WEST ERIE COUNTY, DWCO Randy Leighton Conditions: Walnut Creek Access Area: A Few Pointers on Wading: Take a wading stick or staff. While you can buy specialty wading sticks from most fishing outfitters, although an old ski pole or stout wooden staff can work just as well. Most of our areas are relatively shallow however, there are plenty of deep pockets that can fool an unsuspecting or unfamiliar angler. Consider wearing a a life jacket, especially when fishing the tribs after a strong rain when the water is high and fast flowing. This is should be a must for younger anglers and non swimmers. They're not just for boats. Many models offer compartments that can hold your fishing gear. Alternatively, vest models offer built in inflatable lifejackets. They cost a little more than plain vests, but it’s a relatively inexpensive life insurance policy. Let someone at home know how long you plan to be out, especially when fishing some of the more remote areas. Electronic communication is now at everyone's fingertips, however much of our area, especially near the lake shore, can put you out of cell phone range. Don't fish completely alone. In an emergency, having someone around who can help is always a good idea, especially when fishing the more remote areas of the tribs Enter the water slowly, especially at night. Flowing water can be surprisingly powerful, so don’t plunge in and get caught off guard. In addition, a slow, steady entry cuts down on stream bed disturbance. It is also a courteous idea to wade slowly in crowded fishing areas. If you are wading with a staff, cross the current facing upstream. Lean on the staff as if it were a third leg. Shuffle your feet. When in water over the top of your feet, don't pick up your feet. Lift them up just a little and shuffle along the bottom. Take one step at a time. It isn't a race, so go slowly. You will spook fewer fish that way, too. If you do fall, immediately bend your knees to trap air in your waders. Don't panic; chest waders and hip boots will not immediately "pull you down," as some people think. Stay on your back with your feet downstream and your knees bent until you can safety stand up. If you are wearing loose fitting chest waders, a wading belt should be worn to help prevent water from entering in the event of a fall. If you do fall, you and not your gear or fish should be your first priority
Creel clerks will be counting anglers and soliciting interviews from people fishing Trout Run, Elk Creek, Godfrey Run, Walnut Creek, Fourmile Creek, Sevenmile Creek, Twelvemile Creek, Sixteenmile Creek and Twentymile Creek. The objective is to update data collected in 1993, and provide some measure of the economic impact of the steelhead fishery. The creel clerks are on a very rigid schedule. Arrival and departure times at sites along their routes are to be strictly adhered to. Please understand that the clerks don't have time to chat or entertain a lot of questions. We are asking that if a creel clerk approaches you, please cooperate with the survey; it will only take a few minutes of your time to answer the questions on the interview sheet. The information provided by cooperating anglers is critical to providing a better understanding of Pennsylvania's steelhead fishery. Thank you for supporting our efforts. For additional information contact Chuck Murray, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Lake Erie Research Unit, Fairview, PA., by telephone at 814-474-1515 or by email at chamurray@state.pa.us. Local Weather:
Results of Pennsylvania's First Annual Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup: Satellite/Radar Products Picking up someone else's trash is a disgusting thought to some, but a very necessary activity to others. These volunteers covered about 37 miles of stream bank and Lake Erie shoreline. But the real statistic is startling: Over 35, 000 pounds of trash was collected, that's 17.5 tons. It's a great feeling to know that those who participated really did make a difference. Not only was the trash collected, but each item was carefully documented using standardized data forms, supplied by the Ocean Conservancy. These forms were used to identify each location where trash was picked up, and the amounts and types. What started in Texas in 1986 as the first International Coastal Cleanup, has spread around the globe, as volunteers from nearly 120 countries participated in ICC on the same day. After the trash collection in Erie County, tires, metals and garbage were placed in separate containers for final disposition. Many volunteers then attended the "Trash Bash," a get together at Liberty Park after the cleanup. The amount of trash collected was phenomenal. But, on the other side of the coin, it's really disheartening to know that this vast amount of litter is STILL making its way through our waterways and onto our shorelines. In 2003, the litter problem seems "bigger and badder" than before. Plans for International Coastal Cleanup 2004 have already begun in Erie County. If you or your organization would like to become a volunteer or partner, please call 814-332-6360, and get in on the ground floor for ICC 04. If you would like to become a sponsor, please contact Melanie Williams of Waste Management (Inc.) at 814-824-7826. Or, you could visit the ICC 03 web site at: www.goerie.com/coastalcleanup Results from the September 20th cleanup will be posted at this address in the near future. For those who sponsored, partnered, volunteered, or somehow participated in the ICC 03 Cleanup, a hearty "THANK YOU." For those who want to participate in ICC 04, consider this message as your personal invitation to really make a difference out there.
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