphia Summertime Smallies of the Lower Allegheny by JeffKnapp Clayton Buchanan The Allegheny River's 72 miles from near Freeport to Templeton, Pittsburgh Armstrong County, offer great smallmouth bass fishing. Let this information Martin P. Eisert help you get in on the action 16 Erie Judy Obert Choosing Line Color for Bass Fishing by Andy Cline Greentown This news may surprise you, but applying the know-how can increase Thaddeus Piotrowski your catches 20 Bloomsburg The Icthyophobe and the Angler—Can Their Love Survive? by Lynn Ernst Magazine Staff Falling love is wonderful. But please, let him be a golfer, a bowler or Editor—Art Michaels a hunter... ANYTHING but a fisherman 22 Art Director—Ted Walke Circulation—Eleanor Mutch Largemouth Bass Fishing in Northwest Pennsylvania by Mike Bleech Staff Assistant—Rose Ann Bartal Here's the lowdown on northwest Pennsylvania's best bigmouth Staff Assistant—Charlene Glisan action 23 Staff Assistant—Nita Galati On the Water with Dave Wolf "Baggage" 31 Pennsylvania Angler USSN0031-434X) is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boal Commission. 3532 Walnut Street. Harrisburg, PA 17109. ©1992. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without The covers the written permission ol the Pennsylvania Fish &Boa( Commission. Subscription This month's front cover, photographed by Doug Stamm, suggests the kind of action you can rates: oneyear,$9;threeycars.$25;.singlecopiesare$1.50cach. Second class postage is paid at Harrisburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address have in June when bass season opens on the 13th. To help you find the best bass spots in northwest changes to: Pennsylvania Angler Circulation, Pennsylvania Fish Si Boal Pennsylvania, please turn to page 23, and to get the lowdown on fishing the lower Allegheny for Commission, P.O. Box 1673, Harrisburg. PA 17105-1673. For subscription and change of address, use above address. Please allow six weeks for processing. bass, see page 16. Lake Arthur, Butler County, is one of Pennsylvania's very best bass spots, and Send all other correspondence to: The Editor. Pennsylvania Angler, P.O. on page 8 we reveal the secrets to success on this waterway. Turn to page 20 for how-to-do-it in­ Box 1673, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1673. Editorial queries and contributions am welcome, hut must be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. formation on bass fishing that may surprise you. Walleye anglers will want to check out page 6, Material accepted tor publication is subject to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat and trout fishermen can find useful material on pages 4 and 14. Fly tiers can follow along at their Commission standards and requirements lor editing and revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the vices on page 12 to tie a productive summertime trout offering. On page 22 you can read the true return or safety of submissions in his possession or in transit. The authors' story of how a marriage survives even though the guy's an avid fisherman. I bet the author's expe­ views, ideas and advice expressed in this magazine do not necessarily relied the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission rience on the water beginning on page 31 is just like yours and mine. An installment of the popular or its staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission receives federal column "Notes from the Streams" appears on pages 28 and 29, and you might want to save this aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acts, the U. S. Department ot the Interior prohibits discrimination on [he basis of race, color, national issue's back cover for reference and stash it in your fishing vest or tackle box. origin, age, sex or handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire more information, please write to: The Office of Equal Opportunity. Department of the Interior, Washington. DC 2024(1. Success on Delayed- By June 15, trout season has ended for many Keystone State creel limit stays at three nine-inchers daily. The rules are anglers, but not for those who fish with artificial lures or flies. clearly set forth in the summary book and in the placards along For them another opening day is at hand because that's when regulated stretches. catch-and-release regulations are lifted on waters designated as Stocking rates for regulated sections are generous, 150 fish delayed harvest. per acre, with the first plant taking place as early in March as Delayed-harvest waters? If the term doesn't ring a bell, possible and the second around the middle of May.