Bluegill Bait

[yeehaw]

I like to use canned corn for bluegill. Throw a little handfull of corn into the pond, the put some on a hook and cast it out there, they should really bite.

[Sinker]

Never used anything fer 'em cept worms an grasshoppers. We did catch some carp on canned corn when I's a kid. I bet it'd work fer either one.

[Whiskers]

Yea,I always used worms back home fer the bluegill.The corn always worked for catching a few carp and redhorse though.I never tried catching blugills with it.

[yeehaw]

The pond that i used it in was a little farm pond of my nebiors, all it has is bluegill pretty much.

[slabmaster]

i guess it stands to reason that corn would work . like the others i have never tried it . most always use worms. i my get my kid aand give it a try in our local creek

[Whiskers]

Well Wolf what do you think about xxxxx's letter from the MDC saying you can use bluegill over 5" if you caught them by pole and line? I read the rules over and over and I never did see the part where it was supposed to say it was ok to do so. The way I understand the rule in the 2 sections it says it's ok for "other" fish but not bluegill or green sunfish.


(2) Methods and Seasons.
(A) Fish included in this rule may be taken
by pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb
line, bank line, jug line and falconry throughout
the year.
(B) Fish included in this rule may be taken
by snagging, snaring or grabbing from March
15 through May 15 and from September 15
through January 31, except:
1. In the Osage River downstream from
U.S. Highway 54 to its confluence with the
Missouri River and in the impounded waters
of Lake of the Ozarks and Truman Lake, fish
may be taken by these methods only from
March 15 through April 30.
(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.



(4) Length Limits: All bluegill, green sunfish
and bullheads more than five inches (5") in
total length and other fish more than twelve
inches (12") in total length must be returned
to the water immediately after being caught
by the methods prescribed in this rule, except
there are no length limits for bighead carp,
common carp, goldfish, grass carp and silver
carp.


There is the 2 parts that is in conflict but I don't get where it says it's ok

Here is the letter he was supposed to have received (I x'd out his name)

Dear Mr. xxxxxx,

Your question has been forwarded to me for response and I am pleased to do so. You are correct, these two regulations can seem unclear. The length limit for fish taken as live bait as provided in 3CSR10-6.605 was instituted to prevent folks from using nets, etc., to catch large quantities (up to 150) of "other fish" such as bluegill, green sunfish and suckers to be used/sold for consumption.

However, we also recognized larger non-game fish make good bait for trotlines and such. So, to deal with this, we developed a provision in 3CSR10-6.550 that will allow the pole and line angler to catch and keep up to fifty (50) of the larger "other fish" for use as bait or consumption. There is a parenthetical reference in 6.605 that explains this.

So, yes, you may use bluegill, green sunfish and/or bullhead longer than 5" as bait, provided you caught them by pole and line and you take no more than fifty (50) per day.

If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Larry Yamnitz
Protection Field Chief
Missouri Dept. of Conservation
[phone] ext. 3254

[Wolfman]

I was told by Jeff City over two months ago bluegill had to be 5 inchs or less to be used for bait period.
It's what ive been told by a couple of agent friends as well.
Also the way i read the rules it states they have to be under 5 inchs.

Yamnits states if their caught by pole and line under the 'other fish' method you can use bluegill of any length for bait.
BUT, it specificly lists pole and line as a method for catching BAIT in the Bait ruleing and states they HAVE to be 5 inchs or less.
No WHERE does it state bluegill caught by the other fish method can be any length.
I was told the BAIT rule trumped the other fish rule when it came to useing bluegill as bait because they were being used as BAIT!

After seeing the e-mail fram yamnits to XXXXX i sent him an email pointing this out and informing him id been told differently by Jeff City and agents just recently. I got a double talk e-mail in return that basicly said the same thing he sent XXXXXX. He did NOT explain where it said it was ok to use bluegill bigger then 5 inchs. Just pointed out the 'other fish' note on the bottom of page 77? No where did he show me or tell me where i could find that bluegill were legal over 5 inchs if caught by pole and line under the other fish rule.

I pointed out the other fish rule stated fish taken under that rule 'may' be used for bait. But the BAIT rule specificly listed bluegill, green sunfish and bullheads caught by pole and line, seine ect for bait had to be 5 inchs or less.

In all honesty i don't think the guy knows the d@mn rules himself and is makeing a decison on his own judement.
You go catch a 7 inch bluegill on a rod n reel and put it on a limb line and an agent checks it i think your going to get a ticket.
Then when you explain to the judge you were fishing under the 'other fish' rule and NOT the BAIT rule so you were legal your going to get laughed out of court AFTER you pay the fine!
Even if you were fishing under the other fish rule to use carp, perch ect for bait with a pole and line you would think you would have to keep em under 5 inchs because of the bait rule.

The ONLY thing putting bluegill ect into the other fish rule is their NOT considered a game fish specificly. But their not really considered a trash fish like carp, buffalo, gar ect.
And they ARE specificly listed under the bait rule.

Myself im going to do some more digging as i think Yamnits explanation explains and confirms nothing. I don't even know who the goober is, have'nt heard of him before now. I know he's not who i talked to. Wish i had'nt deleted a bunch of old e-mails now.
Myself if the bluegill is 5 inchs or less ill use him for bait no matter how i catch him. Over 5 inchs he's going on the stringer to eat or get turned loose!
I got tired of argueing with the dimwits 'over there', let em get a ticket.

[Whiskers]

Yea, I think I would rather wait untill they change the book and say it's OK.I don't know this guy either,but I don't think his opinion will trump the regulation book.I looked back through some Emails I have received from MDC on a few questions they have answered for me and I couldn't find his name on any of them before now.It would be nice if it's true but they need to change the book if it's so.

[Wolfman]

I can't find a thing where ti would even give a person the idea it was legal to use perch over 5 inchs.
I mean the 'other fish' rule states you may use fish caught under that method as bait.
BUT, the bait rule states 5 inch maximum for perch and 12 inchs in length for other fish. So under the OF rule you could use a 15 inch sucker or carp for bait for flatheads or a 9 inch perch.
But under the bait ruleing the perch batter be under 5 and the carp/sucker under 12 inchs.
Pole and line methods are mentiond under each rule.
So which rule do you think an agent is going to go by when he finds some guy baiting a limb line with 15 inch carp or a 9 inch perch. Is he going to go by the OF rule or the BAIT rule? being as the fish is being used as bait id say it's a safe bet he would go by the BAIT rule so the guy useing the oversized bait is screwed!

Like i said when i got some time im going to do some asking about who yamnits is and get the straight on the rules. Untill then ill stay under 5 on perch and 12 on carp ect. Yamints wont e paying the ticket.