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Posts: 39
| Maybe this is frowned upon in the muskie fishing community, but I would like to know if anyone uses bluegills, perch, or other pan fish as bait for muskies. If so could you share howith you rig them.
My initial thoughthoughts would be to use a single treble hook through the dorsal fin, but I also have thought of employing my own 2 hook quick-set rig similar to the ones I use for fall fishing with suckers.
Thanks in advance.
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Posts: 386
| Not sure where you're from but check your regs before you try it. Not legal to use gamefish as bait in many areas. I do know that sunfish are used at catfish bait in some southern states with some success, though I think I they're typically used as cutbait with a single circle hook. Curious to see if you get results, good luck. |
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Posts: 39
| I am from Wisconsin, as far as I know it is legal.....I will verify this however. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I have used crappies as bait before. Works pretty good with a decent sized treble hook behind the head. I think in Wisconsin they changed it so you can use any fish as bait as long as it is of legal size and count it toward your daily bag limit. Also if the bait is over 8" you need to use a quick strike rig or non off set circle hook |
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Posts: 265
Location: Manitowish Waters WI | obsessed_angler - 5/23/2016 6:52 PM
I am from Wisconsin, as far as I know it is legal.....I will verify this however.
It is legal in Wisconsin as long as you count it toward your daily bag limit. Single hooks are not allowed in Wisconsin. It would need to be some sort of quickset rig. |
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Posts: 705
Location: Alex or Alek? | I pretty certain using gamefish as bait is illigal in MN. Im not 100% so it'd be worth double checking if your in MN. We use goldeneye here on the red river for catfish, but that is considered boarder water with ND so the regs are different. |
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Posts: 574
Location: Elk Grove Village, IL & Phillips, WI | Legal in Wisconsin, but it has to be used on the water you caught the bait fish on. Also as said, it counts toward your legal limit. It works great, I've had action on perch and blue gills. |
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| KenK is correct. In Wisconsin if you want to use game fish as bait they must be used on the same body of water you caught them on. I've had discussions with the DNR on this. The warden I talked with said he catches people using bluegill as bait for catfish all the time in areas not likely to sustain bluegill populations but said its almost impossible to prove they didn't catch the fish on same body of water. |
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Posts: 8717
| Yep. I prefer rock bass. Single treble hook, maybe a 2/0. (or whatever I have on hand) Perch, crappies, and pike will work as well, but I prefer to eat them myself instead of feeding them to muskies. |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | esox1980 - 5/24/2016 7:23 AM
obsessed_angler - 5/23/2016 6:52 PM
I am from Wisconsin, as far as I know it is legal.....I will verify this however.
It is legal in Wisconsin as long as you count it toward your daily bag limit. Single hooks are not allowed in Wisconsin. It would need to be some sort of quickset rig.
Single, true circle hooks are allowed. There can't be any offset in the hook. |
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Posts: 50
| Also remember that there is a distinction between "gamefish" and "panfish". At least in Wisconsin there is. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Fenian - 5/24/2016 5:22 PM
Also remember that there is a distinction between "gamefish" and "panfish". At least in Wisconsin there is.
And how does that fit with this topic?
Can't you use panfish as well as say a pike? |
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| While crappie fishing last night, I was catching about two perch in the 8-9" range for each crappie and the even smaller ones were grabbing minnows. I was thinking about how much I would like to feed these minnow eaters to a muskie ;>). |
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Posts: 50
| 14ledo81 it fits the topic because the original post did not specify which state he intended to fish in. In some states it is illegal to fish with any panfish or gamefish, some states illegal to fish with gamefish but not panfish and some states it is legal to fish with both (like Wisconsin) as long as length and possession limits are met. So no, it may not be legal to fish with a pike but may be legal to fish with a bluegill. Since you have declared yourself the master of what is relevant I'm signing off on this one. Just trying to not get anyone pinched for making a mistake. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Fenian - 5/26/2016 9:53 PM
14ledo81 it fits the topic because the original post did not specify which state he intended to fish in. In some states it is illegal to fish with any panfish or gamefish, some states illegal to fish with gamefish but not panfish and some states it is legal to fish with both (like Wisconsin) as long as length and possession limits are met. So no, it may not be legal to fish with a pike but may be legal to fish with a bluegill. Since you have declared yourself the master of what is relevant I'm signing off on this one. Just trying to not get anyone pinched for making a mistake.
Not claiming anything. I apologize if it came out that way.
I was just looking for clarification.
You had mentioned that there was a distinction between panfish and gamefish in Wisconsin. That is what confused me. |
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Posts: 284
| I would suggest a circle hook rather than a treble hook. Trebles can do a lot of damage with smaller live bait fishing. |
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Posts: 688
Location: Already Gone | Some helpful tips.
http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/how-to-bridle-live-bait |
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