Northwest Fishing Reports

Here's a dumb question because I am too lazy to triple check the regs on this.

First, is it legal to use live fish as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

Second, is it legal to use live crawdads as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

Thanks for your help.

iPodrodder wrote:First, is it legal to use live fish as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

Unfortunately, no... I think there may be a loophole if the fish/bait in question is deducted from your limit.

iPodrodder wrote:Second, is it legal to use live crawdads as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

From what I've gathered from numerous threads on this site and the reg's, we can.

Ok, thanks for the input. I was thinking of using a baby perch.

If you're shooting for more/larger perch just cut the baby up and use a chuck of its flesh. I heard it from someone else here on WL.com and it really does work.

I was going to fish for bass with it, but I've forgotten what a big perch feels like. I'll have to go with the cut bait for perch.

iPodrodder wrote:Here's a dumb question because I am too lazy to triple check the regs on this.

First, is it legal to use live fish as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

Second, is it legal to use live crawdads as bait if it is caught in the same lake as it is being used in?

Thanks for your help.

Better take the time to triple check the regs. It could save you money.

Crawfish/crawdads are legal, live and from whatever lake you want to get them from if I remember correctly.

Live bait like waterdogs, stonefly numpths, worms, are legal, but live fish are not, never, under no conditions.

It is illegal to use any live fish for bait, including fish caught from the same waters. Otherwise, I would be nose-hooking those hatchery trout under a balloon bobber.

It's okay. The price of bait would be astronomical compared to a can of worms. I was paying $8/doz for hatchery shiners last month, and those were just the mediums. Large wild shiners were $22/doz and they got those somewhat local to where I was fishing.

Dang. Sounds like a no-no. I guess I will have to cut up my perch after all.

You might just try trolling crankbaits in perch print and minnow near weed beds. We have been using this method lately and produced 2 over 14oz, and a total of 6 in a 2 hr session.

E