2026 regulation year
Raystown Lake 2026 — Pennsylvania Fishing Regulations
Pennsylvania statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Raystown Lake carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Pennsylvania's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass, Yellow perch. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Statewide rules apply; PA Big Bass Program water — 15 in minimum, 4 / day combined black bass; striped bass to 30 in / 2 / day from May 1 – Sep 30
Source: Pennsylvania special-water list
Per-species rules on Raystown Lake
Big Bass Program: 15 in min, 4 / day combined black bass
Deep PA reservoir; perch among the panfish; inland combined limit
Official source
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission publishes the authoritative 2026 Pennsylvania fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Pennsylvania fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission's emergency-order feed — check it before any Pennsylvania trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Pennsylvania
- Allegheny Reservoir (Kinzua)
- Allegheny River
- Big Mill Creek (Elk County)
- Big Spring Creek (Cumberland County)
- Bush Kill (Monroe County)
- Clarion River (Ridgway)
- Conneaut Creek (PA waters)
- Conneaut Lake
- Delaware River main stem (PA/NJ boundary)
- Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning Creek
- Elk Creek (Lake Erie tributary)
- Falling Spring Branch (Franklin County)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Raystown Lake?
- Raystown Lake carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Pennsylvania's statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass and Yellow perch. One of them reads: "Statewide rules apply; PA Big Bass Program water — 15 in minimum, 4 / day combined black bass; striped bass to 30 in / 2 / day from May 1 – Sep 30." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Raystown Lake?
- Yes. Raystown Lake is in Pennsylvania, so a valid Pennsylvania fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Raystown Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Pennsylvania rules.
- Do Raystown Lake's special rules replace Pennsylvania's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Pennsylvania's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Raystown Lake by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Raystown Lake?
- Largemouth bass and Yellow perch have a water-body-specific rule on Raystown Lake, each linking to its full Pennsylvania regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Pennsylvania limits.