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To The Fish of Linesville: “Let Them Eat Bread!”

hungry carp.The battle for the Presidency may be heating up, but it’s tepid compared to the fish fry that’s underway in Linesville, Pennsylvania. That’s where the state has announced that, as of January 1, 2009, visitors to the Pymatuning Spillway will no longer be able to hurl bread at the local carp — which produces the miracle of Where The Ducks Walk On The Fish.

The state claims that the carp are ill-served by eating so much bread. The locals reply that the fish at Pymatuning have been gobbling baked goods for over 70 years, and appear to be doing just fine. The state counters that people who want to feed the fish will still be able to do so — they’ll just have to throw pellets purchased at the state-run concession stand. The hurlers say: fat chance of that; the state doesn’t care about the fish; it’s just trying to squeeze money out of already cash-strapped visitors.

Big bun offering to the fish of Linesville.An article in the Sharon Herald now reports that several local lawmakers — after receiving “countless phone calls, e-mails, and personal visits” — have sided with the hurlers. An online petition to “preserve the tradition” of throwing bread into the Spillway can be signed here, and a public meeting on September 8 will give the Ducks-on-Fish constituency a chance to be heard.

Public outcry has already prolonged the life of Airstream Ranch in 2008 (although it’s hit some potholes along the way). If enough voices are raised, perhaps the freedom to hurl bread into a carpet of carp can be preserved, too. We’ve seen it, and it’s worth fighting for.

Sections: Attraction News 3 Comments »

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Where the Ducks Walk on the Fish

Address:
Linesville-Hartstown Rd, Linesville, PA
Directions:
I-80 to I-79 north. I-79 to exit 36, US 6/322 west through Conneaut Lake, stay right on US 6 to Linesville, then left on S. Mercer St. to the Spillway.
Phone:
724-932-3141
Admission:
Free.
RA Rates:
The Best
Save to My Sights

3 Responses to “To The Fish of Linesville: “Let Them Eat Bread!””

  1. Liz Says:
    August 31st, 2008 at 10:10 am

    Power to the fish and the people. To stop people from feeding bread to the fish is outrageous. The fish are happy and the people are happy- what’s wrong with that?? Another attempt from our government to take our simple pleasures away. The fish have been eating bread for almost 80 yrs, all of a sudden it’s not good for them? I was there last week and they are more than thriving. Sounds like a money making scam to me.

  2. Karen Says:
    September 17th, 2008 at 11:22 am

    I have been going there every year (several times a year in fact) for 52 years! Found out it has nothing to do with the fish but supposedly people are complaining “goose poop” in other areas of the park. In order for the USDA to help “get rid of the geese” the DCNR has to promise to not feed bread to the fish. Pymatuning is a reserve for the geese. They feed them in the winter, thus they stay. If there is a goose problem, raise the hunting limit from 1 to whatever. Doesn’t make any sense to me that they would stop such a unique attraction. Where else in the world would one be able to see something like that. Think someone ought to take a look at who’s making these decisions and what their qualifications and authority is to do so.

  3. Bonny Radwick Says:
    October 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am

    Please be aware the edict on not feeding our fish bread has failed due to the local businesses and law makers. WE ARE STILL ABLE TO FEED THE FISH BREAD! The public and tourists can bring bread to feed our fish from now on.

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