Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015 - 5

January/February 2015
Volume 84 Number 1

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
Norman R. Gavlick, President
Kingston
Edward P. Mascharka III, Vice President
Erie
Rocco S. Ali
North Apollo
Robert A. Bachman
Denver
G. Warren Elliott
Chambersburg
Eric C. Hussar
Lewisburg
Steven M. Ketterer
Harrisburg
Leonard L. Lichvar
Boswell
William J. Sabatose
Brockport
Glade E. Squires
Downingtown
Boating advisory Board
Mary Gibson, Chairperson
Marysville
Loren W. Lustig, Vice Chairperson
Biglerville
Henry Grilk
Lakeville
Michael LeMole
Media
Andrew Talento
Verona
ex oFFiCio memBers

John A. Arway, Executive Director;
Laurel Anders, Director,
Bureau of Boating & Outreach;
Ryan Dysinger, Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources

magazine staFF

Editor-Spring Gearhart
Graphic Design-Jeff Decker
Circulation-Rose Ann Bartal, Brenda Davies
and Michaela Shuster

regUlar ContriBUtors

John Allen
Vic Attardo
Jennifer Bilott
Darl Black
Marilyn Black
Mike Bleech

Rob Criswell
Chris Gorsuch
Carl Haensel
Jeff Knapp
Ron Kuhn

Ben Moyer
Ross Robertson
Linda Steiner
Deborah Weisberg
Alex Zidock Jr.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater adheres to the
American Fisheries Society's style guide and
the seventh edition of Common and Scientific
Names of Fishes from the United States, Canada
and Mexico in keeping with the capitalization of
the English common names of fishes as well as
singular and plural fish name usage. In addition,
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater recognizes the
standards established by the Society for the Study of
Amphibians and Reptiles.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater (ISSN1093-0574) is published bimonthly by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, 1601 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9299.
©2015 Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
Subscription rates: one year, $12; three years, $30; single copies are $3.00 each.
Periodicals postage is paid at Harrisburg, PA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Circulation, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, P.O.
Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000. For subscription and change of address, use
above address. Please allow six weeks for processing. Send all other correspondence
to: The Editor, Pennsylvania Angler & Boater, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 171067000. Editorial queries and contributions are welcome but must be accompanied by
self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Material accepted for publication is subject to
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission standards and requirements for editing and
revising. Submissions are handled carefully, but the Commission assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of submissions in its possession or in transit. The
authors' views, ideas and advice expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect
the opinion or official position of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission or its
staff. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission receives federal aid in sport fish restoration. Under appropriate federal acts, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap. If you
believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility
as described above, or if you desire more information, please write to: The Office of
Equal Opportunity, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

The Keystone State's Official Fishing & Boating Magazine

Feature articles

Secrets of Solid Fishing for Bruiser Bluegills by Vic Attardo ........................................................ 6
A Stream through the Seasons by Jeff Woleslagle .......................................................................... 10
Find Your Next Secret Spot by John Allen ...................................................................................... 12
Winter Opens Non-Ice Fishing Opportunities
in Northwestern Pennsylvania by Darl Black ................................................................................ 14
Game Plan for Wintertime River Walleyes by Jeff Knapp ........................................................... 17
Fooling Panfish by Carl Haensel....................................................................................................... 22
Peak Seasonal Bites by Marilyn Black ............................................................................................. 26
Breaking in and Maintaining a Gas Auger by Ross Robertson ................................................... 29
Ice Anglers Popular Panfish Mixed Catch by Mike Bleech.......................................................... 30
The Magnetic Compass-Why and How It Works by Alex Zidock Jr...................................... 38
Do Not Disturb Spawning Black Bass by Deborah Weisberg ..................................................... 40
The Reclusive, Elusive Warmouth by Rob Criswell ...................................................................... 42

Special features

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Angler Award Program ............................................... 4
Eastern Box Turtle .............................................................................................................................. 24
Cold Water Kills! and Ice Safety Thickness Chart........................................................................ 32
Highlights from the 2015 Boating Regulations Recap ................................................................ 44
Winter PLAY Newsletter by Kristi Niekamp and Miranda Smith.............................................. 45
2015 Seasons, Sizes and Creel Limits .............................................................................................. 52
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Biologists
Working to Advance Fisheries Science by Leroy M. Young Jr..................................................... 53

Regular features

Straight Talk by Executive Director John A. Arway. ........................................................................ 2
Your Fishing Field Guide by Carl Haensel ....................................................................................... 9
Notes from the Stream ....................................................................................................................... 20
Reflecting on the Water by Ron Kuhn............................................................................................. 33
Tying Together by Christian A. Shane............................................................................................. 36
Currents ................................................................................................................................................ 56
Angler's Notebook by Jerry Bush...................................................................................................... 62
Fishin' from the Kitchen by Wayne Phillips ................................................................................... 62
Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters Walleye .................................................................................. 63
Cast & Caught...................................................................................................................................... 64

On the cover

Aaron T. Ohl, West Middlesex, caught this nice
Northern Pike while ice fishing on Conneaut
Lake, Crawford County, using a large shiner.
Photo courtesy of Aaron T. Ohl.

sUBsCriPtion inqUiries

717-705-7835 * Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2015
E-mail: ra-pfbcmagazine@pa.gov

http://www.facebook.com/PaFishandBoat http://www.facebook.com/PaFishandBoat

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015

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