02-11-2007, 12:01 AM
[center][cool][font "Poor Richard"][size 3][green]I was just passing along this info from a do's and don't list.[/green][/size][/font][/center] [center][font "Poor Richard"][size 3][green]After further research I think the following will answer your question.[/green][/size][/font][/center]
[font "Poor Richard"][size 3][green]The use of live bait is a favorite tactic of fishermen across the range of fishing styles. During the spring you’ll often see fishermen trolling the surface of northern reservoirs for lake trout with shiners or suckers. Live minnows are universally popular for catching trout of all types and in all situations. Live bait use, however, comes with some dangers to the environment and possible legal pitfalls to Fishermen.
The most important thing an angler can do before employing live bait is to know the law of his or her state. Some states are very restrictive in regards to the movement of live fish species as well as plants and animals. The recurring problem in many fisheries is the introduction of non-native species to lakes or streams that end up damaging or destroying sensitive habitats. For example, Ross Reservoir in Montana had to be poisoned after white suckers appeared in the lake. No doubt these were introduced while being used as a bait fish but ended up destroying a wonderful cutthroat trout fishery for years to come. Some fishermen illegally use goldfish, sunfish, perch and other spiny finned fish for bait. The state of Maine expressly forbids this, yet incidents of these illegal practices continue to be recorded.
Horror stories abound, and every state is battling problems with non-native species and diseases. Lampreys and zebra mussels choke the Great Lakes, whirling disease continues to crop up in the western states and some species, such as the Federally threatened Blue Shiner of Alabama, continue to be harvested out of ignorance of the species. Anglers have a responsibility to know the species they will come in contact with and understand how to protect their environment.
Mishandling of live bait is another problem in many fisheries. Though the use of a certain type of minnow or bait may be legal in a lake or stream fishermen are warned not to release the bait from their bait-bucket when the day is done. In some places this can be seen as illegal stocking, an activity that requires a permit. Also, it is best to always dispose of water from the bait-bucket on land, not to pour it out in a lake or on a river bank. This helps prevent the transfer of unwanted diseases and plants from place to place. Where the capture of live bait is permitted in a lake that bait should not be transported overland and used elsewhere unless expressly permitted by a particular state's fishing laws.
North Dakota, for example, passed a law four years ago prohibiting the importation of live bait from out of state without a bait dealer’s license. The threat from nuisance species there includes crawlers, leeches and white suckers to name a few. Even species legal to possess within the state such as fathead minnows can’t be imported from out of state. North Dakota has gone as far as to forbid live bait fishing in 22 lakes in an effort to avoid the introduction of fishery destroying pests like the white sucker. If you want bait in North Dakota, buy it in state and know which lake you’re fishing. If more fishermen are made aware of how to practice good habits with live bait many current problems plaguing our fisheries can be avoided in the future. The responsibility is a collective one and there should be little tolerance for violations of these laws and restrictions
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[font "Poor Richard"][size 3][green]The use of live bait is a favorite tactic of fishermen across the range of fishing styles. During the spring you’ll often see fishermen trolling the surface of northern reservoirs for lake trout with shiners or suckers. Live minnows are universally popular for catching trout of all types and in all situations. Live bait use, however, comes with some dangers to the environment and possible legal pitfalls to Fishermen.
The most important thing an angler can do before employing live bait is to know the law of his or her state. Some states are very restrictive in regards to the movement of live fish species as well as plants and animals. The recurring problem in many fisheries is the introduction of non-native species to lakes or streams that end up damaging or destroying sensitive habitats. For example, Ross Reservoir in Montana had to be poisoned after white suckers appeared in the lake. No doubt these were introduced while being used as a bait fish but ended up destroying a wonderful cutthroat trout fishery for years to come. Some fishermen illegally use goldfish, sunfish, perch and other spiny finned fish for bait. The state of Maine expressly forbids this, yet incidents of these illegal practices continue to be recorded.
Horror stories abound, and every state is battling problems with non-native species and diseases. Lampreys and zebra mussels choke the Great Lakes, whirling disease continues to crop up in the western states and some species, such as the Federally threatened Blue Shiner of Alabama, continue to be harvested out of ignorance of the species. Anglers have a responsibility to know the species they will come in contact with and understand how to protect their environment.
Mishandling of live bait is another problem in many fisheries. Though the use of a certain type of minnow or bait may be legal in a lake or stream fishermen are warned not to release the bait from their bait-bucket when the day is done. In some places this can be seen as illegal stocking, an activity that requires a permit. Also, it is best to always dispose of water from the bait-bucket on land, not to pour it out in a lake or on a river bank. This helps prevent the transfer of unwanted diseases and plants from place to place. Where the capture of live bait is permitted in a lake that bait should not be transported overland and used elsewhere unless expressly permitted by a particular state's fishing laws.
North Dakota, for example, passed a law four years ago prohibiting the importation of live bait from out of state without a bait dealer’s license. The threat from nuisance species there includes crawlers, leeches and white suckers to name a few. Even species legal to possess within the state such as fathead minnows can’t be imported from out of state. North Dakota has gone as far as to forbid live bait fishing in 22 lakes in an effort to avoid the introduction of fishery destroying pests like the white sucker. If you want bait in North Dakota, buy it in state and know which lake you’re fishing. If more fishermen are made aware of how to practice good habits with live bait many current problems plaguing our fisheries can be avoided in the future. The responsibility is a collective one and there should be little tolerance for violations of these laws and restrictions
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