COMMONWEALTH INLAND WATERS (includes the Youghiogheny River Lake and does not include special-regulation areas) Species Seasons Minimum Size Daily Limit ALL SPECIES OF Regular Season - April 16 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 5 7 inches 5 - Streams, lakes & ponds TROUT AND SALMON (combined species) Extended Season: Streams listed as approved trout 7 inches 3 (combined species) waters and all waters downstream of streams listed as Approved Trout Waters plus Approved Trout Water lakes and ponds, Jan. 1 through Feb. 28 and Sept.6 through Dec. 31 BASS-LAKES Jan. 1 through April 15 and Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 15 inches 4 (combined species) Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted April 16 through June 17 NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only (no tournaments permitted) Additional regulations may apply- see Big Bass Regulations June 18 through Oct. 31 12 inches 6 (combined species) BASS-RIVERS AND STREAMS Jan. 1 through April 15 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 15 inches 4 (combined species) Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted April 16 through June 17 NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only (no tournaments permitted) Additional regulations may apply- see Big Bass Regulations June 18 through Sept. 30 12 inches 6 (combined species) Muskellunge and Muskellunge Hybrids 30 inches 2 (combined species) Pickerel* 15 inches 6 Pike-Northern and Amur 24 inches 2 (combined species) Walleye and Hybrids (Saugeye) Jan. 1 through March 14 and 15 inches 6 Sauger May 7 through Dec. 31 12 inches 6 American Shad ** Open year-round No minimum 6 American Shad ** Open year-round - Lehigh River, Schuylkill River*** and tributaries No minimum 1 American Shad, Alewife, CLOSED YEAR-ROUND Blueback Herring Susquehanna River and tributaries Hickory Shad ** CLOSED YEAR-ROUND Herring, Gizzard Shad ** Open year-round No minimum 50 (combined species) American Eel Open year-round 8 inches 50 Striped Bass and Striped Bass/ Open year-round 20 inches 2 (combined species) White Bass Hybrids Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Open year-round No minimum 50 (combined species) Crappies, Catfish, Rock Bass, Suckers, Carp, White Bass and other gamefish not otherwise listed Additional regulations may apply Baitfish/Fishbait (except Mudbugs) Open year-round No minimum 50 (combined species) American Eel (as Baitfish) Open year-round 6 to 8 inches 50 Open year-round No minimum Unlimited if taken from lakes, ponds, swamps, Mudbugs (Dragonfly Nymphs) and adjacent areas. 50 per day if taken from moving waters (rivers and streams) Paddlefish CLOSED YEAR-ROUND *** Schuylkill River upstream of the I-95 bridge and its NOTE: Approved trout waters are closed to fishing Seasons, sizes and creel limits – Except for trout season, tributaries. from March 1 to the opening day of the regular trout which begins at 8 a.m., all regulatory periods in the fishing regu- season in April, unless included in the Early Season lations are based on the calendar day, one of which ends at NOTE: It is not a violation of the bass regulations if a bass Trout-Stocked Waters Program. The list of approved midnight and the next of which begins immediately thereafter. is immediately returned unharmed to the waters from trout waters begins on page 27. * During the period from January 1 through March 14 and De- which it was taken. It is unlawful for an angler to cast cember 1 through December 31, the daily limit of pickerel is repeatedly into a clearly visible bass spawning nest or NOTE: Landlocked alewife less than 8 inches in three. redd in an effort to catch or take bass. length taken from inland ponds, lakes or reservoirs ** Unlawful to take, catch or kill American shad, hickory shad that are collected by legal means may be harvested NOTE: For bass regulations, power dam pools and rec- (endangered species), alewife and blueback herring (collec- for use as baitfish. reational dam pools on the Susquehanna River and navi- tively known as river herring) in the Susquehanna River and gational dam pools on the Ohio R. drainage are “rivers.” all32 its tributaries. Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • November-December 2004 www.fish.state.pa.us www.fish.state.pa.us BIG BASS PROGRAM- HOW TO MEASURE A FISH SPECIAL REGULATIONS Tail slightly compressed Tail in natural position Special regulations affecting bass fishing have been established on selected Commonwealth waters. Close mouth The regulations apply to largemouth, smallmouth to measure and spotted bass in the waters listed below. Ap- proved trout lakes that are in the Big Bass Program are closed to all fishing from March 1 until the open- ing day of the trout season, unless listed in the Early Season Trout-Stocked Waters Program (indicated below by an asterisk). Those lakes designated below with an asterisk are closed to fishing from April 1 until 8 a.m. on opening day of trout season. For all other species, inland regulations apply. NOTE: For purposes of this section, power dam Fork length- Not used in Pennsylvania pools and recreational dam pools on the Total length- This is the measurement Commission biologists and law Susquehanna River and navigational dam pools enforcement personnel use. Compress tail slightly to obtain this measurement. in the Ohio River drainage are “rivers.” RIVERS AND STREAMS Season Minimum Size Daily Limit LAKES Jan. 1 through 18 inches 2 (combined species) April 15 and Oct. 1 Season Minimum Size Daily Limit through Dec. 31 Jan. 1 through 15 inches 4 (combined species) April 15 and April 16 through NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only June 18 through June 17 (no tournaments permitted) Dec. 31 April 16 through NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only June 18 through 15 inches 4 (combined species) June 17 (no tournaments permitted) Sept. 30 Waters Governed by These Regulations County Water County Water County Water Allegheny/ Allegheny River, Pool 3, from Carbon Mauch Chunk Lake Mercer Shenango Lake Westmoreland Lock and Dam #4 at Natrona Centre Colyer Lake Montour Lake Chillisquaque downstream to and including Chester Chambers Lake Northampton Minsi Lake* Lock and Dam #3 at Acmetonia Chester Marsh Creek Lake Northumberland Susquehanna River** Allegheny Upper, Middle and (State Park) Perry Holman Lake Lower Deer Lakes Clarion Kahle Lake (Little Buffalo State Park) Armstrong Keystone Lake Crawford Sugar Lake Perry Juniata River*** Beaver Lower Hereford Cumberland Opossum Lake* Perry Susquehanna River** Manor Lake* Cumberland Susquehanna River** Snyder Susquehanna River** Beaver Brady Run Lake* Dauphin Susquehanna River** Somerset Lake Somerset Berks Blue Marsh Lake Fayette Mill Run Reservoir Somerset Quemahoning Reservoir Berks Carsonia Lake Greene Duke Lake* Venango Justus Lake* Berks Hopewell Lake Indiana Yellow Creek Lake Washington Cross Creek Lake Berks Kaercher Creek Lake (State Park) Wayne Lower Woods Pond Bedford Shawnee Lake (State Park) Jefferson Kyle Lake Westmoreland Bridgeport Reservoir Blair Canoe Lake Juniata Juniata River*** Westmoreland Keystone Lake (State Park)* (State Park) to include Juniata Susquehanna River** Westmoreland Lower Twin Lake* two small ponds and Lackawanna Lackawanna Lake Westmoreland Mammoth Dam* raceway adjacent to (State Park)* Westmoreland Northmoreland Lake Canoe Creek Lake* Lancaster Speedwell Forge Lake Westmoreland Upper Twin Lake Bucks Lake Towhee Lancaster Susquehanna River** Wyoming Stevens Lake Bucks Nockamixon Lake (State Park) Lebanon Memorial Lake (State Park) York Lake Marburg Butler Glade Run Lake* Luzerne Frances Slocum Lake (Codorus State Park) Butler Lake Arthur (State Park) York Lake Redman (Moraine State Park) Luzerne Harris Pond York Lake Williams Cambria Beaverdam Run Reservoir Luzerne Lily Lake York Pinchot Lake (State Park) Cambria Duman Dam* Lycoming Rose Valley Lake York Susquehanna River** Cambria Hinckston Run Reservoir * closed to fishing from April 1 until 8 a.m. on opening day of trout Cambria Wilmore Dam **Susquehanna River from Snyder/Holtwood Dam upstream to the inflatable dam near Sunbury www.fish.state.pa.us ***Juniata River Pennsylvania(31.7 miles) from SR Angler 0075 bridge & atBoater Port Royal • downstream November-December to mouth 2004 33.