I've heard that using small bluegills as bait for bass or catfish or something is illegal in NJ. I've done it before, but I was never told about this. So is it illegal?

I don't think it is illegal. I have never heard of such a law.

I don't think it is illegal. I have never heard of such a law.

The thing is that theres a list of baitfish, and I think that you are only allowed to use them as bait, not other fish.

Why not call or e-mail your DNR and find out for sure. They're legal bait here in New York but I don't think all states are the same.

It is not legal in New Hampshire, it is listed as follows copied and pasted from the NH book

Possession and Use of Live Fish for Bait: Only the following species shall be possessed and used as live fish for bait when fishing any freshwaters of the state: rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae), blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus), northern redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos), lake chub (Couesius plumbeus), creek chub (Semotilius atromaculatus), fallfish (Semotilius corporalis), golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas), common shiner (Luxilus cornutus), emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), silvery minnow (Hybognathus nuchalis), creek chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus), longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) and killifish/tomcod (Fundulus sp.)

I would assume your state has something similar posted in the book

http://www.scottsbt.com/fishing/fresh/baitfish.htm

Check this site for info on NJ baitfish

I think any baitfish regulations are in place to address invasive species issues, I'm sure anything you pull out of a lake is okay to throw back in as bait.