Special Regulations Question

been rehashed here before, try using the search engine for better answers but as i remember, consensus rules that it is in the hands of the officer patrolling the area.  some consider it ok while others do not. 

if you know how to talk to an authority figure, you will not get fined, but rather a warning if they consider a rub on the finger no-no.

Call or email the fish commission, you will get an answer from them in a few days

I emailed berkley about this and never got a reply...

Different WCO's have different interpretations.

On a local DHALO, one pointedly asked me if I had scented worms (which I didn't) and said not to use them. Few days later, another WCO was patrolling and I asked him if scented worms were OK (still didn't have any, just asked out of curiosity). He said they were fine.

All WCO's I've encountered on DHALO areas are fine with trout magnets and other unscented soft plastics. I personally won't use anything scented or the like because (1) the way I read the regs they're illegal and (2) the way some WCO's read the regs they're illegal.

I'd rather not pay a fine.

last thread

http://forums.fishusa.com/m_31123/mpage_3/key_dhalo/tm.htm#102966

yea thats what i said in my first post.. its subjective to what authority you are talking to.  i'm sure if you told one that was upset about that another said it was ok, they would just warn you as long as you were not offensive in any manner.

carry around the email if they say it's legal.. your best bet

I wrote to the PFBC out of curiosity and asked them if they were legal or not...This is what I got....I guess its fitting when you don't have a cut-n-dry law, how can you give a cut-n-dry answer

I'm not in law enforcement, but I did ask the region law enforcement manager about your question. He basically advises people that ask that question, "When in doubt, don't use it." Since there are so many types of artificial products on the market you really have to read the ingredients label to make absolutely sure there is NO NATURAL stuff/scenting/etc. in/on the lure that would be a violation when fishing in these DHALO areas. I would also ask your local Waterways Conservation Officer the next time you see him.

Hope that helps.

Good luck fishing!

I also did some more research on Berkley Power Trout Worms...appearently, they are simply rubber worms with some scented oils on them. The Gulp are actually impregnated with scents and/or natural "stuff"

" natural bait, baitfish, fishbait, bait paste and similar substances, fish eggs (natural or molded) or any other edible substance is prohibited.".......................................................^^^....................................................................^^^
...................................................................DING DING DING....Gray Areas!

And I don't see where the law states anything about scent, even though scents wear off in about 2 drifts. If the worm is made from rubber, then use it...Is what I get from the law thats provided.

Simple solution...the law should simply state artificial lures only...NO Live/Natural Bait. DONE

Here's their reply back....

I'm not in law enforcement, but I did ask the region law enforcement manager about your question. He basically advises people that ask that question, "When in doubt, don't use it." Since there are so many of those types of products on the market you really have to read the ingredients label to make absolutely sure there is NO NATURAL stuff in/on the lure that would be a violation when fishing in these DHALO areas.

Hope that helps.

Good luck fishing!

Pretty much the same exact reply as ShutUpNFish's. So I guess you can't use gulp since it has "natural" scents.

The reason for the artificial lures only thing is so that the fish that can't be harvested don't swallow the hook and get injured, and die. The chances of them swallowing a moving spinner or jig is alot smaller than an egg or worm.

10 years ago my local artificial only delayed harvest area had banned any molded soft plastic bait. i am not sure if that is still the case.
 
i am going to try to research this when i have the time myself.

who says people using live bait or the gulp baits ect. keep any more fish than people fly fishing?

you can make the argument that more are gut hooked, but thats pretty much a giving anytime you cast jigs, or fall asleep on the bank with a bobber bouncing around :)P

theres limits on fish for a reason... some people fish for food some for fun.  

is just interesting because trout is no different than any other species of fish but this is the only place you see regs like that

 they are cutting off a large portion of fishing areas, so yea they are offering more opportunity theres less pressure...

its just the catering to fly guys honestly. nothing against fly fishing, but it is what it is.

i can see where the topic of fly fishermen snobbery thread came from lol

is just funny  if its all about money id rather certain people just come out and say it "were catering to special interests F' you guys" then say oo its about substantiating  a fragile eco-balance of  pellet raised fish that wont make it thru the yr or live to reproduce...

please its a joke...many portions of rivers and streams are pretty inaccessible. unless you got a machette or float it and get out along the way, occasionally carrying your canoe or kyak.

all your really stating man is yea we cater to the "fly guys" which is cool just why dont they buy a different tag or fish on private property;)

isnt nothing against you man i just dont agree with the regs. its discussed in many states/forums, with the same bs answers and all goes back to the same deal. theres money to be made pleasing pple and screwing others... isnt a big deal to me but pretty clear to see

not sure why i glanced at this thread but it got interesting to me as i kept reading.
Wade A. i am interested in what you are asserting but let me insert a few things about this "catering to fly guys"

or is it because money talks and it makes the fly only guys happy to have their own areas away from others...hmm

they are cutting off a large portion of fishing areas, so yea they are offering more opportunity theres less pressure...
its just the catering to fly guys honestly. nothing against fly fishing, but it is what it is.

1. let's see as far as catering to fly guys and how much large portions fly fishing only takes away.
there are less fly fishing only areas than counties in PA. a lot less so that isn't much on the catering side. if you check many of these fly fishing only areas are on private landowners property or at least surrounded by them. i'm sure if these areas were open to everyone they might get posted! (something to think about)

2. there are more miles of artificial lures only than fly fishing only areas. fly fishermen can use these areas as long as they stay within the artificial restriction. i don't consider this to a fly fishermen catering. if anything it's catering to artifical lure users which i would bet there are many more of them that do not use fly rods than do! so they are more catering to lure users than just fly guys.

3. do fly fishermen keep more fish than other fishermen? i'm not sure if there is an estimated count but i would bet they don't by a long shot. heck, all the Fly Fishing Only Areas are catch and release. do i need to say more if they only stay in these areas because they want a place to themselves?

4. stating that a few miles of streams in PA dedicated to flyfishermen and calling it catering is like saying the game commision caters to archers, muzzle loaders, trappers, and other PA commissions (lack of a better word) caters to off road vehicles, tour buses, etc..

5. i'm not sure how the special fishing restrictions happened along but i'm sure there were a group of special interest fishermen that asked for these small pieces of water for there own way of fishing. if you check these areas you may not know that some of these areas were very hard to reach the water until the fly guys, lets say, put in time and cleared the area to make it more fishable. quite a few of these areas are stocked by fly-fishing clubs or clubs who want the areas used for artificial lures.

6. if you have time ask questions about the DHAL area of the Neshannok creek. you'll find that a lot of the shore line was off limits in town to fishing all together. i heard it wasn't until the fish commission and the property owners came to an agreement of making it a DHAL only that they again let people on their private land to fish.

7. i too didn't care for the few restricted areas set aside for special regulations until i seen that these areas might not have been open to the public anyway.

8. oh, i hate the trout stamp. always did and always will! there is no other fishing in PA that you have to get taxed for to fish except trout.

9. if a fly guy had to buy a different tag to fish, i would say that the PA fish commission is picking on us