Bait Fish Regulation Approved For local Spillways

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau announced a new rule regarding the handling and storage of bait fish captured in dam spillway areas. 

Anglers using dip or landing nets, cast nets, boat mounted scoops, wire bas- kets, minnow seines, and minnow traps in dam spill- way areas to capture minnows, shad, nongame gross fish and non-native fish must immediately place their catch on ice or in a dry container. The spillway is the area immediately be- low a dam, and this rule applies to anglers fishing below Arkabutla, Enid, Grenada, Sardis, Ross Bar- nett, Okatibbee, Aberdeen, Columbus, and Bluff Lake dams. 

“This rule is being implemented to prevent the spread of live nonnative fish species like silver carp and bighead carp to new waters,” said MDWFP Fish- eries Coordinator, Dennis Riecke. “Since these fish are difficult to distinguish from shad when small, they could be introduced into new waters when used or discarded as live bait.” 

This rule becomes effective May 28, 2017.