https://www.media.pa.gov/pages/fish-and-boat-commission-details.aspx?newsid=382The Board approved the publication of proposed rulemaking pertaining to authorized devices for ice fishing. The proposed amendments to 58 Pa. Code § 63.10 (Ice Fishing) and § 63.6 (Authorized Devices for Game Fish, Baitfish, and Fishbait), would allow for legal use of devices such as the JawJacker, Automatic Fisherman, Easy Set Hooksetter, Sure Shot Hooksetter, and Bro Craft Ice Fishing Tip-up while ice fishing.
Over the past several ice fishing seasons, anglers have repeatedly asked the PFBC whether these devices are legal. These devices consist of a rodholder, which allows anglers to put a bend in the fishing rod and pre-load it with the aid of a triggering device. When a fish takes the lure or bait, tension on the fishing line causes the trigger mechanism to release the rod which, being pre-loaded, automatically sets the hook without additional assistance by the angler. The angler is then free to fight the fish with a normal fishing rod and reel.
"These devices operate in a manner similar to down-riggers and immediately hook a fish that takes the bait, in most cases faster than a fisherman could do so," said PFBC District 7 Commissioner William Gibney. "The current regulations are decades old and can be interpreted to suggest that such devices would not be legal. The argument for allowing such devices is that the fish are nearly always hooked in the lip. Fish do not get the chance to swallow the bait, allowing anglers to return non-target and undersized fish to the water unharmed. Clearly, these devices benefit both the angler and the fish, especially as more participants practice catch and release fishing methods."
Under the proposed changes, anglers must still be active participants in fishing, be nearby their equipment, and land the fish as quickly as possible.
If approved on final rulemaking at a future meeting, the new regulations will go into effect upon publication of a second notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.