Safety & Regulations

2023 PA Fish & Boating Commission

PA Boat and
Fish Commission

Safety is of utmost importance to us at Lake Winola. Cottagers and visitors enjoy this beautiful lake. Please be considerate of fellow lake lovers and remain conscious of the PA regulations as well as the cottagers' safety recommendations.

2023 Boating Regulations:

Here is a summary of a few of the Boat and Fish Commission rules for Boating and Fishing:

  • Boating Safety Education Certificates are required for all operators of personal watercraft (PWC = JetSki, WaveRunner, Sea-Doo, etc.), regardless of age, and for boat operators born after January 1, 1982, that operate motorboats of more than 25 horsepower.

  • Speed – It is illegal to operate a boat above slow-no-wake speed within 100 feet of any shore, dock, boat, or person in or being towed on the water. Also, see special regulations on the website.

  • Sunset to Sunrise – All boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards must show required running lights between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility. It is illegal to operate PWC between sunset and sunrise.

  • Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) – A USCG-approved wearable life jacket is required for each person on a boat, canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. One throwable device is required on boats 16 feet or longer.  PFDs must be worn by children 12 years or younger in any boat 20 feet or less or in canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards. PFDs are to be worn by all persons being towed behind a boat, PWC operators and passengers, and sailboarders. From November 1 to April 30, a person must wear a PFD in canoes, kayaks, or boats less than 16 feet.

  • Sound Producing Device – All boats are required to have a sound-producing device.  For canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, etc. an athletic coach whistle is acceptable.

  • Fishing Licenses are required for persons age 16 and over to fish or angle for any species of fish. They must be signed in ink and displayed (attach to a hat or outer garment).  Fish-for-Free Days allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways on the designated days with NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED. All other fishing regulations still apply. 2022 Fish-for-Free Days are Sunday, May 30, 2022 and Sunday, July 3, 2022.

  • The PA Fish &  Boat Commission stocks Lake Winola with trout several times during the year. The scheduled stocking dates for 2022 at the access are: Saturday, March 6, 2021 and Tuesday, April 6, 2021, both at 12:30 pm.  Lake Winola is stocked with trout water and open to year-round fishing. Special regulations for bass are in place at Lake Winola. Only bass less than 12 inches and over 18 inches in length may be harvested. Refer to Big Bass Program for NO HARVEST dates. The daily creel limit is 6, but only one of those bass may be over 18 inches in length. Statewide regulations for Commonwealth Inland Waters apply to all other species of fish. See PA Fish and Boat Commission website above for details.

  • PA Law requires anyone who places or maintains buoys and floating structures to obtain a permit. The following link to the permit application also has the regulations on page 2:  http://fishandboat.com/images/pages/forms/pfbc277aidsnav.pdf

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Here are the Boat and Fish Commission's special regulations for Lake Winola: 

  • A boat may not tow more than one water ski device on weekends and holidays from the Saturday preceding Memorial Day through Labor Day.

  • The speed of boats is limited to slow, no-wake speed from sunset to sunrise, 7 days a week, year-round, and from sunrise to 11 a.m. on Sundays from the day before Memorial Day until Labor Day. 

  • The speed of boats is limited to 35 miles per hour from sunrise to sunset on weekends and holidays.

Below are some LWCA Customs for the enjoyment of all LWCA members and guests:

  • LWCA requests boaters to travel counter-clockwise around the lake for safety on our lake.

  • Water Carnival Day- LWCA requests Slow-no-wake speed from dawn to 3 pm.  Slow-no-wake speed is the slowest possible speed of a motorboat required to maintain maneuverability so that the wake created by the motorboat on the surface is minimal.

  • Remember to keep the quality of our lake water in mind.  Please use phosphate-free cleaners and fertilizers.