# A couple Shark bait scenarios??



## A Draper (Aug 14, 2007)

We got a little confused this past weekend while trying to get some larger baits for sharks. We erred on the side of caution and ended up using croaker and lady fish. We had other better looking options but we didn't know if they were leagal. We were actually fishing nearshore out of the boat, but I thought you guys here in the surf fishing section may have a handle on the rules as they pertain to shark bait.

Scenario 1: I've caught a 16" sheephead and intend to use it for bait. I chop it in half and send the head down on a 20/0 and have the other half sitting the boat and the GW pulls up am I in trouble?

Scenario 2: same scenario as 1 except substitute spadefish or mangrove snapper for for sheep head. Would I be in trouble?

Scenario 3: Say I caught some 15 1/2" redsnapper last week, fileted them and froze the carcass. If I brought them out for bait would I be in trouble?

I'm clear on the gamefish issue. I believe any fish with a length restriction cant be use either because once I cut it I cant prove it was legal length. Whats the correct answer?


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

The parks and wildlife booklet is very specific on which fish are legal to use for bait and which aren't. I would suggest you study up rather than try to let other people do the work for you.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

we have been checked many times on the beach with half a sheepshead laying around and nothing has ever been said. BUT if you go by the law, then cutting the sheepshead in half makes it to small and no loger the legal limit. 

Snapper are not game fish in the state of Texas, you can use them for bait as long as they are legal lenght. Just like the sheepshead if you cut them in half then they will no longer be of legal lenght. 

If you send down an eating size mangrove, may not get in trouble with the law. But I am going to be ****** at you:doowapsta


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## Cylinder (Oct 8, 2006)

As I understand the rules, the issue is "final destination". The beach is considered "final destination". 1/2 a fish is the same as a filleted fish. Obviously, once it's been cleaned or filleted, you can no longer determine the lenght. Since you are at your "final destination" you can't really be questioned about size. However, a boat is not a "final destination". You would need to keep the fish whole until you got to the dock. Hope this helps. Roger


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## ZenDaddy (May 22, 2004)

A Draper said:


> *We got a little confused this past weekend while trying to get some larger baits for sharks*. We erred on the side of caution and ended up using croaker and lady fish. We had other better looking options but we didn't know if they were leagal. We were actually fishing nearshore out of the boat, but I thought you guys here in the surf fishing section may have a handle on the rules as they pertain to shark bait.
> 
> Scenario 1: I've caught a 16" sheephead and intend to use it for bait. I chop it in half and send the head down on a 20/0 and have the other half sitting the boat and the GW pulls up am I in trouble?
> 
> ...


Heck yea! You were confused. Your feeding those sharks way, way to well.

Here's a simple guide you can cut out and tape to your fishing gear:

Ladyfish = shark candy, they love it.
Skipjack = chewy shark steak. They love it and it stays on the hook forever.
Ray = shark chicken. They can't pass it up, and it lasts forever + day in the surf
Mullett = shark burger. No shark can resist.
Hardhead = chicken nuggets. Cut the fins off and sharks can't help themselves. (Kinda like me at McDonalds.)

No need to be feeding sharks quality fish. Next time call me and I'll trade you a mullett for some of your bait!


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## A Draper (Aug 14, 2007)

bigfost said:


> The parks and wildlife booklet is very specific on which fish are legal to use for bait and which aren't. I would suggest you study up rather than try to let other people do the work for you.


This is the type of post I find incredibly helpful and good natured.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

ZenDaddy said:


> Ladyfish = shark candy, they love it.
> Skipjack = chewy shark steak. They love it and it stays on the hook forever.


Now I'm confused.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

A Draper said:


> This is the type of post I find incredibly helpful and good natured.


And your "I'm too lazy to look in the book so I'll let someone else do the work for me" question is the kind that ****** me off.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

bigfost said:


> And your "I'm too lazy to look in the book so I'll let someone else do the work for me" question is the kind that ****** me off.


The questions he's asking are not in the book. Tell us what page the "I cut a fish in half and used it for bait so the other half of the fish in the boat is no longer of legal size..." portion is on.


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## Fish-a-mon (May 21, 2004)

justletmein said:


> The questions he's asking are not in the book. Tell us what page the "I cut a fish in half and used it for bait so the other half of the fish in the boat is no longer of legal size..." portion is on.


Under size regulations. Sheephead must be 15" in length min. If you cut it in 1/2 or a 1/4 and the fish in the boat is smaller than 15" it is by law to short. That is in english and spanish.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

Fish-a-mon said:


> Under size regulations. Sheephead must be 15" in length min. If you cut it in 1/2 or a 1/4 and the fish in the boat is smaller than 15" it is by law to short. That is in english and spanish.


OK, but OP obviously had read that and wanted further input on the scenario. If someone is confused by the lingo in the book are they not allowed to ask questions? I just don't see the trouble in throwing out a question. Also I don't recall the book saying what happens if you cut a fish in 1/2, pretty sure that's assumed by us in both Engrish and Spanglish.

I can see where there's confusion around the issue, since you took a legal fish and cut it in your head it's still a legal fish (or was) if you add the other half back on.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

I assume he has a phone. If he has specific questions that are not covered in the book I'm sure the local TPWD office would be glad to address them. At least they've answered questions for me.

I guess that makes me an oddball. I never considered letting someone else do the legwork for me.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

I've emailed TPWD before and gotten good answers in a few days and also gotten some pretty vague responses as well. I've called them once and held forever to talk to a person who didn't know the answer and took my info to have someone call me back. In this day and age sitting on hold for half an hour for a simple question your fishing buddies (2cool) probably have the answer for seems silly. I'd rather ask a question here. If you don't want to do any legwork nobody is forcing you to reply.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

justletmein said:


> Now I'm confused.


+1



ZenDaddy said:


> Ladyfish = shark candy, they love it.
> Skipjack = chewy shark steak. They love it and it stays on the hook forever.


:headknock

Ladyfish = Skipjack


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## poco jim (Jun 28, 2010)

WHAT said:


> +1
> 
> :headknock
> 
> Ladyfish = Skipjack


That's what I thought


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## ZenDaddy (May 22, 2004)

justletmein said:


> Now I'm confused.


Sorry gentlemen -

I meant to say Jack Crevalle but was distracted by work. (I hate when that happens, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.)


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

ZenDaddy said:


> Sorry gentlemen -
> 
> I meant to say Jack Crevalle but was distracted by work. (I hate when that happens, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.)


Oh ok. Now that makes sense!


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## JustSlabs (Jun 19, 2005)

Really? Someone asked a question about fishing on this site? Who does that???


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Cylinder said:


> As I understand the rules, the issue is "final destination". The beach is considered "final destination". 1/2 a fish is the same as a filleted fish. Obviously, once it's been cleaned or filleted, you can no longer determine the lenght. Since you are at your "final destination" you can't really be questioned about size. However, a boat is not a "final destination". You would need to keep the fish whole until you got to the dock. Hope this helps. Roger


 "Final Destination" is also a little fuzzy. Had a warden explain it to me like this. You final destination is when you are finished fishing, camping at the beach while still fishing is not considered a final destination.

If you do have fresh fillets at the beach the game warden can and at times will ask to see the carcass of the fish to make sure it was of legal length. If it is cut in half he will not be pleased. This keeps people from catching and cleaning undersized fish at the beach. It also keeps people from catching there limit, cooking and eating it for lunch on the beach. Then going and keeping another limit the same day.

Been through this before, I was not doing anything wrong. Just had a bunch of fish cut up for supper.


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## fishorgolf (Aug 13, 2005)

que?


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

JustSlabs said:


> Really? Someone asked a question about fishing on this site? Who does that???


Okay, since the smart asses are starting to gang up on me, let me attempt to clarify my comment in language they can understand.

Anyone can do a tiny bit of research and discover that I have no problem with offering advice for legitimate questions. However, I have little patience for people who are too lazy to try to find the answers for themselves before they take the easy way out and throw out a question on a bulletin board.

If that makes me a bad person, I can live with that.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

I sure see a lot of fish filleted at the cleaning tables of a lot of marinas and baitcamps with the carcasses thrown to the crabs. According to the law, this is illegal.


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## Auer Power (Jun 16, 2009)

bigfost said:


> Okay, since the smart asses are starting to gang up on me, let me attempt to clarify my comment in language they can understand.
> 
> Anyone can do a tiny bit of research and discover that I have no problem with offering advice for legitimate questions. However, I have little patience for people who are too lazy to try to find the answers for themselves before they take the easy way out and throw out a question on a bulletin board.
> 
> If that makes me a bad person, I can live with that.


You in a bad mood today? :fish:


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

You can use any fish you want for bait. Just don't get caught using a game fish for bait.

For shark, the oily or bloody the better.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Auer Power said:


> You in a bad mood today? :fish:


I've been officially diagnosed with grumpy old man syndrome. It's flaring the last couple of days.


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

bigfost said:


> Okay, since the smart asses are starting to gang up on me, let me attempt to clarify my comment in language they can understand.
> 
> Anyone can do a tiny bit of research and discover that I have no problem with offering advice for legitimate questions. However, I have little patience for people who are too lazy to try to find the answers for themselves before they take the easy way out and throw out a question on a bulletin board.
> 
> If that makes me a bad person, I can live with that.


Why not throw the question out there... may have been someone else wondering the same thing... or maybe learn something you didnt nessesarily know before... or see a situation from another perspective... Your replies are the only useless ones in the whole thread...


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## A Draper (Aug 14, 2007)

bigfost said:


> And your "I'm too lazy to look in the book so I'll let someone else do the work for me" question is the kind that ****** me off.


You assume I didn't review the regs but I actually did and I have my own answers to the scenarios I posted. I wanted to confirm that I was seeing things correctly which in my opinion is one of the best uses for a site likes this. On thing I have learned over the years is that "I" am rarely smarter the "We".


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

On something like the sheepshead, why not just butterfly it and send 12 inches down so it's still legal and you don't have half a fish in the boat. 
Just a thought to help not a dick. 

As far as research, walk into a tpwd office and start asking spearfish ing questions. Lol. They willl just grab the book usually and start flipping. Then get flustered and just give you an extremely vague answer. Fun times. I'm not just talking the ladies at the front but game wardens that were in there. 

More importantly, you catch anything?!


Cody C


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

A Draper said:


> You assume I didn't review the regs but I actually did and I have my own answers to the scenarios I posted. I wanted to confirm that I was seeing things correctly which in my opinion is one of the best uses for a site likes this. On thing I have learned over the years is that "I" am rarely smarter the "We".


Did you bother to call your local TPWD office? If you did, and they couldn't, or wouldn't, answer your question, then I apologize.

BTW, I just noticed your sub-signature is Aggie Angler. I think that explains the problem. Hook 'em horns.


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