Wanted: Bomo Smelt

[Fish-On-VT]

ISO... Bomoseen Smelt! I'd like to be able to use them as live bait; if your interested in bartering or making a deal; please send me a message... Thanks ~

[Will Vaughan]

I'm pretty sure selling bait to others is illegal.. And especially if you take it off of Bomo and use it somewhere else. I don't necessarily agree with the rule but I would probably take this off the thread if it were me. If you catch them on bomo then move to another spot on the lake the same day then you should be fine. But I think there was a report on here a few days ago of someone getting fined for trying to take live smelt off the ice?

[finlessbrown]

i've wondered this myself, the law book says you can catch your own bait on the body of water you are going to use it on for PERSONAL USE, i don't know if it can be sold to another fisherman or not, if you find out let us know

[seayaknh]

i've wondered this myself, the law book says you can catch your own bait on the body of water you are going to use it on for PERSONAL USE, i don't know if it can be sold to another fisherman or not, if you find out let us know

You can use bait you catch on the same body of water, but you cannot transport it in a car from one place to another, even if it's the same body of water!  For example, catch minnows in Burlington, then put them in a car and go fish in the islands.....totally illegal under VT laws.

[Fish-On-VT]

I'm going to contact the F&W... Since I'm pressed for time; I was hoping to get some from someone on Bomo, & drive them up the lake to my shanty on Bomo (so same lake)...

Here's the info/regulations related to personal bait (I don't see anything related to the sale of it)

5.3 Personal Baitfish Harvest

5.3.1 Personally harvested baitfish may be used only on the same waterbody, as defined in 5.2.7, from which they were collected.
5.3.2 A person may harvest for use as baitfish only those fish species listed under paragraphs 5.6.1, 5.6.2, and 5.6.31.
5.3.3 It is unlawful to take baitfish for personal use other than by the following methods: a) minnow traps no longer than eighteen inches with an entrance for fish not exceeding one inch in diameter, b) dip nets, cast nets, and umbrella nets not exceeding a total of 51 square feet of mesh, or a seine net not exceeding 25 feet in length, c) anglingangling/ice fishing by hook and line.
5.3.4 The personal harvest of baitfish is unlawful in Seasonally Closed Waters as listed in Section 9.0 of this regulation, except during the open season for trout and only by anglingangling/ice fishing or the use of minnow traps no longer than eighteen inches with an entrance for fish not exceeding one inch in diameter, and only during the open season for trout.
5.3.5 All traps, nets, baitboxes or other holding receptacles capable of taking, holding or keeping live baitfish in public waters must be marked with the name and address of the owner and user, unless the owner is present.
5.3.6 Personally harvested baitfish shall not be transported by motorized vehicle away from the waterbody from which they were collected.
5.3.7 Baitfish may be held on the water in a pen or baitbox as defined in paragraph 5.2.2. Unwanted baitfish shall be discarded dead in the water or on the ice.
5.3.8 Personally harvested baitfish may be collected from a waterbody's tributaries upstream to the first impassable barrier for use on such waterbody. Personally harvested baitfish shall not be transported upstream beyond the first impassable barrier.
5.3.9 The personal harvest of baitfish is prohibited on any waterbody of the state that is defined as closed to baitfish harvest. The Department will maintain and make available a list of closed waters.
5.3.10 Fish eggs may be collected from legally angled harvested fish from Vermont waters, and used immediately as bait on the same water where taken unless that waterbody has been closed to baitfish collection. It is illegal to move personally harvested fish eggs to any other waterbody. It is illegal to transport fish eggs away from and return them to the same waterbody for use as bait unless they have been processed in a manner approved by the Department as described on the Department website.

[Fish-On-VT]

So here's a reading from the F&W Baitfish of Vermont booklet; page 4
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/library/reports_and_documents/Fishing/Baitfish_of_Vermont_-_Including_Lake_Champlain_-_2005.pdf

Baitfish may be taken for personal use only, with the
exception of rainbow smelt, which may be sold. Smelt may
be taken only by angling or ice fishing.

[grampieshanty]

I thought we where supposed to leave the smelt alone In bomo?

Not that I know of. The smelt population is in pretty good shape as far as what vexlars & such are showing. Read the regs as far as selling & buying

[sam2013]

seayaknh,,... - i posted this over in another thread "sandbar" where someone else had the wrong info ... ,, the minnow rules changed last year and so now YOU CAN drive minnows around in your car from one spot to another on the same lake so like you can by bait from dockside, go fish sandbar, dont get no fish then put your bait back in your car and drive all the way to the bridge if you want or anywheres else on champlain and keep in fishin.  totally legal.

you can even take them home now and bring them back the next day or day after to use on same lake.

 READ THE law BOOK YALL MIGHT LEARN SOM<ETHING   
 
 
 page 56 of the new rule book says "A person may transport unused
commercially purchased baitfish away
from waters of the state by motorized
vehicle, and retain for later use on
the same waterbody as indicated on
the baitfish transportation receipt,
within 96 hours from time and date of
sale. A person transporting unused
commercially purchased baitfish away
from the waterbody indicated on the
baitfish transportation receipt for later
use on said waterbody shall not hold
them in any other water of the state.
These baitfish must be kept in a closed
container isolated from any inflow of
lake, pond or stream water, or outflow
to such waters of the state."

I think that only applies to baitfish purchased from a licensed baitshop. My understanding is that personally harvested baitfish still can't be transported.  It is illegal to sell baitfish if you are not licensed by the state.

[Will Vaughan]

I think that only applies to baitfish purchased from a licensed baitshop. My understanding is that personally harvested baitfish still can't be transported.  It is illegal to sell baitfish if you are not licensed by the state.

That's my understanding as well for both parts. I ran into a Warden this evening after posting this and asked him the question. He told me that you can only sell Smelt or any fish for that matter to Licensed Fish markets legally. I'm sure some people buy fish from their friends or what not if they don't go, but by law you must be a licensed "Fish dealer"? Not sure the technical term for that. Also personally harvested bait can only be used on that body of water and you cannot take it off and bring it back on like you can with bait you buy from a bait shop. Personally I think some of these newer bait laws are an absolute joke but thats the way it is. My biggest annoyance is how come when we buy bait we can only use it on the body of water on the slip. If the state controls all the bait we buy what the hell is the difference whether I go to Bomo or Dunmore with it?! That is the most foolish of these new bait rules.

[wmhunts]

stupid bait laws, I think they don't want us using the same bait on different lakes because they may have ingested harmful stuff like milfoil, or if you switch your water out in your bait bucket you would be moving whatever is in that water to the next lake

[Will Vaughan]

stupid bait laws, I think they don't want us using the same bait on different lakes because they may have ingested harmful stuff like milfoil, or if you switch your water out in your bait bucket you would be moving whatever is in that water to the next lake

That does make sense but personally me or the people I go with don't switch out the water with lake water and when picking up we always toss the bait that was on the hook on the ice. I'm sure other people don't do it that way but that's just what I've always seen so never really thought of that. Maybe if they just made it the law that when taking bait off the hook you must throw it onto the ice? It's so much easier in the summer when you can trap or net the bait you want. Sorry for getting the subject a bit off topic!

[seayaknh]

seayaknh,,... - i posted this over in another thread "sandbar" where someone else had the wrong info ... ,, the minnow rules changed last year and so now YOU CAN drive minnows around in your car from one spot to another on the same lake so like you can by bait from dockside, go fish sandbar, dont get no fish then put your bait back in your car and drive all the way to the bridge if you want or anywheres else on champlain and keep in fishin.  totally legal.

you can even take them home now and bring them back the next day or day after to use on same lake.

 READ THE law BOOK YALL MIGHT LEARN SOM<ETHING   
 

That's true if you have a Bait slip from an authorized seller. If you catch your own bait, you cannot transport it in your car.  Read the regs! I called the F&W to confirm this because I used to trap my own minnows.  No more.
 They key phrase  "commercially purchased baitfish".  You cannot catch minnows or smelt or perch or any other bait on your own, and transport it away from where you aught them.


 page 56 of the new rule book says "A person may transport unused
commercially purchased baitfish away
from waters of the state by motorized
vehicle, and retain for later use on
the same waterbody as indicated on
the baitfish transportation receipt,
within 96 hours from time and date of
sale. A person transporting unused
commercially purchased baitfish away
from the waterbody indicated on the
baitfish transportation receipt for later
use on said waterbody shall not hold
them in any other water of the state.
These baitfish must be kept in a closed
container isolated from any inflow of
lake, pond or stream water, or outflow
to such waters of the state."

[TheMadTrouter]

big no no

[Fish-On-VT]

So I contacted Shawn Good, Fisheries Biologist

"Hi Nick - I've been getting a lot of calls and emails lately on the baitfish regulations.  It seems some people are unaware of the fact that the regulation changed last year to allow more movement of baitfish.

First, you can read the text of the rule that shows where the changes were made by clicking on this link: http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/newrules/Fishing/2013_Baitfish_Rule_Annotated.pdf

To answer your question about selling smelt - this can be done legally by anyone without a Commercial Bait Dealers Permit - provided the smelt are never removed from the waterbody.  Since they are wild caught baitfish, they cannot be transported away from the waterbody alive.

There is a guy, for example, who has a shanty set up right off the access up on Lake Willoughby.  He loves jigging smelt, and he stores them in a big cage under his shanty.  He sells them to people coming on the ice.  Since the smelt never leave the lake, and the baitfish rules specifically allow the sale of smelt, then it's legal."

So, as I originally intended... I am ever hopeful that someone would like to sell me some live smelt that I could drive to my shanty that is located on Bomoseen that I could use as live bait (across the lake, so that it never leaves the lake).  However, I am also in the process of squeezing in a trip after work this week (if I can make it work  )

Thanks again everyone!! 

[thebigwiggle]

So I contacted Shawn Good, Fisheries Biologist

"Hi Nick - I've been getting a lot of calls and emails lately on the baitfish regulations.  It seems some people are unaware of the fact that the regulation changed last year to allow more movement of baitfish.

First, you can read the text of the rule that shows where the changes were made by clicking on this link: http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/newrules/Fishing/2013_Baitfish_Rule_Annotated.pdf

To answer your question about selling smelt - this can be done legally by anyone without a Commercial Bait Dealers Permit - provided the smelt are never removed from the waterbody.  Since they are wild caught baitfish, they cannot be transported away from the waterbody alive.



There is a guy, for example, who has a shanty set up right off the access up on Lake Willoughby.  He loves jigging smelt, and he stores them in a big cage under his shanty.  He sells them to people coming on the ice.  Since the smelt never leave the lake, and the baitfish rules specifically allow the sale of smelt, then it's legal."

So, as I originally intended... I am ever hopeful that someone would like to sell me some live smelt that I could drive to my shanty that is located on Bomoseen that I could use as live bait (across the lake, so that it never leaves the lake).  However, I am also in the process of squeezing in a trip after work this week (if I can make it work  )

Thanks again everyone!!

Great job on this and finding out all the answers. i talked to Shawn Good a couple of weeks ago and he is very knowledgeable person.

[ICE_HOOK]

Yes , please leave the smelt alone on Bomo , there aren't enough to go around! ha - can't wait for the spawning of these fish come spring , hopefully get photos! Anybody that wants smelt bait at the derby just go to green dump and yell [ GOT SMELT ]!

[Little Brown Dog]

Yes , please leave the smelt alone on Bomo , there aren't enough to go around! ha - can't wait for the spawning of these fish come spring , hopefully get photos! Anybody that wants smelt bait at the derby just go to green dump and yell [ GOT SMELT ]!

Hummm.... Maybe I should fish Friday night!

[ICE_HOOK]

With your job [Little Brown Dog ] you can fish anytime you want! ha