Gill netting for shad?

[piper]

Greetings,

So Ive been poking around at the concept of trolling or gill netting for bait. It looks legal in VA with the purchase of a $9 permit. While I realize gilled shad are not ideal and designed for catfish I wondered if I could get away with this idea for striper?  Thoughts?

[Gator]

Piper,from what I have read the minimum size gill net is 1.5" (3" stretch) that is a big net. As you probably know, gill nets do not discriminate. I would be reluctant to use one only because you are going to catch different species and they are likely going to die before you can safely return them to the water.This comes from experience. I worked in the commercial fishing business for years in FL until the state banned gill netting in coastal waters. Just my .02 cents.


OKay, I think I found your answer. It is lawful to gill net in limited waters but it appears those waters are coastal waters and not the lakes. The permits for gill netting are issued by Virginia Marine Resources Commision and not Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. I would call DGIF to confirm. Look on page 27 of this link below.

www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/2013-fishing-regulations.pdf

[mwardncsu]

I've been told by our DGIF biologist that an individual cannot lawfully set a gill-net - they are not doing the gill-net surveys this year due to manpower issues, so we had asked if the Club could set these and do the data collection in their absense, but was told it would be illegal fpr us do so.

Apparently you can tow a net of some type, but what are you targeting? I would be surprised if you'd get good sized bait doing so given the quickness of big gizzards - and what do you want to use the bait for? Cut-bait maybe but gilled shad would last long as all in your tank if you were trying to do it as live bait.

[Brian]

I asked DGIF if it was legal to tow a trawl net in SML. They said no.

As already said, it would probably only be good for cut bait as you'll quickly kill any fish in the net... Since I don't live on the lake and don't like to get up early, catching bait in the daytime can be challenging... My idea was to pull a net through a deep school of bait (that would be difficult to target with a cast net) and immediately bring it into the boat hoping some of the bait made it.

Here's the answer I got from VA DGIF:

Thank you for your question. As the regulation is written at this time, it would be unlawful to use a trawl net for catching shad and alewives in Smith Mountain Lake. I am attaching the specific regulation for your information.

4VAC15-360-10. Taking aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and nongame fish for private use.
B. Methods of taking species in subsection A. Except as otherwise provided for in the Code of Virginia, 4VAC15-20-130, 4VAC15-320-40, and other regulations of the board, and except in any waters where the use of nets is prohibited, the species listed in subsection A may only be taken by hand, hook and line, with a seine not exceeding four feet in depth by 10 feet in length, an umbrella type net not exceeding five by five feet square, small minnow traps with throat openings no larger than one inch in diameter, cast nets, and hand-held bow nets with diameter not to exceed 20 inches and handle length not to exceed eight feet (such cast net and hand-held bow nets when so used shall not be deemed dip nets under the provisions of § 29.1-416 of the Code of Virginia). Gizzard shad and white perch may also be taken from below the fall line in all tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay using a gill net in accordance with Virginia Marine Resources Commission recreational fishing regulations. Bullfrogs may also be taken by gigging or bow and arrow and, from private waters, by firearms no larger than .22 caliber rimfire. Snapping turtles may be taken for personal use with hoop nets not exceeding six feet in length with a throat opening not exceeding 36 inches.

Thank again for your question and do not hesitate to contact us if you need further.

[piper]

Nov 6, 2013 13:16:31 GMT -5 Brian said:

I asked DGIF if it was legal to tow a trawl net in SML. They said no.

As already said, it would probably only be good for cut bait as you'll quickly kill any fish in the net... Since I don't live on the lake and don't like to get up early, catching bait in the daytime can be challenging... My idea was to pull a net through a deep school of bait (that would be difficult to target with a cast net) and immediately bring it into the boat hoping some of the bait made it.

Here's the answer I got from VA DGIF:

Thank you for your question. As the regulation is written at this time, it would be unlawful to use a trawl net for catching shad and alewives in Smith Mountain Lake. I am attaching the specific regulation for your information.

4VAC15-360-10. Taking aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and nongame fish for private use.
B. Methods of taking species in subsection A. Except as otherwise provided for in the Code of Virginia, 4VAC15-20-130, 4VAC15-320-40, and other regulations of the board, and except in any waters where the use of nets is prohibited, the species listed in subsection A may only be taken by hand, hook and line, with a seine not exceeding four feet in depth by 10 feet in length, an umbrella type net not exceeding five by five feet square, small minnow traps with throat openings no larger than one inch in diameter, cast nets, and hand-held bow nets with diameter not to exceed 20 inches and handle length not to exceed eight feet (such cast net and hand-held bow nets when so used shall not be deemed dip nets under the provisions of § 29.1-416 of the Code of Virginia). Gizzard shad and white perch may also be taken from below the fall line in all tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay using a gill net in accordance with Virginia Marine Resources Commission recreational fishing regulations. Bullfrogs may also be taken by gigging or bow and arrow and, from private waters, by firearms no larger than .22 caliber rimfire. Snapping turtles may be taken for personal use with hoop nets not exceeding six feet in length with a throat opening not exceeding 36 inches.

Thank again for your question and do not hesitate to contact us if you need further.

BCarls this describes me to a T ... thanks for the input

[Shadslinger]

Mward are you sure they didn't do the sampling. I had everything set up to go with him on leesville and had to attend a unexpected funeral the day scheduled to pull the nets and wasn't able to go. I can tell ya from experience, when ya pull in a gill net with about 500 white perch in it you will wish you never had that idea.

[mwardncsu]

Dan said earlier this year and again a few months ago that they were not going to be doing it on SML and that angler diaries were all that more important as it would be his only data collection source A maybe it got done on Leesville....

[Pete D.]

Love setting the gill net in the river for catfish bait!