Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 42
Connect with
Wiilderness
lderness
Trout
by Mike Bleech
photos by the author
Dense hemlock shading the small creek helped to keep its
spring-fed water cool through summer. In order to fish
downstream, which I prefer on most tiny wild trout streams,
my fishing partner and I drove to a gate that blocked the
single track road and walked the road about a mile farther.
This old road was cut into a steep hillside. From the high
vantage, we looked down through a dissipating morning fog
to the hemlocks. Sparkling water was visible through the
dense limbs in a few places.
Nearly a half-century ago, I fished the tiny wild trout
streams of the Allegheny National Forest with Dan Stimmell.
More recently, I revisited some of those same waters with
Mike Stimmell, his son. Father had taught son well. It was not
the skills of fishing wild trout streams that has made Mike
Stimmell one of the few devoted wild trout anglers I know,
though. Along with the skills, his father had passed along an
appreciation of small streams inhabited by wild Brook Trout,
Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout.
It is a shame that so many anglers do not appreciate wild
trout streams. Fishing today has become a game of how
42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * May/June 2014
many and how big, of high-power boats and sophisticated
fishing tactics and tackle.
Or, maybe that is the salvation of wild trout streams. Many
of the best wild trout streams could be depleted by heavy
fishing pressure. As it is now, we have plenty of wild trout
streams to go around. Fishing is not likely to deplete trout
numbers to any serious degree. Few anglers who appreciate
these streams keep many wild trout. They are such beautiful
fish it seems that killing too many is just not right. Meaning
no disrespect to hatchery trout, without which traditional
trout fishing in Pennsylvania could not exist, but hatchery
trout do not match the beauty of wild trout.
There are no mysteries about catching wild trout. In
fact, catching trout from stocked streams requires more
sophisticated techniques, except for the stealth required to
get near enough to pools in wild streams to flip a fly or bait,
without disturbing all the trout in that pool.
Hatchery trout expect to see humans when it is time to eat.
Wild trout expect that any sound or silhouette of something
approaching may be something that wants to eat them.
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 15
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 18
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 21
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 28
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 42
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - Cover4
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