Alberta Fishing Guide [Archive] - Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum

Goater

05-25-2012, 03:24 PM

...http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/general-regs.html
Fishing with Bait--

Bait — the definition of bait (see Definitions) includes, but is not restricted to: corn, cheese, marshmallows, meat, maggots, meal worms, earthworms, wax worms, gammarus shrimp, leeches, terrestrial insects, the larvae, pupae or adults of aquatic insects (e.g., stonefly, mayfly, caddis fly), bait fish, parts of fish, fish eggs, scented baits, power baits and all additives that scent or flavour artificial baits and lures.

Bait Ban — means where bait bans are in effect only unscented lures may be used. In specific streams, only maggots may be used as bait during certain times of the year to allow anglers to fish for mountain whitefish with less impact on trout populations. In specific lakes, only maggots and mealworms may be used as bait to allow anglers to fish for perch and lake whitefish with less impact on pike populations (see Important Definitions).

Hooking Mortality from Bait--

Restrictions on the use of bait are required to increase the survival of released trout. About 25% of trout caught on natural and scented baits die after release, compared with less than 4% caught on flies and lures. Differences in mortality rates of released pike and walleye caught on unbaited lures and baited hooks in most studies are quite similar, generally in the 3% to 10% range. Current information does not support a regulation on the use of bait at most waters containing pike or walleye. However, anglers are encouraged to voluntarily fish with unbaited lures because more fish may be hooked in the lip or mouth. Hooking mortality is generally higher for fish hooked in the gill area and stomach region.

Fishing with Bait Fish---

Bait Fish means any of the following:

suckers (family Catostomidae)
sticklebacks (family Gasterosteidae)
trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus)
Iowa darter (Etheostoma exile)
minnows (family Cyprinidae), except carp, goldfish and the western silvery minnow.
Note: Pet store fish (tropical fish) or crayfish cannot be used as bait fish.

Bait Fish may be used in waters that do not have bait bans or bait fish restrictions. Where fishing with bait fish is prohibited, other baits including smelts, herring, gammarus shrimp and dead fish eggs (e.g., preserved “salmon eggs”) may be used, provided a bait ban is not in effect for that water body.
NOTE: Smelts and herring are of the saltwater families Osmeridae and Clupeidae. Use of the freshwater species cisco (Coregonidae), also called tullibee or lake herring, is prohibited from use as bait.

Parts of Game Fish. Only the skin, fins, eyes and dead eggs of game fish may be used as bait, provided these fish were lawfully caught by angling. Skin, fins, eyes and dead eggs of game fish may be used where the use of bait fish is prohibited, but cannot be used where bait bans are in effect. All game fish kept must be counted in the daily catch limit, including any fish from which parts are used for bait.
Collecting Bait Fish

Catching bait fish (such as suckers) by angling, bowfishing or spearfishing is allowed from all waters open to fishing with these methods, even at waters where the collection of bait fish by other means is prohibited. Anglers may collect their own bait fish by minnow trap, dip net and seine net, but these fish must not be sold. The commercial collection of bait fish requires a Commercial Bait Fishing Licence. The following regulations apply to the collection of bait fish for personal use as bait:

The collection of bait fish is not permitted in waters having a bait ban or restriction on the use of bait fish, and in some other specified waters (see each Fish Management Zone for regulations).
The possession of live bait fish is prohibited. All bait fish kept must be killed immediately. Please do not kill more than needed because bait fish are important food for many sport fish.
Fish other than bait fish must be immediately released unharmed. Game fish such as perch must not be kept.
Seine nets may not be larger than 3 m in length and 2 m in depth.
Minnow traps may not have dimensions greater than 60 cm in length by 30 cm in width, depth or diameter.
No more than 2 minnow traps may be used at one time.
Minnow traps must bear the operator’s name, address and Sportfishing Licence number.
Crayfish cannot be used as bait. It is unlawful to possess live crayfish.

Remember!

it is illegal to use live bait fish or crayfish as bait.
it is illegal to set out or use bait to attract fish unless the bait is attached to a hook used in angling.
it is illegal to use scented lures or scented weights where bait bans are in effect.
discard live unused bait withinn its original packaging inside a garbage receptacle.

Crayfish---

Crayfish are native to the Beaver River system. However, they appear to have been illegally introduced into many Alberta waters and may be adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems.
Some people have expressed a desire to consume crayfish. In all waters other than the Beaver River, people may catch crayfish for consumption. Legal capture methods include angling (sportfishing regulations apply) or catching them by hand. No licence is required to capture crayfish by hand. The retention and transport of live crayfish is illegal and all retained crayfish must be immediately killed to prevent the spread of this species. Please help prevent the spread of invasive species.