Pittsburgh Sports Afghan Raffle

2013 Gun Bash Saturday NOON!!

Couple of Announcements

Local Fishing Report 5/11/2013

Fishing report: Trout, walleyes keeping anglers busy

• Anglers have been getting trout at Keystone State Park Lake on Powerbait, maggots and waxworms, and trout and bass on minnows. Crowds have been relatively light overall, though. 

• On the Allegheny River, anglers using minnows have picked up smallmouth bass and walleyes, most of them sublegal, between Natrona Heights and Sharpsburg. 

• Loyalhanna Creek anglers fishing at Kingston Dam and into Latrobe have been getting trout on a variety of live baits. A few anglers also have been fishing the delayed harvest section, but there's been no word on catches there.

• North Park Lake has been giving up trout to those fishing with minnows, Powerbait and Rooster Tails. 

• Crappies have been caught at Green Lick Lake, but the bite reportedly has not turned on just yet. Bluegills also have been caught. 

• Fishermen reportedly have been doing well at Pymatuning Lake on crappies, with much of the action coming from the southern end of the lake. The hot baits have been 1⁄8-ounce jigs tipped with soft plastic grubs and minnows floated under a bobber. Walleyes have been taking drifted nightcrawlers and Rapala minnows. 

• At Lake Erie, anglers have been getting perch in 38 feet of water near Trout Run. Smallmouth bass were being caught in the lake's tributary streams. 

• Anglers fishing Virgin Run Dam with minnows, Powerbait and Kastmasters have been picking up trout. 

• At Yellow Creek Lake, anglers have been picking up northern pike on shiners and crankbaits. A few crappies and yellow perch also have provided action. 

• The outflow area of Crooked Creek Lake has been getting lots of anglers, with catches of bass, bluegills and crappies. 

• Anglers using live minnows, artificial minnows and nightcrawlers have picked up trout and smallmouth bass on the Yough River between Smithton and West Newton.

• Crappies have been hitting at Shenango Lake, but most have been small so far. 

• Fishermen on the delayed harvest portion of Laurel Hill Creek above the dam got trout this week, primarily on flies. A few trout were caught in the lake itself, although the bite was a bit slow. 

• Anglers fishing around Dashields and Emsworth dams on the Ohio River reportedly have picked up some walleyes and hybrid striped bass, mostly on nightcrawlers, crankbaits and large minnows.

Spring Turkey News 2013

All-Day Spring Gobbler Season To Begin May 13 In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania turkey hunters are permitted to hunt from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, beginning Monday, May 13. The expanded hunting hours continue through the last day of the season, Friday, May 31.

All-day hunting during the second half of the spring season began in 2011 to provide

interested hunters with more time to be afield.

“By the second half of the season, hunter participation decreases significantly and nesting hens are less prone to abandon nests,” said Mary Jo Casalena, Game Commission wild turkey biologist. “All-day hunting

during this portion of the season has had minimal impact to nesting.”

Casalena said the overall spring harvest since 2011 has not increased from previous harvests. 

Since 2011, afternoon and evening harvests have comprised 6 percent of the total reported harvests and 22 percent of harvests during the all-day portion of the seasons. In other words, even during the all-day portions of the season, 78 percent of the harvests have occurred before noon. 

           Casalena said the majority of the afternoon and evening harvests have occurred between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Last year’s latest reported harvest was 8:50 p.m., about 20 minutes before the close of hunting hours in the western part of the state.

           Casalena said the Game Commission will continue to monitor the afternoon harvest in relation to population trends and age class of gobblers to gauge the impact of all-day hunting. Among the 49 states that conduct turkey seasons, Pennsylvania is one of the 34 that conduct all-day hunting for all or part of the season, she said.

2013 Trout Stocking Schedule

Trout Stocking 2013

All stockings are subject to change without notice*

Trout (adult) Stocking Schedules

OTHER SCHEDULES: Fall onlyWinter onlyFingerling (key to abbreviations used on schedules)

Waters that are stocked with trout (Approved trout waters) can be viewed on our County Guide interactive map....GO!

2013 Summary** Water Number Brook Brown Rainbow Total Trophy*** Streams 733 415,030 796,730 1,354,940 2,566,700 7,240 Lakes 124 93,650 39,930 489,020 622,600 1,335 Combined 857 508,680 836,660 1,843,960 3,189,300 8,575 Cooperative Nurseries (estimate) 737,000 Total to be Stocked 3,926,300

*The meeting time listed is an approximate time that the stocking truck will arrive at the meeting location. Due to unforeseen travel conditions, the truck may arrive prior to or later than the designated time. Upon the truck’s arrival at the meeting location, the truck will leave the meeting location and travel to the water area where the trout stocking will begin. It is important to minimize the time that the trout spend in the stocking truck and ensure the fish are placed in the stream or lake as soon as possible. If you would like to meet the stocking truck at the meeting location, we recommend that you arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes prior to the listed meeting time. Otherwise, you may have to catch up with the stocking truck at the water area being stocked. The Commission’s stocking trucks are considered commercial vehicles and must comply with state and federal regulations regarding the maximum number of hours that a driver may operate the vehicle in a single day. For those water areas being stocked that are in excess of 100 air miles from the hatchery, it is important that the stocking procedure be completed within a specified time frame. Sportsmen will see a change in the way fish are stocked in these waters. We may have fewer stocking points along the streams and will utilize those stocking points that are closest to the roadway. Sportsman can help in a wider distribution of the fish by showing up at the stockings in sufficient numbers, be willing to assist by carrying buckets of fish to the stream and consider implementing a float stocking program for their favorite water area. The Commission will do its best to stock these waters, but remember there is a limited amount of time that is available to distribute the fish in these waters.

** Numbers planned for the stocking year (March 1 through February 28 of the following year). Due to a number of variables actual numbers stocked may change.

*** Trophy are golden rainbow trout that average 1.5 pounds and 14 inches, their numbers are included with rainbow trout.

Kick Ass Pens

July 27, 2013 Hunter Safety Course!

 

July 2013 Hunter Safety Course Now Registering!

Our Next course will be Offered on July 27th from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. , 2013. You may register for the JULY 27th, 2013 CLASS HERE!.

HUNTER-TRAPPER EDUCATION CLASSES


Sanctioned By
PA Game Commission

All Hunter Education classes MUST be registered for online 
  CLICK HERE To Register for July 27th class.

These Classes are FREE, but you must pre-register. Space is limited! Please register early!

Special Instructions for All Students

Contact Steve Allias if any questions at 724-335-7171 and leave massage.
Lunch will be available at a cost of $3.00. You may also bring a packed lunch. 

Cancellation Policies

You must cancel your registration before Saturday, July 27, 2013, at 8:00am.

Minimum-Age Policy

All registrants for this event must be 11 years of age by July 27, 2013.

About The Program

Important You must complete the online Today's Hunter & Trapper in PA course before attending your class.

Details

This is a six-hour training class required by law for all first-time hunters and trappers before they can buy a license. You must pass a certification exam at the end of the class to complete this training.

Prior to attending this class, you must complete the online independent study part of this training. This independent study will require about 4 hours to complete.

Link to Online Course

Today's Hunter & Trapper in PA

NOTE: You must be at least 11 years of age to register for this class!