Post by dburkhead on May 29, 2009 17:38:11 GMT -5
The Indiana Fishing Guide says that various devices, including cast nets, may be used to catch minnows for use as bait. So, here's the question: what is a "minnow" for that purposes.
Technically and scientifically, a minnow is a term for certain species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. However that doesn't include things like gizzard shad which are often caught to use as (presumably cut, since live are illegal in most places) bait. Another more "general" definition is "a general term for tiny freshwater fish, especially those used as fishing bait" which would include any small fish that are not sport fish (forbidden from being caught using cast nets) or an endangered species (forbidden from being caught by any means).
So what does "minnow" mean with respect to what I can legally catch and use as bait using nets or traps? For example, if I find a small pumpkinseed (2 inches or so) in the cast net, do I have to immediately throw it back or can I keep it to use as bait? It's not listed anywhere in the fishing guide which suggests that it's not a "sport fish." It doesn't appear to be endangered. For legal purposes does it count as a "minnow"?
UPDATE:
I found in the Indiana Code the following:
IC 14-8-2-167
"Minnow"
Sec. 167. "Minnow", for purposes of IC 14-22, includes the following:
(1) All of the fish of the minnow family (cyprinidae).
(2) The young of all species of fish that are not protected by law.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.1.
So the question then becomes what constitutes "protected by law"? Endangered would certainly count, I presume, as would having a size and/or bag limit. But what about listed in the "size and bag limits" section in the Fishing Regulations guide with "none" and "none"?
Technically and scientifically, a minnow is a term for certain species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. However that doesn't include things like gizzard shad which are often caught to use as (presumably cut, since live are illegal in most places) bait. Another more "general" definition is "a general term for tiny freshwater fish, especially those used as fishing bait" which would include any small fish that are not sport fish (forbidden from being caught using cast nets) or an endangered species (forbidden from being caught by any means).
So what does "minnow" mean with respect to what I can legally catch and use as bait using nets or traps? For example, if I find a small pumpkinseed (2 inches or so) in the cast net, do I have to immediately throw it back or can I keep it to use as bait? It's not listed anywhere in the fishing guide which suggests that it's not a "sport fish." It doesn't appear to be endangered. For legal purposes does it count as a "minnow"?
UPDATE:
I found in the Indiana Code the following:
IC 14-8-2-167
"Minnow"
Sec. 167. "Minnow", for purposes of IC 14-22, includes the following:
(1) All of the fish of the minnow family (cyprinidae).
(2) The young of all species of fish that are not protected by law.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.1.
So the question then becomes what constitutes "protected by law"? Endangered would certainly count, I presume, as would having a size and/or bag limit. But what about listed in the "size and bag limits" section in the Fishing Regulations guide with "none" and "none"?