Thread: Bluegills for bait

I live down here in SW Louisiana and I have been using live bluegills and sunfish my entire life for catching catfish on limb-lines and trot-lines and i was notified by a buddy of mine that it is illegal to use these fish for bait. Whether it is illegal or not i plan to keep on using them for bait but i was wondering if any of you fellas might know if this is true or not.

Thanks

I would check your state regulation book.
Here in Illinois it is legal to use bluegill for bait but they MUST be caught from the same water you are using them in.
It comes in handy that the bream can't tell where they came from.:D:D:D
Most folks here get them from a local canal, then take them for a ride on the river. Illinoisgiller

I to have been useing them all my life and here in Ks. and Ar. you are allowed to use them as long as they have been caught as said earlier from the same water AND they must be legaly hooked, no snagging or netting.
The only thing I can think of that works better are small 10 or 12 inch Bull head catfish if you are tageting Mud Cats, if you really want to get into the Bull Cat action try useing a big long strip of cut carp fillet.
Good luck to you from Ks. hope you can find a beautiful day to spend fishing?!!
Rusty

Hey I live in OK. we have some big cats here but have never fished for the big one until now been having fun with it what is the best bait for flatheads and blues I have tried the perch but they just die on my line help me out.

Originally Posted by J.Clayton

Hey I live in OK. we have some big cats here but have never fished for the big one until now been having fun with it what is the best bait for flatheads and blues I have tried the perch but they just die on my line help me out.

really any type of live bait for flatheads i prefer bluegill/sunfish
just rig them on so that you have your main line to a good swivel
i use power swivels but before i tie on i use a slip style sinker like a
no roll or barrel sinker and a bead to help protect the sinker
sliding down against the knot tied to the swivel then usually a 12 to 16 inch leader just heavy mono line from the swivel to a 9 or 10/0 kahl hook i hook most all my live bait a few inches up from the tail so that it swims as natural as possible with the leaded set the bait clickers/runners and wait

any other questions ask away

Most states have bream listed as game fish, this being said, If your state has a daily creel limit for game fish you must count the amount you have CAUGHT BY HOOK AND LINE in your daliy limit...For example If the state says you can keep 50 game fish per day and you have caught 25 fish and you still have 25 bream in the bait tank,,and the right game warden wants to he could say your day is done as far as harvesting.....There again if you take a bream out of the tank and rigged it up would they let you trade it for the next bass or catfish that bites?????Only known by someone who has had this run in....Rules and reg publications are not really clear for all to understand

Guess REELFUNGUY wants to get his point across. Catch them and hook them right under their dorsal. I put mine on jugs and trotlines.

Originally Posted by eagleheaded

I live down here in SW Louisiana and I have been using live bluegills and sunfish my entire life for catching catfish on limb-lines and trot-lines and i was notified by a buddy of mine that it is illegal to use these fish for bait. Whether it is illegal or not i plan to keep on using them for bait but i was wondering if any of you fellas might know if this is true or not.

Thanks

You condone poaching and/or committing a game violation even if you know it is illegal? Wow, don't know what to say blatant violators...maybe a local game warden will see this post. Good luck using illegal bait!

It is legal to use bream in VA but I would recommend contacting the game comission in your state to find out for sure.

Originally Posted by J.Clayton

Hey I live in OK. we have some big cats here but have never fished for the big one until now been having fun with it what is the best bait for flatheads and blues I have tried the perch but they just die on my line help me out.

For big flatheads it is always best to use live bait especially when the water gets really warm. For the big blues I like to use cut bait, some kind of shad... it might be a sin to say this here but cut crappie works really well also!!! Hope this helps.
Blake

As said lots of times the wording isn,t real clear before anyone gets bent out of shape it may be legal in la. In Alabama you can have the creel limint to be used to the catchers desire not to exceed 50 in 1 day. i,ve used brim & whole crappie heads on weiss some of the best fishing is by the cleaning stations where they discard the heads.