Bait Rule Changes Proposed by South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission
OutdoorHub 10.18.12
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission has proposed closing creeks, streams or rivers, permanently or temporarily, to the catching of bait with traps, nets and seines in the Black Hills trout management area and the following counties:
- Aurora, Beadle, Brown, Bon Homme, Clay, Davison, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Lincoln, McCook, McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Spink, Turner, Union and Yankton
Use of hook and line to take bait fish species, such as creek chubs, would still be allowed, and bait could be trapped from lakes, ponds, and wetlands in those counties.
“This change was proposed in response to concerns about possible movement of young Asian carp to new waters,” said Will Sayler, GFP fisheries program administrator. “Asian carp have invaded the James, Big Sioux, and Vermillion River watersheds and young Asian carp may be present in the streams and creeks which feed these rivers.”
“Young Asian carp closely resemble some popular bait fish species and may be hard to recognize when mixed with other fish trapped for use as bait,” he said.
Asian carp threaten game-fish populations by feeding on plankton that are essential to survival of young game fish. Silver carp are known to jump out of the water when disturbed by boats and other watercraft, presenting a serious safety hazard to anglers and recreational boaters.
To view the full bait-fish proposal, which includes a map showing the areas recommended for closure, visit: http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/proposals.aspx
To comment on the proposal, email wildinfo@state.sd.us. Include your complete name and physical address to be part of the public record.
The GFP Commission will accept public comment on the measure at a Nov. 1 meeting to be held at Camp Lakodia near Madison. The public forum portion of the meeting will begin at 2 p.m. CDT.
