Fish Bait Collection Regulations

Fishing with live bait is popular and productive with Ohio anglers. This describes some of Ohio's commonly used live bait and reviews the regulations that apply to those who collect their own bait.
Regulations

A fishing license is required to collect minnows and crayfish for bait.

Each person may possess up to 100 crayfish or up to 500 in the aggregate of crayfish and bait fish including minnows, suckers no longer than 10 inches, brook silversides, brook sticklebacks, gizzard shad, trout-perch, sculpins, darters, topminnows and mudminnows.

Clams, mussels or mussel shells may not be taken, possessed or collected for any purpose.

Other bait, including night crawlers, red worms, leeches, wax worms, mousies, hellgrammites, and other larval aquatic insects, may be possessed in any amount.

It is unlawful to use fish species that are not already established in Ohio waters.

Minnow seine (square) meshes may not be larger than 1/2 inch. The maximum size of a seine in the Inland Fishing District is 4 feet x 8 feet. In the Lake Erie Fishing District seines can be of any size. Seining is prohibited between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. It is unlawful to use a seine in any inland lake, pond, or water area that is owned or controlled by the Division of Wildlife. It is unlawful to take bait from King's Creek between C.R. 223 and the Mad River.

Minnow dip net (square) meshes may not be larger than 1/2 inch. The maximum size on any side of dip nets is 4 feet in the Inland Fishing District, 6 feet in the Lake Erie District. Bait fish may be taken with cast nest except within a distance of one thousand feet down stream from any dam posted with Division of Wildlife signs indicating cast net use is prohibited. It is unlawful to use a cast net with a square mesh less than 1/4 inch or larger than 1 inch on a side, or with a diameter of less than 6 feet or more than 10 feet.

Bait traps may not exceed 12 x 24 inches. Openings must not be larger than one inch in diameter.

Fish caught by legal angling methods (such as bluegills caught by hook and line) may be used for bait.

A bait dealer permit is required of persons who sell minnows, crayfish, or hellgrammites. See our aquaculture page for more details.

Endangered/Threatened Species

Unusual or apparently rare fish species encountered while seining or trapping for bait should be returned to the water unharmed.  The chance of catching an endangered/threatened fish is unlikely and should not deter anyone from collecting bait fish.

Ohio's endangered/threatened species include numerous small fish that could be found while collecting bait. Their rare status is due to the following (1) siltation from soil erosion; (2) construction of dams; (3) degradation of water quality; and (4) loss of aquatic habitat.  A list of Ohio’s endangered/threatened animals can be found here.


Popular Baits

Fathead Minnow	Common Emerald Shiner	Golden Shiner	Bluntnose Minnow
Northern Creek Chub	Common Shiner	Spotfin Shiner	Ohio Stoneroller Minnow
Common White Sucker	Bluegill	Gizzard Shad	Crayfish
Hellgrammites	Leeches	Night Crawlers	Redworms
Maggots or Mousies	Wax Worms

Other live baits used by Ohio fishermen include water dogs, tadpoles, frogs, crickets, grasshoppers,and other insects.

For further information call 1-800-WILDLIFE.