2023 Fishing Regulations - 26

S TAT E WI DE R E GU L AT I O N S
Use of Baitfish
The use or possession of live baitfish is prohibited throughout Areas
1 and 4 and on all waters in Areas 2, 3, and 5 except as otherwise
provided on pages 8-18 which describe where live baitfish may be
obtained, possessed and used.
The specific waters from which wild caught live baitfish may be
Image courtesy New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Brook Stickleback - free standing spines on back, usually numbering five
(5) are characteristic of this fish.
Any brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) taken must be killed
immediately and shall not be possessed or transported.
Seines used for the purpose of taking baitfish shall not be more
than five (5) feet deep.
Traps used for the purpose of taking baitfish shall not be more
than thirty-six (36) inches long, twelve (12) inches deep, twelve (12)
inches wide or twelve (12) inches in diameter and the throat shall
not exceed one (1) inch width.
A seining license holder shall not use more than five (5) traps at a time.
A holder of both a seining license and live baitfish dealer's license
shall have no restriction on the number of traps that can be used.
The owner's name and seining license number shall be attached
to each trap while in use.
Any game fish taken by trap, net or seine shall be released to the
water immediately.
No person shall intentionally tamper with or remove a trap or
net, or remove fish from a trap or net that is set and maintained in
compliance with Commission regulations without written permission
from the seining license holder.
Any live nongame fish captured for use as dead bait shall be killed
immediately and shall not be transported live.
All wild caught live baitfish transported out of the water of capture
shall be held in aquaria when not in use. Wild caught live baitfish
confined to a live car, net, pen or other enclosure in the same water
from which the baitfish were captured are exempt from the aquaria
holding requirement.
All aquaria and enclosures shall have the owner's name and seining
license number attached while in use.
A seining license holder shall allow Department personnel to
inspect live baitfish and all aquaria and enclosures used to hold live
baitfish during reasonable hours. If an inspection discloses species
of wildlife not authorized by the Department or an aquatic invasive
species, the Department may order the wildlife, including all fish
in aquaria and enclosures, removed from Wyoming or destroyed.
Wild caught live baitfish may be held indefinitely by the holder of
a valid, unexpired seining license, but shall not be released, abandoned
or allowed to escape.
A seining license holder shall not sell live baitfish without first
possessing a valid live baitfish dealer's license.
A seining license holder shall be allowed to give live baitfish to
other anglers in his or her fishing party for use only when the seining
license holder is present. All live baitfish shall be returned to
the seining licensee while not in use, and shall remain in the wild
caught live baitfish possession area listed on the seining license.
A seining license holder shall be allowed to give dead baitfish to
other anglers for use as dead bait.
Seining licenses are subject to suspension or revocation for failure
to comply with the seining and trapping conditions specified above
or with the regulations for each drainage area.
Any revocation of a seining license other than a court hearing
revocation shall be subject to contested case proceedings in accordance
with Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Regulation
Chapter 27, Rules Of Practice Governing Contested Cases Before
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission.
24 WYOMING GAME AND FISH
seined, netted or trapped and used are listed on pages 8-18. Wild
caught live baitfish shall not be transported out of the designated
wild caught live baitfish possession area from which they were collected.
This area shall be listed on the seining license, live baitfish
dealer license or live baitfish receipt.
No person shall possess live baitfish while fishing on any water
where the use of live baitfish is prohibited.
Commercially produced live baitfish may be transported and possessed
throughout Areas 2, 3 and 5 (east of the continental divide)
except where the use of live baitfish is prohibited. Use or possession
of commercially produced live baitfish is prohibited on all waters
except as otherwise provided on pages 8-18.
No person shall possess or transport brook stickleback in Wyoming.
Persons with live baitfish in possession shall produce, upon request
from Department personnel, either a receipt from a licensed
live baitfish dealer or a valid, unexpired seining license verifying
the origin of the live baitfish.
No live baitfish shall be transported into the state for use as live baitfish
except as provided in the LIVE BAITFISH DEALERS section below.
All live baitfish shall be held in aquaria or exclosures when not
in transport or in use.
Containers may be used to transport legally obtained live baitfish
or other wildlife by land, but shall not be part of a watercraft and
shall be free of aquatic vegetation.
Live baitfish shall not be released, abandoned, or allowed to
escape and must be killed when the receipt expires.
Dead baitfish may be used as bait. Restrictions on the use of dead
baitfish are designated within the regulations for the specific drainage
areas. Nongame fish taken by the use of legal fishing methods
during any season open for the taking of game fish may be used as
dead bait. Any live baitfish captured for use as dead bait shall be
killed immediately and shall not be transported live.
Live Baitfish Dealers
Any person desiring to sell live baitfish shall apply for and receive a
valid live baitfish dealer's license prior to selling live baitfish except
holders of a valid Wyoming commercial fish hatchery license who
may sell live baitfish to live baitfish dealers for resale. Application
for a live baitfish dealer's license shall be made on forms provided
by the Department. The applicant shall provide information including,
but not limited to, the physical location of the business and a
description of facilities to be used for holding fish.
Detailed regulations and information pertaining to live baitfish
dealers is available online at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Fishing-andBoating/Forms-and-Applications
Other
Animals as Bait
Amphibians and reptiles shall not be used as fishing bait. The
possession of live or dead amphibians and reptiles while fishing
is prohibited.
Crayfish shall only be used as live fishing bait in the water body
from which they were captured. Once transported away from the
water of capture, crayfish shall not be used as live fishing bait. Traps
used to take mollusks and crustaceans shall have the owners name
and address attached while in use. Importation or possession of
Rusty Crayfish is prohibited.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Fishing-and-Boating/Live-Bait-Dealers

2023 Fishing Regulations

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2023 Fishing Regulations