Explain fishing in PA, please?

[Houndbb]

Slogging through the regs for the last hour, and my head is spinning. They offer one day non-resident licenses, and longer 3 or 5 day non-resident licenses (can’t remember which number). But then, there’s the trout/salmon license. One of the exemptions to needing the trout/salmon license is if you purchased a one day license. Sooo...should we, as non-residents, simply buy a one day fishing license each day we want to fish? Sounds so confusing-as if you’re allowed to catch a trout every 3rd Tuesday, IF there’s a full moon and IF it’s blue. Almost too confusing to even want to put a line in the waters!
N

Ok, let me ask this a different way. If we buy a one day license (mind, costs more than our annual license in NY), and skip the trout license, are we technically “in possession” of a trout in the process of taking out the hook and releasing it? Maybe no one can answer because no one fishes in PA anymore!

 

[TS_Breezes]

Hi Houndbb,

It sounds like you've done your homework and understand the various license options. My understanding is that if the waters being fished are identified as "trout waters" then a trout license ($9.90)is required. Just dropping a line in the water constitutes fishing and requires the appropriate permit, even if you are following catch and release methods.

From a PA Fish and Boat site:
When is a Trout/Salmon Permit required?

A current Pennsylvania Trout/Salmon Permit is required to fish for trout or salmon in Pennsylvania waters. An angler “fishes for trout or salmon” when he or she:

Takes, kills, or possesses, while in the act of fishing, a trout or salmon from any PA or boundary waters.
Fishes in waters under special trout-salmon regulations.
Fishes in any Class A Wild Trout Waters or Wilderness Trout Streams or their tributaries.
Fishes in streams and rivers designated as Stocked Trout Waters on March 1 through May 31.

I've also attached a web address to a PA Fish and Boat Commission interactive map that will help identify trout waters - just copy and paste in your browser to use it.

https://pfbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=65a89f6592234019bdc5f095eaf5c6ac

I think if you plan to fish more than one day then it's better to go with the multi-day license and trout permit. I've experienced sticker shock when purchasing non-resident fishing licenses too, but rationalize that they're still less costly than a day in an amusement park - and to me a lot more enjoyable. Happy angling!

https://pfbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=65a89f6592234019bdc5f095eaf5c6ac

 

[Houndbb]

Takes, kills, or possesses, while in the act of fishing, a trout or salmon from any PA or boundary waters.
Fishes in waters under special trout-salmon regulations.
Fishes in any Class A Wild Trout Waters or Wilderness Trout Streams or their tributaries.
Fishes in streams and rivers designated as Stocked Trout Waters on March 1 through May 31.

Thanks, [MENTION=23962]TS_Breezes[/MENTION] the above pretty much narrows it down. Thanks for the map, too. Guess we’ll just stick to the upper Delaware, where we can fish with NYS license, even if we’re standing on PA soil! I spent hours reading through the regs til I was bug-eyed. Nowhere was it phrased as succinctly. In the end, we didn’t feel like we were missing anything as natives told us the reservoir at Ives Run wasn’t a very exciting fishing spot.
N

 

[Timmer]

I'm not sure if it is financially viable for you, but rather than fret about the rules I always buy all the applicable licensing. I figure at worst I'm donating a few bucks towards conservation and wildlife.