Author: Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Welcome to the Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Founded in 1964, we are one of Pennsylvania’s oldest chapters, and help protect many miles of central Pennsylvania’s finest streams. Some of our waters include Muncy Creek, Loyalsock Creek, Black Hole Creek, Pine Creek, Slate Run and Lycoming Creek

John Arway, Former Executive Director of the PA Fish Commission to be Featured at Trout Unlimited Susquehanna Chapter Meeting

The public is invited to a meeting of the Trout Unlimited Susquehanna Chapter featuring former PA Fish & Boat Commission Executive Director, John Arway.  John will discuss his remarkable career of over 30 years with the PA Fish Commission, beginning as a Fisheries Biologist and culminating as Executive Director from 2010 – 2018.   Also in attendance will be PA Fish & Boat Commissioner Eric Hussar, who represents the 5th District of PA, which includes Tioga, Lycoming, Bradford, Sullivan, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.  Mr. Hussar, along with Lycoming County Waterways Conservation Officer, Hunter Shoemaker, will offer a few updates at both the State and local level, as well as provide an opportunity for questions.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 12th at 7:00 pm at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, 807 W. 4th Street, in Williamsport.  Parking and entrance to the Church is at the rear of the building with access off of Campbell Street.

FISHING FLEA MARKET FUNDRAISER

The Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be holding a sale of donated fishing tackle on Saturday, March 22nd from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, 807 W 4th St, Williamsport, PA.  Parking and entrance is at the rear of the Church.  Overflow parking is in the lot to the south of the church.  Enter off of Campbell Street.  Items include:

Quality fly rods and fly rod blanks (Diamondback, Sage, etc.), including spey rods and fly lines; a very large quantity of fly tying materials including quality necks, fur and feathers, hooks, beadheads, dubbing, tools, etc.; many useable and collectible spinning and bait casting rods, fly reels, spinning reels, and casting reels; boxes of trout flies and bass poppers, bass lures, jerkbaits, soft lures, spinners, jigs, hooks, lure building materials/supplies, lines, tackle boxes, nets, creels, vests, waders, decorator items, bumper mount surf rod holder, framed PA Trout Stamp Prints, Brown Trout mount, angling and hunting sporting art prints, many fishing books, and other items not mentioned. 

All items are priced to sell!  Raffle tickets will also be on sale with a drawing at the conclusion of the sale.  Proceeds will go towards our Service Partnership Program for Veterans and First Responders and the conservation and restoration of cold-water resources in our region. 

PA Fish & Boat Commission to be Featured at Trout Unlimited Susquehanna Chapter Meeting

The public is invited to a meeting of the Trout Unlimited Susquehanna Chapter featuring PA Fish & Boat Commission representatives.  In attendance will be Waterways Conservation Officers representing Clinton and Lycoming counties.  Also in attendance will be PA Fish & Boat Commissioner Eric Hussar, who represents the 5th District of PA, which includes Tioga, Lycoming, Bradford, Sullivan, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.  Topics of discussion will include news and updates regarding fishing regulations, approved trout waters, special regulation fishing areas, stream access and fish stocking.  Other news and updates at the State and District level will be offered, along with opportunity to ask questions.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 12th at 7:00 pm at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, 807 W. 4th Street, in Williamsport.  Parking and entrance to the Church is at the rear of the building with access off of Campbell Street.

For more information, please see our website at https://susquehannatu.com.

BEGINNERS FLY TYING COURSE OFFERED BY SUSQUEHANNA CHAPTER TROUT UNLIMITED

Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited is pleased to announce that it will be offering a beginners fly tying course on Tuesday evenings starting on January 21 and running through February 25, 2025. The course will be taught by Dave Rothrock and Rick Kintzer. The cost will be $20 for adults and $10 for youth under 18 years of age who must be at least 12 years old and must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult throughout each session. Tools and materials will be provided. The classes will be held weekly from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, 807 West 4th Street in Williamsport (entrance and parking is at the rear of the church – enter off of Campbell Street). You can register by sending an email to susquehannatu@gmail.com or by call or text to Walt Nicholson at 570-447-3600. Please list the names of everyone you are registering, and contact information (email and phone number).

This class is for beginners only. If you have taken a class from us in the past you will not be learning anything new.  Changes have been made for this year’s class and it should offer a better learning experience and more opportunities for the student to tie flies and to learn the different techniques.

The Intersection of the Legacy of the Logging Era and Catastrophic Floods in North-Central PA

Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host an important presentation by Dr. Benjamin R. Hayes, Director of the Watershed Sciences and Engineering (WSE) Program at Bucknell University, on how the legacy impacts of the “Lumber Era” and catastrophic floods in north-central Pennsylvania initiated substantial landform changes and stream destabilization in our major stream floodplains and have significant implications on watershed management and planning.

In gravel bed streams such as Loyalsock, Muncy, Lycoming, and Fishing Creeks, the fluvial (stream flow) response to Sept 2011 flooding caused by Tropical Storm Lee was characterized by (1) large-scale new channel creation and old channel abandonment with chute development on the insides of bend meanders, (2) extensive erosion of gravel from channel margins and transport downstream in large pulses, (3) headwater landslides and alluvial fan activation, (4) major floodplain erosion and deposition, and (5) breaching of human-made berms and reconnection of the main channel to prehistoric floodplain side-channel branching.  Streams in this region appear to be in a phase of disequilibrium largely in response to major shifts in sediment delivery from their watersheds caused by historic logging practices and a series of floods over the past 100 years.

This presentation emphasizes the important influences of drainage basin physical characteristics and historic land-use changes and stream flows in understanding current channel dynamics and basin response to heavy precipitation and flooding. Streams in this region are likely to remain in a prolonged phase of readjustment for many decades as complex response to historical land-use change continues. In this disequilibrium phase, most significant rainfall events will likely trigger additional readjustment and channel change. The findings have significant implications for watershed management and planning.  

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 7 pm at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, rear of 807 West Fourth Street (enter off of Campbell Street) in Williamsport, PA.  The public and all persons interested in watershed management and flood mitigation and stream projects are welcomed and encouraged to attend. For more information, please see our website at https://susquehannatu.com/ and https://www.bucknell.edu/fac-staff/ben-hayes.