Live bait use in Idaho?

[Chasing fish through ice]

Where i grew up live bait was a big part of tip-up fishing?  I moved to Idaho a few years ago and found out no live bait is allowed.  Lets hear what everyone has to say. Ready go!!

[FG Steve]

There is one exception, "...live crayfish may be used if caught on the body of water being fished."

I support the law, as live bait can lead to possibly undesired species propagation.

Welcome to Idaho I hope you enjoy it here.

[Chasing fish through ice]

Thank you for your response, I posted this to see what others thought about this policy. I understand why they are doing this.  I am loving it. Hoping for good ice this winter.

[RayneBidziil22]

I would like it if they would do the same thing as the crawdads only with perch

[Doofus22]

IDFG does a lot that I don't agree with. I lived in a few other states that allow live bait, and the fishing was almost always awesome. I do understand why they do it but I would still like to be able to use live bait. The problem that I see is that we would need more predatory fish in the systems like Walleye, Pike, Crappie, Bass, Catfish and Bluegill. And also strict laws on the use and release of bait fish. It would also bring a few more jobs, and money in to the state.

[bowhunter68]

You can get great results w/o live bait i grew up in Vermont and fished live bait the whole time i fished there  25+ yrs. Same rules in Montana as Idaho and dead sticking or tip up fishing with powerbait or or your choice of artificial bait works great.

[Idahogator]

The boss isn't always right but, he's always the boss.

Same goes for those making regulations.

I may disagree but, I follow what they say and so far have not become a target for citations.   




( Chasing fish through ice, I await a reply to that PM. )

[panfishman13]

i agree with the reasons, but the method is a bit heavy-handed for my preference. we've got a few other regulations preventing the transport of live fish, i think we should be allowed to use live aquatic bait, as long as it's from the same body of water we're fishing; i'd even agree to an "it has to be caught the same day you intend to use it" clause.

personally, i trap and freeze minnows for bait to use throughout the winter and summer months, and i use crayfish on occasion when my preferred tactics aren't working. but i'd really love the opportunity to drift a lively minnow looking for crappie, or put a leech behind a spinner rig looking for deep perch or walleye. heck, you cant even use hellgramites as bait, and that's some of the fishiest-looking live bait i've ever seen
until the fish and game gets some idea of what the populace wants, i guess i'll stick with worms and maggots as usual...

[FG Steve]

...heck, you cant even use hellgramites as bait, and that's some of the fishiest-looking live bait i've ever seen

Wait a minute.  Isn't a hellgrammite just a dobsonfly larva?

"Bait includes insects, insect larvae, worms, dead fish, fish parts, any other animal or vegetable matter, or scented synthetic materials."

"Note: Use of live fish, leeches, frogs, salamanders, waterdogs or shrimp as bait is prohibited in Idaho, except that live crayfish may be used if caught on the body of water being fished."

A hellgrammite is fine to use anywhere that you can use a worm.  Unless there is a bait restriction, no problem.

[icebomb]

You can get great results w/o live bait i grew up in Vermont and fished live bait the whole time i fished there  25+ yrs. Same rules in Montana as Idaho and dead sticking or tip up fishing with powerbait or or your choice of artificial bait works great.

I agree you can get the same result if not better without live bait for certain species like rainbow trout and panfish but having moved here from SDakota where live bait is allowed, I have to say a live creek chub or shiner under a tip-up will out-fish lures or deadbait for those big pike and lakers.

[panfishman13]

Wait a minute.  Isn't a hellgrammite just a dobsonfly larva?

"Bait includes insects, insect larvae, worms, dead fish, fish parts, any other animal or vegetable matter, or scented synthetic materials."

"Note: Use of live fish, leeches, frogs, salamanders, waterdogs or shrimp as bait is prohibited in Idaho, except that live crayfish may be used if caught on the body of water being fished."

A hellgrammite is fine to use anywhere that you can use a worm.  Unless there is a bait restriction, no problem.

well, what the heck! i asked a warden about them because i found a pile of them under a rock while smallie fishing, he said it wasn't allowed!
i need to re-read the regs again, the whole 2013-2015 without the regulations changing has made me lazier than i'd like...

[fowl_language]

If I remember correctly you are allowed to use invertebrates collected from the water body in which you are fishing.  Proving that they were collected there would be pretty tough, I don't know what that CO was referring to, maybe it was an artificial only restriction on the stream you were fishing?

I never did agree with the rule during my time out there, but species propagation is a big concern of the IDFG and losing their beloved planted snot rockets.  I will say this though, fishing with the live bait restriction when I lived out there made me a much better fisherman.

I think about it every time I pick up my 2 dozen medium fatheads down the street!  

[bowhunter68]

I agree you can get the same result if not better without live bait for certain species like rainbow trout and panfish but having moved here from SDakota where live bait is allowed, I have to say a live creek chub or shiner under a tip-up will out-fish lures or deadbait for those big pike and lakers.

Man you arent kidding i miss chasn big pike on the Otter Creek Frozen Slough with a 40 up and 6" shiner some good stuff for sure !!