Presidents Report

October 25th, Annual Meeting Elections Agenda

Gill Lice on PA Brookies....

Gill lice on PA brookies and more outdoor news

AUTHOR Bob Frye DATE October 21, 2016 Wild Outdoors

Image courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife
An up-close look at gill lice on a trout.

Gill lice have made an appearance in Pennsylvania.

The parasite – which attaches to the gills of brook trout – was discovered recently in Wolfe Run in Centre County. A subsequent investigation found evidence of them in nine other waters, too.

All had been stocked by the same cooperative nursery, said Brian Wisner, director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s bureau of hatcheries.

The commission euthanized all of the brookies the nursery had left and replaced them with rainbow trout, which seem resistant to the bugs.

What will become of those streams in the future is harder to say, though, apparently.
Jason Detar, chief of the commission’s division of fisheries management, said there’s been limited research done on gill lice. What is known, he said, is that they’re resistant to chemical treatments and hard to control.

“We’re concerned about this,” he added.

The parasites attach to the gills of individual fish, impacting their ability to process oxygen and causing stress. Some Wisconsin research suggests they show up most often in dry summers in warm water, and can impact survival of young of the year fish, thereby hurting populations, he added.

No one can say what the long-term implications of their presence might mean, though, he added.

Commissioner Bill Sabatose of Elk County said fish with the lice pose no threat to people, however.

“They are safe for human consumption. That’s a fact,” Sabatose said.

High Country Gems

Not fishing, but a great look at Native Trout.


High Country Gems from scumliner media on Vimeo.

Monthly Meeting Reminder

Chapter Members: The Monocacy Chapter monthly meeting with be on Tuesday October 25th.  The meeting will begin at 7pm at the DAR House (log cabin) on 8th Ave in Bethlehem.  For maps and directions please see www.monocacytu.org. This months meeting will be our annual Elections for both the Board of Directors and Executive Board.  All positions are open for re- election. If you are currently on our board, and would like to resign or if you are interested in a board position, please let me know. Responsibilities of Board members include: Attend monthly/ Board meetings (Sept. - May and 1 over the summer). Be involved in Chapter events, and be willing to represent the Chapter if need be. Be willing to provide input on important Chapter issues, and vote on action items. One other important opening is program co-ordinator.  The program co- ordinator is responsible for planning the monthly programing for the Chapter, being a liaison to other Chapters to plan joint events, and keeping a working list of program ideas/ presenters. This month we will also have a rod building seminar by Scott Belisle of Lehigh Fishing Co.  You can check out his website here: lehighfishing.com. Hope to see you there.

© 2011 Trout Unlimited | Monocacy Chapter www.monocacytu.org | http://www.tu.org

Brook Trout Combat and Courtship

Project tour @ Illick's Mill 10/20 4-5pm

Join Wildlands Conservancy Director of Ecological Restoration Kristie Fach on October 20th for a Conservation Project Tour of Monocacy Park Stream Restoration!

WHEN: October 20th from 4 -5 pm

WHERE: Meet us under the pavilion at Monocacy Park – Illick’s Mill Rd, Bethlehem, PA

We will review project plans for the much anticipated stream restoration of this cherished natural space. Key issues to be addressed include erosion, habitat loss and stream side management. Construction is set to begin in 2017. Efforts will focus on enhancing the natural habitat and fishing opportunities.

The Troutlook.com

Check out www.thetroutlook.com, which is a webpage dedicated to a research project on PA Brook Trout. The research is focusing on the effects of temperature change and the effects of stress related proteins.

Program Schedule now available

The program schedule is now available HERE!  We hope you can join us at one of our great events.

All of my fishing trips are like this....

Tree planting a huge success

On Saturday, October 1st,  a group of about 15+ gathered to plant native trees and bushes along the Monocacy Creek near Bridal Path Rd.  The group consisted of community partners from the Monocacy Chapter, Monocacy Creek Watershed Association, Moravian University Environmental Sciences Dept, Northapton County Conservation District, Masterwatershed Stewards, Master Gardeners and Wildlands Conservancy.  We also had amazing help and support from the landowners.  This type of project shows the importance of diverse partnerships when undertaking restoration projects, and poves that there are many in our community who value natural habitats.  This project was financed in part by grants from the Coldwater Heritage Partnership, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, DCNR and donations from MCWA.

PA adds more streams to wild trout list, thanks in part to TU efforts

PA adds more streams to wild trout list, thanks in part to TU efforts: The presence of young-of-year trout indicates wild trout reproduction in a wild trout stream.
The presence of young-of-year trout indicates wild trout reproduction in a wild trout stream. Robust populations of macroinvertabrate insects, such as the pictured mayfly nymph, can provide information about a stream's overall health.

By Mark Taylor

Pennsylvania’s formal list of Class A and wild trout streams keeps growing, and Trout Unlimited has been playing a big role in helping it happen.

On Sept. 27 the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission voted to add 99 streams to its list of wild trout waters.