What is considered the smelt season in Mass ? So it is legal in Mass good to know.
this list shows what you can catch and use and what can be caught and sold, you can catch the smelt but not sell them but you can use them
(a) Definitions:
Bait fish means only live or dead fish of the following species. A person shall not use as bait any fish, alive or dead, including parts thereof, except those fish listed in 321 CMR 4.01(8)(a)1. through 15:
1. American eel (Anguilla rostrata)
2. White sucker (Catostomus commersoni)
3. Creek chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus)
4. Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus)
5. Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus)
6. Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)
7. Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
8. Emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides)
9. Spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
10. Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), only as provided in 321 CMR 4.01, Table 1.
11. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
12. Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis)
13. Bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus)
14. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
15. Herring (Clupea spp.) may be used as bait in the Connecticut River, Merrimack River, and coastal rivers and streams, only as provided in 321 CMR 4.01: Table 1 and 322 CMR, but may not be possessed or used as bait in other rivers and streams, or in lakes, ponds, or reservoirs.
Commercial bait fish means only live or dead fish of the following species:
1. White sucker (Catostomus commersoni)
2. Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus)
3. Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
4. Emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides)
5. Spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
6. Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis)
7. Bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus)
8. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
(b) Taking for personal use, but not for purposes of sale. Licensed fishermen may take bait fish for personal use, but not for purposes of sale except as provided for in 321 CMR 4.01(8)(c).
(c) Taking for purposes of sale. Commercial bait fish may be taken for purposes of sale by resident licensed fishermen only, provided that such fishermen additionally possess a current and valid shiner permit, which permit shall allow the taking of commercial bait fish only. Bait fish, other than commercial bait fish, may not be sold.