Pa. Fish and Boat Commission certifies new state record flathead catfish

Jun. 10—The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has certified a new state record Flathead Catfish.

On the morning of Sunday, May 14, angler Michael Wherley, 46, of Fayetteville, Franklin County, was fishing from a 16-foot bass boat on the Susquehanna River section known as Lake Aldred, near Conestoga, Lancaster County.

Wherley baited a live Rainbow Trout onto a large circle hook, weighted with a 1.5-ounce sinker, and cast his heavy-duty surf rod lined with 25-pound monofilament fishing line into an approximately 50-foot-deep channel.

At approximately 3:50 p.m., in the presence of PFBC Waterways Conservation Officer Jeff Schmidt, who was on duty nearby at the time of the catch, Wherley's Flathead Catfish was recorded as weighing 66 lbs., 6 oz., exceeding the previous state record by more than 10 pounds.

While the fish measured 50.25 inches long with a girth of 35 inches, Pennsylvania state record fish are judged only by weight, and must exceed the previous record by at least two ounces.

As is required for state record consideration, the weight and species was verified by WCO Schmidt, who was able to conduct an in-person inspection of the fish on site at the tackle shop.

Following the inspection, Schmidt accompanied Wherley to the Columbia River Park boat ramp where the live catfish was successfully released back into the river and swam away.

At around 10 a.m. that day, Wherley, who was fishing with his friend, Walter "Tommy" Clark, also of Fayetteville, said fishing action began to pick up, and three of the four rods they had in the water hooked fish simultaneously.

"It was a little bit crazy, but we managed to start reeling them in," said Wherley. "There was a 30-pounder, and then Tommy brought in a 45-pounder that ended up breaking the net when we tried lifting it into the boat."

Wherley says as he reeled in the third rod, he knew right away it was a very large fish, and his arms started to cramp as he continued to battle the catfish for the next 30 minutes.

"When it finally came to the surface, all I could think was that it was humongous!" recalled Wherley. "When I got the fish next to the boat, I handed the rod to Tommy, and I stuck both hands in the fish's mouth and pulled as hard as I could to bring it aboard. We knew we had something."

Wherley, who has been fishing for Flathead Catfish on the Susquehanna River for about 15 years, said he was aware of the previous state record — a 56lb., 3oz. fish caught by a Philadelphia angler in the Schuylkill River in May 2020.

Confident that his catch had a chance to beat the record, Wherley and Clark kept the fish alive by placing it inside a large plastic tote box filled with water and equipped with an aerator. The anglers then headed to nearby Columbia Bait and Tackle where a certified scale was located.

In addition to recording the certified weight and the in-person inspection by WCO Schmidt, Wherley completed a state record fish application which included color photographs and detailed information about the catch, which was thoroughly reviewed by the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management and later confirmed.

"This is just incredible, and I'm really glad we were able to release the fish back into the river," said Wherley. "My previous personal best flathead was 44 pounds last year. I know I've had bigger ones on the line, but they got off before I could get them on the boat. I'll enjoy this record as long as it lasts, but I'm sure it will probably be broken in a year or two, if not sooner. I'm a hundred-percent certain there are even bigger fish out there."

Anglers who are pursuing a state record, or think they have caught a state record fish, should follow these guidelines:

—Obtain a copy of the Pennsylvania State Record Fish Application, which is available online.

—Comply with all rules, including having the fish weighed on a scale that is certified by the state or county. Stores that sell products by weight are required to have a certified scale. Locations such as feed mills or agriculture stores often have scales capable of weighing large fish.

—Fish may only be released after PFBC staff have examined the fish and approved the application.

—The completed form, including color photographs, must be notarized and sent to the PFBC.

—The PFBC will review the application upon receipt.

—The PFBC reserves the right to further investigate the methods used in catching a fish and the accuracy of weight and measurements.

—The PFBC reserves the right to reject any application.

Anglers catching a new state record fish will receive a certificate from the PFBC and be listed on the PFBC website.

A list of current Pennsylvania State Record Fish, official rules and application can be found at — Fishandboat.com.

Penn State Master Gardeners teach first

graders though Poison Prevention Program

Childhood poisoning contributes significantly to injury-related deaths in the U.S., with children under 6 years of age accounting for 39% of reported human exposures to poison control centers in 2020.

In an effort to mitigate this risk to children, Penn State Extension Master Gardener volunteers collaborated with Extension's Pesticide Education Program to deliver poison prevention education this spring to first grade students across the commonwealth.

The program educated 18,087 students in 280 schools and in 48 counties across the state.

The 30-minute lesson teaches students about pests, integrated pest management and poison safety, including identifying signal words — such as "danger," "warning" and "caution" — on product labels for potential toxicity. Instructors emphasize the importance of using the "Mr. YUK" symbol to alert everyone in the home about dangerous products and to promote overall safety.

Each lesson includes a parent packet for students to take home and share with their families. These packets contain "Mr. YUK" stickers that adults can place on products displaying the signal words they learned in the lesson. The packets are offered in English and Spanish.

"Master Gardeners continue to grow this program by providing their time and knowledge to youth across the state, with the goal of reaching students in all 67 counties," said Andy Faust, interim state Master Gardener coordinator. "It also allows us to make connections with teachers who will invite us back for additional opportunities to teach students about seeds, propagation and the importance of plants."

More information about the Poison Prevention Program is available on the Penn State Extension website.

Cindy Adams Dunn confirmed

to serve as Secretary of DCNR

The Pennsylvania Senate confirmed Cindy Adams Dunn to serve as Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

Gov. Josh Shapiro nominated Dunn, who previously served as DCNR Secretary under Governor Tom Wolf.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to serve the Commonwealth under Gov. Shapiro's commitment to excellence," Dunn said. "I appreciate the Governor's dedication to creating government that works for Pennsylvanians, as well as his love of Pennsylvania's beautiful natural resources. I have spent my career in conservation and public service, working to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to the majesty of Penn's Woods, and look forward to the opportunity to continue this work as secretary of DCNR."

Since being nominated by Gov. Shapiro in January, DCNR, under Secretary Dunn's leadership, has:

—Highlighted Governor Shapiro's proposed $112 million budget investment in state parks infrastructure, encouraged Pennsylvanians to enjoy the outdoors this summer, and celebrated completed work on a $7.4 million infrastructure project at Lehigh Gorge State Park.

—Toured Priority Bicycles in Montgomery, Lycoming County to demonstrate the value of Pennsylvania's $14 billion outdoor recreation economy, alongside Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs and Economic Development with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Rick Vilello, and Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner.

—Reported two successful independent audits of Pennsylvania's 2.2 million acre state forest system, which included high marks for DCNR's proactive work.

—Distributed $290,734 in Wild Conservation Resource Program grants for eight projects aimed at protecting the state's native biodiversity.

—Emphasized the importance of connecting older adults to the outdoors with Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich and Acting Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen, which is a part of the Shapiro Administration's push to serve older adults.

—Expanded a free sunscreen program, which covers 46 state parks to serve an estimated 2.6 million visitors this year.

—Sprayed more than 290,000 acres of public lands to combat spongy moth outbreaks in the Commonwealth.

—Uplifted the importance of trees as natural purifiers of our air and water during a 2023 Arbor Day celebration.

—Celebrated the induction of the Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area in Bald Eagle State Forest into the national Old-Growth Forest Network.

—Honored the Mount Jewett to Kinzua Bridge Trail as the 2023 Trail of the Year.

—Joined the Pennsylvania Organization for Waterways and Rivers (POWR) in naming the Susquehanna River North Branch the 2023 River of the Year.

Under Dunn, DCNR launched the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps Program in 2016. This signature workforce development program that follows in the bootsteps of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, has given more than 1,000 of young Pennsylvanians ages 16-25 the opportunity to develop workforce skills on public lands through various projects including building and trail maintenance, tree inventories, archaeological work, and more.

The agency also hired Pennsylvania's first director of outdoor recreation and recently conducted a series of stakeholder meetings in nine cities that examined how to grow Pennsylvania's $14 billion outdoor recreation economy.

DCNR manages 124 state parks, 2.2 million acres of state forest land, and works with local governments and municipalities to provide grants, planning, and other resources to communities across Pennsylvania.

Senators Fetterman, Casey, Vance lead

group to stop spread of spotted lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly could cost Pennsylvania $324 million in agricultural losses if not contained.

Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, along with Sen. Bob Casey and several Senate colleagues, this week introduced the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act.

The bipartisan legislation would designate the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our nation's agricultural economy, as a high-priority research initiative for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Spotted lanternflies were first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. They have since spread throughout the Commonwealth and are currently found in 51 counties, all of which are under a state-imposed quarantine.

Studies estimate that the species could cost the state $324 million annually if not contained because of the significant damage they cause many pieces of critical agriculture.

"Spotted lanternflies ravage crops that are critical to Pennsylvania's economy including grapevines, apples, peaches, hops, and more," said Sen. Fetterman, D-Braddock. "Since 2014, they have cost the Commonwealth millions of dollars and thousands of jobs. I am proud to lead this bipartisan bill to combat this invasive species and protect our farmers."

Sen. Casey, D-Scranton, said, "From Pittsburgh to Scranton to Lancaster, the spotted lanternfly has wreaked havoc on Pennsylvania's agricultural and forestry industries, threatening both the livelihoods of farmers and forest landowners who have lost crops and revenue to the invasive species and the communities across Pennsylvania that depend on them. The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act will provide Pennsylvanians with resources to combat the spotted lanternfly's spread, mitigate its impact, and protect our food sources and our families."

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Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle