Bass Pro Shops   Daveys Locker Sportfishing  Newport Landing Sportfishing   The Fishing Syndicate  Carver Covers  Tight Lines Guide Service  Bob Sands Fishing Tackle  
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Legality of live crawdads for bait..

  1. #1

    Default Legality of live crawdads for bait..

    I have fished with live crawdads as bait for in almost all Southern California Lakes, although not for several years now (I don't fish for bass anymore with bait). Does anyone who really knows the law, if it's legal to net crawdads at a local stream, then take them miles away to a lake to be used as live bait? Is this a new law? I didn't see any rules against this in the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife inland fisheries rules and regulations booklet. I know you can't do this with minnows and other baitfish. Also, do any bait shops even still sell live crawdads?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    SGV
    Posts
    1,261

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fishmounter View Post
    I have fished with live crawdads as bait for in almost all Southern California Lakes, although not for several years now (I don't fish for bass anymore with bait). Does anyone who really knows the law, if it's legal to net crawdads at a local stream, then take them miles away to a lake to be used as live bait? Is this a new law? I didn't see any rules against this in the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife inland fisheries rules and regulations booklet. I know you can't do this with minnows and other baitfish. Also, do any bait shops even still sell live crawdads?
    no you can’t anymore. You have to catch it from the lake you are fishing from now. I used to catch crawfish near my house in West Covina to use for bait and I did good. One time I was at legg lake I caught a smallmouth and largemouth bass on live crawfish

  3. #3

    Default

    Hmm good question. They still sell them in select bait shops. So I'm not sure you "have" to catch them in the same water as you fish them in. But that's only my logic talking and not information from DFG.

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fishmounter View Post
    I have fished with live crawdads as bait for in almost all Southern California Lakes, although not for several years now (I don't fish for bass anymore with bait). Does anyone who really knows the law, if it's legal to net crawdads at a local stream, then take them miles away to a lake to be used as live bait? Is this a new law? I didn't see any rules against this in the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife inland fisheries rules and regulations booklet. I know you can't do this with minnows and other baitfish. Also, do any bait shops even still sell live crawdads?
    The same bait shops in San Diego that sells Minnows have crawdads. (I bought some last year)

  5. #5

    Default

    bowler- Where did you hear, or read that you have to catch them in the lake you are fishing them in? If that's true, how come bait & tackle shops in the San Diego area sell live 'dads? The stores and the bait collectors have to have commercial permits issued from the California Fish and Wildlife Department to take and sell live crawdads. If it was against the law to use crawdads bought in several tackle shops at any lake, the CDFW would not allow them to be sold. If this is a law, it should be somewhere in the CDFW rules and reg. booklet. Maybe I'm blind..

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    SGV
    Posts
    1,261

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fishmounter View Post
    bowler- Where did you hear, or read that you have to catch them in the lake you are fishing them in? If that's true, how come bait & tackle shops in the San Diego area sell live 'dads? The stores and the bait collectors have to have commercial permits issued from the California Fish and Wildlife Department to take and sell live crawdads. If it was against the law to use crawdads bought in several tackle shops at any lake, the CDFW would not allow them to be sold. If this is a law, it should be somewhere in the CDFW rules and reg. booklet. Maybe I'm blind..
    I read it somewhere. But it will be dumb to let you transport them from lake to lake if you have to have your boat completely dry because of the mussels

  7. #7

    Default

    I think I see what the problem is, people are using logic and regulations to make up their own stew of a story. (let me explain) Certain lakes allow bait fish that are only caught at that lake to be used as bait there. Because of mussels, dry boats only are allowed at most lakes. Now throw in the crawdad question and you have 1 big stew for an answer. lol

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    SAN BDNO
    Posts
    107

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fishmounter View Post
    I have fished with live crawdads as bait for in almost all Southern California Lakes, although not for several years now (I don't fish for bass anymore with bait). Does anyone who really knows the law, if it's legal to net crawdads at a local stream, then take them miles away to a lake to be used as live bait? Is this a new law? I didn't see any rules against this in the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife inland fisheries rules and regulations booklet. I know you can't do this with minnows and other baitfish. Also, do any bait shops even still sell live crawdads?
    new romeos in the delta.they sell then when they are in supply

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Whittier
    Posts
    2,455

    Default

    Never has been a problem in the past,but I’d certainly want to know (for sure) if it’s illegal now!

    Cya Tuna Vic
    Last edited by TUNAVIC; 04-30-2018 at 12:25 PM. Reason: Additional info

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Huntington Beach, CA
    Posts
    1,560

    Default

    This is what the reg book says...

    ARTICLE 3. BAIT
    REGULATIONS FOR
    INLAND WATERS
    4.00. Bait-General.
    Legally acquired and possessed invertebrates,
    mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians (except salamanders),
    fish eggs and treated and processed
    foods may be used for bait, except:
    (a) No species specified as endangered, threatened,
    candidate, fully-protected, or otherwise
    protected under state and federal law may be
    used as bait.
    (b) No salamander may be used as bait. See section
    5.05 for other amphibians that may be
    used as bait.
    (c) See Section 5.35 for restrictions on crayfish;
    (d) See Section 7.50(b)(74) for restriction on bait
    collecting in Hat Creek;
    (e) No trout may be maintained or possessed in a
    live condition in any container on or attached
    to any boat;
    (f) Except for restrictions listed under special regulations,
    dead ocean fish may be used as bait
    statewide. This section supersedes the provisions
    of sections 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 4.25 and 4.30.


    5.35. Crayfish.
    (a) Open season: All year, except for closures
    listed in subsection (d) of this Section.
    (b) Limit: No limit.
    (c) Methods of take: Crayfish may be taken only
    by hand, hook and line, dip net or with traps
    not over three feet in greatest dimension. Any
    other species taken shall be returned to the
    water immediately. Traps need not be closely
    attended.
    (d) Closures for Protection of Shasta Crayfish:
    Rock Creek (in the Hat Creek Drainage in
    Shasta County), Fall River upstream of Spring
    Creek Bridge, Lava Creek, Tule River and
    all connected waters upstream of Little Tule
    River, Sucker Springs Creek, Crystal Lake,
    Rising River and Rising River Lake are closed
    to take and possession of crayfish. (See Section
    4.30 for prohibition against crayfish use for
    bait in sections of the Pit River).
    (e) The season closures in Chapter 3 (District
    Trout and Salmon Special Regulations) do
    not apply to crayfish fishing with methods
    other than hook and line (see sections 7.00
    and 7.50(a)(3)).

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •