The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-06
new CODE PROVIDES fine
FOR fishing ON SUNDAY
Game, Food and Bait Fishes of the
Commonwealth Are Classified and
Methods Prescribed for Taking
Them From Public Waters

Inc new fish code, as agreed upon
IN the Senate Committee on Game and
Fish, will very likely be the law for the
next two years. 1t prevents Sunday
fishing, except in boundary waters, un-
der a penalty of $25.
The new code classifes the game.
food and bait fishes of the Common.
wealth and provides that game fish
may be taken only with rod, hook and
line, with not more than three hooks
to each line during the open seasons.
Bait fish may be taken at any time
with hook and line, or with minnow
traps or dip nets not over three feet
square, and food fish may be taken with
hook and line and outline at any time
OF the year. All other methods of ta-
king fish from the public waters are
forbidden.
! The trout season is left as it is, but
the size limit is abolished and a creel
limit of 40 is established, it being made
illegal to return to the water any trout
that has been hooked.
The season for other game is from
June L o to December 81, inclusive,
and size limits are established as fol.
| lows:
White bass, rock bass, grappie, or
calico bass, six inches; small-mouth,
large-mouth, yellow bass, striped bass,
rock fish, lake or salmon trout, nine
inches; blue pike, eight inches wall.
eyed pike or Susuqehanna salmon, pick
crel, 2 inches; muscallonge or western
pike, "a inches; sturgeon, five feet.
The creel limits established are as
follows:
In possession at one time IL large
or smallmouth bass, 25 rock bass,
white bass, calico bass, crappie, pick.
erel, blue pike or pike perch, museal.
longe or western pike, so sun fish.
! The only fishing with nets in the in.
land waters will be in tidal streams or
in the Susquehanna below Mccall s
Ferry dam. Improved provisions are
ineluded to govern dams and fishways
and inlet pipes and better regulations
and larger powers for commercial
hatcheries. The sale of game fish, ex-
cepting lake trout, blue pike, pike
perch or wall-eyed pike, is prohibited
except by licensed hatcheries.
The pollution section is a repetition
of the existing law.
| The Commissioner of Fisheries is
given power to distribute fish to the
streams on forest reserve lands, to the
public schools and educational institu.
tions and to individuals for planting in
streams, the banks of which are sub.
ject to private ownership, on the writ.
| ten application of one or more of the
owners or lawful occupants of such
| lands, if the waters are suitable and
| if the applicants will agree to permit
lawful fishing in said. waters by the
public, the persons fishing being liable
for any and all damage done, and also
to distribute fish to waters where ad-
| joining land owners are non-residents
or who by habit or custom have permit
ted the public to fish therein.
The Commissioner also is empowered
to make paintings when he deems wise
in waters for which no application is
made.
1t is made unlawful to apply for fish
| IL the Applicant prohibits or prevents
fishing by the public in water flowing
over his land and the obtaining of fish
by false representations is made pun
| ishable. The Commissioner of Fisheries
is given power to designate nursery
streams in which all fishing shall be
prohibited after public notice in at
least two papers in the county and aft
er the posting of notices at the outlet
and at intervals of 800 yards along
said streams. Violation of the sanctu.
ary of nursery stream calls for a fine
of S100.