Is your state's DNR as irritating as Indiana?

nofearengineer · 05-29-09, 09:58 AM

Years ago, while living in Florida, I became pretty good with a cast net. I never wanted for mullet or menhaden to bait my hooks with. Upon learning that my favorite lakee, Patoka, had become infested with Gizzard Shad, and that the DNR had stocked Striped Bass to control them, I bought a cast net to hopefully catch some good live bait. Then I read the following in the 2009 Indiana DNR regulations:

"You may use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch, or possession limits established for that species. Goldfish may be used as live bait. Carp and gizzard shad cannot be used as live bait, except at Brookville Lake, where live shad may be used."

Now, it might be a moot point, because I hear Gizzard Shad are kind of hard to keep alive in a livewell that isn't circular (I guess they bump their noses to death

). Now what sense does it make to prohibit me from netting live shad out of Patoka, then using them as bait in Patoka? I swear we have total idiots running our state.

CMorg · 05-31-09, 05:06 PM

Yes , my states just as messed up as indiana.

MallenManson · 05-31-09, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Years ago, while living in Florida, I became pretty good with a cast net. I never wanted for mullet or menhaden to bait my hooks with. Upon learning that my favorite lakee, Patoka, had become infested with Gizzard Shad, and that the DNR had stocked Striped Bass to control them, I bought a cast net to hopefully catch some good live bait. Then I read the following in the 2009 Indiana DNR regulations:

"You may use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch, or possession limits established for that species. Goldfish may be used as live bait. Carp and gizzard shad cannot be used as live bait, except at Brookville Lake, where live shad may be used."

Now, it might be a moot point, because I hear Gizzard Shad are kind of hard to keep alive in a livewell that isn't circular (I guess they bump their noses to death

). Now what sense does it make to prohibit me from netting live shad out of Patoka, then using them as bait in Patoka? I swear we have total idiots running our state.

I work with PEOPLE like that

bonsaibp · 06-01-09, 08:52 AM

Actually it sounds about typical for any government agency. Its just as bad in CA

Spros NetMan · 06-01-09, 03:00 PM

SC's dnr works when they want to. They don't worry about laws such as people catching over the limit, they worry about you having your whisle or some off the wall law that no one has ever known about.

I remember when Santee got about 10ft low about 2-3yrs ago and people was carrying fish out by the cooler fulls and you never seen DNR anywhere around the landings.

That is a job that people want to have so they can feel important. Most of the time the officers don't want the job to do whats right for the state or the natural resourses, they want the job for the benefits that comes along with it. This position is more like a political position in the great state of SC.

This is just my $.02!!!!

nofearengineer · 06-01-09, 03:17 PM

Well, after posting this thread, Woody and I got stopped by the DNR boys twice at Patoka. Let's just say the second time, there was a problem with my launch sticker ($20 fee to use state ramps, for you guys who live in states that don't have one). While the guy was writing me a written warning (honest mistake, totally not my fault, the officer was actually pretty nice about it), I took the opportunity to ask him about this shad issue.

What he said makes sense, but only to a certain extent. I can catch gizzard shad, then kill them as bait, but not use them as live bait, because the state is afraid you're going to leave them in your livewell and accidentally transfer them to another body of water. Okay...I get this point. There is a glaring problem with logic however.

Let's say I catch some live shad. I put them in my livewell, but don't kill them or use them for live bait. I haven't broken any laws yet. I can even leave them in there when I leave the lake. I could be taking them home to eat, for all he knows. They're not a game fish, so there's no size or catch limit. In essence, I can legally take all of my live bait out of the lake, just not some of them.

Kinda bass-ackwards, if you ask me.

JB · 06-01-09, 03:49 PM

As you progress in your bassfishing career you'll gradually move away from live bait and use artificial only, most of us have gone through the learning curve from live to lures only. That being said, I can appreciate your thinking about trying the shad that bass go after, its just that most seasoned bass anglers accept the challenge of artificial over live bait.
About the ramp pass, its 24 i think at Ind, we get ours for dennys boat at Whitewater state park office, I dont think ohio has a fee like that. But then again IMO Ind. has better lakes for bass.
When we hit brookville bryce, the DNR will look for the sticker and in the early spring let ya get away with no sticker, that all changes in May. Its like the license issue, just another tax for revenue for the state.

nofearengineer · 06-01-09, 04:09 PM

Oh, I bought a sticker as I left the park. The thing that confused me was, on my boat registration, I had to pay a "Lake Entry Fee". Well, if that isn't a launch fee, I don't know what the heck is. I thought I had paid all of the necessary fees. I was told I needed a blue sticker. I have a blue sticker on my boat with the State of Indiana on it. Kinda weird I would figure I was okay, huh?

The problem is the people making 8 bucks an hour at the DMV. They don't know squat, they're the ones who told me I had everything I needed.

About the shad, I was only interested in them for catching some big Striped Bass. That's their forage of choice. It just would have been nice to have the option.

I've been using artificials since I was 11...I totally got the challenge of it back then, and I still use them now. I've never caught a largemouth bass on bait in my life.

JB · 06-01-09, 05:23 PM

oh btw nofear brookville is FULL of stripers

one decal is for the boat, the other you just bought is a launch permit good at any ramp in ind. some lake will charge ya three or four bucks on ind. lakes, but theres many ramps they don't collect at or have services to do so. Hanna creek has one at brookville, and Fairfield has the dnr patroling looking for stickers, sometimes, not 24//7

nofearengineer · 06-01-09, 05:29 PM

Yeah...trust me, the DNR guy explained it real good to me. I'm just glad he didn't write me a ticket. I am a "follow the rules" kind of guy. Problem is...sometimes they don't tell you the rules really clearly. Instead of Driver's Ed. in high school, they should offer "Boater's Ed." As good of a use of our taxpayer dollars if you ask me.

nofearengineer · 06-01-09, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB

oh btw nofear brookville is FULL of stripers

Hehe...it seems every lake is gonna be full of stripers before long, if the DNR keeps having to stock them to control Gizzard Shad brought in by stoopid fisherman like me.

05-29-09, 09:58 AM	#1
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Is your state's DNR as irritating as Indiana? Years ago, while living in Florida, I became pretty good with a cast net. I never wanted for mullet or menhaden to bait my hooks with. Upon learning that my favorite lakee, Patoka, had become infested with Gizzard Shad, and that the DNR had stocked Striped Bass to control them, I bought a cast net to hopefully catch some good live bait. Then I read the following in the 2009 Indiana DNR regulations: "You may use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch, or possession limits established for that species. Goldfish may be used as live bait. Carp and gizzard shad cannot be used as live bait, except at Brookville Lake, where live shad may be used." Now, it might be a moot point, because I hear Gizzard Shad are kind of hard to keep alive in a livewell that isn't circular (I guess they bump their noses to death ). Now what sense does it make to prohibit me from netting live shad out of Patoka, then using them as bait in Patoka? I swear we have total idiots running our state. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

06-01-09, 03:17 PM	#6
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Well, after posting this thread, Woody and I got stopped by the DNR boys twice at Patoka. Let's just say the second time, there was a problem with my launch sticker ($20 fee to use state ramps, for you guys who live in states that don't have one). While the guy was writing me a written warning (honest mistake, totally not my fault, the officer was actually pretty nice about it), I took the opportunity to ask him about this shad issue. What he said makes sense, but only to a certain extent. I can catch gizzard shad, then kill them as bait, but not use them as live bait, because the state is afraid you're going to leave them in your livewell and accidentally transfer them to another body of water. Okay...I get this point. There is a glaring problem with logic however. Let's say I catch some live shad. I put them in my livewell, but don't kill them or use them for live bait. I haven't broken any laws yet. I can even leave them in there when I leave the lake. I could be taking them home to eat, for all he knows. They're not a game fish, so there's no size or catch limit. In essence, I can legally take all of my live bait out of the lake, just not some of them. Kinda bass-ackwards, if you ask me. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after. Last edited by nofearengineer; 06-01-09 at 03:18 PM. Reason: spelling fix

06-01-09, 04:09 PM	#8
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Oh, I bought a sticker as I left the park. The thing that confused me was, on my boat registration, I had to pay a "Lake Entry Fee". Well, if that isn't a launch fee, I don't know what the heck is. I thought I had paid all of the necessary fees. I was told I needed a blue sticker. I have a blue sticker on my boat with the State of Indiana on it. Kinda weird I would figure I was okay, huh? The problem is the people making 8 bucks an hour at the DMV. They don't know squat, they're the ones who told me I had everything I needed. About the shad, I was only interested in them for catching some big Striped Bass. That's their forage of choice. It just would have been nice to have the option. I've been using artificials since I was 11...I totally got the challenge of it back then, and I still use them now. I've never caught a largemouth bass on bait in my life. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

06-01-09, 05:29 PM	#10
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Yeah...trust me, the DNR guy explained it real good to me. I'm just glad he didn't write me a ticket. I am a "follow the rules" kind of guy. Problem is...sometimes they don't tell you the rules really clearly. Instead of Driver's Ed. in high school, they should offer "Boater's Ed." As good of a use of our taxpayer dollars if you ask me. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

05-31-09, 05:06 PM	#2
CMorg BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Southern , IN Posts: 1,832	Yes , my states just as messed up as indiana.

06-01-09, 08:52 AM	#4
bonsaibp BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 98	Actually it sounds about typical for any government agency. Its just as bad in CA

06-01-09, 03:00 PM	#5
Spros NetMan BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Near Sparleberry Swamp, SC Posts: 23	SC's dnr works when they want to. They don't worry about laws such as people catching over the limit, they worry about you having your whisle or some off the wall law that no one has ever known about. I remember when Santee got about 10ft low about 2-3yrs ago and people was carrying fish out by the cooler fulls and you never seen DNR anywhere around the landings. That is a job that people want to have so they can feel important. Most of the time the officers don't want the job to do whats right for the state or the natural resourses, they want the job for the benefits that comes along with it. This position is more like a political position in the great state of SC. This is just my $.02!!!!

06-01-09, 03:49 PM	#7
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	As you progress in your bassfishing career you'll gradually move away from live bait and use artificial only, most of us have gone through the learning curve from live to lures only. That being said, I can appreciate your thinking about trying the shad that bass go after, its just that most seasoned bass anglers accept the challenge of artificial over live bait. About the ramp pass, its 24 i think at Ind, we get ours for dennys boat at Whitewater state park office, I dont think ohio has a fee like that. But then again IMO Ind. has better lakes for bass. When we hit brookville bryce, the DNR will look for the sticker and in the early spring let ya get away with no sticker, that all changes in May. Its like the license issue, just another tax for revenue for the state.

06-01-09, 05:23 PM	#9
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	oh btw nofear brookville is FULL of stripers one decal is for the boat, the other you just bought is a launch permit good at any ramp in ind. some lake will charge ya three or four bucks on ind. lakes, but theres many ramps they don't collect at or have services to do so. Hanna creek has one at brookville, and Fairfield has the dnr patroling looking for stickers, sometimes, not 24//7

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