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Regulations by Location |
LAKE ERIE AND TRIBUTARY STREAMS |
The following seasons, sizes and daily limits apply to Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters, all Lake Erie tributaries in their entirety which include Cascade Creek, Conneaut Creek, Crooked Creek, East Branch Conneaut Creek, Eightmile Creek, Elk Creek, Fourmile Creek, Middle Branch Conneaut Creek, Marsh Run, Mill Creek, Mud Run, Raccoon Creek, Sevenmile Creek, Sixmile Creek, Sixteenmile Creek, Stone Run, Temple Run, Turkey Creek, Twelvemile Creek, Twentymile Creek, Walnut Creek, West Branch Conneaut Creek and all waters that flow into these tributaries. |
Species |
Seasons |
Minimum Size |
Daily Limit |
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge (Hybrids) |
Open year-round |
40 inches |
1 |
Northern Pike |
Open year-round |
24 inches |
2 |
Walleye |
Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 1 through Dec. 31 |
15 inches |
TBD**** |
Bass*
Largemouth
Smallmouth |
Jan. 1 through April 16 and June 12 through Dec. 31 |
15 inches |
4 (combined species) |
April 17 through June 11* |
20 inches |
1 |
Yellow Perch |
Dec. 1 through April 30 |
7 inches |
TBD**** |
May 1 through Nov. 30 |
None |
Sunfish, Crappies, Catfish, Rock Bass, Suckers, Eels, Carp, White Bass |
Open year-round |
No minimum |
50
(combined species) |
Burbot (when taken by scuba divers by use of non-mechanical
spears or gigs at a depth of at least 60 feet) |
June 1 through Sept. 30 |
No minimum |
5 |
Burbot (when taken by hook and line) |
Open year-round |
No minimum |
5 |
Smelt (when taken by hook and line) |
Open year-round |
No minimum |
None |
Trout and Salmon** |
Jan. 1 through April 1 |
15 inches |
3
(combined species), only two (2) of which may be lake trout |
8 a.m. April 3 through Sept. 6 |
9 inches |
5
(combined species), only two (2) of which may be lake trout |
Sept. 7 through April 14, 2022 |
15 inches |
3
(combined species), only two (2) of which may be lake trout |
Baitfish / Fishbait*** (see Bait page for definitions) |
Open year-round |
No minimum |
50
(combined species) |
American Eel |
Open year-round |
9 inches |
25 |
Mussels / Clams |
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
Sturgeon, Spotted Gar and other threatened and endangered species |
CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
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* It is unlawful to conduct or participate in a fishing tournament for bass on Lake Erie or Presque Isle Bay during the period from opening day of the trout season in April until midnight the first Saturday after June 11.
** It is unlawful to fish or possess trout or salmon in or along any Lake Erie tributary stream from 12:01
a.m. on April 2 until 8 a.m. on April 3 (32 hours total).
*** 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.
**** Adaptive management for daily limits: After the PFBC Executive Director establishes the daily limit for the year, the information will be updated on this page and be available from any PFBC office. |
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Special Regulations—Lake Erie Tributary Streams |
- Designated as Nursery Waters are Trout Run and its tributaries, Godfrey Run, Orchard Beach Run, and Crooked Creek (where posted). It is unlawful to fish, wade or possess fishing equipment while in or along Lake Erie tributary streams designated as Nursery Waters.
- Archery fishing or spear fishing is prohibited in or along Lake Erie tributary streams.
- From September 7 until the opening day of trout season in April, all Lake Erie tributary streams are closed to
fishing from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on the following day except for Walnut Creek north of Manchester Bridge Road and Elk Creek north of
Route 5.
- It is unlawful to fish from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on the following day within 50 yards of the mouth of both Trout Run and Godfrey Run while fishing the Lake Erie shoreline.
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Lake Erie Permit |
All anglers fishing Pennsylvania waters of Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries, including waters that flow into those tributaries are required to possess a valid Lake Erie permit or Combination Trout/Salmon/Lake Erie permit.
The main tributaries where a permit is required are: Cascade Creek, Conneaut Creek, Crooked Creek, Eightmile Creek, Elk Creek, Fourmile Creek, Mill Creek, Raccoon Creek, Sevenmile Creek, Sixmile Creek, Sixteenmile Creek, Turkey Creek, Twelvemile Creek, Twentymile Creek and Walnut Creek. A permit is also required for all of those waters that flow into these main tributaries.
Anglers fishing the East and West Basin ponds (Waterworks Ponds, Presque Isle State Park) are not required to possess a Lake Erie Permit.
Anglers fishing inland ponds, lakes and reservoirs in Erie County are not required to possess a Lake Erie Permit.
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Lake Erie Cast Net Permit: Emerald and Spottail Shiners |
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Transportation of VHS-Susceptible Fish
Out of the Lake Erie
Watershed |
An infectious fish disease, caused by a variant of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), has caused fish mortalities in the Great Lakes. The initial list of fish species that are
susceptible to VHS includes Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Brown Bullhead, Brown Trout, Burbot,
Channel Catfish, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Emerald Shiner, Freshwater Drum, Gizzard Shad, Herring,
Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Pink Salmon, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow Trout, Redhorse Sucker,
Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, White Perch, Whitefish and Yellow Perch.
It is unlawful
to transport or cause the transportation of VHS-susceptible species of fish out of the portion of the
Lake Erie Watershed in this Commonwealth into other watersheds of this Commonwealth except when certain
conditions are met. It is illegal to use VHS-susceptible fish species, fish parts and eggs taken from
the Lake Erie Watershed as fishbait in Commonwealth waters outside the Lake Erie Watershed except
when the fish are certified as VHS-negative. It is legal to transport dead recreationally caught fish
out of the Lake Erie Watershed solely for the purpose of human consumption.
Because of diseases and invasive
species, the Commission recommends as a good conservation practice that anglers not transport any live
fish out of the Lake Erie Watershed and introduce those fish into other watersheds. For more information
on invasive species, please see “Aquatic Nuisance Species.” For more information on VHS, please contact the Commission’s
Northwest Regional Office or view our VHS Action Plan.
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Summary Book Index |
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