Chumming rough fish legal??

[dooger]

Hey i was just wondering if it is legal to chum rough fish in minnesota, such as eel pout or carp?? I didnt see anything in the regs but some one told me one time that it was illegal??

[LOTWSvirgin]

I use corn to chum carp all the time

[DEADhead]

chumming specifically is not illegal, but littering is. A CO will often cite a chummer for littering. It's not worth the ticket.

[CarpKing921]

I've been chumming for carp for ever. Never even thought that this could be illegal.

[Randyjr.]

I wondered this too. This topic arose a year or two ago and I called the MNDNR. The definition: "chumming refers to the process of scattering ground up fish (known as chum) in the water as bait." This is considered waste material and is not legal. The agent went on to say that throwing corn into the river or lake is not chumming by definition nor is it illegal or unethical as considered by the MNDNR, but that when we do it be responsible to not over litter the area. I never did ask about laying vegetation beds (I've never tried this myself). Has anyone ever tried laying vegetation beds to lure carp, meaning that one deliberately lays down a "bed" of vegetable material (corn and the like) and over time the carp learn to feed at that area - and is this ethical? Or is all of this too much work in search of the common carp?

[DEADhead]

I don't know if I would classify this specifically as unethical, but where's the challenge involved? I know everyone has an opinion, but I don't see where this is much different than baiting deer. Basically, you are putting a food source in a specific location to attract an animal that would otherwise not go there foraging for food.

I guess I appreciate the thrill of the chase and the challenge involved with stalking a fish and convincing it to take my offering, especially if not's not hungry.

[Muddog]

you can train Carp to feed when you throw food into the water. Is this fishing?

[Cold_blood]

it might not be fishing but it could help improve with bowfishing