Live Bluegill

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

I was wondering if a small bluegill would be a good bait for your tip-up, would this even be legal, i havn't seen anyone talk about this.

[Bean]

It depends on your state's fishing laws. Some states allow it, and others may not.  I've never used them, but have heard of others catching nice pike with them.

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

Ok, thanks, i'll check it out and see if its legal.

[hali-man]

I tried it once at a private pond for bass. Awesome bait!!!
I'm not sure if it's legal, though. 

[taz54868]

natural bait   always works well.  here in Wisconsin it is   legal to use it.

[Home Wood]

I believe in New Hampshire it is illegal to use spined fish, like sun fish, perch or something similar. I could be wrong, but I believe I read some where that it was illegal, it might have been in the little law hand book from the bait shop. I used a little sun fish one time in the summer and caught a bass, which broke my line. I don't see why it would be illegal if it is natural food for fish found in the same lake. I would love to try a small sun fish as bait ice fishing.

[CrappieGuy]

In Wisconsin it is legal but that Gill has to be counted in your daily panfish limit.  Not sure how a warden would count it unless it was still on your line and you had 25 other panfish already caught, you would then be over your 25 fish limit.

[Sax_]

here in ny its illegal

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

Well in michigan where i ice fish i think its legal, but i'm going with suckers first, and maybe i'll resort to bluegills as a backup bait.

[Water Wolf]

If you want to use a bluegill as bait, try the new storm live series bluegills.
They are very life like, and hold up better than the real thing, plus the they are all pre-rigged.

WW

[P.I.K.E.]

My son caught a 21 inch largemouth last season on a tip up baited with a 5 inch bluegill.

[winchester 88]

 One year in Canada we were fishing along a weed bed and my buddy started catching bluegills and throwing them in a bucket.I Inquired what was that all about as we were fishing for walleyes. He grinned but didn't reply and then we moved  up the lake to another weed bed and he hooked a gill behind the dorsal with a #2 hook, put a big bobber upline about 5 feet and started drifting,Soon the bobber took off and went under. He waited a couple minutes and set the hook.The result, 26"-8# walleye, one of several that we caught that way.
 My friend was an avid trout fisherman and he always was examining the stomach content of his catch and the previous year he had opened up the walleyes and found that they were feeding on bluegills.He made a believer out of me.

Win 88

[big big rdg]

I use perch for open water fishing for bass and they work great. I also use bluegill but found the perch to be more effective and easier for them to swallow.

[vermontpike]

what about 5 to 6 inch perch for pike bait?

[frozenstiff]

i have caught lots of pike on perch and gills.  most of the time i end up using them when my suckers or shiners are all gone. but they do work the thing with perch is the smaller the better after they get so big theres just too many spines. it seems they dont hit the larger ones where I fish. the only way you will know is if you try

[bwalleye]

here in ny its illegal

It is legal in NY, if you catch it with hook and line

[Lobes]

Here in Michigan any fish legally caught (game fish must be of legal length) may be used for bait. I have used bluegills for a lot of years because they are possibly the pikes main natural diet. I use the biggest ones possible for bait. You may need to leave them on the ice for a few minutes to slow them down so you don't keep getting false flags. They are equally good as a dead bait when that is what the pike prefer for that day. Check your rule book for local regulations though, some states don't allow it. Also look under the Pike section for more ideas.
 

[perchfisher]

Im pretty sure its illegal here in south dakota

[bwalleye]

If your unsure write to your DEC DNR or whatever whoever oversees your fishing laws.  Hear-say can get you fined, gear taken away or worse....miss out on some great fishing!

[pirkaus]

I believe in New Hampshire it is illegal to use spined fish, like sun fish, perch or something similar. I could be wrong, but I believe I read some where that it was illegal, it might have been in the little law hand book from the bait shop. I used a little sun fish one time in the summer and caught a bass, which broke my line. I don't see why it would be illegal if it is natural food for fish found in the same lake. I would love to try a small sun fish as bait ice fishing.

you are correct it is illegal in NH see page 14 of the little blue book

[big_wood]

its legal in wisconsin you just cant transport the fish you caught in another lake to the other lake. last year me and my freind caught a 14 lb and 8 pound pike and also a 6 lb large mouth all on bluegills

[percheyes42]

Hey everybody. You're all talking about bass and pike. I'm big into those tasty jumbo perch. When I clean my fish, I always check to see what they are eating. From what I've noticed over the years is that from midwinter on, they're gulets are almost always packed with 1 inch or so bluegills. This leads me to believe that this is their main diet later in the winter. This might also be why they tend to bite on my lighter green jigs this time of year. Good luck and tight lines to all.

[esox slayer]

here in ny its illegal

In some waters yes, it's illegal..and in some other waters, not illegal, at least according to the game warden I spoke with..

his explanation is as follows:

In waters where there is no limit on kept fish, perch, sunnies, etc, then those fish are not considered a "game fish" and may be used as bait for pike.  In waters with a limit, they are considered a game fish and may not be used.

He said he wouldn't have a problem with somebody using perch and sunnies and panfish as bait, as long as there was no limit on the species in question.....Esox

[Big Burk]

would it be legal to use perch here in sk... we aint allowed to use live baitfish >:(which is pointless.