Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015 - 20

photo-courtesy of WCO Anthony Beers

A world of ice

Last year's winter was certainly a
memorable one. The abnormally low
temperatures made the start of stocking
season unforgettable as well. This was
the first time that I had to bring an
ice auger along with me to meet the
stocking trucks. For one stocking in
particular at Beechwood Lake, Tioga
County, not only did I have to use an
ice auger but a blowtorch, hammer
and screwdriver as well. With an air
temperature of only 11 degrees F not
including the wind chill, it was quite a
task to get the fish from the truck into
the holes that I had drilled in the ice.
Fortunately, I had two very dedicated
stocking helpers who braved the cold
and helped melt the ice, which had
frozen the stocking truck's fish shoots
solid. After a couple hours of hard
work, some very cold fingers and
frozen pants, all the trout made it safely
into the lake.-WCO Anthony Beers,
Clinton and Western Lycoming counties.

Measure twice, cut once

While on patrol with Sergeant Bryan
Bendock at Upper Promised Land
Lake, Pike County, we had the occasion
to stop and check the creel of two ice

20

anglers. Upper Promised Land Lake
and Lower Promised Land Lake are
regulated as Panfish Enhancement
Special Regulations Waters and
have a minimum size requirement
for harvesting perch and crappies
(9 inches) and sunfish (7 inches).
Looking at their catch of sunfish, I
thought some of the fish may be under
the minimum size. So, I asked if the
fish had been measured. One of the
anglers said that he had measured
the fish, and they were all at least 8
inches long. Then, he showed me his
homemade measuring tape-an ice
ladle with hash marks on the handle
at 1-inch increments. He placed a fish
next to the ladle, but he positioned
the fish next to the 1-inch mark
instead of starting at zero, which of
course added an extra inch to the
fish's length. Sergeant Bendock and
I had a good laugh and asked where
he had learned to use a measuring
tape. The angler said he had always
measured everything starting at
the 1-inch mark. I took out my
tape and measured the fish, which
was just at 7 inches long and legal.
Back at our patrol vehicle, Sergeant
Bendock commented that he hoped
this particular angler didn't make his
living as a carpenter.-WCO T. Curt
Tereschak, Southern Wallenpaupack.

Seeking warmth

I think most would agree that
last winter was much colder and
snowier than what we have become
accustomed to over the past several
years. On this cold, blustery winter
day, my phone rang. I recognized
the caller's number as the Northeast
Region Office, and I answered the
call. It was my supervisor, Sergeant
Bryan Bendock, directing me to
return a frantic woman's call about,
of all things, a snake in her basement.
I guess I wasn't the only one anxious

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2015

for warmer weather.-WCO Kadin D.
Thompson, Wyoming and Southwestern
Suquehanna counties.

Gotta really love
your sport

As I was patrolling my district last
winter, I saw four eagles, a few flocks
of turkeys and a whole "boat load" of
deer that made it through the hunting
season. However, what really caught
my eye were the ice anglers on Lake
Wallenpaupack, Pike and Wayne
counties. Normally, I wouldn't think
anything of this sight, but the lake had
just frozen over the previous week,
and they were sitting not 20 feet from
open water. I think ice anglers here
have a contest each year to see who can
get out on the lake first without going
through the ice. Be safe on the ice this
winter. Know the proper ice thickness.
See page 32 for an ice safety thinkness
chart.-WCO Robert A. Plumb,
Northern Wallenpaupack.

Never too late

Recently, I received a call from a
man who wanted to pay his fine. This
is not an odd request, in fact it happens
often. With the aid of computers, I
can look at the status of any citation
in Pennsylvania since the year 2000. I
asked where and when he had received
the citation. He told me where and
that it was about 10 years ago. I said,
"What?!" He explained that he had
gotten a citation for not having a fire
extinguisher on his boat on a Sunday.
On Monday, he stopped at the court
and made a $20 payment and traveled
home to New York. Upon returning
home, he was arrested. Since that time,
he was in jail. I did not ask why. He
explained that he had recently been
released from jail. After all this time,
he wanted to make "things right." I
looked up his record on the computer
PFBC Facebook: PaFishandBoat
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015
