Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 23

COMMONWEALTH INLAND WATERS
2023 SEASONS, SIZES, and CREEL LIMITS
COMMONWEALTH INLAND WATERS-2023
Species
ALL SPECIES OF TROUT
Seasons
Regular Opening Day of Trout Season - April 1 at
8 a.m. through Sept. 4
Extended Season: Stocked trout waters
Jan. 1 through Feb. 19 and Sept. 5 through Dec. 31
Additional regulations may applysee
Trout Regulations for stream sections that
are both Stocked Trout Waters and Class A Wild
Trout Waters.
BASS - Lakes, 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
Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Crappies,
Catfish, Rock Bass, Suckers, Carp, White Bass,
Bowfin, and other gamefish not otherwise listed
Additional regulations may apply- see Panfish
Enhancement Special Regulations.
Baitfish/Fishbait****(except Mudbugs/includes Crayfish)
Mudbugs (Dragonfly Nymphs)
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.
Open year-round
Open year-round
No minimum
No minimum
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
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 20
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 20 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.
January/February 2023
10 fishandboat.com
23
Pennsylvania Fishing Summary
50 (combined species)
Unlimited if taken from lakes, ponds, swamps,
and adjacent areas. 50 per day if taken from
moving waters (rivers and streams).
June 10 through Sept. 30
Open year-round
Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 6 through Dec. 31
Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 6 through Dec. 31
Open year-round
Open year-round
- Lehigh River, Schuylkill River*** and tributaries
12 inches
40 inches
18 inches
24 inches
15 inches
12 inches
No minimum
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
Susquehanna River and tributaries
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND
Open year-round
Open year-round
Open year-round
Open year-round
No minimum
9 inches
20 inches
No minimum
50 (combined species)
25
2 (combined species)
50 (combined species)
6 (combined species)
1 (combined species)
4
2
6
6
3
NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
Extended Season: Stocked Class A wild trout stream sections.
Jan. 1 through Feb. 19 and Sept. 5 through Dec. 31
Jan. 1 through April 7 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31
April 8 through June 9
Minimum Size
7 inches
Daily Limit
5-streams, lakes, and ponds
(combined species)
7 inches
3 (combined species)
NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
Class A stream listing: fishandboat.com
15 inches
4 (combined species)
NO HARVEST - Catch and immediate release only
(no tournaments permitted)
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023

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