Use of cast nets near dams

[jsanders]

I have read the guide and it states that you can not use a cast net on the Ohio River with in 200 yards of a dam. Is there any regulation for cast nets around any other dam in Indiana?

[morrison]

Yes. Unfortunately the list is very lengthy. I will post the Indiana Administrative Code below. I apologize for not providing a shorter answer but the information below includes areas closed to fishing, areas where fish can't be possessed, and additional restrictions. I have included everything pertaining to dams. let me know if you have additional questions.


312 IAC 9-6-6 Areas closed to fishing
Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6
Affected: IC 14-22
Sec. 6. An individual must not take or possess fish at any of the following locations:
(1) From April 1 through June 15 from the following:
(A) The confluence of the west branch and east branch of the Little Calumet River where it enters the Portage Burns Waterway (formerly known as Burns Ditch), in Porter County up the east branch to U.S. 20, excluding its tributaries.
(B) Trail Creek in LaPorte County from the Franklin Street Bridge in Michigan City upstream to U.S. 35, excluding its tributaries.
(2) Within one hundred (100) feet above or below the Linde Dame (Prax Air) on the East Branch of the Little Calumet River within Porter County (northeast quarter of section 32, township 37 north, range 6 west).
(3) From the East Race waterway in the city of South Bend in St. Joseph County.
(4) From the St. Joseph River in St. Joseph County:
(A) within one hundred (100) feet of the entrance or exit of the East Race waterway;
(B) from the fish ladders located at the South Bend dam in the city of South Bend or the Downtown Mishawaka dam in the city of Mishawaka;
(C) within one hundred (100) feet of the entrances and exits of those fish ladders located at the South Bend dam or the Downtown Mishawaka dam; and
(D) while fishing from a boat within two hundred (200) feet downstream of the South Bend dam or downstream of the Downtown Mishawaka dam to the Main Street bridge in the city of Mishawaka.
(5) From April 15 to the last Saturday in April from the following:
(A) The Pigeon River (and Pigeon Creek) in LaGrange County from the Steuben County line to County Road 410 East (Troxel's bridge), but excluding the impoundment known as the Mongo Mill Pond.
(B) Harding Run, Curtis Creek, Bloody Run, and Graveyard Run (tributaries of the Pigeon River) in LaGrange County.
(C) Turkey Creek north of County Road 100 South in LaGrange County.
(D) Rainbow Pit located in the Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area approximately one and one-tenth (1.1) miles east of Ontario in LaGrange County.
(E) Little Elkhart River in LaGrange and Elkhart counties.
(F) Rowe-Eden Ditch in LaGrange and Elkhart counties.
(G) Solomon Creek in Elkhart County.
(H) Cobus Creek in Elkhart County.
(I) Little Kankakee River in LaPorte County from County Road 800E upstream to Division Road.
(J) Spy Run within Franke Park in Allen County.
(K) Mississinewa River within the boundaries of the Randolph County Wildlife Management Area.
(L) Big Blue River within the boundaries of Wilbur Wright State Fish and Wildlife Area in Henry County.
(M) Jackson Creek upstream of Yellowwood Lake in Brown County.
(6) On or along Trail Creek in Michigan City in LaPorte County from either of these locations:
(A) Within one hundred (100) feet upstream (generally southeasterly) of the sea lamprey control barrier.
(B) From the sea lamprey control barrier downstream (generally northwesterly) to the Pottawatomie Country Club Golf Course property line, which is located adjacent to Springland Avenue.


312 IAC 9-7-2 Sport fishing methods, except on the Ohio River
Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6
Affected: IC 14-22
(k) An individual must not fish:
(1) the waterways described in subsection (j);
(2) the St. Joseph River and its tributary streams from the Twin Branch dam downstream to the Michigan state line (St. Joseph County); or
(3) the East Fork White River from Williams Dam to the Huron and Williams Road bridge in Lawrence County from March 15 through April 20;
with more than one (1) single hook per line or one (1) artificial lure. Single hooks, including those on artificial lures, shall not exceed one-half (1/2) inch from point to shank. Double and treble hooks on artificial lures shall not exceed three-eighths (3/8) inch from point to shank.
(l) An individual may take smelt from March 1 through May 30 only from Lake Michigan and only by the use of dip nets, seines, or nets as follows:
(1) One (1) dip net not to exceed twelve (12) feet in diameter.
(2) One (1) seine or net:
(A) not to exceed twelve (12) feet long and six (6) feet deep; and
(B) having a stretch mesh larger than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches.
Each seine or net shall have affixed a legible tag with the name and address of the user.
(m) An individual may, by means of a fish spear, gig, spear gun, or underwater spear, take only any sucker, carp, Asian carp,
gar, bowfin, buffalo, or shad and only from the following rivers:
(1) West Fork of the White River from its junction with the East Fork upstream to the dam below the Harding Street generating plant of the Indianapolis Power and Light Company in Marion County.
(2) East Fork of the White River from its junction with the West Fork upstream to the dam at the south edge of the city of Columbus in Bartholomew County.
(3) White River from its junction with the West Fork of the White River and East Fork of the White River to its junction with the Wabash River in Gibson, Knox, and Pike counties.
(4) Wabash River from its junction with the Ohio River upstream to State Road 13 at the south edge of the city of Wabash in Wabash County.
(5) Tippecanoe River upstream from its junction with the Wabash River to one-half (1/2) mile below its junction with Big Creek in Carroll County. An individual must not possess a fish spear or fish gig in, on, or adjacent to the Tippecanoe River from one-half (1/2) mile below its junction with Big Creek in Carroll County upstream to the Oakdale Dam that forms Lake Freeman.
(6) Maumee River from the Ohio state line upstream to the Anthony Boulevard Bridge in the city of Fort Wayne.
(7) Kankakee River from the Illinois state line upstream to State Road 55 bridge south of the city of Shelby in Lake County.
(8) St. Joseph River in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties.
(n) In addition to any other lawful method, an individual may take a sucker, carp, Asian carp, gar, bowfin, buffalo, or shad by:
(1) bowfishing equipment or crossbow from Lake Michigan; or
(2) spear, gig, spear gun, underwater spear, crossbow, or bowfishing equipment from another lake.
(o) An individual may take a sucker, carp, Asian carp, gar, or bowfin with not more than one (1) snare only between sunrise and sunset.
(p) Except as specified at subsection (j), an individual may use bowfishing equipment or a crossbow on rivers and streams

312 IAC 9-7-16 Sport fishing on the Ohio River
Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6
Affected: IC 14-22
Sec. 16. (a) This section governs fishing on the Ohio River, excluding all bays and tributaries.
(b) An individual must not take fish except by any of the following:
(1) Fishing pole or hand line.
(2) Float fishing.
(3) Setlines:
(A) attached to:
(i) a tree limb;
(ii) a tree trunk;
(iii) a bank pole; or
(iv) the bank itself; and
(B) each bearing one (1) single or multibarbed hook.
(4) Not more than two (2) trotlines per individual. Each trotline shall have not more than fifty (50) single or multibarbed baited hooks placed not closer together than eighteen (18) inches. All trotlines must be tended at least once every twenty-four (24) hours.
(c) An individual may take an exempted species of fish as defined in 312 IAC 9-6-10, by the methods prescribed in subsection
(b) or according to the following methods:
(1) Long bow, including compound bow, or crossbow with an arrow having one (1) or more barbs and a line attached. An exempted species of fish without scales shall not be taken with bow and arrow or crossbow during nighttime hours (from one-half (1/2) hour after sunset until one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise).
(2) Gigging from February 1 through May 10 with any pronged or barbed instrument attached to the end of a rigid object.
A person must not take fish by gigging from a boat or platform.
(d) An individual must not take fish under this section by means of a hook dragged or jerked through the water with the intent to snag fish on contact.
(e) An individual must not take fish within two hundred (200) yards below any dam on the Ohio River except by fishing pole or hand line.
(f) An individual must not take minnows from the Ohio River except by:
(1) a minnow trap not to exceed three (3) feet long and eighteen (18) inches in diameter nor having a throat opening greater than one (1) inch in diameter;
(2) a dip net not to exceed three (3) feet in diameter;
(3) a minnow seine not to exceed thirty (30) feet long and six (6) feet deep nor having mesh size larger than one-fourth (1/4) inch bar mesh;
(4) a cast net; or
(5) lawful fishing methods provided in this section.