# Is Cast Netting Ever Legal



## KDOG1976 (Jun 29, 2008)

I was fishing last night around 11pm on Alum Creek by Howard rd and a boat was makign lots of noise and camping out under the bridge. i asked them how they were doign and they said not well. That they were jsut cast netting and having no luck. I said "isnt it illegal to cast net" and they said it was fine just going for bait fish. I dont know if that is true or not, but i found it interestign that these guys took off after i asked them that question. I tried calling 1800 poacher to ask if it was legal, but that number is only answered 8-5. After hours it is just a voicemail so that number is basically worthless if someone is poaching early or late. So I have 2 questions for the board
1) is there any legitimate way to legally cast net on alum creek, or were these guys paching
2) how do u bust out a poacher after 5pm when that number is not answered. Who do you call?


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

Your deffinietly allowed to do it sometimes at someplaces


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## fishfrye (May 1, 2009)

Kdog- i cast net bait (shad) all the time. now i have caught all types of other fish doing it, and just threw them back. i do a lot of catfishing and always try to use live bait when ever possible. i do know that there are certain rules and regulations that need to be followed, when cast netting, but i am sure that cast netting for bait fish is legal. hope that helps. ps. its a very easy and cheap way to get bait...


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

from the regs:
CAST NETS- Forage fish may be taken with cast nets only in the Inland Fishing District. It is unlawful to use a cast net with a square mesh less than 1/4 inch or larger than 1 inch on a side, or with a diameter of greater than 10 feet. It is illegal to use a cast net within a distance of 1000 feet downstream from any dam posted with Division of Wildlife signs indicating cast net use is prohibited.



Sounds legal along as forage=baitfish

Stuck


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

This is perfectly legal for collecting shad and other bait fish. Here is the exact wording in the fishing regulations.


> *CAST NETS*- Forage fish may be taken with cast nets only in the Inland Fishing District. It is unlawful to use a cast net with a square mesh less than 1/4 inch or larger than 1 inch on a side, or with a diameter of greater than 10 feet. It is illegal to use a cast net within a distance of 1000 feet downstream from any dam posted with Division of Wildlife signs indicating cast net use is prohibited.


Here is the link to the ODNR sites Fishing Regulations.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/fishing.aspx


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## Critter Getter (Jan 30, 2007)

Yes it is legal unless sings are posted by the ODNR.I have used them thet are a great way to get bait. Just dont keep the game fish.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

Haha 5 views 4 replies in 15 minutes


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## KDOG1976 (Jun 29, 2008)

Thanks guys. I hate poachers and wanted to ask. I was careful and not rude though only asking them if that was legal and then dropping it. I was trying to understand the rules for the next time I ran into something like that. From what i can tell they were using a small net and it appears to be legal. I jsut hear those horror stories about people, typically asians(no offense), who illegally net fish


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## BarnyardMonkey (Apr 14, 2005)

I do a little netting at alum for shad while cat fishing as well.
as long as it's forage fish it's all good.

However, it has been a mess trying to fish below Griggs this year.
i fished 3 days in a row, and saw the same group doing circles directly at the dam,and a little ways below it using nothing but a cast net.

Bait fish wasn't what they were after...keeping every dang thing they could net.
This went on for atleast 4 hours that i was there, 3 days in a row.

and the eyes were biting pretty well in the small streams below...so hard telling how many they took home within 3 days worth.


That area needs to be watched more.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

BarnyardMonkey said:


> I do a little netting at alum for shad while cat fishing as well.
> as long as it's forage fish it's all good.
> 
> However, it has been a mess trying to fish below Griggs this year.
> ...


 If you know they are in violation then you need to contact the authorities at the time. Complaining after the fact does nothing. If they were there for that long then someone should have been able to check them out.


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## symba (May 23, 2008)

BarnyardMonkey said:


> I do a little netting at alum for shad while cat fishing as well.
> as long as it's forage fish it's all good.
> 
> However, it has been a mess trying to fish below Griggs this year.
> ...



Why not do something about it? 1-800-POACHER.

Better yet, there is a park office 100 yards from where you were. Go tell someone.


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

you are allowed to cast net anywhere. It is only legal to keep baitfish but you can catch any species you want just as long as it is released.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

peple of the perch said:


> you are allowed to cast net anywhere. It is only legal to keep baitfish but you can catch any species you want just as long as it is released.


That is mostly correct except that it is prohibited at many dams in the first 1,000 feet downstream.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

bkr is correct but the dams that are not permitted will have a sign posted saying so the guys may have not been illegally catching fish but it is ilegal to camp on a boat in an area other than where baot camping is permitted (not under howard rd bridge)


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

fishintechnician said:


> bkr is correct but the dams that are not permitted will have a sign posted saying so the guys may have not been illegally catching fish but it is ilegal to camp on a boat in an area other than where baot camping is permitted (not under howard rd bridge)


 I took his "camping out" term to mean they were hanging out in one area and not indeed camping.


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