# Bluegill for bait



## haftofsh (Feb 16, 2004)

Does anyone use gills on there tip ups? I was wondering if you have 2 tip ups out with small gills on them if the "bait gills" would count towards your limit? I'm sure they would so when you get to 23 you would have to stop and put tip ups away before finishing off your 25.


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## smiley1544 (Oct 18, 2002)

If you caught the gills and then put them on the tip up they would count in your total limit. Your allowed 25 per day if you used two for tip up bait you would have 23 left to take home. 


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## Big_Fisherman (Oct 2, 2010)

I use small gills as pike bait in the summer and winter. They live a long time and are great bait. I have had other people tell me that it is illegal to use one game fish to catch another game fish. So I looked it up in the fishing guide. It is legal to use a game fish to catch another game fish as long as the the original game fish is counted toward you daily limit. 

Good luck,

Rich


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## zachattack (Nov 2, 2012)

but if you caught them yesterday, then they would not be on todays limit.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

zachattack said:


> but if you caught them yesterday, then they would not be on todays limit.


 Good luck with that. 
It is a daily possession limit. If you caught them yesterday, and take them with you again today, you still possess them today. Additional fish can be possessed at home if "processed", so cleaned and frozen. It doesn't matter if you caught them a week ago, if you are on the ice with over your limit of fish in your possession, you are over the limit.


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## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

From the DNR fishing guide: 

"*Daily Possession Limit* means the total number of fish, amphibians
or reptiles that you are permitted to catch and keep in one day. Also
see Possession Limit."
also
*"Possession Limit*: In addition to one (1) day&#8217;s daily possession
limit of fish, a person may possess an additional two (2) daily
possession limits of fish taken during previous fishing days provided
that the additional limits of fish are processed (canned, cured by
smoking or drying, or frozen). This provision does not apply to lake
sturgeon, see p. 8 for lake sturgeon harvest restrictions. Anglers
who have not attained the age of 17 are entitled to the possession
limit even though they do not have a fishing license. A person fishing
waters bordered by other states or provinces AND possessing
multiple fishing licenses may possess the limit allowed for ONLY
ONE license while in transit, but while fishing in Michigan waters,
must comply with Michigan possession and size limits."


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## FireUpChips (Jan 24, 2009)

I used some on my tip ups yesterday and as already stated you do have to count them towards your daily possession limit even if you caught them another day as I also did. Definitely have to remember to count them in case you get checked, it would suck to get a ticket for a couple three inch fish.

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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

FireUpChips said:


> I used some on my tip ups yesterday and as already stated you do have to count them towards your daily possession limit even if you caught them another day as I also did. Definitely have to remember to count them in case you get checked, it would suck to get a ticket for a couple three inch fish.
> 
> Or a whole bucket full:lol:


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Totally off topic, but every time I see it I can't help but crack up. Crazy Axe, love the new avatar! :lol::lol::lol:


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## Ricky Missum (Jan 10, 2003)

To get any ticket, but just plain dumb and dumber to try and explain that the fish were from yesterday's harvest Do recall a fellow fisherman gettin a ticket(on the ice) for being over limit on panfish,(which included his tip-ups) he tried to state that he had minnows on his tip-ups to start and that the gills had eaten the bait, and became hooked and he wasn't aware that the gills where on his tip-ups!!He tried to push it with a few other items of concern ( which just made it a bad situation) and his day was over at that lake!!!


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Ricky Missum said:


> To get any ticket, but just plain dumb and dumber to try and explain that the fish were from yesterday's harvest Do recall a fellow fisherman gettin a ticket(on the ice) for being over limit on panfish,(which included his tip-ups) he tried to state that he had minnows on his tip-ups to start and that the gills had eaten the bait, and became hooked and he wasn't aware that the gills where on his tip-ups!!He tried to push it with a few other items of concern ( which just made it a bad situation) and his day was over at that lake!!!


:lol::lol:
I would like to have seen that!


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## MI.FISH-N-HUNTER (Feb 11, 2010)

3 inch bluegills for bait, way to tiny, if were using shiners or large suckers minnow and run out we'll throw gills on but they are usually 5-7 inchers just bite their tails half off so they are a little wounded, you'll catch bigger fish trust me. I've got one lake I go to, usually that's all we'll use...

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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

I've done it, but prefer a 4-6" perch!


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Anish said:


> Totally off topic, but every time I see it I can't help but crack up. Crazy Axe, love the new avatar! :lol::lol::lol:


Nish,

I agree, His other ones would gag a maggot!

O'lame Fred


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

Because of this thread, I am going to try 5-6", I usually run a 3-4" gill...

Thanks all, I hope I end up learning something really good from the switch... I will post any good that becomes of it...

Good luck all!

<*)))>{


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## ridgewalker (Jun 24, 2008)

Ricky Missum said:


> To get any ticket, but just plain dumb and dumber to try and explain that the fish were from yesterday's harvest Do recall a fellow fisherman gettin a ticket(on the ice) for being over limit on panfish,(which included his tip-ups) he tried to state that he had minnows on his tip-ups to start and that the gills had eaten the bait, and became hooked and he wasn't aware that the gills where on his tip-ups!!He tried to push it with a few other items of concern ( which just made it a bad situation) and his day was over at that lake!!!


but then . . . if a Northern ate the gill on the tip-up whose catch would it be? his or yours?:lol: Sorry I couldn't help that, I just came over from the deer regs thread and I needed the release:lol:.


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## Hockey9019 (Feb 28, 2008)

What kind of hook and where do you hook them? Never used a tipup before

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## vanj85 (Jun 23, 2011)

I use 1/0 trebble, hook just behind dorsol fin up top, cut off bottom fins and part of tail. I like perch better, but use gills a lot. I love using them on a slip bobber for early spring, just after opener, for pike and pig smallies. Anything from 4-7" fish, still catch hammerhandles, but have a chance at some real quality fish.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

With sucker minnows @ 50 cents each I have turned tipup bait into a art. Gills and my favorite small crappie I use all the time. My best luck is a 4 or 5 inch fish, Take scissors and remove the top fin/spines just into the meat I place my treble right in the center of where the fin was. I think pike were designed to eat sunfish type fish, also the top fin I think is a defence that when cut off allows the pike to hold on before the spit and headfirst swallow move. Crappies have that silver flash, after cleaning many pike and finding gills and crappie big enough to filet the only other fish I would like to try but is not legal is a 10 or 12 inch pike as I find alot of those also when cleaning the big ones.


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## the roofer (Jan 14, 2009)

feedinggrounds said:


> With sucker minnows @ 50 cents each I have turned tipup bait into a art. Gills and my favorite small crappie I use all the time. My best luck is a 4 or 5 inch fish, Take scissors and remove the top fin/spines just into the meat I place my treble right in the center of where the fin was. I think pike were designed to eat sunfish type fish, also the top fin I think is a defence that when cut off allows the pike to hold on before the spit and headfirst swallow move. Crappies have that silver flash, after cleaning many pike and finding gills and crappie big enough to filet the only other fish I would like to try but is not legal is a 10 or 12 inch pike as I find alot of those also when cleaning the big ones.


 thank you....never had luck with bluegill....but then again I never thought of cutting there defence off....


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## fattiemcnuggins (Nov 13, 2011)

People have tried to tell me it is illegal also, but I have always cou ted them towards my limit. I have caught some great fish this way, smallmouths will hammer a 5 inch perch. Pike like em bigger, never tried using crappie I will have to check it out. I havr tried using rock bass and sunfish with no luck, but maybe with the fins cut off they could work too.


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

feedinggrounds said:


> With sucker minnows @ 50 cents each I have turned tipup bait into a art. Gills and my favorite small crappie I use all the time. My best luck is a 4 or 5 inch fish, Take scissors and remove the top fin/spines just into the meat I place my treble right in the center of where the fin was. I think pike were designed to eat sunfish type fish, also the top fin I think is a defence that when cut off allows the pike to hold on before the spit and headfirst swallow move. Crappies have that silver flash, after cleaning many pike and finding gills and crappie big enough to filet the only other fish I would like to try but is not legal is a 10 or 12 inch pike as I find alot of those also when cleaning the big ones.


I bet a 10 inch rainbow would be dy-no-mite!


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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

triplelunger said:


> I bet a 10 inch rainbow would be dy-no-mite!


If it was a legal size fish, and caught on that body of water, give it a try. If nothing hits it, you could just take it home and clean it!


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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

And I have had people tell me it is illegal also, it is not. This was sent in the Michigan DNR fishing report at the beginning of December. You can use any fish for bait, as long as it is of legal size/ season to possess.











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## leland.69 (Feb 22, 2010)

Just wanted to add, make sure you caught the gills on the same body of water your fishing. Transporting from one lake to another is a big no no. Also I never thought to cut off the dorsal fin. Good idea, I just trimmed the tail.

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## NortheasternSteve (Jan 7, 2013)

Years ago a friend and I used small rainbows as tip-up bait, 3-4 inchers. Never trimed fins or tails and ended up with alot of false flags, but no pike...Not a lake with alot of northern then and only tried it once, so the jury is still out on if it works that well. They sure were active though!


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## naterade (Nov 30, 2008)

NortheasternSteve said:


> Years ago a friend and I used small rainbows as tip-up bait, 3-4 inchers. Never trimed fins or tails and ended up with alot of false flags, but no pike...Not a lake with alot of northern then and only tried it once, so the jury is still out on if it works that well. They sure were active though!


:lol: Yep, that should be no problem :lol:


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## wildernessdjustin (Jan 4, 2013)

when i was younger..not that im too old now all i used to use were blue gills and would rarely get pike under the 30 inch mark. Ive been using suckers the last week and have caught about 15 pike under the 30 inch mark so tomorrow im going to catch some bait and try getting into some hogs. Like most people have stated i would cut them up a little bit so they arent always setting the flags off


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