Baitfish for muskies

[zach]

can any tell me if this is legal? i hear of indiana musky guides using bluegills and crappies for livebait while they are casting muskies during the warmer months when suckers die too quickly. question is, if you catch a bluegill or crappie on the same water you are musky fishing and don't transport them to another lake can they be used as livebait? if you can't use 'gills or crappies- are there other types you can use?

[NitroMusky]

I had been advised not to soak any sport fish that I caught with my pole, which I think crappie and bluegill are considered...I know perch are. You may be able to use crappie and bluegill minnows if you net them but the regs seem a bit unclear to me.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html

[icelegend09]

can any tell me if this is legal? i hear of indiana musky guides using bluegills and crappies for livebait while they are casting muskies during the warmer months when suckers die too quickly. question is, if you catch a bluegill or crappie on the same water you are musky fishing and don't transport them to another lake can they be used as livebait? if you can't use 'gills or crappies- are there other types you can use?

yes u can use blue gills or any pan fish 4 bait but it must go against your daily limit 4 that fish. i asked this question 2 a gamey last summer.

[NitroMusky]

hmm...that's cool.

any restriction on how they are acquired? net vs pole?

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[zach]

thanks very much "ice legend"! i just finished an article from indiana that talked about during warmer conditions they use billgills alot. it said that it is common for almost every boat to have "a few" hanging off them while the anglers cast. thanks again!

[icelegend09]

hmm...that's cool.

any restriction on how they are acquired? net vs pole?

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

i would imagine u would have to catch them... and a crappie would have to be a legal size which i think is 9 inch and there r no restrictions on the bluegills or perch other than towards your daily limit. did pretty well on waneta last year drifting gills. seems they like the smaller ones.probablly caught 6 drifting last year and haven't tried it this year only trolling.

[old man]

dunno how legal but i often take a can o worms with me,catch a few sunnies or perch,and soak 'em under a bobber while i cast. i get a couple 'skies every year this way. you can catch 'em all this way if you let 'em swallow,but it's bad for the fish. i try to set the hook after 30 seconds or so and take my chances. i boat about every 5th lunge that hits the bait. one in five ain't great,but i never kill any.

[zach]

giving away all your tricks. big or small gills or doesn't it matter?

[old man]

smaller the better. rock bass are good too.

[zach]

i have heard that crappie work also. probably any panfish will do. problem is i never cast long enough to do it. cool to know for those tough days.

[old man]

speaking of bait,if you have a pool you'll be closing it soon. once you get a few inches of rain in the cover you can keep bait in it the rest of the year. if you don't use 'em all most of them will make it to spring.

[zach]

that is what i plan on doing for some suckers. my kids pool.