Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015 - 41

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2015

41

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"Young-of-year surveys over the past decade
indicate that the revised regulations have been
working as expected. We haven't conducted studies
that specifically sought to measure the impact of
the regulations, but we're seeing quite robust bass
populations in regular monitoring surveys across
Pennsylvania in data collected and reported by
biologists," said Lorantas.
"Angling pressure is just one of many factors
influencing the success of spawning, which is
largely determined by Mother Nature," said Al
Woomer, PFBC northwest regional fisheries
manager. "Weather and water conditions help
determine recruitment of bass, especially in a river,
which is a dynamic system."
"Bass entering the spawn after a harsh winter
when there was little forage may be in poor shape
to reproduce," said Woomer. "If flows are high and
turbid in the spring and temperatures are cool in
the summer, males may struggle to guard the eggs,
and young-of-year may not survive."
Last summer, Woomer electrofished ten
300-yard sites in a 130-mile stretch of the
Allegheny River from south of Warren to
Kittanning and found young-of-year bass
numbers were down a little from previous years.
These Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission biologists are on an
"Fluctuating flows may have impacted survival,"
Allegheny River survey of young-of-year bass. They electrofished
said Woomer. "On the other hand, there was so much
segments of the river from south of Warren to Kittanning.
forage in the river-we were seeing lots of crayfish, dace,
darters and minnows-that the young-of-year that did
Reservoir, Warren and McKean counties, and catch the
survive would do really well. It tends to even out."
same number, because scads more will be spawning," said
Tournaments are off-limits during the spring spawn
Lorantas. "Bass caught in spring should be played as little as
everywhere in Pennsylvania except Pymatuning
possible and returned to the water quickly."
Reservoir, Crawford County, which is owned jointly
DeMarion advises unhooking fish while they are in
with Ohio. It is a restriction some competitive anglers
the water and cradling them under the belly until they are
would like to see changed since they are accustomed to
oriented enough to swim off. "If I catch a trophy-sized fish
being allowed to target spawning bass in other states,
and want a picture, I try to get the whole thing done in
particularly those in the south.
about a minute, because I want to get the fish back in the
But Destin DeMarion, a semi-professional angler from
water as soon as possible," said DeMarion.
Pittsburgh, generally supports PFBC's approach. "I don't
In tournaments, DeMarion uses a rubber, rather than
like that there are no tournaments in spring, but I agree that
cloth, net. He thinks it is gentler on fish. "The cloth mesh
spawning bass should not be targeted," said DeMarion.
takes off their protective slime coat and opens them
"In Florida, you're allowed to catch spawning bass, and I
to infection," said DeMarion. "I was in Lake St. Clair,
think it's hurt a lot of the lakes in that state," said DeMarion,
Michigan, and saw bass with sores from being netted so
who finished second in points in the FLW Rayovac
much. It's easier to unhook lures from a rubber net too."
Northern Series as a co-angler in 2014. "People have taken
Former PA B.A.S.S. Federation tournament angler Bill
so many big females out of the lakes. You're not getting as
Logan, Enterprise, handles bass carefully, too. "If it's a
many bites as you used to," said DeMarion.
small enough fish with a treble hook, I don't even handle
"Removing nest guarding males for more than a
it," said Logan. "I'll grab the hook with pliers and gently
few moments can alter survival of that nest, although
shake off the lure."
that varies among fisheries, with smaller lakes
Logan practices catch and release and is careful to avoid
containing dense sunfish populations more subject to
targeting a bass bed.
the repercussions of temporary removal of a few nest
"One of the best bites on the Allegheny River is in early
guarding bass than large lakes and rivers," said Lorantas.
spring, before the spawn," said Logan who is on the water
"If you go to a pond with 10 or 15 nest guarding bass and
50 days a year. "When those big girls are feeding in early
catch them all off their nests, it will have more impact than
March, they're very, very aggressive."
if you go to Lake Arthur, Butler County, or the Allegheny
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015

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