I’m sure this has been brought up a 1000 times but I’m relatively new to the forum. What is considered a legal bait in Texas? Trying to understand the TPWD website is a bit confusing. It does say you cannot use game fish as bait but there are some weirdly worded sentences that sound like you can use game fish if caught on rod and reel. I’m confused! So if I catch a crappie on rod and reel am I allowed to use it as bait? What if I throw a cast net and catch a non-consider game fish like carp or bluegill. I typically only use shad but would like to know/understand the rules and laws.

Any live, whole dead, parts of a carcass of any game fish is illegal to put on a hook no mater how you caught it. Blue gill, carp, buffalo are legal caught in cast net, hook and line, or seined. I think, but not positive about tilapia and fresh water drum are legal.

Thank you fmrmbmlm!!!

If there is no size limit AND no bag limit you can use it however you caught it.

Is there a bag limit on Yellow Bass

There is no bag limit or length limit on yellow bass. They are gamefish, so you can not use them as bait.

We use white bass when we fish Texoma and they out fish Gizzard Shad most trips. I like Oklahoma’s bait regulations in that you can use a gamefish for bait that is obtained legally. Never understood why Texas cares what you do with the fish after it’s caught. What’s the reasoning why you can catch a fish and eat it but you can’t use it for cut bait? A fish removed from the lake is a fish removed from the lake...
We fish these whole with a stinger☝️


Here is what they look like after hanging a handful of toads on the same bait👆

Here is what likes to eat those sized bass👇

Texas is psycho when it comes to that stuff. And boat registration and regs.

Sometimes I think it’s all about the revenue....

winner winner chicken dinnner

100%

This is a common mistake made by many people. Also cannot catch them in a cast net.