Are crappie ribs legal bait?

I was watching the Texas Insider Fishing Report on Fox Sports and one of the guides said he has been keeping his crappie ribs from his trips and using them as cutbait to catch messes of catfish on Taledo Bend. I know crappie and sandbass make excellent bait but I thought this was against the law in Texas. Can someone please clarify?

I'd be iffy on whether or not that's legal as well. It's probably worth a call to you'r local GW and see what he says. I do remember seeing guys at the cleaning station in Port A digging Redfish, trout, and all kinds of carcasses out to use for chumming for sharks. All while there was a GW in the parking lot checking peoples fish as they came off the boat ramp. That would be pretty much the same IMHO.

I can say this with 100% accuracy, I know a guy that may or may not have been in my boat using Crappie ribs for bait on Lake Arrowhead, and he paid a hefty fine to the State Of Texas for doing it........

Definitely not legal

They call it secret bait for a reason...

Not Legal as Far as I know. I got checked by the Chic Game Warden a few years ago Bankfishing on Grapevine. I was using some kind of fish from the Asian Market that looked Sandbass Like and she wasn�t Happy about it. I showed her my receipt and she gave me a warning but took my bait. She said even tho I had a receipt she didn�t know for sure if it was bought or caught.........and not to use anything that is or resembled a Game Fish even if from the Asian market. She was Cool with squid and octopus I had bought and was using.......

That guide will definitely be getting a call from the warden. Bout the same as the guy who posted illegal bass on Facebook. Big ticket.

As the book states, you cannot use any part of a game fish, that includes liver, ribs, heads, or even meat that went bad before or after the freezer.

When I fillet a crappie, I either throw the remains back into the water, or take them home for the cats. Why in the name of the Almighty would it be illegal to use crappie parts for bait?

any part of any Game Fish is Illegal - they don't want Game Fish being Harvested for bait......... Most people would be using leftovers from Legally caught and cleaned but TPW has no way of determining that so it's All Illegal.

Toledo bend is in the state of Louisiana also. It may be legal on there side.

That's probably the situation, it may not be a problem in La.

In OK, it's legal to use a live crappie for bait, but it counts toward your limit. It's odd how every state has completely different fishing regulations. In OK the limit for crappie is 37--go figure that one!

No because crappies are game fish and it's not legal to use game fish or any part of game fish as bait in Texas .

However you can use non game fish like drum,carp,shad or bluegill they make good cut bait

That has to be it. I didn�t actually realize TB is in Louisiana.

^^^^

Catfish is a Non Gamefish in LA, 100 daily bag limit!

I had an interesting conversation with a GW about using store bought mackerel for bait (I was using Noreigion mackerel). He said it was illegal because mackerel are gamefish. I told him that Texas only mentions king and Spanish mackerel as game fish or sets any type of regulation for. He said he needed to find out about it but suggested I keep the head just in case.

Louisiana won�t even allow bluegill or any sunfish as bait so I think it�s safe to say crappie are prolly out...

Yeah, here's a weird one for you. In Alaska, both pink salmon and chum salmon are considered as gamefish. But you can use either one as bait - either whole, or cut into pieces. But the other types of salmon may not be used for bait, except for the heads and 'trimmed carcasses'.



Fishing regulations are complicated enough to confuse the folks who are supposed to enforce those rules. Helps to keep a copy of the outdoor annual with you for reference in case of a dispute.

Good point!

Can't catch them in any traps, except Toledo Bend. Can use them for bait, just have too catch them on Hook & Line..



They consider them a Gamefish, but have them under the Non Gamefish. No size or limit restrictions

Download the TPWD app and have all your regulations with you on your phone.

Complicated law�s..... Hum...

Not to change the subject but when I was in Captains School there were some real strange laws I argued my point on. One I remember was on the final test. No vessel may be within 100 meters of another vessel �unless underway�. Obviously a typo but I had to agree to pass the test. That would mean boat ramps and marina�s are full of law breakers! Lol!

Man they must give out Captains License to just about anyone Curtis! Lmao!!

I went to Arkansas for labor day and read up on their regulations. There is a daily limit for bluegill over 4". You can use them for bait, but any over 4" count towards your daily limit. They must really like their bluegills over there.

aww!!!!!

Dang, rough crowd!

I can�t fish so Im lookin for trouble! figured I would give my fishin Pardner a little rib shot ...

I think no on the crappie ribs since no game fish may be used as bait. Hu

I used to buy Spanish mackerel in the market to use for bait on the coast. I kept my receipt to prove where it came from, but it didn't matter. Law is you can't use a game fish for bait, period. Too bad, as the absolute best bait for large C.catfish happens to be W.bass filets, which is not legal.

Private lakes and ponds will spoil you on this stuff.

No succulent baby bass jokes?

Man they must give out Captains License to just about anyone Curtis! Lmao!!
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LOL you have never taken a MMC test. Hardest test in my life... They have a class around the coast will take around 20, only 4 or 5 will pass all 5 test.

Wasn�t tryin to offend you Tga...just takin a rib shot at my buddy!

Mine was a master of 300 tons w radar and towing endorsements. Hardest test I�ve ever taken! I�ll take rib shot though cause I lapsed on sea time when I quit working in Gulf I and got downgraded to 100 ton. Now I just man a dingy!

You didn't.

Yes Crappie ribs are legal.

until you get caught.