Last night Italk to the Game warden for Camden county Eirc Smith. He said you cannot use sunfish or gills over 5" long. But he also said that they hardly ever check length of bait just tags. He also said that the 5" length limit has been around for some time. my problem is Ill catch a nice gill thinkihg its 4 to 5" when in fact its 6 to 7". Anyway I thought it was something some people might want to know. Im leaving tomorrow for LOZ for 7 days . I stay around the 28mm on the Osage and have a 18ft Targa. If you see me stop and say hellow,im the big guy in the front.
Here's the rule regarding "other Fish"
3 CSR 10-6.550 Other Fish
PURPOSE: This rule establishes seasons,
methods, and limits for taking all other fish.
(1) Daily Limit: The daily limit for fish,
other than those species listed as endangered
in 3 CSR 10-4.111 or defined as game fish,
is fifty (50) in the aggregate, if taken by pole
and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank
line, jug line, or underwater spearfishing.
The daily limit if taken by gig, atlatl, bow,
crossbow, snaring, snagging, or grabbing is
twenty (20), in the aggregate. Bighead carp,
common carp, goldfish, grass carp, and silver
carp may be taken and possessed in any
number
And further down in this section it states:
(3) Fish taken under this rule may be used as
bait; except that bowfin, or parts thereof
(including eggs), may not be used as bait.
So if you have larger bluegill from a reservoir or stream, you can have 50 over 5 inches and 150 under 5 inches. And if you need that much bait to catch a limit of cats, something is wrong! If you are fishing in a smaller lake for bait, it must be pole and line only, unless it's for shad, and the "other fish" limit is
20. If you catch a bluegill or other sunfish larger than 5" by any means other than pole and line it must be returned to the water unharmed regardless of where you catch it. Hope this is clearer than mud!
Uh,sure..jake,its getting real clear bwhaaaaaa
It doesn't take 200baitfish to catch a limit,but its nice when you get into good size shad to put 5 per baggie and freeze them when you don't have time or can't find them.Saved me a few times from getting skunked.
Absolutely Cook. A man always needs a few bags of shad in the freezer! The gist of the rules are: BLuegill over 5" must be included in the "other fish" limit and must be caught pole and line. Bluegill under 5" may be taken from large reservoirs, streams and ponds by netting, trapping or pole and line and the limit is 150.