Guest kosta Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Why is bluegill as bait illegal in California considering the fact there is no limit on how many I can keep. I was panfishing the other day and keeping some of the bluegill i gut hooked for fertilizer and some guy warned me that it was illegal to keep for bait.. I catch plenty of big bass on artificial as is but it'd be nice to be able to use live bait as a last resort especially when going to a new lake that's many hours away.. edit: I'm going to the delta in a couple of weeks and I know it's legal to use there but not in 99% of other places Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User NorcalBassin Posted September 30, 2017 Super User Share Posted September 30, 2017 Game/finned fish are highly regulated in CA and the Delta/Colorado River areas are pretty much the only areas it is legal. I've also "heard" they need to be caught in that system and never transported over land in order to be legally used there, so you really need to be careful if you're planning on using any. From what I've read it looks like it is illegal to use bluegill/sunfish in any CA lakes. Might be a good idea to carry a copy of the current regs if you're deadset on using them in the Delta just in case you come across a game warden that is not up on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASS302 Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 @kosta, Bag limit for sunfish is 25. And yes, as @NorcalBassin stated, where they are legal to use, they must be used only in the water where taken. If you have questions about CA sport fishing regulations, you should contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. You don't want to ruin your fishing trip by getting fined for a regulation violation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kosta Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 2 hours ago, BASS302 said: @kosta, Bag limit for sunfish is 25. And yes, as @NorcalBassin stated, where they are legal to use, they must be used only in the water where taken. If you have questions about CA sport fishing regulations, you should contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. You don't want to ruin your fishing trip by getting fined for a regulation violation. Actually the local lake I fish has no limit on sunfish and carp which makes me question why live bait is so taboo, d**n lake is infested with bluegill. Considering I can catch 100+ bluegill in a day and keep them (which I dont) yet using a few as live bait is illegal makes no sense to me. Honestly the laws sound like they were made by someone who works for basspro or a lure manufacturer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Scott F Posted October 1, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 1, 2017 If they allowed you to use bluegill as bait, people would catch the gills in one lake, and fish with them in another lake. Introducing those gills can also introduce disease, or parasites into lakes where they can spread and infect a whole new population. It’s easier to enforce if they just say no gills for bait. That, plus the DNR just wants to make life difficult for you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Oregon Native Posted October 1, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 1, 2017 Their house.....their rules!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cak920 Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 On 9/30/2017 at 12:29 PM, NorcalBassin said: Game/finned fish are highly regulated in CA and the Delta/Colorado River areas are pretty much the only areas it is legal. I've also "heard" they need to be caught in that system and never transported over land in order to be legally used there, so you really need to be careful if you're planning on using any. From what I've read it looks like it is illegal to use bluegill/sunfish in any CA lakes. Might be a good idea to carry a copy of the current regs if you're deadset on using them in the Delta just in case you come across a game warden that is not up on them. It's legal here in Wisconsin but you have to use them in the body of water you catch them. They have to be legal size and they count towards your limit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kosta Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 11 hours ago, Oregon Native said: Their house.....their rules!! Well it's not their house they are gov't employees paid off my tax dollars and rules really don't matter if they can't even enforce it, I still see tons of catfishermen using sunfish as bait. I never even used sunfish as bait but was curious and wanted an explanation that's it. Besides if there is a law that doesn't make sense don't you think it should be changed or are you just blindly obedient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Gundog Posted October 1, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 1, 2017 Every state now is fearful of invasive species, even if its a species found in other lakes in that state. Moving a gill from a lake that is abundant with them to a lake that may never have had them is a big concern. Especially in such a large and diverse state as California where you can go from a mountainous region to an arid desert and still be in the same state. A species such as a sunfish may be put into an area where it never was before and prey upon native species. I believe Colorado is having this problem with pike currently. The law is basically to prevent this from happening or at the least, to mitigate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kosta Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 11 minutes ago, Gundog said: Every state now is fearful of invasive species, even if its a species found in other lakes in that state. Moving a gill from a lake that is abundant with them to a lake that may never have had them is a big concern. Especially in such a large and diverse state as California where you can go from a mountainous region to an arid desert and still be in the same state. A species such as a sunfish may be put into an area where it never was before and prey upon native species. I believe Colorado is having this problem with pike currently. The law is basically to prevent this from happening or at the least, to mitigate it. Yeah that makes alot of sense, I do follow the laws but I wanted an explanation not follow the law just because... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Gundog Posted October 1, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 1, 2017 Just now, kosta said: Yeah that makes alot of sense, I do follow the laws but I wanted an explanation not follow the law just because... Its understandable to want an explanation and to not just blindly follow. Its an admirable trait and one seen less and less these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASS302 Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 3 hours ago, kosta said: I do follow the laws but I wanted an explanation not follow the law just because... @kosta, I don't think anyone on this site had input into the CA Fish regulations, so we won't be able to answer your question. Please contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and ask them that question. If they don't give you a good answer, start a petition to change the law. The laws change every year - look at this year's regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spokey9 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I can't say for sure about why Cali does it, but WA has the same regs. Here it basically comes down to the fact bluegill are classified as game fish. Trout were classified gamefish here a good time before panfish were and there's a law on the books to prevent trout being used as bait. The law basically states that no gamefish can't be used as bait and even though panfish don't have daily limits (or much fishing pressure here creating a lot of stunted populations) the gamefish classification prohibits them for use as bait. I'd guess if you looked deep enough into Cali's fish statutes, there'd be a similar situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kosta Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 1 minute ago, spokey9 said: I can't say for sure about why Cali does it, but WA has the same regs. Here it basically comes down to the fact bluegill are classified as game fish. Trout were classified gamefish here a good time before panfish were and there's a law on the books to prevent trout being used as bait. The law basically states that no gamefish can't be used as bait and even though panfish don't have daily limits (or much fishing pressure here creating a lot of stunted populations) the gamefish classification prohibits them for use as bait. I'd guess if you looked deep enough into Cali's fish statutes, there'd be a similar situation. Well the other members pointed out that transporting bluegill could result in a transfer of disease or parasites so they ban it outright. You're right about the stunted population though, tons of bluegill but freaking tiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Oregon Native Posted October 2, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 2, 2017 14 hours ago, kosta said: Well it's not their house they are gov't employees paid off my tax dollars and rules really don't matter if they can't even enforce it, I still see tons of catfishermen using sunfish as bait. I never even used sunfish as bait but was curious and wanted an explanation that's it. Besides if there is a law that doesn't make sense don't you think it should be changed or are you just blindly obedient? Oh my goodness...sensitive.....and I suppose you may be one to go 80 down the road in a 55 zone too ....because !!!. At one time all laws were put into effect for a reason..all people don't look at things the same (thankfully)....should these laws need to be changed as time passes possibly...there is some great input here from others.(again thankfully) Moving on!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J._Bricker Posted October 2, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 2, 2017 Kosta, striper fishermen use live bluegill for bait in the Delta all the time as they are known as a big fish bait. This time of year, some of stripper fishermen usually start off catching bluegill on flats using red worms. Then they'll move off into the deep channels and drift fish the bluegills for the big stripers. I've even found wire fish baskets full of bluegills tied off to the tules while bass fishing, which I assumed was either stashed striper bait or a fish fry in the making. Good luck on your trip to the Delta, JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User fishballer06 Posted October 2, 2017 Super User Share Posted October 2, 2017 I mean, can't this be said about a lot of rules/laws in California??? 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB 77 Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 On 10/2/2017 at 12:17 PM, fishballer06 said: I mean, can't this be said about a lot of rules/laws in California??? Right? haha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J._Bricker Posted November 13, 2017 Super User Share Posted November 13, 2017 On 10/2/2017 at 12:17 PM, fishballer06 said: I mean, can't this be said about a lot of rules/laws in California??? All you've got to do is google “Obscure laws in (enter name of state)” to find out that no state is immune to what now might be considered questionable reasoning for the law that was enacted. Kind of fun and good for a laugh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User iceintheveins Posted February 15, 2018 Super User Share Posted February 15, 2018 Mostly because California is insane, lol. But lots of states are, especially western ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User iceintheveins Posted February 15, 2018 Super User Share Posted February 15, 2018 On 10/1/2017 at 2:11 PM, kosta said: On 10/1/2017 at 2:08 PM, Gundog said: Every state now is fearful of invasive species, even if its a species found in other lakes in that state. Moving a gill from a lake that is abundant with them to a lake that may never have had them is a big concern. Especially in such a large and diverse state as California where you can go from a mountainous region to an arid desert and still be in the same state. A species such as a sunfish may be put into an area where it never was before and prey upon native species. I believe Colorado is having this problem with pike currently. The law is basically to prevent this from happening or at the least, to mitigate it. Colorado DOES NOT have a pike problem. They are one of the most popular sport fish in Colorado. It's just the fish and game who doesn't like them. Anglers WANT AND DEMAND THEM! They are NOT an invasive species and don't harm other populations of sport fish or native fish. Colorado btw has basically no native game fish. The pike spread from lake to lake because people demand them and the CPW won't listen. And in NO circumstance in this state have pike harmed anything. Biologists aren't always honest and don't always have integrity. It mostly boils down they are obsessed with control and being ecological purists. Pike are not the big bad wolves that western fishery managers make them out to be. They have IMPROVED many of our lakes by weeding out stunted panfish and tiny bass, so now most of our pike lakes have big panfish, big pike, and bigger bass. Our best overall fisheries have healthy pike populations and have for decades in most cases. Same thing in Oregon and Washington with Smallmouth and Walleye that the crooks in the state agencies call "invasive". They are CHERISHED gamefish that harm nothing. The real reason for salmon and other native fish declines are dams, diversions, and other habitat alterations. NOT introduced sportfish. The real invasive species is the ecological purist biologist with the agenda who lies his butt off and doesn't use real science. I hate this "get rid of anything that isn't native" mentality. It rarely is solid, scientifically accurate management. Water users have teemed up with environmentalists to deflect the blame from dams and habitat alteration to use non native fish as a scapegoat. That is what's going on. Not trying to be rude or mean, just wanted to clarify the truth as to what's going on by a Colorado native, one who's working on a fishery science degree, and one of many who doesn't believe the lies about pike and introduced sportfish. We'd have no bass and no sportfish period in many areas without introductions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User iceintheveins Posted February 15, 2018 Super User Share Posted February 15, 2018 This same crowd wants to reduce bass populations in California. It started right here in Colorado, then moved to the rest of the west. Western fishery management is not to be trusted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User fishnkamp Posted February 15, 2018 Super User Share Posted February 15, 2018 Everything is illegal in Cali except for giving your entire income to them, they know best! Get used to it OR get out! Many others are. 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Day Fishing Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Here in Idaho you cannot use any live bait what so ever........ =( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User iceintheveins Posted February 17, 2018 Super User Share Posted February 17, 2018 Western Colorado you cannot use live minnows either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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