Illinois Administrative Code
Title 17 - CONSERVATION
Part 810 - SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR THE WATERS OF ILLINOIS
Section 810.50 - Bait Fishing

1) Aquatic life species found on the Aquatic Life Approved Species list are allowed for use as live bait if purchased from a licensed Illinois Aquatic Life Dealer or Minnow Dealer or so long as the aquatic life species taken are used as bait in the waters where taken. Species not found on the Aquatic Life Approved Species list may be used as DEAD bait on the waters where taken.

2) Legal sized cast nets, shad scoops, and minnow seines may be used to obtain shad, minnows and crayfish to use as bait, provided that they are not sold or bartered. All cast nets shall be not larger than 24 feet in diameter or of a mesh size not larger than 1 inch bar measurement. All shad scoops shall be not larger than 30 inches in diameter or of a mesh size not larger than 1/2 inch bar measurement or longer than 4 feet in length. Minnow seines shall not be longer than 20 feet, deeper than 6 feet or contain mesh size larger than 1/2 inch bar measurement.

3) Minnows and crayfish may be collected with traps of metal screen or hardware cloth, plastic, or nylon mesh or netting. Such traps may not be more than 24 inches in width or diameter or more than 36 inches in length nor use a mesh of more than 1/2 inch bar measurement. Each entrance aperture may not exceed 1.5 inches in diameter. If unattended, such devices must be tagged with the name, mailing address and phone number of the person operating the device. Minnows and crayfish collected in such devices may only be taken for personal use and may not be sold or bartered.

4) Aquatic life protected under 17 Ill. Adm. Code 1010 - Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Fauna may not be taken for any purpose including bait fishing.

5) Injurious Species: The use of live injurious species (as described in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 805) as bait is prohibited. Possession of live specimens, progeny thereof, viable eggs, or gametes is prohibited.

6) Collected live bait, including crayfish, shall not be transported between water bodies. Bait shall not be transported from spillway tailwaters to the impounded lake.