1. sports
2. fishing
3. sport fishing

S.O.N.S. of LAKE ERIE,
SAVE OUR NATIVE SPECIES, INC.
PO BOX 3605
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA 16508
TIME DATED MATERIAL
A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization
NONPROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE PAID
ERIE PA
PERMIT NO. 480
North East Marina
11950 East Lake Road
North East, Pa. 16428
“The Bucket” published monthly
by the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie
THE POLISH FALCONS CLUB
431 East 3rd Street, Erie, PA
Program: Team members from Fresh Face Forward of Mercyhurst
University and PA Sea Grant will give a presentation regarding personal
care products that we use and how they affect the environment. You
may want to bring your wife as in most cases they make the product
use decisions.
454-3676
34 STATE ST - ERIE - PA - 16507
(814) 874-0698
814.450.4152 or 814.838.0300
www.porterieboatworks.com
Erie’s Largest Full Service Boat Repair
GEM CITY
OUTDOORSMEN
CLUB
since 1967
owners
The City of Erie
City Hall
Paid for by Friends of
Dave Brennan
Silkscreen Unlimited
1701 West 8th St
Erie, PA 16505
814.453.4543
800.724.1683
fax 814.455.3911
www.silkscreenunlimited.com
Screen Printing • Embroidery • Advertising Specialty
Promotional Products & Awards
626 State St, Rm. 104
Erie, PA 16501-1128
814-870-1291
[email protected]
317 Peninsula Dr. • Erie, PA 16505
(814) 838-2850
West End Hardware, LLC
1912 Liberty Street
Erie, PA 16502
Jeff Earll, Jr.
Phone: 814/452-2342
Fax: 814/461-1289
Cell: 814/881-4569
[email protected]
Presque Isle Passage
CAMPGROUND
Just 500 feet N of I-90 (Exit 18)
Full Hookups • Pull-Thru Sites
30 & 50 AMP Service • Modern Restrooms
Laundry Facilities
Cabins • Store • Rec Room
ULTRACRAFT
FISHING
BOATS
MISTY
HARBOR
PONTOON
BOATS
814/833-3233
713 West 26th Street
Phone 455-1007
www.thomasleeprinting.com
JOHN FRIES
3027 WEST 12th ST • ERIE, PA 16505-3892
(814) 833-7749
DRAFT WAGON perfect for
Graduations • Stags • Weddings
USED CARS & TRUCKS
Jeffrey Howell
Owner
Gary & Dottie
Heubel
City Council Member
AUTO SALES, INC.
1500 West 12th Street
Erie, PA 16501
BEST LITTLE
LURE HOUSE
IN PA
Tohatsu Outboard
David A. Brennan
Port Erie Boat Works
Ken Handman, Owner
2730 W 12th St. • Erie, PA 16505
814- 474-3126
814- 474-2492
(814)459-0666
ONLY $60 PER SEASON FOR S.O.N.S. MEMBERS
Richard A. “Mickey” McMahon
Proprietor
6701 Van Camp Rd.
Fairview, PA
1540 West 26th St.
Erie, PA 16508
UNLIMITED ON-THE-WATER TOWING
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
LICENSED - INSURED - ACCREDITED
• TRANSIENT DOCKAGE
• BOATING SUPPLIES
• NAUTICAL CHARTS
• BOOKS AND GIFT ITEMS
Fishing Report:
At this time, extreme cold
has given us ice however, a January thaw is in the
forecast. Hopefully the ice will still be around when you
get this copy of the Bucket. Be careful!
(814) 453-6387
VHF CH 16
34 STATE ST
ERIE, PA 16507
WOLVERINE PARK MARINA
& SHIP’S STORE
219
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
MONday January 27th 7:30 P.M.
Your Ad Could
Be Here!
contact S.O.N.S.
for details.
Beals-McMahon
Painting
“A Replenishing Species”
Presque Isle Auto
Paint & Collision
DOCKAGE - STORAGE
TACKLE - BAIT - ICE
SERVICE - GASOLINE
FISHING LICENSES
BOAT SALES
(814) 725-8244
Fax (814) 725-2957
Volume 11 • Issue 1
JANUARY 2014
814/825-3456
www.lakeshoretowing.com
North East Marine
Services, Inc.
John Fries Paul Fries Bill Goodwill
John (Scotty) Szkotnicki
• Specializing in Automotive Repair •
• Tune ups and Carburetor Service •
• Fuel Injection Cleaning • Dayton Tires •
• Towing Service • PA State Inspection •
Erie’s New Perch Fishing Head Boat
“The O’Danny O”
Get $3 off with this coupon
Docked in the East Slip, foot of State St
Bait included
Call 814-450-3571 for more info
On line at http://Tinytimfishing.com
PETER S. HOWARD
CAI,AARE, S/CRPA
Realtor • Appraiser • Auctioneer
Lake Erie Custom Charters
Office (716) 769-7300
Fax (716) 769-7341
Cell (716) 499-7447
Toll Free 1 (888) 876-4999
The ultimate Lake Erie experience...
Welcome aboard!
6821 West Lake Road
Fairview, PA 16415
814-474-5623
10438 Main St, #1 Alexander Findley Square
PO Box 496, Findley Lake, NY 14736-0496
[email protected]
www.findleylake-property.com
12 East Dobbins Landing Erie, PA 16507
(814) 459-4440 • Fax (814) 459-4441
[email protected]
We are here for the fishing community.
We strive to keep emerald shiners on hand every day.
We offer a broad selection of fishing tackle.
We offer ice and various items at our concession area.
We offer on the water dock-side boat parking.
We are going to be your preferred Bait & Tackle center.
Edinboro outdoors
Sporting Goods
Ken
Chernicky
Buy • Sell • Trade
Jim
Buschak
211 Mill Street • Edinboro, PA 16412
(814) 734-4727 • (814) 734-4927
www.edinborooutdoors.com
Monday, Friday, 9 - 8 • Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, 9 - 6 • Saturday, 9 - 5
Party
Boat
Fishing
Aboard
$32 Adults • $27 Seniors • $22 Kids
$3 off with this coupon
All bait is included
details: 814/881-7611
www.EdwardJohnPerchFishing.com
WORKING TO IMPROVE FISHING AND THE FISHERY OF LAKE ERIE FOR 31 YEARS SINCE 1981
The
Official Publication of the S.O.N.S.
VOLUME 11 • ISSUE # 1
JANUARY 2014
Bucket
NOTICE:
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RENEWED
YOUR 2014 MEMBERSHIP, THIS
WILL BE YOUR LAST ISSUE OF
THE BUCKET.
S.O.N.S. PHONE NUMBER 814-453-2270 (ALSO FAX NUMBER)
sonslakeri @aol.com • www.sonsoflakeerie.org
S.O.N.S. DONATE
LIFE RINGS TO PISP
NEWS RELEASE: Presque Isle State Park offers some excellent
opportunities throughout the winter to catch a variety of fish through
the ice. Never ice fished before and want to learn, join the DCNR
park staff, PA Fish and Boat Commission, SONS of Lake Erie, and
bait donated by BAC for an introduction to ice fishing. The event
takes place on February 15, 2014 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at
the East Waterworks Pond and the Rotary Pavilion. Stop for a
few minutes or stay a while, and if you get cold warm up by the
fire with some hot chocolate. All equipment is provided. No fee
or registration. Appropriate for all ages. Dress appropriately for
the Outdoors. If there is no ice on the day of the program then
regular equipment will be available.
Note to S.O.N.S. Members: We will need volunteers to help
with the ice fishing event. There will be a sign up sheet at our
January 27th meeting or you can call 814-453-2270 or you
can just show up at 9:00 AM on February 15th.
LAST CALL
If you have not yet turned
in your raffle tickets for the
ten $100 prizes, you can
do so before the drawing at
our January 27th General
Membership Meeting.
COMING SOON
WATCH YOUR MAIL for
info on our “Fantastic Fin
and Fur” Fundraiser
DON’T LITTER.
FRIEND
TODAY!
RECORD OF MEMBERSHIP
Name
Address
City
 Renew  New
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
Phone
2014
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
$5.00 ADULT
State
Date
___________
Zip ________________
_______________________________
$4.00 SR. CITIZEN (over 65)
$3.00 JR. (under 16)
S.O.N.S. HONORED
PRESS RELEASE: The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port
Authority Announces the Winter Activity at Donjon Shipbuilding
& Repair
This winter season vessel arrivals and movements will take
place within the inner harbor of Presque Isle Bay. Vessels
will be berthed at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair and Dobbins
Landing. Vessel movement and ice breaking activities will take
place throughout the winter months. We expect ice breaking
activities to begin the week of January 12, 2014. The ErieWestern Pennsylvania Port Authority will be announcing these
movements as they occur.
On December 19, 2013 the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie were awarded a
certificate for their work as volunteers and sponsors at Presque Isle
State Park. The award was given at the annual PISP volunteer’s
luncheon which was held at the T.R.E.C. Center.
ECHS BOOK SALE CONTINUES
The Erie County Historical Society is continuing a moving sale
of all of their historical publications by Dave Frew. The soft cover
books are $1.00 each. The hard cover books are $5.00 each.
They can be purchased at the ECHS, 419 State St. Tuesday
thru Saturday from 11-4. I will have signed copies of Fortune and
Fury, the story of Erie’s commercial fishing industry, for sale at
our January meeting.
Throughout our club’s history we have supported Presque Isle State
Park in many ways including: the donation of a truck mounted winch
to remove downed trees, survival suits for park rangers for use in
rescues, life rings for water safety, $5000.00 for the construction of
the fishing platform on Waterworks pond, aquariums for the T.R.E.C.
center, sponsorships for the Spring cleanup at the park, kayaks for
the outdoor adventure program, sponsored eagle scout projects
that built fishing line receptacles and repainted the Waterworks
fishing platform and pontoon boathouse, handicapped accessible
ramp at the North Pier, rods and reels for Summer and ice fishing,
equipment for the hydroponics project, new tank and food for the
sturgeon, life jackets for the park pontoon boats, materials and
manpower for fish habitat projects and much more.
We also have spent thousands of volunteer hours at the park over
our history including the presentation of fishing clinics, providing
food for cleanup volunteers and participation in Discover Presque
Isle. This was time and money well spent.
GENEROUS DONATIONS BENEFIT
THE S.O.N.S.
Shown here L to R is S.O.N.S. VP Ed Kissell. Pres. Jerry Skrypzak
and Treas. Terry Pfeffer (Right) presenting one of fourteen new
life rings for deployment throughout Presque Isle State Park to
Park Naturalist, Brian Gula. The S.O.N.S. has provided these
life rings on many occasions. We have replaced them regularly
as they become weathered.
One of the biggest problems is the theft of the rings as well as the
ropes that are attached. Some idiot anglers have stolen the ropes
so they can lower their buckets into the water from the piers. If
you see this happening, please report it to park rangers.
PLEASE
A
MAIL TO: S.O.N.S., PO BOX 3605, ERIE, PA 16508
PORT AUTHORITY SENDS A HEADS UP
We request the public’s patience and welcome Donjon’s efforts
to increase the economic viability of the Port.
FAMILY ICE FISHING
EVENT TO BE HELD
JOIN
For Sale:
Ice Hut One Man
Clam Shell New
Reg $210 asking
$150 454-1210
WANTED:
Old photographs of Erie’s Waterfront-Ships,
Boats, Buildings, Fishing and Fishermen,
Railroads, etc. Call Jerry at 814-452-6291.
I would like to borrow and scan them for my
slide presentations.
For the tenth year in a row, the Philadelphia based Friends of
Fish Foundation has made a very generous contribution to the
S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie. During this period we have received over
$100,000 from them.
The Friends of Fish Foundation is an organization that stands
for many of the same goals as the S.O.N.S. Their support over
these last years has helped us grow and expand our work. For
this we are extremely grateful.
We have also received donations totaling over $10,000 this month
from several social clubs in the Erie Area. The donor clubs were
as follows: The Society of the Holy Trinity, Fulton Athletic Club,
South Erie Turners, Moniusczko Singing Society, St. Francis
Usher’s Club, Union City Moose Club, Polish Falcons Nest 610,
Slovak National Club, Wesleyville American Legion, Lawrence
Park Athletic Club and the Union City American Legion. We are
grateful to these organizations for their contributions. We will put
their generosity to good use.
Many thanks to Gerry Vollentine, who initiated a request to these
clubs for donations.
L to R S.O.N.S. VP Ed Kissell, Pres. Jerry Skrypzak, PISP
Volunteer Cordinator, Ray Bierbower and S.O.N.S. Treasurer Terry
Pfeffer pose with the Business/Partner Award that was presented
to the S.O.N.S. on December 19, 2013
2014 MEMBERSHIP PIN
If you would like to have a 2014 S.O.N.S.
member pin, you can pick one up at one
of the upcoming events or our meetings.
If you would like one mailed to you, send
$2.00 to the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie, PO Box
3605 Erie, PA to cover mailing costs.
DECEMBER MEETING WAS FUN
The S.O.N.S. December meeting had about 75 members in attendance. Pizza
and beverages were served to the attendees along with pieces of a birthday
cake. The cake was presented to S.O.N.S. member 93-year-old Casey
Nowakowski whose birthday was on December 19th. Celebrating Casey’s
birthday at our December meeting has become a tradition that we hope to
continue for years to come.
2014
MEMBERSHIP
GOAL SET AT
3500
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Our membership sales
crew has been hard at
work at Gun Shows,
and Convention Center
Shows. As of this writing
our membership has
grown over 1700. They
have set their goal at
3000 members. You can
help by signing up a
friend or family member.
We will post our member
level in all further issues
of the Bucket.
Sat. Feb. 15 9-2 Family Ice
Fishing Clinic at the Rotary
Pavilion on PISP Volunteers
needed.
Our crew members
believe that we can make
it to 3500 members. What
do you think?
GUN RAFFLES AND SHOWS
BENEFIT THE S.O.N.S.
Thanks to the generous hospitality of Erie Promotions and Expos and kindness
of many of the Erie Area gun raffle sponsors the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie receive a
spin-off benefit from the events. These sponsors have permitted our volunteers
to set up and sell raffle tickets for our “Fantastic Fin and Fur”. As you know
this raffle is our primary funding source for all of our annual activities. We also
sell memberships and S.O.N.S. Stuff.
These raffles and shows gives us exposure to hundreds of sportsmen who
have purchased thousands of dollars’ worth of tickets every year.
The gun raffles and expos usually take place during the low fishing activity
times of the year. They offer a diversion to the winter blahs.
To the right is a list of upcoming gun raffles, shows and expos whose sponsors
have permitted our participation. If you are looking for some fun, please go
to these raffles to support the organizations that sponsor them, thereby
supporting us. One hand washes the other! Signup sheets will be circulated
at our January meeting for those of you who would like to help out at the
shows or gun raffles.
Thurs. Feb 13 8:30 to 1:00
Waterworks Pond ice fishing
for kids from the “Hooked
on Fishing” program from
the North East schools.
Volunteers needed.
Sun. Feb. 23 12-4 Winterfest
at Frontier Park (W 6th St.
side) Volunteers needed
Mon. Feb. 24 7:30 General
Membership Meeting
Thurs Feb. 27 10 –7 Set up
for the Erie Sport and Travel
Expo Volunteers needed
Fri. Feb. 28 8-12 setup for
the Erie Sport and Travel
Expo Volunteers needed.
Noon-8 Volunteers needed
to man the S.O,N.S. Booth
and the Fish Pond
Everybody at the meeting was given a key float that was donated by PA Sea
Grant and a cigarette disposal container donated by Environment Erie. Inside
each of these containers was a free raffle ticket for the 30 door prizes that
were part of our usual raffle.
President Skrypzak put on a slide show of vintage slides that were taken by
photographer Jim Shea along Erie’s waterfront in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s.
Some of the slides contained a question that if answered correctly, a $5.00
scratch lotto ticket was given to those with the correct answer.
S.O.N.S. 2014 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
shows
Erie Auto Show Bayfront Convention
Cntr Jan. 30 - Feb. 2
Erie RV Show Bayfront Convention
Cntr Feb. 6 - 9
Erie Golf and Travel Expo Bayfront
Convention Cntr Feb. 14 - 16
Erie Sport and Travel Expo Bayfront
Convention Cntr Feb. 28 - March 2
Erie Home and Garden Expo Bayfront
Convention Cntr March 13 - 16
GUN RAFFLES
Erepa Grotto Erie Shine Club Feb. 1
1-5
Lake Erie Fanfare Rainbow Gardens
Feb. 8 5-10
Elk’s Club Rainbow Gardens Feb. 22
1-6
F.O.P. Swanson Memorial Rainbow
Gardens March 8 1-6
Waterford Lion’s Club Rainbow
Gardens April 5 6-11
Sat. Mar. 1 10-8 and Sun.
Mar 2 10-5 Erie Sport and
Travel Expo Volunteers
needed to man the S.O,N.S.
Booth and the Fish Pond
Sun. Mar 2 5-Done
Volunteers needed to tear
down Erie Sport and Travel
Expo
Sat. April 5 9:30 AM
Cascade Creek Clean- Up
Volunteers Needed
Sat. April 12 8-2 PISP
Opening Day of Trout
S e a s o n Vo l u n t e e r s
Needed
Sun. April 13 1-5 S.O.N.S.
Ice Out Party Erie Shrine
Club
Sat. April 19 8:30-12 PISP
Rotary Pavilion Volunteers
needed to prepare lunch
for Presque Isle Clean-Up
Volunteers
DIRECTORS ELECTED AT DECEMBER MEETING
An election was held at our December General Membership Meeting for four open director’s
positions. The four members with the most votes were: Bill Henderson, Gary Heubel, Chuck
Miller and Jack Bock will serve as directors for three years.
President Jerry Skrypzak, VP Ed Kissell, Secretary Ralph Corvaglia, and Treasurer Terry
Pfeffer will continue to serve as our officers in 2014. Our officers serve one year terms.
Leaving the board were Kevin Lubak who served 20 years and Joe Bruno who served 7
years as members of the S.O.N.S. Board of Directors. Many thanks to both of you for your
dedicated service.