Pa Anglers - Bed Fishing Warning... Its Illegal

[jhoffman]

"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."

 

http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/inland.html

[flyfisher]

Interesting but good to know.....

[central.PA.bass]

I believe this should only be while bass is out of season, correct?

[flyfisher]

I read it as it doesn't matter what the season is but i would guess that the closed season coincides with when yo uwould most likely see bass on the beds. 

[jhoffman]

I read it as it doesn't matter what the season is but i would guess that the closed season coincides with when yo uwould most likely see bass on the beds. 

Exactly

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Bed fishing is not illegal.

 

Bed fishing while making repeated casts is illegal. Doesnt mean I can't pitch to it and let it soak.

[jhoffman]

You swing and miss, chuck it in there again you are in trouble... technically.

 

Im not gonna lie, I have fished for bass on beds, repeated casts. I never knew this law was in effect.

 

State has whack laws in fishing and hunting.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'm there with you, just stating my argument if I were to ever get called on it.

 

I've let a bait sit in a bed for quite some time on a single cast. Honestly, the guys around here are pretty cool especially if they know you are releasing the fish.

 

Oddly enough, my biggest bass have been caught in July and August. The one in my avatar is a fish from the end of July. I would LOVE to see her sitting on a bed at the beginning of May. No telling how big she might be.

[J Francho]

Probably another reason I see so many PA plates up here.

 

Here's you answer to not making repeated casts: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html

[flyfisher]

Probably another reason I see so many PA plates up here.

 

Here's you answer to not making repeated casts: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html

You are definitely getting your use out of that link here lately   Great article to by the way and it helped me to catch my PB last spring

[SPEEDBEAD.]

LOL, I was thinking of posting that as I just read it the other day.

 

Good stuff.

 

May I also add that "making repeated casts" IMO is not the same as casting beyond the bed from multiple angles and dragging it throug the area. The laws are so ambiguous here that they would not likely hold up too well if challenged.

[J Francho]

PA has some delicate fisheries, definitely not as robust as the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes up here.  Some of those fisheries can easily be damaged by bed fishing, or that's the perception anyway.  Susky, Juni, etc....  Some go NUTZ if they hear you were fishing beds.  A biologist told me that 70% of the population do not spawn.  Where are those fish?  Just beyond the beds, lol.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'll show you places where they spawn

[jhoffman]

My local lake recieves no bass stocking of any kind due to such high natural reproduction

[J Francho]

Outside of the initial stock, most waters do not require stocking. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Outside of the initial stock, most waters do not require stocking. 

 

I meant the rivers where they say spawning doesnt happen or is suffering. I beg to differ....

[J Francho]

Oh, I know. It can be a sensitive topic, though.

[Dwight Hottle]

In Pa on lake erie waters the bass season is open all year. Just a change in bag limits during possible spawning period. Most of the inland lakes & rivers/streams do have a closed season April 13th thru June 14th.

 

 

 

 

Flyfisher

I read it as it doesn't matter what the season is but i would guess that the closed season coincides with when yo uwould most likely see bass on the beds.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'm really glad it's not like Canada or some of the states where the season is actually CLOSED to fishing for bass. That would be no bueno. Someone may get hurt.

[flyfisher]

I am pretty sure there are places that are closed in PA where you cannot target bass....The susky comes to mind as i know i try and fish with my dad up there a few times a year and we always wait until after the closed season to plan our trips but by then the water levels are usually so low he can't even take his jet boat so we are stuck paddling the kayaks

I'm really glad it's not like Canada or some of the states where the season is actually CLOSED to fishing for bass. That would be no bueno. Someone may get hurt.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Not that I am aware of.

 

They have times and areas that are closed to tournaments, but that's about it. Catch and release is good year round AFAIK.

[J Francho]

Not that I am aware of.

 

They have times and areas that are closed to tournaments, but that's about it. Catch and release is good year round AFAIK.

 

The Susky is closed in several counties from May 1 - Jun 14.

 

http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/bass_cr.htm

 

During the closed season, it is unlawful to target or attempt to catch a bass. A bass that is accidentally caught during the closed season must be immediately released unharmed without being removed from the water. It is unlawful to possess bass in, on or along these waters.

[flyfisher]

I think it is because they consider it a trophy bass area or something.  I am sure i coudl go out ther and say i am targeting a different species but i figure it isn't worth the hassle and i would feel guilty.... lol

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Ah, that would be why I didnt know it was closed. I'm fishing other areas and lakes during that time. Really only fish in there during winter (warmwater discharge) and summer (great wading with low water).

 

That's the imaginary "threatened" area they talk about.

[flyfisher]

Ah, that would be why I didnt know it was closed. I'm fishing other areas and lakes during that time. Really only fish in there during winter (warmwater discharge) and summer (great wading with low water).

 

That's the imaginary "threatened" area they talk about.

For a threatened area i wil ltell you it sure produces some monster fish...lol  They can keep calling it threatened as long as they want to, especially if it keeps people away.