PA FFO-Catch and Release - Leader Length Restrictions

[dryflyRSW]

Has PA eliminated the 18ft leader length restriction on Fly Fishing Only - Catch and Release sections.

From the PA Fish Commission website:

PA CATCH AND RELEASE FLY-FISHING ONLY

Fishing may be done with artificial flies and streamers constructed of natural or synthetic materials, so long as all flies are constructed in a normal fashion with components wound on or about the hook. Fishing must be done with tackle limited to fly rods, fly reels and fly line with leader material or monofilament line attached. Anything other than these items is prohibited.

 

[TYoung]

Yes, there is no length restriction anymore.

 

[Bobbop89]

I'm glad. I use like a 25 foot euro leader because I'm cheap and don't want to buy euro fly line so I tie an extra long butt section so I keep the line sag to minimum.

 

[Chaz]

It closes a loophole created when the Commission in it's wisdom tried to define what is fly-fishing and stating what center pinning is defined as. No one thought it was good enough. For the last 60 odd years since there's been FFO sections of streams it's been limited to some random number, probably always 18 feet but maybe not.
On one hand it limits the leader length, really if you need more then about 12 feet you're doing something wrong, because I've decided that anything longer then about 10 feet is too much. You have no control of the fly after that. But to each his own. It kind of stops being fly fishing if you have to be over 12 feet.

 

[wbranch]

Chaz wrote;

It kind of stops being fly fishing if you have to be over 12 feet.

I use various lengths of leaders. For stocked trout 7 1/2' - 9' is what I use. For the wild trout waters I fish in NY mostly I use 12'. For western tail waters I use a 12' with a tippet ring and add 4' of 5X. Does it really matter? I'm not sure but I'm used to those lengths and have no trouble turning the leader over and covering fish.

 

[Bamboozle]

At least the PFBC sees intent a little clearer...

I use leaders 14 feet or longer on occasion and I Tenkara fish. It's all fly-fishing but then again, I didn't write the absolute rules some feel obliged to constantly espouse.

 

[moon1284]

Not really news. Won't add pressure and nobody ever got a ticket for an illegal leader.

 

[redietz]

moon1284 wrote:
nobody ever got a ticket for an illegal leader.

Although many people prefer to obey the rules.

 

[nomad_archer]

Chaz wrote:

On one hand it limits the leader length, really if you need more then about 12 feet you're doing something wrong, because I've decided that anything longer then about 10 feet is too much. You have no control of the fly after that. But to each his own. It kind of stops being fly fishing if you have to be over 12 feet.

Well 12 feet is pretty arbitrary. But everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Do you consider long euro leaders no longer fly fishing or that the fisherman is doing something horribly wrong? Just curious.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

As long as the fly line weight is needed to cast the fly its fly-fishing by definition.
I often use 15' on spring creeks.

 

[larkmark]

My leader for dry fly fishing is often 12-15 ft or so. I'm guessing the fish comm is accommodating some specialized nymphing group. I honestly do not think it is a big deal.

 

[troutbert]

larkmark wrote:
My leader for dry fly fishing is often 12-15 ft or so. I'm guessing the fish comm is accommodating some specialized nymphing group. I honestly do not think it is a big deal.

They are accommodating people who fish nymphs with only mono coming out of the guides, no fly line.

This is commonly done now.

 

[bigslackwater]

I thought, from previous discussions here, this opens the door for centerpin fishing in FFO only areas?

 

[afishinado]

bigslackwater wrote:
I thought, from previous discussions here, this opens the door for centerpin fishing in FFO only areas?

The verbiage for CRFFO reads >

Fishing must be done with tackle limited to fly rods, fly reels and fly line with leader material or monofilament line attached. Anything other than these items is prohibited.

Which as written above precludes the use of centerpin rods, reels and line.

 

[Bamboozle]

However, when I use a Tenkara Rod on FFO waters I use ZERO fly line yet it is perfectly legal according to the the PFBC because they consider it fly-fishing.

So if you use flies on a centerpin rig...