Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 58

CURRENTS
Conococheague Creek, Section 4 Trout Stocking
As featured on the cover, Conococheague Creek, Franklin
County, offers early summer trout fishing opportunities for
Pennsylvania anglers. On Friday, May 14, an inseason stocking
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission took place
on Section 4. Its proximity to Wilson College makes it easily
accessible for college students and other anglers. Conococheague
Creek, Section 4 is part of Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters
program for " Stocked Trout " (www.PaBestFishing.com). The
Commission now offers Non-Resident Pennsylvania Student
Licenses. For more information, turn to pages 32 and 33.
Sierra Gearhart, Saint Francis University nursing student,
stocks trout into Conococheague Creek, near Wilson College.
Emily Kuhn, a Communications student at Elizabethtown College,
dumps a bucket of trout into Conococheague Creek, Section 4, one of
Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters for " Stocked Trout. "
New State Record Yellow Perch Recorded
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC)
announced a new state record Yellow Perch.
On the afternoon of April 9, 2021, angler Kirk Rudzinski,
Erie, departed East Avenue Boat Ramp along with friend Sam
Troup, also of Erie, to enjoy a few hours of fishing on Lake Erie.
The friends traveled 4 to 5 miles east to the area of the Sunoco
Cribs, where they anchored in sight of the high-rise building at
the Brevillier Village community.
Rudzinski was targeting Yellow Perch using live Emerald
Shiners as bait on a casting rod fitted with 10-pound-test
braided line with an 8-pound-test monofilament leader and a
pair of size 4 hooks.
At approximately 7:21 p.m., Rudzinski felt the bite of
a lifetime.
The large perch was securely hooked in the upper lip, and
after a 2-minute fight, Troup netted the fish and brought
it aboard the boat.
Rudzinski knew
right away the fish
was the largest he
had ever caught.
The scale
Kirk Rudzinski
58
aboard his boat
malfunctioned, so he
did not immediately
know the correct
weight of the fish.
While he considered
ending the fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2021
trip immediately to take the fish to a certified scale, he and
Troup decided to put the fish on ice while they continued to
fish until sunset. At approximately 9:15 p.m., Rudzinski and
Troup arrived at East End Angler, a bait and tackle shop owned
by Rudzinski, which also has a certified scale.
The scale weight of the Yellow Perch was 2.98 pounds. In
accordance with the Pennsylvania State-Record Fish Rules and
Application, the weight is rounded up to the nearest ounce,
making the weight 3 pounds, 0 ounces, exceeding the current
state record by 2 ounces. The length of the fish was 167/8 inches,
with a girth of 14 inches. State record fish are judged only by
weight and must exceed the previous state record by at least
2 ounces. The previous state record Yellow Perch caught in
Presque Isle Bay in 2016 weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces and was
also caught by an angler from Erie County.
Rudzinski kept the fish on ice until the following day, when
Waterways Conservation Officer Matthew J. Visosky arrived
at East End Angler to verify the species, weight, and review
photographs that were taken throughout the initial weigh-in.
In addition to a witnessed weigh-in and PFBC in-person
inspection, Rudzinski completed an official state-record fish
application including color photographs, which was reviewed
by PFBC Fisheries and Bureau of Law Enforcement officials
and confirmed.
Rudzinski plans to have the State Record Yellow Perch
commemorated through taxidermy and will display the mount
at East End Angler for the enjoyment of others.
A list of current Pennsylvania State Record Fish, official rules,
and an application can be found at www.fishandboat.com.
www.fishandboat.com
photos-Spring Gearhart
photo-courtesy of Kirk Rudzinski
http://www.PaBestFishing.com http://www.fishandboat.com http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021

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