^Tn^Z^Ei*] - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

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Among anglers who pursue the sport of panfishing, the unanimous choice, for both scrap and downright good eating, is the bluegill. Just as the largemouth black bass is appropriately called the king of American gamefishes, the bluegill certainly rates as the prince of panfishes. Nearly every angler fondly recalls barefoot boyhood days when a jaunt to the "ol' fishin' hole" seldom failed to produce a dandy string of bluegills. Co-operation seems to be the characteristic of this piscatorial bantamweight. Be it a bent pin with a piece of sandwich meat, dangling from wrapping string tied to the finger of a youngster, or the accurately placed dry fly—the bluegill shows no preference in personalities. When on the feed, and this is most of the time, the bluegill will take a bite of anything remotely resembling food. For a session of utmost fishing enjoyment, with delicious eating the reward for a heavy creel, no panfish sport surpasses that which can be had with a light fly rod, once the bluegiUs are located. They seem to school readily, strike vigorously and feed often—a most inviting combination for angling sport. However, despite the greediness of the smaller bluegiUs, which makes them easy victims for the frying pan, the larger brethren are much more cautious and selective in their eating 934 lb. Walleye, 28 3 ,4 inches long, caught by O. F. Bricker, K. D. 1, Irwin, Pa., October 30, 1948. Allegheny River—Thompson's Eddy near Tidioute, Pa. Caught on Shakespeare Midget Spinner belonging to E. R. McLaughlin, proprietor of Cloverleaf Cottages at same location. The Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus habits. Catching the limit of bluegill heavyweights requires study, skill and "know how"—but, the satisfaction is worth the effort. Names—The bluegill is the most widely-known member of the sunfish family and therefore subject to a sizable variety of nicknames. The most common are: blackear bream, blue bream, copperhead bream, brim, blue sunfish, coppernose sunfish, sunfish, sun perch, bluemouth sunfish, polladee, blue, and punkinseed. Characteristics—The coloration of this fish will vary greatly according to water conditions, but usually the back is dark, olive-green with a purplish luster. Chain-like greenish bars run girthwise. The belly often is a brilliant red-copper color while the cheeks are an iridescent greenish-blue. The fins are a deep green and the gill covers a velvety black. Range — Generally speaking, the bluegill clan abounds in the Great Lakes region, the Mississippi Valley and the South Atlantic states. However, it has been found in nearly every part of the United States and Canada. Its favorite hangouts are brush piles, lily-pad fields, stumps, bridges, docks, boat landings, weed beds or just any deep hole or pocket wherever there might be aquatic food. Size—Although monster bluegills are constantly being reported, the average size will approximate Vz pound. By the fisherman's thumb rule, a bluegill from 6 to 8 inches is a "nice one," from 8 to 10 inches is a "dandy" and anything exceeding 10 inches is a lunker. Although no official records have been recognized, a number of authentic catches between 2 and 3 pounds have been recorded in various local fishing contests. These are as exceptional as a 60-pound muskellunge, a 15-pound largemouth bass or a 4pound crappie. Flavor—Regardless of the water it inhabits, the bluegill can be given the blue ribbon for excellence in flavor. The meat is sweet and firm, and it is practically no trouble to prepare for the skillet. Foods—It has been said with conviction that the bluegill will eat anything digestible and is the nannygoat of the fish family. Its favorite foods are small minnows, worms, grasshoppers, crickets, countless insects, small crustaceans, as well as any candy, popcorn or picnic leftovers tossed its way. John Paul Brown caught the large mouth > le is holding on October 11th last y ear fiaj>4f ive frog while fishing Sandy Lake at »%j>« Lake, Pa. The bass was 21% inches long weighed 7% pounds. Lures—At times, any lure tha* .jj bluegill can get into its mouth ^ take the limit. Again, it will take a skillfully ^ nipulated fly to produce the l ar *f, specimens. Ordinarily, the most fective lure is a sponge-body, rub" legged spider, but many fly fishertf 1 ^ find effective any of their pet t f0 flies in size 10 or 12. Methods—Although by far *, greatest total of bluegills is taken H still-fishermen using garden worms * bait, more and more fly fishermen a > finding these little scrappers g r f g sport on fight tackle. Spat-fisb 1 .^ with a bait rod and spinning V 1 small lures also produce nice catc b& Tackle—For just plain "bob^ fishin'" the outfit is widely kn
A *W enjoyable fishing arid for best • 6 sults, the line should be dressed be- .°re every trip in order to keep it gating throughout the day's fishing. Ae reel can be either single action or 'Somatic. ^mong the favored artificial lures j* e: rubber spiders or nymphs: cork- °°died bugs, spinner-and-fly combina- °^s, small bucktails with tiny pork J%>s streamers, wet and dry flies, Ball spoons, popper spooks, small *ss bug spooks and small wilder dilg Knows. fact that the bluegill can be ?*en in so many ways makes it a l^orite of the common fisherman. • hile some game-fish require expenso e tackle and arduous preparations, J? 6 prolific bluegill will delight the ^ftisiest angler by making a bobber 50 crazy. .yunce for ounce, the battling blue- E* is the most concentrated package I *Un in the entire fish family—if you Pe to take the word of that majority fishermen who consistently bring 0l *ie bluegills instead of alibis. i tielgrammites are amongst the best of t Ss bait and while not generally used for IPt have been the downfall of many an "brownie." Ip good catfish bait is made by peeling g hard shell from the tail of the crab and ^g it with the white meat exposed. j ^ small amount of glycerine added to bait for carp will make it more at- J^tive as it adds a sweet taste. N5*y Eichner of Quakertown and a nice rain- ?s]7 trout from the Little Lehigh River. The Hs Was caught July 17, '48 and weighed 3y2 ' and was over 20 Inches long. PtEM BERr-1949 THE FLY ROD FOR BASS There are few forms of sport fishing in which the angler has a wider variety of lures from which to choose than fly-casting for black bass. The list includes scores of patterns in wetfly and dry-fly designs, cork and hairbodied bugs and minnows, streamers, light pork-rined spinners and small spinner combinations used either with or without flies. In lake fishing the action must be imparted to the lure by the angler, and usually this is done by raising the rod tip and stripping in the amount of line which conveniently can be recast in one shoot. The floating lures, such as bass bugs and feather minnows, seem particularly effective on many Eastern waters. These lures are cast and retrieved either with a slow, steady motion or with short jerks, with pauses of varying duration between the movements. Some anglers cast their lures and permit them to remain motionless on the surface of the water for as much as five to ten seconds or even longer. In stream fishing for black bass the floating bug type of lure is handled much the same as a trout dry fly— that is, it is cast upstream or diagonally upstream and floated down with the current over or near the supposed haunt of the fish. The beginner at fly casting for black bass might select a rod nine or nine and one-half feet in length weighing from about five and one-half to six or seven ounces. If the heavier lures are to be used the rod should have plenty of backbone, for the constant casting of heavy lures eventually will put a set in almost any rod, and a light, flexible rod will go to pieces in short order. Reel and line should match the rod, the same as in trout fly casting, except that this writer prefers a reel large enough to carry ten or twenty yards of filler line under the casting line. It doesn't happen often, but once in awhile you may hook a really big bass which may make a long run. Six-foot, heavy, single gut leaders usually are used for wet-fly fishing, while the special "bass bug leader," four and one-half feet in length and tied with a large loop on one end so lures may be changed easily, is preferred by many anglers for use with bugs, feather minnows and spinners. When it comes to lures, the angler may indulge his own fancies. My list BY DON STILLMAN includes wet flies on hooks, sizes No. 1 and No. 2. Patterns, Parmachenee Belle, Lord Baltimore, Yellow Sally, White Miller, Silver Doctor and Black Gnat. Bass bugs—With cork and hair bodies. Feather minnows—White and red, white and green and yellow. Streamers—All white, white blue and silver, and Parmachenee Belle. A few nickel and copper spinners, sizes No. 1 and No. 2, and a few No. 1 ringed flies. A bamboo rod should be waxed with a good grade floor or auto wax regularly to protect the varnish which protects the rod itself. Oil your casting reel at least once each hour of fishing with a good grade of very light oil and you will save the reel and your arm, don't forget the level-wind shaft. A bucktail worked back and forth in short jerks will sometimes produce when other methods fail, don't hurry, it may take as long as several minutes at the same spot to get your fish excited enough to strike. When fast on to a good one don't rush him, a fish that is held quiet for the first minute or so will be landed much quicker than one that is badly scared and excited, excitement on either end of the line is in the fish's favor. Use a black surface plug at night for that old small mouth, move it slow and be sure it makes the proper commotion. R. Clair Van Dyke, popular sportsman of Adams County, and the excellent large brown trout which he caught in the Conewaga Creek near Arendtsville. The fish weighed 4% lbs. and measured 25J4" long. Adams County fishermen have hailed it as the largest trout caught In their county.
Page 1 and 2: lENNSYLVSSiA ^Tn^Z^Ei*]
Page 3 and 4: COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA PENNSY
Page 5 and 6: I i° r I didn't want him to know I
Page 7: ^* or hackle tips, which ever the t
Page 11 and 12: JJ e mies, of protection from flood
Page 13 and 14: C\ Hurrah For Little Giant Heeby-Je
Page 15 and 16: •"Ompt Action Saves Fish At Stell
Page 17 and 18: *«irod, Lester W., 316 Water Ave.,
Page 19 and 20: d leaver, James, 355 North St., New
Page 21 and 22: ^NANGO COUNTY Anderson, Don P., 612
Page 23 and 24: tii or ot it> is :e! Spinning In En
Page 25 and 26: Westmoreland County Junior Conserva
Page 27 and 28: More Industry PLAN For "PENNSYLVANI

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