castnets

[mop_head]

hey i was wondering if cast netting is allowed in utah and what lakes/rivers they are allowed on?
[signature]

[sinergy]

Nope from my understand Cast nets are Illegal when angling for fish. A Dip net can be used but not as the primary method of fishing.
[signature]

[mop_head]

what if its just for bait fish like chubs or shiners at scofield ? or even the small white bass at utah lake?
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Cast nets and seines are legal for use in gathering minnows...like shiners, chubs, carp and fatheads. Not legal for obtaining any "protected species" or fish that are listed in the regs as game fish...like the baby white bass.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You can use them in any waters with a population of legal-to-catch minnows. But if you accidentally harvest a small trout or other game fish and you don't immediately release it unharmed you can get a hefty citation. That used to happen at Strawberry a lot. People would net shiners and chubs but would also get small trout on some casts.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The main limitation is that your cast net can be no larger than 10' across...5' radius. That is plenty large for catching minnows. You can also get them with smaller cast nets but not as effectively.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another consideration is the mesh size. Most of the less expensive nets have 3/8" mesh. That will get you a lot of larger minnows but the smaller ones either escape or get "gilled" in the mesh and you spend a lot of time removing them. And if you don't keep your net cleaned of sticks, weeds and gilled minnows it won't cast worth a hoot.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Strawberry no longer has redside shiners in numbers. There are still a few chubs, but not like in the past. Good for the lake. Bad for anglers who want to harvest chubs. Scofield has grundles of chubs and is probably the best spot to get them these days. Electric Lake has lots of redside shiners. Twin Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon also has a lot of shiners but requires a short hike to get there. And the little lakes at Deer Valley also have a large population of chubs, fathead minnows and small pond carp.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Carp minnows are very good bait but they grow fast and become hard to locate very quickly. If you time it right you can find schools of them along the shoreline of carp-infested waters in the late spring and then again in the fall. A good place to find them is at launch ramps right at daybreak.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After that you need to find your own spots. There are little ponds and streams that have harvestable minnows. And both Farmington Bay and Bear River Bird Refuges have spots where minnows gather at some times of the year. However, some of the best places are closed to the public except during wildfowl hunting seasons...and that may not be the best time for minnowing. [/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

[quote TubeDude] Electric Lake has lots of redside shiners.[/quote]

One thing to remember about Electric Lake shiners. They cannot be used anywhere else. In fact, they cannot be transported from Electric Lake. In other words, use them there, but don't take them home with you.

From the 2011 Utah Fishing Guidebook:

If the Utah Wildlife Board has declared that a water is infested with an aquatic invasive species—or the water is subject to
a closure order or control plan—you may not transport any species of baitfish (live or dead) from that water to use in any other water. To determine whether a water is infested, visit wildlife.utah.gov/mussels/waters.php.

[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Good point.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have not fished nor trapped minnows from Electric Lake since it was declared "potentially" mussel-bound. Since then there has been no other evidence of mussel larvae and there have never been any adults found. Still, it is better to err on the side of caution.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Also, I only use redside shiners in the lakes where I caught them anyway...fresh. They are almost impossible to freeze so that they do not become mushy when thawed. Chubs and carp minnows stay on the hook much better after being frozen and work just as well...if not better.[/#0000ff]
[signature]