Illegal Stocking from a Minnow Bucket!

[Mike Sutton]

I had something happen to me yesterday that I wanted to pass along. I fished at Bruce Lake near Winamac, Indiana. As I was leaving the lake, a DNR officer came up in his boat and asked me about my catch. We had a good visit and he helped me understand the lake better. Well when I was done talking, I pulled my boat out and was putting things away for the drive. I remembered that I had some minnows left in my bucket and decided to dump them back in to the lake. I walked down to the lake with the bucket. By this time, there was another DNR guy there, a biologist. I just walked up between them and dumped my minnow bucket in the lake. Wrong move! One of them told me that I could be ticketed for illegal stocking and I shouldn't have dumped the bucket because of things it might have in it. I'd never heard that before. I thought I was doing something good by feeding the fish!! He was nice and didn't ticket me but I learned a lesson. Hope this saves someone from getting a ticket.

Here's a pic I took on the lake of a Blue Heron, nice lake. Just don't dump your minnow buckets!!!!!

[GABoy]

Yup, I have heard the same exact thing before. In fact, that is what caused the downfall and overpopulation of certain types of fish in some lakes. I do not remember the specifics, but I remember reading in someone's post that because of introduction of the wrong type of species into a lake, by illegal dumping/stocking they haven't gotten the fish population back right again since.

[David Von Drasek]

I'm sure thats why you can use no live minnows in Oregon.

[TAE73]

In Missouri it isnt illegal to dump them in the lake, but they are asking for people not to. They are worried about exotic baits being introduced into the water. Minnows they want them dumped on the ground and crawfish into a trashcan sealed in a bag.

[DENNIS BOWERS]

Heard the same thing here-same reasons!! Its a good idea though-sure wouldnt want to tangle with those flying carp! LOL,that would be a nightmare1!! Good Fishin To Ya!! Dennis

[jfraley]

I don't know how true it is but a guy once told me that blueback herring were introduced that way by striper fisherman in Lake Lanier and they were taking a toll on all the baby large mouth bass and hurting the population.

[Kenny]

In Illinois it is illegal to put any fish into a lake that didn't come from that lake. This includes bass, crappie, minnows or any other type of fish. This law is intended to prevent invasive species like zebra mussels or asian carp from accidentally being spead from lake to lake. You are supposed to dump your extra minnows out onto the ground where they cannot flop into the water.

[turkeyfootnc]

Somebody needs to get some target practice on that Blue Heron. Uglier than sin! Useless as a phone call while in bed.

[jfraley]

Somebody needs to get some target practice on that Blue Heron. Uglier than sin! Useless as a phone call while in bed.

As my grandmother would say uglier than home made sin.

[CrappieLips]

Hey Guy's that's not nice. That herons somebody's mother to you know LOL.