Cast nets / netting for bait?

Wild and Free · Mar 23, 2018

In Florida I see everyone using cast nets to net their own bait from boats from shore or piers and docks in both fresh and salt water. Is cast netting for bait legal here in North Dakota?

ND6 · Mar 23, 2018

Cast nets are illegal in ND.

"Licensed anglers may trap their bait but may not use more than one minnow trap and/or one dip net for taking smelt or legal live aquatic bait. The trap may not exceed 12 inches in diameter and 30 inches in length, with a throat opening not to exceed 1-1/4 inches. Dip nets may not exceed 24 inches in diameter or 36 inches in depth. All other nets (e.g. cast) are ILLEGAL. All individuals selling live aquatic bait must possess a bait vendors license."

Fishmission · Mar 23, 2018

Game&fish hand book

… but may not use more than one minnow trap and/or one dip net for taking smelt or legal live aquatic bait. The trap … in diameter or 36 inches in depth. All other nets (e.g. cast) are ILLEGAL. All individuals selling live aquatic bait … own unused paddlefish tag. Each paddlefish snagger must cast for, hook and reel in (retrieve) his/her own

Wallike · Mar 23, 2018

Well that answers that! Thanks ND6 as I've often wondered the same for Oahe. I've always thought it would be fun to stand on the bow and throw a net to catch some of the bait fish skittering across the surface.

Thanks for asking W&F.

Wild and Free · Mar 23, 2018

Does the handbook define "Legal live aquatic bait"?

MSA · Mar 23, 2018

Cast netting in florida is probly one of my favorite things to do. You never know what yourd gonna catch.

Rowdie · Mar 23, 2018

Seine nets are legal in SD, I'm not sure about throw nets. I've seined a few creeks for creek chubs and there are some crazy different kids of life in those creeks.

sl1000794 · Mar 23, 2018

Wild and Free said:
Does the handbook define "Legal live aquatic bait"?

https://gf.nd.gov/fishing/regulations-guide#bregs

[h=3]Bait Definitions and Regulations[/h]Legal live baitfish are fathead minnows, creek chubs and sticklebacks. White sucker are also legal live baitfish, but only for use in the Red and Bois de Sioux rivers.
Other legal live bait includes leeches, native frog, salamander and crayfish species.
Legal baitfish and other legal aquatic bait noted above, and nongame fish, which have been preserved by freezing, salting or otherwise treated to inactivate sexual products, are legal bait. This includes sections, pieces, heads and/or entrails.
The use of game fish and parts thereof are illegal, except yellow perch eyes, and trout and salmon eggs.
All terrestrial bait (live or dead) such as nightcrawlers and waxworms are legal.
Products manufactured as edible fishing bait and other inert biodegradable substances are legal bait.

Wild and Free · Mar 23, 2018

Well so much for that fun idea, way to go crushing my dreams NDGF.

Retired Educator · Mar 23, 2018

I wonder the reason for it being illegal in ND? You would think you would catch very few if any gamefish.

Saw a guy using a throw net in the SE once and thought that it looked pretty neat and easy. Grabbed a buddies net to fill our bait bucket. Not impossible but no where near as easy as it looks. It takes some practice to be efficient with a throw net.

MSA · Mar 23, 2018

I actually get game fish in cast nets alot in florida. In the surf i get pompano, whiting, and redfish. On the intercoastal side ive gotten lots of redfish, sea trout, and flounder. I could see getting walleyes n such pretty easy with a cast net.

guywhofishes · Mar 24, 2018

Game and Fish should legalize. It’s not like it’s an “under the radar” poaching method. You can see someone doing it from a mile away.

Wild and Free · Mar 24, 2018

Would be a fun way to catch carp that way though.

Retired Educator · Mar 24, 2018

Perhaps you could catch gamefish in a casting net. But, since they are immediately brought to the boat or shore, gamefish would be easy to release. Since such nets are designed to catch small baitfish it's not like most fish are going to get caught by the gills or some other manner which would increase mortality.

Pretty sure changing the law wouldn't affect me much as I fish mostly with minnows in the winter and either leeches or worms in the summer. That and I would have to get way better at throwing the net than the last time I tried. Takes a long time to catch enough bait when the circle I was throwing was yielding about 1 or 2 baits/throw.

guywhofishes · Mar 24, 2018

I think I’ll buy one and just use it anyway - pay the fine on off chance I get ticketed. Will post my adventures on youtube. Come out ahead in the end.

#guywhogetsfined

MSA · Mar 24, 2018

guywhofishes said:
I think I’ll buy one and just use it anyway - pay the fine on off chance I get ticketed. Will post my adventures on youtube. Come out ahead in the end.

#guywhogetsfined

I use mine all the time. Not for collecting bait or fishing...but they sure are fun to use on random sloughs n creeks to see all the cool critters that live in them. No tickets yet, but if i get one itd be worth it....whatd my folks always say? "dont do the crime, if you cant do the time"

WormWiggler · Mar 24, 2018

I wonder what the reasoning behind the illegal status ?

Jdubya · Mar 24, 2018

WormWiggler said:
I wonder what the reasoning behind the illegal status ?

Because some douchebag will think “Cast nets are legal, I’m gonna throw in a gill net, if I get caught, so what? It’s just a slap on the wrist...”

Brian Renville · Mar 24, 2018

If looking for bait, It would almost be too much of a hassle just to make sure you only have legal bait. In MT they are pretty chill about it, on the downside I fish mostly in ND so I’ve got to travel quite a bit farther to get “clean” minnows. Buy minnows over here and 5 species minimum in the bucket is pretty normal.

JUSTWINGNIT · Mar 24, 2018

"dont do the crime, if you cant do the time" or I have always heard....."it's only illegal if you get caught"...it's all good in my eyes...etc... I see no problem with it as long as it stays for baitfish. I have done it in minnetucky for years. not sure it was legal but just returning the favor.

Cast nets / netting for bait?

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