I was behind Millcreek mall these past two weekends... caught 1 on Saturday
and 3 the week before. Saw a total of 6 other anglers over the two days.
I've also caught fish under I-79 at McKean, so i know they go that far as
well. if you decide to fish there, you're better off waiting til December or
later... give them a chance to get that far.
Jonathan
From: "Garry V. Wiles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [VFB] RE: Erie...Rant on fisheries
Date: Tue, 08 Nov 2005 16:36:20 -0500
D.Murf,
Indeed they don't fish barbless down that parts and I doubt the
'boaters have right-of-way' would apply in a bunch of their minds either.
I think most would pull out the 1/2oz weights and trebles to knock us out
and let us float out to the lake. Walnut Access is for the old and lazy,
imo. Park and it takes longer to get 'dressed' for the creek than it does
to get there. If you fish the wall, then that might be different, it takes
even less time, but you have to get out the long reach net. I'm not sure
many that fish down there practice any C&R at all.
I don't fish below the first bridge period. I usually don't fish
below Manchester either. On Walnut, thing start to spread out once you
round the bend at the chutes. Then again, once you get above the falls
there, there isn't much in the way of fish until you get to the tubes at
Rt. 5. After that, things really get spread out and you can go for a ways
with out seeing another angler. I actually wonder how far upstream someone
has caught a steelhead on either Walnut or Elk. I've talked to a guide
that lives in Greensburg that has caught them above McKeen (where the fish
have supposedly reached already) at 79 and on Walnut, he's mentioned Mill
Creek Mall. That would probably be the best for the missus and me, if I
could find maps of the creek that far -- she could shop to her lil hearts
content, I could fish till I was blue in the face or fingers, depending on
what all was exposed that day.
I know alot of 'local' fisherman have complained on the fisherie
website about the crowding. I can solve that -- stop stocking the fish.
Pennsylvania Steelhead is a stocked fishery. Stop putting
fingerlings/smolts in the streams and in 2-3 years, steelhead will be down
to almost zero. THEN we'll find out how much natural reproduction is going
on. I LOVE seeing the crowds. Crowds mean they are buying licenses,
spending money in PA and supporting the program. I would imagine that the
locals would love the fish to remain and the people to leave -- but are
mighty unwilling to support the area on their own, sorry, I doubt it's
going to happen.
And this is only one place in PA that I'm aware of it happening.
It's not like there hasn't been a bunch writting covering the famous
limestone and freestone streams all over central PA. I think I own three
different books, from three different authors touting the excellent trout
fishing. Meck has updated his twice that I'm aware of, Landis has two out
as well, at least Wolfe covers warm water fishing in his book. Pittsburgh
native, John Nagy has three versions of his book on Fishing for Steelhead.
PA is a good place to live in the east, in my opinion. I'm glad people
want to come here and visit.
NONE of this I knew about as I grew up. Fishing with Dad required
hunting for worms/crawlers in the yard or going across the road to the
little stream and either using home-made minnow traps or seining them out
ourselves. The most I remember about winter fishing was Dad and talking
about snagging salmon in New York. Something he nor I never did. I'm glad
I never have either. I don't think that snagging is very C&R oriented.
Which is the only kind of fishing dad normally did. Never did go out on
the opening day of trout for as long as I've known him -- Bass and Bluegill
have been his speciality. I'd love to get him up to Erie and fish a PA
Trib sometime soon, but Mom wants to go too, so that's a double guided trip
by me and I'm not ready to walk 2 around up there yet.
Well, Mr. Murf, I doubt I've addressed your rant much, especially
on the other waters but PA front, but that's probably better for those
wiser and better educated than I. I'm not sure which day's are yours on
Elk and Walnut this year, but I'll be up there Monday and most likely start
my morning parking at Walnut access and who knows from there. If you or
another lister is around, give me a call on my cell - 724-216-3196.
Have a good day!
-->Garry
At 12:17 PM 11/8/2005, you wrote:
Considering the Christmas tree look of the trees opposite that wall, I'd
rather not. Besides, those folks with powerbait and maggots don't fish
barbless! Another thing, how woulod you propose to get your line in the
water...or out of it among the thousands of yards of 40lb test, trash,
lures, 8 oz lead whizzing by your head, bobbers...not to mention John
Bowersox boarding us to chastize us?
Walnut is a lost cause near the mouth and not my preferred stream for
years. The only section I like is between the first bridge and the wall
group and THAT is usually packed as tight as the Manchester Hole which I'm
GLAD the landowner closed given the behavior of a few rude idiots.
Elk has the Legion Hole & Tubes to compare with Walnut and I fear Foley's
Campground's pool is the same. Soon, the almost bearable spots on Elk
like Girard Park and section between the Tubes and Bridge will be just as
bad. The more difficult it is to access a particular spot the more time
we have to fish with fewer unsportsman-like folks.
This phenomenon is pandemic through many better known waters throughout
the country and will eventually lead to even more overcrowding in the
waters left to fish as more private and restricted signs dot the
landscape. Rules and enforcement will either need to be tolerated to
maintain some of these spots which may lead to such things as pay-to-fish,
time limits per angler, minimum distance to next angler or the fishery
will just die or become repulsive IMHO.
License fees in PA jumped which some applauded. My concern is that only
those of means will be able to fish and have-nots will be illegals.
Colsures, day slots (you fish odd days and I even days?) or lotteries
(such as anterless deer) may be proposed... or more intrusive means.
