Protecting Northcentral PA's cold water fisheries since 1964
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
We thought we would try something different for the September issue of the Susquehanna Ripples.
We would like to an end of summer issue featuring you and your memories from this summer. Please consider submitting pictures of your travels, fishing, a sunset you saw, any animals you encountered or just scenery. Please include a brief description.
We would also like any stories. You do not have to be a member of our Chapter or Trout Unlimited, to submit things to our newsletter.
We are fortunate to live in a Country with beautiful places and lots of animals, and great fishing opportunities because of the work that TU, and other conservation groups have done. Let’s see you outside enjoying mother nature and the healthy places that conservation groups have worked so hard for.
You can anything you would like to submit to susquehannatu@gmail.com. everything submitted must be appropriate in nature and related to our goals and mission. Any pictures of kids under 18 have have a parent’s statement in email giving us permission to use their picture. Please have submissions to us by August 31 to be in September issue. Any submission after that date will be placed in the next issue.
Edward Urbas Award for Best PA Chapter: Award given to the chapter that best exemplifies the work of TU, including involvement in conservation efforts, community activities, outreach, youth activities, etc.
Best Small Chapter: Same criteria as Edward Urbas Award but limited to chapters with 150 or fewer members.
Best Chapter Project: Award recognizes an exceptional initiative, project, or effort on the part of a TU chapter which demonstrates efficient use of resources and which utilizes effective partnerships with other organizations such as government agencies, other non-profits, schools, etc., and which had a notable impact on the community and/or environment.
Doc Fritchey Award for Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist TU Member: Award recognizes a TU member with a history of exemplifying PATU’s core values and mission- conserving, protecting, and restoring PA’s coldwater fisheries and watersheds and who demonstrates a commitment to volunteerism.
Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist-Professional: Award recognizes an individual, either from a governmental agency, private enterprise, or non-profit organization who has made an exceptional effort to help fulfill the TU mission of conserving, protecting, restoring and sustaining PA’s coldwater fisheries and watersheds.
Outstanding Volunteer: Award recognizes a person who, while not necessarily a member of TU or a conservationist professional, was particularly helpful and who contributed time and effort to supporting a TU chapter or project. Their efforts on either a single project or on an ongoing basis can be considered and described in the nomination
Best Chapter Website: Award recognizes a TU chapter’s website that is attractive, clear, up-to-date and easy to navigate
Samuel Slaymaker Award for Best Chapter Newsletter: Award recognizes a TU chapter’s newsletter which includes information about said chapter’s activities that is current, well-presented and clear, and visually attractive.
Dr. Jack Beck Award for Outstanding Youth Outreach: Award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership and commitment to youth outreach, programs, and activities.
Ken Sink Award to Outstanding Service to PATU: Award is given to a person who contributes to PATU’s mission in a notable way. It is intended to recognize a person who had been involved for a significant period of time and who has demonstrated steadfast dedication to coldwater conservation, protection, restoration, as well as volunteerism and leadership. It is not necessarily presented every year.
Inky Moore Award for Outstanding Service to State Council: Award recognizes a person through his or her recent efforts, shows promise as a future leader of the organization. PATU board and/or council members must make nominations.
Diversity Award: This award recognizes a chapter that is engaged in adding diversity among the members in the chapter. It is important that chapters ensure that youth, women, and men take an active part in TU chapters. This ensures that TU chapters are able to carry on and it allows experienced chapter members to cultivate knowledge to new members. But it is also important that all members bring a voice to the chapter to ensure forward momentum.
This angler had spent his morning fly fishing and was showing off what he caught. Are YOU interested in learning to fly fish? Are YOU new to fly fishing and want to work on your technique?
Join NPC, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission , Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited , and Little Pine State Park for an “Introduction to Fly Fishing!”
We’ll be at LIttle Pine State Park on Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 9am to 1pm.
Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and a lunch (and/or snack). We’ll provide the flyrods and flys!
Many of you may remember Shannon White when she did extensive work in the Loyalsock Creek Watershed while working on her PhD while at Penn Sate. We want to congratulate her on this recognition and award and look forward to her future work! The following was taken from the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Centers Facebook page.
Today we want to highlight a great accomplishment by one of our EESC scientists. Shannon White, PhD has been selected as a 2023 recipient of the American Fisheries Society Genetics Section Early Career Award. Shannon’s contributions to EESC have been notable, from genetic analysis on Atlantic sturgeon across North America to evaluating populations of flathead catfish in the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers. As a fisheries ecologist who combines molecular technologies and statistical modeling to provide decision-relevant information for species of conservation concern, Shannon’s work is outstanding. Thanks for all that you do, Shannon!
HARRISBURG, Pa. (August 2) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) today issued a strong advisory to encourage anglers who catch invasive Northern Snakeheads in the lower Susquehanna River, and elsewhere in the Commonwealth, to report and dispose of any fish caught.
This advisory follows multiple Northern Snakehead captures in Conowingo Reservoir by anglers and natural resource agency biologists this summer, including the first evidence of Northern Snakehead reproduction in the reservoir. The PFBC and partner natural resource agencies have been conducting surveillance monitoring for Northern Snakeheads in the lower Susquehanna River since May 2020, when 21 fish passed the Conowingo Dam during fish lift operations for native migratory fish passage. While Northern Snakehead abundance currently appears to be low in Conowingo Reservoir, documentation of reproduction is concerning.
(Photo: An invasive Northern Snakehead collected in the Conowingo Pool, lower Susquehanna River in July 2023)
The Northern Snakehead is an invasive species, in contrast to native species like American Eel that play an ecologically important role in the aquatic community, or species naturalized in the river system like Smallmouth Bass that support a world-class fishery.
“Northern Snakeheads are voracious predators and may cause declines in important sport fisheries, such as bass and panfish, and may inhibit recovery efforts for species of conservation concern in the region such as American Shad and Chesapeake Logperch,” said Sean Hartzell, PFBC Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator. “This is a critical time to protect the Susquehanna River from further expansion of invasive Northern Snakeheads by removing them to reduce adverse impacts.”
In response to these recent findings in Conowingo Reservoir, which is managed jointly by the PFBC and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the PFBC is reminding anglers to harvest or properly dispose of any Northern Snakeheads caught and report captures from Pennsylvania waters to the PFBC at the following link: (https://www.fishandboat.com/Conservation/AIS/Pages/default.aspx).
Anglers are reminded that possession, transport, and importation of live snakeheads is illegal in both Pennsylvania and Maryland, and violations of these regulations may incur legal consequences following investigation by conservation law enforcement professionals. In Pennsylvania and Maryland, Northern Snakeheads have no size or creel limits and may be taken by hook and line, as well as by bowfishing.
Harvest is strongly encouraged and anglers in possession of a Northern Snakehead must immediately kill the fish onsite. Because Northern Snakeheads are tough, air breathing fish which can survive outside of water for extended periods of time, it is recommended to kill them by removal of the head, removal of the gill arches, or removal of the internal organs. Northern Snakeheads produce white meat fillets that are considered desirable table fare. Carcasses may also be disposed of appropriately in the trash or used as garden fertilizer.
(Photo: An invasive juvenile Northern Snakehead collected in the Conowingo Pool, lower Susquehanna River in July 2023)
“Biologists are monitoring for Northern Snakeheads and removing individuals caught to reduce abundance both during targeted work and during fisheries surveys for other species,” said Kris Kuhn, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Fisheries. “Anglers play a critical role in controlling the spread of this invasive species by harvesting and reporting any fish caught. We’re counting on their cooperation.”
The PFBC will also be posting signs at river access areas encouraging anglers to harvest and report Northern Snakeheads and providing instructions on how to distinguish them from similar looking species, such as Bowfin. The PFBC is also collaborating with other resource agency members of the Susquehanna River Anadromous Fish Restoration Cooperative and hydropower facilities on strategies to prevent and control invasive fishes like the Northern Snakehead while also optimizing migratory fish passage on the Susquehanna River.
Northern Snakeheads are native to parts of China, Korea, and Russia. They were first reported in the Mid-Atlantic region in the early 2000s and have colonized waters in multiple states through unlawful introductions and dispersal among waters where no natural or artificial barriers occur. For more information on Northern Snakeheads in Pennsylvania, including an identification guide, visit the PFBC snakehead resource page on the PFBC’s website: https://www.fishandboat.com/Fishing/All-About-Fish/Catch-PA-Fish/Pages/Snakehead.aspx
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Media Contact: Mike Parker Communications Director Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (717) 585-3076 michparker@pa.gov
There will be a Celebration of Life Luncheon for Bill O’Connor on Sunday June 4th at 1pm. This will be held at the Duboistown VFW (150 Shaffer Street, Duboistown).
The family asks that you RSVP by May 26th and you can do this by phone, text message or email.
Karen Werkheiser 570-510-6067 (call or text) werkheiserkb@gmail.com
Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited 