Bait for leech trap.

What is your favorite bait for your leech traps?

Thanks,
Boogs

Raw liver

Crappie or Sunfish Carcass

Has anyone tried thawing some expired fillets and using that?

…or some raw hamburger?

I have always used liver. I would use sunfish carcass as Calvin mentioned, but I didn’t think we could use any part of a game fish…..just saying

oooh Good point!

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Crappie or Sunfish Carcass

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does leeching not apply to the “using whole or parts of a game fish for bait is unlawful”???

I have an email into the DNR about this. Remember I don’t trap, I have seen trappers in the past use carcass, but that was years ago, it worked good. But I don’t trap never have, most likely never will. I just seen these carcass used in the early 90’s, back in high school.

Let us know what you find out Calvin. I could not get a solid answer from the 2011 book.

I just did a little online searching and it looks like a lot of people use fish heads as bait (type of fish not specified). It would be interesting to see if they have been unknowingly breaking the rules.

there is also “depositing fish entrails or fish parts into public water or onto lake or stream shores is prohibited”…
as long as I can buy a pound of jumbos by opener it doesnt really matter to me just more curious then anything.

Good catch kroger3. Wonder if that is what the DNR will use as their ruling…?….

yeah not sure what they would do… those are fishing regs so is leeching considered fishing?

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there is also “depositing fish entrails or fish parts into public water or onto lake or stream shores is prohibited”…
as long as I can buy a pound of jumbos by opener it doesnt really matter to me just more curious then anything.

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If that was the ruling then wouldn’t it be illegal to fish cutbait?

The Verdict is in……

Hi Calvin,

There are restrictions on fish carcasses. Some species of fish can be used, while others can’t. Species that can’t be used are: gamefish, goldfish, and carp. Game fish are defined as:

Minnesota Statute 97A.015 DEFINITIONS.
Subd. 25. Game fish.
“Game fish” means walleye, sauger, yellow perch, channel catfish, flathead catfish; members of the pike family, Esocidae, including muskellunge and northern pike; members of the sunfish family, Centrarchidae, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, white crappie, black crappie, members of the temperate bass family, Percichthyidae, including white bass and yellow bass; members of the salmon and trout subfamily, Salmoninae, including Atlantic salmon, chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, kokanee salmon, lake trout, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow (steelhead) trout, and splake; members of the paddlefish family, Polyodontidae; members of the sturgeon family, Acipenseridae, including lake sturgeon, and shovelnose sturgeon. “Game fish” includes hybrids of game fish.

Other than that, you should be ok. Hope that helps.

Paula Phelps
Acting Aquaculture/Fish Health Consultant
651-259-5213

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The Verdict is in……

Hi Calvin,

There are restrictions on fish carcasses. Some species of fish can be used, while others can’t. Species that can’t be used are: gamefish, goldfish, and carp. Game fish are defined as:

Minnesota Statute 97A.015 DEFINITIONS.
Subd. 25. Game fish.
“Game fish” means walleye, sauger, yellow perch, channel catfish, flathead catfish; members of the pike family, Esocidae, including muskellunge and northern pike; members of the sunfish family, Centrarchidae, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, white crappie, black crappie, members of the temperate bass family, Percichthyidae, including white bass and yellow bass; members of the salmon and trout subfamily, Salmoninae, including Atlantic salmon, chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, kokanee salmon, lake trout, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow (steelhead) trout, and splake; members of the paddlefish family, Polyodontidae; members of the sturgeon family, Acipenseridae, including lake sturgeon, and shovelnose sturgeon. “Game fish” includes hybrids of game fish.

Other than that, you should be ok. Hope that helps.

Paula Phelps
Acting Aquaculture/Fish Health Consultant
651-259-5213

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Thanks Calvin
-Boogs