Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 61.4 - Conowingo Reservoir(a) It is unlawful to take, catch, kill or possess fish, except during the seasons specified in this section. However, it is not a violation of this section if a fish caught out of season from water where fishing for other species is lawful is immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which it was taken.(b) It is unlawful to take, catch, kill or possess fish of less than the minimum size specified in this section. However, it is not a violation of this section if an undersized fish taken from waters where fishing is otherwise lawful is immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which it was taken.(c) It is unlawful to take, catch or kill more than 1 day's limit of any species of fish as specified in the following chart during 1 calendar day. It is unlawful to possess more than 1 day's limit of any species of fish as specified in the following chart except under the following circumstances: (1) A person may possess any number of lawfully caught fish at the person's residence.(2) A person who is engaged in a fishing trip away from home for 2 or more consecutive calendar days may, while transporting fish from the place where caught to his residence, possess a number of fish equal to no more than two times the daily creel limit for that species of fish. In prosecution for violation of this section, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that a person transporting fish from a fishing site caught all of the fish during 1 calendar day.(3) A fish will not be considered to be caught in violation of this section if it is immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which it was taken.(4) A fish caught that is not to be counted in the creel limit shall be immediately released unharmed into the water from which taken. Except as otherwise provided in § 53.24 or § 63.40 (relating to tournament and fishing derby permits; and fishing tournament and fishing derbies), a fish placed on a stringer, or confined by any type of container, structure or device, or not returned immediately to the water, will be considered as part of the daily creel or possession limits. Fish returned to the water shall be handled carefully and be returned unharmed to the water from which taken.(5) Fish may be given to another person, but the fish shall be counted in the donor's creel limit and neither donor nor recipient may kill or possess (while in the act of fishing) more than the limit allowed.(d) The following seasons, sizes and creel limits apply to the Conowingo Reservoir, which includes the Susquehanna River from the Maryland State Line upstream to Holtwood Dam: | SPECIES | SEASONS | MINIMUM SIZE | DAILY LIMIT |
| All Species of Trout and Salmon | Open year-round | No minimum | 2 (combined species) |
BASS Largemouth Smallmouth | January 1 until midnight last day of February and 12:01 a.m., June 16 until December 31 | 12 inches | 5 (combined species) |
| PIKE Northern | Open year-round | 30 inches | 2 (combined species) |
| WALLEYE | Open year-round | 15 inches | 5 |
| MUSKELLUNGE and MUSKELLUNGE HYBRIDS | Open year-round | 36 inches | 1 |
| PICKEREL | Open year-round | 14 inches | 5 |
| STRIPED BASS and STRIPED BASS/WHITE BASS HYBRIDS | Open year-round | 18 inches | 2 (combined species), only one of which may exceed 30 inches in length |
| AMERICAN and HICKORY SHAD | Closed (No open season) | Closed | 0 |
| RIVER HERRING (alewife and blueback herring) | Closed (no open season) | Closed | 0 |
| SUNFISH (BLUE GILL and ROCK BASS) | Open year-round | No minimum | 15 (combined species) |
| CRAPPIES | Open year-round | No minimum | 15 |
| CARP | Open year-round | No minimum | 15 |
| CHANNEL CATFISH | Open year-round | No minimum | 5 |
| SUCKERS | Open year-round | No minimum | 30 |
| AMERICAN EEL | Open year-round | 9 inches | 25 |
| YELLOW PERCH | Open year-round | No minimum | No daily limit |
| BAIT FISH FISH BAIT, except American eel, mussels/clams and crayfish | Open year-round | No minimum | 35 |
| ALL OTHER FISH SPECIES | Open year-round | No mimimum | No daily limit |
| BIVALVES/SHELLFISH (Mussels/Clams) | Closed (no open season) | Closed | 0 |
| CRAYFISH (ALL SPECIES) | Open year-round | 50. The head must be immediately removed behind the eyes upon capture unless used as bait in the water from which taken. |
The provisions of this § 61.4 amended December 28, 1984, effective 12/29/1984, 14 Pa.B. 4691; amended February 12, 1993, effective 2/13/1993, 23 Pa.B. 739; amended March 10, 1995, effective 3/11/1995, 25 Pa.B. 834; amended November 22, 1996, effective 1/1/1997, 26 Pa.B. 5701; amended March 7, 1997, effective 3/8/1997, 27 Pa.B. 1155; amended October 31, 1997, effective 11/1/1997, 27 Pa.B. 5605; amended September 9, 2005, effective 1/1/2006, 35 Pa.B. 5007; amended August 31, 2007, effective 1/1/2008, 37 Pa.B. 4752; amended October 7, 2011, effective 1/1/2012, 41 Pa.B. 5365; amended July 3, 2014, effective 1/1/2015, 44 Pa.B. 4177; amended August 8, 2014, effective 8/9/2014, 44 Pa.B. 5336.The provisions of this § 61.4 amended under the Fish and Boat Code, 30 Pa.C.S. §§ 305, 322, 741, 928, 2102, 2307, 2711 and 5122-5124.
This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 61.1 (relating to Commonwealth inland waters); and 58 Pa. Code § 61.7 (relating to Susquehanna River and tributaries).