I’ve been helping with an outing for injured soldiers from Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir. The Big Spring Watershed Association has been providing a fly fishing outing for soldiers one day each September since 2011. This year, the Shippensburg Fish and Game gave the watershed a lot of money to help offset the purchase of food, fish and other costs. Then Big Spring Fish and Game offered the use of their stocked pond and pavilion, along with their facilities, to make an enjoyable day’s outing for the soldiers. I want to personally thank both of these organizations for their help.
With the added help, I’ve discussed the possibility of expanding opportunities by including the Healing Waters group at the Lebanon Veterans Hospital, and perhaps offer more than one day. Hopefully, the number of injured soldiers will reduce over time.
The Big Spring Watershed Association has conducted two fly tying classes at the Presbyterian Church on Big Spring Avenue in Newville on Tuesday evenings, beginning at 6:30. Everyone is welcome, and the plan is to teach on Tuesday nights through March. There’s always an extra vise and materials are supplied.
With variable weather during March, a tying class is a fun way to get out of the house.
If you are seeing wild turkey in your travels, the Game Commission is asking you to report sightings on their website: pgc.pa.gov. We’ve been seeing turkey on White Church Road and Walnut Dale Road. If I don’t have the address just right, it should be on the licenses or booklets provided when you bought your license last June. Trout season opens on April 2, so don’t forget to buy a new license and include a trout stamp.
Most early-season trout anglers don’t seem to mind fishing elbow-to-elbow, but if you want more solitude, try the mountain streams where the Fish & Boat Commission doesn’t stock. There are wild brook trout gullible to eat almost every offering, just as long as you approach with stealth and gentle cast to them. They probably won’t be as big as those stocked by Fish and Boat, but some might be legal to take home and eat.
Besides, you won’t have tangled lines to contend with and silly anglers stomping through the water where you want to fish. There’s also always a chance to spot wildlife, such as deer, turkey, grouse and sometimes a black bear.
If the weather warms, the bluegills and crappies will begin drifting into the shallows for their pre-spawn redd making. They are fun to catch, especially for youngsters and I prefer them for table fare over trout.
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