Angling Definitions

Angling means taking fish by hook and line. This includes bait and fly fishing, casting, trolling and the use of landing nets to complete the catch. Anglers must be in immediate attendance when their lines are in the water. An angler may operate no more than two lines with or without a rod, and each line is limited to not more than five lures or baits or a combination of both, and in addition, each line shall have not exceeding fifteen hook points in any combination of single, double, or treble hooks, provided the total number of hook points does not exceed fifteen. Snatching, lifting, hooking and the use of tip-ups are not angling.

Artificial Lures or Bait means artificial imitations of natural bait, manmade flies, spinners, spoons, plugs, jigs, and other lures including those that may contain some natural substances, such as deer hair and feathers.

Artificial Fly means a hook with no more than two points dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel or any similar material to which no hooks, spinners, spoons or similar devices have been added.

Black Bass means both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Blind Snatching means the taking of fish by snatching when the fish is not visible to the fisherman.

Catch-and-Release means catching and immediately releasing the caught fish without harm. Measuring, weighing and photographing of the fish are permitted as long as the fish is not removed from the water for an extended period or handled in a manner that could cause it harm. Fish may not be placed in a bucket, tub, livewell, on a string or any other "holding device."

Fishing means the taking, killing, netting, capturing or withdrawal of fish by any means. This includes every attempt to take fish, plus assisting another person in taking or attempting to take fish.

Foul-Hooked means not hooked in the mouth.

Hook Gap means the distance from the shank to the point of the hook.

Minimum Length means the greatest possible length measured from the tip of the fish's snout to the tip of the tail. The mouth may be open or closed and the tail may be spread or compressed in order to achieve the greatest length.

Natural Bait means all baits which entice or might be ingested or swallowed by fish including, but not limited to, fish (dead or alive), fish eggs, worms, shellfish, crustacea, amphibians (salamanders, frogs, and toads), insects (including all stages of development as larvae, pupae, etc.), pork rinds, liver, meat, corn or other vegetable matter, tapioca, candy, cheese, bread and putty or dough-like scented baits.

Night means 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.

Snatching/Snagging means taking fish that have not taken or attempted to take bait or artificial lure into their mouth, by impaling the fish with one or more hooks or similar devices, whether or not baited, into any part of their body. Snatching is indicated by repeated or exaggerated jerking motions of the fishing rod. Snagging, lifting, and single hook snagging are types of snagging.

Trout means brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and hybrids of these species, and splake.

Spearfishing or "spear" means a hand-propelled single or multiple pronged spike, blade or harpoon. It does not include the mechanically propelled device commonly called a spear gun.