SOUTHERN LINES

SOUTHERN LINES
TROUT UNLIMITED RAY NEIRLE SOUTH JERSEY CHAPTER
NEWSLETTER
February 2015
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: Rich Hall
VICE PRES: Joe Russell
SECRETARY: Marie Schmitt
TREASURER: Sue Ellen Powell
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1 yr Dick Schmitt, Alex Sinelnik
2 yr. Bob Heindel, Jerry Martina
3 yr. Bob Robinson, Milan Tweardy
Website: www.sjtrout.org
LEADING OFF THIS MONTH IS A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW PRESIDENT, RICH HALL
To our Members:
First, I am very excited about being the new president of the Ray Neirle South Jersey
Trout Unlimited. This is the first of my “From the President” submissions so I am still
finding my way. However, I cannot thank all the members for your support, and
especially those who have been providing me with help, advice, and patience while I
learn the position. I also want to sincerely thank Bob Powell, on behalf of the
membership, for your leadership and service during the past 10 years. These are some
big shoes to fill.
So, we need your help! Bob has taken on the responsibility of membership
participation. He will be contacting all members to encourage participation in the
organization, conservation projects, and other activities. One of his most recent tasks
was to develop a list of Board of Director Tasks, used to assign Board members as
Directors for each activity as well member volunteers as chairpersons for the activities.
We are currently looking for members to fill several chairperson positions;
Education (including fly tying nights)
Event Coordinator (Fly tying demos)
Project Healing Waters
Weekend Fishing Trip Planner
Next, don’t forget to renew tour TU national membership and pay your 2015
chapter activity donation. Finally, I hope to see as many of you as possible at the
Annual Banquet at Lucien’s.
Regards
Rich Hall
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
February Meeting Wednesday February 25
Our annual Pizza, Beer and Fly Tying Night. Always a popular event and a great way
to counteract those mid-winter doldrums. Come on out and reconnect.
This year the meeting will feature a White Elephant Sale. So be sure to bring any gear
you may want to sell, or trade. This month Bob Atticks from the Sportsman’s Center
has donated flies for the auction. We continue to look for donated flies from our
members. For information contact Jerry Martina at [email protected] or call 856375-5687.
March Fly Tying Nights
We will be tying flies at the Square Circle every Wednesday night in March leading up
to our meeting at the end of the month. The dates are March 4, March 11, and March
18. Starts at 7pm. We are still on the hunt for tiers to lead the advanced table—here
is a chance to show your stuff! Contact Rich Hall to volunteer.
[email protected].
Fly Tying at LL Bean Saturday and Sunday. March 14-15
We will be holding a fly tying demo weekend at Bean in Marlton Saturday and Sunday
from 10-4. We are looking for volunteer tyers. If interested contact Bob Powell at [email protected] or call 856-816-5850
March Meeting Wednesday March 25
This meeting is becoming a very nice tradition. Craig Hull from TroutGetters in Central
PA will return to tie some favorite flies for us, and also bring his very reasonably priced
flies for sale. Need to put in a supply for an upcoming trip? You can’t miss this
meeting. It is always impressive to see accomplished tyers buy Craig’s flies.
April Meeting Wednesday April 29
Steve Turrisi from Sporting Gentleman will visit us to talk about the trout fishing on the
White River in Northern Arkansas. The White is one of several wonderful tailwaters in
the area and happens to be the home of the largest brown trout ever caught in the US
(north of 35 lbs)
2015 March Madness Saturday March 21
2015 March Madness, Cranford Community Center - On March 21nd 2015 at 9:00 AM
The Rahway River Trout Unlimited Chapter will host the Second Fly Tying Madness Event
at The Cranford Community Center. Sponsored by The New Jersey State Council of Trout
Unlimited ... Ten Chapters from Trout Unlimited from across the state will gather to tie
fishing flies to donate to wounded warriors thru organizations such as Project Healing
Waters Fly Fishing. We will also be tying for breast cancer survivors from Casting for
Recovery and The Trout Unlimited Veterans Program. This year’s event will be bigger &
better event than last year with some of New Jersey's finest Fly Tyers in attendance.
BANQUET UPDATE
All the members on our mailing list should have received the invitation and raffle
tickets by now. Pricing has remained the same as in the past. Banquet will be at
Lucien’s on the White Horse Pike in Berlin on Friday March 20. There will be an
additional grand prize this year since our friends at Orvis-Marlton have donated a high
end rod. It is an Orvis Helios 2, 5 weight, four piece mid flex rod.
This year’s event promises to be another winner. Carl Wyckoff is still on the lookout
for more pictures for the slide show. Contact Carl at [email protected]. If you
have questions about the Banquet, please contact Howard Brooks at 609-502-6636.
PICKERING UPDATE
Here is an update on recent developments on proposed regulations changes that
directly impact Pickering, as well as all other Delayed Harvest stream sections
throughout Pennsylvania:
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has proposed revisions to the DHALO regulations. Here is a
summary of their proposal, along with their rationale:
Move the start of the Delayed Harvest season from June 15 to the Saturday before Memorial Day
Rationale: Moving the start of the harvest period into late May coincides with the period when anglers are most
engaged and when conditions are most conducive to trout feeding activity. This proposed change is meant to increase
angler participation, increase angling success and improve utilization of stocked trout prior to their loss due to natural
mortality. Goals include increased angler use and return on investment in stocked trout.
Allow the use of bait by all anglers during the Delayed Harvest season
Rationale: This change will generate additional angling opportunities for those who are currently shut out of the DHALO
area utilizing their preferred method of fishing. Anticipated results are increased angler use and increased harvest. It
also could result in increased use of these waters by out-of-state anglers that enjoy the Delayed Harvest program in
neighboring states.
Allow youth anglers under the age of 16 to use bait year round in DHALO areas
Rationale: This change will generate additional angling opportunities for those who may not have mastered the use of
flies or lures, especially young people and families. With this change, a mentor will be able to fish these waters with flies
and lures while the youths utilize bait. This approach is consistent with the Commission’s stated strategy and
commitment to increase angler use by both adults and youngsters and increase return on investment in stocked trout.
Change the minimum length limit from 9 inches to 7 inches
Rationale: This change is meant to simplify statewide regulations making the limit the same as the statewide limit.
Since the average minimum length of stocked trout is 10 inches this change should have no effect on the harvest of
these fish.
These proposed changes are clearly troubling as they relate to Pickering as well as several
other streams typically fished by our members. I believe that it is in our best interests to make
our opinion on the matter known.
At this Wednesday’s Board Meeting we decided to respond during the Public Comment
Period with a letter representing the Chapter. However responding to this issue
individually is everyone’s right, and responsibility. We will also be providing you with
details on how best to address the issue with PFBC.
Here is a copy of our Chapter’s letter to the PFBC
This letter is in response to the Pennsylvania Fish Commissions proposal to modify the Delayed Harvest fishing regulations. The proposal
in summary, as we understand it, will extend the harvest season to by approximately 2 weeks moving it forward to the Saturday prior to
Memorial Day as well as permit the use of bait, bait being permitted to be used by children up to 15 years old year round.
We are the Ray Neirle Trout Unlimited Chapter, based in southern New Jersey, with a membership of over 370 members. As part of
Trout Unlimited, we as a group devoted to the conservation of cold water fisheries. Our members participate in many types of angling
including a strong contingent of anglers who fly fish for trout on Pennsylvania streams. As part of our conservation efforts, the chapter
adopted the delayed harvest section Pickering Creek in Chester County as the chapter's home stream. Since adoption, the chapter has
organized events focused on the stream, including stream clean up, assisting in the state stockings, as well as additional stockings organized
and paid for by the chapter.
In learning of the proposal to modify the delayed harvest regulations, the matter was discussed at length during our board and chapter
meetings. Our primary concern is the use of bait. We believe that anglers have greater success using bait. Unfortunately, fish caught with
bait, often are not easily released without damaging the fish and overall greatly reduces the probability of the fish’s survival upon being
released. Overall our members are opposed to any measure which we believe would increase the fish mortality rate.
A key assumption is that fishermen are coming to fish for the day, they will often catch more fish that permitted to be kept and will release
those in excess of the daily limit. Those being released will more likely die as the fish tend to swallow the bait and the hooks being used, and
the hooks tend to damage the fish upon removal. Overall it has the same impact as if they were taken out of the stream.
In considering our response to the proposal we believe the purpose of the delayed harvest program as compared to fishing the regular
approved trout waters is to provide an enhanced fishing experience, by having the fish in the stream for a longer period of time, using
methods which enhance fish survivability rate on being caught and released.
Modifying the delayed harvest regulations will likely increase the number of fishermen on these stretches of stream, increase the number
of fish taken, and increase the number of fish killed; whether it by being caught and taken home for supper or by being mortally wounded
due to swallowing a bait laden hook.
Approving the modifications will likely impact the fly fisherman’s fishing experience on these streams as well. Fish will be removed more
quickly due to increased fishing pressure, and there will be competition with bait fishermen for as fly fisherman work their way upstream or
down, as bait fisherman will congregate around the pools.
While fly fisherman have defined rules of stream etiquette, there is a pre-dispostion that bait fisherman often are unaware of or ignore
these rules, which at times can lead to confrontations.
These potential impacts on the fisherman who devote their time and effort to enhance the fishing experience on the delayed harvest
streams may lose interest and focus their thoughts elsewhere. Organized outings devoted to stream improvements, privately funded stockings,
and stream cleanups could all be at risk if the fisherman feel their work is for naught.
In your consideration of the proposed modifications, if bait fishing is to be permitted perhaps there can be some modifications that can be
implemented to mitigate the risk of released fish dying. One idea may be to permit use of only single barbless hooks to be used. No double
hooks or barbed hooks permitted. This will still improve the overall success of the youngsters using bait, making the catching of the fish
more sportsmanlike, and giving the fish an opportunity to get free, and teaching the novice fisherman that there is more to catching a fish than
just hooking him.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
And here are some ideas for you to assist in composing your own response:
-the change will virtually eliminate any reasonable fall fishing which will affect all anglers
-many DHALO streams have been stocked by private organizations in the fall since the PFBC eliminated
their stocking. The proposed changes may force those organizations to re-think their expenditures
-The change will encourage the culture of bait fishing that currently exists illegally on many DHALO streams.
This further increases the difficulty of enforcement
-The proposal will increase angler opportunity for one group while removing it from another
-The 96 miles of DHALO streams in the state is a very small percentage of the total. We suggest that other
stocked waters be set aside for youthful anglers. Water they can call their own, all tackle permitted.
-The change will increase trout mortality—by youthful anglers—outside the delayed harvest season. This is
a waste of resources
-Many DHALO streams contain holdover trout. This proposal will ensure that they will not survive.
We will let you know when the public comment period begins.
CHAPTER FISHING TRIPS
Bob Robinson has taken responsibility for planning this year’s trips and is looking for a
member to help him out. Those of you who remember last year’s Pohocopo trip know
what a great job Bob does. Here is your chance to work together.
Enjoy Fishing New Streams?
Teaching/Helping others fish your favorite streams?
Scouting streams for others members to fish?
Researching new locations, hatches, lodging in a specific area?
Fishing Trip Coordinator is needed! This is a great opportunity for anyone that
wants to get out and experience new streams, meet other individuals in the fly fishing
community.
If interested contact: Bob Robinson 856 524 2526 [email protected]
Pictures are from last year’s scouting and fishing trips!
FOR SALE
Orvis Pro Guide waders stocking foot
Simms Zippered waders stocking foot
Size: 10-11, Large
$125.00
Size 10-11, Med-King $90.00
Orvis frequent flyer Rod #905-7PC 5wt Tip flex 7 pc New
$175.00
Classic Accessories Colorado XT Pontoon boat
9 ft pontoons, 400lb capacity, detachable pockets
Tough 1100 denier nylon bottom
Includes transport wheel
Mint condition—little use
Can be viewed on Cabela’s website
$450.00
Minn Kota Endura C2 Trolling motor
30 thrust transom mount
Inlcudes Cabela’s Advanced anglers ACM Battery (22)
Deep Cycle
Both motor and battery never used
$130.00
Contact Jerry Martina Home: 856-482-0753 cell: 856-375-5687
Here is a list of your Chapter Officers. Don’t hesitate to contact any of them if you
have a question, concern, or advice to share.
RAY NIERLE CHAPTER LEADERSHIP CONTACT INFORMATION
President
Rich Hall
405-612-0868
[email protected]
Vice President
Joe Russell
609-287-0596
[email protected]
Secretary
Marie Schmitt
856-435-1629
[email protected]
Treasurer
Sue Ellen Powell
856-784-4961
[email protected]
Board Member
Bob Heindel
856-912-6160
[email protected]
Board Member
Jerry Martina
856-482-0753
[email protected]
Board Member
Milan Tweardy
609-332-2012
milan.tweardycomcast.net
Board Member
Bob Robinson
856-524-2526
[email protected]
Board Member
Alex Sinelnik
856-768-9559
Board Member
Dick Schmitt
856-435-1629
[email protected]
Honorary Board Member
Bob Powell
856-816-5850
[email protected]
Election Chairman
Howard Brooks
856-939-5275
[email protected]
Trout in the Classroom
Jonathon Funk
609-221-1454
[email protected]
FLY FISHING SHOP
MANAGER: BOB ATTICKS
Route 130 Bordentown, NJ 08505
609-298-5300 (phone) 609-298-6137 (fax)
www.sportsmenscenter.com