What were they dumping?

[lowkey]

One day, last week or so, I spent the afternoon frolicking on the river. The one that divides the rose cities. We were just a quarter mile up from John Wright when a helicopter flew in low over the river and began to pass across the river and spread something over the water.

The best theory that I heard was that it was gravel to help the smallies with spawning. Does anyone here have an answer?

 

[dryflyguy]

I've got no idea about what you saw.
But I saw something similar while wading the youghiogheny a few years ago. A helicopter came up the river, circled around, and started spreading some kind of liquid over the water just above where I was fishing. Pretty strange - especially considering that there is a municipal water supply dam on the water just a few miles downstream of where this happened

 

[Fishidiot]

Spraying for blackflies?

 

[lowkey]

I don't think it was a liquid....I can only say that it was a muddy brown color.

 

[Fishidiot]

Spraying for blackflies is common this time of year and often done by helicopter. The brown liquid you saw is essentially mud with bacteria (I think) that kills the larvae.

 

[FarmerDave]

 

[BrentL]

I was out on the Yough near Connelsville a few weeks ago and was surprised to see a helicopter circling around a few times at low altitude; it likely was doing the same thing. It may have been out of sight when it dumped its load or maybe the pilot decided to go elsewhere since there were several of us on that particular stretch of river. If so, that was nice of him.

Fishidiot's description of the spraying program sparked my interest, so I did a quick check online to find out more. Here is the link to the state's website describing the program: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/black_fly/13774

Pretty fascinating that they are able to target 4 particular species of black fly with a certain type of soil bacteria. I'm not necessarily opposed to the program but I hope there aren't any unintended consequences that we learn about later.

The Yough is on the spraying list; so is the Susquehanna.

 

[BrentL]

Then again, I'm not discounting Dave's theory either. The shitter may have been full.

 

[krayfish2]

NAG....neighbors against gnats. River finally got low enough to spray.

 

[lowkey]

Well spraying black flies makes sense. I guess it was liquid after all. Good to know they weren't trying to poison us all

 

[lowkey]

Well, Farmer, I must confess that I didnt' get it but I had to laugh any way....

 

[FarmerDave]

Nothing to get.

When Fishidiot mentioned spraying a brown liquid I just thought of that scene.

Or maybe it was his reference to mud and bacteria.

No hidden message.

 

[melvinp]

Ive been sprayed on the Susquehanna same deal.

 

[Swattie87]

lowkey wrote:
One day, last week or so, I spent the afternoon frolicking on the river. The one that divides the rose cities.

Anyone else get a Nostradamus vibe from that? If he were an angler of course.

 

[FarmerDave]

Not me, but for a minute there I thought I was back in Connecticut. Norwich is known as the Rose of New England. I'm thinking it got that name a long time ago, because when I lived there it was more of a shotnizzle.

 

[lowkey]

shotnizzle. Now that I understand. But I'm a little thick....

Apparently, lancaster was once called hickorytown. Lots of hickories apparently. So says my friend, the owner of Brookline in Millersville.

Best to plant hickories from seed, as long tap root makes them difficult to transplant.

Down a rabbit trail now. Anyone know if there are fewer blackflies now than had been expected?

Nostradamus?

 

[krayfish2]

Growing up in the area, gnats were awful. Once the spraying started there were far fewer. It does work.

 

[lowkey]

Okay, krayfish, good to know.