Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 41

May 3 2008 Post-Gazette PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2008 WWW.POST-GAZETTE.COM D-13 Economy knows where to find them and how to bring them in. Several shots on the contest board show Kronenwetter with massive wild trout that were caught and released. The best is a brown he estimates to have been 13 to 14 pounds. He released it into a small Lake Ontario tributary around November 2005. Kronenwetter said he grew up in Ontario, N.Y., in apple farming country, approximately 400 yards from Lake Ontario.

were numerous tributaries within five miles of my house, including one that went through their he said. I spent nearly every day either fishing or thinking of fishing, obviously focused on the trout and salmon fishing which was excellent in the late and early Kronenwetter said his wife Susan, who also took some of the photos they posted, fish much before they met. She does now. got engaged in January while steelhead fishing in Erie, and after our wedding this past September, our honeymoon was a cutthroat trout trip near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Since the weather broke, we have gone on a half-dozen trout trip so far this year with many more he said.

Of all the fishing action shots submitted, none communicates what all about as well as a candid image of Pete Popivchak battling the current on the Salmon River near Malone, N.Y. was going after the monster brown trout that lurk in that said Popivchak. joke about full body contact wading it was some of the most difficult wading done in my life. Turbulent, high flow, big boulders. You tell from the picture, but I have a wading staff tied to my belt and boots with felt and cleats.

I got a nice brown out of Congratulations to the winners. Check out the rest of the Trout Photo Contest submissions, and we hope continue self- publishing your fishing photos on Posted at post- gazette.com. Trout photo contest winners Outdoors Editor John Hayes can be contacted by telephone at 412-263-1991 or by e-mail at BEST FISH Joe Hutchinson of New Florence with a 13-pound 4- ounce golden rainbow trout. Photo by Kim Anderson. BEST ACTION SHOT Pete Popivchak, full body contact wading.

Photo by Chris Kilian. By John Hayes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ittle kids with big smiles and bigger fish. Experienced anglers with the catch of a lifetime. Candid shots of good times on the water. The Trout Photo Contest drew dozens of great shots of Pittsburgh area anglers.

Some of the photos attracted more than 2,000 page views. We suggested categories of Best Fish and Best Fishing Action Shot, but Web users interpreted them in their own ways. For some, a first fish will always be the best. Some catch-and- release conservationists took quick snaps of lunkers before carefully returning them to the water to fight another day. Then there was Janice Bollman of Avalon, who submitted a wedding photo from the day she reeled in a 200-pound keeper, Gary W.

Trout. Pennsylvania anglers love their golden rainbows, commonly called The Fish and Boat Commission stocks them fully grown as trophies. Lots of golden rainbow photos were submitted. If Best Fish means top honor goes to Joe Hutchinson of New Florence, who pulled a soon-to-be-confirmed state record 13-pound 4-ounce golden rainbow out of Little Mahoning Creek on the opening day of trout season. Fish and Boat officials say once confirmed, fish will beat the existing record for rainbow, an 11-pound 10-ouncer caught on Lake Erie in 1986.

Three weeks after catching the bruiser, Hutchinson says gett- ting antsy to get his record listed. say it could be a few weeks before he said. For some, however, Best Fish inspires thoughts of native trout that mature in the wild into beautiful and cunning fish of spectacular size. Jason Kronenwetter of Float-fishing northwest corner he American writer Richard Bach was born in Illinois, but would feel at home in Western Pennsylvania. river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let Bach wrote.

true work is this voyage, this Western Pennsylvania is a land of flowing rivers, and spring and early summer are prime times to explore and enjoy them. Western Pennsylvania boasts 370 miles of officially designated water trails on its major rivers, and thousands more floatable, fishable miles on smaller streams that are just as inviting as the designated routes. A canoe or kayak, tackle, personal flotation device (PFD) and a sense of adventure can lead the paddling angler to new possibilities around every bend. Northwestern Pennsylvania is especially blessed with floatable streams. The mid stretch of the Allegheny River winds through forested tablelands for 85 miles from Kinzua Dam in Warren County to Emlenton, Venango County.

The scenery is superb and, except for one sometimes tricky series of standing waves just below Warren, the entire route can be easily journeyed by beginning paddlers in any style of kayak or canoe. tell us they enjoy the Allegheny because it is such a great family said Pat Beddard, co-owner of Allegheny Wilderness Outfitters in Tionesta, Forest County. calm and serene but still an The modest current allows floating anglers to concentrate on the diverse fishery. Smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge and walleye are abundant throughout the Kinzua-Emlenton stretch. Due to cold water releases from Kinzua Dam, trout fishing is popular from the dam downstream for 8 miles to Warren.

Anglers catch big brown trout in this stretch on flies and lures. Trout may not be killed or possessed except from the opening day of trout season until Labor Day, when two trout, 14-inch minimum, may be kept. Bass may not be creeled on any river or stream in the state until June 13. River floating, though, is about more than fishing. pack your lunch, your fishing rod and you leave the world said Beddard.

is great fishing and people tell us they see otters and eagles, deer and big turtles, so there is something for everyone on the Paddling any part of the 100-mile Clarion River water trail between Johnsonburg, Elk County, and the Allegheny River near Foxburg is a lesson in the potential of river restoration. Once considered one of the most polluted streams in America, the Clarion now attracts thousands of paddlers each summer and offers good fishing for smallmouth and trout. Clarion is one of the finest outdoor experiences in the eastern United said Brent Lipford, owner of Cook Forest Canoe Rentals in Cooksburg. in the heart of Allegheny National Forest, moderately fast, but not threatening, and it just flows through a beautiful forest Reforestation and improvements in managing effluent from paper mills and other industries brought the Clarion back to life. Like the Allegheny, the gentle flow welcomes paddlers of all skill levels.

Its scenic course along the southern fringe of the Allegheny National Forest and through Pennsylvania State Forests and State Game Lands qualified the Clarion for congressional designation as a National Wild and Scenic River. Popular access points are at Johnsonburg, Portland Mills, Hallton, Clear Creek State Park and Cooksburg. Trout fishing is best in the upstream stretches. close to things but it seems that you are out in the middle of pristine said Lipford. fishing can be phenomenal.

even catching trout at Cook Forest, and there is very good smallmouth fishing. Last weekend people were seeing bald eagles over the river. Five years ago we never saw an eagle. This is a very family oriented area for enjoying the Though not an official water trail, historic French Creek offers more float-fishing options. French Creek flows for 117 miles from southwestern New York, through Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango counties to the Allegheny River at Franklin.

French clean but fragile waters harbor one of the most intact aquatic ecosystems in Pennsylvania, including hard- fighting smallmouth bass. Most paddlers float parts of the section from Cochranton downstream to the Allegheny. River-floating anglers have a better selection of watercraft than ever before, including kayaks designed especially for fishing. These boats are generally wider and more stable than whitewater kayaks, have angler- friendly features like rod holders, tackle consoles and pulley- operated anchor systems, and can be ordered in camouflage patterns for stealth on the water. Safety is always the primary concern on river trips.

Staying off water that exceeds your paddling skills, and always wearing a PFD are the most important rules of river safety. Only 2 of 10 boating fatality victims in Pennsylvania last year wore a PFD. For water trail maps and guides visit www.fish.state.pa.us/ watertrails. Keep track of Allegheny River water levels at www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/ and 814726-0164. River sojourns on the Allegheny, Clarion, Youghiogh- eny, Kiskiminetas, Conemaugh rivers and Chartiers Creek: www.pawatersheds.org.

Unfolding of natural events signals spring Monday, when I pulled into the driveway, I spooked a rose- breasted grosbeak from my feeders. As it sailed behind the garage, I stopped to get a better look. In flight, its jet black head, back and wings contrasted with a pure white belly, rump and prominent wing patches. Even the huge, pale pink bill stood out. But not until the bird perched facing me could I see the scarlet triangular bib.

Wow! Some birds require exclamation points; the male rose-breasted grosbeak is one of them. The female, on the other hand, suggests an oversized, nondescript sparrow with a big bill, though she does wear a dark mask across her eyes. In the days since that first male arrived, several more have returned, and they sing enthusiastically every morning. The song is series of musical phrases, reminiscent of a song, but faster. I like the description of the grosbeak song as a in a As been enjoying the grosbeaks for the last several days, I realized that they were right on schedule.

Not that they returned on a particular date, but that they arrived within a natural sequence of events. Spring truly kicked off for me on April 20 when the melo- dious, flute-like wood thrush song welcomed the sunrise. The return of the wood thrush signaled that the next few weeks would be busy. Over the next eight days a parade of migrants returned. The highlight came on Saturday morning, April 26.

As I took a brief walk that morning, nearly a dozen new bird songs assaulted my ears. Warblers of all stripes Kentucky, hooded, blue-winged, northern parula, yellow, black- and-white, and black-throated green warblers sang from the edge of the woods. A scarlet tanager perched high in a silver maple in the yard. And yellow- throated vireo sang from across the road. Birders call this a I suspect the previous light rain drove the birds out of the sky.

Since then the grosbeaks, yellow-billed cuckoos, white- eyed vireos, common yellowthroats, American redstarts and indigo buntings have also returned. still waiting on yellow-breasted chats and ruby- throated hummingbirds. The only surprise this year is the absence of hummingbirds. had feeders up for three weeks and various Internet sites that track hummer migration (for example, www.hummingbirds.net) indicate that these little jewels returned as far north as Canada a week ago. So be patient.

Birds are not the only life forms that appear at predictable times. Wildflowers and trees bloom in sequence, and with just a little experience anyone can monitor progress just by watching fields and roadsides. In early March, bright yellow coltsfeet flowered along country roads. They are easily confused with dandelions, but they follow a few weeks later. By mid-April, spring beauties dotted the forest floor, and I looked for Virginia bluebells and ramps.

About a week after the first bluebell flowers, I looked for trilliums and trout lilies. And when the trilliums bloomed, I started searching the ground beneath dead elm and apple trees for the mother lode morel mushrooms. Some years there are dozens, some years none, and rarely there are hundreds. I know that anyone has solved the mystery of morel productivity, so it remains one of greatest gifts. Tracking spring is as simple as keeping a field notebook.

Or just designate one calendar for recording natural events. In just a few years have a handle on heartbeat, and know when to expect certain sights and sounds. For example, I knew to expect the rose-breasted grosbeaks this week because last week mayapples and jacks-in- the-pulpit broke through the soil, and apple, redbuds, pipe- vine and dogwoods were blooming. no cause and effect, just an association. Monitoring seasonal changes is the science of phenology.

To learn more and be part of a citizen science project tracking plant phenology, visit www.budburst.com. Scott Shalaway is a biologist and author and can be reached at http://scottshalaway.google pages.com and RD 5, Cameron, WV 26033. Jacob The rose-breasted grosbeak has a pale pink bill. shing can be phenomenal. even catching trout at Cook Forest, and there is very good smallmouth Brent Lipford Cook Forest Canoe Rentals Hunter Trapper Safety Courses Allegheny County May 17-18 Elizabeth Club May 17 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; May 18 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Pre-registration required. Class limit 50. Call if any special needs are required. 412829-1966. June 21-22 East Monongahela June 21 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 22 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Pre-registration required. Class limit 50. 412-8291966. June 27-28 Ross Township Recreation Center June 27 6-10 p.m.; June 28 8: 30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Pre-registration required.

Class limit 100. 412-6350661. July 26-27 McKeesport Association July 26 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; July 27 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Pre-registration required. Class limit 80.

Call if special needs are required. 412829-1966. Fishing Report: Deborah Weisberg keeps tabs on fishing conditions, stockings, every Friday in Sports and online at huntingfishing. GETout: All about participa- tory outdoor recreation, in the early Sunday edition found in stores on Saturday. GETout Events: Shoots, fishing, hiking, birding, etc.

In GETout and huntingfishing. Want more Outdoors? Readers interpret categories in their own ways BEST FISH Jason Kronenwetter of Economy. Photo by Kevin Jay. ON THE WEB To view all the entries to the Trout Photo contest, visit huntingfishing OUTDOORS wildlife SCOTT SHALAWAY fishing BEN MOYER.