Wisconsin's Bait Laws Protect Our Waters

Minnows as Bait in a bucket

Many anglers are aware of the importance of decontaminating boats, trailers, and other water equipment. However, anglers should also be aware of the bait laws that Wisconsin has in place. These bait laws should be followed closely to prevent the
spread of fish diseases like Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), and organisms such as zebra mussels, spiny water fleas, and other forms of AIS that could be transported by bait containers or the bait itself.

Wisconsin Bait Laws:

  • Do not transport any aquatic plants, live fish, or live eggs away from any state waters. There are some exceptions for minnows obtained from a Wisconsin bait dealer or registered fish farm. These minnows may be transported away live and used again:
    • On the same water, or
    • On any other waters if no lake or river water, or other fish was added to their container.
  • Do not use dead fish, fish eggs, or fish parts as bait. There are three exceptions:
    • You may use any of these on any waterbody if they were preserved by a method that does not require freezing or refrigeration.
    • You may use unpreserved or just frozen dead fish, fish eggs, or fish parts as bait on the same water from which they were collected or on Lake Michigan or Green Bay (and connecting waters upstream to the first barrier impassible by fish, or
    • Live minnows that die during a fishing trip may be used on that fishing trip only (they may not be used on later trips unless you meet the two conditions above).
  • You may not possess or use bait minnows obtained outside of Wisconsin. This does not apply if the bait minnows were imported under a Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) import permit, or obtained from Iowa or Minnesota and are being used “between the tracks” on the Mississippi River.
  • Live crayfish may not be used as bait in Wisconsin, nor can you possess live crayfish and fishing equipment at the same time. However, you may use dead or parts of crayfish for bait on any waters or live crayfish “between the tracks” on the Mississippi River.
  • Minnow harvesting is closed on VHS affected waters including Lake Michigan (including Green Bay), Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay, and all connecting waters upstream to the first barrier impassible by fish. The only exception is that suckers (which are legally considered to be minnows) can be harvested and used as bait on the same body of water, but may not be transported away alive.
  • On other waters, minnows may be harvested:
    • For personal use but may not be transported alive away from the water.
    • By Wisconsin bait dealers under a DNR wild bait harvest permit.

For more information on Wisconsin bait laws, and to view frequently asked questions, please visit https://stopaquatichitchhikers.org/content/uploads/2020/03/Fishing-with-...

[Written by: Tom Boisvert]

[Photo: West Central Tribune]

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