Pennsylvania Fishing News

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will begin a winter drawdown of High Point Lake in Somerset County next month, lowering the lake level by approximately 10
feet between September and March. The drawdown is part of the PFBC’s strategy to reduce and control weed congestion in the lake, which has adversely affected some fish species.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking public input for the next 30 days on a draft woodcock management plan, which can be reviewed on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on "Draft Woodcock Management Plan" in the center of the homepage.

Nonresident applications accepted beginning Aug. 18

Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 2F, covering a large portion of northcentral and northwestern Pennsylvania, has exhausted its entire antlerless deer license allocation, announced Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. On Aug. 8, WMU 2G also exhausted its allocation of antlerless deer licenses.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today offered support for Senate Bill 1527, sponsored by state Sen. Charles T. McIlhinney Jr. (R-Bucks), Senate Game and Fisheries Committee chair, which proposes to increase certain license fees beginning with the 2009-10 license year.

Hunting clubs interested in hosting a youth pheasant hunt this fall are encouraged to begin making plans now, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe.

The Game Commission will release 15,000 ring-necked pheasants statewide prior to the opening of this special youth season, which was developed to provide young Pennsylvanians more opportunities to be successful afield. To encourage more hunting clubs to get involved, Roe has pledged to provide an extra 1,500 birds for clubs that host a youth pheasant hunt.

Harrisburg, PA, 7/16/08 – At its summer quarterly meeting yesterday, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) voted to allow anglers to fish in lakes and ponds approved as year-round trout waters without possessing a trout/salmon permit, as long as anglers are not fishing for trout or salmon. Commissioners also voted to open 31 additional approved trout waters to year-round fishing. The changes to the lake and pond regulations were made after several individuals submitted public comments noting that anglers often fish these waters for species other than trout. Both changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2009.

Harrisburg, PA, 7/14/08 — The overwhelming majority of Pennsylvania trout anglers were satisfied with their trout fishing experiences in Pennsylvania in 2007, according to survey results released today by the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). According to the survey, 84 percent of surveyed anglers enjoyed their trout fishing experiences in 2007. Only 13 percent were dissatisfied, most indicating they were somewhat dissatisfied. Ratings of the overall performance of the Commission among trout anglers were also positive: 74 percent of trout anglers giving the Commission a rating of excellent or good.

Ronald Weaner, of Biglerville, Adams County, was welcomed as the newest member of the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners at today's meeting, making this the first time since June of 2006 that the Board has been seated with its full complement of eight members. District 6 is comprised of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Mifflin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Perry, Snyder and York counties.

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today welcomed the opportunity for the agency to present its case to Commonwealth Court to resolve, once and for all, the scientific foundation of its deer management program.

Eligible landowners interested in enrolling in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), which is designed to help landowners manage deer on their properties, have until July 1 to submit an application for the 2008-09 hunting seasons to the appropriate Region Office. Applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the agency by July 1.