Outdoors category, Page 23
Fishing report: Hefty walleye biting at Keystone Power Dam
• Anglers casting their lines out into the waters around the Keystone Power Dam are reeling in some hefty walleye, with some catches measuring in at 20-25 inches. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are biting in this area, too. To add to that, the catch rate for muskellunge is on the...
State officials pledge more ‘aggressive’ approach to combating overgrowth at Somerset County lake
Two state legislators are pledging a more aggressive approach to reclaiming a lake in Somerset County that experienced a serious fish kill this summer. State Rep. Matt Dowling, R-Uniontown, and state Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Connellsville, met with officials of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Game Commission last...
Hiking through the sky, below it at Kinzua Bridge State Park
Be warned: If heights set your knees to knocking, this is one hike that will involve plenty of trembling. After all, they don’t call it the “skywalk” for nothing. The trail leading from the visitor center at Kinzua Creek State Park is innocent looking initially. It’s paved, surrounded by mowed...
K9 dog program expanding at Game Commission
They are not new, not even here. Law enforcement officers long have used dogs — K9 companions — to help find evidence, track down criminals, recover lost people and more. That’s been true on and off at the Pennsylvania Game Commission, too. Rich Palmer is deputy executive director for field...
Outdoors notices for Sept. 1, 2019
Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 169 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and 18 managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville finished in first place with a score of 199 targets. Ruffsdale (194), Hecla (193), East Huntingdon (190) and Youngwood (195) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville (112)...
Fishing report: Youghiogheny yielding plenty of flathead catfish, channel catfish
• Anglers visiting the Youghiogheny River are bringing back flathead catfish and channel catfish in solid numbers. The flathead catfish appear to be more prevalent, while the channel catfish are most active around dusk. The channel catfish are biting at typical live baits such as chicken livers. Meanwhile, a few...
An old lure made new and other outdoor extras
Lure of the week Lure name: Frittside Company: Berkley (berkley-fishing.com/) Lure type: Crankbait Sizes and colors: Available a 2.25-, 2.5- and 2.75-inch models in 18 colors, including candy apple red craw, cream pie, honey shad, Lone Ranger, MF bluegill, sexy back, spicy mustard and spray tan. Target species: Largemouth and...
Nonresident college anglers focus of possible license change
These are uncharted waters, even for an agency responsible for managing them. Right now, anyone who fishes Pennsylvania lakes, rivers and streams but calls another state home pays nonresident license prices. That’s $51, plus another $1.90 in fees. Such is how things always have been. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners...
‘Jelly brains’ emerge in Pennsylvania lake
Gooey blobs are living in a Monroe County lake. Visitors to Skytop Lodge near Canadensis just might catch a glimpse of these melon-sized bryozoans, or jelly brains, reports WNEP-TV. The colony of moss animals is harmless and indicators of healthy water. They were intriguing to guests on guided nature walks...
Disease management focus of new wildlife program
More than a century ago, unregulated commercial harvest put much of Pennsylvania’s wildlife on the brink of blinking out. These days, disease is the threat. White-nose syndrome has reduced populations of some bat species by 99 percent. West Nile virus continues to hammer ruffed grouse and, perhaps, other birds. Chronic...
Hikes sometimes lead to interesting old cemeteries
There are two seeming miracles here, really. The first is that the Chess family found ground flat enough, even relatively speaking, to build a cemetery. We were hiking in extreme southwestern Pennsylvania, fewer than a dozen miles from the border of the West Virginia panhandle. It’s a land of coal...
Living the dream as a professional angler takes commitment
It’s not just about fishing. Austin Aikins is good at that. The senior at Central Catholic is one of two Pennsylvanians on the 2019 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team. It’s a collection of 62 of the best, most well-rounded anglers from around the country. Sponsors nominate teens based on...
A tip for the trail and other outdoor extras
Gear of the week Gear name: Throwdown Company: Ameristep (everybodyshops.com/ameristep-throwdown-hunting-blind.html) Gear type: Hunting blind Product description: Concealment is key in so many hunting situations, whether it be chasing spring gobblers, calling in wily predators or sitting for white-tailed deer. But what if you’re a public-land hunter, without the ability to...
Outdoors notices for Aug. 25, 2019
Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 130 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and 14 managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville finished in first place with a score of 199 targets. East Huntingdon (194), Hecla (193), Ruffsdale (187) and Youngwood (185) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville (107)...
Fishing report: Hybrid striped bass keeping anglers busy at Lake Arthur
• Fishermen trolling Lake Arthur are seeing as many hybrid striped bass bites as they have all season, with the shallower bay areas providing the best opportunity for catches. Live bait is working well, according to anglers. Specifically, nightcrawlers and minnows are fetching solid results with the bass. • There’s...
Game wardens tranquilize 225-pound bear that stopped at beer distributor in Edinboro
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) reported details today for tranquilizing a black bear roaming around town in Edinboro last week, including stopping at a beer distributor, according to the website yourErie.com. From the beer distributor, the bruin went into Edinboro Lake, and swam to shore where more residents spotted the...
Outdoors notices for Aug. 18, 2019
Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 141 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and 16 managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville finished in first place with a score of 200 targets. Ruffsdale (195), East Huntingdon (190), Hecla (189) and Youngwood (187) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville (102)...
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act could prove historic
It’s a crisis largely unseen and unnoticed. Hundreds of species of fish and wildlife across America — many of them habitat specialists, filling specific, if often uncommon, niches out of public view — are in trouble. Serious trouble. According to the National Wildlife Federation, “nearly one-third of all U.S. wildlife...
Some keys to camping away from the crowds are simple
It was a revelation delivered by the masses. A friend, one who spent many a night camping with his son while they were in Scouts, went on a family trip, their first in a long while. Their destination was a popular state park. On those prior outings, he and the...
Hunters feed the hungry via venison donation programs
America has a hunger problem. Hunters are helping to solve it. And with hunting seasons across the country opening in just days or at most a few weeks, the hope is they’ll step up again. According to the nonprofit Hunger Free America, one in 10 employed Americans — nearly 15...
Outdoor extras, including a dog training tip
Lure of the week Lure name: Smuggler Company: Chasebaits (chasebaitsusa.com) Lure type: Topwater Sizes and colors: Available in 21/2- and 31/2-inch sizes in seven colors: budgie, sparrow, white cockatoo, black cockatoo, clear finch, purple ghost and coot. Target species: Largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskies. Technique: Ducklings, yes. But...
Fishing report: Smallmouth bass biting at Kiskiminetas River
• Catch rates are on the rise at the Kiskiminetas River, where anglers are finding plenty of smallmouth bass. The bass don’t appear to be particularly picky when it comes to baits and lures, as fishermen are reporting successful results with a variety of tackle. The early-morning and early-evening hours...
Albino deer sighting a real outdoors treat
The bright red brake lights of the SUV stopped in the road in front of us offered a hint of what was to come. But only a hint. It was near dusk, and my wife and I were driving around and through a local state park. Having hiked to a...
Pennsylvania to slash prices for fishing licenses on Labor Day
You can legally fish for less than $3 this Labor Day. For Labor Day only, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is offering a specially priced fishing license for $1 plus a $1.90 processing and vendor fee. Also on Labor Day, special youth fishing at select lakes allows young anglers...
Fisheries surveys reveal a mixed bag for largemouth bass
So you want to catch some fish, huh? Well, here’s a tip. Start by casting your line where the fish are. Pretty sage stuff there, I know. Confucius-esque, almost. But if you want to catch fish, you have to know what waters the fish call home and in what sizes...
