President's
Beat
By Walter Reineman
Welcome back to another year of PWWTU activities. I trust that all of you were able to get out and enjoy some fine fishing this summer.
Aside from the recent heat wave, it has been a very good season. As the water cools down, we are again planning a work day on
Pine Creek in Allison Park. On Sept. 30 we plan to install at least two deflectors along with some shade and erosion control plantings.
These structures are working; the older cribs near the railroad bridge have helped scour some very deep holes. To help, please call
Tom Walsh at 412-486-5356. For the record, Tom tells of a friend who has caught over 300 trout on Pine this season.
A cool weather stocking is scheduled for October.
We are looking for a few good members! Currently, yours truly is filling in as program coordinator for the monthly meetings. I am not bashful to
say that I (not to mention the chapter) need someone to coordinate this interesting and necessary job. If you like meeting people in the "fishing business"
and making possible contacts for future trips, this job is for you. This is your chance to contribute in an easy and rewarding way. And as always, any way
that any of you would like to help, even if it is in a position that already has a warm body, please don't hesitate to step forward. Any and all help is greatly
appreciated. Thanks in advance, Walter.
Fishing News with
Deborah Weisberg
Trout Unlimited’s Tom Shetterley has joined the Pennsylvania Fish
and Boat Commission at a time when the agency is
planning changes in trout stockings. That includes fewer
but bigger fish next year, and moving ahead with plans
to license 12 to 15 year olds.
One of the Chestnut Ridge chapter’s most active
environmentalists, Shetterley now represents
Southwestern
Pennsylvania alongside TU’s Len Lichvar, who, after a
three-year struggle, finally received Senate
confirmation this past spring. Lichvar represents the
south central part of the state. Both men took part in
their first commission meeting this summer, where they
voted to approve an earlier opening day for the
southeastern part of the state (where climate change has
accelerated the season), and gave the green light to the
commission’s efforts to institute a $5 a year youth
fishing license.
Board approval of a youth license is just the start of a
long process that ultimately depends on the support of
the state legislature and governor.
In August, Rep. Bruce Smith (R-York) introduced legislation for a
junior license, though he admits it probably won’t see
much action before he retires at the end of this year.
“Half the seats in the House will be decided in this fall’s
election,” Smith said. “And we’re also being asked to
approve higher hunting fees that simply have to get
passed. So I don’t expect the youth license to make it
this year. But I’m laying the groundwork, getting a plan
in place so people can get used to the idea.”
Smith said a junior license would raise $2 million a
year, including the $3 the commission would get from the
federal government for every license sold. He said
revenues would be dedicated to programs for kids, such
as providing them with tackle and actually teaching them
to fish. It also would give the commission a database of
the next generation of anglers it can market to in the
future, especially when its new electronic licensing
system is up and running.
The youth license concept has never gotten far in the
past, though it was first introduced 30 years ago,
because of such issues as cost and enforcement. Smith
said the commission will work with bass clubs and other
groups willing to underwrite kids who can’t pay, and the
commission will focus on education instead of punishment
when it comes to first-time offenses.
“They’ve already got a pamphlet designed that will educate kids
about the value of a license,” he said. “Second and
third time offenders would be cited.”
License sales for the fiscal year that ended July 1 were
up by just 1.31 percent, although senior citizen and
lifetime license sales showed bigger gains, and the Lake
Erie/trout combo stamp also sold well. The commission is
hoping that its promise of 30 percent larger trout will
help boost sales, although numbers of stocked fish will
be down by about 20 percent.
(Deborah Weisberg writes
about fishing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)
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Calling all fly tiers
It's a long time between
now and our January Great Fly Sale, but it's not too
early to remind the chapter’s ace fly tiers that flies
are needed for the event.
This annual sale has become a major revenue generator
for PWWTU, thanks to the many generous fly donations by
members. So when you sit down at the vise in the coming
months, please remember to tie up a few extra half
dozens for the sale. You choose the patterns and sizes.
The chapter will package the flies and attach a label
listing the pattern, size and tier's name.
For more information, call Joe at 412-761-9762.
----------------------------
International Angler
underwriting
International Angler 1st Annual Tent Sale!
WHEN:
Saturday, Sept. 16th,
10:00 - 4:00
Sunday, Sept 17th
10:00 - 4:00
WHERE:
International Angler, Robinson Township Store
* 5000 DOZEN Flies * Rods * Reels * Clothing * Tying
Material *
We’re cleaning out our closets, and there’s way too much
to list here!
Stop in or call for details (412)
788-8088
or
(412)
782-2222
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Oops!
When we last visited
Cabin Fever 2006 in H&R, there appeared a long list of
PWWTU people and exhibitors who unselfishly donated
their time and talent to benefit both the show and the
chapter.
Here’s more where that
came from. Tom Ference from Gamma Technologies was
inadvertently left off the list. Tom was kind enough to
conduct an advanced fly-casting techniques clinic that
was educational, entertaining and above all amazing. His
skill with a fly rod is truly artistry in motion. The
chapter regrets the oversight of not listing him with
the others and is grateful for the significant
contribution Tom made to Cabin Fever 2006’s outstanding
success.
--------------------
Thank You Peter
TenEyck
The old maxim is true:
Ask and you shall receive. Recently, the chapter asked
if there was a member who had a spare digital projector
and would be willing to donate it to PWWTU. As you might
know, digital projectors come with very hefty price
tags. At our Feb. 13 meeting, Peter TenEyck arrived
bearing a gift – a digital projector! It will serve as a
needed backup for our meeting and Cabin Fever speaker’s
presentations. Peter, your generous contribution is much
appreciated.
See the Fly of the
Month in Living Color
Family Tyes is a wonderful youth mentoring program that
helps build character through fly fishing. For several
years, in “Hatches & Rises’ ” “Patterns for Life”
column, a Family Tyes member has submitted his or her
favorite trout fly pattern and step-by-step instruction
on how to tie and fish it. (At press time, Family Tyes
staffers were leading the kids on an exotic summer fly
fishing expedition.)
Now the group and Steve Shanahan have teamed up to post
a color photo of each finished “fly of the month” on our
Website,
www.pwwtu.org. So if you have questions about how
long the tail should be or how thick the thorax should
be dubbed or whether the legs should extend back to the
hook point or whatever, click on to our site and all
will be answered.
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Chapter office nominations
Nominations for chapter officers and board
membership can be submitted at the Sept. 11 general
meeting or by mailing the nomination to the chapter at
PWWTU,
PO Box 9, Wildwood,
PA 15091-0009.
Specifically, a volunteer is urgently needed for
the position of program chairman, who will be
responsible for securing general meeting speakers and
assisting Bill Hayes in procuring seminar speakers for
Cabin Fever.
Needless to say, the chapter welcomes members to
offer a helping hand by serving on the board and
participating in the business of managing PWWTU.
--------------------------
Pine Creek Workday –
September 30
Helping hands are needed to continue work on the
chapter’s ambitious Pine Creek Improvement Project.
Several additional stream diverters need to be placed to
complete the waterway’s overall restoration. Two are
scheduled to be installed on Sat., Sept. 30. Work begins
at 9 a.m., and as usual, the chapter will provide lunch
and cold drinks. So gather up your work gloves and boots
and report bright and early for duty. An enthusiastic
turnout is needed. See you there.
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