|
Erie WCO Weekly Fishing Report - 8/8/01 WALLEYE are being caught in the highest numbers in the "Triangle" area of the
Second Trench. Boats in the '290 & '890 numbers had about 16 walleyes /
boat. This is about a 21 mile run NW out of Walnut Creek. Since this area
is only about a mile from the Ohio Line, anglers should be certain of their
location if they do not hold an Ohio License. The line is 80 degrees & 31.1
minutes on your GPS. STEELHEAD are coming in about 2 or 3 fish to the boat at Walnut. These are
being caught while trolling in the trenches. The recent lake thermocline
inversion mixed things up for a bit but lake surface temps seem to have
returned to normal and are running about 76 degrees F. PERCH continues to be the hottest fish in the lake. They are currently about
3.5 miles straight out of Walnut. Just run due north and you can't miss the
pack of boats. Jumbos in the 12"+ range are the norm. Jimmy Dallas fished on
Tuesday using Perch eyes for bait and to his surprise, landed a 20" Bass on
his first jigging action. LACK OF Pfd's is amazingly one of the most frequent violations found this
year so far with 33 citations issued in Western Erie County District alone.
This violation has only been exceeded by a lack of a Fishing License with 34
citations being issued. RIGHT OF WAY RULES should be refreshed by all boaters and especially those
operating in the heavy traffic of Presque Isle Bay. Operators are
responsible for knowing these as well as maintaining a safe speed, keeping a
proper lookout, and knowing which watercraft is privileged. Accidents can be
an expensive way to become educated in these matters. The longnose gar ranges widely through the Mississippi River watershed and
lower Great Lakes. It is also found along the Atlantic Coast north to New
Jersey. In Pennsylvania, it has been reported from scattered locations
including Lake Erie, and the Allegheny and Ohio River watersheds. It has also
been reported to be in the extreme southern portion of the Susquehanna River
watershed. Never abundant, the longnose gar's primary Pennsylvania haunt is
the shallow, weedy waters of Presque Isle Bay in Lake Erie.
One oddity of the gar is its tolerance of low oxygen conditions. Gars have a
swim bladder that connects to the throat by an open tube. When hard-pressed
for oxygen in the water, gars can go to the surface and gulp air into the
swim bladder, which then acts as a lung.
The genus name "Lepisosteus" means "bony-scaled."
: Longnose gar adults live in lakes or sluggish pools and backwaters in
rivers. They spawn in the spring, in the vegetated shallows of lakes, or they
may migrate upstream to find a gravel bottom. Males mature in three to four
years. Females mature a year or so later. No nest is built. Females may spawn
with several males over the long spawning season. Up to 30,000 tiny dark eggs
are released by each female. The eggs stick to underwater objects and plants.
The eggs, which are poisonous to humans and other mammals, take six to eight
days to hatch. Then the young gars attach themselves, by means of a suction
disk at the tip of the snout, to something submerged. There they await the
absorption of the yolk sac. Young longnose gars grow fast, nearly to two feet
the first year. They may live to be 20 years old.
Spotted gars also spawn in the spring, with large groups of males and females
appearing over riffles and in the shallows along lake shores. They make no
nest for the eggs, but the gravel is cleaned by their spawning activity. They
also spawn over underwater vegetation. The spotted gar grows more slowly than
the longnose.
Gars are voracious carnivores, preying on other fish. Their hunting tactic is
to lie in wait for prey to move close, or they may stalk it slowly. Then they
rush in and slash their sharp-toothed "beak" from side to side, killing or
injuring the target fish. The prey is then grabbed crosswise in the gar's
teeth and maneuvered in the jaws to be swallowed headfirst. Gars also
occasionally feed on crustaceans. Gars are sometimes seen on sunny days,
apparently basking, just beneath the water's surface.
FACTS
Our country's population steadily increases. This requires constant
development and disturbance of available land.
The greater the population, the greater the demand for clean water.
Clean water is required for fish life to survive. Clean water is required for
mankind to survive.
Silt and sediments are pollutants which destroy fish life. They are carried
downstream - only to deposit elsewhere in the watershed to cause a downstream
threat to life and property thru increased flooding, and can affect
international shipping by clogging shipping channels.
Skunk Cabbage is a plant which only survives 99% of the time in wetlands.
However, because this plant is not present does not mean the area is not a
wetland.
Before a lake or pond may be drained or drawndown or treated with chemicals -
the proper permits must first be secured from the PA Fish and Boat
Commission. (Drawdowns of ponds less than 1 acre in size are exempt from
drawdown permits)
It is unlawful to disturb any waterway or watershed in any manner which might
cause damage to fish - without required permits.
Wetlands are a critical part of earth's water retention system. They act like
a sponge by absorbing and holding water during rainfall and releasing water
during non- rain periods. Besides being natural flood control aids and
habitat for wildlife, waterfowl and fish life - wetlands act as water
purifiers which absorb numerous pollutants into their plant systems and
release cleaner water.
If you're caught violating environmental laws by the Fish and Boat Commission
which pertain to waterways, you can expect to face costly restitution and/or
criminal prosecution for offenses committed.
The Environmental Agencies from all levels work together on investigations,
permit issuing/reviewing and public information assistance. Remember that
committing an environmental violation is a crime! don't place yourself in a
situation that can result with a prison sentence, seizure or impoundment of
your equipment, thousands of dollars in criminal and/or civil penalties. TOWNSHIPS, MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS ARE NOT EXEMPT
FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.
**************************************************************************
John W. Bowser
|