Note of Interest to Pennsylvania Fly Fishers
This following note was written by Jim Boburka. I will comment more fully on this in a couple weeks.
Pennsylvania fly fishermen should be aware of a proposal that has been made
to the state Fish and Boat Commission to allow the limited use of live bait
on the 92.3 miles of trout waters designated as Delayed Harvest Artificial
Lures Only (DHALO) fishing areas. This proposal states that any fishing
tackle--including live bait--would be allowed on DHALO waters during the
summer harvest period. Al Chislo, spokesperson of the group responsible for
this proposal, was quoted in the Feb 10th Lehigh Valley Morning Call as
saying: "Once we get this through, we're going to push the regulated areas
out, because they're discriminatory." What Chislo and his group may fail to
realize is that DHALO areas account for less than 2% of the 4,800 miles of
stocked trout waters statewide. Furthermore, these waters have been so
successful as a trout fishery that the Commission should be attempting to
protect them and institute similar programs elsewhere.
You can join me in voicing your opposition to this proposal by e-mailing
ra-pfbcregs@state.pa.us, or by writing the Commission at the following
addresses. You can also access their website at:
http://www.sites.state.pa.us/Fish/
Dr. Douglas Austen
Executive Director
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
PO Box 67000
Harrisburg, PA. 17106-7000
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