ANNUAL BASS NUMBER JUNE 1939 TEN CENTS OFFICIAL STATE JUNE, 1939 PUBLICATION ' ANGLER' Vol. 8—No. 6 •HJS S»* PUBLISHED MONTHLY COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA by the BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS Publication Office: Front and Reno Streets, New Cumberland, Pa. Executive and Editorial Offices: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Board of Fish Commis­ CHARLES A. FRENCH sioners, Harrisburg, Pa. Commissioner of Fisheries MEMBERS OF BOARD Ten cents a copy—50 cents a year CHARLES A. FRENCH, Chairman Ellwood City MILTON L. PEEK ALEX P. SWEIGART, Editor Radnor South Office Bldg., Harrisburg, Pa. HARRY E. WEBER Philipsburg NOTE SAMUEL J. TRUSCOTT Subscriptions to the PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER Dalton should be addressed to the Editor. Submit fee either by check or money order payable to the Common­ EDGAR W. NICHOLSON wealth of Pennsylvania. Stamps not acceptable. Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. Philadelphia FRED McKEAN New Kensington PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER welcomes contribu­ tions and photos of catches from its readers. Proper H. R. STACKHOUSE credit will be given to contributors. Secretary to Board All contributions returned if accompanied by first class postage. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office of C. R. BULLER New Cumberland, Pa., under Act of March 3, 1879. Chief Fish Culturist, Bellefonte ••*= S»' IMPORTANT—The Editor should be notified immediately of change in subscriber's address Please give both old and new addresses Permission to reprint will be granted provided proper credit notice is given Vol. 8 No. 6 ^ANGLER/ JUNE, 1939 PENNSYLVANIA'S GOVERNOR GOES A-TROUTING . ^.zmZ'^a^^^M. MmSf^ietiKSSSS''.- ...*•. In answer to that irresistible call of fast water, light fly rod arched to the gamy fight of brook, brown and rainbow trout, and the com­ radeship of fellow fishermen, Governor Arthur H. James headed a vast army of anglers who invaded trout waters of the Commonwealth on opening day of the season, April 15. A veteran fisherman, the Governor feels at his angling best when wearing his old favorite fish­ ing hat and togs. On this occasion, he caught a fine creel of trout, fishing in a stream near his home at Plymouth. Pennsylvania's No. I fisherman is shown (upper right) discussing the day's sport with two angling comrades on the opening day. In the group, left to right, are Judge John E. Foster Heller, President Judge of Orphans' Court, Luzerne County, Governor James and Dr. Ivor Griffith, Dean of Pharmacy, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. 2 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER JUNE FLY AND SPINNER FISHING FOR BASS By CHAS. M. WETZEL NE OF the most successful methods of The reason for this, is, THAT UNDER THE O catching bass is with the fly and spinner. PROTECTIVE COVER OF SHADE AND This combination is most effective in shallow DARKNESS, ALL UNDERWATER water not over five feet deep, and the ideal FORMS COME TO LIFE AND START THE FRONT COVER time is early morning and late evening. My FORAGING ABOUT—ONE PREYING preference is for late evening, and invariably UPON THE OTHER. The ANGLER is always proud to my best catches are made after nightfall. This present the splendid fish paintings by Suppose, for instance, we pick up a stone is the time when bass grow bold and venture Fred Everett, nationally famous nature out in the shallow water in search of food. on the stream bed. When we turn it over, artist, on the front cover. In his nymphs and helgramites start scurrying for painting for this month, we feel that No one knows when fishing is at its best, we the underside, away from the light. They are he has accomplished an exceptionally can only offer speculation. Books have been afraid of it, and remain hidden,—yet knowing fine piece of work, a bass painting tltat written on the subject; some claim that the how fond bass are of them, it is logical to should prove helpful to our readers in moon and tides influence it considerably, but assume that in the evening, when the surround­ distinguishing differences between the my theory is, that good fishing hinges and ing water is dark, they grow hungry and start largemouth and smallmouth bass. Of revolves about light and shadows. Looking foraging about, looking for food. Knowing the two bass rising to the surface, the back over a life time spent in fishing, my best this only too well, bass also start cruising about, one on the left is a largemouth, that times were usually in the evenings, on cloudy looking for an easy meal. Let me remind you on the right a smallmouth. days, and in shady spots obscured by the sun. of another analogy—the stone catfish. Years ago when it was legal to spear, or gig suckers and eels at night, the stream bed was literally alive with these small fish. In the daytime— except during muddy water—it was impossible to catch any of them, except by raking up the stream bed or by stunning them with an iron bar, a practice happily no longer legal. Cray­ fish, minnows, helgramites, stone catfish, and bass bugs or dragon fly nymphs, comprise the principal diet of the bass, and with the except­ ion of the minnows, all of them do their forag­ SILVER DOCTOR ing in dark waters. Many other instances could be related, al' of which seemingly explain or suggest I plausible reason why fishing is best in the shad­ owy places. Bass congregate there, usually il some hidden shady retreat—a spot where they can dart out and snatch any luckless under­ water forms that have ventured out under the protective mantle of darkness. An ap­ ROYAL COACHMAN propriate example of such retreats, are the) larger rocks, under which small mouth bass afe [ invariably found. Study and observation, g°| a long way in fishing, and, in time, the angler' develops, more or less, a sixth sense, whereby . a cursory glance at the water will indicate to J him the localities where fish should be found. Now in fishing the fly and spinner, con­ centrate on the dark and shady places. Work j SPINNER AND PARMECHENE BELLE thoroughly the big rocks around the riffles, and by all means avoid creating any disturbance which might alarm the bass. Cast the fly and spinner, reach forward wit*1 the left hand and grasp the line, then retrieve the lure by raising the rod towards the vertical' When near this position, lower the rod t0 the horizontal, then reach forward and strip in line which is held in coils in the left han^ Again start retrieving the lure, and keep fe' i peating the procedure until it has traveled immediately in front of you. The method of working the fly through the i water should be varied; at times retrieve it i"1 a steady unbroken pull, then again, in a series j of short jerks. Above all things, keep it work' ing fast enough, so that the spinner blades ar£ kept continuously revolving. As soon as a strike is felt, set the hook wit" | MONTREAL ALEXANDRA a short upward jerk. If the bass is determine^ j to run, let him go, but keep a tight pressure I on him all the while. Wear down his resistance I 1939 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER but never try to "horse him in." If the bass should break water, quickly strip in line, and 'urn the fish over before he has an opportunity to thrash about and shake the lure. Bass are "oted for their acrobatic leaping and water breaking tactics, but this is often influenced and aggravated by the manner in which the fish ls played—that is, too close to the top of the ^ater.. A few years ago on the French River—one of Canada's famed bass and muskie waters—our guide, Harvey Schell, demonstrated just how easy it was to make a fish leap. He could do 't with any of them, some breaking water as many as eight times before being brought in. to prove that this activity was entirely man- "ispired, he then varied the procedure and brought fish after fish to net, none of them even breaki ng water once. The flies used in bass fishing should be tied °n fairly large hooks, No. 1 or No. 1-0, and the gaudier they are, the more successful they seem W. be. The Parmechene Bell, Silver Doctor, ^ed Ibis, Royal Coachman, Montreal, Alex- andra, and Black Gnat are all good, but my Preference is for the Parmechene Bell. Select "'es with plenty of red in them, since bass seem sensitive to this color. Something about " seems to goad them into striking. Spinners should be of the double bladed variety, in both the nickle and brass finish, f'or dark water I prefer the nickel plated type, I^t this is a matter of individual preference. *he important part is that the blades should •"evolve easily and smoothly. Double spinners are superior to the single type, in that they cause more commotion in the water, and are therefore more liable to attract the fish; in fact, bree blades would probably be better yet. In "shing lake trout, I have often used what is called a "flasher spoon," that is, a large number 01 these blades are mounted, one above the other n a wire, and its success apparently hinges j*» the great amount of water churned up. For SKETCH SHOWING THE PROPER WAY TO 6RASP A FLY ROD $ as s fishing, the size of spinners will be THE FORCES WHICH MUST BE RESISTED WHEN THE POINT governed more or less by the stiffness of the OF BALANCE IS BEYOND THE SKIP.