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:

		MINIMUM	DAILY
SPECIES	SEASONS	SIZE	LIMIT
All Species ofTrout and Salmon	Open year-round	No minimum	2 (combinedspecies)
BASSLargemouthSmallmouth	January 1 until midnightlast day of February and12:01 a.m., June 16until December 31	12 inches	5 (combinedspecies)
PIKE Northern	Open year-round	30 inches	2 (combinedspecies)
WALLEYE	Open year-round	15 inches	5
MUSKELLUNGEandMUSKELLUNGEHYBRIDS	Open year-round	36 inches	1
PICKEREL	Open year-round	14 inches	5
STRIPED BASS andSTRIPED BASS/WHITEBASS 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 FISHFISH 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 December 29, 1984, 14 Pa.B. 4691; amended February 12, 1993, effective February 13, 1993, 23 Pa.B. 739; amended March 10, 1995, effective March 11, 1995, 25 Pa.B. 834; amended November 22, 1996, effective January 1, 1997, 26 Pa.B. 5701; amended March 7, 1997, effective March 8, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 1155; amended October 31, 1997, effective November 1, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 5605; amended September 9, 2005, effective January 1, 2006, 35 Pa.B. 5007; amended August 31, 2007, effective January 1, 2008, 37 Pa.B. 4752; amended October 7, 2011, effective January 1, 2012, 41 Pa.B. 5365; amended July 3, 2014, effective January 1, 2015, 44 Pa.B. 4177; amended August 8, 2014, effective August 9, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 5336. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (372599) to (372601).

Notation

Authority

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.

Cross References

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).