Fishing
News
with
Deborah
Weisberg
As
expected,
the
Pennsylvania
Fish and
Boating
Commission
board
voted to
seek
public
comment
on
proposed
changes
to its
muskie,
pike and
pickerel
management,
and to
seek
public
comment
on a
proposed
juvenile
fishing
license
for 12
to 15
year
olds.
The
commission
wants to
eliminate
seasons
on
muskie,
pike and
pickerel,
and to
raise
the size
minimum
on
muskie
to
either
36
inches
or 40
inches,
while
cutting
the
daily
creel
limit to
one. If
the size
minimum
goes to
36, half
a dozen
lakes,
including
Lake
Arthur,
would
become
trophy
lakes
with a
45-inch
minimum.
The
board
wants to
liberalize
creel
limits
and
sizes on
pike to
four a
day at
least 18
inches
in
length.
The rule
would
apply to
pickerel,
as well.
Send
written
comments
to
Executive
Director,
Pennsylvania
Fish and
Boat
Commission,
P.O. Box
67000,
Harrisburg,
PA
17106-7000.
In other
commission
news,
frogs,
turtles
and
snakes
have
trumped
trout in
terms of
public
response
to
proposed
changes
in
regulations.
“It’s
record-breaking,”
said
Chris
Urban, a
herpetologist
and
chief of
the
commission’s
natural
diversity
section.
“We’re
up to
about
1,500
letters
and
emails
and
they’re
still
coming.”
At its
January
meeting,
the
commission’s
board
extended
the
comment
period
through
this
spring,
although
it has
had a
year to
consider
the
regulations.
Though
they are
designed
to
protect
23
species
of
declining
herptefauna,
from
hellbenders
to box
turtles,
those
that
would
change
the way
hobbyists
and
hunters
collect
native
snakes
have
drawn
some of
the most
impassioned
responses,
Urban
said.
“The
vast
majority
favored
updating
regulations,
until
snake
hunters
started
weighing
in. We
knew it
would be
controversial.”
Permits
are
needed
to hunt
timber
rattlesnakes
and
northern
copperheads,
species
whose
numbers
are
decreasing,
even for
non-consumptive
purposes.
About
1,080
permits
were
sold in
Pennsylvania
last
year,
about a
quarter
of them
to
out-of-staters,
since
Pennsylvania
is the
only
northern
state
that
still
allows
native
snake
hunts.
Though
rural
communities
say they
are
tourist
attractions
and
their
best
means of
raising
money to
fund
volunteer
fire
companies,
many
conservationists
denounce
snake
hunts as
inhumane.
Snakes’
neck
bones
can be
broken
during
the
measuring
process,
and
snakes
not
returned
to the
place
from
which
they
were
taken
can
eventually
die,
Urban
said.
“Translocation
studies
show
that 60
plus
percent
won’t
survive.
Snakes
don’t
adapt
well to
new
environments.
The
commission
has
proposed
a
38-inch
size
limit to
protect
breeder
females,
and to
limit
the
number
of
northern
copperheads
that can
be taken
from two
a day to
one a
year,
the same
number
as
timber
rattlers.
However,
under
pressure
from the
snake
hunting
community,
the
commission
has
proposed
additional
catch-and-release
permits
for
snake
hunters.
While
snake
hunting
has been
on the
rise in
recent
years,
the
number
of
native
snakes
is
diminishing,
as a
consequence
of
sprawl,
road
development,
over-collection
and
poaching,
said
Urban,
who is
heading
up field
studies
to try
to get a
better
handle
on the
status
of
timber
rattlers
and
copperheads.
Timber
rattlesnakes
are
currently
classed
as
“candidates
for
threatened.”
The
eastern
massassauga,
the
state’s
third
type of
venomous
snake,
has
endangered
status
and may
one day
be
extirpated
in
Pennsylvania,
Urban
said.
President's
Beat by
Walter
Reineman
Yesterday,
a balmy
50
degrees
and sun
said
that
spring
had
arrived.
As I
write
this a
raging
blizzard
is
telling
us
winter
is still
going
strong.
It is
definitely
time for
Cabin
Fever.
This
year’s
show
will be
our
biggest
ever
with
more
vendors
and
programs.
The
details
are
explained
elsewhere
in this
issue,
but Bill
Hayes,
Vic
Ball,
Mac
Seaholm
and
their
committees
have
really
gone all
out. Of
special
interest
are the
activities
for
children
and
young
adults
provided
by
Family
Tyes. I
will be
bringing
my son
and
daughter
to
participate
in
age-appropriate
fly
tying,
rod
building
and
casting
seminars.
This is
the
ideal
situation
for you
to get
the kids
or
grandkids
out of
the
house
and
exposed
to our
sport.
Do this
now so
your
child
can
learn
some of
the
basics
with
their
peers in
a fun
and
relaxed
setting.
It will
pay
great
dividends
when you
fish
together
later on
your
favorite
waters.
Lastly,
we are
still in
need of
volunteers
to help
with the
show.
Would
you
consider
helping
out for
an hour
or two?
Give me
a call
at
412-963-2824
and we
can get
you set
up. I
look
forward
to
seeing
you
Sun.,
March 5
at the
Sheraton
in
Warrendale.
Fly-fishing
Seminar
The
annual
PWWTU
Free Fly
Fishing
Seminar
will be
held
Sat.
April 1,
2006 at
the St.
Bede
Activity
Center,
located
on South
Dallas
Avenue
in Point
Breeze,
from 9
a.m.
until 2
p.m.
The
seminar
is a
program
conducted
by
chapter
members
who
volunteer
their
time to
share
their
knowledge
of fly
fishing
basics
with
beginners,
or those
individuals
interested
in
brushing
up on
their
skills.
Topics
of
discussion
will
include
selecting
and
assembling
a fly
outfit,
knots,
lines
and
leaders,
packing
a vest,
flies
and
more.
Individual
casting
lessons
will be
conducted
on the
lawn,
weather
permitting.
Attendees
are
asked to
bring
their
fly rods
and
reels.
The
seminar
is
opened
to
non-members.
Children
and
adults
(women
and men)
are
welcome.
Please
call
(412)-521-0714
or
e-mail
bobbybuk@hotmail.com
for more
information.
The St.
Bede
Activities
Center
is
located
at 509
South
Dallas
Ave. in
the
Point
Breeze/Squirrel
Hill
section
of
Pittsburgh.
Free
on-street
parking
is
available.
March
Meeting
The
speaker
at our
March 13
meeting
will be
Rod
Rohrbach
from the
Little
Leigh
Fly
Shop.
Youth
fly-fishing
Camp
Once
again
the
chapter
is
sponsoring
a trip
for two
students
to this
renowned
camp.
Offered
by the
PA
Council
of TU
June
18-23 on
the
Yellow
Breaches,
the camp
is for
boys and
girls
14-17.
The week
is a mix
of
sciences
and
conservation
education
balanced
with all
aspects
of fly
fishing.
Leading
Pennsylvania
fishing
guides
instruct
the
students.
To
apply,
send an
essay
and
application
by March
15 to
PWWTU,
Youth
Camp, PO
Box 9,
Wildwood,
PA,
15091.
. For
more
information
contact
Walter
Reineman
at
412-963-2824,
or camp
coordinator
Mike
Klimkos
at
klimkos@epix.net
or www.
riverscamp.com.
This is
an
incredible
opportunity
that
should
not be
passed
up.
The
Masters
School
of Fly
Fishing
on
fabled
Spruce
Creek
June
23-25,
2006
featuring
Lefty
Kreh &
King
Montgomery
with
Mark
Antolosky,
Don
Boyan,
Chris
Caffee,
Rich
DiStanislao,
Jeff
Kramer,
Scott
Loughner,
Jeff
Wynn,
Tom
Zacoi
and Rich
Zoog
The $895
tuition
includes
streamside,
lakeside
or
family
accomodations,
seven
meals,
use of
premium
rod
outfits
from a
dozen
world-class
manufacturers,
tying
material,
tools
and
vise,
professional
instruction
and
daily
guide
service,
autographed
hard-bound
books,
unique
gifts
and a
Certificate
of
Achievement
If you
would
like a
brochure,
to
purchase
a gift
certificate
or
enroll
in the
2006
Masters
School,
send
your
correspondence
to Tom
Zacoi at
216
Quail
Run Rd.,
Venetia,
PA 15367
Information
can also
be found
online
at
www.mastersschoolofflyfishing.com
New for
2006!
The
Masters
School
faculty
has
teamed
up with
the
expert
staffs
at the
International
Angler
and
Orchard
View
Angling
to offer
our
valued
students
and
customers
the most
comprehensive
fly
fishing
forum in
America.
Visit
www.mastersschoolofflyfishing.com
today!
BAMBOO
FLY RODS
Custom
made
-- Hand
split --
Hand
planed
Ron
Bennett
412-963-0288
