Fishing with dead, frozen or preserved bait

Dead bait types

Most bait that originates in Minnesota can be used as fresh, dead or frozen bait. This bait does not have any specific labeling or preservation requirements.

Common bait without labeling requirements includes creek chubs, honeyhead chubs, dace, white suckers and golden shiners.

Minnesota does have regulations for the use of some commercially harvested bait in Minnesota lakes, rivers and streams.

To determine if dead bait is legal for use in Minnesota, you first need to determine if it originated in Minnesota or was imported. The origin of dead bait can be determined by looking at the labeling on the package.

Dead bait with a Minnesota origin

There are two exceptions for dead bait with a Minnesota origin. The exceptions are detailed below, and this bait must be labeled accordingly.

1. VHSV-susceptible species

(Common bait species in this category include emerald shiners, spottail shiners, fathead minnows, bluntnose minnows, rainbow smelt and cisco. View the list of common Minnesota fishes that are VHSV-susceptible.)

All dead bait comprised of VHSV-susceptible fish must:

  1. Originate from a certified VHSV-free waterbody and be properly labeled; or
  2. Originate from a certified VHSV-free zone and be properly labeled; or
  3. Be preserved following the conditions prescribed in a bait preservation permit and be properly labeled.

Packaging for commercially harvested bait is required to have specific labeling, which indicates to the buyer that the bait is legal for use in Minnesota waters. Review the examples linked above to determine what the required labeling should look like.

If you purchase bait that requires specific labeling, you must retain the labeling until the bait is used and no longer in your possession.

2. Rainbow smelt or cisco

This bait can be used:

  1. In Lake Superior or its tributaries up to the posted boundaries in any form, without any preservation or labeling requirements; or
  2. In any Minnesota waterbody if it originates from a certified VHS-free waterbody and is properly labeled; or
  3. In any Minnesota waterbody if it originates from a certified VHSV-free zone and is properly labeled; or
  4. In any Minnesota waterbody if preserved following the conditions prescribed in a bait preservation permit and is properly labeled.

Packaging for commercially harvested bait is required to have specific labeling, which indicates to the buyer that the bait is legal for use in Minnesota waters. Review the examples linked above to determine what the required labeling should look like.

If you purchase bait that requires specific labeling, you must retain the labeling until the bait is used and no longer in your possession.

Dead bait that is imported

All imported dead bait (bait includes fish, aquatic worms, amphibians, invertebrates, and insects) must either:

  1. Come from a certified VHSV-free source and be properly labeled; or
  2. Be preserved following the conditions prescribed in a bait preservation permit and be properly labeled.

Packaging for commercially harvested bait is required to have specific labeling, which indicates to the buyer that the bait is legal for use in Minnesota waters. Review the examples linked above to determine what the required labeling should look like.

If you purchase bait that requires specific labeling, you must retain the labeling until the bait is used and no longer in your possession.

Questions & answers

I harvest minnows for personal use and freeze what is left over for later use. Do my frozen minnows need specific labeling?

Minnows harvested for personal use under an angling license do not require specific labeling when used as frozen bait unless they are a VHSV-susceptible species. Please keep in mind the following considerations:

  • Licensed anglers can transport up to 12 dozen minnows for personal use.
  • Bait cannot be harvested from designated infested waters, with the following exceptions:
    • Minnows can be harvested from waters infested solely with Eurasian water milfoil
    • Bullheads (up to 7"), mooneyes (up to 7"), suckers (up to 12") and sheephead (freshwater drum) can be taken from designated infested streams or rivers for non-commercial, personal use by hook and line. They must be used on the same body of water where caught. They may not be transported live off of the waterbody. Dead bait transported off the waterbody cannot be used as bait elsewhere. While in your possession, these fish count towards your possession limit.
  • VHSV-susceptible species [including emerald shiners, spottail shiners, ciscoes (not over 7" long), fathead minnows and bluntnose minnows] must be harvested from certified VHSV-free waterbodies or zones and require labeling. Make your own label by writing the following information directly on the package or creating a label and affixing it to the package containing your bait:
    1. The name and Department of Natural Resources certified water body number for the source water body;
    2. The date of harvest from the source water body;
    3. The date of packaging and labeling; and
    4. The disease-free certification date for the source water body, which is listed as the collection date in the VHSV-free waterbodies listing.
    5. If the bait originates from a VHSV-free zone and not a specifically listed VHSV-free waterbody, include this additional information:
      1. The name of the VHSV-free zone;
      2. The date of harvest from the source water body or the nearest waterbody if harvesting from a tributary or stream; and
      3. The disease-free certification date for the VHSV-free zone.
  • Leftover minnows can be transported away from the source waterbody but you must empty and replace the water in your bait bucket with tap or bottled water prior to leaving the waterbody access, except under the following circumstances:
    • When ice fishing, portable bait containers do not need to be drained before leaving the waterbody unless that waterbody is infested with VHSV.
I purchase my minnows from a bait shop, and freeze what is left over for later use. Do my frozen minnows need specific labeling?

No specific labeling is required for bait that was purchased live from a bait shop. Retain your proof of purchase until all of the purchased, frozen minnows have been used.

What if I purchase live bait at a bait shop and it dies during my fishing trip?

Bait that dies while you are angling is not subject to preservation or labeling requirements. Retain proof of your purchase until all of the purchased, frozen minnows have been used.

Why are these regulations in place?

These regulations have been created to protect the waters of Minnesota from VHSV. VHSV is a highly contagious and pathogenic fish virus emerging in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. It affects many different species of fish, including game fish, minnows and rough fish.

What can I do to prevent the spread of VHS?

There are many steps you can take to prevent the spread of VHSV, other fish pathogens and aquatic invasive species. You are required to:

  • Remove your drain plug and let the water drain out of your boat before leaving the boat access.
  • Drain your bait bucket and replace the water with tap or bottled water before leaving a boat access, except when ice fishing (unless on waters designated infested with VHSV).
  • Dispose of any unwanted minnows in the trash, not in the water.
  • Ensure that you do not move fish, plants, or water away from any Minnesota waterbody.
  • Learn more about the disease.

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