Collecting/trapping bait

[HandGunner]

Theres a lake not listed in the regs for any invasive species or special regs. The lake itself holds no game fish all it has in it are small tiny minnow like fish and leeches. First discovered last summer ppl seem to go there and canoe the lake and walk around but no fish of catchable size even the info signs all say the lake has only these fish "minnows" and these type plants and birds. So i see this lake as a oppurtunity to harvest some leeches and minnows for bait, would this be illegal to do in MN? I cant really clear up the bait rule in the regs.

[CANOPY SAM]

HG. I can't offer an answer to this question, but I would suggest that you call the MN DNR with all the info about the lake. They will almost certainly be able to tell you if what you want to do is legal or not.

Simply google search Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. There you will find a "contact us" tab that contains toll free numbers you can call with questions. Very simple.

I do know that if you intend to catch and sell bait you will need a license to do so. If it's simply for your own use I'm pretty sure there's no special regs requiring any license or certification, but I think there are limitations on how much bait one person can collect.

I net, trap, and catch my own minnows. Also pick my own crawlers, and frogs, and save pretty much everything I don't use by freezing them in small ziplock bags for cutbait catfishing. I have a refrigerator/freezer in my barn that acts exclusively as a "beverage" refrig, and bait storage.

With bait cost what it is today, and considering how much live bait fishing I do each year, I'm sure I easily save hundreds of dollars each year collecting and storing my own bait.