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burghwolfe1
New member
Is there a maximum length of leader/tippet that is allowed for fishing fly fishing only regs? I thought there was but I don't see it in the regs. Maybe that rule was removed or maybe I just imagined it.
afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
No specific leader length, the reg (see link below) just states "with tackle limited to fly rods, fly reels, and fly line with leader material or monofilament line attached".....
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burghwolfe1
New member
Thanks. That is what I found in the regs as well. I don't know why I had it in my mind that there was a max length.
wbranch
Well-known member
Many years ago when I lived in NJ it was 18'. Today with modern skinny Euro fly lines guys could theoretically put an indicator on with a float, some BB's, and a couple of flies and lob casts to get 50' - 60' drag free nymph floats.
redietz
Well-known member
It was 18' in PA until about 2 years ago; it's still 18 in MD.
Dave_W
Moderator
Staff member
Agree with redietz.^
Yes, there's still confusion about this (ditto with barbless hooks and night fishing). There are also still some older signs posted around that have not been updated and this further confuses the matter.
Yes, there's still confusion about this (ditto with barbless hooks and night fishing). There are also still some older signs posted around that have not been updated and this further confuses the matter.
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bdhoover77
Well-known member
I could be wrong (and please correct me if I am), but I think the 18’ leader limit in MD only applies to certain areas. According to the MD DNR website, the fly fishing only areas (Savage River, Big Hunting Creek, Beaver Creek, and Patuxent River) are limited to 18’ leaders.
But that restriction does not apply to other areas like the artificial lure only areas like the Gunpowder, Morgan Run, Little Hunting Creek, etc.
redietz
Well-known member
Correct - just the fly only waters, of which there are very few.
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Solitariolupo
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2017
- Messages
- 325
I still seen some older signs. Didn’t know the rule even changed until now.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
Pennsylvania had MANY different Fly Fishing Only Special Regulation areas over the years. The original was just called Fly Fishing Only. When it was originally rolled out there was a daily creel limit of six fish, barbed single hooks permitted, 18-foot leader restriction and a sunrise to sunset fishing hours restriction.
Later, the following fly fishing only areas were created and retired or they coexisted with other designations:
The ONLY fly fishing only areas that had a barbless hook requirement were Limestone Springs, No Harvest Fly Fishing Only and Heritage Trout.
Heritage Trout went away in 2006 and with it the barbless hook requirements on ANY Pennsylvania fly fishing only area. I didn’t check, but I think the fishing hours went away at that same time.
The 18-foot leader requirement went away in 2020.
Bottom line, since 2020 you can fish a PA Fly Fishing Only section with a barbed Squirmy Wormy on a 24 foot leader at midnight.
Have fun!!
Later, the following fly fishing only areas were created and retired or they coexisted with other designations:
- Limestone Springs Wild Trout (just the Letort, Big Springs & Falling Springs, morphed into Heritage)
- No Harvest Fly Fishing (for special places not in Limestone Springs, morphed into Heritage)
- Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing Only (disappeared when Delayed Harvest Artificials Only appeared)
- Heritage Trout (morphed into Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only)
- Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only
The ONLY fly fishing only areas that had a barbless hook requirement were Limestone Springs, No Harvest Fly Fishing Only and Heritage Trout.
Heritage Trout went away in 2006 and with it the barbless hook requirements on ANY Pennsylvania fly fishing only area. I didn’t check, but I think the fishing hours went away at that same time.
The 18-foot leader requirement went away in 2020.
Bottom line, since 2020 you can fish a PA Fly Fishing Only section with a barbed Squirmy Wormy on a 24 foot leader at midnight.
Have fun!!
GeneBeam
Active member
Bottom line, since 2020 you can fish a PA Fly Fishing Only section with a barbed Squirmy Wormy on a 24 foot leader at midnight.
Or a just use a 22 foot 1 wt. euro nymphing rod with 2 foot of backing and 2 foot of fly line (required to call fly fishing) and a 240 foot of 20 lb. leader with a tippet ring and 23½” of 10x tippet. Don’t forget to take pictures with your fly rod in you mouth.
Dave_W
Moderator
Staff member
Yes indeed - many changes in special regs come to mind for us old timers.Pennsylvania had MANY different Fly Fishing Only Special Regulation areas over the years. The original was just called Fly Fishing Only. When it was originally rolled out there was a daily creel limit of six fish, barbed single hooks permitted, 18-foot leader restriction and a sunrise to sunset fishing hours restriction.
Later, the following fly fishing only areas were created and retired or they coexisted with other designations:
All of the fly fishing only regulation areas initially had a restriction on leader length, single hook “with flies constructed in a normal fashion…, and sunrise to sunset hours.
- Limestone Springs Wild Trout (just the Letort, Big Springs & Falling Springs, morphed into Heritage)
- No Harvest Fly Fishing (for special places not in Limestone Springs, morphed into Heritage)
- Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing Only (disappeared when Delayed Harvest Artificials Only appeared)
- Heritage Trout (morphed into Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only)
- Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only
The ONLY fly fishing only areas that had a barbless hook requirement were Limestone Springs, No Harvest Fly Fishing Only and Heritage Trout.
Heritage Trout went away in 2006 and with it the barbless hook requirements on ANY Pennsylvania fly fishing only area. I didn’t check, but I think the fishing hours went away at that same time.
The 18-foot leader requirement went away in 2020.
Bottom line, since 2020 you can fish a PA Fly Fishing Only section with a barbed Squirmy Wormy on a 24 foot leader at midnight.
Have fun!!
It wasn't that long ago that the Fly Fishing Only sections allowed the creeling of three fish. I think this changed sometime around the late 90s(?).
When I started fishing in the CV roughly forty years ago the Limestone Springs Wild Trout Water rules were in effect and you were allowed to keep a single 20" fish. I never caught a fish of that size in Letort, but I remember thinking that if I got one of that size I would keep it to mount. Taxidermy was a hobby when I was a kid. Even in those days, pretty much everyone released big wild fish and I don't ever recall someone with a kept 20" fish that I physically saw. The PFBC (Fish Commission at the time) rescinded this rule and went all C&R probably sometime in the early to mid 80s(?).
I have some records on this and will go back and look this up if I get a chance.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
About the time the PFBC created the No Harvest Fly Fishing Only special regulation, they reduced the creel limit from six fish per day to three. The three per day number was also the amount permitted on Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing Only waters. This was around the time the Approved Trout daily creel limit went from eight to six.
As far as one 20" fish per day on Limestone Springs... I have an old Limestone Spring Wild Trout poster (not sure of the age) that says, "No fish may be killed of had in possession," and I never remember harvest being permitted on Limestone Springs waters. However, I have old Summary booklets going back to the early 1970's so I'll check to see if I can find out if it was ever allowed, at least back to 1973, IF the designation existed back that far.
BTW - Take close look at my avatar. I took that photo on the Letort just below Otto's Meadow close to 20 years ago.
wbranch
Well-known member
Great posts! Good humor here. Personally, because it's hard to teach old fly fishers new tricks, I'd prefer more stringent regulations on fly fishing. More traditional less "Do whatever you like as long as it increases license sales".
