PDF, 7mb - Arizona Game and Fish Department

Live Baitfish — Legal Species, Legal Areas and RegulationsLive baitfish that are legal for use in Arizona include only thosespecies identified on these two pages. No other fish speciesmay be used as live bait.Live baitfish may be obtained and used only in the legal areasidentified below.No live baitfish may be used or possessed while on any watersin Coconino, Apache, Navajo, Pima and Cochise counties. Allother counties have specific baitfish regulations by body ofwater or area.Please dispose of all unwanted baitfish by burying them onland far from the water.it is illegal• To release live baitfish or other live fish into any Arizonawaters.• To use or possess any restricted live baitfish while fishingwaters prohibiting use of that baitfish.• To sell live baitfish (or waterdogs) without a Live BaitfishDealers License.• To keep or harm any game fish or aquatic wildlife incidentallytaken while capturing live baitfish with seines, dipnets, traps or cast nets.Legal Areas Allowing the Use of Live BaitfishArizona Live Baitfish License Dealers may offer for sale any of the following:fathead minnows (most common), threadfin shad, mosquitofish, goldenshiner and goldfish. Any legal baitfish obtained from a licensed baitfish dealermay be transported for use only to the following legal areas.These five baitfish species may also be collected and used alive onsite onlyin the identified legal areas.It is illegal to transport any of these live baitfish from these waters.Legal Areas AllowedFathead minnows, threadfin shad and mosquitofish are permitted on all waters of the counties of La Paz, Maricopa, Pinal and yuma.These baitfish may be used in all waters of Mohave County except the Virgin river. No waters of any other counties are open except:1) the mainstream portions of the Gila and Salt rivers, and that portion of the Verde River below the Tuzigoot Bridge, includingimpounded reservoirs, 2) Tonto Creek from Gisela downstream, 3) those portions of Apache, Roosevelt, Pleasant and HorseshoeLakes lying outside of these counties, and 4) that portion of the San Francisco River in Greenlee County. notes: Live baitfish maynot be transported to the Verde River upstream from Horseshoe Dam and the Salt River above the Roosevelt Diversion Dam in GilaCounty. Threadfin shad are permitted for use at Patagonia Lake in Santa Cruz County.Fathead minnow(most commonly used)Threadfin shadMosquitofishLegal Areas AllowedGolden shiner and goldfish are permitted on all waters of the countiesof La Paz and yuma. No waters of any other counties are open except:1) Lake Mead, and 2) the Colorado River downstream from HooverDam to the Southern International Boundary with Mexico, includingimpounded reservoirs, and 3) Alamo Lake.Golden ShinerGoldfishWaterdogsWaterdogs are NOT considered baitfish, however they have specificregulations governing their use in Arizona. For regulations on livewaterdog legal areas, capture, possession, and transportation see R12-4-313.C.4 and R12-4-316.A & C (page 58-59).No live waterdogs or salamanders may be taken, used or possessedin that portion of Santa Cruz County lying east and south of StateHighway 82, or that portion of Cochise County lying west of the SanPedro River and south of State Highway 82 (this includes ParkerCanyon Lake).Legal live baitfish can be obtained from licensed bait dealers and from wildcapture for personal use only. For regulations on legal capture methods,possession and transport of live baitfish, see:• Capturing baitfish and crayfish for bait, page 7• Lawful methods R12-4-313.A thru E, page 58• Possession of live fish R12-4-315.A & B, page 58• Possession and transportation of live baitfish R12-4-316.A & B , page 59• Seasons for lawfully taking fish R12-4-317.A thru C, page 5910 Arizona Game and Fish Department • www.azgfd.gov