A Penn's Waters Penning Compilation -: Forty Years A Fly Fisher: A Penn's Waters Penning, #2

By Robert H. Miller

A Penn's Waters Penning – Forty Years A Fly Fisher

Over a four-year period, 1998-2002, these magazine articles appeared in Pennsylvania Angler & Boater, Pennsylvania Outdoor Times, Pennsylvania Wildlife, Florida Sportsman, The Maine Sportsman, The Mountain Journal, and Susquehanna Magazine. Within these articles you'll find humor, useful information, and an insight into a life time of fishing and forty years of fly fishing.

My earliest memories, not just my fishing memories, are sitting in a 14' Sea Mac with my father catching perch on the Chesapeake Bay. I later learned I'd been fishing and on the water even before I'd been born. You could say it's in my blood.

Those early saltwater experiences lead to being mentored in the ways of freshwater fishing using spinners like Swiss Swings and Martin Panthers. In 1971, I was introduced to the ways of the fly fisher and over the next forty years that lead to fly fishing in every region of Pennsylvania using dry and wet fly techniques, but eventually favoring streamer fishing the Keystone State's rivers for trout and smallmouth bass. Streamer fishing became my favorite technique because all my 4-5 pound trout and smallmouth bass were caught on fly rods using streamers. It was the fly fishing equivalent of spin fishing those Swiss Swings.

In 1994, I began saltwater fly fishing in New Jersey, Maine, and Florida. There's no better way to test a graphite fly rod and your mettle than to latch onto a saltwater game fish. Today, I find great joy in tossing my own streamer and bucktail designs while wading a Pennsylvania river and having some unseen lunker attach itself to the end of my fly line.

CONTENTS:
DELAWARE RIVER SHAD
FALL TROUT FISHING ON NEPA'S BIG THREE
FLORIDA'S INDIAN RIVER
ICE-OUT CRAPPIE FISHING
LAKE CLARKE
LIVE-LINING EELS ON A FLY ROD
MACKEREL MANIA
ON THE ROCKS
PROMISED LAND STATE PARK LAKES
RAYSTOWN BRANCH OF THE JUNIATA RIVER
SALMON RIVER STEELHEAD
SALTWATER FLY FISHING
SNEAKIN' FOR SNOOK
STREAMER TACTICS FOR SCHUYLKILL RIVER SMALLMOUTHS
UPPER SCHUYLKILL RIVER SMALLMOUTHS
WEEE'RE BACK

Words: 19,224

• Language: English
• Publisher: Backroad Bob
• Release date: Aug 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386004745

Book preview

Backroad Bob's

Fishing Adventures (Vol. 2) -

Fishing Adventures Compilation

First Edition

Copyright 2016 RHM Co. Intl.

Backroad Bob's Fishing Adventures

A Penn's Waters Penning - Forty Years A Fly Fisher

by Robert H. Miller

Published by RHM Company Intl.

First Edition

Copyright 2012 Robert H. Miller

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CONTENTS:

DELAWARE RIVER SHAD

FALL TROUT FISHING ON NEPA'S BIG THREE

FLORIDA'S INDIAN RIVER

ICE-OUT CRAPPIE FISHING

LAKE CLARKE

LIVE-LINING EELS ON A FLY ROD

MACKEREL MANIA

ON THE ROCKS

PROMISED LAND STATE PARK LAKES

RAYSTOWN BRANCH OF THE JUNIATA RIVER

SALMON RIVER STEELHEAD

SALTWATER FLY FISHING

SNEAKIN' FOR SNOOK

STREAMER TACTICS FOR SCHUYLKILL RIVER SMALLMOUTHS

UPPER SCHUYLKILL RIVER SMALLMOUTHS

WEEE'RE BACK

Foreword to Backroad Bob’s

Fishing Adventures

My earliest memories, not just my fishing memories, are sitting in a 14' Sea Mac with my father catching perch on the Chesapeake Bay. I later learned I'd been fishing and on the water even before I'd been born. You could say it's in my blood.

Those early saltwater experiences lead to being mentored in the ways of freshwater fishing by the father of a boyhood friend. From the age of 6 to 16, that kind gentleman took me trout fishing every Opening Day and shared with me his secrets of the streams and his skills using spinners like Swiss Swings and Martin Panthers. With his delicate bamboo rods and fine Ballin reels, he had fished almost every stream in Pennsylvania and in 1971 he introduced me to the ways of the fly fisher.

Over the next forty years, those lessons lead to fly fishing in every region of Pennsylvania using dry and wet fly techniques, but eventually favoring streamer fishing the Keystone State's rivers for trout and smallmouth bass. Streamer fishing became my favorite technique because all my 4-5 pound trout and smallmouth bass were caught on fly rods using streamers. It was the fly fishing equivalent of spin fishing those Swiss Swings.

In 1994, I began saltwater fly fishing in New Jersey, Maine, and Florida. There's no better way to test a graphite fly rod and your mettle than to latch onto a saltwater game fish. Today, I find great joy in tossing my own streamer and bucktail designs while wading a Pennsylvania river and having some unseen lunker attach itself to the end of my fly line. Due to age and health problems, I don't go fishing nearly as much as I used to or I would like to, but what's left are a lifetime of memories and these stories of fishing Penn's Waters and beyond.

Acknowledgments

I'd like to thank everyone that ever took me fishing, went fishing with me, or suggested and/or offered a new spot to go fishing. There were many, but the ones that readily come to mind are Dad, Mr. Helosky, Buddy, Chris, Robert, Merritt, Alan, and the Lac Poutrincourt Gang.

Sitting in bobbing boats provided plenty of idle time to pen these musings and that lead to a four-year membership in the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association. That allowed me the privilege of being surrounded by professional outdoor writers and to see the inner workings of outdoor journalism in Pennsylvania. My membership in that well-respected and storied body was cut short by other commitments and responsibilities, but I remain thankful for the experience.

The forefathers that established the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the present directors and employees deserve a tip of the hat too. They administer one of largest public fishing programs in the U.S. and provide almost endless fishing opportunities for the relatively small price of a license. Lastly, thanks to all the editors who thought I had something to offer their readers.

Introduction to Backroad Bob’s

Fishing Adventures

Over a four-year period, 1998-2002, these articles appeared in Pennsylvania Angler & Boater, Pennsylvania Outdoor Times, Pennsylvania Wildlife, Florida Sportsman, The Maine Sportsman, The Mountain Journal, and Susquehanna Magazine. Within these articles you'll find humor, useful information, and an insight into a life time of fishing and forty years of fly fishing.

Fishing Penn's Waters was an honor and a privilege and these articles represent only a fraction of the immense enjoyment I received as a Pennsylvania fisherman. My entire life I went fishing as often as possible and in 1990 self-employment allowed me even more freedom to fish, then in 1999 I had the opportunity to move to northeastern Pennsylvania (the wettest part of the state) and pursue my hunting, fishing, and motorcycling hobbies full-time, and I took advantage of that opportunity.

From 1999-2008, I hunted, or fished, or motorcycled year-round - hunting every other day each year from September to February, and again in May. I fished almost every other day from ice-out until the leaves fell, taking time off from fishing only for frequent motorcycle road trips to near and far lands. It was the greatest time of my life. If you ever have the opportunity to live