Trout for bait

[MikeThePike]

Anyone know what the rules are in PA for using trout as bait for pike/ musky/ stripers? I know in NJ (I just moved out here) you are aloud to use them as bait as long as they are purchased and you have a receipt for them. Just curious if thats how it is out here. I know most of the lakes I'll be fishing for the bigger fish have stocked trout and the bigger fish always seem to love eating em.

[Pike Popper]

Yeah Mike you might actually have a warden check out what your doing or go out onto the ice In PA and they might actually fine you. 

[Byron/PA]

Trout, and all other gamefish, are legal for bait. Providing you have a receipt that you bought them from an authorized PA bait dealer. Authorized PA dealer, got that??

OR, big OR, that you caught them using legal methods and obeyed all season, size, creel and possesion limits.

I think that if you wanted to use a 31" musky for bait, it would be legal, as long as it was caught legally.

MY DISCLAIMER If I'm wrong, you may not use this as your defense in court.

[odriscoll]

Contact the PFBC via email.

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/inform.htm

is the page you need.   Scroll down to Regulations.

[Byron/PA]

Sorry, took me a second to find it, page 6, top right corner, of the 2005 regs that came with your license.


..................you do have the book, right???

[jigerjim]

   Byron is 100% right. They use them all the time at Raystown for what ever. (RECEIPT)(RECEIPT)

[MikeThePike]

Sorry, took me a second to find it, page 6, top right corner, of the 2005 regs that came with your license.


..................you do have the book, right???

Lets see, I bought my liscence in Janurary so I lost the booklet around, um, Janurary...lol

Looks like I'll have to go catch me some trout and save money on bait.

[JiggerMan]

Mike,

If you catch it legally and it is of legal size you can use it for bait no matter what it is.  some favorite wild baits of mine for toothy critters in Pa are small perch and large golden shiners.  I usually try to shock them somehow so they can not swim correctly and swim distressed.  I also clip a fin or two to get them swimmng funny. 

Good luck,

Dave

[Ice nut]

Wallenpaupack bait shop sold trout last year.

[MikeThePike]

I loved using perch for bait back in NJ. Caught many fish on em. I'd throw em on the tip-ups as I caught em tho since they are gamefish in NJ and its illegal to use gamefish for bait without a reciept.

[sully]

Trout, and all other gamefish, are legal for bait. Providing you have a receipt that you bought them from an authorized PA bait dealer. Authorized PA dealer, got that??

OR, big OR, that you caught them using legal methods and obeyed all season, size, creel and possesion limits.

I think that if you wanted to use a 31" musky for bait, it would be legal, as long as it was caught legally.

MY DISCLAIMER If I'm wrong, you may not use this as your defense in court.

[sully]

where does it say that it has to be a pa authorized bait dealer.i cant find that..it says licensed dealer not pa dealer