Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2020 - 41

magnet has the strength or pull on sportsmen and
women as Lake Erie. Nowhere else in Pennsylvania,
arguably the nation, boasts a world-class steelhead
fishery coexisting with renowned waterfowl hunting.
Come October, first time steelhead anglers must
experience the access areas nestled near the mouths of
Walnut Creek, Erie County, or Elk Creek, Erie County.
Fishing adventures can stem from these locations to
lesser known spots and smaller streams. Presque Isle,
Erie County, offers one of the most unique controlled
hunts for waterfowl, employing a lottery system to
draw a coveted seat within one of more than 70 blinds.
Blinds are free to use by the public for hunting when
the owner is not using it. Review park hunting rules
and regulations.

Spring trout and gobbler

Wake well before light, trusting Grandpa's heirloom
slate call to coax one of Pennsylvania's more than
200,000 wild turkey. As spring gobbler season's midday
quitting time comes far too soon (noon for most of
the season and state), grab a well-deserved, hearty
lunch. Afterwards, swap a camouflage vest for a fishing
vest, hunting boots for wading boots. Cast into miles
of cool trout water. Pennsylvania is home to 16,000
miles of wild trout water and 5,000 miles of stocked
trout waters. This versatile cast and blast can occur
practically anywhere in Pennsylvania, across nearly
each of the state's 67 counties.

State animal cast and blast

If timed right, the angler and hunter can
theoretically pursue three state animals within the
same day. Be it Brook Trout, ruffed grouse, or whitetailed deer, the trio of state symbols can be found
in northcentral Pennsylvania. Finning Brook Trout,
flushing grouse, and finicky whitetails can be brought
to hand using a lightweight rod, shotgun, and archery
equipment. The timeline for this trio would be peak in
October and into November.

Plucking and plinking

Typically, cast and blast focus on large, charismatic
species during the fall or winter. This option is a
refreshing alternative. Most kids' first hunt occurs
beneath the bright orange of a hunting hat and a
summer sun, scanning vast fields for groundhogs.
Somewhere cooling that farm, a humble, often
overlooked, pond teems with sunfish. Sunfish are
likely the starting point of most fishing careers. Be it
introducing a youth to the outdoor sport or reliving
our own beginnings, plinking away at groundhogs and
plucking a few sunfish. Personally, I find panfish more
plentiful and curious earlier in the summer. Success for
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groundhogs skyrockets if timed with hay harvests and
the increased visibility of cut fields.

Ice fishing and flintlock

The depths of winter summon a special
subpopulation of sportsmen. For those hearty anglers
and hunters undeterred doing things the hard way,
there is ice fishing and flintlock muzzleloader hunting.
Late December and into January, on most years, safe
levels of ice cover most waters. Ice anglers pull augers,
tip-ups, and other specialized equipment. Flintlock
hunters are familiar with the frizzen, pan, and ramrod.
Both should don their heaviest, most insulated
clothing. I have heard with ears and tasted with mouth
the argument fish is better when pulled from the ice
and venison more satisfying when fallen to flintlock.
Considering fish and deer peak activity, I suggest to
hunt at first and last light, fishing in between.

Small game and Smallmouth Bass

Pound for pound, no other fish fights like a
Smallmouth Bass. Likewise, the squirrel is tough,
quick, and aggressive. A fall hike through stands of
hickory and other fall food sources ensures encounters
with gray squirrels or fox squirrels. The same bushy tail
betraying the prolific small game's presence can double
as a key ingredient for Smallmouth Bass lures. Take
pleasure tying on inline spinners, jigs, or fly patterns
tipped with squirrel tail or hair. Rules and regulations
limit both squirrel and Smallmouth Bass to six. A half
dozen of these feisty species will not be had by the
half-hearted.

Beast of woods and water

The window of opportunity for a decent crack at
the burliest, strongest of big game and fish species,
the black bear and the Muskellunge, is but a sliver.
For the majority of Pennsylvania, four days with
firearms and some additional time with archery
equipment comprise to make bear season. Mirroring
our Thanksgiving feast, November finds bears and
Muskellunge scrambling to increase their daily caloric
intake. Such a saturated fattening up makes for a rare
calmer demeanor. Pennsylvania hosts many places
still wild enough to satisfy the space required by bear
and Muskellunge. Forest County comes to mind.
Muskellunge haunt the Allegheny River and Tionesta
Lake, while bears lumber the hardwoods of Allegheny
National Forest in and around Tionesta.
True cast and blasts necessitate a bit more
preparedness with respect to equipment, timing, and
seasons. However, the experience and payoff can
be well worth the energy and effort. Fishing's casts
and hunting's blasts are far more memorable and
harmonious than peanut butter and jelly.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2020

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2020

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