Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2021 - Cover2

2021 SEASONS, SIZES, and CREEL LIMITS
COMMONWEALTH INLAND WATERS-2021

(includes the Youghiogheny River Lake and does not include special regulation areas)

Species
ALL SPECIES OF TROUT

Additional regulations may applysee Trout Regulations for stream sections that
are both Stocked Trout Waters and Class A Wild
Trout Waters.

BASS-LAKES
Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted
Additional regulations may apply.

BASS-RIVERS AND STREAMS
Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted
Additional regulations may apply.

Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge**
Pickerel**
Northern Pike**
Walleye and Saugeye (Hybrids)
Sauger
American Shad***
American Shad
American Shad
River Herring***
Hickory Shad***
Herring, Gizzard Shad
American Eel
Striped Bass and Striped Bass/
White Bass Hybrids

Daily Limit

Minimum Size

Seasons
Statewide Opening Day of Trout Season - April 3 at
8 a.m. through Sept. 6

7 inches

5-streams, lakes, and ponds
(combined species)

Extended Season: Stocked trout waters and all
waters downstream of stocked trout waters.
Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 7 through Dec. 31
Extended Season: Class A wild trout stream sections.
Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 7 through Dec. 31
Jan. 1 through April 16 and Nov. 1 through Dec. 31
April 17 through June 11

7 inches

3 (combined species)

NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only

Class A stream listing: www.fishandboat.com/classa.pdf

4 (combined species)
15 inches
NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
(no tournaments permitted)

June 12 through Oct. 31

12 inches

Jan. 1 through April 16 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31
April 17 through June 11

15 inches

June 12 through Sept. 30
Open year-round

12 inches

See catch-and-release guidelines.

NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
(no tournaments permitted)

Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 1 through Dec. 31

40 inches
18 inches
24 inches
15 inches
12 inches

Open year-round

No minimum

Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 1 through Dec. 31

6 (combined species)
4 (combined species)

6 (combined species)
1 (combined species)
4
2
6
6
3

Open year-round - Lehigh River, Schuylkill River**** and tributaries NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
Susquehanna River and tributaries
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND

Open year-round
Open year-round
Open year-round

No minimum
9 inches
20 inches

50 (combined species)
25
2 (combined species)

Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Crappies, Open year-round
Catfish, Rock Bass, Suckers, Carp, White Bass,
Bowfin, and other gamefish not otherwise listed

No minimum

50 (combined species)

No minimum
No minimum

50 (combined species)

Additional regulations may apply- see Panfish
Enhancement Special Regulations.

Baitfish/Fishbait*****(except Mudbugs/includes Crayfish) Open year-round
Mudbugs (Dragonfly Nymphs)
Open year-round
Mussels/Clams
Paddlefish, Spotted Gar, and other
threatened and endangered species

SEASONS, SIZES, AND CREEL LIMITS - Except for trout season,
which begins at 8 a.m., all regulatory periods in the fishing regulations
are based on the calendar day, one of which ends at midnight and the
next of which begins immediately thereafter.
** Except those species in waters listed in the Brood Stock Lakes
Program. Tiger Muskellunge is a muskellunge hybrid.
*** Unlawful to take, catch, or kill American Shad in the Susquehanna River
and all its tributaries. River Herring (Alewife and Blueback Herring) has a
closed year-round season with zero daily limit applied to Susquehanna
River and tributaries, Lehigh River and tributaries, Schuylkill River and
tributaries, West Branch Delaware River, Delaware River, Delaware
estuary, Delaware River tributaries upstream to the limit of the tidal
influence, and Conowingo Reservoir.
**** Lehigh River upstream of the first dam in Easton, Pennsylvania
and its tributaries and the Schuylkill River upstream of the I-95 Bridge
and its tributaries.

Unlimited if taken from lakes, ponds, swamps,
and adjacent areas. 50 per day if taken from
moving waters (rivers and streams).

CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
YEAR-ROUND
CLOSED
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
YEAR-ROUND
CLOSED
NOTE: It is not a violation of the bass regulations if a bass is immediately
returned unharmed to the waters from which it was taken. It is unlawful
for an angler to cast repeatedly into a clearly visible bass spawning nest
or redd in an effort to catch or take bass.
NOTE: For bass regulations, power dam pools and recreational dam
pools on the Susquehanna River and navigational dam pools on the Ohio
River drainage are " rivers. " It is unlawful to conduct a fishing tournament
on the North Branch, West Branch, or main stem of the Susquehanna
River that allows a tournament angler to harvest bass.
NOTE: Stocked trout waters are closed to fishing from February 15 to
the opening day of the regular trout season in April, unless included in
the Stocked Trout Waters open to Year-Round Fishing Program.
NOTE: Landlocked Alewife less than 8 inches in length taken from inland
ponds, lakes, or reservoirs that are collected by legal means may
be harvested for use as baitfish.

NOTE: It is legal to fish for trout in Class A trout streams year-round,
with no harvest beginning the day after Labor Day through the
opening day of trout season the following year. The exception is those
stream sections designated as both Class A Wild Trout Streams and
Stocked Trout Waters. These stream sections are closed to fishing
from February 15 until 8 a.m. on the opening day of trout season.
***** BAITFISH includes all forms of minnows; suckers, chubs,
Fallfish, lampreys; Gizzard Shad 8 inches or less; and all forms of
darters, killifishes, and stonecats (except those listed as threatened
or endangered species). Legally taken gamefish may be used as bait.
It is unlawful to use or possess goldfish, comets, koi, and Common
Carp as baitfish while fishing. FISHBAIT includes crayfish, crabs,
and the nymphs, larvae, and pupae of all insects spending any part
of their life cycle in the water.
For all crayfish species, the head must be immediately removed
behind the eyes upon capture unless used as bait in the water from
which taken.

http://www.fishandboat.com/classa.pdf

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2021