12-21-2006, 06:10 PM
STILL TIME FOR MUSKY ANGLERS TO COMPLETE SURVEY ON PFBC WEB SITE
December 21, 2006
ThePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is reminding musky anglers theystill have a few more days to provide feedback on management changesdesigned to improve fishing for the state's largest gamefish. TheCommission posted a musky angler survey on its web site in October and will accept completed surveys until January 5.
Sofar, more than 350 anglers have already weighed in and the Commissionhopes to hear from more. One area of particular interest to the agencyis angler input on implementing stocking changes. The Commission hasalready increased musky stockings on 10 waters and plans to expand themon 15 more.
Waters receiving increased stocking ofpurebred and tiger muskellunge include: Beltzville Lake, Carbon County;Cowanesque Reservoir, Tioga County; East Branch Clarion River Lake, ElkCounty; Holman Lake, Perry County; Keystone Lake, Armstrong County;Loyalhanna Lake, Westmoreland County; Marsh Creek Lake, Chester County;Nockamixon Lake, Bucks County; Sweet Arrow Lake, Schuylkill County;Schuylkill River (between Black Rock Dam and the Perkiomen Creek),Montgomery/Chester counties; Allegheny Reservoir, Warren County; CanoeLake, Blair County; Conneaut Lake, Crawford County; Delaware River,Northampton/Monroe/Pike counties; Frances Slocum Lake, Luzerne County;Glendale Lake, Cambria County; Lehigh River, Northampton/Lehighcounties; Lake Arthur, Butler County; Lake Somerset, Somerset County;Rose Valley Lake, Lycoming County; Sayers Lake, Centre County; ShenangoLake, Mercer County; Susquehanna River, Northumberland County;Susquehanna River North Branch, Luzerne County; and the YoughioghenyRiver, Fayette/Allegheny/Westmoreland counties.
In orderto accommodate the move to more intensive stocking in waters theCommission believes have the most upside for muskellunge fishing, 29lakes or water sections are being removed from the stocking program ona trial basis. The waters being targeted for removal from the muskystocking program are those where there is little angler interest inmusky or tiger musky fishing and/or where there is inadequate forage tosupport desirable muskellunge or tiger muskellunge populations. In somewaters in the native range of muskellunge, where there is someexpectation that muskellunge may reproduce naturally, stocking of tigermuskellunge will cease (view complete list of waters coming off the muskellunge stocking list).
One objective of the musky angler survey is to solicit input and reactions to these trial changes.
Biologistsexpect that it will take at least four to eight years until all thestocking changes begin to manifest themselves in a way anglers canfully experience. However, there's no need to wait that long to getgreat musky action. Winter represents a great time to pursuemuskellunge. On the Commission web site, select "Fish" from theleft-hand navigation bar, then click "Pennsylvania Fishes." Select"Species Feature Pages" and then click on the musky picture for a listof musky hot spots, biggest catches in recent years, and tips andtechniques from Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Magazine.
Stockingchanges are just one of several moves by the Commission to improvemuskellunge fishing in the Commonwealth. Starting in 2007, musky seasonwill extend year-round for most waters, with a creel limit of one fishthat must be at least 40 inches. Currently the muskellunge season isclosed mid-March through early June and two 30-inch muskies may becreeled each day.
December 21, 2006
ThePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is reminding musky anglers theystill have a few more days to provide feedback on management changesdesigned to improve fishing for the state's largest gamefish. TheCommission posted a musky angler survey on its web site in October and will accept completed surveys until January 5.
Sofar, more than 350 anglers have already weighed in and the Commissionhopes to hear from more. One area of particular interest to the agencyis angler input on implementing stocking changes. The Commission hasalready increased musky stockings on 10 waters and plans to expand themon 15 more.
Waters receiving increased stocking ofpurebred and tiger muskellunge include: Beltzville Lake, Carbon County;Cowanesque Reservoir, Tioga County; East Branch Clarion River Lake, ElkCounty; Holman Lake, Perry County; Keystone Lake, Armstrong County;Loyalhanna Lake, Westmoreland County; Marsh Creek Lake, Chester County;Nockamixon Lake, Bucks County; Sweet Arrow Lake, Schuylkill County;Schuylkill River (between Black Rock Dam and the Perkiomen Creek),Montgomery/Chester counties; Allegheny Reservoir, Warren County; CanoeLake, Blair County; Conneaut Lake, Crawford County; Delaware River,Northampton/Monroe/Pike counties; Frances Slocum Lake, Luzerne County;Glendale Lake, Cambria County; Lehigh River, Northampton/Lehighcounties; Lake Arthur, Butler County; Lake Somerset, Somerset County;Rose Valley Lake, Lycoming County; Sayers Lake, Centre County; ShenangoLake, Mercer County; Susquehanna River, Northumberland County;Susquehanna River North Branch, Luzerne County; and the YoughioghenyRiver, Fayette/Allegheny/Westmoreland counties.
In orderto accommodate the move to more intensive stocking in waters theCommission believes have the most upside for muskellunge fishing, 29lakes or water sections are being removed from the stocking program ona trial basis. The waters being targeted for removal from the muskystocking program are those where there is little angler interest inmusky or tiger musky fishing and/or where there is inadequate forage tosupport desirable muskellunge or tiger muskellunge populations. In somewaters in the native range of muskellunge, where there is someexpectation that muskellunge may reproduce naturally, stocking of tigermuskellunge will cease (view complete list of waters coming off the muskellunge stocking list).
One objective of the musky angler survey is to solicit input and reactions to these trial changes.
Biologistsexpect that it will take at least four to eight years until all thestocking changes begin to manifest themselves in a way anglers canfully experience. However, there's no need to wait that long to getgreat musky action. Winter represents a great time to pursuemuskellunge. On the Commission web site, select "Fish" from theleft-hand navigation bar, then click "Pennsylvania Fishes." Select"Species Feature Pages" and then click on the musky picture for a listof musky hot spots, biggest catches in recent years, and tips andtechniques from Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Magazine.
Stockingchanges are just one of several moves by the Commission to improvemuskellunge fishing in the Commonwealth. Starting in 2007, musky seasonwill extend year-round for most waters, with a creel limit of one fishthat must be at least 40 inches. Currently the muskellunge season isclosed mid-March through early June and two 30-inch muskies may becreeled each day.