Cabin Fever expo targets fly fishermen
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
When fishing guides Mike Engelhardt and Jarret Kasan talk about fishing the Youghiogheny River from “top to bottom,” they mean what they say. From the surface to the river bed, and from Youghiogheny River Dam to McKeesport.
Pennsylvania’s 2008 River of the Year already is recognized nationwide as highquality rainbow trout waters from Confluence to Ohiopyle. More recently, it has been building a reputation for smallmouth fishing as far north as Connellsville. At a seminar March 4 at Cabin Fever, a fly fishing expo benefiting Penn’s Woods West Trout Unlimited, Engelhardt and Kasan will share what happens when they guide clients on the Yough in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties.
“Below the low-head dam at Connellsville we’re targeting smallmouths with a bycatch of stocked trout, muskies and pike,” said Engelhardt, of Laurel Highlands Guide Services. “In the spring, when the water temperature gets to 40 degrees until they start to spawn in mid-May, the pre-spawn trips are using sinking lines and subsurface flies. When the spawn ends in June, we do topwater as much as we can — a lot of poppers. Occasionally we have to go underneath for them, just to the top of the water column.”
With dam releases and flooding tributaries, the Yough is notorious for wild changes in depth and flow. Engelhardt said the seminar will include tips on using U.S. Geological Survey water gauges and choosing flies that catch fish on the Pittsburgh region’s “other” river. Contact Laurel Highlands Guide Services at 724433-7151 or at laurelhighlandsguideservices.com.
The March 4 seminar is at the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh in Cranberry (formerly the Sheraton at 910 Sheraton Drive) Admission is $10, with children 12 and under free. Parking also is free.
Doors open at 9 a.m. At 10 a.m. Mario Chance on smallmouth bass fishing at Presque Isle; 11 a.m. casting presentation; noon Dan Pribanic on swinging flies for steelhead; 1 p.m. Mike Engelhardt and Jarret Kasan on fishing the Youghiogheny from top to bottom; 2 p.m. Domenick Swentosky on the mono rig — better control, contact and strike detection with a fly line substitute. For details go to pwwtu.org/cabin-fever.
Veterans wanted
The newest chapter of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing opens with free tying instruction at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the “old” rec center, 1770 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair. The nonprofit group uses fly fishing to help with the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans. Get details at amanda.thompson@projecthealingwaters. Same time, same location: Pittsburgh angler Jared Iwanski is featured at a meeting of the Upper St. Clair Fly Fishing Club.
50 million walleye
The highest walleye density ever in Lake Erie is expected this summer. Seats remain open for the 2018 Great Lakes Walleye School, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at St John’s Banquet and Conference Hall in Girard, Erie County. An $80 fee includes seminars with Mark Haffley (Fish and Boat biologist), Jeff Fink (angling electronics), Keith Eshbaugh (worm harnesses) and pro anglers Tony Sambunjak and Marc Battone. A free walleye tackle expo is open to the public all day. Get details or register at epacba.com/ school.htm or smallprogram@comcast.net.
Neshannock stocking
Neshannock Creek Fly Shop will hold its annual preseason trout stocking at noon Saturday in Volant, Lawrence County. State Fish and Boat tanker trucks will arrive and buckets of mature trout will be handed off to volunteer kids, who carry them to the creek and pass the buckets to the float stockers. The event spreads through town with all-day all-you-caneat sausage and pancakes at the Volunteer Fire Hall, and sales at craft shops.
Additionally, the fly shop’s Lunker Trout Stocking (12 to 16-plus inches) starts at 1 p.m. March 10. Get details at ncflyshop.com or call 724-533-3212.