Any ideas on how to trap small Carp for bait. I was wanting to use something like a perch trap.

Um illegal sir I believe

They are not game fish and I'm on a private lake.

Would that matter?

What's illegal about trapping carp?

It is my belief that as far as the state of Texas is concerned, you can do as you wish with respect to removing carp from a private lake. Call them to confirm. I think Fishenrod is concerned about part of a rule related to public waters of Texas.

It is a violation to:

Possess tilapia, grass carp or any other fish listed as harmful or potentially harmful, without immediately removing the intestines, except on waters where a valid Triploid Grass Carp Permit is in effect. In those waters, it is illegal to possess grass carp. Any grass carp caught must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Please see our list of waters with Triploid Grass Carp Permits.

You don't have to release them back into the private lake unharmed because they are not from a listed public lake. If you intend to take the carp anywhere else to use as bait, it appears they should first have their intestines removed. You absolutely cannot take them anywhere live to be used as bait. That is a huge no-no.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about common carp which are completely different than grass carp. Common carp, quillbacks, suckers, buffalo, etc are all good bait fish if they're small and are all legal to transport alive because they're native to most water bodies in Texas. I would think something like a perch trap with a little bigger opening in the front and dog food as bait would probably work.

As long as its not grass carp you can do whatever you want with them, we cast net the small ones and put em on trotline

Man I was mis informed. I understood carp can not be used as bait.

My bad

You probably should have posted that in the Catfish section

Small carp are the best bait for gar, plus removing small carp helps larger ones get bigger