Is cut bait legal in MN?

[Selmer]

Okay, so I'm wondering if making cutbait from suckers or sheephead that I have caught is legal bait for fishing in MN. I've read a couple things that lead me to believe it may not be, but I can't find a definition of "game fish" in the regs. I don't plan on using carp or goldfish, and I know the difference between carp and suckers as well. So, what's the verdict?

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Yes you can use Suckers and Sheephead for cutbait.

[mrklean]

wonder why you can use sheephead but not carp?

[Brad B]

I use cut up suckers all the time for cats and will also once in awhile use chicken livers. to get the states def of game fish you have to read the actual statue

[pureinsanity]

If you want the right answers from the source email the DNR. Ask for a list of acceptable rough fish used for bait

[Selmer]

Thanks guys, now to wonder how the DNR guys identify what bait is being used - I fillet the suckers and sheephead and cut into strips for channel cat fishing. It worked pretty well, I'm going to try to sweeten the deal by curing them with my dry meat cure recipe - Morton Tenderquick, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

[mrklean]

let us know how that works, i have always just fillet them up or quartered the small ones up

[DTro]

The quick and easy answer is that yes, you can use cutbait. Basically any roughfish other than carp is fair game to use.

Where the rules are a little fuzzy is when you transport those bait fish (make sure they are dead).

I cannot say whether marinating and tenderizing is going to help any though . It might sound tasty to you, but fish eat other fish, whether they are spicy or not.

[JimBuck]

I like to put a little of Babe Winkelman's Cajun Blend Seasoning on my Sheepie strips.

[Selmer]

I'm just doing it for scent enticement - I'll see if it works better, if it doesn't, I'm not out much.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I like to put a little of Babe Winkelman's Cajun Blend Seasoning on my Sheepie strips.

That's for your snacking, though

[Selmer]

Yeah, so the cured cut bait didn't work worth a hoot...my girls wanted to go out this morning, so I took them out on the Minnesota. We caught a few sheephead on crawlers, I used one to make fresh cut bait, which yielded one cat, about 20". I released it because we were about done fishing, and then the girls (7&5) wanted to run up the river. I hadn't been past our last spot on the river, so I decided to go around one more bend. Then I found an honest to goodness log jam! It was like fishing a wing dam. I tied up to one of the branches and we dropped crawlers straight over the side. We had half a dozen nice 15-18" cats in under 15 minutes and the girls were ready to go home - lots of fun!